In our Gospel reading today we hear about one of Jesus’ followers: Thomas. He’s sometimes given the nickname “Doubting Thomas.” (I think that’s a little harsh, because by the end of the story he believes, so maybe we should call him “Believing Thomas”). Jesus’ followers, somewhat disoriented and afraid, have gathered behind locked doors. This reminds me a bit of our times: during these pandemic restrictions we’re all disoriented, perhaps afraid, behind “locked doors.” Then, amazingly, the risen Jesus appears to them!
Leader: Christ is risen! All: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Being in lockdown means nothing to Jesus, he is with his followers no matter the circumstances.
Now for whatever reason, Thomas isn’t with the disciples that day. So they tell Thomas they’ve experienced the risen Jesus. But Thomas won’t believe. A man come back from the dead?! Sounds impossible. Sounds crazy. Sounds unbelievable. Thomas hears this impossible, crazy claim and says: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25).
His response sounds reasonable to me. I wouldn’t believe any old fairy tale someone tells me down at the pub. I don’t believe every crank blog post I stumble across on the internet. Do you?! We want to investigate the claims and experience the truth ourselves. Likewise Thomas sets out to investigate the risen Jesus. See, the resurrection is at the core of Christian faith — it’s worth investigating. St Paul agrees, ‘If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.’ (1 Corinthians 15:14). If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, our faith is crazy and useless. So, along with Thomas, let’s investigate the resurrection of Jesus.
Now we don’t have access to the risen body of Jesus, to touch and feel as Thomas did. But we still have many options to thoroughly investigate the claim that his rose from the dead. Author C S Lewis, an atheist turned Christian, suggested there are three options concerning Jesus. Another author (Peter Kreeft) added a fourth. Rather nicely, all four options start with a letter L: legend, liar, lunatic, Lord. Let’s investigate the resurrection using these four topics as a guide.
(1) Legend. Perhaps Jesus, and his resurrection, is just a legend? A myth? A made up story, like the Easter bunny? The problem with this option is there is historical evidence that confirms Jesus of Nazareth was a historic person, was crucified by the Romans, and his followers reported seeing him alive again. Excluding the Bible, there are more than 10 historic sources that confirm the basic story of the Gospel accounts. Josephus, a Jewish historian working for the Romans, gives a brief description of Jesus and his mission (writing around 94 AD): ‘At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. … Many people from among the Jews and other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive.’ (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 18.3.3). Lucian of Samosata, a Greek writer in the second century who critiqued Christianity (writing around 165 AD), wrote: ‘The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day — the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account.’ (Lucian of Samosata, “DP,” 11–13).
(2) Liar. Perhaps Jesus, or his followers, are liars? Is the whole resurrection a fraud?
(a) Perhaps Jesus didn’t actually die? (This is often called “swoon theory”). The theory goes that Jesus just looked dead, they buried him, and while resting in the cool tomb he was revived — could this be what happened? The problem with this is the Romans were experts at killing. Their military culture is arguably the most efficient killing machine in all of human history. If you want someone dead, ask the Romans. So, it’s more likely Jesus was actually killed, as the Gospels and historic reports suggest.
(b) So maybe Jesus’ followers stole his dead body? The Gospel of Matthew acknowledges this option, so this idea was probably already circulating just a decade or two after the resurrection. Matthew writes: ‘The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember something that liar said while he was still alive. He claimed, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order to make the tomb secure until the third day. If you don’t, his disciples might come and steal the body. Then they will tell the people that Jesus has been raised from the dead. This last lie will be worse than the first.” “Take some guards with you,” Pilate answered. “Go. Make the tomb as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure. They put a seal on the stone and placed some guards on duty.’ (Matthew 27:62–66). So again we have a problem: a guard was placed on the tomb. How could a bunch of fishermen, tax collectors, and other misfits, overpower a crack team of soldiers to steal the body? On top of this, later in life the followers of Jesus were persecuted, some to death — it doesn’t make sense for someone to go to their death for a lie. So it’s not a legend, and they weren’t lying.
(3) Lunatic. Perhaps Jesus and his followers were crazy? Maybe they wanted to believe it so much, that they hallucinated the whole thing? But again there are problems with this.
