Introduction
Thomas (Hebrew: Thomas—Greek: Thōmas) was born circa AD 10 (3770–3771 in the Hebrew calendar) in the Roman district of Galilee. Only eleven mentions of "Thomas" in the New Testament are often listed among Jesus' eleven other apostles. Like most others, he was most likely a Galilean, perhaps a fisherman like Simon Peter and Andrew of Bethsaida. Out of the four gospel writers, only John son of Zebedee wrote about Thomas at any length. John said the apostles called Thomas "the twin" (see John 20:24; 21:2), the meaning of his name. Thōmas (G2381) is the Greek rendering of the Aramaic Tawoma, which means "twin" and is similar to the Hebrew Tawom (H8380, "twin"). Thomas was "also known as Didymus" (see John 20:24), from didumos, the Greek word for "twin" (G1324).
Thomas emerges from the pages of the New Testament as a figure marked by his skepticism and eventual profound belief. His interactions with Jesus, notably his doubting the resurrection until he witnessed it himself, offer a compelling narrative of faith and doubt intertwined. Despite his initial hesitation, Thomas' declaration upon seeing Jesus' wounds, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28), is a powerful testament to his eventual conviction. Beyond his moments of doubt, Thomas' journey reflects the complexities of belief and the transformative power of encountering the divine. While more prominent apostles may overshadow his role, Thomas' story remains a poignant reminder of the human struggle for faith and the profound impact of encountering the risen Christ (see "Reconstruction of Faith: Moving beyond Deconstruction").
Example of Radical Faith
Christians usually typecast him as "doubting Thomas" because he wanted to verify the resurrected Jesus. They deem him a skeptic who questions all truth claims with reasonable doubt. In John's overall record of Thomas, however, we overlook two shining moments of great faith. When Jesus told the disciples that he was taking them back to Judea because their mutual friend Lazarus died (see John 11:7-15), Thomas gave this particular response: "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (v. 16). The others were afraid of being killed alongside Jesus because the Judean religious leaders wanted to execute him for blasphemy (see John 10:31-39; 11:8). Yet, Thomas was the one willing to risk martyrdom in the name of Christ.
When Jesus informed the disciples, "You know the way to the place where I am going" (John 14:4), Thomas asked, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" (v. 5). This was another shining moment of great faith for Thomas. He wanted to know how to find Jesus after the priests arrested him. Thomas did not yet understand that Jesus would be resurrected and ascend into heaven. However, he did realize the Lord was speaking of his imminent crucifixion. This realization did not deter Thomas from hoping to find him alive somehow. In response, Jesus told him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Disciple of Evidential Faith
Perhaps we may consider Thomas the forerunner in the "quest for the historical Jesus," yet one who also confessed the "Christ of faith." His evidential faith was based on testing whether the reports of Jesus' resurrection were accurate. The other disciples doubted when Mary Magdalene and the other women told them about the resurrection (see Luke 24:10-11). By the time they informed Thomas, the others had already seen Jesus' hands and side for themselves (see John 20:20). Thomas hoped. He responded, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe" (v. 25).
Thomas wanted to believe, just like he wanted to know how to find Jesus after his arrest. He did not say, "That is impossible; no one comes back from the dead." Thomas was not that kind of skeptic, and we may even find his initial doubt reasonable. Jesus, showing himself to be God in human flesh and blood, instructed Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (John 20:27). A "doubting Thomas" no more, he gave this astonishing confession: "My Lord and my God!" (v. 28). Notice, the text never mentions anything about Thomas touching Christ's wounds—he did not have to do so. While Jesus asked him, "Have you believed because you have seen me?" he commends us today: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (v. 29). Thomas was blessed to live in first-century New Testament history when he witnessed the historical Jesus before and after the resurrection. How much more blessed are we, twenty-first-century believers, to know Christ while we await the day to see him before our eyes!
Thomas' Evangelism in India
Most extrabiblical accounts of Jesus' apostles come from questionable sources written well after the first century and are probably not historical. With Thomas, however, there is a very ancient Christian tradition in the Indian state of Kerala. Patristic sources from the third and fourth centuries indicate that Thomas traveled along the Silk Road from Judea to India in AD 52. He probably intended to evangelize the Aramaic-speaking Jewish dispersion who lived along the old trade routes on the Malabar Coast from the reign of King Solomon (c. 967–c. 1007 BC). To this day, various churches throughout Kerala identify themselves as "Saint Thomas Christians" (Syriac: Mar Thoma Nasrani, lit. "Saint Thomas Nazarenes") with a strong lineage to the early church. When the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama (c. 1460–1524) first arrived in Kerala in 1498, he was surprised to find an indigenous Christian population.
The narrative of Thomas' journey to India emerges as a beacon of historical intrigue amidst the shadowy landscape of extrabiblical accounts concerning Jesus' apostles. While many of these accounts lack integrity, the ancient Christian tradition firmly rooted in the Indian state of Kerala offers a compelling and enduring legend. Supported by patristic sources from the third and fourth centuries, the notion of Thomas traversing the Silk Road from Judea to India in AD 52 carries a weight of plausibility. His purpose was to bring the message of Jesus to the Aramaic-speaking Jewish communities scattered along the ancient trade routes of the Malabar Coast, a tradition potentially dating back to the reign of King Solomon. The legacy of Thomas' mission persists today in the various churches of Kerala, proudly identifying as "Saint Thomas Christians," a testament to their deep-rooted connection to the early church. Even the astonishment of Vasco da Gama upon encountering an indigenous Christian population in 1498 adds a poignant layer to this tradition, underscoring the enduring impact of Thomas' journey on Kerala's religious and cultural fabric.
Conclusion
Thomas' journey highlights the human struggle to reconcile doubt with belief. Despite his initial skepticism, he dared to seek evidence for himself, embodying the quest for truth that resonates with many. His transformation from doubter to believer underscores the resilience of faith and the power of encountering the divine firsthand. Thomas' story serves as a beacon of hope for those navigating their own doubts, showing that through honest inquiry and openness, one can ultimately find clarity and conviction. In a world fraught with uncertainty, Thomas' example encourages us to embrace our doubts as a stepping stone toward a deeper understanding of faith and a more profound connection to the sacred.
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the universe; for you strengthened your apostle Thomas with firm and sure faith in your Son's resurrection. Grant us so perfectly and without a doubt to believe in Jesus the Messiah, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in your sight; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Bibliography
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The Book of Common Prayer. Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019. p. 624. http://bcp2019.anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/BCP2019.pdf.
Hurtado, Larry W. Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003.
MacCulloch, Diarmaid. Christianity: The First Thousand Years. New York: Penguin, 2011.
McBirnie, William Steuart. The Search for the Twelve Apostles. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 2008.
McDowell, Sean. The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus. Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis, 2016.
Most, Glenn W. Doubting Thomas. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press, 2009.
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