Jesus and the Miracles
The earthly life of Jesus is accompanied by extraordinary events. The procreation through God's power and His birth by the Virgin Mary, the pure, is something which singles Him out from the succession of usual human beings. In our materialistic age, many people are convinced that Joseph and Mary had a child "quite naturally" and that Joseph was the biological father of Jesus. So these people cannot believe in a miracle. But isn't this view narrow-minded? It shows that they think of God as blunderer. But God created the universe with all of its suns and planets, together with the all the fullness of life on them. Why should it be a problem for Him to impregnate Mary spiritually? With His omnipotence, God can so arrange the protons, neutrons, and electrons of atmospheric oxygen that the atoms, molecules, and cells of a unique male sperm cell result. With this, God then impregnated Mary. We really can believe in the authenticity of the Immaculate Conception and other miracles! Jesus can see into the hearts of men. When he saw the disbelief concerning His words among some of His listeners, He called to them to, at least, believe in His works, and to recognize that God the Father lives in Him and is doing these works.
Actually, the carpenter Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, was a 70 year old widower with five sons from his first marriage. He never had sexual contact with Mary, who was given to him to care for. This was through a judgment of God in the temple. How lovely for people today that we can read the whole story in the work "The Childhood of Jesus". Here we read a report of Mary's conception, the birth of Jesus, the visit of the Wise Men, the murder of children by Herod, the successful flight of the family to Egypt, their return to Israel and the life of Jesus until he was twelve. In his youth, Jesus, in whose heart God is centered, represents the abundance of the deity, and performed miracles in secret. Joseph's youngest son James wrote these down in a very detailed and comprehensible way in his Gospel of James.
However, it was only during His three years of teaching, that Jesus performed numerous miracles at many places publicly, in order to help and bring attention to his teaching. In this time too, He also secretly helped many poor people with His miraculous powers and strengthened His followers in their faith. The miraculous signs which helped confirm the truth of His new teachings were such that, in addition to being of spiritual and moral use, they involved rescue from great physical danger.
One could perhaps say that Jesus performed both small and large miracles. For instance, the transformation of water into wine would have been a small miracle. The awakening of Lazarus, however, would be the culmination of His miraculous power and thus a great miracle. But is it easier or more difficult for the power of God to cause the one thing or the other? No! For it is only by a thought from Jesus that the deed - whether it be easy or difficult by our standards - is accomplished.
Many doubts about His miraculous powers exist because Jesus is seen by many as an ordinary person and not as God/man. On the one hand it is true that Jesus was a man as we are. But He was different from us, in that He held the center of God within Himself, while we only carry a spiritual spark (also see the subject "The essence of God"). It was the divine in Him - and not the human in Jesus - that performed the miracles. Jesus called on His disciples to work miracles only sparingly, and only when urged on by Him. A miracle can bring about good, but the living word can do much more. The word illuminates the understanding of the convert, awakening his love and his will. As a consequence, it leads to good deeds. But the miracle captivates only for a time and prevents him from deciding freely, without force and from his own free will. But those people, who love Jesus and act according to His words, are not enthralled by the miracles. They know who is at work in Jesus. In secret, through the help of Jesus, many miracles can take place for the benefit of mankind, even today.
Jesus and His miracles. Excerpts from the original texts.
The annunciation of the birth of the Lord by an Angel. Mary's humble devotion
[CHJ.01_003,01] One Friday morning, Mary took the water jug once again and went outside to fill it with water, and oh! - a voice spoke to her:
[003,02] "Greetings to you Mary, full of the Lords' grace! The Lord is with you, oh blessed among women!"
[003,03] She trembled when she heard these words and was quite afraid, as she could not see from where the voice came, and keenly looked to the right and to the left; but she could not discern anyone who could have spoken.
[003,04] Hence she was full of great fear, and hastily took the filled water jug and hurried home.
[003,05] As she arrived trembling, she put aside the water jug, took up the purple, sat down in her chair and diligently continued to spin the purple.
[003,06] But she had hardly regained her composure at work when the angel of the Lord stood before the diligent virgin and spoke to her:
[003,07] "Do not be afraid, Mary, God is greatly pleased with you; and you will conceive by the word of God!"
[003,08] As Mary heard this, she began to ponder on these words, and could not comprehend their meaning; so she spoke to the angel:
[003,09] "How can this happen, I am not married and I have never been with a man, who might then take me as his wife, so that I might become pregnant and bear a child, just as other women do?"
[003,10] The angel however spoke to Mary: "Chosen virgin of the Lord! It will not happen as you think, but God's power will come over you.
[003,11] Therefore the Holy One who will be born of you will be called the Son of the Almighty!
[003.12] When He is born, you shall name Him Jesus; for He will redeem His people from all sins, judgments and eternal death."
[003,13] Mary kneeled before the angel and spoke: "I am only the Lord's maidservant! Let it happen as you have said." And the angel left her, and Mary continued her work.
Mary's childlike-innocent conversation with God and the response from above.
1 August 1843
[CHJ.01_004,01] Soon after the angel disappeared, Mary praised and glorified the Lord God in her heart:
[004,02] "O who am I, o Lord, that You grant me such grace? -
[004,03] I am to become pregnant without ever having known a man; because I do not even know what differentiates a man from me.
[004,04] Would I then really know what it is: to be pregnant? O Lord! I know nothing of this!
[004,05] Do I even know what it is, when one says: 'Look, a woman gives birth'? - O Lord! Be merciful to me; I am a maidservant of just fourteen years and have only heard of all this - but actually know nothing about it!
[004,06] Oh, what will happen to me, a poor maiden, when I am pregnant - and do not know, what this condition is!
[004,07] What will the father, Joseph, say when I tell him, or when he notices, that I am pregnant?!
[004,08] However there cannot be anything bad in being pregnant, especially when a maidservant such as Sarah was once chosen for it by the Lord Himself?
[004,09] Then I have often heard in the temple how delighted the women are when they are pregnant!
[004,10] So there must be something really good and blissful about being pregnant, and I will surely also rejoice, when it is given to me from the Lord that I will be pregnant!
[004,11] But when, when will this happen, and how? - Or has it already happened? Am I already pregnant, or will it happen later?
[004,12] O Lord! O eternal Saint of Israel, give me, your poor maidservant, a sign, as to when this will happen so that I may exalt and glorify You for it!"
[004,13] At these words, a luminous whiff of air wafted towards Mary and a soft voice spoke to her:
[004,14] "
Mary! Do not trouble yourself in vain; you have conceived, and the Lord is with you! - Do your work, and complete it, for no more work of such kind will be done for the temple! "
[004,15] Here Mary kneeled, prayed to God and praised Him for such grace. - After she had praised the Lord, she arose and took up her work.
The immaculate conception
[016,16] "Salome, Salome! come and see my morning vision confirmed in reality! - In the fullest truth the virgin has given birth to what human wisdom and nature may never understand!"
[016,17] Salome said: "As truly as God exists, I cannot believe that a virgin gave birth until I will have examined her with my own hands!"
[017,01] After Salome had said this, she entered the cave and said:
[017,02] "Mary, my soul is preoccupied with a big conflict; therefore I ask you to prepare yourself, that I examine you with my experienced hands, and that we shall see how your virginity appears!"
[017,03] Mary willingly agreed to the demands of the unbelieving Salome, got ready and allowed herself to be examined.
[017,04] However, when Salome touched Mary's abdomen with her searching hand, she raised an enormous howl and she shouted very loudly:
[017,05] "Woe, woe for my Godlessness and my great disbelief, that I wanted to test the everlasting God! - for look, look here! - my hand burns in the fire of the Divine wrath over woeful me!!!"
[017,06] After these words she threw herself on her knees in front of the Infant and said:
[017,07] "O God of my fathers ! You almighty Lord of all magnificence! Remember me, that I also am a seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
[017,08] Do not make a fool out of me in front of the sons of Israel, but give me back my healthy limbs!"
[017,09] And look, thereupon an angel of the Lord stood next to Salome and said to her: "God the Lord has heard your entreaty; go to the Infant and carry It, and through this you will experience a great salvation!"
