Releasing and Retaining Brokenness

Below is a rough translation and some initial comments regarding John 20:19-29, the lectionary gospel reading for the second Sunday of Easter. There are two pericopes here: The first appearance, with its repetitious proclamations of peace; and the second appearance with the intriguing struggle of Thomas and doubt. I like to see the Thomas story as an instance of the early church community, empowered by the spirit to ‘release and retain’ brokenness. I hope that makes sense from the comments below.

For an essay on this text, you can click here.  

 

¹⁹ Οὔσης οὖν ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν 

κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων,ἦλθεν ὁ 

Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. 

Then - being evening on that first day of Sabbaths, and the doors having been shut, where the disciples were for fear of the Judeans - Jesus came and stood in the midst and says to them, “Peace to you.” 

Οὔσης: PAPart gfs, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

κεκλεισμένων: PerfPPart gfp, κλείω, 1) to shut, shut up

ἦσαν: IAI 3p, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἦλθεν: AAI 3s, ἔρχομαι, 1) to come 

ἔστη: AAI 3s, ἵστημι, 1) to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak 

1. Re: “first day of Sabbaths,” I’ll repeat this comment on last week’s text, as this phrase is repeated from v.1 and shows up in every gospel account of the resurrection (Mk. 16:2, Mt.28:1, Lk.24:1): If you google the phrase, prepare yourself for all manner of conspiracy-theorist venom. The phrase is typically translated as “the first day of the week,” which – according to the venom – is an anti-Semitic means of hiding the Jewish roots of Christianity. A kindlier interpretation – which recognizes that lexicons and commentaries are all written from and shaped by some manner of perspective, and that some of those perspectives were indeed tainted with anti-Semitism – could be something like this: We may be looking at a colloquial expression that we can only make sense of by seeing its use in NT and contemporary sources, then guessing what the pattern is. So, e.g., when the Pharisee in 18:12 says, “I fast twice a Sabbath,” it would seem that “Sabbath” can mean “week,” as opposed to this man boasting that he fasts twice in one day. If “Sabbath” can mean “week,” then interpreting our verse to say “on the first day of the week,” is not an attempt to erase the Sabbaths from the story, but to figure out the meaning of the colloquial expression and express it meaningfully today.  

2. The verb is supplied in the common translation of Jesus’ words as “Peace be with you.” 

3. Whether we include the implied verb or not, it is worth taking the time to hold the question, what happens when Jesus says, “Peace be with you”? Does peace actually occur in the pronouncement of it? If we “pass the peace” during worship and say those words also, is something real and effectual happening, or are we just more or less greeting one another with a hopeful, Jesusy greeting? If the origin of “hello” was “hallowed be” and of “goodbye” was “God be with you,” are we just expressing kind thoughts or are we pronouncing something that is? We modern folk tend to be nominalists, imagining words to be no more than sounds that function as signs pointing to meaning. While I haven’t done the work to be dogmatic about it, it seems that, in the Scriptures, words can be full, powerful pronouncements, like blessing and cursing. Or they can be empty and superficial.  

 

²⁰ καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῖς. ἐχάρησαν οὖν 

οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν κύριον. 

And having said this he showed the hands and side to them.  Then, the disciples were overjoyed having seen the Lord. 

εἰπὼν:  AAPart nms, λέγω, to say, to speak 

ἔδειξεν: AAI 3s, δεικνύω, to show, exhibit

ἐχάρησαν: API 3p, χαίρω, 1) to rejoice, be glad  2) to rejoice exceedingly  3) to be well, thrive  4) in salutations, hail!  5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute

ἰδόντες: AAPart nmp, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know

1. Jesus shows the disciples his scars and it moves them from φόβον (v.19, fear) to χαίρω (rejoice). This is a key moment, not only with respect to what follows with Thomas, but with respect to the key role that ‘seeing’ plays in John’s story. One example is the story that immediately precedes this story, when the Beloved Disciple went into the tomb and saw and believed (καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἐπίστευσεν, v.8). 

2. I consider it one of the gifts of the Christian tradition that every gospel account of the resurrection includes Jesus’ scars. Perhaps one role of the scars is to rebut docetic arguments that Jesus did not really suffer and die on the cross, but only appeared to do so. For me, it is less a matter of “proof” and more a matter of telling the story with authenticity and hope – Friday really did happen, but there is more. 

