“We have seen the Lord!” (John 20:25 NIV)
Last week I was in a Bible study that was focusing on the twelve disciples that followed Jesus. The group had previously discussed the two sets of fisherman brothers – Peter and Andrew, and James and John – and were focusing on Matthew the tax collector and Thomas. When Jesus announced the disciples were going back to Judea after the religious leaders plotted to kill him, Thomas said to the other disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (Luke 11:16 NIV).
At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas responded, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” This simple clarifying question leads to one of Jesus’ most profound and clear statements of his divinity: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:4-6 NIV).
From the reality that Thomas traveled with Jesus for most of three years, was one of the original twelve Apostles, and from these Bible passages, we see the story of a man who was loyal to the point of being willing to go with Jesus into danger, and a man who is humble enough to ask questions instead of pretending to understand.
Yet, he is most remembered as “Doubting Thomas.”
You probably remember that the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection Thomas wasn’t there. Where was he? We aren’t told. Perhaps he was out running errands or checking on his family. I think there was a pretty good chance he was so distraught by the crucifixion of Jesus that he hadn’t stayed with the others – and, so, hadn’t heard the women’s stories of the resurrection on Sunday morning.
I wonder if a part of him was so loyal to Jesus that he felt like he had failed Him because he had not died, too. After watching the events of the previous week – triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Last Supper, betrayal and suicide by Judas Iscariot, trial, flogging, and crucifixion of Jesus, – I’m not sure how you could be anything but distraught. Perhaps he had gone away to a quiet place to grieve.
Whatever the reason, he wasn’t there when Jesus first appeared to the gathered believers.
When the other disciples told him Jesus was alive, he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25 NIV). Thomas gets a bad rap with that statement. For two millennium he’s been known as “Doubting Thomas.” Looking back at what he experienced, I’m not sure I would have believed, either. The claims of bodily resurrection would be so challenging to believe; I would struggle without some proof.
Jesus knew Thomas, knew the good plans he had for Thomas’s future, and knew that his heart was crushed and he needed reassurance. So, Jesus met that need. A week later – what a long and challenging week it must have been for Thomas!! – Jesus met Thomas where he was.
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:26-28 NIV)
All it took was for Jesus to meet Thomas in his questions, and Thomas gave one of the greatest proclamations of faith in the Bible: My Lord and My God!!!
This story reminds us that Jesus knows us inside and out, through and through. He knows our faithfulness, our questions, our doubts, our strengths, our messiness, and our hopes. He’s not threatened by our honest questions. He invites us to humbly seek him, to bring those questions and doubts to him, and allow him to answer them as he reveals himself to us as we seek him.
Jesus, thank you for being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Thank you for meeting us in our honest questions and our doubts. Help us to trust you when we don’t have answers or we don’t understand. Help us to remember that you are always faithful, even when we are not, and your heart of love is always available for us. Like Thomas, help us to boldly live so that we proclaim that you are our Lord and our God. We ask in your name, AMEN.