Thomas, also known as Didymus

 

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 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.” 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.” 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.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:24–29 ESV).

 

I have a bit of difficulty with Thomas’s doubt. Perhaps that’s simply because I came to my faith later in life. I often wonder how he could have seen all that Jesus did and not believed. However, he didn’t. Further, for reasons we are not told, he wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus first visited them after his resurrection, so he hadn’t seen Jesus firsthand. Maybe he should have taken the disciples’ word for it when they told him they had seen Jesus. Maybe he should have had more faith. Or maybe he was just an untrusting sort of person. Whatever the case, Thomas said he just couldn’t believe Jesus was alive until he saw Jesus for himself.

 

Jesus’ gentleness and kindness in dealing with Thomas’ doubt is so encouraging. When Jesus came again and Thomas could see him, Jesus was patient with Thomas. Jesus even showed Thomas what he said he needed to see to believe. But Jesus also noted that all who believe without seeing him will be blessed. Today that includes us. Belief without seeing is the nature of our faith much of the time. We probably won’t see Christ in person until we join him in eternity. Until then, though, we believe even though we have not seen.

 

We are called to have faith in Jesus for who he is, all he has done, and all he has promised. We believe because others have seen, because others have witnessed, and because their testimony is in God’s Word to us, along with all of God’s promises. We believe because the Spirit of God guides us into the truth of God’s Word and gives us faith (cf. John 16:7-15; Ephesians 2:6-10). And in believing we are blessed.

 

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:24–27 ESV).

 

Mary, the mother of Jesus, has a special history for many reasons. I’ve always thought her courage and strength were only surpassed by her faith in God. She had an important job raising the son of God. Sometimes simply thinking about boggles my mind. I know what it is like to raise a son, actually three of them, and it is an incredible task. Hers was an unexpected pregnancy, probably the most unexpected pregnancy in the history of civilization. She was a virgin who was told by an angel that she was going to be a mother, that her child was going to change the world and that she would have her heart broken. She likely was no more than 14 or 15 years old at this time in her life. And Nazareth in 1 B.C. wasn’t exactly an encouraging place for an unwed mother. I am sure there was a lot of criticism and gossip at the time. Even Joseph was ready to leave her until God stepped in and explained the situation. Yet she persevered. I wonder what thoughts she must have had standing at the cross watching her son in agony, dying.

 

Jesus’ entire ministry was characterized by selfless acts. Healing sick people, feeding hungry people, taking the role of a servant, and even raising the dead were major parts of his ministry of bringing the good news of God’s love for us all. Jesus was always looking out for others and putting them and their needs ahead of his own. So we shouldn’t be surprised that as he hung on the cross he was still thinking about others.

 

Jesus’ mother, Mary, stood by helplessly, watching her son die on a cross. No doubt, she wept with the others who stood with her. And while Jesus neared death, he reached out to make sure that she would be taken care of. He told the disciple that he loved (John) that he should take Mary into his home and treat her as his own mother and that Mary should treat John as her own son.

 

We can learn so much from her reaction. The pain was real. Jesus’ death was excruciatingly real. Her son died before her eyes in the cruelest of ways being completely innocent of all wrong. Yet, as she naturally grieved, she did what she knew to do. She trusted her son as he told her to lean on John and hoped. We have so much more evidence for our hope today. In your trials, take a step and trust in the direction Jesus is leading you. 

The Centurion and the Guards at the Cross

 

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Then the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50–54 ESV).

 

Have you ever seen something that was so amazing you were tempted to think it couldn’t be real? With the capability of Artificial Intelligence and its near universal availability, that is a question that often pops to mind. Sometimes things seem so astonishing that it is hard to believe. However, once I determine it is real, I feel compelled to tell others about it. Such is the case of the NASA mission of Artemis II. The picture I’ve attached today was taken from inside the space capsule as Christina Koch views Earth from Orion. It is the moment when Artemis II mission specialist Koch looks at Earth from the window of the Orion spacecraft on its way to the Moon during the Artemis II mission. At the time, Christina was already farther away than any woman has ever been from our planet. To think of it and to see it is simply astonishing.

