- Notes from Nathan
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- John 20:19
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
I find Jesus picking the locks on no less than 5 once-closed-and-locked doors in John 20:
Verse 19 - Fear of the Jews had put the disciples in a prison of sorts. It’s the same prison we find ourselves locked up by when we revolve around the potential pain and punishment others can inflict upon us.
Verse 25 - There’s a cocktail of doubt and skepticism and perhaps cynicism in Thomas’ words that has him facing a closed door. It really comes from wanting the same thing any of us wants: a personal encounter with Jesus.
Verse 26 - John doesn’t give the motive for the locked doors a week later. It may be the disciples’ fear again, reluctance to venture out, or belief still in its infancy…any number of reasons.
Verse 1 - That Jesus gets through the aforementioned closed doors really shouldn’t surprised us. After all, verse 1 reminds us he got through death’s closed door at the tomb.
Jesus got through each of these doors with the assurance of peace.
That leaves one more door we all must come to grips with, found in verse 31: “these are written that you may believe.”
Heavenly Father - Let us never forget the provision of your word as your instrument to open the closed door of our hearts to believe. Protect us from relying on our ability to open that door, and assure us of the inevitability that you will. Amen.