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Infancy of Jesus Christ Gospel I
Chapter XX
4 Christ sent to school to Zaccheus to learn
his letters, and teaches Zaccheus.
13 Sent to another schoolmaster,
14 refuses to tell his letters, and the schoolmaster
going to whip him, his hand withers and he dies.
THERE was also at Jerusalem
one named Zaccheus, who
was a schoolmaster:
2 And he said to Joseph, Joseph,
why dost thou not send Jesus to me,
that he may learn his letters?
3 Joseph agreed, and told St. Mary;
4 So they brought him to that
master; who, as soon as he saw
him, wrote out an alphabet for him,
5 And he bade him say Aleph;
and when he had said Aleph, the
master bade him pronounce Beth.
6 Then the Lord Jesus said to
him, Tell me first the meaning of
the letter Aleph, and then I will
pronounce Beth.
7 And when the master threatened
to whip him, the Lord Jesus
explained to him the meaning of
the letters Aleph and Beth;
8 Also which were the straight
figures of the letters, which the
oblique, and what letters had
double figures; which had points,
and which had none; why one
letter went before another; and
many other things he began to tell
him, and explain, of which the
master himself had never heard,
nor read in any book.
9 The Lord Jesus farther said
to the master, Take notice how I
say to thee; then he began clearly
and distinctly to say Aleph, Beth,
Gimel, Daleth, and so on to the
end of the alphabet.
10 At this the master was so
surprised, that he said, I believe
this boy was born before Noah;
11 And turning to Joseph, he
said, Thou hast brought a boy to
me to be taught, who is more
learned than any master.
12 He said also to St. Mary,
This your son has no need of any
learning.
13 They brought him then
to a more learned master, who,
when he saw him, said, say Aleph;
14 And when he had said Aleph,
the master bade him pronounce
Beth; to which the Lord Jesus
replied, Tell me first the meaning
of the letter Aleph, and then I
will pronounce Beth.
15 But this master, when he did
lift up his hand to whip him, had
his hand presently withered, and
he died.
16 Then said Joseph to St. Mary,
Henceforth we will not allow him
to go out of the house; for every
one who displeases him is killed.
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