The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Jesaira
- Chapter 188 -
Arrival in Jesaira of Mary, with Joseph's sons. 'Who is My mother, who My brethren'. Baram inviting the Lord to supper; dismissal of the people. The Pharisees' curse over Baram and their just mugging.
Whilst I yet spoke to the people, mother Mary arrived with My brethren, for she had found out at Kisjonah's house that I had gone and might be staying at Jesaira. It was half a day's journey on foot, and she was well capable of being in Jesaira at noon on Monday, having left home very early morning.
2
Her concerns were on the one hand domestic, which she wanted to discuss with Me, whilst on the other hand they reached into the spiritual, for she had found out quite a few things about Me at Capernaum, about which she wanted especially to talk to Me. (Matt. 12:46) But due to the crush, she could not get into the house, whence she was waiting outside till I came out.
3
But because she had been waiting a long time in vain, she asked someone from Baram's house to tell Me she has been waiting outside for a lengthy period and needed to urgently talk to Me; so the messenger forced his way into My vicinity, saying, 'Master! Behold, your mother and brethren stand outside, wanting to speak to You!'(Matt. 12:47)
4
Here I said to the messenger in an earnest tone, 'What are you saying? Who is My mother, and who My brethren?!' (Matt. 12:48) Here the messenger drew back somewhat scared.
5
But I raised My right hand over My disciples and said, 'Behold, these are My mother and My brethren! (Matt. 12:49) For he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven, same of a truth is My brother, My sister, My mother! (Matt. 12:50) But step outside and tell those tarrying that I shall come!'
6
Some found this saying hard, reproaching Me and asking whether I am not aware of Moses' commandment regarding parents.
7
I however rebuked them for such question, saying, 'I know Who I am, and My disciples and My earthly mother also know, and hence I can speak according to the truth; let you therefore sweep before your own door diligently; for I know best what I must do.' All kept their silence after this and none dared say anything for or against it.
8
After a period of silence, Baram the host stepped over to Me, saying 'Lord and Master. Noon is with us, and the meal is ready for You, Your disciples and Your earthly relatives, who are tarrying for You outside. Would You perhaps do me, a poor sinner, the honour to partake of the ready meal?'
9
Say I, 'For today I actually had planned another meal, which I am going to consume at the sea; but since you have invited Me in such an honourable way, I intend granting you the honour and grace at the table. But this I shall also say, that none of the Pharisees is to come into the room where I shall dine, except for the young Ahab, whom I am taking up among My disciples. Because with his colleagues, who have become deeply suspicious of him as a result of seeing him speak with Me before, he shall no longer be able to get on. But let you now tell the people that I shall be saying and doing no more in this house, so that they would go outside and leave us room, because with this crush it would be hard to make an exit in a natural way.'
10
After these My words, Baram turns to the people, saying, 'Beloved neighbours! The godly Master has now finished speaking and shall not be saying and even less doing anything further in this house; would you all except Ahab therefore oblige me by quietly stepping outside, because the Master would like to speak with him.' In response to these words all the people except the Pharisees move outdoors.
11
When the people were gone, the old Pharisees furiously stepped over to Me and quite impudently demanded to know what I had in mind with Ahab, whether he too is going to be prepared by Me for hell. On hearing such question, Baram is filled with justifiable anger and says to them, 'My taxes have I paid annually to the last farthing, and am therefore the lawful owner of this house built by myself, and will not tolerate any strangers like yourselves to molest in my very own house a guest I am honouring and hosting! I therefore command you to instantly leave this my house and remove yourselves beyond the boundary of my property, or I shall make immediate use of my owner's privileges!'
12
Say the Pharisees, 'So you too have become a Greek now, threatening us with owner's rights? Should you not be aware of the fact that with the Jews, there are no owner's rights in the presence of a Pharisee?! Is not every Pharisee the perfect lord in every Jewish house he enters, with the actual owner resuming his lordship upon the Pharisees' departure? Do you not know as well that as a Jew you are only a steward and no lord of your house, nor your grounds and that we can take grounds and house away from you whenever we please and rent it out to someone else for fifty years?
13
Says Baram, 'This I have as a Jew indeed known to my immense anger; therefore I am a Greek today, or more precisely a Roman, and in return for a given rate of taxation have procured for myself an irreversible property deed, of which I shall at once give you a taste if you don't immediately comply with my request.'
14
Say the Pharisees, 'Show us the deed from the Roman court!' Baram pulls out a still well legible deed, stamped with the emperor's seal, holding it up before the old ones and asking, 'Do you know this!' They yell, 'So you too are a traitor to God, Temple and us?! For this we can thank this son of David? Hence let you too be cursed together with your house!'
15
As the Pharisees pronounce such curse, Baram quickly reached for a decent rod and proceeded with all his strength to belabour the Pharisees, exclaiming, 'Wait, you servants of Satan, I'll pay you the right wages for your curse!' Yells one Pharisee still out of range of the rod, ' It is written: "Let him beware who lays a hand on God's anointed".' Says Baram, 'I know that quite well; that's why I used a rod! And Baram lets also this "anointed" taste the rod! With this, the wicked Pharisees and scribes with the exception of Ahab, flee outside, where they are also served up by the people.