Devotion - Monday, April 8

The study guide we have been using for Sunday mornings got me thinking about how we do "church."  One of the ramifications of that has been my encouragement of folks to actually bring their bibles to worship.  So many of our fellow Christians already to this - what have we Lutherans not done so?

Bringing our bibles to worship aids us in seeing the wider context of the verses being read.  It also allows us access to footnotes and marginal comments on the text.

This was the benefit for me yesterday.  I was following along yesterday as Pastor Hartsell read the Gospel text.  It is the story from John 20 of Thomas and his asking that he too be allowed to see the imprint of the nails in Jesus' hands before he will believe the account told by the other disciples.

As Pastor Hartsell pointed out, the story of "doubting Thomas" is the appointed text every year for the Sunday after Easter.
We seem to know and to understand that this story (of Jesus' resurrection) will be difficult to accept.

As John is concluding the story, he addresses the importance of what he has just told us.  The trouble is knowing exactly what John is trying to say.  As I was following along yesterday, I saw in the footnote that there is an alternative interpretation of his what he wrote.  

The line to which I refer is verse 31.  The NRSV from which we read, has it this way - "These are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah."  But other ancient authorities include the line this way - "These are written so that you may continue to believe."

If I stick with the NRSV interpretation, then I get the message that I am to "come to believe" and never doubt.  The other ancient interpretations allow me to understand that there is no black/white conflict between believing and having a desire to see Jesus' hands.  John tells this story so that Thomas might have a bit more of the witness he desires, but always with the affirmation that Thomas is among those whom the Gospel considers a "believer."

My prayer and my work is to encourage you to "come" to believe more confidently.  But I live among you and understand you to be those who need encouragement to "continue" to believe what has been given to you.

John seems to have understood it that way, too.