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 51 -
One speakers' testimony to the Ark of the Covenant.
Says the speaker, not having lost his quite stoic composure for one moment during this fairly convincing lecture: "Dear friends and brethren. That which you now sermonised to me I know as well as you do, but nevertheless for the first time in my life among you I am very fortunate to find out that like myself, you are no fools either. What you have said is true, but it still leaves my question unanswered.
2
It is as you have spoken, as I quite clearly perceive, although I wanted through my seeming refutations to nudge you into opening your perpetually sealed lips. And behold, for the first time in our joint living and acting in twenty years, you have spoken with me openly.
3
But neither my own nor your clear insight minimises the dilemma on which we obviously find ourselves. The big and important question remains, what are we to do now?
4
I, the son of a High Priest, grown and brought up in the Temple know only too well how it stands with the Ark of the Covenant. The wood, silver and gold still are of your; but the evergreen Aaron's Rod is powder-dry, the Commandment tablets are broken, whilst the Manna consists only in the concept. And the Pillar of Fire, where might be same? From the Chronicles one knows that he who touched the Ark with unconsecrated hands, being un-called lost his life; now one can climb upon the Ark and touch it at will, and no deadly fire flashes from it.
5
When for much money foreign travellers desire to view the old miracle under sworn secrecy, it is granted them without any objections, but only on the day after the permission is given. Thereupon an artificial pillar of fire is presented, but mark well, not above the red ancient one, but above an artificial imitation metal ark! This ark is equipped with a black cup in the middle, at the top sunk into the lid in such a way that it is not easily detected in the dark holiest of holies, on account of the intense flame emanating therefrom into this cup the finest ethereal naphthalene is blended with other fragrant finest oils and lit about an hour before. In this way it then burns forth about six spans high to represent the pillar of fire.
6
When the curious onlookers have stared at this beautiful pillar of fire with much contentment and then wish to see the Ark's interior, then under much ceremonial formality and void prayers the upper lid with its continuing flame-throwing is gently lifted unto a golden rack. The spectators are shown the naturally new Mosaic tablets as the genuine ones, likewise the Manna which is quite fresh, as well as a sprouting Aaron Rod and similar other things the Ark contains.
7
Some onlookers become deeply stirred; others, in particular Greeks, smiling to themselves leave the Holy of Holies finally saying; "This actually is quite a cleaver contraption!" The majority however regret that the rest of the Temple is kept in such a filthy state. I tell you and would also bet you a large sum, that in time the old Ark of the Covenant shall be put out of the way altogether and henceforth only the new iron one will take its place and function.
8
If you don't want to believe me then let us dress up as for example Romans, go to Jerusalem and enter the Temple as strangers; at once an obliging spirit shall attend to us, asking us in great detail where we are from and what we are seeking in Jerusalem, how long our stay in "The City of God" shall be, where we are heading thereafter and whether we carry large sums; whether we have gold or silver for sale, and whether we would not like to see the Holy of Holies for a modest fee. Then we ask about the fee and are told something like a hundred pounds of silver. We say that this is too much and that we are not interested in seeing such things; if it is possible for ten pounds then we are all for it. And for ten miserable pounds we get into the Holiest of Holies, if we solemnly promise the chief caretaker in question not to betray a syllable of it for anything in the world either within the Jewish land nor any distant foreign land, nor tell anyone of having been in the Holiest of Holies. This we can promise quite easily and thus get into the Holiest of Holies as pseudo-Romans, and you can then convince yourselves as to whether even one syllable of all this what I have told you about the Ark of the Covenant is a lie!
9
And, dear friends and brothers, if one as a human being with a somewhat brighter intelligence has seen with one's very own eyes such things in the Holiest of Holies, and where at such opportunities oneself has served as a shrewd and useful sidekick, surely for a honest person this will become forever a bitter thing, to become a shamefully paid deceiver and liar of the people! How often have I thought about it and said to myself: 'If the supposed to be living Holiest of Hollies, on which the whole doctrine of God and all the laws are based, is a blandishment kept secret, what should one think of the whole doctrine and of all the laws?' - I have now spoken, now you can speak again; I'm inclined to listen to you."
10
Says one of the elders: "Were you then allowed to give away such secrets? Weren't you asked to swear an oath of everlasting silence before you were released from the temple as an adept?"
11
Says the speaker: "Certainly; however, now I'm free not to keep this stupid oath which does not can have any value for me, anymore, and to inform the whole world how it has been deceived! And here in Nazareth we take these things anyhow less serious, and therefore one can dare to brake such fraudulent oath, without having a bad conscience about it."