Literal Thomas

A bad reputation can be hard to shake. For the past two thousand years, the apostle Thomas has been labeled with the adjective DOUBTING, and following Easter week, countless sermons are given about a man who knew Jesus personally yet still had doubt following the miracle of the resurrection. It’s a good message for followers who never knew Jesus yet believe. After all, it does mention THOMAS and also his DOUBT. Nothing controversial about having doubt, right? Perhaps Thomas would even be pleased with how many doubting souls found strength and comfort after hearing about the “doubt of Thomas.’

While there’s not a lot of material about Thomas (certainly not enough to write an entire book), there is enough for this narrative about DOUBTING THOMAS to rankle me, so this blog is going to be my attempt to defend Thomas and portray him in a more Biblically accurate way: as Literal Thomas.

The Elephant in the Room:

First, let’s just go over the text that shows the doubt of Thomas. In the context of this text, it does seem pretty obvious:

John 20:24 "But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Okay, this is pretty doubtful behavior. He sounds like a realist. Nuh-uh. Nope. Nada. I WILL NOT BELIEVE.

But what doesn’t he believe?

He doesn’t believe THEIR CLAIM.

What is their claim?

They claim to have seen the Lord AFTER his death.

It doesn’t say which disciple says this, even though JOHN writes it down. John was in the upper room when Jesus showed up. The road to Emmaus guys? Could’ve been them, also. Mary Magdalene and the other women? Could be them also. Heck it could have been ALL OF THE ABOVE at once. Yet Thomas does not believe them. So what’s going on?

Background on Thomas

The first reference to Thomas is found when Jesus names the 12 Disciples. Was this the first time Jesus met Thomas? Doubt it. He most likely spent the previous spring, fall, and summer with Jesus. While the Gospels are pretty clear about how he met his Galilean disciples (John, Andrew, James, Peter, Matthew, Philip, Nathanael, etc.), the other disciples could be from Judea (John 2:17) or Galilee. We’re just not sure.

Thomas does little to stand out in this crowd. We only have few verses that mention him, but…

Wow, he’s pretty cool.

Shortly before Easter, during the winter months (John 10:22), Lazarus gets sick. The whole situation seems sketchy to me, and if I were to speculate, I would almost suspect foul play from the Pharisees. They knew Lazarus was BFF with Jesus, and as a result, watched over the house so they could possibly arrest/kill Jesus.

Jesus seemed to sense this also. Instead of rushing to “save” Lazarus, Jesus waits…and waits…and waits. He waited past the commonly held belief that a soul takes 3 days to journey to the underworld, which is when the Pharisees depart, thinking Jesus couldn’t save him now.

Then Jesus shows up.

Bold move, Jesus.

But during this scene, where Jesus senses the trap and waits, even though it pains him, Thomas says something interesting.

John 11:8 "His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him."

Thomas was ready to die. He knew the threat. He understood Christ would die in Jerusalem. He listened. He got it. Crystal. Clear.

A few weeks/months later, during the 1st of 8 Passover Days (The Lamb Day), Jesus gets real with his disciples after Judas left the room, and taking them to the Mount of Olives, he gives a wonderful goodbye talk found mostly in the book of John 13-17. He talks about the coming of the Holy Spirit, and how they will build Christianity. It also gets grim. He talks about tough times. In this speech, Jesus gets very specific, including the prediction of Peter’s betrays (all 4 Gospels). Jesus talks about himself dying, and then…the disciples dying. Finally, he talks about going to heaven ahead of them.

14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him."

So Jesus said he’s leaving, and Thomas wanted to know how to follow.

That’s pretty literal.

These two verses seem to indicate that Thomas is pretty bold.

How bold?

Tradition records the death of the disciples, and even if the tradition is not 100% reliable, it still likely hits close to the mark. Of the disciples, who were instructed to spread the Gospels to all the nations, Thomas seemed to take it most…LITERALLY. Apparently, Thomas made it all the way to modern day China and India (where he was killed). That’s bold ministry into foreign territory.

Before and after Easter, Thomas seems to be the boldest disciple.

So what happened with the crucifixion?

Thomas listened.

The others didn’t.

A Literal Plan "A"

The key to my point is often lost, since the Gospel writer who gives the fullest account of Thomas (John) doesn’t mention what was said. The church historian Eusebius records that John had the other three Gospels in his possession prior to writing his account. His own Gospel would overlays a few sections, but often, he’d add details the others didn’t. (like the final sermon on the Mount of Olives).

Buried in the “Sifting Wheat” message, both Matthew and Mark include a very specific line spoken by Jesus.

26:31 "Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples."

So what was the plan?

Jesus said he was going to die, rise again, and then make an appearance IN GALILEE.

Thomas heard it.

Literal Thomas heard it.

