Today we are looking at the Apostle Thomas, much loved in India as the apostle whom God sent there, according to historical sources. Thomas is mentioned about seven times, or on seven occasions, in scripture. First of all, we're going to look briefly at when the Lord called him to be an apostle.

Thomas, chosen Apostle

We are going to read from Luke, chapter 6, verses 13 to 16. Number one: Thomas was chosen as an apostle. Luke chapter 6, verses 13 and 16, says, “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.” (Luke 6:13-16). In John's Gospel, Thomas is called Didymus the twin. There has been all kinds of speculation as to who his twin was. Some think that because he's put together with Matthew, maybe they were brothers. But that's just speculation. We don't know. He might have had a twin sister. He might have had an identical twin, a twin brother, or a twin sister. We just don't know. But it's been well said.

The reason why it's stated in scripture in John's Gospel that Thomas is called Didymus the Twin is because we should look at ourselves as his twin. That's why it is said he is the twin. When we see his character, the depressive and gloomy way he speaks, and the way he behaves, he's just like us. We are the twins of Thomas. Each and every one of them is different. and how wonderfully the Lord put different people together so that we could relate to them and learn lessons from them.

Thomas and Lazarus Resurrection

We're going to look at Thomas speaking when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. We're going to read one verse from John 11, verse 16, where Thomas speaks. In John 11 verse 16, “Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16). John Chapter 11 is the most majestic chapter, showing the greatest miracle that Jesus performed, raising Lazarus from the dead, who was dead for four days in the tomb. Apart from his own resurrection, this was the greatest miracle he performed and the mightiest declaration of his deity. And that's why John includes it in his gospel.

It's a chapter of death. In verse 1, “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.” (John 11:1). Here we have natural death. Here, we have a natural death before us. because Lazarus dies of a sickness. Then there's death by capital punishment, or stoning. In verse 8, “His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?” (John 11:8). There's death by Jewish capital punishment. Then there's a martyr's death. “Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16). But then there is death by murder. And twice we read of that in this chapter and the next chapter. Verse 53, “Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” (John 11:53). The Jewish leaders wanted to murder the Lord Jesus. Chapter 12:10, “But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;” (John 12:10). They wanted to murder him as well.

Chapter of Death

So we have all kinds of deaths in this chapter of death. Natural death, death by capital punishment, a martyr's death, death by murder, plotting and scheming to murder. Yet in this chapter of death, we see one who is all-powerful over death. And in this chapter, the Lord Jesus will show His power over all kinds of death, whether it's the plotting of men or the power of the devil; all of it will be in vain because He is the Lord and Master of death itself. A most wonderful miracle indeed. In verse eight, the disciples warned the Lord Jesus. “But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;” (John 12:10). But the Lord Jesus was not afraid. He had a mission to fulfill. He answered in verse 9. “Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.” (John 11:9-11).

The Lord Jesus had a mission to fulfill. He walked according to the will of his God and Father. Thomas knew because of what the Jews said, and he was very disturbed by this in the previous chapters we read. In chapters 8 and 9 and 10, we see how the Jews were so antagonistic against him and even picked up stones in chapter 8 to try and stone him to death. In chapter 10 as well, they threatened to stone him. And so Thomas knew that if the Lord Jesus goes, He's going to be killed. Because the Lord Jesus had taught them, “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matthew 10:24-25). They were going to treat treated worse. If they're going to treat the Lord like that, how much worse will they treat his disciples?

Thomas knew if we go, we're going to die. but we learn a positive lesson even from his gloominess because he missed the words of the Lord Jesus. The Lord made it very clear; let us go unto him, Lazarus. I'm going to wake him. And he made it very clear that Lazarus is dead. But Thomas also says, Let us go. But instead of saying, let us go and see the resurrection, for the Lord's going to wake him up. He missed the most positive, blessed statement of the Lord, and all he could think of was death. He could think only of joining Lazarus in the tomb, that the Lord will die and we will die, but the positive thing is that he was devoted to the Lord. He was devoted to the Lord. He could not see life on earth as worth living without his Saviour and Lord. If he were going to die, we would die with him too. That is tremendous devotion. He had so much to learn in the School of God when he uttered such despondent, gloomy, and depressing words, but he was very deeply attached to and loved the Lord Jesus and cleaved to him, willing to follow him even to death. And that's a very positive thing we learn from Thomas.

