The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 138 -
About the Lord's Being.
Now one of the disciples of John came to Raphael and said: "Listen, wonderful young man, I still have a last request to you, namely that what concerns your actual being you would like to make yourself more known than what you have done until now. Because, that you are a very mysterious being, about that, there is no more doubt in me, because a natural man cannot do all the things which you have done now in a short time, and your wisdom reaches also a lot further than all the human knowledge that exists until now. Therefore I would like to know more precisely who you actually are. You are absolutely not completely a normal human being, but you could also be the spirit of Elijah or also of another great prophet, for it is written that during the time when the Messiah will come to men, also Elijah will walk around at His side as a loyal witness for the blind people. And also it is written: 'During that time you will see God's angels ascending and descending between Heaven and Earth, and they will serve Him who has come in the name of the Lord, and also men who are of good will.'
2
Thus, you could be either the spirit of Moses or Elijah or even a pure angel of God who has only adopted apparently a body to visibly help us human beings. Tell me at least if maybe now my idea is more or less correct."
3
Raphael said: "It could be like that, but it is still somewhat different. But how it is, you will hear from the other disciples at the right time. The salvation of your soul does not depend on the fact if you yes or no know this, but it depends on the fact if you believe in the Lord, love Him above all and live and act according to His teaching. Only in that you should seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. Al the rest will then together with it be given as a free gift.
4
If you take me for the spirit of Moses or Elijah, you are wrong, for the spirit of Elijah was in John who was your master. Moses has however already given a testimony of the Lord before the eyes of His disciples, and they will announce it to the other nations at the right time. And that is why you know enough for the moment."
5
Then Raphael came and sat next to Me again and took bread and wine. Also the captain sat down with the disciple of John and took also still bread and wine. The disciple took however no bread and wine, nor his fellow disciples, for the disciples of John lived a severe life and fasted many times. My disciples however still ate and drank.
6
Then one of the converted Pharisees said to Me: "Lord and Master, why do Your disciples not fast while the disciples of John fast so many times?"
7
I said: "I am a true bridegroom for those who follow Me and who I have chosen. Why should they then fast when I am with them? But when I as a true bridegroom of their soul will personally not be with them anymore, they will also fast in the days when it will be necessary. Besides, no one will receive the eternal life of the soul because he has fasted many times, but only the one who will do the will of the One who has Me."
8
This was striking to the captain and he asked Me immediately: "Lord and Master, what did You say now, that only he will receive the eternal life of the soul who will do the will of the One who sent You? Who is He who sent You, and what is His will? Please explain Yourself further, otherwise I will have to fall directly into doubt after Your statement. Because one time it is as I have understood it from the explanation of the psalms in the house of our innkeeper, that You Yourself and only You are the Lord, and that he who accepts Your teaching and lives and acts accordingly will receive the eternal life of the soul, and now You say Yourself that only he who will do the will of the One who sent You will have the eternal life of the soul. Look, this is now very ambiguous, and a man as I, who takes the eternal life of his soul certainly very serious, becomes then really confused and does not know to whom he must turn to who could tell me faithfully and truthfully the will of the One who has sent You. Therefore I ask You if you would like to express Yourself clearer and more decidedly concerning this statement."
9
I said: "There is still much darkness in all of you. The One who has sent Me is My eternal Father and is in Me, and so I have, from My love for you men, sent Myself into this world in order to bring and to give you eternal life.
10
However, My Word and My teaching, which shows you the way to eternal life, is the will of the One who is in Me and who has sent Me. For the Father, as the eternal Love, is in Me, and I, as its Light, am within it.
11
Just look at the flame of the lamp which burns here on the table. Can you separate the light from the flame or the flame from the light? Now, the flame is that which I call Father and Love, and the Light is His Son, sent by the flame to illuminate the darkness of the night. Are then the flame and its light not one Being? And is the flame then not also in the light as the light is in the flame? And when this is so and could be impossibly otherwise, then the will of the Father reveals itself in the light that emanates from Him.
12
Thus, he who walks in this light, walks also according to the will of the One who sent Me as His Light into this world, and he who walks in this light cannot lose his way and must reap eternal life, because the Light, according to which and in which he walks, is the eternal Life itself.
13
Only he who will leave this light and will begin again to walk in the own worldly night cannot receive the eternal free life of the soul as long as he does not pass into the light of life. And now you, captain, will surely have understood Me."
14
The captain said: "Yes, yes, Lord and Master, now it is again totally clear and I know now what I must do to attain to the eternal life, and I thank You once more for this extremely important lesson. But I have just now interrupted Your discussion with the Pharisee and ask You now to continue to talk to him."
15
I said: "I have already told him what he needed. Therefore the discussion does not have to continue with him.
16
However, I still could tell to all of you a lot of things, but you still cannot bear it now. But when the Spirit in you will be awakened, the Spirit of truth, which I will awaken in you, then it will guide you into all truth and wisdom. From then on, in the light of that Spirit, all of you will begin to know Him who said this now to you. But now think about what you have heard, and discuss it with each other. I however, will rest a little."
17
After these words it became quiet in the hall, for everyone thought for a time about all the things he had heard and seen.