Edessa: The First Kingdom of The Way — Distinct from Paul's Christianity

Historical Context
Before the term "Christian" was coined and before the establishment of Constantine's empire and the Roman church, there existed Edessa — a kingdom where both Jews and Gentiles reportedly followed "The Way" of Yeshua (Jesus), adhering to Torah teachings.

The Abgar Correspondence
Around 30-33 CE, while Jesus was still alive, King Abgar V of Edessa allegedly heard of His miracles. According to early Aramaic records, Abgar sent a letter requesting Jesus to come heal him. Jesus purportedly replied stating He would not come personally but would send a disciple after completing His mission.

Historical Perspectives on the Letter
The authenticity of this correspondence remains debated among scholars. Some consider it genuine historical evidence, while others view it as a later creation. What's generally acknowledged is that the letter was eventually translated into Greek and utilized by the Syriac Church to demonstrate that faith in Jesus reached Edessa early—predating Paul's mission to the Gentiles and developing independently from Rome.

Edessa: Preserving Original Aramaic Scriptures
Edessa holds special significance in early The WAY history for maintaining scriptures in their original Aramaic form - long before any Greek New Testament manuscripts existed. While the earliest Greek manuscript fragments date only to the 2nd century, with complete codices not appearing until the 4th century (such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus), the Aramaic tradition in Edessa has much earlier origins.
Historical evidence suggests that the original Aramaic New Testament Scriptures were "produced in the ancient City of Edessa in the late first, or early second century" - at least a century before any substantial Greek manuscripts. J.S. Assemane documented a Syriac Gospel dated 78 AD found in Mesopotamia, though physical evidence of this text has not been preserved.
What makes Edessa's tradition particularly valuable is that Aramaic was the actual language spoken by Jesus and his disciples. While the Roman Empire later promoted Greek texts after 325 AD during Constantine's time, Edessa maintained the earliest and most authentic linguistic connection to Jesus's original teachings. These Aramaic texts, not the later Greek versions promoted under Roman influence, represent the truest preservation of early Christian thought.

The Two Separate Paths: "The Way" vs. Paul's "Christianity"
While the original followers in Edessa maintained Jewish practices and the pure Aramaic teachings of Yeshua as "The Way," developments in Antioch under Paul created an entirely different religious system. The two should not be confused or treated as the same movement—they represented fundamentally different approaches to Yeshua's teachings.
In Antioch, Paul established what became a completely new religion, distinct from "The Way" and eventually called "Christianity." This was not a continuation or development of the original movement, but rather the creation of something fundamentally different.
Paul's religious system centered on "salvation by grace through faith" (Ephesians 2:8-9), representing a complete theological break from the Torah observance practiced by Yeshua and his original disciples. He explicitly taught that justification came "by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law" (Galatians 2:16), dismissing the Torah observance that was central to "The Way."
His followers in Antioch were the first to be called "Christians" by outsiders (Acts 11:26), marking their distinction from the original "Way" movement. According to historical evidence found in Acts chapter 15 and Galatians 2:1-10, Paul pushed the Jerusalem leaders to exempt Gentile converts from most Jewish commandments, setting his movement on a path that completely diverged from the Torah-observant practices of the original disciples.
The two movements—"The Way" and "Christianity"—thus represented entirely separate religious systems with different core teachings, practices, and relationships to the Torah.

Rome vs. Edessa: Safe Havens for Early Believers
During Paul's lifetime, there was no large Christian community in Rome. Any followers of Christ in Rome would have faced severe persecution, as demonstrated when Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, executing many believers including, according to tradition, both Peter and Paul through torture, crucifixion, and being "torn to pieces by dogs".
In contrast, Edessa offered a relatively safe environment for early followers of "The Way." As the capital of an independent kingdom from 132 BC to 216 AD, Edessa was "celebrated as an important centre of Greco-Syrian culture" with "a Jewish community, with proselytes in the royal family" and was "easily accessible from Antioch." When early Christians were scattered abroad because of persecution, "some found refuge at Edessa." This allowed the Edessan church to trace its origin to the Apostolic Age and grow rapidly without the immediate threat of Roman persecution.

