The Great Gospel of John
Volume 3
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 69 -
Improvement measures for sexually self-indulgent people.
Cyrenius says, "Lord, would natural means not also be possibly useful for the second case where there is not yet any spiritually strong person, about whose power of words and will such terrible spirits which possess the body of a person must bow, at least in so far as such a person could then be freed through the power of words and will of a spiritually not yet very strong person from his evil?"
2
I say, "The first natural means from the field of nature is fasting. If one gives such a person every day just about half a pound of rye bread and with it only a jug of water, in between one can give him every other day a little aloe juice, mixed according to the creation of the nature of the obsessed person with one to two drops of Henbane juice [Hyoscyamus niger, Translator] such natural assistants will be of good effect; but such things alone will not help him fully without prayer and without the laying on of hands in My name.
3
Above all the judge in such cases must constantly consider in his heart that he has before him in the criminal only a strongly confused person and no full devil.
4
But if the person is stubborn in his debauchery, but is neither uneducated nor obsessed, one can proceed quite sharply with his castigation.
5
If such a person improves and begins to abhor his sins with a good insight, then he should be treated with more love; but if such a person does not improve at all and obviously hangs on to his dissipation with pleasure - which such a lecherous buck can never mask - then he can, if he is otherwise a man of some education, either be thrust out from the community into some distant, barren land, where the great want will bring him to his senses; and if he improves, things should go better for him - if not, the desert land will consume him.
6
But if there is a person of little education and neither punishment nor fasting have any success, he can be castrated by a knowledgeable doctor, and his soul can be saved in this way. But there are some people who have maimed themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of God. So there can be some - but only in the mentioned case - who are maimed for this by the community, for in this case it is better to come into the Kingdom of God maimed than to go to hell whole! Now you will surely know how all of this which comes from the desires of the flesh should be treated in court! Only I add, that in the future it should only be judged according to how you have just heard from Me, for all time in similar court cases.
7
Moses ordered stoning and death by fire for such crimes; but the like should only be applied in extraordinary situations to the most obdurate sinners for the sake of dissuading others. I do not refute Moses, however, but I recommend to you only to proceed in all things in mildness until a too great turpitude demands extreme strictness.
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As judges be gentle and just through true love for others, and you will one day find a tender and gentle court also; for with whichever means you measure, with the same means will you also be measured in return.
9
If you are merciful, you will also find mercy; but if you are strict and unforgiving in your courts and judgments, you will also find the strictest and most unmerciful judge one day.
10
Consider in such courts that the soul and the spirit of a person are very willing and obedient; but the flesh is and remains weak, and there is no-one who can boast of the strength of his flesh.
11
For now those who are reborn in the spirit in the true sense cannot yet exist; for people will only achieve true and full rebirth of the spirit when the Son of Man has completed in him the change in all fullness.
12
Keep these and act accordingly!"