Thomas
“What was that?” whispered James. Everyone froze. Thomas slid the bolt quietly, opened the door just a crack, and peeped out into the street. “It’s all right,” he told
the others, quietly locking the door again.
“Only a few workers going home. No soldiers.”
The group of friends let out their breath and resumed eating their broiled fish and bread. Then one of them said, “They think we did it. They think we stole his body from Joseph’s tomb.”
“It must have been one of us,” commented one. He scanned the room.
“It wasn’t me!” retorted Peter.
“You can be impetuous sometimes,” suggested another.
“I swear I had nothing to do with it!” protested Peter. Then, his head sank onto his chest; he left the table and sat by himself.
“Leave him alone,” said Thomas, “of course Peter didn’t do it…but someone must have.”
“He did say we would see Him again,” said John.
“He came from God,” said Nathanael, sadly, “remember how clear it was three nights ago
at the supper?” Some heads nodded and Peter swiped away some tears.
“Mary said she saw Jesus,” said John. She’s convinced He’s risen from death.”
“Yeah, but she can get emotional, being a woman,” said Thomas, “I expect her imagination got away on her.”
“Don’t tell anyone I said so,” whispered James, “but Marcus, you know the centurion? He told me, in confidence, that the Chief Priests believed the soldiers’ report. Those guards got a huge sum of money to keep quiet. They had to say some of us came in the night and stole Jesus’ body while they were sleeping.”
“What! They had to say they were sleeping?” asked Andrew, “as if that’s likely! You know what the penalty is for sleeping on guard duty!”
Outside they heard neighbours leading their animals into stables and securing their poultry for the night. Suddenly, they all turned as they heard a crash. It was Peter. He had kicked at a stool and it lay where
it had landed against the far wall. “That wretched rooster!” he growled. “I could wring its neck!”
“I’ve had enough!” growled Thomas. He unlocked the door, shut it behind him and walked out into the night.
A day or two later Thomas met his friends again. They ran to him, all talking at once, saying, “Thomas! Jesus came! He stood among us! After you left, He was in that upper room with us. He gave us such peace!”
Their eyes shone with joy,
Annoyed, Thomas exclaimed, “I don’t believe it. You imagined you saw a ghost or something.”
“That’s what I thought,” said James, “but then He asked for some fish and He ate it. Ghosts don’t eat anything, Thomas. We were all watching. He had bones and flesh, and we could touch Him!”
“I won’t believe it unless I have definite proof,” said Thomas flatly. “I have to see this for myself and put my hand in the gash in his side before I can believe such a thing!”
A few days later, the disciples gathered again in the same house. They locked the doors securely, still nervous about accusations of stealing Jesus’ body. This time, Thomas was with them.
“Peace be with you!” they heard. Each one turned. Jesus stood among them once again. They smiled in recognition and greeted Him saying, “And with you, Lord!”
Thomas gaped, his face crimson. Jesus stretched out his hands to Thomas, palms up. Thomas shuddered seeing the disfigurement of torn flesh and exposed bones, but Jesus encouraged him, saying, “Put your finger here.” Then Jesus lifted his robe. All eyes were drawn to the gaping hole in Jesus’ side. “Reach out your hand, Thomas,” said Jesus. “Put it here, into my side.”
Slowly, falteringly, Thomas obeyed. Hope surged through his being. Jesus was alive. Jesus was present. Jesus was beyond the present, beyond death and beyond life. Solid matter and ethereal Spirit were brought together in the one person of Jesus Christ.
Thomas dropped down onto his knees at Jesus’ feet. “My Lord and my God!” he exclaimed. The other ten breathed their agreement. Relief and joy swept through their hearts and minds
After interacting with Jesus several times after that, Jesus’ words at their last supper together finally made sense to them. They were one with each other, with all who believed and with all who would believe in the years, decades and centuries to come.
“We cannot keep silent about this!” said Thomas. “We must tell what we know. The truth must be told.”
“We must write about Him, too” added John. “Write what we have seen and know; how we have touched Him and lived with Him.”
See Luke 24:36 – 43 and John 20:19 – 28
