The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 118 -
God's Love For His Children
AFTER THIS DEMONSTRATION of power the two youths again led Cyrenius into the room where Joseph, Mary with the Baby, Tullia, Eudokia and the three priests, Maronius and other members of the part of Cyrenius were.
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Joseph thereupon went over to Cyrenius and asked him,
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'Well, most illustrious brother and friend, what do you say to these servants of the Lord?'
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Here Cyrenius declared, 'Oh most esteemed brother, there is hardly any difference between them and the Lord, for they are just as powerful as He!
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The Baby recently destroyed the great pillar of Zeus with the wave of one hand;
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but these servants destroyed a whole mountain with one word! - Tell me, what difference is there then between Lord and servant?'
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And Joseph answered Cyrenius: 'Oh friend, there is an infinitely great difference there!
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See, the Lord does all of that from Himself eternally, but His servants are able to do that from the will of the Lord only then, when He wants it!
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If that is not the case, then they are as little able to do anything of themselves as I and you, and all their own power may not crush even a mote in a sunbeam.'
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Cyrenius answered, 'I understand - what you have said is correct and requires no further clarification.
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But if the Lord alone effects all of that and the servants have no power of themselves, what use then are they to Him?'
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Here Joseph said, 'See, my dear, splendid brother, here is the Baby! Turn to Him with your question - He will give you the best answer in the matter."
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This Cyrenius did, whereupon the Baby sat up and said,
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'Cyrenius, you are now a husband and last night you already begat an offspring with your wife!
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And I tell you that you will have twelve of them altogether! Now when you are a father of twelve children, tell Me, of what use will they be to you, and why and for what purpose you want to have children anyway?
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Can you not after all attend to your business well and vigorously enough without them?'
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At this Cyrenius was greatly taken aback and after a while said somewhat at a loss,
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'As far as my attending to matters of governing the state is concerned, that requires wisdom and experience, and I do not need children for that.
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Only in my heart there expresses itself a powerful want for the possession of children, and this want is named love!'
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The Baby continued, 'Good, but when you have children, will you not take them into your calling out of pure love for them and give them power and influence simply because they are your children, and make them your powerful servants?'
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Cyrenius answered, 'O Lord, that I shall most certainly do!'
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And the Baby affirmed once more: 'See, if you as a human being already do this out of love for your children, why then should God not do it as a holy Father with His children out of His infinite love for them?'
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This answer told Cyrenius everything, and filled him and all those present with the greatest reverence, and he afterward asked no more.