Be aware of the propaganda and secret agenda to destroy Christian faith in India by rewriting history, and then declare India a Hindu nation. BJP and its supporters are very good in rewriting history taught in schools and Universities. The issue of St Thomas coming to Kerala was discussed many times here. No matter what convincing arguments given on the subject, it is their strategy to wait for some time till readers forget the previous arguments and again start the propaganda against it. When you say something, it must be based on something and not your ‘thonnalukal’ or from your hidden agenda. What evidence this scholar has to present as proof to make such blind statements?

Suppose I went to Bombay or another country. What evidence you can you find in Archeology that I went to Bombay or another country? Those days writing was not common, and no records were kept. What type of stupid arguments this so called historian is making? It might help to convince some naïve readers who do not know the meaning of Archeology or its methods or its validity.

Another claim here is that there were no people living in Kerala during the first century. Historical evidence is there for trade relations between ancient Babylonians, Persians and Greeks with the western coast of Kerala. Solomon also traded with products from Kerala with the help of Hiram and his ships. Sidonians or Phoenicians were the rulers of sea those days and Hiram belonged to the Phoenician race. Herodotus describes the dress and curly hair of South Indians soldiers that participated in the Greek Persian conflict.

We know that Aryans came to India around BC1700-BC-1500 after traveling thousands of miles from Middle East and Central Asia, and they pushed the Dravidians to the south in the ensuing conflict. About the claim that there were no people living in Kerala around the time St. Thomas came, there is no common sense in it. Dravidians who were pushed to the south did not walk this short distance that can be covered in a few days? During Persian rule the postal system in the empire could cover the whole empire in one week’s time with horses. North Indians did not trade with South Indians for two thousand years, and they were not curious to know what the South Indians were doing there to not go there for two thousand years from BC1700?  There were always conflicts and perpetual war between people groups and kingdoms during those days. North Indians did not try to subdue South Indians for 2000 years? Brahmins and Naboothiri were a group in Aryans and they they were in Kerala when St. Thomas came as in the tradition. This historian must be ashamed to make such blind statements without supporting evidence.

Why Catholic Church has to teach that St. Thomas came to India? Portughese only tried to cover it up because they wanted to take all the credit for spreading Christianity in Kerala and they did not want to admit the St. Thomas tradition. So it is propaganda that Portughese invented it. Naïve among readers only believe such propaganda. Those who close eyes and make it dark and people with hidden agenda only will make statements like this historian makes here.

തോമ കേരളത്തില്‍ വന്നോ?

 i have written about this previously several times, but like to refresh. My findings are in my book -തോമായുടെ സുവിശേഷം.....Vol-2 of A BIBLE FOR THE NEW MILLLENNIUM- pages 58-64

in brief:- we can trace back trade relations with Syria & Malabar around BCE 500 and with Roman & African regions around BCE 1500. The Hebrews [Jews] might have come to Malabar as early as BCE 500. The Jews remained to be as Jews and there is no evidence of them converted to be Christians other than inter marriage. We can see they all returned to Israel when the Nation was formed. So the claim/ concept that Jews got converted make no sense.

 The Brahmins were not in Malabar in the 1^st cent. They came to palakkat region in the late 8^th century in small groups.

The church buildings & reverence of cross did not come into existence until Emperor Constantine.  Christians worshipped in small house hold ‘prayer meets’ like a cult until those times.  So Thoma building churches or erecting crosses is a foolish claim. Thoma, like Jesus was a carpenter is another false claim. The new Testament authors made a mistake in translation. Joseph, Jesu’s father was a man worked with hands- may be including working on wood. In the beginning of Christianity, they worshipped as ‘love feast’ in small cults. There was no cross or any statues. The church, priest, bishop, all are 3^rd century fabrication of the ‘Acts of the apostles’.

