The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the region of Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 179 -
The wisdom of the Lord.
When you will see for instance in a big building that is finished, a stone in a wall, and then also a protruding beam, then you will also reason like this: 'Now why did the master builder actually let this brick to be put in this wall, and let that beam protrude above it? Could he not as well have used that stone efficiently in another wall and insert that beam in another part?'
2
The master builder will tell you: 'Friend, you reason about my architecture, in which I am very well knowledgeable and skilful, as a blind person about color. Look, that stone that irritates you so much must be exactly put in that spot for the whole structure and durability of the building. Just like your eyes are effective on that spot in your head, which is the most suitable place for them. And this is also the case with that protruding beam. First, be skilful in architecture, starting from the basics, then you will be capable to form a correct and true opinion about a building and about its separate elements, from the first to the last and from the smallest to the greatest.'
3
What the architect, who is experienced in architecture, should tell you as an answer to your opinion about the building that he build, the same I am telling you as an answer to your opinion about the conditions of the soul that precede his final form.
4
In order to explain very clearly your question to me, based on your Greek wisdom, you have used the image of a chain, of which the ring-shaped links are indeed separate and present as such, but since they were not connected with each other, the one link did actually not exist for the other, and could therefore not have a mutual relation with it. For if a link is not hanging well recognizably, visibly and tangibly to the next one, the whole unattached chain is completely useless, and does actually not exist at all.
5
But I tell you: go and observe a very good chain smith, how he makes a chain. First, only separate links are made. Once they are present in the right quantity, they are connected with each other with links in between, according to the ancient rules of the art of forgery. And this in such a way that from this, after the first connection, groups of only 3 ring-shaped links will appear. Once that work is finished, 3 links and 3 links are connected with each other with a 7th link in between. After that, with the use of a new link in between, there are groups of 15 links, which are again connected with each other. And this will continue until the whole, long chain is ready.
6
Once the long chain is ready, from the first to the last link, according to this ancient way of forgery, will you then still say and ask why the master smith, who is very experienced in his handwork, made at first only separate, unconnected, ring-shaped links for the making of a long chain? Or will you then not rather think by yourself: 'The master smith was completely right to work like that. For by that, he assured himself of the strength of each separate link. Once every link is strong in itself, then after the connection, the whole chain will also be strong and lasting.'
7
Although the separate former conditions of a soul seem to be as it were unconnected for your understanding, nevertheless in the eyes of the great Master Smith, they already exist as connected. Because which master smith on the whole Earth would be so stupid to make continuously separate chain rings, only for his extremely boring pleasure, without ever having the idea and the will to connect them to become a whole, very useable chain?
8
But if an earthly smith will not do that, whose understanding, comparing to the wisdom of God, is as good as nothing, then how can you expect something like that from the extremely loving and more than wise God? A smith, who would be stupid and foolish, would really not even be capable to make the worst ring of a chain, let alone a whole chain. But if a smith with the help of his reason, skill and strength can make separate rings, he also will be well capable to make a whole chain from that, because he only made the separate rings beforehand to obtain the whole, very useable chain.
9
And all the more, God let only exist the separate former conditions of the soul of man beforehand, letting him become as if a separate existence, for the benefit of his final complete connection.
10
However, if God would not be wise, He also would not be that powerful to bring something to life out of Himself, having a form, as if existing outside of Him. A supreme might and power is however not thinkable without a supreme, pure, most unselfish love - and coming from its eternal living fire, a supreme and extremely living light of wisdom. And from that light, no man, with a somehow purified human reason, can ever expect that the love and wisdom of God will bring all kinds of weak and helpless beings to a life which is often extremely short, in order to have by that a short satisfaction - like children with their toys. For in that case, which is as such completely impossible, God would be in His love and wisdom as powerless as a human being, and He would not be able to bring any being to a real existence by the power of His will.
11
From this you can conclude that firstly, one true and eternal, in Himself unchangeable God must exist, without whom no other being is imaginable. And secondly, that this one and only true God is the highest, purest Love, and thus also the highest Wisdom, of which all His endless many works are witnessing. And He must therefore also have the Power above everything. For without that, nothing could be created. And thirdly, since God is in Himself, as the eternal Order, unchangeable, then also for His creatures it can impossibly be different than to remain, just like Him, forever unchangeable - this after the planned period of their perfection where some apparent changes have to precede.
12
Now, if this is still not enough for you, you can eternally search for more convincing proofs, but these you will never find. Did you really and truly well understand everything I have said to you now?"