Second Sunday of Easter, cycle C

 John 20:19 - 31

There is a science called “heuristics''. It’s very important in bible study; it’s the attempt to get back to the original meaning of the text -- not only what the words meant originally, but what the audience heard. So heuristics means that we have to know what was going on historically, what pressures the audience felt; and we need to know what the words meant to the writer and to the audience. And that brings us to the story in John about the first and second appearances of Christ to his apostles.

The first thing to notice is that the doors were locked, for fear of the Jews. According to John, Jesus simply appeared in their midst. But he does more than that, he shows them his hands and his feet. They see the nail holes. And then he performs a god-like act -- he breathes on them and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit. This reminds us of how God breathed life into clay when he formed Adam. He also gives them the power to forgive sin -- a power only God has and only God can give.

John’s gospel account next moves to a week later when Thomas, who was not there originally, is now present and is doubting what his brother apostles are telling him. And at that point Jesus appears and offers Thomas what he said it would take to be convinced, to believe. After Thomas says, “My Lord and my God '' -- and this is the first time a human being has called him God -- Jesus tells Thomas “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” And our gospel goes on to give us the whole reason it was written -- so that you may come to believe, and through that belief you may have life in his name.

Now this is where heuristics is helpful. The original Greek has the apostles saying “We have been seeing the Lord!” Thomas did not just go out for coffee while Jesus appeared; he probably temporarily left the community out of discouragement. But discouraged or not, he makes the decision to return. That’s why the author tells us that Thomas was “with” them. He

Has missed out on the appearances, and being from Missouri, is not going to take anyone’s word for this. After all, didn’t Jesus promise all kinds of things and here he was, crucified, dead and as far as Thomas knew, still in the tomb. I suspect Thomas was sort of saying “I won’t be fooled twice.” But again, his mind doesn’t believe, his heart is broken, but he believes with his feet. He returns to the community.,

And that is why Jesus offers his wounds to Thomas. Because it’s the only way Thomas can believe.

And what about that word “believe”? In Greek, it is pistou, which doesn’t translate easily

Into English. In fact in some places it is better translated as “trust”. In any event it doesn’t mean purely intellectual agreement - I believe two and two is four. Jesus wants Thomas to believe not just with his feet, but with his heart and with his mind as well. He wants Thomas to commit.

Jesus blesses you and I who believe without seeing -- that’s good. But again, Jesus is calling us to do more than agree that he rose from the dead. The author of the Gospel goes on to tell us the whole reason he wrote the book is so that you and I may come to believe, in this total way, that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, in this total way -- a way that makes a difference in our lives, because if it doesn’t make a difference, it doesn’t get us to life in His name.

You and I have been raised to believe that there is something we have to do in order to receive a reward. And yet, Jesus, over and over again, compares God to a father. A father doesn’t put conditions on what he does for his children. It’s the nature of a father to provide for his children. Even if a child divorces himself from his father, the father welcomes him back if he chooses to return. Sure, the scriptures tell us that it’s possible for someone to live a life that essentially tells God to get lost. We see that around us today. But in this story in the gospel of John, we see that whatever we need to believe, to trust -- Jesus will provide. In the meantime, like Thomas before the revelation of Jesus’ wounds, we need to have the faith of our feet, we need to stay with the assembly of the apostles, we need to live as though we believe even if it’s hard to do. Because this gospel tells us that Jesus will always,always, give us what we need to trust him, to believe in him, to give us life in his name.