The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord on the Mount of Olives. (cont.) Gospel of John, Chapter 8
- Chapter 3 -
The superstitious slave traders.
As we were still sitting there, eating and drinking, a powerful lightening struck down out of a completely cloudless sky, followed by a shattering roar of thunder. All were shocked and asked me what this meant.
2
I said: "We shall soon see! This event is the beginning for our slave traders; while we were sitting here eating and drinking, they arrived at the foot of the mountain and all their carts and carriages are also down there. They would have sold their merchandise immediately, if this lightening strike had not prevented them from doing so.
3
The people from the most northern parts of the Pontus also have a sort of religious doctrine, which of course has many shortcomings; what they have lies solely in the hands of certain fortune-tellers, who live completely separated from the rest of the people, they have their own grounds and many large herds, mostly high in the mountains in barely accessible high valleys. These fortune-tellers are mainly descended from India and therefore have continuous access to knowledge regarding all sorts of magic and tricks, but they never or only very seldom visit the larger tribes who live in the wide planes below. But the people of the lowlands are very much aware of them and visit them with their important problems and ask the fortune-tellers to foretell the future for them, of course in exchange for not so small offerings. From time to time during such occasions those wise men of the mountains will talk to the visitors about higher and mighty invisible beings, by which they and all elements are controlled, and that specifically they, the wise men of the mountains, are their servants and also rulers of the low level powers of nature. Naturally the blind pilgrims are very much amazed by such remarks, especially if the fortune-teller performs a magical miracle for them.
4
Our slave traders with their merchandise come from this region, already for the seventh time, although in Jerusalem only for the first time, because normally they would have sold the merchandise either in Lydia, Cappadocia, also already in Tyre and Sidon, or even in Damascus. This time they have risked visiting Jerusalem, but would even this time not have come here, if it were not for My will drawing them.
5
But before they left home with their merchandise, they asked one of the fortune-tellers if their trade would be successful. And he said with a deeply serious expression on his face: "If you do not see lightening and hear no thunder, you will be able to sell your merchandise." This was all the fortune-teller said to them. The slave traders viewed this as a good prophecy, since they believed that no thunderstorms would occur during this late time of the year. However, this very powerful lightening and most violent thunder convinced them to the contrary and now they are standing confused at the foot of the mountain. But before we go down there, a few similar lightening strikes will follow to intimidate them even more and it will be easy for us to talk to them!"
6
Said one of My older disciples: "Who knows what tongue they will be speaking?"
7
I said: "This doesn't concern you at all; no tongue in the whole world is foreign to me! However, these people mainly speak the tongue of India, which is very similar to the primordial Hebrew language."
8
The disciple had nothing more to say and the second lightning strike came down followed by another most violent clap thunder and shortly afterwards the third strike; but all of these struck the ground and no damaged occurred.
9
After the third lightening strike a most beautiful youth came into the room, bowed deeply before Me and said with a lovely but at the same time masculine voice: "Lord, here I am according to Your call, to carry out Your holy will!"
10
I said: "You come from Cyrenius and from Jarah?"
11
Said the youth: "Yes, Lord, according to Your holy will!"
12
Here the older disciples recognised Raphael, went up to him and greeted him.
13
But the youth said to them: "O you fortunate ones, who can be around the Lord in His most highest capacity all the time! - But before we start with a great and important task, give me something to eat and to drink!"
15
But Raphael smiled and said: "My friends! Whoever works hard must also eat and drink much! Isn't it so?"
16
Said Agrikola: "O, indeed, truly heavenly most beautiful youth! But please tell me who is your father and who is your mother and which country do you come from?"
17
Said Raphael: "All in good time! I'm going to stay here for a couple of days and during that time you will get to know me better, but for now we will have a great task ahead of us, and this means, good friend, to be very much alert!"
18
Said Agrikola: "But, my most lovely and beautiful young friend, what and how are you going to work with your truly maiden-tender hands? You have never performed any heavy work and you want to start with a big and heavy job?"
19
Said Raphael: "The only reason why I have never performed any hard work, is, because every to you imaginably so heavy workload, is something very easily accomplished by me. What follows will teach you the better!"
20
To that I said: "The time has come to release the prisoners down there and make them free; let us go! But whoever wants to remain here, can stay!"
21
But all were asking Me, if they could accompany Me and I allowed it. And so we quickly walked down the mountain and soon reached our slave traders, who already were surrounded by many people who gawked at the poor slaves and their traders.
22
But I gave Raphael a sign to remove the idle bystanders and he scattered them like chaff. All ran as quickly as they could, not to be torn to pieces by a couple of lions of the fiercest kind, which they suddenly noticed in their midst.