We live in an age when the saying “Seeing is believing” is the wisdom of the day. We might think that this is a new phenomenon, but even amongst Jesus’ disciples there were those who would not believe the reality of Jesus’ deity until they saw Him with their own eyes. They had followed him for three years and now that he was “dead,” they were not so sure that He was from God or even that He was God. In this blog, I’d like to briefly investigate what the Bible has to say about Jesus and His resurrection because the whole of the Christian faith hinges on it.

The doubting disciples

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, Thomas was not there to see Him (Jn. 20:19-25). Even though he had seen Jesus perform many miracles, Thomas still doubted that He was truly the Son of God who had risen from the dead. Sadly, his response has earned him the nickname “doubting” Thomas. Yet, although some people label Thomas a sceptic, others say that he was a realist. But the truth of the matter is that Thomas was someone who refused to believe that which he could not prove for himself.

However, from the gospel narratives we know that Thomas was not the only disciple who struggled with doubt in his life. For example, we know Simon Peter denied Jesus three times when Jesus got arrested. Furthermore, after Christ’s death we see the disciples holed up together, uncertain about what to do. They were doubting everything that Jesus had taught. So, while Thomas doubted, I firmly believe that all the disciples were struggling with some form of doubt after Christ’s death.

Thomas has been called “Doubting” Thomas, but I firmly believe that all the disciples were struggling with some form of doubt after Christ’s death.

Their fears were allayed

Can you imagine how Thomas must have felt? Maybe he felt that the disciples were suffering from some form of mass hallucination or he thought that they were deluded in their thinking and merely wanted Jesus’ resurrection to be true. Maybe he was feeling that he doesn’t belong with this group any longer or maybe he felt that he should have stayed with them instead of doing his mourning on his own.

This could explain why eight days later, he was in their company when Jesus appeared to them again. When he had heard about Jesus’ first appearance, Thomas demanded physical evidence that the one who appeared to the disciples, was the real Jesus (Jn. 20:25) However, when he saw Jesus, he worshipped Him. All his fears were allayed and his uncertainty vanished (Jn. 20:28). The words that John recorded next were incredibly comforting for those who believe in Jesus even though they have not seen Him themselves (Jn. 20:29).

“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jesus of Nazareth)

Lee Strobel: The Case for Christ

There are many people today who like Thomas demand evidence for the existence and resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The reality of who Jesus is, what He said and did, seem to be too unrealistic to believe. Even more so, the idea that He was God, who became man, through a virgin birth, seem to be the creation of a very inventive mind. The fact that Christians also ask that they accept the truth of His resurrection is just too much.

For example, Lee Strobel was an atheist, who was also a prize-winning investigative journalist. He started investigating the claims of Christ after his wife became a Christian. His main aim was to debunk the Christian belief that Jesus had died and had then been resurrected three days later. His research is documented in his book The Case for Christ.

After investigating the internal and external evidence of the Bible, as well as the physical probability that Jesus could have died and risen from the dead, Lee Strobel became a Christian because he believed the evidence. He became convinced of the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. Thomas became convinced of the truth of Jesus’ message because he saw the living Christ. What would it take for you to be convinced about the truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection?

Lee Strobel became convinced of the truth of Jesus’ resurrection because he believed the evidence. Thomas became convinced of the truth of Jesus’ message because he saw the living Christ. What would it take for you to be convinced about the truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection?

If Christ died, then our faith is in vain

You may have questions like these men too. Fortunately, you are not the only one. The apostle Paul understood that what Christian’s claim is sometimes difficult to believe. He argues that the basis of the Christian faith is the fact that Christ rose from the dead. Jesus’ claim that He was the Son of God and that He had come to reconcile mankind to God and God to us would all fall flat on its face if He had not risen from the grave (1 Cor. 15:1-5).

Paul maintains that if Jesus was not raised for the dead, then “our preaching would be useless” and “we are found to be false witnesses about God” (1 Cor. 15:14-16). Next, he says, that if the death and resurrection of Christ is a lie, then the faith of Christians is “futile and that we are still in sin” (1 Cor. 15:17). He ends this section (1 Cor. 15:19). saying that if we can believe in Christ’s resurrection only while we live this life, then Christians, “above all people, should be pitied”.

A challenge and a promise

If you have doubts about Christ or the Christian faith or if you want proof that what Jesus said and did (especially His resurrection) is real and really happened, then I would like to challenge you to look at the facts for yourself. That you would not merely casually think about the facts, but that you would investigate the claims of Christianity and find out its truth. The Bible promises that those who seek God, will find Him if they seek Him with their whole heart (Jer. 29:13). God is not afraid of doubt or questions, He merely expects that people will make the effort to search for the reality of His existence and in their search, He promises that they will find Him.