This is the week when "doubting Thomas" shows up on the scene, and there is plenty to think about in that whole episode. From another angle, both the Gospel reading and the other NT reading (1 John 1: - 2:2) come from John, and in both readings there is a theme of touching, sensing - becoming convinced through a sort of physical encounter. To start with the letter of John, here is how it begins:
So we have an image of using the "senses": a very physical image of what backs up John's 'testimony'. This, to me, speaks not only of the physical experience which the early disciples had of Christ, but also is a reminder of the place of the physical self in our relationship with God. John's approach is clearly anti-gnostic on this point, although it is not anti-intellectual. John merely extends the implications of the Incarnation from the prologue of the gospel: God, as Jesus, can be seen and touched. There is also the theme of life in both the letter and the gospel.
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."
I've always found Jesus' first message to this group of disciples to be, well, amazing. Their first need is peace. I suppose that there are those among us who wish they had asked about what it is like "on the other side", or some other kind of curiosity raised the cat question. But John is quite plain about telling us of their fear - one of the most disabling of feelings. On top of that, it appears that Jesus' 'new and improved' body has a few abilities that the old body did not have. Yet Jesus is entirely recognizable, once he has come to the point of showing the wounds he received on Good Friday. Perhaps, like him, our own wounds will still be visible, though healed, transformed. The healed wounds of the risen Christ are a marvel. I think there is much to meditate on in that image.
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."
Now we carry on what Jesus did. Just as the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends the disciples. He breathes on them and gives them the Holy Spirit. This is not the same as the day of Pentecost. This is a task given to the apostles to carry on the work that Jesus began. Remember the first thing that got Jesus in trouble with the religious authorities. Long ago Jesus told people that he could forgive their sins. And that got him in trouble. Now he gives the same authority to the apostles. Not because of any merit they have, but because Jesus commissions them to do this. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Each week during communion we Anglicans (and other denominations) have a general confession, and then the priest pronounces the absolution. Do you know why? You do now. It is because Jesus gave this charge to the apostles. And when I pronounce the absolution of sin, I am simply obeying Jesus’ command, and actin gas him ambassador. Your sins are forgiven. It is as if Jesus himself were saying to you - Your sins are forgiven.
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), 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."
Ah, poor old Thomas - this is the only part of his story we usually remember, but it is not the only part to Thomas’ story. Thomas is the first one to acknowledge Jesus as “Lord and God”. That is who Jesus is. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. What exactly is doubt? And what role does it play in the formation of Thomas? I was going to say "in the formation of Thomas' faith", but that is not really what the issue is. This distinction is crucial. What role does doubt play in the formation of Thomas? Here is a bit of discussion on faith and doubt with Peter Rollins, make of it what you will.
Here is the thing which I find least discussed, but most important once you recognize it: the "proofs" (let's use that as a working term for now) which Thomas requires, and which Jesus offers (both to Thomas and to the other disciples earlier) have to do with his crucifixion. It is in the showing of his hands and sides, the showing of his wounds, the marks of the cross, that both the disciples and Thomas come to recognize Jesus. It is not a generic 'proof' - it is the showing of something very particular: the wounds of the Cross.
No, I don't have a full explanation why this is the case at this point, only that a careful reader will notice this unmistakable detail and pattern: the wounds of the cross establish the identity of Christ for the other disciples and for Thomas. It seems to me that this casts the questions about "doubt" and "faith" in a different light. This is not a story about merely providing empirical evidence for the status of Jesus.
And it seems to me that the way Thomas comes to believe has to do with identifying, participating somehow if you will, in the wounds of Christ:
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."
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
[ed] - we interrupt this post to go to school to pick up a kid who is feeling sick... hopefully we can resume later today.
This passage from John has confused me. I wondered if perhaps John was describing Pentecost from a different perspective, but you are saying here that he isn't, that they were two separate incidents. So they had the Holy Spirit before Pentecost? I am still confused...
Posted by: Kate | April 18, 2009 at 07:27 PM
In John's chronology, this episode seems to take place in the evening, after Mary Mag has seen the risen Lord. Whether John might be describing the day of Pentecost from a different angle has been a topic of debate for centuries. The difference between this and Luke's description of the day of Pentecost seems to be in tha nature of gifts bestowed on the believers by the Spirit.
Posted by: joseph | April 18, 2009 at 08:07 PM
Well actually I always thought this was the institution of the sacrament of holy orders where Pentecost was the institution of the church or something like that.
I mean that certainly seems to be the idea in the BCP in the Ordinal where the Bishop lays hands on the ordinand and isn't praying but is speaking the words Receive the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a Priest in the Church of God ... whose sins thou dost forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained.
The only thing is, what happens with Thomas. He wasn't there when all this happens according to John. So did he ever receive that authority? I suppose that has been the subject of debate for centuries too.
But there certainly is a whole lot of difference between this peaceful and solemn sort of happening between the risen Jesus and his disciples and the mighty rushing of wind and roaring of fire that was the baptism with the Holy Ghost he told them to wait for. I think it has something to do with authority and power. And I can't imagine how anyone could possibly think these are just two different descriptions of the same event.
A Blessed Eastertide to all!
Posted by: Susan | April 19, 2009 at 05:19 PM
I tend to think that John is describing a "separate incident", and indeed, this passage has been much used for ordinations. I made some reference to this sacerdotal aspect of the ministry gifts given above. The Pentecost event seems more to do with evangelism - ministry to the not yet converted, whereas this passage has (at least in the majority of the tradition) been seen as part of the pastoral ministry of the Church.
Posted by: joseph | April 20, 2009 at 09:40 PM