Thomas: Setting The Record Straight
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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord…. Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:19-20, 24-29 (NKJV)
We have done a disservice to the Apostle Thomas. We have focused on one moment in his life to define who he is. People have used the phrase “Doubting Thomas” for years to represent someone who doesn’t believe something. However, if we look at scripture, we see that Thomas wasn’t the only follower who didn’t believe that Jesus was alive; he’s just the only one whose exact words of unbelief are noted in scripture.
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mark 16:9-14 (NKJV) emphasis mine
How interesting. All these years, people have been knocking Thomas when, in fact, NONE of His eleven remaining disciples believed He had risen from the dead until they saw Him!
If that’s the case, why is special mention made of Thomas’ words of doubt? I believe the reason lies not just in what Thomas said, but what Jesus did in response to his words. Thomas was very specific in the evidence he would need in order to believe:
To see in Jesus’ hands the print of the nails
To put his finger into the print of the nails
To put his hand into Jesus’ side
What did Jesus do in response? Jesus gave him the exact evidence He needed to believe. Yes, Jesus reprimanded him for not believing without physical proof, but according to the Word, He actually reprimanded ALL eleven for not believing without seeing Him. What we learn from His interaction with Thomas is that Jesus will meet us where we are. He will do exactly what is necessary to bring us to a point of faith in Him. Think of what He did to get your attention. And consider those people for whom you are praying to get saved- He will do what is needed to bring them to the point of believing too.
That’s my Jesus: the Savior Who not only died for us, but pursues us and does whatever He has to do to make Himself real to us. And as for Thomas, we know from church history that he definitely was not “Doubting Thomas: ever again. As a matter of fact, tradition tells that Thomas was later violently killed and martyred in India for what He believed. Surely, he was no doubter! And we can be certain that Jesus once again met him where he was so he would have the faith and strength to die for the glory of his Lord.
Trust Jesus today to meet you and your loved ones where you are to give you what you need for your faith to succeed.
