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 162 -
Reception of the Pharisees at Genezareth.
And at that moment the news comes from town that the several announced, freshly baked Pharisees and Scribes had arrived from Bethlehem, with a written and signed order from the Temple to the citizens of Genezareth, to at once transport them to Nazareth and free of charge, or face dire consequences.
2
Says Ebahl, quite disarmed at such demands on the Temple's part: "Lord, this goes on year in and year out; You have been here only five days and have already witnessed the fourth draught of these loafers, who roam the land hither and thither, invading and knocking every place about worse than swarms of locusts! If this happened maybe ten times per year I could still put up with it. But to tolerate such draught two, three to four times a week and on top of that to give them every possible priority, would make even an angel lose patience, and a pauper into the bargain! What am I to do now? Verily, I gladly do everything I can for all the poor every day; but these rogues and true bullies of poor mankind I'd like to wish every death and devil!"
3
Say I: "Friend, let that be; you shall always get furthest with patience! Incidentally, leave that to our friend Julius; he is sure to move them on rapidly, after which they shall let such prerogative sink in and gradually travel to the Genezareth area far less frequently!"
4
Says the Captain to his deputy: "Go quickly and take twenty men and head for the city! Explain to the impudent knaves that this pace is under extensive military occupation and hence under blockade, and hence not accessible, unpunished to many person without specific permit, issued by a Roman Commander! And should they enter, then they shall after the appropriate punishment, have their eyes bandaged and their ears stopped off with mud and their hands and feet tied up, after which they shall be placed in a barque, upon straw, and then despatched to a place determined; whereupon they shall be freed of all their hand, foot, eye and ear fetters, and after sternest punitive threat against repeated entry of military areas without legal authority, thrust off manually by the respective Roman Commander. If the Bethlemites don't hold such authority, then proceed with them so without fear or favour. If they have money, then they can purchase themselves out of such punishment with two hundred pounds of silver, but not out of the fourfold fetters! If however they either have no money or are unwilling to part with it then, before the fettering, they are each to receive fifteen lashes with the scourge upon their backs, stripped down to their loins! Dixi, fiat! (I have spoken, proceed.-The ed.)."
5
With these words of the Chief, the deputy hastens to town with twenty men, coming across fourteen Pharisees and Scribes at Ebahl's house, just in process of cursing the domestics in every way for not being willing to fully attend to their most arrogant demands.
6
In response to the deputy's demand for the permit, the impudent ones said: "We are God's priests, - here is our Temple insignia, and besides that we need nothing in the whole wide world!"
7
Says the Vice-Commander: "This area is at present under permanent occupation; an imperial edict is in place prohibiting access to any stranger without exception without the properly authorized permit! Ignorance of this statute absolves none! Since I see that you don't have such document, you are forthwith pay two hundred pounds of silver or, if you prefer it, each is to receive fifteen strokes of the whip upon stripped back! This will be followed by the official fourfold Roman fetters, and transportation to the place fo your choice. This is to immediately proceed without the slightest objection, for every hesitation or defiant argument shall double the severity!"
8
On hearing such form of address, the Pharisees and Scribes call Ebahl's janitor and demand an immediate loan of two hundred pounds silver. But the latter says: "Since my lord never called for you, why should he now pay for you? Lending you money is like throwing it into the sea! Haven't you got fourteen loaded donkeys outside! Just lighten these animal's burden by two hundred pounds, and you shall thereby save your backs from the sharp stripes of the whip! I am not giving you a penny!"
9
On hearing such from Ebahl's good and trusted janitor, they cut sour faces, betaking themselves outside in company of the dour escort of the deputy commander, to their beasts of burden, relieving same of two hundred pounds silver overload.
10
On taking charge fo the money, the vice-chief has them put in the stated fetters and then placed in a roomy barque, whereupon they are laid upon straw like cattle and then transported by water to their desired destination, under escort of the entire vigilant company. The youthful Pharisees and Scribes lament a plenty, without avail of course. - after one hour, the vice-commander re-joins us, telling us how he carried out the Captains order to the letter.
11
The Captain compliments him, asking where he had put the money.
12
And the deputy says: "Sir, for the time being I handed it to Ebahl's janitor for safekeeping; but from thereon you can deal with the two hundred pounds as it pleases you."
13
Says the Captain: "Quite in order, and these fellows shall have occasion to remember our Genezareth! Will they be coming through here, or are they heading the direction of the upper small inlet; or will they perhaps take the passage above, the small estuary, isolated from there only by a narrow outcrop but sufficiently deep and wide to carry a barque of some thirty men, without foundering in the mud?"
14
Says the deputy: "I directed them towards the passage, in order not to create a bother on to-day's Jewish Sabbath."
15
Says the Captain: "Well and wisely done; again! You shall be promoted soon, this the captain Julius is telling you! - These shall remember Genezareth and not return too soon!"