(REFLECTIONS ON John 20:24-31)

Earlier, Mary encountered the resurrected Christ and came announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”

When it was evening on that day, while the disciples were hiding for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Jesus showed them both His hands and His side, and the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Thomas, the one we often refer to as doubting Thomas, refused to believe until he saw for himself the imprint of the nails in Jesus’ hands, and the piercing to Jesus’ side, even though the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!“

After eight days, Jesus appeared once again to the disciples and said, “Peace be with you.” He then said to Thomas,

27 “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

It is then and only then that Thomas believed, because the risen Lord had revealed Himself to him. However, Jesus said to Thomas,

29 “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Brothers and sisters, isn’t our relationship with Jesus based on faith? How many of us have seen the Lord as Mary and the disciples saw the Lord?

Yes, we may have felt Him in our lives, experienced Him in very real ways, but the Jesus that appeared to Mary and the disciples wasn’t a ghost, a figment of their imagination, but the physical body with the wounds from the cross.

They believed because the risen Lord revealed Himself to them, but Jesus calls out to us this morning saying, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” Brothers and sisters, let us not be disappointed that we have not seen the Lord as Mary and the disciples saw, but rather be reminded that we are blessed, because we have not seen, yet the risen Lord has also revealed Himself to us, and we believe.

Let us not let our inability to describe what Jesus looked like, what the wounds on his hands and side felt like, as shame, or as if we are missing out on something, but rather be assured of our faith because Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: John 20