The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 125 -
The request of the disciples of John.
When the second disciple of John heard that from Me, he said: "Lord and Master, we can see that You alone are a good and truthful Master and very perfect Teacher. Accept us as Your disciples, then we want to follow You and learn everything from You. In one day we certainly will learn more than we have learned with John in one year. We want to follow You, wherever You want to go."
2
I said: "That would be a very good idea of you, but before I will say to you: 'Come', I still have to point out something. If this will not bother you, then you can easily follow Me as My disciples. Look, the birds have their nests and the foxes their holes, but I as the Son of Man have on the whole Earth not even a stone that I could put under my head. However, if you have a real trust and a living faith, then follow Me."
3
Another disciple said: "Lord and Master, we have only need of Your teaching. We surely will take care of our body ourselves, for we are wealthy men and it is not necessary for us to be also fed by our Master."
4
I said: "What I have said to you, I did not say because I want to keep you far away from the table at which I have always eaten with My disciples, but I have said this to you to prevent that you should think about a material profit at My side, for such a thing you will not find with Me. With Me there is only one profit permitted in itself, and that is: the Kingdom of God and the eternal life. If you want to follow Me only for the sake of that, you can also follow Me."
5
The disciple said: "Lord and Master, we have wives and children and we have also houses, fields, pastures, gardens and vineyards and oxen, cows, calves, donkeys, sheep, goats and a large quantity of all kinds of tame birds, and we also trade honestly with it and we have never cheated anybody. The very severe prophet John has indeed not forbidden this to us, and besides that, he said that it is pleasing to God if man works and will provide in this way in a suitable manner for his house and his family, but whoever will practice usury with the gifts that God has given him, will be looked at with angry eyes by God and will find no mercy with Him.
6
Thus we went among the people and told them what we had heard and seen from John. Well now, during such occasions we have of course also mentioned the fact that we sell this and that for an as much as possible reasonable price, and after such an offer, the presented things were then also gladly and repeatedly bought from us, and with the profit we were always able to feed our household honestly and well. So therein consisted our livelihood, which we then have connected with our position of disciple and later as preacher. But if this is it not pleasing to You, o Lord and Master, that we as disciples at Your side would also now and then think about our houses and families, then we also can desist from it and take quite different arrangements for our household. You only have to clearly show us Your will, then we will act accordingly."
7
I said: "You can do what you want, because every human being has his complete free will, but if anyone wants to follow Me as My disciple to win the Kingdom of God, then he should - until the time of the full spiritual rebirth - leave his house, woman and children out of love for Me. Because with the searching and exploring for the Kingdom of God he should entrust all worries for the things of this world only to Him who knows everything and whose almighty will can do everything. For if a true disciple at My side will also bother for the things of the world, he is like a farmer who is indeed putting his hands to the plow but at the same time he continuously looks behind, does not pay attention to the track of the plow and is consequently not suitable for the Kingdom of God.
8
Look at My old disciples. For My sake they have left also house, garden and wife and children and have followed Me, but their earthly household continuous to exist and is taken care of.
9
He who, as My disciple, cannot completely deny the world, will not be strong in the Kingdom of God, because to serve God and the world is difficult or actually not possible at all. Only when someone has become strong in the Kingdom of God, he can also serve everyone in a useful and true manner.
11
How the true prophets - and in the first times also the patriarchs - have served the world and were useful, you know from the Scripture, and I do not have to tell you. Thus, now you know My will and My advice, and you may do as you want.
12
He who will not be completely of God before he goes into the world to work there, will be seduced by the world that will soon without any difficulty devour his heart and his soul. However, he who has become completely of God, the world cannot harm him anymore, for he has build a strong embankment and a stronghold for himself, which cannot be conquered by the gates of Hell."
13
When those few disciples of John heard these things of Me, they thought about what they should do.
14
One of them, who spoke first, said to the others: "You know, I advice you to stay now here immediately if we want to follow Him as disciples. Our household is well arranged anyway. There is no lack of workers and means, and more is not necessary. What the Lord and Master said to us now is true. So let us also stay with the truth immediately."
15
Then they came to Me and asked Me if I would allow them to stay immediately.
16
I said: "Then stay and become good and active workers in My vineyard."
17
One of them said: "Lord and Master, how can You now have a vineyard while actually You have said at first that You do not possess a stone to lay under Your head?"
18
I said: "This world is My vineyard and the people who hear My word and keep it, and believe in Me, the true Son of God, are the good and noble ranks who will also produce much fruit by their good works. But between the noble ranks are also a lot of those who are not noble and those must also be ennobled, and many strong workers are needed for that. Salvation to those who will show themselves to be skilled workers in this vineyard of Mine, and more precisely out of love for God and fellowman."
19
After these words, they thanked Me and stayed, and they began to speak with My old disciples.