The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
New events in Kis
- Chapter 232 -
Liberation and care for the stolen children. The Lord's instructions for the prosecution of the Pharisaical scoundrels. Preparation for the trial.
The wailing of the children, who had been torn from their parent's arms, can now be heard. Kisjonah and Baram, Jonael and Jairuth, together with the angel, rush to meet the children; the judge however has the twelve seized and escorted to a sturdy prison.
2
Shortly afterwards the file of children arrive; the angel instantly releases them from the donkeys and mules. The number of children exceeded the first reports by the escorts who brought the first twelve scoundrels, as some were bound in threes on their mules. The children were all shaking with fear, expecting something nasty. But the angel chats to them most amicably, telling them that here they shall find themselves in the arms of their mourning parents already the following day. This calmed the children down.
3
Some however were lamenting the pain the fetters had caused, some having bloodied spots upon their tender bodies, for they had been beaten for crying, to prevent them betraying the entire caravan. Most were naked, for they could have been recognised if dressed on the way from Capernaum to Sibarah, which was by-passed. Hence the barest clothing-needs had to be provided.
4
Kisjonah at once issued a large quantity of linen, and all got stuck into making skirts so that in the morning every child had received one; many hands make short shrift of a large task. The children were then taken to the big inn which Kisjonah had erected just above the barrier.
5
No sooner had the children been lodged at the inn when the main transport of cattle and other things arrived, and all was received into store, whilst the twelve's servants also were bound and thrown into a large jail.
6
After this hustle and bustle was over and the guards dispersed, Kisjonah and his four companions also took to their rest, which nevertheless did not last long, beginning late, whilst the approaching day promised many and large concerns.
7
All was at rest till day break, whereupon everyone was on their feet and Kisjonah's first move was over to me, to appraise Me of all that took place during the night, and to of course also seek My advice on how to deal in a God-pleasing manner.
8
But I anticipated him, telling him what took place this night, but also giving him advice on how to best deal with it all in haste. The advice consisted in the following:
9
'Brother, as a first step, dispatch hastily a messenger to the centurion Cornelius at Capernaum, with power of attorney from the local imperial Court of law, that he would send a commissioner for examining the twelve sinners, to enable him to return a verdict on them and to restore to all concerned victims, as confessed by the twelve, the stolen cattle, but mainly to return their children in the shortest time. Because, for the scale of this culprit-case, the special court here has no jurisdiction and is incompetent. But no mention shall be made of Myself.
10
The twelve Pharisees shall yet create trouble for the High Court. It shall not be able to get them regarding the robbery. And the avoidance of the toll shall not worry them either, as they hold freedom of passage passes throughout the country. And since they are children of the nation, no toll can lawfully be taken from them, whence they also did not avoid the toll for that reason, but out of fear of the people. For they had already paid their tuition fees on previous occasions, and for that reason forged a secret road to Jerusalem.
11
Hence they are lawfully accountable for only a 'Causa', on account of which they may be sentenced only for substantial damages, this being for breach of forestry law committed in your woodlands; this would not be covered by all the impounded chattels, not even together with all the money they have on them.
12
Hence, as a second prerequisite, let expert estimators, in company with a court official, hasten to the forest to assess the damage, so that when the High Court comes here for a sitting, everything is in readiness for arriving at a verdict, in the absence of which the Court would drag out lengthy examinations, and the victims perhaps not be compensated for a year. If however all that the Court considers material is at hand, then a sentence can quickly be passed and carried out.'
13
Upon this advice, Kisjonah hastens to his administrators and arranges everything I advised.
14
A sail boat quickly takes off with good wind for Capernaum, whilst the Roman judge himself, together with eight assessors under oath, quickly leave for the mountains bordering the left side of the valley from Kis, dispatching at the same time a commissioner together with eight other assessors under oath, to the right of the valley.
15
By four in the afternoon, a High Court Commissioner with two scribes arrives, as do the two parties of assessors from both mountains, together with their assessments.