A Memorable Interview
(No. 3541)
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1916.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"Then He said to Thomas, Reach here your finger, and behold My hands;
and reach here your hand, and thrust it into My side; and be not
faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered, and said unto Him, My
Lord and my God." John 20:27,28.
WE are, all of us, apt to fall into a wrong state of heart, not because
we are unconverted, nor yet because we are false to Christ, but simply
because of our natural infirmities. So long as we are in this body,
exposed to trial and temptation, we shall be prone to start aside like
a broken bow. Thomas was a true-hearted follower of Jesus. He loved his
Master. It had been a severe shock to his sensitive disposition and his
thoughtful mind to see his Master betrayed, arraigned, scourged,
crucified, dead and buried. He could not, at once, rally from the
agitation it caused him, or think it possible that Jesus could have
risen from the dead. Pondering the matter scrupulously, it seemed to
him to involve too great a miracle to be credited–far beyond anything
to be expected! He would require, he said, very clear and satisfactory
proofs before he would believe it. In like manner, you and I have, each
of us, our characteristic faults. We may not be too thoughtful, like
Thomas–we may, perhaps, be too thoughtless–and that is quite as
mischievous. Even our pleasing qualities which adorn us as virtues may
become our temptations. The best point about us, as a sound judgment
was in the case of Thomas, may become the very snare that entangles us.
Let no man judge his fellow. Above all, let no man exalt himself. He
that is in his best estate, today, may be in spiritual poverty
tomorrow! He who rejoices in God and walks in holy consistency may,
before another sun has risen–few, though the hours of interval
are–have felt his feet slide from under him and so fallen from his
steadfastness as to have dishonored his God, and pierced himself
through with many sorrows!
God grant that our meditation may be for the comfort of some present,
while we proceed to notice the Master and the servant–Jesus and
Thomas–narrowly looking at the actions of them both.
I. LET THE MASTER FIRST ENGAGE OUR ATTENTION–THE MASTER IN THE
PRESENCE OF AN UNBELIEVING DISCIPLE WHO HAS TREATED HIM WITH NO LITTLE
PRESUMPTION AND RASHNESS.
How exquisitely touching, His gentleness! Does He upbraid Thomas? Is
there indignation in His tone? Is there petulance in His chiding? Does
He exclaim, "How dare you doubt that I am alive?" Or turns He upon him
with some rough sentence, asking "Why this impertinence that you should
speak of putting your finger into My wounds, and thrusting your hand
into My side? Unworthy servant, from this moment I disown you for
having spoken so disrespectfully of your Lord and Master." No, far from
it! He rather takes Thomas on his own ground, considers his
infirmities, and meets them precisely as they are, without a single
word of rebuke until the close–and even then He puts it very lovingly.
The whole conversation was, indeed, a rebuke, but so veiled with love
that Thomas could scarcely think it so. He speaks to him as if nothing
had occurred to give any cause of offense, or by his presumption to
occasion any estrangement.
Dwell for a moment on the mercy which our Lord must have shown–and the
blessed patience He must have exercised, to bear thus with Thomas.
Ought he not to have known from the Old Testament that the Christ would
rise from the dead? Had he not been reminded once and again by his
Master of the prophecies which spoke concerning the death of Christ,
and the Glory that should follow? Had he not heard the Master, Himself,
frequently say that the third day He would rise again? He must have
been present with the other Apostles when they turned His oracular
sentences over in their minds and said, one to another, "What does He
mean by this, that He shall suffer and that He shall rise?" And had He
not just before seen the women and conferred with the Apostles who
testified that they had found an empty tomb, that they had been told by
angels that Jesus had risen–yes, more–that when they were sitting
together, Jesus had appeared
in their midst? Yet, so strong was his unbelief, that he puts his own
judgment against their assertion of fact, against the Inspired
Scriptures, against the thrilling words that fell from the Master's own
lips, against the united, concurrent acknowledgment of all the
Brothers! And do you think not, Brothers and Sisters, that our
willfulness is sometimes as irrational and unwarranted as his? We
harbor doubts in the teeth of accumulated evidences and then credit
ourselves with being wise and right, while we disparage all others as
being foolish and wrong! The principle which lies at the root of all
the heresies and the schisms that tear and divide the Church is just
that self-confidence which will not let us yield, even though better
men than ourselves–yes, though the united consent of the whole Church
should bear testimony to a fact or a Truth of God to which we disagree!
