John 11:16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. A very few verses contain the sum of all we know about Thomas. They tell us nothing of his history. His travels, sufferings, missionary toils, death; tradition speaks of these One account says he preached the gospel in Persia, and was buried in Odessa. Another that he went to India and suffered martyrdom there. We need not imitate Thomas himself too closely by receiving all such accounts with incredulity. It would seem all but certain that he went eastwards, and that he laboured, and suffered, and died for Christ, thus meeting the fate he was prepared for when he said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go that we may die with Him." Probably he was by birth a Galilean, although this is by no means certain, as some accounts give him a foreign birthplace. The name Thomas is connected, especially by St. John, with the other name he bore, either synonym or surname of it, "Didymus." He had a brother or sister (sister says one account, called Lysia), the same age as himself. Therefore he was called "the twin." This is the origin of the name. (A. Raleigh, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. |
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