Thomas

The Doubter Made Believer

1st century AD

The apostle called Didymus, who doubted the resurrection until he saw the Lord and confessed, 'My Lord and my God!'

“My Lord and my God!” — John 20:28

The story of Thomas

Thomas, also called Didymus or 'the Twin,' was one of the twelve apostles known for his deep loyalty and his honest questions. When Jesus planned to return to Judea despite the threat of death, it was Thomas who bravely urged the other disciples to go and die with Him. However, he is most famous for his struggle to believe in the Resurrection without physical proof.

When the other apostles told Thomas they had seen the risen Lord, he famously declared he would not believe unless he could see the nail marks and touch Jesus’s side. A week later, Jesus appeared again and invited Thomas to do exactly that. Overwhelmed, Thomas responded with one of the most profound confessions of faith in the New Testament: 'My Lord and my God!'

Beyond this event, Thomas was present at the Sea of Tiberias when the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples during their fishing trip. Christian tradition outside the New Testament suggests that Thomas traveled as a missionary to the East, eventually reaching India. He is widely honored by the Saint Thomas Christians in India, who trace their spiritual heritage back to his ministry and martyrdom there.

Key passages

John 11:14–16
Thomas shows his loyalty by encouraging the disciples to follow Jesus to Judea even if they die.
John 14:1–6
Thomas asks Jesus where He is going, leading to the 'I am the way' declaration.
John 20:24–29
The account of Thomas’s doubt and his subsequent confession of Jesus as Lord and God.
John 21:1–14
Thomas is among the disciples who see the risen Lord by the Sea of Galilee.

Key books

John
Acts

Questions you can ask

“Why did you doubt the resurrection?”
“What did you say when you saw Jesus?”
“Tell me about your faith afterward”

Common questions

Why is he called 'Doubting Thomas'?

The nickname comes from his initial refusal to believe Jesus had risen until he could see and touch Jesus’s wounds for himself.

What does the name Didymus mean?

Didymus is the Greek word for twin. The name Thomas comes from the Aramaic word for twin, though the Bible does not name his sibling.

Did Thomas really go to India?

Ancient traditions and the historical presence of the Saint Thomas Christians in India support the belief that he preached and died there.