Verbi gratia
, as doth a
166
King, who to display his riches, and in order that his slaves may love him
more, giveth freedom to his slaves.
God, then, created man free in order that he might love his Creator much
the more and might know his bounty. For although God is omnipotent, not
having need of man, having created him by his omnipotence, he left him
free by his bounty, in such wise that he could resist evil and do good. For
although God had power to hinder sin, he would not contradict his own
bounty (for God hath no contradiction) in order that, his omnipotence and
bounty having wrought in man, he should not contradict sin in man, I say, in
order that in man might work the mercy of God and his righteousness. And
in token that I speak the truth, I tell you that the high-priest hath sent you to
tempt me, and this is the fruit of his priesthood.'
The old men departed and recounted all to the high-priest, who said: 'This
fellow hath the devil at his back, who recounteth everything to him; for he
aspireth to the kingship over Israel; but God will see to that.'
156.
When he had made the midday prayer, Jesus, as he went out of the temple,
found one blind from his mother's womb. His disciples asked him saying:
'Master, who sinned in this man, his father or his mother, that he was born
blind?'
Jesus answered: 'Neither his father nor his mother sinned in him, but God
created him so, for a testimony of the Gospel.' And having called the blind
man up to him he spat on the ground and made clay and placed it upon the
eyes of the blind man and said to him: 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash
thee!'
The blind man went, and having washed received light; whereupon, as he
returned home, many who met him said: 'If this man were blind I should say
for certam that it was he who was wont to sit at the beautiful gate of the
temple.' Others said: 'It is he, but how hath he received light?' And they
accosted him saying: 'Art thou the blind man that was wont to sit at the
beautiful gate of the temple?'
He answered: 'I am he—and wherefore?'
167
They said: 'Now how didst thou receive thy sight?'
He answered: 'A man made clay, spitting on the ground, and this clay he
placed upon mine eyes and said to me: "Go and wash thee in the pool of
Siloam." I went and washed, and now I see: blessed be the God of Israel!'
When the man born blind was come again to the beautiful gate of the
temple, all Jerusalem was filled with the matter. Wherefore he was brought
unto the chief of the priests, who was conferring with the priests and the
Pharisees against Jesus.
The high-priest asked him, saying: 'Man, wast thou born blind?'
'Yea,' he replied.
'Now give glory of God,' said the high-priest, 'and tell us what prophet hath
appeared to thee in a dream and given thee light. Was it our father
Abraham, or Moses the servant of God, or some other prophet? For others
could not do such a thing.
The man born blind replied: 'Neither Abraham nor Moses, nor any prophet
have I seen in a dream and been healed by him, but as I sat at the gate of the
temple a man made me come near to him and, having made clay of earth
with his spittle, put some of that clay upon mine eyes and sent me to the
pool of Siloam to wash; whereupon I went, and washed me, and returned
with the light of mine eyes.'
The high-priest asked him the name of that man.
The man born blind answered: 'He told me not his name, but a man who saw
him called me and said: "Go and wash thee as that man hath said, for he is
Jesus the Nazarene, a prophet and an holy one of the God of Israel."'
Then said the high-priest: 'Did he heal thee perchance to-day, that is, the
Sabbath?'
The blind man answered: 'To-day he healed me.'
Said the high-priest: 'Behold now, how that this fellow is a sinner, seeing he
keepeth not the Sabbath!'
168
157.
The blind man answered: 'Whether he is a sinner I know not; but this I know,
that whereas I was blind, he hath enlightened me.'
The Pharisees did not believe this: so they said to the high priest: 'Send for
his father and mother, for they will tell us the truth.' They sent, therefore,
for the father and mother of the blind man, and when they were come the
high-priest questioned them saying: 'Is this man your son?'
They answered: 'He is verily our son.'
Then said the high-priest: 'He saith that he was born blind, and now he
seeth; how hath this thing befallen?'
The father and mother of the man born blind replied 'Verily he was born
blind, but how he may have received the light, we know not; he is of age,
ask him and he will tell you the truth.'
Thereupon they were dismissed, and the high-priest said again to the man
born blind: 'Give glory to God, and speak the truth.'
(Now the father and mother of the blind man were afraid to speak, because
a decree had gone forth from the Roman senate that no man might contend
for Jesus, the prophet of the Jews, under pain of death: this decree had the
governor obtained—wherefore they said: 'He is of age, ask him.')
The high-priest, then said to the man born blind: 'Give glory to God and
speak the truth, for we know this man, whom thou sayest to have healed
thee, that he is a sinner.'
The man born blind answered: 'Whether he be a sinner, I know not; but this I
know, that I saw not and he hath enlightened me. Of a surety, from the
beginning of the world to this hour, there hath never yet been enlightened
one who was born blind; and God would not hearken to sinners.'
Said the Pharisees: 'Now what did he when he enlightened thee?'
Then the man born blind marvelled at their unbelief, and said: 'I have told
you, and wherefore ask ye me again? Would ye also become his disciples?'
169
The high-priest then reviled him saying: 'Thou wast altogether born in sin,
and wouldst thou teach us? Begone, and become thou disciple of such a
man! for we are disciples of Moses, and we know that God hath spoken to
Moses, but as for this man, we know not whence he is.' And they cast him
out of the synagogue and temple, forbidding him to make prayer with the
clean among Israel.
158.
The man born blind went to find Jesus, who comforted him saying: 'At no
time hast thou been so blessed as thou art now, for thou art blest of our
God who spake through David, our father and his prophet, against the
friends of the world, saying: "They curse and I bless"; and by Micah the
prophet he said: "I curse your blessing." For earth is not so contrary to air,
water to fire, light to darkness, cold to heat, or love to hate, as is the will
that God hath contrary to the will of the world.'
The disciples accordingly asked him, saying: 'Lord, great are thy words; tell
us, therefore, the meaning, for as yet we understand not.'
Jesus answered: "When ye shall know the world, ye shall see that I have
spoken the truth, and so shall ye know the truth in every prophet.
'Know ye, then, that there be three kinds of worlds comprehended in a
single name: the one standeth for the heavens and the earth, with water, air
and fire, and all the things that are inferior to man. Now this world in all
things followeth the will of God, for, as saith David, prophet of God: "God
hath given them a precept which they transgress not."
'The second standeth for all men, even as the "house of such an one"
standeth not for the walls, but for the family. Now this world, again, loveth
God; because by nature they long after God, forasmuch as according to
nature every one longeth after God, even though they err in seeking God.
And know ye wherefore all long after God? Because they long every one
after an infinite good without any evil, and this is God alone. Therefore the
merciful God hath sent his prophets to this world for its salvation.
'The third world is man's fallen condition of sinning, which hath transformed
itself into a law contrary to God, the creator of the world. This maketh man
170
become like unto the demons, God's enemies. And this world our God
hateth so sore that if the prophets had loved this world—what think ye?
Assuredly God would have taken from them their prophecy. And what shall I
say? As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, when the
messenger of God shall come to the world, if he should conceive love
towards this evil world, assuredly, God would take away from him all that he
gave him when he created him, and would make him reprobate: so greatly is
God contrary to this world.'
159.
The disciples answered: 'O master, exceeding great are thy words, therefore
have mercy upon us, for we understand them not.'
Said Jesus: 'Think ye perchance that God hath created his messenger to be a
rival, who should be fain to make himself equal with God? Assuredly not, but
rather as his good slave, who should not will that which his Lord willeth not.
Ye are not able to understand this because ye know not what a thing is sin.
Wherefore hearken unto my words, Verily, verily, I say unto you, sin cannot
arise in man save as a contradiction of God, seeing that that only is sin which
God willeth not: insomuch that all that God willeth is most alien from sin.
Accordingly, if our high-priests and priests, with the Pharisees, persecuted
me because the people of Israel hath called me God, they would be doing a
thing pleasing to God, and God would reward them; but because they
persecute me for a contrary reason, since they will not have me say the
truth, how they have contaminated the book of Moses, and that of David,
prophets and friends of God, by their traditions, and therefore hate me and
desire my death—therefore God hath them in abomination.
'Tell me—Moses slew men and Ahab slew men—is this in each case murder?
Assuredly not; for Moses slew the men to destroy idolatry and to preserve
the worship of the true God, but Ahab slew the men to destroy the worship
of the true God and to preserve idolatry. Wherefore to Moses the slaying of
men was converted into sacrifice, while to Ahab it was converted into
sacrilege: insomuch that one and the same work produced these two
contrary effects.
171
'As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, if Satan had spoken to
the angels in order to see how they loved God, he would not have been
rejected of God, but because he sought to turn them away from God,
therefore is he reprobate.'
Then answered he who writeth: 'How, then, is to be understood that which
was said in Micaiah the prophet, concerning the lie which God ordained to
be spoken by the mouth of false prophets, as is written in the book of the
kings of Israel?'
Jesus answered: 'O Barnabas, recite briefly all that befell, that we may see
the truth clearly.'
160.
Then said he who writeth: 'Daniel the prophet, describing the history of the
kings of Israel and their tyrants, writeth thus "The king of Israel joined
himself with the king of Judah to fight against the sons of Belial (that is,
reprobates) who were the Ammonites. Now Jehoshaphat, king of Judah,
and Ahab, king of Israel, being seated both on a Throne in Samaria, there
stood before them four hundred false prophets, who said to the king of
Israel: 'Go up against the Ammonites, for God will give them into thy hands,
and thou shalt scatter Ammon.'
'"Then said Jehoshaphat: 'Is there here any prophet of the God of our
fathers?'
'"Ahab answered: 'There is one only, and he is evil, for he always predicteth
evil concerning me; and him I hold in prison.' And this he said, to wit, 'There
is only one,' because as many as were found had been slain by decree of
Ahab, so that the prophets, even as thou hast said, O Master, were fled to
the mountain tops where men dwelt not.
'"Then said Jehoshaphat: 'Send for him here, and let us see what he saith.'
'"Ahab therefore commanded that Micaiah be sent for thither, who came
with fetters on his feet, and his face bewildered like a man that liveth
between life and death.
172
'"Ahab asked him, saying: 'Speak, Micaiah, in the name of God. Shall we go
up against the Ammonites? Will God give their cities into our hands?'
'"Micaiah answered: 'Go up, go up, for prosperously shalt thou go up, and
still more prosperously come down!'
'"Then the false prophets praised Micaiah as a true prophet of God, and
broke off the fetters from his feet.
'"Jehoshaphat, who feared our God, and had never bowed his knees before
the idols, asked Micaiah, saying: 'For the love of God of our fathers, speak
the truth, as thou hast seen the issue of this war.'
'"Micaiah answered: 'O Jehoshaphat, I fear thy face wherefore I tell thee
that I have seen the people of Israel as sheep without a shepherd.'
'"Then Ahab, smiling, said to Jehoshaphat: 'I told thee that this fellow
predicteth only evil, but thou didst not believe it.'
'"Then said they both: 'Now how knowest thou this, O Micaiah?'
