Now, whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the midst of them and saith to them: Peace be to you. It is I: Fear not.
ταυτα δε αυτων λαλουντων αυτος ο ιησους εστη εν μεσω αυτων και λεγει αυτοις ειρηνη υμιν
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Lord, who orchestrates all things for our redemption, appears before His disciples to confirm the reality of His resurrection. He begins by soothing their bewilderment with His familiar message of peace. Following this, He reveals that He is their Teacher, who cherishes this greeting and empowered them with it when He commissioned them to spread the Good News (Matt. 10:12; Luke 10:5).
In the unfolding of these events, it is noted that the apostles had received word of the resurrection from various sources, stirring within them a longing to encounter Him. In response to their yearning, He comes, revealing Himself to them in a visible and tangible manner. No longer does He present Himself with closed eyes, nor does He speak to them as if they were strangers; instead, He allows them to witness Him directly and encourages them to embrace life anew. Nevertheless, their hearts were filled with doubt and fear, as they perceived Him not as He truly was but as a mere shadow or phantom. To quell their troubled minds, He speaks to them in His familiar way, saying, "Peace be with you."
Thomas was filled with awe! He witnessed how the Lord passed through closed doors, transcending barriers impervious to the flesh, without causing injury or disfigurement to His body. It is indeed remarkable how a tangible form could move through a corporeal existence—its passage being fleeting, its presence visible, its touch identifiable, yet its essence beyond comprehension.
Why did the Lord, as recorded by Matthew and Mark, tell His disciples, "I will go ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Me" (Matt. 26:32; Mark 14:28), while Luke and John describe His appearance to them while they were still in a locked space? Apostolic testimony reveals that He also manifested to more than five hundred brethren, as well as to Peter and James (see 1 Cor. 15:5-7). Moreover, Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, recounts that He was seen alive by the disciples after His suffering, presenting many convincing proofs and speaking to them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). In sum, His appearances were frequent and to various disciples. Though Scripture does not detail the precise moments He was seen in Galilee, it does outline the day and hour of His manifestation in Jerusalem. He approached the disciples in their fear while they were in the locked house, and later, they journeyed to the Mount of Olives emboldened.
John notes that the disciples were assembled in the upper room, secured behind closed doors due to their fear of the Jews; Luke adds that there were more than just the eleven present. Matthew states that the eleven went into Galilee, to the mountain that Jesus had designated. Upon seeing Him, they worshipped Him; yet some doubted (Matthew 28:16-17). He empowered them to teach and baptize. Mark also mentions that at the conclusion, He appeared to the eleven disciples reclining at table and commanded them to proclaim the good news to all creation (see Mark 16:14-15).
The most straightforward explanation appears to be this: The Lord assured the disciples that they would encounter Him in Galilee, yet He first appeared to them in the upper room while they were still filled with fear. After this revelation, the eleven disciples, rejuvenated in spirit, set out for Galilee. It is also reasonable to think—an interpretation shared by many astute scholars—that there were fewer disciples in the upper room while a greater number gathered on the mountain.
Following this, you will also discover this. Observe that even in His departure, He granted them peace, as recorded by John (John 14:27), and upon His return, He bestows peace—a profound tranquility both in action and in title.
The first aspect to recognize and keep in mind is that the Lord manifested Himself among His disciples, revealing His presence to them. He assured His followers with the promise that where two or three gather in His name, He will be in their midst (Matthew 18:20). To strengthen their faith, which flourished through divine grace, He wished to reveal His face. Although we may not compare to the apostles in stature, the Lord's mercy knows no bounds. His name, Jesus, translates to Saviour.
When the Redeemer appeared to His apostles, He ushered them into the joys of peace, stating, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you (John 14:27). Shortly after His birth, the angels celebrated His mercy to the shepherds, proclaiming, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, among men of good will (Luke 2:14). The overarching divine purpose of our Saviour's advent is rooted in reconciliation with the world. He took this action to guide us, the sinners who have incited God's anger, back to the tranquility of divine grace through His unifying act. The prophet rightly refers to Him as the Father of the world to come and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Similarly, the apostle spoke of Him to the Gentile believers, declaring: When He came, He preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near, for through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:17-18).
This approach to demonstrating His resurrection emphasizes that glorification can only be achieved through the resurrection, ultimately revealing this glory in the person of Jesus. This method differs significantly from the one employed for Mary Magdalene and later for Thomas, who merely encountered His familiar, earthly form. While the disciples on the road to Emmaus recounted the Lord’s appearance to the apostles and their companions, the Lord Himself entered their gathering, despite the doors being securely locked out of fear of the Jews. Confusion, fear, and joy intertwined in that moment. The Lord reassured them with a greeting of peace and affirmed the reality of His resurrection through the wounds in His hands, feet, and side, as well as by sharing a meal with them.