[017,10] As Salome heard this, she kneeled in front of Mary and asked her for the Infant.
[017,11] Mary willingly gave her the Infant and said to her: "May it serve your salvation according to the saying of the angel of the Lord; may the Lord have mercy upon you!"
[017,12] Salome took the small Child in her arms and held it as she kneeled, and as soon as she had the Child in her arms, she said:
[017,13] "O God! You almighty Lord of Israel, who rules and reigns from eternity! - In all the fullness of truth, a king of kings is born here in Israel, who will be mightier than David was, the man after God's heart! I shall laud and praise You forever!"
[017,14] After these words Salome was soon fully healed again, and she returned the Child to Mary with the most heartfelt contrition and left the cave vindicated.
[017,15] As soon as she was outside, she wanted to scream out aloud about the greatest miracle of all miracles and had already begun to tell her sister about what had happened to her.
[017,16] But suddenly a voice came from above and said to Salome: "Salome, Salome! Do not tell anyone what extraordinary events have happened to you; for the time will come, when the Lord will show Himself through words and acts!"
[017,17] A this point Salome fell silent and, according to Mary's wish, Joseph stepped out to ask the two sisters to come back into the cave so that nobody should notice what marvel had happened there. - And both humbly returned into the cave.
The wedding of Cana. The wine miracle: Symbol of the rebirth
[GGJ.01_010,01] [Jesus speaking] The 'And' here already appearing at the beginning of the first verse of the second chapter certifies that these two chapters are closely connected. Therefore it appears that this wedding in a family who is on very friendly terms with the house of Joseph takes place already on the mentioned third day, namely, counting from the day when I left Bethabara with my so far only four disciples and together with them spent a full day at the house of Joseph - who was no longer alive at that time - with the mother of My body who, helped by My other brothers, made every effort to show us the best possible hospitality.
[2] In her heart Mary did realize that now the time had come for Me to begin My mission as the promised Messiah. However, wherein My work would consist she did not know either. At this stage she, too, believed in the complete expulsion of the Romans and the restoration of the mighty throne of David and its stable and invincible divinely glorious dignity which would never end.
[3] The good Mary and all My earthly relatives still imagined the Messiah as a conqueror of the Romans and other enemies of the promised land. Indeed, the best of them had a similar idea concerning the promised Messiah, just as at the present time many otherwise honest people have quite a false notion about the millennium. But the time had not yet come to give them a different conception.
[4] Thus, since My own house, beginning with Mary, had this notion about the coming Messiah, it can rightly be assumed that other friendly families could not have a better one.
[5] This is also the reason why many families paid much attention to Me and, of course, to those whom I called My disciples. As a result also James and John decided to become My disciples, in order to rule the nations of the Earth together with Me, for they had already forgotten many a thing I had rather clearly predicted to them in My childhood.
John 2,2. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
[6] In all the better houses in the neighborhood of Nazareth, practically in all of Galilee, I was considered to be a soon-to-emerge liberator from the Roman yoke, although this had been the case only for the few months since I had begun to make certain preparations thanks to which - like many a thing that had sunk into oblivion during the past 18 years - also certain prophecies concerning My person were beginning to come to life again in the houses of friends. Therefore I was invited with My disciples, My mother Mary and many other relatives and friends even to quite a notable wedding in Cana, a little old city in Galilee not very far from Nazareth, where there was much gaiety, so that the four disciples from Bethabara remarked to Me:
[7] 'Lord, things are much more pleasant here than at Bethabara. Poor John, too, might be very glad if for once in his life he could partake of a meal like this here, instead of his desperately poor fare, which consists mainly of slightly scaled locusts and the honey of wild bees.' (There exists in this region, as also in Arabia, a species of pigeon-sized locusts which are prepared and eaten similar to crabs in this country - Austria.)
[8] To this
I replied: 'At this stage you cannot understand as yet why John has to live in this way. He has to live thus, otherwise the Scripture would not be fulfilled. But soon he will have a better life. Jerusalem will not allow him to continue his in the desert much longer. From now on he will grow less, so that another one may grow greater.
[9] But what about the disciple who came to Me first with you, Andrew? Will he follow or will he stay at Bethabara?' Says
Andrew: 'Look, he will come, but he had to make some arrangements first.' Say
I: 'That is good. For where there is a Kephas, there must also be a Thomas.' Says
Andrew: 'Yes, that is his name. An honest soul, but always full of scruples and doubts. However, once he has grasped something he will never let it go, although he has an extremely generous heart. Because of his generosity he has been given this nickname. He is coming, Lord, shall I call him in, this Twin?' Say
I: 'Yes, do that, for whoever comes in My name, shall be invited to the wedding.'
John 2,3. And as the wine gave out, Mary said to Jesus: "They have no wine left."
[10] According to the custom of that time, every guest arriving had to be welcomed with a cup of wine.
Mary had already noticed for some time that the supply of wine had given out and she realized that the newly arrived guest could not be received properly according to custom. Therefore she said secretly to Me: 'My dear son that will be embarrassing. The wine has given out. They have none left. You could create some (at least for the newly arrived).'
John 2,4. Jesus answered: "Your concern, mother, is not mine. My hour has not yet come."
[11] Whereupon I gave a most ambiguous answer in front of all the guest, but, of course, in a very gently way, saying to her because of the custom of those days, especially around Nazareth: 'Woman, that is none of our concern. It is not yet my turn as an invited guest to supply wine. My time has not come yet.' (At that time and in that region every invited male wedding guest had to make a voluntary gift of wine. However, a certain order had to be observed according to which the gifts of the closest relatives had to be consumed first. Once these had been used up also the gifts of the guests who were no blood relations were used in order of precedence.) But Mary knew that the available wine had given out. So she turned to Me and, as it were, suggested that I skip the customary order, especially since a new guest was arriving for whose welcome not a drop of wine was left. The mother was very particular in observing the good old custom on such occasions. Although I did not appear too cooperative in this matter, My mother knew Me and that I never refused to fulfill any of her wishes.
John 2,5. His Mother said to the servants: "Do whatever He tells you."
[12] And so, fully relying on Me, she turned to the servants and said: 'Do whatever my Son will tell you.'
[13] This is as far as the historical part of this verse in the second chapter is concerned. But contained in this historical event or, as it were beyond it, a spiritual and therefore prophetic meaning is also present which with the help of an inner reasoning power is very easy to discover.
[14] Who can fail to observe that there exists one of the most striking correspondences between this wedding, which took place on the third day after My return from the desert Bethabara, and My resurrection which occurred also on the third day after My crucifixion?
[15] Thus through this wedding an indication was prophetically given as to what would happen to Me after 3 years, and - in a somewhat wider concept - that after 3 years I would certainly and surely, as an eternal bridegroom, be holding a true wedding with all My followers and those who truly love Me in their rebirth into eternal life.
[16] In its general practical sense, however, this story of the wedding which - this must be understood - took place 3 days after My return from the desert, points to the 3 stages through which everyone has to pass in order to attain to the rebirth of the spirit or the eternal-life-wedding in the great Cana of the heavenly Galilee.
[17] These 3 stages consist of: first the mastering of the flesh, then the cleansing of the soul through the living faith which has, of course, to prove itself as alive through works of love, as it would otherwise be dead, and finally the awakening of the spirit from the grave of judgment, for which in the raising of Lazarus from the dead surely the clearest analogy is given. Whoever will
ponder a little on this little explanation will find what follows easy to understand.
[18] After here having unfolded the spiritual meaning of this wedding story, that is, what is in general meant by it, let us now return to the wedding and look at the different correspondences in this story.
Jesus turns water into wine
John 2,6. There were six stone water jars, placed in accordance with the Jewish rites of purification: each of these jars held from 20 to 30 gallons.
After Mary had told the servants: 'Do whatever He will tell you.' I told the servants to fill up with water these 6 stone water jars intended for the Jews' purification which, however, was no longer observed much by the Nazarenes and Canaanites. Thus these jars, each of which held from 20 to 30 gallons, were placed here on display rather than for a specific purpose.
John 2,7. Jesus said: "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them to the brim.
