Thoughts on the Gospel of John (210) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. So he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.
John 20:24–25

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (210)
What a wonderful encounter the disciples had with their risen Lord! He came into their midst. This meeting reminds us of the Lord’s statement in Matthew 18:20: “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” This promise still holds true today. Even if the Lord is not physically present today, He is there where believers gather according to His Word. And they experience the same as the disciples did back then: peace and joy.

Thomas missed out. He was not there when the Lord showed Himself to the disciples and greeted them with peace. Now he sees that they are bursting with joy because they have seen the Lord. He has really risen!

We have already met Thomas in chapters 11 and 14 of our Gospel. He is obviously a clear-headed, sober realist. That is why he is not easily convinced by things that lie outside the ordinary sphere of experience.

Today, man relies more than ever on what is visible and tangible. Science has made enormous progress since ancient times. Does this make belief in a living God obsolete? Is the credibly testified fact of the resurrection of Jesus therefore to be rejected? No, and no again! Whoever trusts the Bible, the Word of God, by being convinced of things that cannot be seen but are nevertheless real, does not need to be ashamed.

(to be continued next Sunday)

Today’s reading: Isaiah 47:1-15 · Hebrews 10:11-22