John 20:27-29 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, &c. Thus our Lord lets them see, that he was not unacquainted with what had lately passed among them in his absence, and at the same time takes an effectual way to convince and satisfy his over-scrupulous disciple. Referring to what Thomas had said, he answers it word for word: for he had heard it, though unseen: and one would suppose that his telling him of it so particularly must surely have put him to the blush. Observe well, reader, there is not an unbelieving word in our tongues, no, nor thought in our minds at any time, but it is known to the Lord Jesus. And be not faithless, but believing Believe on this evidence at least, which addresses itself to so many of thy senses. And Thomas Overwhelmed at once with such abundant demonstration of the fact in question, and such condescending kindness of his Master, fell under the conviction in a moment, and, instead of entering on any further scrutiny, answered In the utmost transport of astonishment and joy; My Lord and my God! As if he had said, I now not only acknowledge thee to be Jesus my Lord, as I have formerly done, and to be infallibly risen from the dead, as my fellow- disciples have affirmed, but I confess thy divine knowledge and power, and prostrate myself before thee as the great incarnate Deity, the glorious Immanuel. And this glorious confession he makes without putting his finger into the print of the nails, &c. The irrefragable argument arising from these words, in proof of the Deity of our blessed Lord, (which so many good writers have stated at large,) cannot be evaded by saying, that these words are only an exclamation of surprise, as if he had said, Good God! is it indeed thus? for it is expressly declared, he spoke these words to him: and no doubt Christ would severely have reproved him, if there had not been just reason to address him thus. It is worthy of observation here, that this slowness and backwardness in Thomas to believe, ought to strengthen and confirm our faith. For hereby it appears, that the witnesses of Christ's resurrection, who attested it to the world, and pledged their lives upon it, were not easy, credulous men, but very cautious persons, that suspended their belief till they saw the utmost evidence of it which they could desire. Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed Thou hast believed my resurrection, because thou hast had it confirmed to thee by the united testimony of several of thy senses. Blessed are they who have not seen me themselves, and yet have believed On the credible testimony of others. For they have manifested a greater degree of candour and humility, which renders the faith it produces so much the more acceptable: in other words, they are persons of a more pious and virtuous disposition, who, without the evidence of sense, are so candid as to yield to the proofs which the divine wisdom has thought sufficient for convincing the world. If it be queried why a greater blessedness is pronounced on those who believe on more slender evidence, it may be answered, that our Lord by no means intended to assert, that every one who believes without seeing, is happier than any one believing on sight; for then the meanest Christian now would be more happy than the greatest of the apostles: but only that, where the effects of that faith were equal, it argued greater simplicity, candour, and wisdom to yield to reasonable evidence without seeing, than could be argued merely from having believed on sight, after sufficient evidence of another kind had been proposed. It was therefore, in effect, telling Thomas, his faith would have been more acceptable, if he had not stood out so long: and it was doing it in such a manner as would be most calculated for the comfort and encouragement of believers in future ages, to whom, in many of his speeches to the apostles themselves, our Lord expresses a most obliging and affectionate regard. Let us then maturely consider this declaration of our great Instructer and Saviour. And though we have not those sensible manifestations which were granted to Thomas, let it suffice us, that the apostles were the appointed witnesses of all these things; and what they saw with their eyes, and their hands handled, of the word of life, that have they declared unto us, 1 John 1:1; 1 John 1:3. Let us thankfully receive so convincing a testimony. Let us show an upright and candid mind in accepting such evidence as the wisdom of God has seen fit to give us; remembering, that a truly rational faith is the more acceptable to God, in proportion to the difficulties which it is able to surmount; and that there are peculiar blessings in store for them who have not seen, and yet believed.