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 OR A WHOLE HOUR Piras Zachaeus thought about the words of the little Boy, but nowhere could he find a solution.
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'Just who is this Boy supposed to be?' he said to himself a number of times.
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'Could He be none other than Elias, who is supposed to come once more?
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Or is He Samuel or some other great prophet reincarnated?
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He was born in Bethlehem, and no prophet is to come from there.
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But that is the place from which the Messiah is supposed to come!
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'Could this Boy then be the Messiah Himself?
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The Messiah is supposed to come from the tribe of David! Now Joseph is said to be a rightful descendant of David,
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although this has not been established from a strictly legal point of view.
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The matter would seem to have much in its favor;
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but who can believe and accept this as an undeniable fact without historical proof?
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Still, one is almost forced to this conclusion by the very nature of the Boy.
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But on the other hand, the Roman charter speaks wholly against this;
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for the Messiah will surely have to be a most decided enemy of the Romans.
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Now how can the Boy possibly be that in the light of His friendship with the Romans, who have made Him one of their citizens?
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As such He can, in time, probably become a great general of Rome, a Messiah to the heathen -
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but for us a two-edged sword that will bring about our downfall!
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If I reported that to the high priest, truly, that could be of great advantage to me.'
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Here the little Jesus, accompanied by James, came back into the garden, went over to the teacher and warned him,
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'Piras Zachaeus! Just forget your desire to reveal Me to the high priest before the appointed time;
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or death will overtake you at the third step!
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My power you have probed, so let this be a good word of warning to you.
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Now what you have said to yourself about a Messiah for the heathen, that has its reason -
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for thus it shall indeed be: a light to the heathen and a judgment to the Jews and all children of Israel!
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This provoked the teacher and he declared, 'If so, then leave us and go to the heathen!'
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And the little Jesus retorted, 'I am a Lord and do as I decide; and you are not one who has anything to say about it!
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Therefore be silent and leave this place, or you will yet force Me to smite you!'
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When Piras Zachaeus heard this from the little Jesus, he quickly arose and fled into the town.
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Thus Joseph was rid of an annoying guest and again followed his trade.
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