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Not Seen but Believe – John 20
Not Seen but Believe – John 20
In answer to Thomas's statement concerning having to see and touch Jesus before he would believe in His resurrection, Jesus appeared unto him. It is interesting to me that Thomas didn't have to touch. He responded in faith: "My Lord and My God" (20:28). To this statement, which deserves a whole library of books to begin to plumb the depths and wonders of it, Jesus replied: "Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed" (vs. 29).
Mary only knows that the tomb is empty. Peter verifies that it is empty. John also verifies that it is empty, yet neither Peter nor John "understood the Scripture that He must rise from the dead" (vs. 9). Then Mary sees and speaks with Jesus. Apparently she grabs on to Him and is told: "Stop clinging to Me" (vs. 17). She goes and announces this encounter to the disciples.
Later that day, Jesus appears to the disciples and they rejoiced when they saw the Lord (20). Such appearance was not expected and was a group experience. Such group experience included not only seeing but also hearing. Individual testimony becomes group testimony.
Even with this testimony of friends that Thomas could trust, he hesitated. Yet, he too became a witness of the resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus never promised to appear unto all people. Jesus, having shown himself alive many times to different people over a forty-day period, and having eaten with them (dead men don't eat), He then ascended to the right hand of God where He sits enthroned to this day. Jesus had earlier prayed: "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word" (17:20). He now has made them to be witnesses of His resurrection (read also Acts 1:1-3, 8).
Years later, John, one of the witnesses, wrote this book "so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (20:31). It is a book that includes the testimony of the many people who experienced an association with Jesus while he lived on earth AND some testimony of those who testified to His resurrection. Even in our legal system, "at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be judged". We have not two or three, but a whole book full of testimony. Read again the whole book of John. Make notes of what these people testified. Notice also the testimony of those who did NOT believe. Then you must weigh the testimony.
These are written that you might believe and, by believing, you may have life in his name. Do you believe their testimony?
Hugh DeLong
