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 33 -
Healing of an old Jew's sick relative.
Thereupon an old Jew from the district of Nazareth suddenly enters the room asking for Me. The disciples point me out and he steps over to Me, falling on his knees and saying in a sobbing voice,
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"Most beloved Master, son of my old friend Joseph! I heard of Your miraculous way of healing the sick and therefore set out to see You in my great plight, as I heard that You are now staying in Nazareth again.
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Behold, I count ninety years already and quite toilsome; I have children and grandchildren who have looked after me with all love and attention. But now some unknown sickness has come over them, making them all bedridden and I as a feeble old man am the only one in the house spared and don't know what to do. No neighbour ventures into my house for fear of contracting the serious disease, and so I stand there helplessly by myself and at a loss what to do. I have prayed to God the Lord for help - even through death if that be His will!
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As I was praying thus, a person came to my window saying: "What makes you doubt since help is so near you? Go to Joseph's house! The Saviour Jesus Himself is there; He alone can and will help you!" - Thereupon I gathered together all my strength, handed all my sick, whom I couldn't help anyway to God the Lord and set upon the not too distant walk to You here. And since I was so fortunate as to find You good, beloved Saviour here, I would also beg You with all my vital powers to go over to my seventeen sick, who are being tormented terribly by the unknown sickness!"
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Say I: "I had actually decided to work no more signs for this area on account of the exceeding lack of faith. If you believe that I am able to help you, then return home confidently and what you have believed shall happen to you."
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Deeply moved, the old man thanked Me and went home. And fortified himself, and still approaching the house, the seventeen, as well, came to meet him, as if they had never been ill greeting him faithfully and amicably as always, assuring him that they suddenly got well a half hour earlier, and hazarding to get up, they had felt stronger than ever before in their healthy state. They had looked for him everywhere and had started worrying about him.
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Hearing this, the old man realised that the nasty sickness left his relatives at exactly the time I had said to him at My house - Let it be done to you according to your faith.
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Only at the house, after his relatives asked him where he had been, did he say: "I had heard that the world-renown Saviour Jesus was again staying at Nazareth, and so I got up and went over - and behold, he heard me and just said: "Let it be done to you according to your faith" and you became well instantly upon this His Word! Say it yourselves whether anything like it had ever been experienced in Israel before!"
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Say the healed ones: "Hearken, father, if so then He must be more than just a wonder-healer! Father, this could in the end at last be another great prophet, greater than Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, - in the end perhaps as great as Moses, Aarona and Elijah! Only to these was it possible to work such miracles with Jehovah's help, because all spirits, under the earth as well as upon it, in the water and in the air had to subject themselves to them. If however they are subject to such exceedingly great prophet, then of course he has to be capable of accomplishing anything he wants!
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But how did the carpenter's son come by such inestimable grace from God? We all know him only too well; it is hardly three years since he was carpenting for us with his brothers. There was nothing like that noticeable with him then. He must only recently received such gift! A pious man he was at all times indeed; his demeanour was always highly respectable; he was a quiet worker speaking only essentials. He was hardly ever seen laughing, but neither mourning. Thus Jehovah could well have regarded his virtues and now given him such grace. For Jehovah never looks on a person's worldly standing but only upon his pure, unspoiled heart!"
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Says the old man: "Yes indeed, you could be right there, it is bound to be so. But if it is indisputably thus, then we must go there early in the morning and bring him our praise and thanks! Because everyman should bow his knees before a prophet obviously called and anointed by God with His Spirit! Because it is not the prophet but God Himself Who speaks and acts through the heart and mouth of same!"
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Say all: "Amen, let this be our first and highest duty!" These people then moved into the house, and the young ones prepared supper, for they all were hungry.