Some of us have to wait longer than others until we see and hear Jesus clearly—until he overcomes the Darkness of Doubts by entering the locked rooms of our hearts.

“Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came” after his resurrection into the locked room where the disciples were hiding in fear (John 20:24; see Genesis 3:8-10). So Thomas became one of those people who have to wait longer than most to see and hear Jesus clearly.

Thomas insisted on waiting until he could feel the risen Jesus enter the locked rooms of his heart. Therefore, he became famous as Doubting Thomas.

It wasn’t enough for Doubting Thomas that “the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’” (John 20:25). Doubting Thomas insisted, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25).

It wasn’t enough for Doubting Thomas that Mary Magdalene and the other women had seen the empty tomb and spoken with the risen Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10).

It wasn’t enough for Doubting Thomas that the two men walking to Emmaus had recognized Jesus and had become convinced that, according to the Scriptures, “the Christ [had] to suffer these things and then enter his glory” (Luke 24:26).

It wasn’t enough that many disciples saw Jesus in the locked room that first Easter evening and heard him say: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19; Luke 24:36).

It wasn’t even enough that the disciples had made sure that first Easter evening that Jesus was truly risen from the dead. Because, with the encouragement of Jesus himself, they made sure that Jesus was not a ghost or a hallucination.

At first, “[t]hey were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost” (Luke 24:37). But Jesus reassured them. “He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’” (Luke 24:38-39).

After “he showed them his hands and feet . . . they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement” (Luke 24:40-41). So Jesus offered additional physical proof that he was not a ghost or a hallucination. “[H]e asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence” (Luke 24:41-43).

Having established the physical basis for knowing he was alive, Jesus proceeded to establish the theological basis for believing he had risen from the dead and he was the Messiah (called the “Christ” in Greek).

“He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’” (Luke 24:44). The reference to “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” covers all of the Hebrew Scriptures (referred to as “the Old Testament” by Christians).

Jesus “opened their minds so they could understand the [Hebrew] Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.’” (Luke 24:45-47).

None of these eyewitness accounts from the first Easter Sunday was good enough for Doubting Thomas. Nor was he convinced by studying the Hebrew Scriptures that taught that Jesus was the Messiah.

Nevertheless, Doubting Thomas did one thing right. He continued meeting with those who had no such doubts. He shared his doubts with patient believers who befriended someone like him whose honest doubts kept him from believing.

Therefore, “[a] week later [when Jesus’] disciples were in the house again, . . . Thomas was with them.’” (John 20:26).

The faithfulness of Thomas in seeking the Truth was rewarded. The patience of believers with Thomas as he struggled with the Darkness of his doubts was vindicated.

How? The doubts of Doubting Thomas disappeared when Jesus appeared!

Just as on that first Easter evening a week before, “the doors were locked” (John 20:26). Nevertheless, the risen “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:26). This was the same greeting Jesus gave the week before (John 20:19).

This time Doubting Thomas was there to receive the peace that only the risen Lord Jesus Christ can give.

Jesus turned his attention directly to him and “said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’” (John 20:27).

Now Doubting Thomas had the physical proof he needed to know that Jesus had risen from the dead. Now Doubting Thomas had the intellectual assurance he needed to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

His physical experiences and his intellectual knowledge complemented and illuminated each other. Thomas stopped doubting and believed! He said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

When you have intellectual doubts about the Truth regarding God, do not lose hope. Everyone sometimes feels doubts, frustrations and confusion in the face of tragedies or skepticism.

The important thing—the essential thing—is never to give up your search for the Truth despite your doubts. Because, if you persist and persevere, the LORD God will eventually reward your honesty in admitting your doubts, frustrations and confusion:

Revealing to you that Jesus is the Light of Humanity (John 8:12).

Assuring you that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

And giving you the Peace of Jesus (John 20:26) that overcomes the Darkness of Doubts.

Read More

This blog is based on pages 321-325 of my book, Hoping in the LORD.

A note related to this blog is in my book, Hoping in the LORD.

For a discussion of how physical experiences and intellectual knowledge complement and illuminate each other, read more about Doubting Thomas on pages 323-325 of my book, Hoping in the LORD.

For extended discussions of such philosophical and theological challenges, read the Appendices to my book, The Promised Land,  especially: “How To Apply the Word of God Authoritatively”; “How to Apply the Bible to Specific Matters”; “The Accuracy and Reliability of the Bible”; “Thoughts About the First Eleven Chapters of Genesis”; “Tax Law Concepts Regarding Adam, Eve, Etc.”; and “Doubts: Sunglasses and Shakespeare”.