"The Incredulity of St. Thomas" by Caravaggio
housed in the Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany
Today I read the story of “Doubting Thomas.”
I’m sure you know this one: Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus appears to them after the Resurrection and so he doesn’t believe Jesus has actually risen. He announces that he will not in fact believe it until he has seen and touched Jesus for himself. Then Jesus Himself does appear and invites Thomas to inspect Him, after which Thomas is humbled and believes in Jesus.
The story ends with a blessing on those who have not seen and yet believe, obviously referring to future Christians.
This passage is usually interpreted as putting poor Thomas in a bad light. Even the name “Doubting Thomas” seems like an insult. In fact, author Dan Brown goes so far as to cast this story as a bit of anti-Thomas propaganda in the book The DaVinci Code, which is going a bit far I think.
Still, you can imagine all the disciples standing about smugly as Jesus shows Himself to Thomas, nodding to each other and saying, “See! WE TOLD you we saw Him!” Conveniently forgetting that they too had required the proof of their own eyes in order to believe, the disciples would have been reproving Thomas for his lack of faith.
But today I saw the story a little differently. Let’s read it first:
John 20:24-29
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus),one of the Twelve,
was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks
in His hands and put my finger where the nails were,
and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again,
and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked,
Jesus came and stood among them and said,
“Peace be with you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas,
“Put your finger here; see My hands.
Reach out your hand and put it into my side.
Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen Me,
you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed.”
One thing that struck me here was the fact that Jesus made a special trip just to appear to Thomas. He had already completed His work on earth. He had appeared to several disciples after the Resurrection. He could have gone ahead and trundled off to Heaven, but He came to see Thomas instead.
Did He do this in order to rebuke Thomas for his lack of faith? Or in order to reassure him?
To me His words here seem gentle and comforting. He offers no recriminations; He only instructs Thomas to “stop doubting and believe.” He doesn’t even throw in an “O ye of little faith!”
In His compassion, He comes to see Thomas and Thomas alone, to let a beloved disciple that He was indeed alive, and to shore up the crumbing faith of one He cared for.
In this light, I find the story encouraging. Jesus is shown here as the One who comes to us to reassure us. As the Psalmist says in chapter 103,verses 13-14:
“As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him;
for He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust.”
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him;
for He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust.”
Even those of us who are “Doubting Thomases!”
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