Trusting Thomas

Trusting Thomas                                                                         July 28, 2024

Poor Thomas!  He’s singled out as the doubter even though savvy Bible students know the other disciples doubted too.  Not that this excuses anything, mind you!  I wonder, though, how many remember Thomas was willing to follow Jesus even when he believed it meant imminent death.

Lazarus had died.  The disciples misunderstood just about everything Jesus said about it.  “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I do go that I may wake him up” (John 11:11).  They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was resting, which would help him recover from his sickness.

When Jesus clarified His words, the disciples still misunderstood.  “Lazarus died.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.  Nevertheless, let us go to him” (11:11-15).  With 20-20 hindsight, we know Jesus was going to raise Lazarus from the dead.  But Thomas (and probably the others) thought He meant to go to the realm of the dead, where Lazarus was.  They knew Jesus intended to go to Judea where the Jews were planning to kill Him (see 11:7-8).  If He returned there now, they might very well seize the opportunity to murder Him.

Nevertheless, Thomas was willing to accompany Jesus on what appeared to him to be a suicide mission.  “then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with Him'” (11:16).

I’d like to change his nickname from Doubting Thomas to Trusting Thomas.  He manifested loyalty to Jesus even when he sincerely (albeit mistakenly) believed it meant his imminent death!  We ought to remember that with admiration as easily as we remember his later doubt with dismay.

By Joe Slater