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| When He Came into India, and Built the Palace in the Heavens.
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Acts of
the Holy Apostle Thomas,
When He Came into India, and Built the
Palace in the Heavens.
And when the apostle came into
the cities of India, with Abbanes the merchant, Abbanes went away to
salute Gundaphoros the king, and reported to him about the carpenter
whom he had brought with him; and the king was glad, and ordered him to
come in to himself. And when he had come in, the king said to
him: What trade knowest thou? The apostle says to
him: The carpenter’s and house builder’s. The
king says to him: What work in wood knowest thou, then, and what in stone? The apostle
says: In wood, ploughs, yokes, balances, pulleys, and boats, and
oars, and masts; and in stone, monuments, temples, royal palaces.
And the king said: Wilt thou build me a palace? And he
answered: Yes, I shall build it, and finish it; for because of
this I came, to build houses, and to do carpenter’s work.
And the king having taken him, went forth out of the
gates of the city, and began to talk with him on the way about the
building of the palace, and about the foundations, how they should be
laid, until they came to that place in which he wished the building to
be. And he said: Here I wish the building to be. And
the apostle says: Yes; for assuredly this place is convenient for
the building. For the place was well wooded, and there was much
water there. The king therefore says: Begin to build.
And he said: I cannot begin to build at this time.
And the king says: When wilt thou be
able? And he says: I shall begin in Dius and end in
Xanthicus.2330
And the
king wondering, said: Every building is built in summer; but
canst thou build and make a palace in winter itself? And the
apostle said: Thus it must be, and otherwise it is
impossible. And the king said: If, therefore, this be thy
opinion, mark out for me how the work is to be, since I shall come here
after some time. And the apostle, having taken a reed, measured
the place, and marked it out; and he set the doors towards the rising
of the sun, to look to the light, and the windows towards its setting,
to the winds; and he made the bakehouse to be towards the south, and
the water-tank, for abundance, towards the north. And the king
seeing this, said to the apostle: Thou art a craftsman indeed,
and it is fitting that thou shouldst serve kings. And having left
many things for him, he went away.
And from time to time he also sent the money that
was necessary, for the living both of him and the other workmen.
And he taking it, dispenses it all, going about the cities and the
places round, distributing and doing kindnesses to the poor and the
afflicted, and gave them rest,2331
saying:
The king knows how to obtain royal recompense, and it is necessary for
the poor to have repose for the present.
And after this, the king sent a messenger to the
apostle, having written to him as follows: Show me what thou hast
done, or what I am to send thee, or what thou needest. The
apostle sends to him, saying: The palace is built, and only the
roof remains to be done. And the king, having heard, sent him
again gold and silver uncoined, and wrote to him: Let the palace,
if it be done, be roofed. And the apostle said to the Lord:
I thank Thee, Lord, as to all things, that Thou didst die for a short
time, that I might live in Thee for ever; and hast sold me, so that
Thou mayst deliver many through me. And he did not cease to teach
and refresh the afflicted, saying: These things the Lord hath
dispensed to us, and He gives to each his food; for He is the support
of the orphans, and the provider of the widows, and to all that are
afflicted He is rest and repose.
And when the king came into the city, he inquired
of his friends about the palace which Judas, who also is Thomas, had
built; and they said to him: He has neither built a palace, nor
done anything else of what he promised to do; but he goes round the
cities and the districts, and if he has anything he gives all to the
poor, and teaches one new God,2332
| 2332 One of
themss. has: that there is one God,
namely Jesus. | and heals the
diseased, and drives out demons, and does many other extraordinary
things; and we think that he is a magician. But his acts of
compassion, and the cures done by him as a free gift, and still more,
his single-mindedness, and gentleness, and fidelity, show that he is a
just man, or an apostle of the new God whom he preaches; for he
continually fasts and prays, and eats only bread with salt, and his
drink is water, and he carries one coat, whether in warm weather or in
cold, and he takes nothing from any one, but gives to others even what
he has. The king having heard this, stroked his face with his
hands, shaking his head for a long time.
