Abstract
This is a monograph with an edge. It emerged from a postdoctoral research project, but its aim was no mundane textual re-examination of early literary texts referring to the apostle Thomas. Instead, this study adopts an interdisciplinary approach to challenge what is seen as the pervasive assumption that the extra-canonical texts referring to Thomas are purely fictive. Thomaskutty frames his research question in the following manner: ‘Are the Thomas references in the Gospel of John, the Thomas compositions, and the early Thomas traditions in northwestern and southern India purely legendary as biblical scholars have assumed or do they preserve unexamined historical traditions intermittently as the Thomas Christians in India have believed?’ (p. 1). While Thomaskutty is correct that scholars have tended to see the so-called Thomas compositions as largely fictive, it might be overstating the case to say that biblical scholars have understood these traditions as entirely legendary. The link between the figure of Thomas and eastern Christianity, and perhaps with India itself has occasioned consideration of whether there might be an historical kernel to this tradition. Thomaskutty, however, undertakes a comprehensive study of early Thomas material to provide a more encompassing portrait of the figure of Thomas.
As the subtitle suggests the book is arranged in three parts, dealing in turn with Thomas in the Gospel of John, Thomas in the Apocryphal Documents, and Thomas in the Historical Traditions. In terms of arrangement, the reason for treating the Thomas in the Gospel of John as a discrete section, while examining the other New Testament texts that refer to Thomas (in disciple lists: Matt 10.3; Mk 3.18; Lk 6.5; Acts 1.13) in the third section on historical contexts is not entirely obvious. It is argued that in the fourth gospel Thomas’ portrayal is that of ‘a loyal, inquisitive, and developing model, his character advances towards a new level of faith commitment’ (p. 85). In the second section Thomaskutty examines four Thomas texts – The Gospel of Thomas, The Book of Thomas the Contender, The Acts of Thomas, The Infancy Gospel of Thomas. Analysis of these texts leads Thomaskutty to observe the proximity of Thomas to Jesus particularly in terms an attachment to Jesus that results in a deeper comprehension of his sayings. The twin-motif is emphasized (p. 119). However, one may question whether it is present in all these texts (cf. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas). Particularly helpful is the discussion of Thomas Christianity in India (pp. 197–201). Thomaskutty notes that Thomas Christianity possesses ‘a spirituality that focuses on the glorious trinity’ (p. 199). Presumably that aspect of spirituality did not originate with the figure of Thomas in the first century, but may evidence contact between Thomas Christianity and church traditions to the west.
In the end this is an intriguing study, which raises many significant questions. The author is to be commended for marshalling the evidence in a way that lends some support to the ideas being articulated. This volume now stands alongside a growing literature on early Thomas texts and traditions.