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 40 -
The influence of the light spirits.
The elder, completely overwhelmed by the truth of My words, said: "Great master! From this your enlightened speech it is sun clear to us that you must be more than just a pure man; for we have never heard a man speak so thoroughly the truth, and truly, such words are more effective than a thousand most miraculous signs, which indeed beguile the people for some time, but only harden and darken their hearts even more! Therefore we also demand no other sign from you; for this word of yours suffices for us completely, and we now know already what we have to do in the future and what we have to keep. Our people at home shall no longer walk in the darkness in future!"
2
I said: "If you do this, it will be very good for you; however everything good and true requires also time. Therefore you must seek the advice of cleverness with all your honest deeds and actions. For a nation that was once in the dark cannot bear a sudden rising harshest light without harm to its eyesight; it then becomes like insane, light-shy and seeks shade and night. Therefore the light must be allowed in very sparingly, so that the people gradually get used to it. In time they will be able to bear even the strongest light quite comfortably. - If you are really true wise men from the far-off lands of the rising sun, you also must observe this lesson of wisdom faithfully, if you want to be a true blessing to your people."
3
The eldest said: "Also this we and our disciples will observe faithfully as well; for we see that you are right in everything and are truthful through and through. But now we would like to learn from you what the circumstances were with the spirits guiding us at the time of your wonderful birth; for we perceived quite well that they were not us and we were not them. But when they controlled us we could not do what we wanted, but instead only what they wanted, and it seemed to us as if they were our own better self. Because at that time also we were very wise and only then got to know the inner natural forces and their uses; but when they left us, we were quite stupid again and could not understand at all how we had learnt the great secrets of the forces of nature. The better things we now know were given to us by those spirits which we also saw in visions. Well, what may be behind all this according to your wisdom?"
4
I said: "For you this is nothing so special; since all people who are by nature somewhat better are instructed by spirits in a sometimes more and sometimes less perceptible way in all sorts of spiritual and natural knowledge, and with you it was the same case in a more perceptible way.
5
And the more natural, simpler and thoughtful the people live in this world, the more and more actively they are bound to the better and good spirits from the beyond. And that was also the case with you.
6
But when you became more worldly-wise through your many travels, your teaching and guiding spirits left you and gave you back your own knowledge, your reason, your understanding and your own free will. But nonetheless they awakened the desire in you, to look for Me and now also had to find Me, and by that the three spirits provided quite well for you and your children and nations.
7
But those spirits were once also people on this earth, and indeed of the greatest significance for all humanity that now lives on this earth; yet in the beyond all the earthly differences of 'first', 'great' or 'small' completely end, and the last person of the earth will not be trailing the first, on condition that he has recognized the will of God and has acted according to His proclamation and ordinance.
8
The will of God for all mankind is in brief this: Recognize God and love Him above all and your neighbour, that means your fellow-man, as yourself. Be true and faithful to everyone, and what you reasonably desire someone should do to you, do likewise to your fellow-man, and there will be peace and unity among you and God's pleasure will shine above your heads like a true light of life!
9
That shall be enough for you. From this everything else and further wisdom will be given to you. And now you may go and rest, for it is already about the middle of the night."
10
The wise men then thanked Me and asked to be allowed to stay in My presence for the coming days, which I gladly allowed them. Thereupon we all took our rest.
11
When we woke up the next day, a good breakfast was already completely prepared, and our wise men were already waiting with the greatest longing of the world to see Me again and also to hear Me speak; for they had taken My words greatly to heart.
12
When I sat with all My disciples at the breakfast table and was eating and drinking and discussing this and that with the innkeeper, the wise men were already listening at the door. But since they only heard exchanges about more unimportant earthly things, they said among themselves: "Look, today he does not speak as wisely as last night! He must be quite multi-sided in his knowledge! But not much of divine wisdom is shining through!"
13
When they were still busy discussing this and that among themselves, a very ill man suddenly came into the front room; since he was a neighbour of the innkeeper, he had learned through his people that I had arrived at the innkeeper and was staying there for some time. When he caught sight of Me through the door, he called out: "Oh Jesus of Nazareth, you wonderful saviour, have mercy on me and heal me as you have already healed so many!"
14
I went out and said: "How long has your gout tortured you?"
15
And he said: "Lord, seven years already! But I bore the pain nonetheless patiently, before it became too terrible; but now it is unbearable for me and so I allowed myself to be led to you."
16
I said to the wise men: "Well, you are also doctors! Can you not help this man with your arts?"
17
The eldest said: "Master, such sick people have been declared unhealable by us, and no medicine can help any longer! If the sun cannot help such an invalid any longer, then nothing in the world will help him any more."
18
I said: "Well then, I will see whether he is to be healed or not!"
19
At this I said to the sick man: "Be healed and walk; but sin no more in the future, so that nothing worse will befall you!"
20
At this the sick man suddenly became completely straight and healthy, thanked Me and left the house full of joy.
21
This truly shocked the wise men and they actually started to worship Me. But I chastised them for this and I and the disciples then immediately moved on to Bethany to Lazarus, and the wise men also returned on the very same day to their far-off land.