And he sent for the merchant that had brought him, and
for the apostle, and said to him: Hast thou built me the
palace? And he said: Yes, I have built it. And the
king said: When, then, are we to go and see it? And he
answered and said: Now thou canst not see it; but when thou hast
departed this life, thou shalt see it. And the king, quite
enraged, ordered both the merchant, and Judas who also is Thomas, to be
put in chains, and to be cast into prison, until he should examine, and
learn to whom he had given the king’s property. And thus I
shall destroy him along with the merchant. And the apostle went
to prison rejoicing, and said to the merchant: Fear nothing at
all, but only believe in the God proclaimed by me, and thou shalt be
freed from this world, and thou shalt obtain life in the world to
come.
And the king considered by what death he should kill
them; and when it seemed good to him to flay them, and burn them with
fire, on that very night Gad the king’s brother fell ill,
and through the grief and
imposition which the king suffered he was grievously depressed; and
having sent for the king, he said to him: My brother the king, I
commend to thee my house and my children; for I, on account of the
insult that has befallen thee, have been grieved, and am dying; and if
thou do not come down with vengeance upon the head of that magician,
thou wilt give my soul no rest in Hades. And the king said to his
brother: During the whole night I have considered this, how I
shall put him to death; and this has seemed good to me—to flay
him and burn him up with fire, both him and with him the merchant that
brought him.
And as they were talking together, the soul of Gad
his brother departed. And the king mourned for Gad exceedingly,
for he altogether loved him. And he ordered him to be prepared
for burial in a royal and costly robe. And as this was being
done, angels received the soul of Gad the king’s brother, and
took it up into heaven, showing him the places and dwellings there,
asking him: In what sort of a place dost thou wish to
dwell? And when they came near the edifice of Thomas the apostle,
which he had built for the king, Gad, seeing it, said to the angels, I
entreat you, my lords, permit me to dwell in one of the underground
chambers of this palace. And they said to him: Thou canst
not dwell in this building.2333
| 2333 One
ms. has: But if thou buy it, thou shalt
live in it. And he said to them: Can I buy it? And
they said to him: See that thou obtain one like this which thou
seest, or better if thou wilt, that when thou comest hither again, thou
mayst not be driven into the darkness. | And he
said: Wherefore? They say to him: This palace is the
one which that Christian built for thy brother. And he
said: I entreat you, my lords, permit me to go to my brother,
that I may buy this palace from him; for my brother does not know what
it is like, and he will sell it to me.
Then the angels let the soul of Gad go. And as
they were putting on him the burial robe, his soul came into him.
And he said to those standing round him: Call my brother to me,
that I may beg of him one request. Straightway, therefore, they
sent the good news to their king, saying: Thy brother has come
alive again. And the king started up, and along with a great
multitude went to his brother, and went in and stood beside his bed as
if thunderstruck, not being able to speak to him. And his brother
said: I know and am persuaded, brother, that if any one asked of
thee the half of thy kingdom, thou wouldst give it for my sake;
wherefore I entreat thee to grant me one favour, which I beg of thee to
do me. And the king answered and said: And what is it that
thou askest me to do for thee? And he said: Assure me by an
oath that thou wilt grant it me. And the king swore to him:
Of what belongs to me, whatever thou shalt ask, I will give thee.
And he says to him: Sell me that palace which thou hast in the
heavens. And the king said: Whence does a palace in the
heavens belong to me? And he said: That which the Christian
who is now in the prison, whom the merchant bought from a certain
Jesus, and brought to thee, built for thee. And as he was at a
loss, he says to him again: I speak of that Hebrew slave whom
thou didst wish to punish, as having suffered some imposition from him,
on account of whom I also was grieved and died, and now have come alive
again.
