The Reason Why Thomas Doubted

In one of the most well known post resurrection stories in the gospels, Jesus appears to the disciples when Thomas, one of the twelve, is absent.  Upon returning, Thomas doubts the disciples' claim that Jesus appeared to the disciples, leading to the phrase "doubting Thomas"

We typically assume that what Thomas doubted was the fact that someone could rise from the dead.  This is most likely an incorrect assumption.  In ancient times, most cultures believed that people could rise from the dead.  Thomas himself had witnessed Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

What Thomas doubted was how Jesus could have been raised after suffering death on the cross.  That is, if God truly was revealed in Jesus, it didn't seem to make sense why Jesus would not have revealed his power and glory at the cross, when all of Jerusalem could have witnessed it.  Instead, Jesus' resurrection was witnessed by very few while the crucifixion was a public event.

The fact that the power of God was revealed in the cross is a holy mystery.  The Church is called to live in this mystery and celebrate this mystery.  What appeared to the world to be powerlessness was actually the glory of the God of eternity, who lives only to serve and to die for our salvation and redemption.