[2] The servants complied promptly, but rather in the belief that the newly arrived guest might wash and cleanse himself in accordance with the old custom. The guest entered and was placed at the table without having cleansed his hands beforehand. Having noticed this,
the servants discuss this with each other, wondering: 'Why did we have to fill these heavy jars with water? This guest did not use it and only caused us unnecessary work.' Hereupon
I say to them: 'Why did you not query this earlier, but now grumble about this work? Did you not hear what Mary told Me, namely, that there is no more wine for the guests? Although My time has not quite come yet, neither according to the customary order nor spiritually, I have still - in order to reveal the glory of Him whom they call their God, but have never recognized as yet - changed the water in the jars into wine, not through some kind of magic, but solely through the power of God within Me.'
John 2,8. And Jesus continued saying to the servants: "Draw some off and take it to the steward of the feast." And the servants did so.
[3] 'Now fill a cup and take it first to the steward of the feast (the cook) to try. Let him give his opinion about it.' The servants, quite bewildered at the transformation of the water, immediately take this wine to the cook to try.
John 2,9. When the steward had tasted the wine which had been water, not knowing, as did the servants, where it came from, he called the bridegroom.
[4]
The cook is quite astonished, sends immediately for the bridegroom and says to him: 'You probably do not know the customary order?'
John 2,10. And says to him: "Everyone serves the best wine first and only when the guests have drunk freely he serves the poorer sort but you have kept the best wine till now."
[5] 'Does not everyone serve the best wine to the guests first and only when they have drunk freely and their palate has become somewhat dulled the poorer sort? But you have done just the opposite.'
[6] But
the Bridegroom replied: 'You talk like a blind man about color. Look, this wine was not pressed anywhere on Earth but, as once the manna, it came to our table from the Heavens. Therefore, it must surely be better than any other wine on Earth.'
[7] Says
the Cook: 'Do you take me for a fool or are you one yourself? How can a wine come to your table from the Heavens? Jehovah Himself or His servant Moses would have to be sitting at the table.'
[8] Said
the Bridegroom: 'Come and see for yourself.'
[9]
The Cook follows the bridegroom into the dining hall and looks at the 6 jars seeing that they are filled with the best wine. Thus having convinced himself of the miracle he says: 'Lord, forgive me my sins. Only God can do a thing like this, and He must be here among us, for such a thing is impossible to a human being.'
[10] Now this wine was served to the guests and having tasted it they all said: 'Such a wine is not pressed in our lands. This is truly a heavenly wine. Glory to Him whom God has given such might.'
[11] Thereupon they toasted Me and the newly arrived guest Thomas and welcomed us.
[12] Now all the people present at this wedding believed without a doubt that I was surely the promised Messiah.
[13] But
Peter says to Me secretly: 'Lord, let me go away again. For You are Jehovah Himself as was prophesied by Your servant David in his Psalms, but I am a poor sinner and absolutely unworthy of You.'
[14] Say
I to him: 'If you feel unworthy of walking at My side, whom do you consider worthy of it? See, I have not come to the strong assuming such could be found anywhere, but I came to the weak and sick. One who is healthy does not need a doctor. Only the sick and weak one does. So stay with me and be of good cheer, for I have forgiven you your sins long ago, and even when you will be sinning at My side, I will forgive you that, too, for, because you have recognized Me and are already a rock in your faith, you shall be perfected - not in your strength, but in your weakness - solely through grace from on high.
[15] These My words brought tears to his eyes and
Peter says with great enthusiasm: 'Lord, if all should leave You, I shall not leave You, for Your holy words are truth and life.'
[16] Having said this
Peter rises, takes the cup and speaks: 'Blessed are you, Israel, and three times blessed are we, for we are witnesses to the fulfilled promise. God has visited His people. That which was hard to believe, is now fulfilled before our senses. Now we must no longer cry from the depth to Heaven, for the Highest has descended to us into the very depths of our misery. Therefore all glory be to Him who is among us and has provided this wine thanks to His might and grace that we may believe in Him and from now on shall honor God in Him.' Thereupon
Peter drinks the wine and all drink to him, saying: 'This is a righteous man.'
[17] But
I say to Peter secretly: 'This was not given you by your flesh, but the Father who is within Me has revealed it to your spirit. But from now on keep silent still, a time will come, however, when you shall shout so that the whole world may hear you.' Then quiet reigned once more among the guests and because of this act they now all believed in Me and regarded Me as the true Messiah who had come to liberate them from all enemies.
John 2,11. This deed at Cana in Galilee is the first of the signs by which Jesus revealed His glory. And His disciples now firmly believed in Him.
[18] This was the first remarkable sign which I gave before the eyes of many at the outset of My great work of salvation, and in this sign I showed - though veiled - the great work that was to follow. However, not a single one of the entire company comprehended this, for, as my fasting in the desert prophetically pointed to the persecution I would be suffering from the temple in Jerusalem and the baptism by John to My death on the cross, thus this wedding pointed to My resurrection and the sign became a model of the rebirth of the spirit to everlasting life.
[19] Just as I transformed the water into wine, also man his natural being ruled by the senses shall be transformed to spirit through My Word, provided he lives according to it.
[20] But everyone should in his heart follow the advice Mary gave the servants when she said: 'Do whatever He tells you', then I shall do to each one what I did at Cana in Galilee, namely a proper sign by which everyone who lives according to My Word will find it easier to recognize the rebirth of the spirit within himself.
Jesus heals the son of a man of royal descent
47. There was a royal nobleman whose son was lying ill at Capernaum. When he (the sick son's father) heard that Jesus had come from Judaea into Galilee, he came to Him (to Cana) and begged Him to go down (to Capernaum) and help his son who was dangerously ill.
As we were on the point of setting forth on our way a man of royal descent and a close relative of the commander, who a few days ago had gone to Capernaum, came hurrying towards Me almost out of breath for he had learnt from the commander that I had again returned to Galilee from Judaea. This royal nobleman had an only son who suddenly had been attacked by a bad fever and the doctor in Capernaum had realized as soon as he saw the patient that he was quite beyond help. The father was in despair and did not know what to do in his grief. Then
Cornelius, the commander, came to him and said: 'Brother, there is a way. It is less than an hour's brisk walk from here to Cana, where the famous healer Jesus of Nazareth is staying. I myself met Him there and spoke to Him on my journey here. He will surely still be there for He promised me to come from there directly to Capernaum and visit me. What He promises He also keeps without fail, and since He has not yet come to me He is definitely still in Cana. Therefore, hurry to Him personally and beg Him to come to your son and help him. And I can assure you that He will come immediately and help your son.'
[2] Having heard this from his brother Cornelius, the royal nobleman hurries to Cana and, as already mentioned, arrives there quite out of breath as I was just setting forth on My way. On reaching Me, he falls at My feet begging Me to hurry with him to Capernaum as his only son who is everything to him was dying and no doctor in Capernaum was able to help him. If I did not come quickly to Capernaum, his son would die before I got there if he had not died already.
48. And Jesus said to him: "Unless you see signs and miracles, you will not believe."
[3] I said: 'See, My friend, it is not easy with you people, for unless you see signs and miracles already in advance, you do not believe. I help only those who believe even if they have not seen any signs and miracles beforehand. For where I am approached with unconditional faith, I also heal surely and certainly.'
49. The nobleman said to Him: "Sir, come down before my son dies."
[4] Here
the royal man exclaims: 'O Sir, do not discuss this at such length with me poor man; you can see that I do believe or I would not have come to you. I beg you, O Sir, just to enter my house and my son will live. But if you delay, he will die before you arrive. Look, I have many servants, and if I say to one or the other: do this or do that, he will do it. If I did not believe in you, O Lord, completely, I would have sent one or the other of my servants to you. But since I am filled with the firmest faith, I came myself. For my heart told me: "If only I find and see you, my son will become well. Lord, I also confess that I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but if you would only say one word, my son will become well and live.'
50. Jesus says to him: "Go home, you son will live." The man believed what Jesus said and went home.
[5]
I said: 'Friend, such a faith I have not found anywhere in Israel. Go home confidently; you will receive according to your faith. You son will live.' And the nobleman went home in tears of gratitude and joy, for he believed My word without any doubt, but I still spent the night and the following day in Cana to the great joy of the host.