 

²¹ εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς [ὁ Ἰησοῦς] πάλιν, Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν: καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέν με ὁ 

πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς.  

Then [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace to you; just as the father has sent me, I also send you.”  

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, to say, to speak 

ἀπέσταλκέν: PerfAI, 3sg ἀποστέλλω to order (one) to go to a place appointed   

πέμπω: PAI, 1sg ἀποστέλλω to order (one) to go to a place appointed 

1. There are numerous references throughout John’s gospel to Jesus having been “sent” by God. Most notably it is repeated in Jesus’ prayer in c.17. 

2. This verse has become a key verse for those who speak of the church as a “missional” body. While autocorrect will have to be tamed to accept the word “missional,” the idea of the church as a sent and sending body, participating in the ‘missio dei’ (mission of God), is profound. It takes the emphasis of ‘sending’ away from a mission committee or other specialized group and makes it part of the church’s DNA.  

 

²² καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησεν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Λάβετε πνεῦμα ἅγιον: 

And having said this, he breathed and says to them, “Receive a holy spirit.”

εἰπὼν: AAPart, nms λέγω, to say, to speak 

ἐνεφύσησεν: AAI 3sg, ἐμφυσάω, to blow or breathe upon 

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω, to say, to speak 

Λάβετε: AAImpv 2p, λαμβάνω, 1) to take  

1. The lexicons greekbible.com and the Zondervan Analytical Greek Lexicon say that ἐνεφύσησεν (breathed) is rooted in the verb ἐμφυσάω, which, thebible.org says, “[has] in view the primary meaning of the words רוּחַ and πνεῦμα.” I’ll have to take that as true, but the aorist singular form here, ἐνεφύσησεν, looks like the root could be νεφύσ, which sounds like a transliteration of the Hebrew nephesh, the word for soul/mind. Would one of you Hebrew scholars help me make this connection or disabuse me of it? 

2. If this word is etymologically related to πνεῦμα, then it would be consistent to make Jesus’ words, “Receive a holy breath.” “Breath” is always a possible choice for πνεῦμα.

3. Regarding the spirit, see John 7:38-39: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' Now he said this about the spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” In our pericope, Jesus has been “glorified” and breathes the spirit to them. To get a fuller sense of what John means by “glorify,” see the stories of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in c.13 and Jesus’ prayer in c.17, both of which have repeated references to it. In the next chapter, Jesus speaks of how Simon Peter will “glorify” God through his death.

4. Here is an interesting pattern: 

19: “Peace to you” 

20: “Having said this, …” 

21: “Peace to you” 

22: “Having said this, …” 

 

²³ ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀφέωνται αὐτοῖς, ἄν τινων κρατῆτε 

κεκράτηνται. 

If you would release the sins of any, they are released to them; if you would retain, they are retained.   

ἀφῆτε: AASubj 2p, ἀφίημι, 1) to send away  1a) to bid going away or depart  1a1) of a husband divorcing his wife  1b) to send forth, yield up, to expire  1c) to let go, let alone, let be  1c1) to disregard  1c2) to leave, not to discuss now, (a topic)  1c21) of teachers, writers and speakers  1c3) to omit, neglect  1d) to let go, give up a debt, forgive, to remit

ἀφέωνται: PerfPI 3p, ἀφίημι (see above)

κρατῆτε: PASubj 2p, κρατέω, 1) to have power, be powerful  1a) to be chief, be master of, to rule  2) to get possession of  2a) to become master of, to obtain  2b) to take hold of  2c) to take hold of, take, seize

κεκράτηνται: PerfPI 3p κρατέω (see above)

1. The word ἀφίημι is often translated “forgive,” especially when it is used in relation to “sin” (ἁμαρτία). But, as one can see above, the potential definitions are quite varied and ‘forgive’ is not among the first choices. It may be that in the later Christian church we have a more moralistic understanding of ‘sin’ than in the first century. What if ἁμαρτία means “brokenness,” rather than some kind of moral failing, often associated with ‘sin’? What would be the meaning of Jesus’ gathered followers having the spirit and power to “release” or “retain” brokenness? 

