I share these thoughts hoping they are of help to someone else.
Comments are always welcomed.
If you find these thoughts helpful, please share.
Comments are always welcomed.
If you find these thoughts helpful, please share.
A Good Word for the Reader
Jesus said to [Thomas], "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."
John 20:29 (NRSV)
John 20:29 (NRSV)
When all around me starts to fall
And when my faith it seems so small
Even in my darkest hour, I will believe
Even if the sun begins to fall
Even when I feel nothing at all
Even if I'm all alone, I will believe
And when my faith it seems so small
Even in my darkest hour, I will believe
Even if the sun begins to fall
Even when I feel nothing at all
Even if I'm all alone, I will believe
From "Believe" by Mainstay
In the Gospel of John, we read that, a few days after Jesus was arrested, put on trial, and executed by crucifixion, the Disciples are huddled in their meeting place with the door locked.1 That morning, Jesus' tomb was found empty,2 so naturally, when the authorities discover that the body is missing, they will be looking for the Disciples. Suddenly, Jesus appears among the Disciples, alive and well, and says, "Peace be with you." He shows them the scars from His crucifixion and says, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." He then breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."3
Unfortunately, the disciple named Thomas is not with the others when Jesus appears to them. The ten who saw Jesus find Thomas and tell him that their Teacher is alive, but Thomas says to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."4
Three times we are told in the Gospel of John that Thomas is also known as "Didymus" or "the Twin."5 Oddly, we are never told whose twin Thomas is. It has been suggested that Thomas is the twin of the person reading the story. The Gospel of John, like the other Gospels, was written for people like Thomas who were not present when the Risen Christ first appeared to the Disciples. Like Thomas, the readers are invited to believe that Jesus Christ has been resurrected from the dead and that evil and death have been defeated. Like Thomas, the readers will have to decide whether they will dare to believe the Good News or assume that it's all too good to be true.
One week later, the Disciples are once again gathered in their meeting place, but this time Thomas is with them. Once again, Jesus appears in their midst, even though the door is locked, and says to them, "Peace be with you." He then turns to Thomas specifically and says to him, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."6
Astounded, Thomas exclaims, "My Lord and my God!"7
Jesus then says, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."8
When a television show is filmed, actors typically perform on a set that was built with only three walls. Where the other wall of the room would be, there are cameras, camera operators, directors, other stage hands, and maybe a live studio audience. The term fourth wall is used to describe the metaphorical boundary between the characters of the show and their audience. One might think of it more directly as the television screen itself. Basically, a separation between a story and its audience is understood. On rare occasions, a character within the story will subversively "break" the fourth wall and address the audience directly.
When Jesus blesses the people who have not seen Him but still believe in Him, He is not speaking to anyone present in the story. All of the Disciples have seen Him, and they all believe because they have seen Him. I would like to suggest that maybe Jesus is "breaking the fourth wall" in some sense and directly addressing the people reading the Gospel story. Thomas has had the opportunity to see the Risen Christ for himself, but very few people will have such a privilege. Jesus blesses those who dare to believe anyway.
Some people have had powerful mystical experiences that have led them to faith in Christ. Many more people have had no such experiences but have chosen to put their faith in Christ anyway. The latter are no less important to Christ than the former, for Christ blesses all who believe. No two people's journeys of faith are the same, but all people matter to God.
Notes:
Unfortunately, the disciple named Thomas is not with the others when Jesus appears to them. The ten who saw Jesus find Thomas and tell him that their Teacher is alive, but Thomas says to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."4
Three times we are told in the Gospel of John that Thomas is also known as "Didymus" or "the Twin."5 Oddly, we are never told whose twin Thomas is. It has been suggested that Thomas is the twin of the person reading the story. The Gospel of John, like the other Gospels, was written for people like Thomas who were not present when the Risen Christ first appeared to the Disciples. Like Thomas, the readers are invited to believe that Jesus Christ has been resurrected from the dead and that evil and death have been defeated. Like Thomas, the readers will have to decide whether they will dare to believe the Good News or assume that it's all too good to be true.
One week later, the Disciples are once again gathered in their meeting place, but this time Thomas is with them. Once again, Jesus appears in their midst, even though the door is locked, and says to them, "Peace be with you." He then turns to Thomas specifically and says to him, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."6
Astounded, Thomas exclaims, "My Lord and my God!"7
Jesus then says, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."8
When a television show is filmed, actors typically perform on a set that was built with only three walls. Where the other wall of the room would be, there are cameras, camera operators, directors, other stage hands, and maybe a live studio audience. The term fourth wall is used to describe the metaphorical boundary between the characters of the show and their audience. One might think of it more directly as the television screen itself. Basically, a separation between a story and its audience is understood. On rare occasions, a character within the story will subversively "break" the fourth wall and address the audience directly.
When Jesus blesses the people who have not seen Him but still believe in Him, He is not speaking to anyone present in the story. All of the Disciples have seen Him, and they all believe because they have seen Him. I would like to suggest that maybe Jesus is "breaking the fourth wall" in some sense and directly addressing the people reading the Gospel story. Thomas has had the opportunity to see the Risen Christ for himself, but very few people will have such a privilege. Jesus blesses those who dare to believe anyway.
Some people have had powerful mystical experiences that have led them to faith in Christ. Many more people have had no such experiences but have chosen to put their faith in Christ anyway. The latter are no less important to Christ than the former, for Christ blesses all who believe. No two people's journeys of faith are the same, but all people matter to God.
Notes:
- John 20:19
- John 20:1-7
- John 20:19-22 (NRSV)
- John 20:24-25 (NRSV)
- John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2
- John 20:26-27 (NRSV)
- John 20:28 (NRSV)
- John 20:29 (NRSV)
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