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 241 -
Lazarus wants to help the sinners.
Hereupon the pharisees and scribes, because in all secrecy they were not very content with the explanation of hell, said: "Ah, regarding this we are not concerned at all and leave it to His goodness and wisdom! We have grumbled when He accepted many sinners and tax collectors, who were not really heavenly spirits, and thus He will also find a way out for the real infernal spirits! For in His wisdom there will be hidden still many things, which He will not reveal to us. What we need, He will reveal to us; however, what we do not need, we do not have to be concerned about. If a devil out of his own will is so blind and stupid and does not want to accept any light, - now, he then should stay a devil forever! If he always has the opportunity to improve himself, and he is not lacking the reason and mind to do so, as well as the will, but still does not want to accept the good and true and so to speak finds honour therein to oppose the will of God, now, the fool should keep on doing so, and God and all blessed spirits will not loose anything thereby! - This is our quite sober opinion."
2
Said Lazarus: "Yes, yes, your opinion is quite right, and also the Romans are quite right, if they say: 'No injustice happens to the self-wishing!', but I say: Thus speaks only the dry legal philosophy of the world. However, if I see a person who out of despair wants to kill himself, or I see a very inexperienced person, who collects poisonous berries to feed himself, it is my human duty not to allow everybody to do what he intents to do, but very seriously keep him from what he wanted to do and to teach him about the results what this and that might hold for him.
3
Of course, if I do not know and see where a person is endangering himself because of his actions, I do not have a feeling for him and also cannot help him; however, wherever I can see, know and feel, I am not allowed to let an even still so stupid and willful person expose himself to his downfall through his own will, and a feeling soul cannot be indifferent if among a thousand people nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine are lost or not. And therefore I can only praise all those who are feeling sad when recognizing that so many are as good as lost forever, and I find it quite natural that these noble feeling people have expressed themselves in front of the Lord. Since from Him one can expect with the greatest certainty, that He also in this regard will give us the right explanation, even if given in another parable. - Lord, have I assessed this correctly or not?"
4
Said I: "My dear brother Lazarus, you have assessed this quite right! All pharisees and scribes can grumble about it, I am still the only Lord and can do what I want, and nobody can hold Me responsible and say: 'Lord, why are You doing this and that?"
5
But I want to give you a few parables about the true mercy of God, and then you can judge for yourself, what this is all about. - And thus listen to Me!"