Twelve Ordinary Men
Matthew and Thomas
Note: This is a study from the book 12 Ordinary Men by John McArthur an excellent book. There is also a fill in the blank outline from Adult Bible Fellowships of First Baptist Church Orion that I have posted in the series. This is not original but worth posting for study.
Introduction
As we go through these disciples we notice there are a few commonalities that carry together
- except for Judas Iscariot they were all from the same area, Galilee
- all of them were commoners
- none were religious leaders.
This is what caused the Pharisees to reject Jesus. Three reasons they didn’t like the things he did:
1. It was not their idea
2. It was not their way
3. They didn’t get the praise for it. They pretended to be upset and religious complaining when Jesus was worshiped, but they didn’t mind when people praised them. Actually they did things that drew attention and praise to themselves. Prayer, food, ceremonies, etc.
Another reason they hated Jesus so much was because he called them sinners. They were too pious and religious to see their need for a savior.
Review of Disciples
Remember what I told you each offered something unique. It could be from their personality, their background or their profession. Peter was a leader and had the personality of a strong leader he just had to be tempered. Andrew was totally opposite he was in the back ground and brought people to Jesus, he brought evangelism to the group, a world perspective. James was an ambitious person which was good but he needed to let the Holy Spirit lead him. John was ambitious and black and white in teaching which is great for facts but need God’s compassion. Phillip was a analytical person. He liked order yet Jesus taught him to walk by faith. Nathanael was a follower of scripture. You could imagine the discussion they would have a Nathanael would bring up prophecy and stories of the Old Testament.
The next two we look at are no different. They are from totally different backgrounds yet they bring something to the group.
I. Matthew the Publican (Matt. 9:9)
Mat 9:9-10 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. (10) Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
a. His Hebrew name was Levi.
b. He is the author of the Gospel that bears his name. For that reason, we might expect to have a lot
more detail about this man and his character. However, in his Gospel, he only mentions his own
name twice.
This says a lot about his character. He seemed to be one who stayed in the background. He was humble and self-effacing.
c. Matthew was a publican – or a tax collector when Jesus called him.
This the last credential that we might expect to be added to the hodge podge of men called disciples. The publicans were hated. There were worse than the Herodians (Jews who were followers of the dynasty of Herod). It was not just a religious thing it was a society that hated them.
d. Publicans were men who had bought tax franchises from the Roman emperor and then
extorted money from the people of Israel to feed the Roman coffers and to pad their own
pockets.
e. It is interesting to note that that the three tax collectors mentioned specifically in the Gospels all
found forgiveness. They were Zaccheus and the publican who “went to the temple to
pray.”
Luke 18:9-14 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: (10) "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ’God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. (12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ (13) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ’God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Luke 7:29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
Mat 21:31-32 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. (32) For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.
f. We find the account of Matthew’s call in his own words in 9:9-13.
Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. (10) Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. (11) And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" (12) When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (13) But go and learn what this means: ’I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ [38] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
It says a lot about him by the way that he followed Jesus so quickly. He was a Jew no doubt. He must have been a student of scripture. In Matthew he quotes from the Old Testament ninety-nine times. Probably in private he would study and learn of the prophecies of the Messiah. He had to do it in private because publically he was disgraced.
"Follow me" - I know you, I see you, I accept you. Don’t be surprised Jesus is saying I accept you as who you are.
It says a lot about how we treat non-Christians. I say it over and over again some of the best things we can do is not turn people away. Live our lives before people so that when they have a need they know where to turn. We don’t need to argue or complain to non-Christians we need to always shed a positive light on Christ and the church.
Wives should do this with their lost spouse, parents should do this with their children, coworkers, etc. Don’t preach just pray.
"Share Christ with ........ and when necessary use words"
g. Matthew believed so much that he called all the other tax collectors and sinners in to hear Jesus
speak about being the Messiah.
