我们经常称他为“多疑的多马”,但他更像一个健康的怀疑论者,而不是不信者。他很怀疑这个看见耶稣重新活过来的故事。我们不知道,在耶稣复活那个主日的晚上多马在哪里,只知道当耶稣来到关门的房间造访门徒、给他们看伤口并祝福他们的时候,多马没有和其他门徒在一起。
当多马回来,门徒们告诉他,他们见到了耶稣。但当多马经历了耶稣受难的失望后,他需要亲自看到和摸到耶稣的伤口。多马并非顽固,而是他的世界真的坍塌了。他曾经立志为了耶稣全力以赴,准备与祂同死 (约 11:16)。此刻他仍在悲伤,对于门徒们所讲那奇特的故事心持怀疑。谁又能责怪他呢?
一周后耶稣又来造访他们,这一次多马也在。多马探入耶稣的伤口并作出信心的宣告,“我的主,我的神!”这是我们第一次听到门徒称耶稣是“神”。顷刻间,怀疑转变成信心。我们满有恩典的主回应了多马的问题,并使他成为一个感恩的门徒。然后耶稣多加给我们所有人一个祝福,我们虽然没有看见和摸到复活的基督,但必须相信门徒们的见证。让我们来和多马一起宣告信仰吧:“我的主,我的神!”
亲爱的主,有些时候祢的作为是超过人所能理解的,我们就常常像那个多疑的多马。求祢赐我们信心和他一起说:“我的主,我的神!”奉祢的名求,阿们。
约翰福音 20:19-29
19那日(就是七日的第一日)晚上,门徒所在的地方,因怕犹太人,门都关了。耶稣来,站在当中,对他们说:“愿你们平安!”"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands... and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." — John 20:25
We often call him "Doubting Thomas," but he's more a healthy skeptic than an unbeliever. He's skeptical about the preposterous story of seeing Jesus alive again. We don't know where Thomas was on the night of Resurrection Sunday, but he wasn't with the other disciples when Jesus visited them in a locked room, showed them his wounds, and blessed them.
When Thomas returned, they told him they had seen Jesus. But after the crucifixion's disappointment, Thomas would have to see and touch Jesus' wounds for himself. Thomas wasn't being stubborn. His world had collapsed. He'd been all in for Jesus, ready to die with him (John 11:16). Now, still grieving, Thomas was skeptical about the disciples' bizarre story. Who could blame him?
A week later Jesus came to visit again, while Thomas was there. Thomas touched Jesus' wounds and professed in faith, "My Lord and my God!" It's the first record we have of any disciple calling Jesus "God." In an instant, skepticism became faith. Our gracious Lord answered Thomas's questions and made him a grateful disciple. Then Jesus added a blessing for all of us who cannot see and touch the resurrected Christ but must believe the disciples' testimony. Let's share Thomas's profession of faith, saying, "My Lord and my God!"
Dear Lord, sometimes the whole story of what you did for us is hard to believe. We're often just as skeptical as Thomas. Give us the faith to say with him: "My Lord and my God!" Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