The Great Gospel of John
Volume 4
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi (cont.)
- Chapter 19 -
Zinka's opinion of the teaching of Jesus.
Zinka thinks here a little and says after a while: "Dear friend! Against such teaching, although somewhat risky, cannot be said anything; it is as if there is a God who looks a little like the mortals, apparently of a divine nature! There were in fact also other great wise men who founded the principle, that love is the basic germ of all life, and that man should maintain love the most, since only out of love can blossom any salvation for man; but they did not explained the pure being of love. But love has as many good sides than bad sides, and in the end you don't know which side of love you should maintain to bring salvation.
2
But here it is clear as sunshine, which kind of love man should maintain and make it his life principle. Therefore such a teaching can of course originally not come from any person, but only from God, and proves among others, that God in fact exists. Now, now, I'm very grateful to you, my dear, completely unfamiliar high friend - even if you are a heathen; because you did me, and also to my friends who have not fallen on their heads, a great service! We all were more or less without God; but now it at least appears to me, that we have found the lost God again, which is very gratifying and pleasant for me.
3
Johannes also went through a lot of trouble to convince me about the existence of an eternal God; but he did not succeeded in this matter. I knew how properly square up with him, and he could not resolve my doubts, and as such I got stuck in my old doubts until this very moment. But suddenly all my doubts came to an end!
4
Strange! Yes, yes, it is so: If somebody does not find the right door in a maze, he will not get to the palace of the king, who has build his permanent residence in the middle of the large maze; but you have showed and opened me the right door and it is thus easy to enter the big and eternal king's palace soon.
5
Be so kind and also tell me where you were so very fortunate, to meet with the great man! Surely he is no magician, but a person equipped with higher powers of God; since this proves his truly divine teaching! Tell me thus where you have spoken to him! I myself want to go there and listen to such living words of salvation out of his mouth."
6
Say I: "Just stay here; after a short course of the proceeding discussions you will find Him by yourself! It is also already an hour after midday. Our good landlord Markus is also ready with the midday meal, and it will be served straight away; but after the meal we will find plenty of time to talk about all kind of things. You stay at our table, - your twenty-nine companions, however, can sit at the table next to our table."
7
Markus now serves the food. When the food was on the table, Zinka became aware of the fact, that so many large tables, being served by just a few people, were at once fully laden with food and wine mugs.
8
He (Zinka) asked Ebahl who was sitting next to him, by saying: "Friend, kindly tell me, how so many large tables could all at once be served with such a mass of food and this by only a few people! Truly, I am in the highest degree astonished by it! I'm on the verge to point out that things are not quite naturally around here! Does the old innkeeper in all secrecy have serving spirits, who assist him with such tasks?"
9
Said Ebahl: "You might not have paid proper attention while quite deepened in your conversation, in which time without being specifically noted by yourself, all the tables could easily being served with wine and food. I myself have not paid any attention to it; but it surely would not have taken place in an unnatural manner!"
10
Said Zinka: "Friend, believe me, no matter how deeply involved in any discussion, nothing will happen around me without me noticing it, and I know it very specifically, that a few moments ago not one bread crumb was on any of the tables, - and now all the tables are bending under the load of all the food! Allow me, for any person with heart and mind a question will be permitted, particularly if one is a foreigner!? It does not matter anymore if someone gives me an explanation or not; nevertheless, I stand by it, that things are not at all quite natural around here! Look at my twenty-nine companions who discuss the same point among each other; only all of you, who probably have eaten quite a few times here, are indifferent about the whole story, because you know what is happening! But it doesn't matter, - later on I will get behind this secret!"