The Great Gospel of John
Volume 6
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and the Priests of the Temple (John 5)
- Chapter 17 -
The selfish doings of the priests in the temple.
I said: "Do you think that they have told us something new?! Oh, by no means! That has been known to Me even as the Son of Man for a very long time! Do you not remember My twelfth year, when I as a boy spoke with the Pharisees and scribes and elders for three days?! You see, even then things were the same in the Temple as nowadays, and even before that; but there were at least some worthy and true followers of Moses and Aaron really from the line of Levi on the throne of Moses and his brother Aaron. But Zachariah was the last, and now all the tribes are equally represented in the Temple, since anyone can buy himself a position for money if he so desires.
2
In short, they turned My house into a den of thieves - as the prophet says - and therefore no salvation can be found in it! Nevertheless I say to you all: You may still listen to the teachings of those sitting in the chair of Moses and Aaron while they preach God's word. But do not look upon their evil deeds and, even less, imitate them because they are a most abominable fraud!
3
This is God's judgment over them, that they are what they are because they have left Him and have turned to mammon who now is their God. Who has not heard that in former times the first-born of every marriage were raised in the temple, free of charge and in the best way possible, until their fourteenth year as a sacrifice to the Lord God and that often these first-born had been visibly served and taught by the angels of heaven?"
4
Said all: "Yes, that is the literal truth!"
5
I continued speaking: "Where does such a thing happen today?"
6
Said one of the Jews: "Oh yes, that still happens, although of course in quite a different way! Instead of the firstborn as a sacrifice for God the Lord, the Temple prefers to take money; but whoever has no money can either keep the firstborn himself without any problem and for a few shillings several prayers will be murmured into the prayer boxes for the future well-being of that person, or, if the parents of the firstborn as genuine believing Jews appeal to the old rules, the firstborn will indeed be accepted with the prescribed ceremony, but then immediately given over for a small amount of money to some midwife. If the child remains alive, it will be sent as a servant to some farmer where it then grows up without teaching or education like an animal, and if his parents then demand him back again after the prescribed fourteen years, they are certainly more than a little surprised that their firstborn found so little mercy in the Temple, and then their real trouble begins with him.
7
Therefore the poor no longer give their firstborn to the Temple, but instead prefer to keep the new law, about which we spoke previously. It is of course different for the rich; they are indeed looked after very well, naturally for a lot of money, and from time to time also visited and served by fake angels, who also teach them some parts of the Scripture learnt by heart which however the angels understand just as little as their pious wards."
8
I said: "Now that is quite enough with these unfortunately only too true pieces of news; for our Jewish citizens are coming now and we do not want to anger them too much. Indeed they know many a thing, but not everything of course, and so we do not want to illuminate to them the inner, evil secrets too much. Do not speak too much about it, all of you; for otherwise you could end up in great worldly embarrassment, which then could bring harm to your soul! Think on the other hand: We are free in our hearts and have found the true light and the true path to life! But as long as I tolerate them so that their evil measure becomes full, you should also tolerate them, and keep to their good teaching; but turn your eyes and ears away from the bad! And now enough of this chapter; for our citizens already stand at the doorway and have not eaten anything yet; therefore they shall also receive something here to eat and to drink."