Chapter 30 - The Magi Worship The Baby
WHEN THE GOOD JOSEPH heard all this, his oppressed heart became lighter, and since he heard that the captain would come to him, he prepared himself to receive him 2 The captain entered, greeted Joseph and said to him, 'Man in my highest esteem! 3 See, by a wondrous providence these visitors from the East now waiting outside have come here, and I have examined them strictly and found no malice in them. 4 They wish to pay homage to the Child according to the promise of their God, and I am of the opinion that you can let them enter without having the least fear, if it is convenient for you.' 5 Joseph replied, 'If that is the way it is, then I will praise and glorify my God, for He has again taken a heavy stone from my heart! 6 But a short time ago Mary became a bit terrified when the Persians began to encamp about this cave; therefore I will first have to see how matters stand with her, so an unexpected entry of these guests will not frighten her still more than she was already frightened of them.' 7 The captain agreed to Joseph's precaution, and Joseph went to Mary and informed her of everything that he heard from the captain. 8 And Mary replied in a happy mood, 'Peace to all people on earth who are of a good and faithful heart and allow their will to be led by God! 9 They are surely welcome when the Spirit of the Lord will indicate it, and shall reap the blessing of their faithfulness! For I am not in the least afraid of them. 10 But when they enter you will have to stand close by my side, for it just would not be proper for me to receive them in this tent by myself!'
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Consider the Lord God, who here dwells in this Baby in all of His infinite and eternal fullness, to have countless myriads of most glorious and gigantic worlds and earths, the infinitely smallest part of which you see in the nighttime as little stars in the sky,
which He could have chosen for His incarnation as He did this earth! And despite this He has chosen this meager earth which, in fact, is the most miserable and inferior among all the countless spheres in every respect. But thus it has pleased Him, the eternal Lord of infinity, to do - He did it, as is manifest before our eyes. Now do you suppose that He needed either our counsel or our agreement for that? See, that would be a basically false thought! He does what He wants alone from eternity, and never has anyone been His counselor! Now who can ask Him and say: Lord, what are You doing, and why do You do it? - He is in Himself eternally the highest perfection, the highest wisdom, the greatest love and gentleness. He is in Himself the only most high power and might; one thought of destruction in His breast - and everything instantly sinks back into nothing. from "The Lord's Sermons" (through Gottfried Mayerhofer)
Sermon 7 First Sunday After Epiphany The Twelve-Year-Old Jesus in the Temple Luke II, 42-50: " And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them." (December 26, 1871) This text is also taken from the Gospel of Luke and deals with the three days I stayed in the temple. What I did and taught there is already known to you, since some years ago I explained it to you in more detail . We shall, therefore, look at it only insofar as it will be repeated spiritually before My Second Coming and is, in fact, already in the process of repeating itself. What you can gain from this repetition shall be the conclusion of today's word. Behold, My children, I have told you repeatedly that each action at that time - from My birth to My resurrection and ascension - had a twofold, actually threefold, significance. What I then did and spoke was of importance not only for the Jewish people, but for all men of that and later times. It was also - reaching far beyond your earth - meant for My entire realm of spirits which followed My actions with curious eyes to see whether and how I would, as a human being, accomplish the mission I had set for Myself. Being clad completely in the human body of an earth-dweller, I had to fight all the passions of human nature in order to free Myself from this and, spiritualized, return once more to whence I had come. Like every child I had to improve My soul gradually, develop My concepts and opinions in order to adapt to My Spirit the soul I had breathed into Myself, so that at the end of My earthly career I could show My spirits how I brought back not only My own Spirit in all its magnitude, but also knew how to spiritualise My human soul. (Boy Jesus in the Temple) 7] The remarkable thing about the matter is that nowadays, one can become and be a High-priest, and believe oneself filled with the Spirit of God, when one has not even an external knowledge of the Word of God! Is it not indeed custom and law that every High-priest who sits in the seat of Moses and Aaron, should have a perfect knowledge of all parts of the Scriptures, and should give everyone who has any doubt at all, full and complete information?
