Thomas (also known as “Didymus” which is Greek for “twin”) was one of Jesus’ original disciples. Thomas is most widely remembered for the story where, after being resurrected, Jesus appeared to some of the disciples at a time when Thomas was not with them. When the disciples subsequently told Thomas about the risen Christ, Thomas stated that he simply would not believe that a corporeal resurrection had occurred (i.e., Thomas was willing to believe that his companions had seen a ghost or a sending, but not a bodily-risen Jesus) without checking the matter out for himself. As related in the Gospel According to John:

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. (John 20:24-25, KJV)

For this, Didymus earned the forever-after moniker, “Doubting Thomas.”

Here is how the remainder of this episode played out:

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:26-29, KJV)

Much to my surprise, in learning more about Thomas for this post, I discovered that Saint Augustine, for one, believed strongly that Thomas had committed a grievous sin in his response to the reports of his fellow disciples, believing that Thomas “sinned by obstinacy, presumption, and incredulity: for the resurrection of Christ was no more than Moses and the prophets had long before foretold.”

Shame on Augustine! If anyone is being presumptuous and obstinate, it is Augustine for picking on the frank humanity shown by someone unwilling to just believe whatever others told him. Thomas did not say, “You all are a bunch of idiots” or “You are gaslighting me” (ok, that would be certainly be anachronistic, but you know what I mean) or “You all must be on drugs.”

Rather, Thomas said, “I’d like independent verification, please.” For crying out loud, would that more of our contemporary news journalists and talking heads, and more of the people sitting in church pews week after week, would seek independent verification of the truth before simply believing what they hear before spreading unfounded statements around! And, honestly, how many of those other disciples would have believed Thomas if he was the only one to first see the resurrected Jesus?!

So I for one appreciate that Thomas was not one of these Christian types who simply “accept on faith” whatever others tell them to believe. I like that his way was not to turn off his mind just to stay a part of the group. Also, I figure if Jesus did not condemn Thomas but, instead, invited him to check things out for himself–then who are we (and who was Augustine) to chide the Twin?

(PS and FYI: Thomas is the Patron Saint of India.)