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 73 -
The drowned daughter of the innkeeper and her raising from the dead.
When we arrived at the inn by sundown, the innkeeper noticed that the sea was in a state of strongest excitement and that he in a distance of about one-hundred field-lanes could see a ship, which at this terrible high swell would certainly sink. Should one try to assist such a ship in distress?
2
Said I: "Another yes, - but not this one! The pre-midday wind has pushed it forward to where it is now; but another will drive it back again. This is the ship with those evils ones from Jerusalem, who are supposed to catch and kill Me. But now they are My prisoners and will remain so for another few days and nights, - after which a wind will drive them to the coast behind Tiberias and release them from their torture. Thereupon they will leave for home quite sober and will not pursue Me any longer and try to take My life. See, the wind has already reached them and drives the ship away from these waters! But leave it at that; something completely different awaits us in the house! Let us thus go into our inn!"
3
The innkeeper and all the others were full of curiosity about the new event awaiting us, and therefore we quickly entered the house. And see, the oldest daughter of the innkeeper was lying as good as dead on a bed and was wet allover. She had been going alone to the large fish container to collect some of the large noble fish for dinner; but she could not master the large and strong animals and was thrown into the deep water by one of the twitching fish. Upon her screams many rescuers immediately came to help her; but with all the best efforts possible they were not able to get her quickly enough out of the water and the result was that she was lifted out of the water without any signs of life. That this caused a great dismay in the whole house and that immediately a doctor from the city was called who also came immediately and did everything to call the drowned back to life, does hardly requires to be mentioned. But despite all the crying of the mother and the other siblings and despite all the endeavours of the doctor, the drowned nevertheless did not showed any sign of life.
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Then also our innkeeper became worried and turned imploringly to Me and said: "Lord, I know now that all things are possible to You!"
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Here I interrupted him and said: "Be quiet about everything; I do not want to cause an excitement here! The doctor who also is a pharisee will soon realize and say: 'My efforts with this drowned girl are totally in vain; since she is irrecoverably dead.' Then quickly pay him for his troubles whereupon he will leave quickly; I will then do My work under four eyes. But if I put My hands onto the drowned, then nobody except us are allowed in the room, - also not your wife and your other children."
6
Soon thereafter the doctor declared the daughter as completely dead. But they should nevertheless put her in warmed cloths; perhaps she might wake up in a few hours. But this he only said to leave a few sparks of hope with the parents. The innkeeper paid the doctor who immediately left with a cheerful expression and promised that he himself will order the lamenting women. The innkeeper however told him that he should wait with this until morning; if necessary he himself will come to him. Thereafter the doctor went his ways.
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When the room was cleared from all superfluous people, I went to the drowned, placed My hand on her and said: "Daughter, get up from your sleep!"
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And in the same moment the daughter sat upright in the bed and immediately asked what has happened to her. She knew that she had fallen into the water but how she then came into this bed she doesn't know.
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But I said to her: "See, regarding your body you were absolutely dead; but I, who am the life out of Myself, have given you back your life. But in future be clever and only perform such work, for which you have the sufficient strength otherwise something similar could happen to you. The diligence of a person is always called praiseworthy; but if he exceeds his strength, he is not praiseworthy anymore but quite foolish. Remember this and tell this also to your mother and to your otherwise very well-behaved siblings! But now stand up and show yourself to your mother and your still immensely grieving siblings, and provide us with a good evening meal!"
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Hereupon the daughter quickly got up from the bed, thanked Me for such great mercy and immediately went outside to her mother and siblings, who all could not get hold of themselves for too much joy.
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But the daughter confessed loudly and said: "The great Master from Nazareth did this to me; but he also said that we immediately should prepare a good evening meal for him, - and therefore lets do this above all!"
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Then all worked together and soon we had a rich evening meal in front of us. The innkeeper could hardly speak a word because of all the gratitude.
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The new disciples also could not be amazed enough about this sign and said: "This would convert the whole temple!"
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But I said: "An even greater sign of a similar nature will anger the clerics to such an extend, that they will muster everything to kill Me. I surely do not have to tell you more! - However, nothing further about that, but let us all be cheerful again and eat and drink what is set before us!"
15
Thereupon the disciples ate and drank and hardly could keep up with all kinds of stories from their field of experiences.