8] But what information can be given by anyone who does not himself know even the very short text of the People’s Catechism, and thus to the just anger of a true and zealous Jew, out of personal ignorance, calls that nonsense which every Jewish boy must know out of the People’s Catechism, and without which no honest master will accept him as apprentice in any trade?” 9] Thereupon another elder exhorted Me to consider who and what a High-priest was. 10] But I said: “If I speak the full truth, can I ever thereby offend any true man? Tell Me yourself, if the matter is not such as it clearly shows itself to be? About Isaiah IX (chap. 4, The 3 days Scene)
CHAPTER 4 Repeated request of the Jesus-Boy to have His preliminary question answered about Isaiah IX: 5,6. The objection of the acrimonious priest and the vigorous answer of the Boy-Jesus. 1] I said: “Oh yes, this very good explanation of yours I knew long ago, and so you might have spared yourself the trouble of telling Me all that. Therefore I maintain my point, and shall not remove My attention from the virgin Mary. 2] Why did the prophet say (Isaiah IX: 5,6): ‘Unto us a Child is born, a Son is given us, the government shall be upon His shoulder; and He is called Wonderful, Counselor, Strength, Hero, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace; that His government shall be great, and there shall be no end to the Peace on the Throne of David and in His kingdom, that He prepare, complete, and strengthen it with justice and righteousness from now and to eternity! Such will the Zeal of the Lord Zebaoth accomplish! 3] What Child is this and what Son is this Who is given to us? Would not this be, after all, the Boy born in a stable at Bethlehem? For it is also said: ‘At Bethlehem, in a stable, shall be born a King unto the Jews. He will found a new empire of which there shall be no end unto Eternity!’ How do you, Kabbalist, understand all this?” 4] Confused they all looked at each other and said: “Whence has this boy been able to gain such a knowledge of the Scriptures? There are altogether at most very few copies, and of these hardly ten are perfect; and as to these, we know where they are and no layman can get to them. The Samaritans do indeed possess an eleventh, but it is quite false, and contains a number of additions which are purely oriental fiction.” CHAPTER 23
The reading and explanation of Isaiah Chapter 9:5-6 by the Roman Judge. 1] Here the chief-priest pushed the book towards Me and said: “There, read it for yourself and be convinced!” 2] I took the book and gave it to the judge, showing him the passages to be read out aloud, and asked him to kindly read them out aloud in order that no one should be able to say that I had read the texts in My own favour. The judge could do this all the more easily as he was very well versed in most of the Oriental tongues, and especially knew how to read the Old Hebrew writing a good deal better than all the Temple officials together. 3] The judge gladly took the book and read as follows; “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given whose government is upon His shoulder; and His name is Wonderful, Counsellor, Might, Champion, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace: so that His Dominion may be great and there may be no end to His Peace upon the throne of David, and in His Kingdom, and that He may judge with justice and righteousness from henceforth even for ever. Such will the zeal of Zeboath accomplish”. Hereupon the judge asked the chief-priest if the texts had been correctly read. 4] The chief-priest answered in the affirmative with a deep bow. 5] Thereupon the judge continued to speak in My name, and said: “According to my opinion, you have looked up a passage which to my judgment just fits this young, lovely and wise boy, to a hair’s breadth as scarcely any other would have done. Prophecy of the Boy Jesus about heathen and Temple. About Zacharias (chap. 26, The 3 Days Scene)
CHAPTER 26 The angry answer of the chief-priest. The prophecy of the Boy Jesus about the calling of the heathen to be the children of GOD in place of the Jews, and about the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem. The truth about the death of Zacharias. The measure of the Jews is full. 1] At this speech of Mine, the chief-priest grew quite angry and said: “Boy, who gave you the right to menace us and the Temple? Did we make the laws, according to which we have to act now? Wise as some of your former speeches were. So are these unwise! Do you not know that not a tree falls at one blow, and that it is vain to change a thing that cannot possibly be changed! Just change the people yourself if you can! The Jewish nation is already a very old tree, and can no longer be bent like a young sapling! 2] We certainly have no wish at all to doubt that you have a higher vocation from GOD: but for all that, you must not tread under your feet the old institutions originating from Moses - even perhaps also with many later additions required by the circumstances of the times - neither should you compare us, being their administrators, to ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing. For we have torn no-one yet, but if we have chastised any blasphemer of God and the Temple, and the adulterers, we did nothing else but what was commanded by Moses. Can you say there that we acted wrongly, and against the Laws of GOD? 3] If you speak with us, measure your words a little better, for if you find some fault with us and with the Temple. Tell it to us with childlike, kind words, and we shall see what can be done about it. But with these threats of Divine Wisdom you will accomplish nothing with us! 4] I said: With your kind, no one yet has ever accomplished anything, neither with gentle nor with sharp words: therefore you also shall remain as you are, until the end of the world! But for this reason, Grace shall be taken away from you and shall be given to the heathen! 5] Look beyond the great sea at the continent of Europe! It is inhabited by nothing but heathens. - only very rarely does a Jew go there: Thither shall the Grace from Heaven be transplanted! CHAPTER 28
