John 20:27-29 (Honest Doubts, Willful Ignorance, and Faith’s Reward)

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After a full week had passed following His resurrection, Jesus appeared a second time to His apostles, on the eighth day.  This time they were likely in Galilee, for Jesus Himself had instructed them to leave for there; Mat 28:10, cf. Mar 16:7.  Thomas, who wasn’t with them earlier, had missed His appearance, as a…

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John 20:24-25 (The Great Power of Death Exemplified)

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Although Jesus’ tomb was found empty very early on the morning of Resurrection Sunday, to His followers at the time that didn’t immediately translate into our present understanding of what had happened.  Even in spite of the angelic appearance and announcement that He had risen from the dead—a spiritual experience that gave way to the…

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John 20:22 (Spiritual Succession; What Pentecost Represents for Christians Today)

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Immediately following Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, after telling his disciples that as the Father had sent Him so was He sending them, the apostle John notes that Jesus “breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (Joh 20:22).  This was not his version of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that…

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John 20:22 (Jesus Breathes into His Disciples the Holy Spirit)

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Writing after the other gospels had long been in circulation, John in His gospel notes several things about Jesus’ first resurrection appearance to His apostles that in the intervening years the Lord reminded him of that were significant.  It was John who records that the doors were shut for fear of the Jews, that Jesus’…

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