THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN
VOLUME 5
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Beyond the Jordan at the Sea of Galilee. Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 19
- Chapter 259 -
The disciples' question regarding the heavenly reward.
Peter said, "Oh yes, that is still very much in my memory and certainly in that of all of us! But I will take the liberty here in the name of all of us to ask You what will be for us one day who have left everything and followed You faithfully?" (Matt. 19:27)
2
At this I answered and said, "Truly, I tell you all who have followed Me: In your full rebirth, when I have risen and sit on the throne of My eternal magnificence, you will sit on the twelve chairs beside Me and like Me and judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28), which means as much as that you will once be just as active as Me in My heavens with Me for the eternal good of all people of this Earth and also the other worlds. And you will watch over, guide and lead these people here and on the other side as invisible guardian spirits for the people of the Earth! For only in a constantly growing, true loving activity does the true kingdom of heaven and its growing bliss consist.
3
And I also say to you all: Whoever leaves his house, brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or his wife, his children, or also his fields, or gardens and pastures and herds for My name's sake, will receive everything in My kingdom a hundredfold and thereby inherit true, eternal life. (Matt. 19:29)
4
But remember this also: Those who are now the first will very easily be the last there, and those who are the last here will also easily be the first there!" (Matt. 19:30)
5
The disciples did not understand that, and Peter asked, "What should that mean, what did You mean to say by that? For what You say has its reality for all eternity, and we want to know everything quite exactly and understand what comes from Your mouth! This seems to refer to us, and it would not be very good if we should be the last in another kingdom because we were the first here!"
6
I said, "My dear Simon Juda, not for that reason; but if one of you were to think himself better because I had chosen him first, he would thereby fall into arrogance, with which he could never be the first in the kingdom of heaven. Suppose there would be one whom I had woken and chosen after more than a thousand years, he would certainly be the last according to choosing; but if he was humble to a great degree, so that he always considered himself the least worthy for such mercy, but nonetheless was faithful and enduring in his job, although he had no proof of the full genuineness of what was given to him, but instead only had to proceed with the single faith "would such a called person not be one of the first in the kingdom of heaven?
7
But I would not have made this remark to you all if you had not asked about the reward for what you believe you are now doing for Me! That, Simon Juda, was not very noble of you and you all, since I have only shown you the greatest benevolence spiritually and physically by the mere fact that I chose you all, so that you have now began to inquire after a reward as well! Have I then done something incorrect to you if I gave you a small nudging?"
8
Peter said, "Oh by no means, Lord and Master; as I now see it, that nudge was far too light in comparison with our great foolishness! "But there is something else to be asked and that is this: Where are we heading now?!"
9
I said, "We will visit a very hidden place and take our rest in that place; for we have worked very industriously until now. But industrious work also needs its rest; therefore let us just stride forwards with courage and we will soon reach the hidden place! There you will truly see My angels going up and down; thus just stride on courageously!"