But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.…
John 20:24. KJV
An open invitation for a great encounter
No one wants to miss the opportunity of a lifetime; to witness the resurrection of Christ, a long-time biblical prophecy.
It’s an open invitation to meet the risen Christ, as Jesus himself had loudly called out “Come unto me …” but sure, no one considered it an opportunity - that which is not decked in gold and silver, except for some poor feeble fishermen. Their pursuit was not gold but God, not the palace but the experience of the Pentecost, not the crown but Christ. They wanted to follow Jesus to the end, but their steps were still lame like babies. Each one had its challenges, but today one man is on our radar. It’s a big opportunity, maybe not of a lifetime, to examine closely the encounter of this man - Thomas Didymus.
Thomas misses an encounter
Christ appears to his disciples at different times. They saw the Lord and were glad (John 20:20). The Lord breathed on them, and said unto them receive ye the Holy Ghost. One of the disciples, Thomas was not part of this encounter. He didn’t partake in the joy of the others when they saw Jesus neither was he breath upon. Later, Thomas was told, “we saw the Lord”. In his disbelieve he replied, “not until I touch his side, see and touch the print of the nails I will not believe” (paraphrased). Poor Thomas, he missed it. But Jesus would call again. How the Lord loves and cares for his own! He does not intend for anyone to miss him. Thomas missed the first encounter and was determined not to be out of the fold again.
…Jesus would call again. How the Lord loves and cares for his own! He does not intend for anyone to miss him.
Doubting Thomas - The tragedy of neglecting fellowship
The resurrection of the Lord was a much-awaited event. Jesus had preached it. He had said over and over how he was going to resurrect. He taught about the resurrection of the dead on the last day (John 11.24) but this was not it. It is the resurrection of the Lord in power, the proof of our faith and an experience for the disciples, “I will bring down this building and erect it in three days”. The event of Christ's death and crucifixion still filled the air. It was the latest news in town. A lot happened during the crucifixion. The temple curtain was divided from the top down. There was an earthquake and darkness. It was big news in town. The centurion had a sign. Pilate’s wife had a dream. Different people may have had one sign or the other. “The son of man” was killed. That was not all, everyone awaited his resurrection. It was going to be the first and only in history. The prophet of old had written about it. It was much noised in Jerusalem. The disciples of Jesus Christ met on the road to Emmaus and had a similar discussion – Jesus would resurrect. The Jews would be looking forward to it, likewise the authorities and the Pharisees. Finally, the Lord was resurrected. Rumours would have gone around how Jesus had resurrected with the authorities trying to conceal it. Everyone in Jerusalem did not have the opportunity to see Jesus, but the disciples did and were glad.
On the way, the first man could have met Thomas with a broad smile. “I saw the Lord”. Thomas would have looked at him without any word wondering what glorious thing that would mean. He rushed to the other disciples still gathered in the place of fellowship. In their joy, they pulled him “we saw the Lord”. Thomas then said it is not enough to see the Lord, I would have to see and touch the nail print and his side else I won’t believe. He doubted, giving no second thought to what was a deeply spiritual experience for the other believers (1 John 1:1 ). Are there not those, just because they are not involved, doubt and downplay what God is doing in and with others?
The God of another chance
It took eight days for the Lord to appear again after he had appeared to the other disciples. Who knows, Thomas may have secretly craved to see the Lord. He would lock himself behind closed doors and beat his chest, calling out unto the Lord “be merciful unto me a sinner”. Within those eight days, the disciples would share their experiences and talk about the resurrection. Thomas quietly sits in a corner not sharing in the ecstasy. He was the disciple who had not seen the resurrected Christ. A week would look like a year when Thomas would be asking with a teary heart “when will the Lord come again”? He would ask Peter and John privately … “will the Lord still appear”? At this time no man knew where the Lord actually was. He just appears. But the day Thomas saw him it was unexpected. The disciples were within, still in hiding. The doors were shut. Thomas would look around to know what direction he was going to come. It could be during the day or at noon. He waited, and waited and looked; Christ never came through any of the doors. Suddenly Christ appeared in their midst unnoticed.
Christ knows our deepest thought and would not fail to reach with the touch of mercy.
When Jesus appeared again he personally looked out for Thomas. How comforting! He called to him like he would a lost sheep. Thomas still troubled, and blaming himself may not have noticed the presence of Jesus until he had said “peace be unto you”. Such is what the saviour brings – peace to a troubled soul. Immediately Thomas turned, putting outside every distraction to behold the Lord. What a sight! When Thomas saw Jesus, he need not be told it was Jesus. Jesus looking at him said, “Reach thither thy finger and behold my hands…” Christ knows our deepest thought and would not fail to reach us with the touch of mercy.
A glorious encounter at last
Thomas still in amazement and gazing saw Christ as no other disciple did. His experience tells us. His heart altered words that only a man who has seen Jesus, the resurrected one would say “My Lord my God”. It wasn’t premeditated. He spoke out of the abundance of his heart. Thomas encountered Christ once and saw him twice (Psalm 62:11). This time not as the Rabbi (teacher), or the master which they called him but as Lord and God. In Israel, there were those who were called lords. Some of these were masters of servants and slaves. Some wives, like Sarah, addressed their husbands as lords. But Thomas did not speak of human lords. He spoke of the Lord who is God.
Christ had a hard time making the Pharisees and the people see him as God. He told them I and my father are one. For this, they took up stones to stone him. They accused him of saying “…this fellow being man maketh himself equal with God”. In one of Peter’s encounters, he said “thou art the Christ, the son of God”. The centurion at the place of crucifixion said “This man was the son of God”. These were some encounters before Jesus was crucified. The other disciples saw the resurrected Christ but we did not read of their experiences. That of Thomas is clearly written.
Some speak of Jesus as the son of God, but not as God. We hold this confession first from Thomas who saw Christ as God, not as the Pharisees and Jews saw God. But he said “my God” His other statement reveals to us how he saw this God. The view he has of Him is different from that of the Jews and every other man. He did not stop at seeing Christ as God the provider, the healer and the powerful one which the world sees without any personal commitment. He saw him as Lord. We see his commitment and relationship to the resurrected Christ as he personalises his experience with the word “my” - a symbol of ownership. At this point, the world and even the men on standby had faded away from him. He had his gaze cast upon Jesus, the resurrected king, the one he had sought to see. It was not his lips speaking. It was the expression of his spirit and his soul – His whole being. It was not what Christ meant to the world or what he meant to John the beloved or to Peter. It was not what the next-door neighbour or the preacher speak of this Jesus. Thomas saw in a single gaze what Christ is in all eternity. He saw him not only as God but also as Lord – the one he owns his whole life, his allegiance and his being. He called him “My Lord” as Sarah called Abraham Lord (1 Peter 3:6), the one with the final word. “Whatever he says, do”. His wish is my command. His words are binding. His precepts are true. His will I must seek. I don’t care if it goes well with me or not. Whether I like it or not, whether others follow it or not. I, a servant, He the master. I, a slave, He the Lord”. Thomas encountered him indeed and confess “My Lord and my God”. Shalom.
Wishing you a glorious and prosperous new year, 2023.