It is hard to imagine…that there is “a believer” anywhere…who wouldn’t have traded places with “old Thomas…” I mean, what a “golden opportunity…” it was.
What a “priceless chance…”
…“imagine the growing anticipation…”
It was a “once in a lifetime thing…”
If, given the chance, to see for yourself… “that face”…to look into “those eyes”…to have heard “that voice” …and to look upon “those ruined hands…”wouldn’t you have jumped at the chance and “stepped forward” for the opportunity? Thomas did. How sheepish he was about the whole experience we will never know…but step forward he did…
I cannot imagine anyone not wanting to see what Thomas saw, if given the chance…
Ah, the “peace of Christ,” that is what this passage is “really all about…”
Restoration. It would happen. It would come. The disciples would be restored.
And when we think of the word “peace” or “peacefulness,” we think of words like: “Tranquility,” “calm,” “restfulness,” “quiet,” “stillness,” “serenity,” “comfort,” “ease,” “contentment” and “bliss…”
Jesus appeared that he might “bring” or “restore to them” an “inner peace and contentment” once-more-back-into-the- lives of this “freaked-out-group-of- disciples.”
Talk about your PTSD – they had just lived through “the horrific.”
And therefore, now they found themselves to be:
“Jumpy.”
“Skiddish.”
“Ill at ease.”
“Scared.” “Frightened.” “Panicky.”
Obviously, we cannot talk about their night sweats, regrets, guilt, shame and blame…but we can imagine “it” to be all a part of their joint and shared experience.
This was an “honor/shame society” and at this juncture, there was nothing “honorable” about them or any of their behavior…
They were “on the edge,” “nervous,” “fretful,” “fidgety,” “restless and alarmed,” “horror-struck and petrified” these men. Nice!
The closed doors were “very symbolic” of where this group of believers was at, they were “closed off,” “closed minded,” “closed hearted,” “just plain closed altogether.” They were locked up tighter than a drum.
It is dreadful what “fear” can do to a group of believers…
That is, to “any group of believers”…then or now…
No one was “getting in” – or – so they thought!
No one would “get to them.”
No one would ever “find them.”
They were “holed away.” “Sealed up.” Almost, as if, they, themselves, were locked away in a tomb, somewhere…
They displayed no courage, no moral strength, no mettle, no fight…instead they were bent and broken by their own failures to act…
They were for all intents and purposes defeated…there was no valor to be found among any of them. Instead, there was only the “obvious cowardice and spinelessness.”
These were not the “bold and brazen men” that Jesus had called and had known just three short years ago.
As a matter of fact, they were not the men, he knew and loved…just a few days ago.
They needed Jesus.
They needed the peace that only he could bring.
We are talking “shalom” here.
We are talking “complete peace…”
The reason for this “resurrection appearance” was to restore them to wholeness.
And before they knew it, before they could realize it, there was Jesus in the midst of them…
The actual “root meaning” of the word Shalom is that of perfection and fullness. So when we are talking about restoring their peace –
We are talking about harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, tranquility, safety, soundness and the absence of all discord.
Jesus was giving to them everything necessary to move ahead, to move forward…to get back to life and living…
But perhaps more importantly, to get back to the mission at hand…to continue to share the good news and to let people know about the love of God.
Jesus restored them all, to their former selves. And it was good. Amen.