Even Peter could say, “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68). Those apostles are so devoted to the Lord. Well, there's a lesson for us here. You know, when we are saved, our personality doesn't change immediately. God works in our lives and makes us what we ought to be. more like the Lord Jesus Christ, but we all have different temperaments and different personalities. Think of Mary and Martha and how different those two sisters were of Lazarus. We read in Luke 10 verse 40, “But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” (Luke 10:40) . She rebuked the Lord. She told the Lord, You don't care, don't you care? She said to him, She rebuked the Lord. She was so cumbered about her serving, but Mary had chosen the right part, the better part, to sit at the feet of the Lord and listen to him because she was the only one who realised he was going to die, be buried, and rise again. She wasn't taken by surprise, and therefore she anointed the Lord, as we are told at the beginning of John chapter 11.

But here's the wonderful thing: Here in John chapter 11, we're told that Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. He puts her first and says, Jesus loved her, loved her sister, and loved Lazarus. He loved them all equally. They were so different. Even though Martha had spoken such words to the Lord, he loved them all equally. How wonderful, tender, gracious, and forgiving the Lord is! Bishop J.C. Ryle wrote, They show us that we must make large allowances for natural temperament, informing our estimate of individual Christians. We must not expect all of God's children to be exactly the same. That's a good observation. We are all different, and we should not expect to be the same. Some are like Thomas. more despondent and pessimistic, gloomy, and depressed more easily. They see the glass half-empty. Where there are others who are more joyful, they see the glass half full. It's not half empty. like this salesman I read about long ago, sent from the United States across the border into Mexico in the days when they wore sandals down there. And he was a shoe salesman. And he came back very disappointed and said to his boss, But you know, no one wears shoes there. It's a waste of time trying to sell shoes in a place where no one wears shoes. He saw the glass only half empty. But his boss was more enthusiastic. He saw it half-full. But we can sell them our shoes. If they can be persuaded to buy our shoes, we're going to make loads of money.

And so there are two ways of looking at things, aren't there? There are those who look at things in a very gloomy, pessimistic way. What's the point? There's no use. But there are those who see opportunities and who can look on the bright side. There's a story told of Alexander White, who was a Scottish preacher of the 19th century. And he always began his prayers with an expression of gratitude. So one day, it was a very cold, rainy, and miserable day when his congregation came to church. And so they were wondering, What is he going to say now? So he got up on the pulpit, and he prayed. We thank thee, oh Lord, that it is not always like this. He looked on the bright side of things. Yes, it's miserable, but it's not always like this. So Jesus was going to show Thomas. His power is miserable, but it's not always like this. So Jesus was going to show Thomas. His power and glory. And that day, he would believe. The Lord said He was going to do this, that you might believe. In verse 25, He utters those majestic words to Martha. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25). What did the Lord mean? by these words. What did he mean when he said, I am the resurrection? Did he just mean that he can raise the dead? If that's all it meant, then he was no different from the prophets.

Elijah, raised from the dead, is the son of the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17, verses 20–24. But Elijah was taken to heaven, so he should not see death. Otherwise, he would have naturally died. Elisha raised the Shunammite woman's son to life in 2 Kings chapter 4, verses 32–37. And then, after Elisha died, his bones raised the dead man to life in 2 Kings 13, verse 21. These are the three occasions of resurrection in the Old Testament. But when death came to Elisha in 2 Kings 13, we read this in verse 14. Now Elisha had fallen sick of his sickness, and he died. So Elisha was given the power—the power to raise the dead. And yet, when death came to him, he had no power at all. He died. Was the Lord any different from the prophets Elijah and Elisha? When he said, I am the resurrection, did he just mean I can raise the dead? But if death comes to me, I'll have no power. No, that's not the meaning. The meaning is this: when the Lord said, I'm the resurrection, he was saying he's the Lord and master of death. He has all the power and control over death. That's why he said this. “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:18). In Revelation 1, 18, he says, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:18).

The Lord Jesus, said, No man taketh it from me. No one could take his life. And even when he laid down his life in death and was a dead corpse in that tomb for three days, he raised himself from the dead. Never in human history since Adam sinned and brought death into this world could a dead corpse raise itself from the dead. Those who are dead had to have someone raise them from the dead, but here was one who was Lord and master over death itself. I am the resurrection. raised himself from the dead. Majestic and awesome words were uttered by the Son of God, and he showed his deity by raising Lazarus from the dead. What did he mean by I am the resurrection and the life? The Greek word used here knows two meanings, one meaning the manner of life, and this is a word meaning life itself, existence, which he alone possesses and is the very source of life itself. not that he just possesses life; he's the very source of it. John 1 verses 3 and 4 make it clear: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:3-4). He's the source of all living things in creation. He's the very source of life and eternal life itself. All who were raised from the dead, including Lazarus, died again. But when the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, He rose to live in the power of an endless life, never to die again. What a glory those apostles saw that day!!

