–By Dr. Steven Bishop, PhD / Austin, TX

My husband and I were married by Steve Bishop and have many fond memories of being with his family in Massachusetts. Steve’s speaking and writing has always inspired both my husband and I. I know you will be blessed by this piece. Thank you Steve for contributing to GodReflection.

John 20:19

When 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 Judean leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

John 20:24

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So 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.”

John 20:26

A 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.” Then 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.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Thomas was not in the house when Jesus first visited the disciples. He missed an amazing moment with his risen Lord and his friends. When Jesus appeared that first time he showed the disciples his hands and side, then they rejoiced that they had seen Jesus. When Thomas returned the others told him about their experience. Thomas responded that until he had the same experience of seeing Jesus he could not believe. But he went further, unless I can put my finger in his wounds, I will not believe.

    There is nothing in the text to suggest that the disciples put their hands on Jesus’ wounds or even that Thomas did when Jesus appeared the second time. Simply seeing the wounded Jesus was convincing proof, even for Thomas.

The striking aspect of this passage is that it is a week before Thomas would be convinced.  For seven long days he is in disbelief. For seven days he is surrounded by his friends who know Jesus is alive, who have seen his wounds, and heard him speak. Thomas is the odd-man-out.  For seven days he is unconvinced, for seven days he is quarantined with his friends, for seven days they are rejoicing and he is unsure. 

Then Jesus suddenly appears and Thomas, as suddenly, exclaims “My Lord! My God!” He is now at one with his friends. They have all shared in the same experience of reunion with Jesus and thus begins their ministry in the world.

Thomas has at times been used as a negative example of doubt and unbelief but I see him as being just like his friends. They saw Jesus and his wounds and believed, Thomas wanted the same experience.  I think of Thomas here more as ‘waiting’ Thomas. His experience of Jesus was not to be like the others, he would not opt for trusting their experience but wanted an experience of Jesus on his own. He needed it to be as real for him as it was for his friends.

It is our own experience of the risen Lord that will sustain us. Maybe your experience is not like that of others, or perhaps you’re wondering when you will experience Jesus powerfully. If that is the case then do as Thomas did—wait. Wait for the risen Christ to enter your room and breathe the breath of peace upon you.

Steven Bishop has served as Old Testament professor at Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, TX since 2004. A native of Hearne, TX he was a preaching minister in Texas and Massachusetts before returning to school fulltime to pursue an advanced degree. With the late Old Testament scholar Bernhard W. Anderson, he has revised two books, Understanding the Old Testament and Out of the Depths: The Psalms Speak For Us Today. He lives in Austin with his wife, Amy and her daughter Hannah, along with their dog Macie.