John 20:27

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Then {G1534} saith he {G3004} to Thomas {G2381}, Reach {G5342} hither {G5602} thy {G4675} finger {G1147}, and {G2532} behold {G1492} my {G3450} hands {G5495}; and {G2532} reach hither {G5342} thy {G4675} hand {G5495}, and {G2532} thrust {G906} it into {G1519} my {G3450} side {G4125}: and {G2532} be {G1096} not {G3361} faithless {G571}, but {G235} believing {G4103}.

Then he said to T’oma, “Put your finger here, look at my hands, take your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be lacking in trust, but have trust!”

Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Context

This verse occurs during one of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to His disciples. Eight days prior, Jesus had appeared to them in the upper room, but Thomas was not present. When the other disciples testified that they had seen the Lord, Thomas famously declared he would not believe unless he could physically touch Jesus' wounds (John 20:25). In this scene, Jesus specifically appears again, addressing Thomas's exact demand, demonstrating His omniscience and compassion.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Tangible Reality of the Resurrection: Jesus offers undeniable, physical proof of His resurrection. He is not a ghost but has a real, albeit glorified, body that bears the marks of the crucifixion. This confirms the central truth of Christianity: Christ has indeed risen from the dead.
  • Compassion for Doubters: Jesus patiently meets Thomas at his point of doubt, directly addressing his need for empirical evidence. This highlights Jesus' understanding and willingness to provide assurance to those who struggle with belief.
  • The Call to Faith: Despite providing physical proof, Jesus' ultimate command to Thomas is, "be not faithless, but believing." This underscores that while evidence can lead to belief, the essence of faith is trust and commitment. It sets the stage for the blessing upon those who believe without seeing (John 20:29).

Linguistic Insights

The contrast Jesus presents to Thomas is between "faithless" (Greek: apistos, meaning "unbelieving" or "untrusting") and "believing" (Greek: pistos, meaning "faithful" or "trusting"). Jesus is calling Thomas to move beyond mere intellectual assent based on proof, to a state of profound trust and conviction in Him.

Practical Application

John 20:27 offers profound encouragement for believers today. It acknowledges that doubt can be a part of the spiritual journey, but it also provides a clear path forward: from skepticism to faith. Jesus' willingness to accommodate Thomas's need for proof demonstrates God's patience with our questions and uncertainties. Ultimately, the verse challenges us to move beyond needing physical evidence to embrace a faith that trusts in the unseen, grounded in the historical truth of Christ's resurrection.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 20:25

    The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

  • 1 John 1:1

    ¶ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

  • 1 John 1:2

    (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

  • 1 Timothy 1:14

    And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

  • 1 Timothy 1:16

    Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

  • John 20:20

    And when he had so said, he shewed unto them [his] hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

  • Psalms 103:13

    Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

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