51. When he was on the way down (towards Capernaum) his servant met him with the news: "Your child lives."
[6] As the nobleman - who was much respected in Capernaum, on the one hand because he, like the commander Cornelius, was related to the ruling house in Rome and, besides, was a high-ranking officer appointed by Rome - approached the city his numerous servants were coming towards him announcing loudly: 'Master, your son lives and is perfectly well.'
52. He asked them what time it was when he (the son) began to recover. They said: "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."
[7] Then the man almost fainted with joy and asked at what time he had recovered. And the servants told him unanimously, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour the bad fever left him.'
53. The Father noted that this was the exact time when Jesus had said to him: "Your son will live." And he and all his household became believers.
[8] Hearing this from his servants he began to work out the time and found that it must have been the exact time when I had said to him "Your son will live." So he walked home at ease, and when he arrived the commander
Cornelius already led the completely healthy and happy son towards him, saying: 'Well, brother, did I send you to the proper healer or not?'
[9] And
the royal man said: 'Yes, brother, through your advice you have restored my life tenfold. But this healer Jesus of Nazareth is obviously more than an ordinary healer who ever so skillfully knows how to cure diseases by means of medicinal herbs. Just imagine. Without ever having seen my son, He simply said "Your son will live", and the boy recovered at once. Listen, this is of great significance. I tell you: this is not possible to any man, but only to a god. And from now on I believe, and so does no doubt my whole household, that this Jesus is beyond any doubt a true God and for the salvation of all men walks among them in a human form and heals and teaches them. When he comes here he must be shown divine veneration.'
[10] Says
Cornelius: 'I know Him already as that and am fully convinced, but He does not allow people to approach Him like that.'
[11] Says the father of
the healed boy: 'Brother, where one has such evidence in hand, I think, one cannot do too much.'
[12] Says
Cornelius: 'I fully agree with you, but as I have already told you it is a fact that He is a declared enemy of public and external marks of respect. As far as I know from His earliest childhood, only the silent, innermost mark of respect expressing itself in the love of the heart is acceptable to Him. All that is only external He even regards as irksome and if He came here, as he promised me, you might by a public worship drive Him away from this place forever. Therefore, do whatever you wish within your heart, but avoid all public ceremonies, for I know Him already since His birth in Bethlehem and have heard and seen much of Him since that time.'
[13] Says
the royal man: 'All right, I followed your advice yesterday by day and will, therefore, listen to you and follow it also now at night.'
[14] (In order to avoid giving cause to hair-splitting, there should here be added a brief explanation regarding the word "yesterday". A day - in particular in Galilee - lasted only until the respective sunset and after the sun had set actually the next day already began a few minutes after sunset the previous day was already described as "yesterday". With the sunset began the first night watch for the coming day. A night watch, however, was a period of three hours and an hour of day was in summer equivalent to almost two of today's hours and in winter to not quite one, for the daylight time had to have always 12 hours whether the day was short or long. If here it says that the nobleman walked from Capernaum to Cana in one hour, it would nowadays amount to almost two hours. This brief explanation is all the more necessary as some things in this gospel could hardly be correctly understood, since the respective time references were only according to those times and not according to the present chronology.)
Jesus calms the storm
[GGJ.01_103,05] [5] But we already had reached the high sea when the former favorable wind turned into a mighty storm. Having been somewhat tired already at boarding-time, in that I had been awake all night, I therefore said to Peter in the boat: 'Prepare Me a resting-place, as I intend to take a little rest during the voyage, having as you know found no rest during the night.'
[6] Peter at once brought Me several mattresses, making Me a good place of rest and adding a pillow under My head, whereupon I soon fell asleep good and proper, physically, although knowing the wind would soon turn into a mighty storm, menacing the ship with waves soaring.
[7] When we were some two hours off shore, the rage of the storm was peaking and the swell began to surge over the deck. [Mt.8,24] Even My most tried disciples became faint, as they saw the ship take water with the swelling surf, especially over the middle section - the lowest part in accord with prevalent ship-building style. As the storm showed no sign of abating, but instead only whipping the sea higher, the disciples stepped over to Me, on the most elevated spot where
Peter had made My resting place, out of the waves' reach and started shaking Me awake, yelling with trepidation: 'Lord, help us, or we all perish!'
[8] Whereupon I rose from My resting place, saying to them: 'O ye of little faith. Why are ye fearful when I am with you? What is more, the storm, or He who is Lord also over all storms?'
[9] Nevertheless, since the disciples as well as several others on board became practically speechless from fear and even a Peter could only stammer, I immediately rebuked the storm and the sea, and all was suddenly becalmed. The storm was as if cut off, while the sea became mirror-smooth, save for a small ripple where the oarsmen stirred it. [Mt.8,26] The fairly large number of people however who had not been more closely associated with Me, having only arrived that morning, making this journey for business rather than on My account, began to marvel beyond all measure, saying to the disciples and asking: 'What kind of man is this, in Jehovah's name, that even the winds and the sea obey him?' [Mt.8,27]
Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus from the dead
[GGJ.01_112,04] [4] After hearing his domestics and then the exceedingly grieving principal himself, with whom My heart commiserated, I said to him: 'Fear not, friend, but believe. Your daughter has not died but only fallen asleep and I shall awaken her.'
[5] On hearing Me thus, the principal began to breathe more easily.
[6] When we were still some thousand paces from the principal's house, I said to the crowd, as well as to those disciples still of a more feeble faith, to all wait here. And only Peter, Jacob and his brother and John were allowed to come, for on their faith one could already build houses.
[7] Arriving at the house with the school-principal, there was a great turmoil there and much weeping and wailing in accordance with Jewish tradition, with mourning hymns sung.
[8] Entering the room where the deceased lay on an adorned bed, I said to the many mourners: 'What are you carrying on and wailing for? The little daughter has not died but only sleeps.'
[9] But they laughed Me off and said: 'Yeah, that's what the sleeping looks like. When there has been no breath or pulse for three and a half hours and the body cold and colorless and the eye lifeless, then according to your knowledge one sleeps? Yes, yes, that also is sleeping of course, only no one awakens from it except on judgment day.'
[10] But
I say to the principal: 'Get them all out, because their unbelief is no good to Me.' The principal did so. Yet the troublemakers would not obey him and he asked My help. So I drove them out by force and they ran out and scattered.
[11] I then went back with the principal and his grieving wife and the 4 disciples to the chamber where the deceased little daughter lay, stepped straight to her bed, took her left hand and said to her, 'Talitha kumi', which is to say 'I say to you little maiden, arise.'
[Using His all mighty powers as Lord of the Universe, Jesus only had to arrange the atoms of the girl into a living body. He then called the soul and the spirit from the beyond joining both with the newly living body. ]
[12] Immediately the little maiden rose, leapt cheerfully and merrily from her adorned bed and went around the room in her former liveliness, caressing her tearful mother and father. At the same time the merry little maiden felt empty in the stomach and therefore hungry and that she therefore wanted to eat a little.
[13] The parents, elated beyond all measure, turned to Me with many a tear of joy and thankfulness, asking whether and what to give her to eat. But
I said: 'Indeed give her to eat, whatever she likes and whatever is close to hand.'
[14] There were some figs and dates upon a dish and the little daughter asked if she could eat these fruits. And
I said: 'Eat whatever you like, for you are now completely well and shall not get sick again.'
[15] So the little maiden leapt over to the bowl, nearly emptying it. But the parents were concerned it may harm her.
[16] But I comforted them, saying to them: 'Do not be troubled. When I say unto you that it can never harm her then it shall never do so.' And the parents firmly believed.
[17] After the girl was filled and had said thanks, she went over to the parents and asked them softly who I was, actually. Because while on the bed, she had seen the Heavens open and a vast number of radiant angels. 'And amidst the angels there stood a very friendly man looking in my direction, then approaching me, seizing me by the hand and saying 'Talitha kumi', after which call I woke up immediately. And see, this man here looks exactly like one I saw among so many angels. O, this must be a most wonderful man indeed.'
