Our Ladies’ Bible Class has been studying the Gospel of John. We are about to complete this study, and last night our focus was on the closing verses of chapter 20.

I have always had mixed emotions about Thomas and his reaction to the resurrection of the Lord. One part of me just doesn’t understand how he could doubt, and the other part of me completely understands his doubting.

After doing some intensive study of this story, I have learned some lessons both about him and about human nature today.

On the evening of the resurrection, the first day of the week, the disciples were gathered with the doors closed. Without warning, Jesus appeared in the room. He spoke simple words to them, “Peace be unto you” (John 20:19). This peace He offered to them was because of their fear. Naturally, they were afraid.

At this gathering, Jesus showed the ten disciples assembled His hands and His side. Judas was dead, and Thomas was not present. I feel certain they all felt doubt. They wanted to believe this was Jesus, but they didn’t expect to see Him until the judgment.

Based on their seeing Jesus and the wounds in His hand and sides, they were quick to relate these events to Thomas when he returned. Thomas did not believe them. He said he wanted proof. He wanted to see Jesus’ hands, the print of the nails, to put his finger into the print of the nails, and to put his hand into Jesus’ side. Without these proofs, he said, “I will not believe.”

Think about Thomas’ response to the ten. He first didn’t believe his friends and fellow disciples, even though they had seen the very things he was requesting to see. Second, he made demands of the Lord and conditions by which he would believe.

When Jesus appeared again eight days later, He showed Thomas His hands and side. He offered Thomas the opportunity to touch Him, but there is no indication that he did. But what he said was, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

Jesus then said to Thomas, “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” That includes us!

I have often thought when I have heard sermons on Thomas that we are too hard on him. I have thought that maybe we expected too much of him; but after this study, I have changed my mind. He doubted because he didn’t trust in eyewitness accounts, and he didn’t he didn’t trust in the promises Jesus had made to him and the other disciples.

So, what did I learn from Thomas?

1. I learned first that he was not with the other followers of Jesus. We don’t know where he was, but look what he missed by not being there. He missed a visit from the Lord.
2. Second, I learned that he doubted even though there were eyewitnesses.
3. Third, those eyewitnesses were his close friends, and I wonder what that says about his relationship with them.
4. Four, when confronted by the Lord, he declared his belief in the resurrected Lord.

I wonder how many times after this event he wished he had not doubted. I suspect he remembered it the same way Peter remembered his denying Jesus and the way Paul remembered his persecution of the Christians.

What did I learn about us?

1. People are no different today. People will say, “I know that is what the Bible says, but I don’t think that is what it means.” We are unwilling to take the written word and believe what it says. Just as Thomas didn’t believe what he was told, we don’t believe what we read.
2. People are often “missing” from the worship service, forfeiting the opportunity to give praise and adoration to the Father. What a shame that Thomas missed a visit from the Lord. What do we miss when we fail to attend worship?
3. We, like Thomas, allow our fears to permeate our lives. We allow doubts to overcome us, and we miss opportunities to serve.

Let’s hope we learn the most valuable of all lessons from Thomas. He finally admitted his belief in the resurrected Lord, and we need to follow that example with our own belief.

Sandra Oliver