Abgarus

Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History

John 12:20 records when Abgarus’ courier came to Jesus.

The divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ became well-

known among all nations on account of His wonder-working power.

He attracted countless numbers from foreign countries lying far

away from Judea, who had the hope 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.22 But He

did not at that time comply with his request; yet Jesus deemed

Abgarus 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,

His promise 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. All that our Savior had

promised, was fulfilled through him. We 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.

The Epistle of Abgarus, to Jesus

Abgarus, ruler of Edessa, to Jesus the excellent Savior who

has appeared in the country of Jerusalem, greeting. I have

heard the reports of You and how You cured illnesses without

medicines or herbs. For it is said that You can make the blind

to see and the lame to walk, that You cleanse lepers and cast

out impure spirits and demons, and that You heal those

afflicted with lingering disease, and even raise the dead.

Having heard all these things concerning You, I have

concluded that one of two things must be true: either You are

God, and having come down from heaven You do these

things, or else You are the Son of God. I have therefore

written to ask if You would take the trouble to come to me

and heal the disease which I have. For I have heard that the

Jews are plotting against You. I have a very small, yet noble

city, which is great enough for us both.

The Answer of Jesus to Abgarus

Blessed are you who have believed in Me without seeing 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 your request that

I should come to you, it is necessary for Me to fulfill all the

things which I have been sent here for, 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 you one of My

disciples, so he will heal your disease and give life to you and

yours.

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 Thaddeus, an apostle, one of the Seventy to

him. When he arrived, he lodged with Tobias. When report

of Thaddeus became well-known, Abgarus was told that an

apostle of Jesus had come, as He had written him. Thaddeus

began then in the power of God to heal every disease and

infirmity, insomuch that all wondered. When Abgarus heard

of the great and wonderful things which he did and of the

cures which he performed, he suspected that he was the one

of whom Jesus had written him, saying, “After I have been

taken up I will send one of My disciples to heal you.”

Therefore, summoning Tobias, with whom Thaddeus lodged,

he said, I have heard that a certain man of power has come

and is lodging in your house. Bring him to me. And Tobias,

coming to Thaddeus said to him, the ruler Abgarus

summoned me and told me to bring you to him so you can

heal him. 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. When he

arrived, the nobles that were present stood around 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 you one of

My disciples, who shall heal you and give you life.”

Thaddeus said, because you have mightily believed in Him

who sent me, therefore have I been sent unto you. And still

further, if you believe in Him, the petitions of your heart shall

be granted you as you believe. And Abgarus said to him, I

believed in Him so much that I wished to take an army and

destroy those Jews who crucified Him, but I feared reprisal

by 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 you in His name. And

when he had done it, immediately Abgarus was cured of the

disease and of the suffering which he had. Abgarus marveled,

that he had received through His disciple Thaddeus exactly

what he heard concerning Jesus, so, who healed him without

medicines and herbs, and not only him, but also 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 laying on

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.

Afterward Abgarus said, Thaddeus, you do these things with

the power of God, and we marvel. But, in addition to these

things, I ask you 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, I will keep silent now, 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 and fortieth year [of the kingdom

of Edessa].