Paul and Luke's Roman Accommodations
Historical analysis reveals that both Paul and Luke likely softened their messaging about Rome due to fears of persecution. Luke's Gospel particularly shows evidence of this accommodation, as it appears to "whitewash" Roman responsibility for Jesus's crucifixion. While earlier Gospel accounts placed more responsibility on Pilate and Roman authorities, Luke portrays Pilate as declaring Jesus's innocence three times and shifts blame toward Jewish religious authorities.
Paul similarly had to navigate Roman authority carefully. Despite his bold theology of salvation by faith, his epistles never directly challenge Roman political power. As a Roman citizen who appealed to Caesar, Paul maintained a cautious stance toward Roman authority, likely because direct confrontation would have ended his mission through immediate execution. This accommodation to Roman sensibilities was a pragmatic survival strategy for early Christian leaders facing the constant threat of Roman persecution, but it also shaped how later Christianity would develop as it spread throughout the empire.
The Catholic Takeover and Language Transition
Constantine: What He Did and Why (Short Version)
• 312 AD: Claimed a vision of a cross before battle. Used the Chi-Rho symbol, which resembled pagan solar symbols, to win support and power.
• 313 AD – Edict of Milan: Legalized Christianity but kept paganism alive. Remained Pontifex Maximus, high priest of Roman pagan religion. His goal: unify the empire under one controllable religion.
• 321 AD: Declared Sunday (Day of the Sun) as the official rest day—honoring Sol Invictus and aligning Christianity with Mithraism and sun worship.
• 325 AD – Council of Nicaea:
o Banned biblical Passover, replaced it with Roman Easter based on solar cycles.
o Created one doctrine (Nicene Creed) to control the Church and cut ties to Jewish-Christian roots.
• He kept using pagan symbols, honored Sol Invictus, and mixed Roman customs into the new version of Christianity.
🔥 Why he did it:
To create a universal church that blended pagan beliefs with Christianity—not for truth, but for political control and imperial unity. after Constantine's The original Aramaic Christian tradition in Edessa remained largely independent until major changes began in the late 4th and early 5th centuries.
Edict of Milan, Edessa built its first cathedral church dedicated to Holy Wisdom. By this time, Eusebius claimed that "the whole city" was "devoted to the name of Christ," though in reality some pagans and Jews remained.
The turning point came around 431-435 AD when Bishop Rabbula (412-435 AD) forcibly aligned Edessa with Roman Catholic orthodoxy by forbidding the use of Tatian's Diatessaron - a harmonized Aramaic gospel text that had been in common use since the late 2nd century. This marked the beginning of imposed Greek textual authority over the original Aramaic traditions.
The process accelerated in 489 AD when Emperor Zeno and Bishop Cyrus ordered the closure of the School of Edessa, the primary center of Aramaic Christian scholarship. Its teachers and students fled to Nisibis in Persia, taking with them the authentic Aramaic traditions while Edessa increasingly fell under Byzantine Greek influence.
By the time the Byzantine Empire fully incorporated Edessa in 1031 AD, the original independent Aramaic Christian tradition had been largely suppressed and replaced by Greek-influenced Roman Catholic orthodoxy. The shift from Aramaic to Greek texts reflects the
the movement that had originated as "The Way" - a Jewish movement following Yeshua while adhering to Torah - began transforming under imperial patronage into an increasingly Gentile-oriented religion with diminishing connections to its Jewish roots.
Key Distinctions
• "The Way" and "Christianity" were two separate religious systems, not versions of the same faith
• Edessa preserved the original movement of "The Way" with its Aramaic scriptures and Torah observance
• Paul created a completely new religion called "Christianity" with fundamentally different theology
• "The Way" maintained the Torah and Yeshua's Aramaic teachings, while Paul's "Christianity" abandoned both
• Aramaic scriptures in Edessa preserved the earliest and most authentic texts of "The Way" (1st-2nd century), predating Greek manuscripts of "Christianity" by centuries
• Roman Catholic orthodoxy gradually suppressed "The Way" in Edessa between the 4th and 11th centuries
• Constantine's sponsorship of Paul's version of the faith cemented the dominance of "Christianity" over "The Way"
• "As the Roman Catholic Church expanded, every nation it conquered faced the same choice: true believers had to convert, flee, or be killed."
The Three Hebrew Scriptures
The Hebrew Scriptures developed through three main historical stages:
1. Paleo-Hebrew Bible (~1400 BC – 586 BC): Written in the original Paleo-Hebrew script without vowel markings. Archaeological evidence confirms this script was used from around the 12th century BC until the 6th century BC, particularly during the period of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
2. Aramaic Scriptures (~600 BC – 500 BC): Developed during the Babylonian exile when Imperial Aramaic became influential. Historical records show that after the Babylonian captivity, the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet was gradually replaced by the Imperial Aramaic alphabet.
3. Early Square Script (No Vowels) (~400 BC – 200 BC): Known as Ketav Ashuri, this script appears in texts like the Dead Sea Scrolls. This writing system eventually evolved into the modern Hebrew script used today.

