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 53 -
Chiwar's testimony on Jesus" works and life.
Says Chiwar: "Verily, I must commend your wisdom. Notwithstanding the length of time we have lived and acted together, there was never an opportunity yet for getting to know you, my colleagues, the way I have done today and I am particularly pleased to have you at my side as humans rather than just foolish Temple servants. Nonetheless, the advent of the carpenter remains the most extraordinary thing witnessed by human perception since humans settled the earth. Here Adam sinks with all his thousand years of experience and visions! A Henoch belongs to a nation of spiritual beggars, and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, Aaron and Elijah are poor devils in comparison with us. Just on e day now brings more of the most miraculous and unheard of than what all the ancient and forefathers ever experienced!
2
I have myself played a secret observer from a distance, yesterday as well as already today, of all that which went on inside and outside old Joseph's house, I will say it: nothing but miracles upon miracles! Two visible fully live angels serve Him! Faustus' wife was at Capernaum and the carpenter wanted to have her at the breakfast table; but four hours time would have been required to bring her from Capernaum to Nazareth. What happens? The carpenter gives the two obvious angels a nod. These two disappear for just a couple of moments, bringing the completely cheerful beautiful Lydia to Nazareth! - What say you to that? This surely is more than we are able to grasp?!"
3
Ask the Elders: "What else have you seen?"
4
Says Chiwar: "You certainly know Jairus' daughter and also that she died twice and that the second time she had already lain in the grave several days. But that you don't know that Jairus' celestially beautiful daughter has become Borus' wife! Is not this unheard of, that a twice fully dead female being becomes a man's wife and a wedding by ways and means as the earth has not experienced before?! When the carpenter's son had blessed her she saw the heavens open and countless hosts of angels filled the air praising God for showing the earth's mankind such honours and graces. After the pair were blessed by Jesus however the heavens closed in response the carpenter's visible nod and only the two angels remained, as they were previously, and as you are able to see them there in the Synagogue, - over there standing near the door, in the shape of two celestially beautiful youths. Look at them and say whether they can be from anywhere else but purely from the heavens!
5
If however things all are of such wonderful nature, which none of us can deny, why should we not take the carpenter's son for something higher than a student of the Essenes, whom he could not ver have seen, since he has to my knowledge never left our district, except a couple of times for Jerusalem with his father and brethren, and I think once to Sidon to erect a dwelling there, at all other times he was at home.
6
Although one knows that the he was always quiet, withdrawn worker, and that he was even regarded as somewhat stupid, one also knows that from his birth to his twelfth year truly exceptional things took place with him; even his birth was supposed to have been quite miraculous - according to the Roman chief Cornelius' account, who told me this only recently during a festive occasion.
7
If things are thus, then I earnestly ask whether one should still have misgivings about regarding this Jesus as at least a son of God; because such things as he accomplishes, and how he commands the angels and how they obey at the least hint obviously allows the conclusion that there must be the fullness of God's primeval Spirit behind this Jesus.
8
If that is the case - as his deeds and doctrines testify - then I really don't know why we still hang unto the dead Ark, even whilst the living one is moving and acting before our eyes. We could even in front of the people still in appearance remain what we are, in order not to make the thing too conspicuous; but in our hearts we should firmly convert to him!"
9
Says the wise Elder: "Either fully or not at all! For if godliness is in him it shall abhor all half-heartedness; if this is not the case however, then it nevertheless is better to stay with the dead Ark with at least the memory of its former constitution, than to embrace something whose foundations one does not know!
10
Says Chiwar: "Wherefore we shall test the thing on your account, because it needs no testing on my account. I am in the clear and know exactly what I do by following him."
11
Says the Elder: "But do you think that the Temple will take no further steps if one community and district after another falls away from it like ripened fruit from the tree? I think the Temple won't keep us waiting too long before sending its heavy fathers into every precinct. Then beware all apostates - these shall be tormented in every manner! Then those who embraced the wise Greek's doctrine may still fare better than disciples of Jesus, who are neither fully Jews and even less Greeks yet might be, at least some of them, informed about the bad and completely void Temple conditions together with its holy mysteries.
12
I say unto you: nothing incenses the Clerics into more threatening disquiet, kept secret of course than Jesus" obvious prophetic nature and that of his disciples. And such disquiet shall seize upon every Satanic measure to destroy a doctrine, which evidently must prepare the Temple's demise.
13
Or did you not hear what the Clerics did last year even with a Greek who made it known to the people that the former were now accepting Roman gold and silver in the Temple notwithstanding that only Aaron's coinage was determined for this and that no other money was to ever be accepted? Behold, he was enticed into the Temple with promises of profit, and when gotten hold of in this way he was killed in a manner that finds no precedent in the Chronicles. Hence the greatest caution must be applied! We have to either become wholly Greeks and as such then join Jesus' disciples, or on the other hand remain completely what we are, because half-measures shall in no way help us."
14
Says Chiwar: "Speaking openly between ourselves, what if this apparent carpenter is really the promised Messiah, thus - as David calls Him with the deepest reverence - Jehovah Himself? Should we then still become His disciples by subterfuge, or should we not rather join up with the heavenly banner and not allow ourselves to be intimidated by Satan's trickery because through Him we can be assured of eternal life even if it may cost us this insignificant, miserable temporal life which is only short anyway?"
15
At Chiwar's proposition all became hesitant, not know how to act decisively.