Truth About The Crucifixion — Page 183
the Odes of Solomon go back, in part, to the end of the 1st century and display the characteristic features of Judea Christianity. - Beyond Edessa, Christianity penetrated into Adiabne, where there was an important Jewish Community, and no doubt reached India very soon, since Pantaenus, writing in the mid- 2nd Century, asserts that he found in India a gospel in the Hebrew Script. (The Crucible of Christianity, edited by Arnold Toynbee, London 1969, p. 277b). (iii) The whole lot of Apocryphal and gnostic literature provides descriptions of events after the crucifixion. It also contains accounts of the missionary plans of the disciples of Jesus, couched in pious language used in narratives of miracles. For example in Acts of St. Thomas we read that after the crucifixion the Messiah drew lots for selecting disciples for the various missionary campaigns. As a result of this St. Thomas was nominated missionary for India. So Thomas was sent to India. He visited Taxila where he achieved great success, so much so that King Gondophorus reportedly became a Christian. The arrival of Jesus himself in India is described in these words as a miraculous appearance. And when night fell and he (St. Thomas) slept, the Lord came and stood at his head, saying, Thomas, rise early, and having blessed them all: for by thy going shall many take refuge with me. (The Apocryphal New Testament by M. R. James, p. 377). As already pointed out the Acts of St. Thomas also contain an early Ode (consisting of 105 verses) in which we read of heights in far off East, called the heights of Warkan. Here flourished the Kingdom of God. Here ruled the King of Kings. Here was the Queen Mother of the East and next to her in rank was a Brother. Warkan is a Syriac word meaning 'elevated place'. The 175