The Bible does not specify what Jesus whispered to Thomas, but most Christian tradition believes it to be something along the lines of “do not doubt, but believe.” This phrase is recorded in the Gospel of John (20:27-29) as something Jesus said to Thomas after he doubted the Resurrection:
“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubling and believe.’
Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’
Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’
Ultimately, no one can know for sure what Jesus whispered to Thomas. But what we do know is that Jesus called on Thomas to have faith and to believe, even without proof or further evidence. We can see Thomas’ response — an affirmation of Jesus’ divinity — as evidence that Jesus’ words had a powerful impact on him.
This example offers a timeless lesson on the power of faith in Jesus, even if we cannot physically see or touch him.
Table of Contents
What three things did Jesus tell Thomas?
Jesus told Thomas three important things when they met after Jesus had risen from the dead. First, Jesus assured Thomas of his identity, saying, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.
Do not doubt but believe.” (John 20:27) Second, Jesus invited Thomas to become a follower and faith-filled believer, saying, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
(John 20:29) Finally, Jesus encouraged and comforted Thomas, saying, “You believing have life in My name.” (John 20:31)
What did Jesus tell Thomas in the Bible?
In the Bible, Jesus appears to the disciples after his resurrection. To prove that it is Him, Jesus tells Thomas to touch his side where he was wounded. Jesus comforts Thomas, saying “Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
He then says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” This is a reminder to Thomas, and for all of us, that faith is essential in trusting the Word of God.
What did Jesus tell the Apostle Thomas after he showed him his hands?
When Thomas saw the wounds in Jesus’ hands, he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus then said to him, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus was referring to all of His followers who had not seen Him, yet had still maintained faith in Him.
He then said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus was teaching Thomas and all the other apostles that someone does not need to see Him in order to believe in Him and live a blessed life through faith, and that those who accept Christ and follow Him, despite having not seen Him, will be blessed.
What is the Secret Gospel of Thomas?
The Secret Gospel of Thomas is a Gnostic text purported to have been written by Jesus’ disciple Thomas. Although its existence was first speculated upon by Church Fathers in the first few centuries CE, it was not until a fragmentary copy of the gospel was discovered in 1958 by Morton Smith that its contents became widely known.
The gospel contains 114 sayings of Jesus, some of which appear to be similar to sayings found in the New Testament Gospels, and others which some scholars argue are unique to the Secret Gospel. The gospel is seen as significant to those studying the early Christian movements and various forms of Gnosticism.
Furthermore, the gospel contains an additional story involving Jesus and a young man named Levi, which after a lengthy debate continues among various religious scholars. This story, which is not found in any other gospel, appears to be a ritual of baptism and initiation, which some scholars argue was a unique feature of Gnostic practice.
Overall, the Secret Gospel of Thomas appears to demonstrate the diversity of early Christian literature and provide further insight into a range of beliefs and practices that existed in the early church.
However, its claim to be a true text written by Thomas has come under intense scrutiny, with many suggesting that it could have been a forgery created in the early 20th century.
Why was the Gospel of Thomas removed from the Bible?
The Gospel of Thomas was an early Christian text written around the same time as the four gospels that are included in the New Testament, but it was not included in the Bible for several reasons. The first reason is that it was not considered authoritative enough to include in the New Testament.
While it includes sayings attributed to Jesus, it doesn’t tell the story of Jesus’ life and death or provide any details or narrative about Jesus’ life like the four New Testament gospels do. This made it less Reliable to some early leaders in the Christian faith who decided which texts should be included in the Bible.
Additionally, the Gospel of Thomas is more of a mystical document than the four gospels included in the Bible. It contains sayings that are interpreted as having spiritual and mystical meaning rather than providing a straightforward narrative about Jesus life, as the four gospels in the Bible do.
Therefore, some people felt that it wasn’t a suitable document to include in the Bible.
Finally, the Gospel of Thomas was only discovered in 1945, much later than the four gospels in the New Testament. Therefore, the decision had been made centuries ago of which texts to include in the Bible, and there wasn’t enough time to review the Gospel of Thomas by comparison.
For these reasons, the Gospel of Thomas was not included in the Bible.
Do Catholics accept the Gospel of Thomas?
No, most Catholics do not accept the Gospel of Thomas as a canonical part of the Bible. The Gospel of Thomas is an apocryphal collection of Jesus’ sayings, which was discovered in 1945 in Nag Hammadi, Egypt.
Unlike the four gospels found in the New Testament, the Gospel of Thomas was not written by a disciple of Jesus or a prophet. While many Catholics recognize the significance of this ancient scripture and may find great spiritual value in it, most Catholics don’t accept it as part of the Bible.
