The Great Gospel of John
Volume 4
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi (cont.)
- Chapter 213 -
The mastery of the moors over the plants and the elements.
Thereupon I again call Oubratouvishar and said to him: "Show us now, how much you are familiar with the power of the air; since in the beginning it was given to man in his purity, to rule also the spirits of the air, so that they are serviceable too in all circumstances, if he would need their services! Show us thus, to what degree you are still equipped with this primordial life ability!"
3
In this position he asked me if he should swing even higher, or if this was sufficient as a testimony.
4
And I said: "this is sufficient, therefore come back!"
6
And I said: "How do you uproot trees and move large rock masses?"
7
Said the leader: "Lord, our country has a significant shortage of strong and big trees; only the higher mountains have the pleasure to have them. On the high lying pastures which the Kamb'sim cannot reach, where our herds are grazing, here and there we find an old Bohahania tree which normally serves the apes as a dwelling. Here and there one also finds a cypress and myrrh, wild dates and buck and chicken-bread. This is already the whole tree vegetation of our country.
8
In the planes and in the wind shadow corners of our country, only the noble dates, the fig, the ouraniza (orange) and the semenza (seminal apples or pomegranate) and several significant shrubs are growing, which supply us with the building material for our huts.
9
To uproot them, requires truly no extraordinary power; however, on the stronger trees we have not yet tried our strength, although we have no doubt that also they, just like the heaviest and largest rocks, must obey our will. Here on this mountain is standing an immense tree, of which we of course cannot know its name, and also about its other properties; however, we can try if it is possible to uproot it by our will or not!"
10
Says the old Marcus: "Now, most obedient servant of all lords of the world! This is at least a five-hundred year old cedar! Seven men are nearly not enough to enclose it, and four very strong and seasoned loggers will hardly have chopped this cedar down within two days, and now six men and seven women want to go there and want to uproot this tree without mattock or ax?! Now, this story, if not secretly supported by the almighty will of the Lord, will surely become a little rare!"
11
Says I: "Just be patient, My old warrior! Also this time I will stay with My will completely at home, and still, within a short time the tree will be lifted from the earth with all its roots!"
12
While speaking to Marcus, the blacks very gently put their hands on the trunk, namely in such a way, that the right hand of one moor always covers the left of its neighbour. They remained absolutely quiet for about half of an quarter of an hour in such a position next to the tree. After this time the tree, initially began very slowly to turn and a tremendous cracking sound could be heard. Then all present started to be amazed in the highest degree, and nobody understood, to only partially decipher this phenomenon.
13
When the tree now, including the thirteen very slightly clasping it, began to turn more and more, one could see that it together with the earth lump and the clasping moors, were already freely turning in the air. Then some, especially the women, started to scream; since they thought that the falling tree will squash a few moors.
14
However, I said to the timorous: "Do not fear; the tree will be laid down very gently and nobody will be harmed by its fall!"
15
With that all were at ease, and in the same moment the clasping moors let go of the tree and very suddenly jumped from the mountain and came to us. In the same moment the tree started to sway back and forth, finally inclined towards its natural point of gravity and after a few moments very softly lay down on the ground.
16
When the tree was uprooted in this way, I also showed the moors a rock whose weight was at least five-thousand centner (1 centner = 50kg), and said to the leader: "Lift also this rock and place it in the same hole which originated by the lifting of the tree!"
17
Quickly the same moors went to the rock and clasped it in the same manner as earlier the tree. Even sooner than the tree, the rock floated in the air. Because of its larger size, it was of course clasped by quite some more of the moors; but it was clear to everybody that a thousand of the strongest people would still by far not be enough to master the weight of this rock.
18
In about a very small half quarter of an hour, the rock was standing firmly in the hole, and the moors came back to us, and the leader asked Me if there was something else to do.
19
However, I pretended as if thinking about something, which the leader immediately noticed, and he said to Me: "O, there will again something immense be forthcoming, since You are holding council with yourself! Because we were of the opinion, that for a God already from eternity everything is exceedingly clear, what He wants to do!"
20
Says I: "O yes, this is so! But I only granted you some rest; since this, what you still have to do for me, is always your most unfavourable task, and you needed for the two tasks which demanded a lot from your external outer-life-sphere, a little rest. You have now rested, and now you have to show how you prepare a fire and how you are also masters of its element! Go and make fire and thereupon demonstrate that you are its master!"
21
Straight away all moors present formed a semicircle around a large but for quite some time already very dry bush and stretched their hands and fingers ray-like towards the bush. Within a few moments the bush began to smolder; the smoke became stronger and stronger, and suddenly the bush was in flames. When, however, the bush was burning properly with high reaching flames, all the moors lay in a closed circle around the fire on their faces, and within a moment the fire went out to such an extend, that one could not find a single glowing little spark in the whole half burnt bush.
22
Thereupon the moors came back and asked Me whether they have performed their act satisfactorily. And I gave them the best testimony. They immediately wanted words as a teaching for them; but I indicated to them, to wait a little, since I first have to explain their deeds to the whites. With that the moors were satisfied and we went back to our tables.