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 169 -
A promise for people seeking help. The Lord's farewell from the house of Mark.
Ebahl, Jarah's father came up to Me and says, "There is indeed nothing else which we could ask You about; for we have experienced the truths and the miracles here in the last seven days in such a number that, divided across seven thousand years, a hearty part would come each year and then humanity would get enough to be amazed about and to think about in every year. We have now become extremely rich in the very most valuable treasures of the spirit; there is only the matter of actually bringing these treasures into life "for otherwise they are worthless for our souls, whose salvation is the one and only issue in this life. Here there is only one question: Will we otherwise only weak people always possess the sufficient strength of will for this? What will we do if in time weaknesses of all sorts come upon us which cannot spare even those of often the best will?"
2
Say I: "I will be the help, strength and support of every earnest aspiration! In time of need I will never leave anyone who has always walked along My path loving Me and faithfully believing. But if he has turned away from My path through all sorts of enticements from the world, then he only has himself to blame if My help in the time of need does not appear, and that will happen until the fallen one turns back to Me full of seriousness and regret and in full belief!
3
I will indeed remain one and the same true shepherd who goes after the lost sheep. But the sheep must somehow begin to bleat and allow itself to be found according to its own and inviolable free will.
4
He who is bowed down under a burden of life too heavy for his strength shall turn to Me in his heart, and I will strengthen and revive him. For this is the reason why I give some person a greater burden to carry, so that he might feel his weakness and then turn to Me in his heart to ask for sufficient strength to carry his greater burden of life. And I shall strengthen him in all his distress and give him a proper light so that he can walk the dark roads of this earthly life. But he who does not turn to Me in his heart although he does feel the excessive load, only has to blame himself if he succumbs to the enormous burden of his earthly life.
5
There you have the answer to your question, My friend Ebahl! If anyone else has a problem, come forward and ask!"
6
Shabbi comes to Me in the deepest respect, the speaker of the twenty Persians who were still present, and says, "Permit, oh Lord, another little word!"
7
I say, "Speak, Shabbi! That is why I said to everyone, come forward and ask!"
8
Says Shabbi: "It is quite certain that You, oh Lord, will help anyone who asks for Your help. But what about those people who, through no fault of their own, know nothing about You, either at present or for a long time to come and who, whilst living in the greatest darkness of life, have to bear unspeakable burdens in this life? To whom shall they turn so that they might be helped and strengthened in their indescribable distress?"
9
Say I: "There is not a spot on this earth which is not lit up by the light of the sun. Likewise, there is no human being who does not at least have some notion about an almighty Deity. Let him supplicate, ask and hope according to his belief, and he will find help. But there are so many people now who have no faith at all. They help themselves and ease their life's burden as far as possible at the expense of others. In truth, they do not require our help. Whoever wants to belong to Satan one day, let him be, for if what a person wants comes to pass, he is not done an injustice. In any case just think back to what I said about the multiple conditions of life of all people on the whole Earth, and for all times, and you will then find everything clearly illuminated!
10
Now My time amongst you has come to an end. You may stay longer together here in My name, yet I must leave with My disciples. Let no one of you ask Me where we are going. For at the moment even I. as a mere Son of Man, do not know it. Only the Father within Me knows, and this is what He says: 'Rise now and go. On the road I shall reveal your destination to you.' - Peace and My love be with you."
11
Then I said to Marcus: "Untie the great new ship. I shall board it with My disciples. And you, My disciples, rise and follow Me. We do not need a skipper, yet the ship will return by itself, unharmed, without a helmsman, to the harbor at the right time."
12
Everyone began to cry when I went onto the ship with the apostles. But I strengthened their troubled hearts, quickly sailed out onto the open sea and soon disappeared from their view. But they remained the whole day and the whole night together and discussed Me, My teaching and deeds. Only on the next morning did they go on to their places, and Cyrenius made arrangements to lead all the converted Pharisees here to their new designations. Several wanted to come after Me; but Raphael held them back and said that I would in any case soon come back to Kis, Genezareth and also here. Then they all became quiet and praised God that He had granted them such mercy. In a few days already a large number of guests came from Tyre and Sidon in order to see the miracles and to enjoy the healing springs, and Mark immediately took in a large number of servants.