THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS - THE GOSPEL OF JAMES

THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS
THE GOSPEL OF JAMES

Biographical Gospel of the Lord

- Chapter 46 -

Joseph Acquaints Cyrenius With Jewish History

OSEPH NOW TOLD his sons to provide for the animals and to see what foodstuffs were available.

2
The sons did everything according to Joseph's will, provided for the animals, milked the cows,

3
then went into the storeroom and there found a large supply of flour, bread, fruits and also several pots full of honey.

4
For the commander of the garrison was an expert beekeeper according to the traditional school in Rome which was eulogized by a Roman poet of that day.

5
The sons then brought bread, milk, butter and honey into the living room to Joseph

6
who thereupon looked everything over, thanked God, blessed all the foods and then had them put on the table and asked Cyrenius to partake of them.

7
The latter gladly accepted Joseph's invitation, for he too delighted in milk and honey-bread.

8
During the meal Joseph briefly told Cyrenius the history of the Jews along with the story of creation and of the human race

9
and presented it all in such a concise and orderly manner as to quite convince Cyrenius that Joseph had spoken the most reliable truth.

10
But while this made him very happy for his part, he was saddened for his own in Rome, whom he well knew to be in gross darkness.

11
He accordingly said to Joseph, 'Venerable man and now the greatest friend of my life!

12
See, I have now conceived a plan. I shall report everything I have now heard from you to my almost own brother, the emperor Augustus, but only as if I had accidentally heard it from a Jew otherwise wholly unknown to me.

13
Your name and dwelling place will not be mentioned in the least - for why should the best man in Rome, the emperor Augustus, my brother, have to die forever?'

14
This time Joseph agreed, and Cyrenius remained in Ostracine where he completed a scroll in three days and sent it to the emperor in Rome by a special ship with the sole signature: Your brother Cyrenius. -

15
A careful perusal of this message from Cyrenius opened the emperor's eyes - whereupon he began to respect the Jews and even gave them an opportunity to be accepted as full Roman citizens for a small tax.

16
At the same time all especially artful preachers of paganism were banned from Rome under one pretext or another.

17
The usually so beloved poet Ovid was banned from Rome for a similar reason which was not made publicly known, and thereafter the hierarchy of priests did not fare too well under Augustus.

	OSEPH NOW TOLD his sons to provide for the animals and to see what foodstuffs were available.
2	The sons did everything according to Joseph's will, provided for the animals, milked the cows,
3	then went into the storeroom and there found a large supply of flour, bread, fruits and also several pots full of honey.
4	For the commander of the garrison was an expert beekeeper according to the traditional school in Rome which was eulogized by a Roman poet of that day.
5	The sons then brought bread, milk, butter and honey into the living room to Joseph
6	who thereupon looked everything over, thanked God, blessed all the foods and then had them put on the table and asked Cyrenius to partake of them.
7	The latter gladly accepted Joseph's invitation, for he too delighted in milk and honey-bread.
8	During the meal Joseph briefly told Cyrenius the history of the Jews along with the story of creation and of the human race
9	and presented it all in such a concise and orderly manner as to quite convince Cyrenius that Joseph had spoken the most reliable truth.
10	But while this made him very happy for his part, he was saddened for his own in Rome, whom he well knew to be in gross darkness.
11	He accordingly said to Joseph, 'Venerable man and now the greatest friend of my life!
12	See, I have now conceived a plan. I shall report everything I have now heard from you to my almost own brother, the emperor Augustus, but only as if I had accidentally heard it from a Jew otherwise wholly unknown to me.
13	Your name and dwelling place will not be mentioned in the least - for why should the best man in Rome, the emperor Augustus, my brother, have to die forever?'
14	This time Joseph agreed, and Cyrenius remained in Ostracine where he completed a scroll in three days and sent it to the emperor in Rome by a special ship with the sole signature: Your brother Cyrenius. -
15	A careful perusal of this message from Cyrenius opened the emperor's eyes - whereupon he began to respect the Jews and even gave them an opportunity to be accepted as full Roman citizens for a small tax.
16	At the same time all especially artful preachers of paganism were banned from Rome under one pretext or another.
17	The usually so beloved poet Ovid was banned from Rome for a similar reason which was not made publicly known, and thereafter the hierarchy of priests did not fare too well under Augustus.