Believing Without Seeing
In Luke's ressurection account, Jesus appears to his disciples empirically, in the flesh- and says, "Peace to you." I would have assumed it would indeed bring them peace, now knowing that their teacher had risen as he had told them he would. But peace, it turns out, is a state of mind born of sufficient understanding.
Their reaction is important. They are startled and terrified and immediately conclude that he is a ghost. Jesus says to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and me feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see."
Jesus provides them empirical evidence and invites them to see with their eyes and touch with their hands. Jesus then says, "For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have?" And Luke says that while the disciples still disbelieved for joy and marveled, Jesus asked for a piece of broiled fish and ate it in front of them.
With the fish, Jesus adds another layer of empirical evidence. Luke says it was then that he opened their minds to understand the scriptures about Him. Luke then skips straight to the ascension.
John adds important details about the disciples telling Thomas that they had seen the Lord. They had an empirical encounter. It is striking that Thomas refuses to believe without that empirical evidence for himself. It tells us that like the other disciples, ressurection was not on their radar. What stands out is their collective disbelief and resistance.
Thomas then has 8 days to think about what he had heard with his own empirical ears from the other disciples. He also has time to recount what Jesus had said beforehand. So when Jesus appears to him and says, 'Peace be with you', Thomas does not react as the others did. He simply declares, My Lord, and my God!
Jesus proceeds to ask what may be the most important rhetorical question in history, "Have you believed because you have seen me?" And follows with, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." The lesson is something we already know. Seeing is not believing. Understanding is.
I am arguing that over those 8 days, Thomas had already come to understand sufficently to believe. I suspect he was in fact eager. He had largely and already acquired the stability and peace of mind necessary to prepare him for the impossible.
When Jesus says, 'Blessed are those who have not seen'- he means with our physical eyes. Again, Jesus' lesson is that seeing is not believing. Understanding is.
He is correcting the first error, when mankind fell for the lie that by seeing with our eyes, touching, and tasting- we can reach out and take for ourselves God's omniscient knowledge. We can become like God, autonomously certain. The serpent advocated for what is today called naive empiricism.
Empirical evidence is never certain proof. It is simply empirical data and empirical sense perception. That data must be interpreted by God's Word (the logos). To understand and gain knowledge, the empirical data must be interpreted logically. That is why we trust Jesus's interpretation of scripture above all others. It is because he IS the Logos.
So logos, the true light according to John and the light that God gives to everyone- is the light that enables us to understand that 1+2=3. That very same logical light also enables us to understand that if a man rises from the dead, our own understanding of reality must be revolutionized.
Do you understand?