Our Gospel reading today, following this week’s Lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer, brings us to the account of Thomas, one of the twelve apostles. Thomas is forever nick-named “Doubting Thomas”, and we’ll see why he has that name, and whether it is really a fair one.
Thomas, like the other disciples, had taken part in the Passover and Last Supper celebrations with Jesus, and then went with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane. While there, Jesus was arrested by the Jewish religious leaders, and all of the disciples took off, including Thomas, leaving Him alone. It seems that ten of the disciples hid out together from Friday to early Sunday morning, all except for Judas who betrayed Him and later killed himself, and for Thomas.
Why wasn’t Thomas with the others? The Scriptures do not say. He may have run off in a totally different direction than the others. Perhaps he, like some people, preferred to grieve alone, by himself, rather than in a group. He probably wasn’t with them that Sunday morning when the women came to bring the news of the empty tomb, and as we read today, he was not with the disciples that Sunday evening when the Lord Jesus first appeared to them after the Resurrection (vs. 24). By not being with his fellow disciples, Thomas missed out on seeing Jesus.
On the evening of the Resurrection, ten of the disciples were gathered together in a room, with the doors locked for fear that those who had arrested and executed Jesus would come after them. As they grouped together in fear, probably whispering among themselves what the women had told them earlier that morning, Jesus appeared in the middle, blessing them with His peace (vs. 19-21). He showed them His hands and side to prove that He really was the Lord, the same One who had been crucified, and had indeed risen as the women had testified. It was also at this time that Jesus gave a variation of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus is sending us out to proclaim the Gospel, just as He told them.
Thomas was not with them that evening, and during the week the others told him that they had seen Jesus. However, Thomas did not believe them. He went so far as to say that unless he would put his fingers into the wounds of Jesus, he would not believe (vs. 25). The next Sunday the disciples were all together again, this time with Thomas present, and Jesus again appeared to them. Jesus then spoke directly to Thomas, calling him over, showing him His hands and feet, and offering to let him put in his fingers if he so chose to (vs. 26-27). Jesus did not rebuke Thomas. He compassionately gave him proof of His resurrection, and then Thomas proclaimed his belief, not only in the resurrection of Jesus, but also in His deity, the first of the disciples to do so (vs. 28).
We should not be so hard on Thomas for doubting what the disciples had told him. Would you or I readily believe it if we were in his shoes? I would like to think I would, but really, would I? Thomas wanted to know the truth, and he gladly believed when given reasons to do so. He didn’t hesitate to follow Jesus at the start, and he had been willing to die with Him when they entered Jerusalem only a couple of weeks earlier (John 11:16). Thomas didn’t stay in his doubts, but he allowed Jesus to bring him to belief. Doubting is not the same as unbelief. Doubting asks if it can be. Unbelief says that it isn’t. Honest and open doubts can lead to questions. Questions will lead to answers. If we accept God’s answers then the doubting did some good.
Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what He sees. We need to live, not only by what we see, but also by what God’s Word and the Holy Spirit tells us. This is the very essence of faith.
In closing, one final thought about the scars of Jesus, in His hands, feet, and side. Many of us have various scars on our body, some from surgeries, others from accidents. When we get to heaven all of our scars, both physical, emotional, and psychological will be gone (Revelation 21:2-4). That is, all except for the scars of Jesus. They are a reminder of the price He paid for our salvation. We are engraved as the scars on Jesus’ hands. They are a reminder of God’s incredible love for us, more than even a mother for her baby (Isaiah 49:14-16). The nail prints in Jesus’ hands and feet, along with the scar on His side from the spear thrust in there, will remain for all eternity.
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