Through some lack of information or through some flaw of judgment, we
judge differently from our companions and forthwith our
self-approbation is unyielding, and our conduct is intolerant! It was
no small scandal thus to put himself in opposition to the Master, in
opposition to the Scripture and in opposition to all his fellow
servants! Still, our Lord Jesus Christ forbears to utter a word of
denunciation. He just says, "Reach here your finger and behold My
hands; and reach here your hand and thrust it into My side; and be not
faithless, but believing." Softer words He could not have spoken! He
responds without reproach. Such loving kindness and tender mercy as
David was known to sing of old, did our blessed Redeemer show!
Another ground for admiring our Lord's great patience with Thomas is
that Thomas had dared to dictate the terms upon which he would
believe–and he had selected such terms as must have been most
offensive had Jesus Christ been of a lofty, imperious, uncondescending
spirit. Who is Thomas that he should put his hands into those wounds so
lately healed? That side pierced by the soldier's spear? Is Thomas to
make another road to that sacred heart? Strange that he should have
asked so mysterious a sign to strengthen his faith! What? Was there no
other way of believing in his Lord but that he must pass his finger and
his hand into the very wounds of that blessed body? Ah, see how
presumptuous the servant! See, also, how sympathizing the Master! Was
it not asking too much–far too much? Such a prayer ought not to have
come from a disciple who had never forsaken his Master, much less from
Thomas, who had fled with the rest, and had been absent when the
Apostles had gathered together and seen the Master! But yet Jesus is so
forbearing towards him. I know not whether to wonder more at the
impertinence of the servant or the clemency of the Master! Let us take
the lesson to ourselves. Have we during the past week fallen into a
signal state of gross unbelief? Have we been thinking harsh thoughts of
God? Has some sin suspended our communion with our Savior? Are we now
cold at heart and void of spiritual emotion? Do we feel quite unworthy
to draw near unto Him who loved us with so great a love? Be not
desponding! The God of All Patience will not desert you! The love which
our Lord Jesus Christ bears to His people is so great that He passes by
their transgression, iniquity and sin! No, there is no anger on His
part to divide you from your Lord. Behold! He comes over the mountains
of your sins! He leaps over the hills of your follies. Since He thus
graciously comes to you, will you not gladly come to Him? Do not think
for a moment that He will frown or repulse you! He will not remind you
of your cold prayers, your neglected closet, your unread Bible–nor
will He chide you for losing occasions of fellowship–but He will
receive you graciously, love you freely and grant you just what, at
this moment, you need! I pray you notice the Master's patience. Come to
Him, dear child of His, you beloved disciple of His, and have
fellowship with Him now!
While we are speaking of the Master, I should next like to call your
attention to the Master's great care. He had been to see His disciples
once. He had stood in their midst and said, "Peace be unto you." He had
given them their commission, had breathed upon them and given them the
Holy Spirit. But there was an absent one. Well, "what man of you having
an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety and
nine in the wilderness, and go and seek after that which has gone
astray?" There was one missing and Jesus must come again! There must be
the same salutation of peace. There must be the same blessing bestowed,
again, for Thomas must not be left out in the distribution of spiritual
gifts. Thomas ought to have sought after Christ, especially after
having been absent on the first occasion when He visited them. He
surely ought to have said, "My Master came to me and I was not there! I
will, therefore, seek Him, be He where He may, and I will tell Him how
I regret that I should have missed the golden opportunity of His
Presence." But, Beloved, Thomas did not seek His Master. Therein He was
just like we are! It is preventing Grace, Brothers and Sisters–it is
Grace that is beforehand with us–even with our faint desires, which
comes to us from Jesus Christ. Oh, how our Lord outruns us! Our sense
of need is not as swift of foot as His perception of our need! Long
before we know we need Him, He understands that we require Him and He
comes to us to bless us! It was for one He came, and for that one who
did not
seek Him! He was found of one who sought Him not! You might have
thought that Thomas would have been as well left alone a little while.
