Read John 20:19-31.

Introduction⤒🔗

When you speak of a legacy, you usually are speaking about a gift that is bestowed as part of a will; a gift left behind to a loved one by someone who has died and is no longer present. Sometimes that gift may take the form of personal property; it might be a house, a sum of money, or a precious heirloom. Sometimes, when we speak of a legacy, we have in mind a gift that is intangible and of greater value than any item of personal property. We speak of a person leaving behind as his legacy to his loved ones his personal character as an example for them to follow; his life of love, of integrity, of commitment to Christ. So when we speak about a legacy, we usually are speaking about a gift left behind by someone who has died and is no longer present; such a gift might be an item of personal property, or it might be his personal character to serve as a model and example for his heirs.

Here in the present passage of the Gospel of John we have something that may be described as a legacy, but it is a very unique legacy. It is unique in that, unlike the typical legacy, this legacy is personally bestowed by someone who is alive and present with us. Our Lord Jesus died, but rose again; He ascended into heaven, but by the person of the Holy Spirit He continues to be with us. It is unique in that, unlike a legacy that consists of personal property, this legacy is spiritual; it is a legacy of spiritual resources as opposed to material resources. It is unique in that, unlike a legacy of character, this legacy is dynamic; a legacy of personal character leaves us with a powerless example, this legacy has life-transforming power that Christ Himself ministers to us as we call upon Him.

As His legacy to His church, our Lord Jesus has provided us with the spiritual resources necessary to fulfill our calling to be His disciples. Because of His legacy to His church, we can look to our risen Lord Jesus for the spiritual resources we need to serve Him.

We Can Look to Christ for Godly Confidence←⤒🔗

On the evening of that first Easter Sunday, the disciples were all gathered together in one place; most likely it was the upper room where they had partaken of the Last Supper together with Jesus the previous Thursday evening. There they are found huddled together behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. Since the time of the crucifixion they have stayed in hiding, expecting the Jewish leaders to come after them just as they came for Jesus.

Now suddenly, on that first Easter Sunday evening, the risen Lord Himself came and stood in their midst, and He bestows upon His disciples the blessing of His peace: “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you’” (vs. 19b).

Because He gives us His peace, the Lord Jesus can exhort us to be neither troubled in heart nor faint of heart, as He previously exhorted His disciples: “Peace I leave with you; I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled; neither let it be fearful” (Jn. 14:27). The risen Lord Jesus now reiterates and re-affirms His previous promise. Now He will actually bestow upon them the Holy Spirit (vs. 22), the Person of the trinity by whom Christ’s peace is administered.

Our Lord exhorts us, “Do not let your heart be troubled.” There are certain circumstances in life, the very anticipation of which, can cause our hearts to be stirred up into a turmoil, like boiling water on a hot stove: a visit to the doctor, standing up for Christian principles in a hostile environment, contemplating the hour of our death. Our Lord further exhorts us, “neither let [your heart] be fearful.” When we anticipate such circumstances as just described, our natural inclination is to retreat in fear and avoid such encounters if at all possible, like the disciples now found hiding behind locked doors in the upper room. But it is precisely because He has given us the legacy of His peace that our Lord Jesus exhorts us to be neither troubled in heart nor faint of heart.

Consider the transforming power of Christ’s legacy to His church. Here in John 20:19 we find the disciples huddled together behind locked doors in the upper room. It is into this situation that the risen Lord comes and bestows upon them the legacy of His peace, and His Holy Spirit to impart that peace to them (and to us):

^19bJesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you... ²¹Again Jesus said to them, Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so [now] I am sending you. ²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.Jn. 20:19b, 21-22

Turning to the Book of Acts, consider the life-transforming effect of Christ’s legacy upon these men:

¹The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ²They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. ³They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day... ⁵The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family. ⁷They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: By what power or by what name did you do this? ⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. ¹²Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:1-3,5-12

Our Lord Jesus calls upon us as His disciples to live out a bold and gracious Christian life before men, as opposed to keeping our Christian convictions hidden behind closed doors. As Christ, by the Apostle Paul, exhorts the Philippian church:

²⁷Live your life only in a way that is worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that if I come and see you, or if I remain absent, what I will hear about you is that you are standing firm in one spirit, and with one soul are contending for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and that you are in no way being intimidated by those who oppose you. Phil. 1:27-28a

Because of His legacy to His church, we can and must look to Christ to supply us with the godly confidence we need to live a faithful Christian life. Jesus declared to His disciples, “Peace be with you.” Based upon Christ's legacy to His church, the Apostle Paul issues the following exhortation to young Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but [the Spirit] of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7).

