Giving Thomas a Break
February 13, 2004
John 20.24ff
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But 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 it.”
Hearing about Jesus was not going to be enough for Thomas. In fact, not only would it not be enough, but it just wasn’t going to cut it at all. He didn’t want to sit down, and be told what happened to Jesus, he was not going to believe that. I mean, what were the other disciples thinking…? Thomas was pomo [or at least premodern]! He didn’t care about the proof others had - the reasons they could give for the re-existence of Jesus the Christ. He wanted an experience. Thomas wanted to have a tangible experience with Christ; and until then…
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 the Doubter. Doubting Thomas. Thomas has always gotten the short end of the stick. Sure he doubted - but is that a bad thing? I don’t think so. So often we create polar opposites between doubt and belief, as if to say when one “believes” in God, there will (or should) be no doubts. And we make doubt out to be this bad thing…a dirty-5-letter word in Christian circles. Yet, Jesus says nothing about Thomas’ doubt until he has had a real, tangible, indisputable interactive experience with Christ. It is only then that Jesus instructs Thomas to “stop doubting” and believe. Doubt is a healthy aspect of our spiritual journeys, and we should really give Thomas a break because he was simply sharing his pre/post-modern sensibilities. Maybe we should be talking less, reasoning less and listening to the Spirit as to how we can give our friends and family tangible experiences of Christ…
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
May we all echo Thomas’ words of praise and adoration to Jesus once we have had an experience with him.
Tags: Cynics, Doubt, Questions
Posted in 
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
February 13th, 2004 at 3:07 am
Comment. What! You wanted more?? you just said to leave a comment :-P… Ooooh, on the POST! Sorry, I think I got it now… Here goes…
Adam, yes, I like Jesus’ treatment of Thomas because it reassures me that even when I doubt, he loves me and wants to make himself real to me… and the fact that you point him out as an early post-modern proves my thought that there’s nothing new under the sun ;-) After all, who first said, “What is truth?” (Pilate)… interesting…
February 13th, 2004 at 3:35 pm
Doubt fuels growth! If you never question anything about God and faith then what causes you to become passionate about learning more?
February 13th, 2004 at 4:30 pm
Good stuff bro.
I just wrote a study on this for our middle and high school sunday school classes.
I love the way in which Jesus meets Thomas — who was so scared of having his heart broken a second time (I believe) — Jesus comes to him tenderly, powerfully, and indeed, Thomas’ only response could be to worship.
Glad that Thomas is in there for us who believe without seeing.
February 13th, 2004 at 6:01 pm
Perhaps it was providential that Thomas was also known as “Didymus” (Greek, for “the twin”). It’s encouraging for us to identify with Thomas’ “earthy” honesty and spiritual journey — but just think, there were TWO of them! :D
February 13th, 2004 at 10:02 pm
Some saint is quoted to have said, “A mountain of doubts does not equal one denial.”
February 14th, 2004 at 5:46 pm
Adam:
I am one who firmly believes, because I have seen and experienced, that you will be a wonderful pastor–if that is the route you choose.
I am, because of Derrida, a little less willing to call myself postmodern these days, though it is apparent to me that I am….but I am sure Thomas would not have been aware of those categories. One might wish to say that Thomas was terribly modern, that he prized empiricism over all else.
I like the emphasis on experience, Adam. That’s wonderful.
However, I think Thomas’ response is one that I do not resonate with. I would never say, of Jesus, my Lord and my God–though I believe Jesus to be someone I am truly committed to. In my view, Jesus is a symbol of the Divine–so I see, in this story, God descending–affirming our doubts, but also calling us into the impossible: belief in God when God does not show up.
And, yes, Pilate did say what is truth?—and what a great question. If experience is what brings home faith—then beware—truth will have faces. And how wonderful. The Hebrew for face: panim is always plural. God has many faces.
February 15th, 2004 at 7:03 pm
Thomas has definitely copped some negative PR. If you read back through the gospel, Thomas is often shown as the most committed - he was the disciple to support Jesus’ decision to go into Jerusalem (when the others were saying that they would be killed).
Moreover, whilst Thomas is shown as the doubter, the other disciples did not have more faith than him - they too only believed after they had seen Jesus - so when the statement comes “blessed are those that believe without seeing”, it is not holding up the other disciples to praise, but it is an exhortation to the readers, those that must believe without seeing.
Traditionally the church hasn’t provided enough room for people to doubt - whilst expressing doubt as a genuine spiritual path - a searching for God. We don’t allow room for people who doubt, but who are not struggling with their faith.