Verse 3. - Bartholomew. Nathanael (John 1:45, equivalent to Theodore) was so common a name (cf. Numbers 1:8; 1 Chronicles 2:14; 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 26:4; 2 Chronicles 17:7; 2 Chronicles 35:9; Ezra 10:22; Nehemiah 12:21, 36), that for further identification a patronymic ("son of Tolmai," Ptolemy) was used, which in this case (as in the case of a Bartholomew mentioned in 'Pesikta Rabbathi,' § 22, p. 113, edit. Friedmann; cf. also Levy, s.v.תלמיון), superseded the proper name. Thomas. "As Thomas (Δίδυμος), ' the Twin,' is properly a surname, and this apostle must have had some other name, there seems no reason for doubting this very early tradition [Eusebius, 'Hist. Eccl.,' 1:13, and probably the Old Syriac of John 14:22, et al.] that he also was a Jude" (Bishop Lightfoot, 'Galatians,' p. 257, edit. 1869). The ' Clem. Hem.,' 2:1, give Eliezer as the name of the other brother. Matthew the publican (Introduction, p. 20.), James the son of Alphseus. (On the possibility of the name and the person being identical with the Clopas of John 19:25, cf. Bishop Lightfoot, 'Galatians,' p. 260.) And Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;and Thaddaeus (Revised Version); as also Mark, while Luke and Acts 1:13 read "Jude [the brother, Authorized Version, but better the son, Revised Version] of James," which was doubtless his proper name. If the word "Thaddaeus" (תּדּאי) was as seems likely (for Edersheim's connexion of it with todah, "praise," is based on what is apparently a mere play of words in Talm. Bob., 'Sanh.,' 43a), originally a pet-name (Sehosskind, "Bosom-child," Weiss, Nosgen) from תַּדֵּי, "the female breasts," it is intelligible that he or others would prefer the somewhat synonymous "Lebbseus" (לֵב, "heart"), which might mean "child of one's heart," but more probably "courageous," found in the "Western" text. The similarity of sound would help towards this, even if another derivation that seems possible, "the Fiery" (from לִבָּה, "kindle"), be the true one. In the latter case the appellation, "Jude the Zealot" (Old Latin), may rest on something more than a mistaken interpretation of the parallel passage in Luke. In Westcott and Herr, 'App.,' it is said that "this name [Lebbaeus] is apparently due to an early attempt to bring Levi (Δευείς) the publican (Luke 5:27) within the Twelve, it being assumed that his call was to apostleship just as in Mark 2:14Δευείς is changed in Western texts to Ἰάκωβος, because τὸν τοῦἉλφαίου follows, and it was assumed that the son of Halphseus elsewhere named as one of the Twelve must be meant. The difference between the two forms of the name would be inconsiderable in Aramaic, Lewi and Levi or Lebi or Lebbi; and Βεββαῖος might as easily represent Lebbi asΘαδδαῖος Τηαδδι.
10:1-4 The word apostle signifies messenger; they were Christ's messengers, sent forth to proclaim his kingdom. Christ gave them power to heal all manner of sickness. In the grace of the gospel there is a slave for every sore, a remedy for every malady. There is no spiritual disease, but there is power in Christ for the cure of it. There names are recorded, and it is their honour; yet they had more reason to rejoice that their names were written in heaven, while the high and mighty names of the great ones of the earth are buried in the dust.
Philip and Bartholomew,.... The first of these was called next; his name is a Greek one, which his parents, though Jews, might take from the Greeks that dwelt among them, see John 12:20 mention is made of one R. Phelipi, and Phulipa, in the Jewish writings (q). The latter of these, Bartholomew, is conjectured, by Dr. Lightfoot, to be the same with Nathanael, he being called next in order after Philip; and that his name was Nathanael, , "Bar Talmai", or "the son of Talmai", or "Ptolomy": a name once common to the kings of Egypt: so Talmai, king of Geshur, is by the Septuagint, in 2 Samuel 3:32 Samuel 13:37 called Tholmi, and in 1 Chronicles 3:2 Tholmai: hence it appears, that Bartholomew is no other than Bartholmi, or the son of Tholmi. We read of one R. Jonathan, , "ben Abtolemus", in the Talmud (r), whether the same name with this, may be considered.
