Resurrection, Doubt, Seeing and Not Seeing (Jn.20:24-31)

[HKHaugan]

This passage is famous having made popular the epithet, ‘Doubting Thomas.’ Right or not Thomas has become the historical poster child for doubt. Perhaps we need to rethink the cultural image and see him in Scriptural reality.

Thomas was not with the disciples during the second appearance so they told him they had seen the Lord. His retort? He would not believe unless he did three things, saw the nail marks in Jesus’ hands, put his finger where the nail marks were and put his hand in His side.

A week after he said this Jesus again comes through a locked door and stands among them saying the same words, “Peace be with you” for the third time. What Thomas had specifically demanded in order to believe, Jesus tells him to do, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas responds, “My Lord and my God.”

Jesus then tells him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Scripture gives us no description of Thomas’ personality. We can only speculate but we can see what is recorded. Thomas is mentioned three other times in John, 11:16, 14:3-5 and 21:1. The first is significant because Jesus, hearing of Lazarus’ death, is returning to Bethany just outside Jerusalem where the Jews had tried to stone Him for saying He and the Father were One. Thomas, sure they would face danger going with Him says, “Let us all go, that we may die with Him.” The sense of unquestionable loyalty to Jesus is apparent.

The second takes place in the context of Jesus forewarning the disciples of His death and though that would mean He was going away His purpose would be to prepare a place for them but He would return and take them back with Him. Further He tells them that they know the way to where He is going to which a confused Thomas asks, “We don’t know where you are going so how can we know the way?” Here Jesus replies, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The ‘where’ is back to the Father. The ‘way’ is a consuming relationship with Jesus

We can only speculate about Thomas’ personal condition but let’s take a stab at it. What Jesus has just said about dying and leaving is beyond Him. It seems Thomas doesn’t understand or doesn’t want to understand that the object of his loyalty has to die a sacrificial death to make way for everyone into the Kingdom. Simply stated, Thomas can’t handle Jesus’ death.

It appears Thomas is a matter-of-fact honest person, who retreats into himself after Jesus’ death. His hero has died. His last image of Jesus was on the Cross. All of what Jesus had been and taught was dissolved in that image. So He feels alone, probably disillusioned, confused and apparently emotionally separated from the other disciples. His heart has been hardened by fear resulting in a kind of prideful obstinate demand for physical evidence setting him apart from the other disciples. His obstinacy is a self-protective cover for his fear. It’s his way of maintaining personal control in front of the others. So when Jesus appears to him and meets his demands for evidence (remember, Jesus was not physically present when Thomas bluntly blurted out his demands) he is floored and in line with his matter-of-fact personality says in awesome reverence, “My Lord and my God.” Being Thomas what else could he or would he have said? Jesus had truly penetrated his isolated heart locked by fear, obstinacy and doubt.

The importance of this encounter for us is the ability to see three things.

First, doubt is a cover for something that blocks belief. As we meet people we don’t know what has made them what they are. Trusting in Jesus as we develop a relationship with them will enable them to trust us to open up little by little. In the process we share our own inadequacies and find our further healing as we deepen the encounter. Introducing Jesus then becomes a sacrificial offering of one’s self. That is part of what it means to take up our cross and follow Him.

Second, Jesus is emphasizing the importance of faith as the invisible quality opening the heart to God’s recovery plan. Faith goes beyond what you can see. Faith trumps all visible circumstance. Scripture is clear. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb.11:1).”

Third, the fact that Thomas is recorded being together with the disciples at the lakeside breakfast appearance of Jesus (21:1) shows he was again at one with the others and firmly embedded as an apostle.

By faith we too are at one with Jesus through the Spirit, one with the Apostles and the Body of Christ in the Spirit and one more missionary disciple anointed by the Holy Spirit for God’s plan of world restoration.