The Letter of Jesus to the Prince of Edessa

[Fidei Defensor]

The Letter of Jesus to Prince of Edessa is a well known text in time of the Early Church. It in no ways contradicts Scripture, and it actually is exciting to see Jesus' response to someone who believes in Him. 

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Story About The Prince of Edessa

The story about Thaddaeus1 is as follows: Because of His power to work miracles the divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ became in every land the subject of excited talk and attracted a vast number of people in foreign lands very remote from Judea, who came in hope of being cured of diseases and disorders of every kind. Thu it happened that when King Agbar, the brilliantly successful monarch of the peoples of Mesopotamia, who was dying from a terrible physical disorder which no human power could heal, heard continued mention of the name of Jesus and unanimous tribute to His miracles, he sent a humble request to Him by a letter-carrier, begging for relief from his disease. Jesus did not immediately accede to his request, but honored him with a personal letter, promising to send one of His disciples to cure his disease, and at the same time to bring salvation to him and all his kin. In a very short time the promise was fulfilled. After His resurrection and ascent to Heaven. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, was moved by inspiration to send Thaddaeus, himself in the list of Christ's seventy disciples, to Edessa as preacher and evangelist  of the teaching about Christ. Through him every word of our Saviour's promise was fulfilled.
   Written evidence of these things is available, taken from the Record Office at Edessa, at that time the royal capital. In the public documents there, embracing early history and also the events of Abgar's time, this record is found preserved from then till now; and the most satisfactory course is to listen to the actual letters, which I have extracted from archives and translated word for word from the Syriac as follows: 

• COPY OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY AGBAR THE TOPARCH TO JESUS AND SENT TO HIM AT JERUSALEM BY COURIER ANANIS   ---Agbar Uchama the Toparch to Jesus who has appeared as a gracious savior in the region of Jerusalem--- greeting. I have heard about you and about the cures you preform without drugs or herbs. If report is true, you make the blind see again and the lame walk about; you cleanse lepers, expel unclean spirits and demons, cure those suffering from chronic and painful diseases, and raise the dead. When I heard all this about you. I conclude that one of two things must be true -- either you are God and came down from heaven to do these things, or you are God's Son doing them. accordingly I am writing to beg you to come to me, whatever the inconvenience, and cure the disorder from which I suffer. I may add tat I understand  the Jews are treating you with contempt and desire to inure you: my city is very small, but highly esteemed, adequate to both of us. [He wrote this letter when the heavenly light had shone on him only a little while. It is desirable also to hear the letter which Jesus sent him by the same letter-carrier. It is only a few lines long, but very impressive. Here it is]:
• JESUS'S REPLY TO THE TOPARCH ABGAR BY THE COURIER ANANIAS --Happy are you who believed in me without having seen me! For it is written of me that those who have seen me will not believe in me, an that those who have not seen will believe and live. As to your request that I should come to you. I must complete all that I was sent to do here, and on competing it must at once be taken up to the One who sent me. When I have been taken up I will send you one of my disciples to cure your disorder and bring life to you and those with you.

    A letter from Jesus! The Lord responded to Agbar before his crucifixion in Jerusalem! The rest of the quotations will complete this story.

To these letters is subjoined the following in Syriac:

