1 avril 2024
The Case for christian skepticism
A skeptical from the get-go
Thomas was one of Jesus's twelve disciples, and even if you have just a shallow knowledge of Christian literature, you probably know that Thomas was a skeptic who refused to believe without direct personal experience. This could easily be Thomas' nickname: The skeptic disciple.
Even before the infamous day when Thomas doubted the reality of the resurrection, the accounts already make it clear that he was not a man who accepted any kind of explanation. Take for example this piece of an account of a conversation between the disciples and Jesus.
Jesus said: - “Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home… I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.” - John 14
Thomas said: “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?” John 14
Instead of taking blindly what Jesus was saying, he questions it. He makes it clear that either what Jesus said was not true, or at least, it didn't make sense to him. If you, like me, like to ask “Why?”, You will be grateful to Thomas and his skeptical way of facing the world
Thomas was not in the same room with the disciples when Jesus first appeared to them after his death, so, when they told him what happened, of course his reply was: _ “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.” _ John 20
It was not enough for him to just see the body of someone who looked like Jesus. He wanted to touch the wounds! Quickly his critics scream: "What a stubborn skeptic!"
But think about it, aren't you happy that at least one of them didn't accept the rumors as truth without pausing to ponder the implication of what was being said? Someone who knew how to value proofs and evidence above mere sentimentality? Someone who knew that wounds like these could not be faked and, therefore, refused to accept anything less than to touch them?
If you have trouble believing in the resurrection, you are in good company. The resurrection story includes many people who doubted it too - Jesus's close friends, his brothers, his Greek and Roman contemporaries and countless Jews. Let's look at some examples from the eyewitness accounts.
According to Luke, the first time the disciples heard that Jesus had risen “the apostles didn’t believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up.” Luke 24
That's exactly what you just read! Thomas was not the only one to doubt it. All the disciples, hearing the report that Jesus rose from the dead, thought that it was nonsense, that the women were making it up. Even Peter, who would later become the leader of the Christian movement, did not believe at first: “… Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that’s all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head…”Luke 24
His answer is like mine, skeptical. He runs off to see for himself because he did not accept to believe what only others had seen, and when he sees it, the empty tomb, he walks away... puzzled... shaking his head!
They all question the report. Their faith is tested. And it is just the beginning of their doubts.
Look for example, how Mary Magdalene, one of the closest followers of Jesus behaves: “Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus’s body had been laid. They said to her, “Woman, why do you weep?” “They took my Master,” she said, “and I don’t know where they put him… thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Sir, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.”’.John 20
Mary's first thought is not that a miracle happened and Jesus was resurrected, but that although the tomb was empty, the most logical explanation was that someone had stolen the body.
The resurrection was as unlikely for Mary and the disciples at that time as it is unlikely for you today. Don't let your prejudice rate the people of that time as primitive and naive just because you live in the post-Enlightenment era. Make no mistake, even if we do not take into account the science of the time, there was neither a philosophical nor theological basis for a first century Jew to believe that anyone could be resurrected [1].
According to Luke, some of the disciples did not believe it, even after seeing him alive, in front of them! “…Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you.” They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, “Don’t be upset, and don’t let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it’s really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn’t have muscle and bone like this.” As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. They still couldn’t believe what they were seeing.” Luke 24
At no time does the compiler of these events, be it Luke, Mark or John, try to force you to accept everything they are talking about without reasoning or questioning. They are the first to make it clear that, according to the reports of the eyewitnesses, most of them had some trouble in accepting what happened in the days after the crucifixion.
Every story, like all knowledge, depends on testimonies of eyewitnesses.
Historically speaking, eyewitnesses testimonies are one of the best way to access historical events. The gospels, in turn, are a collection of eyewitnesses testimonies. This is not to say that they are a testimony rather than history. This means that the type of historiography they are is testimony.
Trusting a testimony is not an irrational act of faith that leaves critical and rational thinking behind.
For a moment, try to put yourself in Thomas's shoes. If you had spent the last three years living with Jesus, if you could easily recognize his way of speaking and walking, if you'd also be able to recognize his Galilean accent, if you had seen his miracles and witnessed his death. Then suddenly you start to hear from close friends, people that you trust, that Jesus came back from death - Wouldn't you also doubt it? Wouldn't you ask for proof? I would definitely do it.
Now, put yourself in Jesus's shoes. You've spent all this time with Thomas, you've invested everything you had on him, you prayed nonstop for him, you've told him several times about the imminence of your death and resurrection and then, when you come back, he doubts you. Even after the other ten disciples assured him that they saw you resurrected and that you sat and ate fish with them. How would you behave? Would your patience be exhausted? I know myself; I know what I would have done. I would have used Thomas as an example of what not to do, I'd have scolded him and disappeared without using the door to get out.
God gave us a mind to think
That is not what Jesus does. On the contrary. Jesus makes room for the doubts of the disciples, and later he does the same for Thomas, as we can read on the account of the eyewitnesses: “Don’t be upset, and don’t let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it’s really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn’t have muscle and bone like this.” As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet.” – Luke 24; and days later, when he met Thomas, he said: “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Believe!” John 20
Jesus's invitation was never for you to put aside your reasoning and take a blind leap of faith. No! He invites you to sit with him and touch him. The written accounts of the eyewitnesses do not use a fable language. They are not an epic tale. There is no attempt to narrate a Jesus who could fly, or who took revenge killing all his enemies, or who had his body magically healed from all wounds. Neither they try to show us disciples who did not hesitate to believe the story. On the contrary, the accounts are simple - just a bare, raw account of the facts.
For those of us who are skeptical and have a hard time believing, Jesus is ready to hear our questions. If you identify with Thomas. If you have doubts about the resurrection, you are in good company. Jesus understands your doubts and he welcomes them.
Much more information is needed to corroborate my statement above. This text is not intended to be an in-depth study of the Jewish worldview in the first century. There is plenty written in this blog (most in portuguese) and some book references that you can see bellow
