“Did Thomas Have A Wife In The Bible” is a topic that explores the marital status of Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. Thomas, also known as Doubting Thomas, is primarily known for questioning the resurrection of Jesus until he was able to see and touch Jesus’ wounds firsthand.
There is no explicit mention of Thomas having a wife in the Bible. The New Testament does not provide any information about his marital status or whether he had a family. The focus of the biblical accounts is primarily on the teachings and actions of Jesus, rather than the personal lives of the disciples.
The absence of information about Thomas’
We know for certain that Peter was married because he had a mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14). The apostle Paul, who was not married, asked the Corinthians whether he also did not have the right to take a believing wife (1 Corinthians 9:5), as did “the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas [Peter].” From this, we can assume that Peter was not the only one to have a wife.
From the fact that some of the disciples were married, we can conclude that it is right for ministers to marry and that the Roman Catholic doctrine of the celibacy of the clergy is contrary to apostolic example. Peter is claimed by the Roman Catholics to be the head of the church, and the Pope, according to their view, is the successor of this apostle. Yet they maintain that it is wrong for priests to marry. If that is true, why did not Christ at once reject Peter from being an apostle for having a wife? How remarkable that he should be set up as the head of the church and an example and a model to all who were to succeed him. But a celibate clergy is tradition and human law and is contrary to the New Testament (1Timothy 3:2-5). That Peter having a wife was no objection to his being an apostle is clear, and marriage has been expressly declared to be “honorable in all” with no exception made for the clergy (Hebrews 13:4).
Finally, we can conclude that it is equally acceptable for missionaries to marry and to take their wives with them to the mission field. The apostles were missionaries and spent their lives in pagan nations as missionaries do now. We should also note that there are still people like Paul who can do more good without being married. There are circumstances like his where it is not advisable to marry, and there can be no doubt that Paul regarded the unmarried state for a missionary as preferable and advisable.
Did Thomas Have A Wife In The Bible?
The Doubting Thomas
Thomas, also known as Didymus, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is often referred to as “Doubting Thomas” because of his skepticism towards the resurrection of Jesus.
Marital Status of Thomas
There is no direct mention of Thomas having a wife in the Bible. However, some scholars believe that he may have been married based on cultural norms of the time and the fact that most Jewish men of that era were married.
Biblical References
1. John 11:16 – In this verse, Thomas speaks about going with Jesus to Bethany, where they learn about the death of Lazarus. There is no mention of a wife in this passage.
2. John 20:24-29 – This is the famous passage where Thomas doubts the resurrection of Jesus until he sees and touches his wounds. Again, no mention of a wife.
3. Acts 1:13-14 – This verse lists the disciples who were gathered together after the ascension of Jesus. Thomas is mentioned, but there is no indication of a wife being present.
The Disciple Peter Was Married
Although the Bible doesn’t have a lot to say about the marital status of the twelve disciples, we do have a couple of verses that give us some insight into the matter.
(Mathew 8:14-15) When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
The Gospels of Mathew, Mark, and Luke all three tell about Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law. Therefore, we know Peter had a wife. Whether Peter was currently married when his mother-in-law was healed, or if he was a widower at this time, the Bible doesn’t say. His wife is never specifically mentioned in the Bible.
The Other Apostles/Disciples Wives
(1 Corinthians 9:5) Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
We do not find the Bible saying anything else beyond Peter that associates by name any of the other eleven disciples being married. Even so, Paul’s question in 1 Corinthians leads us to believe that at least some of the other apostles could have been married. The apostle Paul assumed the right to take a believing wife along with him as the other apostles had done.
Clement of Alexandria
When answering the question, “Were any of Jesus’ disciples married?” it’s worth noting that some people make mention of Clement of Alexandria. The Christian theologian says that both Peter and Philip were married in his writings.
According to the Bible, it does seem that at least some of the twelve disciples did say “I do”!
What did Thomas the Apostle do for a living
St. Thomas was a Jew, called to be one of the twelve Apostles. He was a dedicated but impetuous follower of Christ.
When Jesus said He was returning to Judea to visit His sick friend Lazarus, Thomas immediately exhorted the other Apostles to accompany Him on the trip which involved certain danger and possible death because of the mounting hostility of the authorities.
At the Last Supper, when Christ told His Apostles that He was going to prepare a place for them to which they also might come because they knew both the place and the way, Thomas pleaded that they did not understand and received the beautiful assurance that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
But St. Thomas is best known for his role in verifying the Resurrection of his Master. Thomas’ unwillingness to believe that the other Apostles had seen their risen Lord on the first Easter Sunday merited for him the title of “doubting Thomas.” Eight days later, on Christ’s second apparition, Thomas was gently rebuked for his scepticism and furnished with the evidence he had demanded – seeing in Christ’s hands the point of the nails and putting his fingers in the place of the nails and his hand into His side. At this, St. Thomas became convinced of the truth of the Resurrection and exclaimed: “My Lord and My God,” thus making a public Profession of Faith in the Divinity of Jesus.
St. Thomas is also mentioned as being present at another Resurrection appearance of Jesus – at Lake Tiberias when a miraculous catch of fish occurred. This is all that we know about St. Thomas from the New Testament.
Tradition says that at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost this saint was sent to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians; he ultimately reached India, carrying the Faith to the Malabar coast, which still boasts a large native population calling themselves “Christians of St. Thomas.”
He capped his left by shedding his blood for his Master, speared to death at a place called Calamine.