The Great Gospel of John
Volume 10
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Aphek
- Chapter 118 -
The Lord leaves Aphek.
After these many expressions of gratitude, the captain asked Me if he could escort Me further to the next place.
2
I said: "Friend Pellagius, you have done enough so far, as well as all those who were with you. Now you can go back to your own region and do your work, as well as the work wherein I appointed you.
3
If you go back to Pella, you will find much work to do. I will now travel on, only with My disciples, and we will find our way also elsewhere. So remain for a few days here and support those priests in their task for My Kingdom, which will be difficult at first, but return to Pella after that.
4
Soon strangers and also Jews will come to you. But do then not make a big sensation about My deeds, and do not make Me unnecessarily known before time."
5
When I had said that to the captain, I gave a sign to the disciples to leave the inn, to move on to the east and to wait for Me outside the city.
6
Then the disciples took their belongings and went ahead, except for John who stayed with Me and went later with Me to follow the other disciples.
7
I stayed behind for the short time of about a quarter of an hour for the sake of Veronica, to comfort her, for she became very sad because of My departure.
8
When Veronica became cheerful again, I also left the inn and went - only escorted by the captain and My disciple John - after the disciples who left before us.
9
They waited for Me at the hill we had visited in the morning, and when I arrived, the captain took leave of Me and went then with his followers into the city. We also moved on quickly, to the east, to another city of which the name is not so important.
10
Many will now ask what influence My teaching had in the course of time on the gentiles in Aphek, what happened and how long it lasted before these gentiles accepted completely the faith in Me. Concerning this, it very briefly can be said that already after only 1 year, no gentile lived anymore in this whole city or in its rather vast environment.
11
Although at first there was hard resistance, but since the people were very well instructed by the priests and also now and then by the captain, they soon realized the old errors and they felt very happy to know the pure truth, and I certainly did not neglect to give My power with words and deeds to every loyal confessor of My teaching.
12
After My resurrection I also visited these places in particular and to the inhabitants I gave good comfort and the right power to work in My name.
13
At the time of the great need in Jerusalem and in the whole of Judea, the city of Aphek served also as a refuge place for the fleeing Jews who completely adhered to My teaching, and all those who came here were well accommodated.
14
In the course of time the captain himself established a community without making any worldly sensation, which later, when I called him to Me, carried also his name.
15
After My resurrection he himself still lived about 30 years and was appointed chief over all the 10 big cities between which were also many smaller cities which were all counted with the 10 cities.
16
This is a short overview which shows what happened with My teaching in these cities and places in the course of time.