2. This seems to be the whole point of receiving the holy breath/spirit from Jesus – to release or to retain ἁμαρτία. Is this John’s version of the church’s commission? It is certainly not in the imperative voice, implying that the church is sent to go and release sins or to retain sins. It is in the subjunctive mood – “if you do this, this happens; if you do that, that happens.” It may be less of a commissioning and more of a statement, even a warning – “This holy breath empowers you to do this, or to do that.” 

 

²⁴ Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν ὅτε 

ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς. 

But Thomas, one out of the twelve, who is called the twin, was not being with them when Jesus came. 

λεγόμενος: PPPart nsm, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak  1a) affirm over, maintain  1b) to teach  1c) to exhort, advise, to command, direct  1d) to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say  1e) to call by name, to call, name 

ἦν: IAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἦλθεν: AAI 3s, ἔρχομαι, 1) to come 

1. This verse begins, in my view, the second story in our pericope.

2. One commentator suggests that, if we did not know Matthew and Luke, it would appear that Thomas is Jesus’ twin. I’m feeling a sequel to The Da Vinci Code coming.

3. Regarding my translation of Thomas “not being with them” see n.2 below. 

 

²⁵ ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί, Ἑωράκαμεν τὸν κύριον. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν 

αὐτοῖς, Ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καὶ βάλω μου τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὴν 

πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω. 

Then the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord.”  But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and insert my finger into the mark of the nails and insert my hand into his side, I will not believe.”  

ἔλεγον: IAI 3p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

Ἑωράκαμεν: PerfAI 1p ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἴδω: AASubj 1s, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know

βάλω: AASubj 1s, βάλλω, 1) to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls  ...  2) to put into, insert

πιστεύσω: AASubj 1s, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in  1a) of the thing believe 

1. Just to be clear, Mary had already told the disciples “I have seen the Lord” but they are overjoyed when they see the hands and side. In this story, the disciples say “We have seen the Lord,” but Thomas cannot accept it until he, too, sees the hands and side. To me, the point of this story is not that Thomas is the disbelieving holdout because he needs to see evidence before he believes. I think there is more to Thomas’ “doubt” than a lack of evidence. 

2. I’m curious about the use of the imperfect form of ‘to be’ (with a negative particle οὐκ ἦν, “was not being”) in v.24 and the imperfect form of ‘to say’ (ἔλεγον, “was saying”) in v.25. It would have been easy to use the aorist tense to say that Thomas was not with them, right at the moment that Jesus first arrived. But, by using the imperfect tense, John may be saying that Thomas was no longer with them when Jesus came the first time, as if he had given up on following Christ, with them, after the crucifixion. Likewise, if they had only said to Thomas, “While you were out getting bagels one day, Jesus came,” the aorist tense would suffice. But, the imperfect, “were saying” implies ongoing past action. Perhaps they were trying over and over to convince Thomas to return. Finally, Thomas threw down the gauntlet, “I’ll come back, but unless I see and touch, etc., I won’t believe it.” I guess I’m seeing the possibility that this was an extended conversation about Thomas’ participation in the community, and not just that Thomas happened to miss out on the first visit.  

2. Thomas makes seeing and touching prerequisites for believing. This pair of verbs returns in v. 29. 

3. The term βάλλω is a bit more than ‘to place’ something. It is the word that is used to throw, toss, and to cast, as in casting out demons. 

 

²⁶ Καὶ μεθ' ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ πάλιν ἦσαν ἔσω οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Θωμᾶς μετ' 

αὐτῶν. ἔρχεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον 

καὶ εἶπεν, Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. 

And on the eighth day again his disciples were inside and Thomas with them.  Jesus enters the locked doors and stood in the midst and said, “Peace to you.”  

ἦσαν: IAI 3p, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἔρχεται: PMI 3s, ἔρχομαι 1) to come  1a) of persons  1a1) to come from one place to another, and used both of  persons arriving and of those returning

κεκλεισμένων: PerfPassPart, gfpl, to lock, close up, shut

ἔστη: AAI 3s, ἵστημι, 1) to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set  1a) to bid to stand by, [set up]  1a1) in the presence of others,

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak 

1. I am translating ἔρχομαι as ‘enters’ instead of ‘comes’ because it is in the middle voice.

2. “and Thomas with them.” Thomas has been reconciled to the community. Perhaps the business of receiving the spirit for releasing and retaining is all about reconciling others to the community.  

