The Great Gospel of John
Volume 6
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
At the Sea of Galilee (John 6)
- Chapter 146 -
The discontented disciples go by themselves to the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem; the Lord follows them secretly
In the morning already many Jews came from all areas behind Kapernaum, to travel by ship over the sea to Jerusalem because the Feast of Booths of the Jews was imminent. For that purpose from all sides and areas of the sea, ships arrived here to take the pilgrims over the sea.
2
After the morning meal I and all the disciples also went to the sea and we watched the ships and the many pilgrims.
3
Soon also the captain came to Me and said: "Lord, what do You think about these many blind fools? They go there to great expense and with a lot of trouble are searching for Him who is so close to them!"
4
Said I: "Let it be, also for them the time of recognition will come! Nevertheless, quite few are travelling for the sake of Me to Jerusalem, because they are of the opinion to meet Me there."
5
When the disciples, overcome by an old habitual urge to travel, hear Me saying this, they said very loudly to Me: "Then get ready and travel to Jerusalem and also travel through Judea, so that Your many disciples there can also see Your deeds You are performing. Nobody does something in secrecy of which he wants that it must be revealed to the whole world; since also You want it and does and effectuate, then reveal Yourself before the world!"
6
The brothers however talked that way because there faith in Me has become very weak.
7
Some might asked how this could be possible despite the many signs and teachings. O, this is with every person very easily possible! He only has to elevate himself a little and fancy his abilities a little and his soul immediately finds herself in a dubious darkness, from which she can only freed by a little humiliation.
8
And this was also the case here with the brothers, which was also the reason why I did not gave them a little rebuke, but only said: "It is easy for you to talk! My time has not yet arrived, - your time however is everywhere! The world cannot hate you, since until now you have not openly testified against it that it works are evil; therefore you still have a free time and a safe passage everywhere. However, the world hates Me everywhere because I openly testify that its works are evil.
9
However, if you are feast thirsty, go to the feast alone! I do not want to go there; My time is not yet fulfilled."
10
The brothers looked at each other and did not knew what they should make of it.
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One said: "Let us go up! Because of 4 to 5 days of our absence it will not be over!"
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Others however thought that I could be offended by this and in the mean time go some place where I could not easily be found; since there aim was not to leave Me altogether. Again others thought it would be advisable to go up, since one could learn a lot at this opportunity what the people talked about Me. With this opinion all agreed and decided to go to the feast alone.
13
However, at that moment the ship of Simon Juda (Peter) arrived and he came to Me and said: "Lord, let us go up alone! In not longer than five days we will be back!"
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I then said: "I already told you so what you should do and therefore all of you go up!"
15
When I said such to them, they soon boarded the ship and sailed away. I however remained here in Galilee.
16
When all the brothers were already more than halfway over the water, they all were overcome by a great sadness and remorse, so that they wanted to turn around, to beg Me for forgiveness for the contemptible words with which they had approached Me.
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And Peter said loudly: "Lord, Lord, which devil has lead us astray this time, that we could have left You? O, let us find You again for just this one time, You everlasting Son and Father in one person and we will never leave you again!"
18
John and Matthew cried and insisted heavily to return; but a strong wind came up from precisely behind their backs and drove the ship with great speed to the upper shores behind Tiberias where the Jordan leaves the sea. When they went ashore they felt so lost that they nearly did not had the courage to continue their journey to Jerusalem.
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But Jakobus said: "That we all have done greatly wrong, is no doubt about it: for the strong wind which drove us so quickly here and arose precisely in that moment when we wanted to return, was a speaking example that He wanted to ban us for forever from Him. We stupid and blind oxen wanted to begin to prescribe to the most Wise and Almighty what He should do! O, we exceedingly wretched fools! Where is the most wretched Satan who deceived us? The most wretched beast of all beasts should step before us and he will get to know what it means to lay his hands on the friends of the Lord!"
20
Suddenly a light figure appeared to them and said in a very serious voice to them: "Your accusations strike the lost son unjustly; for your own wantonness has done this to you. Therefore accuse yourself, you carrying the highest mercy, and leave him alone who this time has no part in your stupidity!"
21
Thereupon the figure disappeared and the disciples said: "Lord, be lenient and mercifully to us sinners!"
22
Thereupon they quietly and calmly went their way and arrived only late that evening at the already known innkeeper in the valley at Jerusalem. When he saw them and recognised them he was full of joy; but when he did not Me found among the brothers, he was very sad and asked the brothers why this time I had not come with them.
23
And Peter said: "See, friend, we wanted to come to this feast, so that no Jew could accuse us of anything, as if were Samaritans. But this time the Lord did not wanted to come, so He let us travel alone since our time was everywhere, however for Him the right time had not yet come; and as such we are now here. The Lord, however, remained in Galilee, not far from Kapernaum, where He will expect us."
24
Said the innkeeper: "I don't think so; since He is forever unfathomable in His secret decisions! The day after tomorrow is the great Sabbath; who knows if He gets earlier into the temple than we can enter its forecourts!"
25
Said Peter: "with God all things are possible, but I hardly can believe this! But above all, dear friend, - can we get a place to stay with you?"
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Said the innkeeper: "O certainly; since with me there still is plenty of room! Out of the greatest love and respect for your and also my Master and Lord, I give you everything for free as long you want to stay with me!"
27
Thereupon a proper evening meal was prepared; but none of the brothers had any special desire to eat and to drink; since in them their behaviour towards Me in Kapernaum still occupied their hearts like glowing pangs of conscience.
28
After the meal they told the innkeeper a lot about My travels and stayed awake for almost the whole night; and they felt better when talking about Me. Only towards morning they fell asleep and soon woke up again. For half a day they still remained with the innkeeper but the other half they spend in Bethania at Lazarus who also missed Me a great deal; but the many stories about My deeds and teachings during My travels in Great Galilee was to some extend a replacement for My absence.
29
When, as it was shown, My brothers travelled to the festival, a day later I also got ready to travel to Jerusalem, but I told nobody where I was going, although the innkeeper and the captain insistently asked Me about it; since I Myself wanted it to be rumoured that also I in all secrecy would go to the feast in Jerusalem. Therefore I went all alone on less used roads and required - as easily understandable - only a very short time for this journey.
30
On the day of the feast however, when all My disciples and brothers already gathered early in the morning on the place at the temple and were recognized by the Jews who knew Me, the very Jews thought: 'Aha, these are the disciples of the Nazarene! Then he himself will also be here!'
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And they searched for Me all over and also asked the one or other disciple, where I was.
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And the disciples said: "This time we do not know where He is; since we went to the feast on our own and He remained in Galilee."
33
But then a great murmuring started among the Jews and many different opinions and demands regarding My person appeared.
34
Many said: "This man is extremely devout and God has given to him al the gifts of the prophets like once to Moses, and he alone is suitable to free us from the yoke of the heathens!"
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Others said: "If this would be the case, it would not be necessary for him to be afraid of the pharisees and scribes to come to the feast and would clearly show us what he actually wanted! But he is, as generally known, more a friend of the Romans and Greeks and therefore cannot find many followers among the Jews."
36
And still others came forward and said - but of course not too hard: "Oh what, he is nothing else than a hidden Essene and is equipped with all kinds of magic and deceives nice and neatly the people!"
37
However nobody dared to too openly voice his opinion against Me, because out of fear for many of those Jews who firmly believed in Me and put their hopes in Me.
38
However, amid the great hustle of the feast and through the intoxicated and senseless crowd, recognized and noticed by nobody, I walked up to the temple.