The Great Gospel of John
Volume 2
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
First journey of the Lord: Kis - landing place at Sibarah - Nazareth
- Chapter 14 -
About the difference between human and divine power.
Now the Greek Philopold from Kana in Samaria came to Me and said: "Lord, I have been now over three days with You but could not find one moment to discuss with You what I according to Your will have accomplished, and how through my preaching which I gave them after Your departure from Kana, have converted all to believe in You. It seems now that You have some spare time; could You also listen a little to what I have to say!"
2
Says I: "My very worthy friend Philopold. Would you not think that I would have long since asked you various things concerning Cana if I did not know exactly how matters stand? -Look at all My brothers. Do I talk with them much? For days not a word outwardly, but all the more often inwardly-spiritually through their heart and look. None of them come to Me asking: "Lord, why do You not speak to me?" I tell you, as I have for a long time told everyone: I do not call disciples so as to talk with them without any cause whatsoever, but so that they hear My teaching and witness My deeds. For all that they know I have known already long before, and what they want to know in particular, I tell them through their heart the moment it is needed. And if this is so, ask yourself why My initiated disciples should require a daily discussion. You, too, are now My disciple and, therefore, will have to submit to such an order in My school.
3
With other people, however, who are not My closest disciples I do have to exchange words outwardly, for with their very worldly hearts they would not hear let alone understand Me. I do still speak also with My disciples outwardly if and when required, but that is then not for the sake of the disciples, but for the sake of these who are not disciples. - Tell Me, have you comprehended this!"
4
Says Philopold: Yes, Lord, now Your mercy is so clear to me as the sun on a brightest midday, and I thank You for such most amicable clarification! But Lord, if I now observe this most glorious and beautiful Sarah who with her beauty could compare herself with every angel of heaven, then it seems impossible to me that she is supposed to have pain in the grave for even a second. Because such vitality I have not yet encountered. Yet it is nevertheless true that You have awoken her from death twice. Now my heart is urging me mightily to find out from You how such is possible to You!"
5
Say I to him softly: "surely you found out at Cana Who I am? If you know that then it is odd that you can ask how I can revive a dead person. Did not sun, moon and stars as well as this earth go forth from Me, and did not I populate this earth with countless living beings? If I could give them an existence, and independent life in the beginning how should that be impossible for Me with a maiden that was possible for Me with countless beings from eternity to eternity? If you know this and even received instruction on it from an angel, how can you still ask?
6
Behold, every stone even against which you may knock heavily is only maintained through My will; were I to release it from My all-creating and maintaining Will but for a moment, it would also cease to exist in the same moment.
7
You may indeed crush the stone and through intensive heat even dissolve it into a kind of air, as taught in secretive chemistry; but all this can take place with the stone and every other type of matter only because I permit it for man's benefit and advantage. Were I not to permit it then you could move even the smallest stone no more than a mountain. You can furthermore throw a stone high up, and it shall, depending on your strength and skill ascend to an impressive height; but after reaching maximum height in relation to hurling effect, it shall at once fall back to earth. And behold, this is all My will, and My permission up to a point, where it says, this far and no further!"
8
A stone-throw clearly shows you the scope of man's power and will. A few moments in time and man's feeble will is seized by Me and driven back into the due order set by Me from eternity, which is weighed out to the minutest particle through all of eternal infinity! If therefore all this depends exclusively on My will and permission, how could it not be possible to me to revive a deceased maiden?
9
But do go outside and fetch Me a piece of wood and a stone and I will show you how I can accomplish all these things through the might of the Father within Me."
10
Philopold promptly brings a stone and a rotten piece of wood. And I say to him, speaking in an undertone: "Look, I lift up the stone and place it in the free air and, look, it does not fall. Do try to push it from this position." Philopold tries, but the stone cannot be shifted even by a hair's breadth.
11
However I say: "Now I shall allow the stone to be shifted by you as you please; but once you let it go it will again take this position and will after some swaying or suddenly be fixed to this given position."
12
Says Philopold: "Lord, spare me this test, for Your holy word is sufficient for me."
13
Say I: "All right. It is now My will that this stone disappears, and this wood shall sprout and bring forth leaves, blossoms and fruit of its kind." Thereupon the stone becomes invisible, and the old wood becomes fresh, sprouts and brings forth leaves, blossoms and finally ripe fruit, that is, some figs since the wood came from a fig tree.
14
Now everybody's attention is turning to Me and Philopold, for most of the disciples had already fallen asleep and Jairus and his wife could not stop fondling their daughter. I and Philopold, however, had carried out our experiments further away at a little table below a dim lamp and, therefore, had not been noticed by hundreds until Philopold's astonishment became too conspicuous whereupon many soon turned their attention to us. But I told them to rest and silence reigned once more.
15
Then I again bade the stone to be and it was once more lying on the table, but left the fig branch with the fruits which in the morning were eaten with much pleasure by My Sarah.
16
But I then asked Philopold whether he is in the clear. And bowing down deeply, he said: "Lord, now I am fully in the clear."
17
I said: "Good, then let's take our rest."