[18] The principal understood the daughter's question only too well but, having received a hint from Me, he said to the daughter only that she had a beautiful and true dream, which he shall shortly explain to her. And the little girl was happy with that.
[19] But I asked the principal to come with Me into the open, together with the daughter and mother, so that those tarrying outside should be put to shame on account of their unbelief. And we went outside. And when
these unbelieving saw the daughter and how well same looked and cheerfully proceeded to question them on why they stood there so puzzled and frightened, these were horrified even more and said: 'This is a miracle above all miracles, because the girl truly was dead and now lived.' And they were determined to spread this all over the place at once.
[20] But I rebuked them all and commanded them to keep it to themselves, for the sake of their physical and spiritual lives. And they kept their silence and departed.
The Resurrection of Josoe
[GGJ.02_070,01] Following these words Borus and Kisjonah immediately climbed into the tomb and tried to lift the coffin but they were unable to move it, for it was extremely heavy having been made from solid cedar-wood with, in addition, a lot of heavy ornaments of iron, gold and silver. After repeated efforts Borus said: "Lord, the coffin is too heavy, we cannot master it at all. As far as I know this coffin was lowered with the help of machines and by natural means it will only be possible to lift it out again with machines."
[02] Say I: "Then come out of the tomb. The two youths who are here shall lift it out!" - Borus and Kisjonah now quickly climb from the tomb and the two youths lift the coffin promptly and with such ease as if they were handling featherdown.
[03] Bab, his wife and children open their eyes in surprise and he says, amazed at the strength of the two youths: "But what unbelievable power and strength they possess. These two tender boys, none of whom can be more than fifteen years old, played - like a big wind with a down feather - with this weight which had resisted the strength of two strong men. Ah, such a thing has never been heard of."
[04] Say I: "Never mind, for you will now witness much greater things. But all of you remember this: You must not tell anyone of this, not even My disciples. For their time has not come for a long time yet, but once the time has come, they will get to know everything anyway. But now open the coffin so that we may see how far the boy is already decomposed."
[05] The coffin was immediately opened and the boy who was completely decomposed except for the bigger bones was by the skilled hands of Borus freed from all the shrouds and swathes for all to inspect. The miserable looking skeleton was viewed by all with visible shuddering.
[06] And Faustus said: "Ecce homo! Look, that is a man, too. What fine lot for the voluptuous flesh of mankind. A horrible looking skull still covered with some stuck together hairs; a shrunk greenish-brown breast-skin, here and there broken by some half-decayed ribs, the black spine over which there are still hanging some traces of decayed intestine covered with mildew. Finally the feet, - how horrible they look, full of decay and mildew. And our noses also feel that we are not in the shop of a balsam merchant, for the stench is worse than I would have expected. No, this is a form well suited to make a man's existence as contemptible as possible, for in the end everyone of us has to expect this lot. This is the reason why I by far prefer cremation of the bodies to burial."
[07] Say I: "But if the Son of man has the power to awaken and recall into life also such bodies as well as all those that since Adam are resting fully decomposed in the earth, does also then such a sight present a picture of horror? Can death still have something frightening when a Master has raised himself above it? In order that all of you who are here may see that I, as a Son of man on this earth, have the perfect power to call back into life also such bodies and to reanimate them and make them immortal, this boy shall be a witness for you."
[08] Hereupon I say to the boy: "Josoe, I tell you: Arise and live and witness that I have the power to raise from the dead also such dead as you."
[09] At this moment there arose a strong draught, the mildew of decay vanished, soon the bones were once more covered by skin and within it the body began to swell to its full form, like a dough mixed with leaven, and in a few moments the boy arose fully alive from the open coffin, immediately recognised Jairus, Faustus and Cornelius whom he knew well from Nazareth and asked Jairus: "But dear uncle, how did I get into this coffin? What has happened to me? I was just now in a very dear company and do not know how I have so suddenly come here."
[10] Says Jairus: "My dear Josoe, look at the One Who is standing beside you. He is a Lord over life and death. Your body was dead and has been lying here in this coffin already for a year and a half, and no power proceeding from men could have been able to restore your life for this earth. This One, Who does look like a man, but is much more than a man, has recalled you from death into life. Therefore, you should thank Him alone for this life which He has given you again.
[11] The boy looked Me over from head to foot in surprise and said after a while, remembering more clearly: "He is the same who called me away from the wonderful company and said to me: 'Josoe, come, for you must be a witness for Me on earth that I have been given all the power in heaven and on earth."
[12] And I willingly followed Him for I immediately felt that He had come from God and carried within Him the fullness of the divine power and authority over all things in heaven and on earth. For exactly as He is here I earlier saw Him in the spirit world where I surely was when I was called by Him to return to this world.
[13] Now it is becoming clear to me and I realise that I have already lived on this earth and then died. But what the dying was like I do not know. For I must only just have left this world - how and in what way I do not know - when I found myself already in a beautiful house in a very dear company where I was very happy. Now and then I also saw my parents and brothers and sisters and discussed with them divine matters which my very experienced companions showed and taught me. But this Holy I have not seen previously, except for a few moments before I returned to this world."
[14] Here I said to the two youths: "Get him a garment and some bread and wine so that his flesh may be strengthened and he can go with us to Nazareth. - As soon as I had bid the two to provide this, it was already there.
Jesus heals and feeds 5000 people
[GGJ.02_095,01] [Jesus speaking] "After hearing - as previously told - what the newly arrived disciples of John told Me, which surely I had already been aware of, or I would not have already at the most appropriate time in the morning dismissed the entire big company, I soon left Nazareth and went with the twelve disciples towards Sibarah near the sea, at once entering a ship and travelling to the vicinity above Bethabara. On board, the disciples were telling Me what else they were teaching and doing during the day, for which I also praised them.
[02] Upon reaching the pre-determined place, I commanded the disciples to remain in the ship by themselves, getting to shore by Myself - accompanied only by two disciples - to the desert in order to seek and determine a spot where I could tarry a few days and be safe from Herod's pestering.
[03] But there were other vessels following our ship at a certain distance and therefore easily finding out My whereabouts, the easier because I had no intention of hiding away completely from needful mankind.
[04] Therefore not a day of My stay in this desert had passed yet before a vast number of people poured in from all cities, markets and villages, including My old disciples numbering already over eight hundred who had joined Me in the previous cities and markets and whom I had sent home to their places the previous morning. [Mat.14:13]
[05] Some of these were of Cana in Galilee and Cana in Samaria, some of Jesaira, some from Kis and Sibarah, Capernaum, Chorazim, Caesarea, Gennesareth and Bethabara, spreading My renown also in many other places, so that a vast throng of people were coming to Me partly by sea and partly by walking through the desert, together of course with a large number of all kinds of sick and festering. As said earlier, the day had hardly dawned when nearly a thousand pilgrims seeking after Me found My encampment, settling down around it.
[06] My camp that I had chosen in the desert however was a spacious cave with no rear exit. The cave was situated fairly high up and densely overgrown with trees. There was also a large open space in front of it where several thousand people could find ample camping room, and upon this place the people had settled down together with their sick.
[07] When My disciples, who were aware of My stay, saw how masses of people streamed up from all sides, surrounding My abode ever more densely, they became concerned about Me. They put their ship in charge of their eight seamen and made their way up to Me to tell Me what masses of people were converging on Me and that they could not vouch for Herodians not being among them.
[08] After the well-meaning and anxious disciples brought Me the news which I was bound to know anyway, I emerged from the grotto to take a look at the truly huge crowd, and I really commiserated with them when with tearful eyes they were asking Me to heal their sick.
[09] And I healed all the sick who were present in a moment [Mat. 14:14] as well as all those still making their painstaking way towards Me, whereupon there was of course no end of praising and lauding. People were still streaming in towards the evening. Although their sick became well on the way, so that they might bring thanks and praise. The space before the grotto was getting overcrowded until the disciples began to actually take fright, whilst young people climbed trees to get a better view of Me.
