Jesus Appears to His Disciples and Breathes the Spirit
John 20:19-23
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John.20.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ουσης: VERB,pres,act,part,gen,f,sg
- ουν: CONJ
- οψιας: NOUN,gen,sg,fem
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- ημερα: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εκεινη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- μια: NUM,nom,sg,f
- σαββατων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- θυρων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- κεκλεισμενων: VERB,perf,pass,part,gen,pl,f
- οπου: ADV,rel
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- δια: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- φοβον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- Ιουδαιων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εστη: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- μεσον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Ειρηνη: PRON,dat,pl
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
Parallels
- Luke 24:36 (verbal): The risen Jesus appears to the disciples, stands among them, and greets them with 'Peace to you,' a close verbal and situational parallel to John 20:19.
- John 20:21 (structural): Immediate follow-up in the same Johannine appearance sequence: Jesus again greets the disciples with peace and commissions them ('As the Father has sent me, even so I send you'), linking the greeting to mission.
- John 20:26 (verbal): A second, nearly identical post-resurrection appearance 'eight days later' in which Jesus comes into a locked room, stands among the disciples, and says 'Peace be to you,' repeating the same greeting and setting.
- John 14:27 (thematic): Jesus' earlier promise 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you' provides the theological background for the post‑resurrection greeting, connecting his parting words to his actual appearance.
- Matthew 28:20 (thematic): Although worded differently, Matthew's promise 'I am with you always, to the end of the age' parallels the reassuring intent of Jesus' 'Peace be to you'—both emphasize consolation and continued presence after the resurrection.
Alternative generated candidates
- On the evening of that first day of the week, while the disciples were together and the doors were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
- Now when it was evening on that day, the first of the week, and the doors where the disciples were assembled were shut for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
John.20.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- ειπων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- εδειξεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- χειρας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πλευραν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- εχαρησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- ουν: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ιδοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κυριον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- John 20:19 (structural): Immediate narrative context: the risen Jesus appears to the disciples behind locked doors (preceding verse to the show of hands and side).
- John 20:27 (verbal): Direct parallel within the same episode where Jesus invites Thomas to touch his hands and side—explicitly echoing the display of wounds in 20:20.
- Luke 24:39-40 (verbal): Jesus says “See my hands and my feet” and shows them his hands and feet to prove his bodily resurrection, closely matching the wording and purpose of John 20:20.
- Luke 24:36-43 (structural): A parallel resurrection appearance narrative in which Jesus shows his hands and feet and even eats in their presence to demonstrate he is not a ghost.
- 1 Corinthians 15:5 (thematic): Paul’s summary lists Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to Cephas and the Twelve, connecting to the theme of the risen Lord appearing to his disciples as in John 20:20.
Alternative generated candidates
- When he had said this he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
- When he had said this he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
John.20.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ουν: CONJ
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- παλιν·Ειρηνη: ADV+NOUN,nom,sg,f
- υμιν·καθως: PRON,dat,pl,m+CONJ
- απεσταλκεν: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- πατηρ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- καγω: CONJ+PRON,nom,sg,1
- πεμπω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
Parallels
- John 20:19 (verbal): The same greeting 'Ειρήνη ὑμῖν' ('Peace to you') occurs in Jesus' first appearance to the disciples, linking the two appearances and the peace-offering motif.
- John 14:27 (verbal): Jesus' earlier promise 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you' echoes the peace-salutation here and frames it as the gift of the risen Lord.
- John 17:18 (thematic): In the High Priestly Prayer Jesus says 'As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them,' paralleling the Father-sent/mission motif reversed in John 20:21 ('as the Father sent me, I send you').
- Matthew 28:18-20 (structural): The Great Commission parallels John 20:21's commissioning of the disciples to mission under the authority of the Father and Son, sharing the same sending purpose.
- Acts 1:8 (thematic): Peter and the apostles are empowered by the Spirit to be witnesses 'to the ends of the earth,' developing John 20:21's commissioning into the mission empowered by the coming Spirit (cf. John 20:22).
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
- Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
John.20.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- ειπων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- ενεφυσησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Λαβετε: PRON,dat,pl,m + VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- πνευμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αγιον·: ADJ,acc,sg,n
Parallels
- Ezekiel 37:9 (verbal): Ezekiel's command 'Come, O breath' and the breathing on the dry bones closely parallels Jesus' act of breathing on the disciples to bring spiritual life—shared breath/ruach imagery pointing to revival by God's Spirit.
- Genesis 2:7 (verbal): God 'breathed into his nostrils the breath of life' in Adam; Jesus' breathing on the disciples to give the Holy Spirit echoes this formative act of divine breath imparting life.
- Acts 2:1–4 (thematic): Pentecost is the major narrative fulfillment of receiving the Holy Spirit by the community of believers; John 20:22 functions as an initial bestowal anticipating the fuller outpouring in Acts 2.
- John 14:16–17 (thematic): Jesus' promise to send 'another Advocate' (the Spirit of truth) who will be with believers links directly to his subsequent act of giving the Holy Spirit in John 20:22.
- Acts 8:14–17 (structural): The reception of the Spirit through the apostles' laying on of hands in Samaria illustrates the continued impartation of the Holy Spirit to believers, paralleling Jesus' direct impartation in John 20:22 and the role of apostolic mediation thereafter.
Alternative generated candidates
- After he had said this he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
- And when he had said this he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
John.20.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αν: PART
- τινων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- αφητε: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,pl
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- αμαρτιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- αφεωνται: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,pl
- αυτοις·αν: PRON,dat,pl,m
- τινων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- κρατητε: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,pl
- κεκρατηνται: VERB,perf,pas,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Matthew 16:19 (verbal): Grants the apostles authoritative power on earth to bind/loose; parallels John’s formula about forgiving or retaining sins as an exercising of ecclesial authority with heavenly effect.
- Matthew 18:18 (verbal): Speaks of the community’s authority to bind and loose in disciplinary/forensic matters; closely parallels John’s remit/retain language applied to sins within the church context.
- Mark 2:5-10 (thematic): Jesus declares his authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:10); John 20:23 transfers a related authority to the disciples, so Mark provides the antecedent theological basis for forgiving sins.
- James 5:16 (thematic): Encourages mutual confession and prayer so that sins may be forgiven and healed; parallels the communal, interpersonal dimension of forgiveness implied by John’s remit/retain formula.
- 1 John 1:9 (thematic): Promises God’s forgiveness upon confession of sins; complements John 20:23 by highlighting divine forgiveness that undergirds any ministerial or communal practice of forgiving/retaining sins.
Alternative generated candidates
- If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.
- If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors where the disciples were assembled were locked for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said to them, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.