John 11:16

11:16 So Thomas (called Didymus ¹ ) ²  said to his fellow disciples, “Let us go too, so that we may die with him.” ³ 

John 20:24

The Response of Thomas

20:24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), ⁴  one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

[11:16]  ¹ sn Didymus means “the twin” in Greek.

[11:16]  ² sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[11:16]  ³ sn One gets the impression from Thomas’ statement “Let us go too, so that we may die with him” that he was something of a pessimist resigned to his fate. And yet his dedicated loyalty to Jesus and his determination to accompany him at all costs was truly commendable. Nor is the contrast between this statement and the confession of Thomas in 20:28, which forms the climax of the entire Fourth Gospel, to be overlooked; certainly Thomas’ concept of who Jesus is has changed drastically between 11:16 and 20:28.

[20:24]  ⁴ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author; Didymus means “the twin” in Greek.