The Apostle Thomas, by Paul Young, Maesteg.
Thomas
Readings: John 11.6-16, 14.1-6, 20.19-29
Our contemporary generation is very much a post-modern generation. Modernism was the seeking of evidence to understand truth. Post-modernism is essentially the denial of evidence and the exalting of the critical faculty. It is an age of skepticism, doubt and denial. The slogan which is an oxymoron is, “we can be absolutely certain that nothing is certain.”. The idea is that we can never come to a settled conclusion about anything and nothing is inherently true or applicable to all people. It is truth as we perceive it regardless of evidence. So Thomas, who is often known as “Doubting Thomas”, could be the hero or patron saint of this generation. However, when he examined the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, which was overwhelming, he stopped doubting and believed for the rest of his days. He was convinced of the truth, absolutely certain of the truth because of the evidence.
Very little is written about Thomas in the New Testament but he is always mentioned in the lists of disciples: Matthew 10, Mark 3, Luke 6, John 21, Acts 1. In those references we have very little information about him but he is called an apostle. He was given power by the Lord to proclaim the Gospel and do mighty deeds. He is often known as “Thomas called Didymus”. Thomas is Aramaic for ‘twin’, while Didymus is Greek for ‘twin’. So they are the same names and therefore we can be reasonably sure he was one of twins. It is John’s Gospel that gives us the most information about him in three readings.
1 A Man Willing to Die (John 11)
In the previous chapter there had been a nasty incident where the Jews wanted to kill Jesus and picked up stones to stone Him, but Jesus and His disciples managed to escape and retreated across the River Jordan to the relative safety of the East Bank. Life as a follower of Jesus has never been easy and it is still difficult today, with many enemies and many temptations.
While on the East Bank news arrived that a friend of Jesus named Lazarus, from the village of Bethany, had died. Jesus decided to return to the dangerous land of Israel but the disciples were horrified and very reluctant to go because they knew the dangers and felt they might be attacked, injured or even killed. They said, “Rabbi, a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there!” (8).
In effect they were saying, “It is madness to go back to Judaea”, “It is too dangerous to go back across the River Jordan”. Fear is very real and Covid-19 is causing people a lot of fearful anxiety and deep concern today. Fear can immobilise us, make us say strange things and do things we might not do in our more rational moments. The disciples were afraid and tried to persuade the Lord from returning into the danger zone. Amazingly it was Thomas who rallied the disciples and said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Here was a display of genuine devotion – he was willing to die for the Lord and with the Lord. He had total faith in God and though the premature death did not happen at that time for Thomas – he would eventually face the martyr’s death. So many people, even in our world of the 21st century are dying – being martyrs for their faith in Christ. Like Thomas they have nailed their colours to the mast, they have demonstrated their faith in Christ and have indicated that to serve Him is more important than physical life itself. The choice for the disciples was stark: disobey God and reject the call to follow Christ by staying in the relative safety of the East Bank or go with Christ in obedience and faith and face possible death and danger on the West Bank. It simply highlights that the Christian life is not easy and the Lord has never promised those who follow Him a straightforward walk through life. The way of faithfulness and obedience can be hard, dangerous and difficult but the blessings are eternal, glorious and wonderful. He was willing to die for Jesus.
2 A Man Willing to Question (John 14)“He who asks a question may seem momentarily foolish, but he who doesn’t ask the question remains forever ignorant.”
In these verses Jesus is talking about His departure. He is preparing the disciples for His arrest, torture and execution. His death would mean access to Heaven for all who would believe on Him. He talks of Heaven as “my Father’s house” and says “you know the way”. That had been the message of the Gospel which Jesus had taught throughout His earthly ministry but people (including the disciples) were so slow to understand and even slower to believe.
His words must have shocked, saddened and distressed the disciples and then Thomas speaks and asks a question. Questions are good if they are genuine! cf seek truth or avoid truth.
His question was “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” The reply to this enquiry is one of the great statements of the New Testament. It is written in bold letters on the side of the Mission Hall in Caerau, Maesteg where I went to Sunday School: “I am the way, the truth and the life: no one comes to the Father but by me” (6). The exclusive nature of this statement can make people angry but the only way to Heaven, to the Father’s House is through Jesus. We can come no other way. There are many ways of coming to Jesus but He is the only way to the Father. Why?
There is a barrier between us and God and it is called ‘sin’ cf Peter James. Nothing and no one can remove that barrier except the one who died for our sins on the cross – the Lord Jesus. He can remove that barrier the moment we trust Him and receive Him into our lives by faith. Society might not like such exclusive claims to salvation but that is the truth of the Gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. We are thankful that Thomas was willing to ask the question and more importantly for the answer that Jesus gave.
3 The Man Willing to Doubt (John 20)
The tragedy of Jesus’ crucifixion badly affected the disciples. Their Lord, whom they had served and followed for three years was dead, been wrapped in cloth and placed in a new tomb. A great stone of up to a ton and a half in weight had been placed at the entrance to the tomb and was sealed and guarded. It all seemed over for them and the future looked desolate – none of them expected a resurrection. So they locked themselves indoors for fear of the Jews. They were utterly afraid of what could happen to them in the future.
Then an event took place that totally changed their lives and changed them and this world forever. Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to various of His followers and then came into the locked room where the disciples were hiding but Thomas was not there. We do not know where he had gone but he was missing. When he returned the rest of the disciples were so different, full of joy, andstated, “We have seen the Lord” (25).
Thomas did not join in the joy or accept what they said. Instead he refused to believe that they had seen the Lord and said, “Except…I will not believe” (25). For the next 8 days he refused to believe. Did they plead with him? Did they try to explain? Did they get exasperated with him? Who knows?
But 8 days later the risen Lord returned and His eyes seemed to fix upon Thomas. What did Thomas feel at that moment? What emotions went on inside as he heard the Lord speak? Did Jesus reach out his hand and say “put your finger in…be not faithless but believing” Thomas’ only response is to say, “My Lord and My God”. A great confession of faith.
Jesus then said, “Thomas, because you have seen me you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.” (29) That’s you and me today!
We thank God that Thomas raised his voice in doubt. Augustine said, “He doubted that we might not doubt”. Thomas was only convinced by overwhelming evidence and that gives us confidence to know for certain that Jesus is alive – the victorious one who has triumphed over death. cf Garden Tomb.
Like the other disciples Thomas went out and preached ‘Jesus and the resurrection’. He travelled eastward and proclaimed the Gospel in Persia and even India. Indeed the church of South India to this day traces its roots to Thomas who was martyred near Madras (Chennai) where Saint Thomas’ Mount is situated. He is in the Father’s house today not because he was martyred or did good work, or preached the Gospel but because he trusted Christ and became His true follower. That is our need to every day remember that we follow the Saviour in true faith and obedience so that we might bring glory to the Lord’s name and look forward to entering the blessing of the Father’s House forever.