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 143 -
The disciples are woken from sleep.
Say I to Raphael: "Go and awaken first My Simon Juda (Peter)!"
2
Raphael awakens Peter and same looks about in astonishment, saying after a while: "Have I been really asleep? It seemed to me as if I had been wide awake all night! But now I see that I slept very well, but I had such wonderful dreams as I hardly remember ever having before! Verily, Lord, these dreams could not have been just empty frothing?"
3
Say I: "Look about you a little - maybe you discover some change in the mountain, which you are sure to have dreamt about as well!"
4
Peter glances in every direction and says: "Oh, Lord, of a truth, this I saw in the dream, and - look - in every direction, the vivid dream has come true!"
5
Peter was about to say more, but I said to him: "Wake the other disciples before you continue!" And Peter did so.
6
The disciples rose from the ground and were utterly astonished that they only now realized they had slept, whereas it seemed to them in their soul that they had been fully awake throughout the night, seeing unheard of things.
7
But Judas said: "I still don't believe that I slept! For did I not discuss things with you, and you would not let it pass, saying: 'All these wonders shall not prevent you form betraying us all for a few pieces of silver!' Which made me furious enough to want to cast you into the sea, over the cliff. But there my Thomas grabbed me and tore me back to the ground! Tell me, brother Simon, do you really not remember anything about it?"
8
Says Peter: "Not a syllable! I can't even remember dreaming about you!"
9
Say I: "Look about you a little and see whether quite a few things you dreamt did not become reality!"
10
The disciples start moving in every direction of the plateau, followed by astonishment over astonishment, with Andrew saying: "We have already in the short half year past seen and heard so much of the miraculous that it hardly seems possible for anything still more miraculous to manifest: yet once again, our senses are confounded, stiff and dumb! Our dream visions became reality!
11
I saw the angel mentioned by Jarah, who first raised all the sea water to the height, making it into a huge droplet in midair, and with my own eyes I saw the dust-dry seabed, and the beautiful pearl-mussel that Jarah picked off the ground and then hid in her apron; and how afterward, upon the fairest daughter of God's request, the angel made this mountain easy of access from every direction, in a split-second. - And behold, all this is now here in reality!
12
With what words and pure deeds therefore should we begin to praise our Lord and Master? Where is the angel that can put the glowing thoughts into our hearts which we should find worthy of Him? Oh, we are now nothing before Him, the almighty God!
13
Our fathers trembled below Sinai when, under lightning and thunder, upon the flaming mountain, He gave Moses the holy Commandments of love! And on coming down from the mountain, Moses' visage shone more brightly with God's majesty than the mid-day sun, and he had to hang a threefold cover over his face so that the people could approach him. The hallowed seers of the Lord prophesied long afterwards, if after prior preparation, their head was only briefly covered with Moses' veil, and we still marvel to-day at their profound wisdom! And here is He Himself Who thundered upon Sinai! Sinai became glowing embers under the tread of His feet, - and we are capable of staying cold in His almightiest presence like a severe winters' light?! Hence let us up and over to Him, for He alone is supremely holy! To Him alone all honour, glory, love and worship!"
14
To this Andrew's exhortation, all the disciples were spurned unto love-glowing zeal, except Judas, who called Andrew an eccentric braggart; and they stepped over to Me, bringing Me a glowing Hosanna for morning greeting.