The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
At the Galilean Sea
- Chapter 99 -
The templers' anger and vindictiveness against the Lord. The Lord in Peter's the fisherman's hut. Jesus' favourite environs - the Galilean sea. The miraculous healing of Peter's daughter-in-law.
On hearing such speech from their co-religionists, the priests and scribes quickly withdraw. Because the number of those who had come to them was about a hundred, and deadly earnest was flashing from their eyes; for these had long since seen who was behind the Jewish priests and scribes, hating them more than pestilence!
2
But since the priests, Pharisees and scribes were only too well aware of how the Jews were just subtly challenging them, to have a stronger case against them for the purpose of then following Me more determinedly (because in those days it was even harder to leave the Jewish church for another than it is today to leave the Roman Catholic for the Reformed), the former now watched Me closely, secretly plotting My ruin.
3
But the centurion with whom I had now been staying in Capernaum for two days had confided in Me what went on and how the Jewish clergy was outraged with Me and even secretly strove after My life!
4
I said, 'They shall indeed be achieving their evil aims with Me, but time is not yet. But to avoid giving them too much opportunity for their vengeance, I shall move to another town for a short while, but come here again at a later stage, when these infidels shall have somewhat cooled down in their rage!'
5
Although he would have endlessly preferred to have Me stay, the centurion commended My plans, since his fear of these priests, scribes and Pharisees was not inconsiderable, in that he was well aware of the artful, secret denunciations in Rome, which this brood of vipers was capable of.
6
I then, with My entire company of followers, the following morning left the exceedingly hospitable centurion's house, moving to Simon Peter's house in the vicinity of Bethabara, where John had formerly been at work. On entering Peter's simple but quite spacious house, Peter's daughter-in-law, a good and normally hard-working and chaste maiden of some twenty years, lay bed-ridden with heavy fever and in exceeding fear and pain. Peter stepped over to Me, asking Me to help her (Matt. 8:14).
7
And I immediately went to her bed, taking her by the hand and saying, 'Arise, little daughter and prepare us a meal, rather than suffer here in bed!'
8
Instantly the fever left her and the girl got up, serving us with much diligence and attentiveness (Matt. 8:15).