The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord at the home of Kisjonah, the tax collector, in Kis
- Chapter 147 -
The departure of the ultra-orthodox Jews and their losing their way and their return. Their overnight stay with Kisjonah. The Lord's parable of the pipers. The Jews' anger and their threatening of the Lord.
When the second one finished saying this, the arch-Pharisees and ultra-orthodox Jews left the second one with his more moderate supporters. Setting out upon the overland route to Capernaum, because the sea was going strong and they did not trust the shippers who assured them it would be safe.
2
The entire party however, about one hundred and fifty strong, not being familiar with the correct route, did not get far and that at an insurmountable high cliff jutting into the sea, causing immense breakers. Immediately above this, rose a high and steep mountain range, over which there was no pass from this part of the sea; and so the party had no option but to back-track the extensive road of about two hours journey, not arriving until midnight and in blackest night under storm and rain with thunder and lightning in Kisjonah the tax-collector's forecourts, to there seek protection and shelter, as the whole party was soaked to the skin and in a state of near collapse from exhaustion. And the tax-collector and his people took them in caringly and found them dry quarters, which the soaked ones found most agreeable.
3
Fairly late the following day the soaked ones re-emerged somewhat tired, drying their apparel under the sun's beams.
4
It was Sabbath however, but Kisjonah and his people went about their tasks as on any other day; and at midday the tables were set with all kinds of well prepared foods.
5
Kisjonah invited also the soaked and tired ones, but they not only did not accept but started to grumble and curse such profaners and non-heeders of the Sabbath; for a proper Jew is to neither touch nor eat anything before sunset, - he is allowed only to drink three times a day.
6
Since the invited returned the tax-collector's friendliness in this manner, the latter turned to Me and said, 'Lord! What ought to be done about these fools? I want to do them a good turn and they curse me for it! Please tell me whether God hears the curse of such fools, for the chastisement of those cursed by them!'
7
Say I, 'Oh yes, but not to the detriment of the ones cursed by them, but only of the cursers. Who has ears to hear, let him hear. (Matt. 11:15) I will tell you how things actually are with them. Do you think they observe the Sabbath because this was bid by Moses? Or do you think they fast because of that?
8
I tell you: In their hearts Moses and the prophets are not worth three stater, but they wish to be seen as Aaron's worthy successors by the people who pay the tithe and good money.
9
How can I describe this miserable generation? Are they not like the little children sitting in the market-place and calling out to their playmates (Matt. 11:16) "We piped for you and you would not dance; we wailed and you would not cry." (Matt. 11:17) But I do here not regard the Pharisees and orthodox Jews as such little, but those who are here with us, for they are the ones who yesterday wanted in their heart to keep these fools and total deniers of God here, and the fools have scoffed at them and Me. The sailors wanted to take them across the Sea to Capernaum since there was a good wind, but these fools did not trust the sailors. They went, and a bad storm drove them again back here. Now you have invited them to the midday meal, and they curse you.
10
You dear little children who are here before Me sitting at the true market of life, I tell you: Do not pipe to these fools any longer, for they are lame in their spirit and, therefore, do not want to dance. Thus also refrain from wailing, for their hearts are stones and have no moisture.
11
John, about whom we yesterday talked so much and to whom I bore a most fair witness, came and led such an austere life that he hardly ate and drank anything except for locusts and wild honey which he laboriously got himself from earth-holes. And these people, as well as others of this kind of rabble, told him to his face that he was possessed by the devil (Matt. 11:18) who fed and supported him by night.
12
And has not John piped and wailed more than enough like no one before him? But behold - these and many of their kind would neither dance nor cry.
13
Now the long since promised Son of Man has come into the world in Me. This one eats and drinks. And what do they say now? Yesterday you heard it yourselves what they thought of Me when they shouted: "Look at him! A glutton and a drinker and, besides, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners."
14
But I tell you: Such wisdom has to have itself justified by its children (Matt. 11:19), that is, its own children declare them to be fools, and thus the wisdom with which they have served us has become justified in its children; but so has Mine, for its children recognise and accept it, and thereby both kinds of wisdom, the false and the true, have been sufficiently justified.'
15
Here the Pharisees and arch-Jews rose and said to Me, 'Beware - you are a Jew still! We have the law and the right to ruin you as an arch-heretic; because you want to destroy Moses and undermine the prophets! Woe betide you if you do not let go of such aspirations! We have the emperor's consent to make use of Roman law and any governor has to accede to our demands!'