Today’s Passage: John 20:24–29
Jesus is alive. Ten of His disciples have already seen Him with their own eyes. Thomas, however, was absent from the room. He states clearly that he requires physical evidence before he will believe. Examine the account and the conclusion Thomas reaches: he touched the wounds of Jesus and knew he was touching God.
Context The Weight of Monotheism
Every faithful Jew recited the Shema daily: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Calling any man “God” carried an immense weight. It bordered on blasphemy against the first commandment. Keep this strict monotheism in mind when you evaluate the statement Thomas makes.
John 20:24–25 (BSB)
²⁴ Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
Thomas demands empirical proof. His closest associates present eyewitness testimony that Jesus is alive. Thomas requires sensory evidence before he will yield. He must see the nail marks and touch the wounds. He voices his skepticism plainly, yet he remains in the fellowship of the believers.
John 20:26–27 (BSB)
²⁶ Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
A full week passes. Thomas remains with the disciples despite his doubts. Jesus then appears in a locked room. He goes directly to Thomas and offers the exact physical evidence Thomas demanded: His hands and His side. Jesus demonstrates His omniscience by answering a demand made in His physical absence. He commands Thomas to examine the evidence and believe. The command rests on undeniable physical proof.
John 20:28 (BSB)
²⁸ Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus accepts the worship. A good teacher or an angel would have a moral obligation to correct Thomas immediately. Jesus, instead, receives the title of deity. He affirms the conclusion Thomas reached.
John 20:29 (BSB)
²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus acknowledges the faith of Thomas, which is based on physical evidence. He then pronounces a blessing on those who will examine the historical record and believe without physical sight. That blessing extends to you today. You can examine the evidence of the resurrection and reach a confident verdict.
Study notes The Opening and Closing Verdict
John opens his Gospel with a direct claim about the identity of Jesus. Twenty chapters later, Thomas reaches the exact same conclusion based on the evidence of the resurrection.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1 (BSB)
Thomas touched the physical wounds of Jesus and knew he was touching ho theos mou, pronounced ho THEH-oss moo. Strong's G2316, God, deity. Thomas applies the supreme title of deity to Jesus. He uses the exact term John used in the opening verse of the Gospel. He makes this declaration to a physical man bearing the scars of crucifixion. Thomas establishes the true identity of Jesus as God in human flesh. .
Bring your skepticism into the light. Today, take one honest question or doubt you have been keeping silent, and voice it directly to God in prayer. The evidence of the resurrection provides solid ground for your faith, and God handles your questions with truth.
Pray to Close
Thank God that Jesus provides undeniable proof of His resurrection. Ask Him for clear eyes to see Jesus as Lord and God. Tell Him the specific doubts or questions you have kept quiet, and ask Him to build your confidence in the historical truth of His Word.
Worship for Today
Song: Living Hope, by Phil Wickham
This song declares the reality of the empty tomb and its impact on human history. Thomas touched the risen Jesus and voiced his conviction. Sing these lyrics as your own response to the historical fact of the resurrection.
Listen: