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 65 -
The capability of the soul to see after death.
We also walked a little more, namely to the highest point of this mountain. There was a little forest of olive trees under which quite a number of benches and seats were placed, and all sat down and praised Lazarus for such useful installation of so many and so restful benches and seats. Lazarus thanked all for their good opinion and was delighted. From this, in all directions completely free, high point one enjoyed the most delightful view. From there one could see the Jordan and its valley and - of course very far away - a section of the Dead Sea.
2
All looked with great delight at the beautiful scenery, the surrounding towns, villages and countryside for a while without saying a word, and Agrikola said after thoroughly looking at everything: "All my dear friends, who are here, especially You, o Lord and Master, I must openly admit that I have in our large empire never seen such most beautiful scenery and landscape as this! Truly, in such a marvelous surrounding it must be more bitter and difficult for a person to die as in a more desolate and less beautiful surrounding! Since here one wants to live for ever to enjoy such views! - What do You say, o Lord and Master, to this my opinion?"
3
Said I: "Friend, you would be right with your opinion, if the soul after the death of the body in connection with the spirit out of God, would not have the ability to see and enjoy endless more marvelous surroundings in other worlds, - provided the viewing of most marvelous surroundings and landscapes was meant to be the highest blessed enjoyment for a soul. But I would say, that after the death of the body, there will be for a life-perfected soul much higher blessed enjoyments than only the viewing of very beautiful landscapes.
4
I give you the following scenario, that you here have to continuously look at this landscape but at the same time be abundantly provided with all other needs for your body for - say - only one-hundred years, and I guarantee you that this beautiful landscape will start to bore you to such an extend, that you do not want to see it for the rest of your life. Yes, now and then among good friends the view of a beautiful landscape can leave an uplifting impression on the human soul; but soon afterwards the soul longs for change, so that it can have greater and more extended experiences and learn something new from them.
5
As good as a perfected soul can see its surroundings through the eyes of the body, nevertheless, it will have the ability to see, hear and feel in a higher degree and measure in its pure spiritual state, as here in the heavy and laborious body! I have shown you before below in front of the house, how the inner viewing of the soul works - when you yourself were in the highest degree amazed -, when those people who were for a short period of time excited by Me in the spirit and who were also never before in Rome, gave you such a detailed description of your home city, as you yourself could not have seen better with your own eyes.
6
You have to recognize, that the soul in its free and pure spiritual state, has a much higher ability to see as in the limited body! But when this is the case, you can verily not say, if you have a full and living belief in My words and signs and also in your experiences regarding matters of soul and spirit, that your physical death would be more difficult in such a surrounding than in a more desolate and darker landscape! That every soul continues to live after the death of the body and is most clearly aware of its life, you surely do not doubt anymore?"
7
Said Agrikola: "Lord and Master, certainly not, since I have gained experiences about the life of the soul after the death of the body already before in Spain, Sicily and in Egypt, and this in a most convincing manner. But it is about something completely different, why I allowed myself to make the remark from before!"
8
Said I "And what does this 'difference' consists of? Just keep on talking, because we still have a lot time before noon, to negotiate various matters!"
9
But now the many present toll collectors came to Me and asked Me, whether I will be annoyed with them, if they went home until the evening, to see if everything was still in order, and to see that the servants at this opportunity did not take the liberty to possibly oppress the people who still streamed onto the road.
10
Said I: "Do this and do good for quite a number of bad things which you have caused the people over the years, and your sins will be forgiven! But just as you can freely go now, in the same manner you can freely return."
11
With that the many toll collectors thanked for everything they have received and enjoyed and quickly departed.