 

²⁷ εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ, Φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε καὶ ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου, 

καὶ φέρε τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος 

ἀλλὰ πιστός. 

Then he says to Thomas, “Place your finger here and see my hand, and place your hand here and insert [it] onto my side, and do not become unbelieving but believing.” [or “do not be/become an unbeliever but a believer.”]  

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

Φέρε: PAImp 2s, φέρω, 1) to carry   1a) to carry some burden   1a1) to bear with one's self   1b) to move by bearing; move or, to be conveyed or borne, with   the suggestion of force or speed 

βάλε: AAImpv, 2s, βάλλω, 1) to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls ...  2) to put into, insert

γίνου: PMImp 2s, γίνομαι, 1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being  2) to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen

1. I strongly disagree with the NIV’s translation of Jesus last phrase as a separate sentence that reads, “Stop doubting and believe.” The words ἄπιστος  and πιστός are not verbs; they are adjectives, modifying the verb γίνομαι. (Or, they could be predicates. They are in the nominative case because because the verb γίνομαι can take a nominative predicate.) The verb γίνομαι is in the middle/passive voice, which is not uncommon in John’s gospel. Its primary meaning is ‘to become’ but it can simply mean ‘to be’ or it can take on many shades of meaning. This is the verb that the KJV often translates “it came to pass,” because it points to a state of being, rather than a particular action performed by a particular person. I don’t think γίνομαι really fits into our typical patterns of ‘active’ v. ‘passive’ v. ‘middle’ verbs, where the actor and action are clearly identified. In this case, however, γίνομαι is in the imperative mood, which we customarily see as a very direct demand of the actor/action. How do we reconcile the imperative mood with the nature of the verb γίνομαι and the middle/passive voice? I’m not entirely sure, but I do feel the NIV’s translation skips over the thickness of the words and grammar in order to present this as a dual command. 

 

²⁸ ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ,Ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου. 

Thomas answered and said to him, “My lord and my God.”  

ἀπεκρίθη: API 3s, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak 

1. The term “lord” seems to be a term that is often used to show respect, like “Señor” in Spanish. But, to declare Jesus “my Lord” might be Thomas’ way of declaring Jesus to be his ultimate ruler, as opposed to Caesar, for whom this term was often used. Moreover, to call Jesus “my God” would be blasphemous for a Jew. This is no small declaration. No wonder Thomas needed to work this through. If Thomas had left the community, this declaration could be his becoming (again) a disciple. 

 

²⁹ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Οτι ἑώρακάς με πεπίστευκας; μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες.

Jesus says to him, “You have seen me you have believed.  Blessed those who have not seen and who have believed.”  

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἑώρακάς: PerfAI, 2sg ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know

πεπίστευκας: PerfAI, 2sg πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in  1a) of the thing believed

ἰδόντες: AAPart npm, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know

πιστεύσαντες: AAPart npm, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in 1a) of the thing believed

1. Somewhere in the transmission of the Greek text, someone decided that the word ὁτι (“that” or “because”) should be capitalized and set off with a comma. That is not part of the original text, but an interpretive judgment that was made along the way. Likewise, the question mark is someone’s judgment that this is a question followed by a statement. However, ὁτι is often used as a way of setting up a quote and can go un-translated. If that were the case here, Jesus’ words could read as two statements: “You have seen me and have believed. Blessed those who have not seen and believed.” The reason I want to offer this possibility is to say that Thomas’ path may be one way of embracing Jesus, while the path facing John’s readers may be another way. By placing two statements side-by-side, perhaps the gospel is simply acknowledging that there are two authentic ways of embracing faith – one is through seeing and the other is through not seeing. In fact, the “blessing” that is conferred on those who will never see and touch Jesus’ body may be a way of assuring them that their path of not seeing or touching is as valid as Thomas’ path of seeing and touching. (One could argue that the “blessed” suggests the path of not seeing or touching is morevalid. If, however, the question asked by John’s readership is whether belief is possible at all without seeing or touching, then the “blessed” may not be privileging their path but assuring them that their path is equally valid.) 

2. There is no main verb in the latter part of this verse. Perhaps the verb ‘to be’ (“are”) is implied, because the οἱ follows the μακάριοι, making μακάριοι the subject and οἱ the predicate nominative. I guess. In any case, the οἱ is the definite article for “who have not seen and who believe.”  