[10] When evening started breaking upon us, the disciples stepped over to Me, saying: "Lord, it is desert here and night is befalling us, and as we all noticed, nobody brought edibles with them! Hence let the people go so they would go to nearby markets to buy themselves bread and food! [Mat. 14:15]
[11] Said I to the disciples: "It is not necessary that the people go to the markets for that, but just give them to eat! [Mat. 14:16] For drinking they don't need more than water, which is found here in rich springs."
[12] Say the disciples, somewhat taken aback at My request: "Lord, we have with us only five loaves of barley and two roasted fishes. [Mat. 14:17] What is that for so many people?"
[13] Say I to the disciples: "Then bring them over to me." [Mat 14:18]
[14] When the disciples had done so, I commanded the people to all settle down on the grass, then took the five loaves and the two fishes, looked towards heaven and thanked the Father, then breaking the breads and giving them to the disciples, and these gave them to the people. [Mat 14:19] The two fishes and a little bread this time however was left for the disciples.
[15] And all those present ate and were sufficiently filled. Since they could not eat it all up, they gathered the left-over portions into baskets, which people usually carried on a journey, and these baskets normally were quite large and were carried on their backs by means of shoulder straps, yet twelve of these were filled with the left-over portions. [Mat 14:20] The number of those who had eaten - not counting the women and children - were nearly five thousand men. [Mat. 14:21]
Jesus makes his followers walk upon the sea
15] In the afternoon I made a little excursion to the sea with the Centurion and with Ebahl and his family where the eight boatmen worked on the ship and diligently and properly repaired it, for it was already somewhat damaged. When we came to them they became very joyful and told the Centurion how I was walking on water. Because this phenomenon was not going to leave the heads and hearts of the eight.
16] When the Centurion heard this he asked Me how this was possible.
17] I said to him: "I have told you yesterday which powers have to obey and have to serve Me! So, how can you ask Me about it? By the way, if you dare to put your feet on the water and I want it, you also can walk on it for as long I want it! If all of you want to, we could make an attempt right now! However, you must not doubt but you have to follow Me bravely and courageously!"
18] Says the Centurion: "All would be alright if the sea would not have been so deep close to shore! For the longest stretch alongshore it goes vertically down into nearly unfathomable depth! Possibly one might fail with the first step, - and one goes down where the big salamanders and monsters live!"
19] "Fainthearted", I said, "do you think I would dare to be reckless if I would not know who I am, and of everything that is subject to My will? - Who from you has courage and faith, follow Me!"
20] Thereupon I step onto the surface of the sea, - and it carried Me like solid land. I then walked ten steps off shore, turned around and invited the society to come to Me; but they did not dare!
21] I then called the youngest twelve year old daughter of Ebahl and the little maiden took courage and in the beginning put the first foot quite wearily onto the water. When she was convinced that the water did not gave way but the water resisted the foot quite steadily like a rock surface, she started to cheerfully run to Me and had a great joy about the fact that the water could carry her!
22] After the girl also the others tried it, except the Centurion and all were well and cheerful on the of course now very smooth surface of the water.
23] The Centurion asked Me, now somewhat more bravely: "What would happen if a storm came up?"
24] Says I: "Come and convince yourself!"
25] Finally also the Centurion attempted to put a foot on the water and when he was convinced that the water wouldn´t give way, he finally also set the second foot on the water and making himself light with holding his breath, he walked the ten steps to Me and was very happy reaching Me standing on a surface which never before had been walked on.
Jesus turns a barren land into a fertile area
[GGJ.05_216,08] I say, "Teaching is better than signs; for signs coerce, while teaching leads and awakens the power demanded in itself, and that is then the truest and fullest possession of man, which he himself has received through his own activity. But of course, people such as you have already long ago set yourselves above all issues of forced faith and its measured limits, even the greatest signs no longer have any forcing power, because they do not receive any force to compel observers like you for as long as they have not been accepted by your theory of life in respect of the "how" as clearly enlightening and very visible. And so I can already perform a little test without any harm for yours and your neighbor's mind.
[GGJ.05_216,09] But My signs, which I perform to confirm the truth of My new teaching, should always be set up to give man besides the great moral use also the physical, and so I believe for you all and at the same time in you all that it would be of great use to you in the future if you, as now My very respected new disciples, would not find yourselves so completely and totally in a very barren desert, but instead if this area was immediately turned into a very fertile one. Do you all agree with this?"
[GGJ.05_216,10] Epiphan says, "Oh Master, if that were possible for you, you would truly have performed a highly praise-worthy sign! But truly, if that were possible for you, then you would indeed be obviously more than all the greatest wise men and Jewish prophets of the world, yes, then you would be very actually seriously a god, and your new teaching would have to be the fullest truth! For a man should just look once at this true Dabuora (desert of pitch and naphtha)! Nothing but bare cliffs, reaching up to the clouds; only the foot of this genuine mountain of pitch is covered here and there with sparing shrubs. Only a few sources spring forth out of its innards into daylight, and there under the sharpest cliffs a meagre cedar wood vegetates as a true sanctuary of this pitch mountain; everything else far and near is naked and bare like the surface of the water!
[GGJ.05_216,11] Well, that shall now be transformed into a fruitful area of the Earth through your powerful word of will?! Such a thing is indeed a little difficult to believe in advance; but you said in the introduction to your teaching, which, although it sounds very puzzling, nonetheless must be true in this respect, because you are a man who firstly thinks too purely to make fun of people such as us, and who secondly has already performed some extraordinary things here. I entreat you therefore, if it seriously costs you nothing more than one single word of Your will!"
[GGJ.05_217,01] I say, "Then pay attention, and I will tell you nothing further than this: I will it so! - And now just look, My very dear Epiphan, at this area and tell Me how you like it!"
[GGJ.05_217,02] Epiphan along with Aziona and Hiram and all the others present here beat their chests and become quite silent with amazement, and Epiphan observes the now very magnificent area with wide eyes - the mountains covered with forests and the shore area which had an extent of almost a thousand acres [thousand morgen = 0.25 - 0.36 hectares] and was covered with nothing but only sparse grass as pasture for a few goats and sheep and now lay there in the most fruitful opulence - and then again at Me with a searching look.
[GGJ.05_217,03] Only after a good while of amazement does he (Epiphan) open his mouth again and says, "Yes, in order to be able to perform such a thing in one instant, one must already be more than a god! For a god, as I know from the various religions of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Jews and even Persians and Indians, takes his time and performs his miracles quite calmly and seems to make use of a number of great means and apparatus. There must be a sun, a moon, several planets, a countless number of other stars. These help him in certain circumstances, places and situations to perform miracles on this Earth, where however apart from a bolt of lightning from the clouds everything happens very prettily slowly.
Jesus destroys several Idols
[GGJ.06_093,01] When we walked along the streets of the town, naturally there was no shortage of all kind of curious people, who gawked at us from all sides and busily asked, who we were. The doctor, the tax collector and his accompanying children, especially the son Jorab ('Jorab' is the abbreviated version of 'Jorabe') awakened from death, had to endure a lot from the questioners, since the people could not understand how he, who was ill for seven years and had died yesterday as it was said, was now walking around healthy. The questioners were friendly dealt with, by telling them that they will learn about everything during the next few days, with which they were fully content.
02] At the end of a long lane we met three priests of Apollo, and also a Zeus- and a Minerva priest in their quite adventurously and very magical looking priest outfit.
03] They came to a halt before us and one Apollo-priest was asking us if we as foreigners wanted to visit the holy grove, in which for the foremost and highest three godheads a congregational temple was built. If this was our intention, they would guide us there and in return for a small fee to appease the three gods, show us everything miraculous and worth seeing.
04] Thereupon the tax collector Jored, who was only too well known to the priests, said: "These are my guests; I will pay for them, and thus you can show us the temple and its noteworthiness!"
05] With that the priests were quite content and guided us very friendly to the grove, where in the centre on a small hill a round temple of a considerable size was standing. Half of the temple was open and its roof was resting on ten pillars; the other half was a closed up wall and formed a semicircle. On this wall the marble statues of the above mentioned idols were fixed. In the middle, sitting on a throne, was Zeus, on his right was standing Minerva in her war armament and to his left Apollo, but just with a small harp; for an Apollo with a sun carriage and horses would be too expensive for this little town.
