E07 THOMAS. How to be more like Thomas, when in doubt.

Shalom Shalom. May the perfect peace of Yeshua be upon you all. The Apostle Thomas amazes me; despite him being criticized and even being called "Doubting Thomas," I want to speak in his defence and explain why I believe he deserves greater recognition.

Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."   (John 11:16, NASB)

Here, Thomas responded to the disciple's concern regarding Yeshua's desire to return to Judiah, to raise Lazarus from the dead. It was at this point in Yeshua's ministry that it had become very dangerous for Him and His disciples to go anywhere near Jerusalem. Thomas's response tells us 3 things about him. First, "Let us also go" expresses his loyalty to Yeshua, and the latter part expresses his willingness to lay down his life for his Lord, while at the same time expressing his pessimistic view of going to Judiah. Now this pessimistic view is realistic, again because of the clear danger of stepping foot into that regent.

At another time Thomas questioned Yeshua:

5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"   6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:5-6, NASB)

Yeshua's response is one of the most, if not the most, radical and profound statements in the Bible, and all because Thomas wasn't afraid to ask the question. I truly appreciate Thomas's straightforward character, not afraid to ask and engage his Messiah. Him asking questions is a good argument about his willingness to believe in the words of his Teacher.

The next time the Gospels recorded an interaction between Thomas and Yeshua was after Yeshua had been resurrected. 

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.   25 So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."   26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."   27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."   28 Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"   29 Jesus *said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." Why This Gospel Was Written   (John 20:24-29, NASB)

People tend to be very critical towards Thomas, but I would argue that Thomas was expressing how all the other disciples were feeling before their encounter with the resurrected Christ (they all went to their own home). I believe Thomas was the most honest out of all of them, not ashamed to admit his disbelieve. I also believe Thomas was the first to wholeheartedly believe Christ to be God because of his public confession, "My Lord and my God." For that reason, I would argue Thomas's faith was far greater than the rest of the disciples. He was bold enough to question and courageous enough to confess Christ as his Lord and God. 

It was because of Thomas's engagement and questioning that we have greater insight into Yeshua. The more I consider the character of Thomas, the more I recognize his humility and willingness to learn, knowing his own insufficiency, yet willing to trust His Master with all his heart, even at the risk of losing his own life. 

Being more like Thomas means we are willing to seek the truth, instead of letting our doubts silence us. Unlike the other disciplines, Thomas found the courage to ask, and because he asked, he (and us) received the truth.

7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.   8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.   (Matthew 7:7-8, NASB)