Shirley H Supporter Wife, mother, veteran in the spiritual war we all face!

Jesus was calling His disciples. Matthew 10:3: "Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector."

Thomas was a disciple/apostle. Mark 3:18 confirms "And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew. Matthew, Thomas, and James."

Luke 6:15 also names Thomas.

In John 11:16: "Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto 
his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that way we might die with him.'" This shows the zeal that Thomas felt for Jesus!

Jesus had been at the house of Lazarus, and had declared that he was glad He was not there when Lazarus died.

John 20:24, 25: "Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not there with them when Jesus came. The other disciples, therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.'

"So he said to them, 'Unless I see His hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'"

So, does anyone see the irony in this statement in 1 Timothy 2:8: "I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting."

I believe that the point to Thomas, as well as to us, is that faith which springs from spiritual insight is superior to faith which rests on sensible evidence. Even though the evidence was for proof, it screams distrust!

Therefore doubt! Read about Jesus and the fig tree.

Trust Him.

7 days ago • 2 responses • Remove Vote • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Good question. I love biographies. Especially Bible biographies. And two of my favorite reference works are Bible dictionaries and Bible encyclopedias, both of which can be found at Biblegateway under STUDY TOOLS and then "More Resources." 

Based on standard resources like those referenced on BibleGateway --

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary: "Thomas" derives from the Aramaic Te'oma or Hebrew ta'om, meaning a twin (cf. John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2, where he is called "Thomas, which is called Didymus"). It notes him as "one of the apostles" (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), highlighting his Greek name Didymus as a direct translation of this meaning.

All the Men of the Bible (Herbert Lockyer), my go-to reference work: Thomas is portrayed as a man of profound but initially hesitant faith. Lockyer describes him as loyal and courageous (willing to die with Jesus [John 11:16]), yet prone to pessimism and doubt (John 14:5). His transformation after encountering the risen Christ (John 20:24-29) exemplifies the journey from skepticism to bold confession ("My Lord and my God!" [John 20:28]). Lockyer classifies him among the apostles (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), emphasizing his role in the early church and tradition that he later evangelized in India.

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible: It's a nice 5-volume set by Merrill C. Tenney, the general editor of the Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary. This entry expands on Thomas as a fisherman from Galilee (cf. His presence with Galilean disciples at John 21:2), one of the inner circle of disciples (listed among the Twelve at Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). It details his personality as earnest and inquiring (John 14:5), with his doubt serving as a teaching moment on faith (John 20:24-29). Post-resurrection traditions include his missionary work in Parthia and martyrdom by spearing in India around AD 72.

These resources underscore Thomas as a relatable figure whose story encourages believers to move beyond doubt to declaration of faith in Christ (John 20:29: "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed"). For full entries, visit BibleGateway's dictionaries section.

15 hours ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report