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 74 -
Judas and Thomas argues.
With this remark all disciples are satisfied and praise My goodness and wisdom and the power of God which dwells in Me, except for Judas who grumbled and said in a quite audible tone to himself: "Against the pharisees who secretly allow the foreigners to see the Holiest of Holy for money, He protests with sulfur rain from heaven; but if He shows to foreigners His own sanctuary and excludes us native children, then this is completely according to divine will! Did ever anybody of us experienced something similar? If they do it in Jerusalem by heaven and earth it is wrong; but when He for Himself nearly does the same, it is right and completely according to the order of Melchisedec! One of course cannot do anything about it; however, it is still very annoying!"
2
Says Thomas the disciple who still keeps a sharp eye on Judas Ischariot: "Now then, finally something is not right for you? I'm surprised that you not long ago began to rag the Lord for He placed the sun so far away from earth so that you can bake your pots more cheaply in its extreme proximity than by way of the usual wood fire!
3
See how nice it would be to fly like birds! Yes, at times it itched me in the shoulders, and I felt that I had to fly along with a flock of cheerfully floating cranes; I tried to hopple and jump, however the heavy body did not want to lift a foot above ground!
4
However, soon I was content with it and thought by myself: If God wanted that people should fly like birds, He would have given Him useful wings just like birds; but God saw that this ability would cause man more harm than good and gave him rather a pair of good and strong feet with which he can carry himself quite comfortable from one place to another. In addition to the two strong feet He gave him a pair of very useful hands and a mind reaching above all stars, by which, instead of the a pair of wings, he could produce for himself thousands of other conveniences, which apparently can provide him with more entertainment than the birds their wings; since it is quite debatable if the birds understand to appreciate their wings to the same extend than man his feet, his hands and his mind!
5
See, man also struggles to move forward in water for he does not have fins and no swim skin between the toes and fingers; but his God given mind taught him to build ships by means he can travel further over water than a fish, for whom a waterhole is a dwelling from which it never wants to wander off too far. And we can with fullest certainty assume that our later descendants will make extremely great progress regarding the art to build ships. Who knows whether any wise in future will succeed to lift off into the free air by means of an artificial pair of wings like the old Indians!"
6
Here Judas interrupts Thomas and said somewhat irritated: "Did I ever recruited you as my teacher, so that you can preach to me at every occasion? Keep your wisdom for you and your children and leave me alone, otherwise you are forcing me to sharply shut your moth! Because this I know well if I wanted to. With all your remarks regarding my equally free speeches and action I never have given you a crude word, and therefore truly do not know, why you always have to carve and plane on me! Just keep sweeping diligently in front of your own door, since for mine I will take care! If I don't like something, it is for me alone and not necessarily for you as well; I'm not your concern and this from now on forever! - Do you understand such?
7
Only think back to Kis when the Lord conciliated the contentious matter between me and you; this be sufficient for you and me, and regarding anything else we have nothing to do with each other! If I ask you something you can give me a good answer to my question, - subject that you are able to do this! However, you will be the last to be honoured by me like that!"
8
Says Thomas: "But tell me brother Judas, was there anything bad or offending about that which I just now have said to you, why you are so excited about me? Is it then untrue, according to my knowledge, that you only too often have quarrelled with the Lord that He has put the sun so distant from earth and that He did nog give you a pair of wings to fly like the mute birds under the sky?"
9
Continues Thomas after a while because Judas refused to answer him: "If you want to be cross with me, be cross with me without reason and cause! In the face of the Lord such extreme unbrotherly behaviour is not praiseworthy! A heart like yours does not belong to the group of disciples of the Lord and you would do a thousand times better if you would go home to your pottery business, and no longer bothers Gods' society and pollute it with your profound divine-order-opposing heart. Have you already completely forgotten about the mountain speech of the Lord in Sichar, Samaria, where the Lord demands that we even should love our enemies, bless those who curse us and do good to those causing us evil?
10
But if you do not want to follow Gods' word and do not want to exercise your self-denial at every opportunity, ask yourself in Gods' name why are you bothering our society with your presence!
11
You do not speak one word with any of us for days; and if someone asks you something, you either give him no answer at all or you treat him in an utmost raw and crude manner, so that he will not put a question to you for a second time. Is this the behaviour for a disciple of the Lord? Ugh, shame on you and become another person, - otherwise go elsewhere!
12
Verily, I regret it already more than have murdered someone, for it was me who brought you to this group! I want to beg the Lord on my knees that He removes you from us with His almighty power, if you cannot be changed by goodness!"
13
Says finally Judas with obvious suppressed rage but smiling face: "Not you nor the Lord can make me stay or leave! See, if I knew that I be less a thorn in your eyes as I surely am, I would long ago have left your society and searched for another; but to really annoy you wholeheartedly, and will serve you as a trial stone, where you can exercise beautifully your patience, longanimity and enemy-love, and want to learn from you the applied mountain speech of Jesus to then exercise it myself! - Have you understood me, wise Thomas?"
14
Says Thomas turning to Me: "Lord, I and we all ask You to remove this wretched sheep! Since next to it no brotherly existence is thinkable, and it is impossible to apply Your holy teaching; for he stays continuously an instigator and traitor! Why should he be with us if he not only do not want to apply Your holy teaching but also always belittles us if we try to live and act according to Your word?"