The Arrogant Unbelief of Thomas

Lesson #331

When Jesus appeared among the disciples and he showed them his hands and his side and breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit”, one of the disciples was missing. “Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came” (John 20:24 ESV). Why was Thomas not with the disciples? Possibly he figured that since Jesus was dead there was nothing else left to happen. Jesus said he would rise from the dead, but apparently Thomas wasn’t willing to believe, even after all he experienced living with Jesus for three years.

By separating himself from the rest of the disciples, he missed the opportunity to experience Jesus alive and receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit. When we are together as believers, Jesus Christ is in the midst of us just as he appeared in the midst of the disciples in that locked room. What was the effect on Thomas by not being there? How were the other ten disciples now different?

Later, the other disciples found Thomas and told him, “. . . “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”” (John 20:25 ESV). Ten brothers witnessed to Thomas that they had seen Jesus, but he refused to believe them. He was determined that he would not believe any evidence presented to him. He would believe only if his conditions were met and no other way. Consider how much Thomas had lost by not being with the other disciples and now not believing and consider how evil and darkness is creeping into his life. We must remember what was said in Hebrews about this: “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24 – 25 ESV). As we see in the case of Thomas, it is important that we spend time in fellowship with other believers. We can learn from each other and be held accountable.

Thomas is in a very dangerous place. With his unbelief and his attitude, no amount of witness will ever penetrate his heart if God does not intervene. In the beginning, God chose twelve disciples; eleven lost sheep and one goat, that being Judas. Ten of the twelve have seen Jesus and have received the Holy Spirit, but Thomas is still a lost sheep. Thomas is yet to be found, but we can be certain he will be, just as anyone chosen by the Father will come to salvation. We will see this in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, this unbelief held by Thomas was also seen in Paul before his encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus.  Many in the middle east are encountering Jesus in dreams and visions and hardened evil men, who torture believers for their faith, are encountering Jesus through the supernatural witness of those they are torturing. Father, without your touch, not a one of us would ever respond on our own. Father, thank you for that touch.