John 20:21

Commentary on John 20:21 (NKJV)

“So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.””

1. Context and Overview

John 20 narrates the risen Christ’s post-resurrection appearances.

• Verses 19–23 record His first reunion with the disciples “behind closed doors.”
• In verse 21, Jesus repeats His greeting of peace and issues a seminal commissioning.

This moment marks the transfer of mission from the incarnate Son to His redeemed people, a theme resonant throughout Christian thinking.

2. Exegetical Insights

1. “Peace to you!”
   • Greek: Eirēnē hymin! echoes the Old Testament greeting shalom – divine wholeness and reconciliation.
   • True shalom flows solely from Christ’s atoning work (Isaiah 9:6; Colossians 1:19–20).
2. “As the Father has sent Me…”
   • Jesus identifies His own mission with the Father’s sending (John 3:16–17; 17:18).
   • In covenant theology, the Son’s obedience fulfils the Father’s covenant purposes on behalf of His people.
3. “…I also send you.”
   • Believers are “sent ones” (missi-Christi), not merely observers.
   • This mirrors the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20) but roots it in Trinitarian sending: Father → Son → Church.

3. Theological Themes

• Missio Dei (God’s Mission): The church participates in the Father’s mission by the authority of the Son and power of the Spirit (John 20:22) rather than by human ingenuity.
• Covenantal Calling: Every believer is called to a life of witness and service. The covenant people of God are God’s instruments to display His glory in the world (Isaiah 43:10–12).
• Sola Gratia and Soli Deo Gloria: Our commissioning rests entirely on God’s grace; any fruit accrues to His glory alone.
• Union with Christ: Since we are “in Christ” by faith, His sending is ours; our vocation flows from union with Him (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:6).

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4. Application to Modern Christian Living

• Embrace Your Calling: View your workplace, neighbourhood and relationships as mission fields. You are not merely to “do church” but to “be church” where you live (Acts 1:8).
• Live in Christ’s Peace: In anxious times remember the resurrection’s victory over fear. Practise daily remembrance of Christ’s words: “Peace to you.”
• Depend on Trinitarian Sending: Pray for the Father’s direction, submit to Christ’s authority, and await the Spirit’s power to witness effectively (Acts 4:31).
• Cultivate Missional Habits:
  • Begin gatherings (family devotions, small groups) with the words “Peace to you,” affirming Christ’s presence.
  • Ask “How is the Father sending me today?” as a daily examen (noun a devotional exercise involving reflection on and moral evaluation of one’s thoughts and conduct, typically performed daily.).

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5. Key Teaching of John 20:21

Believers receive the same commissioning Christ received from the Father: to proclaim reconciliation and peace. This mandate shapes our identity, ministry and witness, anchoring every disciple in the Father’s mission through the Son, empowered by the Spirit.