John 20:19-31 (ESV)

¹⁹ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” ²⁴ Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” ²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? 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 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

After the disciples learned from Mary Magdalene that Jesus had risen from the dead, the very same night he appeared to them. They hid themselves in the upper room where they had recently celebrated the Passover with Jesus. They were afraid of the Jews, so they made sure the door was locked. Jesus supernaturally went through the locked door and greeted them, “Peace be with you.” Interestingly, John quotes Jesus using this phrase again in verses 22 and 26. Two times (14:27 and 16:33) before his crucifixion, Jesus promised his followers peace. They were now recipients of the peace pledged to them by their Messiah. Jesus charged the disciples to finish his work on earth, and then Jesus breathed and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The Greek word for “spirit,” pneuma, is the same Greek word for “breath.” In breathing out the words “Receive the Holy Spirit” (the “on them” is not in the original text), Jesus let his followers know he accomplished what he needed to do in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit, who would fully indwell them soon at Pentecost. We just saw that Jesus promised them peace, and he earned it for them through his death and resurrection.  Earlier, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and pronounced them all clean, except for Judas (John 13:10). Though Jesus hadn’t actually atoned for their sins yet, he declared them clean. Now, in the same way, Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit, whom they would receive shortly.

Thomas wasn’t present when Jesus first appeared to the disciples, and he didn’t believe their report. Eight days later, Jesus stood in the presence of the disciples again. This time, Thomas was there. Jesus told Thomas to touch his hand and his side to see and to believe that it really was him. Thomas was awestruck and worshipped Jesus, declaring, “my Lord and my God.” Did Thomas actually touch Jesus? He didn’t need to. He saw the resurrected Lord, and that was enough. Jesus responded by asking Thomas if he believed because he saw. Then Jesus declared, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus alluded to the fact that soon his followers would trust in him based on the testimony of Scripture. Have you believed in Jesus because of what the New Testament records about him? If so, you are blessed. God’s favor rests upon those who believe what the Bible teaches.