The Letter of King Abgar to Jesus refers to a correspondence between King Abgar V of Edessa and Jesus Christ himself. This legendary exchange is found in early Christian histories and is thought to have taken place sometime during Jesus’ ministry.
According to the account, King Abgar heard reports of Jesus’ miraculous deeds and healing powers. Afflicted with an incurable illness, the king wrote to Jesus praising his works and inviting him to take refuge in Abgar’s kingdom to escape persecution from the Jews. The histories then claim that Jesus wrote a letter back praising Abgar’s faith and promising to send one of his disciples after his ascension.
The authenticity of this correspondence has been debated since early centuries. The letters were likely composed sometime in the early 2nd century AD, so Jesus did not actually write a reply. However, the legend does provide intriguing evidence of early Christian interactions with surrounding cultures and rulers. The story was very popular in the early church.
Here is a summary of the key details surrounding the Letter of King Abgar to Jesus:
Who was King Abgar V of Edessa?
– King Abgar V ruled the kingdom Osrhoene, with its capital at Edessa (located in modern Turkey), during the time of Jesus’ ministry in the early 1st century AD.
– Abgar was known as a capable warrior king who expanded his territories. He reigned from around 4 BC to 50 AD.
– Edessa was a fertile region with a thriving economy and architecture. It had a diverse population of Syrians, Greeks, Armenians, Arabs, and others.
– King Abgar seemingly tolerated and incorporated aspects of multiple religions in his kingdom, including paganism, Judaism, and early Christianity.
Why did King Abgar reach out to Jesus?
– According to church historian Eusebius (c. 263-339 AD), King Abgar heard reports of Jesus’ healings and miracles.
– Abgar was afflicted with an incurable illness, likely gout or possibly leprosy. He hoped Jesus could heal him.
– The king was also impressed with the accounts of Jesus’ wise teaching and confrontations with Jewish authorities.
– With growing persecution against Jesus from the Jews, Abgar offered his kingdom as a safe haven.
What did the correspondence between Abgar and Jesus allegedly say?
– The Letter of King Abgar to Jesus: Abgar wrote to praise Jesus’ works and invite him to take refuge with him in Edessa to escape harm. He promised to provide protection.
– Jesus’ Letter to King Abgar: Jesus praised Abgar’s great faith but declined to visit at this time. He stated he must fulfill his earthly mission which would end with his ascension to heaven. However, Jesus promised to send one of his disciples to heal Abgar and preach the gospel.
– After Jesus’ ascension, the apostle Thomas sent Addai (Thaddeus) to fulfill this promise around the year 33 AD. Addai is said to have healed and converted King Abgar before undertaking missionary journeys in the region. The king converted to Christianity near his death.
When did the letters emerge and how did the account develop?
– No originals of the letters exist and most scholars affirm they were composed in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, after the reported events.
– The story first appeared in a historical work titled the Acts of Addai c. 400 AD. The two letters were quoted in this text.
– The church historian Eusebius gave one of the earliest preserved accounts of this legend in his Ecclesiastical History in the 4th century.
– The correspondence gained widespread popularity and was retold by religious writers for centuries as evidence of Christ’s early influence in the East.
– An embellished variation emerged called the Teaching of Addai which expanded the role of Addai and Abgar’s faith.
– In the early 20th century, some scholars proposed Abgar suffered from leprosy and Jesus’ ‘image’ had healing power. But this lacks historical evidence.
What is the significance of the legend?
– While not authentic, the letters reveal how early Christian communities outside the Roman Empire interacted with regional kings and cultures and sought to connect with them.
– The account shows the development of traditions about apostolic missions and how figures like Thaddeus were revered.
– The correspondence exemplifies an interest in presenting Christianity as worthy of respect from rulers and compatible with royal power.
– The offer of refuge reinforces Christian persecutions under Jewish authorities and Jesus’ sufferings.
– The legend was employed to validate Christianity in Edessa, which became an influential early center of Syriac Christianity.
– Some propose the letters’ popularity partially derives from a political alliance between Edessa and Christian Rome.
Does this exchange have any factual basis?
– Nearly all scholars affirm the letters themselves were created after the timeframe of Jesus and Abgar’s lives. The correspondence did not take place.
– However, King Abgar V and his conversion to Christianity around 35 AD are verified by other historical sources.
– While procuring relics, bricks inscribed with crosses were found in Edessa confirming an early Christian community existed there during Abgar’s time.
– Osrhoene maintained independence from Rome and Parthia so could have appealed to Jesus as a safe place.
– Jesus promising to send out disciples is plausible within his biblical accounts.
So while the letters themselves are fabrications, kernels of truth surrounding Christian origins in Edessa seem present behind the elaboration and embellishment by later generations. The legend ultimately provides a window into the growth and interactions of early Syriac Christianity in the Eastern frontier.
Where are the letters found in early texts?
