Truth About The Crucifixion — Page 233
The origin of this legend has not been explained till today. His origin can be first traced in the Chronicle of Matthew of Paris who died in 1259. Its text speaks of an Armenian Bishop telling in England the story of a man called Josephus Cartaphilus. This man affirmed having served as a door-watch in the pretorium of Jerusalem during Jesus' trial and having slapped him on his departure towards Golgotha and urging him to hurry there. Jesus condemned him to linger till his coming back. That was why this man lived in this world until those days. He dwelt in both Armenias and dealt with simple people and clergy as well, as he had been baptised. Toward the end of each century the man gets sick but recovers and is rejuvenated, and continues his penalty. This legend spread around all Europe and became in the 18th century a favourite theme for famous authors. The hero is mostly called Ahasverus. This is perhaps a reminder of the Book of Esther and of its Mesopotamic historic base. When I learnt from Ahmadiyya sources that the Prophet Isa was given in Islamic tradition the epithet of the "Travelling Prophet” or "Leader of Travellers" I for the first time wondered if the hero of the legend could have had something in common with Jesus' activities in Mesopotamia. They were both Jews and both travelled out of religious motives. Yet it was difficult to explain the change of favourable qualities of the model into a bad character of the definite product of Christian phantasy. We must not forget that this metamorphosis took place of course in the Christian and not in the Islamic mind. Had the Christian author dared to describe Jesus' travels in the trails of Ahasverus he would have been put on the stake on the spot. But why did this legend appear in Europe only in the 13th century? 225