Lesson 330

(Lesson 330)(07-10-12) John 20:18-31, "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Herein, Jesus appears to His Apostles *(minus Thomas), breathes on them the Holy Ghost and grants them power over sin. When the eleven told Thomas that the Lord was risen, Thomas said that unless He could see the crucifixion scars for himself, he would not believe.
Eight days later, Jesus again appears to His Apostles, this time, having Thomas present, He has Thomas feel His hands and His side after which Thomas confesses his belief that it is, indeed, Jesus risen.

*There is, what appears to be a conflict between John's account of the coming of the Holy Ghost and the accounts of the other gospel authors. The fact that Thomas was absent seems to imply that John's account is the one that is in err, seeing that the Holy Ghost would have been given to only the eleven, leaving Thomas without the power. I don't believe there is enough evidence in either of the writings to determine exactly which account is perfectly accurate. The blessed fact is that Jesus did indeed grant the power of, and send the Holy Ghost to His Church. I, personally, choose to believe that what happened here in John's account, was the granting of the power being bestowed and with the actual sending of the Holy Ghost to the Church occurring at Pentecost as per the Acts account.
If anyone of you can make this clearer, by all means do so! :) ~