I am Encountering the Resurrection. “My Lord and my God!” John 20:26-29

Believing what we are “seeing!” Doubting Thomas became Believing Thomas when he “saw” with his very own eyes, the risen Christ standing before him.

From our unbelief to belief. From our “seeing” to believing. The development of a disciple’s faith in Jesus as their God, their Savior, can be followed, traced from the time of John the Baptist to the final chapters of John’s Revelation.

Recall what has come before this. For the three years of Christ’s own ministry, we see in the disciples’, tiny bits of evidence of little seeds of faith taking root, growing, maturing and blossoming into a firm foundation of unshakable faith.

It was revealed to Peter, Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God… and the content of John’s Gospel was written so we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing on Him we might have life in His name.

Thomas was absent from that initial “appearance” of Resurrected Christ. As a consequence, Thomas did not “see” as the Disciples first “saw” 8 days prior.

We do not know where he was. Scripture is not clear in this matter. What is clear in this matter is none of the disciple’s present that first appearance, who “saw” the Resurrected Jesus, had made no such declaration of “My Lord and my God!”

We only read from John 20:19-20 NASB: “¹⁹Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were ^[a]shut where the disciples were together due to fear of the ^[b]Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and *said to them, “Peace be to you.” ²⁰And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Verse 20 suggests they only had an “emotional response” – They rejoiced when they “saw” the Lord. Had they come to a true state of “belief” in that moment?

This suggests to me that there is something significantly deeper to explore here with “doubting” Thomas’ response of “My Lord, and my God!”

John 20:26-29 Amplified Bible

²⁶Eight days later His disciples were again inside the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though the doors had been barred, and stood among them and said, “Peace to you.” ²⁷Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place it in My side. Do not be unbelieving, but [stop doubting and] believe.” ²⁸Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, do you now believe? Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, and favored by God] are they who did not see [Me] and yet believed [in Me].”

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Thomas, called Didymus – which means twin, was chosen by Christ to be one of His 12 apostles. He was a zealous disciple who demonstrated a fearless attitude.

When Jesus set His face as a flint to go to Jerusalem to face the unbelieving Jews who desired to kill Him, Thomas boldly cried, “Let us also go to Jerusalem, with Him – so that we may die with Jesus!” (John 11:16 NASB)

Thomas was also a deep thinker who paid heed to Christ’s words of wisdom, but he did not always understand the depth of meaning behind Christ’s discourses.

“Lord, we do not know where You are going,” (John 14:5 NASB) was his quick complaint when Jesus revealed that He was soon to leave them and return to His Father in heaven, “so how can we know the way?” was his earnest query.

But it was his reliance on the logic of man, his inability to see truth beyond his physical senses, caused him to become labelled with the uncomplimentary title, ‘doubting Thomas’, for he would not accept the multiple eyewitness accounts of Christ’s Resurrection because he himself, had not seen His Resurrected Lord with his own eyes, nor had he touched the risen Savior with his own hands –

and so, in his initial response he made the astonishingly determined claim, “unless I “see” in His hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, (ergo) I will not believe.”

When taken in isolation, this passage appears to declare Jesus IS God.

Every serious Bible student will agree, however, that it’s never a good idea to evaluate a verse apart from its context.

What then is the immediate, as well as the broader, context in which Thomas’ confession appears?

We’ll look at both, and in the process discover what Thomas meant when he said, “My Lord and my God.”

My Lord and My God: The Immediate Context

As we read the immediate context surrounding Thomas’ confession, please do notice how many times the words “see” or “seen” are used in conjunction with the word “believe” in its various forms.

John 20:24-29New American Standard Bible

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called ^[a]Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

^26 [b]Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been ^[c]shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.” ²⁷Then He *said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.” ²⁸Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

The word “see” in Greek is horaô.

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When used literally it means to see with one’s eye.

For example, Thomas plainly stated that his belief in a resurrected Christ was predicated on seeing Jesus with his own eyes.

When used figuratively horaô means to perceive or to discern, that is, to “see” with the mind or with one’s understanding.

This figurative usage is common in English as well.

We say, “I see what you mean,” that is, “I understand.”

Jesus said those who believed (understood) that he was alive without literally seeing him were blessed.

Broader Context: What does Bible say about literally seeing God?

