Meaning of the Name Thomas
From the Aramaic word 'toma', meaning 'twin'; John also gives its Greek equivalent, Didymus, which likewise means 'twin'.
Origin
The name Thomas is of Aramaic origin.
Who is Thomas in the Bible?
Thomas is one of the Twelve, remembered as 'the doubter' for saying he would not believe unless he saw the risen Jesus. When he meets him, he utters one of the New Testament's highest confessions of faith: 'My Lord and my God!'
The story of Thomas in the Bible
Thomas is one of the twelve disciples Jesus chose; John also calls him by the Greek name Didymus. Both names say the same thing: twin. His first notable appearance in John shows his courage: when Jesus decides to return to Judea for Lazarus despite the threat of stoning, it is Thomas who urges the others to go along and die with him. The scene that made his name unforgettable comes after the resurrection. Thomas is absent when Jesus appears to the disciples, and he refuses to accept their testimony, saying he will not believe unless he sees the nail marks and touches the wound. Eight days later Jesus comes again, stands among them though the doors are shut, and himself invites Thomas to touch his wounds and to stop doubting and believe. Thomas answers with one of the loftiest confessions in the New Testament: 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus replies by calling blessed those who believe without seeing. Known as doubting Thomas, he is really the story of a journey from doubt to the deepest confession.
Is Thomas mentioned in the Quran?
The name Thomas does not appear in the Quran, which speaks of Jesus' disciples collectively as the 'hawariyyun' without naming them individually; Thomas's story is told in the New Testament, especially in the Gospel of John.
Verses where Thomas appears
- John 20:24-29 —
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the…
- John 11:16 —
Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.”