Ralph Ellis replies to ridiculous academic critics misrepresenting his work on Jesus Of Edessa

To: [email protected]

Dear Sir,

I note you have many posts about Ralph Ellis’ books (myself).

The Jesus of Edessa book was in all of the UK mainstream press this
month.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4359736/Is-coin-true-portrait-JESUS.html
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/03/29/coin-may-reveal-what-jesus-looked-like/22017627/
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/historical-analysis-coin-said-bear-true-image-christ-wildly-irresponsible-crackers-1614540

The IB Times article included comments by ‘academia’, which were
absurd.  My reply to these theologians-historians is below.

Sincerely,
Ralph Ellis

Dr  Simon Gathercole,
Reader in New Testament Studies,
Fitzwiliam College,
Cambridge University.

Re:  Dr Gathercole – defamation of Mr Ellis
Jesus, King of Edessa.

Dear Dr Gathercole,

cc  Mr  A Harvison, Palamedes PR Consultancy
cc  Ms M Henriques  International Business Times

You made the following incorrect assertions in the IBT about my book
_JESUS, KING OF EDESSA,_ and you overtly impugned my character and
expertise.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/historical-analysis-coin-said-bear-true-image-christ-wildly-irresponsible-crackers-1614540

Gathercole quote:

_All the evidence from the time indicate that Jesus conducted his
ministry in Galilea and Judea, in modern-day Israel, not in
Mesopotamia_

But I never said that Jesus conducted his ministry in Mesopotamia.  But
since you could not be bothered to read my book before commenting, you
would not know that, would you?  Why do you presume to comment from a
position of ignorance?

In addition, if you knew anything about 1st century Judaea, you would
know that the Edessan monarchy became the queens and kings of Judaea in
the AD 50s and 60s.  Why don’t you know that?  Since you are obviously
only a fresher of limited ability, let me fill in a few details for you.

Firstly, Queen Helena of Edessa became the _de facto_ queen of Judaea in
the AD 50s, owning the largest palace and tomb in Jerusalem and
furnishing the Temple of Jerusalem – including the solid gold _menora_.
And then King Izas Manu of Edessa became the _de facto_ king of Judaea
in the AD 60s, and led the Jewish Revolt against Rome.  But he lost that
Revolt to commander Vespasian and was crucified alongside two others,
but he was taken down early by Josephus Flavius and survived.

Why don’t you know any of this?  And therefore not know of the obvious
links to the similar gospel story?

So what you said in your IBT ‘review’ of my book was completely
wrong.   Are you going to write an apology to the IBT, and to their
readership?  You have defamed my work and severely impugned my
character, and so the very least you can offer is an apology.  And if
you do not do so, I can and will take the matter further.

Gathercole quote:

_”There’s no evidence from any sources, Christian or non-Christian,
that say Jesus ever even went to Edessa. There are legends form the
4th Century that Jesus wrote to the king of Edessa, but there’s
nothing from the time_

There is plenty of evidence that the disciples went to Edessa. Acts
says:

_And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the
Spirit that there should be great famine throughout all the world:
which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.  Acts 11:28   _

It is obvious to any academic with the capacity for independent thought,
that Agabus was King Abgarus of Edessa.  This is supported by the
mention of the AD47(?) famine, which was alleviated by Queen Helena of
Edessa, the wife of King Abgarus.  Professor Eisenman agrees with me on
this  –  is he ‘crackers’ too?  (They deliberately changed his name
to mean ‘locust’ – typical wordplay of the region.)

From these verses we know that the apostles Saul and Barnabas were the
ambassadors of the Edessan monarchy, and took the Edessan famine-relief
money to Jerusalem.  And so the Antioch mentioned in Acts, must
therefore be Antioch Edessa.  And so we also know that Edessa was at the
epicenter of the gospel accounts. (Also because Queen Helena was a
Nazarene Jew, and became the _de facto_ queen of Judaea.)

Why don’t you know any of this?  Why have you not handed back your
doctorate?

So what you said in your IBT ‘review’ of my book was completely
wrong.  Real fresher thinking.  Are you going to write an apology to the
IBT?  You have defamed myself and my work, and so the very least you can
offer is an apology.  And if you do not do so, I can and will take the
matter further.

Gathercole quote:

Simon Gathercole – New Testament studies at University of Cambridge –
said Ellis’ thesis was “COMPLETELY CRACKERS”.

That is both incorrect and defamation, and I demand an apology.

Sincerely,
Ralph Ellis

JESUS, KING OF EDESSA:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jesus-King-Edessa-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B009Q5F9CO