In 489 AD, Emperor Zeno ordered the closure of the School of Edessa, destroying an authentic center of **Hebrew Gospel learning** that had possessed **Matthew's original Hebrew scrolls since 40 AD**. This study examines how the Catholic Church forcibly destroyed access to authentic Hebrew Gospel materials and imposed their Greek translations and Paul's teachings on Hebrew scholars who had preserved the original texts for over 400 years.
Edessa had **Matthew's Hebrew scrolls from 40 AD** - the **ORIGINAL Gospel materials**. The 489 AD closure destroyed access to authentic Hebrew Gospels and **FORCED acceptance of Greek translations** and Paul's system on scholars who had preserved the originals for centuries.
From 40 AD, Edessa possessed **Matthew's original Hebrew Gospel scrolls** - the **authentic Hebrew Gospel materials** written in the original language. For **449 years**, Hebrew scholars preserved and studied these original texts.
Edessa wasn't just preserving general Hebrew religious traditions - they had **THE ORIGINAL HEBREW GOSPEL** from Matthew himself. They could read Yeshua's teachings in the **original Hebrew/Aramaic** without Greek philosophical corruption.
489 AD represents the moment when people were **forced to abandon access to Matthew's original Hebrew Gospel** and accept Greek translations filtered through Paul's philosophical framework. **449 years of authentic Hebrew Gospel scholarship was destroyed.**
Hebrew Religious Learning: Edessa scholars preserved authentic Hebrew/Aramaic traditions and had REJECTED Paul's Greek innovations as corruption of Hebrew truth.
Forced Paul Acceptance: Emperor Zeno forcibly closed the Hebrew school and IMPOSED Paul's system on scholars who had rightfully rejected it for centuries.
Symbolic Replacement: "A church was erected in honor of Mary, the Mother of God" - replacing authentic Hebrew learning with Pauline/Catholic religious symbolism.
489 AD was about forcing Hebrew people to accept Paul's corruption! The Catholic Church used imperial force to make Hebrew scholars accept the very Greek religious system they had wisely rejected for centuries.
When the School of Edessa was forcibly closed, the Hebrew scholars fled to territories outside Catholic control, attempting to preserve their **access to Matthew's original Hebrew Gospel scrolls** and 449 years of authentic Hebrew Gospel scholarship.
The refugees from Edessa tried to continue the **Hebrew Gospel scholarship** that had existed since 40 AD, but they were now cut off from the **original Hebrew scrolls** that had been destroyed or confiscated by Catholic authorities.
While the Hebrew scholars fled, **the original Hebrew Gospel scrolls were likely destroyed or hidden by Catholic authorities**. The 449-year tradition of studying Matthew's **authentic Hebrew Gospel** was severed. What fled to Nisibis was the **memory** of what had been lost.
The destruction of Matthew's Hebrew Gospel at Edessa reveals that what we call "the Gospel of Matthew" today is NOT the original. The authentic Hebrew Gospel was systematically destroyed and replaced with Greek translations.
The Catholic Church has never admitted that **Matthew's original Hebrew Gospel existed and was destroyed**. They present Greek translations as if they were the originals, hiding the fact that **449 years of authentic Hebrew Gospel scholarship was systematically eliminated**.
The preservation of this history comes from sources that operated independently of Catholic authority:
The closure of Edessa represents both destruction and preservation:
The suppression of Edessa established a pattern that would be repeated throughout Christian history: independent theological institutions were systematically destroyed, forcing authentic traditions to survive in exile or underground.
The closure of the School of Edessa in 489 AD provides documented evidence that:
✓ Edessa possessed **Matthew's original Hebrew Gospel scrolls from 40 AD** - the **authentic Gospel materials**
✓ **449 years** of continuous Hebrew Gospel scholarship was destroyed in a single day
✓ People were **forced to abandon original Hebrew Gospels** and accept Greek translations
✓ The Catholic Church **systematically destroyed access to authentic Hebrew Gospel texts**
✓ **Original language Gospel materials existed** and were deliberately suppressed
✓ Greek translations were **imposed by force** to replace Hebrew originals
This case study proves that authentic Hebrew Gospel materials existed for 449 years and were systematically destroyed by Catholic authorities who forced people to accept Greek translations and Paul's interpretations instead of the original Hebrew texts.
Primary Sources: Barḥadbshabba's Ecclesiastical History, School of Nisibis Statutes (496 AD), Works of Narsai, Syriac manuscript traditions
Historical Documentation: Imperial records of Emperor Zeno's closure order, Archaeological evidence from Edessa/Nisibis, Persian administrative documents
Independent Verification: Church of the East historical records, Syriac manuscript preservation outside Catholic control, Academic scholarship on Syriac Christianity