Forgiveness
John 20:1-31
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
After Jesus' disciples saw the empty tomb, they were staying in a house with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, who could have demanded Jesus' body and arrest them. Then, Jesus came among them and saying, "Peace be with you!" twice, and saying the mission they should do and give them, 'The Holy Spirit'.
Jesus was saying, "The first thing they should do was to forgive anyone's sins." They were fearful of the Jewish leaders who had killed Jesus, whom they followed and believed Him as the Messiah. Therefore, they could be their enemies, but Jesus said that they should forgive them, which means they have the power to forgive others.
Actually, we humans had no power or privilege to forgive others, for we are also sinful men. So they had the repeated ceremonies of killing animals to be forgiven their sins. However, since they get the Holy Spirit, we have the power of forgiving others. How wonderful it is! The power of forgiving, including the forgiveness of our sins. He was also saying to Thomas, who was doubtful of Jesus' resurrection, "Peace be with you!" and "Stop doubting and believe."
If the Holy Spirit were not given to me, I had no power to forgive others' sins, as well as believing Jesus, as the son of God. It was Jesus who gave the Holy Spirit and the power of forgiving others, and in the end, it leads to the eternal LIFE. Without forgiveness, there is no peace. Without peace, there is no Life. This is the lessons that I think deeply, in memorial of Jesus' death, and resurrection.
