Theo Loc: Within 1000 miles of Tampa, Florida

There will be many believers who will read the one verse of Thomas' "confession" and proclaim long and loud that Thomas declared his faith that Jesus is God. But did he? If so, he is the ONLY one of the apostles who saw his "risen God" (which implies there was a fallen God).

Everyone speaks of "Doubting Thomas" as though Thomas was "the doubter" among believers. The fact is none of the apostles believed the first eye witness accounts[Luke. 24:11]; furthermore they did not even believe the evidence of their own eyes [v..33-41] SAYING IT WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. ["FOR JOY THEY DID NOT BELIEVE"][v..41]

AND, Jesus denied being our God; John 20:17 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.

So, WHATEVER Thomas was declaring, it was NOT that Jesus was God. I believe John tells it best, when he tells us "Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the SON OF GOD; and that believing ye might have life through his name." [John. 20:30-31]

It seems to me Thomas was declaring his newly developed faith in the resurrected Christ, AND in the God behind the deed who raised him.

If this is NOT the message of Thomas, then you have Jesus contradicting Thomas at a very crucial time in the developement of his faith.

Throughout his lifetime, Jesus worked miracles of healing, and the people saw the works and marvelled, giving God thanks for "giving such power unto men."

"But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." [Mat. 9:6-8]

John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." [John. 11:1-4]

John specifically makes a point of telling us Thomas was with Jesus when he went down to raise Lazarus: "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. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already." [John. 11:11-17]

Who was it that raised Lazarus from the dead? "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him." [John. 11:41-45]

John 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Thomas knew these previous utterances of Jesus, and he also was privy to the inner circle of Apostles among the disciples. As well, he had even himself "Healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, cast out devils" by the power of God and by the commission Jesus gave him.

"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." [Mat. 10:5-8]

Thomas was one of those to whom was given instructions as to how to hande the gifts given to him of God - "19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but THE SPIRIT OF YOUR FATHER WHICH SPEAKETH IN YOU." [Mat. 10:19-20]

(The difference between exegesis and opinion)
I can only imagine (opinion) what Thomas, and the others felt as they weilded such wonderful power at the behest of their Lord and his father; but wield it they did. "And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done." [Luke. 9:10]

(opinion based upon exegesis) Now, Thomas has been separated from the others and comes to the meeting place, having heard strange things of his Lord. But having
experienced the same powers of miraculous works among men, he goes into the place where they await his arrival.

Upon seeing the resurrected Christ, and seeing the prints of the nails, and all doubt finally and utterly removed, he expresses the only thought left to him, crying "MY LORD and MY GOD."

Did he believe Jesus was God? No. He knew he himself had only recently been involved in raising the dead. He saw God behind the deed. And he saw his resurrected Lord. AS DID THEY ALL.

None of the apostles said to Thomas, "God is risen." They testified "We have seen the Lord."[John. 20:25] Thomas already KNEW it was God who would raise him from the dead. "And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. 20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day." [Luke. 9:18-22]

So Thomas, upon seeing resurrected Christ made the only connection he could between what he saw and what he had already been told to expect; God working a miracle to raise Thomas' Lord.

John concurs with this exegesis. "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." [John. 20:30-31]

NOW it "dawns on him" as they say in the vernacular. He sees resurrected Christ by the power of God; that same "God power" with which Thomas was familiar, having wielded it for himself upon occasion. Thomas recognized the power of God as perhaps only twelve other men in history did. Thirteen when you count Paul but that was not the same ministry. It was the same power however.