Was ‘Doubting Thomas’ Really a Doubter? Ep. 1431: Christian Questions Podcast

[00:07:46] Why do we assume the worst about Thomas?

[00:16:25] Was Thomas doubting or just overwhelmed?

[00:31:38] Am I truly perceiving Jesus or just noticing him?

[00:47:38] Why does Jesus say believing without seeing brings a deeper blessing?

There are many Bible accounts that have gathered a lot of attention over centuries because of their dramatic content. Cain and Abel, Noah and the Ark and David and Goliath are all powerful and dramatic Old Testament accounts filled with action. Two New Testament are Jesus in the manger and Jesus on the cross. All of these named stories show us a hero and their experiences. Then we have “Doubting Thomas.” Here was an apostle who did not betray Jesus and who was ultimately faithful to his calling, and yet we know him as the doubter. Is this a fair and unbiased way to be remembering one of Jesus’ closest followers? Was Thomas that far off from faithfulness so as to be labeled as a doubter?

Not a lot of information

Thomas’ specific actions or words appear only three times in Scripture. The first two instances in John 11 and John 14 reveal a disciple who has courage, loyalty and a deep desire to stay close to Jesus. It is the third instance that causes so many to see him as a doubter.

Thomas was absent during Jesus’ first resurrection appearance (https://christianquestions.com/inspiration/1381-resurrection/) to the other ten apostles. The disciples joyfully reported, “We have seen the Lord,” but Thomas—traumatized, grieving and left out of that experience—could not process their claim. His statement, “I will not believe,” is a Greek conditional phrase meaning, “I am not able to believe unless…”—a cry of emotional