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 157 -
About the giving of alms, and anniversaries.
Even whilst he is saying this, our pious Jarah comes to meet him, saying: "But how long you've been gone! - You my dear Raphael too seem intent on going by our lazy world-time! Verily, this did not go as quickly as our trip to yonder distant sun! But come in quickly now, as the foods are on the table!" - Both move in quickly, greeting Me most amicably.
2
The Centurion wanted to bring Me thanks for looking after him, but I say unto him: "Friend, for Me your heart is sufficient! The foods have been waiting for you, and now it is time to above all afford the necessary fortification to the body, and only afterwards go back to the spiritual."
3
All say thanks and then vigorously tuck into food and drink, and the Captain watching the angel, who heartily reaches for the dishes, giving also his wine cup the desired attention.
4
In the end the Captain could not resist saying half-jokingly: "Now, now, the pure spirits certainly have a hearty appetite! My good Raphael does the eating for three; nay, this surely the Earth has not seen yet!"
5
Says Ebahl: "I too am astonished beyond measure; but something other than his hearty eating intrigues me even more. Behold, his dish does not diminish therewith! Here truly the wise adage applies: 'What heaven takes away it gives back the next moment!' This table shall be kept as a permanent sanctums with all honours for all time, for my descendants, and an annual feast shall be kept at this table to feed and slake the thirsty poor of this vicinity."
6
Say I: "Let the table be table and you remain yourself, as you were! And if some poor one comes and you have something, then support him on whatever day; whilst a yearly feast helps neither the poor nor yourself, and it does not please Me. He who remembers Me, let him do so at all hours of day; whereas I cannot find use for a yearly commemoration!
7
If you were to designate such feast, you would verily resemble the Templers at Jerusalem, who also each year celebrate three anniversaries, and because it is customary, hand out bread to the poor, as if the poor could then live until the next feast without further nourishment! Oh for the nonsense of such ridiculous feasts! The Pharisees indeed on such feasts collect so much rich offerings that they can easily last a hundred years from such takings; but the poor have to be satisfied if three times a year he receives a piece of bread weighing hardly the eight part of a pound. Oh for the great foolery, stupidity, blindness and selfish malice. -Therefore let this table be what it is, and celebrate a feast most pleasing to Me, if in accordance with your capacity you satiate one or the other poor, at this or some other table!
8
And should one and the same poor come to you every day, then do not ask him whether he receives nothing somewhere else; for this would weigh the poor one's heart down heavily, so that for a lengthy period he would not dare coming to you, and your good works would lose their merit before Me!
9
It is not My will on the other hand that you hand out the poor's bread to those robust idlers able to work; to such give work commensurate with their strength! If they carry out one or the other job for you, then give them to eat and drink. If they don't accept the work, then don't give them to eat! For he who is strong and does not want to work shall not eat!
10
Behold, if you arrange your dealings along those lines, you shall be preparing Me the most pleasing commemoration feasts; but leave Me alone with your proposed annual feasts, for such annual feast is the greatest nonsense that a man can engage in, since it serves nothing to anyone, -except the organizer who can obtain some gainful offerings therefrom!
11
In what way is a year preferable to a day? He who honours his father's birthday once a year, same should honour the hour of birth every day, which certainly would be better than the annual birthday!
12
I say unto you that all such human commemoration days are worthless before Me, unless they be kept daily, hourly and vitally in the heart. So are the new moons, jubilees, the feast of Jerusalem's liberation from Babylon's power, the feast of rebuilding the city and Temple, the feast of Moses, Aaron, Samuel, David and Solomon's vain things, in which there is nearly as much truth as the rain that fell into the sea a thousand years ago.
13
Initially these feasts are executed in a sort of religious impetus and the participants commemorate a person or a significant event which they themselves have experienced in a still very animated way. However, in the second, third, fourth or even tenth generation it becomes an empty ceremony whereby thousands hardly know why it is taking place, - and still later the whole issue goes over into futile heathenism.
14
By saying this I do not want true commemoration feasts to be abandoned; however, next to their annualness, also the dailiness must be carried in the heart, otherwise they must be considered as dead and thus ineffectively. But with this table it stays as I have told you!"
15
Says Ebahl: "All that You, oh Lord, have now most graciously and truthfully indicated shall be strictly adhered to; wherefore we shall keep the day-feast that much more eagerly in our hearts, and strive with all strength to exercise ourselves in the love of neighbour, and herewith celebrate the most glorious commemoration feast!"
16
Say I: "If you abide by that then I shall abide in you, and by that they shall know that you truly are My disciple!
17
But now we have adequately eaten and drunk, therefore let's rise from the table and betake ourselves to out boatmen, who shall have a few rare things to relate to you! Over here we would have little peace, as another caravan shall arrive in an hour from Bethlehem, among whom there will be a few arch-Pharisees, with whom I definitely will have nothing to do; see to it they are even to-day moved on as far as Sibarah!"
18
Says the Captain: "This shall be taken care of! For right now no man is more disgusting to me on earth than an arch-Pharisee!" With these words we all rise and hasten out to our shipmates near the shore.