A Pastor testifies to how he personally experienced Christ's legacy of peace in the midst of a trying situation: One day this particular pastor, together an elder, were out visiting. They eventually found themselves in the home of an incredibly hostile man: for twenty minutes this man ranted and raged against these ambassadors of Christ. Through it all, the elder noted a remarkable calmness in the pastor’s demeanor: the pastor exhibited neither fear nor anger. Later, the elder inquired about what he had observed. The pastor replied, “I found myself surrounded by the most profound sense of divine peace, it was an impenetrable wall around me.” The pastor experienced the presence and the peace ministered by the Holy Spirit, the risen Lord's legacy to His church.

Notice that after bestowing upon His disciples the blessing of peace, our Lord Jesus immediately demonstrated the fact that He truly is alive: “Peace be with you. ²⁰After he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.” We can have peace, because we, indeed, “serve a risen Savior.” As Jesus testified to Martha at the grave of her brother, Lazarus: “I am the resurrection, and the life. He who believes in me, even though he may die, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die” (Jn. 11:25-26). What Christ is teaching is that, even though a believer may die physically (“even though he may die”), nevertheless, “shall he live,” (spiritually united to the risen Christ and ever continuing to partake in His resurrection life). Furthermore, “whoever lives [spiritually],” by faith being joined to the risen Christ, and continues to believe, (i.e. continues to persevere in his relationship with Christ), “shall never die.” This blessed truth is well-expressed by the answer to Question #37 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves, until the resurrection.

We then read that upon examining the physical evidence of Christ’s resurrection, “The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (vs. 20b). Here is the fulfillment of His promise made just prior to His crucifixion:

²⁰I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy... ²²you will now have grief; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. Jn. 16:20, 22

Notice that the disciples are described as seeing “the Lord.” They are now beholding Christ in His true identity as the Lord of glory. This is how He will appear to John at the time He imparts to him the content of the Book of Revelation. At that time, Christ comforted him with the words: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, ¹⁸I am the Living One. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades” (Rev. 1:17-18). By revealing Himself to John in this way, (the same way in which He had previously revealed Himself to Daniel; the description of Christ given in verses 13-17 corresponds to the revelation of Christ given to Daniel), our Lord Jesus Christ is declaring: “I AM the sovereign Lord of life. I always have been and I always will be the sovereign Lord of life. For one brief moment I entered into the world and into death for your sake and for your salvation. But My true and eternal identity is that I AM the sovereign Lord of life.”

The fact that as believers in His name, we belong to the sovereign Lord of life, is a great source of godly confidence for us as we continue to live out our earthly life in fellowship with Him and in obedience to Him.

We Can Look to Christ for Spiritual Authority←⤒🔗

Having spoken His word of peace to them, the Lord Jesus now proceeds to give to His disciples a divine commission: “Just as the Father has sent me, so [now] I am sending you” (vs. 21b). He is repeating the commission previously given in a preliminary sense, when in the upper room, He had declared, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (Jn. 15:16a).

The Father sent Christ to be the Light of the world, to reveal to men the life of God, as Jesus testified in John 14:9a, “He who has seen me, has seen the Father.” The Father sent His Son into the world in order to reveal to men the way back to God, namely, by means of faith in the Lord Jesus Himself, as Jesus testifies, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, except by me” (Jn. 14:6). Now Christ has given the same commission to His church, (the original disciples/apostles were the nucleus of the church, which would expand to include all those who respond in faith to their gospel ministry). In keeping with this commission, Apostle Paul exhorts the Philippians:

¹⁴Do all things without grumbling and arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a perverse and depraved generation, among whom you shine like stars in the universe, ^16aholding forth the word of life. (Phil. 2:14-16a

The Apostle Peter instructs the church: “always [be] prepared with an answer for everyone who asks you for an explanation concerning the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15).

