Believing is Seeing

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!”

John 20:26, ESV

Eight days later—so much to take in.

Jesus didn’t play hide-and-seek with His friends for long. The empty tomb alone was not the crux of the story. The truth of who He was and what He had accomplished lay in His appearing, alive. So He began to reveal Himself first to those closest to Him.

It took nothing more than the familiarity of His voice in the garden outside the tomb to convince Mary. She could not contain her joy. He then presented Himself in person to the disciples later that Sunday, through locked doors—locked for fear of the Jews. “Peace be with you!” summed up His calming demeanor (John 20:11-20).

Meanwhile, Thomas had totally missed the appearances of Jesus, not being present the first Sunday with the rest of the disciples. All week long they tried to convince him. All week long he refused to listen: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25). Thomas! Thomas! But, aren’t we all a little like Thomas?

Jesus didn’t miss a beat. He did exactly what Thomas needed Him to do: “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27). I imagine Thomas fell to his knees at that point: “My Lord and my God!” He needed no further convincing.

 And the commentaries say this is the first time anyone called Jesus “my Lord and my God.”  

Jesus will come to you any way you need, if your doubts are honest. Thomas saw and believed, as did Mary Magdalene, and the disciples hiding behind locked doors, and the many others He appeared to in those forty days before His ascension. But the greater blessing seems to be for us: “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). For us that translates into “believing is seeing”!*

 “Peace be with you!”—all you who believe.

Nancy P

*Holman New Testament Commentary   

All Scripture quotations are from the NIV 1973, 1978, 1984, unless otherwise noted.