The Great Gospel of John
Volume 3
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 167 -
The prophecies about the incarnation of the Lord.
Once I had said this, our Mark was also already there and said that the midday meal was ready, and asked whether he should have it brought out; for it was already around the ninth hour of the day (3 pm).
2
And I said, "Have it served; for the expected guests are already present, and everything is in the best order!"
3
Cornelius calls old Mark and says, "Well, old brother in arms, don't you recognize me anymore? Don't you remember how you were with me in Illyria and Pannonia? I was then more a boy than a warrior; but since that time 45 years have gone by and I am almost sixty now!"
4
Mark says, "Oh high Master that is still very fresh in my memory! A lot of seriousness was required to keep those quarrel- and strife-loving people in a bearable order. In the beginning things didn't go too well for us on the Upper Ister (Danube) in the area of Vindobona (Vienna); but in a few years we had done it and we experienced very happy hours there.
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The customs and traditions of those Germans were truly somewhat rough for us Romans; but once we gradually managed to give them more open-minded education, things were then quite bearable. The wine they made was truly weak and bitter; but it was drinkable once one was used to it.
6
But not far from the area of Vindobona [Vienna], upstream on the Ister [Danube], where we hunted boar and also, I believe, caught about forty of them, we found a longbearded German seer and priest who sat on an oak during our boar hunt and watched us fighting with the boars. This man said something in the Roman language and also said to both of us, when we were slaughtering a boar under his oak:
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Remember this well, both of you brave boys! In Asia, in the land over the waters, something great is waiting for you! You will see something there that no mortal eye has ever seen before! Here reigns only death; as the powerful boar met his end under the sharpness of your lances and swords, so everything meets its end in this land of death! But in Asia life is blooming; whoever is there will never see death!
8
Then he fell silent and when we pressed him further he gave us no more answer, and we went on, looking for more boars. But look, the old man prophesied in full seriousness and we are now experiencing what the old German prophesied!"
9
Cornelius says, "You know, I had almost forgotten that old German! Correct, correct, you are right! We must talk in more detail about that!"
10
Old Mark went to lay the tables with the dishes with the help of Cyrenius and Julius, and Cornelius said to Me, "Lord, what do You say then to the prophesy of the German, which was actually made many years ago in Europe to me and to old Mark, who must be about ten years older than me?"
11
I say, "All the nations who have been scattered across the wide Earth have been given a prophesy about Me and My present coming to the people of this Earth right from the first man of the Earth, and their priests always knew how to beat a certain path to spiritual enlightenment through myths and the inner desire in their hearts and often prophesied in very confusing images which in the end even they themselves did not understand.
12
Only in repeated ecstasies of enthusiasm could some sometimes achieve a clearer sight and then explained their previous visions a little closer.
13
It was the same with the Germans. And this German found himself in a clairvoyant ecstasy on his oak, whose vapor, along with the fear of your lances and spears, helped him reach this state - and then he prophesied to you. When he awoke from the prophesying again, he did not remember anything that he had said, and could not give you any further answer to your pressing.
14
You see, that is the essence of such prophesies! If you want to accept it, the witch of Endor was also in a clairvoyant ecstasy in those days when Saul forced her to evoke the spirit of Samuel, although she generally was only connected to the unnatural being of the terrible spirits and therefore prophesied lies and guile and deception.
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No man is so dead and evil that he would not bring forth a correct prophesy at a certain time; but this is no reason for every prophecy of his to be true, but instead is only true for this one instance.
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The oracles of Dodona and of Delphi often made very wise prophesy; but after every true one followed a thousand false and untruthful ones.
17
So it cannot be denied that certain clairvoyants and prophets even worked miracles; but at the same time others invented a large number of illusions through the influence of evil spirits and through the worldly understanding awakened by these beings, and they then led whole nations astray for thousands of years, and they lived well and quite carefree until some enlightened seer pointed out and stopped their crafty deeds
18
But that was never easy; for a once mistaken nation does not easily let itself be brought back to the correct path, and their false priests least of all, because their great, worldly advantages are put at risk.
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You all have the opportunity to convince yourself now how difficult it is even for Me, and yet I speak as no seer has ever spoken before Me, and I do deeds that were never heard of before Me! All heaven stands open, angels come down and serve Me, and bear witness of Me and yet there are even disciples who are now always around Me and see, hear and experience everything, but their belief still resembles a wind vane and a weak pipe which is turned in every direction by the wind, from wherever it comes! Well, I am not even talking about other worldly people here!"