'"Micaiah answered: 'Methought there assembled a council of the angels in
the presence of God, and I heard God say thus: "Who will deceive Ahab that
he may go up against Ammon and be slain?" Whereupon one said one thing
and another said another. Then came an angel and said: "Lord, I will fight
against Ahab, and will go to his false prophets and will put the lie into their
mouth, and so shall he go up and be slain." And hearing this, God said: "Now
go and do so, for thou shalt prevail."'
'"Then were the false prophets enraged, and their chief smote Micaiah's
cheek, saying: 'O reprobate of God, when did the angel of truth depart from
us and come to thee? Tell us, when came to us the angel that brought the
lie?'
'"Micaiah answered: 'Thou shalt know when thou shalt flee from house to
house for fear of being slain, having deceived thy king.'
'"Then Ahab was wroth, and said: 'Seize Micaiah, and the fetters which he
had upon his feet place on his neck, and keep him on barley bread and water
until my return, for now I know not what death I would inflict on him.'
173
'"They went up, then, and according to the word of Micaiah the matter
befell. For the king of the Ammonites said to his servants: 'See that ye fight
not against the king of Judah, nor against the princes of Israel, but slay the
king of Israel, Ahab, mine enemy.'"'
Then said Jesus: 'Stop there, Barnabas: for it is enough for our purpose.'
161.
'Have ye heard all?' said Jesus.
The disciples answered: 'Yea, Lord.'
Whereupon Jesus said: 'Lying is indeed a sin, but murder is a greater,
because the lie is a sin that appertaineth to him that speaketh, but the
murder, while it appertaineth to him that committeth it, is such that it
destroyeth also the dearest thing that God hath here upon earth, that is,
man. And lying can be remedied by saying the contrary of that which hath
been said; whereas murder hath no remedy, seeing it is not possible to give
life again to the dead. Tell me, then, did Moses the servant of God sin in
slaying all whom he slew?'
The disciples answered: 'God forbid; God forbid that Moses should have
sinned in obeying God who commanded him!'
Then said Jesus: 'And I say, God forbid that that angel should have sinned
who deceived Ahab's false prophets with the lie; for even as God receiveth
the slaughter of men as sacrifice, so received he the lie for praise. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, that even as the child erreth which causeth its shoes to
be made by the measure of a giant, even so erreth he who would subject
God to the law, as he himself as man is subject to the law. When, therefore,
ye shall believe that only to be sin which God willeth not, ye will find the
truth, even as I have told you. Wherefore, because God is not composite nor
changeable, so also is he unable to will and not will a single thing; for so
would he have contradiction in himself, and consequently pain, and would
not be infinitely blessed.'
Philip answered: 'But how is that saying of the prophet Amos to be
understood, that "there is not evil in the city that God hath not done"?'
174
Jesus answered: 'Now here see, Philip, how great is the danger of resting in
the letter, as do the Pharisees, who have invented for themselves the
"predestination of God in the elect," in such wise that they come to say in
fact that God is unrighteous, a deceiver and a liar and a hater of judgment
(which shall fall upon them).
'Wherefore I say that here Amos the prophet of God speaketh of the evil
which the world calleth evil: for if he had used the language of the righteous
he would not have been understood by the world. For all tribulations are
well, either for that they purge the evil that we have done, or are well
because they restrain us from doing evil, or are well because they make man
to know the condition of this life, in order that we may love and long for life
eternal. Accordingly, had the prophet Amos said: "There is no good in the
city but what God hath wrought it," he had given occasion for despair to the
afflicted, as they beheld themselves in tribulation and sinners living in
prosperity. And, what is worse, many, believing Satan to have such
sovereignty over man, would have feared Satan and done him service, so as
not to suffer tribulation. Amos therefore did as doth the Roman interpreter,
who considereth not his words as one speaking in the presence of the high-
priest, but considereth the will and the business of the Jew that knoweth
not to speak the Hebrew tongue.
162.
'If Amos had said: "There is no good in the city but what God hath done it,"
as God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, he would have made a
grievous error, for the world holdeth not for good ought save the iniquities
and sins that are done in the way of vanity. Whereupon men would have
wrought much more iniquitously, believing that there be not any sin or
wickedness "which God hath not done," at hearing whereof the earth
trembleth.' And when Jesus had said this, straightway there arose a great
earthquake, in so much that every one fell as dead. Jesus raised them up,
saying: 'Now see if I have told you the truth. Let this, then, suffice you, that
Amos, when he said that "God hath done evil in the city," talking with the
world, spake of tribulations, which sinners alone call evil.
175
'Let us come now to predestination, of which ye desire to know, and
whereof I will speak to you near Jordan on the other side, to-morrow, if God
will.'
163.
Jesus went into the wilderness beyond Jordan with his disciples, and when
the midday prayer was done he sat down near to a palm-tree, and under the
shadow of the palm-tree his disciples sat down.
Then said Jesus: 'So secret is predestination, O brethren, that I say unto you,
verily, only to one man shall it be clearly known. He it is whom the nations
look for, to whom the secrets of God are so clear that, when he cometh into
the world, blessed shall they be that shall listen to his words, because God
shall overshadow them with his mercy even as this palm-tree
overshadoweth us. "Yea, even as this tree protecteth us from the burning
heat of the sun, even so the mercy of God will protect from Satan them that
believe in that man.'
The disciples answered, 'O Master, who shall that man be of whom thou
speakest, who shall come into the world?'
Jesus answered with joy of heart: 'He is Mohammed, messenger of God, and
when he cometh into the world, even as the rain maketh the earth to bear
fruit when for a long time it hath not rained, even so shall he be occasion of
good works among men, through the abundant mercy which he shall bring.
For he is a white cloud full of the mercy of God, which mercy God shall
sprinkle upon the faithful like rain.'
164.
'I will accordingly tell you now that little which God hath granted me to
know concerning this same predestination.' The Pharisees say that
everything hath been so predestined that he who is elect cannot become
reprobate, and he who is reprobate cannot by any means become elect; and
that, even as God hath predestined well-doing as the road whereby the elect
shall walk unto salvation, even so hath he predestined sin as the road by
which the reprobate shall walk unto damnation. Cursed be the tongue that
said this, with the hand that wrote it, for this is the faith of Satan. Wherefore
176
one may know of what manner are the Pharisees of the present day, for
they are faithful servants of Satan.
'What can predestination mean but an absolute will to give an end to a thing
whereof one hath the means in hand? For without the means one cannot
destine an end. How, then, shall he destine the house who not only lacketh
stone and money to spend, but hath not even so much land as to place one
foot upon? Assuredly none [could do so]. No more, then, I tell you, is
predestination, taking away the free will that God hath given to man of his
pure bounty, the law of God. Of a surety it is not predestination but
abomination we shall be establishing.
'That man is free the book of Moses showeth, where when our God gave
the law upon Mount Sinai, he spake thus: "My commandment is not in the
heaven that thou shouldest excuse thyself, saying: Now, who shall go to
bring us the commandment of God? And who perchance shall give us
strength to observe it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that in like manner thou
shouldest excuse thyself. But my commandment is nigh unto thine heart,
that when thou wilt thou mayest observe it."
'Tell me, if King Herod should command an old man to become young and a
sick man that he should become whole, and when they did it not should
cause them to be killed, would this be just?' The disciples answered: 'If
Herod gave this command, he would be most unjust and impious.'
Then Jesus, sighing, said: 'These are the fruits of human traditions, O
brethren; for in saying that God hath predestinated the reprobate in such
wise that he cannot become elect they blaspheme God as impious and
unjust. For he commandeth the sinner not to sin, and when he sinneth to
repent; while such predestination taketh away from the sinner the power
not to sin, and entirely depriveth him of repentance.'
165.
'But hear what saith God by Joel the prophet: " As I live, [saith] your God, I
will not the death of a sinner, but I seek that he should be converted to
penitence." Will God then predestinate that which he willeth not? Consider
177
ye that which God saith, and that which the Pharisees of this present time
say.
'Further, God saith by the prophet Isaiah: "I have called, and ye would not
hearken unto me." And how much God hath called, hear how he saith by the
same prophet: "All the day have I spread out my hands to a people that
believe me not, but contradict me." And our Pharisees, when they say that
the reprobate cannot become elect, what say they, then, but that God
mocketh men even as he would mock a blind man who should show him
something white, and as he would mock a deaf man who should speak into
his ears? And that the elect can be reprobated, consider what our God saith
by Ezekiel the prophet: "As I live, saith God, if the righteous shall forsake his
righteousness and shall do abominations, he shall perish, and I will not
remember any more any of his righteousness; for trusting therein it shall
forsake him before me and it shall not save him."
'And of the calling of the reprobate, what saith God by the prophet Hosea
but this: "I will call a people not elect, I will call them elect." God is true, and
cannot tell a lie: for God being truth speaketh truth. But the Pharisees of this
present time with their doctrine contradict God altogether.'
166.
Andrew replied: 'But how is that to be understood which God said to Moses,
that he will have mercy on whom he willeth to have mercy and will harden
whom he willeth to harden?'
Jesus answered: 'God saith this in order that man may not believe that he is
saved by his own virtue, but may perceive that life and the mercy of God
have been granted him by God of his bounty. And he saith it in order that
men may shun the opinion that there be other gods than he.
'If, therefore, he hardened Pharaoh he did it because he had afflicted our
people and essayed to bring it to nought by destroying all the male children
in Israel: whereby Moses was nigh to losing his life
'Accordingly, I say unto you verily, that predestination hath for its
foundation the law of God and human free will. Yea, and even if God could
save the whole world so that none should perish he would not will do so lest
178
thus he should deprive man of freedom, which he preserveth to him in order
to do despite to Satan, in order that this [lump of] clay scorned of the spirit,
even though it shall sin as the spirit did, may have power to repent and go to
dwell in that place whence the spirit was cast out. Our God willeth, I say, to
pursue with his mercy man's free will, and willeth not to forsake the
creature with his omnipotence. And so on the day of judgement none will be
able to make any excuse for their sins, seeing that it will then be manifest to
them how much God hath done for their conversion, and how often he hath
called them to repentance.
167.
'Accordingly, if your mind will not rest content in this, and ye be fain to say
again: "Why so?" I will disclose to you a "wherefore." It is this. Tell me,
wherefore cannot a [single] stone rest on the top of the water, yet the
whole earth resteth on the top of the water? Tell me, why is it that, while
water extinguisheth fire, and earth fleeth from air, so that none can unite
earth, air, water, and fire in harmony, nevertheless they are united in man
and are preserved harmoniously?
'If, then, ye shall know not this—nay, all men, as men, cannot know it—how
shall they understand that God created the universe out of nothing with a
single word? How shall they understand the eterniny of God? Assuredly they
shall by no means be able to understand this, because, man being finite and
composite with the body, which, as saith the prophet Solomon, being
corruptible, presseth down the soul, and the works of God being
proportionate to God, how shall they be able to comprehend them?
