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Jesus appears to Thomas
JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears to Thomas, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48302 [retrieved April 22, 2022]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).
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The Incredulity of Saint Thomas
Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da, 1573-1610. The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54170 [retrieved April 22, 2022]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Incredulity_of_Saint_Thomas_by_Caravaggio.jpg.Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da, 1573-1610.
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Resurrected Christ Appearing to His Disciples
Signorelli, Luca, 1441?-1523. Resurrected Christ Appearing to His Disciples, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=58647 [retrieved April 14, 2023]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luca_Signorelli_-_The_Resurrected_Christ_Appearing_to_His_Disciples_-_29.42_-_Detroit_Institute_of_Arts.jpg.
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Christ shows Himself to Thomas
LeCompte, Rowan and Irene LeCompte. Christ shows himself to Thomas, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54879 [retrieved April 14, 2023]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maryannsolari/5119341372/.
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Jesus, I Have My Doubts by Jon Foreman
Spiritual Practices: Keyword Listing
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
- Thomas (and related pronouns) - Explore Thomas' doubt and faith
Spiritual Practices: Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina, or Diving Reading, is a method of reading, reflecting on, and praying the Scripture that has been used by the church for centuries. It focuses on communing with God in Scripture rather than simply studying Scripture for intellectual understanding. Click here for more information on how to practice Lectio Divina. Here are some suggested verses in this passage that may lend themselves to conversation with God through the practice of Lectio Divina.
Suggested Verses
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 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. (John 20:30-21)
Lectio Divina, or Diving Reading, is a method of reading, reflecting on, and praying the Scripture that has been used by the church for centuries. It focuses on communing with God in Scripture rather than simply studying Scripture for intellectual understanding. Click here for more information on how to practice Lectio Divina. Here are some suggested verses in this passage that may lend themselves to conversation with God through the practice of Lectio Divina.
Suggested Verses
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 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. (John 20:30-21)
Spiritual Practices: Breath Prayer
Overview
When Jesus initially appeared to the disciples, Thomas wasn't present. The other disciples told him about it, but Thomas didn't believe them. He needed concrete proof. He needed evidence. He need to see with his own eyes, touch with his own hands. A week later, Jesus gave him what he wanted. Jesus appeared again and this time Thomas was there. Jesus invites Thomas to touch the nail prints in his hands to the spear wound in his side. Faced with undeniable evidence before his own eyes, Thomas believes.
Jesus tells Thomas that it is even more blessed to believe even we we cannot see. He is talking about us. Thomas believed because he saw the risen Christ face to face. We haven't. We believe even though we haven't seen the way Thomas did. This is the essence of faith, when the undeniable meets the unexplainable. We may not be able to explain the resurrection, but it is undeniable. We read the stories of the witnesses, even skeptics like Thomas. We read the stories John and the other gospel writers share about Jesus, and, hopefully, we believe and have life in his name. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, help me to believe
Overview
When Jesus initially appeared to the disciples, Thomas wasn't present. The other disciples told him about it, but Thomas didn't believe them. He needed concrete proof. He needed evidence. He need to see with his own eyes, touch with his own hands. A week later, Jesus gave him what he wanted. Jesus appeared again and this time Thomas was there. Jesus invites Thomas to touch the nail prints in his hands to the spear wound in his side. Faced with undeniable evidence before his own eyes, Thomas believes.
Jesus tells Thomas that it is even more blessed to believe even we we cannot see. He is talking about us. Thomas believed because he saw the risen Christ face to face. We haven't. We believe even though we haven't seen the way Thomas did. This is the essence of faith, when the undeniable meets the unexplainable. We may not be able to explain the resurrection, but it is undeniable. We read the stories of the witnesses, even skeptics like Thomas. We read the stories John and the other gospel writers share about Jesus, and, hopefully, we believe and have life in his name. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, help me to believe
The Younger Brother of Thomas
Thomas really didn’t touch him.
I would have.
What can you prove just by looking?
Since when is seeing believing?
They killed my brother’s friend
That’s fact.
And Thomas just went crazy.
I was there.
It hurt me to hear him cry like that.
I don’t want to go crazy like Thomas has.
And then this story starts:
that Jesus isn’t dead,
that he has been seen
walking through walls,
showing up at supper time.
But nobody, nobody had touched him.
Thomas didn’t buy it.
I wouldn’t have either.
Never listen to an eyewitness.
Get the facts firsthand.
Don't settle for someone
you can’t get a hold of.
But then this ghost or hoax appeared
and called his name.
Thomas took one look
and thought that he’d seen God
He really didn't touch him, see.
But doubting Thomas believes.
It would take more than that
to convince me.
Doubting runs in the family.
Heather Murray Elkins
Thomas really didn’t touch him.
I would have.
What can you prove just by looking?
Since when is seeing believing?
They killed my brother’s friend
That’s fact.
And Thomas just went crazy.
I was there.
It hurt me to hear him cry like that.
I don’t want to go crazy like Thomas has.
And then this story starts:
that Jesus isn’t dead,
that he has been seen
walking through walls,
showing up at supper time.
But nobody, nobody had touched him.
Thomas didn’t buy it.
I wouldn’t have either.
Never listen to an eyewitness.
Get the facts firsthand.
Don't settle for someone
you can’t get a hold of.
But then this ghost or hoax appeared
and called his name.
Thomas took one look
and thought that he’d seen God
He really didn't touch him, see.
But doubting Thomas believes.
It would take more than that
to convince me.
Doubting runs in the family.
Heather Murray Elkins
Imaging the Word An Arts and Lectionary Resource, Volume 2