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 65 -
Tales of mountain spirits. About witchcraft.
Says Kisjonah: "Yes, Lord, this is quite clear to me and that all the more so since the miners who are digging for all kinds of ore in my mines have often told me similar things, how sometimes bread and wine had disappeared and they did not know who among them could have played such a practical joke on them even involving theft. Sometimes when the hungry miners vented their anger, they heard a resounding laughter and some also claim to have seen childsized human beings frisking about in front of them and in a variety of colours: blue, red, green, yellow and also quite black.
2
Only recently my oldest miner told me that a blue little man had suggested to him in future to carry bread and wine on him in a leather bag, then the hungry fellows of the mountain would be unable to steal it. Besides, no one should talk too loudly in the mines and under no circumstances whistle or even swear, for the gnomes cannot bear these things and do cause trouble to those who do not observe this rule. People must also not laugh deep down in the mountains, for the gnomes cannot stand laughter either. If my miners would sometimes leave some bread and wine for the gnomes, the latter would help them to find rich veins of all the metals.
3
Usually I took these stories for fables since I myself had never experienced anything similar, although I had quite often entered the mines in my mountains. But now after your so gracious explanation everything is quite clear to me. Only one thing I cannot grasp as yet, - how these gnomes who are actually spirits can consume natural food. How do these somewhat weird beings eat and drink?"
4
Say I: "Similar to how fire consumes things it seizes. Put a drop of wine or a crumb of bread into it and you will see how both quickly vanish. And behold, in the same way the spirit or gnomes consume the natural food. They quickly dissolve what is material and transform the spiritual-substantial contained in the matter into their souls substances thereby absorbing it into their being, - and this in just a moment. - Now you know also this and need not concern yourself about these things any further."
5
Says Kisjonah: "Lord, I thank you for this information, for it gives me a happy feeling and I now realise even more clearly that everything surrounding me on all sides is nothing but pure life."
6
Say I: "Very well, My most beloved friend. But I ask you for one thing, that you like the others who know about this keep it to yourself. These things are not salutary for everyone to know, for all the Egyptian and Persian magicians, are not seldom in alliance with spirits and goblins with whose help they perform all kinds of magic. But all this magic is an abomination before God and the one who practises it will truly have little chance of ever entering the Kingdom of God. For such magicians block the entry into the flesh to those spirits, and when they die they become prisoners of such immature souls and cannot easily be freed because they keep absorbing natural elements from the immature, naked nature souls. I tell you: Cursed be a magician. For there has never been an instance where a real magician would have persued an only half-way good purpose with his magic. Everywhere you see standing out the grossest greed and, besides, also the most shameless lust for power, and such spirits shall receive their humiliation reward in the deepest hell.
7
Says Faustus, for once: "Lord, Lord, in that case the many magician's and fortune tellers' prospects in the extensive Roman empire are bad! Because in Rome these types of people are held in almost god-like esteem and with one word are able to dull the Emperor's and every ever so great and brave hero's will, - or alternatively re-vitalise them to such an extend that mountains shake before their courage."
8
Say I: "Yes, friend, such pretending demi-gods shall once not fare the best; for they are aware of deceiving those not initiated into their craftiness in a most ingenious manner, not seldom leading them to stray into all sorts of abominations through such deception. Wherefore such scoundrels shall never fare well; for these are the real non-sellers for much mommy, and the real authors of countless abominations and sins for the ruin of mankind."
9
Say several: "But if they reformed, could they still not attain to beatitude?"
10
Say I: "Indeed so, if they reformed then they too could gain beatitude; but that is the sad part, that these very people are the least adjusted to betterment. Murderers, robbers, thieves, fornicators and adulterers you can convert, and an Emperor or King are quite ready to lay down their crown; but a magician will not be separated from his magic wand! For his invisible accomplices will not allow this and are constantly his masters whenever the would separate himself from them.
11
Wherefore I say again, Cursed be evil magic, for through it all sins came into the evil world.
12
He who wishes to work wonders must possess the inner power from God for that, and then let him work a miracle only in cases where it is really necessary.
13
However, who works a false wonder and prophesies through all kinds of incantations and signs need no longer be damned, for he is already fully damned of his own accord. Therefore, beware all of you of evil magic and prophecy, for all this is most detrimental to the human spirit."
14
Following these words all who heard them were thoroughly scared, asking whether also the age-old weather foreboding, trustworthy according to experience, should not be regarded either.
15
Say I: "For sure, if computed on a scientific basis; if not then that also is a sin, because man then develops a second faith, which diminishes the pure faith in God's providence man then manifesting a greater faith in the signs than in the only true, almighty God.
16
He who remains within pure faith may ask Me and he shall be given what he asked, notwithstanding the worst foreboding contrary signs of the earth and air confirmed through experience. But he who relies on the signs also shall receive in accordance with the signs. The Pharisees regard the signs, letting people question them about it for dear money; but they shall once be condemned that much more for it!
17
Did God not create everything that is represented to man through signs. If God created it all then surely shall remain Lord over all, leading and guiding everything. If God Himself alone is Lord and guide of all created things and appearances, what could these have to indicate without Him? If they could not possibly do so ever, then let man enquire of God, Who alone is capable of everything, as to what the signs indicate. Is not this more comforting than a thousand of the most reliable sign interpretations?"
18
Say all those seated at My table: "Lord this is certain and true. If only You could cause the whole world to think and act thus, then the world would look differently to how it looks now! To those of us gathered around You now it is easy of course since we have You as the cause of all being and appearing at our side; but a hundred thousand times a thousand who don't have the inestimably great fortune to be in Your supremely holy company, hearing words of life from Your mouth, fare otherwise! These too are certain to be yearning for that which the entire creation bears witness to; but their star-gazing shall never discover You, and their great longing never be satisfied. What wonder then that such people are only too easily attracted to wonder-working magician and signs and their interpreters, because these have something to offer to people of godly striving, having a smattering of godliness even if false?"