The Great Gospel of John
Volume 10
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Aphek
- Chapter 92 -
With the Roman innkeeper in Aphek.
The way from Golan to Aphek was rather difficult because we had to cross over a deep canyon that came out into the Jordan Valley, which took us a couple of hours.
2
When we reached the mountain city Aphek towards the evening, the captain asked Me: "Lord and Master, where will we actually take accommodation for the night in this city? For as far as I know, this city has no Jewish inn at all, and furthermore there are also no Jewish citizens. Maybe a few Jewish housekeepers can be found here, but, as already said, no Jewish residents. I also have a well-arranged stronghold house in this city. If this is satisfactory to You, would You then not like to sleep tonight in that stronghold?"
3
I said: "It is true that you have a stronghold, and it is provided with all kinds of resting beds, tables, benches and chairs, but your provision rooms are empty, and you also have no wine, no bread and no salt. But we are tired, especially the already old disciples - except a few who are about as old as I am - and they all should be strengthened with some food and drink. Will this be possible in your stronghold house?
4
I know what you think now and say within yourself: 'Lord, with You everything is possible'. You are right in this, but we did not travel to this city to only rest and strengthen our tired limbs with miraculous food but to spread My Kingdom of life also here among the gentiles.
5
Therefore, we will not take up residence into your stronghold house but we will search and also find accommodation in a Roman inn in the center of the city. Soon exceptional opportunities will arise there to spread My Kingdom among the gentiles."
6
When the captain heard this from Me, he immediately agreed with Me. He only made the remark that the innkeeper of the mentioned inn was a fervent gentile and that in his otherwise spacious house it was swarming with all kinds of idol statues, so much so that it rather should be called a real pantheon instead of an inn. According to him there were also always several pagan priests present who want to impose themselves there.
7
I said: "Look, precisely for this reason I choose that inn to stay for the night, and much will have to be worked on and accomplished there. So let us quickly go there, so that we can find accommodation."
8
Then we walked at a fast pace to the city and reached it before the closing time of the gate.
9
When we arrived at the gate a Roman guard stopped us.
10
But the captain came forward and demanded to speak to the one who commanded the guards. When he came, he recognized the captain immediately and ordered the guards to let us enter the city unhindered, because this was the demand of his captain.
11
It was already quite dark when we arrived at the already mentioned inn, and the captain sent immediately a subordinate inside the inn to tell the innkeeper that he had to come to us right away, which also happened at once.
12
When the innkeeper came to us, the captain asked him if he could give us a good accommodation.
13
The innkeeper said: "I will give you what I have, but with the necessary service for the guests who came with you, high commander, it will look quite meager this time, because more than two thirds lay down sick. The great fear which they had to endure during the heavy storm last night and the earthquake, and the fear that such disaster could come back, made mostly my female personnel unsuitable for service.
14
Although our priests made every effort to heal them, partly by speeches and partly by other means, but up to now everything was in vain. Time will still be the best doctor for my sick male and female servants.
15
Only an hour ago we all dared to enter the house, because during half of the night we were outside from obvious fear that our houses would collapse, which easily could have happened, for when the piled up stones are beginning to terribly yelp and rattle it is the highest time to leave the house and go to the open air.
16
I say to you in all submissiveness, high commander, that more than three quarters of this city are still outside now, and thus also several of my best male and female servants. Only an hour ago a few had the courage to enter with me and my family into the house. So it looks very bad with the already prepared food for today, but I still can serve you bread, salt and wine.
17
Yes, high commander, great damage was done to me last night. But what can a weak and mortal human being do against the almightiness of the immortal gods and their elements.
18
The priests - actually I should not say this - contributed a lot to the confusion of the day for the already desperate people by their preachings about penance and offerings. Although now at the end of the day they strung their harps with better snares, but this is to little avail because the people still think that the gods are too little reconciled and fear that this terrible calamity will come back.
19
And also this is again the fault of our extremely greedy priests because they impress upon the people that the gods, once they are that furious because of the licentiousness of human beings and start to shake the foundations of the Earth, they cannot be softened anymore by little offerings. They give in for a while at the prayers of the priests, but if then the people pay too little attention to the exhorting words of the servants who are inspired by the gods and will not immediately make haste to put almost all their possessions at the feet of the representatives of the gods - especially as much as possible gold and silver - then the gods will become even more furious than at first and will show the people their anger a hundred times more.
20
Well now, our mountain city is mainly poor, and the people were by far not able to comply with the demands of the priests. That is why they fear that this great calamity will come back, and they cannot be brought back into the city for no matter what price.
21
This is how things are with us. And you, high commander, will surely understand for what reason I can tonight only very scantily and meagerly serve you and your also certainly prominent company.
22
So be so kind to enter my large house, and we will see what we still can do there."