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 44 -
The importance of the Lord's teaching in relation to His deeds.
When Veronica, the captain, his wife and his subordinates heard what I said, they went, without wasting another word, quickly to the fish tanks that were near a spring on the land of the innkeeper and which the captain had rented from the innkeeper because the innkeeper never had fishes anyway - and they found all the fish tanks filled with the most noble fishes.
2
Full of amazement they all came back quickly and said: "O Lord and Master in Your Spirit already since eternity, this is a real miracle, and we all see now very clearly that no one on Earth can give You anything which he did not receive from You first. All thanks to You for this gift as for each other gift, for You only are the miraculous eternal Giver of all gifts, and we, all too often ungrateful men, are the main receivers. Therefore, to You only we give all thanks, all glory, all praise and all our love."
3
I said: "Well now, although this is good and just, but do not make a sensation in front of the people."
4
The captain said: "Lord, we will never do or undertake anything against Your will, but allow me to write a secret letter about this to many of my friends in Rome, for these things should not remain hidden for the brighter men that I know."
5
I said: "Friend, Rome has been taken care of already, and your friend Agricola and also several of his companions know Me much better than you do now, but in My name you can take care of this community that I entrusted to you. Then My reward for you will not fail.
6
But do not talk there also too much about the signs that I have performed on special occasions, but all the more about My teaching by which all men are called for the eternal life in My Kingdom. For nobody will be blissful by only My miracles, but only if he believes in Me and lives and acts according to My teaching.
7
Although one can be forced to believe by My signs - which is not very useful to his soul - but the one who recognizes Me by My words, who believes in Me and lives and acts according to My teaching from his completely free will that is not coerced, stands much higher in My Kingdom than the one who came to believe in Me and My teaching by My signs. Remember this well and do not make a big sensation of My signs.
8
The one in whom the spirit of truth will prevail, will also recognize the truth of My words without any outer sign and will become entirely free in that truth and will reject everything that binds him.
9
My teaching will remain and will never pass away throughout eternity, but all the signs that I have performed, and will still perform, will in the course of time, as any other historical story, for the greatest part here and there be preserved from mouth to mouth, with many changes and falsifications, and will in later times be hardly believed by the enlightened people, or not at all. But by the pure truth of My teaching, the people will become easily aware, also in much later times, of who the One was who gave that truth to the people. So do not make too much sensation of My deeds, except those of My love."
10
This had a good influence on the Romans who otherwise attached great importance to signs and wonders, but by this lesson of Mine they came to see things quite differently and better.