THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN
VOLUME 5
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus in the region of Caesarea Philippi. (cont.) Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16
- Chapter 146 -
The unmasking of the false accusers.
When Cyrenius had read through this letter very attentively with the most serious face, he turned with a sympathetically friendly look to Me and said, "But Lord, is that even possible to make You suspicious to me in such a very most shameful way?! What do You say to this? For You certainly know what it contains!"
2
I say, "Call Raphael and Roklus; for it would not be right for Me to talk to these messengers of the Prince of lies!"
4
When Raphael came to Cyrenius, he [Raphael] also handed him a scroll and said, "There you have the duplicate of the letter supposedly written by Herod; read it and recognize from it that I and through me also Roklus were informed before about this genuine pharisaic shamefulness! After the signature of Herod, which he however never got to see, nor did he know anything of this most shameful plan, there is a small comment which will explain to you the whole content, and which you must also read therefore. But once you have read everything, give it then to the messengers and let them read it too! Further things will happen of themselves."
5
Cyrenius took this scroll into his hands and read it through quickly, also the comment, at which he could not wonder enough, since it contained exactly what he had immediately thought himself. When he had read all this, he gave this scroll likewise to the false centurion and said, "Now you too read this out to your companions!"
6
With a visible embarrassment the centurion took this scroll from Raphael and read it with an ever falling face, and having read the comment even a positive fever came across him, and all the messengers began to change color very significantly, which naturally did not escape the sharp look of Cyrenius and all those present. When the false centurion had read the scroll through entirely "and indeed so loud that what was read could be heard also by his companions "he gave Raphael's scroll back to Cyrenius again with a deep bow, but said no word; for he, like his companions, had been enormously affected by this event, and their deception now stood before a cliff wall on which there was not even the most miserable path to cross.
7
After a short while of the most total silence Cyrenius broke the same and asked the centurion, "So, Herod supposedly advises me to offer up everything in order to capture the prophet, and that I should have his head, as well as the heads of all his disciples, struck from his body without a second thought?"
8
At this question there was no answer.
9
Then Cyrenius became annoyed and said, "An answer! "or you shall pay for this outrage in an exemplary way! From whom does this letter come, who wrote it, who had the cheek to come to me with such a colossal lie, and what a shameful intention is hidden there in the background?"
10
At this very energetic question almost all the messengers lost consciousness; for they knew that they were dealing with the most merciless Roman supreme governor. Everyone began to shake and fever as if seized by a panicked fear, and there was no sign of an answer.
11
Then Julius said, "High ruler, how would it be then if we paid these messengers immediately with the reward specified by the law "for valid betrayal "and then brought them to Sidon in the strongest custody until the time when the revolution will break loose according to their suggested deadline, on which day then the whole reward for betrayal will be paid, either on the cross or on the block? We can see from an hour's journey away that these Romans are nothing but a heap of the very worst Pharisees, who can be bought with gold for every ignominy!"
12
Cyrenius says, "You are quite right; but since we are not the only lords here and someone else here has a comment to make, we will wait for this with the greatest calm possible!"