35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus
had appeared to them as they were walking along the road,
and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.
36 And just as they were telling about it,
Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them.
“Peace be with you,” he said.
37 But the whole group was startled and frightened,
thinking they were seeing a ghost!
38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked.
“Why are your hearts filled with doubt?
39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me.
Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost,
because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.”
Luke 24:35-39 NLT
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Thomas gets the label “doubting.” But he wasn’t the only one. They all did. [PR]
***
24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),
was not with the others when Jesus came.
25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands,
put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
***
“Jesus’ willingness to accommodate Thomas’ unbelief
is a reminder that God can handle our doubt.”
David D. Flowers
***
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again,
and this time Thomas was with them.
The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before,
Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands.
Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer.
Believe!”
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
***
[NOTE: The titles of Lord (kyrios) and God (theos) are both titles of deity.]
***
“Sight may have made Thomas believe that Jesus was risen,
but it was something other and more inward than sight
that opened his lips to cry, ‘My Lord and my God!’”
Alexander Maclaren
***
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me.
Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
John 20:24-29 NLT
***
Doubting does not prove that a man has no faith,
but only that his faith is small.
And even when our faith is small, the Lord is ready to help us.
J. C. Ryle