Thomas Question

Now we go to Thomas's question briefly. John chapter 14, verses four to six, point number four. John chapter 14, verses four to six, says, “And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:4-6). The apostles were very depressed and troubled, for the Lord had kept saying he's going away. A number of times, he said that. He spoke of dying. been put to death and is rising again. He told Peter that Peter would deny him three times. He told them there was a traitor among them. And the other gospels also tell us that he told them they would forsake him. They were very troubled and depressed when they heard these words. They didn't understand. They had all the information in front of them, but they couldn't put it all together. They all knew about the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 that we read about. They knew about the Psalms that spoke of the resurrection.

In Psalm 16, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy foes the footstool of thy feet. They just couldn't put it all together in their minds. and understand that Christ had to come and die first before he established his kingdom at his second coming. In Thomas' mind, he could not get beyond the thought that Jesus is the promised Messiah who's going to come and reign, and all Israel will be gathered to him in his earthly kingdom. His thoughts were not in heaven but only on earth. He couldn't understand what the Lord was saying—that He's going back to the Father. He couldn't understand why he was going back. What's he saying about going back? Going somewhere. All the time, their minds were focused on the fact that He was going to manifest Himself to Israel as their Messiah, as their King in power and glory. after the resurrection, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and after the Holy Spirit came, when the Lord was ascended, then everything was put together in their minds. They understood it all fully.

They didn't understand at this point; the Lord didn't need them to see a physical manifestation of the Father next to the Son. They didn't need the son to point out the way he was going. They needed to realise that they were looking at the Father himself when they looked at the Son. They needed to realise this. He's the very embodiment of the way, the truth, and the life. He doesn't just show the way, speak the truth, or give life. He's the very embodiment of it. It is said in the Garden of Eden that there was no way. Adam was in perfect communion with God and Eve. But when they sinned, they were cast out of the Garden of Eden, and they needed to find a way back to God. Like Cain, who went away from the presence of the Lord, all of us, like sheep, have gone astray. We have gone each other's way, as Isaiah 53 tells us. But we need a way back to God. And the Lord Jesus is that way.

Now, once again, Thomas would find no place on earth. that would be home for him. He wanted to be with the Lord, wherever the Lord is. And that's why we learn another positive thing from his statement here. Though he didn't understand, one thing we do learn is that he wanted to be with the Lord. Wherever the Lord is, I want to be there. Same with Peter, who would say in John 13, 36, “Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.” (John 13:36). They wanted to be with the Lord. I'm reminded of a hymn that we used to sing in my Sunday school days. The world is not my home. I'm just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore. The chorus says, Oh Lord, you know, I have no friend like you. If heaven's not my home, then, Lord, what will I do? The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore." That was the attitude of Thomas. Wherever the Lord is, I want to be there. I will never be happy in this world without being with the Lord.

Doubting Thomas Believes

Point number five, and with this, we close. doubting what Thomas believes. This is the most famous part of Thomas's life that everybody remembers: doubting Thomas. John chapter 20 verses 24–29. “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:24-29). Now John, in his gospel, presents faith developing in the different individuals he writes about. Like the Samaritan woman of chapter 4, step by step, stage by stage, she realises the Lord is more than a Jew, greater than Jacob, and finally she says, “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29). She realises he's the Messiah, step by step. Nicodemus, too, was told of his progress. He first came to the Lord by night, and then he defended the Lord in the sanhedron. Then finally, he came out in the open when he prepared for the Lord's burial. The blind man of chapter 9 as well, the Lord healed him and then disappeared for a moment into the crowds, and the blind man didn't know where he was and didn't know much about who he was until he was thrown out of the temple, and then he came to realise he was the son of God. And he says, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe in him? Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talks with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. We read in John chapter 9, verses 36–38. And so, step by step, John shows faith developing. And here as well with Thomas, he goes from unbelief to belief, from being faithless to having faith.

Thomas a type of Jewish Tribulation Remnant

Thomas is a type of the Jewish remnant. In chapter 20 of John, we see the church, which has never seen Christ. Most of the members of the body of Christ have never seen him personally, apart from those, of course, who are now in heaven. But here on earth, we have not seen him, but we believed, and we're blessed. But Thomas pictures the Jewish nation, who though the apostles bore witness to them, of the resurrected Christ. and that he is their Messiah, they refuse to believe. And to this day, as a whole, the nation refuses to believe. One day they'll go through the tribulation for seven years, of which the last three and a half will be the time of Jacob's trouble. The great tribulation.

Many will die, but there'll be a remnant who'll be saved by God. One-third of them, in fact, as Zechariah tells us, will come out of the tribulation, and they'll... Like Thomas, they'll look at his pierced hands. Zechariah 12.10 tells us, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10). And so we see that Thomas pictures the nation, which will not believe unless they see signs. That's what the Lord Jesus said, didn't he? They will not believe unless they see signs. In John 4, 48, Jesus told the nobleman, “… Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” (John 4:48). And the nation is like that, blinded, with a veil over their eyes. Just like Thomas, I will not believe.