'Isaiah, prophet of God, seeing [it to be] thus, exclaimed, saying: "Verily thou
art a hidden God!" And of the messenger of God, how God hath created him,
he saith: "His generation, who shall narrate? And of the working of God he
saith: "Who hath been his counsellor?" Wherefore God saith unto human
nature: "Even as the heaven is exalted above the earth, so are my ways
exalted above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts."
'Therefore I say unto you, the manner of predestination is not manifest to
men, albeit the fact is true, as I have told you.
179
'Ought man then, because he cannot find out the mode, to deny the fact?
Assuredly, I have never yet seen anyone refuse health, though the manner
of it be not understood. For I know not even now how God by my touch
healeth the sick.'
168.
Then said the disciples: 'Verily God speaketh in thee, for never hath man
spoken as thou speakest.'
Jesus answered: 'Believe me when God chose me to send me to the house
of Israel, he gave me a book like unto a clear mirror which came down into
my heart in such wise that all that I speak cometh forth from that book. And
when that book shall have finished coming forth from my mouth, I shall be
taken up from the world.'
Peter answered: 'O master, is that which thou now speakest written in that
book?'
Jesus replied: 'All that I say for the knowledge of God and the service of
God, for the knowledge of man and for the salvation of mankind—all this
cometh forth from that book, which is my gospel.'
Said Peter: 'Is there written therein the glory of paradise?'
169.
Jesus answered: 'Hearken, and I will tell you of what manner is paradise, and
how the holy and the faithful shall abide there without end, for this is one of
the greatest blessings of paradise, seeing that everything, however great, if
it have an end, becometh small, yea nought.
'Paradise is the home where God storeth his delights, which are so great
that the ground which is trodden by the feet of the holy and blessed ones is
so precious that one drachm ofit is more precious than a thousand worlds.
'These delights were seen by our father, David, prophet of God, for God
showed them unto him, seeing he caused him to behold the glories of
paradise; whereupon, when he returned to himself, he closed his eyes with
180
both his hands, and weeping said: "Look not any more upon this world, O
mine eyes, for all is vain, and there is no good!"
'Of these delights said Isaiah the prophet: "The eyes of man have not seen,
his ears have not heard, nor hath the human heart conceived, that which
God hath prepared for them that love him." Know ye wherefore they have
not seen, heard, conceived such delights? It is because while they live here
below they are not worthy to behold such things. Wherefore, albeit our
father David verily saw them, I tell you that he saw them not with human
eyes, for God took his soul unto himself, and thus, united with God, he saw
them with light divine. As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth,
seeing that the delights of paradise are infinite and man is finite, man cannot
contain them; even as a little earthen jar cannot contain the sea.
'Behold, then how beautiful is the world in summer-time, when all things
bear fruit! The very peasant, intoxicated with gladness by reason of the
harvest that is come, maketh the valleys and mountains resound with his
singing, for that he loveth his labours supremely. Now lift up even so your
heart to paradise, where all things are fruitful with fruits proportionate to
him who hath cultivated it.
'As God liveth, this is sufficient for the knowledge of paradise, forasmuch as
God hath created paradise for the home of his own delights. Now think ye
that immeasurable goodness would not have things immeasurably good? Or
that immeasurable beauty would not have things immeasurably beautiful?
Beware, for ye err greatly if ye think he have them not.
170.
'God saith thus to the man who shall faithfully serve him: "I know thy works,
that thou workest for me. As I live eternally, thy love shall not exceed my
bounty. Because thou servest me as God thy creator, knowing thyself to be
my work, and askest nought of me save grace and mercy to serve me
faithfully; because thou settest no end to my service, seeing thou desirest to
serve me eternally; even so will I do, for I will reward thee as if thou wert
God, mine equal. For not only will I place in thy hands the abundance of
paradise, but I will give thee myself as a gift; so that, even as thou art fain to
be my servant for ever, even so will I make thy wages for ever."'
181
171.
'What think ye,' said Jesus to his disciples, 'of paradise? Is there a mind that
could comprehend such riches and delights? Man must needs have a
knowledge as great as God's if he would know what God willeth to give to
his servants.
'Have ye seen when Herod maketh a present to one of his favourite barons,
in what sort he presenteth it?'
John answered: 'I have seen it twice; and assuredly the tenth part of that
which he giveth would be sufficient for a poor man.'
Said Jesus: 'But if a poor man shall be presented to Herod what will he give
to him?'
John answered: 'One or two mites.'
'Now let this be your book wherein to study the knowledge of paradise,'
[said Jesus]: 'because all that God hath given to man in this present world
for his body is as though Herod should give a mite to a poor man; but what
God will give to the body and soul in paradise is as though Herod should give
all that he hath, yea and his own life, to one of his servants.'
172.
'God saith thus to him that loveth him, and serveth him faithfully: "Go and
consider the sands of the sea, O my servant, how many they are. Wherefore,
if the sea should give thee one single grain of sand, would it appear small to
thee? Assuredly, yea. As I, thy creator, live, all that I have given in this world
to all the princes and kings of the earth is less than a grain of sand that the
sea would give thee, in comparison of that which I will give thee in my
paradise."'
173.
'Consider, then,' said Jesus, 'the abundance of paradise. For if God hath
given to man in this world an ounce of well-being, in paradise he will give
him ten hundred thousand loads. Consider the quantity of fruits that are in
this world, the quantity of food, the quantity of flowers, and the quantity of
182
things that minister to man. As God liveth, in whose presence my soul
standeth, as the sea hath still sand over and above when one receiveth a
grain thereof, even so will the quality and quantity of figs [in paradise] excel
the sort of figs we eat here. And in like manner every other thing in paradise.
But furthermore, I say unto you that verily, as a mountain of gold and pearls
is more precious than the shadow of an ant, even so are the delights of
paradise more precious than all the delights of the princes of the world
which they have had and shall have even unto the judgment of God when
the world shall have an end.'
Peter answered: 'Shall, then, our body which we now have go into
paradise?'
Jesus answered: 'Beware, Peter, lest thou become a Sadducee; for the
Sadducees say that the flesh shall not rise again, and that there be no
angels. Wherefore their body and soul are deprived of entrance into
paradise, and they are deprived of all ministry of angels in this world. Bast
thou perchance forgotten Job, prophet and friend of God, how he saith: "I
know that my God liveth; and in the last day I shall rise again in my flesh, and
with mine eyes I shall see God my Saviour"?
'But believe me, this flesh of ours shall be so purified that it shall not possess
a single property of those which now it hath; seeing that it shall be purged
of every evil desire, and God shall reduce it to such a condition as was
Adam's before he sinned.
'Two men serve one master in one and the same work. The one alone seeth
the work, and giveth orders to the second, and the second performeth all
that the first commandeth. Seemeth it just to you, I say, that the master
should reward only him who seeth and commandeth, and should cast out of
his house him who wearied himself in the work? Surely not.
'How then shall the justice of God bear this? The soul and the body with
sense of man serve God: the soul only seeth and commandeth the service,
because the soul, eating no bread, fasteth not, [the soul] walketh not,
feeleth not cold and heat, falleth not sick, and is not slain, because the soul
is immortal: it suffereth not any of those corporal pains which the body
suffers at the instance of the elements. Is it, then, just, I say, that the soul
183
alone should go into paradise, and not the body, which hath wearied itself
so much in serving God?'
Peter answered: 'O master, the body, having caused the soul to sin, ought
not to be placed in paradise.'
Jesus answered: 'Now how shall the body sin without the soul? Assuredly it
is impossible. Therefore, in taking away God's mercy from the body, thou
condemnest the soul to hell.'
174.
'As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, our God promiseth his
mercy to the sinner, saying: "In that hour that the sinner shall lament his sin,
by myself, I will not remember his iniquities for ever."
'Now what should eat the meats of paradise, if the body go not thither? The
soul? Surely not, seeing it is spirit.'
Peter answered: 'So then, the blessed shall eat in paradise; but how shall the
meat be voided without uncleanness?'
Jesus answered: 'Now what blessedness shall the body have if it eat not nor
drink? Assuredly it is fitting to give glory in proportion to the thing glorified.
But thou errest, Peter, in thinking that such meat should be voided in
uncleanness, because this body at the present time eateth corruptible
meats, and thus it is that putrefaction cometh forth: but in paradise the
body shall be incorruptible, impassible, and immortal, and free from every
misery; and the meats, which are without any defect, shall not generate any
putrefaction.
175.
'God saith thus in Isaiah the prophet, pouring contempt on the reprobate:
"My servants shall sit at my table in mine house and shall feast joyfully, with
gladness and with the sound of harps and organs, and I will not suffer them
to have need of anything. But ye that are mine enemies shall be cast away
from me, where ye shall die in misery, while every servant of mine despiseth
you."
184
176.
'To what doth it serve to say, "They shall feast"?' said Jesus to his disciples.
'Surely God speaketh plain. But to what purpose are the four rivers of
precious liquor in paradise, with so many fruits? Assuredly, God eateth not,
the angels eat not, the soul eateth not, the sense eateth not, but rather the
flesh, which is our body. Wherefore the glory of paradise is for the body the
meats, and for the soul and the sense God and the conversation of Angels
and blessed spirits. That glory shall be better revealed by the messenger of
God, who (seeing God hath created all things for love of him) knoweth all
things better than any other creature.'
Said Bartholomew: 'O master, shall the glory of paradise be equal for every
man? If it be equal, it shall not be just, and if it be not equal the lesser will
envy the greater.'
Jesus answered: 'It will not be equal, for that God is just; and everyone shall
be content, because there is no envy there. Tell me, Bartholomew: there is a
master who hath many servants, and he clotheth all of those his servants in
the same cloth. Do then the boys, who are clothed in the garments of boys,
mourn because they have not the apparel of grown men? Surely, on the
contrary, if the elders desired to put on them their larger garments they
would be wroth, because, the garments not being of their size, they would
think themselves mocked.
'Now, Bartholomew, lift thy heart to God in paradise, and thou shalt see that
all one glory, although it shall be more to one and less to another, shall not
produce ought of envy.'
177.
Then said he who writeth: 'O master, hath paradise light from the sun as this
world hath?'
Jesus answered: 'Thus hath God said to me, O Barnabas: "The world wherein
ye men that are sinners dwell hath the sun and the moon and the stars that
adorn it, for your benefit and your gladness; for this have I created.
185
'"Think ye, then, that the house where my faithful dwell shall not be better?
Assuredly, ye err, so thinking: for I, your God, am the sun of paradise, and
my messenger is the moon who from me receiveth all; and the stars are my
prophets which have preached to you my will. Wherefore my faithful, even
as they received my word from my prophets here, shall in like manner obtain
delight and gladness through them in the paradise of my delights."
178.
'And let this suffice you,' said Jesus, 'for the knowledge of paradise.'
Whereupon Bartholomew said again: 'O master, have patience with me if I
ask thee one word.'
