The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 15 -
And Nature Stood Still
WHEN THE RESTING PLACE was prepared, Joseph brought Mary into the cave, where she lay down on the bed of hay and straw and found some relief in this position.
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When Mary was thus provided for, Joseph said to his sons,
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'You two oldest keep watch over Mary and give her the proper care if she needs it, especially you, Joel, since you learned something about this matter from my friends in Nazareth.'
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Then he told the other three to look after the donkey and the ox and to find a place for the cart inside the fairly spacious cave.
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When Joseph had looked to all these things he said to Mary, 'Now I will go up on the hill and hurriedly seek a midwife in the city of my father and will bring her here to give you aid.'
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After these words Joseph went out of the cave. It was already late in the evening and the stars were well discernible in the sky.
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Here, in Joseph's own words, are his remarkable experiences after leaving the cave, as he told his sons upon his return with the midwife when Mary had already given birth.
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And Joseph's words were as follows: 'Children, we are on the threshold of great things! Now I begin to understand what the voice told me on the evening before our departure. Truly, if the Lord were not present with us - even though unseen - such wondrous things as I now have seen could not possibly take place!
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'Listen! - After I left the cave and went on my way, it seemed to me as if I were not walking! And I saw the rising full moon and the stars in the east as well as in the west, and lo, everything stood still, and the moon did not leave the earth's horizon, and the stars on the western horizon would not set!
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'Then I saw flocks upon flocks of birds sitting on the limbs of the trees - all had their faces turned hereward and trembled as in times of great, imminent earthquakes, and could not have been dislodged from their places with shouts or stones.
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'And I looked around on the ground again and saw a group of workmen not far from me who sat around a bowl filled with food - some held their hands motionless in the bowl and were unable to lift food out of it.
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'Those who had already lifted a morsel from the bowl held it at the mouth which they could not open, so they might eat; and all faces were turned upward as if they saw great things in the sky.
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'Then I saw sheep which were being driven by the shepherds; but the sheep stood motionless, and the hand of the shepherd who lifted it to strike the tarrying sheep remained in the air as if paralyzed and he could not move it.
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'Again I saw a whole herd of rams who held their muzzles over the water but were unable to drink, for they all were as if completely paralyzed.
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'And I also saw a brook which had a long waterfall coming down from the hill, and behold, the water stood still and did not fall down into the valley! - Thus all things on the ground appeared as if they had neither life nor motion.
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'As I stood there or walked and did not know whether I was standing or walking, lo, I finally saw life again.
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For a woman came down the side of the hill directly toward me and when she reached me, asked; Man, where are you going so late?
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And I said: I seek a midwife; for there in the cave is one who would give birth!
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The woman then asked: Is she of Israel? I replied: Yes, lady, I and she are of Israel. David is our father!
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The woman asked further: Who is she that would give birth there in the cave? Is she your wife, or a relative, or a maidservant?
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I then answered: Since a short time my wife only before God and the high priest; but when she became pregnant she was not yet my wife and was only entrusted into my care from the temple by the witness of God, since she had formerly been brought up in the Holy of Holies!
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But do not be surprised at her pregnancy - for That which is in her is wonderfully conceived by the Holy Spirit of God! At this the woman was amazed and demanded of me: Man, tell me the truth! - And I said: Come and see, and convince yourself with your own eyes!'