Day 39
John 20: 24-31
24Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."
26Eight 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." 27Then 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." 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Jesus and Doubting Thomas (John 20: 24-31)
Probably in Bible times when twins were born into a family, the first child was named and the other was simply called 'the twin'. This appears to have happened to Thomas. 'Thomas' is a transliteration of the Hebrew for twin (English letters replacing Hebrew) and 'Didymus' is the Greek word for twin. The other writers say little about him, but John paints a picture of a slightly gloomy, intensely practical, no-nonsense disciple. Before the raising of Lazarus Jesus says he is going to Jerusalem and Thomas says, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him' (11:16). In the upper room with the disciples Jesus says to them, 'I am going ... to prepare a place for you ... You know the way to the place where I am going' (14:2, 4). But Thomas won't accept this. Unless he knows exactly what is happening, he won't say that he does. So the reaction of Thomas to the resurrection is very important. We know that he will be objective about it.
What do we know about Thomas? Why is the description of how he reacts to the news about the risen Jesus so important for us?
