Doubting Thomas

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, ‘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.’ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not yet seen and yet have come to believe’ (John 20:24-29 NRSVue).

If there was an equivalent of Missouri in ancient Palestine, that would have been Thomas’s home state, because Missouri is known as the “Show Me” state. I have always had an affinity with Thomas. Like Thomas, I am reluctant to believe anything on someone’s, anyone’s, say so alone. My Dad had a saying, “Say so don’t make it so.” Like Thomas, I want proof. 

Thomas had seen his Master die a gruesome death. He had witnessed the burial. He was grieving, and grieving people need time to readjust to their new reality. In Thomas’s mind, Jesus was dead and buried. End of story. But then, his fellow disciples tell him the story is not over. They had seen the risen Christ. And Thomas does not, he cannot, believe them. And Thomas says so in no uncertain terms. 

Then, suddenly, Jesus is there. The twelve were in a locked room, hiding from the Jewish authorities who had delivered their Lord to the Romans. Then Jesus turns to Thomas, shows his pierced hands and the gash in His side. Jesus tells Thomas, “Here I am. Here is the proof you seek. Satisfy your doubts.”

I cannot help but put myself in Thomas’s place. If you tell me something that I believe to be impossible, I’m going to have serious doubts. I do not think you are lying to me, of course. But you must be mistaken. Such things just do not happen. I am going to have my doubts. 

Thomas the Twin gets something of a bad rap because of his doubt. Indeed, “doubt” itself is often frowned upon. In the 2009 movie, “The Blind Side,” Miss Sue admits in her interview to become Michael Oher’s tutor that she had applied to the Christian School Michael attends but was not hired because, she says, “I wasn’t religious enough for them. I have certain doubts.”

And that bothers me. Doesn’t doubt mean I have a lack of faith?

No, it does not. Methodists believe doubt is generally viewed as a natural, human part of a living faith rather than its opposite or an act of sin. In his essay, 'God, why have you left me?' What People of Faith Can Do With Doubt, Joe Iovino writes, “Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but rather a component of it. People of faith, even those with a strong, deep faith, have moments of doubt.”

Thomas’s doubts were resolved, and he saw and believed. But notice what Jesus said after Thomas’s declaration. “Blessed are those who have not yet seen and yet have come to believe.”

Can doubt be the pointer to belief? 

That’s something to think about today, isn’t it? '

Jerry Lipscomb