The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 253 -
A Judgment For Wanton Destructiveness
IN AN HOUR a good midday meal was ready, which consisted of five well-prepared fish and fourteen honeycakes,
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for the honey was the only thing in the larder which was left by the thieves.
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Thus a good drink was also provided, which Joseph and Mary made with water and lemon juice and the addition of some honey.
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When the meal was ready and was served on the table, the sons of Joseph remembered to look for the eating utensils, namely knives, forks and spoons, which in Joseph's house were generally made of wood.
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But these utensils of no actual value were not spared by the thieves either.
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And thus Joseph did indeed have the foods on the table, but not even the most essential eating utensils.
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Here Joseph went into the kitchen and asked the sons just what sort of a setting of the table that was,
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and how one could be so thoughtless as to put foods on the table without utensils.
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But the sons said, 'Father, just look here: one frying pan and two pots and a single old and bent cooking spoon, one knife and one wooden fork have they left us -
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everything else they have taken from us; therefore we must leave the milk standing in a single milkpot because all the little cups are also gone.'
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When Joseph had convinced himself of all this, he went back into the dining room with the sole cooking spoon and with the one knife and with the one fork and said to Jonathan,
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'There, brother! See, these are now our entire cooking utensils. Truly, that is wantonness, and that should be punished!
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I can understand a theft of valuable things and a theft when in need.
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But with this theft neither one nor the other is the case,
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for here criminal wantonness is very evident, and that the Lord should not leave unpunished!'
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After this appraisal all sat down at the table, and Joseph cut up the fish with the one knife and placed a portion in front of each one with the one fork and thus also distributed the honeycakes.
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And since the little Child did not have His little bowl before Him, He asked Joseph whether the little bowl had also been stolen.
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And Mary said, 'Without doubt, my dearest little Son of God, or it would surely be in front of You!'
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Hereupon the little Child declared: 'Truly, Joseph is right; that was wantonness, and it shall also be punished at all times and in eternity.
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Whoever does evil and does not know it, he shall be taught; as well as he who does so when in need.
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But whoever knows the good but still does evil merely for the sake of devilish wantonness, he is a devil from the pit of hell and must be disciplined with fire!'
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Thereupon each ate his portion with his bare hand.
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And just as they finished eating, a fearful howling was heard outside,
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which came from the thieves who had wantonly stolen the necessary kitchen utensils from Joseph's house in order to destroy them.
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Each thief was wound about with a glowing serpent and screamed for help, but the little Child did not give ear to them and drove them all, numbering about a hundred, into the sea by His omnipotence, where they all perished. - This was the only time that the little Child showed Himself inexorable.