Calling All Doubters

Poor Thomas. Throughout the past 2,000 years, Doubting Thomas has received such a bad rap, which might be understandable, with a moniker such as “Doubting Thomas.”

For many years, we have chastised the apostle Thomas and his lack of faith, with his need to see Jesus for himself and touch him to believe that he was actually alive. After all, Jesus did tell him to “stop doubting and believe” (Jn. 20:27, NIV).

Yet, as with all Biblical stories, I believe there is more to this story, and specifically more than an illustration of a lack of faith. In fact, I don’t think this story is about Thomas’ lack of faith at all, but rather an illustration of belief and the different ways we come to believe.

In order to see the progression of belief, we have to go back to the beginning of this chapter and the empty tomb.

John Gets It

Upon hearing from Mary Magdalene that Jesus’ tomb was empty, Peter and John race to the tomb, with Peter rushing past John who had stopped at the opening of the tomb. When John finally enters the tomb with Peter, the Bible says that John “saw and believed” (20:8). All that John needed to believe was to see the empty tomb.

Mary Gets It

However, the story continues with Mary hanging around the tomb crying, because she doesn’t understand what has happened. She doesn’t realize yet that Jesus is risen, and thinks instead that people have stolen his body. Mary begins to interact with someone whom she assumes is a gardener, but who is really Jesus, and she doesn’t realize that it is Jesus until he calls her by name: “Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out…Rabboni!” (20:16). All that Mary needed to believe was for Jesus to call her by name.

Thomas Gets It (Finally)

And then the story comes to Thomas, who for some reason was absent the first time Jesus appears to his disciples behind locked doors. He indicates that he will not (or cannot) believe until he can both see and touch Jesus. And when he does? He responds by uttering something no one else had declared and maybe understood up to this point, he declares Jesus’ divinity and his humanity by saying, “My Lord and my God!” (20:28). What Thomas needed to believe was Jesus standing in front of him.

It may have taken Thomas much longer to get it, but when he got it, he really got it. Thomas may have needed something more to believe, but his belief transforms his understanding of Jesus.

There are times when we may struggle with doubt, needing a little something extra to get us through a difficulty or a trial, yet our connections and stories to God are all unique and individual just as much as we are unique and individual. In all of the examples, God meets us where we are, with what we need to believe, and hopefully, when we get it, we really get it….