The Great Gospel of John
Volume 3
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 136 -
Mark's accusation against the High Pharisee.
Naturally Cyrenius was not prepared for this retort and now didn't know what sort of objection he should make to the high priest. Therefore he called Mathael and said to him in a low voice, "Now you speak on; for I have reached the end of my wisdom! For these people are much craftier than I imagined at first!"
2
Mathael says, "High friend! It will truly become more difficult for us; for to prove to them what they would have done if the circumstances had so happened is a difficult thing. And if they had secretly had the evilest intention, which I do not want to dispute, then even the attempt to execute it is in vain. Where then is the single fully punishable execution of the evil intention that they truly have but also could not have? But what sorts of thoughts can form in a person's mind if he is attacked from all sides?!
3
If the heart beats stormily, no person can bear too easily a purification of his quickly changing thoughts which run in and out of each other like heavy storm clouds; and if in time the storm is laid in the heart, the person now calm rarely remembers any longer everything that happened in the storm of his passions. There may have been much damnable among it; but which God, I even say, will want to set himself up as a judge?! If they are really arch-believing people and have shared the fear of the people for one and the same reason, which we must accept as long as we cannot prove the opposite like a god, their plea must be granted to them, assuming that the granting of such a plea in extraordinary cases, as this one is, is ordered by the Caesar! We here can only make a judgment on what lies open before us, as long as we are not able to make anything stick against them; our thoughts however can never serve as proof, and even if we question the whole city we will not know any more than we know now."
4
Mathael had only whispered these words to Cyrenius in a low voice, and Cyrenius, scratching behind his ears, said to Me, "And what do You say then to that?"
5
I say, "My time is not yet here, therefore act now with each other just you two and with them; but take old Mark along too who knows them along with his two sons better than you! Ebahl from Genezareth also knows them, and Julius knows them more or less. Have them called over, and you will soon hear another language!"
6
Cyrenius immediately sends for Julius, who in the meantime had gone up the mountain to see to the soldiers, in order to observe the still very powerful fire. Both of them came quickly, as well as old Mark. When all those called were present, Cyrenius read out the petition of the arch-Pharisees and the high Pharisee's speech, as well as what the high Pharisee brought forth as undeniable evidence.
7
When Mark heard such things, he wondered much about the enormous cheek of the high Pharisee and said to him, "You now so extra-honest and highly pious seeming high Pharisee! You came now as good as called by me and desired against all my long expectation in my great net! Think back just about three years, what an effort you made to bring me to your belief! You dispensed me of the somewhat annoying and also painful circumcision of an old person. If I signed myself and my entire household over to your belief that was perfectly enough! You even promised me a number of advantages in doings and dealings when I answered you in return that I have a conscience and do not like to exchange the religion of my fathers for another one whose basic creeds I know much too little and about which I do not know which new responsibilities can arise for me. I told you then quite openly that I was not fully against changing my somewhat clumsy religion for a better one, only I must first be initiated into the entire essence of the new religion to be taken on.
8
You said however that that was not necessary in your religion; for every religion was in any case nothing more than the cradle philosophy of children and must also be kept for the sake of the children. Once a man has his educated intellect however, he no longer needs the cradle philosophy of the children anymore and sticks to it only for the sake of the children; he himself however would be called an idiot if he seriously saw something in it! But a man like I could also judge whether it was not smarter to admit a religion outwardly which sets the least obstacles in the way of my doings and dealings.
9
I agreed to this and committed myself and my entire household to your religion. But soon afterwards my eyes were opened wide when I soon was condemned to all sorts of annoying taxes and I then saw even better what a despicable exchange I had made by accepting your religion.
10
I had to give you a tithe of everything and the first of all fruits. Very often I feared complaints from the Roman officials, but I did nothing; for I was always pulled up and told: VOLENTI NON FIT INIURIA! (there is no injustice for he who agreed.) Why did you let yourself be caught as an old intelligent Roman? Repent now for your unconsidered foolishness!
11
But if I came to you and told you of my misery, you would not listen to me and always said in your great arrogance: Thus is it written! And I could withdraw again with a sad and frustrated face and mind without having achieved anything.
12
If I wanted to know your Scriptures in more detail, I was told: We are the Scriptures and the living word of God! Thus no-one has to ask further for anything, but instead everyone should do what we teach and demand! No-one needs anything further!
13
You see, you old, evil oracle of the Jews from Caesarea Philippi, that are your words and your behavior! And you now suddenly want to whitewash your reputation?! I swear to you by everything that is holy to me that you will not move from this spot before you make well again at least for me all the highly unjust damage! The worthy supreme governor can lift the cross onto your back on my behalf and there will be no injustice done to you! Do you understand, you old, bad oracle?!"
14
Cyrenius says, "Ah, that's how things are?! Well, well, now we have something! Well, you wise high lord of dubious oppressors of the people, what do have to say against that?"
15
The high Pharisee says, "Do you know Moses entirely and all the prophets enlightened by God?"
16
Cyrenius says, "I know Moses quite well, but I only know the prophets by name."
17
The high Pharisee says, "Very well; then go and learn firstly all my bitter responsibilities by heart and punish me if you can prove that I did not follow them all! If you want to read - we have the Scriptures with us here as the only goods that we can carry with us today on this high day of the Lord, if there is a danger that it could be destroyed!"