Christian Questions Bible Podcast

Episode: Was ‘Doubting Thomas’ Really a Doubter?

Date: April 6, 2026
Hosts: Rick and Julie

Episode Overview

This episode explores the well-known story of “Doubting Thomas,” questioning whether the label of “doubter” is a fair characterization of the apostle Thomas. The discussion delves deeply into Thomas’s actions, words, and context, uncovering the complex layers of doubt, faith, trauma, and personal transformation. Rick and Julie use the story to extract five key belief lessons Jesus teaches in his interaction with Thomas—and, by extension, to all who wrestle with honest doubt.

The episode’s overarching message: Thomas’s so-called doubt was not a mark of failure, but an honest, human reaction to traumatic loss and was met with individualized compassion and faith-building by Jesus.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage: Who Was Thomas?

• Thomas’s Story Is Rare in the Gospels:
  His words/actions appear only three times, all in the Gospel of John.
• First Occurrence (John 11:16):
  Thomas demonstrates loyalty and courage:

  “Let us also go, so that we may die with him.”
  (02:01, Speaker: Julie)
  He’s willing to follow Jesus into danger—showing a deep connection and faithfulness.

• Second Occurrence (John 14:5):
  Thomas asks Jesus for clarity:

  “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How do we know the way?”
  (03:17, Speaker: Julie)
  His question prompts one of Jesus’s most famous responses: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life...”

• Character Traits Emphasized:
  Thomas is portrayed as courageous, honest, and unwilling to be separated from Jesus.

The Crucial Scene: Thomas’s “Doubt”

• Backdrop:
  The disciples are traumatized after Jesus’s crucifixion, hiding behind locked doors. Jesus appears to the ten (Thomas absent) and brings them peace and proof.
• Thomas’s Absence:
  His absence is unexplained. Speculation about his reasons (grief, withdrawal, etc.) cautioned against.
  (07:21-08:01)
• The Ten’s Testimony (John 20:25):
  “We have seen the Lord!”—an emotional outpouring after their own initial doubts.
• Thomas’s Famous Response:

  “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and…put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
  (05:30, Julie)

• Hosts’ Emphasis:
  Rather than defiant rejection, Thomas expresses the impossibility of belief given his grief and trauma. His doubt is more a plea for help than stubborn skepticism.

  “It’s not a defiant declaration. It is expressing the impossibility given the current conditions… I need help.” – Julie (16:00–16:27)

• Comparison:
  The other disciples themselves didn’t believe the resurrection at first; they didn’t trust the women’s report, and Jesus had to show tangible evidence to them as well. Thomas isn't uniquely at fault.
  (14:03–15:01)

Jesus’s Encounter With Thomas: A Step-by-Step Faith-Building

The Scene

• Eight Days After:
  Jesus appears again. This time, Thomas is present. Jesus replicates the earlier event, speaking directly to Thomas and offering exactly what Thomas asked for.
  (16:59–17:46)

The Five Belief Lessons (Timestamps: 19:30–32:46)

1. Jesus Addresses Honest Doubt Directly
   • “Then he said to Thomas…”

   “Jesus first speaks directly to those who have experienced lack of conviction.” – Rick (19:52–20:00)

   • Contrasted with the Pharisees; honest seeking is met with compassion, not rebuke.
2. Invitation to Remove Doubt
   • “Reach here with your finger…”
   • Jesus gently invites Thomas to bring his doubts, grief, and questions.

   “It’s not…‘if you insist;’ it’s an invitation.” – Julie (21:51)

3. Encouragement to Truly Perceive
   • “Behold my hands…”
   • It's about grasping, not just seeing—a transformative perception, not a fleeting experience.

   “The remedy for doubt is to really, truly perceive and ingest what you are seeing and experiencing.” – Rick (23:38–24:11)

4. Invitation to Be Overwhelmed With Belief
   • “Put your hand into my side…”
   • The evidence is overwhelming and multi-layered—Jesus provides more than enough for deep faith.