 The first known churches in Kerala could be abandoned Buddhist shrines occupied by Christians and Temple cults of Hinduism. The idea of Thoma came to India was a false understanding from the 3^rd cent. Fiction ‘Acts of Thomas’ by Syrians. At those times, India doesn’t mean the main land of India. India at that time= any and all unknown land area. As per the book, Thomas is a twin brother of Jesus- rest is left for your imagination. King Gondaforus never ruled Kerala, he was a king of the regions of west of Indus River. Jesus sold Thoma to some travelling merchants, and Jesu was a bad kid.

 The first known Christians of Kerala were Nestorians, nothing to do with modern Christians. The myalapoor, malayattor are all Portuguese fabrications. They preached the same tricks in several parts of south America too.

As a critic of historical records, try to get as much data as possible before anyone reaches a conclusion. No matter how clear the proof is people like Andrews are not going to believe it if it is against the propaganda machine he is driving. Just get some basics from Wikipedia...Let me put some for the reference of 'so-called elite researchers'...

A number of early Christian writings written during centuries immediately following the first Ecumenical Council of 325 mention Thomas' mission.

• The apocryphal Acts of Thomas, sometimes called by its full name The Acts of Judas Thomas: 2nd/3rd century (c. 180–230)^[45][46] Gist of the testimony: The Apostles cast lots as to where they should go, and to Thomas fell India. Habban took Thomas to king Gondophares, the ruler of Indo-Parthian Kingdom, as an architect and carpenter. The journey to India is described in detail. After a long residence in the court at ancient Taxila, he ordained leaders for the Church and left in a chariot for the kingdom of Mazdei. According to the Acts of St. Thomas, the Kingdom of Mazdai, in the Southern India, was ruled by King Misdeus. Some Greek Satraps, the descendents of Alexander the Great, were vassals to the Indo-Parthian Kingdom.^[47][48] The king Misdeus was infuriated when Saint Thomas converted his Queen Tertia, son Juzanes, sister-in-law princess Mygdonia (a province of Mesopotamia), and her friend Markia. Misdeus led Saint Thomas outside the city and ordered four soldiers to take him to the nearby hill, where the soldiers speared Thomas and killed him. Syphorus was elected the first presbyter by the brethren, after Thomas' death, while Juzanes the prince became the deacon. The names Misdeus, Tertia, Juzanes, Syphorus, Markia, and Mygdonia suggest Greek descent or Hellenised Persian descent^[49] There, after performing many miracles, he dies a martyr.^[50] During the rule of Vasudeva I, the Kushan emperor, the bones of Saint Thomas were transferred from the Mylapore to Edessa. These are generally rejected by various Christian religions as either apocryphal or heretical. The two centuries that lapsed between the life of the apostle and the recording of this work cast doubt on their authenticity.
• Doctrine of the Apostles, 3rd century; Church represented: Syrian ^[51] “After the death of the Apostles there were Guides and Rulers in the Churches… They again at their deaths also committed and delivered to their disciples after them everything which they had received from the Apostles; … (also what) Judas Thomas (had written) from India”.^{[clarification needed]}

“India and all its own countries, and those bordering on it, even to the farther sea, received the Apostle’s hand of Priesthood from Judas Thomas, who was Guide and Ruler in the Church which he built and ministered there”. In what follows “the whole Persia of the Assyrians and Medes, and of the countries round about Babylon… even to the borders of the Indians and even to the country of Gog and Magog” are said to have received the Apostles’ Hand of Priesthood from Aggaeus the disciple of Addaeus ^[52]

