The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Galilee
- Chapter 88 -
The result of unceasing praying. The parable of the oppressed widow and the hard judge.
I said: "You have understood the image very correctly and according to the truth, and it was fit to bring it forward again here with a few words. But to make the image that was mentioned by you even more understandable for everyone according to the view of one's own reason, and because this is still a good time for us now, I will give you another image with which you will see even more clearly how a true person should not cease praying and asking if he wants to attain to the true power of My Kingdom in himself. So listen.
2
There was a judge in a city who did not fear God and who was afraid of no one. But there was also a widow in that same city. She came to him and said: 'O righteous judge, save me from my adversaries, for look, like this and like that is the situation, and according to the law it is completely in my favor.'
3
Also the judge was aware of that at first glance, but he was not in the right mood and did not want to accept the trial of the widow. But the widow did not stop, came several times to the judge and begged him on her knees to accept the case.
4
Then the judge thought by himself: What shall I do? Even though I do not fear God, and also no human being - since this widow gave me already so much trouble I will save her, so that finally she will not come back even more often and make me completely dull with her begging.'
5
Did you learn from that image of what the judge has said and done? And if already a judge, who judges strictly righteously according to the law, will hear the continuous begging of an oppressed widow and helps her, would God not sooner save His chosen ones who cry to Him day and night, and would He have less patience and love for them than the judge had for the widow?
6
Truly I say to you: He will hear and save them shortly, in this time as well as in the future when He just as now will return to this Earth as the Son of Man.
7
But when the Son of Man will return during that time to this world, do you think that He will find faith?"
8
Andreas said: "Lord and Master, since I have spoken earlier, I shall also speak this time, if You will allow me."
9
I said: "You just can speak, because you have the right perception, courage and mouth for it."
10
Then Andreas said: "What concerns the image itself, it means the same as what I meant with the image of the lord of the house and the beggar for bread in the night, which I just related again. But the position of God regarding the worldly people who seek help with Him in the oppression of their night of life, was pointed out still more clearly than in the other image that was related by me again. Because in that image God appears in a certain way only as a righteous judge without any bond, who can always help the oppressed people whenever He wants - and He also helps them - but only after they have really troubled Him with their unceasing begging.
11
Also here it is only a matter of the practice of faith and trust. Once this has attained a certain unbendable power, then also the prayer is answered and the help is also there.
12
You still added something. You said that God, as a loving Father, would certainly hear sooner His chosen ones, who are already in the power of faith and trust, if they would ask Him for help in their inner day of life to which they have already attained, but also in their night which can still easily come back now and then. Here You do not appear anymore as an almost relentless worldly judge who, because he himself is God, should not fear God and also no human being, but as a Father of those who have already attained to their inner day of life. This is how I understood it and I believe that I am not mistaken.
13
At this moment none of us is still completely in his inner day of life, but partly sometimes also for a great deal in our old night of life, and we still have many things to ask You in order to practice faith and trust, and thus to become stronger. However, You have promised us a sure and fast salvation, and we believe also without any doubt that each of Your promises will be fulfilled.
14
But You told us again about a second coming to this Earth, and at the end You asked the question whether You would find faith among the people.
15
Well now, to give an answer to Your question is still entirely beyond our understanding, and so I cannot give You an answer on this. However, You Yourself will know best how the condition of the faith of men will be in the far future, and if You want You can tell us still more precisely than You have done on several other occasions."
16
I said: "You have also well understood this present-day image completely according to the truth, and by that you truly made My heart happy. If you all will also do it that way, the complete salvation of your souls from the yoke of the matter of this world and its enticements will not delay."