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 228 -
Love of neighbor. Knowledge of God and love of God.
1
(The Lord:) "It is written that one should forgive someone who has done evil to you, seven times; but I say to you: seventy-seven times seven times you should forgive your offender, before suing him in front of a judge! If he still does not better himself, expel him from the society! However, who does not count how often someone has offended him, also in heaven it will not be counted how many times he has sinned against God.
2
If somebody asks you for a favour, do for him with joy even more than what he has ask you for! If for example someone would come to you in winter and asks you for a shirt, since you have several shirts, give to him also a coat; and if someone asks you to walk an hour with him because he doesn't know the way, then walk two hours with him, so that you show him more love as he is asking from you! What you have done more to someone, will be repaid to you in heaven ten-, thirty- and also hundred times.
3
For with the more true neighbourly love you do something for your fellow-man in need, the more you will be repaid multiple times in the beyond for what you have done. Remember this well all of you and act accordingly, and you will as true children of God have an everlasting life and will harvest its inestimable treasures! I say it to you: A sun for him, who out of true neighbourly love has shared his mite with his neighbour and poor brother!"
4
Said here the already quite believing pharisee: "Lord, what should one do with a sun?"
5
Said I: "Is the sun not the light of the day and doesn't it warm the whole earth and makes everything grow and prospers on earth by its light and warmth? When I say : 'A sun for him who follows My teaching in every respect!', I mean by that not a physical sun, but a fully spiritual sun in his heart, which means the full God-likeness of his soul. - Do you understand this?
6
By the way, I also tell you this, that one day such God-resembling soul-spirits will also get to manage the physical suns, which means endlessly much; since thereby they also become the topmost leaders over all the earths orbiting a sun. And still others, more complete children of God are assigned to lead the central suns, from whom the leaders of the smaller planetary suns are getting their instructions at special occasions. However, before one can do that , one has to have a full spiritual sun in his innermost.
7
Since whatever you might want to look at, everything is guided by spirits, for which they receive from God the ability. And therein exists the bliss of every spirit, that he, equipped with all strength and power from God, can be active and serve God.
8
You all are only placed over little things on this earth; however, who is loyal in these little things, will one day be placed over great things. But this I also say to you, that nobody can serve God and Mammon at the same time; with half the service not the one and even less so the other is satisfied. - Do you understand this?"
9
Said the pharisee: "This I understand quite clear; but I and also the others have acquired a lot from Mammon. What should I do with it?"
10
Said I: "As you have acquired him, in the same manner you should divide him among those who need it! For who really wants to be My disciple and follower if he seriously wants it, will not have to worry about the following day, what he is going to eat and to drink and with what he will get dressed, but he should diligently search for the kingdom of God and its justice! Everything else which he needs to live, will be given to him; since the Father in heaven always knows what His children need. He, who feeds the grass in the field and provides for all animals food and clothes, will indeed provide more for those people, who walk in His love and His pleasure; for such a person is worth more than all the animals of the whole world. - Do you understand this?"
11
Said the pharisee and also the other six with him: "Yes, Lord, also this we understand now and will do, as You have wisely advised us to do. Only here in Jerusalem, for the time being, we cannot do it that easily; but we take all our belongings with us and will find plenty of opportunities, where we will act according to Your advise, - since everywhere the world belongs to God, and surely not less also all people! - Lord, is this right?"
12
Said I: "It does not really matter if you think of the poor here or somewhere else; however, since for the table where the woman is sitting, who I today saved from the randy claws of the temple, some charity would be necessary. The woman and her husband are poor and the other men at the same table, too. The lost hundred pounds however, give to Lazarus, and he as a right brother to Me, will take care that these poor are sufficiently provided for!"
13
Said the pharisees: "Lord, not only the one-hundred pounds, but one-thousand pounds of gold we are going to give to Lazarus, and he should work and operate with it according to Your will. For the light which we received from You, is endlessly worth more, and Your patience with us is forever priceless! It is good that we all are not living in the temple, because we ourselves are very rich, and as such we can do with our private money and treasures as we like. The considerable deposit in the temple is anyway gone. Since even if we honorary priests travel as missionaries, we cannot expect any reimbursement from the temple, - however, also the temple not anything further from us, than what it already got; and as such we still want to hand to Lazarus the money during this night. - Is this acceptable?"
14
I then said: "To ask Me about it any further is totally unnecessary; since this you must realize, that everyone earns even a bigger reward, the more sacrificial-willing he is, and the more he does this with true love for God and his neighbour. Thus do according to your good will and you will be requited!"
15
Hereupon the seven asked for several strong men, who were sitting at the table with the woman, to come along and carry the money. Then all seventy-two in number got up and went with the seven and brought back the thousand pounds heavy gold, already after an hour. When all were back in the hall, they laid the one-hundred bags of heavy gold in front of Lazarus' feet, according to My advice, and Lazarus thanked first Me that I regarded him worthy the mercy to provide for the poor, and only then he praised the returned seven, that also they have recognized Me in their hearts.
16
Hence also the poor thanked Me and one said: "Lord, if also we can become Your disciples, we waive this great support; for it is better to be Your disciple, then to own all the gold in the world! Since those who are provided for by You, o Lord, are well provided for, for the whole of eternity!"
17
Said I: "To speak about it, this night is not the right time for it, however, everything still can take place, since I will leave Jerusalem for some time, only after seven days. Meanwhile discuss the main content of My teaching with My disciples; what you still don't know, it will be placed in your mouth at the hour when you need it.
18
For now I say to you all: Since I had a good harvest today, I am very joyful about it, and we will stay awake for this night, and everyone of you will nevertheless be strengthened in the morning, as if he has rested well for the whole night. However, until morning we will still talk about several matters, which will place you on a higher level of recognition of God; since to recognize God as perfectly as possible, is the first for every person.
19
For who doesn't know God properly, can never believe in God completely, even less so love Him above all and therefore can also not completely share in the spirit of God. Since from an incorrect recognition of God, because of the free will of man, in time all kinds of misperceptions are spreading among the people, which then sprawl like a thousand headed Hydra, turning people into servants of idolaters and blocking their portal to the true, everlasting life, so that they then as souls in the beyond can hardly ever enter; for what a soul can achieve here, in one day, for her life perfection, in the beyond she often cannot achieve in several thousands of earth-years. My old disciples have quite an extended knowledge about God; however, you new arrivals are all together still very weak in it and I therefore want to strengthen you."
20
Said all: "Lord, do this and do not keep anything from us, since we are thirsting for it like dry grass after an enlivening rain!"
21
Said also the Roman: "Also we, - even more so, since we are still completely novice in this most important recognition of all recognitions!"
22
Said also Peter: "Also to us old disciples it will be of great use; since also we are still not firm about it!"
23
Said I: "And what problems might you still have?"