The Great Gospel of John
Volume 2
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus in the Vicinity of Caesara Philippi (Matthew 16)
- Chapter 191 -
About the angels' and the worldly teaching methods.
Ebahl and Jarah supported Julius' testimony and said they were making their journey to Sidom precisely on account of this rare miracle-man, in order to possibly still encounter Him one more time, as the daughters longing for Him was too intense. Cyrenius made out to be much surprised at how the hardly thirteen or fourteen seasons old maiden could be so much in love, particularly since he (Cyrenius) was aware of a most endearing and beautiful youth constantly escorting her. It therefore was even more astonishing that the beautifully tender little maiden could, at the side of the exceptionally beautiful youth fall so mortally in love with an already oldish man, such as the human Zeus is said to be.
2
Whoever has come to know Jarah these previous events at Genezareth knows that she won't easily back down from a dispute, and so she also said to Cyrenius: "Esteemed lord and governor! How can you now in front of us betray, and count among the dead gods of Rome, for political expediency, Him whose godly light and grace is streaming forth manifold from all your parts!?
3
Behold, I feel His nearness, and you do so yourself, - and yet you would, as it were deny Him; behold, this is not very commendable of you, nor is it very commendable of Julius that he should, as it were betray in a certain way, the most holy and righteous to you, oh esteemed lord!
4
It is furthermore not at all praiseworthy of you to accuse me of a kind of coarse enamouring; for I love Him only, as all men should, as my creator, - as my God and Lord, and worship Him in my heart as purely as can be for a mortal maiden. If so however, how am I in love with Him in a crude manner? Here, ask this my guide and teacher; he shall be better able than I to analyse it for you; for he possess more power in all things than all the world's wise and all heroes of the Earth's kingdoms, with the exclusive exception of Him Who I am seeking here. Hence just ask this youth, and you are bound to get the right answer from him."
5
Cyrenius was about to ask the youth, but the boy Josoe held him back, by saying to him in confidence: "Be certain not to take on this youth, for he is like the one visiting me occasionally! For this type of being tolerate nothing unclean, and hence no unseemly questions; for their life and being is nothing other than God's flame-light."
6
Says Cyrenius to Ebahl: "Is not this your daughter, and a Jew; hence it is astonishing to see so much of the deepest wisdom reside in her! This surely she could not have learnt in just a few days from the Master of Masters, and even less from that certain youth?! Because these kind of teachers, although extremely rare, usually are not very successful in their instructing of us mortal mankind! This I know from experience with my son Josoe whom, although not fathered by me, I have accepted for good as my son. A Rabbi comes also to him, from time to time. After they are together for a time however, one does not really know who actually is in the right; because after often divergent views, they in the end are both right. This instruction in its entirety seems to be no more than a conflict of wisdom, from which eventually both parties emerge as victors.
7
My Josoe frequently is so heated up against his mystic master that he wants him removed but the master does not allow himself to be led astray by it, asserting his often crassest nonsense, and only lets some light come through towards the end. And so I assume that the handsome Rabbi does similarly with your daughter."
8
Says Ebahl: "Yes indeed, exalted Commander, it is completely so; I on my part can never quite work out who is ultimately correct. The thing seems to remain undecided in the main. There is never any talk of some positive teaching. The young spirit appears to simply try to confound his student's concepts, and the latter then has to straighten them out of himself as best he can. There can be no talk of any assistance, and as such there are always undecided matters in the end. If the student wants to fully demolish the Rabi's corrections, then he has to encounter the mentor with absolutely foolproof negations, to prevent the Rabbi from moving left or right. This is then proof that the student is in the right; but without the fool proof rejoinders, the student is always in the wrong, even if setting up the most justified assertions: Oh, my Jarah has had her Rabbi in a real noose, and he himself would not know how to get out of it, had not the maiden gotten him loose, which he conceded.
9
Verily, the celestial method of teaching often is most peculiar. Here it is the student who usually instructs the teacher, and the teacher is always happy if he has learnt something from the student. But the thing always gets on in true celestial affability, and I am always glad to watch such teaching method, for one learns more in an hour than from a worldly Rabbi in a year.
10
With the worldly Rabbi, the pupil stays a slave, physically and spiritually, for he can learn only what his physically and even more so, spiritually crippled Rabbi is capable of, and knows himself. Whether that be false or true, the pupil may inquire only at the peril of a severe punishment! Of what concern to such chubby-cheeked worldly Rabbi the pupil's inner spiritual inclinations, and abilities:? There the thing is: eat birdie or die: In short, to-days teaching method resembles a helmet that fits all heads, or a bed in which all men can rest with comfort! The giant Goliath certainly would look surprised if offered a cradle to rest in!
11
I have not seldom seen children who already in their most tender years manifested a truly gigantic spirit. What these may not have grown into, if they had been taught in accordance with their ability! But they were taught basket-work like the feeble-minded, allowing their spirit a stunting, so to say! And this I regard as greatly unjust! For what supreme service such developed spirit could have given humanity: But of what use when stunted? It weaves baskets and finally catches fish and mussels.
12
But here I see the immense difference between the vain and mostly foolish worldly Rabbis, and on the other hand the now most wonderfully current celestial Rabbi. This train the spirit in freedom, helping it to get up as it were and through all kinds of questions awakening it, from within the peculiar nature of the individual; whilst the worldly Rabbis seek to suppress and kill it! - Exalted Commander over all Asia am I right or not?"
13
Says Cyrenius: "Completely indeed, my worthy host Ebahl! This has long been my view; but what has so far been done about it? I admit it: nothing at all! Because we ourselves lacked a proper foundation, where from should therefore those worldly Rabbis have received it? The poor devils in the end have to teach the children whatever they themselves received from us, - and hence they are blind leaders of the blind!
14
We have now indeed gotten to know the holy truth from the One, and are well able to distinguish the light from the darkness; but quite a few baskets shall still be woven by some gigantic spirit before all men on this earth share this light: Tell me what in the end is to become of your little daughter? She verily is a gigantic spirit, and is besides that being taught by a celestial Rabbi. Tell me to what purpose in the end! Hardly for that of a housewife, ultimately: "
15
Says Ebahl: "Exalted Commander: Behold our girls' schools! How are these administered? Verily, as an embarrassment to the human race! And this is why: a good girl's school would indeed be something to be devoutly wished for, because a mother, - something into which only a maiden can grow, always is the children's most excellent teacher. If, as they say, her spirit, heart and head are in the right place, then her children are sure not to build their houses upon the sand of the see, and therefore would hardly be capable of being led astray. If however, as has unfortunately often been the case, the mothers are more stupid than worms, then very little or nothing is to be expected from mothers' tuition!- Esteem Commander, am I right here as well or not!"