John 20:25 · NKJV

Thomas Asked for Evidence. Jesus Didn't Scold Him.

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What does John 20:25 say?

Thomas gets a bad name for this, and reading it closely, I'm not sure he earned it.

He'd missed the appearance. He told the others: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:25, NKJV) Eight days later Jesus walks in and says: "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." (John 20:27, NKJV)

He gave him exactly what he asked for. He didn't shame him for wanting it. The correction, when it comes, is gentle and it isn't aimed at the asking: "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29, NKJV)

If you're someone who needs reasons before you'll commit to something this large, that instinct isn't the enemy of faith here. The whole reason the evidence in this series is worth laying out is that asking for it was never treated as the problem.

Full episode: https://youtu.be/SG5W2DtZZ9M

Bible references

Scripture in this video is quoted from the NKJV.

Transcript (show)

Objection five. If God wanted everyone to believe, he would give overwhelming evidence. This is the honest question of the philosopher John Shelonburgg. Sometimes called divine hiddenness. And the Christian answer is this.

God has given enough evidence for the willing. He has left room for the will to respond in trust because forced belief is not what a loving God is after. Jesus said to Thomas the doubter after showing him the wounds, "Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Every one of these objections has an honest answer. None of them, individually or combined, explains all five facts.

The resurrection does.

Transcript from the video's captions on YouTube.

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