Acts of Apostle Thomas

II AD 30 - 40 PARTHIAN MISSION APOSTLE THOMAS IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
In II Kings 24:8-15, the last kings of Judah, Jehoiachin, was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
But after 37 years in the dungeon of Babylon II Kings 25:27-30 says the King “…did lift up the head
of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the thrones
of the kings that were with him in Babylon… ”(KJV) Thus not only that Johoiakim was made a vassal
King, but he was given a higher position ruling over several vassal kingdoms in the Babylonion Empire.
We should assume that Johoiakim was made ruler over the vassals who were themselves of the lost tribes.
Jehoiakim himself may have appointed others from the tribes of Israel - who were themselves Princes of
the tribes who led the migration - as his own vassals. Since Jehoiachin was a descendant of King David (of
the Phares line), his descendants apparently established a dynasty which continued to rule over descendants
of the ten tribes when they regained their independence. In fact I Chronicles 3:16-24 records that the royal
family of Judah did not die out, but produced many descendants during the generations after the fall of Jerusalem
The Phares branch of the Jews produced both King David and Jesus. This reference to the Zerah branch of
Judah is rare in Parthian annals, but there are many Parthian kings with names containing the root word
“Phares” (indicating David’s royal bloodline). From the eastern edge of Parthian rule and influence to the
western edge, Parthian kings regularly included the “Phares” name. A Parthian king who ruled in the area
of West India was named Gondophares, and several kings ruling over the Caucasus mountain kingdom of
Iberia were named Pharasmanes.
The Bnei Menashe (from northeast India) claim descent from the lost Tribe of Manasseh. Their
oral traditions depict them as originally going from the Persian Empire into Afghanistan.
According to their traditions, they then went to China, where they encountered persecution, then
pressed on to India and Southern Asia. DNA tests to determine whether or not they originate from
the Middle East has yielded mixed results.The Israeli government has recognized them as one of
the lost tribes and made them eligible for immigration under the Law of Return.
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