We would have said, "Well, if he is so obstinate as to lay down such
conditions, let him cool a bit! Let him just stop awhile in the cold
till he is willing to come in at the door, and not to make conditions
that he must come in at the window, or by some way of his own. So let
him wait, for beggars ought not to be choosers, nor should impertinent
disciples be tolerated." Yes, but Jesus will tolerate what we will
not–and He will put up with us when we cannot put up with our Brothers
and Sisters! We have not half as much to bear with from them as He has
from us! Though Thomas might thus have been left, and deserved to have
been left, yet Jesus came to him because He knew that His coming to him
would be much better than letting him stay away. So, Disciple, do not
say to yourself, "I cannot come to the Table tonight, I do not feel
fit! I shall not strive after fellowship with Christ–I do not feel as
if my soul could enjoy it." No, but it will do you no good to stay
away! Will you turn aside from the Master? Will you refuse the symbols
of His death? Be not so rash and inconsiderate, I entreat you! Why
should He not come to you? Before that bread is broken, you may have
experienced a delightful change in the state of your heart and, with
pleasing surprise you may be crying out, like Thomas, "My Lord and my
God." And, oh, is it not blessed to think that Christ does not stop
till His disciples invite Him? He does not wait for them to get ready
for Him! No, He comes to them and meets them–and finds them before
they have sought Him! If you are in the mood of Thomas, perhaps you may
be insisting upon some signs and wonders, as he did. Know you not that
the Master can give you His own sign, unfold His own wonder and bestow
upon you such a blessing that your heart shall scarcely have room
enough to receive it? His tenderness and His care baffle all our
thoughts and expectations!
Though we have already observed it, linger, I beseech you, upon the
Master's matchless condescension. Behold the Lord of Life, who had
overcome the sharpness of death and passed out of the portals of the
tomb in triumph, having spoiled principalities and powers and
overthrown sin, death, and Hell–the Son of God, at whose Resurrection
angels had attended, glad to wait as servants upon His royalty, that
Lord–what do you think? He must strip Himself to gratify a
disobedient, unbelieving disciple–yes, He must strip Himself! It were
not enough to show His hands–that were kindness–but those hands must
be touched and those wounds, themselves, must be probed by a finger all
too curious! It would have been profane, had it not been for the Divine
Pity that allowed it! The way into His heart must be revealed. Well,
well, but He did it. Angels must have been shocked when they heard a
man say, "I will not believe unless He bares His side to me"–still, He
did it! Yes, just before He died, you will remember how He laid aside
His garments and took a towel and girded Himself, and washed His
disciples' feet. Now that He is risen from the dead, He is the same
Christ–and if He condescended, then, to wash His disciples feet, He
will condescend, now, to bear with a disciple's bad manners and will
even meet him in his infirmities! If they cannot be healed without a
sight of His wounded Person, he shall gaze upon His side again! He will
do anything for the love of His people. There is no kindness too costly
for Christ to show!
Now then, you who, while eagerly longing for His company, hide your
face and blush for very shame, do you say, "Lord, I am not worthy that
You should come under my roof. My heart is not worthy to receive You as
a guest"? True, you are not worthy–neither was Thomas. Yet you shall
have His favor and rejoice in the light of His Countenance if you sigh
and cry for it! Doubtless you have been very far, during the week, from
what you, yourself, wish you had been. Nevertheless, "He will blot out
your iniquities like a cloud, and your transgressions like a thick
cloud." Your old friends may have passed you in the street and did not
recognize you because you are now so poor, but Jesus knows you! No one,
perhaps, knows the privations you have had to put up with, poor
Christian. You fancy you are despised and neglected by
everybody–perhaps it may be your fancy, yet it is cutting to the heart
even to think that your Christian Brothers and Sisters look down upon
you! But Jesus never looks down contemptuously on His people. He
condescends to stand on their platform and put Himself on a level with
them with a sacred familiarity suited to their case. Full often He
draws most near with most engaging smiles to those who are in the
saddest plight. This is how Jesus is known to act. He never speaks
proudly and loftily. His condescension unto His children, like His
watchfulness over them, is unvarying!
Once more, the Master's bounty challenges our admiration and our
confidence. When Thomas had received what he asked for, you might
easily have conjectured that he would be put down in the second class
of disciples. Instead of that, however, he was well commended in the
Apostleship, and though not present when Jesus breathed on them and
said, "Receive you the Holy Spirit," yet on the Day of Pentecost Thomas
received the same cloven tongue and the same power as the rest. Indeed,
we have reason to believe that Thomas became as earnest an Apostle, as
faithful a witness, and as
blessed a martyr of the faith of Christ, as either Peter or James! The
Master will not stint His goodness because we once and again display
our meanness. No, Beloved, He will give us according to our ability to
receive. If we are not able to receive, today, He will enlarge our
desires and expand our capacities till tomorrow we may be able to
receive from His fullness and Grace for Grace! Come, then, you hungry,
starving Souls, you Believers who are coming near to penury and
spiritual bankruptcy–draw near in the spirit of love to Christ who is
as certainly present in this place with us as He was with them in that
chamber where the 12 were gathered! Draw near in spirit and in truth to
Him and your souls shall be enriched to your own profit and to the
Glory of God! And now I have a few words to say about– II. THE
SERVANT.