In order to fulfill this divine commission of proclaiming the gospel to the nations, making disciples for Christ, and gathering them together as a part of His church, the risen Lord gives as His legacy to His church the gift of spiritual authority:

Just as the Father has sent me, so [now] I am sending you. ²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive their sins, they are not forgiven. Jn. 20:21b-23

Here is a delegated spiritual authority; an authority to be applied in accordance with Christ’s commandments regarding the building and maintaining of His church. As the N.T. commentator, Leon Morris, writes, “This is no promise of official power, which [church] leaders may exercise regardless of whether they are personally true and loyal to Christ; only as Spirit-filled and Spirit-guided men may they thus speak for him with authority, but as Spirit-guided men they need not hesitate to speak and act with assurance.”¹

What is spoken of in John 20:23 in abbreviated form is elaborated on in such passages as Matthew 16:16-19 and Matthew 18:15-20. In those passages, the promise of this authority was made and instructions were given as to its purpose and use. Now, with the bestowing of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, (and by extension, upon the church), there is provided the spiritual power to administer this delegated authority. For a fuller discussion of this subject you are referred to the Appendix that accompanies this present study.

The divine authority conveyed to the church by the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit pertains to the forgiveness and retention of sins (vs. 23). This divine authority is first and foremost exercised through the proclamation of the gospel: it is through the proclamation of the gospel that the church with spiritual authority pronounces the forgiveness of sins to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, by the Person of the Holy Spirit operating in His church through the preaching of the gospel, exercising the authority to forgive sins, just as He had done personally during the time of His earthly ministry:

Being unable to get near him because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above [Jesus]. When they had broken it open, they lowered the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. ⁵Upon seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven. ⁶Now some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, ⁷Why does this man speak like this? He is speaking blasphemy. Who can forgive sins but God alone? ⁸Jesus, immediately perceiving in his spirit that this is what they were thinking to themselves, said to them, Why do you think such things in your hearts? ⁹Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven; or to say, Get up, pick up your mat, and walk? ¹⁰But in order that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins, (he said to the paralytic), ¹¹I tell you, Get up, pick up your mat, and go home. ¹²And [the man] got up, immediately picked up the mat, and went out in the presence of them all. As a result, they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, We never saw anything like this. Mk. 2:4-12

We see the Apostle Peter exercising this spiritual authority on the Day of Pentecost when he declares to the people, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins” (Acts 2:38). Or again, as Peter declares in the house of Cornelius, the Roman centurion, “through [Jesus’] name every one that believes on him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43).

Through the proclamation of the gospel, (by means of preaching and personal witness), Christ will build His church. The gospel shall break open the gates of Hades, “”and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:16-19). By the proclamation of the gospel, precious souls will be released from spiritual bondage and the sentence of final condemnation, being brought to Jesus Christ, the only Source of forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

The spiritual authority to retain sins, (i.e. the authority to declare that one is still in a state of unforgiven sin and thus liable to condemnation), is witnessed in the case of Peter’s rebuke of Simon the sorcerer. To this man who sought to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit with money, Peter declares, “Your money perish with you ...You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God...for I see that you are...bound by iniquity” (Acts 8:20-21, 23). To such a man Peter issues the command, “Repent, therefore, of your wickedness” (Acts 8:22).

This divine authority bestowed by the risen Lord upon His church, for the purpose of not only building the church, but also maintaining the church in its commitment to her Lord, is also employed through the exercise of Christian discipline. Matthew 16:19 makes reference to such discipline when Christ declares to Peter (as the representative of all the disciples), “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” Matthew 18:15-20 elaborates upon this spiritual authority more fully:

¹⁵If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ¹⁶But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. ¹⁸ I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything for which you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven; ²⁰ for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matt. 18:15-20

Matthew 18:15-17 outlines the procedure to be followed when dealing with a professing Christian who is engaged in sin and who refuses to repent. As Matthew 18:18-20 indicates, in the exercise of Christian discipline there is the exercise of genuine spiritual authority: what is done on earth in the name of Christ is ratified in heaven.

