The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 197 -
About the keeping of feestdays. Questions and objections of the disciples concerning the Essenes.
When the morning had come, I and the 12 were again on our feet and I said to Peter: "What do you think, since today is the day before the Sabbath to which the old Jews who live in this place attach great importance? Should I work today for the well-being of the people or should we go off work?"
2
Peter said: "Lord, how can I as a weak and sinful person give You advice in this? For You alone know best which is right. But the sun has not yet risen and You can accomplish with Your will now everything before the sun will illuminate this place. And in order not to offend the old Jews we could keep this day before the Sabbath until the sun has completely set. This day does however not prohibit to speak and to teach, although the Jews attach much importance to this day because they believe that exactly this day is Moses' birthday."
3
I said: "This is exactly the reason why I speak to you and am asking if you yourselves attach any importance to the day of Moses?"
4
Peter said: "Lord, we attach importance to the teaching of Moses, but not to his day. It is not even proven that this is the day of the great prophet."
5
I said: "Although this is indeed the day of the prophet, but this should not hinder us in the least to be busy as much as possible today in order to awaken these old dream explainers from their delusion and to make their foolishnesses clear to them. Let us now go outside again while all the others are still resting, then we will see about all the things that can be done today."
6
The disciples were satisfied with this and we went directly outside, up on a hill from which the whole of Essaea and the large walls and strongholds of the Essenes could be viewed. From the hill, we also could see the roads that led to Essaea from many sides, and on most of them we could see many people going to that place for help. And so, there was soon much people coming in this place, but our inn was kept free for us.
7
We were watching for a while how the people came closer, and the disciples had the impression that the people moved on only very slowly.
8
And the disciple Simon and James the elder said: "Lord, at this speed these people will need from there to Jerusalem 7 to 8 full days of walking while we here needed only 2 days, inclusive the halt on the way. How was it actually possible to come here so fast while other people who moreover let themselves be carried by various pack animals need remarkably more time for it? Were we maybe carried now and then by invisible powers?"
9
I said: "This could very well have been the case with us on the lonely, long sections of the road, as it was also the case when we traveled through the extended region at the Euphrates and the upper part of Syria, for with the usual manner of walking we should have needed much more time. When later you will travel in My name, you also will be able to move with a greater speed over deserted, extended regions on Earth, where there are no villages and where no people are living."
10
On this, Andreas asked: "Lord, if I could add the people that are already staying here since a few days because they seek help, to those new people who are crowding together, then there could be several thousands of them. If You will help everyone according to Your love and mercy who seek help with You we will be very busy here for many days, for according to my experience this is the number of people who are crowding almost each day to this place to seek help. Regarding this, it will be difficult to help the Essenes, for they have received a worldwide reputation that will now be difficult to eradicate in one time."
11
I said: "You still think and speak as a common person. Did you not hear what I have promised yesterday to the chief of the Essenes? When I sent you out before Me into the world I have given you also the power to heal the sick, to cast out evil spirits and to announce the gospel to the poor, and you were able to actively convince yourselves several times of the truth of that power that you have received from Me, because you were able to heal all diseases by the laying on of your hands, except that moonstruck young man because of lack of the right faith.
12
Now if I was able to give you such power, will I then also not be able to give it also to the Essenes, since they intended in all seriousness to build a heavenly stronghold on Earth for Me, free from all worldly interests? And if they will receive such power from Me - and actually they have already received it - they also will not have to eradicate their worldwide reputation, but should only place it in another and truthful light. Therefore, we will not have to stay long here to help all those many people - so to speak every one individually - who seek help. They will also be helped by Me because the Essenes will always be able to help them in My name. Look, your worries were useless."
13
Let now at this opportunity a lot of them come to this place, so that they will be informed about the new and true institution of this place. Through them it will then soon and easily be known far and wide in the true light, and it will not be necessary at all to send out messengers from here into all directions to free those with wrong understandings from their old superstition. If things are so and not otherwise, we do not have to worry at all about the many people who are traveling to this place."
14
On this, Peter said: "Lord, what You have told me now is clear, and we are all highly convinced that this will be so in full truth. But how will it happen with the awakening of the many dead children and other people? For if these will not be awakened, the Essenes will still remain in their old need. But if they will be awakened - of what You are of course capable of - then soon still more people will come here with their dead, and will force these Essenes, who are converted now, to wake up their dead. How can this be prevented?"
15
I said: "Also this will be taken care of and neither one of you should be worried or care about it. But it is good that this place is so separated from other places. That is why many things can be done here for which other places in this time would not be suitable. And that is why this also - but for the last time - can be done to the dead. How and in which manner, this I surely know and so you should not be concerned about it."
16
With this, My old disciples were satisfied. Only Judas Iscariot still wanted to make a remark.
17
But our Thomas interrupted him immediately and said: "The Lord has spoken and after that we only should speak when He asks us, otherwise we should only keep silent and listen."
18
Judas Iscariot said: "Then why are the others speaking for which He also did not invite them?"
19
Thomas said: "This again is no concern for the two of us, for we cannot know if they were innerly invited to it or not. For in the presence of the Lord, nothing will completely happen without His will, since He is, and will always remain, also Lord over our thoughts, wishes and desires. But it will not go well with him who does not heed the voice and the will of the Lord in his own heart - if only he can hear it - and will not conform to it. This is how I think about it, and also this was put into my heart by the Lord, for we human beings can think or say nothing from our own being which is really good."
20
On this, Judas Iscariot did not say anything anymore and watched together with us the bare environment, which however by the crowding of many people was now very lively and therefore, as on a clear morning, always very refreshing to see.