Reading from Easter Sunday evening communion service:
It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them. 20After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” 22When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Not an easy passage but the sermon only touched on the obvious point about the fearful disciples and the locked room and focussed more on the reading from 1 Cor 15 and other aspects of the passion narrative. I was left none the wiser about the meaning of this passage.
Questions that came to my mind:
1. This must be just a brief summary of what was said. What was really said? How long was Jesus there? Did he disappear again as he appeared?
If the scriptures are sufficient would such more detailed knowledge of what happened be beneficial?
2. This weird stuff about forgiving (and not forgiving!) sins: how do we know if this applies or not today? Why are we having a preliminary Pentecost?
3. Isn't it frustrating that many churches skirt round such tricky questions.
It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them. 20After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” 22When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Not an easy passage but the sermon only touched on the obvious point about the fearful disciples and the locked room and focussed more on the reading from 1 Cor 15 and other aspects of the passion narrative. I was left none the wiser about the meaning of this passage.
Questions that came to my mind:
1. This must be just a brief summary of what was said. What was really said? How long was Jesus there? Did he disappear again as he appeared?
If the scriptures are sufficient would such more detailed knowledge of what happened be beneficial?
2. This weird stuff about forgiving (and not forgiving!) sins: how do we know if this applies or not today? Why are we having a preliminary Pentecost?
3. Isn't it frustrating that many churches skirt round such tricky questions.
