Then said Jesus to them again,
Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you.
All Commentaries on John 20:21 Go To John 20
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you. Why again? The Interlinear Gloss says, "It was a repeated confirmation, Peace upon peace, according to the prophet." Bede says, "He repeats it, because the virtue of charity is twofold, or because He is the peace who makes both one." The Gloss, "He offers peace, who came for the sake of peace; and He repeats His words to show that all things whether in heaven or in earth are restored to peace through Him." S. Chrysostom, "Because they were waging an unappeasable contest with the Jews." He proclaims peace in order to console them, and sets forth also the power of the cross, by which He drove away all sorrow, and conferred every good, which is peace. But a further joy was announced to the women, for they had to bear the curse, "in sorrow shalt thou bring forth," and they were indeed in sorrow.
As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. With like power, authority, end, mode, and love.
Observe here by this word "as" Christ in a manner puts His Apostles on an equality with Himself, that is proportionately, as His successors and vicars. This word signifies likeness in office; with the same power and special authority with which the Father sent Me to found His Church, do I send you as its teachers and rulers (as I am Myself), that ye may have power to remit sin, as I also have. So Rupertus, S. Cyril, Theophylact, who maintain that by these words Christ made His Apostles His Vicars, the teachers and pastors of the world, and communicated to them His own office and authority, that is to say, all ecclesiastical authority, in fact made them Bishops. But Turrianus thinks that they were created Bishops on the day of Pentecost, as he writes in his notes on the Apostolic Constitution, vi11. Bellarmine (de Rom. Pontif, i24), following Turrecremata, thinks that only S. Peter was ordained Bishop by our Lord, and that the other Apostles were ordained by S. Peter. Suarez considers it more probable that all the Apostles were ordained Bishops by Christ, though not certain as to time and place (see Tract de Fide, Disput. v. sect1num8). S. Augustine takes this latter view (Qust. xcviii. in Qust. N. and Vet. Test.) (2.) The word "as" signifies similarity of origin. The beginning of Christ"s mission, as also that of the Apostles, was God Himself. (3.) It signifies likeness of object or end, that Isaiah , the propagation of the faith and the salvation of the world. So S. Cyril and Leontius. (4.) Likeness of mode, that ye way confirm your teaching by miracles, as I have confirmed Mine. (5.) Likeness of mutual love. As the Father sent Me to shed My blood from love of Him, with the same love do I send you. For it is a mark of the supreme love of God when He makes any one his witness and martyr.
Hear S. Gregory. "In sending you forth among the perils of persecutors, I love you with the same love that the Father had to Me, when He sent Me to endure My Passion."
