THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN
VOLUME 5
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus in the region of Capernaum. Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 17
- Chapter 241 -
The Lord's sojourn in Jesaira and stop at Peter's fishing lodge near Capernaum.
But the man heard this and became extremely glad that I had decided to take up accommodation with him. The man prepared an evening meal and was very friendly to us, likewise his whole house as well. Only he advised us not to go to Jerusalem; for he had recently been there for business and had heard only too clearly what an intransigent hate the Pharisees had particularly towards Me.
2
But I said, "Friend, I know their most secret thoughts! And what they want to do to Me and even will do, I know very well. But even if they kill Me, nonetheless it will not help them at all; for after three days I will defeat death and rise again and be with My people again until the end of the world! But now nothing more about it, but instead give us a good bed for the night, and we will lie down to rest, since our limbs have become very tired!"
3
The host did that immediately and we lay down to rest. The night was quickly slept through, and we were already on our feet before dawn. And our host already busied his whole house and had them provide a morning meal for us. When that had been taken, the disciples asked Me what else was to be done.
4
And I said, "Now we will travel on; for here there is not much to do!"
5
Then the host asked, saying, "I would have been of the opinion that there is a lot to be done here; for on this place there are a great number of people!"
6
I said, "That is true indeed; but they are mostly sheer traders, and they have either little or no meaning at all for us. Thus we want to go somewhere else where there are not so many traders and money changers."
7
At this I rose with My disciples and we boarded our ship and quickly sailed away. Towards the middle of the day we came along the bank to our old Jesaira after our journey which was somewhat slower this time. When the people here saw us, they ran towards us in crowds and begged Me to heal their sick.
8
But I said, "I did not come only to heal your sick, but instead much more in order to tell you that the kingdom of God is near to you, as I told you not so long ago; but you did not pay attention to it then, because you knew Me from Nazareth, and only now are you thinking anything of it! And so I will not remain with you and nor will I heal your sick! Go to your doctors; they will no doubt come to terms with your sick!"
9
At this some of them became sullen, but others remained and continued to ask Me to heal their sick.
10
But I said, "It will be well for those of you who believe that I am the promised Messiah, who lays his hands on the sick in My name, and it should be better for him, whatever evil he has been beset with!"
11
Then many shouted, "We believe, we believe!"
12
At this they left the bank hastily and hurried to their sick, of whom several had already become fresh and healthy. But those who did not really believe in their hearts laid their hands on their sick in vain and ran back to the bank again in order to seek advice from Me about what was lacking, why they could not succeed to do what their neighbors had done. But I was no longer in that place, but already quite far away, and indeed almost at the place where Peter had his fisherman's hut, not far from Capernaum.
13
We remained there for a few days and rested from our efforts a little and helped Peter's family to fish. Here we also left the ship and then made the journey to Galilee by foot and visited a number of places, villages and areas. I and the disciples announced the gospel, found a good reception from many, but also many opponents. For on this journey I performed few miracles, for there was too little faith for it. But in general, northern Galilee was too much peppered with Greeks and Romans and always crossed by a number of conjurors and magicians who did their business there, since miracles did not mean much there and were not treated with much respect. It was therefore better to only sow here the good seed, allow it to grow and then, a year later, give it further care.