The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Jesaira
- Chapter 183 -
Ahab the Templer with his colleagues: his success. They head for Baram's house.
Ahab goes off, rushing over to his colleagues. Arriving there, they all besiege him, saying, 'For Temple's sake, what kept you?! What we have been through because of you! Where are we? What's the magician doing? How did you fare? Are the soldiers on the way? We are in dire straits! Are you unaware of this?!'
2
Says Ahab, 'Why? What should I know about?!'
3
Say the old ones, 'Imagine! Barely half an hour ago, three residents were here, Jews of this place, telling us that the entire Jesairan market town have one and all gone over to the Greeks, leaving us with nothing further to do here! What do you say to that?! And listen, for all this we can thank this cursed magician, who is nothing but an apostle of hell, harbouring Beelzebub's spirit in his breast! Yes, what say you to this?!'
4
Says Ahab, 'If so then we are done for, and can start looking for an exit! I indeed heard a whisper yesterday, but could not work out the drift of it. But it serves us quite right! I have told you many times that the stupidity and darkness into which the Temple initiated us won't get us far with the wakeful Greeks, and that it is an easy matter for them to have us over the barrel. But this was pouring oil on the fire. Now that has come to pass which I kept working out for you by the fingers of one hand, and I can't see why you should now be surprised. I said to you often, let's not pull wool over the people's eyes, because there is a limit for everything in the world! What good will it do us to systematically confound the people into darkest fools. The stupidity will relapse into malice and we can then take to our heels, and that's it!
5
The people placed great store by Moses and the prophets, yet we were saying, these are dead, and Scripture with them! God reveals His will in the Temple and indicates what to make of Moses and the prophets. It now is the High Priest's, the Levites' and the Pharisees and the Scribes who are the living Moses and Prophets! - That is our doctrine!
6
Only too clearly had I told you a hundred times that this presumption shall have dire consequences. But you laughed me off with this having no hope of a possibility! - It is here now! Would you still call it impossible?!
7
But I say again, it serves us all absolutely right, because whoever does not accept advice on serious issues cannot be helped!
8
Over at Baram's house I went to great lengths to calm down the stirred-up folk; I told the hotheads that soldiers shall shortly be arriving from Capernaum to discipline them! And they laughed, saying, "For these you shall do a little waiting, because your messenger is in our hands, as are all of you! See to it that you leave of your own accord, or you shall be moved by other means!" That was the commendable response to my warning and threats of the people; it wasn't worth the bother!
9
Concerning the magician however, he is in the clear on that score, for he together with his disciples and Baram might now be the only Jews in this place! That he could be a magician I will not dispute, but I would not hazard to assert that he acts through Beelzebub, although I don't wish to dismiss your view completely. Go over now yourselves and talk to him, and be convinced of everything.'
10
Ask the old ones, 'Has he healed the many sick yet?'
11
Says Ahab, 'Could well be, although I did not notice. There still is a crowd of people of both sexes outside Baram's house, mainly familiar Greeks, talking with the really very plain magician, or whatever else he might be, but I saw no more sick people. Perhaps he healed them at the time I was keeping watch here for you. But as said, lets go over now, and you shall find out how matters stand.'
12
Say the old ones, 'Is there no hazard to life!' - Says Ahab, 'How foolish a question again! Can you say you are safe here?! The way things have turned out against us, the open ground surely is an advantage, when we can use our legs rather than be knocked off behind four walls!'
13
Say the old ones, 'You are quite right; hence let's go outside, and lock up our considerable treasures first.' Says Ahab, 'Very well, just let's get going; who is about to rob us of our treasure?! The people of this place now have quite different things to watch rather than our treasures!'
14
After this the old rise, locking up everything and not telling even their servants what they are on about.