John 20:27

Joh_20:27

Then said He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger.

Signs and evidences

1. How struck must Thomas have been when his Lord addressed to him the very words which he had himself used (Joh_20:25)! Jesus knows how to send the word home to us.

2. In the church of to-day we have many a Thomas,--slow, suspicious, critical, full of doubts, yet true-hearted.

3. Thomas set his Lord a test, and thus tried His patience.

4. The Lord accepted the test, and so proved His condescension.

5. The proof sufficed for Thomas, and thus showed the Lords wisdom.

6. Peradventure, certain among us would desire tests of some such sort. To those we would earnestly say

I. CRAVE NO SIGNS. After the full proofs Which Christ gave to His apostles, we need no more, and to look for further signs and evidences would be wrong. Yet some are demanding miracles, faith-healings, visions, voices, impressions, transports, depressions, &c.

1. It is dishonouring to your Lord.

2. It is unreasonable, when the truth bears its own evidence.

3. It is presumptuous. How dare we stipulate for proof more than sufficient, or demand evidence of a sort which pleases our prejudices!

4. It is damaging to ourselves. Faith must be weak while we demand for it such proofs; and in this weakness lies incalculable mischief.

5. It is dangerous. We may readily be driven either into infidelity or superstition, if we give way to this craving for signs. Picture what Thomas could and would have become under the influence of his unbelief, had not his Lord interposed.

II. YET TURN TO CHRISTS WOUNDS. Let these stand to you instead of signs and wonders. Behold in these wounds

1. The seals of His death. He did actually and truly die. How could He outlive that wound in His side?

2. The identification of His person as actually risen.

3. The tokens of His love. He has graven us upon the palms of His hands.

4. The ensigns of His conflict, of which He is not ashamed, for He displays them.

5. The memorials of His passion, by which He is manifested in glory as the Lamb that was slain (Rev_5:6). This should more than suffice you; but should doubt still linger

III. USE SUCH EVIDENCES AS YOU POSSESS.

1. The sacred narrative of our Lords life and death, if carefully studied, exhibits a singular self-evidencing power.

2. The regenerating and purifying result of faith in the great Lord is a further piece of evidence. By their fruits ye shall know them Mat_7:20).

3. The solace which faith yields in sorrow is good proof.

4. The strength it gives in the hour of temptation is further help.

5. The ardour of mind and elevation of aim, which faith in Jesus creates, are other experimental arguments.

6. The visitations of the Holy Spirit, in quickening the heart, reviving the spirit, and guiding the mind, are additional proofs. Thus the Holy Ghost bears witness to our Lord.

7. The actual enjoyment of fellowship with the Lord Jesus Himself is the master-key of the whole controversy. We have known and believed 1Jn_4:17). Conclusion:

1. Does this seem an idle tale to you?

2. Should you not see cause for fear, if it be so?

3. Seek now to view those wounds believingly, that you may live. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

Christ known by the nail prints:

In an old legend it is said that Satan once appeared to an old saint and said, I am Christ, when the saint confounded him, and exposed his pretensions, as he said, Then where are the nail-prints? (H. O. Mackey.)

Be not faithless but believing:

A gentleman who assisted the Countess of Huntingdon in the management of Spa-fields Chapel, called upon her one day, to expostulate with her on the impropriety of entering into engagements without having the means of honourably fulfilling them. Before he left the house her letters arrived. As she opened one her countenance brightened, and her tears began to flow; the letter was to this effect, An individual, who has heard of Lady Huntingdons exertions to spread the gospel, requests her acceptance of the enclosed draft to assist her in the laudable undertaking. The draft was for five hundred pounds--the exact sum for which she stood engaged. Here, said she, take it, and pay for the chapel, and be no longer faithless, but believing.

