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 23 -
The Nazarenes rebuked.
Since I nevertheless seemed a prophet to them, on account of what they had seen, one Nazarene elder said: "I once heard about a Babylonian traveller, such as are often wont to travel our districts and places as extraordinary beggars, putting up all sorts of magic and prophesying performances for a few pence, who made the following prediction to my neighbour:
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"Within thy walls Nazareth, liveth a man thou knowest not. He is quiet and short on words; when his time comes, mountains shall bow to his speech, and winds and sea shall obey him, and death shall tremble before him and have no power over him. Thereupon all the people of this city shall be offended with astonishment, but none shall be able to withstand his power, and death shall flee him as a timid gazelle from a pursuing lion. But when he intends going from this world into the heavens he will allow his enemies to kill him for three days. After three days he shall of his own power dismiss death and rise from the dead in all power and glory and ascend to the heavens with flesh and blood. But then woe betide all those who persecuted him; their fate shall be a most terrible judgement by fire, the like of which has not occurred on earth before. Woe betide all arrogant Jews! They shall not again have a land of their own to the end of the world but wander scattered over all the earth like cursed game in the desert, preparing inedible bread from stubble, thorns and thistles to satisfy their hunger, and shall die of such fare."
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So spoke the Babylonian about three years ago, and it is truly memorable that precisely such a man has arisen from within our walls in Jesus, whose speeches and deeds substantiate almost to a hair's breadth what this Babylonian prophesied! What therefore is to be done? If the one has come to pass, then the other - namely the judgement could also do so. Hence it is my well-considered view that we let him carry on as he will and can, for it could turn out hard to fight him! Because he who can awaken the dead must be capable of more still. We should fare badly with the one before whom mountains bow down and the winds and seas fall silent. Hence we should let him go, particularly since, as you can see hundreds already follow his teaching with body and soul, taking him for the promised Messiah!"
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With this talk by the old Nazarene, the others get even more annoyed but none dares to say another word.
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I however saw quite well that nothing could be done with these people, as they had neither faith nor trust, and hence I said briefly but loudly enough for all to hear: "Why are you angry? Have you not heard how it was said of old: "A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and in his own house?" (Matt. 13:57). If so however, as experience always taught of old, why are you offended? You would be clever, but I say unto you that you are blind, deaf and full of foolishness. If I am He Who I am, and My words and deeds testify thereof, why do you not believe? Must a prophet always come from a far country to find faith? Does his native country have to be unknown and his tongue foreign?
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Had I come from Persia, and not to mention India, doing the signs which I do now, and as none had done before Me, then you would be prostrated before Me on your faces, crying: "It is God's visitation and we are full of sin and afflictions! Who shall hide us from His wrath?" Being the familiar Joseph's son, you ask: "How did He come by this?" Oh you blind fools! Is not the land here as much God's earth as in Persia and India? Does not the same sun shine here, and all kinds of fruit made to grow and ripen through God's constantly ruling power and might? Are the moon and the stars together with the sun and this earth less godly here than the aforementioned countries?
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Since without any doubt everything is as godly and of God here as in other distant countries, why should not man be so? If I perform deeds before your eyes which were never possible to a Persian or Indian before, why should not I like any foolish Persian or Indian earn your respect and faith? Verily, were I to go to the Greeks and Romans today, they would build Me temples and altars!
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You however, among whose midst I grew up and known to you from My childhood, ask with angry surprise: "Where does this carpenter, whom we had always known as a real dim wit, get this from?" Oh just wait, the dim wit has ceased being a dim wit and has done you many favours - formerly as dim wit, and now as Master and Saviour evermore; but He shall henceforth not do so anymore."
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To these words the Nazarenes were annoyed even more and left the school.