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The divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ being noised
abroad among all men on account of his wonder-working power, he
attracted countless numbers from foreign countries lying far away from
Judea, who had the opening of being cured of their diseases and of all
kinds of sufferings.
For instance the King Abgarus, who ruled with great glory the
nations beyond the Euphrates, being afflicted with a terrible disease
which it was beyond the power of human skill to cure, when he heard of
the name of Jesus, and of his miracles, which were attested by all
with one accord sent a message to him by a courier and begged him to
heal his disease.
But he did not at that time comply with his request; yet he deemed him
worthy of a personal letter in which he said that he would send one of
his disciples to cure his disease, and at the same time promised
salvation to himself and all his house.
Not long afterward hispromise was fulfilled. For after his
resurrection from the dead and his ascent into heaven, Thomas, one of
the twelve apostles, under divine impulse sent Thaddeus, who was also
numbered among the seventy disciples of Christ, to Edessa, as a
preacher and evangelist of the teaching of Christ.
And all that our Saviour had promised received through him its
fulfillment. You have written evidence of these things taken from the
archives of Edessa, which was at that time a royal city. For in the
public registers there, which contain accounts of ancient times and the
acts of Abgarus, these things have been found preserved down to the
present time. But there is no better way than to hear the epistles
themselves which we have taken from the archives and have literally
translated from the Syriac language in the following manner.
Copy of an epistle written by Abgarus the ruler to Jesus, tend sent
to him at Jerusalem by Ananias the swift courier.
"Abgarus, ruler Of Edessa, to Jesus the excellent Saviour who
has appeared in the country of Jerusalem, greeting. I have heard the
reports of thee and of thy cures as performed by thee without medicines
or herbs. For it is said that thou makest the blind to see and the
lame to walk, that thou cleansest lepers and castest out impure spirits
and demons, and that thou healest those afflicted with lingering
disease, and raisest the dead.
And having heard all these things concerning thee, I have concluded
that one of two things must be true: either thou art God, and having
come down from heaven thou doest these things, or else thou, who doest
these things, art the Son of God.
I have therefore written to thee to ask thee that thou wouldest take
the trouble to come to me and heal the disease which I have. For I
have heard that the Jews are murmuring against thee and are plotting to
injure thee. But I have a very small yet noble city which is great
enough for us both."
The answer of Jesus to the ruler Abgarus by the courier Ananias.
"Blessed art thou who hast believed in me without having seen me.
For it is written concerning me, that they who have seen me will not
believe in me, and that they who have not seen me will believe and be
saved. But in regard to what thou hast written me, that I should
come to thee, it is necessary for me to fulfill all things here for
which I have been sent, and after I have fulfilled them thus to be
taken up again to him that sent me. But after I have been taken up I
will send to thee one of my disciples, that he may heal thy disease and
give life to thee and thine."
To these epistles there was added the following account in the Syriac
language. "After the ascension of Jesus, Judas, who was also
called Thomas, sent to him Thaddeus, an apostle, one of the
Seventy. When he was come he lodged with Tobias, the son of
Tobias. When the report of him got abroad, it was told Abgarus that
an apostle of Jesus was come, as he had written him.
Thaddeus began then in the power of God to heal every disease and
infirmity, insomuch that all wondered. And when Abgarus heard of the
great and wonderful things which he did and of the cures which he
performed, he began to suspect that he was the one of whom Jesus had
written him, saying, `After I have been taken up I will send to
thee one of my disciples who will heal thee.'
Therefore, summoning Tobias, with whom Thaddeus lodged, he said,
I have heard that a certain man of power has come and is lodging in thy
house. Bring him to me. And Tobias coming to Thaddeus said to
him, The ruler Abgarus summoned me and told me to bring thee to him
that thou mightest heal him. And Thaddeus said, I will go, for I
have been sent to him with power.
Tobias therefore arose early on the following day, and taking
Thaddeus came to Abgarus. And when he came, the nobles were present
and stood about Abgarus. And immediately upon his entrance a great
vision appeared to Abgarus in the countenance of the apostle
Thaddeus. When Abgarus saw it he prostrated himself before
Thaddeus, while all those who stood about were astonished; for they
did not see the vision, which appeared to Abgarus alone.
He then asked Thaddeus if he were in truth a disciple of Jesus the
Son of God, who had said to him, `I will send thee one of my
disciples, who shall heal thee and give thee life.' And Thaddeus
said, Because thou hast mightily believed in him that sent me,
therefore have I been sent unto thee. And still further, if thou
believest in him, the petitions of thy heart shall be granted thee as
thou believest.
And Abgarus said to him, So much have I believed in him that I
wished to take an army and destroy those Jews who crucified him, had
I not been deterred from it by reason of the dominion of the Romans.
And Thaddeus said, Our Lord has fulfilled the will of his Father,
and having fulfilled it has been taken up to his Father. And Abgarus
said to him, I too have believed in him and in his Father.
And Thaddeus said to him, Therefore I place my hand upon thee in
his name. And when he had done it, immediately Abgarus was cured of
the disease and of the suffering which he had.
And Abgarus marvelled, that as he had heard concerning Jesus, so he
had received in very deed through his disciple Thaddeus, who healed
him without medicines and herbs, and not only him, but also Abdus the
son of Abdus, who was afflicted with the gout; for he too came to him
and fell at his feet, and having received a benediction by the
imposition of his hands, he was healed. The same Thaddeus cured also
many other inhabitants of the city, and did wonders and marvelous
works, and preached
the word of God. And afterward Abgarus said, Thou, O Thaddeus,
doest these things with the power of God, and we marvel. But, in
addition to these things, I pray thee to inform me in regard to the
coming of Jesus, how he was born; and in regard to his power, by
what power he performed those deeds of which I have heard.
And Thaddeus said, Now indeed will I keep silence, since I have
been sent to proclaim the word publicly. But tomorrow assemble for me
all thy citizens, and I will preach in their presence and sow among
them the word of God, concerning the coming of Jesus, how he was
born; and concerning his mission, for what purpose he was sent by the
Father; and concerning the power of his works, and the mysteries
which he proclaimed in the world, and by what power he did these
things; and concerning his new preaching, and his abasement and
humiliation, and how he humbled himself, and died and debased his
divinity and was crucified, and descended into Hades, and burst the
bars which from eternity had not been broken, and raised the dead; for
he descended alone, but rose with many, and thus ascended to his
Father.
Abgarus therefore commanded the citizens to assemble early in the
morning to hear the preaching of Thaddeus, and afterward he ordered
gold and silver to be given him. But he refused to take it, saying,
If we have forsaken that which was our own, how shall we take that
which is another's? These things were done in the three hundred
andfortieth year."
I have inserted them here in their proper place, translated from the
Syriac literally, and I hope to good purpose.
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