The Forbidden Gospels and Epistles Part 31

THE EPISTLES OF JESUS CHRIST & ABGARUS KING OF EDESSA.

CHAPTER I.

A copy of a letter written by King Abgarus to Jesus; and sent to him by Ananius, his footman, to Jerusalem, 5 inviting him to Edessa.

ABGARUS, king of Edessa, to Jesus the good Saviour, who appears at Jerusalem, greeting.

2 I have been informed concerning you and your cures, which are performed without the use of medicines and herbs.

3 For it is reported, that you cause the blind to see, the lame to walk, do both cleanse lepers, and cast out unclean spirits and devils, and restore them to health who have been long diseased; and raiseth up the dead;

4 All which when I heard, I was persuaded of one of these two, namely, either that you are G.o.d himself descended from heaven; who do these things, or the Son of G.o.d.

5 On this account therefore I have written to you, earnestly to desire you would take the trouble of a journey hither, and cure a disease which I am under.

6 For I hear the Jews ridicule you and, intend you mischief.

7 My city is indeed small, but neat, and large enough for us both.

CHAPTER II.

The answer of Jesus by Ananias the footman to Abgarus the king, 3 declining to visit Edessa.

ABGARUS, you are happy, forasmuch as you have believed on me, whom you have not seen.

2 For it is written concerning me, that those who have seen me should not believe on me, that they who have not seen might believe and live.

3 As to that part of your letter, which relates to my giving you a visit, I must inform you, that I must fulfil all the ends of my mission in this country, and after that be received up again to him who sent me.

4 But after my ascension I will send one of my disciples, who will cure your disease, and give life to you, and all that are with you.

REFERENCES TO THE EPISTLES OF JESUS CHRIST AND ABGARUS KING OF EDESSA.

[The first writer who makes any mention of the Epistles that pa.s.sed between Jesus Christ and Abgarus, is Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, in Palestine, who flourished in the early part of the fourth century. For their genuineness, he appeals to the public registers and records of the City of Edessa in Mesopotamia, where Abgarus reigned, and where he affirms that he found them written in the Syriac language. He published a Greek translation of them, in his Ecclesiastical History. The learned world has been much divided on this subject; but, notwithstanding the erudite Grabe, with Archbishop Cave, Dr, Parker, and other divines, have strenuously contended for their admission into the canon of Scripture, they are deemed apocryphal. The Rev. Jeremiah Jones observes, that the common people in England have this Epistle in their houses in many places, fixed in a frame, with the picture of Christ before it; and that they generally, with much honesty and devotion, regard it as the word of G.o.d, and the genuine Epistle of Christ.]

THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE LAODICEANS.

1 He salutes the brethren; 3 exhorts them to persevere in good works, 4 and not to be moved by vain speaking.

6 Rejoices in his bonds, 10 desires them to live in the fear of the Lord.

PAUL an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, to the brethren which are at Laodicea.

2 Grace be to you, and peace from G.o.d the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank Christ in every prayer of mine, that ye may continue and persevere in good works, looking for that which is promised in the day of judgment.

4 Let not the vain speeches of any trouble you, who pervert the truth, that they may draw you aside from the truth of the Gospel which I have preached.

5 And now may G.o.d grant, that my converts may attain to a perfect knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, be beneficent, and doing good works which accompany salvation.

6 And now my bonds, which I suffer in Christ, are manifest, in which I rejoice and am glad.

For I know that this shall turn to my salvation for ever, which shall be through your prayer, and the supply of the Holy Spirit.

8 Whether I live or die, to live shall be a life to Christ, to die will be joy.

9 And our Lord will grant us his mercy, that ye may have the same love, and be like-minded.

10 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have heard of the coming of the Lord, so think and act in fear, and it shall be to you life eternal;

11 For it is G.o.d, who worketh in you:

12 And do all things without sin.

13 And what is best, my beloved rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ and avoid all filthy lucre.

14 Let all your requests be made known to G.o.d, and be steady in the doctrine of Christ.

15 And whatsoever things are sound and true, and of good report, and chaste, and just, and lovely, these things do.

16 Those things which ye have heard, and received, think on these things, and peace shall be with you.

17 All the saints salute you.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

19 Cause this Epistle to be read to the Colossians, and the Epistle of the Colossians to be read among you.

REFERENCES TO THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE LAODICEANS.

[This Epistle has been highly esteemed by several learned men of the church of Rome and others. The Quakers have printed a translation, and plead for it, as the reader may see, by consulting Poole's Annotation on Col. vi. 16. Sixtus Senensis mentions two MSS., the one in the Sorbonne Library at Paris, which is a very ancient copy, and the other in the Library of Joannes a Viridario, at Padua, which he transcribed and published; and which is the authority for the following translation.

There is a very old translation of this Epistle in the British Museum, among the Harleian MSS., Cod. 1212.]