When we read of where Jesus chose the Twelve men who would be known as the Apostles, we need to step back for a moment and realize that these men were ordinary working -class, salt-of-the-earth, rough around the edge individuals who had jobs ranging from catching fish to collecting taxes to a host of other occupations that kept a roof over their heads and which took care of their families. These men were not soft by any means, and I have never really liked the mosaics, murals, icons, and stained- glass decorations that have over time portrayed them as a bunch of ethereal, pale, anemic, and reverent beings with constant haloes shining around them as if they were somehow higher than us in spirituality and degrees of reverence towards the LORD. Each of these men had one thing in common - they would have remained anonymous and obscure if Jesus had not picked them for the job.
A lot of attention is given to men such as Peter, James, and John, who made up the inner circle of the Apostles. Andrew, Peter's brother, was known for bringing people to Jesus and is considered the first evangelist. Each of the Gospels make mention of the Twelve, some given more notoriety than others. Of the twelve, we read very little of those such as Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, James the son of Alphaeus, but others such as Matthew, Philip and Bartholomew are noted for varied acts of grace and ministry. I have often wondered why not all of these men, whose names will be on the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14) did not get more attention over the others, and I believe I know the reason: Not everyone has to be in the spotlight when it comes to the work of the LORD. The most productive of His servants over the years have been those whose names are known only to Him, anonymous and obscure, yet will receive crowns and rewards for their service and love for the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Those anonymous apostles, like the others with whom we are most familiar will testify that they were no more than unworthy servants, obeying their Master, and letting us know that it is Jesus Christ who has the preeminence, glory, and honor, not them (Luke 17:10).
A lot of ink and paper has been used to commend or condemn the words and work of the apostles, and I have heard "ad infinitum" from Christians over the years say that they would have NEVER betrayed the LORD, nor deny Him like Peter, nor doubted anything about Him if they had been living in that era. Give me a break. I've listened to sermons that all but condemn one man in particular to the edges of hell or a life of uselessness for what he said and did in the aftermath of the news that Jesus had indeed risen from the grave. That apostle is none other than Thomas. He has been the target of a bad reputation over the centuries for one brief moment in his walk with the LORD, and that was over honest doubts over what He had heard from the other disciples concerning the empty tomb and the news that Jesus had appeared to the other disciples and the travelers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).
While some are quick to criticize him, I applaud him for his skepticism, and I'll tell you why. Thomas represents every honest skeptic throughout history who wanted to examine the evidence and see whether or not the claims of Jesus as written in the Scriptures are valid before making a total commitment to Him. Men such as C.S. Lewis, Sir William Ramsey, General Lew Wallace, Lee Strobel, Francis Schaeffer, and Simon Greenleaf began their search as outspoken atheists and skeptics. When they examined the evidence, they all concluded that Jesus Christ was Who He claimed to be, and that the Bible accounts were accurate and reliable. All of them became followers of Christ, serving Him in the fields of education, law, writing, and apologetics. I would encourage you to examine their lives and testimonies and see for yourself (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15).
When you go back and read the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-8), note that some seed fell into stony ground, producing a plant that did not develop deep roots and withered away. This described the false convert who "accepts" Jesus, only to find that following Him will have consequences and persecutions. This false "convert" will then walk away from his "faith" (which he really never had) and wither away with eternal sorrow. When Thomas was chosen to be an apostle, I believe that he did not want to be a seed in shallow soil but have instead the deep roots of an authentic follower of Christ. We see this in Thomas when he was willing to die with the LORD if He returned to Judea (John 11:16). I don't see an attitude of fatalism in Thomas' reply, but more of a "LORD, I'm with you, even if this doesn't turn out well." It is as if we could also hear him saying in the recesses of his heart, "I've come with Him this far. I'm committed now."
Thomas is like us, seeing the bad more than the good, and with a degree of pessimism even when we confess to be walking in faith. He has been called the "Eeyore" of the group. Let us be honest. There are days when we are less than jubilant, joyful, and full of light. Thomas' attitude towards life, faith, and his walk with the LORD is an honest picture of even the best of us at times. He represents serious inquiry and examination of everything with an initial hesitancy to believe everything we might read, see, or hear. When Jesus died on the cross, Thomas, like the others, fled or went into hiding, scared and uncertain of what was to come. Judas Iscariot hung himself in remorse. Peter was somewhere weeping hard tears of sorrow over his open and vulgar denial of His LORD. John went with Mary and the other women to the mountain of the skull and witnessed the death of the LORD. Thomas was having a "dark night of the soul", grieving over the loss of His dear friend whom He loved and had followed these three years, apparently all for naught. The tomb was sealed, and the days passed. Then came the first day of the week and the news that Jesus was alive again, having conquered death, hell, and the grave, His mission of salvation and redemption on our behalf fully completed, with nothing more to add (John 19:30).
Later, all the apostles, except Thomas, saw the risen Lord and received the commission to spread the Gospel (John 20:19-23). He arrived eight days later (20:26) and heard what had happened. Here is where he gets hassled over his apparent "doubts". It was Thomas who, in the Upper Room just a few nights ago, had asked the question about the "way" that prompted the Lord Jesus to give His declaration that He was "The Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John14:6). When Jesus appeared and told Thomas to touch Him (20:27), this man who had expressed his doubts grounded in skepticism and grief now saw with his own eyes the fulfillment of what Jesus had affirmed. He was indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Every promise He made was real and prompted Thomas to say one of the greatest affirmations of faith and devotion to Christ; "My LORD and my GOD!" (20:29). All skepticism, doubt, sorrow, and tears were wiped away. Early church tradition states that Thomas took the Gospel to what is now the nation of India, later meeting a martyr's death by being run through with a spear. Doubt turned to devotion with Thomas, and I have always considered him my favorite of these twelve ordinary men. He represents all those honest doubts we have at times concerning our walk with the LORD, and the assurance that at the end of our own journey, all will be revealed, answers will come, and we will be before the throne of Jesus. I'd rather have honesty than haloes any day.
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