The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Back in Nazareth
- Chapter 109 -
Peter and Simon discussing the future prospects for the Lord's teaching. The Lord urges trust in God. 'Do not trouble yourselves about future events but willingly attend to what you have been called'. Parable of the artist and his tool. 'You are a winnowing fan in the Father's hand'. 'What art Thou, Lord?' Hints about Father and Son.
Peter is shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders and Simon wants to know why, saying, 'What's up with you? If the Lord has foretold it, then it shall also surely come to pass, whilst we for our part now know how to take it, believing accordingly. Why are we to shake our heads in disbelief and shrug our shoulders?!'
2
Says Peter, 'Dear brother, my shaking of my head and shrugging my shoulders mean something totally different from what you thought!'
3
Says Simon, 'What then, dear brother?'
4
Says Peter, 'Of a truth, the Lord's Word is holy. How happy mankind, if they already were in possession of this teaching, acting accordingly! If so however, then how shall in the end this doctrine become the holy property of all men on earth? Yet if the Lord allows all sorts of things to go on, then how will this teaching look even not too long hence?! Truly, this most precious soul-food shall eventually become the fodder of dogs and pigs! And thence my shaking and shrugging, beloved brother!'
5
Say I, 'Peter, let it be! You shall do whatever has been assigned to you; you don't need to concern yourself with the result! Whatever shall come and one way or another has to come, on account of the profundity of Wisdom and Love, only the Father knows and he to whom the Father wants to reveal the how, when and why of His permitting it so!
6
If you should come to a craftsman's workshop, seeing all sorts of tools, shall you know how the craftsman applies them in bringing forth his manifold works? You shall indeed shake your head and shrug your shoulders, but you shall not that way work out how the craftsman uses his manifold tools and how a particular work shall come about therewith. If however the craftsman has a mind of explaining it to you, then you too shall know in accordance with his explanation.
7
But I say unto you: God is above all craftsmen and the greatest craft is to, out of oneself create the first independent life within countless distinct beings! For this truly, a myriad of spiritual tools are needed; and to this end, you and Mary and all men are divine works and tools, whose application only the Father in heaven most wisely knows!
8
Hence do not trouble yourself about anything other than that to which you have been called; then, as a tool in the Father's hand you shall be performing the right service!
9
Or, is the winnowing fan above him who utilises it as a cleansing tool?! If fit, it shall be used for cleansing wheat, barley and corn; if unfit, then it shall be either made fit or thrown in the fire! If the Father has made you into a winnowing fan, then remain what you are and don't try to be also a pot! Do you understand this?'
10
Says Peter, 'Lord, this is a bit obscure. It indeed seems as if I understood it; yet when I try to fathom it, I can't grasp this peculiar parable. How can one be simultaneously a work and a tool?'
11
Say I, 'Is not every tool, before employed by the craftsman, an accomplished work in itself, for the purpose of bringing forth another work or an expeditious performance of some work?!
12
I said however that in the heavenly Father's hand you are a winnowing fan, because you and the other disciples are being instructed by Me on how to raise men to the true recognition of God.
13
The men of the world are like wheat, barley and corn. This living grain however does not grow without chaff and the offensive dust. In order however for this grain, i.e. these worldly men to be cleansed of their worldly chaff and filth and then, as a fully cleansed grain be gathered up into the Father's eternal barns, you are being transformed into proper and living winnowing fans through whom the Father in heaven shall cleanse His grain. Do you all understand this now?'
14
Says Peter, 'Yes, Lord, now the thing is completely clear to us; but we would also like to know, as You always speak of the Father in heaven as if of a second person, although, since Sychar, we have always secretly taken You to be the Father Yourself: Who in that case You Yourself actually are! Could You be also perhaps Yourself someone else's winnowing fan?'
15
Say I, 'I am firstly He Who I am; but then I am also He Who I don't appear to be! I sow and reap as the Father sows and reaps and whoever serves Me as a winnowing fan serves also the Father as such; because the Son is where the Father is, and where the Son is, there is the Father. Notwithstanding, the Father is above the Son and the Son proceeds from the Father. No one knows the Father nevertheless save the Son and he to whom the Son wants to reveal Him. - Do you all understand this?'
16
Says Peter, 'Lord, this no angel understands, let alone us! But You could once, if you wanted to, show us the Father!'
17
Say I, 'For this you are not ripe yet; but not too long hence you shall be ripe and then you shall also see the Father.'
18
With these words, Mary and her helpers come in and announce the morning meal ready. The tables are set at once and the meal brought in.