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 52 -
The apologia of the elder.
Say the elder: "We now admit that you are right to a certain extend, - but not with everything; therefore you are lacking at least twenty years experience. The temple looks like you have told us; but it was not always like this. For if you are able to think thoroughly and logically, you must necessarily accept the statement as undeniable true: 'If something true and real never existed, no person could ever think to replicate something false and untrue.' Why does one in our over-informed time of all kinds of arts come across false diamonds, false pearls, as well as false gold and silver?
2
We know that the Persians produce the best and finest scarfs and other clothes and also add to it the most durable colours according to their secret art, which is why their produce is highly valuable. But if you today visit the markets in Jerusalem, Sichar or even Damascus, you must be a knowledgeable product expert, not to buy in our country produced counterfeits, thus false and bad materials as original Persian for a high price what one normally would pay for Persian material! - But what can be deduced from that?
3
Behold, had these never been real diamonds, pearls, silver and exquisite Persian materials, it would also never occur to any person to imitate such! And if the genuine were not so highly valued then the fake imitations also would cease, for it would not occur to someone to imitate false limestone due to the limitless abundance of the real. And so can easily see that a false Ark with the pillar of fire would never have been imitated if formerly an authentic and wonderfully true one had not been in existence."
4
Says the speaker, by the name of Chiwar: "Quite so! This is clear; but it begs the question: what took place in actuality, by the ancient once duying, so to speak. It still is in existence and is occasionally found on the spot of the false Holiest of Holies precinct, which nevertheless hardly ever happens these days because of the frequent visits paid to the Holiest of Holies hall, in spite of it being known very well that until hardly thirty years ago, no man besides the High Priest who had the right to sit upon Aaron's chair, could enter the Holiest of Holies, and even the High Priest himself only twice a year, according to regulations; only under exceptional circumstances was he allowed to enter the Holiest of Holies three or four times.
5
How did it therefore happen that the Holiest of Holies is now only so in name but is basically no more a Holiest of Holies than this Synagogue?"
6
Says one seasoned Elder: "What may have led to it or be the cause, neither I nor any initiate in all of Israel knows. Only this much is certain: that with the wicked murder of the High Priest Zacharias between the sacrificial altar and the Holiest of Holies, the Pillar of Fire suddenly went out and did not reappear with all pleading and prayer.
7
We hope that you will understand that such goings on could not be made known to the people. Because this would have caused a great furore among the people, on top of the Romans in the land! What bloodbath and devastation would necessarily have followed!
8
In this way however in all of Israel, except us initiates, nobody knows anything about it, whilst these Galileans sleeping here and hardly capable of hearing our whispering even if not asleep, would not do anything even if they knew, for they are of little faith one and all, being Greeks more than Jews and persuaded of the expedient premise: "There has to be a religion for holding the common people down, making them the easier for the educated classes to exploit, and that it is quite immaterial as to what mystique underlies a religion.
9
What concern to a real and better Galilean as to whether the Ark is authentic or not if only it has the right effect on the common folk that is superstitious and too easily deceived!? Here in Nazareth, in Capernaum and Chorazim therefore one can be quite open among relatives and friends without causing damage; regarding the Greeks and Romans, well, there we know whom we are dealing with!
10
That was also the main reason for getting the preacher John, who hung around Bethabara for several years, to prison, as it was feared that, as a son of Zacharias, giving no good testimony of the Jerusalamite priests, might know and tell the people about the false Ark!
11
That is also the reason for persecuting the carpenter, because with his obvious gifts of prophecy one feared he could reveal things to the people. Hence let this remain a secret among us for now, and we must not give ourselves away too easily."
12
Says Chiwar: "This is of course a most exasperating tale; if only those down there near the main entrance overheard us!"
13
Says the Elder: "Well, we actually mumbled more than spoke and those down there will have heard very little if anything. And even if they had heard anything, they are mostly Greeks and Romans and don't understand what we discussed among ourselves."
14
Says Chiwar: "I nevertheless noticed the carpenter's son Jesus, the chief governor Cyrenius, the Chief Jairus, the chief Cornelius, Faustus and other officials!"
15
Says the Elder: "These are people against whom we cannot guard ourselves anyway; it matters little whether these heard it or not. If these want to make it known to the people then they are not likely to need our discussion, as they are likely to have for along time now it is with the Ark in the Temple; and if they don't want to, then our discussion is not going to motivate them, - and so we can be untroubled! But let us now see to it that this questionable thing is not broadcast by us. And if it has to be done in times to come then utmost caution shall be needed."