In-between

“One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came” John.20:24 .

In comes Didymus, the doubting Thomas. His original name was Yehuda or Judah, depending on the text. So where did he get Didymus from? Thomas was a nickname, the same way Simon was nicknamed Cephas Peter the rock. Yehuda was nicknamed Didymus, which means the twin, double minded. In one person there are two people – doubting Thomas. So from generation to generation his nickname stuck. Even when they gave account of the disciples of Jesus, they did not call him Yehuda, his name was recorded as Thomas. And so that we do not forget what Thomas actually means. As church progressed through the centuries, we added doubting to qualify the name Thomas. Interestingly to call Thomas doubting Thomas was actually being ‘nice’ to him. Why do I say that? It is because according to Wikipedia.org the meaning of doubt is a status between belief and disbelief. And that is so true, doubt is a status between belief and disbelief. Belief is on one spectrum and unbelief is on another spectrum and doubt is in the middle. Doubt means being uncertain, lack of sureness. But what Thomas demonstrated was more than doubt. They should have called him unbelieving Thomas.

“One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” John20:24-25 [emphasis added]. Now why was he in disbelief? It is simple; Thomas was not there when Jesus came to show Himself. Thomas was not in church. That is just what it means. And so sometimes when you miss church you miss a Word. And when everybody is moving forward in the power of that Word, you doubt because you have not had the same experiences they have had. And many times like Thomas, Jesus has to appear to us again. Even further than doubt, what Thomas was saying here in essence is what the lawyers call the body of proof. You have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Jesus rose from the dead. In law, a person remains innocent until proven guilty. Thomas was saying the last time I saw Jesus He was dead so He remains dead until He is proven resurrected, beyond reasonable doubt. Which means I have to see it, I have to touch it, and then I will believe.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, teach me to believe and not to doubt, teach me to believe every Word that proceeds from the mouth of the Living God, in Jesus Name.