The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 142 -
Joseph's Place Of Honor In The World
ONLY AFTER everything had thus been put in order did Joseph raise his eyes to heaven and thank the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
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And only when he had completed his prayer of thanks did he, along with his own, take a place at the very foot of the royally bedecked table of Cyrenius.
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Cyrenius immediately hurried over to Joseph and protested,
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'No, no, my truly exalted friend and brother, that will not do - for this feast concerns you and not me.
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Therefore your place is there at the head of the table, and not here at the foot.
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So arise, and let me seat you and yours there at the head of the table where it is laid with gold.
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Here at the foot my company shall sit and recline; for thus I have ordered it myself.'
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Joseph answered, 'Cyrenius, because I am your very sincere friend and brother I remain seated with my own here at the foot.
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See, with me you lose nothing although I sit here at the least honored place,
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but with your great companions in offices of the state you lose much if you do not set them at the head.
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So leave things as they are. In the world the world shall have its privilege, but in the kingdom of God matters will be quite the opposite - for there the last shall be the first at the table of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.'
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Here Cyrenius objected, 'Oh brother, I have looked forward to this day that I might bring you, the son of a king, also a kingly honor -
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and now half of my joy is gone since I must see even you, for whom all this is intended, at the very least place.
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Brother, go and at least sit in the middle place so I will be closer to you at the table.'
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And Joseph replied, 'But my very dear brother, you surely are not going to be childish?
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You know that I must always and everywhere remain in that order which the Lord God lays down for me in my heart.
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How then can you want to tempt me over and above this order?
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You set your great and glittering ones at the head, and you as lord can sit down wherever you please since every place at the table is fitting for you.
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Herewith this matter is settled - by the golden tableware your great ones will recognize the leading place at the table and will feel highly honored if you vacate such places of honor wholly to them and choose a lesser one for yourself.'
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Cyrenius understood Joseph's words, thereupon assigned the foremost places to his eminent ones
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and he himself with Tullia sat down at the middle of the table.
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And thus everything was in good order - the eminent ones were filled with joy that they sat at the head,
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Cyrenius was gay in the middle, and Joseph with his own was in the best of spirits that even at this great and splendid festival he could remain in God's good order.