06] When we arrived at the temple the Zeus-priest said: "Would the gentlemen like for one of the three gods to speak, then I kindly ask you to entrust me with a question!"
07] Said I: "Friend, this truly is not necessary for us; since as very experienced people we know about all these setups and know precisely the manner in which these statues can speak. Therefore leave it at that and spare yourself the trouble! But since nobody will come today anymore to ask these gods for advice, free the three speakers behind the idols so that they as otherwise quite honest people can join us!"
08] Here the priest was taken aback and said with a certain magical priestlike pathos: "Friend, you are a foreigner; therefore I friendly advise you, to not trespass towards the serious gods, so that nothing bad will happen to you! For I say to you, that no mortal is sitting behind the gods and answers the questions on behalf of them."
09] Said I: "Since you do not know Me, I forgive you the lie; but I nevertheless have to convince you that only I have the fullest right to the truth, and not you! See, I want that these three idols should vanish in this very moment and the three poor speakers can become free and join us!"
10] Said the priest: "If you are able to do this, we will kneel before you and will worship you as a God of all gods and people!"
11] Said I: "This I do not need but nevertheless you should thereby learn about another glory of the power of the true God in connection with the power of the human spirit, and I now say: I want it and it is!"
12] As soon as I have finished speaking, not even the slightest trace was left of the three idols and the three speakers crouching in the narrow niches became visible and crept completely frightened and amazed out of their dark hiding places into the bright daylight.
Jesus heals Mary Magdalene
[GGJ.06_185,01] Soon thereafter, about a quarter of an hour later, it came to pass that the guide of the Romans, who otherwise was a free maiden for licentious men, because of enjoying too much wine, was struck by terrible cramps and screamed pitifully, her face became distorted and her limbs and muscles pulled frightfully.
02] The Romans were horrified by it because they regarded such an appearance as an extraordinary malum omen (bad portent). They said: "Woe to us, the gods have become enraged by us, because we went to search for a foreign god! What are we going to do now?"
03] Said Lazarus: "Nothing, just stay where you are! For this person I already know for some time; she has this illness for several years now, and it quite often already happened to her, especially if she has enjoyed too much wine. We Jews call this being possessed by one or even several evil spirits. During earlier times, when their still existed many devout people, such evil spirits could be expelled from a person by the prayer of a devout; but in our time such nearly doesn't exist anymore. Of course, our great Man could effectuate something like that immediately, if He wanted to!
04] See, this is what this appearance is all about, nothing else! How could your Gods become enraged, if they exist nowhere else than in the imagination of the people, who doesn't know anything about a true God, since they never have heard anything about Him? Why not? This lies in the everlasting great wisdom plan of Him, who has created the people."
05] This calmed down the Romans, and they again could look at the guide, who was in a wretched condition, and they even were able to call up some compassion for her in themselves.
06] The first Roman however, came to our table, where we were still sitting quietly, and from all the people he had selected especially Me and said: "But, dear friend, is there than nobody among you who could assist this unfortunate maiden in any way? You are sitting there so apathetically, while this poor girl battles with death! I surely want to help her, if I would know a cure for such illness; however we Romans, especially regarding such illnesses, are exceedingly badly devised."
07] Said I: "You have turned to Me without knowing who I am; but your partial trust that someone at our table could help the possessed, has led you to Me. And I say to you, that your spirit has directed you to the right Man, who will help her for her bodily well-being and the well-being of her soul. Hence pay attention by which means I will help this maiden forever!"
08] Hereupon I got up from My chair, went to the maiden who was already completely stock-still, stretched My hands above her and threatened the seven evil spirits inside her.
09] But the spirits screamed loudly out of her belly: "O Jesus, You Son of David, leave us for still a short while in this our dwelling!"
10] But I threatened them again and in the same moment they left the maiden.
11] And the maiden got up and was so cheerful, fresh and healthy as if there was forever nothing wrong with her. But when she saw Me at her side and she was told that I helped her, she looked firmly at Me and said: "O, is this not the marvellous man, for whom my heart already a year ago started to beat more livelier! And especially him, whom I loved so endlessly and still love, when I only once saw him in passing by, came to help me now! O friend, you should rather have let me die, than to see you again for the biggest torture of my heart, without ever having the hope, to also be loved by you! Since you are a pure person and I am a rejected whore!"
12] Hereupon she fell to My feet, kneeling she clasped My feet and wetted them with tears of love and remorse.
13] Then some of My disciples came forward and wanted to pull her away from My feet, and remarked to her that this was not appropriate.
14] But I said to the disciples: "What are you concerned about?! Am I not the Lord over Me and now also over her? If it becomes too much for Me, I will tell her what is appropriate or not appropriate! I say to you: This maiden has sinned a lot, - but she loves Me more than all of you together; therefore she will be forgiven a lot. And I still say to you, that everywhere, where My gospel is preached, this incident and this maiden must be mentioned."
Jesus performs a miracle for the converted heathen priests
[GGJ.10_103,01] You have asked Me to perform a sign, and therefore I also will perform one before your eyes, but you will not become blissful by the sign but by your faith in Me and by living according to My teaching.
[2] Look, here on this hill, which is completely bare and waste, there is still an old fig tree that is withered for already fully 30 years. At that time a terrible thunderstorm broke out. The rain was streaming down from the clouds on the Earth and washed away the already meagre soil from the rocky surface, and soon the grass and the trees withered away, for they could not be fed anymore.
[3] Look, this hill and its rather vast environment, and thus also this tree, can exactly be compared with your knowledge of the one, only true God. Without the true, inner knowledge of the one, only true and living God, everything is, and must be, dead and waste and barren for men. He withers and pines away because he cannot find any food for his soul and spirit because the storm of his worldly attitude has washed away from him the feeding and life-bringing soil which is God's living Word. So also, this tree, and all the grass around it, is withered and it cannot come to life on its own because there is no soil. And it only can do this with God's power that can create new soil that contains everything that is needed for the life of plants. And so I want that this whole region, and in the first place this hill, will be covered with about 2 ells high of fertile soil. Let it be!"
[4] When I had said that, the whole region and also the hill was covered with clearly very fertile soil by which the gentile priests were so surprised and upset that they began to shake, and
the one, who was taught the night before, cried aloud: "Yes, I have found here the One whom I searched in vain for already a long time! You, o Lord, great, holy and mighty above all, are truly the One Himself about whom You said that I still would find Him! For only a God can cover by His word in one moment a desolate landscape with the most fertile soil! This is impossible for human beings!
[5] Hail to us that we finally have found You exactly as we have desired for a long time to find You! Now the fatal veil of Isis has been lifted before our eyes at one stroke! O, all honour and all love to You only, eternally great, only true God and Lord!
[6] O, forgive us our many sins that we have committed in our great blindness against You and also against our fellowmen! We want and will from now on, with Your above all mighty help, as much as possible make up for the evil that we have ever done! Be forgiving and merciful to us! Do not reject us sinners too far away from You, o You our God and our Lord!"
[7] I said: "You have well spoken now, but it was not your flesh and blood that inspired you but the Spirit of My word that you have accepted in your mind. You also are now covered with fertile soil just like this hill and this very wide environment, and what was waste and barren and could not produce any fruit for life, will become green everywhere and produce a rich variety of fruits that will really feed and completely satiate your soul for his eternal life.
[8] So remain active as you have intended, then you soon will flourish for the life of many, just like this hill and its whole environment will now become green by My word and will flourish. And as you were a man whose spirit of the truth of life had been dead up to now, so you will also - only by My word that you have accepted as a living Word of God and have taken up within you - be awakened to life to produce true fruits of life, like this fig tree will do now before your eyes while for fully 30 years it had been barren and dead and where only the trunk and a few stronger roots and branches can be seen.
[9] I now want this hill, together with the whole environment, to become green and flourish to richly produce fruits, and for this old and mouldered fig tree to become alive again and produce fruits for the enjoyment of the people and the birds from the sky. So be it."
