Awestruck Day 6: Another Portrait

Associated Awestruck Portrait from the Gospels:

We mentioned earlier in the week the associated passage from the New Testament from Revelation 4. Read that again and sense John’s sense of awestruck worship as he saw his heavenly vision:

⁹And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹ “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

But John had seen another expression of worship years earlier, this one a little more earth-bound, a week after the resurrection of Christ. Perhaps Thomas fled to Galilee with his doubtful heart, refusing to believe that Christ had risen from the dead.

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

     And just like Isaiah’s portrait, and any portrait worthy of contemplation, there are various elements which capture our attention, but look especially at how Thomas abandoned the other disciples that first Easter. Where was he? Why wasn’t he with the other disciples? We don’t know. Sometimes, I think Thomas brave, not being holed up behind closed doors in Jerusalem. Here lately, I’ve been thinking that Thomas took off to Galilee, afraid that he too might be killed, even though he had boldly professed, “let us go and die with Christ” (see John 11:16).

     Secondly notice his absence of faith. He needs to see the nail marks, he must place his hand in his side. So many people today want proof, proof and more proof, yet God has provided enough proof of his existence and yet they still do not believe.

     But when he sees the risen Lord, there is no fingers in the hand, no hand in the side, no longer unbelieving but now believing. He not only acknowledges Christ as being alive, he acknowledges Him as the Lord and God which He is.

     I don't envision this as Caravaggio did (see above), with Thomas needing to poke grotesquely into the very ribs of Jesus, with the other disciples leaning over like voyeurs.

     I envision it more like this, an expression of utter awe-struck worship of the resurrected Lord.       

When you pray, don’t doubt. Believe He is risen, Believe He is Lord, Believe He is God.