No 9

(Thomas)

This disciple is usually nicknamed “doubting Thomas” but in all fairness, he was a better man than what we have become to say of him but he was however a negative person. He has another name that is Didimus which means “twin”; he undoubtedly had a twin brother or sister but that person is not mentioned in Scripture. John’s Gospel reveals to us a great aspect of Thomas’ character. The familiar passage is in John chapter 11 where Jesus finds out about the sickness and ultimate death of His good friend, Lazarus. He wants to go down to his house but the Disciples warn Him by saying “…Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou there again?” (v8).

Jesus was determined to go but certainly, the Disciples had their reservations about going. This is where we meet Thomas for the first time in the Gospels and he feared nothing; he said “Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him” (v16). That statement is pessimistic, not unlike Thomas, but it was a heroic pessimism because he was ready to die if that is what it meant to follow Jesus. He had the courage to be loyal even in the face of danger and his love for Jesus could not be dampened by difficult situations.

The next time we see Thomas is in John 14 when Jesus spoke about preparing a place for them. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself… and where I go ye know, and the way ye know.” (vs3,4). Here is where Thomas says “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not where thou goest; and how can we know the way? (v5). He did not want to be separated from Jesus; for Thomas, that’s the worst thing that could happen; again we see his pessimism. He was basically saying that they would never see Jesus again and that they did not know where He was going. Thomas was devoted to Christ and although we do not hear or see him very often in the Scriptures, he was one of the most dedicated of the Disciples; may we be like Thomas.