Psalm 3 / John 20:19-31

This Sunday we shift to the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19-31.

This is the “Doubting Thomas” story. But there is much more to it than that.

It is always crucial to understand that “the Jews” (see verse 19) in John is a reference to the religious authorities, and not to all Jews (Jesus and his disciples were Jews, after all). Notice that Jesus speaks the blessing we also speak on Sundays: “Peace be with you.” This is, in our tradition, a priestly blessing, spoken in Jesus’ name. It is of a whole different order than, “Good luck” or “Have a nice day”. It is meant to convey “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

How do you respond to the story about the disciple Thomas (verses 24-29)? Do you relate to him?

Why do you think not all the signs Jesus did are recorded in Scripture (see verses 30-31)?