The Great Gospel of John
Volume 3
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 143 -
Judgment of the High Pharisee about the Saviour.
Cyrenius says, "Let that be far from me; but what is and must be important to me is that I would only like to make you into better and true people! You can truly cover your inner being with external well-considered clever words, and here all the more easily because the circumstances have formed themselves to your benefit in a certain way and none of us can claim with provable sureness what you would have done with the taken sacrifices if the fire had not occurred for example. But now I will tell you something else and ask you whether you would also have said what you told me with the purest and calmest conscience to the allknowing prophet Elijah or an angel of God who can put you through the acid test?
2
It is veritably true, by my imperial word of honor, which is true and powerful, I tell you: there are numerous wise men here in my company - not of my faith, but of yours - to whom the most secret human thoughts are as bright and clear as a most publicly performed deed! If they would test you would you respond to them with as clear a conscience as me, since you know well that I am lacking in all-knowledge, if not in understanding and astuteness?! I have tested these people harshly and have found that you have to take them seriously! In this way I will test you too. If things happen in the way that you told me, then you will be granted everything and even more than what you asked for; but if the mentioned wise man says something else about you, then the brother of the great emperor and uncle of the ruler sitting on the throne will know well what he will do!"
3
The leader says, "How can you give us the assurance that these wise men mentioned are our friends and not our enemies, and whether they will not abuse their wisdom against us? For we are Pharisees and are hated as such in Galilee because we stick firmly to the statues and only preach Moses and the prophets while almost all of Galilee adheres in secret to the Egyptian and Greek philosophy. If your wise men are Galileans, they will not use their wisdom to our benefit, and we are defending ourselves therefore in advance against all hostile Galilean wise men!
4
In addition it is also written that a prophet can never come from Galilee because the Galileans as Jewish heretics are too far removed from the old wisdom of Moses! But if there are wise men from Judea, then we want to hear them!"
5
Cyrenius says, "The wise men that I mentioned are so placed in my belief and in my heart that every word from their mouth comes as good as purely from heaven, although I don't really see whether something that should be true should come directly out of heaven; for every truth remains as much truth on the Earth as under the wings of light from heaven! For a pear and another pear must be as much two pears in heaven as on Earth - if not, then heaven is a lie!
6
Another question for you, amongst other things! You have just mentioned the Galilean wise man, and from that I take it that you perhaps have another reason than Greek philosophy! A man is supposed to appear in Galilee who performs great things of the most wonderful fashion, teach the people a new religion, supposedly from heaven, and confirm it through never heard-of miracles! Tell me whether you have not yet heard of this person, and what you think of him!"
7
Mathael remarks secretly, "Now you have got them in the right place! Now they will immediately begin to change their colors and words!"
8
The leader then answers, "Have then the deceptions of a very evilly reputed quack, for whom the carpenter's axe has become too heavy, and who would rather seek progress in sweet idleness than in any solid work, reached our ears? Look, you want to condemn us as legal priests at any price, as we have understood only too well from your words and manners; but such a Galilean, such a leader of the people with the help of some learned oriental conjuring tricks has a passport from you, can do whatever he wants and his word must have greater weight before you than ours, for whose truth understanding, better reason and a human feeling in the legal order speaks loudly! I know the Galilean that you mean, and with this I have already said everything!"
9
Cyrenius says, quite excited by this statement, "Very good; you have now given me your opinion about a man which could never have been more to your disadvantage! But this time you have at least spoken the truth in that you are showing your innermost as it is. I know this Galilean of yours only too well and know all about him; but I now know you all perfectly too and know now all about you! I will deliver to you the most certainly undeniable proof that I do not accept everyone immediately as what they seem until I have tested them right down to their last atom!
10
Here before you stands the present King of Pontus. Yesterday morning he stood before me as a small bound criminal and would have easily be damned to the cross; but I checked everything exactly, found all his innocence and made him from a very wise man into what he is now!
11
I am stricter than every other judge, but I am full of justice against everyone. If harm comes to someone during the necessary examination, and I found him innocent, then I know how to turn his misery into joy and happiness as much as is in my power, which your new king can do for you.
12
But I tested this Nazarene worse than everyone else and found that he is such a perfect person, the like of which has never been on the Earth before him nor ever will be after him. But he is filled with the true spirit of God and penetrated right through and acts and speaks only out of endless, never measurable strength and power. Thus I have got to know the Nazarene and now I am glowing with the highest reverence and love for him, although he is an arch-Jew in the realest sense of the word.
13
Oh, we Romans also know how to respect Judaism when it is as it should be according to Moses and all the prophets: full of spirit, power, love, truth and wisdom; but Judaism as it is now observed is for us spirit- and truth-loving Romans a torment of the fullest destruction in the holy place as your prophet Daniel did announce in advance! Now you have my proof about the so deeply despised Nazarene. What can you say against that?"