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 185 -
Instructions of the Lord for the visit to the temple.
Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, as well as the old rabbi became a bit embarrassed for taking part of the morning meal on the Sabbath after sunrise.
2
However, I said to them: "If already here you allow objections to arise into your mind because of the Sabbath, while you still should know that I am also Lord of the Sabbath of Moses, then how will you fare when you will sit again in the council of the Pharisees and the elders?"
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After these words, the three took courage and went home with us, ate and drunk with us and were very cheerful.
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And the old rabbi said: "Yes, yes, the Lord and Master is right in everything. An old habit is like a shirt with rusty stains. No matter what effort you make, you never can make it completely clean again."
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I said: "This is a true word. Therefore, remove the old man completely and put on a new one, because the old man is from now on no more appropriate. But now eat and drink still some more, then we will go to the temple."
6
Upon which Nicodemus said: "Do You really dare to go amongst those brutes again?"
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I said: "I do not go to the temple for them, but for the people who have come here today for My sake, and therefore I do not fear these brutes. But let us now do our best to go to the temple quickly."
8
Nobody dared to make any objections against My remark, because everybody thought by himself: 'He has power over Heaven and Hell and does not have to shrink for these brutes of the temple nor does He have to even be afraid of them.'
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However, even before I left for the temple, the Romans and My disciples asked Me if they also had to go to the temple and what had to be done with the young people in the mean time.
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I said: "Nobody of you will be refused the entrance to the temple, but the young people will stay here. My servant knows for sure what he has to do. However, if you will go to the temple, then go ahead in order to choose good places. I will come later. But My elder disciples will stay here and will go together with Me, because it is important for them that they will be witnesses of all My words and deeds."
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The Roman Agricola said: "That I also would like to be. But also in this, only Your holy will be done, like everywhere and always."
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I said: "If you also want to be with Me as a witness, you can join My elder disciples. Because I still will perform one sign before I will open My mouth before the Jews. We will meet someone who is blind already since his birth, not far away from the temple. He will see again, precisely today on a Sabbath. Now you go ahead, but it will be better for you four, who have chosen My side only yesterday, if you stay here, because in the temple you would quickly be recognized and persecuted."
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The four men could perceive that and they stayed on the Mount of Olives.
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Nicodemus came also to Me and asked how he could go down unobserved with his 2 friends.
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I said: "Join with the Upper-Egyptians. They will guide you down in such a way that no one will notice you."
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With this, they also were satisfied and they left immediately with the Upper-Egyptians. All the others followed them quickly. Only the 3 magicians, who were still with Me, remained and prepared themselves to follow Me.
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Then Simon Juda, named Peter said: "Lord, do You want that also these three will come with us?"
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I said: "Why are you worried about that? When I said to all the others that they had to go ahead, I did not make an exception for these three. However, by that I did not put their will and their heart under compulsion, and so they may do what they want and for which their heart urges them. If I think that something is good, then you should not worry that something may be wrong, because the one who follows us, will certainly not walk on a wrong track."
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With this, also our Peter was satisfied and we made ourselves ready to go on our way.
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Finally the innkeeper Jordan came, asking Me what should be done about the midday meal.
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But I said to him: "My friend Jordan, now we have to give food and drink to people who are spiritually hungry and thirsty, which is worth a lot more than the food for the body and drink for a dry throat. Therefore, do not worry yet about a midday meal. When I come back, everything will still be settled on time."
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With this short explanation also our innkeeper was satisfied, who immediately after that, called all the servants of the house together and gave them all kinds of good lessons, so that after that, they all - close to 30 people - should believe in Me. Because before that time they did not exactly know what they had to think about Me, although they had seen a lot of signs. With that, also Jordan, according to My advice, gave food and drink in My name to those who were spiritually hungry and thirsty.
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However, after that I gave Jordan this advice, I went immediately with My disciples to the city, where the streets and alleys were crowded with people.