Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Mnrtyrology. Inserted by Baronins, Not found in any ancient Martyrologies, Greek or Latin. Authority: — An account of his Ii!e, partly from his own lips, and partly from personal knowledge, by S. Epiphanius, in his Book on Heresies.] Joseph was a Jew of Tiberias, an intimate friend of the Rabbi Hill el, ruler of the synagogue of Tiberias, in the early part of the 4th century. Hillel, it is said, was convinced of the truth of Christianity, and when he was dying, he sent for the bishop of Tiberias, who was a physician; but without his Jewish friends knowing for what intent he desired his presence. The bishop had a private interview with the old rabbi, and ordered him a bath. Accordingly water and a large vessel were brought into his bedroom, and then all were dismissed whilst the physician bathed his patient. But some suspicion arose in the mind of Joseph, and he peeped through a crack in the door,, and saw the physician baptize Hillel in the name of the ever-blessed Trinity. He said nothing about what he had seen to anyone. Hillel died shortly after, and left Joseph and another Jew trustees of his property and guardian of his son — “ named Judas, I think, but as it is some time since I was told, I cannot be sure,” says S. Epiphanius. Joseph opened the treasury of his old friend, and found that it contained very little money, but a good many books, amongst others, the Gospel of S. John aud the Acts of the Apostles, together with the “Book of the Generations of S. Matthew, translated out of Greek into Hebrew.” 1 These he read with great interest, and 1 This was the Gospel of the Twelve, or of the Hebrews, translated by S. Jerome into Greek aud Latin from the original Hebrew, and not as Epiphanius says, a translation from Greek into Hebrew. This Gospel, now lost, bore a close resemblance to the Canonical Gospel of S. Matthew, without being identical with it Only fragments of it remain.
VOL. VIII. Lzves of the Saints. was almost convinced of the truth of Christianity. When he fell sick, in his feverish dream, the form of Christ haunted him, but when he recovered his health, the impression made on him by these dreams wore off. His ward gave him great annoyance, for as he grew up he became dissipated, and caused great scandal by his profligacy. One day that the young fellow was in the public baths he brushed past a maiden of modest me|jk, with such a sweet face and expression, that he at once fell madly in love with her. When he touched her, he noticed that she crossed herself. It was clear, therefore, that she was a Christian, and could not be his by honourable marriage. Yet he pursued her unremittingly, sending presents to her house, which were returned indignantly; waylaying her to obtain a meeting and urge his passion, but she passed him coldly, with averted eyes, and the sign of the cross. At last he had recourse to magic, and went with a companion to the demon-haunted cavern of Polyandria, where the dead were buried in cells along its gloomy sides, there to concoct hideous spells wherewith to bend the Christian maiden to his will.
Joseph’s fellow guardian heard of the expedition, and rushed in dismay to Joseph, and both hasted to the cavern to bring back the youth, and remonstrate with him for dealing with familiar spirits, and incurring the doom of sorcerers decreed by the law of Moses. Judas was unmoved by their remonstrances. That the maiden should have been unshaken by these demoniacal spells appeared to Joseph certainly miraculous, and proved another link in the chain which was finally to, bind him to Christ.
His mind, however, remained in an unsettled state. But he must do something to convince himself. There was near Tiberias a poor possessed man, who ran about naked and howling. Joseph secured him and brought him into a room by himself, and having put everyone forth, that he might not be shamed, should his projected attempt fail, he took water, made the sign of the cross, sprinkled the maniac, and adjured the devil, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of the man. The madman howled and fell down in a swoon on the floor. Joseph watched by him as he lay there insensible for an hour, and saw consciousness gradually return. The man sat up, drew his hand over his face, and looking at himself, blushed to see that he was naked. The blush convinced Joseph that the man was restored to his right mind. He ran and got him a suit of his own clothes, and the demoniac from that day forth retained his senses.
But still Joseph made no open profession of Christianity. His head was convinced; but his heart had not been touched. The cross had not been laid on his shoulder. When his ward was of age, he resigned to him the effects of Hillel, and then was appointed ruler of the synagogue at Cilicia. He felt he was acting against his conscience, and this made him harsh to others, and gloomy. He had no word against Christ, and he hesitated about the future Messiah, so that the Jews grew uneasy, suspicious, set spies, and detected him reading the Book of the Gospels. The book was plucked out of his hand, Joseph was set upon by the furious Jews, beaten, and would have been killed, but for the bishop of Tarsus. Another day he was taken and flung by the Jews into the Cnydus. The current carried him under, and he escaped to the bank with difficulty.
He had now felt persecution for the name of Christ, and his hesitation came to an end. He was baptized, and returned to Tiberias, where Constantine, the emperor, made him an officer of state, with the title of Count, and authority to build churches. At Tiberias there was an unfinished temple begun by Hadrian, which the citizens wanted to turn into public baths.
Joseph at once, with his newly-acquired authority, converted it into a Christian church; and to complete it, he erected a kiln outside the town, where limestone might be burnt to provide the masons with lime.
But the fire in his kiln would not kindle, and this was due, it was supposed, to the incantations of the Jews, angry with Joseph for having embraced Christianity. Tidings were brought to the Count that his kiln would not draw, and burn lime. He hastened to the spot, called for a bowl of water, signed it with the cross, dashed it over the kiln, and presently the fire burned up, and the kiln answered the purpose for which it was constructed.
Then all the people declared that “great is the God who assisteth the Christians.” Joseph took up his residence at Scythopolis, and built churches at Diocaesarea, Capernaum, and other towns. When Arianism [followers of Arius, who taught that the Son is a created being, not fully God] spread through the Church in Palestine, Joseph was the only Christian in Scythopolis who remained steadfast to the unpopular and orthodox faith j and but for his title, he would have suffered deprivation of goods from the Arian bishop, Patrophilus, who was in favour with the Emperor Constantius. Joseph was afraid lest the Arians should seize him by force and ordain him, and he therefore married agam, so as to make his ordination uncanonical. The date of the death of Joseph cannot be fixed with certainty, as S. Epiphanius does not mention it ) but it was probably about a.d. 356.