The Bible has much to say about seeing God. When Moses asked God to show him His glory, God answered him without ambiguity:

Exodus 33:20 (NASB) But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” (Emphasis added)
Exodus 33:20 NASB

The apostle Paul also communicates this truth on more than one occasion when he writes that God is “invisible,” and that “no man has seen or can see” Him. In addition, the apostle John echoes these same emphatic statements:

1 John 4:12a (NASB) No one has seen God at any time… (emphasis added)
1 John 4:12a (NASB)

It is important to realize that John penned these words after tens of thousands of people had seen Jesus during his earthly ministry.

Moreover, at least 500 people saw him after his resurrection.

And most important for our discussion, even after Thomas had seen Jesus and supposedly declared him to be God, John still wrote, “No one has seen God at any time” (emphasis added).

The contradiction between the Trinitarian view that Thomas was declaring Jesus to be God, and the numerous passages that unequivocally state that God cannot be seen, is rather glaring.

To say that Thomas “saw God” contradicts Scripture.

Therefore, there must be another way to understand his words.

What did Jesus teach his disciples about seeing God?

The solution to this obvious contradiction lies in what Jesus taught his disciples about “seeing God.”

John 12:44-45 (NASB) And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. ⁴⁵ “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. (emphasis added)
John 12:44-45 (NASB)

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In this passage the word “sees” in Greek is theôreô, and it means to look closely at; to gaze with interest or careful observation.

Figuratively it can mean to comprehend or recognize.

It is a synonym of horaô.

Thus, Jesus uses “seeing” as a metaphor for comprehending or knowing.

In doing so, he conveys an important truth to his disciples: if you see me, it means that you also “see”–perceive, discern, comprehend and recognize–the One who sent Me, that is, the One who can’t be seen.

Jesus could say this because he perfectly represented the Father.

The apostle Paul expresses this truth beautifully:

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NASB) For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (Emphasis added)

In this context, Paul is comparing Jesus to Moses who reflected the glory of God after having spent 40 days and nights on Mt. Sinai in God’s presence.

Moses wasn’t God, but he reflected God’s glory.

Similarly, Jesus isn’t God, but he reflects the glory of God, thus enabling us to know Him.

Paul wrote something similar to the church in Colossae:

Colossians 1:15 (NASB) He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (emphasis added)

Jesus is the image of the God who can’t be seen.

An image is not the original, rather it is a picture or a reflection of the original.

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The word “image” in this passage is the Greek eikôn, and it literally means a statue.

Figuratively, it means a representation.

Jesus used eikôn in this way when he responded to the Jews’ question about the legality of the poll-tax.

Jesus told them to bring him a denarius, a coin imprinted with Caesar’s likeness:

Matthew 22:20-21 (NASB) And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” ²¹ They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” (emphasis added)
Matthew 22:20-21 (NASB)

The word “likeness” is eikôn, the same word used in Colossians 1:15 where it is translated as “image.”

Obviously, the image or likeness of Caesar on the coin was not literally Caesar.

Rather it was a representation of him.

Similarly, Jesus is the image of God and not the original.

How did Jesus reflect or image God to mankind?

By speaking only, the words God gave him to speak, by doing only the works God gave him to do, and by obeying God’s will and denying his own.

This is how he could say in John 12:45: when you see me, you see God who sent me. Not surprising, this idea is in perfect keeping with Hebraic thought.

The night Jesus was arrested

On the night Jesus was arrested, he gathered his disciples in the upper room and taught them about knowing and seeing God.

This discourse provides us with further critical insight into the meaning behind Thomas’ confession:

John 14:3-6 (NASB) “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ “And you know the way where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (emphasis added)

Notice that the Father is the objective, while Jesus is the means by which the objective is reached.

Furthermore, Thomas is specifically mentioned as being an active part of the discussion that evening.

What follows are some of the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples before being arrested and ultimately crucified.

John 14:7 (NASB) “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” (Emphasis added)
John 14:7 (NASB)

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The word “know” here, along with its various forms, is the Greek word ginôskô, and it means to come to know, recognize, perceive.

The word “seen” is horaô.

You will please recall that it can mean to see, perceive, to discern.

Again, Jesus uses “seeing” as a metaphor for “knowing.”

He does not mean that when they look at him, they are literally looking at the Father.

For one reason, God cannot be seen, and for another reason, Jesus is not the Father.

Rather, Jesus is saying that when they see or observe him, they also come to “see” and know God.

Philip, however, misses Jesus’ point:

John 14:8-9 (NASB) Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (emphasis added)

Jesus questions their failure to understand that to see him is to “see” the Father especially since he had been revealing the Father to them for so long.

