The Great Gospel of John
Volume 4
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi (cont.)
- Chapter 136 -
The spirit of Lazarus bears witness to the Messiah.
1
(Mathael:) "Meanwhile the young Lazarus came to my father and asked him whether the secret drops of the rabbi indeed would not waken the father again.
2
Said my father: 'I'm terribly sorry my best friend, that I as doctor and as a human must confess to you in the fullest sense of the truth! In any way, what does it mean to keep a person suspended with blind hopes which never ever can take on any reality! But for your consolation I can tell you something much better, and this consists therein, that I give and can give you the most living and most truthful assurance, that your father is alive and in truth has never died!'
3
Said sadly the young Lazarus: 'Look at the bed! He is not alive and is over and over dead!'
4
Said the father: 'Yes, he for sure; but he was not your father, only the flesh coat of your father! My son, however, who is a perfect seer of spirits, can tel you something else; go and ask him about it, and you will find great joy in what he will tel you about his vision he had here!'
5
The son of Lazarus now turned to me, the son of my father, and asked me what I as the doctor's son can tel him for consolation. And I told him in every detail and very extensively, what I have seen. There were a lot of hearing ears around me, but only a few with such a believing heart as our young Lazarus. The more I told him about my vision, the more joyful became his face, what also was noticed by his two sisters who still belonged to the most tender female youth, and they asked him what it was that he suddenly became so happy. Lazarus pointed to me and said nothing further.
6
Then the two maidens came to me and ask me shortly and modestly what I have told the brother according to which he suddenly lost the great sadness and is now so cheerful as if never something sad happened in the whole house. I should also tell the same to them!
7
But I was at that stage a little naughty and said: 'O, it causes you girls not the slightest harm if you mourn a little! I tell you nothing; at the right time you will be told by your brother Lazarus!'
8
After that the two girls did not asked me any further, that I should tell them what I have told their brother. But they nevertheless became less sorrowful, and my father turned to the rabbi since the son was standing completely crimson above the horizon and said: 'Now friend, where do you stand with your Persian Farn herb oil drops? The dead person still lies there motionless like an old piece of wood! How is it then? The sun has already come up, and everything is quiet and dead calm! Who won the bet, me or you?'
9
Said the rabbi: 'Friend, I give up, and from now on I will believe what you believe! You are a wise and widely experienced doctor, who does not easily believe something without a good reason. Even if I do not see the reason, I still will believe, because you are believing it, and surely knows the reason for it! I hereby take the believe of respect and remain with what you have told me. You have won this important bet and I'm your prisoner!'
10
Said my father: 'Not my prisoner but a freest man in the name of Jehovah!'
11
Hereupon the rabbi asked my father: 'Friend, what must I do, to completely win your friendship?'
12
Said my father: 'You already have it! Believe from now on, and through your believe you will come into the right light!'
13
I now went to the father and said what I just have seen: It was a great spirit who came into the room and gave me a sign and said that the children of Lazarus should get ready, their fathers spirit will return once more and bless them and give them a great promise. I also told my father that he should announce it to the three; and the father did that. The son of Lazarus and both of his still very young sisters, maidens of fourteen and sixteen years, were very happy about it.
14
It did not take long, and the spirit of the dead Lazarus, full of a heavenly brightness entered the room, and all three could see him and also could hear his voice.
15
But the spirit of light said to his son: 'You are an adult; be a good foster father for your young sisters! Let no evil thought penetrate your heart; because look at me, I live and have not died! What has happened, the Lord wanted it like that. He has chosen our house, and the miracle of all miracles will take place in this house.
16
The Lord already walks this earth as a son of poor parents. He, the Everlasting, the Holiest, has already begun with the great task of redemption. He wants to become a Father for ever to all people who are of good will. From now on the people of this earth should not have an invisible forever inaccessible, but an accessible and always visible Father. And this God, who created everything that exists in the everlasting infinity, will visit this house on a regular basis. Therefore keep your hearts from impureness, so that this house becomes worthy, to endure Him, whom heaven and earth cannot enclose!
17
That I live you can see; but also see to it that you will live, like I now live forever in God, my and your Father! With that take now my true father's blessing, which I give to you now, not in the flesh anymore, which lies there on the bed as a worn out old coat and awaits redemption by the jaws of worms, but as a perfect spirit in the Paradise of God, the kingdom of the pure spirits! Keep the commandments of God and praise and love Him above all, and you will already on this earth make a bigger harvest as the one, which I now enjoy in the brightest Paradise of God! God the Lord will be with you, Amen!'
18
Hereupon the spirit disappeared, and the three children became full of joy, which I could not describe."