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 161 -
Exemplary action as the best teaching and admonition. When sternness and threats are in order.
1
(The Lord:) "Everyone however, who knows the ways of light and life out of My mouth, should mainly be concerned to stand pure before God and should not judge its neighbour! Who does this, does everything and gives by his example to his brother the best and most effective teaching.
2
If your brother sees you acting good and honourably, he will soon come to you and ask you: 'What is the reason for your actions?' And you will give him faithfully and truthfully the reason and say: 'Go and do the same, and you will live!' And see, he will go and soon endeavours to do what he has seen you have been doing! But if you go and reproach him for his mistakes and then gives to him the teaching how he should act in future, he will get cross with you and ask you: 'Who made you the judge for me? Sweep in front of your own door and I will take care of the door of my own house!'
3
Therefore I say to you all: Let the good works of the teaching lead the way, and the people will soonest recognize, that you are truly My disciples! Do good even to your enemies and you will collect glowing coals above their heads!
4
All of you take an example from Me! For I Myself am with My whole heart humble and gentle and does not judge anybody and condemn nobody; however, everybody who is troubled and laden with all kinds of afflictions, come to Me and I will refresh you!
5
But how I Myself am towards all people, the same you should be! Or can you, My old disciples, say from Me, that I was hard and cruel against the people, who without their fault were brought before Me as arch-bad?
6
Only those few had to taste the sharpness of My justified rage, who with the most evil will of all the world wanted to destroy Me and you ahead of our time, which is determined from above. Also therein I gave you an example according to which also you can act in similar occurring cases; since you will not lack the power for it. However, before getting serious, you should not leave one way of leniency untried. Seriousness should only then be used, if the person acts against you with wilful malice, pursues you and does not accept any word of reconciliation from you.
7
Who will pursue you because of My name, therefore, that he receives a reward from the high priests and their accomplices, admonish him seriously! If he takes note of you admonition, let him go in peace; however if he does not take note of your at least threefold admonition, threaten him seriously! If he also does not recognize this threat, then turn the threat to action as a warning example for all those who resolved to stubbornly pursue you for the sake of an earthly profit! However, only for this very single case, you have the right to become serious."
8
Says Peter: "Lord, what should happen if someone goes through the trouble to deceive us by lies and flattering words? We surely would recognize such evil cunningness immediately; but if we recognize this and confront the person with this, but he still continues through all kinds of promises to deceive us, - what should we do with such a person?"
9
Said I: "But can you still not think that much and draw a comparing conclusion, that it is not the means, but it depends on the goal achieved by the means, which the so or so acting person wants to attain with someone? If someone tries to attain this with sword, lance or chains or with deceiving flattering speeches, is all the same; if he does not take note of your repeated admonitions, it will be turned into a deed on him! I think that you will recognise now, how and when seriousness in the fullest sense of the word will be applied.
10
There is still one thing to be considered, namely: When everybody's time has come, as it will be in the near future with Me the case, then the own seriousness counts nothing, and it means that one has to submit to the seriousness of God, if one wants to come in the spirit to God."