It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.” Thomas, the one called Didymus, one of the Twelve, wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.” After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand into my side. No more disbelief. Believe!” Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied, “Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe.” Then Jesus did many other miraculous signs in his disciples’ presence, signs that aren’t recorded in this scroll. But these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name. (John 20:19-31, CEB)
If you have grown up in a congregation or been attending one for some years you have probably heard this text before, as it is the gospel text for the second Sunday of Easter every year. You have probably also come to know it as The Doubting Thomas Text.
Why is it that Thomas gets the name doubter?
We don’t call Judas, Betraying Judas. Or Peter, Denying Peter. And yet these are those two disciples’ downfall. (Side note: We would need to have a discussion about Judas, he didn’t betray but handed over, and that is different, but to make a point here I am using betray.)
And really Thomas asked for no more that the other 10 there (Judas and Thomas were not there) got. They didn’t know who Jesus was until they saw his hands and his side, and that is what Thomas asked for.
And to make a point even more clear, the word doubt doesn’t appear in this text in Greek. There is a Greek word for doubt and that is διστάζω. That word does not appear in this text. The part that is translated as doubt is ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός. And the CEB above helps with this by translating the text as “no more disbelief. Believe!” The text, ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός is do not be un pistos but pistos. Pistos is the Greek word for faith, belief, or trust. It means all three. Jesus didn’t say do not doubt but believe. He said do not be unbelieving but believe. Do not be unfaithful but faithful. Do not be untrusting but trusting.
To me, the opposite of belief is not doubt. Doubt pushes me to question and find the answer. Doubt is not something we as followers of Christ should avoid. God is big enough for our doubts.
Live into the questions and follow where Jesus is calling us.
Faith is not about the easy path, the one without questions. Faith is about following and loving like we were told to do.
Love Like Jesus.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 