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The Unbelief of Thomas

John 20:24–29 · Post-Resurrection

Scripture

John 20:24–29

ut Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The 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. 26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, 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. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

King James Version · public domain

Joani 20:24–29

o Thomaj, një nga të dy-mbë-dhjetëtë, që thuhetë Binjak, nuk’ ishte bashkë me ata, kur erdhi Jisuj. 25Nxënësit’ e-tjerë pra i thoshinë, Pamë Zotinë. Po ay u tha atyre, Ndë mos pafsha ndë duart t’ati shënjën’ e peronavet, edhe të vë gishtinë t’im ndë shënjët të peronavet, edhe të vë dorënë ndë brinjët t’ati, s’kam për të besuarë. 26Edhe pas tetë ditsh përsëri ishinë brënda nxënësit’ e ati, edhe Thomaj me ata. Vjen Jisuj, ndonëse dyertë ishinë mbyllurë, edhe ndënji ndë mest, edhe tha, Paqtim mbë ju. 27Pastaj i thotë Thomajt, Bierë gishtinë t’ënt këtu, edhe shih duart’ e mia; edhe bierë dorënë t’ënde, edhe vër’-e ndë brinjët t’ime, edhe mos ubëj i-pabesë, po besëtar. 28Edhe Thomaj upërgjeq, e i tha, Zoti im edhe Perëndia im, 29Jisuj i thotë, Sepse më pe, (o Thoma,) besove; lum ata që nukë panë, edhe besuanë.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

The Divine mercy ordained that a doubting disciple should, by feeling in his Master the wounds of the flesh heal in us the wounds of unbelief. The unbelief of Thomas is more profitable to our faith, than the belief of the other disciples; for, the touch by which he is brought to believe, confirming our minds in belief, beyond all question.

St. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 26 (on John 20:24–29) (Catena Aurea)

The Unbelief of Thomas (John 20:24–29)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 87 (on John 20:24–29) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114.iv.lxxxix.html

On the lovingkindness of the Lord, who for a single soul's sake showed Himself with His wounds:

But do thou, when thou seest the unbelief of the disciple, consider the lovingkindness of the Lord, how for the sake of a single soul He showed Himself with His wounds, and cometh in order to save even the one, though he was grosser than the rest; on which account indeed he sought proof from the grossest of the senses, and would not even trust his eyes.

On how the incorruptible body bore the prints of the nails by way of condescension:

It is worth enquiring, how an incorruptible body showed the prints of the nails, and was tangible by a mortal hand. But be not thou disturbed; what took place was a matter of condescension. ... but this marvel was shown, that the Resurrection might be believed, and that men might know that it was the Crucified One Himself, and that another rose not in His stead.

On "blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed":

And here He pronounceth blessed not the disciples only, but those also who after them should believe.

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book XII (on John 20:24–29) Source: trans. T. Randell, Library of Fathers, 1885. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_john_12_book12.htm

On how the doubt of the disciple was opportune, that we who come after might be unshaken:

I think that the disciple's want of faith was extremely opportune and well-timed, in order that, through the satisfaction of his mind, we also who come after him might be unshaken in our faith that the very Body that hung upon the Cross and suffered death was quickened by the Father through the Son.

On "My Lord and my God" as a confession of the one Lord and God by nature:

Observe, too, that when he says My Lord and my God, he uses the article to show that there was One Lord and One God. ... but rather he recognises Him as, in a special sense, the One Lord and God, as begotten of the Father, Who is by Nature Lord and God, when he says, My Lord and my God

On the blessedness of those who believe through the voice of the Apostles without seeing:

But if a man accept what he has not seen, and believe that to be true which the words of his instructor in mysteries have brought to his ears, then he honours with praiseworthy faith Him that is preached. Blessed, therefore, shall be the lot of every man that believeth through the voice of the holy Apostles, which were eye-witnesses of Christ's actions, and ministers of the Word, as Luke says.

Theophylact of Ohrid (c. 1055–1107)

Explanation of the Gospel of John (on John 20:28) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On "My Lord and my God" as a confession of the two natures in one Person:

He who had been before unbelieving, after touching the body showed himself the best divine; for he asserted the twofold nature and one Person of Christ; by saying, My Lord, the human nature by saying, My God, the divine, and by joining them both, confessed that one and the same Person was Lord and God.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 121 (on John 20:24–29) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107.iii.cxxii.html

On the wounds kept for the healing of the doubting:

For nails had pierced His hands, a spear had laid open His side: and there the marks of the wounds are preserved for healing the hearts of the doubting.

On how Thomas saw the man and confessed the God whom he did not see:

He saw and touched the man, and acknowledged the God whom he neither saw nor touched; but by the means of what he saw and touched, he now put far away from him every doubt, and believed the other.

On "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" as the faith of the Gentiles:

what follows rather proclaims and commends the faith of the Gentiles: Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 26 (on John 20:24–29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On how the doubt of Thomas profits our faith more than the belief of those who saw:

The Divine mercy ordained that a doubting disciple should, by feeling in his Master the wounds of the flesh heal in us the wounds of unbelief. The unbelief of Thomas is more profitable to our faith, than the belief of the other disciples; for, the touch by which he is brought to believe, confirming our minds in belief, beyond all question.

On how Thomas saw one thing and confessed another:

Because he saw one thing, believed another; saw the man, confessed the God.

Patristic sources

Read the sources: Chrysostom on John, Homily 87 (CCEL) · Cyril of Alexandria on John, Book 12 (tertullian.org) · Augustine, Tractate 121 on John (CCEL) · Catena Aurea on John (isidore.co)