Trusting Thomas

January 18, 2026

The apostle Thomas is best known for his failure to believe that Jesus had been raised until he saw Him personally; this incident has led to a popular sense that he was an unfaithful apostle, shown in the common nickname, “Doubting Thomas.” This assessment, however, is rather unfair to Thomas; while it is true that his faith failed at this point, the same can be said for other generally faithful servants of the Lord. Peter, for example, seems to enjoy a better reputation, despite having many more recorded unwise words and failures of faith than Thomas.

Little is recorded in Scripture about Thomas’ life, but what we are told suggests he was generally faithful. In John 11, he enthusiastically agreed to go with Jesus and the other disciples to Bethany, despite the fact that they were in danger of being persecuted and possibly killed by the Jewish authorities from Jerusalem. While that is the only other major account involving him aside from the “Doubting Thomas” incident, it does show that he was deeply devoted to Christ.

According to tradition, Thomas traveled as a missionary after Pentecost, and eventually took the Gospel of Christ to India, traversing a large portion of the width of the continent of Asia. While the evidence for Thomas' journey is limited, it is sufficient to show that the tradition is quite likely true; furthermore, since it is an entirely reasonable possibility that he went to India, perhaps the best explanation for the origin of the tradition is simply that it is based on true events.

If Thomas did indeed take the Gospel to India, as seems probable, then he certainly had great faith in the Lord by that time. The long journey would have undoubtedly been difficult, and, much like Paul, Thomas would likely have faced opposition from many. This is not a commitment that a faithless follower would be willing to make.

Even if the traditions are entirely fabricated or greatly exaggerated, however, what we are told in Scripture seems to portray a generally faithful servant of the Lord who made mistakes at times, just like we all do. While the name “doubting Thomas” is not entirely inaccurate, it does misrepresent Thomas’ service to Christ by implying that his life was generally characterized by unbelief.