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 224 -
Arrival in Nazareth.
Also Joseph was satisfied with that, and then we went to rest, and the next morning we traveled to the house of our Greek, together with Cyrenius and a few of his servants who escorted us, because Cyrenius wanted to convince himself of the wonderful construction work at the Greek's place.
2
In a few hours we came to the place and already from afar we saw the totally new house and the also new and big pig stall. There was no end to the astonishment of the Greek and Cyrenius, and also the men from the house of the Greek were greatly amazed and they knew not how this could have happened during the night.
3
However, I commanded all of them not to betray it before 10 years had passed by.
4
All of them promised it firmly.
5
Then Cyrenius gave 30 pounds of gold to Joseph, and the Greek gave him a 100 pounds of silver.
6
Joseph accepted it for the support of the poor of whom there were always many who had found mercy with him.
7
After that, we left and arrived quite early the next day, and were back at Nazareth again. Although we could have reached Nazareth the same day because the Greek gave us his pack animals to escort us home, but I did not want that because I had a good reason for it. We stayed again in the inn where we ate pork on our journey out.
8
When we arrived the next day in the morning at Nazareth, all of them asked immediately how it had been, what we had done and if they received a good profit by a gentile.
9
Mary thought that the wages could not be too high for the work of a day and a half.
10
But Joseph said: 'Be calm all of you and keep silent about it to all the people here and also elsewhere, because the people are full of envy about the happiness of their fellowman. Therefore, I will never shut my heart for the real poor, and the name that I already have since a long time must remain as it is: whoever cannot find anymore help will still always be helped by the old, poor Joseph with the little that he honestly is earning himself and by zealous work. But do not say anything about this to the people, and certainly not to the priests. Now all the more it will sound like this: the old Joseph helps the poor more and more now.'
11
When all those who were present heard Joseph's words they took it to heart, and Mary of whom My body was born said by that: 'O Joseph, your words are good and true and will be followed by us as if they were a commandment from God. But you three can surely tell us what kind of wonderful work you have performed by that gentile who gave you so much gold and silver for it.'
12
Joseph said: 'Dear mother, I have already told you that God has been with us in a wonderful way. However, what precisely had happened there, you all will come to know at the right moment if it will come out. But take care now, so that we can have something to eat and to drink, because today we still have not consumed anything, whereas we were on our way since daybreak.'
13
Now Mary went quickly with her helpers to the kitchen to start the preparation for a good morning meal. And in the mean time Joseph hid the great amount of money at a safe place.
14
When the meal was prepared and we took place at the table to take part of it, an old rabbi from the city came to inform where we had been, what kind of work we had done and how much we had earned with it. The greedy rabbi wanted to know that because he had the right to receive an offering penny from our earnings - a stupid custom that was in force in the whole of Galilee.
15
This offended Joseph in such a way that he said: 'You know me enough to know that I always have done my duty faithfully, and I also will do that now, but it truly makes me angry that out of greediness you cannot wait at home until I, as always, would come to you. In fact, who told you that I have been away for an assignment with Jesus and James?'
16
The rabbi said: 'You just left when I came to pay you a friendly visit, as I am doing already for a long time. Then they told me that you went far away with your 2 sons for an assignment and that you would be back home after 3 days because the work was not too big. Well, so I have come now again to see you and to hear from you how things are and what kind of news and special things you can tell about it. Because if you only worked for a day and a half, you surely will not have earned that much to pay an offering penny for it that is worth while. And if ever you still want to give something to the synagogue you do not have to pay in cash because we still owe you money for your last work. Thus, old friend, you do not have to be angry with me because I am visiting you today earlier than usual.'
17
Joseph said: 'This is actually not the reason why I am angry with you or anybody else, but only because otherwise you do not visit me often, unless you came to know that I went away for an assignment or came back from it. But for the work that I have done for you, you still owe me quite some money, and in exchange of the offering penny that I have to pay you each time you gladly and as soon as possible would like to owe me nothing anymore. That is why all of you are informing so zealously what kind of work I did and how much I have earned. And if I now probably will have no more work to do outdoors for a whole month you surely will not come to visit me once.
18
Oh believe me, I always know what I have to think about my friends. But this does not matter because for this reason I still will never be cunning towards my friends. And therefore, I say to you also this time that with this work I have earned exactly enough, so that the offering pennies that I have to pay to you from it are just as many as all of you owe me according to my always very fair calculation. And therefore you can strike out the debt at home.'
19
When the rabbi heard that, he looked cheerful and said: 'Oh that is good. As chief of the synagogue, a heavy stone fell off my heart now. There is now again a very big work coming and even today I will give further information about it. But now I do not want to disturb you any longer.'
20
Then the rabbi stood up immediately and went quickly back to the city.