3. This sentence is set up as a chiasm. But, a true chiasm would posit seeing and believing against not seeing and not believing. This one has seeing and believing, then not seeing and yet believing. I believe this is a dramatic ending to John, summarizing all that Jesus has said before about “seeing and believing,” both positive and negative. 

4. On this point, see the article, “The Faith of the Beloved Disciple and the Community of John 20”, by Brendan Byrne (Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Feb., 1985, p.89). One comment in particular sums up Byrne’s point, I think: “'Sign' faith is, of course, variously evaluated in John's Gospel. But where such faith is negatively rated (e.g., 2.23-24; 3.2-3; 4.45-48; 6.14-15; 7.3-7) the problem is not so much that a sign initiates the process of faith as that the preoccupation with the sign proceeds from purely human categories and needs in a way that obscures rather than serves the divine revelation in Jesus.”  

 

³⁰ Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν[αὐτοῦ], ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ: 

Indeed Jesus made many other signs in the presence of the disciples [of his], which are not having been written in this book; 

ἐποίησεν: AAI 3s, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc

ἔστιν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

γεγραμμένα: PerfPPart npm, γράφω, 1) to write, with reference to the form of the letters  1a) to delineate (or form) letters on a tablet, parchment,  paper, or other material

1. I wonder if this is an acknowledgement of other gospel texts. I’ve often felt that whoever wrote this gospel knew the Gospel of Mark to some extent. 

2. If nothing else, this verse shows that “signs” themselves are not an indication of weak faith. I worry that too many sermons coming out of this pericope imply that wanting or needing some sort of ‘sign’ to retain one’s faith is contrary to the gospel. John has a very layered and sophisticated approach to the relationship between signs and faith. 

 

³¹ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα πιστεύ[ς]ητε ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς 

τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ. 

yet these things have been written in order that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God, and in order that while believing you may have life in his name.  

γέγραπται: PeftPI 3p, γράφω, 1) to write, with reference to the form of the letters  1a) to delineate (or form) letters on a tablet, parchment,  paper, or other material

πιστεύ[ς]ητε: AASubj 2p, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in  1a) of the thing believed

πιστεύοντες: PAPart nmp, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in  1a) of the thing believed

ἔχητε: PASubj 2p, ἔχω, 1) to have, i.e. to hold  1a) to have (hold) in the hand, in the sense of wearing, to have  (hold) possession of the mind (refers to alarm, agitating  emotions, etc.), to hold fast keep, to have or comprise or  involve, to regard or consider or hold as  

1. The point of vv.30-31 seems to be building on the comment of v.29. The disciples saw signs and believed, but the readers do not have the signs of Jesus’ hands and side. Still, they can believe because they have these writings. Through them, John’s community can believe as authentically as the disciples and can have life just like the disciples. 

2. I think this is the original ending of John’s gospel, with c.21 as a later addition. 

 

Unscientific Concluding Postscript (with apologies to Soren)

We often think of "believing" as a matter of the head. There are "beliefs" to which we either ascribe or not. The idea is that we give thoughtful assent to them. Sometimes, we think of "believing" as a matter of the heart. The shading of the word "believing" as "trusting" would be an example - it is more than mental assent, but a reliance of some sort. 

 

To me, the Thomas story offers another option: "Believing" is mostly a matter of our feet. 

 

On the eve of Easter, Thomas was no longer being with the disciples. Who can blame him? The dream died and while there may be a lot to process, for all intents and purposes the fellowship of the believers is no longer necessary. So, Thomas walks. Perhaps misery loves company, but some of us prefer to deal with our misery alone. After Jesus' appearance, the disciples seek out Thomas and tell him that they have seen Jesus. Of course he is skeptical. They keep telling him with the kind of conviction a first-hand witness can offer, but he insists that he cannot rely on their testimony alone. He would need to see and touch for himself before he can accept it. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." 

 

But, Thomas joins them again. His head and his heart remain unconvinced, but he joins them. His feet are with them and they are walking the path again. To me, this may well be why Jesus washed their feet - because where we walk makes all the difference. There will be times when our head simply cannot wrap itself around the idea that God is making all things new. There will be times when our hearts are not courageous, but discouraged. Even so, we can "believe" with our feet, by walking with the community, letting those who have the capacity to sing the faith sing while we are silent, letting those who can praise praise, while we can only lament. I tell my own children often, "Doubt all you want. That is often the path to believing. But, the best place to doubt is right here among the church."  

