He said, “Peace be with you” again, but this time it appears to be connected to his plan to send them. What do I mean by that? Look at verse 21. Second reason he was so intent on giving away peace is they were unqualified. And his first words - “Peace be with you.” They were unsettled. No doors were opened no locks were unlocked. And then suddenly, their nerves already ramped up, Jesus suddenly appears. And they knew they could be next, and they were fearful. They had seen Jesus be betrayed, arrested, humiliated, executed. Why? Well, verse 19 tells us they were hiding behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. Let me suggest a couple: One - because the disciples were unsettled - unsettled, anxious, fearful, agitated, even alarmed. Why is Jesus so intent on giving away peace? I think there are some clues in the text. Verse 19, “Peace be with you” verse 21, “Peace be with you” verse 29, “Peace” 26, “Peace be with you.” But there seems to be something more here because he repeats it three times. Today in Israel “shalom aleichem” is still a common greeting. Jesus was simply greeting like anyone else would greet, and it’s true. Now, some might say that’s just the normal Hebrew greeting. But here in John 20, in this next section, he is standing before the majority of his disciples, and the first words out of his mouth in John 20, “Peace be with you.” He had appeared to a few of his followers. I want us to think for a moment about that statement Jesus made in John 20, “Peace be with you.” Why did he say that? He had just risen from the dead.
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