The Great Gospel of John
Volume 10
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the region of Caesarea Philippi (cont.)
- Chapter 5 -
The Lord's trip to Gennesaret.
It was now already the 8th day that I stayed resting with Marcus and My disciples. And Marcus and also the disciples asked Me why I had spent these days in almost complete rest, which they did not experience with Me before.
2
I said: "We have worked now for almost 2 1/2 years every day without interruption, and My teaching is already spread far and wide. Therefore, it was now also the time to take a real Sabbath's rest here. And besides that, you received the time to write down many things.
3
But from now on there will be no more rest. We really will come into the time of the great storms, and within hardly 1/2 year the greatest storm will come. It will kill the Shepherd, and many sheep from His flock will be scattered into the world. And they will be persecuted from one end of the world to the other for the sake of My name. Only when this will happen you will entirely realize and come to know why I have rested here now for a few days."
4
These words of Mine brought them all in a sad mood, and also Mary said: "Lord, all power has been given to You, also over Satan. Let these storms not come upon Your head."
5
I said: "These are things that I alone can understand. Do not say anything about it anymore, because death and the judgment of the world and its matter must be conquered forever."
6
Then no one said anything anymore. And since I had said that after the midday meal at the table, Marcus wanted to give instruction to bring more wine to make Me more cheerful.
7
But I said: "Friend, just leave it, we all have enough.
8
However, let a good ship be prepared, for in 1 hour I have to go to Ebal in Gennesaret. Whoever wants to accompany Me there is free to do so. My disciples can accompany Me, and also Kisjona should come with Me to Gennesaret, as well as Mary and Philopold."
9
After these words, they all stood on their feet, and already within 1 hour we navigated to Gennesaret. The trip over the Lake of Galilee lasted about 3 hours, and then we reached the rather big bay of Gennesaret, which we already know and which was also called 'Lake of Gennesaret'.
10
When we reached that bay, we saw Ebal's fishermen who were just busy catching fish for our Ebal, but since the early morning they still did not catch many fish because of the rather strong surging water.
11
When our ships came close to them, we held back a little, and I asked the fishermen if they already had made a rich catch.
12
And they (the fishermen) said: "Friend, our work goes very badly today. The lake was very restless for the last few days, and then our work goes always badly and is meager. The fish containers of our lord are already empty, and already now he has to bring fish from other places in order to somehow satisfy the always many guests. If ever you travel to Gennesaret, the service of fish will be very meager for you."
13
I said: "Throw your nets one more time in the water, then you will be satisfied with the catch."
14
When I had said that to the fishermen, several of them recognized Me and said: "Hail to us, and all glory and honor to You! O Lord and Master, forgive us our blindness, for we should have recognized You at first sight, for You have already blessed our village a year ago with Your holy presence. Yes, on Your well-known almighty word we certainly will have a rich catch, and Ebal and his whole house will see right away who the great fishing Master is here."
15
Then they threw their nets into the lake and caught so many of the best fishes that they hardly could put them into their ships and rowboats.
16
When they finished the work, there was a great rejoicing among them with which they praised Me, and they navigated before us to Gennesaret. Ebal waited there with his men on the shore for them, for he strongly hoped for a rich catch because he had many guests. And this morning he was all the more hoping for a rich catch because his daughter Jahra had a clear dream in which she saw Me and My disciples and friends coming over the water, and because of that the fishermen would have a blessed catch.
17
When after 1/2 hour the fishermen came to the shore of Gennesaret, and Ebal saw the rich catch they made, he immediately said with raised hands: "O my daughter, that pious soul had a true vision. This is a blessing of my Lord, of my God. All glory and all praise go to Him for that."
18
Then he asked the fishermen if they had perhaps seen Me nearby on a ship or somewhere on the shore.
19
The skippers pointed immediately to the ships that were still at some distance on the lake and said: "Look, there He comes with His disciples and friends. Hail us and the whole village, for He visits us again."
20
When Ebal heard that, he called immediately his wife, his children and his old, loyal servants and instructed them to take care of the table. Furthermore he said that the new dining hall should be well prepared for Me and for those who came with Me, and that only those could come there whom I would chose.
21
On these instructions of Ebal they all left quickly and went to work to execute what he had commanded. However, he himself, together with Jarah, stepped into a little ship and navigated to meet Me. When he and Jarah saw Me from afar and next to Me My mother Mary whom they already knew, and Raphael, Kisjonah, Philopold, John, Peter, James and the old Marcus who also escorted Me to Gennesaret, they raised their hands with exceeding joy and greeted us very kindly with the usual signs. When they were close to us, there was no end to the loving greetings. Ebal and Jarah stepped both into the ship to be with us and told the skippers to navigate their ship back.
22
A lot of things were asked, and I Myself told Ebal briefly about the most important moments of My activities after the time when I left Marcus the first time, and he and Jarah greatly rejoiced about that.
23
While we were talking, we reached the shore of Gennesaret and came to the fishermen who were still very busy to put their fishes in the fish containers.
24
Only now Ebal said to Me: "O Lord, forgive me, since I was truly drunk from joy I almost completely forgot to directly, openly and loudly thank You for the great gift of the fishes of which I was already in great need."
25
I said: "Friend Ebal, just leave that, for you surely know at what I am looking and to what I am listening with man, and there is nothing else that is needed between us. So be very cheerful and remain from now on as you have been until now, then you will from now on rejoice in My love, mercy and friendship. But let us go now to the new dining hall where we will continue our discussion."