Then the king, having come to know, understood
about the eternal benefits that were conferred upon him and destined
for him, and said: That palace I cannot sell thee, but I pray
thee to go into it, and dwell there, and become worthy to be of
its inhabitants; but if thou really wishest to buy such a palace,
behold, the man is alive, and will build thee a better than
that.2334
| 2334 One of
themss. here ends the history in these
words:—And he sent, and brought out Thomas, and said to
him: Pardon us if we have in ignorance been in any way harsh to
thee; and make us to be partakers of him whom thou preachest. And
the apostle says: I too rejoice with you, that you are made
partakers of His kingdom. And he took and enlightened them,
having given them the washing of grace in the name of Father, and Son,
and Holy Spirit, to whom is due all glory and kingdom without
end. And when they had gone up straightway out of the water, the
Saviour appeared to them, so that the apostle wondered, and a great
light shone brighter than the rays of the sun. And having
confirmed their faith, he went out, going on his way in the
Lord. | And having sent immediately, he
brought out of the prison the apostle, and the merchant who had been
shut up along with him, saying: I entreat thee, as a man
entreating the servant of God, that thou wilt pray for me, and entreat
him whose servant thou art, to pardon me, and overlook what I have done
to thee, or even what I meant to do, and that I may be worthy to be an
inhabitant of that house for which indeed I have laboured nothing, but
which thou labouring alone hast built for me, the grace of thy God
working with thee; and that I may become a servant, I also, and slave
of this God whom thou proclaimest. And his brother, falling down
before the apostle, said: I entreat thee, and supplicate before
thy God, that I may become worthy of this ministry and service, and may
be allotted to become worthy of those things which were shown me by his
angels.
And the apostle, seized with joy, said: I
make full confession2335
to Thee, Lord
Jesus, that Thou hast revealed Thy truth in these men: for Thou
alone art a God of truth, and not another; and Thou art He who knowest
all things that are unknown to many: Thou art He, Lord, who in
all things showest compassion and mercy to men; for men, through the
error that is in them, have overlooked Thee, but Thou hast not
overlooked them. And now, when I am entreating and supplicating
Thee, accept the king and his brother, and unite them into Thy fold,
having cleansed them by Thy
purification, and anointed them with Thy oil, from the error which
encompasseth them; and protect them also from the wolves, bringing them
into Thy meadows; and give them to drink of Thy ambrosial fountain,
that is never muddy and never faileth: for they entreat Thee, and
supplicate, and wish to become Thy ministers and servants; and on
account of this they are well pleased even to be persecuted by Thine
enemies, and for Thy sake to be hated by them, and insulted, and to
die; as Thou also for our sakes didst suffer all these things, that
Thou mightst gain us to Thyself, as being Lord, and truly a good
shepherd. And do Thou grant them that they may have confidence in
Thee alone, and aid from Thee, and hope of their salvation, which they
obtain from Thee alone, and that they may be confirmed in Thy
mysteries; and they shall receive the perfect benefits of Thy graces
and gifts, and flourish in Thy service, and bear fruit to perfection in
Thy Father.
King Gundaphoros, therefore, and Gad, having been
altogether set apart by the apostle, followed him, not at all going
back, they also providing for those that begged of them, giving to all,
and relieving all. And they entreated him that they might also
then receive the seal of baptism; and they said to him: As our
souls are at ease, and as we are earnest about God, give us the seal;
for we have heard thee saying that the God whom thou proclaimest
recognises through his seal his own sheep. And the apostle said
to them: And I am glad, and entreat you to receive this seal, and
to communicate with me in this thanksgiving2336
and blessing of God, and to be made
perfect in it;2337
for this
Jesus Christ whom I proclaim is Lord and God of all, and He is the
Father of truth, in whom I have taught you to believe. And he
ordered to bring them oil, in order that through the oil they might
receive the seal. They brought the oil, therefore, and lighted
many lamps, for it was night.2338
And the apostle arose, and sealed them; and the
Lord was revealed to them, through a voice saying, Peace to you,
brethren! And they heard His voice only, but His form they saw
not; for they had not yet received the ratification2339
| 2339 Lit., the
sealing up. | of the seal. And the apostle,
having taken oil, and poured it over their head, and salved and
anointed them, began to say: Come, holy name of Christ, which is
above every name; come, power of the Most High, and perfect compassion;
come, grace most high; come, compassionate mother; come, thou that hast
charge2340
| 2340 Lit., the
administration. | of the male
child; come, thou who revealest secret mysteries; come, mother of the
seven houses, that there may be rest for thee in the eighth house;
come, thou presbyter of the five members—intelligence, thought,
purpose, reflection, reasoning—communicate with these young
persons; come, Holy Spirit, and purify their reins and heart, and seal
them in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. And when
they had been sealed, there appeared to them a young man holding a
burning torch, so that their lamps were even darkened by the
approach2341
| 2341 Perhaps for
προσβολῇ we
should read προβολῇ, projection
or emanation. | of its
light. And he went out, and disappeared from their sight.
