John 20:21-23, The Spirit of Peace

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

 

In these verses we see the Johannine “Great Commission” as Jesus breathes on his disciples and sends them forth as his representatives in the power of the Spirit. The whole Trinity is involved in the commission. The breathing on of the Holy Spirit is a foretaste of Pentecost. While the resurrection is personal—Jesus shows himself to Mary, Peter, Thomas, Clopas, and Paul—Jesus does not expect his disciples to reach out independently with their own personal encounter stories. Instead, the Spirit will equip and mobilize them as a community bound in common participation with Jesus. They are to gather the lost and bring them to the Good Shepherd. Having received the Holy Spirit, Jesus is not saying that individuals or even churches determine the forgiveness of sins, but that as his gospel is faithfully proclaimed, those who believe in him will have their sins forgiven and live in shalom; and those who do not believe in him will not receive forgiveness and experience shalom. The commission is an extension and reflection of what God has already done. Jesus’ mission continues through ours as we go forth in his divine authority and proclaim his mighty acts. The cross and resurrection are complete in the past with continuing results in the present.

Almighty God, our Father, you have redeemed us by the death and resurrection of your only Son Jesus Christ and given us your Holy Spirit that we may be your witnesses in the world: banish the powers of darkness and sin from the minds of those who refuse to believe in your name and open their hearts to your gospel that they may believe in you and become temples of your Holy Spirit. Grant also that we who believe in you may be effective ministers of your Word to those whose lives have not been touched by your saving grace. We make this prayer thorough our Lord Jesus Christ who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Church in Korea