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 When we hear the story that gave the Apostle Thomas the nickname ‘Doubting Thomas’, most of us probably think, “What is it with this guy? After all was he not one of the Twelve who went every where with Jesus for three years? Didn’t he hear Jesus’ teachings about his death and resurrection along with the others?” Yet, the Apostle Thomas is actually just like the others and like some of us today.
When Mary Magdalene returned from the empty tomb, after speaking with the resurrected Jesus in the garden, to tell the apostles the good news, they didn’t really grasp the reality of Jesus’ resurrection until Jesus appeared to them also. We saw a hint of this in the gospel reading for today from the New Revised Standard Version. Now let’s read the text from Peterson’s The Message, beginning a verse earlier. John writes,
“Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.
Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he showed them his hands and side.
The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."
When we break down this passage of scripture, we see that there is absolutely no clue in the first verse of the disciples’ reaction to Mary’s good news of Jesus’ resurrection. In fact, nothing is written about their response. We can only conclude from this observation that the disciples doubted Mary Magdalene’s story. After all, Mary was a woman. Women’s word in those days did not even hold up in a court of law. Women were believed to be unreliable witnesses. The disciples probably thought that Mary was hallucinating due to her emotional state of grief.
We are told in the following verse that “later on that day” the disciples are behind locked doors in fear of reprisal from the Jews. Not until the disciples actually see Jesus in the flesh in His resurrected body do they believe. Just like Thomas they too have to see their Master with their own eyes. Even when they see Jesus with their own eyes, there is evidence given in the scriptures that the disciples were shocked when they first saw Jesus; because Jesus has to repeat to them his greeting.
After three years of living with Jesus, traveling with Jesus, hearing His teachings; the disciples were not expecting Jesus to rise from the dead. We might think that this is amazing, since Jesus told them over and over that after three days He would rise from the dead. They did not believe Mary who had been sent by Jesus to tell them nor were they even looking for Him.
Yet, even today there are clergy in pulpits and serving at altars who still do not accept the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. For them Jesus’ resurrection is a myth or misinterpretation of two thousand years of studying the scriptures, since these clergy who call themselves Christians, believe at most in the spiritual resurrection of Jesus. Apparently like the disciples of long ago, they too need to see the resurrected Lord with their own eyes and perhaps like the Apostle Thomas touch Jesus’ hands and side to believe.
Now some of you I know are thinking, well what about last week’s scripture where it said in the Gospel of John that the Apostle Peter and the apostle whom Jesus loved saw the empty tomb and believed. Well, what just was it that they believed? Let’s go back and see.
“Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."
3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.”
Mary Magdalene’s first message to the disciples was not that Jesus had risen from the grave. Instead, Mary tells Peter and John, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him." In other words, Mary believed that Jesus’ body had been stolen! This is quite a different story then Mary’s second message she gives later to the disciples when she says, “I saw the Master!” And then the scripture goes on to say, “And she told them everything he said to her.”
So when Peter and John go into the empty tomb, they are not looking to verify Mary’s second message that Jesus is alive. No, they are going in to verify Mary’s first message that Jesus’ body has been moved somewhere else. In other words, stolen! This is what Peter and John believed when they saw the empty tomb. They believed Jesus’ body had been stolen. This is why they just go back home, because they are sad, not exuberant. John writes, “No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” They were not even expecting Jesus to rise from the dead! So why would they even think that is what happened?
When Mary comes back to them the second time, is it any wonder that John writes down nothing about their response? It is probably an embarrassment to the apostle whom Jesus loved, because they probably thought she was nuts! After all, Peter and John had also been to the empty tomb. If Jesus were really alive, then why did He not show Himself to them? They were two of the original Twelve, not one of the women groupies like Mary Magdalene, who followed Jesus everywhere.
Instead, poor Thomas, who responded just like his peers to the verbal declaration of Jesus’ resurrection is the only one stuck with the nickname “Doubting”. Next Sunday, we get to read Luke’s gospel and find out what John left out of his gospel. I am not going to give away next Sunday’s gospel text. Let’s just say, ‘The pen is definitely mightier than the sword.’ There is a reason that we have four gospels included in the New Testament. What one leaves out another includes.
As for those of us today who believe in Jesus’ resurrection without ever getting the chance to see Jesus in the flesh walking around as the risen Lord, well, Jesus calls us blessed! In fact, Jesus scolds poor Thomas, who believes Jesus is alive, only after Jesus appears also to him a week later. John writes,
“Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."
Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."
Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."
Jesus is talking about you and me when He says, “Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing." Brothers and sisters in Christ, the time has come for us to start cashing in on those better blessings! We have been ignoring our inheritance! Do you realize that we have more blessings in store for us than even those who had to first see Jesus in the flesh before they believed? The scriptures tell us that by our believing, through faith, we have been given “life in his name!”
John tells us in his first letter that we are no longer walking in darkness. Through our faith we have been made children of the light. We have been given so much! How can we not get excited about Jesus! May we light up this island by sharing our faith in Christ to all. May we be the beacons of hope that Christ has called us to be.
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