Thomas the Doubter

The Apostle Thomas is an interesting Biblical character often criticized, ridiculed, even condemned by self righteous Bible thumping preachers of old, because he became a skeptic, and doubted the report of witnesses that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thomas said, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side." (John 20:25) Thomas knew the fact that Jesus his Master and Teacher was crucified, stabbed with a spear and died on the cross. This was the only reality  perceived by his senses. He saw the crucifixion, he saw the agony and the death of Christ. He knew of the burial. These were the hard cold facts. Nothing could have dissuaded him to believe otherwise. So when word got around that his Master, whom he knew, laid entombed, was after all alive he thought it was some kind of a joke. To his skeptical mind the news of the resurrection was decidedly an impossibility. He even refused to believe the personal eyewitness testimony of Mary who had seen and heard the risen Lord.

In law the testimony of  reliable witnesses is admissible to prove a question of fact.  But for Thomas testimonial evidence is weak, and no other evidence could satisfy him  except the appearance of Jesus Himself,  so he could actually see Jesus, His nail pierced hands, His wounded side.  Not satisfied with seeing, and perhaps to erase all possibility that the Jesus who might be presented to him was not  an impostor, he demanded real evidence using the  sense of touch. He needed to put his hands on the wounded hands and side of the Master. The attitude of Thomas could hardly be regarded as philosophical skepticism, in the sense that all claims are doubtful. Thomas was doubtful because he wanted to be absolutely certain.

Jesus did not condemn the doubting Thomas. A careful reading of Thomas' encounter with Jesus as he was confronted with his doubt and unbelief even evokes a feeling of gentleness and understanding emanating from the heart of Christ. Let us recount the incident from the Book of John: "Now Thomas called the twin one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord'. So he said to them, '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.' And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, 'Peace to you'. Then He said to Thomas, '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'. And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'. Jesus said to him, 'Thomas because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"(John 20:24-30)

Thomas wanted visible, tangible proof upon which to anchor his belief. Jesus gave him the proof he wanted. Jesus says the problem has always been this unbelieving spirit that plagues the human heart. Man demands of God : "Show me what you've got, then I will believe". Thomas will not believe unless he sees. A realist to the core, Jesus loves him nonetheless. But there is no blessedness in this. Those who have not seen and yet have believed are truly blessed, for even without seeing they can declare, without doubt, "My Lord and my God!"