Doubting Thomas
Last week, I suggested some alterations to Easter-time in order to simplify the season a bit. For one thing, if it was left up to me, I would stop calling Easter “Easter,” and call it Resurrection Sunday instead. Also, while I would not entirely throw out observances for the Sunday following the Paschal moon, I would nail down the generally accepted date of Resurrection Sunday from the Gregorian calendar—April 6, 33 AD—and celebrate Christ’s Resurrection every April 6th. While these changes have merit, I will not worry if they’re not universally accepted.
I also extended a friendly challenge to readers to read the accounts in the Gospels of the last week of Jesus’ ministry before Resurrection Sunday. I suggested you do this in a way that’s comfortable for you, even if it’s only a few verses at a time; but if I may add a stipulation (that should have been included last week): Read these passages prayerfully.
Now: How ‘bout that doubting Thomas?
It’s remarkable how, in spite of a person’s notable achievements, one blunder sticks to them like glue. If you’ve read that far, you know from the 20th chapter of John that Thomas was not present when the Resurrected Jesus appeared to the assembled Disciples. When they told him, “Jesus is ALIVE!!!”
Yeah. Right. Bloody, gory deaths were as common in Israel in that day as they are on movies and TV in this day. Thomas was not at the crucifixion, but did he perhaps see Jesus’ body at some point as it was being prepared for the tomb? Thomas said he would believe Jesus lived when he touched and felt the wounds in Jesus’ hands and side.
It’s a rather odd Tom was so stubborn. A couple weeks earlier, Jesus and the Disciples learned of the illness and death of their good friend Lazarus. Lazarus lived in the regions of Judea that were particularly hostile to Jesus, yet Jesus went there to raise Lazarus from the dead. His Disciples tried hard to talk Him out of it, to no avail. I imagine Thomas was frustrated, but he was faithful. “Let’s go to Judea and die with Him,” he said to his friends.
Thomas loved Jesus, yet his faith was troubled by gnawing doubt. At the Lord’s Supper account in John 14, Jesus told His Disciples He was “going to prepare a place for you,” and, “where I go you know, and the way you know.”
But Thomas said unto Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
It’s fair to say, Thomas and the other Disciples did not fully understand the magnitude of these words; likewise, it’s pretty presumptuous for any of us to think we do. The infinite God was sitting across the table from these men, God in flesh and blood, eating and drinking with them, giving them eternal truths in little spoonfuls at a time—it was so much for one evening. In a few hours, Jesus would be crucified.
After the subsequent events, naturally, Thomas doubted his friends’ report that Jesus lives—Jesus lives! But eight days later, Thomas was present when Christ again appeared to the Disciples. Christ invited him to examine His wounds, and admonished him, “Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” This is a tremendous affirmation, but sadly, many people remember the man for his doubt—but we’ll take this up again next week.
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