Brother: Thomas had an unnamed twin brother (John 11:16, 20:24, 21:2).

First mention: Matthew 10:3

Final mention: Acts 1:13

Meaning of his name: Thomas means "twin" (from the Greek); Didymus also means "twin" (from Aramaic).

Frequency of his name: Referred to 15 times

Biblical books mentioning him: Five books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts)

Occupation: Apostle

Place of birth: The area of Galilee

Place of death: Tradition says he died in India.

Circumstances of death: Tradition says he died a martyr, killed by arrows as he was praying.

Important fact about his life: He was known as the doubting apostle.

Copyright 1999, used by permission from Dr. H.L. Willmington.

One of the apostles; he was also called Didymus, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name. He is said to have been born at Antioch. All we know of him is derived from the Gospel of John. From what is written about him, we can conclude that Thomas was a man slow to believe, subject to despondency, who tended to view things on the darker side, and yet was full of ardent love of his Master.

His love for Jesus was shown in his speech when Jesus determined to face the dangers that awaited him in Judea on his journey to Bethany. Thomas said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." His unbelief appeared in his question during the Last --Thomas said unto him, "Lord we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" It was prosaic, incredulous doubt about moving a step into the unseen future, and yet an eager inquiry of how this step was to be taken.

He was absent from the first assembly where Jesus appeared. The others told him what they had seen. But he said that unless he actually saw the nail marks in His hands and put his finger where the nails were, and put his hand into Jesus' side, he would not believe. On the eighth day he was with them at their gathering, perhaps in expectation of a recurrence of the visit of the previous week, and Jesus stood among them. He uttered the same salutation, "Peace be unto you," and then turning to Thomas, as if this had been the special purpose of His appearance, he told him to put his finger where the nails had been, look at His hands, and put his hand into His side. The effect on Thomas was immediate.

The conviction produced by the removal of his doubt became deeper and stronger than that of any of the other apostles. The words in which he expressed his belief contain a far higher assertion of his Master's divine nature--"My Lord and my God." The answer of our Lord sums up the moral of the whole narrative--"Because you have seen Me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen Me and yet have believed."

The earlier traditions, as believed in the fourth century, represent him as preaching in Parthia or Persia, and as finally buried at Edessa. The later traditions carry him farther east. His martyrdom, whether in Persia or India, is commemorated by the Latin Church on December 21, the Greek Church on October 6, and by the Indians on July 1.