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Thaddeus

Pronounced THAD-ee-us

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✓ In the King James Bible — Yes — Thaddeus appears in the King James Bible, including Matthew 10:3.

Meaning: "Courageous heart; Breast/Heart"
Origin: Aramaic

Thaddeus means "courageous heart" or is derived from the Aramaic word for "breast" or "heart." He was one of the twelve apostles, also known as "Lebbaeus" (Matthew 10:3) and "Judas, not Iscariot" (John 14:22). Thaddeus is one of the quieter apostles in Scripture, but his single recorded question to Jesus is profoundly important: "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" Jesus' response revealed that God's self-revelation comes through loving obedience: "If a man love me, he will keep my words." Church tradition holds that Thaddeus carried the Gospel to Mesopotamia and Persia, ultimately dying as a martyr. His willingness to ask the question others might have been afraid to voice, and then to carry the answer to distant lands, makes him a model of courageous faith.

Spiritual meaning

Thaddeus asked the question that unlocked one of Jesus' deepest teachings — showing that honest questions born from a courageous heart lead to profound revelation.

Related verses (KJV)

"Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus."
Matthew 10:3 (KJV) →
"Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words."
John 14:22-23 (KJV) →

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