The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 214 -
The Lord's Table On The Mountain
THEREUPON JOSEPH became afraid, so he quickly called his four oldest sons and said to them,
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'Go and help me look for the little Child and for James - for I have sinned against the Child and am greatly afraid in my heart!'
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And the four sons hurriedly went out in all directions and sought the little Child for an hour, but they found Him nowhere and came home empty-handed.
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When Joseph saw that the four sons came home alone, his heart was full of anguish and he went outside and walked quite a distance from the villa where he wept very bitterly over his supposed transgression against the Child.
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While he was thus weeping, he heard a voice which said to him,
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'Joseph, you just man, weep not, and do not let yourself be disturbed in your heart by the children of men!
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For I, whom you now seek fearfully and in disquiet of soul, am closer to you than you think.
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Just go forward now in the direction in which you are facing, and your eyes will see Him who now speaks to you and whom you seek!'
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At these wondrous words Joseph arose comforted and hurriedly went forward through the fields for about a half hour's walk in the direction he faced.
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And as he thus walked, he came to a hill of considerable size which was one-hundred and seventy fathoms high.
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There he thought and said to himself, 'Shall I also climb this hill in this great heat?'
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And the voice said again, 'Yes, you must also climb this hill - for only at the summit shall your eyes behold the Lord, whom you did not see as He sat with you at the table!'
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When Joseph heard this, he paid no attention to the great heat and hurriedly went up the hill.
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But as he neared the top, he found it wrapped in a dense mist and was greatly surprised that such a little hill had a mist at this time of the year; for it was the time around Easter.
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And as he was thus wondering, lo, James and the little Child appeared out of the mists, and the little Child said,
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'Joseph, do not hold back and joyfully come with Me to the summit of this hill
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and there convince yourself that now is not the time in which the Lord shall fast, and that because He did not pray!
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A time will indeed come in which the Lord will fast, but that is still to come. - And so follow Me!'
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At this Joseph followed the little Child and soon came to the top.
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When he arrived at the top, the mists departed, and upon a finely polished crossbeam of cedar-wood he saw a roasted lamb, a goblet full of precious wine and a loaf of the finest wheat bread.
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At this Joseph was greatly surprised and inquired, 'But from where did you two take all this? Did the angels bring you that, or did You, o Lord, create it all?'
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And the little Child looked toward the sun and said, 'Joseph, look, this luminary of the earth also boards at My table!
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And I tell you: she requires more sustenance in one hour than this earth, which carries you, amounts to - and behold, she has never suffered from hunger or thirst! And such boarders I have in countless numbers and of incomparably greater size!
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Do you really suppose that I shall fast when you order Me away from the table if I do not wish to worship Myself at an inappropriate time?
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Oh see, of that the Lord has no need. Now come to My table and dine with Me - but this time without your habitual prayer.
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'For love to Me is the true prayer - if you have this, then you can at all times save your lips the trouble!' And Joseph went over and ate and drank at the true table of the Lord, and found the food to have a truly heavenly flavor.