    After Jesus was taken up, Judas, also known as Thomas, sent to him as an apostle Thaddaeus, one of the Seventy, who came and stayed with Tobias, son of Tobias. when his arrival was announced [and he had been conspicuous by the wonders he preformed]. Abgar was told: 'An apostle has come here from Jesus, as He promised you in His letter. ' Then Thadaeus began in the power of God to cure every disease and weakness, to the astonishment of everyone. When Agbar heard the magnificent and astonishing things that he was doing and especially his cures, he began to suspect that this was the one to whom Jesus referred when He wrote in His letter. 'When I have been taken up I will send you one of my disciples who will cure your disorder.' So summoning Tobias, with whom Thaddaeus was staying, he said: 'I understand that a man with unusual powers has arrived and is staying in your house [and is working many cures in the name of Jesus.' Tobias answered: 'Yes, sir. A man from foreign parts has arrived and is living with me, and is performing many wonders.' Abgar replied: 'Bring him to me.'
  So Tobias went to Thaddaeus and said to him: 'The Toparch Abgar has summoned me and told me to bring you to him so that you can cure him' Thaddaeus answered: 'I will present myself, since the power of God has sent me to him.' The next day Tobias got up early and escorted Thaddaeus to Abgar. As he presented himself ,with the king's grandees standing there, at the moment of his entry a wonderful vision appeared to Abgar on the face of Thaddaeus. On seeing it Abgar bowed low before the apostle, and astonishment seized all the bystanders , for they had not seen the vision, which appeared to Abgar alone. He questioned Thaddaeus.
'Are you really a disciple of Jesus the Son of God, who said to me, "I will send you one of my disciples who will cure you and give you life"?'
Thaddaeus responded, "You wholeheartedly believed in the One who sent me, and for that reason I was sent to you. And again, if you believe in Him, in proportion to your belief shall the prayers of your hear be granted.'
"I believed in Him so strongly that I wanted to take an army and destroy the Jews who crucified Him, if I had not been prevented by the imperial power of Rome from doing so.' said Abgar.
'Our Lord has fulfilled the will of His Father, after fulfilling it He was taken up to the Father' said Thaddaeus.
'I too have believed Him and in His Father.' said Abgar.
'For that reason I lay my hand on you in His name." responded Thaddaeus.
   When he did this, Abgar was instantly cured of the disease and disorder from which he suffered. It surprised Abgar that the very thing he had heard about Jesus had actually happened to him through His disciple Thaddaeus, who had cured him without drugs or herbs -- and not only him but also Abdus son of Abdus, who had gout. He too came, and falling at his feet found his prayer answered through the hands of Thaddaeus and was cured. Many other fellow-citizens of theirs Thaddaeus restored to health, preforming many wonders and preaching the word of God.
   After this Abgar said: 'It is by the power of God that you, Thaddaeus do these things: and we ourselves were amazed. But I have a further request to make: explain to me about the coming of Jesus and how it happened, and about His power --by what did He do the things I have heard about?'
  Thaddaeus replied: 'For the time being I shall say nothing: but as I was sent to preach the word, be good enough to assemble all your citizens tomorrow, and I will preach to them and sow in them the word of life --about the coming of Jesus and how it happened: about His mission and the purpose for which His Father sent Him about His power and His deeds, and the mysteries He spoke in the world, and the power by which He did these things; about His new preaching; about his lowliness and His divinity, was crucified and descended into Hades, and rent asunder the partition which had never been rent since time began, and raised the dead; how He descended alone, but ascended with a great multitude to His Father [; and how He is seated on the right and of God the Father with glory in the heavens; and how He will come again with power to judge living and dead.'
  So Abgar instructed his citizens to assemble at daybreak and hear the preaching of Thaddaeus. After that he ordered gold and silver to be given to him. But Thaddaeus refused them and asked, 'If we have left our own property behind, how can we accept other people's?'

All this happened in the 340 Seleucid Era (30 A.D.)" 

-The History of Church, Eusebius, Penguin Classics 

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Before anyone says, why don't we have this letter? The answer is that Eusebius had access to text and manscripts destroyed by Roman Slaughter of Christians for 300-400yrs under Emperors Caligula, Nero, Domition, and Diocletian. In addition, many of the sources Eusebius had were destroyed when Alexandra's Library in Egypt was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks. Eusebius, Josephus, and other scholars had access to texts we don't, and thankfully they preserved them in their collective works. 

[appy]

What is the point of posting the letter? Isn't God's word enough testimony? As people hear the simple message of Christ on the cross, the holy spirit will assure the person who is listening that what is being said about Christ on the cross is true and brings conviction to the person's heart. Roman catholic church places way too much emphasis on miracles, man's abilities and church tradition.

[Fidei Defensor]

43 minutes ago, giggling appy said:

What is the point of posting the letter? Isn't God's word enough testimony? As people hear the simple message of Christ on the cross, the holy spirit will assure the person who is listening that what is being said about Christ on the cross is true and brings conviction to the person's heart. Roman catholic church places way too much emphasis on miracles, man's abilities and church tradition.

