The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 145 -
Joseph Tells The Captain Of The Messiah
WHEN THE CAPTAIN had heard the main tenets of the doctrine of God and therewith also a few indications of the Messiah,
2
he became very pensive and asked after a while when this Messiah should come.
3
Joseph answered 'This Messiah, through whom all men will be freed from the yoke of death and who will bring the fallen-away earth into contact with the heavens again, is already here!'
4
The captain inquired, 'If this Messiah is already here, so tell me where He is, and how one may recognize Him.'
5
And Joseph responded: it is not permitted me that I should point Him out to you with my finger.
6
But as concerns the signs, I will tell you a few things about that.
7
See, to begin with the Messiah will be the living, eternal Son of the Most High, to you up to now unknown God.
8
An altogether spotless virgin will conceive Him in a most marvelous way by the sole power of the Most High.
9
And when He has been conceived and born, all fullness of the most exalted power of God will dwell in His flesh.
10
And when He dwells on the earth bodily, His servants and messengers will step down from the high heavens to the earth and will serve Him in secret and also openly in front of many people.
11
He will by words and deeds bless all who follow Him with deeds according to His words and who become inflamed for Him in their hearts.
12
But those who do not wish to acknowledge Him will be judged by His almighty Word which He will indelibly engrave into the heart of every human being.
13
'His words will not be like those of a man, but will be full of power and full of life - and whosoever hears these words and keeps them in his heart to be transformed into action according to them will eternally never taste death!
14
'And in His manner He will be as gentle as a lamb and as tender as a turtle-dove,
15
but all the elements will nevertheless obey His subtlest breath!
16
When He commands the winds ever so quietly - they will break loose and furrow up the sea down to the bottom!
17
When He glances across the turbulent sea - the waters will turn into a calm mirror!
18
If He breathes on the earth - it will open up its old graves and will have to deliver all the dead to life again!
19
And the fire will become a cooling balm to him who carries the Messiah's Word alive in his breast! -
20
Now, dear captain, here you have the fundamental characteristics of the Messiah, by which you may easily recognize Him.
21
More I am not permitted to say about Him. His whereabouts you will surely discover very easily and very soon.'
22
This explanation made a very powerful impression on the captain, so that he hardly trusted himself to say any more.
23
He thereupon went to the lesser priest to whom he had already spoken and asked him,
24
'Did you happen to overhear what this eminently wise Jew has discussed with me?'
25
The lesser priest replied, I tell you: Every little word penetrated deep into my marveling soul!'
26
The captain continued, 'Then tell me, what sort of an end will our gods come to afterwards, so the to me most remarkably pictured Messiah of the world will assert Himself in the full activity of His altogether divine power.'
27
The lesser priest answered: 'Did you not feel the power of the mighty gale three days ago?
28
On the mountain - did you not witness the sudden end of our former temple of Apollo and all the signs following thereafter?
29
See, the same will happen to Rome in the near future. The temples will become dusty rubble.
30
And where sacrifices are still brought to Zeus there you will soon see a broken heap of stones - but in place of that men will build living temples in their hearts.
31
In these every man, just like a priest, will be able to bring a living sacrifice to the only true God, everywhere and at any time. I can tell you that much and no more. Do you want more? See, there are those who know more than I. So do not ask me any more.'