Thomas, struck with the Master's knowledge of what had been going on in
his heart and overwhelmed with the manifestation of the Master's
Presence and His Power, exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." These five
words are full of meaning. Let me endeavor to interpret them for you.
First, they were an expression of faith. Thomas now avows the faith
which before he had disclaimed. "I will not believe," he said,
"except–except–except." Now he believes a great deal more than some
of the other Apostles did–so he openly avows it. Thomas was the first
Divine who ever taught the Deity of Christ from His wounds! Nor has
every Divine since then been able to see the Deity of Christ in His
wounded Humanity risen from the dead. This Thomas did. He declared the
proper Humanity of Christ when he touched Him and he declared His
proper Deity when he avowed Him to be both Lord and God! Thomas was
slow in arriving at facts, but he had a comprehensive mind–and when he
did arrive at a conviction, he grasped it thoroughly in all its
bearings. Peter would be impetuous and leap to a conclusion, but Thomas
must consider the circumstances, weigh the testimony, try, judge, and
prove the evidences before he acknowledged a Truth of God. When his
judgment did yield assent, he was firm. There was no shaking. He
understood the Truth he adhered to better than others. Delightful in
the ears of Christ, my Brothers and Sisters, is the expression of our
faith! Let none of us hesitate to go over in our minds our avowal of
faith in Him "who lives and was dead, and is alive forevermore."
It well becomes us, sometimes, to perform what the Catholics call,
"acts of faith." I mean in holy contemplation and quiet meditation, to
declare before the Lord that we believe in the facts that are made
known to us and the Doctrines that have been delivered to us. We
believe that Jesus is the Son of God–forever be His name adored! That
He is self-existent and full of Power and Glory! We believe that He
laid aside that Glory and became a Man in the likeness of sinful flesh,
that He did not disdain to sleep upon His virgin mother's breast. He
lived a life of holiness and died a death of scorn and ignominy. He
slept in the tomb and the third day He rose again from the dead. He
ascended into Heaven. He sits at the right hand of God, even the
Father. He reigns over all things for His people, having power over all
flesh that He may give Eternal Life to as many as the Father has given
Him. He shall shortly come to judge the quick and the dead. Among the
sons of men He shall reign. He shall sit upon the Throne of His Father
David. Prayer, also, shall be made for Him continually and daily shall
He be praised!
The short but expressive avowal of faith which Thomas made suggests to
me this word of counsel. We should frequently make before God a
declaration of our faith in the Deity of our Lord Christ and in all the
Glories which surround His Character. Let this be done vocally when you
can–or otherwise mentally–for the exercise is profitable. But these
words, "My Lord and my God," sound a little different to me from a
simple avowal of faith. It was, as someone has said, like the cry of a
dove that at last had found its mate. Poor Thomas! He doubted his
Master, but he needed Him and could not be happy without Him! Now he
has come flying back and he has found Him, and he seems to put his
head, as it were, into the bosom of his Master, and to begin to weep
and sigh like a poor child that has lost its mother in the streets of
London and, when it is brought back again, cannot say anything else
but, "My mother," and, "my mother," and," my mother," and feels so
happy to think it has found, again, the dear bosom on which to rest! So
Thomas seems to say, "I have found You, my Master, my Lord and my God."
He seems to humble himself, as though he would say, "How could I doubt
You? Where have I been? What have I been thinking? What has my
obstinate mind driven me to? What did I say? What did I ask? How could
I be so impertinent? My Lord and my God! You have forgiven it all and
in Your Presence I seem to moan it out in those few words. Your silly
servant, Your foolish servant, but You, my blessed Master, my
condescending Master, 'my Lord and my God!'" Well now, Beloved, there
is something very sweet in this. Though I called it moaning, still
there is much music in it. Come now, you who have wandered, come and
tell Christ at the Table all about
it! Come and tell Him that you are grieved and that you are not so
grieved as you ought to be. Tell Him you are sorry that you should not
have lived with Him day by day. Your self-reproach may well be keen–
"Wretch that I am to wander thus In search of vain delights."
Penitently bewail before Him that you should have been so bewitched as
to cleave to things below, and let your God, your Savior, go! Intense
feeling commonly finds expression in few words. Silence is sometimes
more thrilling than speech. "My Lord and my God" is the breathing of a
contrite heart relieved in having found the Grace it needs!
