character. The Gospels show him to be a dedicated disciple who even expressed a willingness to die with Jesus. (See John 11:1-16.) Admittedly, we don’t know his tone of voice when he said it. He may have been somewhat sarcastic. as a loyal follower of Jesus who wasn’t afraid to ask questions. In this instance, he only wanted what all the disciples already received. He wanted to experience the resurrected Jesus for himself, rather than relying on assurances from others. Commentators tell us John didn’t try to write an exhaustive account of Jesus’ life. Instead, he concentrated on the most important events. He chose to include Thomas’ statement, along with Jesus’ later appearance. (See John 20:26-27.) Because of Thomas’ honesty regarding his position of unbelief, we have one of the clearest testimonies supporting 33 Monday—November 6•Thomas’ Honesty Now Thomas (also known as 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.” (John 20:24–25) Most of us are familiar with the nickname “Doubting Thomas,” which comes from today’s Scripture. But the somewhat pejorative name doesn’t offer a complete picture of Thomas’ Possibly he leaned toward a pessimistic view of circumstances. But the Gospels show Thomas belief in Jesus’ bodily resurrection. WEEK Week 5 In what area of your life are you asking God for “proof” before you will believe? Daily Reading: Ezekiel 14:12–16:41, Hebrews 7:18–28, Psalm 106:1–12, Proverbs 27:4–6 Tuesday—November 7•Jesus Is Faithful to His Friends 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.” (John 20:26–27a) Thomas was not in the room the first time the resurrected Jesus showed up among His followers. Thomas heard secondhand about Jesus’ visit, and he implied that he didn’t really believe their report. He wanted more evidence before He would believe. Jesus responded to His friend’s request. Our Lord didn’t condemn Thomas. He didn’t put His hands on His hips and say, “Oh, ye of little faith!” Instead, He submitted to Thomas’ desire. “Go ahead—touch me.” Jesus was faithful to pursue Thomas, and He responded to His friend’s emotions, giving exactly what Thomas needed to believe. And this wasn’t a one-time shot. The resurrected Jesus showed up repeatedly, giving His followers ample evidence of His victory over death and the grave. First Corinthians 15:3-8 tells us that eventually he appeared to more than 500 people. We are 21 centuries removed from that event, yet in our darkest and most frustrating time, Jesus shows up. He’s willing to meet us where we are and draw us toward faith. WEEK Week 5 Jesus did not condemn Thomas for his doubts. Does that encourage you to be honest with Jesus about your doubts? Explain your answer. Daily Reading: Ezekiel 16:42–17:24, Hebrews 8:1–13, Psalm 106:13–31, Proverbs 27:7–9
20514 Man in Mirror
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