 

This is what Matthew describes in our reading today. The Centurion and the guards assigned to execute Jesus and the two thieves that day witnessed something so astonishing, they were compelled to declare exactly who Jesus was. That was the reaction of the centurion and the guards who watched over Jesus’ execution. They saw everything that happened to him. And after everything had happened—after Jesus had given up his spirit—they couldn’t help declaring exactly who Jesus was.

 

Encountering Jesus has that effect on people still today. When Jesus shows up in our lives and does something miraculous or we are able to see the work of his Spirit through an individual or a community, we can’t help sharing that good news with everyone we meet. Not all of us may be able to think of something quickly but today would be a good day to spend a bit of time pondering the miraculous in your life. I’m always drawn to the birth of our children and grandchildren. There is no lack of the miraculous in those events. And, then those thoughts take me to so many more. God’s work among us is always present!

 

The Chief Priests and Scribes

 

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 20:17–19 ESV).

 

Today we shift from one character to a group of people who surrounded Jesus in those last days before the crucifixion and resurrection. The Chief priests and scribes were the primary Jewish religious and legal authorities in the Gospels, often acting together to oppose Jesus. As part of the Sanhedrin, they managed temple worship, interpreted Mosaic Law, and sought to kill Jesus because they perceived his ministry as a threat to their authority and feared the people. The Chief Priests were mostly Sadducees, these leading priests (including the High Priest) oversaw the Temple and held significant political power. The Scribes, on the other hand were the experts in the Law of Moses and often associated with the Pharisees, they served as teachers, theologians, and legal experts. While they were knowledgeable about scripture, they used their authority to challenge, trap, and ultimately try Jesus, leading to his crucifixion.

 

Jesus had set out for Jerusalem, even though he knew what would happen there. He knew there would be confrontations with the chief priests and teachers of the law, who were looking for a reason to arrest and kill him. If he stayed away from Jerusalem, he might have avoided that outcome, at least for a while. But he had come to follow his Father’s plan, and that involved going to Jerusalem, facing the religious leaders, and submitting to his eventual sentencing, torture, and death.

 

It may surprise us that the religious leaders opposed Jesus. In many ways, sadly, they were responsible for his death. They thought they were in the right, but they were not. The lesson for us here is to make sure we do what is right. At times when we think we are following God’s will, we are not. We might think we are close to Jesus, but we can be far off.

 

Discernment is a difficult task, but it is one that we are called to every day. Let’s pray for help in discerning what is right and who we are called to be.

 

Mary Magdalene

 

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. (John 20:1–9 ESV).

 

Mary Magdalene is a prominent figure in the New Testament, recognized as one of Jesus' most devoted followers and the first witness to his resurrection. Often called the "Apostle to the Apostles," she played a crucial role in early Christianity, though her legacy has been the subject of significant historical debate and misconception. The Gospels describe Mary as a woman from whom Jesus cast out "seven demons". Following this healing, she traveled with Jesus, supporting his ministry financially along with other women of means. While many of Jesus’ male disciples fled during his arrest and execution, Mary Magdalene remained at the foot of the cross until his death and witnessed his burial. All four canonical gospels agree she was the first, or among the first, to discover the empty tomb on Easter morning. In the Gospel of John, she is the first person to encounter the risen Christ, who then commissions her to tell the other disciples.

 

That morning of Jesus’ resurrection, Mary Magdalene went to visit his tomb early—and when she saw the stone rolled away, she quickly went to tell Jesus’ disciples. They came and saw and then returned to where they were staying. But Mary couldn’t leave. She was overcome with sorrow about Jesus’ death and couldn’t imagine life without him. So she lingered in the garden and wept.

