(4) Thomas declared its contents. The Saviour of the world is both Lord and God. He is Lord, for He is a man. The inhabitants of Nazareth knew that. He is also the supreme man. They did not know that ; and when He claimed it they took Him to the brow of their hill to cast Him down headlong. Thomas had discovered that Jesus is Son of man, the representative Man, the Man to whom every man owes obedience. But He is also God. The people of Nazareth did not know that He was God : but God the Father knew — " This is my beloved Son." That also was contained in the title which the Samaritans gave Him — " the Saviour of the world" — though they did not bring it out, and probably were not aware of it. Thomas brought it out, knowing as he did that no man, if he is only man, can save his brother or give to' God a ransom for him.
But Thomas not only declared the contents of the Samaritans' confession, he appropriated them. He said, " My Lord and my God " ; from which we see that he was led along a path of his own, through his own personal experience, to this appropriation.
2. Now this is the confession to which the Fourth Gospel has been leading up. St. John began with the statement that the Word was God. He showed at once that he identified the Word with Jesus of Nazareth, for he said that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Then he proceeded with the rest of the life of Jesus, selecting his incidents in order to show that he was right in identifying Jesus with the Word. He came quite early to the people of Samaria, who said, " This is the Saviour of the world." But that was not definite enough ; it was not individual enough.
366 MY LORD AND MY GOD
He proceeded with the life, recording its wonderful words and wonderful works, till he came to the death and the resurrection of Jesus. He reached his climax and conclusion in the confes- sion of Thomas, " My Lord and my God." Then he brought his Gospel to an end with that frank expression of the purpose of it — " These are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing ye may have life in his name."
3. Is it not a remarkable thing that this confession was made by Thomas ? We speak of Thomas as the doubter. Is it not astonishing that the doubting Thomas should have been he that rose to that great height of faith, and was able to say " My Lord and my God " ? It may be that we are not so much astonished at it as our fathers were. Tennyson has taught us to believe that doubt may not be undesirable. At least he has taught us to repeat comfortably his words —
There is more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the creeds.
But even to us it is surely a surprise to find that that man whom we have looked upon as most reluctant of all the Apostles to make the venture of faith, makes at last a venture which must, we think, have startled the rest of the Apostles as they heard it, calling this Jesus with whom they had companied all these days not only Lord but also God. But let us see if Thomas was the common doubter we have taken him for. We know very little of his history. Almost all we know from the Gospels is contained in four sayings.
(1) The first saying was uttered on the occasion of the death of Lazarus. Jesus and His disciples had left Judasa for fear of the Jews when word reached them in their seclusion that Lazarus was dead. Jesus announced His intention of returning to the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. The disciples remonstrated. "The Jews of late sought to stone thee ; and goest thou thither again ? " When Jesus persisted, " Let us also go," said Thomas, " that we may die with him." These are not the words of a vulgar doubter. They are the words of a man who counts the cost. If he errs in counting the cost too deliberately, at any rate he falls into fewer mistakes than the impulsive Peter. And it is ihe more
ST. JOHN XX. 28 367
creditable to him that, counting the cost so carefully, he makes so brave a decision as this.
(2) The second saying is spoken in the Upper Eoom. Jesus was trying to prepare the disciples for the impending separation. He was going away. They knew where He was going, did they not ? " Whither I go ye know, and the way ye know," But they did not know ; and it was Thomas who uttered their ignorance : " Lord, we know not whither thou goest : and how can we know the way?" There is neither doubt nor conspicuous caution in the words ; there is simply the mind of the practical man who is willing to go where he has to go but would like to see the way.
(3) It is from the third saying that Thomas has obtained the name of doubter. Jesus had risen from the dead, but Thomas could not believe it. No more could the rest beUeve it until they had evidence before them. Thomas happened to be absent when they had it, and he said, " Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my linger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." With such an expression of determined disbelief to his credit, it is not to be wondered at that Thomas has received the name of doubting Thomas. Yet these are scarcely the words of a man who doubts habitually. They are rather the determination of a cautious and practical man to make sure that he has evidence enough to go upon. And God never refuses any man sufficient evidence. A few days afterwards Jesus offered Thomas the very evidence that he demanded. Thomas was wrong in relying so entirely on the evidence of the senses, and he was rebuked for that. *' Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." But it is to the glory of Thomas that when he did obtain sufficient evidence he believed with all his heart. As soon as he understood, he trusted ; as soon as he knew, he loved. He needed no more than the evidence of the Resurrection to prove the Divinity. He made the great leap of faith and threw himself personally into the arms of a personal Saviour — " My Lord and my God."