The short prayer, however, "My Lord and my God," is the outcome of more
than one emotion. If it involved a pang, it included an intense
pleasure. Was it not a joyous astonishment which begot those words It
was so sweet to Thomas that he hardly thought his fellow disciples
would be able to appreciate so great a wonder. It was too much for
himself, so he addresses himself to the Master, as if He, alone, being
the greatest marvel, could sympathize with him. "I marvel," he seemed
to say. "I could not have believed it! I saw the traitor kiss Your
cheek. I saw You dragged off with staves and lanterns to that lion's
den! I saw You when You were in Pilate's hall, tried and mocked. I saw
You when You were fastened to the tree. I stood there and I saw You
bleed and die. I saw Your body taken down and wrapped in spices–and is
it the same, the very same? Oh, yes, I recognize You. I know those
hands. I took those loaves from them when the thousands were fed in
Galilee. I know that face–full many a time have I looked with beaming
eyes on that loving Countenance of Yours! I know that side–it is the
same side I saw the soldier pierce, and I know it! It is the same! It
is Yourself, Yourself, Yourself, the risen Christ! Oh, wonder of
wonders! I can say no less! I can say no more! "'My Lord and my God!'"
Well now, holy wonder, Beloved, is no mean kind of worship! It is,
perhaps, no mean part of the worship of Heaven. I like that verse we
sing–
"Then let me mount the starry way, To the bright worlds of endless day
And sing with rapture and surprise, Your loving kindness in the skies."
Will it not be a surprise when we get there? Though, indeed, we shall
see nothing in Heaven but what we have been told of on earth for it
will be just such a Heaven as God has told us of–yet we shall say that
the half was not told us because we did not understand what we heard
and could not enter into the meaning of deep spiritual revelations! Oh,
what astonishment might seize upon us now if we could really grip the
thought–and I hope we shall! "Jesus has loved, and lived, and died for
me–and now He lives and pleads for me!" Oh, Believer, get to see
Christ now with the optics of your mind! See Him now exalted in the
highest heavens, though once rejected of men and, as with astonishment
you behold the ineffable splendor of that starry Throne of God,
surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand of the chariots of God,
and chariots of messengers of fire, all waiting to obey His Sovereign
Will–as you see the Man whose head was once crowned with thorns, from
the highest seat that Heaven affords claiming Eternal Sovereignty, bow
your head in devout astonishment, fall at His feet and, giving tongue
to your rapture, exclaim, "My Lord and my God!"
And did not Thomas, by such an exclamation as this, renew his personal
betrothal to Christ and his positive consecration to His service "My
Lord," he says, "You Are, and I am Your servant. My God, henceforth You
Are, and I am Your worshipper as long as I live." Beloved, years ago
some of us were first spiritually espoused to Christ. Gladly would I
remember those blessed hours when my young heart went out after Him and
His blessed heart of love was revealed to me! We ought not to forget
those times, for He does not forget them. He says to Israel, "I
remember you, the kindness of your youth, and the love of your
espousals." With what enthusiasm we sung–
"'Tis done–the great transaction's done! I am my Lord's, and He is
nine– He drew me and I followed on Glad to obey the voice DDivine."
Perhaps many years have passed over you since then, but whether they
have been many or few, I am sure we have not been invariably true to
those vows and resolutions. Our memory of Him has not been equal to His
mindfulness of us. Now, if the Lord should come to you afresh and give
you a choice season of fellowship with Him, would it not be a most
suitable response to give yourself up to Him afresh? Should we not
often do this? Would not the freshness of close fellowship be
peculiarly suitable for the renewal of our Covenant with our Lord, and
of our consecration of ourselves to His service? On that night you were
baptized, you could sing sincerely–
"High Heaven which heard the solemn vow,
That vow renewed shall daily hear,
Till in life's latest hour I bow,
And bless in death a bond so dear." Oh, that God's Holy Spirit would
enable you now to say in your soul, "Jesus, the despised of men, whom
the great ones of this world know not, in whose blessed Person and
redemptive work they will not believe, I take You, my Master. I
acknowledge You to be my Lord. Your people shall be my people. Your God
and Father shall be my God. Your blood shall be my confidence, and Your
Law my rule. Your love shall quicken my love. Your life shall be my
example. Your Glory shall be the one objective for which I strive. You,
O Christ, are 'my Lord and my God.'" So shall your faith abound and all
your Graces flourish!
