“Doubting Thomas”

Jesus had been crucified and buried. On the third day, his tomb was empty. Word began circulating among the believers that Jesus got up from the grave. He even appeared to the Apostles, when he did, one of them was missing, Thomas. The believers told Thomas that Jesus was alive. Now we come to our reading for today, John 20:24-25

“Now Thomas, 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.’”

From this story, we have the phrase, “Doubting Thomas.” This is a terrible term to put on Thomas. Thomas was not doubting that Jesus could not get up from the grave; he just wanted to see the evidence. He questioned the words of Peter, who denied Jesus. He lacked faith in the words of James and John, who greedily tried to get the highest spots in a new kingdom. We don’t know the weaknesses of all the apostles, but it should be noted that it was mere men that Thomas doubted.
Finally, Jesus appeared to Thomas also. The minute he saw the evidence of the resurrection, he said to Jesus, “My Lord and My God.”

If you want to see the real Thomas, let me take you back a few weeks earlier. In John 11, Jesus told the apostles he was going to go back to Judea. The Apostles warned him that people there would try to kill him. The apostles were concerned, but not Thomas. In John 11, the Bible tells us,

“Then Thomas…said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with Him.’ (John 11:16)

To me he is not a doubting Thomas, but a courageous Thomas. The lesson from Thomas invites us to embrace our doubts and uncertainties as part of our spiritual journey. Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it’s often a stepping stone towards a deeper faith. Thomas’s story encourages us to seek the divine, to ask questions, and to yearn for understanding.

The story of “Doubting Thomas” is not just a tale of skepticism; it’s a reminder that our doubts and questions can lead us to a deeper, more meaningful understanding of our beliefs. It’s a call to embrace our spiritual journey in all its complexity, with its blend of doubt, inquiry, and revelation.
Lonnie Davis