The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 84 -
The burning and embalming of dead bodies.
When all of them had said this to Me, Agricola came still to Me and said: "Lord and Master, with us Romans the dead bodies, especially those of important people, are burned, and the ashes are then kept in certain urns and stone bottles which are intended for that. Or, of very prominent people, the bodies are embalmed and then kept in the catacombs. Only the poor people and the slaves are buried on the places that are well walled around and which are intended for that. Should this continue like that or be changed? What do you think about the burning and embalming of the dead bodies?"
2
I said: "If you cannot change it, then let the old custom be. But burning is still better than embalming by which the decomposition process is strongly slowed down. However, it is best to burry the body in the earth. But one should take care that a body is only buried when it is completely dead, which a doctor surely must be able to make out based on the color of the face and the evil smell of decomposition, because with the apparently dead the actual characteristics do not take place. Therefore, they also should not be buried before they are unmistakably dead.
3
A perfect person will of course never come into an apparently dead state, but it can easily happen with a materialistic person craving for pleasure, because his soul often clings with a too great love to his flesh. When such a person becomes cold and stiff, has no more breath and pulse and gives no more sign of life, the soul is still in the body and makes agonizing efforts to bring it to life again, in which he will also often succeed after a few days. But if such a person is buried too quickly into the earth and then comes to life again in the grave, also regarding the body, then you surely can imagine that this must bring up for him a condition of very great despair, even if it is only for a few moments. However, if you live according to My teaching in which especially you should practice neighborly love among each other, then it most certainly is also a deed of true neighborly love that you be very careful that no apparently dead person is burned or buried. If you discover that someone is apparently dead, bring him in an area with good and fresh air, pray for him and lay your hands upon him, then he will be better.
4
If someone's apparently dead state is more persistent, then be patient and do not consider him dead before the real characteristics of death are clearly becoming visible to him. Because what you confidently are desiring that men will do for you, if you would come into such a situation, which is always sad, do it also for them. And certainly you, Romans, should remember this very well. Because in burying the poor and the slaves you do not pay much attention - and I now have pointed this out to you."
5
When the Romans heard this from Me, they thanked Me that I have pointed this out to them, and they promised Me to be as careful as possible with it.