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 20:27-29. Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, &c. — Thus our Lord lets them see, that he was not unacquainted with what had lately passed among them in his absence, and at the same time takes an effectual way to convince and satisfy his over-scrupulous disciple. Referring to what Thomas had said, he answers it word for word: for he had heard it, though unseen: and one would suppose that his telling him of it so particularly must surely have put him to the blush. Observe well, reader, there is not an unbelieving word in our tongues, no, nor thought in our minds at any time, but it is known to the Lord Jesus. And be not faithless, but believing — Believe on this evidence at least, which addresses itself to so many of thy senses. And Thomas — Overwhelmed at once with such abundant demonstration of the fact in question, and such condescending kindness of his Master, fell under the conviction in a moment, and, instead of entering on any further scrutiny, answered — In the utmost transport of astonishment and joy; My Lord and my God! — As if he had said, I now not only acknowledge thee to be Jesus my Lord, as I have formerly done, and to be infallibly risen from the dead, as my fellow- disciples have affirmed, but I confess thy divine knowledge and power, and prostrate myself before thee as the great incarnate Deity, the glorious Immanuel. And this glorious confession he makes without putting his finger into the print of the nails, &c. The irrefragable argument arising from these words, in proof of the Deity of our blessed Lord, (which so many good writers have stated at large,) cannot be evaded by saying, that these words are only an exclamation of surprise, as if he had said, Good God! is it indeed thus? for it is expressly declared, he spoke these words to him: and no doubt Christ would severely have reproved him, if there had not been just reason to address him thus. It is worthy of observation here, that this slowness and backwardness in Thomas to believe, ought to strengthen and confirm our faith. For hereby it appears, that the witnesses of Christ’s resurrection, who attested it to the world, and pledged their lives upon it, were not easy, credulous men, but very cautious persons, that suspended their belief till they saw the utmost evidence of it which they could desire. Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed — Thou hast believed my resurrection, because thou hast had it confirmed to thee by the united testimony of several of thy senses. Blessed are they who have not seen me themselves, and yet have believed — On the credible testimony of others. For they have manifested a greater degree of candour and humility, which renders the faith it produces so much the more acceptable: in other words, they are persons of a more pious and virtuous disposition, who, without the evidence of sense, are so candid as to yield to the proofs which the divine wisdom has thought sufficient for convincing the world. If it be queried why a greater blessedness is pronounced on those who believe on more slender evidence, it may be answered, that our Lord by no means intended to assert, that every one who believes without seeing, is happier than any one believing on sight; for then the meanest Christian now would be more happy than the greatest of the apostles: but only that, where the effects of that faith were equal, it argued greater simplicity, candour, and wisdom to yield to reasonable evidence without seeing, than could be argued merely from having believed on sight, after sufficient evidence of another kind had been proposed. It was therefore, in effect, telling Thomas, his faith would have been more acceptable, if he had not stood out so long: and it was doing it in such a manner as would be most calculated for the comfort and encouragement of believers in future ages, to whom, in many of his speeches to the apostles themselves, our Lord expresses a most obliging and affectionate regard. Let us then maturely consider this declaration of our great Instructer and Saviour. And though we have not those sensible manifestations which were granted to Thomas, let it suffice us, that the apostles were the appointed witnesses of all these things; and what they saw with their eyes, and their hands handled, of the word of life, that have they declared unto us, 1Jn 1:1; 1Jn 1:3. Let us thankfully receive so convincing a testimony. Let us show an upright and candid mind in accepting such evidence as the wisdom of God has seen fit to give us; remembering, that a truly rational faith is the more acceptable to God, in proportion to the difficulties which it is able to surmount; and that there are peculiar blessings in store for them who have not seen, and yet believed.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 20:27. Τῶ Θωμᾷ, to Thomas) He had previously believed: on this account he is not even now cast away.—φέρε, reach) apply to.—τὶν δάκτυλόν σου, thy finger) Thomas’ own words are retorted upon him: how must he have been astonished, we may suppose, at the omniscience and goodness of the Saviour! If a Pharisee had spoken thus, unless I shall see, etc., he would have obtained nothing; but to a disciple that has been formerly approved of, there is nothing that is not given.—ὧδε, hither) The Demonstrative.—ἴδε) touch and see. Thomas had said, ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω, unless I shall see.—πιστὸς, believing) He had said, I will not believe.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 20:27 . Εἶτα λέγει … πιστός . He does not need to be informed of Thomas’ incredulity; although it is quite possible that, as Lücke supposes, the others had mentioned it to Him. Still, this is not in the text. Cf. Weiss, who also quotes Bengel’s characteristic note: “Si Pharisaeus ita dixisset Nisi videro, etc., nil impetrasset; sed discipulo pridem probato nil non datur,”. Weiss supposes the hands were seen ( ἴδε ), the side only touched under the clothes. Some suppose that as the feet are not mentioned in this passage, they had not been nailed but only bound to the cross. See Lücke’s interesting note. καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός , “Incredulitas aliquid habet de voluntario”.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither . . . behold . . . put it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing--"There is something rhythmical in these words, and they are purposely couched in the words of Thomas himself, to put him to shame" [LUTHARDT]. But wish what condescension and gentleness is this done!

