The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Cana
- Chapter 110 -
The group from Persia in the inn.
A few neighbors, who were strongly attached to the observance of the Sabbath, noticed however that the personnel of the innkeeper were as busy as on a working day, and therefore they came to the innkeeper and said: "You do not seem to know that today it is a New Moon Sabbath?"
2
The innkeeper said: "Clean up first before your house doors. I have already cleaned up mine. Here is the proof of my exemption that I bought from the chief in return of an offering, and you should not further worry about me."
3
After these words, the neighbors left again, and the personnel waited for the caravan that already crossed the little city. When they arrived all together with their camels and all kinds of goods in the big farmyard and the helpers of the innkeeper had taken sufficient feed for the animals, an interpreter came to tell the innkeeper what kind of food he should prepare for the arrived businessmen from Persia.
4
But the innkeeper said: "I certainly will serve you with what is in my power, but you have asked me some drinks and special food which I as a Jew have not known until now, and these things I do not have. But you can have meat as we are eating it, very pure and tastefully prepared, fine wheat bread, honey, milk and cheese, as well as very noble fishes from the Lake of Galilee, which is not far away from here."
5
On these words the interpreter went to his lords and told them with what they could be served in this inn, and they were satisfied with that.
6
Soon after that, they entered a second, bigger dining hall, where the tables and a sufficient number of chairs and benches were already set in the best of order. Soon they all took a seat and ordered immediately bread, wine and salt, which was then also served as soon as possible. And they all praised the wine and the bread, and acknowledged that they never had eaten such good bread or drunk such fine and tasty wine.
7
At first the innkeeper did not understand the unanimous praise of the many Persian businessmen, and he said to Me: "Lord and Master, these kind of caravans from the far Morning Land arrived here many times, and they all have found everything well in order, but I really cannot remember that they praised my bread and wine in such an extreme way as this time. Did You, o Lord and Master, perhaps perform a new sign again?"
8
While I was in the company of the 4 people from India, instructing them in many things, I said: "Go to your bread storeroom and to your wine cellar and check it out."
9
Then the innkeeper went to check it out and found in the bread storeroom and also in the wine cellar a big provision, and his wife found also such a big provision in the storeroom and the big fish tank. He came back, thanked Me with all his heart and then said: "But Lord and Master, what did I do for You to deserve this, that You have found me worthy now for already the 2nd time to receive such great favor?"
10
I said: "For the one who will, just like you, treat the strangers always well, righteously, fair and full of mercy, who will take up the poor, and who will not close his heart and door for anyone, I will also not close My heart. And My heart is the true entrance gate to the Kingdom of Heaven which is the eternal, most blissful life of the soul. And I know that you have always acted like that. Know therefore, that I also will treat you as you will treat your fellow brothers in My name. And what is valid to you as a real promise from My mouth and heart, is, at all times of the Earth, also valid for everyone who will be in everything the same as you are.
11
O, I very well know that, as an innkeeper of an inn, your provisions were often very low and that your otherwise virtuous woman criticized you bitterly, because in her opinion you were too cheap for the strangers and you were too good and too merciful to the poor. But you said: the one who thinks of, and acts righteously and fairly to his fellowmen will never be forsaken by God, and the prayers of the one who has been really merciful to the poor will always be heard and so he will find mercy.
12
Look, since this was how you thought in your heart already a long time before you recognized Me personally, and also acted that way according to your capability, I came now to you already for the 2nd time, and I do for you what you have done to your many fellowmen for Me, because the one who does something to the poor in My name, while he is also righteous and fair to the strangers, he has done it for Me, and I will reward him already here, and a multiple times in the other life. And now you will easily understand who it was who blessed your supplies so abundantly, and why."
13
When the innkeeper heard this from My mouth, he thanked Me again, went to the kitchen to tell that also to his wife who was very busy. She also came immediately to Me in the hall and thanked Me for the great mercy and compassion that I had shown to them.
14
And I said to the woman: "You also, be of the same heart as your husband, then from now on you will stay healthy in body and soul. In the future you will no more have to suffer any need. But go now and continue your work."
15
The woman thanked Me once more and went then quickly to the kitchen where she still had many things to do.