JESUS APPEARS TO THOMAS

 

THOMAS MEETING WITH JESUS

CHRISTIANITY

24Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “PEACE BE WITH YOU.”

27Then he said to Thomas, “PUT YOUR FINGER HERE, AND SEE MY HANDS; AND PUT OUT YOUR HAND, AND PLACE IT IN MY SIDE. DO NOT DISBELIEVE, BUT BELIEVE.”

28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

29Jesus said to him, “HAVE YOU BELIEVED BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN ME? BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.”

JOHN 20:24-29

COMMENTARY

Modern critics express apprehension with the gospel attributed to John the Apostle, or the 'beloved disciple', although it is not really known who this famous disciple is (John 21:20, 24), not only because of his variants with respect to the synoptics , but also because in the narratives of Matthew (Mt 28:10-16) and Mark (Mr. 16:7), Jesus sends his disciples to meet him in Galilee, along with the other Christians who were not in Jerusalem during the crucifixion; while the Gospel of John recounts intermediate apparitions, taking more than a week (John 20:26) from the resurrection in Jerusalem, and mentions a Galilee encounter after a while casually and without any mention to the Great Commission (John 21:1).

But apart from this, this story contains a very important lesson, and it is a call to exercise Faith in GOD, accepting the resurrection of Jesus, and the final triumph of GOD and Jesus over death and the evil intentions of the world.

According to this chronicle, the Lord JESUS began from the very day of his resurrection, to appear to all those who had been with him at his crucifixion, thus demonstrating his resurrection from the dead and confirming the faith of his apostles and followers (John 20: 19), who were still afraid and hiding, and were even beginning to doubt the resurrection of Christ (Luke 24:36-48).

But on that particular day, Tomas, was not with them, and apparently, he was the most discouraged, and flatly said:

'If I do not see in his hands the mark of the nails, and I put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand on his side, I will not believe.'

After a week or so, Jesus appeared to his disciples again, and this time, Thomas Didymus was present, and our Lord knowing the thoughts of his heart, he said to Thomas, 'Come and see the mark of the nails, and touch my side where the spear pierced me, and BELIEVE, DO NOT BE AN UNBELIEVER' (Paraphrasing).

This restlessness of Tomas reflects the natural incredulity of the human being in the face of defeat, and not because he doubts the power of GOD, but because he doubts the mission that was carried out, as apparently happened with this apostle.

Tomas doubted not the power of GOD, but the mission of Jesus, which, apparently, had ended in defeat, because they killed him and that's it.

BUT no one counted on the fact that GOD YAHWEH could not allow evil to get away with it and overshadow the work of his beloved son on earth.

If JESUS had not risen, all the miracles that He did, and his message, would have remained only in words, because what would remain forever would be the memory of this defeated messiah, executed by Rome, putting Roman paganism and human violence over the holiness and righteousness of Jesus.

BUT it was not so, GOD raised his Anointed from the dead where Satan and his minions had sent him, and in this way, HE demonstrated the veracity of JESUS' work, overcoming what no one can overcome in the entire universe, OVERCOME THE TIES OF DEATH, demonstrating his ALMIGHTY POWER, and demonstrating it in favor of JESUS, HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.

But this result was announced by Jesus many times (Luke 9:22, Matthew 17:23, and others), and it was the logical consequence of the Lord's redemptive work. Jesus could not finish his ministry, reproached, harassed and executed as a loser, discrediting himself and all his work, especially when his words to rise again on the third day would come to be false. If Tomas ever really thought that JESUS spoke and acted in the name of GOD, he should not have doubted this, but his humanity got the best of him, and I doubted the mission of JESUS, despite having seen how Jesus raised several dead during his earthly life, which the devil cannot do.

But in his mercy, Lord JESUS CHRIST, decided to confirm his beloved apostle in the faith, and gave him the evidence he wanted to believe, just as GOD YHWH many times confirmed with miracles the divine origin of his words, to the men of the old covenant (Judges 6:36-38).

Faced with this portentous miracle, seeing the Master whom he had deserted a few days before, and having doubted the divine origin of his mission and message, Tomas exclaimed and said:

"MY LORD AND MY GOD"

In the midst of ecstasy, acknowledging his guilt and showing repentance, recognizing the vision as the genuine Jesus, and repentance before GOD YHWH, for having doubted the divine mission of his beloved son.

And then JESUS told him, "HAPPY THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED WITHOUT HAVING SEEN", those who have been able to understand that without this resurrection my mission came to nothing and trusted that GOD would raise me from the dead, confirming his work in me, and giving glory to his Name.

Omar Flores.