house of thy father and of thy kindred, and come to dwell in the land which I
will give to thee and to thy seed?" And wherefore did God say this, save
because the father of Abraham was an
image-maker, who made and
worshipped false gods? Whence there was enmity between them insomuch
that the father wished to burn his son.'
Peter answered: 'True are thy words, wherefore I pray thee tell us how
Abraham mocked his father.'
Jesus replied: 'Abraham was seven years old when he began to seek God. So
one day he said to his father: "Father, what made man?"
'The foolish father answered: "Man; for I made thee, and my father made
me."
Abraham answered: "Father, it is not so; for I have heard an old man
weeping and saying: 'O my God, wherefore hast thou not given me
children?'"
'His father replied: "It is true, my son, that God helpeth man to make man,
but he
putteth not his hand thereto; it is only necessary that man come to
pray to his God and to give him lambs and sheep, and his God will help him."
'Abraham answered: "How many gods are there, father?"
'The old man replied: "They are infinite in number, my son."
'Then said Abraham: "O father, what shall I do if I shall serve one god and
another shall wish me evil because I serve him not? In any wise there will
come discord between them, and so war will arise among the gods. But if
perchance the god that willeth me evil shall slay my own god, what shall I
do? It is certain that he will slay me also."
'The old man, laughing, answered: "O son, have no fear, for no
god maketh
war upon another god; nay, in the great temple there are a thousand gods
with the great god Baal; and I am now nigh seventy years old, and yet never
have I seen that one god hath smitten another god. And assuredly all men
do not serve one god, but one man one, and another another."
'Abraham answered: "So, then, they have peace among themselves?"
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'Said his father: "They have."
'Then said Abraham: "O father, what be the gods like?"
'The old man answered: "Fool, every day
I make a god, which I sell to others
to buy bread, and thou knowest not what the gods are like!" And then at
that moment he was making an idol. "This," said he, "is of palm wood, that
one is of olive, that little one is of ivory: see how fine it is! Does it not seem
as though it were alive? Assuredly, it lacks but breath!"
'Abraham answered: "And so, father, the gods are without breath? Then
how do they give breath? And being without life, how give they life? It is
certain, father, that these are not God."
'The old man
was wroth at these words, saying: "If thou wert of age to
understand, I would break thy head with this axe: But hold thy peace,
because thou hast not understanding!"
'Abraham answered: "Father, if the gods help to make man, how can it be
that man should make the gods? And if the gods are made of wood, it is a
great sin to burn wood. But tell me, father, how is it that, when thou hast
made so many gods, the gods have not helped
thee to make so many other
children that thou shouldest become the most powerful man in the world?"
'The father was beside himself, hearing his son speak so; the son went on:
"Father, was the world for some time without men?"
'"Yes," answered the old man, "and why?"
"'Because," said Abraham, "I should like to know who made the first God."
'"Now go out of my house!" said the old man, "and leave me to make this
god quickly, and
speak no words to me; for, when thou art hungry thou
desirest bread and not words."
'Said Abraham: "A fine god, truly, that thou cuttest him as thou wilt, and he
defendeth not himself!"
'Then the old man was angry, and said: "All the world saith that it is a god,
and thou, mad fellow, sayest that it is not. By my gods, if thou wert a man I
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could kill thee!" And having said this, he gave blows and kicks to Abraham,
and chased him from the house.'
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