Soul Food Ministries

Please begin by reading John 20:19-31 in your Bible. If you do not have one at hand, we have provided the text for you at the end of this reflection.

We take up John’s story of Easter where we left off last week. As we will see before this little story ends, the story is not just about the experiences of first-century disciples. You and I are there in the room!

As you may recall, Mary went to the tomb early on the first Easter morning. She found Jesus’ body missing and feared the worst; someone had stolen the body. She ran to tell Peter and another disciple, the disciple John describes as the one Jesus loved. They came and confirmed that the tomb was empty just as Mary said, but they left without understanding that it was not a case of a stolen body. Then Mary encountered Jesus, whom she recognized with joy when he called her name. Mary then went to the disciples and excitedly proclaimed “I have seen the Lord.”

It is now Easter night. The disciples, grieving and fearful that they may be persecuted as Jesus was, have gathered together behind locked doors. Jesus appears to them, giving them peace to replace their fear. Jesus shows them his wounds and, in joy, they understand that what Mary had told them is true! Jesus has risen.

But Jesus’ appearance is about a lot more than just giving proof of his resurrection. The disciples are about to receive the fruit of the work that Jesus has done on the cross. Earlier, Jesus promised them that he would not leave them orphaned when he returned to resume his heavenly place. He had said that he would give them “the Spirit of truth” to abide with them and be in them. He said “on that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20) Now it is time to deliver on that promise! Jesus gives the disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is not only the source of a peace that will last, but the source of power that will enable them to do Jesus’ work in the world: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

But one disciple who was not there, Thomas, refuses to believe the word of the others that Jesus has risen. He will not believe unless he can see and touch Jesus for himself. A week later, he is given that opportunity. Jesus appears and says to him “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas not only believes, but has a major breakthrough! At last, one of the disciples recognizes the profound implications of Easter. He exclaims, "My Lord and my God!" It is Thomas, the doubter, who realize who Jesus really is!

But now the focus shifts. Jesus says this to Thomas: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Raymond Brown, perhaps the greatest modern analyst of John’s gospel, uses a marvelous image to describe this moment. He compares the gospel of John up to this point to a play that John unfolds before us on the stage of first-century Palestine. We participate like “an audience seated in the darkened theater of the future, silently viewing what Jesus was saying and doing. … But now, as the curtain is about to fall on the stage drama, the lights in the theater are suddenly turned on. Jesus shifts his attention from the disciples to the audience that has become visible and makes clear that his ultimate concern if for them -- those who have come to believe in him through the word of his disciples.”[1]

You and I, and countless others who make up God’s past, present, and future church, are that audience. Now it becomes clear. We are blessed and we are challenged!

We may struggle with belief like Thomas, but Jesus comes to us just as he came to Thomas. We too are blessed in knowing the revelation of the risen Christ. We too have been blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus speaks to us also when he says that he is in God, we are in Jesus, and Jesus is in us! As we welcome Jesus into our very being, we too may have that peace that never leaves us.

But we are also challenged as those first disciples were challenged. With the comfort, the peace, and the gift of the Spirit goes the call. Our model of relationship is the model of the relationship between Jesus and the one he called Father. Jesus includes us when he talks about disciples being sent out into the world as he was sent. Just as with Jesus, we may expect challenges. We too will find that not all will welcome us.

But it is the gift of the Spirit that enables us. We have our comforter and our guide and we also have great responsibility. We too must bring the word of restoration and forgiveness to those still bound by the separation we call sin. Thus the urgency in the word that Jesus speaks to us, as well as to Thomas: “Stop doubting and believe.”

[1] William Foxwell Albright and David Noel Freedman, ed., The Anchor Bible (New York: Doubleday, 1970), vol. 29A, The Gospel According to John, John XIII-XXI, by Raymond E. Brown, S.S., 1049.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.

The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.