Thomas proves to be much less skeptical than he thought. When he sees Jesus and hears His words to him, Thomas’ doubts all vanish and he believes without applying any of the tests he had previously demanded. (It seems certain that Thomas did not put his finger in the nail prints or the side of Jesus because Jesus states in the next verse (20:29) that he believed because he had “seen.”)

John 20:29  Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The reluctance of Thomas to believe in the resurrection of Christ is a benefit to our own faith because it proves that those who were witnesses of the resurrection were not easily fooled, but were cautious men, inspecting all of the data before jumping to any conclusions.

Thomas may have been slow in accepting the resurrection of Christ, but when he did, he went all the way. He declares Jesus to be not only his Lord, but also his God. This was a tremendous leap of faith! Nobody had ever called Jesus by this latter designation. Thomas intuitively saw that Jesus had to be God because no mere man could ever raise himself from the dead.

Many scholars think that chapter 21 is an appendix that was added later and that chapter 20 was originally the close of John’s gospel. Whether true or not, this statement of Thomas certainly makes a fitting conclusion to the gospel that started with the declaration that “the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Thomas’s statement is quite similar to the reversed address to God in (Psa 35:23). Jesus is not just “a” lord but He is the one Lord (1 Cor 8:6, 1 Tim 2:5, Act 2:36, Rom 14:9, Php 2:9-10) and He is God (John 1:1, 1:18, Acts 20:28, Rom 9:5, Titus 2:13, Heb 1:8, Php 2:5-7, Matt 1:21-23, 4:7).

Psalms 35:23  Awake, and rise to my defence! Contend for me, my God and Lord.

1 Corinthians 8:6  yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

1 Timothy 2:5  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Acts 2:36  “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Romans 14:9  For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

Philippians 2:9-10  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:18  No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

Acts 20:28  Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Romans 9:5  Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, for ever praised! Amen.

Titus 2:13  while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ,

Hebrews 1:8  But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom.

Philippians 2:5-7  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,  but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Matthew 1:21-23  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”— which means, “God with us.”

Matthew 4:7  Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

“eternal life” speaks of the quantity of life: it will never end. It starts when we accept it and continues on forever after that.

Note that this is a gift and cannot be earned or paid for. It is free and it is perfectly suited to us. We have a living soul so God gives us life. Our soul is an immortal soul, so He gives us eternal life. His provision is perfect and matches our need.

“snatch” = harpazo = to snatch up, to take by force. Matthew Henry says that “The Shepherd is so careful of their welfare that he has them not only within his fold, and under his eye, but in his hand, interested in his special love and taken under his special protection.” Nobody and nothing can take us away from Jesus. “Our continuance in eternal life depends not on our feeble hold on Christ, but on His firm grip on us.” (Morris) There will be attempts made, but He will never let go.

Jesus promises life to his sheep:

1. quality of life
2. quantity of life
3. security of life

“perish” = There is a real hell and those who are not in the flock of Christ will go there for all eternity. They will never suffer annihilation, for our souls are immortal, but they will suffer punishment forever. Hell is the eternal loss of comfort and the eternal loss of happiness. It is something to be avoided at all costs, but the good news is that we don’t have to “pay” anything to avoid it — the price has already been paid by Christ. All we need do is accept His free gift.