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INFANCY 2
INTODUCTION TO THE ARABIC INFANCY GOSPEL; JOSEPH AND MARY TRAVEL TO BETHLEHEM
(Luke 2:1 6; BMary 8:13,14; PEv 17:1 18:1; PsMt 13; ArIn 1:1,4 6; AsIs 11:7; HJC 7; Qur
19:23 26) Nazareth; Jerusalem; The Road to Bethlehem
{We found the following reports written in the Book of Joseph the High Priest, who some
say is Caiaphas:} Now it happened shortly after the two months,
in the three hundred and ninth year of the reign of Alexander, when Joseph the Carpenter
was living apart from his wife Mary in her house, that a registration was imposed according
to the edict of Augustus Caesar the king: that everyone in the inhabited world should
register in his own town. (This registration was the first to take place during the governorship
of Quirinius in Syria.) So everyone returned to enroll in their own home towns. It was
needful, therefore, for Joseph to sign on with Mary (in Bethlehem), because they, being
of the tribe of Judah, and the stock and lineage of David, were both from there. By then it
was approaching nine months from her time of conception, and by then Mary was great
with child. "I will enter my sons," (said Joseph,) "but
what am I to do with this girl? How am I to register her? As my wife? I am too embarrassed
to admit that! Perhaps as my daughter! I cannot, for the children of Israel are all aware that
she is not my daughter. No, on this, the Lord’s Day, the Lord will do as He sees fit." So
the aged and righteous Joseph got up, packed some essentials, saddled his donkey, and seated
her on it. Joseph then left the city of Nazareth, his son leading and himself trailing behind.
They passed through Galilee and entered into Judea, then traveled on to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
And as they were approaching the third milestone, Joseph turned around and noticed Mary looking
sad, so he thought within himself, "Perhaps the child within her is causing her anguish."
Later on, Joseph turned around and saw her laughing out loud, so he asked her, "Mary,
why do I see laughter on your face one minute and sorrow on it the next?" And Mary replied
to Joseph, "I can see two peoples with these eyes of mine: one of them weeping in bitterness
and one triumphing in utter joy." When they reached the halfway point along
the road to Bethlehem, Mary called out to Joseph, "I see two nations before me, one
weeping and the other rejoicing." "Sit quietly upon your beast," answered Joseph, "and speak
only when necessary!" A handsome young man, all dressed in white, appeared before them
there and asked, "Joseph, why did you say that the words that were spoken by Mary concerning
the two peoples were superfluous? For she saw the Jewish people weeping because they
have abandoned their God; and the Gentile people rejoicing because they have drawn near
to the Lord, even as He promised to our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for the time has
now come for a blessing to be extended toward all the nations of the children of Abraham!"
And after he had spoken this, they drew near to the cave. And the angel commanded the donkey
to stop, for it happened at that point that the time for her to give birth had come. Mary
then let Joseph know that it was her time, and that she would be unable to make it into
town. The angel then told Mary to come down from her beast. "Joseph," said Mary, "take
me off of this donkey, for the child within me is struggling to come out." And Joseph
helped her down from it. And the throes of childbirth drove her to the base of a palm,
where she lamented, "Oh that I had only died before and passed into oblivion!" And from
within a voice cried out, "Do not be sad, for below at your feet, your Lord has provided
you with a brook. Now if you should shake the palm a bit, it will drop fresh, ripe dates
into your lap. Eat, drink, and rejoice therefore; and if you should meet with anyone, merely
say, ‘I have sworn a fast to the Lord this day, and will not speak with any man.’"
And (Joseph) asked her, "Where am I to take you in this forsaken place that I might conceal
your disgrace?" "Enter into an underground cavern which has never seen the light of day,"
the angel replied, "but which has forever been choked with darkness." Joseph found a
cave nearby, and Mary said, "Let us enter into it," and he took her inside. Now as soon
as Mary entered the cave, it began to shine as bright as the sixth hour of the day. And
the light, which came from God, was such that so long as Mary was there, be it either night
or day, there was never any lack thereof. THE BIRTH OF JESUS
The Seven Heavens And Joseph, leaving his sons to care for her,
went out to seek for a Jewish midwife in the region of Bethlehem. Now behold, a girl drew
near with a birthing chair and came to a stop. Both of them were startled, and Joseph asked
her, "Girl, where are you going with that chair?" And she answered him, "My mistress
has sent me here because a young man came running up and crying out, ‘Hurry now! Come
and assist in a remarkable birth, because for the first time ever a *** will bring
forth.’ Now as soon as my mistress heard this, she sent me out ahead of her. Look,
here she comes now!" And behold, there was this woman coming down from the hills. Joseph
turned around and saw her approaching, so he went up to her and they introduced themselves
to one another. "Mister," the midwife asked Joseph, "where are you headed?" And he answered
her, "I am in search of a Jewish midwife." And the woman asked him, "Are you an Israelite?"
"Indeed I am," Joseph replied. The woman then asked him, "Who is this ‘***’ who is
ready to bring forth in this cavern?" "It is Mary," answered Joseph, "who was educated
in the Lord’s temple and betrothed to me." "Is she therefore not your wife?" the midwife
asked him. "Well, she was betrothed to me," Joseph replied, "but it was the Holy Spirit
that brought about her conception." "Is what you say indeed the truth?" the midwife asked
him. "Come and see it for yourself!" responded Joseph. And she followed him to the mouth
of the cave, where they came to a stop. "Come and have a look at Mary," he directed her,
so both of them went inside. And even as she was about to enter into the innermost chamber,
behold, a luminous cloud shone brilliantly within it, and the midwife froze with fear.
"Behold," Joseph cried aloud to Mary, "I have brought you a midwife, Zachel, who is standing
outside at the opening. Not only does she not dare to enter, but indeed finds it impossible
to do so." When Mary heard this, she grinned. "Do not smile," Joseph complained, "but be
prudent, for she has come to examine you and see if you need medicine." He asked the midwife
to go inside and have a look, and she stood before Mary.
"Now as I was going in," (the midwife later reported,) "I saw the *** looking up and
facing heaven. And although she seemed to be talking to herself, I truly believe that
she was praying to and praising the Most High God. And when I came up to her, I said, ‘Tell
me, my daughter, do you not feel any pain? Is there no part of your body in anguish?’
Yet she remained motionless; fixed like a solid rock toward heaven." And for several
hours Mary allowed herself to be observed. (And when the Lord was about to be born, Joseph
went away to seek midwives.)