John 20:22-23 Meaning Explained

John 20:22-23

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus' act of breathing on them is a profound echo of God breathing life into Adam in creation, signaling this moment as a new beginning for humanity through His Spirit. The word for "spirit" also means "breath," so Jesus is essentially saying, "As you receive this breath from my mouth, so receive the Holy Spirit from my fullness." This wasn't the full outpouring of Pentecost, but a potent promise and earnest of the life-giving Spirit they would soon fully receive.

What John 20:22-23 means

Jesus has just appeared to His disciples, appearing miraculously through locked doors, to bring them peace and show them His resurrected body. Now, He commissions them, sending them out into the world just as the Father sent Him, and He reinforces this command by breathing on them, an act deeply symbolic of bestowing life and spirit. This moment serves as a powerful prelude and guarantee for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit they would later receive in full on the day of Pentecost.

A Symbolic Act of Creation

Why did Jesus physically breathe on His disciples? It wasn't just a casual gesture.

Jesus' action here echoes the very moment of creation. Just as God breathed life into Adam in Genesis, Jesus, the new Creator, breathes new life into His disciples. This symbolic act signifies the impartation of spiritual life and power, connecting the new creation in Christ to the original creation by God.

A Sign of New Life: This breathing is a visible representation of the invisible, spiritual life the disciples are about to receive. It's a divine impartation, not just a suggestion.
Echoing Genesis: The Old Testament describes God breathing life into Adam (Genesis 2:7). Jesus performs a similar act, marking the disciples as part of a new humanity, a new creation through Him.

An Earnest, Not the Fullness

Did the disciples fully receive the Holy Spirit right here, or was this just a down payment?

Ask a follow-up

Ask Sola about this verse

Ask Sola things like:

“What does "Holy Spirit" mean in the original Greek?”
“Why did Traditionally understood as the Apostle John, though some scholars suggest a later date. write John 20:22-23?”
“How does divine empowerment for mission show up in John 20:22-23?”

Ask in the Sola app Get the app

Live chat about John 20:22-23 is available in the Sola app.

This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.

What John 20:22-23 means

Ask Sola about this verse

Ask Sola things like:

“What does "Holy Spirit" mean in the original Greek?”
“Why did Traditionally understood as the Apostle John, though some scholars suggest a later date. write John 20:22-23?”
“How does divine empowerment for mission show up in John 20:22-23?”

Ask in the Sola app Get the app

Live chat about John 20:22-23 is available in the Sola app.

Frequently asked questions

What does John 20:22-23 mean?

Explain the meaning of John 20:22-23

What is the context of John 20:22-23?

Breakdown of John 20:22-23

"And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”" — Jesus' act of breathing on them is a profound echo of God breathing life into Adam in creation, signaling this moment as a new beginning for humanity through His Spirit. The word for "spirit" also me…

What John 20:22-23 means

A Symbolic Act of Creation

An Earnest, Not the Fullness

Ask Sola about this verse

What John 20:22-23 means

A Symbolic Act of Creation

An Earnest, Not the Fullness

Ask Sola about this verse

The Spirit for Mission and Ministry

Original language

Historical context

Historical background

Key themes

Cross-references

Scholarly commentary

Frequently asked questions

Study this verse in Sola