The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
From the Lord's years of youth
- Chapter 212 -
At the palace of Cyrenius.
Anastocles the Greek apologized for perhaps not being able to go with us to Cyrenius because he still had to arrange a few things in the inn.
2
But I said to him: 'Just let the inn be the inn. Surely it will know by itself what has to be done. However, what you can share with us will be much more profitable to you than your inn. And tomorrow your house - for you already know now with whom you are dealing with in Me - will be ready sooner than when we will go back from here to your house.
3
During the night it will happen in your house in such a way that no one of your people will notice it. But in the morning, out of amazement they will have their eyes wide open when they will see that they are in a whole new house, which however will be exactly the same as the old one, except that it will be bigger and more comfortable, just like it will be the case with the stall. If you know this now from My mouth, you can be completely at ease and go with us to Cyrenius where it will be good to stay for all of us.'
4
Then Anastocles said: 'Yes, if this is the case, of course I will let the inn be the inn and I will go with you to Cyrenius. Maybe he also will remember me from Ostracine.'
5
I said: 'You can easily leave this up to Me. I will take care of it, for I can do all things whatever I want.'
6
With this, our Anastocles was completely satisfied and he went with us to the beautiful palace of Cyrenius and his highly ranked counselors, ministers and generals, who were all staying in the big palace.
7
When we arrived in the quarters of Cyrenius, the Greek was beside himself with pure amazement, because such a splendor and such a wealth his eyes had never seen before.
8
Quietly he (Anastocles) said to Me: 'But Master, full of godly power, this is simply inhuman. All these treasures and unspeakable wealth that are here. How one person can possess a lot and on the other hand how many hundreds of thousands possess so extremely little.'
9
I said: 'But it is better so, because if all men would possess these and so many treasures, first of all they would not have any value and secondly men would soon lose their impulse for activity, and finally would continue to live as the animals in total laziness. Only hunger and thirst would set them to the necessary activity. Nothing else would be for them a prickle and stimulant. However, if such splendid treasures and riches are only in the hands of a few intelligent men, then they have for all other men - because of their great rarity - a hardly calculable value. And by that, men are becoming active and like to work for such rich men in order to earn also a small part of the valuable treasures. And look, this is good.
10
Sure, you can see here a big quantity of gold and silver and a countless quantity of extremely valuable gems and pearls. If Cyrenius would give you only one of those pearls in order that you should do a certain work for him, then you surely would use all your strength to earn just one of such pearls. But if you would possess yourself already a lot of such pearls, then you certainly would not use all your strength, but would say to yourself: 'Oh, whoever wants, can work for that one pearl. I already have enough of them and I can relax.' From this example you can see that it is very good for the people in the world when such great treasures and riches will always be in the hands of only a few. Can you see that?'
11
The Greek said: 'Who could not see that when You are explaining it to him? It is true that Cyrenius is a severe man, but besides that also a righteous and good governor. He always thinks about those who are truly poor, although he always is checking everyone very well beforehand if he is really poor or if he is - what is often the case - lazy and does not want to work. And because he is such a man, it is also good and reasonable that he possesses such great treasures and riches.'
12
And so our Greek became more pacified and was able to bear the splendor of the palace more easily and calmly.
13
While I was busy with the Greek, Cyrenius spoke with great interest with Joseph about Me and what I had done during all that time, which Joseph and James told him briefly and truthfully, which gave him great pleasure. This asking and relating lasted for more than 2 hours. Also the highly ranked counselors and ministers took part in it and there was no end to their amazement.