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 235 -
On the false prophets.
Said Lazarus: "But Lord, one cannot believe and assume that this Your teaching will ever become falsified! Since as we have received it from You, we will pass it on to our descendants, and nothing will be added and nothing will be taken away; we also can write and record word for word, what we have heard and seen from You, and all our descendants will hear all this from point to point and act accordingly. I then do not understand how the rise of false prophets is possible!"
2
Said I: "Just like you speak now, also the main followers of Moses have spoken, when also I on Sinai gave them the laws. The legislation, as you will know, lasted for seven full years and a little time and afterwards continued more in secret for another thirty-three years, but not for everyone apparent, - and already during the first seven years the golden calf was poured and worshipped! See, this is how the people are!
3
That My teaching will be kept pure with you and also with a few descendants of you for quite a long period of time, I admit; but in general it will look quite differently!
4
Wherever something great and extraordinary happens, it is exploited by lazy people and their sense for profit-hungriness and greediness and transformed into their earthly source of income, - which is so true as the truth itself. To prevent such machinations, I had to allow only angels of death to come into this world, who would kill in advance all those people, what however, according to the free will of man, would not be appropriate, just as it is not appropriate to destroy all the weed on a wheat field with one blow, which would also not be good for the wheat field itself, because finally the weed will become a fertilizer for the wheat field.
5
Just as the weed is allowed on the wheat field, also this will be allowed, however not without a subsequent punishment following sooner or later. See, it cannot be prevented fully!
6
I therefore only say this, that all those, who now have the pure teaching from Me and later from you (disciples), should always be on guard, to not fall into temptation; since the evil spirit moves around in the world like a roaring and hungry lion and tries to devour all noble and pure spirits. Therefore be aware of false prophets! That is all I can say and do for you against it.
7
Asked Peter: "Lord, when somehow appearing still in our time, how will we recognize them?"
8
Said I: "At their fruit! On thorn hedges no figs are ripening and on thistles no grapes! I, with My teaching, am the only door to the sheepfold; who breaks into the stable from anywhere else, is a thief and a robber. I am the only right door, the way, the light, the truth and the life. Who wants to come to Me, must through Me and in Me walk My way, in My light, which is the everlasting, convertible truth in God.
9
Every right worker is worth his remuneration; however the hireling, who allows himself to be hired for someone else, whose work it is, is seldom worth the hireling's wage. For he pretends to work for the sake of the hire wage only; but the employer is served badly by this. And thus and even worse shall be all false teachers and prophets. For their motive - like now with the pharisees - will be Mammon; for his sake they will teach, prophesies stupid and wrong things, deceive the people physically and even more spiritually, will devour the goods of the widows and orphans and in return will assure them of heaven and will finally pursue those remained loyal to the truth as the greatest heretics with sword and fire and say with great pomp: 'We are the true followers of Christ, the sun of God!' I say this to you in advance, so that you and your true followers know this, how to behave, if it happens - and partly already happened!"
10
Said Peter: "Lord, how possibly could this already happen?"
11
Said I: "Very easily; for how many times already have I taught before a large crowd, and there were not only people among them, who accepted the matter for the salvation of their soul, but for the salvation of their money bag. Some of the things they experienced themselves, some they were told by others, and most of it they made up themselves, thus heaping up lies over lies, thereupon undertook trips to all areas, presented themselves as My envoys and yielded quite a lot of money that way. - What are you saying about it?"
12
Said Peter and John: "Lord, don't You have lightening and thunderbolts for such sinners anymore?"
13
Said I: "O, o, are you children of thunder or the children of God? Lightening destroys where it hits; but the children of God have another weapon and it is called: patience, gentleness and love.
14
These people at the same time are still of the opinion that they doing God a pleasing favour. You will meet with such people quite often, and many will convert. If we now destroy them with lightening from the clouds, could you still convert them? Therefore do not immediately take shelter behind lightening strikes.
15
The truth is the best lightening strike against such false teachers and prophets! You rather be able to dry up all the seas of the world, than dam the stream of truth. With Me you will be able to achieve anything, however, without Me nobody can do anything; since I am the truth, the light and life! - Do you comprehend this well?"