Bible Stories for Adults

Jesus Appears to Thomas

John 20:19-31

Next Week - Jesus Walks on Water (Matthew 14:22-33)
Bible Words to Remember:
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. John 20:29

Who did Jesus appear to first after He rose?
Mark 16:9 = Mary of Magdala (in Galilee)
Did she recognize Jesus as soon as she saw Him?
John 20:10-15 = No, she assumed He was the gardener
How did she come to realize who He really was?
John 20:16 = He said her name, she recognized his voice

What did Mary do when she realized her Lord was really alive?
John 20:17-18 = She hugged Him then went and told the disciples she had seen Jesus
How did the disciples react to this terrific news?
Mark 16:10-11 = Disciples didn't believe her story

Who did He appear to next?
Matthew 28:8-9 = The women going back from the tomb
What did Jesus say to them?
Matthew 28:10 = Go tell my disciples to meet me in Galilee
How did the disciples react to this amazing confirmation of Mary's earlier report?
Luke 24:9-11 = They didn't believe the women, It didn't make sense to them

What happened as a couple of believers walked back home to Emmaus that afternoon?
Luke 24:13-15 = Jesus joined up with them as they discussed the events
Were they more observant than Mary and recognize Jesus when He caught up with them?
Luke 24:16-18 = No, they were kept from recognizing Him ... their faces downcast
How did they explain Jesus' story to this stranger?
Luke 24:19-24 = Powerful prophet; killed by priests; Messiah hopeful; empty tomb
How did Jesus answer their confusion?
Luke 24:25-27 = He used the Scriptures to explain what had happened and why
How did they finally recognize who this stranger really was?
Luke 24:28-32 = Jesus acted as host at dinner, gave thanks and gave them bread

Although it was dark and dangerous outside, what did these disciples do?
Luke 24:33 = They returned at once to Jerusalem and found the apostles
Had anything else happened since these men had left Jerusalem?
Luke 24:34 (1 Corinthians 15:5) = Jesus had appeared to Peter
After hearing this update from the apostles, what did the two do?
Luke 24:35 = They told their story
After four appearances, did the apostles finally believe and understand?
Mark 16:12-13 = They did not believe them either

What amazing thing then happened that helped them believe?
Luke 24:36 = Jesus appeared among them while they were still talking
Did Jesus just sneak through the door and walk in?
John 20:19 = No, the doors were locked, He just appeared
With this new strong evidence, did the disciples finally believe and understand?
Luke 24:37 = No, they thought He was a ghost

How does Paul help explain why Jesus wasn't recognized and could appear behind doors?
1 Corinthians 15:35, 39-40 = He was in His resurrected body, not earthly body
How is the resurrected body different than the earthly body?
1 Corinthians 15:41-44 = Raised body is imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual
What analogy does Paul give us to help understand that we don't keep our earthly bodies?
1 Corinthians 15:36-38 = Seed - dies in the ground and grows to its mature body
How does Paul describe the resurrected Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:45-47 = The second Adam is spiritual, while the first was natural
What does this mean for us?
1 Corinthians 15:48-50 = We'll also receive the resurrected spiritual body like Jesus

How did Jesus try to prove that He wasn't just a ghost?
Luke 24:38-39 = He offered for them to touch His flesh and bones
Why didn't He say "flesh and blood"? = Also Gen 9:4
Leviticus 17:11 (10-14) = Natural life is in the blood, Blood makes atonement
Genesis 9:4 = Do not eat meat that has its lifeblood in it
John 19:34 = Jesus' blood was poured out when He was pierced on cross
Hebrews 9:12-15 = The blood of Christ sets us free under the new covenant - atonement
Now, did these doubting disciples finally believe and understand?
Luke 24:40-41a = No, they were too amazed for it to sink in, too good to be true

What else did Jesus do to prove it was really Him in the flesh?
Luke 24:41b-43 = He took some fish and ate it
Did this help convince these skeptical disciples?
John 20:20 = Yes, they were overjoyed
How does Mark record Jesus' appearance to the doubting and scared apostles?
Mark 16:14 = He rebuked them for their lack of faith & refusal to believe witnesses
Note: Luke 24:44-49 is understood to have occurred weeks later, after time in Galilee (v49)

What words did Jesus repeat that He first said when He appeared to the disciples?
John 20:21a = Peace be with you! - Normal Jewish greeting
What was He saying more than just Hello? = They were afraid for their lives
John 14:26-27 = He was giving them His heavenly Peace through the Spirit
Did this Peace mean that they would be freed from troubles?
John 16:33 = No, troubles will come in this world, but Jesus overcomes the world
Are Christ's disciples to avoid the world and Peacefully await His return?
John 20:21 = No, He has sent us into the world
How can we Peacefully be of this world?
John 17:14-18 = We're not of the world, we're sent into the world with protection

How did Jesus give His Peace to the apostles?
John 20:22 = He breathed on them
How could Jesus give His Spirit just by breathing on them?
Genesis 2:7 = Man was given life by God's breath
What privilege and responsibility came with this giving of the Spirit?
John 20:23 = Ability to forgive and to withhold forgiveness
Why is this called the Office of the Keys?
Matthew 16:19 = Jesus gave the Church these keys to heaven

How do we Christians know which sins to forgive and which not to forgive?
1 John 1:8-10 = Forgive those which are confessed, Retain those not confessed
What are we to do with those who do not confess and repent?
Matthew 18:15-17 = Treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector - avoid him
What does this mean? Shouldn't we be proud of freely forgiving sins of fellow Christians?
1 Corinthians 5:6-7, 12-13 = Expel the wicked man from among you - yeast
What are we to do when the excommunicated finally sees his sin and repents?
2 Corinthians 2:6-8 = Forgive him and love him

Was Jesus' appearance to the apostles enough proof for most disciples that He was alive?
John 20:24-25 = No, Thomas required personal physical proof to believe
Was Thomas known for having a slow and doubting faith?
John 11:7-8, 16 = Thomas was ready to die with Jesus in Jerusalem
John 14:2, 4-5 = Thomas wanted to follow Jesus to His Father's house
When was Thomas given this special opportunity to personally see and feel Jesus alive?
John 20:26 = A week later, same locked doors, Jesus appeared & gave Peace

Did Jesus know what Thomas had said?
John 20:27 = Yes, he offered his hands and side to Thomas
Did Thomas put his finger into Jesus' hands and his hand into His side as he said?
John 20:28 = No, he immediately confessed his faith - Climax of John's gospel
What message did Jesus leave for those of us who weren't around to physically see Him?
John 20:29 = Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed
How are we blessed?
1 Peter 1:8-9 = We're filled with great joy and receive the salvation of our souls

Was this the last appearance Jesus made before ascending?
Acts 1:3 = Appeared many times to various disciples over 40 days
Does John try to record all of these?
John 20:30 = No, there are many more not recorded in this book
Why does John give us the stories that he does?
John 20:31 = That you may believe ... and by believing ... have life in His name