Daily Devotional Saturday 18th April 2020
by William MoodyJohn 20:24–31
Jesus and Thomas
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,1 was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So 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.”
26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of This Book
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Footnotes
[1] 20:24
Greek Didymus (ESV)
Thomas came to believe in Jesus’ resurrection through seeing Jesus. Jesus responds to this by speaking of how “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v29). Blessing in life, including salvation from sin only come through faith in Christ. The question is how do people believe who unlike Thomas do not see Jesus with their eyes?
John in his Gospel now gives us the answer (v30-31). The parts of Jesus’ life which have been recorded in John’s Gospel (as in the other Gospels) were written to produce faith.
People believe in many things without seeing them. We all believe that the two World wars occurred, but most of us did not see them. We believe because the reports that have come down through eye witnesses. Likewise we’re called to believe in Jesus because of the accounts of eyewitnesses who were inspired to write through the Holy Spirit.
The best way in encouraging people to believe and in helping us grow in faith is to read these accounts which we have recorded for us in God’s Word.
Faith is vital because through faith we have real life, life to the full, eternal life through the Lord Jesus (v31). Is this life real in you day by day?
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