The Great Gospel of John
Volume 2
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Second Journey of the Lord: Nazareth - Cave at Bethabara (First Feeding of the People) - Mountain of Prayer - Walking on the Sea of Galilee (Peter's test of faith) - By ship to Genneseret in the bay with the same name
- Chapter 129 -
The Lord and the two Essenes.
Whilst the disciples, Pharisees and the two Essenes were speaking thus, Ebahl was calling the guests to table, and the disciples and their disciples also were called, entering the dining hall with cheerful faces.
2
I ask them what they were discussing in their rooms so animatedly.
3
Reply the Essenes: " Lord, it is easy for You to ask, because what we were discussing was already as clear to You from eternity as the brightest noonday sun. But You may rest fully assured that we said nothing bad about You!"
4
Say I: "Quite certainly and truly, and in particular what you spoke about; for this, not your flesh and blood but the spirit of God inspired. Nonetheless do not say more about it to anyone else, for men are blind, foolish and evil! - Let us nonetheless sit down at table now!"
5
The table was well set; our eight boatsmens' time had been well-spent on fishing, and they had brought Ebahl a great many of the choices fish into the house, for which he richly provided them with wine and bread. These fish were well prepared, and we consumed them with much appetite. The two Essenes, whose palates were well refined, as students of Aristotle and Epicurus, paid much attention to things culinary, and could not praise this succinct, real fish-meal highly enough. The Centurion too with his three deputies could not praise the flavour of the fish adequately, and heartedly consumed a couple of large portions, so that he began to fear potential harm.
6
But I said to him: "Fear not, My dear Julius, for nothing shall harm you in the physician's presence!"
7
This cheered up the good Julius again; this My saying became a proverb which maintained itself among physicians to this date of writing.
8
At the end of the meal the Centurion asked, saying: "Lord, to-day is an exceptionally beautiful one! What if this afternoon we spent some time in the open?"
9
Say I: "I am similarly inclined; but this time we shall climb a nearby mountain!"
10
Says the Captain: "Well, the nearest mountain, referred to by the name of 'Morning Head', and I think, called 'Juitergli' in this language, is also one of the highest, and immensely steep from every side, a nearly bare block of rock! If You were intending to climb this one, then we could not reach the peak before nightfall, whilst there could be no talk of a return! To spend the night upon the heights may not be pleasant for any of us either! For there is supposed to be constant snow and ice in the crevices; the view however is supposed to be something indescribably rewarding!"
11
Say I: "Friend, all this shall not deter us to climb the 'Morning Head'; who knows the route gets much easier to the top than him who has to search for it. Let us thus get underway, before two little hours have passed, we are all at the top, this means those who want to go with us to climb the mountain!"
12
Says the Captain: "Lord, upon Your beckoning I would gladly go to the world's end, let alone up this mountain; and if You lead, then there be no thought of danger! Now I am really looking forward to it! But we may want to take some bread and wine with us, knowing how ravenously hungry and thirsty one can get climbing such formidable mountains.
13
Say I: "Indeed, so you can do! But what are we going to do about our most beloved Jarah? For her the mountain shall surely be too hard to climb."
14
Says Jarah: "In Your company, oh Lord, nothing can be too hard for me; but without You one cannot do anything anyway, and I least of all! If it pleases You, then I go not only up this mountain, but quite literally into the fire with You, as I also was the first to walk with You upon the water!"
15
Say I: "You know how to always give Me the right answer out of your heart; hence get ready to come with us on the journey, and nothing shall become to hard for you!" - Who would be travel-ready more quickly than Jarah, and she said as well: "Lord, if it please You, them I am ready to depart!"