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 2 -
Judas Iscariot, the gold thief.
We now entered the room, namely the dining hall, where an abundant supper awaits us. We hardly consume the meal, when two servants bring Judas Iscariot into the hall, informing the Chief Judge that this disciple or whatever he may be tried to steal two pounds of gold, and that they had seized him in the act, taking the gold off him and then bringing him here to account for himself.
2
Judas stands here terribly embarrassed, saying, "I did not have the remotest intention of taking possession of the gold, but only to test a couple of bars to see whether they really are as heavy as they are said to be; these fools however at once grabbed me dragging me in as a common thief! I beg you Faustus, that this stain would be taken from me!"
3
Says Faustus (to the servants), "Let him go! He is one of the Lord's disciples and for that reason I want to go easy on him; (to Judas) but in future do not touch any gold bars, especially at night time - unless you become an imperial tax assessor, otherwise you shall be unavoidably punished for attempted robbery! Have you properly understood the Chief Justice Faustus?"
4
Says Judas, terribly embarrassed, "Lord, there was in all earnest not the slightest intention to attempt a robbery, but of course rather an in-opportune trying out of a pound weight of a bar of gold."
5
Say I, "Go and seek yourself quarters! Because from this evil which kills all thieves through the hand of Satan, also you will soon die; for you have been, you are and will remain a thief! While you fear the severity of the law, you are not yet actively a thief, but in your heart which does not know any laws of justice and fairness, you have been one for a long time. If I were to remove every law today, then you would be the first to lay your hands on the treasures outside; because all laws of justice and propriety are foreign to your heart. It is a pity for your head that there does not beat a better heart beneath it! Go to bed now and be more sober tomorrow than today!"
6
Rebuked thus and greatly embarrassed, Judas leaves the dining hall for his sleeping quarters, lying down but pondering for two hours on how to avoid what I foretold him but finding no way out in his heart, as this keeps raising its gold-thirsty voice, and so he falls asleep. We also betake ourselves to rest, as the previous two nights had been most demanding on us. Morning was not long in coming.
7
Just as Faustus was about to turn for another morning nap, the treasure carriers from Chorazin arrive, waking him, to which he had to go and officially view, value and take it into custody. By the time he has finished we all are on our feet too, and the morning meal consisting in fresh and well-prepared fish also is upon the many tables in the large dining hall. Faustus comes quite work-fatigued into the dining hall with his young wife at his side, seating himself next to Me.
8
Not until after the consumed morning meal, which was not lacking of a good wine, does Faustus tell me that his morning task, which normally with all due persistence would have taken him two weeks, is finished and that everything had already gone off to its proper destination. All documents were in their best order ready on the table in the big office together with their safe-conduct warrants. The treasure from Kisjonah's cave was properly distributed and furnished with destination papers, as also the taxation moneys together with the great Temple treasure from Chorazin, all now being dispatched; a large set of carpenters tools are left over at the office for which no owner had yet been found.
9
Say I, "Down there, at the foot of the table sitting next to the mother Mary, are two of Joseph's sons named Jose and Joel; it belongs to those two! It was taken from them as security together with the small dwelling at Nazareth and is to be restored to them!"
10
Says Faustus, "Lord, together with the dwelling! This I vouch for! Oh Lord and friend. What troubles these black ones have caused me already; the foolish law however protected them, and with the greatest determination one could not get hold of them. Right before my eyes they committed the most hideous injustices, yet with all the power at one's disposal one could do nothing to them. Nevertheless here Satan has let them down, and I now have a file in my hands before which these fellows will shake as the storm-driven leaves in the forest! The report to the Chief Governor Cyrenius is a masterpiece which he shall at once be dispatching to Rome together with the certified taxes. From Tyre, Sidon and Caesarea, the imperial vessel of 24 oars and with a good wind, and equipped with strong sail and helm, can reach the Roman coast in twelve days and be in the Emperor's hands! Rejoice for another twelve days after that you blackies! Quite curious barriers shall be brought down on your arrogance!"
11
Say I, "Friend, I say unto you: don't celebrate too early! A crow does not peck out another crow's eyes! The eleven shall indeed not fare enviably on the inside. Whilst not killed they shall nevertheless be kept inside for life. But officially they shall be washed white as wool when justified to Rome, and only then shall further accounts be demanded of you, and you shall be hard-pressed to answer all the questions from Rome satisfactorily. Not one of your hairs shall of course be bent, yet you shall not escape some troubles unless you come up with relevant witnesses and other evidence. For this reason I shall leave you Pilah; he shall be of good service to you. But dress him up at once in Roman garb to prevent him being recongised by his colleagues stationed in Capernaum. For let Me tell you: Satan has not nearly so organised his regiment as this brood of serpents. Hence, beside your dove-like gentleness, be clever as a serpent, or you shall not be able to cope with this brood!"
12
Says Faustus, "My eternal thanks to You for this counsel. But now that this business has been taken care of as well as could be, we ought perhaps to be undertaking something more cheerful."
13
Say I, "Quite so! I am all for it; but let us tarry for Kisjonah who is about to finish with his tills."