Paul Created a New Religion — Not From Yhwh
Paul did not walk in the faith of Yeshua.
He created something entirely different — a religion built on lies, exemption from Torah, and Greek philosophy.

He claimed in his own words that we are “saved by grace through faith, not by works” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
He said plainly in Galatians 2:16 that righteousness does not come from obeying Torah.

❗That was not the teaching of Yeshua.
Yeshua taught obedience to Yhwh — every word (Deut 8:3, Matt 5:17–19).
Paul rejected that and started something else.

Paul’s Mission: Replace The Way
Paul's movement was never called The Way.
The true disciples of Yeshua were Torah-keepers who walked in truth and obedience — not “Christians.”

But Paul’s followers were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26) — a new identity to match his new religion.

From the beginning, Paul pushed for Torah to be set aside, especially for Gentiles.
In Acts 15 and Galatians 2:1–10, he pressured the Jerusalem elders to drop most commandments for converts.
This wasn’t compromise — it was division.

Paul’s Letter to Rome: A Strategic Infiltration
Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote his letter to the Romans.
He openly says, “I have often been hindered from coming to you” and “I do not build on another man’s foundation” (Romans 15:20–22). Why?

Because there were already Torah-keeping believers in Rome.
Jewish believers had returned after being expelled under Claudius, and Gentile God-fearers were already there.

Paul wanted in — but they were not his disciples.
He saw an opportunity and tried to insert himself by sending a flattering letter — not to teach truth, but to win them over.

This is not the work of a servant of Yhwh. This is the strategy of a man building his own religious system.

Paul Accommodated Rome — And Helped Shape the Roman Religion
Paul was a Roman citizen.
He used that status to his advantage, even appealing to Caesar rather than face trial in Jerusalem (Acts 25:11).

He never challenged Rome — not once in any of his letters.
Instead, he kept his message soft, shifting blame away from Roman authorities and pushing the idea that belief alone is enough.

That message was easy for Rome to accept.
It required no Torah. No Sabbath. No calendar. No Hebrew roots.

And so Paul’s system became the foundation for the Roman Church.

Paul’s Legacy: The Foundation of Roman Christianity
By 325 AD, Constantine took Paul’s doctrine and merged it with Roman power.

He outlawed Torah-keepers.

He turned Yeshua into a Romanized figure.

He changed the Sabbath to Sunday.

He blended pagan holidays into the faith.

He erased Hebrew truth and replaced it with Greek philosophy.

All of it traces back to Paul.

The Truth: Paul Was Not Sent by Yhwh
Paul's own words expose him:

He boasted constantly about his own gospel (Romans 2:16, Galatians 1:11–12).

He admitted he lied when needed (Romans 3:7).

He pushed division between Gentiles and Jews.

He rejected the Torah that Yeshua upheld.

This was never The Way.

Obey Yhwh — Not Paul
Paul’s religion is not the same as the one taught by Yeshua.
Yeshua said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
Paul said, “You are not under the law” (Romans 6:14).

You cannot follow both.
One leads to obedience.
The other leads to lawlessness.

Now is the time to return to Yhwh’s Word —
The one that was preserved in Paleo-Hebrew, Aramaic, and early scrolls without vowels.

Not Greek.
Not Roman.
Not Paul.

⚔️ Then Came the Roman Shift…
🏛️ Edict of Milan – A.D. 313
Constantine and Licinius issued this law of "religious tolerance."


➡️ Constantine still worshipped Roman gods
➡️ He used pagan sun symbols and imperial authority
➡️ The true followers of “The Way” were still not in power.

🧱 Founding of Constantinople – A.D. 330
He didn’t build a holy city — he built a new Roman capital.
Pagan temples and Christian churches stood side by side.
He called it a "Christian city,"
🔻 but it was Rome reborn in the East,
with Constantine as the center of power.

📣 Conclusion
Only the first 3 Hebrew Bibles preserve the truth.
Everything after A.D. 313 was filtered through Rome’s grip on religion.
They didn’t adopt the truth — they buried it under power, politics, and paganism.