The Great Gospel of John
Volume 10
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the mountain town of Pella
- Chapter 36 -
The Lord and the Roman captain.
In the morning the innkeeper was the first on his feet and he organized everything for the preparation of a good morning meal, at which his wife, his children and his servants and maid servants were fully put to work. Immediately after that, we also stood up from our resting chairs and benches at the table and went outside for a while, for we had a really great view from this city over a great part of the beautiful Jordan valley and over the wide, large and still very fruitful plain.
2
However, that morning was not as quiet as the night, for when we returned to the house for the morning meal, we saw before the house a great crowd who were for the greatest part gentiles. The already mentioned captain and also a few of his subordinates did not lack, neither did the old rabbi.
3
They all inquired diligently about the miracle of the healing of the son who suffered from gout. They told them how it happened, about which they all were extremely amazed.
4
Then the captain said with a serious face: "You know what? Someone who is capable to do such things without any help of external means is a God and no more a human being. I have seen several times wonders that were done by certain magicians but I soon discovered how they did such wonders, but who can discover here how this Man healed the sick person?"
5
Others made the remark that what I had in common with the other magicians is that I also was escorted by a big group, just like the other magicians, and that it finally could not be known what exactly the reason was for that.
6
But the captain stayed with his assertion and did not let himself be confused and said: "His companions will never be capable to strengthen His word and His will, for when a sick person is healed, like the son of the Jewish innkeeper, nothing can be accomplished by a certain agreement or by a secret cooperation. If we would all agree with one another here to firmly fix our will that my eldest daughter would become healthy, who is bedridden for already 3 years with an incurable disease, then we will accomplish nothing by that. But when that Man would want that all by Himself, then my daughter will certainly be very quickly as healthy as the son of this innkeeper."
7
That is how the people spoke about Me before the house of the innkeeper while I with My disciples sat down for the morning meal, for we came again into the house unnoticed through the people to the back side, and the personnel and the children of the innkeeper received instruction from him not to betray My presence, except when someone would receive order from Me to do so. They also were not allowed to tell the people anything about the miraculous existence of the wine.
8
When we finished the morning meal I said to the innkeeper: "Let now the captain with his subordinates, the old rabbi and the innkeeper of the Greek inn come in, then I will speak to them."
9
Then the innkeeper went immediately outside to bring the message to those who were mentioned.
11
The innkeeper brought him to Me and said: "I will always bow my knees for the One who sits on that chair."
12
And the captain said: "Also I my friend."
13
Then the captain bowed deeply before Me and said then: "Great Master, a unheard-of miracle You only have performed in this house, and with this You proved to me that You are not a human being like us but must be truthfully a God. If that is what You unmistakably are, then show us the great mercy to tell us what we actually must think about our various matters of belief.
14
I have examined everything: our doctrine of polytheism, the views of the old Egyptian, Greek and our Roman philosophers. Furthermore, I have studied in detail the Jewish doctrine of the one God, all their prophets and sages. These latter are however difficult, and for the greatest part even completely not to understand because they are using an all too fantastical, often completely incoherent language, and are using images which they themselves might have understood and grasped but apart from them certainly only very few. I also discussed with many from the far morning lands about supernatural things, about their concepts of God and about the manner in which the human soul continues to live after death, and this I also did with the people in the southwest and northwest of Europe.
15
But what did I discover out of all that? I say it honestly: everything except that which I sought, namely a truth that can convince me and that I can understand.
16
The belief in one or also several invisible divine beings is present everywhere, but how different they are. It is not necessary here to represent the almost endless mess of all those supernatural fantasies of the people regarding their concept of God and the continuance of the life of the soul after the death of the body, but it concerns here only the real life's question: which doctrine has the truth? Are all those people right who believe in many gods in different ways, or those who believe in one God?
17
If we consider the laws of our Roman justice, which are good in all respects, and thus the most useful for the subsistence of the communities of people and even nations, then the most valuable still seems to be our polytheism, that is of course very distorted but which has finally laid the foundation for our wise and really righteous state laws. But the Jewish doctrine of one God, which has great similarities with the initial Egyptian doctrine, seems nevertheless to stand much closer to the truth of life, although it is now much more distorted among the Jews than ours, for one has only to take a close look at the extremely godless and unscrupulous doings of the Jewish priests in Jerusalem to realize and to recognize that they are much more dumb and evil than our different priests in various forms.
18
You, divine Man of Wonders, can certainly give me in a few words the right light of the truth."
19
I said: "My friend Pellagius, captain over this city and 3 other cities, Abila, Golan and Aphek. I came here especially for you, for I surely knew that you already for almost 30 years have zealously searched for the truth, but could nevertheless not find it.
20
But since you have searched for the truth as only few of your people and rank have done, I, the eternal initial Truth have come Myself to you. So in Me you have found the full, clear and pure truth, and My light will enlighten you so thoroughly that you yourself will become a light for many others.
21
But your eldest daughter Veronica is sick, and no doctor can help her. If you will believe it and wish for it, she certainly will be better."
22
Completely overwhelmed by joy, the captain said: "Yes Lord and Master, full of divine power, I believe that, as maybe few in the whole of the Jewish kingdom. And as her father I also wish, with all the power of my life, the healing of my daughter, but I am not worthy that You, Holy One, would come under my gentile roof to heal there my daughter who is already close to death.
23
And that I fully believe Your words, proves already the fact that I was not surprised when You, who are a stranger and have never visited this region, knew my name, which I received from this city as a token of honor, and knew about my authority over the 3 cities, which You also named, and now also the name of my sick daughter, for my mind said that You are a God and that everything is possible to You. Therefore, I believe that my daughter will most certainly be healed if You only speak one word over her."
24
I said: "Truly, I did not find such faith in the people of Israel. Therefore, it will be done according to your faith. Now send someone to your house and let your daughter come here, who is already healthy, so that she can be strengthened with this wine and this bread."