The letter is extra Biblical proof of Jesus. In wake of naysayers, attacks on our faith, and more; this letter is another proof Jesus existed and it affirms our beliefs that He is Divine and He is Savior. 

Of course 66 Books of Holy Bible must be standard and measure we test all things with (1 John 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:16), I am not advocating Prima Scriptura (Scripture and Traditions of the Church are equal), but I believe there are traditions in complete harmony with The Holy Bible, examples being this Letter, The Nicene Creed, The Apostle's Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Fidei Defensor

[Fidei Defensor]

19 minutes ago, Yowm said:

Lot's of these types of letters claiming to be written by so-and-so at the time, so who knows for sure?

not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
(2Th 2:2)

JESUS'S REPLY TO THE TOPARCH ABGAR BY THE COURIER ANANIAS - "For it is written of me that those who have seen me will not believe in me, an that those who have not seen will believe and live. "

Now compare God's Word...

Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
(Joh 20:29)

 

 

 

Jesus said to Agbar: Happy are you who believed in me without having seen me! For it is written of me that those who have seen me will not believe in me, an that those who have not seen will believe and live.

What Jesus said in Gospel of John: "But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe," (John 6:36), and, "Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29). 

Jesus was tell Prince Agbar about the majority of Jews who refused to believe in Him: 

"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” ³³ They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. ³⁵ The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. ³⁶ So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word ^[j]has no place in you. ³⁸ I speak the things which I have seen ^[k]with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”

³⁹ They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus *said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. ⁴⁰ But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. ⁴¹ You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” ⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but ^[l]He sent Me. ⁴³ Why do you not understand ^[m]what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks ^[n]a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of ^[o]lies. ⁴⁵ But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. ⁴⁶ Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? ⁴⁷ He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

⁴⁸ The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰ But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. ⁵¹ Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” ⁵² The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ ⁵³ Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; ⁵⁵ and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced ^[p]to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷ So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham ^[q]was born, I am.” ⁵⁹ Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus ^[r]hid Himself and went out of the temple." (John 8: 31-59). 

Jesus was telling Agbar about the many Jews who refused to believe in Him, he mentions sending a disciple, so he mentions someone who believes in Him, "When I have been taken up I will send you one of my disciples to cure your disorder and bring life to you and those with you." (Jesus' Response to Prince Agbar). So Jesus does mention those who believe in Him as well as those who don't. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Fidei Defensor

[Fidei Defensor]

9 minutes ago, Yowm said:

Where is it written..."those who have seen me will not believe in me, an that those who have not seen will believe and live.ave seen me will believe and live" ???

This is pure speculation as well as an inaccurate quote. I'm asking where is it WRITTEN, not where is it implied in Scripture.

It's not implied its two SCriptures Jesus said that affirm his words to Agbar, that many aren't believing in Jesus, the Jews are rejecting Him, except His Disciples who are Jews. 

Here are proofs once more: "But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe," (John 6:36),

"Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29). 

Jesus is blessing Agbar for believing without seeing and mentioning many who see Him are not believing as John 6:36 affirms, and John 8 if you read my whole quote. Do you need more verses to prove it? 

Jesus is essentially saying to Agbar this: 

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:11-13). 

How about Paul, 

"Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, "It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles." (Acts 13:46). 

"But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus." (Acts 19:9) 

 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Fidei Defensor

[Fidei Defensor]

Let's break down the quote: 

"JESUS'S REPLY TO THE TOPARCH ABGAR BY THE COURIER ANANIAS --Happy are you who believed in me without having seen me (John 20:29)! For it is written of me that those who have seen me will not believe in me (John 1:11, John 6:36, John 8:1-59, the Jews who should have believed but refused), an that those who have not seen will believe and live (John 17:20). As to your request that I should come to you. I must complete all that I was sent to do here (John 19 and 20, die for our sins on cross and rise from dead), and on competing it must at once be taken up to the One who sent me (Acts 1:1-7). When I have been taken up I will send you one of my disciples (believers, the Apostles, John 13:35, Luke 9:23) to cure your disorder and bring life to you and those with you." (The History of the Church, Eusebius, Penguin Classics). 

