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Joh_11:16. Thomas ( úÌÀàÉí = úÌÉàîÈà ), after the Greek translation of his name (twin), was called among the Gentile Christians Didymus. That Jesus gave him this name for the purpose of signifying that his nature was one which halted, and was divided between the old and the new man, is an invention of Hengstenberg’s, which he even goes so far as to base on Gen_25:23 f.
Notwithstanding what had been said in Joh_11:9, Thomas looked upon the return of Jesus as leading to His death; with His quick temperament, he at once expresses what is in His mind; immediately, however, manifesting the resignation and courage of love,[78] seeing that their business now was to obey the clearly and definitely declared will of the Lord (differently in Joh_14:5, Joh_20:24). There is no ground for charging him here with “inconsideratus zelus” (Calvin); or “Fear and Unbelief” (Chrysostom, Euth. Zigabenus); dualism of Belief and Unbelief (Hengstenberg), and the like.
μετʼ αὐτοῦ ] refers to Jesus,[79] not to Lazarus (Grotius, Ewald).
ΣΥΜΜΑΘΗΤΉς occurs in the New Testament only in this place; but see Plat. Euthyd. p. 272 c.
[78] Soph. Fragm. 690. Dind.: θανόντι κείνῳ συνθανεῖν ἔρως μʼ ἔχει . Eur. Suppl. 1009 ff.
[79] This reference follows in accordance with the context from ver. 8 and from καὶ ἡμεῖς , in which the καὶ points to Jesus. On the thought, comp. Mat_26:35 and parallels.