Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

John

John 
Day 
Day 349

John 20:19-31 "WHEN DOUBTS ARE OF OUR OWN MAKING"

Day 349 – John 20

WHEN DOUBTS ARE OF OUR OWN MAKING

All the Disciples had doubts! They had seen Jesus crucified! They knew that nobody could have survived a Roman crucifixion. The Roman soldiers were expert executioners! They ensured that everybody condemned to die on the cross would be dead before they let the body be taken down!

The doubts and the ensuing despair gave way to hope and joy when Jesus met up with His Disciples! Mary, the women Disciples, Cleopas and his companion and others had exclaimed excitedly that they had seen the Saviour. Soon, the new-found joy they had was reinforced with a tremendous sense of conviction! Their study of the Scriptures, as expounded by Jesus, steadied their faith even more!

However, not all the Disciples had seen the Risen Saviour. One of them was Thomas. He continued to remain adamant that he would not, could not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead! John recorded the protest of Thomas.

“Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came. The other
disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the
Lord.’ So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His
hands the print of the nails, and put my finger
into the print of the nails, and put my hand into
His side, I will not believe.'”
John 20:24-25

Thomas had created his own set of doubts! He was as sure that he could not believe, as the other disciples were sure of what they told Thomas! They had seen the Lord! Why couldn’t Thomas believe them?

A DIFFICULT WEEK OF STRUGGLES

It must have been a very difficult and trying week for the Disciples! There was no denying the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead! They had seen with their own eyes, and they had heard Jesus with their own ears! They knew that their personal faith in Jesus could no longer be shaken! They had at least passed this test!

But they had not been able to convince Thomas at all! How would they be able to counter his stubborn but seemingly logical statement? They understood where he was coming from. They too had to struggle through a lot before they came to have faith in Jesus as the Risen Saviour. Without the personal appearance of Jesus, it seemed impossible to convince anyone concerning His resurrection!

Why hadn’t Jesus appeared to Thomas? A whole week had passed and many had testified that they had seen Jesus! But Jesus did not appear to Thomas. Of course they could not compel Jesus to appear to Thomas.

If the Disciples were to have this kind of difficulty with one of their own, how would they be able to go out and convince others? It was a trying week indeed.

THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS TO THOMAS

The last time Thomas spoke to Jesus was when he had raised a question to Him. He said,

“Lord, we do not know where You are going,
and how can we know the way?”
John 14:5

Thomas appeared to be a Disciple who needed definite instructions or proof before he could understand and accept things. There was no denying that he loved and honoured Jesus. He had addressed him as “Lord” when he was taken as a Disciple. But Thomas had a special problem. He needed “to know” everything in specific ways, or else he would have difficulties. He probably had difficulty in applying his faith in situations that demanded more than just knowledge.

Jesus graciously appeared to Thomas, because He knew this Disciple. He just couldn’t bring himself to accept what his fellow-disciples had said to him. He just didn’t know how to bring his faith to bear on the subject of the resurrection of Jesus! John took time to record this appearance of Jesus to Thomas.

“And after eight days His disciples were again inside,
and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!'”
John 20:26

It is remarkable that the wording of this text is so similar to an earlier note.

“Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of
the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples
were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and
stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.'”
John 20:19

John did not write that the Disciples were afraid anymore. A whole week had passed by. Through their fellowship, and through recounting what they had learned from their Risen Saviour, their fears had been dealt with.

Why then this similarity of the text? It might well be that the Disciples were trying to explain to Thomas the exact circumstances in which Jesus had appeared to them.

Everything was as it was a week ago. The doors were shut. Nobody could get in! Then suddenly it happened! Jesus had appeared to them! Why couldn’t Thomas believe this testimony?

Wait! There was Someone else in their midst! The doors were still shut! Yes, it was happening just as it occurred eight days ago! Jesus had chosen to suddenly appear to them! And He had chosen to use the same familiar word of greeting as He did on the previous occasion!

This time, Thomas was with them! Could he believe now? Could he believe that Jesus could walk through doors that are shut? Could He believe that Jesus was alive?