The Great Gospel of John
Volume 10
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the region of Caesarea Philippi (cont.)
- Chapter 18 -
The question of the captain about the killing of animals.
When it had become fully morning, but still a short while before sunset, I was already outside with a few of My disciples, and also Raphael was with us. Shortly after, also all the others followed. It also did not take long before the 3 Romans came.
2
We were at the shore of the lake and watched the play of the waves, and the disciples washed their feet and hands with the clean water. The 3 Romans wanted to ask Me a few things and they therefore stood near to Me and Raphael.
3
But I said to them: "The day has still 10 full hours, and a lot of questions can still be asked during that time. But now we will very quietly enjoy the morning."
4
The 3 were satisfied with that and they washed their face with the water of the lake to freshen up and strengthen their eyes, which somehow lacked the nightly sleep.
5
So we stayed completely peacefully close at the shore of the lake for about 1 hour and went then to a small hill that was elevated towards the south above the water surface. From that hill we had a beautiful view to the west, and at the shore, on a rather big surface that was overgrown with much reed and reed pipes, a few water birds could be seen that were searching for their food in the water and were also greedily eating it.
6
Now the captain could no more keep silent. He quickly went to Raphael and said: "Listen, wise and mighty citizen of a better world than this Earth. Generally I am very satisfied with the often beautiful arrangement of this Earth of ours, how it is formed and how the plants are ordered, but what concerns the animals, in the kind of circumstances in which they live and are active among each other, absolutely not.
7
It was taken care of that all the plants and vegetation would take their food from the soil, from the water, from the air and from the warmth of the sunlight, and so they would excellently flourish. Only the animals, and for a great part also us human beings must catch animals, kill them and eat their flesh in order to feed our body.
8
Look, this makes the heart and the mind of man unmistakably wild. This is what I noticed in Rome all too often with the often terrible bullfights and other fights of wild, devouring animals in especially built and arranged cages. For in Rome and also in a lot of other places such fights with animals are kept to ever stir up the eagerness for war and the brave fighting spirit and keep it alive, especially for the soldiers and the citizens.
9
And from who did men learn that wild waging of war where no trace of the love for God and of the love for fellowman can be found?
10
Here, look down there in the water. What did those poor fishes actually do wrong that they often are caught out of the water and eaten up by thousands by the greedy water birds? Can all those numberless different sorts of animals in the air, on the Earth and in the water not feed themselves just like the tame house animals with the also numberless different sorts of plants? Must all kinds of flesh eating animals of prey search their food in the flocks of the meek animals and thus provoke men to a wild battle by their cruelty which is implanted by the might of God?
11
Men had to invent artificial weapons to fight against the devouring beasts. By that he learned how to fight, kill and conquer, but did he by that win anything to make his heart and mind nobler as God advised him?
12
Now look, I very often thought about this subject and was not able to receive even a half satisfying solution from any wise person for this true sphinx's mystery. Everywhere it was said: 'The wise gods will know why they have allowed all this.'
13
Yes, this is certainly so, but did men win anything by that for their heart and mind? Yes, for the hunting, fighting and waging of war they won a lot, and then also to give laws to rule and to be often as cruel as a hyena in their justice regarding those people who sinned against their laws. But for the rest, really not many good things appeared from the fact that they learned to fight - first against the wild animals and very soon after that also among each other.
14
You are wise and powerful from the Spirit of God in you. Teach me now also in the right manner about this matter which seems very important to me."