Volume 2

300 Life of Jesus Christ
There were some of Jewish parentage who had been
rescued from slavery, in which they had grown up without
instruction in the religion of their forefathers. Both
Pharisees and Sadducees taught in the school. Little girls
also were received, the youngest of whom received instruction
from the larger ones.
At the moment of Jesus' entrance into this school, the
boys were making some calculation connected with Job.
As they could not readily do it, Jesus explained it and
wrote it down for them in letters. He also explained to
them something relating to measure, two hours of distance
or time, I do not now know which. He explained
much of the Book of Job. Some of the rabbis at this
period attacked the truth of the history therein contained,
since the Edomites, to which race Herod belonged, bantered
and ridiculed the Jews for accepting as true the
history of a man of the land of Edom, although in that
land no such man was ever known to exist. They looked
upon the whole story as a mere fable, gotten up to encourage
the Israelites under their afflictions in the desert.
Jesus related Job's history to the boys as if it had really
happened. He did so in the manner of a Prophet and
Catechist, as if He sawall passing before Him, as if it
were His own history, as if He heard and saw everything
connected with it, or as if Job himself had told it to Him.
His hearers knew not what to think. Who was this Man
that now addressed them? Was He one of Job's contemporaries?
Or was He an angel of God? Or was He God
Himself? But the boys did not wonder long about it, for
they soon felt that Jesus was a Prophet, and they associated
Him with Melchisedech, of whom they had heard
and of whose origin man knows not. Jesus spoke likewise
of the signification of salt. He made it clear by a parable,
and related that of the Prodigal Son. The Pharisees arrived
during Jesus' instructions, and were highly displeased
to find Him applying to Hinlself all the signs and