Jesus' Apostles

Thomas  ("Doubting Thomas")

Thomas famously doubted the resurrection of Jesus and told the other disciples, “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” (John 20:25).

the Bible tells us little about him but Thomas’ cautious approach laid the foundation for evidence-based faith and for the Protestant teaching of sola fide, or faith alone.

Thomas wasn’t actually given a name in the original manuscripts. The name comes from the Aramaic word tĕʾomâ, which means “twin.” To help clarify who we’re talking about though, most manuscripts include the description, “called Didymus” or “called the Twin.”

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Matthew  (Levi)

Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector—one of the most reviled professions in first-century Judaism. As a tax collector (or publican), Matthew collected taxes for Rome from his fellow Jews in Capernaum. Tax collectors made their money by claining people owed Caesar more than they did and then skimming the extra off the top. As a result, they were considered sinners.

Now Mark and Luke call this tax collector Levi or Levi son of Alphaeus. Since these are parallel passages, and Levi is never referred to again, and Mark and Luke both include Matthew in the lists of apostles, it is assumed that Matthew and Levi are one in the same. While “Levi” may have referred to the tribe from which Matthew came, but it’s also possible that he had a Greek name (Matthew) and a Hebrew name (Levi), similar to how Paul was also known as Saul. Since Matthew/Levi was a Jew employed by Rome, that wouldn’t be surprising.

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