The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Galilee
- Chapter 64 -
In the inn of the countryside.
After the honey meal, the disciples were very thirsty, and when we came at an inn in the countryside they wanted to drink.
2
The innkeeper apologized that besides some water from the rainwater spring and sheep milk he had no other drinks. The disciples were satisfied with the sheep milk that the innkeeper possessed abundantly, and they quenched their thirst with that.
3
After the disciples had quenched their thirst, the so-called and already known Jewish Greeks and also the disciples of John who all carried much money with them, asked for the price of the milk.
4
The innkeeper said: "For those of you who are Jews, it is free, for it is my custom that for a Jew who asks for the first time in my inn for a refreshment, he receives it without payment, but the Greeks have to pay for the refreshment, and that is 1 coin."
5
Although they were Jews, the Jewish Greeks said: "Friend, it is true that we wear Greek clothing, but we are circumcised, and thus we are Jews and no Greeks. But this does not matter. You have charged such a cheap price that we want to and also will pay the price not only once but triple, because the milk of your sheep was fresh and good and we have quenched our thirst, and therefore you have charged too little. Here, accept the money."
6
Then one of the Jewish Greeks gave him a silver coin, which had the value of 100 pennies.
7
The innkeeper apologized that he could not change such coin and said: "Because you are also Jews, as you claim to be and which I believe completely, you do not have to pay. Therefore I do not accept any coins from you, and certainly not a big coin."
8
Then I said to the innkeeper: "He who counts such low prices as you do, commits no sin if he accept what the guests out of free will want to offer him."
9
After My remark, the innkeeper accepted the coin and said: "Then one will pay for the other. Although this is no road through which many caravans are traveling, because the travelers are afraid of the dense forest where all kinds of animals of prey are living and which often make it difficult for the travelers, especially in the winter, but in spring and in summer there are nevertheless travelers coming along this old road - of which they say that it was built by the Philistines - and there surely will be several among them who could very well use a free treatment.
10
O, if I only had a good spring with my farming, which otherwise is quite big, then there would be no lack of guests at certain times, but all my rainwater springs have often only just enough of more or less drinking water that I need for my business. That is why I only can seldom accommodate strangers. Look, this day is almost finished, and I gladly would like to accommodate you for the night because the next little place, a little village, is about 2 hours of walking distance from here, but I have no wine, almost no bread and no salt. We truly live here only from the milk of our sheep and goats and their smoked flesh. Also chickens are progressing well here and lay many eggs, but I continuously have to take well-armed and courageous shepherds into service, so that my flocks will not suffer too much damage from the animals of prey. However, if you can satisfy with my house food, then you can stay here for the night. I have received enough money from you and will not make a new bill for you tomorrow. My wife and my 5 already grown-up daughters can prepare our house food very well."
11
I said: "Friend, we will not stay for the night here but in the nearby little village. But since I am a Master in finding pure and living springs, I want to walk around your house to see if I cannot find a place where there may be a rich spring."
12
The innkeeper said: "O Friend, then Your work will be in vain, like also several water experts have done here who searched for water in the whole wide region, and with all their instruments that could well detect the presence of a subterranean spring, they could not found such a spot. Truly, God will first have to create a spring in this region, otherwise none will be found here, and around my house the least of all, for I with all my helpers have already turned everything upside down and have found nothing else than dead and dry stones."
13
I said: "Then all is needed is a little test. Maybe I will succeed better than you and all your water sensors?"
14
The innkeeper said: "O Friend, You surely can try it, but I only have a weak faith."
15
I said: "This does not matter for the time being, because later you will come to have a stronger faith."
16
After that, I asked the innkeeper on which spot near to his house he wanted to have an abundant spring.
17
The innkeeper said: "Friend, that also? Yes, if You would have something like Moses' shepherd staff, then that 2 men height high, hard rock would be the most suitable spot. Like the rock in the desert had to give its water on the command of Moses when he put his staff into the rock, so this rock could do that also. But there is no Moses anymore and suchlike staff neither, and therefore our rock will surely never become a spring."
18
I said: "Friend, here right before you stands more than Moses and all prophets, and My will is mightier than your shepherd staff of Moses. Look, I will not hit the rock with a staff, I will not even touch it with one finger, and the rock will give out of itself for a long time so much pure and best drinking water that you and your descendants will never have a lack of water."
19
Then I turned to the rock and said: "I will that a whole brook full of pure and best water will begin to bubble up from you and will then continue to stream out for another 1.000 years, and that it will only dry up when dark heathens will trample down this place."
20
On these words of Mine a piece of the rock face came off at that same moment, and with a mighty bubbling there was such strong water stream that came out, that immediately a strong brook began to stream downwards from the rock into the lower valley, and it soon made a river bed for itself to continue its flow.