The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Jericho
- Chapter 13 -
The shameless acrobats and their rightful removal.
While the Greeks were still commending the carafe miracle, a group of some kind of artists came in and they were Greeks. Their skill was that they made all kinds of acrobatic movements and jumps. They also asked the innkeeper whom they knew if they could perform their pitiful art before the guests.
2
However, the innkeeper asked Me also this time if he had to allow this to them.
3
I said: "You are lord in your own house and can do what you want. This is not our concern and we will not bother about their pagan performance. I have to suffer a lot of foolishness of men with all patience. Then why should I not suffer this foolishness? But ask the Greeks if they wish such a meaningless and for human kind total useless performance. If they like it, then they can let these pitiful people perform a few of their skills. However, if the Greeks do not like it, they also can let these acrobats go."
4
Then the innkeeper went away and consulted with the Greeks.
5
But these said (the Greeks): "Friend, we have heard and seen here the greatest of all skills and are now only completely concerned with the only true God of the Jews, and then such much too stupid and for men useless arts are good for nothing anymore in our eyes. Besides, we know those acrobats and their skills already for a long time and we do not want to know them one more time, and therefore, as far as we are concerned, they can go as they came."
6
When the innkeeper received this very good answer from the Greeks, he said to the acrobats: "Since no one wants to see anything of your completely useless art, you can again go as you came."
7
With this answer the acrobats were really not satisfied, and the leader of their group said: "Lord, with our art we have traveled around almost half of the world and we were highly admired everywhere. It was never refused to us to give a performance. We are at least real demigods and we are the most important favorites of the great god Mars as well as of Apollo and the 9 Muses, and they will take vengeance on this house for the offence that we received here."
8
Very cheerfully, the innkeeper said: "Since we all have come to know in this house the one and only true God of the Jews, we really have no more fear at all for the dead gods of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. So you can threaten us with your idols as much as you like, that will not disturb our rest in the least.
9
But if you, as you say, have traveled already half around the world, and you certainly must also have gathered great treasures and riches, then travel also as real demigods around the other half of the world and let yourselves be highly honored as you wish, but leave us alone. But if you want to make a scene here because no one here wants to see anything of your skills, then you surely could fare badly, for here at my table is a very powerful Lord for whom nothing is impossible. He certainly will be capable to chastise your obtrusiveness severely. So rather go willingly out of my house."
10
Being furious, the leader said: "Since you do not have anymore fear for the exalted gods whom you call dead and insignificant in comparison with the fabulous God of the Jews who is nothing else than an idol fantasy, then know, you despiser of the gods: I myself am the god Mars and I will bring this land to ruin by war, hunger and pestilence. I as a god have not any fear for one or the other almighty Jew at your table."
11
But on this I said to the leader 'Mars': "You shameless heathen, go away now, or else you will come to know the power of the only true God of the Jews."
12
After these words of Mine, the leader became really rude and began to scold Me.
13
But I warned him once more, and because he did not want to leave, I said to him: "Since you do not want to leave on My request, then by the power and might of the God of the Jews I will now at this same moment remove you to 100 daytrips far away from here. There you can let yourselves be worshipped as the god Mars by the Mores. And so away with you!"
14
When I had said that, the evil acrobats suddenly disappeared and were removed to the Mores in Africa, whom we already came to know in Caesarea Philippi, where they soon were instructed in My teaching that emanated from Me, and so they became My disciples.
15
After that, we still talked about a lot of things and also about the fast removal of the so-called demigods.
16
In the meantime it became midnight, and we went to rest.
17
Also the harp player and singer stayed with us. He began to understand for whom he sung his psalms, and therefore his love for Me became ever stronger.