Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 20:29

"Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed." — John 20:29 (ASV)

Jesus’ commendation of Thomas is extended to all others who, like Thomas, place a final faith in him but who, unlike Thomas, have no opportunity to see him in his postresurrection form. Thomas’s declaration is the last assertion of personal faith recorded in this gospel. It marks the climax of the book because it presents Christ as the risen Lord, victorious over sin, sorrow, doubt, and death. It also presents the faith that accepts not only the truth of what Jesus said but also the actuality of who he is—the Son of God. In the experience of Thomas, the writer has shown how belief comes to maturity and how it changes the entire direction of an individual life.