After Jesus’ Resurrection

After God raised Jesus from the dead, he appeared to the disciples. Thomas, however, was not present:

John 20:24-25 (NASB) But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (emphasis added)

The point here is that Thomas refused to believe Jesus was alive, even though there were eyewitness.

Several days later, Jesus appeared to the group a second time.

Thomas is now among them.

John 20:26-29 (NASB) After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then He *said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” ²⁸ Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
John 20:26-29 (NASB)

The Meaning of Thomas’ Confession

In view of the context we have examined, Thomas finally understands what Jesus has been trying to teach him all along:

“Not only do I see my risen Lord, but I also now “see” or perceive that you are indeed the image of the invisible God. You have been revealing the Father to us all along!”

Thomas finally sees his Lord and perceives his God.

Understanding Thomas’ confession in this way resolves the conflict created by the Trinitarian interpretation which claims that Thomas sees Jesus as God when Scripture repeatedly says God cannot be seen.

Furthermore, it is in keeping with Hebraic thought which views the one sent, in this case Jesus, as being the personal presence of the sender, that is God.

In addition, Jesus’ statement in John 17– that God the Father is the only true God, while he is the Christ–remains intact, and no complicated formula is required for dealing with a multi-personal God.

It also helps explain why Thomas’ confession is not included within the other gospels; something we would expect to see if he were truly confessing Jesus to be deity.

It’s important to note that no other disciple declares Jesus is God.

Not one.

Perhaps most telling is the reason John gave for writing his gospel.

A mere two verses after Thomas’ so-called confession of Jesus’ deity,

John says his purpose for penning his gospel is that we might believe Jesus is the Christ. John does not say one word about the supposed recent revelation about Jesus’ deity, which, if it were true, would eclipse Jesus being the Christ.

John 20:30-31 (NASB) Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

If Thomas’ confession was actually a declaration that Jesus was God, you can be sure John would have featured it as a reason for writing his gospel.

God made it possible for Jesus to be seen.

There is one last point that is worthy of inclusion in this examination of John 20:28.

Peter provides us with an important detail regarding Jesus’ post resurrection appearances.

He says that Jesus was made visible because God made it possible for him to be seen:

Acts 10:40-41 (NASB) “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
Acts 10:40-41 (NASB)

If Jesus is God, why would someone else named God have to grant him the ability to be physically seen, and only by certain witnesses of God’s choosing?

Would not Jesus have the right, the authority and the ability as God to do this himself?

It makes no sense unless Jesus is the human Messiah and not the God-man the 4th century Church Fathers interpreted him to be.

By examining both the immediate and broader contexts surrounding Thomas’ confession, we see a continuity between Jesus’ teaching that to see him is to “see God” and Thomas’ realization his Lord (literally), his God (figuratively) were before his eyes.

Jesus’ teaching is relevant for us today.

We, too, are blessed if we believe in Jesus even though we have not seen him with our eyes. It’s no wonder Peter writes:

1 Peter 1:8-9 (NASB) and though you have not seen Him [Jesus], you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9 (NASB)

We can only barely imagine the depth of sweet joy, bitter shame, and utter astonishment, when Christ came and stood before Thomas.

The doors were locked, the disciples were assembled, and this time Thomas was with them.

Jesus came and stood in the midst of them and said, “Thomas – reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving but believing.”

Then Thomas answered and proclaimed to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

What a confession from Thomas!

What an incredible declaration.

What a wonderful truth – for Jesus is alive and has broken the power of death in the lives of all who believe.

When Thomas saw his Lord, his cocky comments and disdainful disbelief must have frozen on his lips – his only response could be, “My Lord and my God!”

Indeed, how grateful we are these words of Thomas are here recorded in the inspired, God-breathed Scriptures… for Jesus is indeed our God and our Savior.

We were nowhere near the Upper Room. You and I do not have the opportunity to see the risen Lord Jesus in the same way that Thomas saw Him

– but Jesus also added these words of comfort… especially for you and for me,

“Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.”

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus is our risen, ascended, and glorified God and Lord, Who died to redeem us and Who rose to give us His resurrected life.

Thank You that even when we doubt You and are faithless, You remain faithful to Your promise that whosoever believes in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins will not perish but have everlasting life. Thank You! In Jesus’ holy name, AMEN.

