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St. Thomas (1612 Greco), art

St. Thomas (1311 Duccio), art

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Thomas (1st century CE) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus of Nazareth. To him the authorship of the Gospel of Thomas is attributed.

< Events : Choosing of the Twelve -- Doubting Thomas -- Martyrdom of Thomas -- Relics of Thomas >

< Fiction : Thomas (art) -- Thomas (cinema) -- Thomas (literature) -- Thomas (music) >

Overview

In the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke-Acts, Thomas is mentioned only in the lists of the Twelve (Mk 3:18; Mt 10:3; Lk 6:15; Acts 1:13), who were with Jesus and were leaders of the nascent Christian movement after his death.

In the Gospel of Thomas, "Didymos Judas Thomas" is the recipient of a secret revelation from Jesus. Thomas in particular is introduced as the only one who knows the truth about Jesus' identity. His testimony is contrasted to that of Simon Peter and Matthew.

In the Gospel of John (which does not record any list of the Twelve), "Thomas, called the Twin (Didymos)" (Jn 11:16; 20:24; 21:2) is also mentioned as "one of the Twelve (Jo 20:24) and has a role in four narratives:

• In Jn 11:16 Thomas bitterly commented Jesus' decision to go to Judea again at the death of Lazarus, "saying to his fellow disciples: Let us also go, that we may die with him."

• In Jo 14:5 Thomas objects to Jesus, confessing his lack of understanding: "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

• When Jesus appeared to his disciples after his death, Thomas, who was not present (Jo 20:24), refused to believe. Only when "a week later" Jesus appeared again to his disciples, this time Thomas was with them (Jo 20:26) and Thomas came to believe.

• Thomas was fishing with "Simon Peter, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples" (Jn 21:2) when Jesus appeared to them for "the third time" (21:14) "by the Sea of Galilee" (Jn 21:1). At the beginning "they did not know that it was Jesus". The first to understand was "the disciple whom Jesus loved [who said] to Peter, It is the Lord!" (21:7).

Later developments

Thomas continued to enjoy great popularity in Gnostic circles, where he would be even identified as Jesus' twin brother (Book of Thomas the Contender).

Later Christian-orthodox narratives talk of the mission of Thomas to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians. He eventually reached India, where according to these traditions he died as a martyr, speared to death at a place called Calamine. The Malabar coast still boasts a large native population calling themselves "Christians of St. Thomas." The Santhome Cathedral, Chennai, India preserves what is believed to be the Tomb of Thomas.

According to another tradition, the reputed Relics of Thomas are said to have been brought in 232 to Edessa [Turkey]. There they remained until they were briefly translated to Chios [Greece] and then to Ortona [Italy], where they arrived on 6 September 1258, booty taken by captain Leone degli Acciaioli when the island of Chios was sacked. Ever since the remains of Thomas have been preserved in the Ortona cathedral.

Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

Thomas in ancient sources

Thomas is mentioned solely in Christian tradition.

Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke

In the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke-Acts, Thomas is mentioned only in the lists of the Twelve (Mk 3:18; Mt 10:3; Lk 6:15; Acts 1:13), who were with Jesus and were leaders of the nascent Christian movement after his death.

Gospel of Thomas

The entire Gospel of Thomas is introduced as a collection of "secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote them down"

In Thomas 13, Thomas is described as the recipient of a secret revelation about the identity of Jesus. "Jesus said to his disciples: Make a comparison to me, and tell me whom I am like. Simon Peter said to him: Thou art like a righteous angel. Matthew said to him: Thou art like a wise man of understanding. Thomas said to him: Master, my mouth will no wise suffer that I say whom thou art like. Jesus said: I am not thy master, because thou hast drunk, thou hast become drunk from the bubbling spring which I have measured out. And he took him, went aside, and spoke to him three words. Now when Thomas came to his companions, they asked him: What did Jesus say unto thee? Thomas said to them: If I tell you one of the words which he said to me, you will take up stones and throw them me; and a fire will come out of the stones and burn you up."

Gospel of John

John 11:14-16 (NRSV) -- 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." 16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

John 14:1-7 -- "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

John 20:24-29 (NRSV) -- 24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

John 21:1-7 (NRSV) -- After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." 6 He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"

Eusebius, Historia ecclesiastica

< Thomas sent Thaddeus to Edessa >

I -- [13,4] Not long afterward (Jesus') promise (to King Abgarus) was fulfilled. For after his resurrection from the dead and his ascent into heaven, Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, under divine impulse sent Thaddeus, who was also numbered among the seventy disciples of Christ, to Edessa, as a preacher and evangelist of the teaching of Christ... [13,10]] After the ascension of Jesus, Judas, who was also called Thomas, sent to (King Abgarus) Thaddeus, an apostle, one of the Seventy...

II -- [1,5] At that time also the promise of our Saviour to the king of the Osrhœnians was fulfilled. For Thomas, under a divine impulse, sent Thaddeus to Edessa as a preacher and evangelist of the religion of Christ, as we have shown a little above from the document found there.

< Thomas preached in Parthia >

III 1,1 -- Parthia, according to tradition, was allotted to Thomas as his field of labor...

< The Gospel of Thomas >

III 25,6 -- ...no one belonging to the succession of ecclesiastical writers has deemed worthy of mention in his writings such books as the Gospel of Thomas...

Thomas in literature & the arts

See also Doubting Thomas.

Although the figure of Thomas has become legendary as that of the skeptical, Doubting Thomas, it has not generated wide interest in fiction. There are indeed many works of art depicting Thomas in the act of touching Jesus' wounds or suffering martyrdom, including some masterpieces such as the Incredulity of St. Thomas (1483 Verrocchio), art, the Incredulity of St. Thomas (1602 Caravaggio), art, and the Martyrdom of St. Thomas (1639 Rubens), art. As one of the Twelve, Thomas is regularly cast in novels and films on the life of Jesus. However, as a character Thomas has failed to gain a life of his own besides the traditional image of the Doubter. The only exceptions are given by The Legend of Thomas Didymus (1881 Clarke), novel and Gli amici di Gesù (2001 Mertes), film. Too little to make Thomas a major character in Second Temple Fiction. -- Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

• See Thomas (arts)

Thomas in Scholarship

So little is known about Thomas, that any serious attempt at an historical reconstruction of his life is virtually impossible. Scholarly interest has been devoted to the literature attributed to Thomas (especially, the Gospel of Thomas), and the traditions and legends about Thomas.

Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

Related categories

• Gospel of Thomas (text)
• Twelve Apostles (subject)

External links

• Wikipedia
• Catholic Encyclopedia