The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord on the Mount of Olives. (cont.) Gospel of John, Chapter 8
- Chapter 128 -
Where is the Kingdom of God?
Now there was a complete but short silence. But with so many people, a longer pause is not so easy, especially not during a night where so many things could be seen, and soon the known Jewish Greeks started a discussion, and everyone thought they understood Me best.
2
One of them said to those who were disputing: "Listen! The one who says that he has best understood the words and teachings of the Master, has understood Him least of all, for it was also evident from His words that no one should exalt himself above the other but should stay humble and modest in everything. The one however who says to his brother: 'Look, this you do not understand' or 'that you have understood incorrectly', is exalting himself above his brother, and this is against the teaching of the Lord and shows that especially he is the one who has not understood the teaching well or not at all.
3
It is however totally different if someone says to his brother: 'Listen, this and that word I did not understand so well. How do you see it?' If that one then says to his brother in all love and humility how he has understood it, then this is certainly not an exaltation of one's brilliant intellect above that of his brother but a work of true neighborly love. But with your discussions I cannot agree."
4
After this good exhortation the calmness was again restored and the Jewish Greeks saw that the speaker was absolutely right, and after that, they could agree more easily.
5
Also another point in My teaching that the 3 magicians could not understand was the location of the Heavens, for they said: "The fact that the full knowledge of God, His will and His love and wisdom, and living according to the will of God represents God's Kingdom, is according to the teaching of the Lord very clear now. And also, is it clear that when someone has accomplished all this within him, he finds himself - as far as his soul is concerned - in God's Kingdom and has eternal life and therefore is a perfect human being. But where is the place where his soul will be when later he will lose his body?"
6
Therefore, the first magician wanted to turn to Me with this question.
7
However I anticipated this and said: "I know already what bothers you and what you would like to know. This you cannot understand now because your soul is not yet free enough from the matter of your flesh. If however he will become more unified with the Spirit of My love in you, then your own spirit will show you the place of that Kingdom where your soul can then live in his highest freedom, and will be able to act as lord and master. However, your flesh cannot understand this yet.
8
Where am I Myself now? Look, in the world created out of Me. Once you will have attained to the true, inner perfection of life, and the body, as My judgment or as the necessary form wherein you had to develop your inner life, will be taken away from you, you will be able, just like I am, to create everything out of yourself and then you will just like Me be living and existing in the world and on the place you have created for yourself and out of yourself.
9
Even from your dreams you can easily conclude that in your still very material soul there dwells a creative power. For in your vivid dreams, where is actually that world in which you live? It only exists in the intelligence and the will of your soul who also has a will in the dream, although during the daytime, in your flesh you consider this simply as a coincidence. Think about this, then also this will become somewhat clearer in you. But now, for this day My work is finished, and in order to take a good rest until tomorrow we will not go in the house but in the well equipped tents. Only tomorrow, greater revelations will follow."
10
Saying this, I stood up, and also My disciples. We looked for a place to sleep in a big tent and everybody went to rest.