In the Upper Room
TRANSLATION
(19) On the evening of the first day of the week while the disciples were gathered behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, “Peace be with you!” (20) After he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. (21) Jesus again said to them, “Peace be with you! As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” (22) When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (23) If you forgive anyone’s sins, they will be forgiven. If you do not forgive their sins, their sins will not be forgiven.”
(24) However, Thomas, one of the twelve called “the Twin,” was not with them when Jesus came. (25) 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 place my finger in the scar of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (26) After eight days his disciples were again gathered inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came although the doors were shut and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you!” (27) Then he said to Thomas, “Reach out your finger and see my hands and reach out your hand and place it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving but believing.” (28) Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!” (29) Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you believe? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
(30) Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book. (31) However, these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
OBSERVATIONS
Repetitions in this fascinating segment describing the risen Lord’s interaction with his incredulous disciples help us grasp its significance. “Disciples” occurred five times (vss. 19, 20, 25, 26, & 30) along with one parallel reference to “the twelve” (vs. 24). “Jesus” is found six times (vss. 19, 21, 24, 26, 29, & 30) along with “the Lord” twice (vss. 20 & 25), in Thomas’ confession, “my Lord and my God” (vs. 28), and John’s naming the content of our faith as “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God” (vs. 31).
The name, “Thomas,” occurred three times (vss. 24, 26, & 28) along with his nickname, “the Twin” (vs. 24). The declaration Jesus used to address the disciples, “Peace be with you,” was used three times (vss. 19, 21, & 26). We also find “sent/sending” (both in vs. 21), “forgive/forgiven/forgiveness” (all three in vs. 23), “see/seen/not seen” (vss. 25 & 29), “hand(s)” three times along with two uses of “finger” and two of “side” (all in vss. 25 & 27), and “believe/disbelieve/believed” seven times (vss. 25, 27, 29, & 31).
OUTLINE
I. Jesus appeared to the disciples to bestow on them the power of the Holy Spirit. (19-23)
II. Jesus appeared again to the disciples with Thomas present to confront his lack of faith. (24-29)
III. John declared his purpose in writing: “That you may believe…” (30 & 31)
IDEA STATEMENT
Those who without seeing believe in the reality of the resurrection and in the truth of who Jesus is because of the testimony of the eyewitnesses are truly blessed in their faith.
APPLICATION
Many consider John 20:31 to be the key verse of John’s Gospel because it tells us precisely why the apostle wrote it: “so that you may believe…that you may have life in his name.” For this reason, many have called John’s account of Jesus’ life and ministry the “Gospel of Belief.” All who read John’s testimony and then respond with saving faith in the risen Lord can take heart from Jesus’ statement, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
All who love the Lord wish they could have been present in the Upper Room when Jesus who had just risen from the dead appeared in bodily form to his amazed disciples. For the vast majority of believers who have never had the privilege of seeing the Lord in his resurrection body, Peter wrote these encouraging words: “Though you have not seen him, you love him. And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…” (1 Pet. 1:8).