The Great Gospel of John
Volume 2
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
First journey of the Lord: Kis - landing place at Sibarah - Nazareth
- Chapter 12 -
Sarah's second resurrection from death.
After that, none dared to as, further questions and we went over to the tomb. I viewed the now pestilential corpse, asking Jairus whether he opined or believed his daughter to be only apparently dead?
2
Says Jairus: "Lord, in my heart I did not believe this the first time either, and knew only too well that my most beloved daughter Sarah as fully dead. I was pulled into the false witness against You by the hair and had I not signed the evil testimony then You would have been persecuted even more sharply, which was most earnestly not my wish! Since I had however signed the false witness, one regarded You merely as a work-shy vagrant who indeed makes people well every now and then to make a name for himself in Israel as some sort of prophet awakened by God - or perhaps even the Messiah Himself, Whom the well-off and rich present priesthood fears above all else, because it is written that when the high priest in the order of Melchisedek from eternity comes to earth it shall mean the full end of all other priests, and that the new Melchisedek shall then reign with his angels over all generations of the earth forever.
3
I say unto you: all the high priests and all junior priests fear neither the fire nor the big storm that passed the cave where the great prophet Elijah was hidden; but the gentle breeze above the prophet's cave they fear, because they keep saying that the high priest in the order of Melchizedek will come quietly as a thief in the night and take everything they had earned up till now! Wherefore no priest wants to live through the arrival of God's anointed from eternity but have same postponed as far as possible into the most remote future.
4
But since the priesthood in general and especially the old ones have undoubtedly noted something like that about You on account of Your extraordinary deeds and doctrine, they also try everything, if possible, to ruin You! Were this to be impossible, on account of Your truly being that for which they take You, they would then do penance in sackcloth and ashes for their trouble, expecting the almighty stroke from above with which they have perpetually feared to lose everything or they would not have otherwise stoned nearly all prophets. Behold, this is the reason for which I declared You a vagabond, rather than Him Whom You surely are. For men cannot call their dead back to life: such only the Spirit of God is capable of doing, which in my opinion dwells and works within You in all fullness."
5
Say I: "It is because I secretly knew for what actual reason you denied Me that I came to you in your great distress, to help you for a lengthy period. This is also the actual reason why I took no one along besides you two. But when the time comes then they too shall find out the reason. But you shall now see God's power and glory!"
6
Here I leaned into the tomb inside which the young Sarah lay wrapped in linen, saying to Jairus: "Behold, night has come and the little lamp in the tomb gives only a most feeble shine! Go to the caretaker of this school and prayer house and obtain a strong light; because when life is given back to her, she has to see in order to climb out of the tomb."
7
Says Jairus: "Oh Lord, should this indeed be possible? There is advanced decomposition! But I do believe that with God, everything is possible, and I shall be back at once with a stronger light."
8
Jairus now hurries to get a stronger light, which however he is not able to obtain straight away, because the caretaker's light has gone out, and it is taking the latter a long time to kindle the two wooden rubbing sticks.
9
But I awaken and lift Sarah from the tomb as soon as Jairus was through the door.
10
The awoken one asks Me somewhat drowsily: "For Jehovah's sake! Where am I now? What happened to me? I had just been in a beautiful garden with lots of playmates, and now I am suddenly shifted to this dark and confined chamber!"
11
Say I: "Be of good cheer and calm down, Sarah. For behold, I Your Jesus Who has awakened you from death to life the first time just a few weeks ago have now awoken you from death again and given you a solid life. Henceforth no sickness shall torment you, and when after many years your time shall come then I Myself, coming down from the heavens, shall fetch you and lead you into My Kingdom, of which there shall be no end everlastingly."
12
Only on hearing My voice, Sarah fully comes alive, saying with the most lovingly friendly voice in the world: "Oh, You only beloved of my young life and heart! I knew of course that he who loves You alone above all needs to fear no death! From an over-mighty love for You, my first bringer of life, I became sick, because I could not find out where You had gotten to; and on inquiring about Your whereabouts with the most fervent love for You, I was told, to calm me down with the most blatant killing of my feelings that You had been taken prisoner and handed over to the severe courts as a traitor! This broke the heart in my breast; I soon became sick and died a second time. Oh how endlessly happy I am to have You again, my only and most fervent love.
13
Upon the death-bed I said indeed: 'If my one and only Jesus still lives, He will not let me decompose in the cold tomb!' - And behold, what my heart told me has happened. I fully live again, and that in the arms of my beloved Jesus. But from now on nothing shall be able to separate me from Your godly side. As the least of your maidens I shall follow You wherever You may go."
14
Even as Sarah is thus revealing her heart to Me, Jairus is at last approaching the tomb-chamber with a resin light. I say to her however: "Behold, your father Jairus is coming. Hide therefore behind Faustus' back, so that he does not set his eyes on you straight away, as it would harm his health. But when I call you then quickly step forward with cheerful and happy mien, and such sight shall then not harm him." Sarah at once follows such advice, and Jairus walks into the chamber the moment Sarah took good cover behind Faustus' back.
15
Jairus apologised for having taken so long getting the light.
16
But I say: "It does not matter. For no one can sin beyond the possible, and he who is fully dead shall not be more so in about a further quarter hour, but rather more alive where there are any residual preconditions for life at all!"
17
Says Jairus: "Now then Lord, if a poor sinner may also dare to beg You, then please bestow Your grace not on account of me unworthy one, but upon Sarah the one surely loving You above all else."
18
Say I: "But on one condition and one reason, that I don't awaken her for you, but purely for Myself! She shall henceforth follow Me and not yourself; if you also wish to follow Me from time-to-time then you shall be near your daughter."
19
Says Jairus: "May everything be in accordance with Your will, if only my one and only child could be called back to life."
20
Say I: "Well then, shine into the open tomb!"
21
Jairus steps up sighing to the edge of the tomb, looking and looking but seeing nothing but the linen and head-wrap and bindings all pressed into a heap. Not seeing his dead daughter he gets sorrowful, asking Me: "Lord, what went on here? The smell is here still, but nothing else! Has someone stolen the corpse? Why did he not take the scarves and bindings as well?"
22
Say I: "Because the now living one no longer has need of such!"
23
Jairus cries out with delight, which suddenly overcame his grief: "How?! What? - Where then is the re-animated Sarah?"
24
I call out: "Sarah - step out!"
25
The most beautiful Sarah suddenly steps out from behind Faustus' back, saying with completely healthy and loud voice: "Here I am, fully alive and well! But now no longer belonging to you but fully to Jesus! Because the love of my heart for Jesus, the Lord over life and death, which they desperately tried to make out as the grossest of all sins, killed my feeble body for the second time. But this mighty love also gave it life back again! And behold, father Jairus, you call me your daughter also but you gave me life only once! What is He to me and I to Him, Who gave me life fully twice? Which of you two is now more really my father?"
26
Says Jairus: "You are right! Obviously He Who fully gave you life back twice, and I here cannot contend with your love from time to time. Are you, who were everything to me on this earth, and now again shall be after Jesus the Lord satisfied with that?"
27
Says Sarah: "Yes father Jairus, I am fully satisfied therewith!"
28
Say I: "And I also! But now let us return to My house. There a good evening meal awaits us, and My daughter Sarah must above all be properly strengthened; since her newly animated body needs to be properly nourished with good food. Therefore let us hurriedly leave this place!"