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 134 -
The lifting of the Galilean Sea.
On hearing such chant, she says enraptured: "Here it is hard to tell what is more beautiful and glorious, - the word or the most brilliant, thousandfold light, or the most beautiful forms of these numberless, ethereal choristers! Ah, only now am I forming a concept of what God's heavens really are! Oh, I now would like to actually die and go over to these most beautiful choristers. But if it please You o Lord, then tell me what these glorious singers actually are! Are they what they actually seem to be or are they new beings created by You for this moment?"
2
Say I: "These are angels, created eons before there was any trace of material creation. Summon one over, and you shall convince yourself that they all are perfectly true beings of their own kind! And I will add that, notwithstanding their light and ethereal appearance, each harbours such strength power and might that the smallest and feeblest of them could in one moment destroy the entire earth to the extent of not one dust particle remaining. Now that you know this, call one over and give him a few tests!"
3
Says Jarah: "Lord, this I would not dare, for notwithstanding their incomprehensible beauty, I do fear them somewhat."
4
Say I: "But little child, did not I just explained to you what fear is. Behold, this you should not fear now, or I would have to think that your heart still harbours some worldliness. Are you not with the Lord, before Whom all these beings are bending their knees? Whence your fear then?"
5
Says Jarah: "This of course is only too true, but the unaccustomed sight of such never suspected scene must shake a poor and weak girl's heart to its foundations! But I am going to pull myself together, and You shall see that Your Jarah can be fearless too."
6
Following these word, she waved to the nearest angel, and the same instantly came floating over to her, saying with the most gentle and tender voice: "Jarah, glorious daughter of my God, my Lord from eternity, what does your dear and pure heart desire of me?"
7
Says Jarah, somewhat stunned by the glitter and majesty of the heavenly messenger: "Yes, yes, quite so, the Lord Whom you see here tells me that each one of you is so wondrously mighty, and I would like to convince myself of it through a test; but what kind of test should I put to you, for I know only know what I heard from the Lord Jesus these few days?"
8
Says the angel: "Hearken, you beautiful flower of the heavens, here I shall at once help you out of your embarrassment, in the Lord's name! - See the extensive and deep Sea of Galilee! What if I should lift it out of its wide and deep basin and then hang it in the air before your limbs and eyes in the form of a great, free ball of water, for perhaps an hour?"
9
Says Jarah: "That would be immensely wondrous of course; but where would the dear fish get to meanwhile and finally the many ships resting partly upon the shores, but also swimming upon the sea?"
10
Says the angel: "Let it be my concern that no fish or ship shall come to any harm! If you desire the suggested test, then the task demanded shall instantly float before you!"
11
Says Jarah: "Well, if no being will come to harm, then you may indeed carry it out!"
12
Says the angel: "Look around you! The sea is empty, and all its water to the last drop is suspended fully in the air, quite visible to your eyes!"
13
Jarah was about to look into the depth, but with her brow at once came to touch the cold and wet wall suspended right next to the cliff-face, and having a diameter of nearly 4000 fathom (-approx 8000 metres, - the translator). On seeing this, she asked most timidly: "But how in the Lord's name was this possible in a hardly thinkable moment? And is the sea really completely free of water?"
14
Says the angel: "Jarah, come with me and convince yourself."
15
Says Jarah: "How is this going to be possible?"
16
Says the angel: "If it was possible to lift the heavy mass of water up in a moment, then it should also be possible for me to bring you to the deepest bottom of the sea in a most rapid moment, and then back just as quickly! But you need to be willing, otherwise I can do nothing; for we respect a spark of man's free will more than all the God-given strength and might. Hence you need first to desire it, and I shall act accordingly!"
17
Says Jarah: "Well then, convince me!"
18
That very moment she found herself upon the dust-dry and deepest sea-bed, and the angel picked up a most beautiful pearl-oyster from the sea-bed, giving it to Jarah for remembrance and for the others' instruction who, physically asleep, nonetheless received all this through dream-visions.
19
When Jarah had hardly put the oyster away in her big apron-pocket, the angel asked her: "Do you now believe that all the water of this sea is contained in the big ball floating above us, and that its basin is completely dry?"
20
Says Jarah: "Sure, sure I would have believed you anyway! But now please return me up to the Lord quickly, for without Him I die in a moment."
21
The latter word was hardly uttered and dear Jarah stood by My side upon the height; and I asked her how she liked it and what she thought of it.
22
Says Jarah: "I know only too well that all things are possible to You; but how through Your will such power can reside also in the angel's, will be an enigma even to the angel, let alone me telling You a reason! It is fully wondrous to the highest degree, yet I cannot comprehend it!"
23
Say I: "There you answered quite rightly, but you shall with time also, in your heart discover how such things are possible to God. But how do you like the angel?"