“Doubting Thomas” was one of the Twelve disciples of Jesus, but we actually know very little about him. Thomas is mentioned as a member of the Twelve disciples in all four major lists: in Mark, Matthew, Luke, and Acts. But that’s all these sources say about Thomas, which is disappointing. Fortunately, the gospel of John mentions Thomas several times. The name “Thomas” comes from the Hebrew name “Toma,” which means twin. The gospel of John tells us Thomas was also called “Didymus,” which is a Greek word meaning twin. Some legends say Thomas was the twin of Jesus, but there’s …
Disciples of Jesus
James and John, the Wild and Crazy Disciples of Jesus
On the surface, two of the most famous disciples of Jesus sound wild and crazy. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, appear to have had serious impulse-control issues (although they weren’t the only disciples to leap before they looked). There’s a story in the gospels about that time James and John got ridiculously ambitious, infuriating the other disciples. But the craziest story about James and John tells how they once volunteered to commit mass murder. We’ll look at these stories in detail, and then ask what Jesus saw in James and John. People aren’t always what they seem on …
James and John, the Wild and Crazy Disciples of JesusRead More
Peter and John, the Dynamic Duo Disciples
The Twelve disciples of Jesus often argued about which of them would be the greatest. But Jesus tried to turn that question inside out. He taught that the greatest leader would be the greatest servant. Two of the Twelve did eventually stand out from the pack. Peter and John appear together frequently in the New Testament documents. Let’s work backwards through the stories to see where they fit in to the leadership of the Jesus community. Stories About Peter and John Sometime in the late 40s or early 50s, the apostle Paul wrote the book of Galatians. In it, he …
Andrew, the Coolest Disciple of Jesus
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, is one of the less-known disciples of Jesus. But that doesn’t mean he was unimportant. He played a key role in three stories about Jesus, including one of the most famous stories. By some strange coincidence, all three of those stories are in the gospel of John. In the other gospels, Andrew doesn’t get much air time, and in fact, he comes across as a bit player. How Mark, Matthew, and Luke Treat Andrew Mark is the earliest gospel, and it names the twelve disciples in a very strange order. Peter is listed first, …