[10] On these words of Mine, the hill and the whole environment became green and flourished, and the fig tree became full of leaves and blossom and was also provided with many new branches and roots.
Jesus refers about the performing of Miracles
[GGJ.10_220,01] [The Lord] Although My gospel has to be spread over the whole Earth, I do not compel any true teacher or prophet to bring all people to the full light of the truth out of Me. It is sufficient that the pure teaching will be given to the better and already more perfected ones and the right to spread that teaching as much as possible among other people. Happy those who accept it. But no ever so perfected teacher or prophet will accomplish that grapes will grow on thorns or figs on thistles.
[2] Look, I am the Lord Myself, and you know that nothing is impossible to Me, but as long as I have to leave the people of this Earth their completely free will, even I with all My love and My best of will cannot raise them in the sphere of My eternal light of truth. And what I Myself cannot do and accomplish, you can do even less.
[3] But you think that this should be possible to Me by means of a fantastic miracle, and I say to you that you are partially right in this, but in general not at all, because a miracle, although it works locally, namely at the time that the miracle is done, in other places it has to be spoken about, and then a few will believe but others will say: 'If a miracle was performed there to awaken faith, then why not here to us?' And in the following later times, even the most fantastic miracle, as well as everything that happened, will be believed even less, depending on whether greater sensation was made about it. And so it will become part of the historical fairy tales and fables, and the people who are for the greatest part credulous will use this to support their various beliefs and thus not to awaken the true light in the heart of man.
[4] People do absolutely not make any difference between a real true miracle and a false one. They consider them both as something exceptional and let themselves be forced to believe.
[5] This is why you should perform miracles as less as possible, except to heal sick people by laying on your hands on them and to baptize the people who became full of faith so that they can receive the spirit of truth in them.
[6] So especially concentrate on the pure truth, for it is only this that will make man completely free. All the rest will always leave a certain coercion in his mind which he will not easily get rid off. A coerced faith is mostly much worse than no faith at all.
[7] The stoics, who mostly originate from the Greek Diogenes, believe in nothing at all, and I say to you that I prefer them as people much more than those dumb, blind believing Jews who up to this day still believe that the dung from the temple will make their fields, gardens, pastures and vineyards alive and fertile, and that God will be more pleased when someone lays his money as an offering in God's box in the temple in Jerusalem instead of giving that same money to some poor person who could be helped by it for a long time. So proclaim most of the time only the truth and be moderate in performing miracles."
[8] Then finally My
John said on this: "Lord and Master, as far as I am concerned I will not be much engaged in miracles, for I clearly can see now that the performance of signs will not be very beneficial to man compared to only the Word.
[9] The one who will not become free by the true Word will even less become free by a sign. The signs are certainly good when they are performed by You since You are the only one who is best capable to determine where a sign is needed and which one it has to be. But we, Your disciples, will never be really able to do that as long as our souls are covered with this flesh. So I am of the opinion that it is better to exclusively stay by the Word that is strongly confirmed by itself through its degree of truth, and it does not need any additional confirmation as this can be made obviously understandable by means of our mathematics.
[10] After I explained to someone that 2 and 2 is precisely 4, should I perhaps also perform a sign for him to confirm that mathematic truth? I think that this is not necessary. So also, Your very simple teaching is in itself also a mathematic truth which every human being who possesses only a little of good will must realize, understand and perceive after he heard it once.
[11] For in every human being lies firstly already an inner urge to search the One who created the world and everything on it, because such person will perceive that the Creator of all those great things must be extremely wise, extremely mighty and extremely good, and that a person who recognizes Him as such should respect and love Him above all, and that he also should respect his fellowmen, who are an equally wonderful work of God to him, and love them like himself. These are 2 mathematic truths against which no one can have any objections. And then secondly the fact that man, who clearly understands that it was God's power and wisdom that created all these things, will then also realize that God did not call such wonders into existence for only today till tomorrow as a pastime of the Creator, but that even the smallest of His works are meant for an eternal ever higher destiny.
[12] I think that this truth will be very understandable to every human being, also without the performance of signs. What is important is how you tell someone.
[13] Yes, for instance to heal the sick or to free some possessed one from his tormenting spirits, thus doing good to his fellowmen, that are also works of love, but they should not be done to confirm the truth, but out of love.
[14] Lord and Master, did I speak rightly with these my simple words, or maybe they were not completely right?"
About conversion through miracles
[GGJ.10_221,01]
I said: "My dear John, you spoke completely according to the truth and rightly. This is how My teaching should be passed on to the other people, and in this way it will also carry lasting good fruits. But when it will be forced to the people by too many miracles it will look like a ripeness that is forced which rarely has true, inner quality and can actually not be kept for long.
[2] Because everything that is forced to ripe has little inner spirit and will quickly and easily rot and decay. Everything that can be quickly and easily accomplished will look like that builder who built his house in the valley on sand with little expenses, and when the storms and cloudbursts came it could not resist it and collapsed. It is the same with the teaching about the Kingdom of God that is announced and forced to the people with many signs and miracles.
[3] Yes, people easily and quickly accept the teaching, but when in the course of time temptations and trials come over them, they do not know with what they can come up to confront them - that means the people who tempt them with another, false teaching - except with the miracles that they experienced. Now when the tempters, who are false teachers and prophets, perform their false miracles before the eyes of such forced ripe Christians, then these forced ripe Christians have nothing with which they can confirm the inner truth of My teaching. Then they fall away and turn to the false teachers and prophets.
[4] Because these kinds of people are like a reed that let itself be bent to all sides by the wind, because they still do not understand the truth in them.
[5] But the wind cannot play such games with oaks and cedars. The people who are converted by the pure truth of My teaching are like the oaks and cedars. False teachers and prophets can play their wind game a thousand fold on them but they will not bend, for the power of the inner truth is mightier than all other powers on the whole Earth.
[6] The one among you who will accept this as the basic principle when he spreads My teaching will truly be like the sower who sowed his wheat only in the good field, receiving soon after that a hundredfold harvest. But the one who will not, or less, observe this basic principle of the teaching will sow his wheat on roads and streets, on stones and rocks and between thorns and thistles, and will only receive a bad harvest from his work and efforts.
[7] So you also should not make a big sensation of the miracles that I performed, but instead of that it is better to very clearly show them the miracles and signs that I perform from day to day before everyone's eyes, then you will reap by that much better and abundant fruits instead of telling the people in detail about My miracles. For when the people will realize that I am the Lord and Master in all things from eternity, then they also will realize that nothing was impossible during My physical life.
[8] He who will understand that, let him act accordingly, then he will give Me good fruits. But I also tell you now that there are still a few among My disciples who do not understand it as My disciple John. Therefore, his word will remain till the end of times, but not the word of each other disciple, especially not of the one who will open too much his mouth to spread My miracles."
[9] These words of Mine, as well as the former words of John were not much to the liking of a few others of the present disciples. Nevertheless, no one dared to object to that.
In order to facilitate an entry into the wealth of the new Revelation by Jesus to the prophet Jacob Lorber,
I briefly describe here a selected number of topics, provided with text excerpts.
- The Universe and Alien Civilizations
- About the Secrets of Our Living Earth
- Where do the souls of animals go?
- The Prehistory of Mankind (the story of Adam & Eve)
- The Nature of the Human Being
- The art of staying healthy with age
- Improving the human brain
- Why does God tolerate injustice, mischief and war?
- Dreams, Visions and Faces
- About Prayer
- How Angels accompany us
- Getting to know Jesus
- Prophesy and Return of Jesus
- The Death phenomenon
- Burial or Cremation
- About life after Death and in the Beyond
- About suicide
- Premature death of Children
- The nature of God
- The Origin of the New Testament
- The detailed Explanation of God’s Order, His Commandments
- Finding the right marriage partner
- Where do religions come from?
- Mature and immature Souls and their activities in Mankind
- Jesus and the Miracles
- Organ Donation
Jesus and the Miracles. The immaculate conception.
Webpage-owner: Helmut Betsch
Bleiche 22
74343 Sachsenheim Germany
E-mail:
helmut.franz.sehel@t-online.de
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