He subsequently explained the necessity of His sufferings and glorification through resurrection, referencing the Scriptures much like He had done for the Emmaus travelers when He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. After confirming the truth of His resurrection to His apostles, with the exception of Thomas, the Lord departed, reiterating His message of peace to remind them of their divine calling. His earthly ministry was complete, and now He entrusted His work to them. To equip them for their upcoming roles, He bestowed upon them a portion of the powers essential for their ministry—powers that He had secured for humanity through His ultimate sacrifice—offering them the authority to exercise these gifts with the same independence that He would have had. This marked the monumental day of Christ’s resurrection. The apostles realized that their Lord was indeed the Lord of life and death and that His declarations about Himself were irrefutable. Such a miracle as His resurrection had never been witnessed before; thus, their prior actions toward Jesus retained their significance—the apostles were reinstated as His followers. However, with the Lord's appearance not remaining with them as before, they understood that a new dynamic in their relationship with Him was established. His presence, more spiritual than corporeal, indicated that they were gradually transitioning from a tangible, sensory connection to a purely spiritual and invisible relationship that would fully manifest at His ascension. Likely on the same day, His appearance to James also took place (1 Cor. 15:7).
On that same day, in the evening, after Thomas had departed, the remaining Apostles, anxious about potential persecution from those opposed to Jesus, had securely shut the doors. Suddenly, Jesus manifested among them, standing in their midst, and offered His familiar salutation: Peace be with you.
On that unforgettable day of Passover, Jesus Christ made His presence known to His disciples for the fifth occasion. The ten disciples were gathered together in a room with the doors securely locked, afraid of the Jewish authorities. While they shared and spoke of their joyful news, Christ appeared in their midst and greeted them, saying, ‘Peace be with you.’
When they discussed it, it likely occurred in the presence of the travelers from Emmaus. Their faith and their report to the apostles about the encounter honored them, allowing them not only to receive the apostles' joyful affirmation of their beliefs but also to witness the Risen Lord once more. - Jesus Himself stood among them, even though the doors were locked, as recorded in John's account (John 20:19), while the disciples were gathered for supper, as noted by Mark (Mark 16:14). This event echoes the account given by Mark, and in this appearance, Luke, like Mark, highlights the various teachings of the Lord. This is why there are slight differences in the accounts given by the two Evangelists.
Luke mentions that the Lord appeared to His disciples for forty days post-resurrection, instructing them on the principles of the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). However, he focuses on just one appearance to all the disciples, capturing the essential teachings of the Lord. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain definitively whether everything the Evangelist recounts here was communicated during this particular encounter, or whether some referred to subsequent days and appearances. - The phrases “and He said” (Luke 24:44, 46) might suggest that the discourse occurred at different times, for if we consider Luke's narrative to be continuous, we would then have to conclude that the Lord's ascension (Luke 24:50, 51) also took place on the very first day of the resurrection, which contradicts other Gospel narratives. - “Peace be with you” served as the customary greeting among the Jews, but it carried special significance coming from the Lord, who had imparted His peace to His disciples before His suffering (John 12:27). This was particularly crucial as they were unsettled by fear of the Jews and the uncertainties surrounding their Master, which had not yet fully cleared. The Lord's sudden appearance among them at the locked doors startled and frightened the disciples. They imagined Him to be a spirit, detached from the body and emerging from Sheol, or perhaps a shadow with a spectral body, leading them to believe that a dead man had come to them.
The sacred gathering listened attentively to the account of the travelers from Emmaus; it was a tale filled with awe and joy. The promise of the Lord from His farewell discourse was particularly striking: "I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you" (John 16:22). At long last, that awaited moment had arrived. Christ, as St. John Chrysostom articulated, ignited their longing to behold Him after they had learned of His resurrection. On that very day, as evening drew near, their desire to encounter Him intensified, mingled with a fear that heightened their eagerness. It was in this extraordinary moment that He appeared to them in a splendid manner.
He chose to reveal Himself on the day of the Resurrection to establish the holy day of the Lord, replacing the Old Testament Sabbath that had concluded (St. John Chrysostom).
Due to concerns over a potential attack from the Jews, stirred by the astonishing news circulating throughout the city, the doors of the home where the Apostles were gathered were securely locked. Then, unexpectedly, the Lord Himself stood among them, calming their troubled spirits and imparting the peace of God, which transcends all understanding (Phil. 4:7): "Peace be with you!" This greeting, commonly used among the Jewish people (1 Sam. 25:6), carried a uniquely profound significance when spoken by the Lord. Although He had previously taught His disciples about true peace, distinct from that of the world (John 14:27), the events of the preceding days had thrust the apostles and other believers into deep turmoil and confusion.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 14 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS