Heresy of doubting thomas: mystery & Wisdom
The incredulity of Doubting Thomas is portrayed by the 1601-02 painting by Caravaggio. As told by John’s gospel at Chapter 14:
“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
By some sources, Thomas is credited with authority the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas — although this very possibly dates to the 2nd century AD. Later traditions also suggest that Thomas made is way to Persia and south India, where he may have been the founder of the ancient Mar Thomas Church. Despite what little is definitively known about Thomas, his history and legacy remain a matter of debate and speculation within the broader realm of Christendom.
August 2023
““Give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor,
give God what belongs to God,
and give me what is mine.”
– Jesus, as quoted in the
(non-canonical) Gospel of Thomas 100:2
In 1945, a copy of a lost gospel known as the Gospel of Thomas was discovered with a large collection of ancient texts known as the Nag Hammadi Library. With 114 seemingly disjointed sayings, there is no attempt to compose a narrative.
Re-discovery of the Thomas manuscripts ignited new controversies about the New Testament between biblical scholars. However, even today, Thomas is little known outside the ecclesiastic and university realm.
Ever the skeptic, a man of mystery and wisdom – what does Thomas mean when he writes: "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find ... When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will rule over all." This gets to the essence of Thomas, the disciple who refused to recognize the risen Christ until he had personally and physically inspected the “mark of the nails” in Jesus crucified hands.
Thomas is important to Christianity as an independent source of a writing that in its earliest form may predates the four gospels, provides independent corroboration but yet challenges conventional views of Jesus, and is decidedly counter-cultural.
We have had less than a century to rediscover the Jesus of Thomas. This provocative gospel has perhaps never been more culturally relevant. As we hurtle into this new millennium, there are few that bother to seek. A few have begun to find – and the ensuing disturbance has yet to fully unfold.
For a more in-depth discussion of the heresy of Thomas, click here on Mystery and Wisdom. For a synopsis of all the heresy topics covered by this web site, click on 12 Heresies of Christianity. Or click on any images for other topics of interest below.