Church
History
Book I, chapter 13, paragraphs 9 through end
The answer of Jesus to the ruler Abgarus by the courier Ananias.
9 "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."
10 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.
11 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.'
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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
18 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.
19 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.
20 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 and fortieth
year."*
I have inserted them here in their proper place, translated from the Syriac
literally, and I hope to good purpose.
אין תגובות:
הוסף רשומת תגובה