John the apostle wrote after Jesus was dead, buried and resurrected how, “Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher, And saw two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they said unto her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus said unto her, Woman, why are you weeping? whom do you seek? She, supposing him to be the gardener, said unto him, Sir, if you have borne him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus said unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and said unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus said unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her”, and in chapter twenty and verse nineteen of his book John shared how Jesus, “came … and stood in their midst” where we read:
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
The verse begins, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, ...” John began with the words, “Then the same day at evening” which means “therefore, accordingly and wherefore the selfsame sunrise to sunset from six o'clock to the beginning of night”, “being the first day of the week” or “existing as the number one sunrise to sunset or Sunday of the seven day week”, “when the doors were shut” which means “at the time and moment the entry and exit pathways were closed and shut up” “where the disciples were assembled” or “in the place and location Jesus' students, pupils and attendants were gathered and collected together” “for fear of the Jews” which means “because, since and on account that they were afraid and stricken with terror by the leaders and people in the Jewish nation”. John shared how it was toward the nighttime on Sunday, and Jesus' disciples were gathered in a place with one another because they were “afraid” of the “religious leaders and people” who belonged to the Jewish nation.
The verse continues, “... came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.” John added the words, “came Jesus” or “arose and approached the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “and stood in the midst” which means “and was standing, fixed and established in the middle of His disciples”, “and said unto them” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “Peace be unto you” which means “tranquility, calmness and harmony be toward you, disciples of Jesus”. John shared how Jesus appeared in the middle of His “disciples” and encouraged them to be “calm, tranquil and harmonious”.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn not only that the disciples of Jesus were hiding because they were afraid of the Jewish people, but also that Jesus appeared in the middle of them while they assembled. Though they may have been concealed from the Jewish people, they were not hidden from Jesus. Jesus came to the world to be among people, and because His Father God loves every person, He sent His Son Jesus to die for their sins and be granted everlasting life with Him. Jesus appeared in the “midst” of His disciples, and all who seek Him will indeed find Him resurrected and ready to save every person who yields themselves to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.
Next time John shares how Jesus, “showed unto them his hands and his side”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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