 

Through her tears she saw two angels in the tomb. She explained why she was crying, and then she turned around and saw Jesus there but didn’t recognize him. It’s hard to know why she didn’t recognize him. Maybe her vision was clouded by tears. Maybe Jesus’ resurrected body was somehow different. Whatever the reason, she mistook him for the gardener and asked where Jesus’ body had been taken. And Jesus simply called her by name: “Mary.”

 

Her story ought to challenge us. We often encounter Jesus and don’t recognize him. Maybe we are talking with a person in need. Maybe someone is calling us to repentance. Maybe someone is showing us kindness or grace. Or maybe Jesus is present in a random event. Maybe our vision is clouded by busyness or worry, fear, or inattention. But then Jesus, who knows everything about us, gets our attention, and we immediately know he is there. We can tell that he loves us and is always with us. We know that his grace is for us, and that he calls us to follow him in everything we do.

 

I encourage you to pay closer attention to the encounters of your journey. Don’t miss the work of Jesus in your life!

 

Pontious Pilate

 

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (Matthew 27:17–26 ESV).

 

Pilate is a puzzling character in the story of Jesus’ death. He was the Roman governor of Judea, and he directly oversaw Jesus’ trial and handed him over to be crucified. But it seems that he also tried to do what he could to avoid sentencing Jesus. He asked several times what crime Jesus was actually accused of, and he tried to make use of a custom in which the governor would release a prisoner of the people’s choice during the Passover festival. But the people wanted another prisoner released and they wanted Jesus crucified. Pilate’s wife even warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus because of a dream she had had. In the end Pilate tried symbolically to wash his hands of the whole thing and proclaim his own innocence in the matter.

 

Still, Pilate was responsible for his actions. He knew that Jesus wasn’t guilty and that he shouldn’t be crucified, but he let it happen anyway. In the face of pressure, he did what the crowd wanted, not what he knew was right. I wonder how often we do the same thing? We know what we need to do, even if it isn’t the culturally acceptable thing. All too often we merely go along with the crowd, giving in to pressure, and we do what we know is wrong. Since we have the presence of the Holy Spirit residing within our hearts, and because of all that Jesus has done for us, we can make a different choice. We can stand up for what is right, even if it isn’t the common wisdom of our day.

 

Judas Iscariot

 

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14–16 ESV).

 

Today I’ve chosen Judas Iscariot as a person who was around Jesus. He was one of the twelve original apostles of Jesus, best known for his ultimate betrayal of Jesus in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. His name has since become a global synonym for betrayal and treachery. His surname "Iscariot" is often interpreted as "man from Kerioth," a town in southern Judah. This likely made him the only non-Galilean among the apostles. He was also the treasurer within the group. Serving as the treasurer, he managed their common funds. However, the Gospel of John notes he was dishonest and would steal from the money bag (cf. John 12:6). According to the Gospels, Judas identified Jesus to a crowd sent by the Sanhedrin by kissing him on the cheek in the Garden of Gethsemane.

 

I often wonder what really motivated Judas to betray Jesus. After all, he had been with Jesus for three years and seen and heard all that Jesus had taught and done. I wonder if it was simply greed, or the desire for power? Perhaps he had been hoping for an important place in Jesus’ kingdom, then learned that Jesus wasn’t about worldly power, and then decided to switch sides and join Jesus’ enemies for a chance at power with them. It could have been altruistic, as in knowing what Jesus had to do—go to the cross and die—and then trying to help that along. Or did Judas perhaps simply not like Jesus and the other disciples and decide he was done with it all? We don’t really know.

 

Even asking these questions draws me to wonder about my own motivations too. Why do I follow Jesus? Why do I do anything that I do on a daily basis? It’s important for all of us to examine our motivations from time to time. We need to look at the things we do and make sure we are doing them for the right reasons. Being motivated by love, care, compassion, or purpose is good. Being motivated by greed, personal ambition, or hate is not.

 

As you ponder the life of Judas, perhaps it is a good time to look into your heart. What makes you do the things you do? Certainly, we have seen God’s name attached to many things in this day of ours that has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to change what needs to be changed and bless your effort in ministry.