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Is my cup half full or half empty? Is my doubt a half a doubt or a whole doubt? The Doubting Thomas that lives and breathes within Us all. John 20:24-25

“Are ye able,” said the Master,
“to be crucified with me?”
“Yea,” the sturdy dreamers answered,
“to the death we follow thee.”

“Doubt sees the obstacles;

Faith sees the way.

Doubt sees the darkest night;

Faith sees the day.

Doubt dreads to take a step;

Faith soars on high.

Doubt questions, “Who believes?”

Faith answers, “I!”

Faith always has its doubts.

I once had the impression that if you doubted, you could not have faith — that faith and doubt were contrary to one another.

But I gradually began to understand that this is not true.

Doubt is the very proof of faith. Doubt is actually an attack upon the very faith we have. You cannot have doubts unless you have faith.

Faith is the way God works, and so the enemy is bound to attack your faith immediately as he sees you beginning to act and live and walk by faith.

Therefore, doubts will always begin to arise and seek to live— as a result of Satan’s attempt to overthrow your faith. There is no faith without doubts.

Jesus himself, though he always lived by faith, and everything he did was by faith, nevertheless was subjected to times of severe doubt.

Otherwise, he was not one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning, (Hebrews 4:15 RSV).

Doubt is part of the life of faith.

If you and I are trying to walk by faith in a promise God has given you, and you and I are troubled by doubts, this is the proof you and I are really living by faith.

We are all supposed to have doubts and we are supposed to have questions.

God gave us our free will.

When we were being formed in our mother’s womb, God gave us our emotions though yet unformed and undefined, totally unknown and unexpressed by us.

From the time we were born – without our realizing it or knowing it, we took our very first crying session and blessed every last pair of ears within hearing distance. God created us and authored our whole lives, and we went and lived.

We went forth from our mother’s womb and God being God, knowing the full length and breadth of humanities sinful ways, then God gave us the Psalms.

Hang in there!

God knows who we are.

We are not always too sure who God is.

So, we have our doubts, and we have our questions.

Still, Jesus comes to our doubts and answers.

Jesus gives us an opportunity to see him.

Jesus gives us an opportunity to know him.

When our doubts are severe, and questions are many and deep.

Jesus notices us, He looks at us and He acknowledges us fully.

Jesus lets us come to him.

Jesus lets us touch him.

Jesus lets us question him.

Are we learning to see our doubts as corollary to our faith?

Do we process our doubts through what we have proven to be true?

Have we experienced the holy fear of living into an audacious faith?

“Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine.
Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.”

John 20:24-29Amplified Bible

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve [disciples], who was called Didymus (the twin), was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the marks of the nails, and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Each of the four synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – include in their Passion/Resurrection narratives a series of startling episodes related to the appearances of the risen Christ to his disciples locked behind a heavy door.

In these episodes the remaining disciples (minus Judas who betrayed Jesus), after having passed through a phase of doubt, unbelief, trouble, confusion and astonishment, come to the point of believing that Jesus has been risen indeed.

There is, however, a special episode preserved by the Gospel of John that stands out from among the post-resurrection scenes.

This is the incident of the appearance of the risen Lord to Thomas, brilliantly narrated by John (Jn. 20:24-29).

The specialty and the importance of this event lie in the fact that it presents the relation between doubting, seeing and believing in God, in the resurrection of our Savior Jesus the Christ, in a truly splendid, superbly formulated manner.

More specifically, it reveals the significance of believing after, or because of, having seen the risen Christ, and believing without having seen him.

Therefore, the Thomas incident as it is reported in John 20:24-29, is worthy our investigation and discussion.

The Appearance of the Risen Christ to his Disciples

John is the only Evangelist who has preserved the story in which Thomas is depicted as moving from unbelief to belief after his encounter with the risen Lord (John. 20:24-29).

The episode took place one week after Jesus had appeared to the disciples in the absence of Thomas (John 20:19-23).

In the above-mentioned appearance of Jesus to his disciples, he showed them his hands and his side (edeixen autois tas cheiras kai ten pleuran autou), and the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord (idontes ton Kyrion) (John. 20:20).

What we have here, despite the brevity of the description, is the emphasis on the visible aspect of the appearance, even to the very specific mentioning of the “placing our fingers and our thoughts and doubts” in his hands and of his side.

The two main verbs at the center of the narrative are verbs of optical impression, of seeing: Jesus showed … The disciples saw (edeixen … idontes).