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 27. Then saith he to Thomas] Through his infinite compassion, he addressed him in a particular manner; condescending in this case to accommodate himself to the prejudices of an obstinate, though sincere, disciple.

Reach hither thy finger, c.] And it is very probable that Thomas did so for his unbelief was too deeply rooted to be easily cured.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(27) Then saith. he to Thomas . . .—This implies a knowledge of the words of Joh_20:25, which in itself would carry conviction to the mind of Thomas. This repetition must have carried with this conviction a sense of shame at his unbelief.

And be not faithless, but believing.—Better, and become not unbelieving, but believing. The words do not apply to the fact of the Resurrection only, but to the general spiritual condition of the Apostle. He was in danger of passing from the state of a believer in Christ to that of an unbeliever. His demand for the evidence of the senses was a step backward, a resting on the less, not on the more, certain. His Master would have him retrace that step, and become one who rests upon the intuition of the Spirit.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. saith, &c.] He at once shews to S. Thomas that He knows the test that he had demanded.

behold] Better, see; it is the same word as S. Thomas used in Joh_20:25.

be not] Rather, become not. The demand for this proof did not make S. Thomas faithless, but it placed him in peril of becoming so. ‘Faithless’ and ‘believing’ are verbal as well as actual contradictories in the Greek. ‘Faithless’ and ‘faithful,’ ‘unbelieving and ‘believing’ would in this respect be better; but it is best to leave it as in the A. V.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then saith he to Thomas,.... For whose sake he chiefly came, and whom he at once singled out from the rest, and called by name in the most friendly manner, without upbraiding or reproaching him for not believing the testimony that had been given him:

reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thine hand and thrust it into my side; that is, make use of every way by seeing, feeling, and examining the scars in my hands, and the hole in my side, and satisfy thyself in the manner thou hast desired; which shows the omniscience of Christ, who knew what had passed between him and the other disciples, and the very words Thomas had expressed himself in; also his great humility and condescension in submitting himself to be examined in the very manner he had fixed; and likewise the reality of his resurrection:

and be not faithless, but believing; in which words Christ dissuades him from unbelief, which is very evil in its own nature, and in its effects; it is the root of all evil; it unfits for duty, and renders the word unprofitable, and leads men off from Christ; and is the more aggravated in the people of God, by the instances, declarations, and promises of grace, and discoveries of love made unto them: and he also encourages him to believe. The exercise of the grace of faith is well pleasing to Christ; it gives glory to him, and makes for the soul's comfort; and a word from Christ, his power going along with it, will enable men to believe, as it did Thomas; which appears by what follows.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