 

Joh 1:7           ...men through him might believe.

Joh 1:12         ...of God, even to them that believe on his name...

Joh 1:50         ...the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see...

Joh 2:11         ...and his disciples believed on him.

Joh 2:22         ...unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and...

Joh 2:23         ...feast day, many believed in his name...

Joh 2:24         But Jesus did not commit himself unto them...

Joh 3:12         ...earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall...

Joh 3:12         ...believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell...

Joh 3:15         That whosoever believeth in him should...

Joh 3:16         ...Son, that whosoever believeth in him should...

Joh 3:18         He that believeth on him is...

Joh 3:18         ...not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned...

Joh 3:18         ...condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name...

Joh 3:36         He that believeth on the Son...

Joh 4:21         ...unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour...

Joh 4:39         ...of that city believed on him for...

Joh 4:41         And many more believed because of his...

Joh 4:42         ...the woman, Now we believe, not because of...

Joh 4:48         ...signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

Joh 4:50         ...And the man believed the word that...

Joh 4:53         ...liveth: and himself believed, and his whole...

Joh 5:24         ...my word, and believeth on him that...

Joh 5:38         ...sent, him ye believe not.

Joh 5:44         How can ye believe, which receive honor...

Joh 5:46         For had ye believed Moses, ye would...

Joh 5:46         ...ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he...

Joh 5:47         But if ye believe not his writings...

Joh 5:47         ...his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Joh 6:29         ...of God, that ye believe on him whom...

Joh 6:30         ...may see, and believe thee? what dost...

Joh 6:35         ...never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall...

Joh 6:36         ...seen me, and believe not.

Joh 6:40         ...the Son, and believeth on him, may...

Joh 6:47         ...say unto you, He that believeth on me hath...

Joh 6:64         ...of you that believe not. For Jesus...

Joh 6:64         ...who they were that believed not, and who...

Joh 6:69         And we believe and are sure...

Joh 7:5           For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Joh 7:31         ...of the people believed on him, and...

Joh 7:38         He that believeth on me, as...

Joh 7:39         ...the Spirit, which they that believe on him should...

Joh 7:48         Have any ... Pharisees believed on him?

Joh 8:24         ...sins: for if ye believe not that I...

Joh 8:30         ...these words, many believed on him.

Joh 8:31         ...to those Jews which believed on him, If...

Joh 8:45         ...you the truth, ye believe me not.

Joh 8:46         ...the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Joh 9:18         But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that...

Joh 9:35         ...said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son...

Joh 9:36         ...he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

Joh 9:38         ...he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped...

Joh 10:25       ...told you, and ye believed not: the works...

Joh 10:26       But ye believe not, because ye...

Joh 10:37       ...of my Father, believe me not.

Joh 10:38       ...I do, though ye believe not me, believe...

Joh 10:38       ...believe not me, believe the works: that...

Joh 10:38       ...may know, and believe, that the Father...

Joh 10:42       And many believed on him there...

Joh 11:15       ...to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us...

Joh 11:25       ...and the life: he that believeth in me, though...

Joh 11:26       ...whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall...

Joh 11:26       ...shall never die. Believest thou this?

Joh 11:27       ...Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art...

Joh 11:40       ...thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see...

Joh 11:42       ...said it, that they may believe that thou hast...

Joh 11:45       ...which Jesus did, believed on him.

Joh 11:48       ...alone, all men will believe on him: and...

Joh 12:11       ...went away, and believed on Jesus.

Joh 12:36       ...ye have light, believe in the light...

Joh 12:37       ...before them, yet they believed not on him...

Joh 12:38       ...spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and...

Joh 12:39       ...they could not believe, because that Isaiah...

Joh 12:42       ...rulers also many believed on him; but...

Joh 12:44       ...cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth...

Joh 12:44       ...believeth on me, believeth not on me...

Joh 12:46       ...world, that whosoever believeth on me should...

Joh 12:47       ...my words, and believe not, I judge...

Joh 13:19       ...come to pass, ye may believe that I am...

Joh 14:1         ...heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe...

Joh 14:1         ...believe in God, believe also in me...

Joh 14:10       Believest thou not that I...

Joh 14:11       Believe me that I...

