The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 14 -
The speech of the Lord about the future of His teaching.
Then I said: "This you surely have. And I know also that for the greater part it will happen this way. But nevertheless, on the whole it does not matter, because there are still a very large number of schoolhouses in My creation. He who will not learn it in Jerusalem, will be taught elsewhere.
2
Yes I know and can see how a great number of false teachers will arise after Me, saying to the people: 'Look, here is Christ' or 'There He is'. But I am saying now to all of you, and tell it to your fellowmen and children, that one should not believe such false teachers, for they will easily be recognized by their works.
3
How a real disciple of Me should be according to My word, you have heard yesterday in Emmaus on the mountain of Nicodemus when I sent out 70 disciples to spread My teaching.
4
So when you will meet teachers who will spread the coming of the Kingdom of God among the people in this manner according to My will, you and everyone can consider them as real and complete true teachers. However, when teachers - although in My name - want to make money out of My teaching, and their purpose is money and other treasures, then consider them as false and as never being called by Me to be spreaders of My teaching. Because My true disciples and spreaders of My pure teaching will always be poor in earthly matters, just like Me, but therefore they will be more than rich from a spiritual point of view. For they will not need to acquire My teaching and My word through time consuming learning of a predecessor, but I will put My teaching and My will in their heart and in their mouth.
5
However, the false disciples will by the long studying of their also false doctrines have to acquire all kinds of texts, words and proverbs and will only then when they have learned everything tiredly from their puffed up and talkative teachers and leaders be ordained as disciples through all kinds of empty and blind ceremonies, as this is now also happening in the temple with the Pharisees, scribes and elders and also with you, gentiles, where the rank of priests is forming a real social class that continues from father to son and in which someone from the people is only accepted when one or the other priest has no children, and even then, only as a child that can only later on be educated as priest.
6
So, how a true teacher and spreader of My pure teaching can be distinguished from a false one, this I have now clearly explained to you all, and thus everyone will easily be able to guard himself against the false teachers and prophets. However, him who will follow and believe them, honor them and also help them in everything, he can only blame himself when later he will be devoured by them.
7
Yes, it even will happen that false prophets will exalt themselves on golden thrones and persecute as soon as possible the true ones that are chosen and called by Me. However, when this will happen, then also their judgment and their end will come over them, and My teaching will despite that continue to exist among the people on Earth. But it will only shine, radiate and comfort in quietness as a free possession among the people, but never as a ruler who is commanding entire nations on a ruler throne with crown, staff and scepter.
8
Where this will be the case in My name, it will be difficult to find Me, and instead of My love there will be greed, avarice, envy and persecution of all kind among the people, and one deceit will extend the hand to the other. When you will see such fruits among the people, you surely will perceive what kind of mentality those prophets have who are ruling on thrones and from whom their false teachings are originating.
9
If however, you always will be able to receive what is right and true - providing you have a desire for it - will you turn your heart to that which is false? And so, now you know that despite all false prophets and teachers who will arise later, My pure teaching will continue in quietness and without pompous display until the end of times among the people.
10
The fact that this teaching of Mine will only spread slowly among the people of the Earth, of that I already have clearly shown you the reasons more than once, because I surely know the best when a people is ripe to accept My teaching.
11
However, the things that could happen in all the somewhat ripe places on Earth for a fast spreading of My teaching, that has also happened and soon a lot more will be happening. And for this reason we can now put this subject at rest without further remarks, for we still have much more important things to discuss."
12
Now Agricola said again: "This will undoubtedly be so, because You alone know best all things that have to happen on this miserable Earth. But anyone of us who cannot look into the future and to whom You have only given that which is needed to go through his earthly life as good as possible as test of his free will according to Your teaching, and who moreover still sees a lot of obstacles on the way of the light, will despite everything be filled with so much worry that he will ask himself: 'What will finally be the result of all that?'
13
Will Your teaching that is so holy pure come now to all people, and when? Or will it always be an exclusive possession of a few chosen ones? According to the words that were now spoken by You, the latter seems to be the case. Well yes, all right, because whatever is right for You, o Lord and Master, that must also be right for us human beings, since we cannot change it without You. But because it pleased You to give us human beings, Your created beings, in addition to a free will also an equally free reason, You also have given us by that a free discernment, and therefore I have spoken as I have spoken.
14
But I have understood from Your reply that You still have very extraordinary plans and purposes for the people, otherwise You would not permit that in addition to the pure teaching that You have given now and in addition to Your good instructed disciples there will still rise other false ones, and the people will again be misled and fall into a godless darkness. This way, I cannot speak further and I will apply myself now completely to listening."
15
I said: "Friend, you will do good by that. As long as one knows much too little the right reason for it, it is better to listen than to preach.
16
Believe Me: to create worlds is easy, but to bring free people to life and let them perfect themselves by which the godly almightiness by virtue of the order of its love and wisdom, has to be silent and watch, that is finally also for Me a matter which is not easy. Therefore, only My limitless patience and immense tolerance can help Me.
17
For this reason, by their very own belief and deeds, people have to be put in all kinds of good and bad situations, so that then by the consequences of their belief and deeds they will become sensible and will finally, out of their own will search for the right light.
18
Like all the creatures on this Earth are developing themselves materially between day and night and between summer and winter, so is also man doing the same spiritually.
19
When the first men on this Earth were spiritually walking in the clear daylight, then finally the light simply became a burden to them. When later however, the spiritual night made its appearance with them, only then they started to understand the value of the spiritual day and valued it, and the better ones begun to search scrupulously for the lost paradise.
20
Then it was given to a few to find the spiritual day again, and many ran to the happy ones who found the spiritual day again and let themselves be guided to the light. But also many, blinded by the world did not understand what a spiritual day is and remained in their night, which was compelled by their own laziness. These could then also not benefit of the happiness of a spiritual day and were in great need. That need was however a good guard for the happy ones, because they could well notice which fruits that man had picked of his spiritual night.
21
Look, this is how it happens, that besides the enlightened ones there always will be those who are not enlightened and will multiply. But therefore, the enlightened ones will never lack on this Earth, and they always will be given the opportunity to enlighten with their true light of live those who are not enlightened, and the reward of the enlightened ones who will do that in My name will later be great in My Kingdom.
22
To be enlightened by My grace is a great and invaluable bliss for man. But it is a 1.000 times more valuable to enlighten with his light of life also others who walk in darkness. That means, if they will accept the light. But this must always be said to all of you again and again: that you should not throw the pearls of My teaching to the swine of men. Because a person who has once become a real swine, will also stay a swine. For even if such a person on a good moment will listen with pleasure to a true and good word and will also pick it up, then he still, at the next opportunity will go back to his old pool and jump with pleasure in it, and will still remain a swine. Thus, to such people no gospel should be preached. And for such people I have another gospel that their own nature will proclaim in much pain, wailing and gnashing of teeth.
23
And now, we also have discussed an important subject and we can now, being comforted, move over to something much different. Who of you still doubts about one thing or another, let him rise and speak, because I want that tomorrow you will be well enlightened to leave with Me the Mountain of Olives. Therefore, each one of you is free to speak, as his reason will inspire him."
24
Then most of them said: "Lord, we do not doubt anymore and we are very happy with that."