John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

  20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

  24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

  25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

 

(Thomas wasn’t with the other disciples that night, and he really missed out on something special.

What have we missed, when for whatever reason, we didn't go to church?

However, the others were together that night, similar to:)

 

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

 

Acts 20:7a And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread,

 

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 

(It could be said that maybe they didn’t come together for the best of reasons, since it says the were assembled for fear of the Jews.

Never the less, they still did come together, and were greatly blessed, because Jesus showed up.      

Afterwards, when Thomas was with them, they expressed their great joy over what had happened, “We have seen the Lord”.

Perhaps, Thomas initially felt bad, that for whatever his reason was to not be there, he still realized that he missed out.

In line 20 it says that Jesus showed the disciples his hands and his side.

It seems that Jesus did that in order to “show” the disciples that it was really him.

After he showed them that, it says that then they were glad, when “they saw the Lord”.

Jesus gave them that special, physical revelation of himself, and Thomas seemed to focus on that very thing.

He said that he wanted to see the exact same thing, and went further, saying he wanted to even touch those same wounds.

Was Thomas a little upset, not only for missing out, but maybe because of how their words came across to him?)

 

(For 20 centuries, now, people have called him, “doubting Thomas”, because of this very thing that he said.

But what about all the other disciples, they didn't doubt?)

 

Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

  10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

  11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

 

Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

  11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

 

(Then later, that same day:)

 

Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

  13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

 

Luke 24:36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

  37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

  38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

  39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

  40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

  41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

  42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

  43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

 

Mark 16: 14b  and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

 

(Then, even many days later:)

 

Matthew 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

  17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

 

(The others doubted, so, we shouldn’t call Thomas, “doubting Thomas”, and also considering the things that we have doubted.

Do we judge people for what they do, or don't do, without knowing all the facts?)

 

(Why did they still not believe, even after the women, and the two that were on the road, testified that they saw Jesus alive?

Perhaps it was to prepare them for the near future: less than 2 months would be Pentecost, and then beyond.

The disciples were the ones who were called to go out and preach the gospel, about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

They, too, would be telling people that Jesus had risen from the dead, that they were eyewitnesses, like the women did with them.

So, why would they not think that many people might respond like they had, and maybe not believe immediately?

Yes, there would be many who would believe right away, like those women did, but others may be more like the disciple were.

Perhaps, they would realize that some people may need to hear the gospel more than once, before they believe?)

 

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

 

(Later, when Thomas did see Jesus, like the other disciples had, and he believed, like they had, Jesus did not rebuke him.

Rather, Jesus, again, was preparing them for the near future, since the disciples were to go out and preach the gospel to everyone.

However, all those people would not be physically seeing or touching the risen Saviour.

Rather, they would hear the word of God, and then they would need to believe the gospel they heard, to be saved.)

 

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

 

Acts 4:4a Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed;

 

(Peter compared having only the scriptures, to the time when he, James, and John saw Jesus transfigured.

They also saw Moses and Elijah, then they actually, physically heard the voice of the Father:)

 

II Peter 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

 

(Have we ever thought that if we could just physically hear his voice, or experience a miracle, that would be better than anything?

Yet, Peter said about the scriptures:)

 

  19a We have also a more sure word of prophecy;

  20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

 

II Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

 

(We don't scrounge up that kind of faith from within, so where does that faith come from?)

 

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

(So, what happened with Thomas?)

 

John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

  27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

  28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

 

(Thomas, like the others, believed that it was Jesus risen from the dead.

However, he believed even more than the others, at that moment – he said, “My Lord and my God”.

More than that Jesus was Messiah, the Son of God, and resurrected, Thomas believed he was the very God of Israel, himself!

This was far beyond what the others were saying, even in the near future, as the gospel spread.

It took great faith for Thomas to believe this, and it wasn’t by seeing or touching, that faith only came from the word of God.

When Jesus spoke with them in the upper room, Thomas asked a question, and Jesus answered something rather amazing:)

 

John 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

  5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

  6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

  7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

 

(From those words, Thomas was able to believe that both the Father and the Son were simultaneously the same one God of Israel!)

 

(It was as if Jesus took that scripture that he spoke, line 7, and placed it as a seed in Thomas' heart.

And it was the faith that came from hearing that scripture, by which Thomas could know and confess that Jesus is God.

Perhaps we also may not understand something in a scripture as we hear it or read it, but Jesus brings forth that seed at the time we need it.)

 

(So, no, Thomas was not “doubting Thomas”, but “believing Thomas”, and a good example for us.

Also, as an example, Thomas probably never missed assembling together again, after that.)

 

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