On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
A parallel passage to this account in John is found in (Luke 24:36-43). The differences between the two accounts proves that they were independently written.
Luke 24:36-43 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
It was Sunday evening, the day of Christ’s resurrection, the first day of the week (John 20:1).
John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
Shortly before His miraculous appearance, the remaining eleven disciples were present in the room along with some other followers of Christ (Luke 24:33). Thomas, however, seems to have left before Jesus entered the room (John 20:24).
Luke 24:33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
John 20:24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
The empty tomb had already been reported to the chief priests (Matt 28:11) and the disciples feared repercussions. They may have learned of the plan of the Sanhedrin to say that they had stolen the body of Christ (Matt 28:12-15) and surmised that this would involve their arrest and punishment for this falsely accused act. At any rate, they were in great fear and had locked the doors and were undoubtedly listening for every suspicious noise and peering through the cracks in the door and windows to see if they had been discovered. Even in the face of their fear, or perhaps because of it, those who had so recently scattered (Matt 26:31, 56) were now flocked back together. Though hidden, they did not quit meeting together, even in the worst of times (Prov 28:12, Heb 10:25). We may face persecution, and it is a good thing to hide from it. However, we should not let it keep us from meeting with fellow believers.
Matthew 28:11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.
Matthew 28:12-15 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Matthew 26:31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
Matthew 26:56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Proverbs 28:12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.
Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The infallible proof that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead was His showing Himself to others (Acts 1:3). It was not enough that He had sent messengers (Matt 28:5-10, John 20:17) to tell them of His resurrection; He had to appear before them Himself so that they would be eye- witnesses themselves (1 Cor 15:3-8, 1 Joh 1:1-3, Acts 2:31-32, 3:15, 5:29-32, 10:39-41, 1 Peter 5:1).
Acts 1:3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
Matthew 28:5-10 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
John 20:17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
1 John 1:1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
Acts 2:31-32 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
Acts 3:15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
Acts 5:29-32 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 10:39-41 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
1 Peter 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow-elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:
Jesus came and stood in their midst thus literally fulfilling His promise in (Matt 18:20). We are not told exactly how the miracle of His appearing occurred, but it is reassuring to us that no doors can shut out Christ’s Presence from us.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
“Peace be unto you” was the common Hebrew greeting (1 Sam 25:6), but there is a great deal more in the words of Jesus than a mere greeting. Peace is the legacy of a disciple of Christ (John 14:27), but after their conduct of three days ago, they would have expected rebuke from Jesus and not peace. How does He treat you after you have screwed up? Interestingly enough, though Jesus was more than able to confer peace upon His disciples on Good Friday, He is now enabled to grant an even fuller extent of peace to them (Rom 5:1).
1 Samuel 25:6 Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,