Joh 14:11       ...me: or else believe me for the...

Joh 14:12       ...say unto you, He that believeth on me, the...

Joh 14:29       ...come to pass, ye might believe.

Joh 16:9         Of sin, because they believe not on me...

Joh 16:27       ...loved me, and have believed that I came...

Joh 16:30       ...thee: by this we believe that thou camest...

Joh 16:31       Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

Joh 17:8         ...from thee, and they have believed that thou didst...

Joh 17:20       ...alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through...

Joh 17:21       ...that the world may believe that thou hast...

Joh 19:35       ...true, that ye might believe.

Joh 20:8         ...he saw, and believed.

Joh 20:25       ...into his side, I will not believe.

Joh 20:29       ...hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they...

Joh 20:29       ...seen, and yet have believed.

Joh 20:31       ...are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is...

Joh 20:31       ...God; and that believing ye might have...

 

 

PARTNERSHIP IN EASTER FAITH: THE ROLE OF MARY MAGDALENE AND THOMAS IN JOHN 20 

Dorothy A, Lee 

United Faculty of Theology, Melbourne Victoria, Australia 3052 

http://search.atlaonline.com/pls/eli/ec.pdfapp.showpdf?myaid=ATLA0000898061

This article examines the narrative of John 20 and, in particular, the characterization of Mary Magdalene and Thomas. It argues that the two stories function in a literary partnership that encircles the giving of the Spirit. In parallel episodes, Mary Magdalene and Thomas engage in the struggle for understanding and come to Easter faith. Magdalene is not a weak, helpless woman moving blindly from one misapprehension to another, nor is Thomas a pessimistic character prone to existential doubt. Just as Magdalene is a witness to the resurrection and announces its meaning, so Thomas brings that faith to a climax and acts as a bridge for future believers. Their faith-struggle involves misunderstanding that is to be read in positive rather than negative terms. The implied reader identifies with the struggle and, through the centripetal force of the narrative, is drawn into the presence of the Spirit.

 

 

The Structure of John 20 

The narrative of John 20 can be divided into three scenes, with a conclusion. The central scene is Jesus' gift of the Spirit, framed on either side by individual encounters with the risen Christ: first Mary Magdalene, then Thomas. Both stories form an inclusio around the central scene which exercises a centripetal power on the narrative. The time and place for each scene is set:

 

a At the empty tomb on Easter morning (w. 1-18) 

Magdalene finds the tomb empty. The two male disciples come to the tomb and return home. Magdalene encounters the risen Christ at the tomb; and receives the apostolic commission 

b In a room in Jerusalem on Easter night (w. 19-23) 

The risen one comes to the waiting disciples and shows his 

wounds.  He gives them the gift of peace (twice); the commission for mission; and the life-giving, empowering Spirit 

a¹ In a room in Jerusalem one week later (w. 24-29) 

Thomas is absent on Easter night.  He does not believe the testimony of the others;

encounters the risen Christ one week later, and, through confession of faith, opens the way for future believers, 

c Summation of the Gospel ( w. 30-31)

 

This is a very good article! 

 

 

http://search.atlaonline.com/pls/eli/ec.pdfapp.showpdf?myaid=ATLA0000765053

 

REGINALD H. FULLER 

Professor of New Testament Virginia Theological Seminary 

We are dealing here, then, not with a historical report, but with a pre-Gospel appearance story redacted by the Evangelist. Its intention is not to narrate history, but to proclaim an aspect of the gospel message. 

Such considerations pose a frequently felt dilemma for the modern preacher who has been schooled in the historical-critical method and has done his exegetical homework. He feels embarrassed to stand up in the pulpit and say things like "Jesus appeared in the upper room on Eastern Sunday evening" because he feels Bultmann breathing down his neck, and knows that Jesus probably appeared to the disciples by the lake of Galilee some days later! And he feels equally embarrassed to say to his congregation, Jesus did not really appear in the upper room on Easter Sunday evening; this is a tradition that grew up in the oral period (or as a result of the Evangelist's redaction, as the case may be). What is he to do? I would suggest that the pulpit is not the place to convey the results of historical-critical scholarship, but the place to proclaim the word of God. The tradition or the Evangelist or both used the form of historical narrative not for history's sake, but in order to convey kerygmatic truth. The preacher can therefore equally use the form of historical narrative for the same purpose. His purpose will not be to tell the people what actually happened. Thus he will not elaborate the story with graphic detail on the one hand, nor will he seek to harmonize John's appearance story with other parts of the New Testament (e. g., he will not say that the disciples were meeting in the same upper room as they met for the Last Supper, or were later to assemble in prayer for Pentecost). He will be as sparse in historical narration as the text itself, and concentrate on the proclamation of which it is the vehicle. Thus in words which Reinhold Niebuhr once applied to the use of biblical myths, he has to be a deceiver and yet true. Or to put it another way, the preacher has to achieve what Paul Ricoeur in a somewhat different connection called a second naïveté. 