• Origen: 3rd century (185–254?), quoted in Eusebius; Church represented: Alexandrian/ Greek Biographical. Christian Philosopher, b-Egypt, Origen taught with great acclaim in Alexandria and then in Caesarea.^[53] He is the first known writer to record the casting of lots by the Apostles. Origen's original work has been lost, but his statement about Parthia falling to Thomas has been preserved by Eusebius. “Origen, in the third chapter of his Commentary on Genesis, says that, according to tradition, Thomas’s allotted field of labour was Parthia”.^[54]
• Eusebius of Caesarea: 4th century (died 340); Church Represented: Alexandrian/Greek Biographical ^[55] Quoting Origen, Eusebius says: “When the holy Apostles and disciples of our Saviour were scattered over all the world, Thomas, so the tradition has it, obtained as his portion Parthia…”^[56] "Judas, who is also called Thomas" has a role in the legend of king Abgar of Edessa (Urfa), for having sent Thaddaeus to preach in Edessa after the Ascension (Eusebius, Historia ecclesiae 1.13; III.1; Ephrem the Syrian also recounts this legend.)
• Ephrem: 4th century; Church Represented: Syrian Biographical ^[57] Many devotional hymns composed by St. Ephraem bear witness to the Edessan Church’s strong conviction concerning St. Thomas’s Indian Apostolate. There the devil speaks of Saint Thomas as “the Apostle I slew in India”. Also “The merchant brought the bones” to Edessa.

Another hymn eulogizing Saint Thomas reads “The bones the merchant hath brought”. “In his several journeyings to India/ And thence on his return/ All riches/ which there he found/ Dirt in his eyes he did repute when to thy sacred bones compared”. In yet another hymn Ephrem speaks of the mission of Thomas: “The earth darkened with sacrifices’ fumes to illuminate”, “a land of people dark fell to thy lot”, “a tainted land Thomas has purified”; “India’s dark night” was “flooded with light” by Thomas.^[58]

• Gregory of Nazianzus: 4th century (died 389); Church Represented: Alexandrian. Biographical Note: Gregory of Nazianzus was born AD 330, consecrated a bishop by his friend St. Basil; in 372 his father, the Bishop of Nazianzus, induced him to share his charge. In 379 the people of Constantinople called him to be their bishop. By the Orthodox Church he is emphatically called "the Theologian".^[59] “What? were not the Apostles strangers amidst the many nations and countries over which they spread themselves? … Peter indeed may have belonged to Judea; but what had Paul in common with the gentiles, Luke with Achaia, Andrew with Epirus, John with Ephesus, Thomas with India, Mark with Italy?” ^[60]
• Ambrose of Milan: 4th century (died 397); Church Represented: Western. Biographical Note: Saint Ambrose was thoroughly acquainted with the Greek and Latin Classics, and had a good deal of information on India and Indians. He speaks of the Gymnosophists of India, the Indian Ocean, the river Ganges etc., a number of times.^[61] “This admitted of the Apostles being sent without delay according to the saying of our Lord Jesus… Even those Kingdoms which were shut out by rugged mountains became accessible to them, as India to Thomas, Persia to Matthew...” ^[62]
• Saint Gregory of Tours (died 594) Saint Gregory's testimony: “Thomas the Apostle, according to the narrative of his martyrdom is stated to have suffered in India. His holy remains (corpus), after a long interval of time, were removed to the city of Edessa in Syria and there interred. In that part of India where they first rested, stand a monastery and a church of striking dimensions, elaborately adorned and designed. This Theodore, who had been to the place, narrated to us.'^[63]
  

തോമ = ഇരട്ട – ആരുടെ

Few thoughts for truth seekers

1] Thoma originated from Didymos= twin; twin of whom. He was regarded as the twin brother of Jesus.  Did Jesus & Thoma were born from the same pregnancy?  Was Thoma a son of Joseph or Mary? In order to look alike and be called just a twin; both should have a common father or mother.

2] ‘the acts of Thoma is a late 3rd-century pseudo-book. Orthodox/ Apostolic churches do not accept it as genuine. So, no church can quote it as a proof of Thoma came to India as long as they don’t acknowledge the book. If they accept it, they have to admit that Jesus & Thoma had a common father or Mother. - if so, there goes the Christology, virgin birth, only son of god, etc.

3] ‘The Acts of Thoma’ illustrates Jesus as a bad misbehaved kid. Jesus sold Thoma to travelling merchants. [ read the book online for yourself]

4] in ch.2 of the Acts of the Apostles there is a list of all known geographical areas at the time. India is not mentioned. King Gondoforous mentioned in the Acts of Thoma ruled western Asia- Pakistan, Afghanistan area not Kerala.

