The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 70 -
The Law Of Sacrifice
JOSEPH NOW went over to Cyrenius and asked him, 'Highly honored and very dear friend, are you unalterably determined to have these three idolatrous priests killed?'
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And Cyrenius, filled with wrath toward these three utterly heartless human tigers, answered Joseph,
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'Yes, my highly esteemed friend! Here I will set up an example by which all the people shall know that I avenge nothing so severely as the utter lack of human kindness!
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For a person without love and without any feeling of sympathy is the greatest evil on the face of the earth.
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All rending animals are lambs, and the furies of hell are hardly poor students compared to him.
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I therefore consider it to be the indeed first and foremost duty of a true ruler of the people to root out such monsters and to completely exterminate them from the face of the earth.
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The priests should make it their first duty to especially instruct the people in charity. They should set a good example for everyone!
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But when these principal teachers and leaders of the people become furies, what then shall become of their students?
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Therefore away with such brutes! I am only considering the most tormenting manner of death now - once I have it, the staff shall immediately be broken over them.'
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Joseph hardly dared to make any objections to Cyrenius, for he had spoken these words with the greatest determination.
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After a while the three priests fell down before Cyrenius and entreated him for mercy with the assurance that they would unfailingly change their way of life and were also ready to lay down their priesthood on the spot.
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To gain grace they appealed to the law of the priests, which had caused them to act thus and not otherwise.
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Here Cyrenius retorted, 'Do you rascals suppose that I am not familiar with the laws of the priests?
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Listen, the special law of sacrifice reads thus: If any people have obviously become unfaithful to the gods by their excesses and the gods visit them with war, hunger and pestilence, the priests should then warn the people to better their ways.
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If the people take heed, the priests should again bless them and, to reconcile the gods, lay upon the people the duty of bringing certain sacrifices of gold, cattle and grain before the priests, so these can dedicate the sacrifice and make a smoke offering with it.
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But if there should be such a stubborn, unconvertable people which mocked the priests, then the priests should have the mockers as well as their children seized and instructed with the whip in subterranean chambers seven months long.
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'If the blasphemers repent, they shall again be given their freedom, but if they do not repent, they shall fall by the sword - and then only be paid in the flame as an atonement to the gods. -
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Does the wise old law of sacrifices not read thus? - Was there war, hunger and pestilence here? Was this beautiful youth faithless to the gods? Did you first instruct them for seven months? - No, instead you wanted to kill them out of ambition and lust! And therefore you must die as the greatest blasphemers against your own law!'