Matthew 9:10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
This is how we know he got it. He was willing to share with others. He was like Zacchaeus, the woman at the well (“Come, see a man . . “ John 4:29), and Andrew. He believed Christ and wanted others to know. What a testimony.
His Death
We know that Matthew wrote his Gospel with a Jewish audience in mind. Tradition says he ministered to the Jews both in Israel and abroad for many years before being martyred for his faith. There is no reliable record of how he was put to death, but the earliest traditions indicate he was burned at the stake. Thus this man who walked away from a lucrative career without ever giving it a second thought remained willing to give his all for Christ to the very end.
II. Thomas – the Twin (John 11:16)
a. According to this verse, his nickname amongst the other disciples was Didymus which means “twin.” However he has gotten another nickname during the centuries since then –
“doubting Thomas.” While this is definitely unflattering and probably unfair, it does appear that
he was a somewhat negative or pessimistic person.
People like this often times drive visionary leaders crazy. While the leader is ready to go out and take the world no matter the plan or cost the pessimist is always finding the things that won’t work. Doesn’t mean they won’t commit but that they will share the holes in the plan first. I think this is often times the balance.
b. We can see this pessimism clearly in the first time he appears in John’s gospel (John 11:1-16).
Word had gotten to Jesus that Lazarus was sick in Bethany which is on the out skirts of Jerusalem. The sisters Mary and Martha had sent for him expecting him to come and heal Lazarus. You know they had seen him do it for others and expected the same for themselves. When Jesus got the word of Lazarus there became this big discussion of whether not they should leave. The religious leaders had already put out a death threat.
So there is this big discussion. Jesus tells them that this is not unto death. Then explains that he has to go for their sake. Finally it breaks down to their fear for Jesus’ life. This is where we learn Thomas’ true character where he says, " John 11:16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."
This tells us two things about Thomas 1) he was a pessimist and 2) he was committed to Jesus. Thomas was basically saying, "I don’t like the outcome but I’m with you Jesus."
c. However it is also clear that he was committed to Jesus.
d. We see these two things again in John 14:5. Thomas had become so attached to Jesus that he
would have been glad to die with Him, but he could not think of being without Him. His worst
fears were going to be realized – Jesus died and he didn’t.
John 14:5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"
e. We pick up the story of Thomas again in John 20:19.
John 20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
Jesus appeared to the disciples but Thomas wasn’t there. He was probably off somewhere wallowing in his own misery. He always saw the worst in everything, and now his worst fears had been realized - Jesus was gone and Thomas was sure he would never see Him again.
f. The others tried to share the joy of their experience with, but Thomas responded with the words that have earned him his unfortunate nickname (v. 25).
John 20:24-25 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. (25) The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
g. When Jesus appeared 8 days later, He was amazingly gentle with Thomas. Then Thomas made
what was probably the greatest statement ever to come from the lips of the apostles: “My Lord and
my God.”
Joh 20:26-29 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" (27) Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." (28) And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" (29) Jesus said to him, "Thomas, [109] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
What we learn here is that Thomas’ reputation of a doubter is a litter over rated. He was actually close to Jesus. So much that he was willing to die with him. Yet when Jesus died and they had not hurt he was probably broken hearted and afraid of getting his hopes up. When they told him Jesus had come he questioned them, yet they did the same to Mary who went to the tomb and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. So Thomas was not different. They didn’t want to get their hopes up.
Yet when Thomas’ met Jesus he was ecstatic.
His Death
There is a considerable amount of ancient testimony that suggests Thomas carried the gospel as far as India. There is to this day a small hill near the airport in Chennai (Madras), India, where Thomas is said to have been buried. There are churches in South India, whose roots are traceable to the beginning of the church age, and tradition says they were founded under the ministry of Thomas. The strongest traditions say he was martyred for his faith by being run through with a spear – a fitting form of martyrdom for one whose faith came of age when he saw the spear mark in his Master’s side and for one who longed to be reunited with his Lord.