27 Then 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.

Ver. 27. Then saith he to Thomas] Who was not excommunicated by the rest, but gently borne with, till Christ should cure him. Neither did he forsake their meetings, though he believed not their relation. It is good to stand in Christ’s way, to be found at the foddering place, Son 1:8. But some, like spiritual vagabonds, as Cain, excammunicate themselves from God’s presence, in the use of the means; we may write, Lord, have mercy upon such, as utterly deplored.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Put in thy finger hither. Christ, to shew he knew all things, made use of the very same words in which St. Thomas had expressed his incredulous dispositions. Our blessed Redeemer would have the mark of the spear, and the prints of the nails to remain in his glorified body, to convince them it was the same body: and that they might be for ever marks of his victory and triumph over sin and the devil. The evangelist does not say, that St. Thomas went and touched Christ’s body, though it is very probable he did as he was ordered. But how could a body that entered in, when the doors were shut, be felt, or be palpable? St. John Chrysostom[2] answers, that Christ at that time permitted his body to be palpable, and to resist another body, to induce St. Thomas to believe the resurrection; and that when he pleased, his body could not be felt. In like manner, his body was either visible or invisible, as he had a will it should be. In fine, he could eat in their sight, though he stood not in need of any nourishment. See St. Augustine.

Be not incredulous, but faithful. In the Greek, be not an unbeliever, but a believer. --- My Lord, and my God; that is, I confess thee to be my Lord, and my God; and with the Greek article, to be him, that is, the Lord, and the God. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

We had need take heed what we speak wherever we are. Christ had not after his resurrection so ordinary and frequent a converse with his disciples as before. This is the fifth time that we read of Christ’s appearing to them since his resurrection. He knew what words of unbelief Thomas had uttered, and accordingly applies himself to him, in a wonderful condescension to his weakness; he bids him reach his finger, and his hands, and behold his hands, and thrust his hands into his side. So pitiful is our Lord, and compassionate towards the infirmities of his people.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

27. Thrust it into my side—Not in every case are the exactions and tests of scepticism thus complied with by God. Thomas has every proof he demands. He, the man of sense, has the highest proof that sense can have.

Into my side—This is not only body, but the body of the living Jesus; nay, the risen body of the slain Jesus The resurrection body voluntarily retains the wounds which it is perfectly able to shed from itself, as testimony that he is not only living, but was dead. See note on Luk_24:39. And this illustrates how Jesus may forever, as our high priest, exhibits in his own person the tokens of his death for our eternal life.

Be not faithless— Renounce the scepticism of will, and become in heart and purpose believing.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then (eita , not oun ; delude, Vulgate; darnach, Luther) saith he to Thomas, as though he had read his heart and sounded the depth of his complicated conflict between hope and fear, despair and love, and moreover intimating the fact that he had heard his disciple"s protestations, as well as mercifully appreciated his genuine difficulties, and not unnatural hesitation, Reach hither thy finger, that organ with which thou wouldest test the reality of my being. Do what thou wilt. See! my hands; and as the word was spoken he spread before his doubting, loving disciple those hands which were nailed to the cursed tree, with all the signs of his great agony upon them still. Thomas had said that he must "see," and that he must touch his finger in the print of the nails." Here was the Divine opportunity for him, with more than one sense, to assure himself of the reality. And reach hither thy hand (again the Lord quoted the very words in which the incredulousness of Thomas had been expressed), and put it into my side. He says nothing of the print of the nails, but offers the sacred privilege to the doubtful disciple. Thomas shall have the precise evidence he craved. The most hesitating of the entire group shall have the aid to his faith which he fancied indispensable in his particular case. How often has the unbeliever said, "If such or such evidence be not granted to me, I cannot, I will not, I by no means will believe"! Thus Gideon proved the Lord"s willingness to utilize his feeble strength in delivering Israel from the Midianites; and even Ahaz was summoned by Isaiah to choose any sign whatsoever in heaven above or in the earth to prove the indestructible vitality of the true seed of Israel and real house of David. Consequently, we cannot say with Bengel, "Si Pharisseus its dixisset, "nisi videro, etc.," nil impetrasset sed discipulo pridem probato nil non datur." The Lord does sometimes offer exactly what we ask by way of proof; but we cannot know the precise effect it will produce, even when it is bestowed or when something still more explicit is actually provided for our weakness. Just as the cruel taunts which malice heaped or hurled on the name and work of our Divine Lord became wreaths of glory for his brow, so the cruel wounds which unbelief and bigoted hatred of goodness had inflicted on Immanuel became from that very hour the high, main, indelible evidence of his supreme victory. And become not (mh ginou) what thou art in danger of becoming the Lord does not say that Thomas"sfaithless, but that he runs the risk of ultimately becoming so through the dependence of his spirit upon the outward (so Meyer, Lange, Westcott, etc.); but be believing, faithful. It is impossible fully to express the play upon these two words. Apistov is not so much a worthless, untrustworthy person, as one who has settled down into an abiding condition of unbelief; and pistov is not simply" believing," but" trustworthy," "trusty," and "trustful."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. Reach hither thy finger. Turning to the skeptical Thomas, he asks him to apply the tests that he had declared would be necessary before he could believe. His compassion for the unbelief of Thomas shows the patient tenderness of the Savior with the difficulties of an honest seeker.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