Jesus answered: 'Say that which thou desirest.'
Said Bartholomew: 'Paradise is surely great: for, seeing there be in it such
great goods, it needs must be great.'
Jesus answered: "Paradise is so great that no man can measure it. Verily I
say unto thee that the heavens are nine, among which are set the planets,
that are distant one from another five hundred years' journey for a man: and
the earth in like manner is distant from the first heaven five hundred years'
journey.
'But stop thou at the measuring of the first heaven, which is by so much
greater than the whole earth as the whole earth is greater than a grain of
sand. So also the second heaven is greater than the first, and the third than
the second, and so on up to the last heaven, each one is likewise greater
than the next. And verily I say to thee that paradise is greater than all the
earth and all the heavens [together], even as all the earth is greater than a
grain of sand.'
Then said Peter: 'O master, paradise must needs be greater than God,
because God is seen within it.'
Jesus answered: 'Hold thy peace Peter, for thou unwittingly blasphemest.'
179.
186
Then came the angel Gabriel to Jesus and showed him a mirror shining like
the sun, wherein he beheld written these words: 'As I live eternally, even as
paradise is greater than all the heavens and the earth, and as the whole
earth is greater than a grain of sand, even so am I greater than paradise; and
as many times more as the sea hath grains of sand, as there are drops of
water upon the sea, as there are [blades of] grass upon the ground, as there
are leaves upon the trees, as there are skins upon the beasts; and as many
times more as the grains of sand that would go to fill the heavens and
paradise and more.'
Then said Jesus: 'Let us do reverence to our God, who is blessed for
evermore.' Thereupon they bowed their heads an hundred times and
prostrated themselves to earth upon their face in prayer. When the prayer
was done, Jesus called Peter and told him and all the disciples what he had
seen. And to Peter he said: 'Thy soul, which is greater than all the earth,
through one eye seeth the sun, which is a thousand times greater than all
the earth.'
Then said Jesus: 'Even so, through [the eye of] paradise, shalt thou see God
our Creator.' And having said this, Jesus gave thanks to God our Lord,
praying for the house of Israel and for the holy city. And every one
answered: 'So be it, Lord.'
180.
One day, Jesus being in Solomon's porch, there drew nigh to him a scribe,
one of them that made discourse to the people, and said to him: 'O master, I
have many times made discourse to this people, and there is in my mind a
passage of scripture which I am not able to understand.'
Jesus answered: 'And what is it?'
Said the scribe: 'That which God said to Abraham our father, "I will be thy
great reward." Now how could man merit [such reward]?'
Then Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said: 'Assuredly thou art not far from the
kingdom of God! Listen to me, for I will tell thee the meaning of such
teaching. God being infinite, and man finite, man cannot merit God—and is
this thy doubt, brother?'
187
The scribe answered, weeping: 'Lord, thou knowest my heart; speak,
therefore, for my soul desireth to hear thy voice.'
Then said Jesus: 'As God liveth, man cannot merit a little breath which he
receiveth every moment.'
The scribe was beside himself, hearing this, and the disciples likewise
marvelled, because they remembered that which Jesus said, that
whatsoever they gave for love of God, they should receive an hundredfold.
Then he said: 'If one should lend you an hundred pieces of gold, and ye
should spend those pieces, could ye say to that man: "I give thee a decayed
vine-leaf; give me therefore thine house, for I merit it"?'
The scribe answered: 'Nay, Lord, for he ought first to pay that which he
owed, and then if he wished for anything, he should give him good things,
but what booteth a corrupted leaf?'
181.
Jesus answered: 'Well hast thou said, O brother; wherefore tell me, Who
created man out of nothing? Assuredly it was God, who also gave him the
whole world for his benefit. But man by sinning hath spent it all, for by
reason of sin is all the world turned against man, and man in his misery hath
naught to give to God but works corrupted by sin. For, sinning every day he
maketh his own work corrupt, wherefore Isaiah the prophet saith: Our
righteousnesses are ''as a menstruous cloth."
'How, then, shall man have merit, seeing he is unable to give satisfaction? Is
it, perchance, that man sinneth not? Certain it is that our God saith by his
prophet David. Seven times a day falleth the righteous"; how then falleth
the unrighteous? And if our righteousnesses are corrupt, how abominable
are our unrighteousnesses! As God liveth, there is naught that a man ought
to shun more than this saying: "I merit." Let a man know, brother, the works
of his hands, and he will straightway see his merit. Every good thing that
cometh out of a man, verily man doeth it not, but God worketh it in him; for
his being is of God who created him. That which man doeth is to contradict
God his creator and to commit sin, whereby he meriteth not reward, but
torment.
188
182.
'Not only hath God created man, as I say, but he created him perfect. He
hath given him the whole world; after the departure from paradise he hath
given him two angels to guard him, he hath sent him the prophets, he hath
granted him the law, he hath granted him the faith, every moment he
delivereth him from Satan, he is fain to give him paradise; nay more, God
willeth to give himself to man. Consider, then, the debt, if it is great! [a debt]
to cancel which ye would need to have created man of yourselves out of
nothing, to have created as many prophets as God hath sent, with a world
and a paradise, nay, more, with a God great and good as is our God, and to
give it all to God. So would the debt be cancelled and there would remain to
you only the obligation to give thanks to God. But since ye are not able to
create a single fly, and seeing there is but one God who is lord of all things,
how shall ye be able to cancel your debt? Assuredly, if a man should lend you
an hundred pieces of gold, ye would be obliged to restore an hundred
pieces of gold.
'Accordingly, the sense of this, O brother, is that God, being lord of paradise
and of everything, can say that which pleaseth him, and give whatsoever
pleaseth him. Wherefore, when he said to Abraham, "I will be thy great
reward," Abraham could not say: "God is my reward," but "God is my gift
and my debt." So when thou discoursest to the people, O brother, thou
oughtest thus to explain this passage: that God will give to man such and
such things ifman worketh well.
'When God shall speak to thee, O man, and shall say: "O my servant, thou
hast wrought well for love of me; what reward seekest thou from me, thy
God?" answer thou: "Lord, seeing I am the work of thy hands, it is not fitting
that there should be in me sin, which Satan loveth. Therefore, Lord, for thine
own glory, have mercy upon the works of thy hands.
'And if God say: "I have pardoned thee, and now I would fain reward thee";
answer thou: "Lord, I merit punishment for what I have done, and for what
thou hast done thou meritest to be glorified. Punish, Lord, in me what I have
done, and save that which thou hast wrought."
189
'And if God say: "What punishment seemeth to thee fitting for thy sin?" do
thou answer: "As much, O Lord, as all the reprobate shall suffer."
'And if God say: ''Wherefore seekest thou so great punishment, O my
faithful servant?" answer thou: "Because every one of them, if they had
received from thee as much as I have received, would have served thee
more faithfully than I have done."
'And if God say: "When wilt thou receive this punishment, and for how long
a time?" answer thou: "Now, and without end."
'As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, such a man would be
more pleasing to God than all his holy angels. For God loveth true humility,
and hateth pride.'
Then the scribe gave thanks to Jesus, and said to him, 'Lord, let us go to the
house of thy servant, for thy servant will give meat to thee and to thy
disciples.'
Jesus answered: 'I will come thither when thou wilt promise to call me
"Brother," and not "Lord," and shalt say thou art my brother, and not my
servant.' The man promised, and Jesus went to his house.
183.
While they sat at meat the scribe said: 'O master, thou saidst that God loveth
true humility. Tell us therefore what is humility, and how it can be true and
false.'
[Jesus replied:] 'Verily I say unto you that he who becometh not as a little
child shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.'
Everyone was amazed at hearing this, and they said one to another: 'Now
how shall he become a little child who is thirty or forty years old? Surely, this
is a hard saying.'
Jesus answered: 'As God liveth in whose presence my soul standeth, my
words are true. I said unto you that [a man] hath need to become as a little
child: for this is true humility. For if ye ask a little child: "Who hath made thy
garments?" he will answer: "My father." If ye ask him whose is the house
190
where he liveth, he will say: "My father's." If ye shall say: "Who giveth thee
to eat?" he will reply: "My father." If ye shall say: "Who hath taught thee to
walk and to speak?" he will answer: "My father." But if ye shall say: "Who
hath broken thy forehead, for that thou hast thy forehead so bound up?" he
will answer: "I fell down, and so did I break my head." If ye shall say: "Now
why didst thou fall down?" he will answer: "See ye not that I am little, so
that I have not the strength to walk and run like a grown man? so my father
must needs take me by the hand if I would walk firmly. But in order that I
might learn to walk well, my father left me for a little space, and I, wishing to
run, fell down." If ye shall say: "And what said thy father?" he will answer:
"Now why didst thou not walk quite slowly? See that in future thou leave
not my side."
184.
'Tell me, is this true?' said Jesus.
The disciples and the scribe answered: 'It is most true.'
Then said Jesus: 'He who in truth of heart recognizeth God as the author of
all good, and himself as the author of sin, shall be truly humble. But whoso
shall speak with the tongue as the child speaketh, and shall contradict [the
same] in act, assuredly he hath false humility and true pride.
'For pride is then at its height when it maketh use of humble things, that it
be not reprehended and spurned of men.
'True humility is a lowliness of the soul whereby man knoweth himself in
truth; but false humility is a mist from hell which so darkeneth the
understanding of the soul that what a man ought to ascribe to himself, he
ascribeth to God, and what he ought to ascribe to God, he ascribeth to
himself. Thus, the man of false humility will say that he is a grievous sinner,
but when one telleth him that he is a sinner he will wax wroth against him,
and will persecute him.
'The man of false humility will say that God hath given him all that he hath,
but that he on his part hath not slumbered, but done good works.
'And these Pharisees of this present time, brethren, tell me how they walk.'
191
The scribe answered, weeping: 'O master, the Pharisees of the present time
have the garments and the name of Pharisees, but in their heart and their
works they are Canaanites. And would to God they usurped not such a
name, for then would they not deceive the simple! O ancient time, how
cruelly hast thou dealt with us, that hast taken away from us the true
Pharisees and left us the false!'
185.
Jesus answered: 'Brother, it is not time that hath done this, but rather the
wicked world. For in every time it is possible to serve God in truth, but by
companying with the world, that is with the evil manners in each time, men
become bad.
'Now knowest thou not that Gehazi, servant of Elisha the prophet, lying, and
shaming his master, took the money and the raiment of Naaman the Syrian?
And yet Elisha had a great number of Pharisees to whom God made him to
prophesy.
'Verily I say unto thee, that men are so inclined to evil working, and so much
doth the world excite them thereto, and Satan entice them to evil, that the
Pharisees of the present day avoid every good work and every holy
example: and the example of Gehazi is sufficient for them to be reprobated
of God.'
The scribe answered: 'It is most true': whereupon Jesus said: 'I would that
thou wouldst narrate to me the example of Haggai and Hosea both
prophets of God, in order that we may behold the true Pharisee.'
The scribe answered: 'O master what shall I say? Of a surety many believe it
not, although it is written by Daniel the prophet; but in obedience to thee I
will narrate the truth.
'Haggai was fifteen years old when, having sold his patrimony and given it to
the poor, he went forth from Anathoth to serve Obadiah the prophet. Now
the aged Obadiah, who knew the humility of Haggai, used him as a book
wherewith to teach his disciples. Wherefore he oftentimes presented him
raiment and delicate food, but Haggai ever sent back the messenger, saying:
"Go, return to the house, for thou hast made a mistake. Shall Obadaih send
192
me such things? Surely not: for he knoweth that I am good for naught, and
only commit sins."
'And Obadiah, when he had anything bad used to give it to the one next to
Haggai in order that he might see it. Whereupon Haggai, when he saw it,
would say to himself: "Now, behold, Obadiah hath certainly forgotten thee,
for this thing is suited to me alone, because I am worse than all. And there is
nothing so vile but that, receiving it from Obadiah, by whose hands God
granteth it to me, it were a treasure."
186.
'When Obadiah desired to teach anyone how to pray, he would call Haggai
and say: "Recite here thy prayer so that every one may hear thy words."
Then Haggai would say: "Lord God of Israel, with mercy look upon thy
servant, who calleth upon thee, for that thou hast created him. Righteous
Lord God, remember thy righteousness and punish the sins of thy servant in
order that I may not pollute thy work. Lord my God, I cannot ask thee for
the delights that thou grantest to thy faithful servants, because I do nought
but sins. Wherefore, Lord, when thou wouldst give an infirmity to one of thy
servants, remember me thy servant, for thine own glory."
'And when Haggai did so,' said the scribe, 'God so loved him that to every
one who in his time stood by him God gave [the gift of] prophecy. And
nothing did Haggai ask in prayer that God withheld.'
187.
The good scribe wept as he said this, as the sailor weepeth when he seeth
his ship broken up.
And he said: 'Hosea, when he went to serve God, was prince over the tribe
of Naphtali, and aged fourteen years. And so, having sold his patrimony and
given it to the poor, he went to be disciple of Haggai.
'Hosea was so inflamed with charity that concerning all that was asked of
him he would say: "This hath God given me for thee, O brother; accept it,
therefore!"
193
'For which cause he was soon left with two garments only, namely, a tunic
of sackcloth and a mantle of skins. He sold, I say, his patrimony and gave it
to the poor, because otherwise no one would be suffered to be called a
Pharisee.
'Hosea had the book of Moses, which he read with greatest earnestness.
Now one day Haggai said to him: "Hosea, who hath taken away from thee all
that thou hadst?"
'He answered: "The book of Moses.
'It happened that a disciple of a neighbouring prophet was fain to go to
Jerusalem, but had not a mantle. Wherefore, having heard of the charity of
Hosea, he went to find him and said to him: "Brother, I would fain go to
Jerusalem to perform a sacrifice to our God, but I have not a mantel
wherefore I know not what to do."
'When he heard this. Hosea said: "Pardon me, brother, for I have committed
a great sin against thee: because God hath given me a mantle in order that I
might give it to thee and I had forgotten. Now therefore accept it, and pray
to God for me." The man, believing this, accepted Hosea's mantle and
departed. And when Hosea went to the house of Haggai, Haggai said: "Who
hath taken away thy mantle?"
'Hosea replied: "The book of Moses."
'Haggai was much pleased at hearing this, because he perceived the
goodness of Hosea.
'It happened that a poor man was stripped by robbers and left naked.
Whereupon Hosea, seeing him, stripped off his own tunic and gave it to him
that was naked; himself being left with a little piece of goat-skin over the
privy parts. Wherefore, as he came not to see Haggai, the good Haggai
thought that Hosea was sick. So he sent with two disciples to find him: and
they found him wrapped in palm-leaves. Then said Haggai: "Tell me now,
wherefore hast thou not been to visit me?"
194
'Hosea answered: "The book of Moses hath taken away my tunic, and I
feared to come thither without a tunic." Whereupon Haggai gave him
another tunic.
'It happened that a young man, seeing Hosea read the book of Moses, wept,
and said: "I also would learn to read if I had a book." Hearing which, Hosea
gave him the book, saying: 'Brother, this book is thine; for God gave it me in
order that I should give it to one who, weeping, should desire a book."
'The man believed him, and accepted the book.
188.
'There was a disciple of Haggai nigh to Hosea; and he, wishing to see if his
own book was well written, went to visit Hosea and said to him: "Brother,
take thy book and let us see if it is even as mine."
'Hosea answered: "It hath been taken away from me."
'"Who hath taken it from thee?" said the disciple.
'Hosea answered: "The book of Moses." Hearing which, the other went to
Haggai and said to him: "Hosea hath gone mad, for he saith the book of
Moses hath taken away from him the book of Moses."
'Haggai answered: "Would to God, O brother, that I were mad in like
manner, and that all mad folk were like unto Hosea!"
'Now the Syrian robbers, having raided the land of Judaea, seized the son of
a poor widow, who dwelt hard by Mount Carmel, where the prophets and
Pharisees abode. It chanced, accordingly, that Hosea having gone to cut
wood met the woman, who was weeping. Thereupon he straightway began
to weep for whenever he saw anyone laugh he laughed, and whenever he
saw anyone weep he wept. Hosea then asked the woman touching the
reason of her weeping, and she told him all.
'Then said Hosea: "Come, sister, for God willeth to give thee thy son."
'And they went both of them to Hebron, where Hosea sold himself, and
gave the money to the widow, who, not knowing how he had gotten that
money, accepted it, and redeemed her son.
195
'He who had bought Hosea took him to Jerusalem, where he had an abode,
not knowing Hosea.
'Haggai, seeing that Hosea was not to be found, remained afflicted thereat.
Whereupon the angel of God told him how he had been taken as a slave to
Jerusalem.
'The good Haggai, when he heard this, wept for the absence of Hosea as a
mother weepeth for the absence of her son. And having called two disciples
he went to Jerusalem. And by the will of God, in the entrance of the city he
met Hosea, who was laden with bread to carry it to the labourers in his
master's vineyard.
'Having recognized him, Haggai said: "Son, how is it that thou hast forsaken
thine old father, who seeketh thee mourning?"
'Hosea answered: "Father, I have been sold."
'Then said Haggai in wrath: "Who is that bad fellow who hath sold thee?"
'Hosea answered: "God forgive thee, O my father; for he who hath sold me
is so good that if he were not in the world no one would become holy."
'"Who, then, is he?" said Haggai.
'Hosea answered: "O my father, it was the book of Moses."
'Then the good Haggai remained as it were beside himself, and said: "Would
to God, my son, that the book of Moses would sell me also with all my
children, even as it hath sold thee!"
'And Haggai went with Hosea to the house of his master, who when he saw
Haggai said: "Blessed be our God, who hath sent his prophet unto my
house"; and he ran to kiss his hand. Then said Haggai: "Brother, kiss the
hand of thy slave whom thou hast bought, for he is better than I." And he
narrated to him all that had passed; whereupon the master gave Hosea his
freedom.
And that is all that thou desiredst, O Master,' [said the scribe].
189.
196
Then said Jesus: 'This is true, because I am assured thereof by God.
Wherefore, that every one may know that this is the truth, in the name of
God let the sun stand still, and not move for twelve hours!' And so it came to
pass, to the great terror of all Jerusalem and Judaea.
And Jesus said to the scribe: 'O brother, what seekest thou to learn from
me, seeing thou hast such knowledge? As God liveth, this is sufficient for
man's salvation, inasmuch as the humility of Haggai, with the charity of
Hosea, fulfilleth all the law and all the prophets.
'Tell me, brother, when thou camest to question me in the temple, didst
thou think, perchance, that God had sent me to destroy the law and the
prophets?
'Certain it is that God will not do this, seeing he is unchangeable, and
therefore that which God ordained as man's way of salvation, this hath he
caused all the prophets to say. As God liveth, in whose presence my soul
standeth, if the book of Moses with the book of our father David had not
been corrupted by the human traditions of false Pharisees and doctors, God
would not have given his word to me. And why speak I of the book of Moses
and the book of David? Every prophecy have they corrupted, in so much that
do-day a thing is not sought because God hath commanded it, but men look
whether the doctors say it, and the Pharisees observe it, as though God
were in error, and men could not err.
'Woe, therefore, to this faithless generation, for upon them shall come the
blood of every prophet and righteous man, with the blood of Zechariah son
of Berachiah, whom they slew between the temple and the altar!
'What prophet have they not persecuted? What righteous man have they
suffered to die a natural death? Scarcely one! And they seek now to slay me.
They boast themselves to be children of Abraham, and to possess the
beautiful temple. As God liveth, they are children of Satan, and therefore
they do his will: therefore the temple, with the holy city, shall go to ruin, in
so much that there shall not remain of the temple one stone upon another.'
190.
197
'Tell me, brother, thou that art a doctor learned in the law—in whom was
the promise of the Messiah made to our father Abraham? In Isaac or in
Ishmael?'
The scribe answered: 'O master, I fear to tell thee this, because of the
penalty of death.'
Then said Jesus: 'Brother, I am grieved that I came to eat bread in thy house,
since thou lovest this present life more than God thy creator; and for this
cause thou fearest to lose thy life, but fearest not to lose the faith and the
life eternal, which is lost when the tongue speaketh contrary to that which
the heart knoweth of the law of God.'
Then the good scribe wept, and said: 'O master, if I had known how to bear
fruit, I should have preached many things which I have left unsaid lest
sedition should be roused among the people.'
Jesus answered: 'Thou shouldst respect neither the people, nor all the
world, nor all the holy ones, nor all the angels, when it should cause offence
to God. Wherefore let the whole [world] perish rather than offend God thy
creator, and preserve it not with sin. For sin destroyeth and preserveth not,
and God is mighty to create as many worlds as there are sands in the sea,
and more.'
191.
The scribe then said: 'Pardon me, O master, for I have sinned.'
Said Jesus: 'God pardon thee; for against him hast thou sinned.'
Whereupon said the scribe: 'I have seen an old book written by the hand of
Moses and Joshua (he who made the sun stand still as thou hast done),
servants and prophets of God, which book is the true book of Moses.
Therein is written that Ishmael is the father of Messiah, and Isaac the father
of the messenger of the Messiah. And thus saith the book, that Moses said:
"Lord God of Israel, mighty and merciful, manifest to thy servant the
splendour of thy glory. Whereupon God showed him his messenger in the
arms of Ishmael, and Ishmael in the arms of Abraham. Nigh to Ishmael stood
Isaac, in whose arms was a child, who with finger pointed to the messenger
198
of God, saying: "This is he for whom God hath created all things."
'Whereupon Moses cried out with joy: "O Ishmael, thou hast in thine arms all
the world, and paradise! Be mindful of me, God's servant, that I may find
grace in God's sight by means of thy son, for whom God hath made all."
192.
'In that book it is not found that God eateth the flesh of cattle or sheep; in
that book it is not found that God hath locked up his mercy in Israel alone,
but rather that God hath mercy on every man that seeketh God his creator
in truth.
'All of this book I was not able to read, because the high priest, in whose
library I was, forbade me, saying that an Ishmaelite had written it.'
Then said Jesus: 'See that thou never again keep back the truth, because in
the faith of the Messiah God shall give salvation to men, and without it shall
none be saved.
And there did Jesus end his discourse. Whereupon, as they sat at meat, lo!
Mary, who wept at the feet of Jesus, entered into the house of Nicodemus
(for that was the name of the scribe), and weeping placed herself at the feet
of Jesus, saying: 'Lord, thy servant, who through thee hath found mercy
with God, hath a sister, and a brother who now lieth sick in peril of death.'
Jesus answered: 'Where is thy house? Tell me, for I will come to pray God for
his health.'
Mary answered: 'Bethany is the home of my brother and my sister, for my
own house is Magdala: my brother, therefore, is in Bethany.'
Said Jesus to the woman: 'Go thou straightway to thy brother's house, and
there await me, for I will come to heal him. And fear thou not, for he shall
not die.'
The woman departed, and having gone to Bethany found that her brother
had died that day, wherefore they laid him in the sepulchre of their fathers.
193.
199
Jesus abode two days in the house of Nicodemus, and the third day he
departed for Bethany; and when he was nigh to the town he sent two of his
disciples before him, to announce to Mary his coming. She ran out of the
town, and when she had found Jesus, said, weeping: 'Lord, thou saidst that
my brother would not die; and now he hath been buried four days. Would to
God thou hadst come before I called thee, for then he had not died!'
Jesus answered: 'Thy brother is not dead, but sleepeth, therefore I come to
awake him.'
Mary answered, weeping: 'Lord, from such asleep he shall be awakened on
the day of judgment by the angel of God sounding his trumpet.'
Jesus answered: 'Mary, believe me that he shall rise before [that day],
because God hath given me power over his sleep; and verily I say to thee he
is not dead, for he alone is dead who dieth without finding mercy with God.
Mary returned quickly to announce to her sister Martha the coming of Jesus.
Now there were assembled at the death of Lazarus a great number of Jews
from Jerusalem, and many scribes and Pharisees. Martha, having heard from
her sister Mary of the coming of Jesus, arose in haste and ran outside,
whereupon the multitude of Jews, scribes, and Pharisees followed her to
comfort her, because they supposed she was going to the sepulchre to
weep over her brother. When therefore she arrived at the place where Jesus
had spoken to Mary, Martha weeping said: 'Lord, would to God thou hadst
been here, for then my brother had not died!'
Mary then came up weeping; whereupon Jesus shed tears, and sighing said:
'Where have ye laid him?' They answered: 'Come and see.'
The Pharisees said among themselves: 'Now this man, who raised the son of
the widow at Nain, why did he suffer this man to die, having said that he
should not die?'
Jesus having come to the sepulchre, where every one was weeping, said:
'Weep not, for Lazarus sleepeth, and I am come to awake him.'
The Pharisees said among themselves: 'Would to God that thou didst so
sleep!' Then said Jesus: 'Mine hour is not yet come; but when it shall come I
200
shall sleep in like manner, and shall be speedily awakened.' Then said Jesus
again: 'Take away the stone from the sepulchre.'
Said Martha: 'Lord, he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.'
Said Jesus: 'Why then am I come hither, Martha? Believest thou not in me,
that I shall awaken him?'
Martha answered: 'I know that thou art the holy one of God, who hath sent
thee into this world.'
Then Jesus lifted up his hands to heaven, and said: 'Lord God of Abraham,
God of Ishmael and Isaac, God of our fathers, have mercy upon the affliction
of these women, and give glory to thy holy name.' And when every one had
answered 'Amen,' Jesus said with a loud voice:
'Lazarus, come forth!'
Whereupon he that was dead arose; and Jesus said to his disciples: 'Loose
him.' For he was bound in the grave-clothes with the napkin over his face,
even as our fathers were accustomed to bury [their dead].
A great multitude of the Jews and some of the Pharisees believed in Jesus,
because the miracle was great. Those that remained in their unbelief
departed and went to Jerusalem and announced to the chief of the priests
the resurrection of Lazarus, and how that many were become Nazarenes;
for so they called them who were brought to penitence through the word of
God which Jesus preached.
194.
The scribes and Pharisees took counsel with the high priest to slay Lazarus;
for many renounced their traditions and believed in the word of Jesus,
because the miracle of Lazarus was a great one, seeing that Lazarus had
conversation with men, and ate and drank. But because he was powerful,
having a following in Jerusalem, and possessing with his sister Magdala and
Bethany, they knew not what to do.
Jesus entered into Bethany, into the house of Lazarus, and Martha, with
Mary, ministered unto him.
201
Mary, sitting one day at the feet of Jesus, was listening to his words,
whereupon Martha said to Jesus: 'Lord, seest thou not that my sister taketh
no care for thee, and provideth not that which thou must eat and thy
disciples?'
Jesus answered: 'Martha, Martha, do thou take thought for that which thou
shouldst do; for Mary hath chosen apart which shall not be taken away from
her for ever.
Jesus, sitting at a table with a great multitude that believed in him, spake,
saying: 'Brethren, I have but little time to remain with you, for the time is at
hand that I must depart from the world. Wherefore I bring to your mind the
words of God spoken to Ezekiel the prophet, saying: "As I, your God, live
eternally, the soul that sinneth, it shall die, but if the sinner shall repent he
shall not die but live."
'Wherefore the present death is not death, but rather the end of a long
death: even as the body when separated from the sense in a swoon, though
it have the soul within it, hath no other advantage over the dead and buried
save this, that the buried [body] awaiteth God to raise it again, but the
unconscious waiteth for the sense to return.
'Behold, then, the present life that it is death, through having no perception
of God.
195.
'They that shall believe in me shall not die eternally, for through my word
they shall perceive God within them, and therefore shall work out their
salvation.
'What is death but an act which nature doth by commandment of God? As it
would be if one held a bird tied, and held the cord in his hand; when the
head willeth the bird to fly away, what doeth it? Assuredly it commandeth
naturally the hand to open; and so straightway the bird flieth away. "Our
soul," as saith the prophet David, "is as a sparrow freed from the snare of
the fowler," when man abideth under the protection of God. And our life is
like a cord whereby nature holdeth the soul bound to the body and the
sense of man. When therefore God willeth, and commandeth nature to
202
open, the life is broken and the soul escapeth in the hands of the angels
whom God hath ordained to receive souls.
'Let not, then, friends weep when their friend is dead; for our God hath so
willed. But let him weep without ceasing when he sinneth, for [so] the soul
dieth, seeing it separateth itself from God, the true Life.
'If the body is horrible without its union with the soul, much more frightful is
the soul without union with God, who with his grace and mercy beautifieth
and quickeneth it.'
And having said this Jesus gave thanks to God; whereupon Lazarus said:
'Lord, this house belongeth to God my creator, with all that he hath given
into my keeping, for the service of the poor. Wherefore, since thou art poor,
and hast a great number of disciples, come thou to dwell here when thou
pleasest, and as much as thou pleasest, for the servant of God will minister
to thee as much as shall be needful, for love of God.'
196.
Jesus rejoiced when he heard this, and said: 'See now how good a thing it is
to die! Lazarus hath died once only, and hath learned such doctrine as is not
known to the wisest men in the world that have grown old among books!
Would to God that every man might die once only and return to the world,
like Lazarus, in order that men might learn to live.
John answered: 'O master, is it permitted to me to speak a word?'
'Speak a thousand,' answered Jesus, 'for just as a man is bound to dispense
his goods in the service of God, so also is he bound to dispense doctrine: and
so much the more is he bound so to do inasmuch as the word hath power to
raise up a soul to penitence, whereas goods cannot bring back life to the
dead. Wherefore he is a murderer who hath power to help a poor man and
when he helpeth him not the poor man dieth of hunger; but a more grievous
murderer is he who could by the word of God convert the sinner to
penitence, and converteth him not, but standeth, as saith God, "like a dumb
dog." Against such saith God: "The soul of the sinner that shall perish
because thou hast hidden my word, I will require it at thy hands, O unfaithful
servant."
203
'In what condition, then, are now the scribes and Pharisees who have the
key and will not enter, nay hinder them who would fain enter, into eternal
life?
'Thou askest me, O John, permission to speak one word, having listened to
an hundred thousands words of mine. Verily I say unto thee, I am bound to
listen to thee ten times for every one that thou hast listened to me. And he
who will not listen to another, every time that he shall speak he shall sin;
seeing that we ought to do to others that which we desire for ourselves,
and not do to others that which we do not desire to receive.'
Then said John: 'O master, why hath not God granted this to men, that they
should die once and return as Lazarus hath done, in order that they might
learn to know themselves and their creator?'
197.
Jesus answered: 'Tell me, John: there was an householder who gave a
perfect axe to one of his servants in order that he might cut down the wood
which obstructed the view of his house.
'But the labourer forgot the axe, and said: "If the master would give me an
old axe I should easily cut down the wood." Tell me, John, what said the
master? Assuredly he was wroth, and took the old axe and struck him on the
head, saying: "Fool and knave! I gave thee an axe wherewith thou mightest
cut down the wood without toil, and seekest thou this axe, wherewith one
must work with great toil, and all that is cut is wasted and good for nought?
I desire thee to cut down the wood in such wise that thy work shall be
good." Is this true?'
John answered: 'It is most true.' [Then said Jesus:] 'As I live eternally,' saith
God, 'I have given a good axe to every man, which is the sight of the burial
of one dead. Whoso wield well this axe remove the wood of sin from their
heart without pain; wherefore they receive my grace and mercy; giving
them merit of eternal life for their good works. But he who forgetteth that
he is mortal, though time after time he see others die, and saith. "If I should
see the other life, I would do good works," my fury shall be upon him, and I
will so smite him with death that he shall never more receive any good.' 'O
204
John,' said Jesus, 'how great is the advantage of him who from the fall of
others learneth to stand on his feet!'
198.
Then said Lazarus: 'Master, verily I say unto thee, I cannot conceive the
penalty of which he is worthy who time after time seeth the dead borne to
the tomb and feareth not God our creator. Such an one for the things of this
world, which he ought entirely to forsake, offendeth his creator who hath
given him all.'
Then said Jesus to his disciples: 'Ye call me Master, and ye do well, seeing
that God teacheth you by my mouth. But how will ye call Lazarus? Verily he is
here master of all the masters that teach doctrine in this world. I indeed
have taught you how ye ought to live well, but Lazarus will teach you how to
die well. As God liveth, he hath received the gift of prophecy; listen
therefore to his words, which are truth. And so much the more ought ye to
listen to him, as good living is vain if one die badly.'
Said Lazarus: 'O master, I thank thee that thou makest the truth to be
prized; therefore will God give thee great merit.'
Then said he who writeth this: 'O master, how speaketh Lazarus the truth in
saying to thee "Thou shalt have merit," whereas thou saidst to Nicodemus
that man meriteth nought but punishment? Shalt thou accordingly be
punished of God?'
Jesus answered: 'May it please God that I receive punishment of God in this
world, because I have not served him so faithfully as I was bound to do.
'But God hath so loved me, by his mercy, that every punishment is
withdrawn from me, in so much that I shall only be tormented in another
person. For punishment was fitting for me, for that men have called me God;
but since I have confessed, not only that I am not God, as is the truth, but
have confessed also that I am not the Messiah, therefore God hath taken
away the punishment from me, and will cause a wicked one to suffer it in my
name, so that the shame alone shall be mine. Wherefore I say to thee, my
Barnabas, that when a man speaketh of what God shall give to his neighbour
let him say that his neighbour meriteth it: but let him look to it that, when he
205
speaketh of what God shall give to himself, he say: "God will give me." And
let him look to it that he say not, "I have merit," because God is pleased to
grant his mercy to his servants when they confess that they merit hell for
their sins.
199.
'God is so rich in mercy that, albeit the water of a thousand seas, if so many
were to be found, could not quench a spark of the flames of hell, yet a single
tear of one who mourneth at having offended God quencheth the whole of
hell, by the great mercy wherewith God succoureth him. God, therefore, to
confound Satan and to display his own bounty, willeth to call merit in the
presence of his mercy every good work of his faithful servant, and willeth
him so to speak of his neighbor. But of himself a man must beware of
saying: "I have merit"; for he would be condemned.'
200.
Jesus then turned to Lazarus, and said: 'Brother, I must needs for a short
time abide in the world, wherefore when I shall be near to thine house I will
not ever go elsewhere, because thou wilt minister unto me, not for love of
me, but for love of God.'
It was nigh unto the Passover of the Jews, wherefore Jesus said to his
disciples: 'Let us go to Jerusalem to eat the paschal lamb.' And he sent Peter
and John to the city, saying: 'Ye shall find an ass near the gate of the city
with a colt, loose her and bring her hither; for I needs must ride thereon into
Jerusalem. And if anyone ask you saying, "Wherefore loose ye her?" say
unto them: "The Master hath need thereof," and they will suffer thee to
bring her.'
The disciples went, and found all that Jesus had told them and accordingly
they brought the ass and the colt. The disciples accordingly placed their
mantles upon the colt, and Jesus rode thereon. And it came to pass that,
when the men of Jerusalem heard that Jesus of Nazareth was coming, the
men went forth with their children eager to see Jesus, bearing in their hands
branches of palm and olive, singing: 'Blessed be he that cometh to us in the
name of God. Hosanna, son of David!'
206
Jesus having come into the city, the men spread out their garments under
the feet of the ass, singing: 'Blessed be he that cometh to us in the name of
the Lord God; hosanna, son of David!'
The Pharisees rebuked Jesus, saying: 'Seest thou not what these say? Cause
them to hold their peace!'
Then said Jesus: 'As God liveth in whose presence my soul standeth, if men
should hold their peace, the stones would cry out against the unbelief of
malignant sinners.' And when Jesus had said this all the stones of Jerusalem
cried out with a great noise: 'Blessed be he who cometh to us in the name of
the Lord God!'
Nevertheless the Pharisees remained still in their unbelief, and, having
assembled themselves together, took counsel to catch him in his talk.
201.
Jesus having entered into the temple, the scribes and Pharisees brought
unto him a woman taken in adultery. They said among themselves: 'If he
saves her, it is contrary to the law of Moses, and so we have him as guilty,
and if he condemn her it is contrary to his own doctrine, for he preacheth
mercy.' Wherefore they came to Jesus and said: 'Master, we have found this
woman in adultery. Moses commanded that [such] should be stoned: what
then sayest thou?'
Thereupon Jesus stooped down and with his finger made a mirror on the
ground wherein every one saw his own iniquities. As they still pressed for
the answer, Jesus lifted up himself and, pointing to the mirror with his
finger, said: 'He that is without sin among you, let him be first to stone her.'
And again he stooped down, shaping the mirror.
The men, seeing this, went out one by one, beginning from the eldest, for
they were ashamed to see their abominations.
Jesus having lifted up himself, and seeing no one but the woman, said:
'Woman, where are they that condemned thee?'
The woman answered, weeping: 'Lord, they are departed; and if thou wilt
pardon me, as God liveth, I will sin no more.'
207
Then said Jesus: 'Blessed be God! Go thy way in peace and sin no more, for
God hath not sent me to condemn thee.'
Then, the scribes and Pharisees being assembled, Jesus said to them: 'Tell
me: if one of you had an hundred sheep, and should lose one of them, would
ye not go to seek it, leaving the ninety and nine? And when ye found it,
would ye not lay it upon your shoulders and, having called together your
neighbours, say unto them: "Rejoice with me, for I have found the sheep
which I had lost?" Assuredly ye would do so.
'Now tell me, shall our God love less man, for whom he hath made the
world? As God liveth, even so there is joy in the presence of the angels of
God over one sinner that repenteth; because sinners make known God's
mercy.'
202.
'Tell me, by whom is the physician more loved: by them that have never had
any sickness, or by them whom the physician hath healed of grievous
sickness?'
Said the Pharisees to him: 'And how shall he that is whole love the physician?
assuredly he will love him only for that he is not sick; and not having
knowledge of sickness he will love the physician but little.'
Then with vehemence of spirit Jesus spake, saying: 'As God liveth, your own
tongues condemn your pride, inasmuch as our God is loved more by the
sinner that repenteth, knowing the great mercy of God upon him, than by
the righteous. For the righteous hath not knowledge of the mercy of God.
Wherefore there is more rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over
one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine righteous persons.
'Where are the righteous in our time? As God liveth in whose presence my
soul standeth, great is the number of the righteous unrighteous; their
condition being like to that of Satan.'
The scribes and Pharisees answered: 'We are sinners, wherefore God will
have mercy on us.' And this they said tempting him; for the scribes and
Pharisees count it the greatest insult to be called sinners.
208
Then said Jesus: 'I fear that ye be righteous unrighteous. For if ye have
sinned and deny your sin, calling yourselves righteous, ye are unrighteous;
and if in your heart ye hold yourselves righteous, and with your tongue ye
say that ye are sinners, then are ye doubly righteous unrighteous.'
Accordingly the scribes and Pharisees hearing this were confounded and
departed, leaving Jesus with his disciples in peace, and they went into the
house of Simon the leper, whose leprosy he [had] cleansed. The citizens had
gathered together the sick unto the house of Simon and prayed Jesus for
the healing of the sick.
Then Jesus, knowing that his hour was near, said: 'Call the sick, as many as
there be, because God is mighty and merciful to heal them.'
They answered: 'We know not that there be any other sick folk here in
Jerusalem.'
Jesus weeping answered: 'O Jerusalem, O Israel, I weep over thee, for thou
knowest not thy visitation; because I would fain have gathered thee to the
love of God thy creator, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,
and thou wouldst not.' Wherefore God saith thus unto thee—
203.
'"O city, hard-hearted and perverse of mind, I have sent to thee my servant,
to the end that he may convert thee to thine heart, and thou mayest repent;
but thou, O city of confusion, hast forgotten all that I did upon Egypt and
upon Pharaoh for love of thee, O Israel. Many times weepest thou that my
servant may heal thy body of sickness; and thou seekest to slay my servant
because he seeketh to heal thy soul of sin.
'"Shalt thou, then, alone remain unpunished by me? Shalt thou, then, live
eternally? And shall thy pride deliver thee from my hands? Assuredly not. For
I will bring princes with an army against thee, and they shall surround thee
with might, and in such wise will I give thee over into their hands that thy
pride shall fall down into hell.
'"I will not pardon the old men or the widows, I will not pardon the children,
but I will give you all to famine, the sword, and derision, and the temple
209
whereon I have looked with mercy, I will make desolate with the city,
insomuch that ye shall be for a fable, a derision, and a proverb among the
nations. So is my wrath abiding upon thee, and mine indignation sleepeth
not."'
204.
Having said this, Jesus said again: 'Know ye not that there be other sick folk?
As God liveth, they be fewer in Jerusalem that have their soul sound than
they that be sick in body. And in order that ye may know the truth, I say unto
you, O sick folk, in the name of God, let your sickness depart from you!
And when he had said this, immediately they were healed.
The men wept when they heard of the wrath of God upon Jerusalem, and
prayed for mercy; when Jesus said: "'If Jerusalem shall weep for her sins and
do penance, walking in my ways," saith God, "I will not remember her
iniquities any more, and I will not do unto her any of the evil which I have
said. But Jerusalem weepeth for her ruin and not for her dishonouring of
me, wherewith she hath blasphemed my name among the nations.
Therefore is my fury kindled much more. As I live eternally, if Job, Abraham,
Samuel, David, and Daniel my servants, with Moses, should pray for this
people, my wrath upon Jerusalem will not be appeased."' And having said
this, Jesus retired into the house, while every one remained in fear.
205.
While Jesus was supping with his disciples in the house of Simon the leper,
behold Mary the sister of Lazarus entered into the house, and, having
broken a vessel, poured ointment over the head and garment of Jesus.
Seeing this, Judas the traitor was fain to hinder Mary from doing such a
work, saying: 'Go and sell the ointment and bring the money that I may give
it to the poor.'
Said Jesus: 'Why hinderest thou her? Let her be, for the poor ye shall have
always with you, but me ye shall not have always.
Judas answered: 'O master, this ointment might be sold for three hundred
pieces of money: now see how many poor folk would be helped.'
210
Jesus answered: 'O Judas, I know thine heart: have patience, therefore, and
I will give thee all.'
Everyone ate with fear, and the disciples were sorrowful, because they
knew that Jesus must soon depart from them. But Judas was indignant,
because he knew that he was losing thirty pieces of money for the ointment
not sold, seeing he stole the tenth part of all that was given to Jesus.
He went to find the high priest, who assembled in council of priests, scribes,
and Pharisees; to whom Judas spake saying: 'What will ye give me, and I will
betray into your hands Jesus, who would fain make himself king of Israel?'
They answered: 'Now how wilt thou give him into our hand?'
Said Judas: 'When I shall know that he goeth outside the city to pray I will
tell you, and will conduct you to the place where he shall be found; for to
seize him in the city will be impossible without a sedition.'
The high priest answered: 'If thou wilt give him into our hand we will give
thee thirty pieces of gold and thou shalt see how well I will treat thee.'
206.
When day was come, Jesus went up to the temple with a great multitude of
people. Whereupon the high priest drew near, saying: 'Tell me, O Jesus, hast
thou forgotten all that thou didst confess, that thou art not God, nor son of
God, nor even the Messiah?'
Jesus answered: 'No, of a surety, I have not forgotten; for this is my
confession which I shall bear before the judgment-seat of God on the day of
judgment. For all that is written in the book of Moses is most true, inasmuch
as God our creator is [God] alone, and I am God's servant and desire to serve
God's messenger whom ye call Messiah.'
Said the high priest: 'Then what booteth it to come to the temple with so
great a multitude of people? Seekest thou, perchance, to make thyself king
of Israel? Beware lest some danger befall thee!'
211
Jesus answered: 'If I sought mine own glory and desired my portion in this
world, I had not fled when the people of Nain would fain have made me
king. Believe me, verily, that I seek not anything in this world.'
Then said the high priest: 'We want to know a thing concerning the
Messiah.' And then the priests, scribes, and Pharisees made a circle round
about Jesus.
Jesus answered: 'What is that thing which thou seekest to know about the
Messiah? Perchance it is the lie? Assuredly I will not tell thee the lie. For if I
had said the lie I had been adored by thee, and by the scribes [and]
Pharisees with all Israel: but because I tell you the truth ye hate me and seek
to kill me.'
Said the high priest: 'Now we know that thou hast the devil at thy back; for
thou art a Samaritan, and hast not respect unto the priest of God.'
207.
Jesus answered: 'As God liveth, I have not the devil at my back, but I seek to
cast out the devil. Wherefore, for this cause the devil stirreth up the world
against me, because I am not of this world, but I seek that God may be
glorified, who hath sent me into the world. Hearken therefore to me, and I
will tell you who hath the devil at his back. As God liveth, in whose presence
my soul standeth, he who worketh after the will of the devil, he hath the
devil at his back, who hath put on him the bridle of his will and ruleth him at
his pleasure, making him to run into every iniquity.
'Even as a garment changeth its name when it changeth its owner, although
it is all the same cloth: so also men, albeit they are all of one material, are
different by reason of the works of him who worketh in the man.
'If I (as I know) have sinned, wherefore do ye not rebuke me as a brother,
instead of hating me as an enemy? Verily the members of a body succour
one another when they are united with the head, and they that are cut off
from the head give it no succour. For the hands of one body do not feel the
pain of another body's feet, but that of the body in which they are united.
As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, he who feareth and
loveth God his Creator hath the feeling of mercy over them [over] whom
212
God his head hath mercy: and seeing that God willeth not the death of the
sinner, but waiteth for each one to repent, if ye were of that body wherein I
am incorporate, as God liveth, ye would help me to work according to mine
head.
208.
'If I work iniquity, reprove me, and God will love you because ye shall be
doing his will, but if none can reprove me of sin it is a sign that ye are not
sons of Abraham as ye call yourselves, nor are ye incorporate with that head
wherein Abraham was incorporate. As God liveth, so greatly did Abraham
love God, that he not only brake in pieces the false idols and forsook his
father and mother, but was willing to slay his own son in obedience to God.
The high priest answered: 'This I ask of thee, and I do not seek to slay thee,
wherefore tell us: Who was this son of Abraham?'
Jesus answered: 'The zeal of thine honour, O God, enflameth me, and I
cannot hold my peace. Verily I say, the son of Abraham was Ishmael, from
whom must be descended the Messiah promised to Abraham, that in him
should all the tribes of the earth be blessed.'
Then was the high priest wroth, hearing this, and cried out: 'Let us stone this
impious fellow, for he is an Ishmaelite, and hath spoken blasphemy against
Moses and against the law of God.'
Whereupon every scribe and Pharisee, with the elders of the people, took
up stones to stone Jesus, who vanished from their eyes and went out of the
temple. And then, through the great desire that they had to slay Jesus,
blinded with fury and hatred, they struck one another in such wise that
there died a thousand men; and they polluted the holy temple. The disciples
and believers, who saw Jesus go out of the temple (for from them he was
not hidden), followed him to the house of Simon.
Thereupon Nicodemus came thither and counselled Jesus to go out of
Jerusalem beyond the brook Cedron, saying: 'Lord, I have a garden with a
house beyond the brook Cedron, I pray thee, therefore, go thither with
some of thy disciples, to tarry there until this hatred of our priests be past;
for I will minister to you what is necessary. And the multitude of disciples
213
leave thou here in the house of Simon and in my house, for God will provide
for all.'
And this Jesus did, desiring only to have with him the twelve first called
apostles.
209.
At this time, while the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, was standing in prayer,
the angel Gabriel visited her and narrated to her the persecution of her son,
saying: 'Fear not, Mary, for God will protect him from the world.' Wherefore
Mary, weeping, departed from Nazareth, and came to Jerusalem to the
house of Mary Salome, her sister, seeking her son.
But since he had secretly retired beyond the brook Cedron she was not able
to see him any more in this world; save after the deed of shame, for that the
angel Gabriel, with the angels Michael, Rafael, and Uriel, by command of
God brought him to her.
210.
When the confusion in the temple ceased by the departure of Jesus, the
high priest ascended on high, and having beckoned for silence with his
hands he said: 'Brethren, what do we? See ye not that he hath deceived the
whole world with his diabolical art? Now, how did he vanish, if he be not a
magician? Assuredly, if he were an holy one and a prophet, he would not
blaspheme against God and against Moses [his] servant, and against the
Messiah, who is the hope of Israel. And what shall I say? He hath
blasphemed all our priesthood, wherefore verily I say unto you, if he be not
removed from the world Israel will be polluted, and our God will give us to
the nations. Behold now, how by reason of him this holy temple hath been
polluted.'
And in such wise did the high priest speak that many forsook Jesus,
wherefore the secret persecution was converted into an open one,
insomuch that the high priest went in person to Herod, and to the Roman
governor, accusing Jesus that he desired to make himself king of Israel, and
of this they had false witnesses.
214
Thereupon was held a general council against Jesus, forasmuch as the
decree of the Romans made them afraid. For so it was that twice the Roman
Senate had sent a decree concerning Jesus: in one decree it was forbidden,
on pain of death, that anyone should call Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet of
the Jews, either God or Son of God; in the other it forbade, under capital
sentence, that anyone should contend concerning Jesus of Nazareth,
prophet of the Jews. Wherefore, for this cause, there was a great division
among them. Some desired that they should write again to Rome against
Jesus; others said that they should leave Jesus alone, regardless of what he
said, as of a fool; others adduced the great miracles that he wrought.
The high priest therefore spake that under pain of anathema none should
speak a word in defence of Jesus; and he spake to Herod, and to the
governor, saying: 'In any case we have an ill venture in our hands, for if we
slay this sinner we have acted contrary to the decree of Caesar, and, if we
suffer him to live and he make himself king, how will the matter?' Then
Herod arose and threatened the governor, saying: 'Beware lest through thy
favouring of that man this country be rebellious: for I will accuse thee before
Caesar as a rebel.' Then the governor feared the Senate and made friends
with Herod (for before this they had hated one another unto death), and
they joined together for the death of Jesus, and said to the high priest:
'Whenever thou shalt know where the malefactor is, send to us, for we will
give thee soldiers.' This was done to fulfil the prophecy of David who had
foretold of Jesus, prophet of Israel, saying: 'The princes and kings of the
earth are united against the holy one of Israel, because he announceth the
salvation of the world.'
Thereupon, on that day, there was a general search for Jesus throughout
Jerusalem.
211.
Jesus, being in the house of Nicodemus beyond the brook Cedron,
comforted his disciples, saying: 'The hour is near that I must depart from the
world; console yourselves and be not sad, seeing that where I go I shall not
feel any tribulation.
215
'Now, shall ye be my friends if ye be sad at my welfare? Nay, assuredly, but
rather enemies. When the world shall rejoice, be ye sad, because the
rejoicing of the world is turned into weeping; but your sadness shall be
turned into joy and your joy shall no one take from you; for the rejoicing that
the heart feeleth in God its creator not the whole world can take away. See
that ye forget not the words which God hath spoken to you by my mouth.
Be ye my witnesses against every one that shall corrupt the witness that I
have witnessed with my gospel against the world, and against the lovers of
the world.
212.
Then lifting up his hands to the Lord, he prayed, saying: 'Lord our God, God
of Abraham, God of Ishmael and Isaac. God of our fathers have mercy upon
them that thou hast given me, and save them from the world. I say not, take
them from the world, because it is necessary that they shall bear witness
against them that shall corrupt my gospel. But I pray thee to keep them
from evil, that on the day of thy judgment they may come with me to bear
witness against the world and against the house of Israel that hath
corrupted thy testament, Lord God, mighty and jealous, that takest
vengeance upon idolatry against the sons of idolatrous fathers even unto
the fourth generation, do thou curse eternally every one that shall corrupt
my gospel that thou gavest me, when they write that I am thy son. For I, clay
and dust, am servant of thy servants, and never have I thought my self to be
thy good servant; for I cannot give thee aught in return for that which thou
hast given me, for all things are thine. Lord God, the merciful, that shewest
mercy unto a thousand generations upon them that fear thee, have mercy
upon them which believe my words that thou hast given me. For even as
thou art true God, so thy word which I have spoken is true; for it is thine,
seeing I have ever spoken as one that readeth, who cannot read save that
which is written in the book that he readeth: even so have I spoken that
which thou hast given me.
'Lord God the Saviour, save them whom thou hast given me, in order that
Satan may not be able to do aught against them, and save not only them,
but every one that shall believe in them.
216
'Lord, bountiful and rich in mercy, grant to thy servant to be in the
congregation of thy Messenger on the day of judgment; and not me only,
but every one whom thou hast given me, with all them that shall believe on
me through their preaching. And this do, Lord, for thine own sake, that
Satan boast not himself against thee, Lord.
'Lord God, who by thy providence providest all things necessary for thy
people Israel, be mindful of all the tribes of the earth, which thou didst
create the world. Have mercy on the world and send speedily thy
Messenger, that Satan thine enemy may lose his empire.' And having said
this, Jesus said three times: 'So be it, Lord, great and merciful!'
And they answered, weeping: 'So be it,' all save Judas, for he believed
nothing.
213.
The day having come for eating the lamb, Nicodemus sent the lamb secretly
to the garden for Jesus and his disciples, announcing all that had been
decreed by Herod with the governor and the high priest.
Whereupon Jesus rejoiced in spirit, saying: 'Blessed be thy holy name, O
Lord, because thou hast not separated me from the number of thy servants
that have been persecuted by the world and slain. I thank thee, my God,
because I have fulfilled thy work.' And turning to Judas, he said to him:
'Friend, wherefore tarriest thou? My time is nigh, wherefore go and do that
which thou must do.'
The disciples thought that Jesus was sending Judas to buy something for
the day of the Passover: but Jesus knew that Judas was betraying him,
wherefore, desiring to depart from the world, he so spake.
Judas answered: 'Lord, suffer me to eat, and I will go.'
'Let us eat,' said Jesus, for I have greatly desired to eat this lamb before I am
Dostları ilə paylaş: |