The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Galilee
- Chapter 77 -
In the damaged synagogue.
Then the scribe came to Me and said: "Master, why did You not also protect our homes like this here?"
2
I said: "Then why did you not also believe like this one here?"
3
The scribe said: "How could we force ourselves to believe? To complete faith belongs a more solid conviction than we have from You. In this time, where all kinds of sorcerers and men of wonders are widespread it is difficult - namely for an old scribe - to discover the truth out of the many appearances that look alike and then to accept them as such without doubting and to believe them without doubting."
4
I said: "Then who forced this companion of yours to believe? And how did he discover the truth among the many false appearances? Look, this is not contained in the reason of man but in his better and more sincere heart.
5
Already for a very long time you did not make it a matter of conscience anymore to lie and to deceive the people in all kinds of ways for your outer worldly advantage. But only he did not do that because the commandments of God still meant something to him and he did not distort them as you distorted them.
6
There is no more faith in your heart, and therefore also no more truth of life, and that is the reason why you could not recognize Me and could not believe in Me, for if there is no truth and no live, even the most clear truth and its life cannot be absorbed and cannot obtain a permanent place to stay.
7
But wherever there is still some truth and its life living in the heart of a person, then also a higher truth can easily receive room, which then brings forth the living faith and its power. And that was the case with this companion of yours, and so I let it happen as he believed. Here you have now basically the reason of your unbelief and hardness of your heart, which makes and keeps you blind like those of your kind all around the whole land of the Jews. Now I have spoken and I will return now to the inn."
8
To these words of Mine the scribe and his followers did not know anything to answer Me, and escorted by the converted Pharisee, the innkeeper and the healed chief helper I went directly to the inn where all the disciples were still sitting at the table and talked with each other about My teachings and deeds.
9
The other Pharisees and the scribe were searching through the synagogue with the help of the lights together with certain servants of the innkeeper to find out about all the things that were destroyed by the fire. They also could have done that the next day but since they possessed much gold, silver and still other treasures that were very well hidden in the synagogue in the different corners and the holes of the wall, they wanted to convince themselves to what extent the fire had spared also the hidden treasures or not. When they zealously checked the corners and the holes of the walls and could still find this and that undamaged, they felt somewhat better, but still they set up good watchmen consisting of a few helpers of the innkeeper in return of a good reward, so that no one could steal anything from them and would make them even poorer then they thought to be now.
10
In the mean time we were talking with each other about many things, which are not necessary to mention here since they already were sufficiently explained and clarified in the different places where they happened.
11
It was more in particular our trip from Jericho to this place that was clearly and briefly explained by My disciples, by which the Pharisee, the innkeeper, his helper and his wife and a few of his adult children were extremely amazed, and the Pharisee repeatedly exclaimed aloud: "No, this is endlessly more than is needed to make even stones seeing. And my companions remain still blind and try to secure their pitiful worldly treasures while the highest and eternal everlasting treasures of life are being put here in the greatest abundance on the table. But what can we do when the Lord of life performs so often and in vain the greatest signs and gives teachings to the people that can only come from the heart and the mouth of God? Unfortunately I live amidst wolves and I must howl together with them to prevent being torn to pieces by them, but from now on they will not be able to make me howl anymore, for now I surely know what to do."
12
While our Pharisee was still making similar exclamations, also the scribe came and wanted to say that the fire did still not destroy a considerable amount of treasures.
13
But the Pharisee stood up to them immediately and said: "I beseech you to keep quiet on this holy place concerning the worldly filth of the greatest damnation. That filth has made men devils and has thrown their souls into the pool of eternal death. But here among us is the Lord of life who possesses all might over everything in Heaven and on Earth, and He has come to free us from the old yoke of Hell and eternal death, by His love, mercy and more than great compassion, and you try to secure the filth of Hell so that you then will be more blind, hardened and more dead in your soul than you are already now. Here are the gates of Heaven wide open, and you and the other companions make efforts to sustain Hell for yourselves. O, what must the blindness of your souls and the hardness of your heart be great.
14
Ask yourself: who can the One be to whom are obeying winds, storms, flashes of lightning, fire and other elements and powers of nature? I have recognized Him and am therefore now more than happy. Why do you still not recognize Him who can destroy you with the lightest breath of His almighty will or can cast you into Hell? Because with your body and soul you stick to the evil filth of the world and are death and blind in your heart."