The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 44 -
The Family's New Home
WHEN CYRENIUS reached the purchased villa with Joseph and his family, Joseph said to Cyrenius,
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'Noble friend! There I would be happy - an unpretentious villa, a comely orchard full of dates, figs, pomegranates, oranges, apples, pears and cherries,
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grapes, almonds, melons and a mass of vegetables. And next to it a pasture and three acres of corn - all that surely belongs to this!
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Truly, I want nothing pretentious or ornate, but this practically laid-out villa, which has great similarity with my leased farmstead at Nazareth in Judea, I would like to either rent or buy.'
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Here Cyrenius drew out the ownership scroll and handed it to Joseph with the words,
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'May the Lord, your and now also my God, bless it for you! I herewith hand over to you the tax-free, complete ownership of this villa.
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Everything that you see enclosed by a thick hedge and held in with a palisade fence belongs to this villa! In back of the dwelling there is also a roomy stable for donkeys and cows, where you will find two cows and space for your pack animals, of which you already have enough for your needs.
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But if in time you should wish to return to the land of your fathers, you can then sell this property and with the money buy yourself some property there.
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In short - you, my great friend, are now in full ownership of this villa and can do with it what you will.
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I am going to remain here for today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow so Herod's messengers of ill tidings shall impatiently await me all the longer
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For this short time only I will also make use of this villa because of my great love for you.
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I would of course only need to give the order, and the imperial palace would have to be made ready for me at once - in the first place because I hold the emperor's full power of authority,
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and also because I am a close relative of the emperor.
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But all this I set aside because of my great respect and love for you, and quite especially for the Child whom I unquestionably consider to be at least the Son of the most high God!'
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Joseph was so deeply moved at this noble surprise that in his heartfelt joy he could only weep, but not smile.
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And Mary also fared no better, but she quickly regained her self-control, went over to Cyrenius and expressed her gratitude by laying the Baby in Cyrenius' arms. And Cyrenius, deeply touched, asserted, 'O my great Lord and God! Is a sinner really worthy of holding You on his hands? So then be gracious and merciful to me!'