Sunday 27 April 2025
"Do not doubt but believe." (v. 27)
Background
After the joy of Easter Day, the weeks that follow can feel like an anti-climax. Living out the Resurrection is not always easy.
The Sunday after Easter is sometimes know as ‘Low Sunday’, though the name is really a corruption of ‘Laud’ (meaning ‘praise’) rather than a suggestion that we should be feeling downhearted. We are still in the Easter season and there is plenty to be joyful about.
John’s story of the Resurrection of Jesus starts with the intensely personal meeting of Mary Magdalene with Jesus in the garden. (John 20:1-18) Today’s appearences of Jesus feel more formal as he appears to the group of disciples, who were huddled and fearful. Jesus gives a familiar greeting, “Peace be with you” and goes on to charge the disciples with continuing his mission: “As the Father sent me, so I send you”. (v. 21)
For Thomas, even the account of his friends cannot convince him that Jesus is truly alive. He must see – and touch – the risen Jesus for himself. And so he does. The risen Jesus, he finds, still bears the marks of the torture of crucifixon: the marks of the nails that fastened him to the cross; the spear-wound in his side. As we often sing during Advent: “Those dear tokens of his passion, still his dazzling body bears”. The climax is Thomas’ declaration of belief: “My Lord and my God!” (v. 28)
The Greek word for believe here is ‘pistis’. It’s a word that can mean believing the truth of something (such as ‘Jesus is risen’), but it can also mean committing to believing in something or someone. And it includes, too, acting ‘in good faith’, being faithful to the truth that we have embraced. All of these meanings hover around Thomas’s confession.
To Ponder:
- What experiences have you had of coming to believe something after initially doubting it?
- Where are you in Thomas’ journey of doubt and faith?
Prayer
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Richard Clutterbuck
Richard is a supernumerary presbyter, living in Gloucestershire after a ministry that has taken him to Tonga, London, Gloucester and Belfast. He was formerly Principal of the West of England Ministerial Training Course and of Edgehill Theological College.