Jesus Appears To Thomas
JESUS APPEARS TO THOMAS
JOHN 20:24-31
Thomas’ glorious exclamation is probably the climax to the whole Gospel!
For some reason Thomas had not been present when Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of Easter Day. When the disciples tell him of the resurrection experience in the simplest terms—“We have seen the Lord” (cf. 20:18)—Thomas asks for more detailed evidence by sight and by touch before he will be convinced.
A week later comes the answer for Thomas. Again Jesus passes through closed doors and again he gives them his greeting of peace. Then he invites Thomas to put the evidence for the resurrection to the test which he had wished to make for it. It seems that touch was not necessary, the evidence of sight was sufficient. Thomas cries out in adoring wonder, “My Lord and my God.”
The Gospel has reached its climax. An adequate confession of faith has at last been made, Jesus is confessed not only as Lord (cf. Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13), but also as God (cf. 1:1). Thomas’ faith has been based on sight. But Jesus is concerned about those who will believe in later generations and in different places (17:20). So he pronounces his last beatitude upon those who will not have the privilege of sight but who will exercise the gift of faith.
As the climax has been reached the evangelist rounds off his work. He reminds his readers that the signs recorded are only a selection of all that Jesus did, and that they are selected for a purpose—to induce a faith in Jesus as Christ and Son of God which will bring life.
Notes 20:24: Thomas, as shown earlier (11:16; 14:5), seems to have been loyal but to have lacked the perception of faith. 20:28: “My Lord” contains much fuller meaning than Mary’s expression of the same words in 20:13. Paradoxically, it is the doubter who in the end expresses his faith most completely. May our honest doubts find a similarly complete answer! 20:31: it is probably a present rather than an aorist. This would mean “hold the faith” (NEB) rather than “come to believe” (NEB margin). The gospel would therefore be intended for Christians as well as non-Christians.