The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 136 -
The Discovery Of The Traitor
CYRENIUS QUICKLY awakened his household servants and summoned them to his sleeping-hall to explain how such treachery took place.
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The household servants were alarmed at what they saw there and assured the angry governor,
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'Most strict, just and most powerful lord, lord! Let the gods be our witnesses that we did not know anything whatever about this.
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We will all suffer death if we took the least part in it or even have the least knowledge of it!'
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Thereupon Cyrenius asserted, 'Then take these corpses outside and bury them in front of this citadel in the open place as a warning example to all who might still be of the same mind!'
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But the servants were in great fear of the three lions who still were closely watching the sleeping couch of Cyrenius, and protested,
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'Oh lord, lord! See, we do not dare to touch anything here, for the three beasts have too grim an appearance and could do the same with us as they did with these assassins.'
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Here Cyrenius said, 'Whoever among you has a clear conscience, let him step forth and see for himself that these fierce animals also respect faithfulness.'
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At these words of Cyrenius all except one stepped forth, and the lions did not harm them in the least.
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Cyrenius then asked the one who stood back, 'Why do you stand back, since you can see how your comrades are not harmed by the lions in the least?'
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And the one questioned replied, 'Lord, lord, be merciful to me, for my conscience is not clear!'
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Cyrenius asked him, 'Wherein then is your conscience not clear? Speak, if you do not wish to die!'
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And the questioned servant said, 'Lord, lord, I knew of this treachery since yesterday morning, but did not want to tell you anything about it because I was bought off with a hundred pounds of silver!
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For I thought to myself that you would.'be saved anyway, like the wise man outside was saved in the villa, sol accepted the silver.'
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At this Cyrenius sprang up and exclaimed, 'It seems as if every sincere humanitarian must also have a devil among his servants and friends!
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You miserable scoundrel, step over here before the tribunal of God! If you find grace before this tribunal then I will not judge you either,
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but if you find no grace before this tribunal, then you are already judged forever!'
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At this the servant thus questioned and ordered began to quake and collapsed in a dead faint.
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Hereat a lion stood up, went over to the unconscious servant, took hold of his hand and very carefully dragged him over in front of Cyrenius, where the guilty one remained lying motionless.
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Then the same lion in great haste sprang into the lesser hall wherein he seized upon a bundle, pulled it forth and tore it to pieces,
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whereupon the hundred pounds of silver which the servant had received for his silence came into view.
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Cyrenius was not a little amazed at this occurrence.
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Then the lion again took hold of the guilty one by the arm, pulled him into the lesser hall and laid him down on the exact spot where the bundle had formerly lain.
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There he dealt him several blows with his tail, which brought the stunned servant back to consciousness and did not harm him otherwise.
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The lion then returned to its former place and maintained a passive attitude along with its two comrades.
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The servants now began to remove the corpses as ordered by Cyrenius. And Cyrenius honored and praised the God of Israel for having so wonderfully saved him, and in one hour the sleeping-chamber was completely cleansed again.