The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Second day in Sychar
- Chapter 56 -
At Sychar. The cautious merchant's extensive answer to the ticklish question about the Lord's identity. About adverse experiences of witnesses to truth on earth. Examples of thieves and deceivers. Jonael's presentation of the lies as the cause of evil on earth.
After a little while the merchant replies: 'Dear exalted guests! Here it behoves one to put a clamp over one's mouth and say as little as possible. Because one must never, and least of all in front of exalted personages, make it known what one thinks and feels in one's heart; because these lofty personages have a sensitive skin which will not take the sharp stroke of truth. It is therefore especially dangerous to come out with the truth in front of such exalted personages. Because such lords are, as one would say, of a tempting nature, and one must beware of them more than of snakes, vipers and basilisks, since there are precedents, quite curious precedents! Let everyone think what he will; but in his transactions let him be a good patriot, and he shall get along with all men. But only as little speaking as possible, otherwise one may easily make the most unpleasant acquaintance with the henchmen.
2
I actually have already spoken far too much about truth! Hence I keep with the emperor now and say again: there is to be found nothing higher on earth than the emperor; 'Caesarum cum Jove, unam esse personam'. What an emperor wants God quietly carries out!
3
Hence away with the truth from earth, if any truth exists; it is not good for the human race! How much trouble has not truth caused already, and its teachers have expired their spirit of truth either on the cross or under the sword! But he who has switched over to lying has always managed to save his skin, - unless here and there, where his lying was too stupid he had to look to his feet; but other than that not much happened to him, whilst with few exceptions, all great friends of truth were dispatched from earth by violent death.
4
But if such reward follows truth, what donkey or ox wants to still be its friend?! Let it be kept under arrest as a detainee under lock and key, in one's breast, and walk freely among men, rather than through setting free the detainee one becomes such oneself in body and soul. Because so long as a body has to languish in prison the soul can't go wandering through meadows.
5
Neither have I heard of truth ever bringing about anything good. A few examples will shed more light on this:
6
A thief is arrested as a strong suspect and brought before the strict judges. If he is good at lying he shall be released, due to lack of convincing evidence; but if the ox speaks the truth, he shall be punished with all severity. To the devil the truth!
7
Or, in the course of a deal someone has the wool thoroughly pulled over his eyes by a sharpie. The deceived fellow, as an owner of many other businesses and wealth, does not notice the deception and is quite happy. Thereupon, a friend of truth who became aware of the deception comes and shows the deceived one how and to what extent his merchant deceived him! Only then does the deceived one become sad, goes to court at great expense to have the deceiver punished. Did this truth bring him any advantage? No, it only awakened anger and revenge in him, leading him to still greater expenditure! But the deceiver, skilled in lying, not only suffered no harm through the truth of the informer, since lying got him through, but it placed the traitorous informer behind bars for slander! Question: what reward, once again, did truth yield to its friend?!
8
Hence away with truth from this earth! It alone is accountable for all of men's afflictions, as Moses also says in book one: 'For in the day that thou eatest from the tree of truth's diversity thou shalt surely die!' And thus it is and remains to this hour! With the lie you rise to the throne and with truth you go to jail! - A lovely surprise for friends of truth!
9
Therefore go and seek truth wherever you will, only leave me out of it! Whatever my larders hold and what grows in my gardens is at your disposal; but the holiest of holies in my heart is mine alone, as a gift from Jehovah! But to you and all the world I give what I have from the world, and that is the grace of the world! But God's grace I keep for myself!'
10
Says the high priest: 'I concede openly that so far as the situation in the world is at present, your summation is correct. But since you also mention Moses you will no doubt be aware of Moses also receiving a commandment for his people where the lie or false witness is forbidden, thus making truth obligatory!? If all men kept this Commandment, then admit it - would it not be wonderful to live on earth?!
11
I tell you, and you have to acknowledge it: not through truth but through the lie all affliction reaches mankind, and this because man, with rare exceptions encounter one another domineeringly and arrogantly. Everyone wants to be more than his fellow man, and so man reaches out for every means to make him appear superior to fellow man and making the weaker ones believe that he is more excellent than any other man.
12
This desire then to dominate with time leads men into all kinds of vice, even to murder and killing, if through other ways of lying and deception they can't gain great status and recognition from others.
13
Since mankind as a whole therefore wants to appear better than they are, nothing remains to them of course other than to constantly lie to one another, rank and file, to the limit, and truth therefore has an exceedingly hard time among them.
14
If however mankind were to recognise the endless advantage of truth over lies, which ought to be easy if truly respectful of God and His Commandments in deed, then they would flee the lie more than the plague, and God's righteousness then would punish the liar with death. But mankind, one and all are arrogant and domineering, love the lie and promote it.
15
But, as seen throughout millennia, men do not live on this earth forever, their bodies dying within a short time, to become the food of worms; but the soul shall then have to submit itself to God's judgment! There I ask how, with its highly praised lie will it fare before God?
16
But I on my part maintain it is better to be crucified for the truth in the world than to once be brought to shame before God and hear His pronouncement - 'Depart from Me everlastingly'.
17
If you have now properly understood me and therewith realised that we are friends of truth, then speak the truth and do not foolishly fear our punishing you for truth, and tell us openly and truly what you think of us and namely of Him Who now is conversing with my daughters!'