Luke 24:36-43 & John 20:24-29

Sisters and brothers in Christ,

We’ll be looking at two Bible passages this evening:

(Luke 24) ³⁶ As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” ³⁷ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. ³⁸ And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹ See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹ And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate before them.

(John 20) ²⁴ Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, 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.”

Luke here records the last of Jesus’s resurrection appearances on the first Easter Sunday. After noting that Thomas was absent on that occasion and so doubted the other disciples’ testimony, John describes another appearance, eight days later, in which Jesus had the express purpose of reassuring Thomas.

On both occasions, Jesus’s first words were “Peace be with you [or, ‘to you’].” When Jesus asks, “Why do doubts arise in your hearts?” he’s not reprimanding them, but gently acknowledging their confusion before he sets their minds at rest. They’re frightened; they think they’ve seen a ghost. They’re still not quite sure about this whole resurrection thing.

Jesus invites them to touch his wounded body. He shows them his hands and feet, which had been pierced by nails. The Greek word translated “touch” might better be rendered “handle.” Jesus isn’t limiting them to a timid little tap with the tip of a pinky. He wants them to be sure. Luke doesn’t say whether they took him up on his invitation, but John uses the same Greek word when he begins his first letter: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.” Perhaps it was that tactile experience on Easter Sunday evening that John had in mind. 

Jesus goes further. He asks for something to eat. The disciples give him “a piece of broiled fish,” and watch him eat it. Ghosts don’t eat solid food.

Jesus isn’t putting on a show. No angelic hosts. No heavenly trumpets. Just two very ordinary human proofs. Touch my wounds. Give me some food to eat.

Ten disciples were persuaded. The eleventh, Thomas, was not. He wasn’t ready to rely on apostolic testimony. He wasn’t even willing to settle for “touch.” He said he wouldn’t believe unless he could poke his finger into Jesus’s wounds.

Eight days later, Jesus obliged. Why the delay? We don’t know. Why did Jesus bother to make this special appearance? Because he loved Thomas. Jesus again comes in peace, not to reprimand but to reassure. He offers Thomas the chance to poke, not just his finger but his hand, into what must still have been painful wounds. I’m inclined to think Thomas didn’t take Jesus up on the offer, but was so humbled by Jesus’s extraordinary care and vulnerability that he could only say, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus says something that speaks directly to our own hearts two thousand years later: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” You and I are among those who, for two thousand years and still counting, have believed that Christ rose from the dead not because we have seen his resurrection body, touched his wounds, or watched him eating fish, but because the Holy Spirit has allowed us to believe the apostolic testimony to the resurrection. We believe not because we are clever, good, virtuous, or strong, any more than the disciples were. We believe because the Holy Spirit has given us the gift of faith (Eph. 2:8). Christ pronounced us blessed back on that first Easter Sunday because he knew that God would bless us with the life-saving gift of faith.

 That’s how God works. He commends us for being the recipients of his gift. He blesses us simply for being blessed.

Your brother in Christ,

Max