Parts of this article are taken from Dr. Talbot’s book on the Gospel of John, John: Word Became Flesh, published by Pacific Press.
“Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed’” (John 20:29).
The Gospel of John was written so that we may discover a new reality beyond the one we normally perceive with our natural eyes. John’s narrative affirms that there are two levels of reality: the reality we perceive with our physical eyes and the divine reality that we enter only when we believe in Jesus. John proposes that when you enter the second, more profound reality, you will behold the glory of God and the beauty and assurance of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf: eternal life through His perfect life, death, and resurrection.
I find it fascinating that pretty much every story in the gospel of John includes a dialogue where the two levels of reality are highlighted. For example, the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus about the new birth in John 3 (natural birth vs. spiritual birth), the dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman about water in John 4 (water from the well vs. the water that Jesus wants to give her), the blind man who receives sight in John 9 and the Pharisees who end up being blind (physical blindness vs. spiritual blindness), the dialogue between Jesus and His disciples regarding Lazarus’ sleep/death in John 11, etc.
John constantly invites the reader to enter the second reality as it is in Jesus, believing in who He is and what He has done on our behalf. This is the reason why this gospel was written: “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that [purpose] you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30, 31; emphasis added).
Interestingly enough, this purpose statement is found right after the story of Thomas, the disciple who refused to believe unless he saw. Other characters that testified of Jesus are mentioned in this week’s lesson, yet we will focus on Thomas because his story is used together with another narrative at the beginning of John as a type of “bookend” in this gospel. In addition, the memory verse for this week (John 20:29) comes from the story of Thomas.
Seeing and believing
After several individuals had testified that they had seen the risen Christ (see John 20), the disciples’ turn came. “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (John 20:19). What a reunion that must have been! But Thomas wasn’t present at that event. The other disciples were excited to tell him “We have seen the Lord!” (v. 25), but Thomas was skeptical and wanted to see for himself. In order to believe, he makes the most demanding request in the whole New Testament: “he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe’” (v. 25). This is an important statement that informs us that nails were used in Jesus’ crucifixion. (There was more than one method to hang a body on the cross.) John records that Thomas demanded to see the imprint of the nails.
Thomas was a loyal yet pessimistic disciple. To him, the cross was only what he had expected; he had even suggested going with Jesus to Jerusalem to die with Him (see John 11:16). You can envision him saying: I knew it! I knew this would happen! Now that it has happened, he is demanding to see and touch in order to believe. Sight, not belief! Just the opposite of what John is trying to convey. But, truly, Thomas is only asking for the same evidence that everyone else already had. After all, the ten also believed because they saw. Even the beloved disciple “saw and believed” (John 20:8).
Unfortunately, Thomas’ unbelief delayed his rejoicing. He wanted to see, to touch, in order to believe what the other disciples were already celebrating! Would I have believed without seeing? Would faith have prevailed in me?
Believe that Jesus is who He says He is and that He has done what He says He has done.
Thomas, the believer
Eight days later, the disciples were together again. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus immediately addressed Thomas: “‘Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing‘” (v. 27). Thomas! This is what you asked for! Come and see! Come and touch! Wouldn’t you like to have God show up with the proof you requested? Jesus’ words show that He is completely aware of Thomas’ outrageous demands.
But at the sight of Jesus, Thomas forgets all about his required proof and immediately puts on the glasses of faith and expresses the most profound confession that we find in all four Gospels regarding the identity of Jesus: “Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (v. 28; emphasis added). Nobody had ever addressed Jesus like this. Some addressed Jesus as the Son of God, which was also used as a royal title. Yet Thomas has made a leap of faith and has come to believe that Jesus is God, thereby confirming John’s assertion at the very beginning of the Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1; emphasis added).
The two statements that Jesus is God are the “bookends” of John’s Gospel. God became flesh, lived a perfect life in our place, laid down His perfect life at the cross to accomplish our salvation, and rose from the dead. Do you believe that? When you believe this, you can live with the assurance of salvation as a reality already achieved in Jesus, even though when you look at yourself with your physical eyes, you can’t understand how you could ever be saved! That’s why we walk by faith and not by sight.
Believing without seeing
Jesus then gives His last beatitude in this Gospel, a blessing that touches all of us: “Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed’” (John 20:29). From then on, believing based on sight would no longer be available. Living based on faith would be the only way. And blessed are you who, since then, have come to believe without seeing. This is the reason why the Gospel of John was written—that we may believe in the revelation of God through Jesus Christ: “… these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (vv. 30, 31). There it is! John’s purpose statement.
The Gospel of John was written so that we may believe! Believe that Jesus is who He says He is and has done what He says He has done. The truth is that with your physical eyes, you will never be able to “see” yourself saved because the closer you get to Jesus, the more sinful you will feel in comparison. And yet, beholding Him, believing in what He has done, you will feel more and more assured of your salvation through Him. His sacrifice is more than sufficient! Let’s come to believe in that second level of reality, the one achieved by Jesus on the cross. Let’s put on our glasses of faith in Jesus and live our lives with the assurance of salvation.
What is faith, really? I am so glad you asked! The author of Hebrews explains it plainly: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1; emphasis added). Are you assured? Are you convinced that what Jesus has done is enough to save you? Then you are blessed! “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”