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14
October 2003
Text: Matthew 1-2; Luke 1-2
THE INFANCY NARRATIVES
1. Only 2 Gospels have Infancy Narratives of Jesus
2. The Book of James focuses on the parentage of Mary
3. The focus of the Biblical Infancy Narratives is Jesus
STATEMENTS FROM THE SO-CALLED BOOK OF JAMES
1. The parents of Mary are introduced as "Ioacim and Anna"
2. They were childless
James I
1. "In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel it is written
that there was one Ioacim, exceedingly rich…"
2. "And Ioacim was sore grieved, and showed not himself to his
wife, but betook himself to the wilderness, and pitched his tent there,
and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying within himself: I will
not go down either for meat or for drink until the Lord my God visit
me, and my prayer shall be unto me meat and drink."
James II
1. "Now his wife lamented with two lamentations, and bewailed
herself with two bewailings, saying: 'I will bewail my widowhood,
and I will bewail my childlessness.'"
2. "And Anna was sore grieved and mourned with a great mourning
because she was reproached by all the tribes of Israel."
James IV
1. "And behold an angel of the Lord appeared, saying unto her:
Anna, Anna, the Lord has hearkened to your prayer, and you shall conceive
and bear, and your seed shall be spoken of in the whole world."
4. "Now I know that the Lord has greatly blessed me, for behold
the widow is no more a widow, and she that was childless shall conceive."
James V
2. "And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna
brought forth…
And when the days were fulfilled, Anna purified herself and gave suck
to the child and called her name Mary."
James VI
1. And day by day the child waxed strong, and when she was six months
old her mother stood her upon the ground to try if she would stand;
and she walked seven steps and returned to her bosom. And she caught
her up, saying, 'As the Lord lives, you shall walk no more on this
ground, until I bring you to the temple of the Lord.' And she made
a sanctuary in her bed chamber and suffered nothing common or unclean
to pass through it. And she called for the daughters of the Hebrews
that were undefiled, and they carried her here and there.
James VII
2. And the child became three years old…
And the priest received her and kissed her and blessed her…"
And the Lord put grace upon her and she danced with her feet and all
the house of Israel loved her.
James VIII
1. "And Mary was in the temple of the Lord… and she received
food from the hand of an angel."
2. "And when she was twelve years old, there was a council of
the priests, saying: 'Behold, Mary is become twelve years old in the
temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her? Lest she pollute
the sanctuary of the Lord."
3. "And lo, an angel of the Lord appeared saying: 'Go forth
and assemble them that are widowers of the people, and let every man
bring a rod, and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife
shall she be."
James IX
1. "Joseph received the last rod: and lo, a dove came forth out
of the rod and flew upon the beard of Joseph. And the priest said
to Joseph. 'To you has it fallen to take the virgin of the Lord and
keep her for yourself. And Joseph refused, saying: 'I have sons, and
I am an old man; but she is a girl…"
And the priest said to Joseph: 'Fear the Lord your God, and remember
what things God did to Dathan and Abiram and Korah, how the earth
opened and swallowed they up because of their gainsaying. And now,
fear you, Joseph, lest it be so in your house."
Joseph was afraid, and took her to keep her for himself. And Joseph
said to Mary: 'Lo, I have received you out of the temple of the Lord:
and now I leave you in my house: and I go away to build my buildings…
The Lord watch over you"
James XIII
1. "And the priest said: 'I will give you (Joseph) to drink of
the water of conviction of the Lord, and it will make manifest your
sins before your eyes.' And the priest took thereof and made Joseph
drink and sent him into the hill country. And he returned whole.
He made Mary also drink and sent her into the hill country, and she
returned whole. And all the people marveled, because sin did not appear
in them."
James XIX
1. "And I (Joseph) seek a midwife of the Hebrews…
And the midwife went with him…"
2. "And they stood in the place of the cave: and behold a bright
cloud overshadowing the cave… And little by little that light
withdrew itself until the young child appeared: and it went and took
the breast of its mother Mary."
James XXII
1. But when Herod perceived that he was mocked by the wise men, he
was angry, and sent murderers, saying to them; Slay the children from
two years and under. And when Mary heard that the children were being
slain, she was afraid, and took the young child and wrapped in swaddling
clothes laid him in an ox-manger.
3. But Elizabeth when she heard that they sought for John, took him
up into the hill country and looked about her where she should hide
him: and there was no hiding place. And Elizabeth groaned and said
with a loud voice: 'O mountain of God, receive you a mother and her
child… and immediately the mountain clave asunder and took her
in. And there was a light shining always for them: for an angel of
the Lord was with then, keeping watch over them.
James XXIII
1. Now Herod sought for John, and sent officers to Zacharias, saying:
'Where have you hidden your son?' And he answered and said to them,
'I am a minister of God and attend continually upon the temple of
the Lord. I do not know where my son is."
2. And the officers departed and told Herod all these things. And
Herod was wroth and said: 'His son is to be king over Israel. And
he sent to him again, saying, 'Say the truth. Where is your son? For
you know that you blood is under my hand.'
And Zecharias said, 'I am a martyr of God if you shed my blood: for
my spirit the Lord shall receive, because you shed innocent blood
in the fore-court of the temple of the Lord.'
And about the dawning of the day Zecharias was slain. And the children
of Israel knew not that he was slain."
James XXIV
1. The priests stood waiting for Zecharias… but as he delayed
to come, they were all afraid. And one of them took courage and entered
in, and saw beside the altar congealed blood: and a voice saying,
'Zacharias has been slain, and his blood shall not be wiped out until
the avenger comes…"
And his body they found not, but his blood they found turned into
stone."
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