by Brent Landau
25. CHRIST BLESSES MARY
25:1And he answered in a sweet and humble voice and said to Mary: “Peace to you,235 my mother and upbringer, since you were deemed worthy to be blessed among women,236 since you were deemed worthy for the fruit of the voice of salvation. Since you accepted and conceived with love in your mind and with faith without doubt, you shall receive the reward of your service and shall have blessing and remembrance in all (the) generations,237 and in the new world you shall receive a good reward. 25:2And because of you, Eve and her offspring will have hope and salvation, since by your person you have made her pass beyond the spear that fenced in the Tree of Life.238 25:3And by your person tranquillity and peace have happened for all the worlds from now on and forever, Amen! For I, who appeared in your house, have come to fulfill the will of the Father who sent me, and everyone who hears me and believes shall live. For behold, you have perfectly accomplished your own service without a flaw, for which you shall receive a good recompense. 25:4Therefore, I am turning to all my brethren who are in the entire world, that I may perfectly fulfill everything that the Father commanded me for my believers, so that they may bring forth the fruits of eternal salvation. And I shall also give to them all the promises of my Father, which through me are fulfilled, and are given, and are accomplished for my believers and everyone who believes in me.”
26. THE RETURN JOURNEY HOME
26:1And when we came to the first (stage), again the sign of light appeared to us in front of us, and we rejoiced and exulted greatly, and we knelt and worshiped upon the ground before it. 26:2And we glorified the vision, and we answered in our voice as one and said to it: “We worship and give thanks for your kindness and your light, whichaccompanies [our] encampment everywhere.” 26:3And he answered and said to us: “I am everywhere,239 and there is no land in which I am not. I am also where you departed from me, for I am greater than the sun, and there is no place in the world that is deprived of it, even though it240 is a single entity; yet if it departs from the world, all its inhabitants sit in darkness. How much more I, who am the Lord of the sun, and my light and word are more abundant [by many times] than the sun.” 26:4And we answered and said before him: “O our light and our savior, we know all these things, and they are true for us. And we believe that all these wonders that we saw with all your believers241 are, for your majesty, small things. But for us they are powerful, and no mouth can speak of them or acknowledge any of them.” 26:5And when the time of supper came, we brought out some of our provisions to refresh ourselves, and we saw that our provisions were replenished beyond those provisions that came out of our country with us when we came.242 And then, again, we were all the more afraid, glorifying the majesty that was with us, which did not hold back from our weakness. 26:6And when we ate our supper from the food in passing the night, each of us spoke joy and praise. As with a fountain that spouts forth much water, so the visions and wonders did not resemble each other.243 26:7And we spoke to and glorified our guide, and our leader, and the light of our encampment, and the manyforms, and his glorious vestments, and his beautiful images, and his perfect likenesses, which were with us.
27. THE MAGI ADDRESS THE PEOPLE OF SHIR
27:1And we journeyed on all (our stages) with his glorious signs until we came to our borders, and all our families, children, and a multitude of the people of our land came out to meet us. 27:2And when they heard that we had come, they met us with great joy and received us, rejoicing, and exulting, and glorifying. And they marveled at our appearance and the health of our entire encampment.244 27:3And when we went to them, they assembled and came before us. And we began to speak and narrate for them about245 how our ascent took place, and about the astounding visions that accompanied us, and about our entrance into Jerusalem, and about everything that was spoken with us, and about our journeying to Bethlehem, and about the glorious visions and revelations of the Father of heavenly majesty, which appeared to us in the cave: a great light and wondrous appearances in the bodily form of a humble human being, and about his light of the star, which went before us as a glorious guide. 27:4And when, again, we entered and saw before us the unspeakable glory, and we fell and worshiped the divine child of great light, two angels were standing by and a pillar of cloud246 was standing by, like all the visions that we saw previously on the Mountain of Victories in the Cave of Treasures of Hidden Mysteries, which is in our land. Also, in that cave everything was accomplished in truth, even about the forms and vestments of the glorious and divine child who appeared to us in the cave of Bethlehem.247 27:5And he spoke to us and taught us, “Behold, all the mysteries, and parables, and forms, and revelations are fulfilled, and everything that has been spoken about me by the prophets and in the whole world from the first day until today.248 From now on let the will of he who sent me be accomplished in me regarding everything that he sent me to fulfill.” 27:6And we offered him gifts that we took from the Cave of Treasures, which were deposited by our fathers from his own.249 And we worshiped him, the Lord of worship, and he opened his splendid and glorious mouth and spoke [salvation] with us as we were able and sufficient to hear it,250 and in this way he planted the word of salvation in us. 27:7And he spoke and revealed to us concerning the place of salvation and concerning the heavenly kingdom of the Father of majesty, the Lord of all, who sent him for the healing of the worlds, to cure their sickness, because they could not be healed by one of the ancient prophets,251 but only through the will of the Son of perfect mercy. 27:8And he dismissed us to come to our land in peace, and when we came to the first stage, rejoicing and exulting the entire way, again we found our guide and our light with all the forms that we saw before us.252 And we trembled and were greatly afraid, worshiping and glorifying his majesty, which accompanied our encampment. 27:9And also, our provisions were filling our vessels, overflowing from his blessings, and were even more than the provisions that we had taken with us when we set out to go.253 And behold, they are sitting filled before your254 eyes, our vessels overflowing from them, because of the power of his blessings, which settled upon us, and so that they might be proved true for you and you might believe everything—the visions and wonders that we saw—and that you also might be deemed worthy to become believers and chosen ones for him. 27:10And his great power and his revelations will indeed stay with you, because he is also here [with us] in truth, as he spoke to us,255 and we believe that his light is not removed from our encampment. Indeed, again, he is in the entire world, for he is the light that is all-sufficient and all-enlightening256 by his perfect love.257 27:11Everyone who wishes, receive without doubt, with a whole heart and true faith, and eat from these provisions, which have come with us. And be deemed worthy, and you, too, join in his blessing, which accompanies us and is with us forever.
