I like this picture. Paintings of Jesus appearing to Thomas and the disciples in the upper room usually show Thomas fingering Christ’s wounds. I don’t think he did that.
Thomas wasn’t there when the resurrected Jesus appeared to them on the evening of that first Easter Day. Jesus came through the locked doors, showed himself to be alive and even ate fish with them. The Greek text implies that they kept on telling Thomas what they had seen and experienced, but he refused to believe their eye witness account (John 20:24-29).
The truth of the apostles’ words are written down in the Gospels for us to believe, but often like Thomas we too are hard of heart. Jesus rebukes him for his unbelief when he appears again in the upper room eight days later, yet graciously answers his doubts, showing that he has been listening and hearing the longing of Thomas’ heart to witness the resurrection for himself.
See the Wounds
Thomas had been looking for evidence. For him the wounds would show that it really was the crucified Jesus that was alive, never to die again. When Thomas saw the nail print hands and the spear pierced side l don’t think it was evidence but rather the love of God displayed on the Cross that was revealed to him. Jesus had died for him and I imagine Thomas falling to his knees as he cries out the greatest, clearest affirmation of Christ’s divinity and climax to John’s Gospel,
“My Lord and My God!”
It’s sad, in my opinion, that Thomas is remembered for his doubting. John tells us his story for our benefit, because we can easily relate to him. Of course, it was important that Thomas encountered the physical resurrected Jesus as this was a condition of apostleship. Jesus points out that it’s a blessing to believe without this privilege, but though we must hold fast to the truth of God’s Word, we also need to experience his spiritual presence to make faith personal.
Unconditional Devotion
After the resurrection, ascension and Pentecost, there were no longer conditions to Thomas’ devotion. Tradition tells us that he travelled further than any other apostle and Christian communities from the Middle East to China and from Southeast Asia to East Africa claim to have been evangelised by Thomas. It is said that he was martyred in India.
Let’s stop thinking of ‘Doubting Thomas’, but remember him as ‘Devoted Thomas’ – the disciple who looked upon the wounds of love and was forever changed.
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