Picking Up the Pieces: Thomas

When 10 disciples tell Thomas that they saw Jesus alive on Easter evening, he proves the most unyielding skeptic. In the strongest possible way in Greek (ou mn + subjunctive), He refuses to believe their testimony that Jesus lives; he even puts a demand to God before he will believe for himself. The cross had obviously shattered Thomas’ messianic world to pieces. One week later, however, Jesus appears to the disciples again announcing peace, but this time Thomas is present too. Jesus commands Thomas to put his fingers where his faith should be. The hardness of Thomas’s unbelief melts at the physical sight of Jesus. In a moment of instantaneous transformation, Thomas professes Jesus as both Lord and God! Are believers today at any disadvantage from those first witnesses who got to see the resurrected Jesus with their own eyes? Not at all! In fact, Jesus pronounces a special blessing upon every person who believes in Him without Thomas’ privilege (and solely on the eye-witness account of the 11 that we have in Scripture). Do YOU believe Jesus lives?