28. THE PEOPLE EAT THE MAGI’S FOOD
28:1And some of the people,258 rejoicing in love, took of those provisions and ate. And they began rejoicing andleaping for joy, while glorifying and saying to each other everything that appeared to them.259 There was one of them saying, “At the moment I ate of these provisions, I saw a great light that has no likeness in the world.” 28:2And there is one saying, “I saw God bearing himself260 in the world as he wished.” And there is one saying, “I saw a star of light that darkened the sun by its light.”261 And there is one saying, “I saw a human being whose appearance is more unsightly than a man,262 and he is saving and purifying the world by his blood and by his humble appearance.” 28:3And there is one saying, “I saw something like a lamb263 hanging upon a tree of life,264 and by him and his blood redemption takes place for all the creatures of the world.” And there is one saying, “I saw a pillar of light diving down inside the bowels of the earth, and the dead rise to meet it, and they worship and glorify it with great joy.” 28:4And those who ate from those provisions were speaking to each other many other things beyond these, and their minds brought forth much glory day by day. And there was great joy in the entire land of the East, and the nobles, and the poor, and women,
and children from the entire land were gathered together265 in the love of our Lord266 before those nobles who were called Magi.267 28:5And they268 came and heard from them269 the new and glorious teaching,270 and the mysteries, and the revelations, and everything that was spoken with them from thatfirst day that they went out from their land until they came back in joy. And again, day by day, revelations, and visions, and all kinds of powerful manifestations were increased for them. 28:6And the faith increased with the love of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ,271 by the mighty works which he did through them, that offspring of light who appeared to them until he accomplished the will of the one who sent him in everything and was taken up with glory to that heavenly height, his first abode. And the faith of salvation increased in the land of the East in those who heard.272
29. JUDAS THOMAS ARRIVES IN SHIR
29:1When, again, Judas Thomas273 went down there by the will of our Lord when he sent him, again the faith increased all the more in those who heard, through the many mighty works and signs that Judas Thomas, the apostle of our Lord, was doing there. 29:2And when the nobles had heard that Judas had gone there, as the light that appeared to them had said,274 they gathered together and went to him to meet with him in prayer and faith. And they saluted Judas with complete love, rejoicing in our Lord. 29:3And Judas also greatly rejoiced with them, and while they were with him for (several) days,275 they related to Judas how they were deemed worthy to receive fromthe first day this gift of the light of the world, and about276 their ascent to him at Bethlehem and everything that was spoken with them, and about the revelations and visions that they saw there in the cave, and about their descent, how he, in his light, accompanied their entire encampment with many visions and revelations. 29:4And when Judas the Apostle recognized that the gift of our Lord had overflowed upon them, he also related to them about our savior while all the brethren were gathered together as one, and about the mighty works, and healings, and wonders, which he did in the very sight of his apostles, and about the forms of his images, and about his astounding appearances, about which we are not able to narrate, since he was always appearing to us so that we were amazed277 by him, and we stood in the outpouring and in the doubt of mind,278 since no one had ever appeared in such a way in the days of the world. 29:5And when all the brethren heard what Judas related to them, they all glorified with one voice the Lord of heavenly majesty through his Son, the will of perfect salvation. And they sought from Judas, the apostle of our Lord, to make them partakers with him in the seal279 of our Lord. 29:6And Judas said: “My brothers, I also rejoice, because it is for this gift that I was sent in salvation, since everyone who believes in salvation and with love receives the seal of my Lord Jesus Christ in truth, the Enemy does not rule over.”
30. THE HYMN OF JUDAS THOMAS
30:1Then at night, before Sunday, Judas also led those brethren who, rejoicing, had asked him to receive the seal of our Lord also. And he went out to a spring of water, and he took oil280 and gave praise over it, and he said:281
30:2“We praise you, O mystery of salvation,
which was given to us in oil by grace for anointing.
30:3Glory to you, O hidden mystery,
which was given to us in oil by grace for salvation, for anointing.
