Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Apocrypha of the New Testament/Gospel of Thomas: Latin Form/Chapter 6

Chapter VI.&#8212;How Jesus Was Treated by the Schoolmaster.

Therefore a certain man named Zacheus listened to all that Jesus was saying to Joseph, and in great astonishment said to himself:&#160; Such a boy speaking in this way I have never seen.&#160; And he went up to Joseph, and said:&#160; That is an intelligent boy of thine; hand him over to me to learn his letters; and when he has thoroughly learned his letters, I shall teach him honourably, so that he may be no fool.&#160; But Joseph answered and said to him:&#160; No one can teach him but God alone.&#160; You do not believe that that little boy will be of little consequence?&#160; And when Jesus heard Joseph speaking in this way, He said to Zacheus:&#160; Indeed, master, whatever proceeds from my mouth is true.&#160; And before all I was Lord, but you are foreigners.&#160; To me has been given the glory of the ages, to you has been given nothing; because I am before the ages.&#160; And I know how many years of life thou wilt have, and that thou wilt be carried into exile:&#160; and my Father hath appointed this, that thou mayest understand that whatever proceeds from my mouth is true.&#160; And the Jews who were standing by, and hearing the words which Jesus spoke, were astonished, and said:&#160; We have seen such wonderful things, and heard such words from that boy, as we have never heard, nor are likely to hear from any other human being,&#8212;either from the high priests, or the masters, or the Pharisees.&#160; Jesus answered and said to them:&#160; Why do you wonder?&#160; Do you consider it incredible that I have spoken the truth?&#160; I know when both you and your fathers were born, and to tell you more, when the world was made:&#160; I know also who sent me to you. &#160; And when the Jews heard the words which the child had spoken, they wondered, because that they were not able to answer.&#160; And, communing with Himself, the child exulted and said:&#160; I have told you a proverb; and I know that you are weak and ignorant.

And that schoolmaster said to Joseph:&#160; Bring him to me, and I shall teach him letters.&#160; And Joseph took hold of the boy Jesus, and led Him to the house of a certain schoolmaster, where other boys were being taught.&#160; Now the master in soothing words began to teach Him His letters, and wrote for Him the first line, which is from A to T, and began to stroke Him and teach Him.&#160; And that teacher struck the child on the head:&#160; and when He had received the blow, the child said to him:&#160; I should teach thee, and not thou me; I know the letters which thou wishest to teach me, and I know that you are to me like vessels from which there come forth only sounds, and no wisdom.&#160; And, beginning the line, He said the letters from A to T in full, and very fast.&#160; And He looked at the master, and said to him:&#160; Thou indeed canst not tell us what A and B are; how dost thou wish to teach others?&#160; O hypocrite, if thou knowest and will tell me about the A, then will I tell thee about the B.&#160; And when that teacher began to tell about the first letter, he was unable to give any answer.&#160; And Jesus said to Zacheus:&#160; Listen to me, master; understand the first letter.&#160; See how it has two lines; advancing in the middle, standing still, giving, scattering, varying, threatening; triple intermingled with double; at the same time homogeneous, having all common.

And Zacheus, seeing that He so divided the first letter, was stupefied about the first letter, and about such a human being and such learning; and he cried out, and said:&#160; Woe&#8217;s me, for I am quite stupefied; I have brought disgrace upon myself through that child.&#160; And he said to Joseph:&#160; I earnestly entreat thee, brother, take him away from me, because I cannot look upon his face, nor hear his mighty words.&#160; Because that child can tame fire and bridle the sea:&#160; for he was born before the ages.&#160; What womb brought him forth, or what mother nursed him, I know not.&#160; Oh, my friends, I am driven out of my senses; I have become a wretched laughing-stock.&#160; And I said that I had got a scholar; but he has been found to be my master.&#160; And my disgrace I cannot get over, because I am an old man; and what to say to him I cannot find.&#160; All I have to do is to fall into some grievous illness, and depart from this world; or to leave this town, because all have seen my disgrace.&#160; An infant has deceived me.&#160; What answer can I give to others, or what words can I say, because he has got the better of me in the first letter?&#160; I am struck dumb, O my friends and acquaintances; neither beginning nor end can I find of an answer to him.&#160; And now I beseech thee, brother Joseph, take him away from me, and lead him home, because he is a master, or the Lord, or an angel.&#160; What to say I do not know.&#160; And Jesus turned to the Jews who were with Zacheus, and said to them:&#160; Let all not seeing see, and not understanding understand; let the deaf hear, and let those who are dead through me rise again; and those who are exalted, let me call to still higher things, as He who sent me to you hath commanded me.&#160; And when Jesus ceased speaking, all who had been affected with any infirmity through His words were made whole.&#160; And they did not dare to speak to Him.