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 88 -
Chiwar's opinion of the Temple.
Says the Chief: "If all this is so, as I am not inclined to doubt out of hand, then he must without a doubt have the closest link with the almighty spirit of Jehovah, somewhat like Moses or Elijah, the latter one also being able to call fire from heaven, which obeyed him. He may very well have worked other signs that have not been recorded, about which on the other hand there could be much truth.
2
Elijah for instance, if my memory serves me correctly is supposed to have on one occasion provided an entire heap of skeletons upon a battlefield with flesh, skin and hair withal! On another occasion he is supposed to have sealed the great Euphrates" sources for three years as well as simultaneously command the clouds to stay clear of the sky for three years. Only after people had done proper penitence he once again opened the springs of the great rivers, commanding the clouds to form on the horizon and give water to the parched land and many another thing also is told about this most peculiar of all prophets which may have been distorted with time, and it is said that this very Elijah shall return before the end of the world and through great signs move people to repentance, even whilst this peculiar prophet is supposed never to have died but ascended to the heavens in a fiery chariot. It could therefore quite easily be that this Jesus is the bearer of this great prophet's spirit and hence, closely linked with Jehovah's might, he can perform deeds possible only to God!"
3
Says Chiwar: "Your view is not bad at all, and I would almost agree with you if I had not with my own eyes observed things about this Jesus which leave all of Elijah behind by an infinity. You will ask what for instance? But I should have to confess that I would completely lack the words to describe them; because one would have oneself have had to have heard, seen and felt it, or one can otherwise form no concept of it. And I therefore now agree with many thousands that this is without any doubt the promised Messiah! For I ask one --- all whether, if someone were to come at a different time, will he work greater signs!? Besides that he is according to the Chronicles, which reach down to Joseph's grandfather, descended in the straightest line from David [Matt. 1:1-17]. Akim was the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, the latter the father of Matthan, the same the father of Jacob, Jacob was the father of Joseph and the latter the father of our Jesus. Going backwards into the Chronicles and you end up with David in the straightest line. But it is also written that the Messiah will descend from David and that all shall recognise him by his deeds.
4
In my view this Jesus lacks nothing; the descent is authentic, whilst deeds not experienced on earth before also are present in over-abundance. I truly don't know therefore what should prevent us from acknowledging him as the One he obviously is?
5
That the domineering Temple shall not easily be swayed thereto is of course clear; but we should by no means go by the Temple which in my opinion is completely dead and from now on not provide us with protection nor wisdom and still less any lasting livelihood, unless we first give it --- for one position that ten people could be maintained quite well for a hundred years.
6
Just work it out yourself, and you will see that you could have, with the gold and silver with which you bought your chief's position from the Temple sustained yourself a hundred years in princely fashion! But then let yourself be hailed here by the Romans and seek protection from the Temple, and they shall not only be unable to provide it, but not want to either, and for a few handfuls of silver fix you up with double talk as they fix inquirers by the notorious Delphi Oracle - of course for much gold and silver, so that the Oracle is always correct afterwards, regardless of whether the inquirer's fortunes later take a good or bad turn!
7
Thank God I am familiar with all the Temple's present dirty tricks and hence do not let my conscience be bothered about hoodwinking it for any amount, no matter how. Because my friend, anyone not wishing to be duped by the Temple must himself take the trouble to dupe it to the limit. Or do you think that in the Temple you will get somewhere with an honest and upright disposition and face? Oh, let none brag thus! But go there with a thoroughly mischievous disposition and expression and I guarantee you will tie the Templers around your thumb like a string.
8
I can still well recall a certain fellow, a circumcised Greek. He must have been of great wealth, studded with pearls and diamonds. This man had a properly irascible face and said little; yet as surely as I am Chiwar so surely was whatever he said was the most cunning lie. He only demanded a thousand pounds of gold for a parchment roll hardly worth a halfpenny. The High Priest shrugged his shoulders for sure, but our scoundrel cut a face as I have hardly seen again, mumbling scornfully: "Hm, aut Caesar - aut nihil"! (Either Caesar - or nothing! Which means, either everything or nothing), to which the Chief turned pale - God knows why, at once having the 1,000 pounds gold handed over to the rascal none of which the Temple ever received back by even a hair's weight; for it only became clear about a year later how this rascal was a most wily deceiver anointed with every Satanic ointment, to scare a thousand pounds of gold even out of the High Priest.
9
Quite honest Jews sometimes came to the Temple to borrow money with good pledges and they received nothing, for they appeared too honest and with expressions to righteous! And so my maxim is: one has to pull wool over the Temple's eyes if one does not wish oneself to be done in by it! And so I shall eternally not ask the Temple whether Jesus is the promised Messiah, because He is so to me even without the Temple! What will you say to my view?"