An encounter with Jesus

Thomas

The disciple who would not believe without seeing

Read the chapter: John 20

“The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

What they wanted

When the other disciples told Thomas they had seen the risen Jesus, he refused to believe it. Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, he said, I will not believe. He wanted evidence, not secondhand claims, and he was honest enough to say so.

What Jesus did

A week later Jesus appears again, and this time He turns straight to Thomas: Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and be not faithless, but believing. He does not shame the doubt. He meets it, offering the very proof Thomas asked for.

What changed

Thomas answers with the fullest confession in the Gospel: My Lord and my God. The doubter becomes the one who speaks the clearest truth about who Jesus is. And Jesus adds a blessing for everyone since: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.