John 20:24-29 (ESV)
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” Unless I see in his hands the marks of the nails and place my finger into his side, I will never believe. Eight 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.” Then 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.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus said to him, “You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Okay, so how should we read this text? Well, this text shows us Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, who doubts the news of the resurrection. When the rest of the disciples say they’ve seen the risen Christ, Thomas refuses to believe unless he touches Jesus’ wounds for himself. Then, a week later, Jesus appears again and offers Thomas the chance to see and feel the marks of the crucifixion. Thomas responds with words that still ring with awe: “My Lord and my God.” After that, Jesus says, “You have believed because you have seen me, but blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed.”
Reformed Devotionals Daily is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
How should we read this text?
We should read these verses with an eye on the larger message of John’s Gospel, which is about Jesus as the Son of God who gives life. From the start, John has stressed that belief and new life go together. But here, we see the gentleness of Jesus toward a disciple who struggles to believe—who struggles to accept what seems impossible. Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus came earlier; he missed Jesus’ earlier visit, so I guess in some ways he was left in the dark. Maybe he felt regret. Maybe he was hurt that he missed out. Maybe he was just doubtful because people don’t come back from the dead. So he insisted on evidence, like many of us do. Yet Jesus doesn’t lash out; he gives Thomas what he needs. He offers Thomas the chance to see his wounds.
When Thomas does meet Jesus or realize that Jesus is truly resurrected, he gives that short phrase, “My Lord and my God.” It’s one of the most striking confessions of faith in all of Scripture. It recognizes that Jesus, the man, is fully God. Thomas doesn’t say, “You are my teacher” or “You are my prophet.” He says, “You are my Lord and my God.” This moment points to a recurring theme in John: Jesus is the Word made flesh, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, worthy of worship, and belief in him gives us eternal life.
We might question why Thomas was absent at Jesus’ first appearance; the text doesn’t tell us. All we know is that he wasn’t there. Through God’s providence, maybe Thomas is included here for the sake of believers who struggle with doubt today. Some of us might bring our own doubts to church each week. We might feel left behind when we see others talking about how God is at work in their lives. We might want our own encounter with the risen Christ while others seem to just go on in their faith journey. This passage encourages us that Jesus meets us in our doubt—he doesn’t turn away. Jesus honors the honest, seeking person and offers the evidence needed to truly come to faith.
How should the text read us?
That speaks to how the text should read us, because we see ourselves in Thomas. We want solid ground, facts, reports, background checks. Our hearts echo Thomas’s words: “Unless I see for myself, I won’t believe.” We think our honesty or our desire for facts saves us from error, but sometimes our need for proof can turn into stubborn unbelief. Even after seeing and hearing the eyewitness testimony of his friends, Thomas still wants extra proof. We, too, might put up hurdles that God has to jump through before we trust him.
But when Jesus speaks to Thomas, he shows him special mercy. He presents his wounds and invites Thomas to touch them, then says that those who believe without seeing are more blessed. That includes us today: none of us have seen Jesus face to face, yet we trust him through Scripture, the testimony of other believers, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Sure, doubts might remain, but Thomas’s story shows that Jesus doesn’t cast doubters aside. He meets us where we’re at and then calls us into deeper faith.
Our text also highlights a universal problem: we want to see God, but we rely on a limited sense of what’s real, often thinking only what we can prove is true. We live in a scientific age, and yet God’s ways are spiritual and beyond our senses. He calls us to trust that Jesus is alive and present in our everyday lives. We’re not saved by our moral strength or good deeds; we’re saved by God’s grace through Jesus Christ. Faith clings to Jesus, even when our eyes can’t see him.
This passage calls us to be honest with our doubts. It’s okay to wrestle with questions, but we should take them to Jesus. Thomas ultimately goes to Jesus with his questions, and the same Lord who was ready to answer Thomas’s questions is here for us today. This passage also calls us to treasure the testimony of Scripture and the Church. Many before us have walked the path of faith, wrestling with doubts of their own. Their testimony has been preserved by the Holy Spirit so we can learn from it.
Finally, once we have seen and tasted, once we are convinced of who Jesus is, the only response is the same one Thomas had: “My Lord and my God.” Jesus is the rightful Lord of every sphere of our lives. We should put our career, our relationships, our finances, our fears—everything—under his authority. He is the risen, living Lord who has defeated death, just as Thomas came to understand when he touched Jesus’ wounds. That remains true for us today: Jesus is our resurrected Lord.
Prayer:
Dear Father, we come to you because we sometimes have doubts and fears. Sometimes we want extra proof that you are at work. Please help us to trust in the work of Jesus completely. Calm our doubts and help us to confess with Thomas that Jesus is our Lord and our God. We pray this in His mighty name. Amen.
