The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Sychar and surroundings (at Mount Gerizim)
- Chapter 35 -
At Sychar. The servants testify of the miraculous service at the house. The woman's reverence and recognition of the Lord. The Lord's command of secrecy and His care for Mary. The disciples see the heavens open. Nathaniel's great testimony. The Lord indicates silence about the holy secret.
After the meal the woman approaches Me again, but hardly dares to speak, as she had spoken during the meal with the doctor's servants about how all this had been brought in. And the servants had said: 'Dear lady, God only knows how this went on! We had the least part in it. The doctor had no hand in it at all, as everything was ready when he came. Well before he came we were about his business, when suddenly a youth of great beauty turned up and told us to do this and that, as the Lord had need of it, and we at once went about doing what the rare youth told us. Yet this truly went on in a peculiar way! Whenever we went to do something it was already done, and we can therefore only tell you: here omnipotence evidently reigned, and the white youth must have been an angel of the Lord! The matter can not be explained in any other way. The Person Who earlier entered the dining-room with you must be a great prophet, as the powers of heaven serve Him!'
2
Hearing the servants speak thus she was still more daunted and hardly dared to speak. After a lengthy time she said in a weak voice: 'Lord! You are more than just the promised Messiah! It was probably You Who punished Pharaoh, leading the Israelites out of Egypt and thundering the Commandments to them from the High Sinai.'
3
But I said to her: 'Woman! The time for making this known to mankind has not arrived yet; keep this in your heart for the present therefore! But see to it that the great throng who came with Me from Judea are allocated their sleeping quarters; but remain here yourself together with the doctor and My disciples, of whom ten are counted now! But allocate the cleanest bed to the woman who sat at My side, the mother of My body, so she may rest well; for verily, the already ageing mother has done a big journey today and needs a good rest to fortify her!'
4
The woman is overjoyed at hearing that this unpretentious woman is My mother, and looks after her superbly. And Mary praises her for her sensitivity, advising her nevertheless to do as I say to her.
5
After all is retired and the woman and the doctor, together with My disciples find themselves alone with Me in the great dining hall, I say to the disciples: 'You will remember how at the time of My engaging you at Bethabara in Galilee I spoke to you: from now on you shall see the heavens open and the angels of God descend to earth; and behold, this is now literally fulfilling itself! None of what you see here and ate and drank is of this earth, but has been gotten here from the heavens by the angels. But now open your eyes and behold just how many angels are standing ready to serve Me!'
6
With that the eyes of all were opened, and they saw hosts of angels floating down from the heavens ready to minister unto Me. - Because as their eyes were opened, the walls of the house vanished, and all beheld the heavens opened!
7
And Nathanael said: 'Of a truth Lord, you are faithful and true! What you had spoken has now fulfilled itself miraculously! Verily, You are the Son of the living God indeed! - God spoke to Abraham through His angels; - Jacob saw the angels ascending and descending the ladder in a dream but he did not see Jehovah, only an angel who had Jehovah's name inscribed in his right hand. And, Jacob disputing His being the Lord, he started limping through a hefty blow in the ribs. - Moses spoke with Jehovah but saw nothing but fire and smoke, and since he had to hide in a cave because Jehovah intended passing it, he was not allowed to look and Jehovah passed. And when he then looked he saw only Jehovah's back; but thereafter he had to cover his face with a threefold veil, because he shone more than the sun and no one could look without dying! After that there was only Elijah who perceived Jehovah in a gentle breeze! And now You are here Yourself!'
8
Here I interrupt Nathanael and say, 'Let it suffice, My brother, - the hour has not come yet! It is given to a pure soul like yours, without guile and falsehood, to sense this. But keep it until the hour is ripe. Because, you see, not all who follow Me are like you.'
9
But this woman who was not like you is so now; that's why she had a hunch of what you were about to say. But the hour is not come. Let Moses' veil only be fully plucked off his shiny face when the curtain in the temple shall have been rent in twain'.