If we’re honest with ourselves, there is something of doubting Thomas in each one of us. If you’re not familiar with his story, you can read it as recorded in John’s Gospel (John 20:19-31 ESV - Jesus Appears to the Disciples - On the - Bible Gateway).

On that first Easter evening, the disciples of Jesus were huddled together behind doors that were closed and locked. They had been rocked to their core with the arrest and death by crucifixion of their beloved Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth. They were likely also more than a little ashamed that they had turned tail and run away when Jesus was arrested.  They were fearful that they might suffer the same fate as Jesus did, since they were His disciples. But then it was reported that Jesus was not in the grave; it was empty. What was going on? Confusion and uncertainty were everywhere. And then, Jesus himself appeared among them behind doors that were closed and locked. And then, most surprising of all, the first word out of Jesus’ mouth to His confused and uncertain followers was this: “Peace be with you.” Without a doubt, they were not expecting this! If anything, they were expecting to be upbraided by Jesus for abandoning Him in His hour of need. Jesus demonstrates that it really is He himself by showing them the wounds He suffered on the cross. He showed them His hands and sides, and after this? “Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” The uncertain reports didn’t convince them. The empty tomb didn’t prove that Jesus was risen from the dead. It was seeing Him and recognizing, even in His resurrected body, the wounds which He suffered – that is what convinced them. That’s the evidence that they needed to believe that Jesus really and truly was alive; that He had risen from the dead.

One problem here, though: one of the disciples was missing. Thomas, called the Twin, was not there with the others on that first Easter evening. Did he experience FOMO? You know, “fear of missing out,” which can be a very real thing in our lives. Whatever he may have felt, Thomas missed out on this incredible experience of seeing the crucified and risen Christ. He wanted that same evidence that the other disciples had received: “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.” Thomas drew his line in the sand, so to speak, and refused to believe that Christ is risen; risen indeed. He required that Easter evidence for himself. What’s the old phrase? “Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.” So it was with Thomas, because eight days later the disciples were all together once again, and this time, Thomas was with them. As before, the risen Christ appears in their midst, and just as before, He again speaks a word of blessing to them: “Peace be with you.” And then He speaks directly 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.” Thomas got his Easter evidence.

Curiously, Scripture does not actually tell us whether Thomas did as Jesus commanded. We only read that Thomas replied to Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” So, did Thomas put his fingers into the nail wounds of Jesus’ hands, and put his hand into the spear wound of Jesus’ side? The classic painting by the Italian Baroque master, Caravaggio (1571-1610), “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas” (see below), portrays Thomas doing this very thing. Whether he did or didn’t, the result is that Thomas no longer doubted, but believed that Jesus had risen from the dead. He now believed with his whole heart and mind and strength in the risen Christ. Tradition tells us that Thomas would later travel all the way to India to proclaim the good news of Jesus, and die a martyr’s death there for the sake of the Gospel. The evidence of Easter that Thomas so desired transformed his life.

Sometimes in our own lives, we want what Thomas wanted. We long to see with our own eyes the risen Savior. We long to see the mark of the nails and the spear. We long to hear with our own ears the same words of Jesus that Thomas and the other disciples heard: “Peace be with you.” But Jesus had this to say about the evidence of Easter that Thomas thought he needed: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” You and I are among those who have not seen, and yet believe.

What is the evidence of Easter that you need in your life today? We have celebrated our Lord’s victory over sin, death, and the grave with great rejoicing on Easter Sunday, but is there still a bit of doubting Thomas lurking in the shadows of our lives? Clarence Jordan (1912-1969) was an American Baptist preacher and founder of Koinonia Farm, a place where contemporary Christians sought to live out the life modeled by the first Christians to serve God and God’s people. This is what Rev. Jordan wrote about the evidence of Easter:

So on the morning of the resurrection, God put life in the present tense, not in the future. He gave us not a promise, but a presence. Not a hope for the future, but power for the present. Not so much the assurance that we shall live someday, but that he is risen today. Jesus’ resurrection is not to convince the incredulous, nor to reassure the faithful, but to enkindle the believers. The proof that God raised Jesus from the dead is not the empty tomb, but the full hearts of his transformed disciples. The crowning evidence that he lives is not a vacant grave, but a Spirit-filled fellowship. Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried-away church. We are the evidence of the resurrection. Look at what he has done to us and is doing through us (Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter. Walden, NY: Plough Publishing House, 2005; pp. 264-265).

“We are the evidence of the resurrection.” Amen!