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 227 -
The charity of a few citizens.
While the neighbor was still glorifying and praising God, a couple of some better citizens came from the city who wanted to render a little service to the neighbor.
2
But when they saw that the house was totally repaired, they said (the citizens): 'Oh, look, the old Joseph has been ahead of us. You must have worked with all might during the whole night in order to repair it completely, and better than what we have ever seen before. Yes, yes, there is not a second architect like Joseph in the whole of Galilee. But how much will our Joseph ask for such a fast and perfect work? Whatever he will ask, we will give you.'
3
Joseph said: 'I am asking nothing for it. Thus you do not have to give me anything. But give it to the poor, that will be better than to bring it back to the synagogue, as you are always doing according to an old custom.
4
One of the two said: 'But one should always give a well meant gift to the house of God, if the one for who it was meant does not want it or cannot accept it.'
5
Joseph said: 'Yes, yes, this is what a new temple regulation says, but Moses himself only emphasized that with our abundance we should especially take care of the poor, the widows and orphans. Moses has never talked about the maintenance of some house of prayer or house of teaching, except that he has established the tithe for the tribe of Levi. Is this not so?'
6
The two said: 'Yes, yes, you are right. From those new prescriptions it is obvious that there is too much greediness of the temple, which God has certainly never prescribed, because He said to all people: You must not covet the things that belong to your fellowman. But the priests are coveting immediately everything that they see that belongs to us and say that it is much more profitable to offer it to the temple instead of performing other good works. And this cannot be God's word because God says only that one should love his fellowman as oneself. Thus, we will do what we thought to do for this friend and give it secretly to the poor.'
7
I said: 'This is a good thing that you can do. If you want to do that, then go to the neighborhood of Capernaum. At the lake you will find a poor fishing hut. The owner's name is Simon Judah and had an accident during his work, so that he cannot help himself so easily, because a wicked man has stolen his fishing equipment and the fisher does not have the means to buy a new one, and therefore he, together with his family suffers great need. And because he is a person who has always lived a righteous life before the face of God and that of men - which is very well known to Me - you truly will do a very good work when you will bring this man an offering.'
8
When the two heard about this, they said: 'Oh yes, we know that man very well and we know also that he is a very righteous and reasonable man, but we did not know that he is in such great trouble. Come, then we go immediately to help him.'
9
The two citizens said goodbye and went quickly to the fisher to give him enough money for a complete fishing equipment.
10
And here among us is now sitting, as My disciple, the same fisher who 10 years ago has been helped by My advice.'
11
Peter said: "Yes Lord, this has truly happened to me."