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The Pharisees and the Lord - parables of the workers in the vineyard and the wedding feast7/14/2018 10. A NEW PLAN OF THE TEMPLE SERVANTS TO CATCH THE LORD [1 A FEW spies, who hid themselves among the people, informed the Pharisees that I was teaching this way, and they deliberated among themselves to know what they could do to catch Me and bring Me to ruin. [2] However, the more temperate ones said: “Of course, you can do what you want, but we can assure you in advance that you can do nothing against Him. Because first of all He has many followers among the people, and secondly He possesses an indescribable magic power by which all the powers of nature and the spirit world seem to obey Him. And thirdly He is so well versed in the Scriptures, that we, compared to Him, are all bunglers. Fourthly, the high-ranking Romans are on His side, because they surely take Him for a half-god. Also, He has those wondrous Egyptians, Persians, Arabians, Indians and still other men from the east around Him, and therefore it will be very difficult to undertake anything successful against Him. And in case you do not want to believe me, then you should go outside to be informed about everything and convince yourself. [3] Did those two very reliable Pharisees not go to Emmaus, together with two of our smartest Levites? Where are they now? We do not know. The day before yesterday we sent our most reliable spies and chasers after them and insisted that they should inform us before evening to know what they were able to find out, but up to this hour nobody came back. Where are they? How terribly embarrassing were those appearances to us the night of the day before yesterday. Who is responsible for that, other than Him and His collaborators? [4] Today 3 rising suns put us and the whole people into great confusion. Also this seems to be caused by Him. Everything we came to know from other places about Him and His deeds seems to be confirmed by Him, and therefore it is useless to make plans to do violence to Him. If He only were a little afraid of us, He surely would not consider appearing openly in the temple with His teaching, for He knows as well as we do how severe we are against such people. So this is our sober opinion, but because of the majority of your votes you still can do what you want. We will in no way hinder you. [5] However, when we think soberly – as always – we believe the following: if ever His mission would perhaps secretly be ordained by God, we will not be able to stop Him. But if it is only the work of men, then it will go away by itself in the dust of forgetfulness. If our words can do nothing against Him, our actions will be even less successful.” […] [7] Upon this, the more temperate one said: “If we cannot unmask Him in front of the people and the Romans with intelligent and well worked out questions and words, and make Him suspect, then we are as good as finished. By actions, we absolutely will not be able to harm Him. This is our firm and well founded opinion.” [8] Upon this, the arch Pharisee said: “This advice sounds good and we can indeed try it out, because we still have enough of those clever, intelligent and good orators, although lately we lost quite a few very skillful orators, which is probably caused by that notorious Nazarene. Then who of us thinks that he is able to take this task upon him for a big reward?” [9] Now a scribe and a Pharisee, who also knew the Roman laws very well, came forward, and they both said: “Let us carry out this task, then we can catch Him fast and easily, for nobody was yet too smart for us.” [10] The whole counsel agreed on that, and Caiphas said with great seriousness: “Good. Then disguise yourselves, so that the people will not recognize you. Enter the temple through the big gate of the people, and do your job well, then I and God will be well-pleased with you.” [11] Now, as Caiphas told them, they both disguised themselves and went into the temple where I was still teaching the people about the love for God and fellowman. But the high priests (chiefs), the Pharisees and still a few scribes did not totally trust the two, and they also disguised themselves and went after them into the temple in order to witness how those two would work on Me. They joined them in the temple. (GGJ Book 17, chap. 10) 11. THE PHARISEES TRY TO CATCH THE LORD [1] THEN I was resting for awhile, the two came immediately and stood before Me and asked Me in a brutal way: “Lord, we know that You are performing extraordinary things which before You were never performed by a human being. Now tell us by which authority You can do this, because You as Master will surely know best by which power and means it is possible to perform all these wondrous works.” [2] I said: “O yes, this I know very well, and I also want to tell you. But first I want to ask you something. If you are able to give Me a correct answer to the question which I will ask you, I will also tell you by which authority I perform My works.” [3] The two said: “You can certainly ask us. We will not hold back any answer.” [4] I said: “Very well then. Tell Me then freely and openly in front of all the people: from where was the baptism of John, the son of Zachariah, who was strangled in this temple by you between the altar and the most holy? Was the baptism of that John from Heaven or only from men? Because it is up to you to make a final statement in front of the people. You put on other clothes and came through the big people’s gate together with other pilgrims, but you were nevertheless quickly recognized. Do your work well, because otherwise you will lose your reward that was promised to you and that you can receive when you can catch Me on what I will answer.” [5] This gave them something to think about, and they quietly said among themselves (the Pharisees): “This is a nasty fine question. For if, because of the people, we say: John’s baptism was from Heaven, then He and the people will ask us: ‘If this is so, then why did you not believe him and why did you persecute him and did you convince Herod to throw him first into jail and let him then be beheaded?’ But if we say that the baptism was from man, then all the people will rise against us, because the people still consider John as a true prophet, and they would attack us for saying something like that about John. Therefore, it is difficult to give this Man a good answer.” [6] Furthermore, another said secretly: “A good idea came into my mind now. Whether we say one thing or the other, in both cases we will be trapped. We must make it appear as if such outgrowth and miscarriages of the corrupt Jewry never kept us busy, because this is far below our dignity. And to make a long story short, we very simply will say: this we do not know, because such an unimportant event regarding the temple never kept us busy.” [7] When they had decided that, the two turned to Me again and said: “Master, we cannot answer Your question at all, because we do not know from who was the baptism of John, because frankly, we did not keep ourselves too busy with that.” [8] I said to them: “Well, if you do not want to tell Me this, I also will not tell you by which authority I am performing My works.” [9] But what do you think of this: look, a man had two sons. He went to the first one and said: ‘My son, go today to my vineyard to work.’ But the son said: ‘Father, this I do not want, because the hard work is too much for me.’ When his father was gone, the son regretted this. He stood up, went to the vineyard and worked during the whole day with all his strength. [10] Now the father went to his second son and also said the same to him as to the first one. And this one answered: ‘Lord and father. Yes, I will go to it immediately to work.’ But when the father left, his son stayed at home and did not go to the vineyard to work. Who of the two sons fulfilled here the will of the father?” [11] They both said: “This is truly a childish question. Of course, it is clear that the first son fulfilled the will of his father. Because by answering that he did not want to go, he surely only wanted to pleasantly surprise his father. Because what one says is unmistakably less important than what one does. But for what purpose is this likeness? What did You want to tell us and show us with this?” [12] I said: “Sure, I will explain it to you, if you are so blind that you cannot see that for yourself. The Father is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And of both sons the first one means: the true prophets called by God who in the beginning however were not happy with their calling – as Moses showed all too clearly by refusing this high office because he had such difficulty in speaking, and for this reason he asked God to give him his brother Aaron as interpreter. But then, it was still Moses who did the work. The second called one was the spokesman indeed, but only Moses did the work. And so it went downhill until these times. [13] Because the second category, which made the promise to work in God’s vineyard, but only promised to work and finally did do nothing, God had to turn to those who were not so willing with their tongue. Although these ones did not give Him any promise, yet they worked. And when they worked, the second group attacked and persecuted them out of jealousy, and they wanted to prevent them from doing the good work, so that the true workers would not be accepted as such by the Father of the vineyard. [14] And so, in this time, Zachariah and his son John were good workers in the vineyard of the Lord, although in the beginning of their inner calling each one of them refused to take this function upon them because surely they knew the great laziness and burning envy of those who indeed promised God to work in the vineyard, but were then putting their hand into their lazy lab. And not only did they not work themselves, but with fire and sword they also forbade the zealous workers to work. [15] Therefore, I say to you: truly, truly, tax collectors and whores will surely come sooner in Heaven than you. John came to teach you the good way and you did not believe him, just like your forefathers did not believe the old prophets. But the tax collectors and whores believed John, did penance and changed their lives. You certainly saw this and understood also that you were wrong, but still, you did not do what the tax collectors did, because above all you did not want it to be known that you also believed on him. Therefore, also the tax collectors and whores will enter God’s Kingdom sooner than you who attach great importance to your calling and are proud in front of everyone as if you had helped God with the creation of Heaven and Earth. [16] But I say to you: precisely for this reason you are the last for God. Because everything that is great and glittering in the eyes of the world, is for God an abomination. You do not want to be in Heaven and moreover you are blocking the way for those who want to enter. Therefore, all the more damnation will later come over you. [17] I am saying to you that I have the right and the power for this and I do not fear the people of this world like you. Because I know God and the power of His will which is now in Me that wills and acts. But you do not know God, and His will is not in you. And therefore, you fear the world and act according to what it prescribes in your hearts. And since you are doing this, you are therefore also preparing your own judgment, your damnation and with it the true, eternal death. And this consists of the fact that you stay continuously the slaves of your increasing laziness and sensuality and you will reap its wicked and terrible fruits." [18] One of the two said: “You are talking freely and openly with us, who are men just like You. If it pleased God to create us people only for Hell, He surely could have spared Himself the trouble, because not one soul will praise Him for that. But we are of the opinion that God still created men for something better, and therefore we are hoping that He, as the most wise and perfect Being, will not want to torture us forever with all the sufferings of Hell, because we were forced to act that way by insurmountable difficulties. [19] The fact that we cannot believe the many that are pretending to be a prophet, has a very understandable reason, because if the temple would do that, it would be no more a meeting-place of the Jews who still believe in Moses. Why does a prophet, who is filled with all the power of God, allow himself to be taken by the Jews and even let himself be killed? If this happens, then almost each time his disciples turn away from him – as we know out of experience – and then they become again Jews, just like they were before the arrival of the prophet. Then why does God allow such thing? [20] If the prophets are pre-eminently His awakened and called workers and we represent the same lazy son who promised his father to work in the vineyard but who did not hold on to his word, then how come that the by God so highly esteemed workers still let themselves be defeated by us lazy loafers. How could Your God allow this to happen?” (GGJ Book 17, chap. 11) 12. THE PARABLE OF