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 145 -
The man from Upper-Egypt reveals the thoughts of the Pharisees.
The man from Upper-Egypt said: "Look, I still am in the highest measure a perfect man of nature and still possess the gifts that God gave us, by which man as the last and most perfect part of the whole creation, becomes the true lord of the whole nature, of its spirits and its elements, and I can do many things. I am everything that is human, animal, plant and mineral on the whole Earth, from its existence to the future total destruction. And I even know all your moral, religious and political conditions, and I understand also all languages, even those of the animals, without ever having to study it from any scripture, because it was my spirit that God gave me that has taught me all that, even since my 19th year.
2
So I can tell you that you yourselves already since a long time have put away your Moses completely, and because you want so much to rule over your fellowmen, and having a strong tendency for laziness, luxury, harlotry and adultery, you have made laws for yourselves, with which you are tormenting and torturing your fellowmen. You are burdening them with unbearable loads that you yourselves, for all the gold in the world, are not touching with one finger, because inside yourselves you do not believe in a God anymore. For, if you still would believe in a God, like formerly your ancestor Abraham believed, then you certainly would not have destroyed and twisted the laws that God gave to Moses. Then you would not have killed with stones the prophets whom God had awakened among you to continually let you know how far you have turned away from His ways.
3
Now truly, the greatest and for you also the last prophet has arisen in this time, who was prophesied by your prophets. He is teaching the truth and let you see that you, because of your great and shameless sins against the will of God, are no more children of God, but children of the devil. It is easy to understand how this is filling you with anger and rage against Him, and therefore you are trying to catch and kill Him.
4
I, as a wise man who am not from here, am telling you, that because He allows it, you will also be able to accomplish it and will also accomplish it, because your will is completely evil. But you only will be able to destroy His body for 3 days. His eternal, almighty Spirit you cannot destroy together with the body, and that Spirit will resurrect Him within 3 days. Those who have believed in Him are to be envied, but a thousandfold are you to be pitied, you evil hypocrites, deceivers and oppressors of men. All the things that were shown in the sky yesterday night will happen to you. Did you understand me?"
5
With an angry face the Pharisee said: "How dare you, a foreigner, tell us such things in our face? Do you know our power? Do you know nothing about our power, despite your all omniscience?"
6
The man from Upper-Egypt said: "Precisely, I said this because I can see very clearly and know all too well the total nothingness of your power and the complete truth of mine that I would not tremble for a 1,000 times a 1,000 soldiers. I only told you the truth. Why do you not want to hear the things that were said for your salvation, for which there is still a possibility? Because you are no more children of God but children of your own highest devil. That is why the things that I have told you are now offending you, and therefore you also want to kill God's most holy Man. Be sure that I really am not afraid of your angrily glowing face. The sign that I will perform will show you the reason for it very clearly. Do you see there, high in the sky, the giant eagles gliding around?"
7
The Pharisees and also the Levites were looking up and saw 12 of those dreadful giant eagles, and one of the Pharisees said: "And what have those animals to do with it?"
8
The Egyptian said: "I have called those animals to this place to show you that a perfected man is lord over the whole nature. I will call them now immediately downward, so that you can look at them closely."
9
Then the Egyptian was only moving with his right hand and the giant eagles were shooting down like arrows and settled around the temple servants. Those were terrified and asked the Egyptian to order those animals, which were behaving very wildly and savagely, not to hurt them.
10
The Egyptian said: "Are you already so much afraid of those animals? Then how come that you are not afraid of the One who you are searching and who is infinitely more than I am?
11
See how terribly blind, foolish and silly you are, and therefore also terribly evil and revengeful. A truly wise person is never like that. He will surely forbid severely the foolish their bad tricks and only chastise them through a judgment when they became so hardened, evil and malicious that there is no chance of improvement, just like it is completely the case with you, servants of the temple. What could happen to me if I would let you be devoured by those animals that are completely obedient to me? I am telling you: nothing in the least.
12
Indeed, you think that I quickly could finish you four. But what would happen if there would be an armed army surrounding me and would shoot sharp arrows at me? Then I would do the same with that whole army as I will do to you now by my will, only for a few moments, and actually am doing it already now, in order to give you proof. Now try to move away from here, or to use your hands. Only your tongue I will give its full freedom, but further you look like the salt pillar, in which Lot's wife was changed because of her disobedience."
13
Then the four men were trying to move their feet from the ground and to move their hands, which was however impossible. Therefore, they were begging the Egyptian to set them free from their critical condition, because they wanted to change their attitude.
14
The Egyptian said: "That you surely will not do, but nevertheless I will set you free."
15
Now they were able to move their feet and hands again. And the one Pharisee said: "If you possess such an incomprehensible power, you certainly could have become already long ago one of the most powerful rulers over the whole world. Who could resist you?"
16
The Egyptian said: "I am not a blind worldly fool like you. To me all that matters is the true recognition of the only true God, His living mercy and love, and to the right recognition of the holy will of the eternal Father, and I want to hold on to this very strictly. And see, that is infinitely much more than all the treasures on Earth.
17
If you, as so-called priests, would do the same, then you would have more than your great quantity of gold and silver and all your precious stones.
18
As long as your former king Solomon was not sitting on a golden throne and living in golden chambers, he was wise, and by his will he possessed a great power, but when he later was surrounded with the glamour of the gold, he lost his wisdom and power and God's great mercy. Then what was the advantage for the weakling with his immense worldly treasures when he finally even started to doubt the existence of God?
19
But Salomon was in his last time, with all his doubts still much better off than you are now. His desire for splendor and also his great lust for women have brought the discontentment of the Lord, because Salomon was ignoring Him, although He appeared twice to him, talked with him and had warned him never to turn away from His ways. The result of it was that his great kingdom was divided and only the smallest region around Jerusalem was given to his son. And even this grace was only given to him because of his father David. But for all of you, no grace will be given at all, you will perish in the pool of your countless sins and your total incorrigibility."