The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Jesaira
- Chapter 140 -
The courageous skipper.
When we came into our hall again, the innkeeper asked Me where he could prepare a good resting bed for Me.
2
But I said: "Look, friend, he who wants to have a bed, give him one, but I will rest tonight on My chair. Your chairs are more suitable to Me for resting than a bed."
3
As I took My nightly rest now on My chair, My disciples did also not want any beds, but, like most of the time, they sat on their chairs besides Me. Only Mary and Joel took 2 beds in a side room.
4
The 12 fishermen returned home again, to their nearby little village, with the intention to bring again fishes in the morning for Me and My disciples, but then a greater quantity, because through My words and teachings they were very well instructed and did not know what to do from sheer gratitude. All the way back unto their little village they shouted loudly from joy over Me, and could not stop speaking to their companions at home about the deep and pure godly truths that they had heard from My mouth. Their companions and relatives asked them if I perhaps also had performed a few signs or wonders.
5
The skipper said: "What signs, what wonders? The word and the teaching of the Lord, which is the eternal, living truth that is full of light from His eternal Heavens, is in itself already the greatest sign and wonder, because before Him no one has ever spoken and taught as He speaks and teaches. Tomorrow I will still learn a lot of things from Him, which are still totally unknown to me, for he who does not become wise at His side and filled with the eternal life of the soul, stays eternally deader than a cement stone.
6
I will make this now the most important task of my life to proclaim aloud His honor, His divineness and His truly holiest name, because the dumbness and evilness of all worldly men has left me now entirely. Who will stand before me with the lie when I will throw the truth as a burning thorn bush into his face? Just like before when the shepherd David slung a stone to the proud forehead of the giant Goliath, which threw him to the ground.
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Woe to the hypocritical Pharisee who thinks that he can teach me something differently. I will tell and show him, on which step towards Hell he is standing and what kind of reward awaits for him there."
8
All his companions were surprised about the courage of the skipper, but said anyway that it would be more clever not to make immediately in the beginning such loud commotion, so that the evil Pharisees would not be made more hostile against the Savior and His disciples as they were already now.
9
But the skipper said: "If in future we still will hold back against the greatest enemies of men and the truth, only out of fear for their evilness, then there never will be light among the people on this Earth. Therefore, with real courage, the truth should openly be thrown in their face, and we only have to really show these cunning cowards our teeth and claws just like a lion, then they soon will crawl back into their dark holes."
10
The skipper continued his speech in this way for a while, until he was overtaken by sleep and he allowed himself a short rest. But in the morning he was completely strengthened and the first one to be on his feet. And his first thought was about Me. He glorified and praised Me with all his heart.
11
When he saw that his companions were still sleeping, he woke them up and said (the skipper): "Friends, let us go quickly, so that we can arrive with our fishes still before sunrise, because this day we can receive the eternal life for our souls and also for the souls of still many other people."
12
They all stood up quickly from their resting places, went to the fish tanks, took out about 100 of the most beautiful and best fishes and carried them to Jesaira.
13
This time, also the 8 fishermen who stayed home the evening before went with them, and helped them to bring the fishes to Jesaira in containers that they put on a cart, which they pulled and pushed themselves.
14
When they arrived easily and quickly in Jesaira, most of the disciples were still sleeping. Only I, Peter, Andreas, James, John, Kisjona, Philopold and the innkeeper and several of his servants were already on their feet, and outside we looked at the lively scenes of the early morning.
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When the fishermen saw Me, they immediately rejoiced and thanked Me already from some distance that I had considered them worthy to see and speak to them also on this day.
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When they were completely near to us with their cart, they asked Me once more if I mercifully and pleasingly would like to accept their small offering.
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I said to them: "The word that I said to you yesterday at a same circumstance is also valid for today, and from now on into all eternity. Give the fishes to the innkeeper. He will know how to use them."
18
Then they gave the fishes to the innkeeper, and the skipper made it clear to the innkeeper that he should not be scanty with the fishes, because their fish tanks were so full with the best kind that they did not have to go out for 100 days for a new catch.
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Then the servants of Kisjona took the fishes and brought them to the big guest kitchen where there was a rather big container to keep the fishes, made of cedar wood, which was constructed by My foster father Joseph even before I was born and of which the innkeeper took good care because his father let it be constructed in the year when he died shortly after.
20
The father of the innkeeper was a pious and very righteous man, and was therefore also an intimate friend of Joseph who had often some good work to do with the father of our innkeeper, and he also stayed a friend of the son as long as he lived. That is why the innkeeper was always very fond of My family.
21
Only Myself they did not know so well in this house, and I was not so much appreciated there because I was always very quiet and did not step forward.
22
These things may serve to know this house in Jesaira somewhat better, of which however - nota bene - like many other places at the Lake of Galilee, not a trace can be found anymore for already more than 1.000 years, because the many wars and migrations with which these lands were often afflicted, destroyed and devastated everything. And now back to ourselves.