The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord's journey through Samaria
- Chapter 45 -
The caravan of the robbers.
I quickly moved on with the disciples along the way, which also led to Jerusalem. However, I did not yet go directly to Jerusalem but made a great detour, more precisely through Samaria and part of Galilee. In that province, most of the people knew Me already, and on different places they brought their sick ones to Me, and I also healed them.
2
The road on which we had to travel was quite desolate and was consequently rarely used, and so we could, without being seen, often move on with the speed of the wind, as we always had done during long trips.
3
At noon, when we were already in Samaria, we met a little caravan that traveled via Jericho to Egypt.
4
The first leader of the caravan stopped before us and asked us in Greek if that way was leading to Jericho and if they could travel from there to Egypt.
5
But I said to him: "Why did you actually become a leader when you yourself do not know the way?"
6
The leader said: "Our home is much further than Damascus and we are making this long trip for the first time of our life. That is why we have to inquire here and there for the right and shortest way, and that is often difficult here because it is only seldom that someone speaks our language."
7
I said: "Listen, if a traveler does really not know the way along which he has to travel, he is completely right to ask someone for the right and shortest possible way that leads to a foreign country, but it is not nice of you to hold us up and made us stop under the pretext of not knowing the way while you surely have traveled this road for already 20 times. The reason why you are holding us up is a totally different one and not at all praiseworthy. You think that we carry hidden treasures that you want to seize, and that is why you made us stop. But such things as you think, we do not have with us. However, we do have other treasures in great abundance for the soul and spirit, and these we give freely to everyone who wants to possess them in all earnestness for the salvation of his soul."
8
The leader was startled at these words and said even more boldly: "How do You know that about us, and who has betrayed us to You!?"
9
I said, also with a strong voice: "I know you and your 70 companions already since your birth. Your real name is Olgon, which you however never use, but instead of that you use in every place an invented name, as well as each one of your accomplices, to make it difficult for a place that you have robbed to take information about you to trace you up and bring you to justice!
10
Also you do not want to travel to Egypt now, but you know that in Jericho there is a big market where you hope to seize something. And you also know that from today in 4 weeks there will be the consecration of the temple in Jerusalem. On that feast there are always many strangers with all kinds of treasures and goods, and you really can use a lot of them. But I say to you: this time you will have a bad catch!"
11
The leader, now in full rage, said: "If you still want to leave this place safe and sound, then remain silent about us everywhere - if you really know us already - and travel on now quickly, for I know you also and I swear by all gods our most terrible vengeance if ever I will somehow discover that you have betrayed us. Although we live from robbery, but therefore we still are no murderers, for if we were, then you would fare badly now!"
12
I said: "If you would know Me, you would say to Me: 'Lord, be forgiving and merciful to me, great sinner, and forgive me my sins, for I want to improve my life and do penance, and I will try to make up as much as possible for all the injustice that I have caused someone.' But since you do not know Me, you are determined to persevere in your sins and you have sworn vengeance to Me by all gods while you are still a Jew and you know the laws of Moses. If you would really be a Greek, I would not have permitted you to hold Me up, but since you are also a son of Jacob, I have permitted it, so that you would receive the opportunity to hear the truth and by that make a greater catch for your life than the one for which you have gone out now."
13
Then Olgon said in a very tempered tone: "Tell me who You are, so that I can talk with You differently."
14
I said: "I am someone to whom all power has been given in Heaven and on Earth, and all things are submitted to the authority of My will, for My will is God's will and My power is God's power which reigns eternally, and rules over all powers. Now you know who the One is who is talking to you."
15
Olgon said: "O, o, how is that? If all power were given to You in Heaven and on Earth, You would be more than Moses and all other patriarchs and prophets, for they only possessed little power on this Earth, as we have read in the Scriptures. And You would even possess all power in Heaven and on Earth? O, I have never heard something like it from the mouth of a human being, unless he is insane. But this does not seem to be the case with You because You firstly do not look like one and secondly there is nothing in Your words that seems to be insane. If You really possess that perfect godly power, then give us proof, then we will believe Your words and do according to Your will."
16
I said: "If you can remain silent about it to the Jews in Jerusalem, and namely to the Pharisees in the temple and also in other places where you will meet Pharisees, because for those degenerated kind of people the light of Heaven should not shine."