27. Jesus at once shews S. Thomas that He knows the test which he had demanded. The reproduction of his very words helps to bring home the grossness of the demand. Note γίνου: become. He is at the point where faith and unbelief part company: his suspense of judgment has been neither the one nor the other. It is not worth while to strain after a literal reproduction in English of the verbal contradiction between ἄπιστος and πιστός, as ‘unbelieving’ and ‘believing’ or ‘faithless’ and ‘faithful.’

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27.] Our Lord says nothing of the τύπος τῶν ἥλων—He does not recall the malice of his enemies.

The words imply that the marks were no scars, but the veritable wounds themselves;—that in His side being large enough for a hand to be thrust into it. This of itself would shew that the resurrection Body was bloodless. It is φέρε κ. ἴδε in the case of the hands, which were exposed—but merely φέρε κ. βάλε in the case of the side, which was clothed. So Meyer: but query?

μὴ γ. ἄπιστ., not merely, ‘Do not any longer disbelieve in my Resurrection;’—but Be not (do not become)—as applied generally to the spiritual life, and the reception of God’s truth—faithless, but believing. The E. V. is excellent.

That Thomas did not apply his finger or his hand, is evident from ὅτι ἑώρακάς με below.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ. Jn. tells the story, as if Jesus immediately addressed Himself to Thomas, and as if it were on his account that He had come among them again.

Jesus offers to Thomas at once the test which he had declared would be essential if he were to credit the story that the Lord had risen, and suggests it in almost the same words that Thomas had used (v. 25). He thus shows to Thomas that He knows what has been in his mind and how he had expressed it. And His words, revealing that this was He who could read men’s hearts (2:25), proved sufficient to sweep away all doubt from the mind of His incredulous disciple. There is no suggestion in the text that Thomas took advantage of the proferred test, or that he touched the body of the Risen Jesus at all (see on v. 20 above).

ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου, “look at my hands,” which were probably uncovered. This is perhaps in contrast with … βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, “put your hand into my side,” as if the invitation were to put his hand under the garments of Jesus, to assure himself. But, perhaps, all that is implied is that the test of touch was offered to Thomas, while the other disciples had been content with seeing the Lord’s hands and side (v. 20).1

καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός, “and become not faithless, but believing.” As Meyer points out, Thomas was not faithless, but he was on the way to such a state of mind. If the Lord’s words to him are behind [Mk.] 16:14, where it is said that “He upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen,” the author of the Marcan Appendix must have regarded the quiet exhortation of Jesus as conveying a more severe rebuke than is suggested by Jn. See on v. 29.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Be not [μη γινου] . Literally, become not. Thomas was in a fair way to become unbelieving, through his doubt of the resurrection.

Faithless - believing [απιστος - πιστος] . There is a correspondence of the words here, to which, perhaps, the nearest approach in English is unbelieving, believing.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.