Second Sunday of Easter (1882)

John 20:19-31 Jesus is the Prince of Peace1, the King of Peace.2 What kind of peace is this? "Whoever is in His Kingdom must have a peaceful heart, even in the midst of adversity. For what would still worry him? Sin cannot condemn him; because he knows Christ has borne it. The devil cannot overcome him; because he knows Christ has defeated him. Death cannot hold him; for he knows, because he has an eternal Father in the Lord Christ, that a different and eternal life should follow after the short physical life."3 Why is He called the Prince of Peace (King of Peace)? Because "peace lies in His authority, as a prince and Lord. He is so mighty by means of His peace in His government because He gives this same peace to His citizens in a way that no one can defeat or capture Him. Rather He holds it all in the best, most secure retinue against the devil, death, sins and the gates of hell so that sins cannot terrorize us before God. His law and wrath do not impact us. The devil and death cannot seize us. That is called a true Lord of peace or prince of peace."4 Our Gospel today even confirms that Jesus is the Prince of Peace; 1. He Himself is the author of this peace a. by virtue of his suffering and death, He thereby has acquired the peace.5 Therefore it is His peace6, b. by virtue of His resurrection, He thereby has brought to light and sealed the acquired peace7; 2. He Himself is the giver of this peace, a. It is He Who brings peace in the heart8, b. He does this (still today) mediately, through the office of the Word9, . in that He has made known peace - "so I send you" etc.10,
Isaiah 9:6. Hebrews 7:2. 3 Luther, Erlangen Edition, Volume 6, page 36. 4 ibid, Volume 15, page 104. 5 John 20:19-20a. Cf. Isaiah 53:5; Ephesians 2:14-17; Colossians 1:20, 2:14. 6 John 14:27; KELG 260:7-8. 7 John 20:19; Romans 4:25; Revelation 1:18. 8 John 20:27-29. 9 John 20:22-23.
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. in that He (through His means of grace) works faith in who recognizes, seizes, and appropriates Him with His merits, as the disciples learn in general, Thomas in particular and from verse 31.11 "Consequently, there must lie hidden in the keys of Christ his blood, death, and resurrection, by which he has opened to us heaven, and thus imparts through the keys to poor sinners what he has wrought through his blood. The office of the keys is a high and divine office, aiding our souls to pass from sin and death to grace and life; it grants them righteousness without any merit of works, solely through forgiveness of sins."12 Because Jesus comes for sinners in this office, etc.; 3. He Himself is the maintainer of this peace, a. as such He has proven Himself to his dear apostles, b. as such He has also proven Himself to us; for He "enters into the midst" with us, that our hearts remain with Him - "Jerusalem". G.R.

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Luke 24:27; Acts 10:36; Ephesians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. Romans 5:1. LW 40:328. Isaiah 52:7.

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