The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Jesaira
- Chapter 193 -
The Lord with His in the storm, stills the sea. Ahab reprehends the doubting disciples. Judas' remark, and Ahab's humble testimony to the Messiah. The Lord's hints about Ahab.
We however took off from Jesaira in a totally different direction and it was necessary that we too had to be overtaken by a great storm on the high sea, whereupon the disciples together with all on board were gripped by much fear, as once before, starting to scream with fear for My help, or all should perish.
2
And as once before, I commanded the wind and the sea, whereupon immediate calm of wind and sea set in, with all the people in the boat exclaiming: 'Who is He Whom wind and sea obey?'
3
Ahab however, who had not chimed in with this question, said to the disciples and a few others, 'Friends, this once again was a most untimely and foolish amazement. You surely have been such a long time with and around Him, and still can be as amazed as if this were His first sign that you saw Him work. I have been hardly one day among you, and yet all this is as comprehensible to me as anything can be to a man. If He is that, namely the great promised Messiah, Who according to David is neither more nor less than Jehovah Himself, acting through flesh and blood, then it should be easy for Him to terminate a sea storm, since it would hardly have been difficult for Him to create the whole world. If such is indisputably the case, and you know Him, how does such question and astonishment arise in your heart?'
4
Says Judas, somewhat indignant at Ahab's comments, 'Friend, should we no longer be astonished at what the Lord does before our eyes, just because we have seen this and much else of His?'
5
Says Ahab, 'Brother, such be far from us. But I look at it this way: we should indeed be amazed in all meekness of heart that He should work such before our eyes, and that He should consider us not so worthy beings worthy enough of His love, wisdom and power, and for working such deeds before our eyes and senses. I for myself at least do not consider myself worthy of the least of this. But since we know Who He is and then wonder that He Who has made heaven and earth should work extraordinary deeds, as if this had been done by a mere man, then in the end we would consider Him, the Lord, as no more than some other, albeit extraordinary human. And in this context I consider your astonishment, ensuing upon the sudden stilling of the storm, as somewhat out of place.
6
Would it not be ridiculous to also start wondering at sun, moon, stars and earth and all the most wonderfully equipped and shaped creatures, which surely are as much His work as the extraordinary stilling of this powerful storm upon the sea? If however we have to wonder, then let us wonder only at how the almighty God Jehovah, the Unspeakable, lowers Himself so endlessly as to come to us mortal and exceedingly weak mankind from His eternal, immeasurable heights; which should be almost unbelievable if not already prophesied since Adam, Henoch and all the prophets right down to Zecharias and his son John, as is now happening in the fullness of truth.
7
The greatest wonder, it seems to me, is that, as prophesied by hundreds of prophets with one accord, all this is here now! What is now taking place is but a natural consequence of the prior and most wonderful manifestation upon this earth, namely: the aforementioned appearance of Jehovah in the flesh and blood.'
8
Say even the twelve disciples to me, 'Lord, wherefrom this one's speech and lucid wisdom?'
9
Said I, 'It is not his flesh and blood inspiring him, but his most wakeful spirit, so that it won't take much to the full rebirth of his spirit. It does not do you much honour however that he is a teacher to you rather than you to him; but his advantage over you is his being deeply versed in Scripture, and I love him as I love you, there being much meekness in his heart.'