"Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with
them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and
place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I
will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and
Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood
among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your
finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side.
Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed.”” (John 20:24–29, ESV)
Today I had the privilege (not my initial reaction) of
revisiting this passage, having looked at it a few days ago and then storing my
notes to the cloud only to find that when I went back to it that the cloud had
dissipated. What I had saved was not saved. I am so thankful that those who
Christ saves are fully saved without any chance of our salvation getting lost
somewhere in a cloud or by poking a wrong key.
One week later Jesus again appeared to His disciples, and He
did it again standing in their midst despite them being behind locked doors.
But prior to this reappearance His disciples had found Thomas who was not with
them the last time. In the interim that had excitedly told Thomas that they had
seen Jesus, the Lord, but it was Thomas’ response that marked him in a unique
way in biblical history. It even led to a title for those who do not believe the
word of another, being a “doubting Thomas.” When Thomas heard the news from the
others he didn’t believe, and he responded with the strong words, “Unless I see
in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the
nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” It is this
statement of unbelief that marks him even today.
But Thomas was not alone in this. When Mary Magdalene went
to the tomb and found the stone rolled away she didn’t think, “Wow, He must be
risen just like He said.” No, she thought someone had stolen the body. And when
the supposed gardener spoke to her she affirmed belief this by asking him where
they had laid His body, offering to take it away and tend to it properly. It
was not until Jesus spoke her name that Mary recognized Him and believed. Even
the other disciple did not fully believe Him to be risen either or if they did
they did not expect Him to come to them. In the verses before these we read
that they had gathered behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. It was there
that Jesus appeared to them and immediately spoke to them telling them twice,
“Peace be with you.” This might have become a greeting, but at that moment it
also served to calm their hearts. Evidently even they didn’t recognize Him
because we read that Jesus showed them His hands and His side so that they
might believe. So, when Thomas said that he would not believe unless he saw and
touched, I really have to wonder if he was any different than the others to
whom Jesus presented His physical wounds in order to prove Himself to them as
well.
The difference is that Thomas mouthed the words of disbelief
after hearing the testimony of his close friends and fellow disciples. He would
not believe what they had to say, demanding proof instead. It was this
disbelief that Jesus immediately confronted when He appeared to Thomas saying, “Put
your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my
side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Jesus granted Thomas’ demand so that Thomas
might move from disbelief to belief. What followed next was not Thomas doing
what he said he would have to do to believe, but his recognition that it was
Jesus who was standing before him speaking and offering to prove Himself.
Knowing that it was Jesus, Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus then
said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have believed.”
Before His crucifixion the Jews constantly followed Him looking
for the miraculous signs that He was performing, and yet even seeing them many
of them still did not believe. Mary believed Him, but it appears that even she didn’t
expect His resurrection nor did she recognize Him until He spoke her name. When
appearing to His disciples behind the locked doors on that first day He offered
them His hands and His side as proof of his resurrection. And when appearing
again to them and to Thomas He offered Thomas the opportunity to place his
finger in the holes in His hands and his hand in the hole in His side. For them
His revealing Himself to them was enough, and believing they were sent to tell
others. Then as we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 there would soon be an
occasion where He appeared to more than five hundred at one time. Every single
one of these persons had the privilege of seeing with their own eyes the resurrected
Christ, and their testimony remains for us today.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
have believed.” Oh, how thankful I am for that. I am so blessed to be one of
those who did not see the risen Christ but who was shown enough of Him that I
was moved to believe. I cannot imagine these disciples doing anything but
believing having seen the face of their risen Lord, and I cannot imagine me not
believing as the Spirit opened my eyes to see Him through those who reached
into my life with this incredibly good news.
We have the record written for us to share to
those who need to hear, and we have been called to share it. “How then will
they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in
him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone
preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How
beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” (Romans 10:14–15,
ESV)
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