The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
First day in Sychar
- Chapter 47 -
At Sychar. The miraculous supper at Irhael's, in fellowship with the angels. The Lord's hints about His celestial servants. The Lord's compatriots' anger and lack of faith.
By this time however we arrive at Irhael's and Joram's, where, in the manner of the previous day everything had been readied for supper, only more opulently by far. All the many Sycharites who had been to the mountain begin to take their leave in the corridor; but a great host of youths clad in white step among them and implore them to stay for supper.
2
The high priest, astonished at the vast number of youths and above all at their great affability, kindliness and benevolence, immediately steps up to Me and asks in great humility: 'But Lord, who are these magnificent youths? None of them can be sixteen years of age, yet with every word and movement they exhibit extraordinary learning. Oh tell me whence they came and to which school they belong! Of what beautiful shape and how well-fed they are! How exceedingly pleasant and agreeable to the heart just the sound of their voice. Therefore Lord, tell, tell me who and whence are these youths!'
3
Say I: 'Have you not heard it said of old: he who is a lord has also his servants and attendants? You call Me Lord, and it is therefore fitting that I too have My servants and attendants! That they are highly educated evinces that their Lord must be a most wise and loving one. The lords of the world are hard and loveless however, and so are their servants; that Lord however Who is a Lord in heaven and has now come to the earth and the hard world of men has also His servants from whence He came, and the servants resemble Him because they not only are His servants but also children of His wisdom and love. Have you truly understood Me?'
4
Says the chief priest: 'Of a truth, Lord, in so far as one can at all understand your most memorable metaphorical language. There would be a lot of questions of course to clarify this thing, but I leave it there and hope that there shall be ample opportunity yet for that today.'
5
Say I: 'Oh indeed! But let us now go to supper, as all is in readiness!'
6
The crowd with faith all went to supper; only the part without faith went home, because they regarded all this as a trap. The reason was that those were mostly emigrated Galileans, among them many from Nazareth, who knew Me and also My disciples, whom they had seen often at the fish market. These said also to the native Samaritans: 'We know him and his disciples; he is a carpenter by trade and his disciples fishermen. He went to school with the Essenes who are well-versed in all sorts of crafts, healing and rare magic. Such he has learnt there and now practices his well-learnt craft in order to gain for the Essenes a great following and much income. Those youths however are well-bred, Caucasian-bought girls in disguise, belonging to the same Essenes; these would be the main attraction! But we shall not be bewitched so easily; because we know there is no fooling around with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But for the Essenes, who think that their ancestors created the world, it is easy to fool around with what they regard as non-existent. So, as long as we believe the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we do not need such Essene deceptions; and if ever we should lose our faith, then the Essenes with their smart errand-boys shall be for us no substitute, but in the end shall make us into Sadducees, who believe in no resurrection or eternal life. But may Jehovah save us from that!' With these comments they make for home.
7
I and a large part comprising mostly Samaritans sit down to the meal and, after a good day's work take it easy and let the angels serve us; because here too I laboured in a desert, and it is written: 'And when Satan was forced to depart, angels came and ministered unto Him [Matt. 4:10-11 The trans.]