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Resurrected Christ Appears
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Christ had given them in the prophecies. “Then came Jesus, the
doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto
you.”
Turning to Thomas He said, “Reach hither thy finger, and behold
My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side:
and be not faithless, but believing.” The doubting disciple knew that
none of his companions could have told the Master of his unbelief.
He had no desire for further proof. His heart leaped for joy, and he
cast himself at the feet of Jesus, crying, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus accepted his acknowledgment but gently reproved his un-
belief: “Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed:
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Should
the world now follow the example of Thomas, no one would be-
lieve, for all who receive Christ must do so through the testimony
of others. Many who, like Thomas, wait for all cause of doubt to
be removed, will never realize their desire. They gradually become
confirmed in unbelief. They are sowing seeds of doubt, and they
will have a harvest of doubt to reap. When faith and confidence are
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most essential, many will thus find themselves powerless to hope
and believe.
Jesus’ treatment of Thomas shows how we should treat those
who make their doubts prominent. Thomas had been most unrea-
sonable in dictating the conditions of his faith, but Jesus, by His
generous consideration, broke down all the barriers. Unbelief is
seldom overcome by controversy. But let Jesus, in His love and
mercy, be revealed as the crucified Saviour, and from many once
unwilling lips will be heard the acknowledgment of Thomas, “My
Lord and my God.”
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