Save yourselves from this corrupt generation. ⁴¹Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to [the church] that day” (Acts 2:40-41). Here is an example of what the Apostle Paul is describing when he testifies to the Thessalonians, “our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and by the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance” (1 Thess. 1:5). May we pray that such would be the case whenever the gospel goes forth, knowing that the gospel is the Lord’s chosen means by which He calls to Himself those He has foreordained to be saved. As the LORD assures Isaiah, “my word that proceeds from my mouth: it shall not return to me without [having the desired] effect; it will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11).

Consider the transforming power of Christ’s legacy to His church, as that spiritual authority is exercised in the church. Second Corinthians chapter two records the beneficial effects of a particular act of discipline: by the grace of God the offending person demonstrated himself to be a true Christian by repenting and returning to the fellowship of Christ’s church. In response to the offender’s repentance, the Apostle Paul exhorts the church to receive him back into Christian fellowship: “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. ⁷Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. (2 Cor. 2:6-8) Note: The exercise of church discipline is used by God to reclaim true believers; but also serves to expose and remove from Christ’s church those who lack a true spiritual relationship with Him: such persons are removed by their own refusal to own Christ as their Lord by submitting to His discipline and discipleship.

Our Lord Jesus Christ calls upon us as His disciples to carry on a bold and effective witness for Him, as opposed to yielding to the powers of darkness that operate in this present world and at times attempt to operate within the church itself. Because of His legacy to His church, we may and we must look to Christ to supply us with the spiritual authority we need to fulfill our calling to be His disciples.

We Can Look to Christ for Divine Assurance←⤒🔗

When the risen Lord Jesus came to His disciples that first Easter Sunday evening, He found them all present except one: Thomas. When Thomas does rejoin the group, the disciples excitedly relate to him the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and His reunion with them. But Thomas refuses to accept the testimony of his fellow disciples, he insists upon personally meeting the risen Lord himself. Thomas insists on personal verification of Jesus’ resurrection: “Unless I see the nail prints in his hands, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (vs. 25).

Eight days later, when all the disciples, including Thomas, are again gathered together in this same upper room, the Lord Jesus once again comes to them. He invites Thomas to examine Him and so be assured of His resurrection. Thomas had insisted upon a personal encounter and inspection of the risen Lord Jesus. Jesus graciously granted Thomas just such an encounter with Him. As a result of that encounter, Thomas now worships the Lord Jesus, acknowledging Him with his great profession of faith: “My Lord and my God” (vs. 28).

Our Lord Jesus desires for us as His disciples to have the assurance of His resurrection life and presence with us in this world. Because of His legacy to His church, we may and we must look to Christ to supply us with the divine assurance we need to fulfill our calling to be His disciples. Just as our Lord Jesus personally ministered divine assurance to Thomas, so, too, He stands ready to minister such assurance to us in our times of weakness when our faith wavers and needs to be bolstered. But we should not expect that assurance to necessarily be ministered to us by means of special signs; rather, it is ministered to us by the presence of Christ Himself.

As we entrust ourselves to Christ and walk with Him, we gain an ever-greater degree of divine assurance. Note the testimony of the Apostle Paul: “I know him in whom I have believed and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Tim. 1:12b). Paul initially put his faith in Christ, and now he has become intimately acquainted with Christ, he has come to know Christ, this is the meaning of his statement, “I know him in whom I have believed.” What Paul has come to discover is that Christ is completely trustworthy; He is who He claims to be; He is able to do what He promises to do. Consequently, as a result of his personal experience with Christ, Paul’s confidence in Christ has been strengthened so that he can now testify, “I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” “That day” is a reference the day of final judgment and the consummation of all things.

Although we cannot personally handle the resurrected body of our ascended Lord, we do have the trustworthy testimony of those who were eyewitnesses. Bear in mind the purpose for which the Apostle John was employed by Christ to write this Gospel:

Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples that are not recorded in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and by believing you may have life in his name.Jn. 20:30-31

Let us also take to heart our Lord’s own assurance: “I tell you the truth, whoever receives whomever I send is receiving me” (Jn. 13:20). On our behalf, the Lord Jesus spoke the following words to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, but [still] have believed” (vs. 29).