And Nobody Listened

So we know what happened next. A few hours later, still during the same night, Jesus is arrested down the hill at the Garden of Gethsemane. John, James, and Peter avoid arrest. A few minutes later, Peter and John track Jesus to the trial. James? Most likely, he goes back up the hill to tell the followers that Jesus was arrested.

The rest of the details follow Christ.

What happened on the Mount of Olives?

Obviously, the women found out, for sometime during the next day, they showed up at the foot of the cross. The disciples were down to 9 (John @ Cross, Peter@ ?, Judas @ rope). When is the next time we see the disciples? In the upper room…in Jerusalem…still…in Jerusalem.

The angels listened.

In fact, they seemed to be aware of Plan A. Look at all the reminders from the Easter story.

Angel outside the tomb: Matt 28:7 “he goes before you into Galilee.”

Right side angel inside the tomb: Mark 16:7 “he goes before you into Galilee”

Two angels inside the tomb: Luke 24:6 “in Galilee”

And then a few minutes later, Peter and John show up, don’t see any angels, but then POTENTIALLY remember when it says John 20:10 “Then the disciples again went again unto their own home.” Where do they live? GALILEE (my theory is they were the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus).

A few minutes after this, Mary Magdalene sees two more angels, asks about the body, and then starts to cry.

While the plan might have been to meet again in Galilee, it is clear that nobody took the hint. The disciples lingered in Jerusalem (where it was dangerous) instead of going to Galilee. Jesus has to show up ahead of schedule to tell Mary Magdalene: Matthew 28:10 “Be not afraid, go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me.”

But as the day after the sabbath ends (our Sunday) at dusk, nobody seems to take the hint and leave Jerusalem. Even John and Peter have returned to the upper room.

Mark 16:14-18: Jesus shows up in Jerusalem’s upper room

Luke 24:36-48: Jesus shows up in Jerusalem’s upper room

John 20:19-23: Jesus shows up in Jerusalem’s upper room

Who wasn’t there?

Thomas!

Where was Thomas?

Notice how Matthew didn’t write about this “Jerusalem” moment…

This is how Matthew wrote it:

28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Funny how Matthew (who was in appearance #1) didn’t bring up that meeting, but he skips ahead a few days to write about a second appearance in Galilee. He even has the audacity to call it “appointed.” Yet the only one who was NOT in the upper room was Thomas.

John, it seems, confuses the issue by NOT bringing up that they all left for Galilee. He was very clear to mention that it was THOMAS who did not believe, but he skips over the trip to Galilee, didn’t he? He specifically says it was 8 days later (post-Passover, thus…return home). So there is an implication that travel time was included, but he doesn’t mention (like Matthew did) that the 2nd appearance was WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!!!.

By reading only John, the reader doesn’t see the trip. However, without saying they walked back home, John’s next anecdote is “at the Sea of Tiberias” aka GALILEE!!!

So now picture the POV of Thomas

1. Last Supper

2. Mount of Olives

3. Hears Jesus say to meet him afterwards in Galilee

4. Jesus is arrested.

5. He leaves for Galilee, the others gather in the upper room.

6. While the others are running back and forth to the tomb, he’s walking north to the meeting spot.

7. While the angels tell everybody to go to Galilee, he’s already walking.

8. While the others are meeting Jesus in the upper room, he’s still walking to Galilee.

9. By the time the others leave Jerusalem, he’s alone at the appointed meeting place in Galilee.

10. When the others show up, they CLAIM to have seen the risen Lord.

11. WHAT!!!!! No, no, no, no. I was here, just like Jesus said.

12. Thomas thinks they are delusional. Why would Jesus show up to the ones who were such bad listeners?

13. And then Jesus shows up in Galilee to meet personally with Thomas.

So yes, Thomas did DOUBT their story. But did he DOUBT Jesus? It seems to me that he was the only one to trust what Jesus said...to meet in Galilee (Plan A). 1 out of 12 Disciples listened to Plan A, and during Easter Morning, Jesus had to basically call an audible to get the others to LEAVE Jerusalem and to go to the APPOINTED MEETING PLACE back up in Galilee. Literal Thomas would have been alone, waiting, for a couple days before any of them showed up.

Did he think he missed Jesus?

If he left Good Friday, it might've taken him 3 days to get to the "Appointed Mountain," so he might've wondered if. he missed the resurrection. Meanwhile, the others, WHO WERE WRONG, lingered in Jerusalem. When they finally arrived at the secret meeting place, they had the nerve to tell Thomas that HE WAS WRONG.

Now, Jesus never lied. He DID show up in Galilee. He did fulfill his promise (to Thomas) and the others. Yet this is a great example of how the fulfillment of prophecy never goes exactly they way you assume it would go. I'd be upset if I was Thomas, but the shepherd went for the lost sheep first, didn't he? Typical Jesus :)