Thebuthis is a minor antagonist in Chris Heimerdinger's 1997 novel The Sacred Quest. He is the Elders Quorum President in the town of Pella.
The Sacred Quest[]
When Harry Hawkins, Meagan Sorenson, and Jesse first arrive in Pella, they are greeted by Thebuthis. Thebuthis offers a free meal to Harry and Meagan, but not to Jesse, as he is a Jew. Harry asks to see the bishop of Pella, to which Thebuthis agrees and sends for the bishop. Thebuthis tells the bishop, Symeon Cleophas, about Harry, Meagan, and Jesse, and the trio enters Symeon's house.
Later, while Harry, Meagan, and Jesse are talking to Symeon, Thebuthis leads a group of religious authorities into Symeon's house. Symeon tries to assure Thebuthis that Harry and Meagan mean no harm, but Thebuthis is not convinced. He notices an opened scroll on the table and inquires about it. When Symeon tells him it's the Scroll of Matthew, Thebuthis believes it to be a lie. He declares that he copied the most important books from the collection of James himself, and that this could not be the Scroll of Matthew. He orders the scroll to be burned outside. Symeon reluctantly goes outside to burn the scroll and comes back inside empty-handed. Thebuthis tries to use this to prove his point, stating that if the scroll really was God's word, then He would've protected it.
Unbeknownst to Thebuthis, Symeon actually had not burned the scroll. He had ran into a fellow church member named Agabus, gave him the scroll, and told him to flee.