Who Do I Relate To? Thomas?

"You're such a doubting Thomas."

Thomas, the only apostle who was left out of the first encounter the group had with the risen Jesus made one statement, request, and has been remembered for nothing else.

Have you ever missed a party or gathering of friends? And every time someone mentions a funny thing that happened there, you're reminded you weren't there? Do you feel left out? Now I get Thomas.

All Thomas did was to demand the same thing the rest of the apostles got. He wanted equality. Who knows where he was or where he went, but he missed it all. Missed seeing Jesus. Missed the blessing/commission Jesus spoke over them. Missed it! He was, more than likely, frustrated just thinking he would never get the opportunity to partake in what everyone else received...after all, eight days passed before Jesus came back to them. I understand that feeling.

As I looked at Thomas I saw a few things.

When Jesus appeared in the locked upper room the others didn't recognize him...who's doubting Mary Magdalene now?...that is until Jesus shows them his hands and his side. Then they rejoice. Hmm. So when Jesus made his statement in John 20:29, was he talking to the whole room and not just to Thomas? Hmm.

Why was Thomas so upset about being left out?

Well, if you look back in John 11 we see Thomas as a leader. The apostles just finished trying to stop Jesus from going to see Lazarus because he might get killed in the process, which was something they didn't want. But Jesus not only insists on going to see Lazarus, he tells them he has something to show them.

It's Thomas who speaks up and tells the doubting disciples, "Come on people, let's support our leader, our teacher. He wants to show us something. Even if we die with him we have to go see what he wants to teach us."

Thomas was a leader and an encourager.

By the question/answer exchange in John 14 we see that Thomas was asking as spokesman for the group. His question shows his heart was ready to go with Jesus and didn't want to miss being with him.

So, of course he was defensive at losing out on what at the time seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime-event.

In closing, Thomas was called the twin, Didymus. Who was he a twin to? No explanation is given. He hailed from the Galilee and tradition holds that he was a quiet worker in Parthia, Persia, and India, but faced martyrdom near Madras at Mount St. Thomas.

You can read about Thomas in: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; John 11:16, 14:1-5, 20:24-28.