IV 

Back to the Pericope 

To return at last to our pericope : the preacher will seek to put himself and his hearers in the position of the disciples behind those closed doors. He will try to define some situation of theirs which is analogous to that of the disciples with their craven fear of the "Jews." Remember that the "Jews" in the Fourth Gospel— it might be better to refer to them as "Judaeans" for there is nothing anti-Semitic here—stand for the unbelieving world. There is a widespread feeling of demoralization among Christians today, much of it due to the change which is characteristic of all history, and some of it due to the invasion of the ideological notions and ethical standards from the outside world, and the consequent erosion of Christian identity. The preacher will be able to pin-point such concerns at the local level and put his congregation in the situation of the disciples after Good Friday. Into this situation the resurrected one appeared. So too he appears when the Christians gather together today on the first day of the week. As then, he appears saying, "Peace be with you." Such peace is more than the cessation of strife, more too than inner calmness of spirit. It is the peace which is the fruit of Christ's victory over the powers of evil (we assume that the preacher will have done his word study here). "He showed them his hands and side." This should not lead to speculation about the mode of the resurrected body, whether it was spiritual or physical (that in any case is not the primary focus of Pentecost), but to a contemplation of the identity of the risen One with the crucified. This is important for Pentecost, because the gift of the Spirit is precisely the gift of the crucified and risen One. Does that not speak to our current situation in the churches? There is much discussion today about the Spirit—of charismatic enthusiasm and spiritual gifts. This is all to the good. But we must be careful not to think of the Spirit apart from Jesus, apart from the crucified and risen One. The Spirit is not some vague amorphous religious enthusiasm. We must not become Unitarians of the third person. As John's Gospel has earlier explained in the farewell discourses (and we have read from them during the previous Sundays of the Easter season ) the work of the Spirit is closely related to the work of Jesus. "He shall take of mine and shall show it to you." The Father will send the Spirit in Jesus' name. It is for this reason that Western Christians must resist the removal of the filioque from the Nicene Creed, (as liturgical antiquarians are trying to do in the Episcopal church ). As Bishop Gore once said, the Spirit is not a substitute for the absence of Jesus, but the vehicle of his presence. 

The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. The joy which comes from the appearance and greeting of Christ is not self-induced fervor, but a sober response to the cross and resurrection. The joy of Easter and Pentecost is sorrow turned into joy. Jesus then breathed on his disciples and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." The gift of the Spirit is not a religious experience which the believers may keep to themselves. It is equipment for mission: "As my Father has sent me, so send I you." Here the preacher will have the opportunity to specify what the mission of the congregation is in its local situation, and in its membership of the church at large, denominationally and ecumenically. It is to that specific mission that the crucified and risen One has come and breathed on his own today. 

Breathe on me, Breath of God, 

Fill me with life anew, 

That I may love what thou wouldst love 

And do what thou wouldst do. 

The mission is to spread what our text calls "forgiveness of sins" (so RSV^. The older language is better: remission of sins. For the picture behind the language is not that of restoring ruptured personal relationships but that of release, liberation from sin as a burden and enslaving power. The mission of the church is to liberate the world from this power. The only weapons Jesus bequeaths to his church for this war of liberation are ( 1 ) the message and act of remitting sins and (2) empowerment to do this by the Spirit. The proclamation of the Word of liberation calls for a decision. If it is accepted, then men and women who come to faith participate in the victory of Christ: their sins are remitted, they are released from this power. If, however, they reject the message, their sins are "retained"—they still remain in bondage. Like the Old Testament prophets, Christians must proclaim the gospel message "whether they will hear or whether they forbear." So the risen Christ does not promise his messengers success. What matters is that they faithfully proclaim the word in the power of the Spirit.