seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), 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.”
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
a. John 20:24 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
b. John 20:31 Or may continue to believe
I just could not break that chapter into three more sections as titles indicate. The bible-studys.org site explains the gist of these last few verses in this chapter.
Thomas’s actions indicated that Jesus had to convince the disciples rather forcefully of His resurrection, i.e., they were not gullible people predisposed to believing in resurrection. The point is they would not have fabricated or hallucinated it, since they were so reluctant to believe even with the evidence they could see.
This reminds me so much of many people today. They want facts before they will believe on Jesus. Facts and faith are not the same. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. This Scripture above is why a person who does not believe today is called a doubting Thomas.
This is how enduringword.com describes it.When the doors were shut: The sense is not only that the doors were shut, but secured and locked against any unwelcome entry. The idea is that the room was secure when suddenly Jesus came and stood in the midst. We aren’t told how Jesus entered the room, but the sense is that it was not in any normal way and that He seemed to simply appear.
OK.... It was now Sunday evening. Most of the original disciples [Apostles] were in the upper room. When they were there before.... Jesus had been with them. Judas had been there too. A lot had happened since Thursday's dinner party. Jesus had been arrested.... tried and nailed to a cross. All the miracles they watched... came to a screeching halt that day. Jesus didn't jump off the Cross. Jesus let them murder Him. He told them He was the Son of God.... He even made a dead man walk and talk. And now.... now He was missing.
I bet they were all wondering "what have I gotten myself into?" They walked away from their businesses. Matthew had been a tax collector.... he couldn't go back to ripping people off... what was he going to do now? John had been a fisherman.... apparently, based on the commentary that says the room they met in was in John's house... he was quite good at it. How could John go back to fishing after all he had seen? How would he begin to keep his mind on the job?
John and Peter had been to the tomb. They saw for themselves.... the Messiah was not there. His wrappings were there but His body was gone.... He hadn't been unwrapped or cut out of His hardened cocoon of linen and herbs.... He was just "gone".
So... they had to be afraid that whoever took Jesus would come back for them.... and make them just as "gone". They probably had the doors double bolted with a chair wedged in front of them.... and the windows blocked so they were secure while they discussed the details of the day.
And there He was.... Just there.... Apparently.... He could walk through locked doors or solid walls.... because it says He just showed up and spoke.
My husband loves to play this game where he sneaks up behind me and then says something. The loudness of his laughter is generally based on just how high I jump. He thinks it's crazy fun.... I think it's stupid! But.... when I read these verses... that's what I am reminded of.
Now Thomas.... He didn't get the message until a week later... That's the Sunday after the Sunday the other Apostles saw Jesus in the locked room...when Jesus just showed up again. Thomas heard that Jesus did that.... Thomas heard that the linen wasn't cut or torn.... but Thomas hadn't let it all sink in. I wonder... did Thomas think they were all "grieving" their loss?
Thomas seems to be a lot like a lot of us who don't trust the teachings of the church. Thomas seems to be a lot like me... if a preacher is going to be preaching on John 20.... I need to read it for myself to make sure that's what the preacher is teaching. I bet Thomas was like that.... oh he believed that Jesus was the Son of God... but Thomas needed to see for himself before he's going to buy that walking through walls stuff.
Jesus showed Thomas the hole made by the sword.... that was in His chest.... and a good descendant of Jacob [Israel] generally kept his chest covered by clothes.... and on top of that.... Jesus was naked when He was taken off the cross.... I still wonder... where did the clothes come from? Was He still naked when He showed up at their meeting? Did they see clothes that weren't there.... Did they need to see Him clothed so He appeared in the room fully clothed? Anyone who can walk through solid doors or through solid walls can make clothes "appear" to be there.... right?
Yesterday... the verses and the commentary agreed that Mary was not a good "legal" witness because she wasn't even allowed to go into the court let alone testify.... and I used the argument that it was believable because it was so unbelievable. And then everyone wants to give Thomas a black eye because Thomas didn't want to just buy that the man just disappeared from a sealed and guarded tomb. Thomas would have laughed at the idea of Jesus just appearing in a locked room.
I want to say something about verse 22. Jesus breathed on them.... Thomas wasn't there..... those who were in the room got an upgrade of some kind because Jesus breathed on them.... but Thomas wasn't there. They could forgive people's sins.... but Thomas... well he wasn't in the room... so poor old Thomas was sans upgrades.... and still without the upgraded abilities to forgive sins.... and carefully discern true "Belief".... Thomas was presented actually scars to touch.
I know Jesus knew Thomas would need that. Thomas is the example of the people like me... who really don't trust humans with the secret of the Son of God. He's got to look it up himself.... but once he is convinced... once he's touched the scars.... or read the scripture for himself... that believe is secure. Thomas was the kind who would "understand the scripture" as he read it... and he could see a fake preacher a mile away.
It's so unbelievable... that's what makes it so believable.
