A lot was going on during the time of Jesus'' resurrection.

The man that had caused so much disturbances to the people was put to death, his body put in a tomb with a stone blocking the entranceway to keep robbers out, and now he was missing. There was a lot of confusion as to what was going on. He appeared to his disciples in verses 19 ? 23. Thomas was not present then and had to rely on what the others told him. In a world where so much chaos was going on, it would seem easy to identify with Thomas. First off, this is the first time that I have ever done an exegetical paper, so I am pretty nervous about this and I hope it turns out okay. Aside from that, I decided on the passage in John where it talks about Thomas finding out that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. This was something that I wanted to write on because it is something that interests me. I used this passage a few weeks ago in an Easter Sunday service. I talked about how hard it is for people in our society today to believe that Jesus came back to life, but Thomas one of the disciples of Jesus had to see the nail holes in order to believe. I think the passage is very important to our faith and I hope to prove it through the research gathered here. A lot was going on during the time of Jesus'' resurrection. The man that had caused so much disturbances to the people was put to death, his body put in a tomb with a stone blocking the entranceway to keep robbers out, and now he was missing. There was a lot of confusion as to what was going on. He appeared to his disciples in verses 19 ? 23. Thomas was not present then and had to rely on what the others told him. In a world where so much chaos was going on, it would seem easy to identify with Thomas. Thomas has become famously known as "doubting Thomas" because he needed proof to believe in things. According to an article written in the journal "Worship," Thomas was "a figure not easily persuaded," (Worship, Brown, pg 205). The Cambridge Bible Commentary says, "In John''s Gospel, Thomas appears not so much as an out ? and ? out doubter as the type of those who demand tangible proof of what they are to believe as Christians. But he was literal minded and demanded certainty as a condition of his self ? committal. Wanting to believe, he was held back by fear of disillusionment," (Cambridge Bible Commentary, pg 189.) It appears that Thomas was a person that needed physical evidence in order to believe in something. Another reason that Thomas may have struggled with believing is that the disciples who were passing on the same account that Mary Magdalene was giving passed on the news of Jesus'' resurrection to him. "The disciples'' announcement to Thomas in verse 25 is the same announcement that Mary Magdalene made to them in verse 18," (New Interpreter''s Bible, page 849). Raymond E. Brown says in his article in "Worship," "The disciples who saw the risen Jesus in 20:19-23 gives to Thomas exactly the same report that Mary Magdalene had given to them: We have seen the Lord. On the basis of Magdalene''s report the disciples did not doubt when Jesus appeared to them; but Thomas is adamant in his refusal to believe on the basis of their word," (Worship, Brown, pg 20). It is a well-known fact that women were not considered to be in high standing during those times. The fact that a woman would come saying that Jesus had risen from the dead would cause a lot of speculation and doubt during that time. In "Women in the New Testament," Bonnie Thurston describes how Mary was ignored by the apostles when she told them Jesus had risen. "At some risk to herself, Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb before daylight to discover the stone rolled away. She runs to tell Peter and the Beloved; they come to the tomb, assess the situation, and leave." "Mary who has returned with them to the tomb (and it apparently totally ignored by the men), weeps nearby," (Women in the New Testament, pgs 89-90). This is just a small example of how Mary was treated. Maybe Thomas doubted because he would not take the story of a woman. I think it is funny how we tend to focus on the fact that Thomas had to see the wounds in order to believe, but in verse 20 it says that Jesus showed the other disciples his wounds as well, "After he said this, he showed them his hands and side." (NIV Bible). "Other evangelists mention doubt on the part of the disciples after the resurrection; only John dramatizes that doubt so personally in an individual,"(Worship, Brown, pg 205). After a week had passed, Thomas finally got his chance to get proof that Jesus was alive. "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. Stop doubting and believe," (NIV Bible). I can only imagine what Thomas must have felt in that instant. To have the living Christ in front of him telling him to feel his hands and side. I think it is very interesting though, that Thomas chose to believe without actually touching Jesus. "Jesus invites Thomas to examine his hands and side ? an invitation that turns the tables on Thomas by probing him. Scholars have debated whether in fact Thomas physically probed the risen body. Surely, on the basis of Johannine theology, however, if Thomas had examined and touched Jesus'' body, he would have persisted in a disbelief that he had already demonstrated and would have ceased to be a disciple. The words of Jesus as he challenges Thomas should be taken literally: "Do not persist in your disbelief, but become a believer." Thomas accepts that directive, does not touch Jesus, and so professed faith," (Worship, Brown, pgs205-206). The Anchor Bible says, "When Jesus appears and somewhat sarcastically offers Thomas the crass demonstration of the miraculous that he demanded, Thomas comes t belief without probing Jesus'' wounds. Certainly that is the obvious implication of John''s account; for the evangelist would not have considered Thomas'' faith adequate if the disciple had taken up Jesus'' invitation and would never have put on Thomas'' lips the tremendous confession of verse 28," (Anchor Bible). In verse 28 Thomas says, "My Lord and my God!" (NIV Bible). The New Interpreters Bible says " Jesus'' offer of himself to Thomas evokes the most powerful and complete confession of Jesus n the Fourth Gospel: My Lord and my God!" (New Interpreters Bible, pg 850). I believe that it was in this instant that Thomas actually did believe. What Jesus says in verse 29 is a powerful statement to the world, "Then Jesus told him, Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed," (NIV Bible). For all of us who did not live during that time, this is a powerful verse. Jesus'' powerful words at 20:29 contain a related promise that belief will not be limited to those who see what Thomas has seen. Jesus does not disparage the faith of the first disciples, which was grounded in sight; Actually verse 29 is intended to reassure future generations of believers that having seen Jesus that is, begin first ? generation witnesses is not a prerequisite of faith," (New Interpreter''s Bible, pg 850). Jesus was about to ascend into Heaven and would not be here in the physical anymore. It is up to us to believe in a Jesus that we cannot physically see. I think it is best summed up in the Mercer Commentary Bible, "But the doubter turned confessor was nonetheless reminded that the church that would thereafter be built upon testimony would not have the same opp0rtunity for verification. Thus a blessing was issued by the risen Lord to those who would believe "without seeing." (Mercer Commentary on the Bible, pg 1079).

BIBLIOGRAHPY Mercer Commentary on the Bible Mercer University Press 1995

Women in the New Testament By: Bonnie Thurston The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1998 New Interpreters BibleThe Gospel of JohnAbingdon Press, 1995

The Anchor BibleThe Gospel of JohnDoubleday & CompanyGarden City New York 1970 Worship Vol 64 Number 3"Resurrection in John 20 - A series of Diverse Reactions"Raymond E BrownMay 1990 The Cambridge Bible CommentaryThe Gospel According to John 1965, Cambridge University Press The New International Study Bible Zondervan Publishing House 1995

Alan L. Joplin