Conclusion←⤒🔗

As His legacy to His church, our risen Lord Jesus Christ personally provides us with the spiritual resources we need to fulfill our calling to be His disciples. Because of His legacy to His church, we may and we must look to Him for the spiritual resources of godly confidence, spiritual authority, and divine assurance.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. When Jesus reveals Himself to His disciples following His resurrection, what benediction does He pronounce upon them? See Jn. 20:19. On an earlier occasion, to what had He contrasted the peace He bestows? See Jn. 14:27a. Of what value is the world’s benediction, or good wish, of peace? What certifies the genuineness of our Lord’s benediction of peace? Note Rev. 1:17-18,

On the evening of that first [day] of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. Jn. 20:19

Peace I leave with you; I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled; neither let it be fearful. Jn. 14:27

The Apostle John testifies of his experience with the risen Lord Jesus:

When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. But he laid his right hand upon me and said, Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, ¹⁸I am the Living One. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades. Rev. 1:17-18

2. What gift does the risen Lord now bestow upon His disciples and His church? See Jn. 20:22. What are some of the ministries the Holy Spirit now carries out on behalf of Christ? See Jn. 14:16-18, 26. As a Christian, do you appreciate and avail yourself of the Holy Spirit’s ministry? Are you reverencing His presence in your life and seeking not to offend Him?

Again Jesus said to them, Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so [now] I am sending you. ²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.Jn. 20:21-22

¹⁶I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever, ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive him; because it does not see him, nor does it know him. [But] you know him; because he abides with you and will be in you. ¹⁸I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you... ²⁶But the Counselor whom the Father will send in my name, that is, the Holy Spirit, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Jn. 14:16-18, 26

3. What spiritual authority has Christ bestowed upon His apostles and His church? See Jn. 20:23. Was this authority intended to be used in an arbitrary way? With regard to the forgiveness of sins, how does this authority function? See Acts 10:42-43; Gal. 6:1. With regard to the retention of sins, how does this authority function? See Matt. 18:15-18,

If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain (their sins), they are retained. Jn. 20:23

⁴²And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³To him all the prophets witness that, through his name, whoever believes in him will receive the remission of sins.Acts 10:42-43

The ministry of the forgiveness of sins is the ministry of the gospel: calling people to place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and so benefit from the payment for sin He made upon the cross of Calvary.

Brothers, even if a man is caught in the act of committing any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a spirit of humility, being on guard so that you also are not tempted. Gal. 6:1

The restoring to the fellowship of Christ’s church a professing Christian who has been indulging in sin but has now come to repentance, is another form of the ministry of forgiveness.

Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.¹⁶But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' ¹⁷And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. ¹⁸Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loosen on earth will be loosened in heaven. (Matt. 18:15­-18)

The removal from the church of Christ of a man who professes to be a Christian but persistently lives in unrepentant sin is the authority Christ has bestowed upon His church. The intention is to bring the man to repentance and true discipleship, but if there is no repentance, his life testifies to the fact that he is still in his sins and under the righteous judgment of God. Thus, in fact, the church’s retention of a sinning member’s sins is a formal declaration of the true state of affairs: the unrepentant sinner is willingly retaining his sinful practice.

4. How does Thomas, who had not been present when the Lord revealed Himself to the disciples, respond to the report they now give him? See Jn. 20:25. How does Jesus use this instance of unbelief to further prove the certainty of His resurrection—What was the disciples’ testimony (cf. Jn. 20:20b, 25a); what does Jesus now invite Thomas to do (cf. Jn. 20:27)? How does Thomas respond to both seeing and handling the resurrected Lord Jesus? See Jn. 20:28. Should we not be grateful to the Lord for His condescending grace to Thomas, by which we have been given an even greater assurance of His resurrection?

The other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see the nail prints in his hands, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. Jn. 20:25

After he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jn. 20:20

The other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord. Jn. 20:25a

Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and examine my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. No longer doubt, but believe.Jn. 20:27

Thomas responded by saying to him, My Lord and my God. Jn. 20:28

5. What does Jesus now tell Thomas? See Jn. 20:29. Has the Lord Jesus afforded us with sufficient evidence to elicit our faith? See Jn. 20:30-31. How do you respond to the apostles’ eyewitness accounts and the written record they composed under the Holy Spirit’s direction?

Jesus replied, Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, but [still] have believed. Jn. 20:29

Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples that are not recorded in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and by believing you may have life in his name. Jn. 20:30-31