But one day, there's going to be a remnant. who will accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah, as the Son of God, as their King. They're going to say, My Lord and my God, just like Thomas, when they see his pierced hands, feet, and sides. What did Thomas miss that day? And here's the practical lesson for us: He missed one Lord's Day gathering, the first Sunday, the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together and the Lord was in their midst. What a beautiful picture of what will take place in the days to come when the church is formed, of assemblies of people around the world gathered around the person of the Lord Jesus! But Thomas was absent. He missed the words of Jesus through Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene was told to say these things to the apostles in John 20:17–18. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.” (John 20:17-18).

And so he missed hearing the words of the Lord's glorious ascension to the right hand of the Father that was going to take place. He missed the most glorious words about the Lord Jesus Christ, His Majesty, and His authority. He missed the fellowship of the disciples, for the disciples were gathered together. He missed twice hearing the words of the Lord when he spoke comfort to them. In verses 19 and 21, twice, the Lord said, Peace be unto you. They were fearful. The doors were locked. They thought they were going to be next after the Lord was crucified. But the Lord spoke peace, a word in season to him that is weary. He missed out on the great gladness and joy they had in that gathering. He missed out on the Lord breathing upon them and saying, Receive the Holy Spirit. He missed out on speaking, hearing the Lord's speaking of the authority he would give them about the remission of sins. Thomas still received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, but one day he would regret missing out on the rest of his life because of his faithlessness.

What a lesson for us! When we gather in the assembly around the person of the Lord Jesus, we can miss so much when we are not there in the gatherings of the Lord's people. We're told not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as some are. Hebrews 10.25. We can miss the words of ministry. concerning the Lord that uplifts our souls. We can miss the fellowship of other believers. We can miss the peace and words of comfort the Lord would have to give us. We can miss hearing wonderful things about the Lord Jesus Christ. I miss the joy and gladness that we can have. You know, when I was first saved, and some years later, when I was baptised as a young man, I was received into fellowship. But then I did a foolish thing. The second Lord's Day, I didn't go; I stayed at home. We all do silly things in our lives, and that was one foolish thing I did many, many years ago. I'm telling you this: I was so miserable and so convicted by the Holy Spirit. I was most unhappy that Sunday morning when I knew the Lord's people were gathered in the hall remembering the Lord, and there I was at home, and I did not do it again. I don't know how anyone can miss being together with the Lord's people. I cannot understand how anyone would forsake the assembly and just go where they want.

They just come Sunday morning; don't go to any other meeting, and don't feel bad about it. I tell you this: when you have the Holy Spirit in you, you feel terrible when you're not where you should be. The other disciples try to persuade him. In verse 25, the word said unto him is in the imperfect tense, meaning they kept on saying, one after another, We've seen him alive. I saw him. We've seen him. But again and again, he would say, No, no, no. He said, I won't believe. I will not believe," he said again and again. That's the idea behind it. It wasn't just once; no, I can't believe it. He kept being stubborn about his attitude. That's why the Lord rebuked him and said, Be not faithless, but believe."" Thomas was true to his character; he was; he was so focused on the gloominess of the death of Christ that he could see no resurrection, no hope. All was dark, depressing, and hopeless. He was so much like many of us. He wanted to see with his eyes, except I see, he said. Well, the Lord appeared to him in verses 26–27. Credit to him, he turned up the next Lord's Day, the first day of the week, on that Sunday. And this time, when the Lord spoke to him, we didn't mention the doors being shut for fear of the Jews, but the doors were closed. And emphasizes the omnipotence of the Lord. He passed through the doors and appeared in their midst. Then we see the omnipresence of the Lord, the very words that Thomas uttered about seeing the print of the nails and putting my hand on his side—exactly those same words the Lord utters to him to show that when he was saying that to the Apostles, the Lord Jesus as God was omnipresent listening to everything he said. What a display of the deity of Christ, omnipotence, and omnipresence!!

He appeared in their midst and rebuked Thomas. And Thomas uttered those majestic words, my Lord and my God. He was literally saying, in Greek, the Lord of me, the God of me. It's only mentioned in John's Gospel because John's Gospel was designed to show the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He begins by saying in John chapter 1 verse 1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And here, at the end of the gospel, Thomas declares Jesus as my Lord and my God. And so, we could say much more about Thomas. He's mentioned again in Chapter 21 and again in Acts, Chapter 1. But how wonderful! Despite all he was, the Lord made him a mighty apostle and preacher of the gospel, bringing the gospel to India many thousands of years ago. May the Lord bless this study for us. Amen.