The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 189 -
Cyrenius Builds A New, Living Temple
THF SONS OF JOSEPH now came and announced that the meal was prepared.
2
Hereupon Joseph went over and told this to Cyrenius, who was giving his whole attention to the little Child again, and asked him whether he was able to take any food because of his sorrow.
3
And Cyrenius said, 'Oh my noble brother, do you really think that I am in the least hungry?
4
Just look here! How can one possibly become hungry in the company of Him through whom myriads and myriads are filled at every moment?
5
Now as concerns the sadness you suppose me to have, I there say out of the fullness of my love to Him who created you and me:
6
How could I possibly mourn in the company of your Lord and mine?
7
See, where you sow one kernel of wheat into the ground wherein it decays, He has a hundred come up in place of the one!
8
'Now that is also the case here: Where the Lord takes one. He soon gives a thousand for it!
9
He has indeed taken the jealous Tullia from me, but He has given Himself to me in her place.
10
Oh brother, what an infinite replacement that is for such a small loss!
11
Instead of my wife I can now call Him eternally my own in my heart."
12
Here Joseph stated, 'Brother, you have become great before the Lord! Truly, you were a pagan - and now are better than many Israelites!
13
Yes, I must confess it before you: your heart and your mouth put me greatly to shame -
14
for I have still to experience such submission to the Lord's will in myself.'
15
At this the little Child sat up and said, 'Joseph, I know why I chose you - but you were never greater before Me than even now, when you confess your weakness before a pagan.
16
Now I tell you, since you already gave Cyrenius the witness that he is better than many Israelites:
17
'Cyrenius is more here than Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and more than Moses and the prophets, and more than David and Solomon!
18
For their deeds were just because of their faith and great piety in their hearts-
19
but Cyrenius is a first-fruit whom My love has awakened, and that is more than the entire old covenant which was dead, while Cyrenius is wholly alive!
20
You know the magnificence of the temple in Jerusalem, which is a product of Solomon's wisdom.
21
But that temple is dead like its designer, who sacrificed Me for the women.
22
And Cyrenius has now built Me a new, living temple in his heart by his great self-denial. There I shall live eternally, and that is more than all the wisdom of Solomon.'
23
At this Cyrenius began to weep for happiness, and Joseph as well as Mary deeply engraved these words in their hearts - for they were full of power and full of life.