The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Cana in the valley
- Chapter 227 -
After the meal, a voyage at sea. Messengers herald the falling ill of Jairus' daughter. The Lord warns Jairus' messengers. Return to Kis.
After the meal, the day being nice and clear, a sea voyage is undertaken. Baram quickly gets his ship ready, and Kisjonah makes his own big ship sea worthy too, and it easily accommodates half the disciples.
2
I, and the principal disciples and Baram and Kisjonah, board Baram's solidly built ship, which had two sails and six rudders on each side, being capable of moving by wind or rudders. From the Kis locality, we traveled in the Capernaum direction, not however making same our destination.
3
But after moving in the direction of Capernaum for some two hours, we noticed a ship quickly steering towards our two ships. It bore the Capernaum colours, and when we deviated from our course to test if it deliberately steered our way, it also deviated from it's course and hastily set out in our direction. When Baram's boatmen took this in, they asked him what was to be done, as the Capernaumian ship did not bode good intentions. Baram asked Me what I might say about it.
4
'Just let it approach us, and we shall soon see its intention.' In response to My words Baram had the sails lowered, and the rudders retracted, whilst the boatmen on Kisjonah's ship did likewise.
5
A quarter hour later the Capernaumian boatmen have caught up with us, asking Baram whether I am aboard, for they had established at Capernaum that I was staying at Kis. For they had been dispatched by the High Priest Jairus to ask Me to come to Capernaum; for Jairus' little daughter, whom only a few weeks earlier I had resurrected from the dead, once again had fallen so ill that no physician was able to further help her. 'The Chief is fearing her death. A great reward would await you if you can put us unto Jesus of Nazareth', the boatmen said to Baram and his boat people.
6
However, Baram said, 'Judging by your talk, good intentions have led you our way, and I say unto you: Him Whom you seek is aboard; but whether He intends to hear you and accede to your request I cannot say. But I shall go below and speak to Him in the cabin.
7
The Capernaumians are happy with that, and Baram comes down to my open cell, to acquaint Me with the Capernaumians' petition.
8
But I say unto him, 'Save your breath, brother, for I already know it all, and have already told you at Jesaira that this slanderous brood shall fare thus. In order to persecute Me and cast suspicion on My teaching, the denied that Jairus' daughter had been sick and dead: she is supposed to have just slept soundly and I am supposed to just have awakened her in a very natural way, and to have then pretended that I awoke her from death.
9
Now then, since such My deed was fullest deception, they shall let the little daughter again fall soundly asleep, and she shall then also be again capable of awakening in a natural way through any normal human.
10
Verily, this one shall not be touched by Me until she has lain three days in the grave! Go on deck and tell them so; but then set the sails, and a fast wind shall carry us seawards over the great bay at Kis, and these shall not know whereto we traveled.
11
Baram rushes up to deck, saying, 'My esteemed messengers of the Chief! I heavy-heartedly let you know that I can bring you no favorable reply from Jesus, the Lord. But the Capernaumers were themselves are to blame; for when at the other occasion He had awaked the Chief's little daughter from visible and perceptible death, back to fullest life, it did not take long for the Pharisees of this city, condemned by Him, to declare Him a deceiver, telling all folk that Jairus only wanted to put Jesus to the test by laying his healthy daughter upon a makeshift death bed, whereupon the deceiver Jesus, having no notion of the trap set Him, was easily able to awaken her from death to life; which He effected as I heard it said by some, after having in the end discerned that she lives, by applying much pressure when seizing her by the hand; and that she finally rather rose than continued to bear the painful pressure.
12
According to what I heard, the Chief's intention was for the little daughter not to let herself be awakened, so that Jesus would have at once been apprehended as an accomplished scoundrel. But through the daughter's awakening, this lovely plan was foiled; for the people were supposed to have been firmly convinced that the daughter, who had for that purpose been kept artificially sick the previous two days, really was awakened from death.
13
Wherefore she shall not be looked at by Him, save perhaps when half decomposed in the grave!
14
I now let you depart with this advice and tell your Chief Priest that, so that he would realise of what blackest ingratitude his heart is filled. Under no circumstances shall He (the Lord) go to Capernaum; for He has blessed that locality from its foundations forever.'
15
Upon these words, Baram quickly sets the sails, whereupon the wind was at hand, driving the two ships forward so quickly that the Capernaumian ship, having no sails and being also otherwise quite unsightly, and a low vessel, in a few moments was left so far behind that we completely lost sight of it. And after landing above the great bay at Kis and stepping ashore, we let the ships run into the bay by themselves empty, the wind changing and blowing heftily towards Capernaum.