The Great Gospel of John
Volume 2
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Second Journey of the Lord: Nazareth - Cave at Bethabara (First Feeding of the People) - Mountain of Prayer - Walking on the Sea of Galilee (Peter's test of faith) - By ship to Genneseret in the bay with the same name
- Chapter 124 -
Julius's keen talk about the blessing of the Lord.
In response to this Centurion Julius' talk, the Pharisees withdrew confounded, consulting on what to do. One of them was of the opinion that they should give Me the testimony demanded by the Centurion.
2
The Chief says nevertheless: "How can we, if he despises the Temple ordinances, treading them with the feet?! But to do it for appearance's sake is no use to us, for the testimony would be produced at his pleasure, bringing all blame and punishment over us! Let us just keep what the Centurion requires of us, for if it leads to unpleasantries then we have a good reason to fall back upon before our highest superiors!" - All the Pharisees and Scribes agree, falling silent and saying not another word.
3
Here I rose with gravity, turning to the Chief and saying: "So it is for fear of not keeping your ungodly human ordinances that you cannot and will not testify of Me, and for fear of your miserable body? Oh, had you given testimony of Me, how happy you would have been temporally and eternally; but it is over now! The Son of Man shall henceforth not need your testimony, for His works and words testify of Him! But that you and your colleagues would see that the Son of Man does not fear people, I shall now tell all the people in front of you that there is nothing to keeping the Temple ordinances, and that whoever abides by them according to your sense commits a grave sin before God!"
4
Says the Chief: "Don't do this, or you may fare badly!"
5
Says the Centurion: "Yes, He is going to do so, and he shall meet with nothing bad! Remember that, you miserable money bags! You are in my power over here; only one suspicious move, and I will have you chopped up and cast into the sea for dragon food, as truly as my name is Julius! Just look at these goblins! History shows that the Templers have not done one good thing for mankind for over three hundred years. And if there was an occasional noble soul among them then they did, as to my knowledge they did hardly thirty years ago to the reverent, upright Zacharias. And no sooner does a person filled with truth, honesty and divine power arise among them, inundating poor mankind with favours of all kinds, then these goblins are at once there to ruin him! Oh, this your miserable craftsmanship shall soon be terminated!
6
Behold, this true man of God came to this district, which is universally notorious for its unhealthy location. Several thousand sick were found in the area. - locals as well as strangers; even more than half of my soldiers lay stricken with bothersome and intense fevers, some already over a year; come this pure man of God and healed all who sought help. Should one not build an altar to such a man, sacrificing to him as to a God ceding him every imaginable honour and unction? But what good did you render to people on coming here? Ebahl's cellar and larder shall shortly be worth a hundred piece fewer!
7
And out of gratitude for feeding everywhere free of charge like wolves, you want to destroy our greatest benefactor! A person whom alone you have to thank for Cyrenius not gathering all power in Asia together, to rase to the ground your miserable robber and harlots nest! No, to think about your shamelessness goes beyond everything. For the sake of not having your deceptions, which you sell the people as godly things for good money, betrayed, you seek with all Satanic wiliness to get rid of even your greatest friends and benefactors, if you scent a bit of higher light within them! Say it yourselves whether you are not far more evil than Satan himself!?"
8
Here the Centurion turned to Me, saying: "Lord and Master from God's school, teach us unsparingly the truth, and what the people are to do in future in respect of human ordinances! I know that the heavens and the earth and all elements obey You and that you can with the gentlest breath of Your mouth scatter these goblins to the winds like chaff, as you were able to command the sea to carry us a if it were solid land; notwithstanding so however, I as a mere weak human, stand at your service with all my power, which is not inconsiderable, to the last man and last drop of blood! These miserable goblins are to get to know the Genezareth area!"
9
Says the Chief with a trembling voice: "Mister Captain! Where is your proof that we came here only to destroy this person? We have indeed come to examine and test him, which surely cannot be held against us; but by God, there can be no talk about destruction! For you it is easy to speak, having had ample opportunity to get to know him through his deeds and speeches; we however have heard and seen little other than today's miraculous healing, other than your not too human threats; and we aught to, as relative newcomers to this thing, be free to take our measure of this miracle man!
10
That we Templers are standing on quite hollow ground already, is surely not foreign to us; notwithstanding this it is however preferable to no ground at all, and the state shall have to protect it until it pleases God to create a firmer one! Hence I beg you not to immediately threaten us with the sword, for trading a few words with the miracle-man Jesus! Let him do what he wants, and should teach and preach, so that also we too find out more than what we heard only from hearsay and many probably false reports; on seeing that there is something to the thing we too shall formulate different judgments within us than up til now! For we are not quite so stupid as that, and our heart is still quite capable of a just assessment."
11
Says the Captain: "The refusal of the requested testimony does not say much for the righteousness of your heart, but quite the contrary! Ex trunco non quidem Mercurius (No God has yet emerged from a clot, - the ed.) - but we shall see!"