The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Second day in Sychar
- Chapter 52 -
The Lord discusses the high priest's domestic problems with him. Mother Mary's apparel. The slandering of the high priest's family. Jonael's sadness. The Lord's comfort and testimony against the world.
The high priest rose and besought Me, saying: 'Lord, since You have blessed us with the inestimable grace of staying with us for another day, how would it be if You and Your disciples, together with also those others who believe on You, and with my own presence, would visit the nearby towns, of which we can count only three? Perhaps some people could be found there who would believe on You if they saw and heard You?
2
Say I: 'On their account, no, but yes on your account! It gives you pleasure and I want to gladly give you that pleasure. But you have a wife and children; do you not want to introduce them to Me? Where are they and how many of them?'
3
Says the high priest, somewhat embarrassed: 'Lord, I have a pleasant wife who like myself is getting on a bit in years, and also seven children, but unfortunately only maidens between twelve and twenty-one years. But You know that it is not a great honour for an Israelite to have no male descendants; and so, Lord, please bear a little with my weakness! I lacked the daring to come up with my exclusively female folk!
4
If it pleased You, oh Lord, then I would nevertheless ask You on this occasion to pass by my house, where I could then introduce my womankind to You. But until now it would have hardly been appropriate. Because notwithstanding that I am not lacking in anything and can get on reasonably with my family here, the clothing situation leaves something to be desired. They are indeed clothed appropriately for domestic errands; but to be seen in company such as this would, for a high priest's family be much too unseemly! Under the circumstances therefore they would do well to stay at home, where they shall not be exposed to ridicule by the world and to their inborn vanity. And it is good for them to have as little as possible to do with the world, because the latter is and remains bad at all times!'
5
Say I: 'I want to comply with your request, but then let them all come with us! But a more suitable apparel for them shall in any case be arranged for them, to the extent of their making a favourable impression in our circle. It nevertheless is good and wise of you to keep them away from the world as much as possible, but with our surely non-worldly company they would have fitted in!
6
Behold Mary, the mother of My flesh! She simply is fitted out in white linen, overhung with a very ordinary blue apron, yet she is sufficiently dressed up! On her head she wears normally a square sun-hat like all the other women who followed Me from Galilee and Judea, and they nevertheless make out most fittingly in our company. But regardless of that, your wife and daughters shall be found among our company this day!'
7
Says one of the Samaritans, 'That would all be all right! But although I on my part have no proof, I nevertheless tell you what I heard from people in this area and then you can do what you like. This however is what they are saying about the four elder daughters, that whenever the high priest is not home, they are seen in the streets at night and, since they are most beautiful, they are accepting money from lustful labourers and sleep with them! This is going on in secret. I on my part have no proof, but this much I can say: if this teaching is to find general acceptance in these parts, with all those many unbelievers, then for the sake of the foolish masses the four eldest daughters at least should be kept out of our company! Because you brother Jonael know only too well how gossiping and immensely foolish and unbelieving our folk are. If this got around among them then not even Jehovah Himself could do anything about it! But this is only my humble opinion, on account of the evident malice of our people, to forestall any damage to our good cause!'
8
The high priest gets very sad and says, 'Lord! If I had been only slightly remiss in my daughter's upbringing then it would hardly sadden me to listen to this; but I am only too aware that nothing was neglected for the education of their intellects and hearts, and I hazard to swear that each one of my daughters is as pure as a flower on Jehovah's mountain! Whence such shameful slander therefore?!'
9
Say I: 'My dear brother Jonael, do not let it grieve you! Let it suffice you that your daughters are pure before Me. Because the world now is purely devilish and thus malicious through and through! Have you ever heard of grapes reaped from briars and figs from thistles?! I have known a long time since and hence also made quite a vivid reference to it on the mountain with the parable of the splinter in your neighbour's eye! And behold, this quite drove many from the Mount, because they discerned that I meant them.'
10
But I say unto you: now even more certainly your daughters must come with us, and I shall walk in their midst. Because, let that which is of the devil also remain with the devil, if it will not be converted! But now let us start! I have already made everything known to your wife and daughters; they shall be waiting for us.'