The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 119 -
About good deeds.
I said: "Yes, yes, I surely know what you would desire above all. Now let your mother, your wife, your children and also your helper come to Me, but do not tell them yet about what you know to be special about Me. But when I will leave from here again at evening time, you can, each one according to their comprehension, also talk about the main point and tell them that all who believe in Me, keep My commandments out of very fervent love for Me and so also for fellowmen like the poor and the needy, to love them by word and deed, will receive the eternal life in My Kingdom, which has no beginning and no end. And now, go and bring them."
2
Then the innkeeper went away and he soon brought all those who belonged to him into the dining hall and presented them to Me while he said to them: "For this true Savior of all saviors in the world you must bow deeply, and thank only Him for the very great benefit and mercy that He has given us, which cannot be paid with all the treasures of the world."
3
In fact, the children and the wife knew Me already and came immediately close to Me in an honorable and very kind manner and praised God, because He had given such a truly godly power to a Man, but the healed mother and the healed helper were really competing with one another in expressions of thanks and praise, which they showed with words and gestures.
4
But I said to them: "To thank for a received good deed is fine, correct and fair, because the one who has received love from someone owes it to him to give also all love and friendship in return. But this is not a too great art in life. A greater and more deserving art in life is: to keep God's commandments. The greatest and most deserving art in life is however: to forgive all our enemies with all our heart, to do good wherever possible to the one who wishes us evil and is also doing evil to us, and pray for and bless the ones who hate and curse us.
5
Whoever does that, piles up glowing coals on the heads of his enemies, by which they will better themselves and he will make them soon his remorseful friends, and by which for him all his sins will be completely forgiven by Me, and already on Earth he will be equal to the angels of God.
6
Do also you likewise, than God's mercy and blessing will never move away from your house and from you.
7
And if ever you lend money, lend also to the poor who cannot pay you back with usury. Then you will find as reward for that as interest a great treasure in Heaven.
8
When you do for this or that person a good deed, then do not do it in such a way that another who can afford it will refund you, either by charging high interest rates or by reducing the daily wages of those who by necessity have to serve you. But whatever good deed you do for the poor, do it freely out of love for God and fellowman, then you will find the reward in Heaven.
9
When now and then there are unfruitful years, then do not be miserly, do not sell your grain more expensive, do not bake the bread smaller and of less quality and do not reduce the daily wages of the workers, then you will have in return all blessing from above.
10
However, if in times of need you will be miserly to your fellowmen, God will also be miserly with His blessing over your fields, vineyards and herds, and in this way you will gather little treasures in Heaven. Do remember that well and act accordingly without objections, then you will have blessings in abundance for this time and forever."
11
When I had said and advised these things to the family, the innkeeper himself said after awhile: "Yes, yes, for the eyes of the all-seeing Spirit from God, nothing remains hidden, also not the very smallest thing.
12
With us and in my house it has been the custom of old to say the following and also to act accordingly: 'Do good to everyone, when he needs it, but forget by that not your own advantage.' But now I can see in Your light, o Lord and Master, that this way of thinking and acting is absolutely not according to the godly order, and that is why I will also in this matter in the near future introduce a very different order. Although I will still lend my money at a moderate legal rate to those who need it, but if someone would come and cannot pay any interest, and if it can be known to me that he is really in need, then I will always lend him what is necessary without interest, and in the extreme case I will give it. Enemies I have indeed very few and therefore I also have little to forgive them. But if ever in the future - which cannot be foreseen by us - I would have some, then I will treat them as You have advised to us all now."