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Glite Dictionary
Thomas the Apostle

Thomas the Apostle

7.3
One of the twelve followers of Jesus who does not believe Jesus rose until he sees him
  • proper noun
translation icon : Tomás el Apóstol
  • Thomas the Apostle is often referred to as 'Doubting Thomas.'

Examples

  • Many people refer to Thomas the Apostle when talking about doubt and faith.

  • The story of Thomas the Apostle is found in the Gospel of John.

  • In paintings, Thomas the Apostle is often shown touching the wounds of the risen Jesus.

  • Did Thomas the Apostle really doubt Jesus' resurrection?

  • In paintings, Thomas the Apostle is often shown touching the wounds of the risen Jesus.

  • Many people refer to Thomas the Apostle when discussing his doubt about Jesus' resurrection.

  • The story of Thomas the Apostle emphasizes his journey from doubt to faith.

Synonyms

Thomas
vsThomas the Apostle
∞ 4.3

One of the twelve followers of Jesus who doubted his coming back to life until he saw him

is the more formal full name or title rather than the short personal form
St. Thomas
vsThomas the Apostle
1 7.0

One of the twelve followers of Jesus who doubted his return to life until he saw Jesus

is the full name form rather than the abbreviated religious title
Saint Thomas
vsThomas the Apostle
7.0

An apostle who doubted Jesus's resurrection until he saw and touched Jesus

is the plain personal name form instead of an honorific title

Surface Forms

Thomas the Apostle main

Morphology

Thomas + the + Apostle

The form is simply a proper name plus a title, so a learner who knows 'Thomas' and 'Apostle' can readily infer this refers to Thomas who is one of Jesus's apostles. However, the culturally specific detail that he is 'Doubting Thomas' (famous for doubting the resurrection) is not predictable from the constituents, making the phrase only partially transparent.

Etymology

Thomas the Apostle comes from a Bible story about one of Jesus' twelve followers who would not believe Jesus was alive again until he could touch Jesus' wounds. Because of that clear image—Thomas touching the marks—people now call someone a 'Doubting Thomas' when they 'do not believe' something until they see proof.