The evidence of the Boy Jesus that the Temple and the whole country are beyond being cleansed and rescued. The new Ark of the Covenant and the “Cursed Water” 1] Joram said: “I should not like as yet to consider that a settled matter. For with time comes counsel, and Solomon is right in affirming that all in the world is vanity: it might however happen sometimes that your present prophecy also could pass into the arms of vanity, and that we might still follow out, your counsel which is in the highest degree to be taken to heart. For behold, several of us truly agree very much with you! Of course we form only the smallest part of those who dwell in the Temple precincts, but we are anyhow the high ones, and thus also unquestionably authoritative! What do you think about this?” 2] I said: “At times it has already been like that in this house, sometimes even much better, and yet the better part never prevailed, but always the big crowd who understood how to make the greatest noise. But I tell you, and each one who thinks like you, and also acts accordingly - in spite of the more than numerous wicked ones - the single just one shall not pass by unnoticed before the Face of God!” 3] The generality of you have of course made a new Ark of the Covenant yourselves, and have procured a new vessel in which to keep the ‘Cursed Water’ which is advised by no prophet, and which is one of the worst inventions and products of the later times! Truly, that was unnecessary, equally the Ark of the covenant as also the vessel! Why have you not rather renewed your hearth in God through a right repentance, and transformed your old worldly mind into that of pure love and compassion? CHAPTER 27
Joram acknowledges the Boy Jesus as the Messiah, asks His advice and the explanation of Isaiah Chapter 53:3. The detailed answer of the Boy Jesus. 1] Joram said: “Dear Boy, we are really very sorry if we have offended you in any way, and that you now want to leave us so soon! Listen to me, you dear divine Boy! For I want now to say quite openly a few little words to you and I think that you will not interpret them unkindly, and that if I then ask your advice you will not shut your mouth before us and before me!” 2] I said: “Speak then, although I know what you will say, and what advice you need: but nevertheless speak out your mind aloud, because of the others; it is more necessary for them to hear it aloud than for us two.” 3] At that Joram stepped closer to Me and said: “That you are infallibly He who is promised us, and whose arrival is awaited anxiously by all Jews and with them by other nations also - of that all doubts have left me; and what has most opened my eyes was your absolutely exact knowledge of the most inner, wicked machinations of the Temple, since of old! 4] For it is thus, and has been so for a very long time already, and because it unfortunately is thus, this was also the only reason that the considerable country of Samaria has completely separated from us, and that we are not much better off now with Galilee than with Samaria. Of the Spirit, there is nothing more left with us: it is only by enforced policy that we keep up the small authority of the Temple. CHAPTER 29
The teasing question of the chief-priest. The repellent answer of the Boy Jesus. Barabas’ request for an explanation of Isaiah Chapter 54: 4-9, and its fulfillment through the LORD. Why the Lord is so harsh and repellent towards the Temple officials. 1] to this the chief-priest said once again: “Tell me then, you half-God, half-man of a boy from Galilee, where will you now go. So that we shall for along time henceforth no more be able to see you? But I think, as you are a Nazarene, and indeed a son of the carpenter Joseph (only too well known to me,) and of his wife Mary, or as I or someone among us will certainly visit once, twice or three times every year those Galilean places, it surely might not be so difficult to see you there, as being so well known a personality; and to continue discussing with you re-organisation of the Temple! What do you think, young prophet from Galilee, with regard to this?” 2]I said: “If your heart had also taken part in your words that were only intended to annoy Me, I should of course still have answered you; but thus you are not worthy of any other answer, but the one already received. 3] You may come once or a thousand times to Nazareth you shall never again get to see Me, and still less discuss with Me. For I shall know a long time in advance when you will arrive; but where I shall go then in the meantime, neither you nor your Temple officials will get to know! 4] I tell you that it is very difficult to search for and find Him who is Omniscient! Yea, when the time of permission from the Sprit that is within Me, shall come, then you shall find Me again! Or if all of you follow My advice, then I shall not keep you waiting, shall Myself come to you; but then only, as I have already remarked!” |
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