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 6 -
On trade and usury.
After this ceremonious and emotional event which touched everyone's heart, and left all bystanders with tears in their eyes, I said to Raphael: "Lead them to the top and serve them before us; after we have followed you at a later stage, only then we will provide for ourselves!"
2
Raphael lead them up the mountain and when they entered the large hall, three big and long tables were already prepared, and these really still only children ate the food that was prepared for them with much appetite and joy and also drank some wine mixed with water and became full of joy and good cheer.
3
But we stayed by the road and watched the many approaching traders and merchants, who travelled with all sorts of merchandise, animals and fruit on the great road into the city.
4
After a while the Roman said to Me: "Lord, there are many Jews! Do they still not know anything about You? It is very odd how casually these people are passing us by!"
5
I said: "Just as they, still many people will walk past Me, shall not look at Me and will not recognise Me, but will continue to wallow in their worldly interests until death throws them into the grave and their souls into hell! Such traders, merchants, business men and brokers are too far away from all that is spiritual and are amongst the better part of humanity like parasitic plants on the branches of noble fruit trees and the weed amongst the wheat. Let us allow them to move on, towards their grave and death!"
6
Said Agrikola: "But my Lord and My God! The mutual buy- and sell trade is however a necessity among humans, otherwise people of fruitless and meagre countries could not survive at all! I know of countries in Europe which are indescribably mountainous, nothing else than rock. The people who live there must receive most of their needs through trade. Stop this necessary interaction and a whole, large nation dies of hunger! Even You as Lord of all heavens and all worlds must recognise, that such people can only live and exist through trade. I'm hence very much surprised that Your highest divine wisdom condemns this so flatly. With all most due respect to Your purest divinity, - but this Your judgement I cannot approve with my very healthy common sense!"
7
I said: "Friend, what you know and understand, this - allow Me - I already knew long before any primeval central sun gave light to a shell-globe!
8
Verily, I say to you: I am not against the just and extremely beneficial interaction between people and people, - since this is exactly what I want, that one person in a certain way depends on another, and therefore a just interaction between people and people is anyway in the highest order of neighbourly love; but you will hopefully appreciate that I cannot add a single praising word to a most purely selfish profiteer. The fair merchant should earn for his effort and work a suitable compensation; but he should not try to earn hundred or more pennies for ten pennies! Do you understand this? I only condemn the profiteer, but not the necessary just traffic. Understand this well, so that you do not fall into bad temptation!"
9
Here the Roman begged for My forgiveness and admitted that he was terribly and greatly mistaken.
10
Now came Lazarus to me and said: "Lord, since we are going back to the top as there is not much left to do here, I would like to know from You, what is it about the wondrous youth! Who is he and where does he come from? According to his clothes it looks as if he could be Galilean; but how did he came to such wisdom and miraculous powers? According to his appearance he is hardly sixteen years old - but exceeds all of your old disciples! Would you give me an explanation?"
11
I said: "Doesn't it say in the scriptures: 'During that time you will see the angels of God coming down from heaven to earth, and they will serve the people'? If you are familiar with this, then you will soon more easily comprehend the circumstances surrounding the youth. Keep this for the time being to yourself; because all the others must come to the same conclusion by themselves! My old disciples know him already, but are not allowed to make him known prematurely.
12
You believe that we will soon go back to your inn, but there will be sufficient time to do that in an hour! For now we will stay here by to this road; since something will soon happen that will very much require our presence!"
13
Lazarus asked Me by saying: "Lord, do we have to expect something worse?"
14
I said: "Friend, in this world and under these people there is not much good to expect! See, the number of passing traders are already decreasing, and soon the servants of the Pharisees will bring a poor sinner, who about an hour ago stole one of the show-breads because he was hungry, to this open place beneath the high wall, to stone him to death because of his crime. This we will prevent from happening. And therefore you know why we still have to wait here."
15
Agrikola heard this, came to Me and said: "Lord, I listened to your word, which verily did not sound very encouraging! Do the temple clerics also have a Jus gladii (right of the sword over life and death). I know all the privileges which Rome has given to its nations; but of such a privilege I know nothing! Ah, about this matter I have to inform myself a great deal more! - Tell me, Lord and Master, what is it regarding this matter!"
16
I said: "When the Romans became masters of the Jewish countries, they very thoroughly checked the Jewish doctrine of God and their statues from Moses and the prophets and found that the temple, this means the priests, were given from Moses the right, to execute certain very dangerous criminals by stoning. But the priests themselves do not have the right to hand down the death penalty, but they must hand the criminals over to the courts, and they must according to the truthful testimony of the priests, serve judgement and hand over the most dangerous criminals to the stoners. This is not what happened here, but the priests are doing this unilaterally and pay Herod a lease, so that also they can have their own Jus gladii, with which they carry out the greatest abuse, as it is in this case. But now we must be very alert; since they will show up shortly!"