John 20:29

29. After με omit Θωμᾶ with אABCD.

We enter now upon the third and last part of the second main division of the Gospel. The Evangelist having set before us the INNER GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST IN HIS LAST DISCOURSE (13–17), and HIS OUTER GLORIFICATION IN HIS PASSION AND DEATH (18, 19), now gives us his record of THE RESURRECTION AND THREEFOLD MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST (20).
The chapter falls naturally into five sections. 1. The first Evidence of the Resurrection (1–10). 2. The Manifestation to Mary Magdalene (11–18). 3. The Manifestation to the Ten and others (19–23). 4. The Manifestation to S. Thomas and others (24–29). 5. The Conclusion and Purpose of the Gospel (30, 31).

S. John’s Gospel preserves its character to the end. Like the rest of his narrative, the account of the Resurrection is not intended as a complete record;—it is avowedly the very reverse of complete (John 20:30);—but a series of typical scenes selected as embodiments of spiritual truth. Here also, as in the rest of the narrative, we have individual characters marked with singular distinctness. The traits which distinguish S. Peter, S. John, S. Thomas, and the Magdalene in this chapter are clear and completely in harmony with what is told of the four elsewhere.

Of the incidents omitted by S. John many are given in the other Gospels or by S. Paul. S. Matthew and S. Mark; the angel’s message to the two Marys and Salome. S. Matthew and [S. Mark]; the farewell charge and promise. S. Luke and [S. Mark]; the manifestation to two disciples not Apostles. S. Matthew; the earthquake, angel’s descent to remove the stone, soldiers’ terror and report to the priests, device of the Sanhedrin, manifestation on the mountain in Galilee (comp. 1 Corinthians 15:6). [S. Mark]; the reproach for unbelief. S. Luke; the manifestation to S. Peter (comp. 1 Corinthians 15:5), conversation on the road to Emmaus, proof that He is not a spirit, manifestation before the Ascension (comp. Acts 1:6-9). S. Paul; manifestations to the Twelve, to S. James, and to S. Paul himself (1 Corinthians 15:6-8).

To these incidents S. John adds, besides the contents of chap. 21, the gift of the power of absolution, and the manifestation on the second Lord’s Day, when S. Thomas was present.
It may be freely admitted that the difficulty of harmonizing the different accounts of the Resurrection is very great. As so often in the Gospel narrative, we have not the knowledge required for piecing together the fragmentary accounts that have been granted to us. To this extent it may be allowed that the evidence for the Resurrection is not what we should antecedently have desired.
But it is no paradox to say that for this very reason, as well as for other reasons, the evidence is sufficient. Impostors would have made the evidence more harmonious. The difficulty arises from independent witnesses telling their own tale, not caring in their consciousness of its truth to make it clearly agree with what had been told elsewhere. The writer of the Fourth Gospel must have known of some, if not all, of the Synoptic accounts; but he writes freely and firmly from his own independent experience and information. All the Gospels agree in the following very important particulars;

29. ἑώρακας. see on John 1:18. This seems to shew that sight without touch sufficed. Πεπίστευκας (John 11:27) is half question, half exclamation: comp. John 1:51; John 16:31. The change from perfects to aorists should be noted: Blessed are they who saw not and (yet) believed. There were already disciples who believed without having seen the Risen Lord; and from a point of view in the future Jesus sees many more such.

This last great declaration of blessedness is a Beatitude which is the special property of the countless number of believers who have never seen Christ in the flesh. Just as it is possible for every Christian to become equal in blessedness to Christ’s Mother and brethren by obedience (Matthew 12:49-50), so it is possible for them to transcend the blessedness of Apostles by faith. All the Apostles, like S. Thomas, had seen before they believed: even S. John’s faith did not shew itself until he had had evidence (John 20:8). S. Thomas had the opportunity of believing without seeing, but rejected it. The same opportunity is granted to all believers now.

Thus this wonderful Gospel begins and ends with the same article of faith. ‘The Word was God,’—‘the Word became flesh,’ is the Evangelist’s solemn confession of a belief which had been proved and deepened by the experience of more than half a century. From this he starts, and patiently traces out for us the main points in the evidence out of which that belief had grown. This done, he shews us the power of the evidence first over himself (John 20:8), and then over one who was needlessly wary of being influenced by insufficient testimony. The result in the one case is silent conviction, in the other the instantaneous confession, at once the result of questioning and the victory over it, ‘My Lord and my God.’ Thomas has ‘died with Him’ and risen again.