The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Cana in the valley
- Chapter 229 -
Jairus' cowardly and timid answer. Borus' bold and sharp reproach. About retaliation in the beyond. Borus denies help to Jairus, and leaves.
Says Jairus, 'Friend, I understand you better than you think; yet there are things which in the light of status in the world, must not be understood at all.
2
As a person of standing, you have quite often to laugh when you would cry, but often mourn when you would rather leap and dance for joy. But what can you do as an individual in isolation? Can you swim against a raging stream once you get caught up in its power?
3
We humans however have a sensitive skin, and a still more sensitive stomach; these two want gratification, and it therefore behoves us to either let go of all understanding and common sense, or run with the crowd, or feebly expire in some corner as a scorned beggar, like a beast wounded in the hunt.
4
Believe me that, speaking between ourselves, I know Christ better than you do; but what does that help in the face of Rome and Jerusalem? If you make a move it is your last day.
5
Jesus may in all earnest be a Son of the Most High, which I personally don't doubt in the least; but can I confess this openly, considering my official position? And if I did so, what then with the likes of us?'
6
Says Borus, 'What then, what then: the world always has, on account of worldly advantage thrown up such questions at some friend to whom pure truth counted for more than all the kingdoms of a cursed world; hence holy truth always found its grave in the skin and belly of hedonistic men!
7
Whoever cares more for worldly advantage and exalted status than about godly truth, may he yet be born of a congenial disposition, he shall get caught up in such questions and considerations, then withdrawing from the divine light to the darkness of the world, denying God and all the light out of Him; ask why? What lays that burden into his heart? Behold, nothing but his bent for worldly comfort of every kind! Avidly he seeks after everything that can assure him worldly comfort. And having achieved it often through much effort and trouble, seeking same on account of worldly sensuality, he soon chucks all truth overboard. If he fears the least constraint to his glittering worldly living standards, then he chooses to become a tyrant against everything that is imbued with just a spark of genuine truth.
8
But on getting miserable and sick, and coming to the physician, he wants nothing but truest help. Why truth here but nowhere else?
9
Look, there. Your daughter has been laid low with an incurable illness; what would you not now give for a true medicine to bring help to your daughter's body. As an experienced doctor, I tell you that there is indeed one medicine which would bring your daughter immediate relief and such medicine in relation to the physical sickness of your daughter would then surely be a perfect truth. Yes, for such truth you would indeed give everything; yet for truth that would heal your soul you not only give nothing, but you actually persecute it wherever it shows up, for worldly comfort. Say: where does such behavior belong?
10
You know as well as I do, that there is no curative effect in the Temple manure; you know that such things are blatant superstition, well suited to stifle the last spark of faith in the weak folk, yet you would persecute such 'profaner of the Holy of Holies' with fire and sword if any of your fellow believers were to go public with it.
11
Think of an eternally just God however Who Himself is the Light and the most unchangeable eternal Truth and Who will not be bargained with; what will such say to servants like you once?
12
Verily, not one of you shall justify yourselves. Whether you believe or don't believe, there nevertheless is a hereafter beyond grave's portals, where each shall be rewarded in accordance with one's doing and dealing.
13
I am no stranger to it, for I sought and found it! My eternal life is in my hands, and I would give a thousand physical lives if that were the price.
14
But I have it, and eternal life has taught me to scorn the life of the flesh and only cede it enough value to benefit the everlasting life of the soul in all fullness. That I have attained to such in all clarity and truth I thank none other than Jesus alone, Who showed me the hidden Path thereto.
15
And this Jesus, this God among men, you persecute with fire and sword, and shall hardly rest until you have done to Him what your forebears did to all the prophets.
16
But then beware! God has sent you, who most shamelessly call yourselves His people and His children, a God from the heavens; each of His words in an eternal truth out of God, which can be grasped even with the hand by every honest person; yet you want to kill Him because He dismisses your old Temple rubbish.
17
Woe betide you! God's wrath shall overtake you soon.
18
Yes, I could still help your daughter; I now feel the power within me. But I don't want to help her, because you are all devils, and no longer men. And I shall never offer my helping hand to devils.'
19
This went to the Chief's heart like glowing arrows; he indeed saw the truth of it in its depth and was ready to lay down his ministry, but feared the uproar, saying to Borus:
20
'You may not be subtle by any means, but your words have the ring of truth. If I could, without causing as it were a destructive disturbance, I would chuck my high office overboard; I would be quite prepared to do so for the sake of my beloved daughter's recovery. But consider the upheaval this step would cause. Hence I have to put it off to a more appropriate occasion.'
21
Says Borus, 'I have spoken, and go a better way than that over to you. For here obviously is hell on earth, and here no angel can do any good, let alone myself as a still weak, carnal and mortal man.'
22
With these words Borus leaves the chief's house unstoppably, rushing away in agitation. - The above went on in Capernaum the day after we encountered the dispatched messenger.
23
I however took a rest upon the hill, foretelling the episode in detail a day before it actually took place in all truth.