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 151 -
The blessed morning meal upon the mount.
Say I: "Well now, My beloved friends and brethren. After the soul breakfast we shall also look around for a physical one! - Ebahl, have you any provisions left?"
2
Say Ebahl: "Lord, there is something left, but not much! Nearly everything was consumed last night; there is nevertheless a little bread and wine left!"
3
Say I: "Bring everything here so I can bless it, and we shall all have enough to eat as well as to drink!"- Ebahl immediately has half a loaf of bread, and about three beakers-full of wine remaining in the skin, brought over to Me, and I blessed the bread and the wine, saying: "Hand it out now, and if anything is left over then we here shall also partake of breakfast!"
4
Ebahl now hands it out, and in order to conserve, breaks off small portions from the half loaf; but the latter is not getting smaller. On seeing that the half loaf is not getting any smaller, notwithstanding his having passed it up to all mountain guests several mouth fulls, he starts handing out larger portions, yet the half loaf is still not getting any smaller. Seeing the guests' appetite, he starts another distribution, breaking off still larger lumps. And having made the rounds among some thirty people who had scaled the mountain with us, he has a huge lump left in his hand, saying to Me: "Lord, this I have left over; shall it suffice for Yourself and Raphael and Jarah and myself?"
5
Say I: "Just give it to Jarah to serve up, then it is going to suffice! Ebahl does so, and Jarah gives a portion first to Myself, then to her Raphael, then Ebahl and only then, the leftover to herself, and we all nevertheless were filled.
6
The Centurion however noted and said: "Why friend Ebahl, did you not include me in this last distribution? Did you judge me as insufficiently worthy?"
7
Say I: "Friend, let not this make you cross! For behold, Ebahl was not anticipating any leftover, wherefore he also started his distribution as meagrely as possible; he didn't want to include you among those who would miss out. But since there was a residue left over due to My will, this only then led to a second serving. If however the second distribution matter much to you, which in no way is more abundant than the first, then say so, and I shall gladly forego My portion in your favour."
8
Says the Centurion: "Now, now, all is fine again; it was only an traditional Roman protocol stupidity going through my head, - but I'm alright again! However, what intrigues me most here is that the heavenly Raphael is consuming his bread with such voracity, as if he were the hungriest among us! This truly is most peculiar! He surely is more spirit, rather than a carnal man, yet eats as one having been born on Earth! This I like immensely! - But I feel that the bread, although pure and very tasty, make thirsty, and hence I would like to have a little drink soon."
9
Say I to Ebahl: "You could serve the wine now, starting with our friend Julius!"
10
Says the Centurion: "Lord, I beg You, be the first to drink, for some protocol surely has to be maintained at table!"
11
Say I: "Indeed, I agree, but since we have no table here, nor are invited to table as guests, let us take wine along natural need! Let the thirstiest one drink first, followed by the less thirsty ones - each according to his need!"
12
With this the Centurion was at ease, emptying the beaker handed him to the last drop, and saying: "Lord, I thank You! This truly was heavenly fortification, and never before has wine been so palatable to me in the morning; this indeed is a wine second to none upon Earth!"
13
I say: "We are all pleased that you like it now so much on this mount!"
14
The Centurion says: "Lord, forgive me if I said something awkward in my good mood! But it seems to me that here even Satan should be full of the best spirits!"
15
I say: "If you want to see and talk to him, he can be summoned here, and you can then satisfy yourself whether he will find it comfortable here!"
16
The Centurion says: "If seriously Satan exists in the form of a person, he may appear here!"