That Thomas Thing

 

 John 20:19-31

You know what it's like in life! You do one thing and it remains with you all the time. People always talk about it when referring to you. I bet there's an incident in your life that people remember about you.

Peter is always remembered for having denied knowing Jesus. No matter what else he did in life after that and how he set up Christ's Church on earth; that incident is what he's remembered for.

Paul is remembered for falling off his horse on the way to Damascus and how this changed his life after he found the Lord - or the Lord found him.

John the Baptist is remembered for living in the desert eating locusts and having his head cut off for being outspoken.

And poor Thomas, well he is not only remembered for what he did but he has become a nomenclature ever since for anyone who is not so sure and doubts before making up their mind.

There is nothing wrong with doubt. Doubt helps us assess what we've been told and often strengthens our faith. By questioning, we understand and we come to believe more.

Let us consider the Bible passage above a bit more.

Unwittingly, Thomas did Christianity and the Church a great favour by what he did. And I believe that it was all Divinely planned.

"Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord."

Note that Jesus did show the disciples his wounds in order to help them believe that He had been raised from the dead.

"But Thomas, (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came."

Jesus must have known that Thomas would not be there. He could have come another day when Thomas was present, but He didn't. In doing so, Jesus set in motion what happened next.

The disciples told Thomas and he doubted the Resurrection. He said what we will always remember about him, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in His side, I will not believe." 

He doubted ... but then, so must have the disciples because Jesus did show them His wounds.

A week later Jesus appeared again and invited Thomas to check His wounds; and Thomas believed.

And that's how Thomas did a great favour to our Faith. Had He not doubted, had he been there the first time Jesus appeared, Jesus would not have appeared again, and the whole episode would not have happened, and it would not have been recorded. As it happens, the episode was witnessed by the disciples, and written about for us to read and believe.

As Jesus said to Thomas, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

See how blessed you are!