The Meaning of John 20:26 Explained

John 20:26

KJV: And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

YLT: And after eight days, again were his disciples within, and Thomas with them; Jesus cometh, the doors having been shut, and he stood in the midst, and said, 'Peace to you!'

Darby: And eight days after, his disciples were again within, and Thomas with them. Jesus comes, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be to you.

ASV: And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  after  eight  days  again  his  disciples  were  within,  and  Thomas  with  them:  [then] came  Jesus,  the doors  being shut,  and  stood  in  the midst,  and  said,  Peace  [be] unto you. 

What does John 20:26 Mean?

Verse Meaning

John located this post-resurrection appearance eight days after Easter Sunday, namely, the following Sunday. His "eight days" (Gr. hemeras okto) evidently included both Sundays. Perhaps he identified the day because, by the time John wrote, Sunday had become the day of worship for Christians, when they commemorated Jesus" resurrection. They worshipped Him on Easter Sunday, then again the following Sunday, and then on succeeding Sundays from then on (cf. Acts 20:7). However Sunday worship has its roots in tradition rather than commandment.
The disciples were still meeting behind closed doors because they feared the Jewish authorities (cf. John 20:19). Jesus again materialized in the presence of these disciples as He had a week earlier ( John 20:19). He also repeated His benediction ( John 20:21). Perhaps Jesus did these things because the disciples had told Thomas that He had appeared this way and had said these things. This would have bolstered Thomas" faith.

Context Summary

John 20:26-31 - Overcoming Doubt
How great the anguish of Thomas during that week, as he tossed between hope and fear, and saw on other faces the light which he might not share! At length Jesus came, and suited Himself to the needs of the perplexed disciple, complying with the conditions that his poor faith had laid down. Jesus was set on winning this one poor starving soul to Himself and blessedness.
It is unlikely that Thomas availed himself of Jesus' invitation to reach forth his hand, that he might touch as well as see. Christ's evident knowledge of what Thomas had said, and his willingness to meet it, were sufficient. But, as our Lord said, there is a greater blessedness than that which became his. When there is no star on the bosom of night, and no friendly voice in the solitude, to believe then is to get very near the heart of Him who on the cross clung to the Father in the midnight darkness. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 20

1  Mary comes to the tomb;
3  so do Peter and John, ignorant of the resurrection
11  Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene,
19  and to his disciples
24  The incredulity and confession of Thomas
30  The Scripture is sufficient to salvation

Greek Commentary for John 20:26

After eight days [μετ ημερας οκτω]
That is the next Sunday evening, on the eighth day in reality just like “after three days” and “on the third day.” Within Apparently in the same room as before. Cometh Vivid dramatic present. The other items precisely as in John 20:19 save Thomas was with them. [source]
Then came Jesus []
There is no connecting particle, then, and the verb is in the present tense. The abrupt Jesus cometh is more graphic. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 20:26

