Why was Thomas called the Twin (John 11:16)?

Thomas in Hebrew, like Didymus, means "a twin."

372 "Didymus." This is not a surname: Thomas in Syriac means "twin."

(8) Thomas. The name Thomas, like that of Didymus, which is used three times by John, means "a twin." Nothing is said of him after his call and appointment except by John. When the Lord spoke of going to Bethany, Thomas said to the other disciples, "Let us also go with him, that we may die with him" (John 11:16). When the Lord was instructing the apostles as to His immediate departure and their knowledge of the way, Thomas broke in with, "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5). His incredulity at the tidings of the resurrection has passed into a proverb (John 20:24-31).

Here then we have the heavenly company: — not exactly the Church; at least, not as the Body of Christ, or the House of God; things which are not in the line of the apostle's teaching. But the Spirit which they are to receive sufficiently marks them out as those who, in fact, belong to that which is the gathering together of the children of God, before scattered abroad (John 11:52). But we have seen also that John cannot forget (or the Spirit of God as speaking through him) that there are promises of blessing for the earth, and therefore to an earthly people, which He will fulfil in their entirety to them. We have had glances at this already, again and again, and now we have another. Thomas, called Didymus, (both names meaning "a twin,") though one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. We may easily believe that the unbelief which he so conspicuously exhibits, may have hindered his being with them at that memorable time. How many glorious opportunities do we not lose from such a cause? Not even the testimony of all the others is sufficient to make him credit so marvellous a tale. Like Israel, he must look upon the Pierced One, or he will not believe. The week passes, therefore, with Thomas unbelieving still; just as the present time with Israel. But on the eighth day, the first of the new week, the disciples are again together, and now Thomas is with them: Jesus comes once more, the doors again being shut, and stands in the midst, and says again, "Peace be unto you." And now Thomas may satisfy himself; but he is broken down in adoring wonder: "My Lord and my God!" he exclaims, as, thank God, at last the nation will; but to find that he has lost, not time alone, but the higher blessing: "Thomas," says the Lord, "because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Second Manifestation. — Thomas, whose name in Hebrew means a twin, the Greek equivalent of which is Didymus, was not with the rest on the first occasion. Why he was absent is not stated. Told by the rest that they too had seen the Lord, he refused to accredit the fact of the Resurrection, unless he was furnished with ocular and tangible proof of it. He must see the Lord, he must touch Him, he must put his hand into His side, else he could not believe. That people had been brought back to life from death he of course was aware. He had seen that in the case of Lazarus. But resurrection, never to die any more, was quite a new thought for the time present, seeing that the resurrection morning for saints in general had not then, nor has it yet, dawned. But how could Thomas's requirements be provided? No one knew where to find the Lord. He had disappeared from their midst as suddenly as He had appeared among them. What, however, none of them could have furthered — viz. a meeting between Thomas and Christ — was, and that unexpectedly, brought about.

Did’y mus - Double, i.e., a twin

Thom’as - A twin

This section gives a picture, not of the assembly, but of the later bringing of Israel from their doubting unbelief to a living faith in the Son of God. Thomas had not been present the day of the Lord's resurrection. How much he missed through simply being absent! We too shall greatly lose if we willingly absent ourselves from the gathering of the saints of God. His surname, Didymus, is inserted here. Didymus means “twin” so that its inclusion appears to be a reminder to us that Thomas is not alone in his lack of diligent faith. Perhaps many believers are virtual twins of Thomas!

One of the twelve apostles, called also DIDYMUS, a twin. He comes prominently before us on two significant occasions: once when he said to the Lord, "We know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?" The Lord replied, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 14:5-6. Also when he said that he would not believe that the Lord had risen until he had ocular demonstration as to His wounds; but when he saw the Lord, he at once confessed Him as "My Lord and my God." John 20:19-29. He was not with the other disciples when the Lord breathed into them, and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost;" and thus he may be taken as a type of the future remnant of the Jews, who will not believe till they see their Messiah. In contrast to which the Lord added a beautiful sentence respecting those of the present time: "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Thomas was not present on the occasion we have already considered, when Jesus came first into the midst of His disciples. He missed a great deal, it seems to me, by not being there. To miss a meeting may be a small thing in our minds, but Thomas missed a great deal that night. God often gives us great instruction in the history of a man, and that of Thomas is no exception. Did you ever trace out Thomas's history? It strikes me as being downward in tone. The first time he is mentioned we only get the fact that he was called by the Lord to be an apostle (Matt. 10:3). John mentions him four times. First where we read, "Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus (he was a twin), to his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him" (John 11:16). He was a devoted man there. Only a zealous man, whose heart is devoted, would say, "Let us go with the Lord though it cost us our lives."