5] in the beginning until the Synod of Nicaea, Christians were small cults which differed a lot in belief, in fact, they fought each other. You can see that in the letters in the name of Paul. There were no churches or cross worship until the time of Helena the mother of Constantine. So even if Thoma came to Kerala, he won’t erect or construct crosses & churches.

6] until the modern times, any unknown geographical area was given a common name ‘India’ & natives as Indians. So Thoma could have gone to any of those unknown areas. Where ever the Portuguese preached Christianity, Thoma was there.

7]  Jesus had 13+ Paul as his disciples and what happened to their ‘throne’, where are they? Only Thoma, Peter / Paul have it?

8] starting with the first gospel according to Mark CE 70; the books of the new testament were re-written several times and there were hundreds of them which were destroyed. The present NT {new testament} is a politically edited fabrication to serve the establishment of the church-religion. There are very little true facts in it. The Jesus in the gospels differ a lot and Paul’s Jesus is way different. There is very little truth about the real or historical Jesus in the NT.

9] there is no eye-witness news of Jesus or Thoma. The only historical reference about Thoma came even centuries later which is quoted by many church historians & in the web now a day. How far you can remember back; even the food you ate, maybe a few days back, not 10 years before on a particular day. The authors of the books of the Bible are unknown, they were given some known names to look authoritative and Historical. But it is all just a Novel.

10] Christians might have reached the shores of Kerala by late 4^th cent through trade routes.

 Ps: Thoma coming to India is just a belief, a tradition of the Christians of the pre- Portuguese times. You may believe whatever you want but don’t claim it as history.

#ക്രിസ്തുമതമെന്നതട്ടിപ്പ്

ഏഴരപ്പള്ളിയിലെ ക്രിസ്തുമത തട്ടിപ്പും, മാനിക്കേയൻ വാദവും.

തോമാശ്ലീഹ കേരളത്തിൽ എത്തി നമ്പൂതിരിമാരെ സ്നാന സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് ക്രിസ്ത്യാനിയാക്കി എന്ന് അവകാശപ്പെടുന്നതു പോലെ തന്നെ തട്ടപ്പാണ് തോമശ്ലീഹഏഴരപ്പള്ളികൾ സ്ഥാപിച്ചെന്ന അവകാശവാദവും, എന്ന് ചരിത്രം പരിശോധിക്കുന്നവർക്ക് മനസിലാക്കാൻ വലിയ ബുദ്ധിമുട്ട് ഉണ്ടാവുകയില്ല.. ഈ പറയുന്ന ഏഴരപ്പള്ളികൾ ക്രിസ്തീയ ദേവാലയങ്ങൾ ആയിരുന്നില്ല എന്നതിലേക്കാണ് ചരിത്രം വിരൽ ചൂണ്ടുന്നത്.ഈ വിപരീത ചരിത്രം മനസിലാക്കിയാൽ ക്രിസ്തുമതം കേരളത്തിൽ നടത്തുന്ന തട്ടിപ്പിന്റെ ആഴം വ്യക്തമാവും.കേരളത്തിലും, മൈനാപ്പൂരിലും കണ്ടെത്തിയ പള്ളിയും, കുരിശും, മാനിക്കേയൻ മതക്കാരുടെതാവാനേ തരമുള്ളൂ.. പിൽക്കാലത്ത് ക്രൈസ്തവർ കൈവശപ്പെടുത്തിയതാണ് ഇപ്പോൾ അവർ ഉയർത്തിപ്പിടിക്കുന്ന തോമാശ്ലീഹ പാരമ്പര്യമുള്ള ഏഴരപ്പള്ളികൾ..!!ഈ തോമാശ്ലീഹ തന്നെ ഒരു മാനിക്കേയൻ പുരോഹിതനായിരുന്നുവെന്നും, പിന്നീട് ക്രൈസ്തവർ തോമാശ്ലീഹ സങ്കൽപ്പം വച്ചുകെട്ടി ആരാധിക്കുന്നതാണന്നും വാദിക്കുന്നവരുണ്ട്.. എന്താണ് ആ വാദമെന്ന് നോക്കാം...