Thomas, and Matthew the publican: by the other evangelists Matthew is mentioned first; but he being the writer of this Gospel, puts Thomas first, which is an instance of his modesty; and also calls himself the "publican", which the other do not: this he mentions, to magnify the grace of God in his vocation. The Jews (s) speak of "Matthai", or "Matthew", as a disciple of Jesus. Thomas was sometimes called Didymus; the one was his Hebrew, the other his Greek name, and both signify a "twin", as it is very likely he was: mention is made of R. Thoma, or Thomas bar Papias, in a Jewish writer (t). Next follow,
James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus: the former of these is so called, to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee. This is the James, who was the brother of our Lord, Galatians 1:19 and is called "James the less", Mark 15:40. Alphaeus his father, is the same with Cleopas, Luke 24:18 or Cleophas, John 19:25. The Hebrew name, which often occurs among the Jews (u), may be pronounced either Chlophi, or Alphi, or with the Greek termination Cleopas, or Alphaeus. The latter of this pair of apostles is the same person with Jude, the writer of the epistle, which bears that name, and was the brother of James, with whom he is coupled: he was called Lebbaeus, either from the town of Lebba, a sea coast town of Galilee, as Dr. Lightfoot thinks; or from the Hebrew word "my heart", as others, either for his prudence, or through the affections of his parents to him; as the Latins call one they love, "meum corculum", "my little heart"; or from "a lion", that being the motto of the tribe of Judah. His surname Thaddaeus, is thought by some to be a deflexion of Jude; or Judas, and as coming from the same root, which signifies "to praise", or "give thanks"; or from the Syriac word, "a breast", and may be so called for the same reason as he was Lebbaeus. Frequent mention is made of this name, "Thaddai", or "Thaddaeus", among the Talmudic (w) doctors. The Jews themselves speak (x) of one "Thodah", as a disciple of Jesus, by whom no doubt they mean this same disciple. Eusebius (y) mentions one Thaddaeus, as one of the seventy disciples, who was sent to Agbarus, king of Edessa, who was healed and converted by him. This Agbarus is reported to have wrote a letter to Jesus Christ, desiring him to come and cure him of his disease; to which Christ is said to return an answer, promising to send one of his disciples, who should do it; and that accordingly, after Christ's death, Thomas sent this Thaddaeus to him.
Thomas, and Matthew the publican: by the other evangelists Matthew is mentioned first; but he being the writer of this Gospel, puts Thomas first, which is an instance of his modesty; and also calls himself the "publican", which the other do not: this he mentions, to magnify the grace of God in his vocation. The Jews (s) speak of "Matthai", or "Matthew", as a disciple of Jesus. Thomas was sometimes called Didymus; the one was his Hebrew, the other his Greek name, and both signify a "twin", as it is very likely he was: mention is made of R. Thoma, or Thomas bar Papias, in a Jewish writer (t). Next follow,
James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus: the former of these is so called, to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee. This is the James, who was the brother of our Lord, Galatians 1:19 and is called "James the less", Mark 15:40. Alphaeus his father, is the same with Cleopas, Luke 24:18 or Cleophas, John 19:25. The Hebrew name, which often occurs among the Jews (u), may be pronounced either Chlophi, or Alphi, or with the Greek termination Cleopas, or Alphaeus. The latter of this pair of apostles is the same person with Jude, the writer of the epistle, which bears that name, and was the brother of James, with whom he is coupled: he was called Lebbaeus, either from the town of Lebba, a sea coast town of Galilee, as Dr. Lightfoot thinks; or from the Hebrew word "my heart", as others, either for his prudence, or through the affections of his parents to him; as the Latins call one they love, "meum corculum", "my little heart"; or from "a lion", that being the motto of the tribe of Judah. His surname Thaddaeus, is thought by some to be a deflexion of Jude; or Judas, and as coming from the same root, which signifies "to praise", or "give thanks"; or from the Syriac word, "a breast", and may be so called for the same reason as he was Lebbaeus. Frequent mention is made of this name, "Thaddai", or "Thaddaeus", among the Talmudic (w) doctors. The Jews themselves speak (x) of one "Thodah", as a disciple of Jesus, by whom no doubt they mean this same disciple. Eusebius (y) mentions one Thaddaeus, as one of the seventy disciples, who was sent to Agbarus, king of Edessa, who was healed and converted by him. This Agbarus is reported to have wrote a letter to Jesus Christ, desiring him to come and cure him of his disease; to which Christ is said to return an answer, promising to send one of his disciples, who should do it; and that accordingly, after Christ's death, Thomas sent this Thaddaeus to him.
(q) Massechet Sopherim, c. 21. sect. 7. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 71. fol. 63. 4. (r) T. Bab. Nidda, fol. 19. 1.((s) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 43. 1.((t) Juchasin, fol. 105. 2.((u) Echa Rabbati, fol. 58. 4. Midrash Kohelet, fol. 60. 4. Juchasin, fol. 92. 1.((w) T. Hieros. Celaim, fol. 27. 2. Sabbat, fol. 6. 1. Erubim, fol. 23. 3. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 123. 1. & Erubim, fol. 71. 2. Juchasin, fol. 81. 1. & 105. 2. & 108. 1.((x) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 43. l. (y) Eccl. Hist. l. 1. c. 12, 13.