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 37 -
Poverty and wealth.
1
(The Lord:) "That the goods of the earth are distributed very unevenly, and that there are rich and poor people, is the wise will of God, and He allows such a circumstance to exist among people, because without it the people could barely or even not at all exist.
2
Just imagine the following scenario, where every person on earth is provided with everything from birth in such a way that he does not require even the smallest thing from anyone, and soon he would live like the animals of the forest and the birds of the air. These do not build houses, do not cultivate any fields or vineyards and have no need to provide for clothing. And if they had sufficient food in their caves and nests, they would never leave them, but would, like polyps on the seabed, rest and eat when hungry. But since animals have to search for their food, they are full of activity and only rest, when they have satisfied their hunger.
3
And see, therefore God has very wisely arranged it especially among people, that He distributed the earthly goods very unevenly and also equipped them with very differing talents and skills! Thereby one person becomes an indispensable necessity for the other. The wealthy man is normally not very keen to lay his hands on hard but nevertheless extremely necessary work; but he finds joy in arranging everything according to his knowledge and his experience, and indicates to his male and female servants what they should do. They put their hands to work and willingly serve the rich man for the negotiated wage. And so that they (the workers), perhaps out of desire for being rich and having a luxurious life themselves, do not attack the wealthy employer, he is protected by worldly as well as divine laws, of course only up to a certain point, beyond which also for the wealthy severe and wise laws are given.
4
The rich property owner also needs all kinds of professionals. He must come to the blacksmith, to the woodworker, to the builder, to the carpenter, to the potter, to the weaver, to the tailor and to many others, and so one lives from the other, because one serves the other. And only in this way can mankind survive and could live very well, if it were not for a few who threw themselves into excessive greed and lust for power. However, they always are punished by God and chastised already in this world and the unjustly collected wealth lasts not longer than the third generation.
5
From that you can see that there must be poor and rich people in this world, and therefore you will be able to recognise, that Moses did not give the last law incomplete to the Jews, and through them to all the people, but as complete as conceivable. And it is this law which is the basis for the true inner perfection of neighbourly love and the spirit of mercy in the human heart.
6
But if this is irrefutably the case, then it also contains the condition, that everyone for the true purification of his soul should take this last law strongly into consideration and also completely keep to it. Since for as long as a person is not completely in charge of his thoughts, he will not be able to master his passions and the arising actions from it. But who is not lord and master in himself and over himself, is still very far from the kingdom of God and is and stays a servant of sin, which is born out of his disorderly thoughts and in turn arising desires and thereby defile the whole person. - Did you understand this well? It is again your turn to speak."