In the scene that immediately follows, namely John 20:24-26, the disciples tell Thomas, “We have seen the Lord” (eorakamen ton Kyrion) (John 20:25).

Here, a basic verb of seeing (eorakamen) is employed by John the Evangelist as a startling expression of the experience of these disciples’ encounter with Savior Jesus Christ the resurrected, and of their questions, their doubts, faith in him.

Thomas’ response to the information/witness offered by the other disciples, includes in an emphatic way the very same verb of sight:

“Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails … I will not believe” (ean me idon … ou me pisteuso) (John. 20:25).

Disciple Thomas without “explicitly dismissing out of hand the other disciples’ confession,” refuses, nonetheless, to confess his personal believe that Jesus is risen from the dead, is alive and there, unless he sees him with his own eyes.

The condition imposed by Thomas is clear and absolute: personal verification by sight, direct access by eye contact and nothing less.

Thomas even intensifies his terms by adding the need not only to see but also to touch Jesus at the very marks of his crucifixion:

“Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe” (John. 20:25)

Thus, Thomas makes his own individual test, his personal direct seeing of the visible marks of the crucifixion and even the touching of these marks, the absolute condition and the strictest, non-negotiable term for our believing.

Any other evidence is inadmissible. The disciples’ affirmation that they have seen the Lord is treated with utter skepticism that borders on rejection.

An unyielding attitude of greatest doubt is being described here, a situation where our believing seems to be unthinkable without seeing, without direct “hands on, eyes on, ears upon” physical evidence and strictest verification.

Have you ever had that degree and measure of doubt in God and resurrection?

I believe there isn’t a person alive who hasn’t lived that doubt in his or her life.

In his book The Thomas Factor, Winkie Pratney says that

“One of the major reasons that God will allow doubt in our lives is because we have not grown.” (Winkie Pratney. The Thomas Factor. Old Tappan. Chosen Books, 1989, p. 103).

He says that “Doubt comes when we take our eyes off God” (page 94).

In the whole passage of this scripture (John 20:19-31) we see that Thomas is struggling with his “growing pains”. He is struggling mightily with his lack of faith. It is as if he is on the exacting border between believing and doubting.

Considering Thomas’ struggles as we read today in John’s narrative,

As we consider what we know to be our own deeply personal struggles …

We must ask ourselves, “Who is the object of our faith God or ourselves?”

This is a question all of us must confront at times when our faith is being tested.

As much as it was devastatingly true for Thomas as he himself lived in those days, directly effected, and affected by the depth of his emotions and course of events as they actually played out, took place, is it also as mightily true for us?

Today, as we move towards the celebration of the Pentecost, I want you to think about the ways that you see that Thomas’s doubt is mirrored in your own lives.

I want you to think about how the Gospel of John mentions Thomas in three different ways,

Thomas the courageous believer,

Thomas the inquisitive and

Thomas the doubter.

THOMAS THE COURAGEOUS

How would you define courage?

1) An athlete’s definition:

Would it be as the late Tennis Star Arthur Ashe described it?

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost”.

2) An actor’s definition: Or would it be as the late actor John Wayne said,

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up and riding ahead anyway”.

3) A disciple’s definition: Or would it be one of Jesus’s own disciples Thomas defined it,

“a faithfulness unto death” (John 11:16).

Can you imagine a modern-day press conference where journalists might try to question Thomas with a gotcha question?

Imagine their piercing questions.

The interview is going fine, and Thomas is calm until they ask this question:

“You once said that you would follow Jesus. Your exact words were, “Let us go that we might die with Him” (John 11:16). What happened?”

All of a sudden, the interviewee, Thomas, begins to appear intimidated and angry that they put him on the spot.

Take it a step further,

imagine that you are Thomas in this interview.

How would you have responded to all of the cameras and microphones?

How would you have responded to the sudden barrage of repeated questions from every corner of the room, reporter and journalist, at the same time?

THOMAS THE INQUISITIVE

Recall Thomas’s question to Jesus about where it is He is going in John 14:6?

1) A hope graph: If you could graphically picture Thomas’s hope on a scale, then what would it look like between when Thomas had confidently expressed his “faithfulness unto death” up to the moment where he wanted to know the way?

2) A silent minority? Already, you can see the character of Thomas shifting toward doubt in this very question as compared to the courageous statement that he made in John 11:16.

Notice how Thomas says “we” when he really seems to be speaking for himself, at least for the time being.

