John 20:24-31

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

 

And after eight days again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing." Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

 

Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

 

John believed that Jesus had risen from the dead when he saw the empty linens. Mary believed when she saw Jesus and heard Him call her name. The other disciples believed when Jesus came and stood among them. But Thomas was not there, and he refused to believe their testimony without seeing Jesus for himself. He said, “Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” He emphatically refused to accept their testimony.

 

Eight days later, Jesus showed up in the midst of the disciples while the doors were shut, just like before. This time, Thomas was there.

 

The first thing Jesus said was, again, “Peace be with you.” It is very important to realize that Jesus offers peace. He is seeking to save people. This is the day of salvation. Jesus died so that there could be peace between us and God.

 

And then Jesus spoke to Thomas. He took Thomas’ statements of unbelief and whipped them back into Thomas’ face: “Reach out here with your finger and see My hands, and reach out your hand here and put it on my side.” The very things Thomas had said he needed, Jesus gave him. So there was definitely grace here. Jesus was definitely offering peace and a relationship with Thomas. But there was still some rebuking taking place here; Jesus was scolding Thomas even as He offered peace. “And be not unbelieving, but believing.”

 

To be fair, all the others who believed had already seen Jesus in person. They had seen where the nails had touched Jesus’ hands and where the spear had been thrust into His side. And after seeing Jesus, they believed. Thomas was asking for no more than they had been given. But this story is in here for us and for all people who will not have the opportunity to see Jesus in person until His return. The point is that there comes a time when we must believe the witnesses whether we have seen Jesus for ourselves or not. This is why the story continues as it does.

 

Thomas recognizes immediately that it is Jesus, and he believes. “My Lord and my God!” he cries out. Jesus had heard Thomas’ doubts and had responded to them, and Thomas was more than willing to humbly submit to Jesus.

 

But Jesus had something to say: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe.”

 

This is not to say that Thomas was not blessed by his faith. After all, Thomas now knew that his Lord and Savior was alive and well, and Thomas had a relationship of peace with God the Father through Jesus Christ. But Jesus smiles on those who believe in Him without seeing. He smiles on those who hear the truth and do not reject it. He is happy with those who trust in Him simply because they have heard that He is trustworthy, who accept a relationship with Him simply because they have heard He offers peace.

 

John goes on to tell us that he could have written much more about Jesus’ signs than he wrote. But the point of John’s gospel was not to write everything, but to write enough. John wrote enough that people who do not insist on having every last shred of evidence delivered into their hands to be personally critiqued – as Thomas did – that people who can believe without seeing will believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. John wrote enough that people can trust Jesus, can accept His offer of peace, and can have life in His name.

 

Father, thank You for giving us enough through the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection to believe in Jesus and know You. Forgive me for how often I inwardly cry out, as Thomas did, for more. More proof, more evidence, more certainty. My desire for more reflects how much I don’t trust You. It shows how little I believe Jesus’ promises. Father, rather than more evidence, help me to hear, understand, and believe all the piles of evidence You have given us in the Scriptures – Your words. Thank You for smiling on those of us who do not have the opportunity to see and yet believe. Help us to believe despite our fears and doubts. You are good.