John 20:26 Commentary and Bible Study

Seven days later Christ appeared once more to the disciples. This is again the first day of the week, the second Sunday after the resurrection. John says, ‘After eight days’, but this is of course the Jewish way of reckoning in which you count inclusively and include the first day also. It is an identical situation but this time Thomas is with them. Immediately Christ turns to Thomas. Now the disciples hadn’t seen Christ, they hadn’t told him about Thomas’ response, nobody had any way of saying to Christ – ‘Look Thomas didn’t believe us.’ But Christ comes and he speaks directly to Thomas. ‘Reach hither thy finger.’ He follows Thomas’ terms exactly. Thomas was surely compelled to obey. As Christ ordered him to touch those wounds, those scars, and to put his hand in his side, he was compelled to obey. Why was that? Because Christ was saying to him, this is why I came. I did not come to bring glory to Israel as a nation, to lift us up in the world; to get rid of the occupying army. I came for salvation. Your salvation is in these scars. What were they? Were they just reminders? No, they were victory scars. These scars represent my suffering and death for sinners, and look, I live again. I was totally successful and your salvation is here. Put your hand into my side. Your salvation, your forgiveness, your future depends on what I did. It is not just making Thomas go through the motions.