– The account of the letters is given in various Syriac texts:
– The Teaching of Addai c. 400 AD (expands Addai’s role in Edessa)
– The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius c. 325 AD (one of the earliest accounts)
– The Chronicle of Edessa c. 540 AD
– The Acts of Addai c. 400 AD (contains the letters themselves)
– Moses of Chorene, History of Armenia c. 440s AD
What do the letters reportedly say?
Here are excerpts from the letters between Abgar and Jesus as found in the text of the Acts of Addai:
**The Letter of King Abgar to Jesus:**
“Abgar, ruler of Edessa, to Jesus, the good Savior who has appeared in the region of Jerusalem: I have heard about you and about the cures you perform without drugs and herbs. For, as the story goes, you make the blind see again and the lame walk about; you cleanse lepers, expel unclean spirits and demons, cure those who suffer from chronic and painful diseases, and raise the dead. When I heard all of this about you I concluded 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 you to come to me, whatever the inconvenience, and cure the disorder from which I suffer. I may add that I understand the Jews are treating you with contempt and desire to injure you; my city is very small, but highly esteemed, adequate for both of us.”
**Purported Letter of Response from Jesus:**
“Blessed are you for believing in me without having seen me! For it is written of me that those who have seen me will not believe in me, and 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 completing 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, who will cure your disorder and bring life to you and those with you.”
How did the account develop over time?
– In earliest form in the Acts of Addai, the exchange is simple – Abgar invites Jesus, Jesus politely declines but promises a disciple.
– Eusebius presents the letters but already places them in an elaborated narrative with lengthy details on Abgar’s illness, faith, and efforts to have a painting made of Jesus.
– The Teaching of Addai greatly expands the role of Addai in converting Abgar and miracle stories. Scholars believe this later Syriac work drew on Eusebius.
– In Armenian versions, Abgar requests an image of Jesus to worship and Jesus imprints his face on a cloth. This evolved into the later Image of Edessa.
– So overtime the straightforward letters transformed into an extensive, embellished legend developed by early Christians.
How was the account received in early Christianity?
– The correspondence was treated as authentic for centuries. Christians accepted the letters were exchanged between Abgar and Jesus.
– The legend was employed for apologetics to demonstrate Christ’s power to contemporaries outside the Empire and Jewish community.
– The Image of Edessa – a miraculous imprint of Jesus’ face on a cloth sent to Abgar – became a popular object of veneration after the 6th century, enhancing the account’s prestige.
– In Eastern churches the story was widely respected. Ephrem the Syrian and Eznik of Kolb wrote praised retellings. The image was obtained in 944 AD as a holy relic.
– However, some Western church writers were skeptical. Notker the Stammerer called the letters a pious fraud. Later Protestant reformers rejected the letters as inauthentic.
– Today, most scholars fully acknowledge the letters as a legend, while respecting their insight into early Syrian Christianity.
What is the IMAGE of Edessa?
– The Image (or Mandylion) of Edessa refers to a holy relic tied to the Abgar legend – a divine image of Jesus’ face on a cloth delivered to the king.
– First mentioned in the 500s AD, but developed between the 7th-10th centuries based on the Abgar story.
– According to this embellished account, King Abgar requested a picture of Jesus to worship him after his death. Unable to paint his divine image, Jesus had his disciples bring a cloth upon which he miraculously imprinted his face. This image was then sent to Abgar.
– The Image was highly revered, particularly in Orthodox churches. It brought prosperity and defenses to Edessa.
– In 944 AD the cloth was transfered to Constantinople where it remained a popular relic.
– Like the letters themselves, the Image is considered fictional. But it reveals the evolution of the Abgar legend.
References to the Abgar Correspondence in the Bible
– The letters of Abgar and Jesus themselves are not mentioned anywhere in the Bible, since they were composed centuries later.
– However, some key elements of the legend have biblical resonance:
– Jesus’ miracles and healings – referenced throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
– Jewish persecution of Jesus – John 5:16, Matthew 12:14, Luke 11:53-54
– Jesus’ ascension to heaven – Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19, Acts 1:9
– Jesus’ promise to send out disciples – Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 9:2, John 20:21
– Faith without seeing – John 20:29
So while the correspondence itself does not originate from biblical texts, early Christians built aspects of the story from events and themes found in the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry.
Conclusion
In summary, the ancient letters between King Abgar of Edessa and Jesus Christ represent a legend from early Syrian Christianity about Christ’s early influence outside the Roman Empire. Though fictitious, the correspondence offers insight into how Jesus’ fame spread eastward in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The elaborate story highlights the faith and interactions of ancient Middle Eastern communities with the new religion of Christianity. For centuries the account was accepted and retold, evolving into embellished variations like the Image of Edessa. While modern scholars fully acknowledge the fictional nature of this correspondence, it nonetheless retains an important place in the legends and lore surrounding the origins of the Christian church. The letters reveal above all the spiritual hopes and convictions of generations of early believers who were inspired by this sacred history.