John 20:19-31 Commentary

Suffering is the feeling, the fear, the bedrock that fills the space of the story without really ever being its focus. Even when Thomas is touching the wounds in Jesus’s side and hands, suffering is the note played, but not the song sung.

Being held captive by fear is most definitely a kind of suffering. The trap and paralysis of being unable to act, to think, to know what is true or what to do for fear of what lurks on the other side of the door so easily becomes a long-suffering. If left unchecked over time, fear maliciously becomes what we accept as normal as we push what caused us to fear in the first place to the furthest reaches of our minds.

Thank God that Jesus came right into the middle of that room full of disciples just one week after their suffering of fear began. Thank God Jesus showed them his wounds so that they knew it was really him. Thank God that Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit so that when their fear came inching back in, they would have the Comforter to whisper the truth of things to them again and again and again.

And thank God that the Holy Spirit was given to them so that they could forgive. Forgiveness, it turns out, is the way we tell what we are afraid of that we will not live in captivity to it. Forgiveness is willing to accept that something bad might happen again, but that we are choosing to openly live with that risk because we have God with us and are following God’s way.

Of course, so many of us regrettably know how not forgiving is its own form of suffering, but how many of us take the time to get down to the roots of what we are afraid of? The disciples were afraid because their rabbi had been executed: would they be next? And now, having seen that the execution did not result in the end of Jesus but an even greater beginning, wouldn’t their enemies be angrier and more intent on their destruction? Jesus leading his disciples towards forgiving those who put him to death—and anyone who stands in need of forgiveness—is as much about showing the disciples his glory, power, love, as making sure that they do not become trapped in the suffering of fear, bitterness, malice and revenge. Jesus is our Saviour from all that would keep us from him.

Then there’s Thomas, who suffered from missing out. It appears that Thomas has not locked himself away with the other disciples. To be sure, he is still mourning and grieving, suffering the loss of Jesus. It all feels so real and final to him that he doubts his companions’ claims that they have seen Jesus. Thomas knows what he knows and he will not try to pretend in order to feel a little better. Jesus will have to show up just as they claim in order for him to believe.

And thank God that Jesus does. Again. And again and again. Leading Thomas’s hands to his scars, Jesus shows again the proof of his suffering: the truth is undeniable. The same beloved friend and teacher who died an awful death is there in their midst and has the scars of his suffering to prove it. The scars which prove all those words Jesus spoke over and over to them as true—that he would die, that they too needed to take up their cross and join the way of suffering because they need not be afraid of what lay on the other side.

Then there’s Jesus’s encouragement to all of us. That we can believe in his suffering without touching his scars for ourselves. That we can believe and live in the freedom they have wrought. That truly, Jesus is the Messiah, the Suffering Servant who brings life without fear. Truly, he is the one who leads us to walk through the valley of the shadow of death and say, “I fear no evil, for you are with me.”

Holy Spirit be breathed upon us so that in our times of great suffering and need, you can whisper to us and remind us that Jesus is right smack dab in the middle of it, speaking peace and showing us the way to freedom.

Textual Point

This lectionary selection has nine perfect tense verbs in it. Nine! This is a story all about lasting consequences.

Illustration Ideas

In a sermon on Thomas, Malcolm Guite expresses gratitude for the witness this story provides to the church when it comes to diverse belief. When Peter tells Thomas what they’ve experienced, he doesn’t demand Thomas agree to believe the same thing in order to join them again. No, instead, Thomas is included and is able to be brought to belief by God in that setting. As we seem to be demanding more and more conformity of thought to one another, how are we leaving space for people to be discipled by God in the community of faith?

There’s also this song from Gillian Welch, “By the Mark.” By the mark of Jesus’s suffering, she sings, is the way we will know him in heaven—just as Thomas and the disciples knew him in the locked room.