The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 198 -
The Lord and the Arabian robbers.
Along our hill however, there was also a footpath coming from a higher mountain range where Arabians were living. They made use of it to go to Essaea and from there also further. But the Arabians lived for the greatest part on a kind of robbery. Already for a long time they had some right according to which they could demand taxes from the travelers, and if a traveler would not comply with this demand, also violence was done to him.
2
When we were harmlessly watching the morning scenes, nearly 20 of the formerly mentioned mountain Arabs came along the footpath toward us, stood still and asked us in a not very friendly tone if we already had paid the usual taxes to someone of their tribe.
3
I said: "Not until now and we also will not do that now or later, this for the following reasons: firstly we never carry money or other earthly treasures with us, secondly you have no right to ask taxes from us or from other strangers, for it is written: 'You will not do to your fellowman what you do not want him to do to you.' And finally we are very mighty beings who can send away such insolent extortioners and are able to chastise them in a sensitive manner. Therefore, I give you the advice to disappear immediately and not to demand taxes from any traveler, except if you ask them. If you will comply with what I have advised you now, then you will do good, in the other case you will fare badly."
4
When the Arabs heard that from Me, some of them were surprised and said: "It happens only seldom that strangers who see us standing well armed before them are coming to us with such words. And these 13 men would certainly not do that if they could not count on one or the other extraordinary power. So it will be advisable to us not to interfere any further with these men."
5
The one half agreed on that, but the other half said: "Yes, if we always will let ourselves be frightened by such threats we can as well give up our ancient right and turn to beggary. If these strangers will really carry no money or other treasures, they are free without question, but if they carry something anyway, they also will have to pay to us the taxes we asked for. So let us examine them to see if they are completely without any money or other treasures."
6
Upon this, they came standing very closely to Me, and one of them tried also to touch Me with his hand. However, as soon as he touched My garment, fire shot out from the ground and burned his hand. Then all the others were frightened so much that they immediately fell down before Me and begged Me for mercy.
7
But I said: "I told you beforehand what you can expect if you want to do violence to us. One of you has tried it and has already received his reward. If you others also want to receive the same reward, then do also violence to us."
8
All of them cried out: "Oh no, oh no, this we will never do, not to you who are like gods, and also never more to anyone else, and we will observe what You have advised to us, but let us go our way in peace and let no more evil come over us."
9
On this I answered: "Then stand up and tell also your companions what I have told you."
10
However, the one whose hand was burned howled because of the pain and he begged Me to remove the pain from him, for he believed that I also can do that.
11
And I said: "This is surely possible to Me, but because you are the worst of your gang, you must now also carry the reward that you have deserved already for a long time. However, when you will ever improve your life completely, then also your pain will cease. But in the place down there you will find a spring. Go to it and dip your hand in the water, then your pain will be relieved."
12
Then these mountain Arabs stood up and hurried down to the place. The one with the burned hand hurried the most in order to come quickly to the spring that was exactly located in front of the inn where we were staying, and he asked the guard of the spring to receive water from it. In return of a small payment he gave him a big dish of pure water in which he put immediately his hand. At once he felt the unbearable pain to be relieved and he praised Me because I had relieved his pain.
13
Now a few people came out of the inn, and heard from the Arabs what happened to them on that hill. So the guests of the inn were informed about the place where I had gone in the morning, and so they all, together with the innkeeper, went immediately on the hill, and when they came to Me they expressed their great joy because they found Me back. The chief of the Essenes told Me about all the things he had discussed with the Arab with the burned hand and told Me also how he praised Me because I had relieved his pain by the water of the spring.
14
But I said: "Look, this was a very good lesson for those privileged robbers of this region where a stranger can hardly pass through without being robbed of a third of his property. These will now also tell what happened to them here to their companions, who are spying along the various roads for strangers to impose taxes upon them and to take it away to a large extent in a merciless way. These companions will certainly also desist of their activities and will not trouble so much the strangers anymore as this has already been the case for a long time.
15
You also should take care in the future that this old abuse will be restrained. For after I will have gone it should be among the people exactly as it was during the time of the first men on Earth. They should be able to walk around as free brothers on the land which is their property and should meet each other everywhere with true love, and in case of emergencies, support them if possible. But to restrict each other of the rightful freedom by all kinds of mistreatments is no more heavenly but hellish. The more restrictions of the rightful freedom to travel by greedy and imperious people, the more Hell and the less Heaven will be present among the people.
16
But who are the ones that hinder their rightful freedom to travel that is so necessary for the higher development of the soul? In the first place, the so-called rulers whose power consists of corruptible mercenaries. Although they allow rich people to travel, yet they want ransom money in return and give them a travel card for a certain time, after which they have to buy a new one if ever they still want to travel around for a longer time. During this time it is unfortunately not possible otherwise, because the blind people have already since long turned themselves away from God and thus also from everything that is heavenly, and have turned to the slavery of sins and Hell. But as it is now, it should not stay that way among the good people.
17
The second and even more stubborn group, who restrict people the rightful freedom to travel are the different priests, the pagan and Jewish ones, of whom the last mentioned are in this time completely equal to the pagans. To them the freedom to travel of their faithful ones is an abomination, because men could by traveling acquire too much experience and would no more believe the deceptions in their own country, which would in course of time have a bad influence on the income of these national deceivers and worldly loafers.
18
But in order to restrict as much as possible the freedom to travel of the people, the mentioned priests give to some rude people - with the silent approval of the present worldly governors - the authorization, in return of a certain payment, to stop travelers and ask such taxes from them, so that future traveling becomes either very difficult for them or often completely impossible.
19
And look, this is then already the perfect Hell among men. Because of this, often the most wild battles and murder and manslaughter will arise. Since the travelers surely know beforehand what can happen to them on one or the other road or in a certain region, they travel in large caravans at the same time, and persistently offer resistance against such robbers who, namely in this region, are largely represented. The impact and consequences of such battles you know all too well and it is therefore really not necessary to describe them further to you. Do you perhaps believe that such a thing could be determined by God's will?
20
It is true that, if all mankind would finally begin to travel if the freedom to travel would have no wise restrictions, then the cultivation of the soil - which is necessary for the physical life of men - would be greatly harmed. But look, this has been taken care of by God who has given men, just like the bees, different talents."