Jesus mentioned this thrice as he appeared to Mary Magdalene, his disciples and Thomas Didymus. In this chapter we see the disciples coming to Thomas telling him they had seen Jesus but Thomas vehemently said “Unless, I see the nailed hands, and put my fingers where the nails were and put my my hands into his side, He would not believe Jesus was risen and the disciples had seen him.
His hands show his suffering for us, the battle he had on the cross for our soul. He forgave and he spoke about forgiving us not withholding forgiveness. Its funny how we are Christians but we act in unbelief, some say I want to see you suffering to believe, you are Christ’s. I even act it out sometimes, It tells me we will battle unbelief in certain aspects of our lives, because Thomas walked with Jesus, he ate with Jesus, he saw miracles from Jesus , the disciples (not just 1 or 2 told him they had seen Jesus) and still doubted Jesus was raised. Thomas would not believe unless he saw the evidence of Jesus suffering, he not just wanted to:
see the nails, he wanted to:
put his finger inside and
put his hands into his side.
It sounds funny to me, but in all seriousness aren’t we all the same both believers and non believers. Two things dawn on me while reading this passage: In verse 19, that for FEAR of the Jewish leaders the disciples were together and locked their door. It seems we battle fear and doubt (as with Gideon) and in Christ righteousness can we be bold in the spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7, Proverbs 28: 1.
So 8 days later, some version says a week later, Jesus showed himself to Thomas and asked to Thomas to put his finger in his hands and touch his sides. Its interesting for me that Mary Magdalene couldn’t touch Jesus, because he hadn’t ascended at the time to the father, so it took Jesus approximately one week to ascend to the father and be back so Thomas could touch him and believe.
now Jesus wasn’t there when Thomas made this proclamation that he wouldn’t believe but he heard. Jesus said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; but blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”.
We see evidence from Israel, that the crucifixation took place, the tomb were his body lay still exist until today. Yet because we have not seen Jesus we doubt he exist. This passage is written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of Elohim, and by believing you may have life in his name.
Sometimes, we may not see him but he hears us, sometimes we may mistaken him to be some gardener or some god but he is near us, sometime we need evidence to believe and it is said that even Jesus physical body isn’t here or no physical evidence is there but his spiritual body (the church is here) to help you understand the scriptures that he is risen from the dead. John 20: 9
SHALOM