Introduction
The Apostle St Thomas refused to believe reports of the resurrection of Jesus unless he saw and touched the risen Christ for himself. Some scold him for his ‘doubt’, but the English Abbot Elfric (955-1010) warmly thanked him for demanding such clear proof, and noted that Jesus was evidently expecting it.
Except I put my finger
into the print of the nails,
and thrust my hand into his side,
I will not believe.
See John 20:24-29
THOMAS’S unbelief in Christ’s resurrection was not unforeseen, but happened in the foresight of God; for his touch made believers of us. His doubt did us more good than the other Apostles’ belief. For when that touch brought him to belief, it carried our doubt away.
Christ could easily have risen from the dead with no scars, but he kept the scars so he could strengthen the doubtful. He said to Thomas, ‘Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed.’ Thomas saw the body and those scars, and believed that he who raised the body from death was God.
The words that follow fill us with great joy. ‘Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’ This saying acknowledges all those who have not seen Christ in the body, yet hold him in the heart through faith. He truly believes in God, who with works practises what he believes. Belief without good works is dead.* These are the Apostles’ words; let attentive hearts absorb them.
Freely translated, and abridged
See James 2:26.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Belief. John. No.
2 Doubt. Have. Into.
3 Easy. Faith. Our.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Attentive. 2 Best. 3 Joyful. 4 Good. 5 Deadly. 6 Great. 7 Dead. 8 Faithless. 9 Greatest.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Practise. 2 Print. 3 Doubt. 4 Hold. 5 Happen. 6 Work. 7 Rise. 8 Follow. 9 Believe.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
g (5+1)
age. ago. ego. go. goo.
gee.
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