Article October 15, 1938 Issue

Bible Notes

"Thomas ... called Didymus" (John 20:24)—It may be observed that the name "Thomas" denotes "twin" in Hebrew, and that "Didymus" has exactly the same meaning in Greek. It may be noted further that in Tatian's "Diatessaron," a very ancient Harmony of the Gospels, we find at this point "Judas Thomas," instead of simply "Thomas." Many authorities suppose that this apostle's personal name was "Judas," but to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and from the other Judas who belonged to the apostolic group (Luke 6:16) he was commonly referred to as Thomas ("the twin").

"Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands" (John 20:27)—Good-speed suggests: "Put your finger here and look at my hands."

"Be not faithless, but believing" (John 20:27)—Plummer justly points out that "faithless" (apistos) and "believing" (pistos) "are verbal as well as actual contradictions in the Greek" (Commentary on St. John, p. 364); and so the relation between the two terms might rather be suggested by, "Be not faithless but faithful," or, "Be not unbelieving but believing." Goodspeed renders: "Be no longer unbelieving, but believe;" and Moffatt: "Cease your unbelief and believe." Weymouth, however, prefers: "Be not incredulous, but believe;" and the Riverside New Testament: "Become not faithless, but believing."

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