3) Is seeing always believing? But then we get to Philip’s request to see the Father (John 14:8) and it becomes apparent that maybe there is a “we” after all.

It seems that he might have a little bit in common with Thomas’s need to see in order to believe.

Jesus clarified not only His direction, but also His identity.

1) Jesus’s answer: In answering Thomas’s question, Jesus said,

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

2) Our future: Not only was Jesus telling them that He was soon going to die (John 13:33), but He was also telling them about where He was going.

He also spoke of hearts having no fear, of the rooms He was preparing in the Father’s house when He would come and receive each of them (John 14:1-4).

That promise is true for all of His believers.

THOMAS THE DOUBTER

The other disciples had already seen Jesus, but Thomas was not there when they saw Him.

We have to remember that by this time, that there were only 11 other disciples because Judas had hung himself as the result of his severe doubts and anguish.

Ten of those 11 had seen the resurrected Jesus.

1) Jesus’ appearance behind locked doors:

Those 10 disciples were present in the room with the doors locked in fear of the Jewish authorities when the resurrected Jesus appeared among them, saying, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).

2) Needing proof: It was not until eight days later that Thomas saw Jesus Christ resurrected (John 20:26).

It was not until Thomas saw Jesus just over a week later that he believed.

He said that he would not believe unless he put his hand in Jesus’s hands where the nails were and the wound in His side.

Jesus told him to do just that.

John’s narrative does not specifically mention it. We do not know if Thomas actually physically touched both the nail scared hands and wounded side.

Thomas had to live in doubt for over a week. I know a lot of people who say that they do not like to miss church because they do not feel right all week long.

3) Feeling awkward because of absence:

There have been those rare times in history when we have had to practice social distancing for a great length of time.

Going to church is not something that we do for somebody else.

Going to church is something that we do for ourselves!

We go to church to nurture our faith as well as to encourage one another in the faith.

From John’s narrative, we are not told why Thomas was absent. We are told that his absence made him insecure and doubtful where the others were secure.

4) Needing peace:

We all need that blessing of peace that Jesus gives to us (John 20:19).

Thomas still seemed to be afraid.

Maybe he was still afraid of death. The others were liberated from the prison of that fear whereas Thomas was still one of its prisoners.

Until Thomas saw Jesus resurrected himself, he said that he would not believe.

Faith in Jesus is not something that we just talk about.

Faith gives a bridge over troubled waters!

It is something that we all have to walk on and cross over whenever we find ourselves facing our own barrage of ever greater questions and our doubts.

Satan would love nothing more than to use our doubt to his advantage.

He is betting against us. Satan will try to cheat in order to win.

He tries to use our doubt for leverage.

St. Augustine of Hippo ever so eloquently stated it this way:

“Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward of faith is to see what you believe.”

“For what we see now we see dimly as a poor reflection in a mirror, then we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Until we are able to have the reward of faith—to see what we believe,

we will have to walk by faith until we receive our sight.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this devotional,

Doubt sees the obstacles;

Faith sees the way.

Doubt sees the darkest night;

Faith sees the day.

Doubt dreads to take a step;

Faith soars on high.

Doubt questions, “Who believes?”

Faith answers, “I!”

If we are honest with ourselves, then we will admit that there are lots of times when we possess doubt as Thomas did.

When Jesus came to Thomas and told him put his finger in the holes of his hands and side from His crucifixion scars, Thomas began to believe.

In much the same way, God uses our faith to help others to develop the eyes of faith so that they, too, may begin to believe without having to rely on sight.

They see us having peace that passes all understanding in spite of the trials of everyday life.

It is then our faith becomes a living testimony of trusting and believing in the resurrected Christ so unbelievers may want to have the faith that gives us hope in knowing Christ holds our future just as much as He helps us in the present.

It’s the place where we can confidently connect the question with our response:

1. “Are ye able,” said the Master,
“to be crucified with me?”
“Yea,” the sturdy dreamers answered,
“to the death we follow thee.”
Refrain:
Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine.
Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.

In the name of God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Father, stir my heart to continue to seek after you. I want to know more about you, and I also want to be more aware of your presence in my life. I want my character to be conformed to your will. So please know that my doubts and questions are my seeking you and not my seeking some random tidbit of knowledge. Give me the Spirit of revelation to know you more completely so that I might be transformed by your will rather than being conformed to the culture around me. In Jesus my Savior’s name, I pray. Gloria! Alleluia! Amen.