The Great Gospel of John
Volume 6

Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching

At the Sea of Galilee (John 6)

- Chapter 148 -

The Lord's stop at the house of Lazarus in Bethany.

I Myself met with My brothers and disciples in a very remote inn outside the temple. It was this the same inn in which I often stayed during feast days with Joseph and Maria. The joy of the brothers when I came to them, was indescribable, since they sat together sadly and exchanged among themselves their opinion, if I ever would have mercy on them to take them back.

But I asked them and said to them: "Children, friends and brothers, do you have something to eat and to drink?"

Then all fell to My feet and begged Me for forgiveness. But I asked them to get up from the floor and speak very openly with Me, since they knew quite well that I never was cross about an open conversation. The brothers got up and thanked Me that I not have left them.

While speaking to the brothers also the twenty Jew-Greeks arrived hurriedly. And when they saw Me they said: "Lord, You have preempted us! We were in the temple and have heard everything what You have preached most wisely; but when You suddenly became invisible because of the terrible behaviour of the Jews and pharisees, also we rushed out of the temple as quick as it was possible in the big crowd and wanted to convey the news to the brothers about Your presence, which would have made them exceedingly happy, - and see, we already meet You here! Yes, this is for the brothers of course undescribable more gratifying and we are also beyond all measure happy to have You, o Lord, among us! From now on no such separation will certainly not occur again!"

Said I: "Oh, there still will be times and circumstances when all of you will be annoyed about Me, and when the shepherd is slain, the sheep will flee and scatter! But when the shepherd then comes back, he again gathers the good sheep around him forever. Now, the pharisees would have had quite a bad experience today, if it wasn't for Me escaping from the temple so quickly; since the number who believe in Me, was by far the majority in the temple and if someone would lay a hand on Me, a large commotion would have started in the temple, and the great citizens of Jerusalem together with the pharisees, scribes and temple-jews would have felt the worst of it. To avoid this I left the temple and am here now.

Tomorrow we will do nothing and also for the rest of today; but the day after tomorrow when this feast like usual begins with the greatest pomp, also we will be in the temple and teach the people. But now we will leave this inn which is arranged too strictly and silly according to the old Jewish customs; since here we will not get something to drink and even less something to eat. Therefore lets go to Bethania; there we will immediately get something to eat and to drink!"

All this was right; but then the innkeeper of the inn came to us and said: "Yes, what is this?! Is my inn not good enough for you? Why do you want to leave me, and especially you, son of Joseph from Nazareth, who already stayed many times with your parents here in this inn and I have been a close relative of Joseph?"

Said I: "Firstly you are too much of a Jew and regard the external as very important, - but the inner truth and living is foreign to you; in addition one is everywhere better accommodated than in the house of the nearest blood relatives, for which reason I only very seldom can be seen in Nazareth, - since the prophet is nowhere regarded less than in his own fatherland!"

Said the innkeeper: "But your father Joseph always loved to stayed with me and we always discussed a lot about Moses and the prophets, and he also had told me quite peculiar things about you! Why don't you categorically want to stay in my house, while you have not been in Jerusalem for nearly three years?!"

Said I: "If you would have informed yourself, you would have come to the knowledge, that I have been here nearly for every feast! But you are an arch Jew and at the same time also an arch innkeeper, and as such you are not interested in what happens in the big city. Therefore stay what you are and I and these My disciples will also stay, how and what we are! We still do not owe you anything because we have not yet consumed anything; therefore let us go!"

Thereupon we got up and quickly left for Bethania.

However, afterwards the innkeeper said to his people: "I'm quite glad they have left; since with relatives there is not much of an advantage for the innkeeper!"

I told such to the disciples and they became very annoyed about such an eye servant of an innkeeper.

Before Bethania I said to the brothers: "Just walk a little ahead and say to Lazarus that he should prepare a good midday meal; But do not yet mention My name! I will then arrive a little later about which he will have a great joy."

With that the brothers and the other twenty went quickly ahead and said such to Lazarus.

He immediately enquired about Me and said: "Yes, my dear friends, this will immediately take place according to your wishes; but I would give a lot if also the great, holy Master could be with you! Half an hour ago a couple of Greeks came by and I asked them if there were any news about the feast. Since I only stayed for an hour in Jerusalem and then rushed home because of the to me highly annoying and irritating feast activities and therefore could not know if anything further has occurred.

And the Greeks said: 'We have heard that the famous magician from Galilee is active in the temple; but we did not saw him since we could not get into the temple because of the heavy jostling.' Now this I have been told by the two Greeks. Thereupon I immediately send some of my servants to find out more and immediately inform me, so that I can go and look for Him and invite Him as the most dearest Guest; however, the send servants have not returned by now. - Tell me, dear friends, if you not have heard anything from the city!"

This question was putting the disciples in a not too small embarrassment and they did not know what they should answer. But then I put an end to their short embarrassment, by walking into the room of Lazarus and greeted him as a brother. Lazarus was completely overwhelmed with joy and his two sisters cried out of happiness that I have visited them again. In short, there was a big joy in the whole house of Lazarus like it was not experienced before.

Immediately everything was put in motion to prepare a best and most royal meal. About that a real Jew and pharisee was not allowed to hear anything, because such would have violated the high feast Sabbath before sundown in the highest degree. But on this Sabbath all the pharisees had a lot to do in the temple and also their servants, and therefore a few things could happen in Bethania about which the temple would never be informed. During the preparation of the meal we went outside to the already well known hill and sat down on the lawn benches underneath the shady palm trees and I told Lazarus what I experienced in the temple.

At stage also Johannes and Matthew wrote down the gospel, but of course only the main points excluding most of the incidental circumstances.

And when I explained the fourth and fifth chapter of the Prophet Jesaja to Lazarus, he said: "Yes, Lord, this fits in the greatest detail the present times and its people, so that there is not the smallest point about which one might say that it doesn't fit precisely here! Yes, it is indeed very understandable that the clerics have targeted You sharply! Oh, this lecture was quite salutary for them; for these thugs already now pretend as if they are gods and angels themselves!"

Footnotes

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