Skepticism: The remarkable story of the apostle (v24) Thomas begins with his extreme skepticism (v25). Even though he heard the testimony of his friends and eyewitnesses of the risen Christ, Thomas refused to believe. Even though Jesus Himself repeatedly predicted His resurrection,[1] Thomas dug his heels in the sand and resisted faith. He was overwhelmed with the atrocities of the cross and could not imagine a crucified man alive. Thus he demanded an inordinate degree of evidence for his eyes, for his finger, and for his hand. Then Jesus appeared to Thomas and met his demands point by point. Jesus gave this man the proof to become an apostolic witness of His resurrection.[2]

Faith: From his encounter with the risen Lord, we learn two lessons on the nature of faith. Faith is first a choice. Jesus told him, “Stop being an unbeliever but a believer” (v27). It is the sovereign God who grants repentance and faith,[3] but Scripture never gives the impression that faith is passive. Far from passivity, faith is a fight. We must “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12),[4] and faith must endure (Luke 8:15).[5] Faith is active and deliberate. Faith is also worship. Thomas declares this when he saw the risen Lord. He did not merely acknowledge the fact of Jesus’ resurrection but the theology it signified. Jesus is Lord and God! But Thomas’ response was not only theological, but doxological. Jesus was “my Lord and my God.” Now Thomas was Jesus’ servant and worshipper. Such worship is the logical response of true faith (Rom. 12:1).

[1] Cf. Matt. 17:23; 20:19; Mark 9:31; 10:34; Luke 11:31; 18:33; John 2:19.

[2] Cf. Acts 1:8, 22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39, 41,; 13:31; 22:15; 23:11; 26:16.

[3] Cf. John 6:44, 65; Acts 5:31; 11:18; 18:27; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:25; James 1:17-18; 2 Pet. 1:1.

[4] Paul affirms that he fought this good fight to the very end and that he has kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7).

[5] Cf. Matt. 24:13; Rom. 2:7; 5:3-5; 8:25; Gal. 6:9; Heb. 3:6, 14; 10:36; 12:1; Rev. 2:10, 25; 3:10-11; 13:10.