On a certain day the Lord Jesus was with some boys, who were playing on the house-top, and one of the boys fell down, and presently died.
5 Upon which the other boys all running away, the Lord Jesus was left alone on the house-top.
6 And the boy's relations came to him and said to the Lord Jesus, Thou didst throw our son down from the house-top.
7 But he denying it, they cried out, Our son is dead, and this is he who killed him.
8 The Lord Jesus replied to them, Do not charge me with a crime of which you are not able to convict me, but let us go and ask the boy himself, who will bring the truth to light.
9 Then the Lord Jesus going down stood over the head of the dead boy, and said with a loud voice, Zeinunus, Zeinunus, who threw thee down from the housetop?
10 Then the dead boy answered, thou didst not throw me down, but such a one did.
11 And when the Lord Jesus bade those who stood by to take present praised God on account of that miracle.
12 On a certain time the Lady St. Mary had commanded the Lord Jesus to fetch her some water out of the well;
13 And when he had gone to fetch the water, the pitcher, when it was brought up full, brake;
14 But Jesus spreading his mantle gathered up the water again, and brought it in that to his mother;
15 Who, being astonished at this wonderful thing, laid up this, and all the other things which she had seen, in her memory.
16 Again on another day the Lord Jesus was with some boys by a river, and they drew water out of the river by little channels, and made little fish-pools.
17 But the Lord Jesus had made twelve sparrows, and placed them about his pool on each side, three on a side.
18 But it was the Sabbath day, and the son of Hanani a Jew came by, and saw them making these things, and said, Do ye thus make figures of clay on the Sabbath? And he ran to them, and broke down their fish-pools.
19 But when the Lord Jesus clapped his hands over the sparrows which he had made, they fled away chirping.
20 At length the son of Hanani coming to the fish-pool of Jesus to destroy it, the water vanished away, and the Lord Jesus said to him,
21 In like manner as this water had vanished, so shall thy life vanish; and presently the boy died.
22 Another time, when the Lord Jesus was coming home in the evening with Joseph, he met a boy, who ran so hard against him, that he threw him down;
23 To whom the Lord Jesus said, As thou hast thrown me down, so shalt thou fall, nor ever rise.
24 And that moment the boy fell down and died.
CHAP. XX.
4 Christ sent to school to Zaccheus to learn his letters, and teaches Zaccheus. 13 Sent to another schoolmaster, 14 refuses to tell his letters, and the schoolmaster going to whip him, his hand withers and he dies.
THERE was also at Jerusalem one named Zaccheus, who was a schoolmaster:
2 And he said to Joseph, Joseph, why dost thou not send Jesus to me, that he may learn his letters?
3 Joseph agreed, and told St. Mary;
4 So they brought him to that master; who, as soon as he saw him, wrote out an alphabet for him,
5 And he bade him say Aleph; and when he had said Aleph, the master bade him pronounce Beth.
6 Then the Lord Jesus said to him, Tell me first the meaning of the letter Aleph, and then I will pronounce Beth.
7 And when the master threatened to whip him, the Lord Jesus explained to him the meaning of the letters Aleph and Beth;
8 Also which were the straight figures of the letters, which the oblique, and what letters had double figures; which had points, and which had none; why one letter went before another; and many other things he began to tell him, and explain, of which the master himself had never heard, nor read in any book.
9 The Lord Jesus farther said to the master, Take notice how I say to thee; then he began clearly and distinctly to say Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, and so on to the end of the alphabet.
10 At this the master was so surprised, that he said, I believe this boy was born before Noah;
11 And turning to Joseph, he said, Thou hast brought a boy to me to be taught, who is more learned than any master.
12 He said also to St. Mary, This your son has no need of any learning.
13 They brought him then to a more learned master, who, when he saw him, said, say Aleph;
14 And when he had said Aleph, the master bade him pronounce Beth; to which the Lord Jesus replied, Tell me first the meaning of the letter Aleph, and then I will pronounce Beth.
15 But this master, when he did lift up his hand to whip him, had his hand presently withered, and he died.
16 Then said Joseph to St. Mary, Henceforth we will not allow him to go out of the house; for every one who displeases him is killed.
CHAP. XXI.
Compare Luke ii. 42, whose meagre account is deficient of the sublime details here given of the subjects disputed upon.]1 Disputes learnedly with the doctors in the temple, 7 on law, 9 on astronomy, 12 on physics and metaphysics. 21 Is worshiped by a philosopher, 28 and fetched home by his mother.
AND when he was twelve years old, they brought him to Jerusalem to the feast; and when the feast was over, they returned.
2 But the Lord Jesus continued behind in the temple among the doctors and elders, and learned men of Israel; to whom he proposed several questions of learning, and also gave them answers:
3 For he said to them, Whose son is the Messiah? They answered, the son of David.
4 Why then, said he, does he in the spirit call him Lord? When he saith, The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, till I have made thine enemies thy foot- stool.
5 Then a certain principal Rabbi asked him, Hast thou read books?
6 Jesus answered, be had read both books, and the things which were contained in books.
7 And he explained to them the books of the law, and precepts, and statutes: and the mysteries which are contained in the books of the prophets; things which the mind of no creature could reach.
8 Then said that Rabbi, I never yet have seen or heard of such knowledge! What do you think that boy will be?
9 When a certain astronomer, who was present, asked the Lord Jesus, Whether he had studied astronomy?
10 The Lord Jesus replied, and told him the number of the spheres and heavenly bodies, as also their triangular, square, and sextile aspect; their progressive and retrograde motion; their size and several prognostications; and other things which the reason of man had never discovered.
