Thomas: Man of Doubt?

John 20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. (NRSV)

Jesus made various appearances after His resurrection. This is John's account of the first one made to the disciples. He had first appeared to Mary Magdalene, according to this gospel. The setting is the Upper Room where the disciples had had the Last Supper and where they pretty much hid from the authorities out of fear that they were next. The appearance was a miraculous one for the doors to this room were locked and without knocking or using the door, Jesus is there. His message is simple, "Peace be with you." And to prove it is really Him, He shows them His hands and His side. This made the disciples believe and belief brought them great joy. Then, for a second time, Jesus says, "Peace be with you," but He also adds, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Then Jesus breathed on them and said for them to "Receive the Holy Spirit" with instructions on sin removal. This in itself is a powerful message. If this were set in today's times, we need a message of peace. We need to receive a message of peace and we need the peace that comes spiritually when we surrender our sins to the God of love and mercy.

Yet, there was a component that John feels is very important. One of the disciples was not in the room when Jesus made His appearance. After he heard about this surprise visit of Jesus, he does not believe and says he will not believe unless he can see the mark of the nails in Jesus' hands and can put his finger in the marks of the nails and his hand in Jesus' side. These were the wounds of crucifixion and death. They had discussed this and so were aware of where Jesus' flesh had been pierced. So, one week later, again the group is in the upper room, this time Thomas had joined them. Jesus again presents Himself and again shares the message, "Peace be with you." Then directing Himself to Thomas says, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas' response was a classic Christian conversion and confession for he says, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus then asks, "Do you believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

The works of Jesus continued as John states in a simple sentence, and confesses he did not write them in this book, but what he did write he did so so that you and I would come to faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and by doing so receive life in Jesus' name.

Jesus' message of peace is still strong and still needed. We need the peace of God as only Jesus can provide. We cannot be influenced spiritually by the messages of those who still doubt or do not believe at all. We should have our eyes set on Jesus who is risen and yet present among us. Life, as Jesus promised earlier in this gospel, comes through faith in Him but it is also a form of life that others will not have, a life of abundance.

PRAYER: Lord, fill my plate with faith and opportunities to serve and move among You and Yours. Help me to reach those whom no one else wants or even sees. Yours is a message of truth and peace that we all so desperately need. I pray in Your precious and powerful name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde