The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in Galilee
- Chapter 75 -
The nightly storm.
However, after 1 hour, the rest was disturbed on the street because a hard wind came up and was violently roaring through the doors and the windows of the house. The Pharisees were thereby greatly troubled, so much that 2 of them came to us, and they fearfully asked the innkeeper what would come of it.
2
But the innkeeper who became afraid himself because of the storm that came up so suddenly, said: "How can you, servants of God, ask this to me? At other times you know everything, and say that without you, who are His only representatives and His servants and helpers, God can do nothing in this world. Then you surely will know best why God let this terrible storm come up so suddenly and what will come of it. What can I know, who am still considered by you as a half Samaritan, when you yourselves, who are so close to God, are full of fear and fright and ask me questions?"
3
One of the Pharisees said: "Come now, do not boast so much because you are a citizen of Rome. Maybe that miraculous Nazarene, who is certainly well initiated in all the secrets of nature, can tell us something, because this has never happened before. A storm - as it is now roaring more and more violently - always begins with a rather mild wind that continues to blow harder until it develops into a hurricane. But not even the smallest of breeze preceded this storm, but it came completely suddenly, as a mighty flood, and it continues to roar and rage now with an ever-increasing fierceness. In that case, one may surely ask what will come of it?"
4
While the Pharisee still wanted to continue his speech, a mighty lightning was discharging outside, after which immediately a terrible cracking thunder followed. Then the 2 Pharisees ran from fear and fright towards us to find protection and comfort with us. But it did not take long before a 2nd lightning discharged itself with an even more terrible fierceness, which also brought the rest of the Pharisees and the scribe to us. Everyone in the whole house was filled with fear and great fright and penetrated our hall, and the Pharisees crawled under the table at which they had eaten before.
5
Then the innkeeper asked Me: "Lord and Master, it is difficult to determine the time at night when you can see no stars, but according to my feeling it could well be almost midnight. Most people, being tired of their daily work, must certainly have gone to sleep already 2 hours ago, and should rest during the night, but this storm will certainly give no rest to anyone since its raging is so fierce that even a half dead person has to wake up and has to be filled with fright and fear. Why did this storm had to come up so suddenly? Look, I am someone who does not easily become fainthearted, but I honestly confess that now, despite Your almighty presence, I become greatly worried by the raging and roaring of this storm that does not want to lie down at all. Can You, or do You not want to command this storm to lie down? Because the night is surely a time of rest for the whole nature and not a time of terribly disturbance. Why actually must certainly many thousands of people and animals feel the greatest fright and fear for such nightly storm?"
6
I said: "Can you see at Me also fear and fright? Just let the outer storm roar and rage, for not one hair of a just person will be touched by that.
7
Much worse is the inner storm of a big sinner when his end is near and he sees the eternal death before him and God's wrath over his head. Can he still hope to receive mercy and compassion with God while he never has shown a poor person the least of charity, but rather driven a lot of people into the greatest misery and the hardest need? Look, friend, such storm of the soul is unspeakably more terrible than such a natural storm by which the soil receives a great benefit, and besides that, only very little damage is caused. That is why we will let this natural storm continue to roar and rage for some time while we can be full of confidence and good courage."
8
When I had comforted and reassured the innkeeper with that, again several terrible flashes of lightning discharged themselves, after which such mighty cracking thunder followed, that the strong house of the innkeeper trembled completely.
9
When the Pharisees, who were crouching down together under the table, felt that the whole house was trembling, they began with a shaking voice to shout loudly: 'Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, take care of us and let us not perish because of these criminal insolent Essenes who do magic, who call themselves Jews but who deal with Samaritans, gentiles, tax collectors and other sinners, and exalt themselves above us, Your real servants, and make us everywhere suspicious with the people, who take Your name in vain and, as we know, are repeatedly violating the Sabbath."
10
The Pharisees had hardly said that when again several even more fierce flashes of lightning discharged themselves with a loud cracking, and one lightning struck even into the synagogue that was located in front of the house of the innkeeper, and set fire to the woodwork, the roof and the benches, tables and closets.
11
The innkeeper saw it immediately through the window of the hall and said to the Pharisees: "Stand up and go out to extinguish, because the last lightning has hit into your synagogue and set fire to the woodwork. In short, the synagogue is on flames. So go there and try to save your treasures and sacred things."
12
When the Pharisees heard that, they jumped up immediately, made a big spectacle in the house and wanted to force Me and My disciples to extinguish the fire.
13
But I seriously said: "What have I to do with your fire and your synagogue. But did you not call upon your God? Why does He not hear your prayer? Truly, if I, of whom you blind Pharisees think that I am an Essene, would ask the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to command the storm to cease, the storm would also cease immediately. But I will not do that now, because you think that I am a heretic and sinner against your God, in whom you have never believed in your heart. So turn to your God, and see if He will hear and help you."
14
Then the Pharisees insisted even more and begged us to help them, if ever help was still possible with the fire that was already really spreading.
15
Also the innkeeper beseeched Me and said: "O Lord and Master, if You do not want to listen to these blind Pharisees, then please listen to me, because see, my house is only 70 paces away from the burning synagogue. If the heavy wind would turn, then also my house would be in danger to catch fire, and this can happen very easily because there is no rain with the storm."
16
I said: "I already gave you once the assurance that no hair of the just will be touched, and even if the wind would turn 10 times, then still no disaster will come over you or your house. But such winds do not turn so easily, which I know very well. Therefore, you have nothing to fear.
17
However, in the synagogue are a lot of piled up treasures that are unjustly acquired, for which poor widows and orphans are wailing and lamenting in foreign places while these blind Pharisees who let themselves be honored by the people as servants of God, fatten themselves undisturbed without being concerned for the true salvation of the people. That is why it is not a pity because of these treasures in which God can never take pleasure. But these here, who are now justly suffering damage, will in the future still have the same good life, just like they had until now."