John 21:14 The third time []
The two former occasions being recorded in John 20:19, John 20:26. The appearance to Mary Magdalene is not counted, because the Evangelist expressly says to His disciples. [source]
John 14:27 My peace [ειρηνην την εμην]
This is Christ‘s bequest to the disciples before he goes, the μεδη δειλιατω — shalom of the orient for greeting and parting, used by Jesus in his appearances after the resurrection (John 20:19, John 20:21, John 20:26) as in 2 John 1:3; 3 John 1:14, but here and in John 16:33 in the sense of spiritual peace such as only Christ can give and which his Incarnation offers to men (Luke 2:14). Neither let it be fearful Added to the prohibition in John 14:1, only N.T. example of δειλος — deiliaō (rare word in Aristotle, in a papyrus of one condemned to death), common in lxx, like palpitating of the heart (from deilos). [source]
John 21:14 Now the third time [το ηδη τριτον]
“To the disciples” (apostles) John says, the two others being told by him (John 20:19, John 20:26) on the two Sunday evenings. There were four other appearances already (to Mary Magdalene, to the group of women, to the two on the way to Emmaus, to Peter). [source]
John 20:19 When therefore it was evening on that day [ουσης ουν οπσιας τηι ημεραι εκεινει]
Genitive absolute with οπσια — opsia John often uses this note of time (John 1:39; John 5:9; John 11:53; John 14:20; John 16:23, John 16:26). The addition of τηι μιαι σαββατων — tēi miāi sabbatōn (see John 20:1 for this use of μιαι — miāi like πρωτηι — prōtēi) proves that John is using Roman time, not Jewish, for here evening follows day instead of preceding it. When the doors were shut Genitive absolute again with perfect passive participle of κλειω — kleiō shut to keep the Jews out. News of the empty tomb had already spread (Matthew 28:11). See John 7:13 for the phrase “for fear of the Jews”; cf. John 12:42. Stood in the midst Second aorist (ingressive) active (intransitive) of ιστημι — histēmi “stepped into the midst.” Peace be unto you The usual oriental salutation as in John 20:21, John 20:26; Luke 24:36, here with probable reference to John 14:27 (Christ‘s legacy of peace). [source]
Acts 1:3 Shewed himself alive [παρεστησεν εαυτον ζωντα]
To the disciples the first Sunday evening (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25), the second Sunday evening (John 20:26-29), at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-23), on the mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; 1 Corinthians 15:6), to the disciples in Jerusalem and Olivet (Luke 24:44-53; Mark 16:19.; Acts 1:1-11). Luke uses this verb παριστημι — paristēmi 13 times in the Acts both transitively and intransitively. It is rendered by various English words (present, furnish, provide, assist, commend). The early disciples including Paul never doubted the fact of the Resurrection, once they were convinced by personal experience. At first some doubted like Thomas (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:41; John 20:24.; Matthew 28:17). But after that they never wavered in their testimony to their own experience with the Risen Christ, “whereof we are witnesses” Peter said (Acts 3:15). They doubted at first, that we may believe, but at last they risked life itself in defence of this firm faith. After his passion (μετα το πατειν αυτον — meta to pathein auton). Neat Greek idiom, μετα — meta with the articular infinitive (second aorist active of πασχω — paschō) and the accusative of general reference, “after the suffering as to him.” For πατειν — pathein used absolutely of Christ‘s suffering see also Acts 17:3; Acts 26:23. By many proofs Literally, “in many proofs.” Τεκμηριον — Tekmērion is only here in the N.T., though an old and common word in ancient Greek and occurring in the Koiné{[28928]}š (papyri, etc.). The verb τεκμαιρω — tekmairō to prove by sure signs, is from τεκμαρ — tekmar a sign. Luke does not hesitate to apply the definite word “proofs” to the evidence for the Resurrection of Christ after full investigation on the part of this scientific historian. Aristotle makes a distinction between τεκμηριον — tekmērion (proof) and σημειον — sēmeion (sign) as does Galen the medical writer. Appearing (οπτανομενος — optanomenos). Present middle participle from late verb οπτανω — optanō late Koiné{[28928]}š verb from root οπτω — optō seen in οπσομαι ωπτην — opsomaiοπτασια — ōphthēn In lxx, papyri of second century b.c. (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 83). Only here in the N.T. For δι ημερων τεσσερακοντα — optasia for vision, see note on Acts 26:19; Luke 1:22; Luke 24:23. By the space of forty days At intervals In the Gospel of Luke 24 this separation of forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension is not drawn. The things concerning the Kingdom of God (ευαγγελιον — ta peri tēs basileias tou theou). This phrase appears 33 times in Luke‘s Gospel, 15 times in Mark, 4 times in Matthew who elsewhere has “the kingdom of heaven,” once in John, and 6 times in Acts. No essential distinction is to be drawn between the two for the Jews often used “heaven” rather than “God” to avoid using the Tetragrammaton. But it is noticeable how the word kingdom drops out of Acts. Other words like gospel (τα περι — euaggelion) take the place of “kingdom.” Jesus was fond of the word “kingdom” and Luke is fond of the idiom “the things concerning” (ta peri). Certainly with Jesus the term “kingdom” applies to the present and the future and covers so much that it is not strange that the disciples with their notions of a political Messianic kingdom (Acts 1:6) were slow to comprehend the spiritual nature of the reign of God. [source]
Acts 20:7 Upon the first day of the week [εν δε μιαι των σαββατων]
The cardinal μιαι — miāi used here for the ordinal πρωτηι — prōtēi (Mark 16:9) like the Hebrew ehadh as in Mark 16:2; Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1; John 20:1 and in harmony with the Koiné{[28928]}š idiom (Robertson, Grammar, p. 671). Either the singular (Mark 16:9) σαββατου — sabbatou or the plural σαββατον — sabbaton as here was used for the week (sabbath to sabbath). For the first time here we have services mentioned on the first day of the week though in 1 Corinthians 16:2 it is implied by the collections stored on that day. In Revelation 1:10 the Lord‘s day seems to be the day of the week on which Jesus rose from the grave. Worship on the first day of the week instead of the seventh naturally arose in Gentile churches, though John 20:26 seems to mean that from the very start the disciples began to meet on the first (or eighth) day. But liberty was allowed as Paul makes plain in Romans 14:5. [source]
1 John 1:3 Unto you also [καὶ ὑμῖν]
The also is variously explained. According to some, referring to a special circle of Christian readers beyond those addressed at the conclusion of the Gospel. Others, again, as referring to those who had not seen and heard as contrasted with eye-witnesses. Thus Augustine on John 20:26sqq. “He (Thomas) touched the man, and confessed the God. And the Lord, consoling us who, now that He is seated in heaven, cannot handle Him with the hand, but touch Him by faith, says, 'Because thou hast seen thou hast believed; blessed are they who have not seen and believe.' It is we that are described; we that are pointed out. May there therefore come to pass in us that blessedness which the Lord predicted should be: the Life itself has been manifested in the flesh, so that the thing which can be seen with the heart alone might be seen with the eyes also, that it might heal our hearts.” [source]

What do the individual words in John 20:26 mean?

And after days eight again were inside the disciples of Him Thomas with them Comes - Jesus the doors having been shut He stood in the midst said Peace to you
Καὶ μεθ’ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ πάλιν ἦσαν ἔσω οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ Θωμᾶς μετ’ αὐτῶν ἔρχεται Ἰησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον εἶπεν Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν

μεθ’  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: μετά  
Sense: with, after, behind.
ἡμέρας  days 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ὀκτὼ  eight 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ὀκτώ  
Sense: eight.
πάλιν  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάλιν  
Sense: anew, again.
ἔσω  inside 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἔσω  
Sense: to within, into.
μαθηταὶ  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Θωμᾶς  Thomas 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Θωμᾶς  
Sense: one of the apostles.
ἔρχεται  Comes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
θυρῶν  doors 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: θύρα  
Sense: a door.
κεκλεισμένων  having  been  shut 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: κλείω  
Sense: to shut, shut up.
ἔστη  He  stood 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἵστημι  
Sense: to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set.
μέσον  midst 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: μέσος  
Sense: middle.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Εἰρήνη  Peace 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: εἰρήνη  
Sense: a state of national tranquillity.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.