The Great Gospel of John
Volume 3
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 56 -
Suetal's and Ribar's opinion about Jesus.
At this Suetal turns to Ribar, plucking him at his tunic and saying, "Hey, Ribar, there is an extremely important question and issue, namely for us Jews; perhaps you can give us this not unimportant information, since you are, as far as I know, better than a lay Jew in the Scriptures. Look, we are familiar with all the great prophecies of, let"s say - beginning with Adam up to our days; according to these prophecies which were not simply grabbed out of the air we expect a Messiah who should free the Jews in particular as the old People of God from all the physical and spiritual evils! Well, we have seen the works of the famous Savior with our own eyes and we have heard even more with our very own ears from the near presence of eye-witnesses and ear witnesses about everything that he does and has done. I ask you whether God Himself, coming down to the Earth from His highest heaven, would do more, and more wonderful things than the Savior of Nazareth does! The answer to this question can only be "No"!
2
Approximately three weeks ago we were shown a house which belongs to a healer - I think with the name Joab or may be different - as something extraordinary, that the Nazarene had created from a positive heap of a ruin only through his will alone.
3
We were also told about a merchant near to Sichar, whose house was expanded and highly decorated in the same way.
4
The stories of healings from Genezareth are familiar to us all. We have all seen the healed brother of our companion from the mountains in the area of Genezareth ourselves and spoken to him; now we have as good as seen the extraordinary healing of the five madmen who accompanied us yesterday. The incomprehensible wisdom of Mathael, who with his companions is now discussing something with Captain Julius and another high Roman, is more than a secure guarantee!
5
Now there are two more miracles carried out by a - let"s say - disciple. The question: Does this not justifiably lead us to the acceptance that the great Savior of Nazareth is the predicted Messiah? What do you think?"
6
Ribar says, "Yes, yes, you may be completely right! You know, I went around quite secretly with this thought, as a pregnant woman with her fruit. But that is a doubly thorny issue, both for the temple as we as for the Romans, for whom such a genuine Messiah of the Jews, as he is called, comes at a very inopportune time. But with very good reasons the temple reckons the arrival of the Messiah to be at least a couple of thousand years in the future, according to the calculations of the cabbala (concerning secret teachings); they now, when things are going so well for them, do not need a Messiah at all. But the Romans must obviously prefer it if he was on their side and not on the side of the Jews!
7
So I am clearly of this opinion: One believes in silence whatever one wants in respect of the prophecies; but one no longer speaks out loud about ones beliefs any more clearly than what is already clearly evident! Now one must have very significant troubles with this belief. In general you are not on the wrong track with your opinion as well as with your reasons, but quite on the right path according to my feelings and my thoughts; but dearest friends, remain with us for now for the sake of our salvation!
8
But you, brother Suetal! Observe with some attention the young, miraculous disciple! What might he have in his senses? Firstly he never goes back to his company, and secondly he looks at us always so smiling. As if we were a pair of very foolish fools. What is wrong with him? Just look, now he is turning around and positively laughing behind his hands! If the youth was not so terribly all-powerful, I would take him to task; but absolutely nothing can be done with such a person; for it would only be a joke for him to turn the like of us into a very comfortable donkey, and then where would we be?"
9
Raphael says, turning around and laughing even more, and at the same time with My permission placing a quite healthy donkey beside Ribar, "You see, just like a real one is standing beside you now!"
10
Ribar looks around, greatly spooked and says after a while of ever more terrible amazement, "Oh, oh, oh, what is this then?! Where did this well-fed donkey suddenly come from?"
11
Raphael says, "From the same place that the fish came from! But now I am asking you, for which reason do I embarrass you? Have I ever done you any sort of harm?"
12
Ribar says, "Dearest and at the same time most beautiful young friend! Look, you are too all-powerful for us and you look a little like a scamp; so we have a singular respect for you and we become quite terribly fearful and afraid in your presence! But because you are already here and do not want to go back to your companions, come closer and describe to us at least what the great divine Master of Nazareth looks like; for our souls are never satisfied hearing about the incomprehensible miracles that you have performed before us! If you, and that is not at all to be doubted, know how to speak as well as you perform purely divine miracles, open your beautiful mouth and speak, describing his outer appearance!"
13
Raphael says, "If I could, I would be glad to do it; but I may not, despite all my omnipotent power which I have from the eternal Master of all things, to give the game away before the right time.
14
It annoyed you all, and in particular you, because I was forced to smile at you. I assure you that there was no so-called roguishness in it; for there are often situations among mortal people, particularly among those who are still walking in the twilight, when a spirit enlightened through and through, as I am, cannot hold back a smile. For me, for example, I am always prompted to smile when some very wise and correct-thinking people are standing together in a forest and in the end cannot see and recognize the wood for all the trees! Yes, friends, when such a thing happens I have to laugh, and I can do nothing about it!"
15
Ribar says, opening his eyes wide, "Are we standing in a forest and do not recognize the wood for all the trees?"
16
Raphael says, "Not materially, but spiritually yes, and that"s why I have to laugh. Tell me why you fear acquaintanceship with the great Master of Nazareth so much?"
17
This time Suetal says, "You see, dear, wise disciple of the great Master, we have already spoken quite openly with this friend here who called you over, for which reason we prefer not to meet him personally, and our certainly not bad wish should be kept!
18
You already are much too high for us poor sinners, and it is becoming quite terribly uncomfortable for us in your presence; for we cannot possibly have the slightest idea about your wisdom and knowledge, and so we feel very strange in your presence. But what is a disciple in comparison with his master? But if you as the youngest disciple of the great Master can already perform such unheard-of miracles, what must the Master be able to do?! But we already feel very terribly uncomfortable in your presence; how uncomfortable would we feel in the presence of the great Master?! We would not be able to bear it! So for the moment let"s not make the personal acquaintance of the great Master.
19
Only his teaching can be of use to us, the basics of which we have already heard from your friend here; for the moment we are quite happy with it. If we ever become more perfect than we are now through the most exact observation possible of this divinely pure teaching, we will then certainly have enough holiness to make the acquaintance of the great Master personally. But give the donkey conjured up here to the innkeeper for us; for we have nothing else that we could pay him in return for what he has given us!"
20
Raphael says, "Well, give him then the quite healthy beast of burden and the fish; for both the animals were created for him!"