Thomas was also called “doubting Thomas” in popular culture
because of his requiring proof that Christ was risen.
John 20: 24 But Thomas, one
of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him,
We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands
the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and
thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were
within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood
in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands;
and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless,
but believing. 28 And Thomas answered
and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast
believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Thomas is not only a doubter and needs convincing. He is
pessimistic, not believing there would be a good outcome if the company
returned to Judea where the Jews had wanted to stone Jesus.
John 11:14 Then said Jesus
unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may
believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which
is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die
with him.
Notice that Thomas is also called Didymus. Thomas is from the Aramaic
word for twin and Didymus the Greek. Didymus was not an uncommon name in the
Greek world. There was a Stoic philosopher named Arias Didymus, a scholar and
grammarian named Didymus Chalcenterus, Didymus the Blind, Didymus the Musician,
etc. Maybe, though, Thomas just was a twin.
Tradition has it that he traveled to India and, in fact, he is the
patron saint of many Indian Christians. Supposedly, he was killed by a spear.
Matthew the publican, or tax collector, is writing this gospel. We
saw his calling back in chapter 9.
Mathew 9:9 And as Jesus
passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt
of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
According to many commentators he was also known as Levi.
Mark 2:14 And as he passed
by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said
unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Luke 5:27 And after these
things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of
custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
If that is so, we may surmise that there were more than two pairs
of brothers among the Apostles, Simon Peter and Andrew being one pair and James
and John, sons of Zebedee, the others mentioned earlier, along with Matthew and
James, the son of Alphaeus, as Matthew is also said to be in Mark 2:14.
However, as Matthew is not mentioned as James, the son of Alphaeus’, brother it
is more likely that their fathers simply had the same name. It would not be
uncommon for a company of men or women to have parents with the same name.
Catholic tradition says they were not brothers while the Eastern Orthodox,
which split from the Catholics in 1054 claims they were.
Various traditions have Matthew being crucified in Alexandria,
Egypt or martyred in Ethiopia.
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