The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Nahim in Judea
- Chapter 42 -
The testimony of the widow and her arisen son before the people.
When the widow heard that I would leave soon in the morning with My disciples, she took care on time that a sufficient meal would be prepared. So when in the early morning we came out of our bedroom and came into the guest room, the morning meal was ready, and the widow came with her son to Me and asked Me if I would like to eat the morning meal with My disciples before My departure.
2
But I saw that the tables of the Greeks were still not set, and I said to the widow: "Look, also the Greeks, who came to believe in Me, must not go back home with an empty stomach. Set also the table for them, so that they may see that I not only give the bread of life to the Jews, but also to the gentiles."
3
When the widow heard that, she hurried to the kitchen to prepare also a morning meal for the Greeks.
4
But when she came into the kitchen she saw there already a sufficient morning meal, completely prepared, and being very surprised she asked her kitchen maids who had prepared that second morning meal for the Greeks in such a short time.
5
The maids said: "That we do not know, and apart from us we have also seen no one else in the kitchen, but we were just as surprised as you when we saw it, and we are overtaken by fear. That great and mighty prophet who yesterday has made your son alive again must have done it by the power of His will. Yes, yes, among the Jews a great prophet has risen, and in Him God has visibly visited His people again who began to greatly forget Him, and if the people will not repent soon and do penance, then surely a great judgment that will destroy all evildoers will follow this visitation."
6
The widow said: "Yes indeed, yes indeed, you could be completely right in that. But since now the morning meal for the Greeks has been prepared in a very miraculous way, bring it immediately to the guestroom and set it on the table where the Greeks are sitting, for this is the will of the great prophet who is filled with all godly power of the Spirit."
7
After these words of the widow the morning meal that was prepared in a miraculous way was brought immediately to the table of the Greeks, and immediately after that we began to partake of the well-prepared morning meal, and besides that we were very cheerful.
8
The widow was about to tell the Greeks who were very surprised about the fast preparation of the morning meal, which I ordered for them, how it has been prepared.
9
But I said to her: "Woman, for what you are about to tell, there will still be sufficient time after I have departed, but now we will eat and drink what has been set on the table."
10
After this admonition of Mine the widow remained silent and she ate and drank with us.
11
When half an hour later we all had finished our morning meal, I stood up, together with My disciples, and we prepared ourselves for our departure.
12
But just when we, so to speak, wanted to move our feet, a great number of people from the city came to stand before the door of the inn. They wanted to take information whether the revived son of the widow was still living, and if the revival was real or maybe only apparent. Because also great magicians, who came often from the far morning lands to Judea, have already made dead people alive, but that life had only been for a short time, because it was only an apparent life and no real life, and therefore they wanted to know now immediately if the son was still alive or that he maybe was already losing the life, just as inevitably this had been each time the case after all revivals that were performed by magicians.
13
Then the widow asked Me what she had to answer the obtrusive questioners.
14
I said to her: "Send your son outside to them. When they will see that he is completely fit and healthy, then he himself will be the best answer to all their foolish questions. The local rabbi has persuaded them out of irritation because the Greeks showed him yesterday that they understand the prophet Isaiah better than him as an old scribe. Thus, the rabbi instructed the questioners about the magicians whom he only knows by hearsay, but whom he has never seen any of them, so that they doubt now. But if they will see your son, then all their doubts will disappear.
15
But beware of the rabbi and the Pharisees, for in order to maintain the believe in their statements and their triumph with the people they will, when they will see that your son is still alive, try to kill him and to poison him in one way or another. Therefore, do not invite them and never let yourself be invited by them, and do also not accept any other things from them, then they will not be able to do you any harm. Observe this, then I will protect you against all other dangers. Now go with your son outside, so that they will receive by that the most simple and best answer to their many questions."
16
Then the widow went with her son to the many questioners outside and said to them, while she was pointing to her son: "Look, all you doubters, this son of mine lives and is fit and healthy. So he has been awakened from death to life by the great prophet who is filled with the Spirit of God, not apparent but really. Go and tell this also to the rabbi who instructed you so foolishly."
17
Then the son, who was stared at as if he was a wonder of the world, said also: "Yes, yes, I am alive and am very cheerful, fit and healthy, and I also will continue to live, as the One who has awakened me from death to life has promised me, and if from now on I will do and carry out His will completely I also will continue to live and will no more see, feel nor taste death. Go and tell that also to the rabbi, so that maybe he also will believe and be blessed."
18
When the questioners had seen and heard the son, whom they knew well, every doubt left them, and some began to be displeased about the rabbi because he instructed them so completely wrongly about this.
19
When the widow and her son came back again into the room, she thanked Me with her son for the good advice, and they were very glad that they got rid so quickly and easily of the many troublesome questioners.