THOMAS (Ocei.cils). The word Nnt:r1 is equi valent to the Greek Alamos, twin. This name occurs also on Phcenician inscriptions, in a form which reminds us of the colloquial English abbre viation—viz. Citipi and cim (uesenii Monumenta Plurnicia, p. 356j.
The apostle Thomas (Matt. x. 3 ; Mark iii. IS ; Luke vi. 15 ; Acts i. 13) has been considered a native of Galilee, like most of the other apostles (John 2) ; but according to tradition he was a native of Antiochia, and had a twin-sister called Lysia (Patres Apost. ed. Cotel. pp. 272, 5o1). According to Eusebius (Hist. Eccles.i. 13) the real name of Thomas was Judas ; and he occurs under this name also in the Acta Thomce. This Judas was deemed the same as Judas the brother of Jesus (Matt. xiii. 55). It would seem even that the sur name AL.31,Aos was understood to mean that Thomas was a twin-brother of Jesus (Philo, ad Acta Thema', P. 94, seq.) In the character of Thomas was combined great readiness to act upon his convictions, to be faithful to his faith even unto death, so that he even ex horted his fellow-disciples, on his last journey to Jerusalem, Let us also go, that we may die with him' (John xi. i6), together with that careful ex amination of evidence which will be found in all persons who are resolved really to obey the dictates of their faith. Whosoever is minded, like most religionists who complain of the scepticism of Thomas, to follow in the common transactions of life the dictates of vulgar prudence, may easily abstain from putting his hands into the marks of the nails and into the side of the Lord (John xx. 25) ; but whosoever is ready to die with the Lord will be inclined to avail himself of extraordinary evidence for extraordinary facts, since nobody likes to suffer martyrdom by mistake. These remarks are dfrected against Winer and others, who find in the character of Thomas what they consider con tradictory traits—viz. inconsiderate faith, and a turn for exacting the most rigorous evidence. We find
that a resolute and lively faith is always necessarily combined with a sense of its importance, and with a desire to keep its objects unalloyed and free from error and superstition. Christ hiniself did not blame Thomas for availing himself of all possible evidence, but only pronounced those blessed who would be open to conviction even if some external form of evidence should not be within their reach (comp. Niemeyer's Akademische Predigten aind p. 321, seq.) Thomas preached the gospel in Parthia (Origen, apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles. iii. ; Socrat. 19 ; Clement, Recogn. ix. 29), and, according to Jerome, in Persia ; and was buried at Edessa (Rufin. Hist. Eccla. ii. 5). According to a later tradition Thomas went to India, and suffered martyrdom there (Gregor. Naz. Ora/. xxv. ad Arian. p. 433, ed. Par. ; Ambrose, in Ps. xlv. io; Hieron. Ey). 148 (59) ad Marcell. ; Niceph. Hist. Eccles. ii. 40; Acta Thoma-, c. seq. ; Abdim Hist. Apost. c. ix. ; Paulin. A. S. Bartholomaeo, India Orient. Chris tiana, Rom. 1794). This tradition has been at tacked by Von Bohlen (Indien,i. 375, seq.) The ancient congregations of Christians in India who belong to the Syrian church, are called Thomas Christians, and consider the apostle Thomas to be their founder (Fabricii Lux-Evange/ii, p. 626, seq. ; Assemani, Biblioth. Orient. iii. 2, 435, seq. ; Rit ter's Erdkunde, v. i. 6ol, seq.) Against this tra dition Thiip vvrote in his edition of the Acta Thom?, p. 107, seq. (comp. Augusti, Denkudirdigkeiten, 219, seq.) The fathers frequently quote an Evangel/um secundum Thomam, and Acta Thonza,, the frag ments of which have been carefully edited by J. C. Thilo, in his Coa'ex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti,i. 275; and the Acta Thoma separately, L. 1323 ; and see Winer's Real- Worterbuch, under Thomas.' —C. H. F. B.