Lexical Summary Didumos: Twin Original Word: Δίδυμος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Didymus. Prolongation from dis; double, i.e. Twin; Didymus, a Christian -- Didymus. see GREEK dis NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin"twin," Didymus, Gr. surname of the apostle Thomas (cf. Thómas) NASB Translation Didymus (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1324: δίδυμοςδίδυμος, διδυμη, διδυμον and Δίδυμος, Διδυμον, twofold, twain, (double, Homer, Odyssey 19, 227; as τριδυμος, triple; τετραδυμος, quadruple, ἑπταδυμος); hence, twin (namely, παῖς, as τριδυμοι παῖδες, υἱοί, German Drillinge, three born at a birth), Hebrew תְּאֹם, a surname of the apostle Thomas (cf. Luthardt on the first of the following passages; B. D. under the word, Thomas): John 11:16; John 20:24; John 21:2. (Homer Iliad 23, 641.) Topical Lexicon Name and Identity Δίδυμος is the Greek rendering of the Aramaic name “Thomas,” both meaning “twin.” John’s Gospel regularly pairs the two names so that Greek-speaking readers understand that the apostle known throughout the early Church as Thomas carried a second, culturally accessible name. The repeated mention of the designation highlights an eyewitness touch in the Gospel narrative and underscores Thomas’s individuality among the Twelve. Occurrences in the New Testament • John 11:16 – Thomas, called Didymos, exhorts the other disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” Character Portrait of Thomas The three Johannine settings paint Thomas as earnest, forthright, and devoted. In John 11:16 he displays courageous loyalty, willing to accompany Jesus into danger near Jerusalem. In John 20 he insists on first-hand evidence of the risen Lord, not from cold skepticism but from a desire for authentic encounter. His readiness to speak what others may have silently wondered establishes him as both honest and teachable. Confession and Faith Development Thomas moves from resolve in the face of death (John 11) through doubt in the face of unexplained testimony (John 20:24-25) to the climactic confession, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). This confession stands as the highest Christological declaration by any disciple in the Fourth Gospel and provides inspired confirmation of Christ’s full deity. Jesus immediately follows with the beatitude, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29), positioning Thomas’s journey as a pattern that leads future believers beyond sight to faith grounded in apostolic witness. Role in Johannine Theology By attaching Δίδυμος to Thomas at every strategic juncture, John reinforces the reliability of the resurrection testimony. Thomas’s initial absence in John 20:24 intensifies the evidentiary value of his later confession; an outspoken skeptic becomes an eyewitness advocate. The literary symmetry—absence, demand for proof, encounter, confession—serves the evangelist’s stated purpose “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). Post-Resurrection Ministry Tradition Early Christian writers (for example, Eusebius, Origen, and the Acts of Thomas) place Thomas’s subsequent ministry eastward—first to Parthia and Persia, then as far as India. Communities along the Malabar Coast trace their origins to his preaching, and a strong tradition locates his martyrdom near present-day Chennai. While Scripture is silent on these later labors, the historical memory of a missionary Thomas harmonizes with his biblical profile—once convinced, he carries the gospel to the ends of the earth. Spiritual Lessons for Today’s Disciple 1. Honest inquiry is welcomed by the risen Christ; questions can lead to deeper conviction when pursued in humility. Forms and Transliterations δίδυμα δίδυμοι Διδυμος Δίδυμος διδύμου διδύμων Didumos Didymos DídymosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance John 11:16 N-NMSGRK: ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος τοῖς συμμαθηταῖς NAS: who is called Didymus, said KJV: is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, INT: called Didymus to the fellow disciples John 20:24 N-NMS John 21:2 N-NMS |
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