And the apostle said to the Lord: Thy light, Lord, is too great
for us, and we cannot bear it; for it is too much for our sight.
And when light came, and it was dawn, having broken bread, he made them
partakers of the thanksgiving2342
| 2342 Or, communicants
of the Eucharist. | of
Christ. And they rejoiced and exulted; and many others also
believed, and were added, and came to the refuge of the
Saviour.
And the apostle ceased not proclaiming, and saying
to them: Men and women, boys and girls, young men and maidens,
vigorous and aged, both bond and free, withhold yourselves from
fornication, and covetousness, and the service of the belly; for under
these three heads all wickedness comes. For fornication maims the
mind, and darkens the eyes of the soul, and becomes a hindrance of the
due regulation of the body, changing the whole man into feebleness, and
throwing the whole body into disease. And insatiableness puts the
soul into fear and shame, existing by what pertains to the
body,2343
| 2343 Or, arising from
the things of the body. | and forcibly seizing what belongs to
another;…and the service of the belly throws the soul into cares
and troubles and griefs.…Since, therefore, you have been set free
from these, you are without care, and without grief, and without fear;
and there remains to you that which was said by the Saviour: Take
no care for the morrow, for the morrow will take care of
itself.2344
Keep in
mind also that saying before mentioned: Look upon the ravens, and
behold the fowls of the heaven, that they neither sow nor reap, nor
gather into barns, and God takes care of them; how much more you, O ye
of little faith!2345
But look
for His appearing, and have your hopes in Him, and believe in
His name: for He
is the Judge of living and dead, and He requites to each one according
to his deeds; and at His coming and appearance at last no one will have
as a ground of excuse, when he comes to be judged by Him, that he has
not heard. For His heralds are proclaiming in the four quarters
of the world. Repent, therefore, and believe the
message,2346
and accept the
yoke of gentleness and the light burden,2347
that you may live and not die.
These things lay hold of, these things keep; come forth from the
darkness, that the light may receive you; come to Him who is truly
good, that from Him you may receive grace, and place His sign upon your
souls.
When he had thus said, some of the bystanders said
to him: It is time for this debtor to receive his debt. And
he said to them: The creditor,2348
| 2348 Lit., master of
the debt. | indeed,
always wishes to receive more; but let us give him what is
proper. And having blessed them, he took bread and oil, and herbs
and salt, and gave them to eat. But he continued in his fasting,
for the Lord’s day was about to dawn. And on the night
following, while he was asleep, the Lord came and stood by his head,
saying: Thomas, rise up early and bless them all; and after the
prayer and service go along the eastern road two miles, and there I
shall show in thee my glory. For because thou goest away, many
shall flee to me for refuge, and thou shalt reprove the nature and the
power of the enemy. And having risen up from sleep, he said to
the brethren who were with him: Children and brethren, the Lord
wishes to do something or other to-day through me; but let us pray and
entreat Him that nothing may be a hindrance to us towards Him, but as
at all times let it now also be done unto us according to His purpose
and will. And having thus spoken, he laid his hands upon them and
blessed them. And having broken the bread of the Eucharist, he
gave it to them, saying: This Eucharist shall be2349
to you for compassion, and mercy, and
recompense, and not for judgment. And they said:
Amen.
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