   “I want you to be overwhelmed with belief. That’s love, that’s compassion, that’s mercy.” – Rick (29:27–30:42)

5. Doubt as a Pathway to Deeper Faith
   • “…be not faithless, but believing…”
   • The end of doubt is not merely certainty, but a faith that is stronger and more resilient.

   “The whole reason for our doubts is to teach us deeper faith.” – Rick (32:10)

Jesus’s Approach Summarized

“Jesus treats honest doubt different from hard-hearted resistance…He’s trying to steady Thomas’s faith after trauma.” – Julie (20:32)

Thomas’s Response: From Doubt to Proclamation

• Thomas’s Exclamation (John 20:28):

  “My Lord and my God.”
  (40:40, Julie)

  • Notably, there is no record that Thomas actually touched Jesus—mere presence and words were enough.
• Significance:
  This response is “one of the strongest declarations of faith in the entire New Testament.”

  “This so-called doubter becomes the apostle who speaks with the greatest clarity.” – Julie (40:40)

• Lesson:
  Thomas’s honest doubts lead him to an even deeper and more personal conviction.

  “His story tells me that an honest struggle can press me closer to God, not farther away.” – Julie (51:13)

“Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen”

• Jesus’s Words (John 20:29):

  “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed.”

• Deeper Message:
  This paves the way for faith in the church age—believing without physical evidence is the new standard.
  • The apostles transition from “seeing is believing” to “blessed are those who have not seen.”
• Application to Christians Today:

  “We are never going to be in that upper room. We’re never going to see and be in the physical presence…So now Jesus is saying…this is part of your future mission.” – Rick (43:42–43:48)

• Paul’s Reinforcement:
  Use of Hebrews 3, 11, and 12 to illustrate faith in what is not seen—a new “house,” faith as essence and substance, running with endurance and fixing our eyes on Jesus (“the author and perfecter of faith”).
  (45:59–50:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Maybe he found it difficult to believe…the one who could raise people from the dead is dead. How could it possibly turn around?” – Rick (15:01–16:00)
• “If I’m honest, doubt can be the soil where conviction is born.” – Julie (51:13)
• “Let us more and more see with the eyes of faith, touch with the hands of conviction, and act with the zeal of God’s spirit. Because that’s what Thomas did…” – Rick (52:03)
• “Faithful Thomas reminds us that Jesus never wastes a doubt.” – Julie (51:13)

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• Thomas was not uniquely a doubter, but a model for all honest strugglers.
  • His story is about moving from honest doubt (rooted in pain and loss) to unshakeable personal faith.
• Jesus responds to honest doubt with compassion, personalized evidence, and the goal of deeper faith—not rebuke or shaming.
• Faith grows most when we face our doubts honestly and bring them directly to Jesus.
• For modern believers, blessedness comes not from having seen, but from believing based on the witness of Scripture, providence, and transformed lives.
• Thomas’s journey is the template for any Christian navigating the gap between heartbreak and hope.

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:49 – Introduction to Thomas’s three New Testament appearances
• 05:30 – Thomas’s famous refusal to believe without personal evidence
• 13:13 – Discussion of “Doubting Thomas” reputation and traditional commentaries
• 16:59 – Jesus appears again, addresses Thomas directly
• 19:30–32:46 – Breakdown of the five belief lessons
• 40:40 – Thomas’s declaration, “My Lord and my God”
• 42:20 – Jesus’s pronouncement: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.”
• 45:59 – Application of lessons in Hebrews; believing in the unseen
• 51:13 – Reframing Thomas as “Faithful Thomas”; summary of personal/collective lessons

Conclusion

The story of Thomas, when viewed through compassionate and contextual lenses, reveals not a simple tale of stubborn doubt, but a blueprint for how Jesus shepherds us through loss and uncertainty into transformed, resilient faith. Doubt, when honest and brought to Jesus, can deepen conviction and personal connection to God—making Thomas more “Faithful” than “Doubting” after all.