Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 20:24

"But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came." — John 20:24 (ASV)

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came (John 20:24).

Perhaps he lived a long way off, or else, being rather slow, he had stayed away, doubting, and fearing, and questioning, and he had not got there in time; anyhow, he was not there. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, (Hebrews 10:25) for it will be a loss to you, as it was to him.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Possibly he did not go out in the evening; it may be that he was a half-dead sort of Christian, like a great many people are in London.

They think they have done well if they go out on the Sabbath morning, but the evening — well, it is too cold for them, or they must find some other excuse for keeping indoors: Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

That was a great pity, because Thomas would not only be a loser by his absence, but he would be sure to influence others, for he was an apostle. Surely, whenever it is possible, we who are leaders in the church, ministers, deacons, and elders, should take care that we are not absent from the house of the Lord.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Very likely, loving Jesus very much (as he evidently did), Thomas was broken-hearted when he found that his Master was dead. So, when his fellow disciples told him that Jesus was alive again, he could not believe it; he felt that the news was too good to be true.

He had fallen into a fit of despondency and withdrawn, as broken-hearted, depressed people often do, trying to be completely alone, when Christian fellowship would have been one of the best ways of finding comfort and solace. So, Thomas was not with them when Jesus came.