The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 111 -
The arrival in the inn.
When they were at about a 1.000 paces from this place, we, who also left, saw already from afar a horseman galloping. It did not take long before he was with us, stood still and asked us hurriedly if we did not meet the group of soldiers and if they carried with them those Jewish children in their midst.
2
Agricola showed him who he was, told him everything and showed him also the saved children, about which the horseman was very pleased, and further he gave the horseman also the instruction for the captain as I advised him before.
3
Then the horseman turned quickly around and rode hastily to the city, which was still about 1 1/2 hour walking away from there, and we continued our way with the children gathering around Me with much love.
4
The 5 girls of whom the eldest was 17 and the youngest 10 years old complained that their hands were hurting because they had been so tightly bound. Also the 2 young men complained about it.
5
But I stroked My hands over theirs and asked them if they still felt pain.
6
Then they (the children) said happily: "O good Man, we do not feel anymore pain. But how did You do it that we do not feel pain anymore? O, You must be a wonderful Savior. Because You had no ointment and no oil, and still we have no more pain at all. At home we have a grandmother who is sick for an already long time, and no healer can help her. Can You maybe also help in the same manner as You have helped us now?"
7
I said: "Yes, yes, My lovely children, when we arrive there we will see about all the things which we can do for your grandmother. But do you still not have another sick person in the house?"
8
The children said: "O wonderful Savior, how do You ask us for that, as if You knew already long ago that one of our best helpers is already for more than a half year troubled with a malicious fever? Did You already come in our inn and did You stay there overnight?"
9
I said: "My dear children, look, although I still did not come personally in your inn, but with My Spirit I am everywhere. And so I also know everything whatever is and happens and I can also help the one who is in a bad and miserable condition if they really trust in God and live and act according to God's commandments."
10
The children said: "But how can it be that You can move Yourself everywhere with Your Spirit and then can see and hear everything whatever and wherever is and happens? Surely this is only possible to God. Do You then maybe have God's Spirit in You, just like the prophets from time to time? For when the prophets made predictions they became - as we have learned - filled with God's Spirit. Are You maybe also a prophet?"
11
I said: "Yes, My dear children. What I actually am, you still would not understand now, even if I would tell you. But what you said about God's Spirit in Me, that is correct, for without that Spirit no human being can do anything really good and useful. But at home with your parents we will come to know each other further.
12
Look, there far away, your parents are already coming to meet us, for they have heard already from the horseman that you are healthy and well with us. If you want you can run to meet them and tell them that we all will stay with them.
13
When the children heard that from Me and recognized their parents in the far distance, they ran to meet them and were also soon with them to great joy of the parents. But we took more time, because the environment was beautiful here because it was located at a height, and the Romans had enough to see and to admire, and Lazarus and the 2 innkeepers who traveled with us had a lot of things to tell about it.
14
When the parents of their children heard how we had liberated them out of the hands of the rude soldiers and that we would come into their inn, they turned around, hurried with the children home to prepare, in order to receive and to serve us and to arrange everything as good as possible. There was of course not much time left, because from the spot where we were it was only half hour of walking to the inn. But as said before, we took the time because the Romans found this region in the environment of Bethlehem very worthwhile to see and they frequently asked for this and that.
15
Therefore, we still were largely 1 hour on our way to the inn so that their owners had enough time to arrange and prepare the most necessary things for our arrival. A fat calf was slaughtered and well prepared for us, and still a lot more.
16
When we came close to the inn, the 2 parents came together with their 7 children to meet us, greeted us very politely, welcomed us and thanked us with tears in their eyes for the good deed that we had shown to them by saving their children.
17
Also the children thanked us once again with all their heart and said to the parents, pointing out to Me: "This is the wonderful Savior who has healed our painful hands only by stroking them, and who also promised us to completely heal our poor grandmother and also our helper. He must be a great wise Man filled with God's Spirit, because He knows everything whatever is and happens in the whole world."
18
Then the parents came to Me and said: "We express to You - unmistakably great Friend of men - again our extremely hearty thanks for the great good deed that you have done to our children, and we ask You then also if You also would like to help our old mother and if possible also our kind helper, for we believe firmly and without any doubt what our children have told us about You, and we are confirmed in our belief by the presence of the to us well-known Lazarus from Bethany and the 2 innkeepers who we also know. Because these men would not have come so quickly to us if You did not bring them here. But the other lords we do not know more closely. But according to their clothing we can see among them Romans and Greeks. They probably also only came here for Your sake, because such important Romans will not so easily travel for several hours on foot. But no matter how, in any case You are more than You seem to be. You probably come from the environment of Bethany and you surely must be tired. Maybe all of you would like to come into the house and rest there until the midday meal will be completely ready?"
19
I said: "Look, here outside under the shade of your fruit trees it is more pleasant to rest, and here are also a lot of tables and benches that we can use. Besides, I know that the captain has come here on horseback from Bethlehem a little sooner than we, with who these statesmen from Rome have something to discuss. He strengthens himself now with his 2 companions with bread and wine, and we do not want to disturb him in it. When he will finish eating and drinking we gladly want him to come out to speak with these Romans."