the successions from the holy apostles and the periods extending from our Savior's time to our own;

the many important events that occurred in the history of the church;

those who were distinguished in its leadership at the most famous locations;

those who in each generation proclaimed the Word of God by speech or pen;

the names, number, and ages of those who, driven by love of novelty to the extremity of error, have announced themselves as sources of knowledge (falsely so-called)¹ while ravaging Christ's flock mercilessly, like ferocious wolves;

the fate that overtook the whole Jewish race after their plot against our Savior;

the occasions and times of the hostilities waged by heathen against the divine Word and the heroism of those who fought to defend it, sometimes through torture and blood;

the martyrdoms of our own time and the gracious deliverance provided by our Savior and Lord, Jesus the Christ of God, who is my starting point.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . All things were made by him, and apart from Him nothing was made [John 1:1, 3].

He sent his Word and healed them, And he rescued them from their destruction [107:20].

When Joshua was at Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and said, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" He replied, "It is as commander of the Lord's army that I have come." Then Joshua fell to the ground, face downward, and asked, "Master, what do you command your servant?" The commander of the Lord's army replied, "Take off your shoes, for the place where you stand is holy" [Josh. 5:13 - 15].

When the Lord saw that he approached to see, the Lord called out to him from the bush, "Moses, Moses!" he replied, "What is it?" He said, "Do not come near. Remove your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground." He continued, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" [Ex. 3:4 - 6].

I, Wisdom, made counsel my dwelling and invoked knowledge and thought. By me kings reign and rulers decree justice; By me the great are enhanced and sovereigns rule.... In the beginning before time began and before the Lord made the earth He begot me, before springs gushed forth and the mountains arose. When he prepared the heavens, I was there, and when he secured the springs under heaven, I was with him, setting them in order. I was she in whom he daily delighted, and I always rejoiced in his presence when he rejoiced that he had completed the world.²

As I looked, thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was white as snow and his hair like pure wool. His throne was a flame of fire. . . . A thousand thousand ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. . . . I looked, and behold, one like a Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven before the Ancient of Days. To him was given dominion, glory, and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His is an everlasting sovereignty that shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed [ Dan. 7:9 - 10, 13 - 14].

The spirit of our face, Christ the Lord, was caught in their pits; Of whom we said, "In his shadow we shall live among the Gentiles" [Lam. 4:20].

Why did the nations rage and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth arrayed themselves, and the rulers convened against the Lord and against his Christ [Ps. 2:1-2].

The Lord said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask me, and I will give you the Gentiles as your inheritance and the limits of the world as your possession" [Ps. 2:7-8].

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind [Isa. 61: 1 - 2].

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever: Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you With the oil gladness above your fellows [Ps. 45:6 - 7].

The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. From the womb before the morning star, I begot you." The Lord swore and will not rescind: "You are a priest forever of the order of Melchizedek" [Ps. 110:1 - 4].

Who has ever heard such things? And who spoke thus?

Was the earth in labor but one day, and was a nation born at once? [Isa. 66:8].

After him arose Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He persuaded some of the people to follow him. But he too perished, and all his followers were scattered [Acts 5:37].

Quirinius, a member of the senate who had passed through all the other offices to become consul and was a man of high distinction in other ways, arrived in Syria with a small staff. He had been sent by Caesar to govern the nation and to assess their property... Judas, a Gaulonite from the city called Gamala, took with him Zadok, a Pharisee, and incited a revolt, for they claimed that the assessment would lead to nothing but total slavery, and they called on the people to defend their freedom.⁷

At this time a Galilean named Judas stirred the natives to revolt, naming them cowards if, after serving God, they accepted mortal masters and submitted to paying taxes to the Romans.⁸

Names in the families of Israel were reckoned either according to nature or law: by nature in the case of genuine offspring; by law when another man fathered children in the name of a brother who had died childless¹⁰. Since no clear hope of the resurrection had as yet been given, they depicted the future promise by a mortal "resurrection" so that the name of the deceased might survive. These genealogies, then, include some who succeeded their actual fathers and others who were children of one father but were recorded as children of another. Thus both the memories of the actual and nominal fathers were preserved. Hence neither of the Gospels is in error; since they take both nature and law into account. For the two families - one descended from Solomon and the other from Nathan - were so interconnected through the remarriage of childless widows and the "resurrections" of offspring that the same persons could correctly be deemed as children of different parents at different times - sometimes of reputed fathers, sometimes of actual. Both accounts are therefore accurate, though complicated, as they bring the line down to Joseph.

To clarify, I will explain the relationship of the families. Reckoning the generations from David through Solomon [as does Matthew 1:15 - 16], the third from the end is Matthan, whose son was Jacob, the father of Joseph. But if we follow Luke [3:23-37] and reckon from Nathan, the son of David, the corresponding third from the end is Melchi, whose son was Heli, the father of Joseph. It must therefore be shown how both Heli and Jacob can be fathers of Joseph, and both Matthan and Melchi, belonging to two different families, were grandfathers.