Do I hear some timid voice from this congregation whispering a
complaint? "Ah, there is nothing for me! He is speaking to the
disciples. When the doors are shut, I am shut outside as a stranger.
There is nothing for me. I am a sinner." Oh, but I tell you, if you
will but knock, Jesus Christ will come outside to you! The doors are
not shut to keep out poor sinners from the Presence of the Savior! Do
you need Jesus to reveal Himself to you? Exalted in the highest
heavens, He looks down upon you now! His voice is calling you, "Come
unto Me, and I will give you rest." Oh, poor Sinner, if you cannot put
your finger into the print of the nails, yet believe that Jesus died!
Then trust Him and rely upon His merits. Cast yourself flat at His
feet! Stay yourself upon His Passion and Atonement, and you shall be
saved–saved now–saved without a moment's delay! So shall all these
other joys be your, for you, too, shall be numbered with the family and
you shall feast upon the children's meat, and be partakers of all the
privileges of the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty!
EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: John 20:18-31
Verse 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen
the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto her.She was a true
woman–one whom they had known well enough to be quite able to trust
her, and her witness ought to have been believed–but there were some
that doubted.
19. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when
the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the
Jews, came Jesus andstoodin their midst, andsaid unto them, Peace be
unto you. How He came there, we do not know, but doors cannot shut Him
out. Is there any door between my soul and Christ, tonight, then? Have
I shut myself up in the chamber of doubt, despondency, unbelief? He can
come to me! While the doors are yet shut, He can appear within my
spirit and say, "Peace be to you. "Oh, that He would do so! Do we not
cry to Him to come and breathe peace upon us?
20. And when He had so said, He showed unto them His hands and His
side. That they might be sure it was He–the same who had died by
crucifixion–that they might see how intimate He was with
them–familiar–that His scarcely healed wounds should be seen by them.
20. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Oh, for such
a sight! There is a depth of gladness in a risen Christ. Those wounds
preach peace and joy!
21-23. Then said Jesus to them again. Peace be unto you: as My Father
has sent Me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed
on them, and said unto them, Receive you the Holy Spirit If you forgive
the sins of any they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any,
they are retained. Thus did Jesus Christ support and make forever true
the preaching of His Word. Do we declare that the sins of penitents are
remitted? They are remitted. Are we, in His name, bidden to declare
that, "He that believes not shall be condemned"? So shall it be. He
will make the Word of God which is uttered to be true. We shall not
speak without our Master making the utterance of His Word to be a
matter of fact.
24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them
when Jesus came. Perhaps he lived a long way off, or else, being rather
slow, he had stopped about, doubting, and fearing, and questioning, and
he had not got there in
time. Anyway, he was not there. "Forsake not the assembling of
yourselves together as the manner of some is," for it will be a loss to
you, as it was to Thomas.
25, Thee other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the
Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print
of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust
my hand into His side, I will not believe. Dogged, obstinate unbelief!
Some have said he was a large-hearted man, who investigated truth. I do
not see it. He had not gone to the tomb, like Peter and John, to look
at the grave clothes, and to discover that Christ was not there. He
does not appear to have investigated the testimony of Mary Magdalene
and of the others. He was just as narrow-minded as he very well could
be, as I believe modern doubters are with all their boast of their
wonderful thoughtfulness and liberality! We have only their own
opinion, I am sure, upon that matter–but when a man sounds his own
trumpet, there is not much in it.
26, 27. And after eight days His disciples were again within, and
Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in
their midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then He said to Thomas. For
our Lord has a way of making personal application of His word. He looks
after the sheep that is sick, and severs it from the flock, that He may
deal with it in His wisdom. "Then He said to Thomas."
27, 28. Reach here your finger, and behold My hands; and reach here
your hand, and thrust it into My side; and be not faithless, but
believing. And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God.
And whether Thomas did put his finger into the print of His nails or
not, we cannot tell. Everyone may think as he likes about that. He may
have done so, or he may not, but this one thing happened, that he,
"answered and said unto Him, 'My Lord and my God.'" He made a splendid
leap from the depths of doubt to the firm rock of confidence! With two
blessed "mys" he seems to grasp Christ with both hands, and in two
grand words he pictures Him, "My Lord and my God."
29. Jesus said unto Him, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have
believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
That is the faith–the true faith–that needs no buttressing and props,
but believes the testimony ofGod.
30, 31. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His
disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written
that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son ofGod: and
that believing you might have life through His name. God grant that the
objective of writing the New Testament may be answered in each one of
us!