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CHRIST AND ABGAR

One of the more intriguing legends of the early Church involving King Abgar of Edessa’s correspondence with Jesus as recorded by Eusebius and the Teachings of Addai. Abgar tells Jesus that he had heard of his miraculous cures, and had concluded that Jesus must be either God or the Son of God, and then requests that Jesus come to Edessa to heal him of his “suffering.” The letter concludes with an offer of safe haven since Abgar also knew of the Jews’ persecution of Jesus. Jesus’ letter in response praises Abgar’s faith but declines the invitation. Jesus does, however, promise to send a disciple to heal Abgar and to preach the gospel after his Ascension. The Teaching of Addai differs from Eusebius’ account in that Jesus sends an oral reply, along with a portrait of himself, instead of a letter. Although the Abgar legend circulated widely in the early and medieval Church (Jesus’ letter was used as a charm to ward off evil), most modern interpreters concur with Rome’s 6th-century determination that the letters were spurious.

Bibliography. S. H. Moffett, A History of Christianity in Asia, 2nd ed. (Maryknoll, 1998); S. Runciman, “Some Remarks on the Image of Edessa,” Cambridge Historical Journal 3 (1929-1932): 238-52; H. C. Youtie, “A Gothenberg Papyrus and the Letter to Abgar,” HTR 23 (1930): 299-302; “Gothenberg Papyrus 21 and the Coptic Version of the Letter to Abgar,” HTR 24 (1931): 61-65.

Charles Guth

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CHRIST AND ABGAR

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)