Easter 2B John 20:19-31 "Thomas, Doubt, and a Call to Ministry?"

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 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 retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Jesus and Thomas

24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin[a]), one of the twelve, 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 the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, 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. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt 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 come to believe.”

Exactly what just happened?

More happened at Easter than we often realize.  This passage that is well known for the story of doubting Thomas is an important story not just because it deals with Thomas' skepticism and faith, but because it is another part of scripture where the church is being established as the new people of God, and the authority of ministry coming from Jesus to the church is taking shape. 

The ordaining of the holy offices of the church

There are three passages in particular, that are narrative and that express Jesus authorization of the church office of ordained ministry; in Matt 16, when Peter confesses Jesus as Messiah, at the upper room when Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and in this passage after Easter, when Jesus first appears to the twelve.   Different denominations call the ordained ministry by different names; whether it is holy orders, or the holy office of the keys, or in our Presbyterian church, "ordered ministries", all of these express that position of spiritual leadership in the church that is ecclesiastical.  In Reformed circles there are three, pastor's, elders and deacons.  Minister's of Word and Sacrament also called teaching elders, along with ruling elders are both called 'presbyters'.  We in the Presbyterian church are quick to point out that ruling elders are not called such because they 'lord' it over the church, but because we are called to a position of service and governance.  It is to the measuring the work of the church and overseeing the progress of the gospel in the life of the church.  Every Christian is called to a common ministry of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are all empowered as disciples of Jesus to share with others our experience of seeing the living Christ.  The task to proclaim the forgiveness of sins is given to the church, in the name of Christ.  This does not come from any authority that Thomas or the others had in themselves, but only from the authority derived by Jesus.

When Jesus came to the disciples, he calls them, he gives them his peace, he gives them the Spirit, and he commissions them to proclaim the forgiveness fo sins.   He "ordains" them to their work, the proclamation of God's forgiveness of sins to the world.   From this perspective, Thomas may not have believed because he saw Jesus's wounds, but because the Spirit gave him the gift of faith through his encounter with Jesus.  He was called and commissioned to be among those to carry the message of God's forgiveness to the world. For all Christians, and for those in ordered ministries, it is in the power of the Spirit alone, and from the authority that stems from Christ alone that we minister in service to the world.  

The rest of the story of Thomas

Oral tradition says that indeed Thomas did just that.  Going to India and maybe even as far as Indonesia, Thomas spread the gospel of Jesus baptizing Christians and is said to be the founders of the Thomas Christians of India.  He is said to have died a martyr, but importantly is how he lived, in the faith and peace of the Spirit and faithful to his commission by Jesus.  This is an opportunity for all Christian leaders in the church to reflect on our calling.  Whether we were ready for the call or not, when we took up the task of being an ordained leader in the church of Jesus we were not just taking a volunteer position or a chair on a board, rectory, or council.  We were not just signing up to do visits or acts of charity although all those are aspects of the call.  We were called to bring the living Christ into the lives of others, and into our own lives, to represent Christ on this earth, and through his power and his authority alone, proclaim God's love, forgiveness and mercy to a hurting world.  That is just the beginning of the message of Easter.