(a) First, Jesus did what he said he would do. In the Gospels, Jesus is recorded saying he would die and rise again. And this is what happened! A lunatic says crazy things that don’t happen; but if they happen, well they aren’t a lunatic but a prophet.
(b) Secondly, the risen Jesus wasn’t just seen by a handful of people. Matthew reports that Jesus appeared to the women at the tomb (Matthew 28:8–9). We’ve heard in John that Jesus appeared in a locked room to ‘the disciples,’ meaning more than just the Eleven (John 20:19). Luke reports that Jesus appeared to two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus, even naming one of them thus allowing readers at the time to investigate the claim (Luke 24:18). And St Paul reports that the risen Jesus was seen by more than 500 eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6). If his followers were crazy, then these hundreds of people must have all had mass hallucinations at the same time — now that sounds even more crazy than Jesus rising from the dead!
(4) Lord. So that just leaves one remaining possibility: Jesus is who he said. Jesus is the Son of God, the Lord of life. We hear in John’s account, that after investigating the risen Jesus, Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). We can imagine him dropping to his knees in worship as he realises that his friend and Master is alive. And if Jesus is alive, then he is who he said. And if he is who he said — the Son of God — then this changes everything! For a follower of Jesus this realisation is like an earthquake, disrupting everything. When Jesus rose from the dead, the world changed. When you believe and confess Jesus rose from the dead, your world changes. Through the risen Jesus, God freely offers you peace and life. And nothing that happens in this life, not pandemics or even death, can take away this peace.
One aspect that strikes me in this whole account is that neither the other disciples, nor Jesus, chastise Thomas for his investigation. They don’t say, “Oh come on now Thomas, just take our word for it!” No, both the disciples, and Jesus in particular, accept and welcome his enquiry. I think there is a lesson for us here. It’s is okay for our family, our friends, for us, to have times of doubt. It’s okay to ask questions and explore the foundation of our faith.
But after his investigation, Thomas makes a response. Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” How will you respond after investigating the resurrection of Jesus?
(a) If you’re not yet a follower of Jesus, then I encourage you to continue your investigation. Thomas sought to have an encounter with the risen Jesus. You too can seek Jesus’ presence. Jesus is present in his Word — the Bible. Read it. Google “read the bible.” Read one of the Gospel accounts. Mark is short. Or try John. City Bible Forum has a great resource called “Fact or fiction: Resurrection Reading Guide” (https://citybibleforum.org/city/episode/fact-or-fiction). In addition, you might like to pray to Jesus, tell him how you feel, ask him to reveal himself to you. Jesus is also present inside believers. When Jesus breathed on his disciples, he gave them his Spirit, so Jesus is present inside each of his followers (this is one reason the church is sometimes called “the body of Christ” — the church is Jesus’ body on earth). When you talk to a Christian you trust, you also are having an encounter with the risen Jesus, like Thomas.
(b) If you’re already a follower of Jesus, then I encourage you to continue exploring the resurrection yourself. This will make you ready to give a reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15). Try reading the “City Bible Forum Resurrection Reading Guide” yourself. There are heaps of other wonderful resources too (e.g. “Case for Christ” or “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist”). The other disciples told Thomas what they had experienced. “We have seen the Lord!” they say to him (John 20:25). Like them, tell someone else about the risen Jesus. Tell someone what you are reading, and invite them to read along with you. Keep walking with them as you investigate the resurrection together. You don’t have to have all the answers. If someone asks you a question you don’t know, be honest, and ask if they want to seek out an answer together with you.
After his investigation, Thomas confessed his faith. He exclaimed “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28). Who do you believe Jesus is? Is he a legend or myth? But this fails to take into account historic evidence that claims Jesus of Nazareth was crucified by the Romans and seen alive by his followers. Is Jesus a liar and his resurrection a fraud? This too seems implausible. Is Jesus a lunatic and his disciples crazy? But Jesus did what he said and there were hundreds of eyewitnesses. This Word of God, John’s Gospel account, was written so that you might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (John 20:31). So, following your investigation of the resurrection, may you boldly confess your faith with Thomas that Jesus is your Lord and your God. May this bring you great peace, even behind locked doors. Amen.
