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 211 -
Cyrenius' socialistic views.
Says Cyrenius: "You Lord and Master! But this is truly a completely new doctrine for me, of which probably no one could ever have dreamt about before Your time! This makes it clear however that only You and none other ever could have created man and all the worlds, from Alpha to Omega; because without being self the creator of man, one can never know these things, except in the way we now know it from Yourself.
2
The experience of all ages indicates that it is so and cannot be otherwise than how You explained it to us right now; but no wise-man, even when only too often observing mankind's evilness, nevertheless could not say anything about the roots of it. And wherefrom could he have taken it? Because for this it is essential to completely know nature from its arch-spiritual to its material aspect.
3
Who could obtain such knowledge? Who knows man's body from fibre to fibre? Has anyone seen a soul move freely about? One hardly knows whether or what shape it has or what size; in short, ignorance reigns. If so, then wherefrom should one obtain knowledge of man's peculiar nature?
4
And there have to be ways and means for man to get to know himself better, because if man cannot investigate himself to see what he is and how to act in accordance with his nature and destiny, to attain the purpose as set out by his Creator, then no doctrine or laws shall benefit him! His soul, as witnessed only too clearly with countless people, shall sink constantly deeper into its hell, in response to the manifold demands of the body; hunger hurts, thirst burns, cold also hurts, whereas abundant physical provision not only offers the exacting body the necessities, but also true, luxurious happiness!
5
Man's animalistic part steadily sets up its demands in much assertive and conspicuous manner that the comparatively silent one has to be overheard. If so, then who can be surprised if a hundred-thousand times a hundred thousand haven't the foggiest notion of the soul's existence? Because their soul, already from childhood had so united with their body that they are fully one with it, hence recognizing no need other than the tiresome physical one.
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Indeed on also has to say about people of inferior and miserable subsistence that one cannot detect even the slightest trace of spiritual aspiration. In the most westerly parts of Europe, we have people with whom not even the most feeble signs of spiritual education can be found.
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What however is the reason for this? The most total lack of physical sufficiency! Such man may often, day and night forage with cudgel in dense forest, looking for game. Having killed some, he devours it veraciously with skin and bone, as they say. Question: with such people where can there be any talk at all of spiritual needs, - even whilst in Rome for example, where mankind for the most part is into excess sufficiency physically, the people long since have been educated about the soul of man and its immortality, and therefore paying the most attention to a moral life, with the aim to mainly further man's spiritual life-training.
8
It is of course often the case unfortunately that the wealthy sink into sheer hedonism, paying little or not attention to soul-development, regarding every such teaching as that of a hungry sage; yet they are in command of a vocabulary that enables discussion with them, regardless of deep sensuality nevertheless arouses their curiosity, registering a gain for their souls.
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But with people with whom a spoken language is questionable, no such arousal is possible. If not even that however, how could there be arousal to a deeper spiritual soul need?
10
Hence I would venture to say that one's first care should be for mankind's physical subsistence, and it could then be easier to progressively awaken mens' souls to their true spiritual needs! Men should be supplied with at least the basics! Because, as said, a man physically too impoverished, cannot yet generate even the most minimal spiritual aspiration! It is hard to preach to a hungry stomach before eating. This is my humble opinion. You oh Lord are fully right, for You alone know your works completely! I nevertheless don't consider to have completely missed the mark; for the experience of all people and periods speaks of it only too emphatically."