According to the longer ending of Mark’s Gospel, there were at least three post-resurrection appearances, which are given greater substance in other accounts:
- Mark 16:9-11 recounts the visit of Mary Magdalene on the Sunday morning (John 20:1-18)
- Mark 16:12-13 recounts the appearance to two disciples (Luke 24:13-35)
- Mark 16:14-15 Jesus commissions the disciples (John 20:19-23)
To this, the other Gospels also recount the coming to faith of Thomas (John 20:24-29),
And the heart-rending story of Jesus’ conversation with Peter (John 21)
So, these stories will take us through the coming weeks of Eastertide. And since there are many services now on radio, TV and YouTube with a wonderful selection of hymns and songs, the following reflections will focus on visual art instead …
Appearance to the disciples and to Thomas. (John 20:19-31)
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio
https://www.caravaggio.org/the-incredulity-of-saint-thomas.jsp
Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred: open the doors of our hearts, that we may seek the good of others and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace, to the praise of God the Father. Amen.
The arrangement of the lectionary readings is based on the sequence of events of the Luke-Acts narrative, giving the church an extended Eastertide period. Yet John chapter 20 brings the promised Advocate (John 14:16) into the Eastertide narrative, combining Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost. That may help our conflicted sense of chronological time at present, because when our current situation is passed, I will hold a service in church to celebrate Easter and Pentecost combined – no matter what the calendar date!
- The disciples see the risen Lord
The first part of this story describes the meeting between Jesus and the disciples on the evening of the first Easter day (John 20:19-23). According to the Gospel, the disciples were already fearful of those who were actively hostile to the New Way (well, it couldn’t really be ‘the Jews’, could it, for these first disciples were all Jewish!) Unlike previous accounts where Mary and the travellers to Emmaus didn’t initially recognise the Lord, on this occasion, Jesus identifies himself by his wounds, so beautifully describes in Wesley’s hymn ‘Lo, he comes with clouds descending’:
Those dear tokens of his passion still his dazzling body bears;
cause of endless exultation to his ransomed worshippers:
with what rapture, gaze we on those glorious scars!
The fear was so great that they were behind locked doors. A slightly different form of lock-down to that currently experienced, yet Jesus negotiated the locked doors to be with the disciples.
The common greeting of ‘shalom’ still rings throughout the streets of Jerusalem today, yet it quickly moves into the language of the early Church: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ(see 1 Corinthians 1:3). Words of healing and salvation.
And in this short encounter, Jesus gives all disciples three amazing gifts:
A commission (20:21)
The Holy Spirit (20:22-23)
A promise (20:23)
Charles Cousar writes that here is the beginning of the church:
All the ingredients are here in the text: a company of disciples; the presence of the crucified, now risen, Christ; the sending of the church into the world; the giving of the Holy Spirit; the message of the forgiveness of sins.[1]
According to John’s gospel, the church is called and commission by Christ. So, perhaps George Herbert holds an important message for a 21st century church:
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King!
The heavens are not too high, God’s praise may thither fly;
the earth is not too low, God’s praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King!
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King!
The church with psalms must shout: no door can keep them out.
But above all the heart must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King!
George Herbert 1593-1633
2. Thomas meets Jesus
The next part of this tale concerns Thomas’ apparent doubt. I have several issues here: the first of which is that none of the other early disciples appear to believe until they have seen Jesus. So why do we single Thomas out? Rather, I like to think of Thomas as someone relevant to post-Enlightenment people who have been taught to question, and to seek evidence in all walks of life.
Secondly, I understand that the Greek word here is apistos, which means faithless not doubter. Until that moment, Thomas has not yet come to faith, but he is about to be afforded a unique opportunity to encounter the risen Christ.
Does Thomas touch or simply come to faith at the sight? The Gospel account does not say; it only recorded that Thomas used words of confession of faith : My Lord and my God. Caravaggio interprets the first suggestion in a way that draws the viewer into the story. Here is Thomas, with Peter and John, focussing intently on those wounds. It is a powerful image, a worth pausing and reflecting on this story, before moving on.
Prayers for others
Resting on the grace and peace of God,
we pray for those who are fearful,
those who struggle with questions of faith and belief
in the face of so much anguish and pain.
We pray for a glimpse of the Risen Christ
behind the locked doors of our homes,
and especially for all who are cut off from human contact
and yearn for the physical comfort of family and friends.
We remember those who live and work in community settings,
for those facing choices of the demands of their work,
or the security of their loved ones.
With a deep sense of helplessness,
we remember so many who live in places around the world,
where there are real concerns of hygiene and hunger.
Lord in your mercy, hear the prayers of your people. Amen
************
Yet the moving on is important.
Jesus appeared to the disciples bearing scars, so why did the early church just not ‘air-brush’ out these signs of imperfection and offer an amazing likeness to which we could all aspire and worship? Or perhaps, the scarred body of Jesus has so much more to teach about bodily imperfection to a society obsessed by image.
If we don’t move on, we miss the word of blessing; for those who hear this story ever after, it will be the word which will convince, for Jesus speaks a beatitude. One dictionary has it that a beatitude is a state of utter bliss. So for all who believe without seeing as Thomas witnessed, we are in a state of absolute heaven, through the knowledge of forgiveness of sin and the gift of new and eternal life.
May the boldness of the Spirit transform us, may the gentleness of the Spirit lead us, and the gifts of the Spirit equip us for service and worship.
And the blessing of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit remain with you always. Amen
Lectionary readings: Acts 2:14a, 22-32, Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1:2-9, John 20:19-31
[1]Charles Cousar in Texts for Preaching Year A (B & C) [Walter Brueggemann, Charles B. Cousar, Beverly R. Gaventa, James D. Newsome]. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox 1995), 271
Worship at home 