Friday, May 8, 2009

Queasy Thomas?

One objection to the resurrection complains that Jesus only appeared to people that already believed he'd return. Actually, after his death, none of Jesus's followers any longer believed that he really was the messiah, let alone in any sense divine. They denied him after his arrest and went into hiding after he was killed. They had no expectation that a messiah would die, and they certainly weren't expecting him to be crucified. The accounts mention specifically the reactions of two witnesses—Paul and Thomas—who were in particular not eager to be convinced of such an appearance.

John 20: 24-28:
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

N.T. Wright

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