Glory to you, O hidden mystery,
which was given to us in oil for salvation and
absolution.
30:4And by it282 (you) enlighten us and drive away darkness and error from us.
And again, by its mystery the athletes of the contest defeat their enemies.
30:5 Glory to you, O mystery of the oil,
since you became worthy to be in fellowship with Christ.
With you the victorious are crowned in the contest, and you are twinned with the Spirit.
30:6And you fly over the water like your (twin,) the Holy Spirit, you mix the soul with mind,
and you renew the body with the birth of salvation.
30:7Come, O partner of the firstborn;
Come, O renewer of humanity by the birth to eternal life;
30:8and rest upon these believers, the beloved ones of our Lord Jesus Christ, and purify them and sanctify them from all the stains of their bodies,
30:9and may they become for you temples for your dwelling
and rest for the Son of perfect mercy.
And may you perfectly sanctify them with the birth of salvation.”
31. THE MAGI RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST
AND COMMISSION TO PREACH
31:1And he baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,283 and when they all came up from the water, a certain child of heavenly light appeared to them, who descended from heaven and said to them: “Peace be with you, sons of all my mysteries.284 And behold, now all the visions and revelations that you saw from the first day have been accomplished in your birth.” 31:2And they were afraid and fell upon the ground,285 and when they stood up he appeared to them in the form of a glorious and divine young man. And taking a whole loaf of bread, he gave praise, broke, and gave first to the Apostle Judas, and also to each one of them, and he said to them, “Behold the consummation and sealing of your birth of salvation. From now and forever, be confirmed in my promise.” 31:3And when he was separated from their sight, again they saw him going up to heaven in glory that has no end. 31:4And Judas said: “We glorify your sweet majesty, your singularity in many personifications, your glorious images that you have shown us, and the clothes that you have put on for our sake, that we may be clothed in your powerful majesty. 31:5And by as many names as you have been called, you are not in any one of them, for you alone have known your great name286 and your majesty, and your exalted Father, and no one else. 31:6And all these forms in which you were clothed and appeared for our sake, that we might know you, were because you loved us with your great mercy that was for us, and everything that the crucifiers brought upon you, you endured for our sake, being exalted above all sufferings and being a kinsperson of that one who does not suffer,287 in order that we should have redemption by your grace. 31:7And on our behalf you endured everything and you suffered everything, foryou are our advocate, and our guide, and our light, and our savior, and because we have believed in you, we have everything in you. And you have completely given it to us by the trust of your love toward us, you who endured everything for our sake.” 31:8And all the new disciples of the word of salvation answered and said with great joy: “We glorify, and we worship, and we give thanks for your majesty, which is unspeakable by the mouth of human beings because we are too weak for it, and for your great light, you caused to shine upon our weakness, by which you made us worthy in your mercy for your fellowship of everlasting life.” 31:9And while they were delighting greatly in thanksgiving, and prayer, and visions of our Lord, a multitude of brethren were added to the faith day by day.288 31:10And Judas said to them: “Therefore, my brethren, let us fulfill the commandment of our Lord, who said to us: ‘Go out into the entire world and preach my Gospel.’289 So, my brethren, be you also preachers of the Word like us, because you have also received the gift of our Lord. Also go out to every place and preach the gift of our light and of our savior generously to everyone.”
32. THE preaching of the magi
32:1And they290 went forth from there to every place and preached in perfect love about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Lord of all, even doing mighty works and healings in the name of our Lord, which are unspeakable by the mouth of human beings, through the Holy Spirit that was poured out upon them by the gift of our Lord. 32:2And they preached the faith of truth, saying and teaching to everyone: “Flee from the darkness and come to the light that does not pass away, so that you may live and have refuge under the wings291 of our Lord Jesus, our savior and our great refuge on the last day, from the fearsome judgment of fire that will come suddenly to purify the entire earth from error,292 which has ruled over it in its deceit. 32:3And you shall be delivered by faith from the heat of the fire and sh
all enter that rest that is prepared for all the chosen and the believers who have believed in the child of perfect light, and in eternal life, in the kingdom of my293 Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Lord of all, in his heavenly majesty, in his new world, and in his heavenly and great and never-passing-away light, and in his glorious rest. And you shall rest forever and ever, amen and amen.” 32:4The story about the Magi and their gifts has finished.294
SELECT ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
ANCIENT SOURCES
Budge, E. A. W. The Book of the Cave of Treasures. London: Religious Tract Society, 1927. A Syriac retelling of biblical history from Adam to Christ. It has its own “Cave of Treasures” but otherwise shows no obvious links to the Revelation of the Magi.
Chabot, J.-B. Chronicon anonymum Pseudo-Dionysianum vulgo dictum, I. Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Scriptores Syri, 3:1. Paris: E Typographeo Reipublicae, 1927. The most recent critical edition of the Chronicle of Zuqnin. It includes the Syriac text and a Latin translation of the Revelation of the Magi.