Now Matthan and Melchi, since they took the same wife, were fathers of stepbrothers, for time law permits a woman who has been divorced or widowed to marry again. Now Estha, the traditional name of the wife in question, first married Matthan (descended from Solomon) and bore him Jacob. When Matthan died, his widow married Melchi (descended from Nathan), of the same tribe but different family, and bore him Heli. Thus Jacob and Heli had the same mother, and when Heli died childless, his [half] brother Jacob married his widow and fathered Joseph by her. Joseph, then, was time natural son of Jacob but the legal son of Heli, for whom a good brother had "raised up" offspring. Matthew uses the term begot for physical descent, whereas Luke says, "Who was, as was supposed"-note the addendum-"the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Melchi" [3:23 - 24]. It was impossible to express legal descent more precisely, and he never uses the term begot regarding such children in tracing the line back to "Adam, the Son of God."

This is neither unprovable nor conjecture. The human relatives of the Savior have handed on this tradition also, either to boast or simply to give information, but in any case telling the truth. When ldumean bandits attacked the city of Ascalon in Palestine, they captured from the temple of Apollo Antipater, the child of a certain Herod, a temple servant. Because the priest was unable to pay ransom for his son, Antipater was raised as an Idumean and later befriended by the Judean high priest Hyrcanus. Sent to Pompey in Hyrcanus's behalf, he won for him [Hyrcanus] the restoration of his kingdom that had been seized by his brother Aristobulus, and so [ Antipater] became overseer of Palestine. After he was treacherously assassinated, he was succeeded by his son Herod, who later was appointed king of the Jews by Antony, Augustus, and decree of the senate. His sons were Herod [Antipas] and the other tetrarchs. The Greek historians confirm this.

But time Hebrew families were still inscribed in the archives, as well as those descended from proselytes - Achion the Ammonite, Ruth the Moabites, and mixed families who had left Egypt with them. So Herod, with no Israelite ancestry and pained by his base origins, burned the genealogical records, thinking he would appear of noble birth if no one were able to trace his bloodline from public documents. A few, however, carefully kept private records of their own, either remembering the names or finding them in copies, and took pride in preserving the memory of their aristocratic birth. Among these were the desposyni¹¹ so called because of their relation to the Savior's family. Living in the Jewish villages at Nazareth and Cochaba, they went through the rest of the land, explaining the above genealogy of their descent and quoting from time book of daily records as much as they could. Whether or not this is true, no one could give a clearer explanation, and the Gospel record, in any case, is true.

Matthan, Solomon's descendant, begot Jacob, When Matthan died, Melchi, Nathan's descendant , begot Heli with the same woman. Heli and Jacob thus had the same mother. When Heli died without children, Jacob raised up seed for him in fathering Joseph, his own natural son but Heli's legal son. Thus Joseph was the son of both.

Herod's illness progressively worsened as God exacted punishment for his crimes. A slow fire burned inside him, less obvious to the touch. He had an insatiable desire for food, ulcers in the intestines, terrible pain in the colon, and a clammy edema in his feet. His bladder was inflamed and his genitals gangrenous, breeding worms. His breathing was rapid and extremely offensive due to its stench, and every limb was convulsed intolerably. Wise onlookers declared that God was exacting retribution from the king for his many wicked deeds.¹²

The disease spread throughout his body with fever, an unbearable itching everywhere, continual pain in the colon, edema in the feet, inflammation of the abdomen, and gangrene in the wormy genitals. His breathing was difficult, especially if he lay down, and spasms shook each limb - a punishment, according to the diviners. Still he clung to life and planned his own treatment in hope of recovery. He crossed the Jordan and took the hot baths at Callirhoe that flow into time Dead Sea but are sweet and potable. The doctors there decided to warm his body by lowering him into a tub of hot oil, but he fainted, turning up his eyes as if dying. Noise from his attendants beating their breasts revived him, but he now gave up hope of recovery and ordered that fifty drachmas be given each of his soldiers and large sums to his officers and friends.

Returning to Jericho in extreme depression, he planned a final, monstrous crime. He assembled the most eminent men from every village in all Judea and had them locked inside the hippodrome. Then he told his sister Salome and her husband, Alexas: "I know the Jews will celebrate my death with rejoicing, but I can be mourned for the sake of others and have a splendid funeral if you do as I direct. Surround the men [in the hippodrome] with soldiers, and the moment I die, kill them all quickly, so that all Judea and every house will weep over me."...

