(no subject)
So I was reading the Bible (NIV version via Kindle app), and came across the apostle that will be later dubbed as "doubting" Thomas. He's mentioned in Jn 11:16. Some verses before Jesus tells his disciples that he needs to go to Judea to "wake up" Lazarus. His apostles are wary because the pharisees there want to kill him and urge him to wait until their anger dies down. Jesus remarks that he's not going to hide from them and that he needs to be there. Then he tells them plainly that Lazarus is dead. He's going to "wake up" Lazarus from death and that they and others will witness it and he's doing so for their sakes so they could believe.
Anyway in the verse I referenced, Thomas basically says to the other disciples : " Let us also go, so that we may die with him." Even before the classic example of Thomas being in disbelief after Christ's resurrection, he's also doubted early on right before Lazarus' being brought back to life. He doubted that Jesus would leave Judea alive, and to be real, it's understandable. Thomas saw how angry the Pharisees there were at Jesus, and that they wanted to kill him, badly. So it was reasonable for Thomas to be on the pessimistic side of things. I can relate to that. I wonder if Thomas believed in Jesus' divinity, but didn't understand Jesus' hints about dying and then resurrection. Just caught up in the moment not realizing that the Messiah was right beside him all the time.
The book of John is shaping up to be one of my favorite New Testament books. I really like the account of Jesus healing the blind man who was a righteous man, he just happened to be blind and earned a living as a beggar (there weren't many things for people with disabilities back then). Jesus said that he was blind not as a punishment for his sin, but to give glory to God. After Jesus healed is blindness, the Pharisees called the formerly blind man in for questions. They asked him if he was who he say he was, the formerly blind beggar. They wanted to cross their t's and dot their i's before having Jesus arrested for performing a miracle on the sabbath. Then the blind man told them that only someone sent from God and following His will could do those acts. Oh snap! Well the Pharisees didn't like being served in their own place, so the formerly blind man was thrown out from the synagogue and couldn't come back there.
Awesome stuff.
Anyway in the verse I referenced, Thomas basically says to the other disciples : " Let us also go, so that we may die with him." Even before the classic example of Thomas being in disbelief after Christ's resurrection, he's also doubted early on right before Lazarus' being brought back to life. He doubted that Jesus would leave Judea alive, and to be real, it's understandable. Thomas saw how angry the Pharisees there were at Jesus, and that they wanted to kill him, badly. So it was reasonable for Thomas to be on the pessimistic side of things. I can relate to that. I wonder if Thomas believed in Jesus' divinity, but didn't understand Jesus' hints about dying and then resurrection. Just caught up in the moment not realizing that the Messiah was right beside him all the time.
The book of John is shaping up to be one of my favorite New Testament books. I really like the account of Jesus healing the blind man who was a righteous man, he just happened to be blind and earned a living as a beggar (there weren't many things for people with disabilities back then). Jesus said that he was blind not as a punishment for his sin, but to give glory to God. After Jesus healed is blindness, the Pharisees called the formerly blind man in for questions. They asked him if he was who he say he was, the formerly blind beggar. They wanted to cross their t's and dot their i's before having Jesus arrested for performing a miracle on the sabbath. Then the blind man told them that only someone sent from God and following His will could do those acts. Oh snap! Well the Pharisees didn't like being served in their own place, so the formerly blind man was thrown out from the synagogue and couldn't come back there.
Awesome stuff.