Who Was Thomas in the Bible? The Apostle Who Said "My Lord and My God"

Thomas was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, also called Didymus, which means "twin" (Matthew 10:3; John 11:16). He is best known for refusing to believe that Jesus had risen until he saw Him, and then for confessing Jesus as "My Lord and my God!" when he did (John 20:24-29). Every word the Bible records him speaking comes from the Gospel of John.

The nickname "Doubting Thomas" comes from this account, but John also shows him as willing to die with Jesus and as a disciple who asked direct questions (John 11:16; 14:5).

Quick Facts About Thomas

Fact	Details
Name meaning	Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean "twin"
Testament	New Testament
Key books	John 11, 14, 20, 21; Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13
Time period	First century AD; with Jesus about AD 30-33 (traditional dating)
Role	One of the Twelve apostles
Known for	Doubting the resurrection, then confessing Jesus as Lord and God

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Who Was Thomas in the Bible? One of the Twelve

Thomas appears in all four lists of the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13). In Matthew's list he is paired with Matthew the tax collector (Matthew 10:3). Mark and Luke also include him among the Twelve, but none of the first three Gospels records anything he said or did individually.

John's Gospel introduces him three times as "Thomas (also known as Didymus)" (John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2). The Bible does not name his twin or record his family, hometown, or occupation before he followed Jesus.

Willing to Die With Jesus

Thomas first speaks in the account of Lazarus. When Jesus told the disciples He was going back to Judea, they reminded Him that people there had recently tried to stone Him (John 11:7-8). Jesus then told them plainly that Lazarus was dead and that He was going to him (John 11:14-15).

Thomas responded:

Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." (John 11:16)

Thomas expected that the trip to Judea could end in death. He still urged the others to go with Jesus. In Bethany, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44).

"How Can We Know the Way?"

At the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father's house and would come back for them. He added that they knew the way to where He was going (John 14:2-4). Thomas did not pretend to understand:

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" (John 14:5)

Jesus answered that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

Thomas and the Resurrection

Absent the First Time

On the evening of the day Jesus rose, the disciples were together behind locked doors. Jesus came and stood among them, greeted them with peace, and showed them His hands and side (John 20:19-20). Earlier that day He had appeared to Mary Magdalene at the tomb (John 20:14-18).

Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus came (John 20:24). When the others told him they had seen the Lord, he answered that unless he saw the nail marks in Jesus' hands, put his finger where the nails had been, and put his hand into His side, he would not believe (John 20:25).

"My Lord and My God!"

A week later the disciples were in the house again, and this time Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and greeted them with peace (John 20:26). He spoke directly to Thomas, inviting him to put his finger in the wounds and reach out his hand into His side, and told him to stop doubting and believe (John 20:27).

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)

The text does not say whether Thomas actually touched the wounds. It records his confession. Jesus replied that Thomas had believed because he had seen, and that those who have not seen and yet have believed are blessed (John 20:29).

John immediately follows this scene with the purpose of his Gospel: these things were written so that readers may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and have life in His name (John 20:30-31).

Thomas After the Resurrection

Thomas was one of seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee when Jesus appeared to them again. The group included Simon Peter, Nathanael, and the sons of Zebedee. They had fished all night and caught nothing until Jesus told them where to cast the net (John 21:1-6).

After Jesus ascended, Thomas was with the other apostles in the upstairs room in Jerusalem, where they joined together in prayer (Acts 1:13-14). The apostles then chose Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:23-26). This is the last time Thomas is named in the Bible.

What Tradition Says About Thomas

The New Testament does not record where Thomas served after Pentecost or how he died. Later church writers filled in some of this. The historian Eusebius, writing in the fourth century, reports that according to tradition, Parthia was allotted to Thomas as his field of work (Church History 3.1).

A separate tradition, held by the St. Thomas Christians of southern India, says Thomas preached in India and was martyred there. These accounts are tradition, not part of Scripture.

The Gospel of Thomas, a collection of sayings attributed to him, is not part of the Bible. It is not included in the Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox canon.

Key Lessons From Thomas's Life

• Loyalty and doubt can exist in the same person. The disciple who was ready to die with Jesus later struggled to believe He had risen (John 11:16; 20:25).
• Honest questions can lead to clear answers. Thomas admitted he did not know the way, and Jesus answered that He is the way (John 14:5-6).
• Jesus meets people in their doubt. He came back a week later and spoke directly to Thomas (John 20:26-27).
• Faith does not depend on sight. Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who believe without seeing (John 20:29).

Where Thomas Appears in the Bible

• Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15: Named among the twelve apostles
• John 11:16: Urges the disciples to go and die with Jesus
• John 14:5: Asks how they can know the way
• John 20:24-29: Doubts, then confesses Jesus as Lord and God
• John 21:2: Present at the miraculous catch of fish
• Acts 1:13: With the apostles in Jerusalem after the ascension

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Thomas in the Bible?

Thomas was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, also called Didymus (Matthew 10:3; John 11:16). He doubted the reports of Jesus' resurrection until Jesus appeared to him, and then confessed Him as "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:24-28).

Why is he called Doubting Thomas?

Thomas said he would not believe Jesus had risen unless he saw and touched the nail wounds (John 20:25). The name "Doubting Thomas" is a later nickname and does not appear in the Bible.

Did Thomas have a twin?

Both Thomas and Didymus mean "twin," which suggests he was a twin (John 11:16). The Bible does not name his twin or give any other details about his family.

Did Thomas touch Jesus' wounds?

Jesus invited Thomas to touch His hands and side (John 20:27). The text records Thomas's confession in the next verse but does not say whether he touched the wounds (John 20:28).

Where did Thomas go after Jesus' resurrection?

The Bible last mentions Thomas with the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 1:13). Early church tradition says he preached in Parthia, and Christians in southern India hold that he preached and died in India.