Disciples of Jesus - Thomas Didymus and Matthias who was selected to replace Juda

1. Disciplesof Jesus - Thomas Didymusand
Matthiaswho was selected to replace Judas – 13th
January 2017
Thomassaid to him,“MyLord andmy God!”29
ThenJesustoldhim, “Because you have seen me, you
have believed;blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”(John 20:28-29).
ThomasDidymuslivedinGalilee.Traditionsayshe laboredinParthia,Persia,andIndia,suffering
martyrdomnearMadras, at Mt. St. Thomas,India. Thomaswas hisHebrew name andDidymus washis
Greekname.Attimeshe was calledJudas. The Gospelsof Matthew,Mark andLuke tell usnothingabout
Thomasexcepthisname.However,Johndefineshimmore clearlyinhisGospel.Thomasappearedin
the raisingof Lazarus where thisincidentwasreportedin John11:2-16: So then he told them plainly,
“Lazarusis dead, 15
andfor your sake I am gladI wasnot there, so that youmay believe. But let us go
to him.” 16
Then Thomas(alsoknownas Didymus) saidto the rest of the disciples,“Let usalso go,that
we may die with him.”(John11:14-16).
Againwe can read of an incidentwhenJesuswascomfortingHisDisciplesasreported inJohn14:1-6,
where Thomaswanted toknowwhere Jesuswasgoing. “Thomassaidtohim,“Lord, we don’tknow
where youare going,sohow can we know the way?”6
Jesusanswered, “I am the way and the truth
and the life.No one comes to the Father except throughme.” (John14:5-6). We can also know thatit is
Thomaswho saidto the disciplesthat unlesshe seesthe nail prints inJesus'handandthe gash of the
spearin Hisside he will notbelieve. We canlearnthisfrom John 20:24-29, “NowThomas (alsoknown
as Didymus),oneof the Twelve, wasnot with the discipleswhen Jesuscame. 25
So the other disciples
toldhim, “Wehave seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “UnlessIsee the nail marks in hishandsand
put my fingerwhere the nailswere, andput my handinto hisside, I will not believe.” 26
A week later
hisdiscipleswere inthe houseagain,andThomas was withthem. Though the doorswere locked,
Jesus came andstood amongthem and said, “Peacebe with you!” 27
Then he saidto Thomas, “Put
your fingerhere; see my hands.Reach out your handandput it into my side.Stop doubtingand
believe.” 28
Thomassaidto him, “MyLord and my God!” 29
ThenJesus toldhim, “Because you have
seen me, you have believed; blessedare those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
By nature, Thomas was a pessimist. He was a bewildered man. Yet, he was a man of courage.
He was a man who could not believe until he had seen. He was a man of devotion and of faith.
When Jesus rose, he came back and invited Thomas to put his finger in the nail prints in his
hands and in his side. Here, we see Thomas making the greatest confession of faith, "My Lord
and my God." Thomas' doubts were transformed into faith. By this very fact Thomas' faith
became great, intense and convincing. It is said that he was commissioned to build a palace for
the king of India, and he was killed with a spear as a martyr for his Lord. His symbol is a group of
spears, stones and arrows. Thomasbecame knownasDoubtingThomas. Althoughitisnotusedinthe
Bible,the nickname "DoubtingThomas"was giventothisdisciplebecause of hisdisbelief about the
resurrection.People whoare skeptical are sometimesreferredtoasa "DoubtingThomas."
Apostle Thomas' Accomplishments:The Apostle ThomastraveledwithJesusandlearnedfromhimfor
three years.Traditionholdsthathe carriedthe gospel tothe east andwas martyredfor hisfaith.

2. Thomas' Strengths:Web can learnthat whenJesus'life wasatriskby returningtoJudeaafter Lazarus
had died,the Apostle Thomascourageouslytoldhisfellow disciplestheyshouldgowithJesus,nomatter
whatthe danger.
Thomas' Weaknesses:Like the otherdisciples,ThomasdesertedJesus during the crucifixion.Despite
listeningtoJesus' teaching and seeingall his miracles,Thomas demandedphysical proof that Jesus
had risen from the dead. His faith was based solelyonwhat he could touch and see for himself.
Life Lessons:All of the disciples, exceptJohn,desertedJesusatthe cross.Theymisunderstoodand
doubtedJesus,butthe Apostle Thomasissingledoutinthe gospelsbecausehe puthisdoubtinto
words. It isworthnotingthat JesusdidnotscoldThomas forhis doubt.Infact, JesusinvitedThomasto
touch hiswoundsandsee forhimself.
Today,millionsof people stubbornlywanttowitnessmiraclesorsee Jesusinpersonbefore theywill
believeinhim,butGodasks usto come to himinfaith.God providesthe Bible,witheyewitness
accounts of Jesus'life,crucifixionandresurrectiontostrengthen ourfaith. Inresponse tothe Apostle
Thomas' doubts,Jesussaidthatthose who believe inChrist asSaviorwithoutseeinghim—that'sus—are
blessed. Wecanlearnthat:Thomas saidto him,“My Lord andmy God!” 29
Then Jesustold him,
“Because youhave seen me, youhave believed; blessedare thosewho have not seen and yet have
believed.”
References to the Apostle Thomas in the Bible: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; John
11:16, 14:5, 20:24-28, 21:2; Acts 1:13.
Occupation: The Apostle Thomas' occupation before he met Jesus is unknown. After Jesus'
ascension, he became a Christian missionary.
KeyVerses
John 11:16 (NIV) : Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go,
that we may die with him."
John 20:27(NIV): Then he (Jesus) said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out
your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
John 20:28 (NIV): Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
John 20:29 (NIV): Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed
are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Matthias - Who was selected to replace Judas
Matthias was selected to replace Judas as recorded in Acts 1:15-26. The other man who was
also in consideration was named Joseph or Barsabas, and surnamed Justus. Lots were cast and
eventually Matthias was chosen. Acts 1:24-26 records the following, "And they prayed and
said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to
take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he
might go to his own place.” And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” The Bible is
sparse on additional details relating to Matthias, but it does say that Matthias was with Jesus
since His baptismuntil his resurrection. Besides the book of Acts, Matthias isn’t mentioned
anywhere else in the Bible. According to historical sources Matthias lived til 80 A.D. and spread
the gospel on the shores of the Caspian and Cappadocia.