NEUOFFENBARUNG← The Childhood and Youth of Jesus · Part 2 · Contents
Jonathan's astonishment about the spherical shape of the earth. Jesus as 'professor of natural sciences'. Preparations for the evening meal. 29 March 1844
01] After a while, Jonathan said to Joseph: "Brother! Who could have even dreamt of the fact that the earth is an enormous sphere?!
02] So we live only on the surface of this globe? 03] But what should I make of the oceans? Do they also belong to the sphere – or does the actual solid globe float on the same?"
04] Here the Infant intercepted and spoke: "To spare you from missing out on your beneficent sleep with all your speculations, I must help you come out of your dreams!
05] Come closer, and you, James, quickly get me a fairly round bitter orange!"
06] As the bitter orange was brought, the Infant took it in His hand and spoke:
07] "Look, this is the earth! – I now want this bitter orange to completely resemble the earth on a miniature scale, and to have mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, oceans and also townships, wherever they have been built by man. – Let it be so!"
08] At that moment, there was a perfect globe in miniature in the Infant's hand.
09] One could see the ocean, the rivers, the lakes, the mountains, and also the cities on this globe, – which, through the "So be it!" had in fact grown a hundred times the size of the bitter orange.
10] Everyone pushed forward to view this marvellous miniature earth.
11] Joseph soon discovered Nazareth and Jerusalem on it and was astonished at the extraordinary accuracy.
12] Eudokia soon found Thebes in her homeland and was astonished at the accuracy.
13] Likewise, Rome was found, and quite a few other known places.
14] The inspection of this globe took more than one hour and just seemed to go on forever.
15] Even Mary liked this small earth so much that she became greatly animated by looking at it.
16] And the eight children were so smitten by the globe that they stared at it as if they were turned to stone.
17] The Infant now explained the nature of the earth in detail, just as a professor of geology would, and all understood his speech.
18] But as the Infant had finished his explanation, He spoke to James:
19] "James! – Now take a piece of string and suspend this globe freely somewhere, so that those who are curious can also find something to do tomorrow!
20] For today, however, let us leave this earth in peace and retire for the night; that is, after the evening meal;
21] for I have become hungry and thirsty, while you have lived off the moon and the earth!"
22] And Joseph immediately ordered the Joel, the head cook, to prepare supper and to put it on the table. And Joel went with the other three brothers and prepared a good supper.