Does Jesus Expect Us to Believe Without Evidence? A Closer Look at Doubting Thomas
In the Gospel of John, Jesus famously tells Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Some take this to mean that faith requires believing without any evidence—but is that really what Jesus was saying?
The Context of Thomas’s Doubt
Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, was not present when Jesus first appeared to the other disciples after His resurrection. When they told him what had happened, he refused to believe, insisting, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25).
Eight days later, Jesus appeared again, this time with Thomas present. Jesus invited Thomas to see and touch His wounds. Thomas immediately responded, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). It is at this moment that Jesus gives His famous statement about those who believe without seeing.
Does This Mean Faith Requires No Evidence?
No, and the very next verses in John’s Gospel clarify this. John immediately follows this account by saying:
"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).
John is not promoting blind faith—he is documenting evidence. The entire purpose of his Gospel is to provide testimony so that people may believe.
Why Was Thomas Rebuked?
Jesus was not saying that Thomas should have believed without evidence. Rather, Thomas already had evidence—he just refused to accept it. The other apostles had seen Jesus and shared their eyewitness testimony with Thomas, but he rejected their word. Jesus’ rebuke was not against seeking evidence, but against rejecting trustworthy testimony.
Jesus’ statement in John 20:29 highlights that future believers—those who will not see Jesus in person—will be blessed for believing based on the testimony of the apostles. This is exactly what the Gospel of John provides: a written record of eyewitness accounts, meant to serve as evidence for future generations.
Faith Rooted in Testimony
The story of Thomas is not about promoting blind faith but about trusting reliable testimony. The apostles saw Jesus and shared their testimony so that others might believe. We, too, are called to believe based on their witness—recorded in Scripture—just as Thomas was called to believe based on the testimony of his fellow disciples.
Far from dismissing evidence, Jesus affirms the importance of testimony as a foundation for faith. The blessing in John 20:29 is not for those who believe without reason, but for those who trust in the faithful witness of those who saw Him.
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