The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 113 -
The innkeeper reports about the Pharisees.
Finally the innkeeper came to us again, announced to us with great gratitude the wonderful healing of the 2 sick people and said to Me: "Lord, You are more than a man of my kind. You are not only a Savior, who has no equal in the world, but You are a great prophet of whom we have a very great need during this time, for if our Pharisees will still continue like that for a long time as they are doing now, then all faith in a God will go down.
2
I have indeed heard already many things from travelers who stayed here, about a prophet, namely that He does great signs and converts the people again to a true belief in one God, but the Pharisees must be very hostile to Him.
3
About a year ago, or maybe still less, He also must have performed wonderful works in Bethlehem and places in the neighborhood. However, I myself did not see anything of that, since I barely go anywhere and have not seen Jerusalem already for more than 10 years because of the many cares and the work for the maintenance of this great inn of mine. And so I know what I know only because I heard others speaking about it.
4
Almost every week there are a few Pharisees coming from Bethlehem to this place, but to ask them about such thing would be a useless effort, for they curse without question everything that is somewhat different from what is normal, and they consider it already as a very punishable sin, even if we say to them that we only have heard it from far away. Therefore, men like us cannot be blamed when we almost do not care and worry anymore about anything except for our own household.
5
Well now, a few days ago many really extraordinary things were seen in the sky at night. They went indeed to the Pharisees, imagining what kind of wonders they would hear there, and they also thought that the good old Jehovah had finally again given a sign of Himself to the Jews. But nothing of all that. The Pharisees told the people with a very cheerful face that the whole impressive phenomenon, which for us Jews was not a good prophecy, was a national deceit accomplished by the Romans with the help of the Essenes who are very good in all kinds of magic arts. And further it had no other meaning except that the Romans - who, more in particular the higher and richer part of the Jews, did not like very much for an already long time - wanted to mislead with such means the more credulous and superstitious people and wanted them to turn against their Jewish superiors in order to prevent a general rebellion of the Jews against the superior powers of the gentiles who became somewhat weak. With this explanation they went home very indifferently and cheerfully without further worry, and they did no more trouble themselves in the least about the whole appearance, no matter how terrible it looked like.
6
Shortly after that, one could see 3 suns rising. They asked questions and received the answer that it meant that the wind would come and that soon a rough weather would appear. And again they went home without further objections.
7
And also, a few days ago in this region, certain people must have traveled around to spread a new teaching that had to come from the prophet from Galilee, and they also must have performed extraordinary signs, and already many people follow them. How much of it is true I can of course hardly know, because nobody came to me who by far resembled such a messenger of the new teaching.
8
But only a few days ago I asked someone from the synagogue who came here from Bethlehem what was happening now with those messengers of the new teaching who seem to travel around in this environment, and he said to me: 'Ah, since the Romans are our lords, such jobless and work-shy rabble are indeed roaming around in great numbers. It is tolerated and supported by them, and we can do little or nothing against it.'
9
Yes, against such a statement, reasonably no one can have any objections. For firstly, he is not better informed himself about everything that is and happens in the whole big kingdom of the Jews, and secondly he cannot interfere in a conversation with these eloquent lords from the synagogue anyway, even when he is better informed about something, for firstly he could do nothing with them and secondly he also would be in danger to be persecuted by them in every way. And so, he prefers to stay a quiet countryman and he does not bother for neither one nor the other thing, although he can surely perceive that those followers of the synagogue are only what they are for the sake of their belly, and for themselves they believe even less in a God than one of these many fruit trees of mine.
10
And that is why I just said that it would be very necessary now for a true and mighty prophet to stand up, for otherwise the people will soon loose every belief in an only true God. Considering Your might and inner wisdom, You seem to be the One, and I am now happy that I finally came to see such a Man who could well be an Elijah.
11
Now I believe again that in earlier times prophets did exist whom for the sake of the blind and unbelieving people were equipped by God with special wisdom and might. For me, up to this time, that belief sunk away in the kingdom of the pious fairy-tales. But because I have seen now myself that Your will and word has made 2 sick people in one blow so fit and healthy who were declared incurable by every ever so artful healer, also my belief in a God and in the prophets has been completely restored again, which is more dear to me than if someone had given me the treasures of half of the world.
12
But now the captain comes outside who certainly has to speak with these highly ranked Romans. It is sure that I will not be needed for that. That is why it is time for me to go inside."
13
I said: "Exactly now you are needed for that, because it is precisely concerning you that the Romans have to discuss something with the chief. By his decision you had to endure today - because the soldiers passed by - a not deserved loss that will be indemnified to you, and more precisely by the chief. That is why, as a deprived petitioner you should be present before those high judges, for where there is no petitioner, there are also no judges."
14
The innkeeper said: "Yes, yes, mighty and wise Savior, this will be exactly so, but the captain will remain my lord also after that. If he now will suffer important loss by my interfering, I will be in big trouble with him after Your departure, and therefore I rather prefer not to take it into account instead of afterwards be simply bound on the cross."
15
I said: "You may worry about something else, because exactly by that, the captain will become a real man and also your true friend. And that you can fully believe My words, I have already given you more than one tangible proof."
16
The innkeeper said: "Yes, if this is so, I will stay of course. Should my wife and my children be called here also, and my only next neighbor who came to help me because my helpers were busy in the field and were not at home?"
17
I said: "This is not necessary. Only you as head of the house are sufficient."
18
With this, our innkeeper was satisfied and stayed with us alone.