The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
From the Lord's years of youth
- Chapter 215 -
The education of humanity.
Now the highly ranked counselor said again: 'But why would it be, namely for the high priests, harmful to - at least for a few years - compel them by the omnipotence and the wisdom of Your God to end idolatry and teach the people the truth? If God's omnipotence would liberate them again and they would want to go back to the old idolatry, then the enlightened people would certainly correct them in such a way that they would never more want to deal with this old idolatry again. Am I right or not?'
2
I said: 'If this would be advisable and good for the salvation of the people, then God would not need the priests, but He could also let the trees and the stones speak, which would even have a greater impact with the people. But in both cases it is not only of no benefit for the free will of men but it would merely harm the free development of the inner independent life of the soul. Because if suddenly all your priests would start to preach loudly against their old gods and idols to the people who are now still for the greatest part superstitious and whose convictions are for the greater part based on untruths, the people would consider them as enemies of their old gods, would grab and strangle them. And when trees and stones would teach the people, an enormous compulsion would be exerted on their consciousness and their will and then also the people would soon assault their idols and priests and destroy them.
3
Say for yourself, who would be helped by that? Not the people. By that they would not have a free but an entirely imposed belief, consciousness and will, by which their souls could not become free as was the case with their old superstition, which now already by many among you has become very transparent as a result of personal searching and thinking.
4
A belief that has been imposed by miracles would have - as just mentioned - no sense, because it would be just like the old one, a superstition, and for the priests it will also not be beneficial. And neither for you. Or do you have proof that you are really a wise man when you are only answering the questions which you are asking yourself?
5
If now for instance I would let the pillars speak in this palace and would ask them all kinds of extremely profound and wise questions at which the pillars would give Me such wise and true answers as would not be possible for any man in this world and also not for no angel spirit in Heaven, what would you say on this?'
6
The highly ranked counselor said: 'On the one hand it would be very wonderful, but finally the pillars would only be able to give those wise answers in agreement with Your will and in accordance to Your understanding, and this would actually be the same as if You would ask questions Yourself and then would answer them.'
7
I said: 'This you have perceived very well and well answered. And look, it would be precisely the same if God by His almighty will would impress in man the order of life, which once He has determined for eternity. Then God Himself would will and act in man. But if this were the case, then what will become of the complete free independent life of man?
8
However, God did not create human beings as so-called playing dolls for Himself, but as completely equal images of Him, which He has brought to life out of Himself, not as creatures of His almighty arbitrariness, but as true children of His eternal fatherly love. And He has given them a creative quality, which is completely equal to Him, in order to develop themselves completely freely out of their own power of life according to their own totally free will until they are completely equal to God. And look, for this reason, the development of men's free will may not be slowed down by any godly force. And even under the most severe circumstances they must be allowed to keep their completely free will, even when it would cost Me My earthly life on the cross.
9
Look, this is how much love the godly Wisdom has for men, who once placed His children in this world for the test of the complete free will that was given to them. Understand this well and do not ask Me any further foolish questions, because God has set out of Himself an eternal order and this is how it will remain eternally. And now, let us talk about something else if you want.'
10
Here said Cyrenius: 'But, My Lord and Master in all things, You surely are not angry because of this? We are as we are: still very much earthly men who are slow in understanding and therefore we ask You to be patient.'
11
Now Joseph said: 'It never took so long for Him. It is more reasonable now to leave Him alone, because He truly has talked and spoken a lot now. And when He is like that, it is better to let Him go and to do what He had advised. Me also, I, as if I am His father, cannot help it. Suddenly He becomes quiet and He lets us talk about whatever we want. Therefore, honorable friends and benefactors, leave Him alone for awhile, then He Himself will come up with something.'
12
Cyrenius said to Joseph: 'But do tell me if He has ever contradicted Himself?'
13
Joseph said: 'Not ever. Whatever He has said once, is as if it is spoken for the whole of eternity, and this happens often with the smallest and most insignificant things. This I can completely truthfully witness.'
14
Then Cyrenius said: 'Yes, then it is indeed more reasonable to act as He wants, because His inner Being is filled with God's Spirit and whatever He wills, happens. We, weak men, better do not begin a fight with Him, of which I was already convinced 20 years ago. But now, the question is: about what other things will we discuss? Because He is the most memorable phenomenon of this time, as well as since all other times and will also be until the end of the world."