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 192 -
The wonderful supper.
1
(The Lord) "We will have a formal war to fight today towards midnight! For a second deputation from Jerusalem - since the one under Zinka has not been heard from - was sent out yesterday from Jerusalem; "from whom, you can easily imagine! They come by ship and some fishermen who knew you informed them that we entered this bay today around noon. They will indeed tonight have difficulty finding their way into this bay, but in the end with the help of a couple of well-paid fishermen familiar with this place they will nonetheless arrive here. There are also two arch-Pharisees among them and a main shield bearer of Herod. But in the meantime do not tell these fishermen anything about it, because we would thus give them very unnecessary fear, because they still do not fully know us and very secretly still consider us to be magicians of the most extraordinary type!
2
"But these pursuers will not get off so lightly as those under Zinka! They pursue Me with a rage and zeal of their own and, therefore, their enterprise shall cost them very dearly. For, erring human beings under coercion must be treated in a way different from veritable devils. Today you shall see in Me a merciless judge, in whom at this moment no love shall live! But now be very quiet about this; for our hosts are now bringing the very well-prepared evening meal!"
3
When Aziona arrives with his food basket, he says, "Dear, divine friends! Everything would already be alright; but no table, no benches and no light! "And yet it has already become quite dark!"
4
I say: "All that does not matter! Listen, magicians such as we are never embarrassed! We only need to say: Table, bench and light, come here! And behold, it is all already there for our necessary comfort!"
5
Instantly a large, covered, long table stood there surrounded by good benches, and on the table stood a large Naphtha lamp with bright sun-white light, so that the whole area around about was illuminated as bright as day. Aziona and Hiram almost let the food basket fall in shock and amazement, but soon took control of themselves and sat down, still somewhat cautiously, around the wonderful table.
6
Hiram soon looked at Me and then at John again with amazed, but still very keen eyes, as if he was asking himself: Now I would like to know which of them the first and actual master of the company is! And finally he said out loud, "Truly, if that also belongs to the kingdom of magic, then that alone would be rewarded with ten thousand pounds of the purest gold in Alexandria!"
7
At this Judas Iscariot could no longer hold his tongue and said quite loudly, "Oh if only I could do that, - I would not remain an hour longer in this foolish praised land where one is constantly persecuted all the time!"
8
Here Jacob gave him a sign and reminded him of My previous admonition. So he became silent and said no further word.
9
Aziona however called all his people from the huts and showed them the new miracle, and his wife called out, "Man, those are no magicians, they must be gods; for such a thing is something unheard-of!"
10
Aziona said, "You may well indeed be very right; only the question is whether the high gods of Olympus would be happy with our fish!"
11
The wife, who was a Greek from Athens and thus still a very firm Gentile, said, "Oh, man, such a thing I have heard often from the high gods! For the gods love only in their high heavens the very highest splendor; on the Earth however they always turn to the plainest and simplest person and content themselves with the very simplest food. Yes, yes, my dear husband, thus is it quite certainly and surely!"
12
Aziona says, "Well, well, it must be so; but now it's all better again! Now just go into the huts again and put everything into the best order!"