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 89 -
Korah and Chiwar discussing the Messiah. Satan challenges Chiwar to a fight.
Says the Chief: "Friend, I love you, for I have not met such an honest soul before. Of a truth you are quite right. I know this Jesus far too little to be of your opinion forthwith, but this much I know: unless this promise is not entirely a hollow nut not having been verified throughout history since David - at least terrestrially because the Romans currently still are a greater authorities to David's eternal kingdom than was the forty years Babylonian captivity - then I am quite inclined to agree with you. What now remains is what you all say to this and also the priests and Pharisees of the other towns."
2
Says Chiwar: "What I said to you here is the opinion of this entire town; the Capernaumians, having been subject to some stern rebukes which they drew upon themselves on several occasions, are coming around, and concerning the remaining cities, let that take care of itself and until something more opportune leaves them to their time-honoured delusion.
3
If here is your future seat then leave it to me, and in a few years Galilee shall be isolated and totally independent of the Temple! Galilee in any case can already in the Temple is the last parchment page. What will it matter if we tear out even this last page? The Romans and Greeks are on our side and that firmly as well as a little of the almighty, living Grace of God, and it shall be mightily hard for the Temple to get at us!"
4
Says Korah the Chief: "I agree with you in everything and am still more convinced than before that you are right; but we need to keep in mind that the archangel Michael, the mightiest of all the celestial spirits had with all his strength and might had to contend three days and nights for Moses" body. If Satan therefore were to take it up with us, how should we withstand him?"
5
Says Chiwar: "Not just one, but I"ll take it up with a thousand Satans myself although I am no Michael for a long while yet. One has only to have courage and block the scoundrel off in all ways, then he won't get anywhere even with his hell full of devils; but once shown the soft belly where he can tack on with ease, then the fight could get a hundred times harder!
6
But as truly as God has created me, I shall not build Satan a temple on account of that nor scatter him incense in order to back off me. Let him come if he should lust to take it up with Chiwar, and you shall be witness that I shall dispose of him in less than three days!"
7
Says the Chief: "You wager much as a fly to take it up with the lion and even to actually provoke him into combat, whereas you should rather be constantly asking God to everlastingly protect you against Satan's harassment!"
8
Says Chiwar: "Friend, I nevertheless know One name, and that One suffices for legions of Satan's and devils! Where might he be if he has the courage to fight me?
9
It is not to be denied that the fly is indeed a barest nothing against a lion, yet if the fly wants, it will still drive the strongest lion into retreat a day's journey from here. She nudges his ear and buzzes his ear until the lion thinks a storm is raging and the king of the animals ignominiously takes to his heels.
10
And so it is not strictly necessary to confront the mighty more mightily still, but everything depends on proper cleverness. Behold, you yourself came to us with a fair portion of Satanism, but my probable cleverness put it to shame, and now you stand before us as a free man, elected by us all as our Chief, and yet Satan was not able to harm us for it, nor shall he be able to do so in future!
11
I know what I know and am capable of, but I can vouch for Satan not being my master in all eternity."
12
Says Korah: "Friend, don't speak too soundly, for the wicked one is supposed to have his eyes and ears everywhere. Of course with the help of Jehovah and your Messiah, still too little known to myself, he shall have nothing on us; yet we don't want to challenge him. May God guard us against any whatsoever visit of his!"
13
Says Chiwar: "Certainly! I am not desirous of such combat yet nor fear it in the least either!"
14
Following Chiwar's words, a boisterous, massive giant suddenly entered the room, approaching Chiwar with furious mockery, his thunderous voice shaking the pillars: "Are you that fly that's going to make the storm rage in the lion's ears? Have a go, you miserable dust worm, how you come off battling me?! I too can do a thing of which you may be quite ignorant. Look, your Messiah simply depends on my benevolence as it is no great honour for me to enter combat with flies, but should he play up too much with me then I"ll have him strung up unceremoniously on the cross after which you can pray to your Messiah on the cross! What shall you do if I summarily shred you up to dust forthwith?"
15
Here Chiwar rises quite softly from his seat, menacing the giant (Satan) as follows: "Just as you miserable one came in, just so see to it you get out - with the resolution never to tread this holy place again - or may Jesus the Lord judge you!"
16
At the mention of the name Jesus the giant at once moved back a few paces, threatening with glowing fury that the despised name be never mentioned eternally.
17
But Chiwar says: "I surely had to produce a buzz in your ear, that you would see how a lion flees before a buzzing fly!" Then starting again: "Jesus, Son of Most High judge and punish you. Jesus, Son of the Most High drive you out of here forever! Jesus, Son of the Most High afflict you for your countless abominations!"
18
But Satan did not wait for this last - departing in a thunderous wail.
19
After which Chiwar says to Korah (who was trembling in fear like aspen leaves): "Did you see now how one can put the lion on the retreat? Why didn't he grind me to dust forthwith? Behold, it's his impotence! Let him just come again when he is itching to, and I guarantee you that in the value of my Jesus he will get out of here faster a second time than he did this first time!"
20
Says the Chief: "Listen friend, I admire your inexplicable courage beyond measure, and - by all the patriarchs - I now feel myself fully transferred into their marvellous times. But let it be nevertheless told you never to challenge Satan to combat again, for he is endlessly inventive and is supposed to take on every form, even that of an angel of light, and I believe him to be endlessly more dangerous in the guise of soft celestial raiment than we had the infernal honour of seeing him right now."
21
Says Chiwar: "We possess the measuring tape by which to assess what spirit any appearance is. But now be at ease, for this occasion will have sufficed him for some time."