Later, tortured by hunger and a convulsive cough, he tried to anticipate his fate. He took an apple and asked for a knife - he cut up apples when he ate them - and then raised his right hand to stab himself [but was prevented].¹³

Valerius Gratus, having deprived Ananus [Annas] of the priesthood, appointed Ishmael the son of Phabi as high priest. Soon he removed him and named as high priest Eleazar, son of Ananus. After a year, he removed him too and transferred the high priesthood to Simon, son of Camithus. Nor did his tenure last for more than a year, and Joseph, also called Caiaphas, was his successor.¹⁸

Now, to some of the Jews the destruction of Herod's army seemed to come from God as a very just recompense, a punishment for what he did to John who was called the Baptist. For Herod had executed him, though he was a good man and had exhorted the Jews to exercise virtue both in practicing justice toward one another and in piety toward God and, so doing, to join in baptism. For thus, it seemed to him, would baptismal washing be acceptable, if it were used not to gain pardon for whatever sins they committed by as a purification of the body, implying that the soul was already thoroughly cleansed by righteous conduct. When others also joined the crowds about him - for they were deeply stirred at hearing his words - Herod grew alarmed: such great influence over the people could lead to an uprising, for they seemed ready to do anything John might advise. Accordingly, Herod decided that it would be much better to strike first and get rid of him before any insurrection might develop than to get himself into trouble and be sorry not to have acted once a rebellion had begun. And so, due to Herod's suspicions, John was brought in chains to Machaerus, the fortress that we have previously mentioned, and there put to death.²⁰

About this time lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was the achiever of extraordinary deeds and was a teacher of those who accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. When he was indicted by the principal men among us and Pilate condemned him to be crucified, those who had come to love him originally did not cease to do so; for he appeared to them on the third day restored to life, as the prophets of the Deity had foretold these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of Christians, so named after him, has not disappeared to this day.²¹

Copy of a Letter Written by Abgar the Toparch to Jesus, sent to him at Jerusalem by the courier Ananias

Abgar Uchama, the Toparch, to Jesus the excellent Savior who has appeared in the region of Jerusalem, greeting.

I have heard about you and the cures you accomplish without drugs or herbs. Word has it that you make the blind see and the lame walk, that you heal lepers and cast out unclean spirits and demons, and that you cure those tortured by chronic disease and raise the dead. When I heard all these things about you, I decided that one of two things is true: either you are God and came down from heaven to do these things or you are God's Son for doing them. For this reason I am writing to beg you to take the trouble to come to me and heal my suffering. I have also heard that the Jews are murmuring against you and plot to harm you. Now, my city - state is very small but highly regarded and adequate for both of us.

The Reply of Jesus to the Toparch Abgar by the Courier Ananias

Blessed are you who believed in me without seeing me! For it is written that those who have seen me will not believe in me and that those who have not seen me will believe and live. Now regarding your request that I come to you, I must first complete all that I was sent to do here, and, once that is completed, must be taken up to the One who sent me. When I have been taken up, I will send one of my disciples to heal your suffering and bring life to you and yours.

After the ascension of Jesus, Judas, who is also called Thomas, sent Thaddeus, one of the Seventy, to [Abgar], and he stayed with Tobias, son of Tobias. When Abgar heard that Thaddeus was healing every disease and weakness, he suspected that he was the one about whom Jesus had written. He therefore ordered Tobias to bring Thaddeus to him. So Tobias told Thaddeus, "The Toparch Abgar has instructed me to bring you to him so that you might heal him." Thaddeus replied, "I will go, since I have been sent to him with power."

Tobias rose early the next morning and took Thaddeus to see Abgar, surrounded by his nobility. When they arrived, Abgar saw a marvelous vision on the face of Thaddeus and bowed down to him, asking "Are you really a disciple of Jesus, the Son of God, who wrote to me, 'I will send you one of my disciples to heal you and give you life'?"

"I was sent to you for this reason," Thaddeus replied. "If you believe in him, your prayers shall be answered in proportion to your faith."

"I believed in him so firmly that I wanted to take an army and destroy the Jews who crucified him, had I not been prevented by Roman power."

"Our Lord has fulfilled the will of his Father," said Thaddeus. "After fulfilling it, he has been taken up to the Father."

"I too have believed in him and in his Father."

"For this reason I put my hand on you in his name."

When he did this, Abgar was immediately cured - and without drugs and herbs, just as in the healings of Jesus. Abdus, son of Abdus, fell at Thaddeus's feet and was similarly cured of his gout, while many other fellow citizens of theirs were healed. Abgar then asked Thaddeus for further information about Jesus.

Thaddeus replied: "Please assemble all your citizens tomorrow, and I will tell them about the coming of Jesus and his mission, about the Father's purpose in sending him, about his deeds and power and preaching, about his humility that made light of his divinity, and of how he was crucified and raised from the dead, descending to hades alone but ascending with a multitude to his Father."

So Abgar assembled his citizens at daybreak to hear the preaching of Thaddeus, after which he ordered that gold and silver be given him. But Thaddeus refused, asking, "If we have left behind our own property, how can we accept that of others?"