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 152 -
Diversity of the gifts of the spirit.
Then the second Pharisee asked: "Oh, you who are a boy who is entirely filled with God's Spirit, you very much seem to be a second Samuel. If it is still possible for us to attain to the perfection of our inner life, will we then also receive the inner strength that we have seen with you and before with the perfected man from Upper-Egypt?"
2
Raphael said: "There is no perfection of the inner life with which also the inner strength does not closely go together, because the perfect life is also the perfect strength itself. Yet, the gift of the Spirit out of God to men is by necessity also different - everyone according to his inner nature - and this difference exists in order that in all eternity the blessed spirits will be able to serve one another according to the measure of their love for God, and out of this love, mutually to each other.
3
That is why, in the perfection of his inner life, one receives the gift to be able to see into the future, the other the gift of wisdom to express himself in word and language, another the gift of discovering and creating, again another the gift of willpower, another the power of love, and again another the gift in the power of earnest, another that of patience, and again another especially the gift of the power for mercy, and again another that of the power of humility. And in this way into infinity, by one this is more prominent, and by the other one that, so that - as already mentioned - one spirit can help another one. But in case of need also all other gifts are united in every spirit, and he can use every thinkable and even so remarkable gift of the spirit out of God.
4
If you, by the possible perfection of your inner life, will not exactly acquire completely my gift on this Earth, you still will acquire another grace and gift, and you will be able to serve your fellowman like I now have served you with my gifts. However, the one who has partaken of a particular grace and gift in a special measure out of God, will not be treated scantily with the other gifts.
5
The fact that this is so, you can conclude from the infinite different talents, gifts and qualities of men on this Earth. One is specially a good orator, the other a painter, the other a singer, again another a remarkable counter, another a mechanic, still another an architect, one is a sail maker, a weaver, another a pharmacist, another a miner. And so, everyone has already received from nature a special talent. But despite his own special talent, he also has all the other human gifts, although in smaller measure, and each of them he can, by means of effort and zeal, develop unto perfection.
6
Now, since you can already here notice such diversity, you surely will also perceive that the diversity of the gifts of God's Spirit still are and must be much more diverse for those who have perfected their lives, because without such a diversity no real and perfect living happiness would be possible.
7
Yes, the way to life's perfection is for everyone the same. It looks completely like the flowing out of the light from the sun and the falling down of the rain from a cloud. But then, look at the endless different reactions of the same sunlight and the same rain on the kingdom of the minerals as well as on that of the plants and animals. If you already now can notice such an endless variety with the beings in matter, then in the perfect Kingdom of the most blessed angels you will find an even greater variety. And this has been established by God's highest wisdom and love, so that the happiness of the spirits would be greater.
8
So do not ask if you will probably also, in your possible life's perfection receive my qualities, but go in all humility and love continually forward on the ways of the light that have been made known to you. Then you certainly will notice very clearly and lively which gifts of the Spirit out of God you have acquired.
9
For, the human body has also very different parts and limbs, working all together in an active way for the preservation of the whole man. Did you ever hear any complaint inside yourself of the parts and limbs of your body that for example the left hand would prefer to be the right one, or the foot preferring to be the head, or the eye preferring to be the ear or reversed?
10
When the body is totally healthy, then also each of its parts and limbs are completely satisfied with their place, function, purpose and property, and do not ever want to exchange.
11
And look, in the same manner it is the case in a community of men and spirits that as a whole is also like a human being. One part represents the eyes, those are the seers, one part the ears, those are the hearers, one part the hands, those are the doers, one part the feet, those are the ones who always walk forward to the higher light, one part the heart, those are the mighty in love, one part the stomach, those are the receivers of what is good and true out of God, who in this way are feeding the whole community, one part corresponds to the brains, those are the wise, who continually are setting the community into order. And so it continues from the smallest to the biggest into infinity, and each ever so small part and each separate fiber of the community is in its kind completely mighty and blessed and takes part of the gifts and qualities of the entire community, just like also your feet takes completely part of the light of your eyes, and your eyes take part of the quality of your feet. Your eye rejoices over the fact that the whole body is carried by the feet, from where it can see new wonders and things and rejoices in its heart and mind. But this rejoicing is also communicated to the feet, just as if the feet were completely the eye, the ear, the mind and the heart itself.
12
When you think deeply about this now, then you surely will be completely satisfied with every gift of God's Spirit that you will ever receive. Did you understand me well now?"
13
The Pharisees, being extremely astonished about Raphael's wisdom, said: "O true, heavenly Samuel. How extremely wise you are. Only now we have completely understood you. And all this you have received from the great and wise Man from Galilee?"
14
Raphael said: "Eternally everything only from Him".
15
The Pharisees said: "Only now we gladly would like to see and talk to Him. We are now no more enemies of Him, but very trustworthy friends. Do tell us where He is, so that we can go to Him to thank Him out of the deepest of our heart. We will leave the temple completely and follow Him."