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 273 -
Judas Iscariot's greed for money.
Then the disciples thanked Me all except for one, who was secretly rebuked by Thomas because of it.
2
But the one (Judas Iscariot) said, "I thank Him in silence for everything that I have received; but you have received more according to His witness than I "therefore it is also quite right that you all thank the Lord for the more that you have received. You can already perform all sorts of miracles; I cannot manage even one, even if I still believe that it should be possible for me "and you are capable of almost everything! What I thus have not yet received, for that I cannot thank, but instead only ask for it. I have indeed very often prayed about it in silence, but until now except for food, drink and teaching I have received nothing and have therefore only that to thank for "but the gift of performing miracles, certainly not! Understand me if you will!"
3
Indeed he had said such things more silently, but he was heard very well by Me and by the other disciples.
4
And I said to him, "You, Judas Iscariot, are quite right, that you do not thank Me for what you have not received fully like the other disciples. But when I sent you out before Me a few moons ago to prepare the people in Galilee for Me, then I gave you the power to perform miracles just like the others; but as a money-loving person you began to set up a positive business with it, and allowed yourself to be paid highly and dearly for the miracles you performed. Thereby in a few weeks you had received a great sum of gold and silver, on which your heart hung very much. But because your heart only hung so much to the greatest filth of the Earth and to the gift of miracles only for the sake of the filth "because this was the actual case with you, then for wise and good reasons such a gift has been taken away from you again, but not the teaching. Therefore you can also indeed give instruction about the arrival of the kingdom of God on Earth to the people, if you desire; but if you do not, you can also let it be! But I think that if you are not against eating and drinking, you should also not be against working a little for yourself and for Me!"
5
Judas Iscariot said quite taken aback: "Ah, I do that willingly in any case, but the brothers do not always allow me "I dislike quarrelling, and so I will be quiet again and say nothing!"
6
Said I: "Yes, there you are right again, - except that the brothers do not try to prevent you from continuing your Sermon until you begin towards the end of it, to show mean intentions. Let that be alone in the future, and you will be able to preach unhindered. Why should you beg for alms from the listeners, when none of you has ever suffered want for one day while with Me? Therefore, do My bidding and you will act properly in everything and no one will ever interfere with your actions! - Have you understood Me well?"
7
Judas Iscariot said, "Yes, Lord and Master, I will make an effort to satisfy Your will! But now let me go out into the open air; for I have a real urge to go outdoors!"
8
At this he rose quickly and went out into the open. But he did this only because he felt found out and ashamed.
9
The host asked Me how it could be that the disciple who had gone out was not yet as perfect as the others.
10
I said, "Dear friend, that comes from his occasional egoism! He is a potter by profession and made a lot of money with it at the markets. But when he heard about Me, then he came to Me, listened to My words and saw My deeds. Then he asked to become My disciple. I allowed him this, and so he became My disciple. But he is still what he was, a merchant, and he considers money to be an indispensable thing for our earthly life; therefore he would like to only perform miracles forever and actually only for himself and be paid for it like the magicians. But since that can and may never go together with My miracles, he lost through his own fault the capability he already possessed and thus now constantly somewhat dissatisfied with everything secretly to himself. But otherwise he knows about everything and is a good speaker, and when he teaches anyone about Me and My mission from heaven, his words always have a good effect, and therefore he is one chosen apostle of My original seventy two disciples. Now you know completely who he is and what you have to expect from him."
11
The host says, "Ah, then he is still very much to be respected, and I will discuss with him very often! But now I would indeed like to know what happened to the other sixty disciples! Could they not understand with sense and will in order to follow You, like these twelve, on all the ways and paths, in order to hear and to see very much which would certainly have been of the greatest use for them?"
12
I said, "They have heard and seen as much that they know exactly what they have to do in order to achieve eternal life, and they do not need anything further for now. They did not want to follow Me always and everywhere because of their household situation, and so I released them for the meantime; but they will come again and follow Me on all paths and ways "for they have accepted My word, live and act now accordingly, and so they now have a great desire to come to Me again. They are mainly Galileans like I and these twelve disciples of Mine. "Now you know also the fullest truth; but if you would like to know something else, then ask!"