And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
In Luke’s second book called, “Acts of the Apostles” or “Acts” for short, in the second chapter, he describes the Holy Spirit coming on the apostles at Pentecost. Generally, when I think of the apostles receiving the Holy Spirit, it is Luke’s account that I think of. But here it is the same day that Jesus rose from the dead. It is evening, and he says to his disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” These two experiences are related but different.
The story that comes to mind as I read this passage from John is the one that Moses recounts in Genesis where God gives life to the dust he had made into a man.
Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2: 7)
In the first recorded conversation between God and man, in the very first sentence spoken by God to man, God says, “…you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2: 16-17)
So what do Adam and Eve do? They allow themselves to be guided by lies instead of truth. They eat of the forbidden tree and they die. Not physically, but spiritually. At that moment their relationship with their Creator was severed. They became spiritual outcasts, spiritually dead. Only through the sacrifice of God’s son would mankind, including Adam and Eve, be reconciled with God.
As it turns out the Greek word translated as “breathed on” is the same word used in the Greek Old Testament to describe God breathing life into Adam. Coincidence? I think not. What we have here is the restoration of life to spiritually dead bodies.
Application: It is notable here that this giving of the Holy Spirit is a quiet event. It is not marked by loud noises or tongues of fire. Jesus simply breathes on the disciples. In the same way, when we come to Jesus, he quietly breathes life back into our empty souls.
Food for Thought: What makes the experience of the apostles in Luke 2 different than what they received this first day of the resurrection?
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Thank you for the devotion. I think what you said here is helpful. The curse has been reversed from the standpoint that the payment for our sin is accomplished and the payment that brings us peace and restoration with God is complete. It may also foreshadow the Luke 2 account. But your devotion points the differences out well brother. Thank you.
Thank you Rich. I appreciate the encouragement. 🙂
I think that the answer to this question might be addressed in Acts 1:8. There was obviously additional power assigned to the apostles on Pentecost from the Comforter which Jesus had already given to them for His absence. This power was to “kick-start” the spreading of the gospel, of course, but comfort from the Holy Spirit preceded Pentecost.
Thank you, JEC! Jesus literally pours himself into the spreading of the gospel. The “power” they receive is the power of God Himself.
I said Luke 2 – meant Acts 2 account… I agree with JEC’s comments as well.