多马全然相信了!
约翰福音二十章24至30节
24那十二个门徒中,有称为低土马的多马,耶稣来的时候,他没有和他们同在。
25那些门徒就对他说:“我们已经看见主了。”多马却说:“我非看见他手上的钉痕,用指头探入那钉痕,又用手探入他的肋旁,我总不信。”
26过了八日,门徒又在屋里,多马也和他们同在。门都关了。耶稣来站在当中说:“愿你们平安!”
27就对多马说:“伸过你的指头来,摸(注:“摸”原文作“看”)我的手;伸出你的手来,探入我的肋旁。不要疑惑,总要信!”
28多马说:“我的主,我的神!”
29耶稣对他说:“你因看见了我才信,那没有看见就信的有福了!”
30耶稣在门徒面前另外行了许多神迹,没有记在这书上。
信息分享
基督复活之后,基于某些我们不知道的原因,多马似乎离开了大伙儿几天,以致他未能在复活的那天看见基督的第一次显现。
过了不久,多马回到门徒中间,发现他们因被钉死的基督已经复活而兴奋不已。多马很难信以为真。事实上,他一直拒绝相信,除非他能亲手触摸到复活的基督,确定那就是基督。
一星期之后,多马的机会就来了。当时门徒在屋里,门已经锁上,但基督却突然在他们中间显现。祂轻责多马的不信,显示祂知道多马说了些甚么。接着,祂便伸出手来,叫多马检视祂的钉痕。基督的话诚然充满怜爱,但祂却确实教训他说:「不要疑惑,总要信。」
多马吓得目瞪口呆,终于才激动地发出他的信心宣言:「我的主!我的神!」
基督继而称赞那些凭信心相信祂复活的人。从那刻之后,多马不再疑惑了。他已见过复活之主,于愿足矣。
多马在五旬节后到了哪里,我们并不清楚。按照教会流传的说法,多马走遍许多地方,大力地传讲福音。
南印度教会曾宣称多马是其创办人。我们惟有等到将来在天上,才能知道这位默默事奉的使徒如何终生事主。
THOMAS COMES TO FULL FAITH
John 20:24-30
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas,[d] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.
Message
It was after the Resurrection of Christ. For some unknown reasons, Thomas seemed to have disappeared for a few days and missed the first appearance of Christ on Easter Sunday.
Some time later, Thomas joined the group of disciples and found them bursting with the news that the crucified Christ was alive again. Thomas found this extremely hard to believe. In fact he refused to believe until he had physically examined Christ and had been convinced of Christ's identity.
His chance came a week later. Christ again appeared to the disciples in spite of locked doors. He very gently rebuked Thomas showing He knew what Thomas had said, then invited him to examine the scars of the cross. No doubt Christ said it lovingly but He did say the words, “Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas was speechless for a moment then burst out in a great statement of faith and recognition, “My Lord and my God.”
Christ spoke a few further words commending those who had accepted the fact of his resurrection by faith. It would seem that Thomas never doubted again. He had seen the Risen Lord and that was sufficient.
What Thomas did after Pentecost is not clear but many traditions place him in various countries, powerfully preaching the Gospel.
The church of South India particularly claims him as their founder. It may be so. Eternity alone will reveal the whole story of the ministry of this rather unknown apostle

