The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 22 -
The Rising Of The New Spiritual Sun
THUS CORNELIUS PROVIDED for the devout family and remained with them all that day and the following night.
2
That afternoon the shepherds also returned to worship the Baby, and brought various offerings.
3
But when they saw tents and the Roman captain in the cave, they wanted to flee in great fear of him,
4
for there were several fugitives from the Roman recording among them, who were in great fear of the punishment decreed for such fugitives.
5
Here the captain went over to them and said, 'Do not be afraid of me, for I now release you from all punishment, but consider what must be done according to the will of the emperor, so come tomorrow, and I shall record you as gently and kindly as I possibly can!'
6
When the shepherds learned that Cornelius was such a gentle man, they lost their timidity and they all came the following day to be recorded.
7
After the talk with the shepherds, the captain asked Joseph whether the sun this time would never leave the morning.
8
Joseph answered, 'This sun, which rose for the earth today, never! But the natural sun goes its usual way according to the will of the Lord and will set in a few short hours!'
9
Joseph spoke this prophetically and hardly knew or understood himself what he had spoken.
10
Here the captain asked Joseph, 'What do you mean? See, I did not grasp the meaning of your words, so speak more plainly to me!'
11
And Joseph affirmed: 'The time will come when you will warm yourself in the holy rays of this sun and bathe in the streams of its Spirit!
12
I do not know what more to tell you and do not understand myself, what I have just told you; but in time, when I am no more, it will be revealed to you in all fullness of eternal truth!'
13
And the captain asked Joseph no more and kept these profound words in his heart.
14
The following day the captain greeted the whole family and gave them the assurance that he would provide for them as long as they remained there, and would keep them in his heart for the rest of his life.
15
After that he returned to his duties and gave the midwife another coin to care for the family.
16
When the captain had departed, Joseph said to his sons, 'Children, how is it that a pagan is better than many a Jew? Do you suppose that the words of Isaiah apply here, where he says:
17
Behold, my servants shall shout with joy of spirit, but you shall cry out in anguish and weep from misery. - And the sons of Joseph replied, 'Yes, father, this passage wholly applies here and is to be understood.'