For Catholics, the Bible is made up of Scripture that dates all the way back to the first century A.D. and is in agreement with tradition. The Gospel of Thomas was written significantly later, and it contains some ideas that are incompatible with Catholic teachings on faith, morality, and prayer.
What did Thomas do before following Jesus?
Before following Jesus, Thomas was a Galilean fisherman. He was a disciple of John the Baptist, and along with fellow Galileans, Andrew and Peter, he was among the first few to follow Jesus. In the Gospels, he is often referred to simply as “Doubting Thomas” due to his initial disbelief when Jesus first revealed himself to his disciples after his resurrection.
In addition, Thomas is said to have spoken out against the plans of Jesus and his fellow members of the Twelve during certain moments in their journey, feeling betrayed when Jesus told them he was leaving to go to Jerusalem.
Thomas is also identified in scripture as being among the group of twelve who were sent out by Jesus to preach in various villages beginning in chapter 10 of the Gospel of Mark. After Jesus’ Ascension, Thomas continued to spread the good news and eventually even ventured out of the Mediterranean region to preach the gospel in India, which is why he is known as a great missionary.
Is the Gospel of Thomas a forgery?
The debate over whether or not the Gospel of Thomas is a forgery is complex and ongoing. There are those who believe that it is not a forgery, citing its literary similarities to the canonical New Testament Gospels as evidence for its authenticity.
Furthermore, the amount of manuscript evidence for the Gospel of Thomas is seen as further indication of its authenticity.
On the other hand, there are those who believe that the Gospel of Thomas is indeed a forgery. Opponents point to the fact that it is missing from early church lists of accepted scriptures, which they view as an indication of its dubious origins.
In addition, they cite the lack of archeological or historical evidence to verify the accuracy of the gospel’s claims. Finally, they argue that the gospel is too inconsistent with original Christianity, seeming to advocate Gnostic philosophy.
Ultimately, the truth of the matter is still being debated, and it may be impossible to definitively establish whether or not the Gospel of Thomas is a forgery. However, some may find it useful to contextualize the gospel in light of its authorship and place in the development of Christianity.
Did Thomas put his finger in Jesus wound?
No, there is no evidence or scripture that Thomas put his finger in Jesus’ wound. According to the Bible, when Thomas first sees Jesus after Jesus had been resurrected, Thomas refuses to believe who Jesus is until he can see the wound in Jesus’ side.
So out of disbelief and doubt, Thomas requests to touch the wound, and it says in the Bible that after touching the wound Thomas exclaims “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). So although the Bible does not provide evidence of Thomas putting his finger in Jesus’ wound, it does provide evidence of Thomas believing who Jesus was after touching the wound.
What was the reaction of St Thomas when he came to know that other disciples had seen Jesus?
When St Thomas heard that the other disciples had seen Jesus, his initial reaction was disbelief. He had not been present at the time of the initial sightings and was therefore unable to accept the testimony of the other disciples.
In fact, he famously declared, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” Despite being a skeptic at first, St Thomas eventually had his faith vindicated when he was able to meet Jesus for himself and proclaim his belief in the resurrection.
This moment of faith is celebrated as Doubting Thomas Sunday within some Christian circles.
What is the Bible story about Thomas?
The Bible story of Thomas is found in John 20:19-31. Thomas, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, doubts the other disciples’ accounts of Jesus’ resurrection and refuses to believe it until he can see and feel with his own hands the physical evidence.
After Jesus returns to the disciples and conquers Thomas’s doubts by showing him his hands and side, he rewards Thomas’s faithfulness by declaring, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen me, yet believe in me.”
The Bible story of Thomas teaches us how important it is to have faith and trust even when the situation may seem uncertain or the accounts of others are hard to accept. It also teaches us to think for ourselves and to not take everything at face value, despite what others may think or say.
Ultimately, the story of Thomas serves as an example that faith and trust will prevail in times of difficulty — a lesson we can all learn from.
What is the famous saying of St Thomas the Apostle?
The famous saying of St Thomas the Apostle is “My Lord and my God”. This quote is taken from the Gospel of John, when Jesus appeared to the disciples after being resurrected from the dead. Thomas was initially skeptical and did not believe that Jesus was alive, but after seeing the risen Christ, he declared his faith and proclaimed this famous saying.
The quote is an example of St Thomas’ profound faith and commitment to Christ and serves as an example of the power of a true believer’s belief in the Lord. It is also a reminder of the unconditional love and mercy of Jesus and of the importance of trusting in Him.
