The Gospel lesson for the Second Sunday of Easter is John 20:19-31. It tells us how Jesus appeared to His disciples on that first Easter evening when Thomas was not present, and then again the next Sabbath when Thomas was with them.

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!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” … A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19-21,26)

Jesus greeted His disciples three times in this passage with “Peace be with you!” The Greek word for peace is “Eirene.” It was used to translate the Hebrew word “Shalom,” which was a common greeting among Hebrew speaking people. While “peace” is an accurate translation of these words, we don’t fully grasp the Biblical use of “peace” if we simply understand it to mean the absence of war or chaos. Both words refer to a state of being, the one referenced in that hymn refrain “it is well with my soul.” But there is even more to it than that.

The Children of Israel understood Shalom/Peace to be something God gives, and it has to do with our relationship with God. Peace with God is what we need more than anything else. Our sin and rebellion put us outside of God’s kingdom, but He promised to establish peace with us by sending a Messiah, a Savior. The prophets constantly spoke of the eternal peace God would establish with His people.

He did this when He sent Jesus. His life and death and resurrection earned our forgiveness and salvation. So when He came to the disciples and said “Peace be with you!” it was not just a wish. He was stating an accomplished reality. We have peace with God, a state of being, rest, that was given to us as a gift. Paul knew this and shared this message.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1)

Even though we live in a world of problems and heartaches and uncertainty, when you have faith that Jesus is your Savior, you have peace with God. He is telling you that, what He did for you, as you listen to Jesus say “Peace be with you!”