Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
– John 20:29 NIV
This is one of the famous “doubt verses” that we often throw at our questions. Some might even take this as a rebuke from Jesus towards Thomas for doubting. However, when we look at the passage as a whole, we can see that this not the case.
“Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
– John 20:24-29 NIV
Yes, Thomas doubted, but he stayed with the disciples. He could’ve said “You are all insane/delusional for believing someone rose from the dead and I’m leaving.” He stayed with the disciples. It does say in John 20:19-20 that the disciples were hiding in fear, so it’s possible that he wanted to have safety in numbers.
However, we can infer that the disciples did not kick out Thomas for his doubt either. In the previous passage (John 20:19-20) it says that
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”
Thomas wasn’t just doubing that Jesus had risen. He was also doubting the lived experience of the disciples. It can be frustrating and sometimes insulting when people doubt your lived experience, especially when you as a group have the same shared experience. We see in John 20:26 that “Thomas was with the disciples.” That shows me that the disciples still accepted Thomas as one of them.
When Jesus entered the room, he didn’t just say “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” He showed Thomas his hands and his side. He directly addressed Thomas’s doubts by showing Thomas his scarred hands and side. He showed a lot of grace and patience to Thomas and that was what helped Thomas believe.
Doubts are common in our walk with the Lord. We can see that in Thomas, who knew Jesus for years, but still decided to stay with Jesus’s disciples and ask for proof. We can also see that both Jesus and His disciples did not shame Thomas for his doubt. Jesus even approached Thomas personally, offering him tangible proof to relieve him of his doubts. May we always be able to cling to Jesus when we doubt and go to Him with our questions. Jesus can handle your questions and doubts, and He will never leave us or forsake us.