Click here for the John 20:24-29 PODCAST
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ~ John 20:24-29
Thomas had to go through a week of pain before he was positioned to believe that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. As believers in Christ, we will, until our dying day, have within us the believer and the unbeliever which will be engaged in a civil war. This war is helpful in our discovery of the truth. This explains Thomas' struggle. Doubt is the shadow cast by faith. Doubt is the desire of our hearts crying out for more certainty. The problem is: it is the nature of faith to be uncertain to some extent.
Thomas is more than a doubter, however. He had determined not to believe. In v.25 he says, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." He is saying, "The evidence has to be what I decide it has to be, or I will not believe." Thomas is a pessimist, his glass is half-empty. Later, when Jesus does appear, he rebukes Thomas for being faithless. By deliberate choice, Thomas rejects the evidence the other disciples had given. The others had told him they had seen and even touched the Lord Jesus. Thomas rejects this and refuses to believe until he personally examines the evidence.
A week later, with the doors locked, the Lord Jesus shows up again. The Greek word used by John to describe the locked door means barred or padlocked. They were padlocked inside for fear of the temple guards finding their whereabouts. Had they not been imprisoned by their doubt and fear, we would not have this story.
At the end of v.26, the Lord Jesus didn’t say, “Shame on you for your doubt.” No, He said, “Peace be with you.” These words were the perfect words, because I am sure the disciples were stunned to have the Lord Jesus standing before them. This time, Thomas was here.
There is a difference between honest and dishonest doubters. The honest want to know the truth, whereas, the dishonest do not want to know the truth. Thomas had lived in his disbelief for a week. It was strategic, for in those days Thomas was forced to entertain the correct questions.
The Lord Jesus graciously placates Thomas' demands. He invites him to touch the nail prints in His hands and in His side. In response, Thomas makes the conclusion of a lifetime. He confesses immediately, "My Lord and my God." He not only believes Jesus overcame death and is alive, he believes the Lord Jesus is God.
Immediately, the Lord Jesus looks beyond the people in that room down through all the centuries and says, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." While most want to see first then believe, God's way requires us to believe first then see. Unbelief puts self where God should be. Faith puts God in His proper spot in our lives.
We believe unto eternal life. We believe in the Lord Jesus, having not seen Him. We believe because of His spoken word. We believe the Bible, because the Spirit of God has given us not only faith in Christ, but faith in His word. We weren’t argued into believing the Bible, we were led by the Holy Spirit into believing. We do not need to see the risen Lord Jesus to love Him.
The story in our text today wasn’t just for Thomas' benefit, it was for all who will ever read the Bible. We have a risen Christ whom we experience in our lives on a regular basis, who has transformed us so that our lives are different. Our changed lives are only explained by a supernatural experience called the new birth.
To help BYM, click here
