(2) The Witness of A Doubter & A Denier

(Note: This post is part of a series on proof of the deity of Jesus in the New Testament.)

So, what did those who knew Jesus best think of His identity? Did they recognize him as God? If they did, was this something they just accepted blindly without question or did they believe it because they saw irrefutable proof that he is God?

We begin with the testimony of Thomas. Don’t recognize that name right off? How about doubting Thomas? Ah, now there’s someone we know. In fact, he’s downright famous for his skepticism. Thomas always had questions. He was slow to believe. When he was told that Jesus had risen from the dead he said that he wouldn’t believe until he could actually touch Jesus! He went so far as to say, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side (John20:25)." Now that’s a died-in-the-wool, card carrying skeptic! Until he saw Jesus.

When Jesus appeared to Thomas, He invited Thomas to do just what he had said he would have to do. We don’t know if Thomas did in fact put his finger in the nail wounds or his hand to Jesus side, but we do know what he said. Thomas responded, "My Lord and my God (John 20:28)."

I don’t think Thomas needed to sign up for doubters anonymous after that. I Suspect he was cured of his doubts about Jesus the moment he set eyes on him. And what did he recognize about Jesus? He recognized Jesus as Lord and God. For him, the case was closed, settled forever. Jesus is God. There could be no other explanation.

Another close friend of Jesus was Peter. Thomas doubted, Peter denied. When the pressure was on, Peter denied knowing Jesus. But, from the time of his bold declaration, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat. 16:16), he never seemed to waver in who he knew Jesus to be. And when he saw Jesus after his resurrection, he gained incredible new boldness leading him to preach boldly even after intense persecution.

Several years after Jesus returned to Heaven, when Peter wrote a letter to a group of believers, he referred to Jesus as, “our God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1) In that same letter he referred to the “eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11). Peter, another one of Jesus’ closest friends, who knew Jesus up close and personal, boldly declares Jesus to be God. He declares Jesus to be the King who will rule for all eternity. The coward was now empowered. Empowered by his conviction that Jesus is God and Jesus is the King of eternity.
 
Next:  (3)  The Witness of A Persecutor