The Childhood and Youth of Jesus · Part 2 · Chapter 295

Joseph and Mary still want to entrust the almost ten-year-old Jesus to a teacher. Problems during lessons. The teacher beats the Child and thereupon becomes dumb and foolish. The Boy Jesus returns home. 2 September 1844

01] From then onwards, the Boy Jesus did not work any miracles, but behaved like any other human child!

02] He was happy to be with Joseph, whenever the latter was making equipment, such as: ploughs, yokes, chairs, tables, beds and the like, and Joseph always succeeded in getting things right.

03] But as the little Boy was already in His tenth year and didn't seem to differ in any way from the other children, –

04] Joseph spoke to Mary: "See, the people around disparage us for allowing Jesus to grow up without any schooling, because He has such marvellous abilities and aptitudes!

05] I know well, that Jesus does not need the lessons of an earthly school;

06] but in order to silence the neighbours I would nonetheless like to entrust Him to a teacher.

07] And as two new schools have been established in the city, with both of them having teachers who are supposed to be very competent, I would like to give one or the other a try!"

08] Mary agreed to this; for even she saw the apparent necessity of such schooling.

09] And Joseph took Jesus and brought him to the first teacher.

10] This teacher immediately accepted the little Boy and spoke to Joseph: "To begin with, he should learn Greek because of the many Greeks among us, and only then Hebrew!

11] I am well aware of the strange characteristics of this child and am a little afraid of him.

12] However, I will do what is right; but you must entrust the child to me completely!"

13] Joseph agreed to this and wholly entrusted him to the teacher's house.

14] For three days, Jesus enjoyed the usual freedom here; the teacher took Him to school only on the fourth day.

15] On arrival there, the teacher led Him to the board and wrote the entire alphabet in front of Him and began to explain what he had written.

16] After he had explained this a few times, he asked Jesus what He had learnt from this.

17] But Jesus pretended to know nothing of what had been explained, and gave the teacher no reply.

18] And the teacher tormented the Child and himself for three days but never got a response.

19] But on the fourth day, he became indignant and ordered the Child Jesus, under threat of a severe punishment, to answer him.

20] So the Child spoke to him: "If you are really a teacher, and if you really know the alphabet, then show Me the true and basic meaning of the Alpha, and I will reveal the

same to you about the Beta!"

21] At this, the teacher became angry and hit Jesus on the head with the pointer.

22] This hurt the Boy, and He spoke to the teacher: "Is this the right way to do away with your ignorance?

23] Truly, I am not with you for the purpose of getting beaten, and this is not the way to teach and educate human beings!

24] Now you shall become dumb and foolish, because you hit Me instead of giving Me a proper explanation!"

25] And the teacher sank down, and due to his raving, was bound and brought into another room.

26] And Jesus immediately returned home to Joseph where He said:

27] "In future, I request a teacher who does not come to school carrying a cane; however, this one is now atoning for his outrage against Me!"

28] Then Joseph knew what surely had happened again, and spoke to Mary: "We should never again part with Jesus; for He punishes everyone who does not act according to His own mindset!"

29] And Mary agreed to this; and no one dared to reproach Jesus. –