The Great Gospel of John
Volume 3
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 231 -
On the Lord's death and the future of his disciples.
1
(Mathael:) "How will this story be accepted in Jerusalem? We know the night of the temple, their unlimited domineeringness and greed and the hidden enmity against the Romans. If the Lord now would move towards Jerusalem for once - which was to be expected from some of His previous words - what a face would the temple and the domineering and luxury-greedy Herod make at it?!
2
I believe that this will have a quite terrible agitation of every type and sort as the most unavoidable consequence in Jerusalem! Then it will either be: let fire rain from heaven or flee from the city of all ruin in order not to be insulted in the most infamous way! But the one will be of as very little use as the other! For where Satan has once built his nest, no doves can be hatched any more, just as any hens in the holes of snakes. One can do whatever one wants, but Satan will remain Satan as long as the last grain of sand of this Earth remains. What do you think?"
3
Philopold says, "That, high friend, seems to be a little too high above our horizon of understanding! Everything will be possible to the all-mighty and all-wise spirit of God, and therefore also the taming of Jerusalem!? Look at the proud city of Caesarea Philippi! Where and what is it now, the proud people that began to pave their streets with gold and jewels?! You will find a pitiful heap of rubble! Do you think the Lord would not also let such a thing happen soon to the whoring city of Jerusalem?
4
I tell you: in a hundred years one will surely not know the place where the proud Jerusalem once stood! So let us leave Murel's opinion; for the Lord will know best what is to be done!
5
Nothing should worry us now, than for us to remain in the light of the Lord; everything else He will decide alone and decree in the best way! Do you both share my opinion?"
6
Mathael says, "Everything is as Murel and Philopold have just said; but I now know something else that you both probably do not know, and I know it from the mouth of the Lord Himself, and because I know it, I also speak to you as I did.
7
The Lord as a human being will go to Jerusalem at a certain time, and will teach there and perform great signs. The temple will be greatly impaired through this, and will become extremely furious and attempt to seize the Lord and kill Him - an action of the temple which they already have the greatest desire for. And listen! The Lord will let Himself be seized by the temple and be killed physically! Those are His very words.
8
But He will only remain seemingly dead for three days, of course only as far as his body is concerned, and then He will rise again and destroy all night and its power. He will only then give all His apostles the right power and equip them will all strength of His spirit, His wisdom and love.
9
His twelve old disciples, who are and have been witnesses of everything, He will certainly send out into the whole world, in order to announce His holy gospel.
10
But what will happen to us from then on? As we were not witnesses from the beginning, will He give us any of His mercy? Well, that will certainly happen! But what will happen to us then? Both of you have it easier and can somehow laugh at it; but I must leave, perhaps tomorrow or the day after, far from here in the cold areas of the Pontus and will have to lead and rule the crude peoples there and in the future no longer be a witness of everything that will be taught and done by the Lord! Who will tell me then about it, and who will say to me whether my leading of the people will be fully corresponding to the divine will?"