The Great Gospel of John
Volume 6
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord on the Mount of Olives (John Chapter 8)
- Chapter 208 -
Lazarus' report on the unbelieving Pharisees.
Lazarus came soon and said: "Lord and Master! I'm indescribably sorry that I could not stay with You; but I recognized that You wanted some rest, and therefore I went back to the people to hold them back, so that they don't follow You on Your heels and bother You during Your rest. Of course nothing else was spoken about, except You, however, a lot of pro and a little contra.
2
The Romans have worked on the disguised clerics very intensively, so that finally the clerics were not able to bring forth any objections anymore. Two are close to believe in You; but the others still riding the argument that no prophet can arise from Galilee. But the saved woman had made them a good objection, saying: 'Therewith you are quite right, since it is truly written like this that no prophet will rise out of Galilee; but He is not a prophet, He is the Messiah, thus the Lord Himself, who was announced by the prophets in advance! There is nothing written that the Messiah Himself could not arise from Galilee! In addition I have heard from these men as true, that this Lord and Master whom you pursue, and in whom you do not believe, is not born in Galilee but in Bethlehem in Judea and eight days after His most noteworthy birth, he was circumcised in the temple and received the Name Jesus from Bethlehem. If however the facts about this God person are like that, how can you say that from Galilee no prophet can arise?'
3
Lord, when this truly extremely graceful woman had worked on the clerics like that, the Romans, the seventy men and also the present toll-collectors gave her the fullest approval and urged the clerics to disprove the argument of the woman; but nobody could reply to her in any way; and as such the woman triumphed quite enthusiastically in front of the people against the highly wise pharisees and scribes, - which was a true balsam for my heart. I therefore immediately have promised the wife and her husband, that they will be provided for with everything they need, for the rest of their lives, - about which the clerics were not very happy, but nevertheless not dared to say anything.
4
Thereupon the Roman Agrikola turned to the greatest incredulous clerics and said: 'It is, my friends, truly very strange with you people! As priests and teachers of the people, you are obviously quite competent regarding your scriptures and teachings in which it is tangibly written about this very man. All circumstances mentioned in the prophets, under which the Messiah will come to You, are exactly matching with this man. How can you still say, it is not Him, as what He announces Himself openly through words and deeds before all the world without the slightest concealment?!
5
You are also people and have the money in abundance, through which the one or the other of you could dress himself in gold and silk. And if he, dressed in imperial splendour, presents himself to the people and would say: 'Listen people, I am the promised Messiah of the Jews!', - now, even the most mischievous and daring of you all, would not have the courage for it, because he would know in advance how such a declaration would be regarded by the people and his earlier colleagues. Who then gives to this plain and simple man the courage, to loudly announce before You and before all the world, that only He is the promised Messiah of the Jews and actually of all the people of the earth?! And what He says about Himself, He confirms with words and deeds. If however before the eyes and ears of all the people, - why don't you believe it? Why can we heathens believe it undoubtedly - and why not you? Because you full of haughtiness and full of the most dirtiest self-love!
6
We Romans have never been like that; since with us the old legal principal still applies: Give to everybody what it is his, offend and deceive nobody, and live honourably! Examine everything, and keep what is true and good, and what you do, do it cleverly and think of the consequences! - According to these our principles, every honest Roman lives faithfully and is with his whole soul occupied for everything great and miraculous. But you say, that you are as much as the gods themselves; and if something divine appears among you, you hate it more than death and you do not want to know or hear anything about it. Yes, what kind of people are you then?'
7
Thereupon said one of the disguised pharisees: 'Yes, yes, you Romans as now our lords and rulers, for you this weak Messiah, who is more on your side than ours, is of course right, and it is understandable that you always will be sympathetic towards such a person; but if the true and mighty Messiah will come, to drive you out of the country, he himself will rule in our country and soon afterwards also over the whole world!'
8
Here the Roman restrained himself and said in a very calm voice: 'That you imagine the Messiah like this, was indicated to us down to the last detail today by the very Messiah whom you do not believe in and whom you do not accept. But let me tel you: for such a Messiah you will wait for in vain! However, if you say that such a Messiah is for us Romans acceptable, because He is weak and does not have any power, then you are evil wilful liars and deny what you very well know about this man! I say it to you: This One has endless more power and strength in His will than all still so powerful kingdoms in the whole world! This we know and are familiar with, since we have heard it up to Rome from the most trustworthy eye- and ear witnesses. And you are hear and say to us Romans impertinently to our faces that we sympathize with Him because of His weakness?! Now, just wait, if He returns, we will ask Him to give you a little example of His omnipotence to taste, and we will see if you still say that He is weak!'
9
Thereupon the disguised were quiet and the Romans discussed it among themselves, what they should do; for it seems that they did not regard the matter of the disguised too indifferently.
10
Since I indeed saw that some more quick-tempered Romans regarded the matter about the impertinence of - say - only two disguised pharisees, inauspiciously, I said to them: 'Dear men from Rome, the great emperor's city! Do not pay attention to this senseless chattering of these two blind! For if they had one spark of a brighter mind, surly they would not utter such words. All of us are also Jews, and our Lord and Master too, and we respect you highly and owe the wise government of Rome a great deal of thanks; since it is our protection and umbrella against the too immoderate oppressions from the temple and from the land tenant Herodes. We know it what we have in the Romans; but those as putative self-lords do not know this or do not want to know it, and as such do not pay any attention to their empty talk! But I myself will beg the Lord on my knees, that He should give these blind a little test of His almightiness, so that these fools cannot accuse you of holding on to Him because of His weakness!'
11
With this speech I calmed down the Romans and went over to You to ask You, to show these blind pharisees that You are not a weak, but an almighty, strong Messiah!"