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The Testament of Joseph Concerning Sobriety

Unknown

Section 19

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Author: Unknown

19. Hear ye also, my children, the visions

‹ Section 18 Section 20 ›

which

I

saw

.

There

were

twelve

deer

feeding

,

and

the

nine

were

divided

and

scattered

in

the

land

,

likewise

also

the

three

.

And

I

saw

that

from

Judah

was

born

a

virgin

wearing

a

linen

garment

,

and

from

her

went

forth

a

Lamb

,

without

spot

,

and

on

His

left

hand

there

was

as

it

were

a

lion

;

and

all

the

beasts

rushed

against

Him

,

and

the

lamb

overcame

them

,

and

destroyed

them

,

and

trod

them

under

foot

.

And

because

of

Him

the

angels

rejoiced

,

and

men

,

and

all

the

earth

.

And

these

things

shall

take

place

in

their

season

,

in

the

last

days

.

Do

ye

therefore

,

my

children

,

observe

the

commandments

of

the

Lord

,

and

honour

Judah

and

Levi

;

for

from

them

shall

arise

unto

you

the

Lamb

of

God

,

by

grace

saving

all

the

Gentiles

and

Israel

.

For

His

kingdom

is

an

everlasting

kingdom

,

which

shall

not

be

shaken

;

but

my

kingdom

among

you

shall

come

to

an

end

as

a

watcher’s

hammock

,

which

after

the

summer

will

not

appear

.

Notes

8
This wearing of a linen garment would seem to imply a connection with the priestly tribe. St. Luke (i. 36) indeed calls the Virgin the kinswoman of Elisabeth. On this tendency to associate the old sacerdotal tribe with the new royalty of Messiah, cf., e.g., Protevangel. Jacobi, cc. 6, 7, 9; Augustine, contra Faustum, xxiii. 4; Epiphanius, Hær., lxxviii. 13. [See Reuben, sec. 6, p. 10, supra.]
9
Isa. i. 8; xxiv. 20.