 is true that there is arguments among Bible scholars whose twin "Thomas" is. The majority of them conclude that 'Thomas' was Jude who wrote an epistle later. However this argument does not contradict whether 'Thomas' came to India or not. For those who want to follow the argument can do so. It is part of their propaganda against Christianity. Read carefully the following...

It's likely that Thomas was a nickname rather than his given name. Parents of twins would not name one of them "Twin". Yet by translating "Thomas" to "Didymus" three times, the Gospel of John makes it clear that as an adult Thomas was known—even among Greek speakers—as "the twin".

We don't know exactly where or why he got this nickname, or what his given name was. The apocryphal Acts of Thomas, written in the early third century, identifies him as "Judas Thomas", and fourth century historian Eusebius refers to him once as "Judas, who was also called Thomas".

The gnostic scolls found at Nag Hammadi include a text called The Book of Thomas the Contender, (most likely dating to the late second or early third century) which claims to record "the secret words that the savior spoke to Judas Thomas," and includes this statement:

Now, since it has been said that you are my twin and true companion, examine yourself, and learn who you are, in what way you exist, and how you will come to be. Since you will be called my brother, it is not fitting that you be ignorant of yourself.

A few scholars have understood this to mean that Thomas and Jesus were very similar in appearance. Some have gone so far as to suggest that Thomas is the brother of Jesus and the author of the book of Jude. The majority, however, believe this text is using "brother" and "twin" metaphorically.

At any rate, all of these texts are too late to be considered primary sources.

Most of the early Christians offered no suggestions or speculations about who Thomas' twin might have been. When they mentioned Thomas at all, it was only in passing.

Second century apologist Justin Martyr gives the earliest extra-biblical mention of Thomas that I have been able to find. While discussing the numerological system of a gnostic sect known as the Marcosians, Justin says:

and the ten apostles to whom the Lord appeared after His resurrection,—Thomas being absent,—represented, according to them, the invisible Decad.

Third century apologist Tertullian, arguing against the docetic teachings of Marcion, says:

Now, not even to His apostles was His nature ever a matter of deception. He was truly both seen and heard upon the mount; true and real was the draught of that wine at the marriage of (Cana in) Galilee; true and real also was the touch of the then believing Thomas.

The fact that Thomas was called the twin seems not to have been important to the early Christians. John Chrysostom, for example, composed nearly 90 homilies on the Gospel of John, but never mentioned Thomas being called the twin.

We simply do not have enough information to answer this question. Pope Benedict, in a reflection on Thomas in 2006, mentioned the etymology of the name but added, "The reason for this nickname is unclear."

One recent speculation is that Thomas' name was not actually derived from the Aramaic word for twin, but sounded enough like it that it became a nickname.

Judea had long been part of the Seleucid Empire, and a very common Macedonian name was Ptolemy, which, in Aramaic, was rendered as Talmai or Talmais. That might explain why he was also known as Judas , which basically identified him as Judean; because there was a desire to make it clear that he was of Judaic rather than Greek descent. Note that Bartholomew, the name of the Apostle who may have traveled to India with Thomas after Jesus' crucifixion, is believed to derive from bar Talmai, meaning "son of Ptolemy".

This explanation depends on the later texts that identify him as Judas Thomas, so it has not won much support.

At least one minister has suggested that in his doubts, Thomas is the twin of all of us.

So, back to the question, who is Thomas’ twin? Could be me, could be you. Could be each of us and all of us together, as we summon the courage to doubt our doubts, as we read and study the gospel seeking answers to questions. Could be each of us and all of us together when we join the confession of faith: “My Lord and my God.”