John 20:19-31 (NRSV)
Read John 20:19-31 on biblegateway.com
Verse 19When 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." Verse 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Verse 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Verse 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Verse 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Verse 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. Verse 25So 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."
Verse 26A 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." Verse 27Then 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." Verse 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Verse 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Verse 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. Verse 31But 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.
Devotion
Maybe Thomas really does get a bum rap. Simon Peter and John had already seen the empty tomb, and though the author of John is quick to point out that “the other disciple” believed, he also tells us that neither disciple really got what was going on yet. And Mary Magdalene also had a tough time figuring things out even with the risen Jesus right in front of her! So forgive Thomas for being a little doubtful when he missed Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples. Just how many people are resurrected, anyway?
That’s just it. There’s only one. He paved the way, the firstborn of the dead. And while Jesus forgives us our doubts, he is asking us to do the same as Thomas – to proclaim him our Lord and our God.
Prayer
Lord, like Thomas and the other disciples, there are too many times that we fail to see you in our lives, too many times that we fail to believe. Forgive us when we doubt. Help us to see you more clearly and to declare that you are indeed our Lord and our God. Amen.