All three groups are there: 

Those who see Jesus but don't believe (Jews) 

Those who don't see Jesus and believe (Agbar) 

Those who see Jesus and believe (Disciples, see the last sentence). 
 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Fidei Defensor

[Fidei Defensor]

6 minutes ago, Yowm said:

I quoted from your op and added enlarged font for emphasis.

Nevermind, my computer is acting up I will have to close up for now.

Here is the break down again, I have verses that affirm what Jesus is saying to Agbar: 

Let's break down the quote: 

"JESUS'S REPLY TO THE TOPARCH ABGAR BY THE COURIER ANANIAS --Happy are you who believed in me without having seen me (John 20:29)! For it is written of me that those who have seen me will not believe in me (John 1:11, John 6:36, John 8:1-59, the Jews who should have believed but refused), an that those who have not seen will believe and live (John 17:20). As to your request that I should come to you. I must complete all that I was sent to do here (John 19 and 20, die for our sins on cross and rise from dead), and on competing it must at once be taken up to the One who sent me (Acts 1:1-7). When I have been taken up I will send you one of my disciples (believers, the Apostles, John 13:35, Luke 9:23) to cure your disorder and bring life to you and those with you." (The History of the Church, Eusebius, Penguin Classics). I have put the verses to show that Jesus is saying the same thing He is saying to Agbar that He says to others. 

All three groups are there in the response from Jesus to Agbar: 

1. Those who see Jesus but don't believe (Jews) 
2. Those who don't see Jesus and believe (Agbar) 
3. Those who see Jesus and believe (Disciples, see the last sentence above which reads "When I have been taken up I will send you one of my disciples to cure yoru disorder and bring life to you and those with you."). 
    

[Guest shiloh357]

9 hours ago, Fidei Defensor said:

The Letter of Jesus to Prince of Edessa is a well known text in time of the Early Church. It in no ways contradicts Scripture, and it actually is exciting to see Jesus' response to someone who believes in Him.

 

There is no letter from Jesus to anyone. It is entirely fake.   For starters, if Jesus had written anything, His words would carry the same weight of authority as the inspired 66 books of the Christian canon.   That's why we also reject modern books like the one that passes itself off as a "devotional"  called "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.  Any time someone claims that they are recording the very words of Jesus, they are potentially elevating that written work to be on the same level of authority of Scripture and that is completely untenable. 

As for this being proof of Jesus' existence....  .  Most historians, with any credibility, do not deny historicity of Jesus.  They deny His claims to deity.  They deny His resurrection and His claim to be  Savior and Lord.

It doesn't matter if Eusebius or his contemporaries thought this letter from Jesus was real.  That is the fallacy of appealing to authority.  That ancient people think something is genuine, is not important to whether or not something is genuine or not.  That is not how we determine the authenticity of a historical document.

[Deborah_]

5 hours ago, Fidei Defensor said:

It's not implied its two SCriptures Jesus said that affirm his words to Agbar, that many aren't believing in Jesus, the Jews are rejecting Him, except His Disciples who are Jews. 

Here are proofs once more: "But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe," (John 6:36),

"Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29). 

Jesus is blessing Agbar for believing without seeing and mentioning many who see Him are not believing as John 6:36 affirms, and John 8 if you read my whole quote. Do you need more verses to prove it? 

Jesus is essentially saying to Agbar this: 

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:11-13). 

How about Paul, 

"Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, "It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles." (Acts 13:46). 

"But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus." (Acts 19:9) 

 

And Jesus is supposed to have written this letter before His crucifixion?

The Gospel of John was not written until at least 50 years later, so how could Jesus say "it is written" of words that He had not even spoken at that point (John 20:29), let alone seen written down?

[Fidei Defensor]

As I said earlier I am not Prima Scriptura person, I am Solae Scriptura and I do not place rhe authority of this letter to Prince Agbar on the level of the 66 Books of the Bible. This letter is apocavhphyl (extra canonical, not verified as divinely inspired or God breathed, 2 Timothy 3:16).

What saddens me is that rather than be blessed by a written response from Jesus to a Prince of Edessa, the response is antagonism ?towards it even though I prefaced it is not on same level as the 66 Books of the Bible. ?