Meditation
Reader,
Our familiarity with today's passage shouldn't obscure the fact that Thomas's unbelief is remarkable.
He will have heard of Jesus' appearance from ten of the most reliable witnesses, and yet he demands special treatment to establish his own belief.
It's a deliberate, obstinate form of unbelief, which Jesus handles with astonishing grace by repeating his demand back to him almost word for word before then commanding belief.
"Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas's unbelief is not rare; its form is more or less identical to mine and likely yours before you believed...and yet Jesus' response is to exactly satisfy the very requirements he made of him.
Grace truly is amazing.
Today's text is John 20:24–28.
Today's verses are in black and yesterday's are provided for context and are in grey.
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
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.”
Jesus Appears to Thomas
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!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Encouragement
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
John Newton
I couldn't resist sharing this uplifting version of Amazing Grace
Andy
God's Word In Your Hand