THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN
VOLUME 5
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Beyond the Jordan at the Sea of Galilee. Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 19
- Chapter 271 -
On modesty, gentleness and humility. The golden middle path.
Then one said from out of their midst, "Oh Master and Lord! Behold, if one in his mind is full of a thousand thoughts about You, about Your deeds and about Your teaching and one cannot reach clear rest by a long shot, then speaking is difficult, because one does not know at all where one should begin and where one should end! But in addition comes the fact that You Yourself are present here, who also surely knows each of our thoughts before it has ever popped up in us and is felt by us. What can we then say in Your personal presence and what can we discuss? Yes, if You want to say something else here, then we would indeed like to hear You, as long as You would like to speak; but with our speech it would look very poor!"
2
I said, "Listen! Modesty is a good virtue, and one can only recommend it highly to man; but to be too modest is often unwise, because one only helps ones neighbor through a too great modesty to the overestimation of his capabilities, however good, and gradually even to arrogance, which is not good, but on the contrary it is very bad. For Me that can indeed never be the case, but among others very easily.
3
You see, the often too great modesty of the otherwise very honest people towards those who oppose them with particular talents and capabilities, and who therefore have too great amazement and honor made out of them kings and in the end the very most arrogant tyrants, as well as also the very most arrogant priesthood! Therefore you should also constantly find the golden middle in virtues such as humility, gentleness and modesty, otherwise you, even if you were free now, would form such people yourselves in time among you who would treat you all then with all harshness and you would then sigh under their pressure.
4
I know indeed that My deeds and My words have taken away your courage to say anything in front of Me; but it is not so much that, as that you believe in your hearts that I am the One who from God through the mouth of the prophets was promised firstly to the Jews and through them to all the people of the Earth.
5
If you believe that very actively and observe My teaching in deed and My easy commandments, you will also take in My spirit and through the same do even greater things than what I have just done before you; for if you are children of one and the same Father in heaven, you are also heirs of His perfection, to which you have been called. You can then also act and so as these disciples of Mine now do and can act, when it is necessary. If you now know this, then you can also speak before Me without fear and shyness like these disciples of Mine.
6
For if such a thing was never possible, I would have certainly had no disciples with Me, who should also be as perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect and in Me; for as a servant I certainly do not need any person, since I Myself can serve all people and I do at all times. But if I wanted to have beings who served Me, then I would only have to desire, and in an instant countless hosts of the most powerful angels would be at My disposal and would obey My signals. But from that you can draw the very non-deceptive conclusion that I only have taken disciples to Me so that they should learn everything from Me that I can do Myself, and that I have come to you for quite the same reason. Tell Me now whether you still do not dare to speak before Me now!"