Doubting Thomas
Do you have doubts? One of the lesser-known disciples is Thomas. Outside the listing of the Twelve, Thomas is referenced three times.
The first time was when Jesus wanted to return to a hostile area He visited before. Thomas thought that was an unwise decision fearing the thugs along the way or someone in the area would kill Jesus.
After Jesus made it clear “That’s where we are going,” it was Thomas who said, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
The second time Thomas is referenced, is when Jesus gave His great, Let not your heart be troubled talk to the disciples. In that moment Jesus said,
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And 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. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
It was Thomas who said, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
In response, Jesus said some of the most important words of all the words that He ever said. He said to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
The third occurrence of Thomas being mentioned is a series of events, after the resurrection of our Lord. We find that Jesus appeared to the disciples on a Sunday evening, but Thomas was absent. Thomas skipped out on church that night.
When the disciples found Thomas they told him, “We have seen the Lord.” Doubting Thomas said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
The Apostle John tells us, eight days later the disciples were gathered together again. This time, Thomas was there.
Jesus appeared in the room, the doors being shut, and He stood in the midst of those disciples, and He said, “Peace to you!”
Jesus turned to Thomas and said, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.”
There is no indication that Thomas actually did that. Jesus offered it, but we do not know if he did it. One thing we do know is what Thomas said. He said, “My Lord and my God!”
And then Jesus had one more word for Thomas. Jesus said, “Thomas because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Are you a doubter or a believer?
