Faith of the Apostle Thomas: Don’t Call Him Doubting Thomas

The Bible is a long book, but have you noticed the many times it leaves us wanting more? Many characters in the Bible are barely introduced, and perhaps are mainly known from just one incident or one thing they said.

Consider the apostle Thomas.

Some facts about the apostle Thomas

Thomas is mentioned 12 times in the Bible, but five of those occurrences are in lists of disciples.

Thomas’ name means “twin,” and he is sometimes referred to as “Thomas, who is called the Twin” (John 11:16). The Greek word for twin is Didymus, so he is also called “Thomas, called Didymus.” Since his twin brother or sister is not mentioned, it is likely that Thomas was the only one of the pair called to be a disciple.

Apart from Thomas, only two sets of twins are mentioned in the Bible: Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:24-26) and Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:27-30). This makes it understandable why the Gospel writers noted this unique detail about Thomas. The disciples likely called him “the Twin” because twins were relatively uncommon, and they may have even been familiar with his twin brother or sister.

Thomas is quoted four times, but most of us remember only one of them, the one that has led many to call him doubting Thomas.

Why do many call him doubting Thomas?

The story is told in John 20:24-25.

This chapter describes Jesus’ resurrection, His appearance to Mary Magdalene and then His appearance to most of the disciples inside a room that had the doors shut. Because He was now spirit but could also manifest Himself in the flesh, Jesus was able to suddenly appear in their midst! Then He showed them His hands and His side. They saw Him and believed.

But not all of the disciples were there.

Consider it from Thomas’ perspective: How would you feel if you were remembered for a single rash or unwise remark? John 20:24-25 says: “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not 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 in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’”

This, of course, is where the nickname doubting Thomas comes from. Obviously, Thomas did not have the ideal outlook. We should not immediately dismiss the possibility that God has worked a miracle reported to us by faithful Christians. God doesn’t want us to be gullible and believe everything anyone says, since the Bible talks about counterfeit miracles, but we shouldn’t always assume that other true Christians couldn’t have seen a miracle. (For more about true and counterfeit miracles, see our articles “Miracles of God” and “False Prophets.”)

In defense of Thomas

Still, it wouldn’t have been any better for Thomas to pretend to believe. God wants real belief, and if seeing or even touching Jesus was what it would take for Thomas, God was willing.

And consider that the other disciples had already seen Jesus’ hands and side, so they believed. Would some of them have taken Thomas’ approach if they hadn’t already been there and seen His wounds with their own eyes?

Did the other apostles doubt?

Actually, the other disciples had been in a similar situation and had not believed. Remember that earlier on the day of the resurrection, the women had heard from two angels that Jesus Christ had been resurrected. Let’s look at what Luke records about this after the women came to Christ’s tomb and did not find His body.

“And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”’

“And they remembered His words. Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

“And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:4-11).

Even later, when Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples on a mountain, we read that some worshipped Him, “but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17).

So it wasn’t just Thomas who doubted.

Consider it from Thomas’ perspective: How would you feel if you were remembered for a single rash or unwise remark?

It’s important to note that while the Gospel writers mentioned Thomas’ doubt, they never labeled him as “doubting Thomas.” This nickname isn’t biblical, and he wasn’t the only one who struggled with doubt during this momentous and understandably confusing time. Perhaps it’s wise for Christians to avoid referring to him this way.

From all this, we can glean a couple of lessons:

• Be careful what you say. Being slow to speak is not a bad thing.
• Realize the importance of giving others the benefit of the doubt.

The rest of the story

Remember the end of Thomas’ story:

“And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’

“And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:26-28).

It doesn’t say that Thomas actually reached out to touch Jesus’ hands or His side. It seems that seeing was believing—as it was for the other disciples who had seen Him earlier—and Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas didn’t make this exclamation in a flippant manner, as some use God’s name today when shocked or surprised. Instead, he was making a profound and deeply meaningful statement of faith—expressing his absolute certainty that Jesus was both his Lord and his God.

Thomas believed. He no longer doubted. Thomas surely fulfilled Christ’s commission, along with the other apostles, becoming witnesses to Jesus Christ “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Though the Bible doesn’t give details, traditions say that Thomas and Bartholomew preached the gospel to people in India, and that Thomas was later martyred, as most of the apostles probably were. He had expressed his willingness to die with Christ in one of his four recorded statements—not one most remember him for.

Jesus had proposed returning to Judea, where the Jews had recently tried to stone Him (John 11:7-8).

“Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with Him’” (verse 16).

Obviously, there is much more to the story. I don’t want to call him doubting Thomas anymore. I hope I can learn from his example, but not pigeonhole him based on one thing he said.

What will I say when I meet Thomas in the future? Hopefully I won’t call him doubting Thomas or stumble over my words. But if I do, I hope this great apostle and ruler over one of the tribes of Israel will give me the benefit of the doubt!