The Great Gospel of John
Volume 10
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Golan
- Chapter 82 -
The return to the inn.
Now they were really surprised, and the gentiles down the hill asked each other who and what I was, where I came from and what My relationship was with the captain since I did not wear Roman clothing.
2
Some who were more acquainted with the theosophy of the Jews than their neighbors thought that I was a prophet, for these kinds of half divine men did also such things. Others thought that I was a great magician who was dressed like a Jew. Still others contradicted that because they did not see any magician signs and no magic wand in My hands. And still others thought that I was a demigod in human form who also revealed himself to the always strictly righteous captain, and now, in order to increase his credibility, I did these signs that no man can do.
3
And so, among these people were still a lot of other opinions about Me, but not one of them dared to come upon the hill to us to ask someone who I was. But we stood up from our somewhat formless stone seats and prepared to return to the inn.
4
When the gentiles saw this, who were still around the hill and guessing about everything, they were seized by fear for Me, and they quickly went before us to the city and went also immediately into their houses where their families were already waiting for them. One can imagine that they could hardly stop asking questions and explaining.
5
When the mentioned gentiles were in the city, we also left the hill and went slowly to our inn where the already prepared morning meal was waiting for us.
6
When we came into the city, we met the pagan priests who were already very busy telling the people that it was only thanks to them that the city had been spared from destruction. The day that looked really terrifying in the morning and full of threatening danger had suddenly changed into a beautiful day, cheerful for every human mind, by the gods who came into a milder mood by their priestly, secret prayers and promises. And therefore, the inhabitants of this and also of the other cities must in return make effort with all zeal and without delay to provide the temple with abundant offerings.
7
Also the 2 Jewish priests did not make less effort to work on the Jews in their synagogue. But neither the gentiles nor the Jews showed a great willingness to do what the priests wanted from them.
8
We still kept watching before the inn for a while to see what the priests and the people were doing, and the 2 neighbors of our innkeeper said: "Were we not right when we said just a while ago what the priests - who do not have any faith themselves - would do when the day would become so clear that no afterstorm was to be feared? The day became completely clear in a twinkling of an eye by the Galilean who is unmistakably gifted with divine power, and we barely entered the city when we met the priests who are busy with the most selfish activities while they were so terribly fearful during the storm last night and were without any faith and trust in divine help.
9
If actually those who on this Earth want to be the representatives of the gods - whether of several gods or only of the one, only true God, that is for the moment not important - are the first to leave and run away during a danger in which they should show that they are the strongest in faith, how can any somehow clearly thinking person during a nice and calm weather attach any credibility to their words?
10
We can very clearly see now that no one else but only the priests, by their very great lust for power and greediness, have inevitably taken away every true faith and every living trust in a God who controls everything and who is almighty.
11
But once the poor people have lost all faith and trust, who will then lift them up again to the true faith and the ancient trust in a supernatural divine help?
12
This is not easy for people, or totally impossible. But then the One, or the many gods, should take up the work, for only through great signs can totally blind people be brought back to the faith and trust in the help of a divine Being.
13
Only now we understand clearly why you did not let you drive out last night of the inn by any fright or any fear of danger, for when you accommodate someone in your house to whom all elements obey in an instant because He is greatly filled with divine power and might, it is easy to believe and to trust. But in whom did we have to believe and trust? In our half broken statues of stone that represent god? In the protecting spirits of our house or in the priests who by their great fright and fear were the first to run away from their houses and temples and looked for protection on the square and who would not go back in a temple for any price?
14
So we also looked for protection in the open because our representatives of the gods also preferred to look in the nature where protection can be more easily found.
15
But this great Master in true divine power and wisdom should show these shouting priests who is the Master. Then our true faith and trust in the one, only true and living God will soon be different. Also the 2 Jewish priests would soon think differently and maybe return to the old faith of the first fathers."
16
Now I said to the 2 neighbors: "Go now with your family to our inn and partake of the morning meal with us. And let those priests lament, for they will receive little from the rich of the abundant offerings they ask, and the poor who were with us around the hill will be able to explain how the One looked like to whom the whole nature of the Earth obeyed, and then there will still be time enough to make an end to their practices."
17
The 2 neighbors were very satisfied with that. They called their families, went with us to the inn and partook with us in a good mood and very cheerful of the abundant and well-prepared morning meal.