THE WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD I SAID: “God gave to every human being a completely free will, together with an intellect and a conscience that always warns and admonishes him. Without these 3 things man would not be more than an animal. [2] But in order to test man’s free will, also the laziness and selflove are inborn in his flesh wherein he feels most comfortable in this world. [3] With his own power, man should learn to perceive that this is bad for his soul, and with the means that were given by God he should fight against it until he becomes a perfect master over all his bodily passions and tendencies. But to the sensual and lazy man this is too uneasy and unpleasant. He prefers as much as possible to let himself be ensnared into the nets of his growing sensual passions, and by that, he draws thousands to him, because it also pleases them to bath their flesh in all laziness and sensual pleasure. [4] But what is the evil consequence of this? Instead of freeing himself from the shackles of matter by acting as God has advised him, and finally even to spiritualize that which is material and to make himself truly alive, the soul is going deeper and deeper into the death of his matter. [5] When this happens in general too often with people, God has mercy on them, and at the right moment He always sends them people to wake them up. But when they begin their task, the many lazy people become furious with them, fall upon them and even mistreat and strangle them in their blind rage, so that they can continue to sleep in their laziness, which pleases their flesh so much. [6] But since God created man only for eternal life and not for eternal death, He continues to send different messengers in order to wake up the lazy and sensual people, so that these should get up and start the heavy work which will make their soul alive. [7] If they do not listen to the warning prophets but when these are rather continuously persecuted, then God will quickly send other and sharper circumstances to wake them up, like bad harvest, high cost of living, wars, famine and epidemics, and still many otherplagues. [8] If the people repent and become active again according to the godly advice, then soon God will remove the plagues again. But if they do not care, then God has still bigger awakening methods instore, and these are then like the flood of Noah and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. [9] So if you persist in your sins till the measure is full, you too can expect the last big and terrible awakening method. Now I have told you this, so that you very well will remember My words when it will come over you.” [10] The two said: “Then what evil are we doing, that such things have to come over us?” [11] I said: “I will immediately show you in a parable the things you are doing and also those you have always done. Therefore, listen to Me. [12] Once there was a wise father of the house who laid out a vineyard and put a strong fence around it. Moreover he dug out a place where the grapes had to be pressed and build a strong toweron it where many people were able to live. When all this was done and when they promised loyalty, sincerity, diligence and zeal tohim, he handed everything over to the vine growers, and they were promised a very good reward with which the vine growers were very pleased. And because the father of the house had still many other things to do, he could easily travel through the country, because he let everything behind in an excellent condition. [13] Now when the time of the harvest was at hand, he sent his servants (prophets and teachers) to the vineyard to receive the fruits. But when the vine growers – who promised the father of the house complete loyalty, sincerity, diligence and zeal – saw the servants, they were deliberating with one another in this way: ‘Well, we are many and it will not be difficult to settle with them, then we can easily divide the harvest among ourselves.’ All the evil vine growers agreed upon that and seized the servants who were sent by their lord to receive the fruits. They beat one of them, killed the other and threw stones at the third one. [14] When the father of the house heard that, he became angry and sent more helpers to it, but now more than the first time. And see, the vine growers seized them also and treated them in the say way as they treated the first ones. [15] When the father of the house heard that also, he became really sad and considered to bring a hard judgment upon them or, because of his great goodness and patience, try once more to urge the vine growers to freely hand over his fruits. He said by himself: ‘I know what I shall do. I will send my only son to them. Him they will respect, and they will do according to his justified request.’ [16] But when the vine growers saw the son, they were deliberating among themselves: ‘That is the heir. Come, let us killhim also. Then we will have his inheritance.’ And they caught him, put him outside of the vineyard and killed him on the spot. [17] And what do you think, what will the lord of the vineyard do with these evil vine growers if later he will come to them himself with great power?” [18] The two said: “He will kill all the evil-doers in a cruel way, and he surely will entrust his vineyard to other vine growers who will hand over the fruits on time.” [19] I said: “This time your opinion is good and true. But do you also know that by the vineyard the church has to be understood which God as the named father of the house has established by Moses? And that you priests, are the evil vine growers who were mentioned right now, and that the servants are the many prophets who God sent to you, and that I am now the Heir of the Father, about whom you are now deliberating day after day how you can catch Him, put Him out of His inheritance and also how you can kill Him, so that then you can rule undisturbed on His throne and divide the fruits of His vineyard among yourselves?” [20] Then the two said: “Then where are those who want to kill You, if You are truly the heir? We did not come here to catch You or to kill You, but we seriously came to examine if according to the full truth You are really the One who was promised. We have to keep watch on the threshold of the old door of the church, so that in this time of many wonders where the Essenes and also other magicians bring in their good harvest, there would not be a false Christ, enchanting and deceiving the blind and credulous people with his false teaching. And he who cannot resist our trial of fire is an intruder and a deceiver, and we have the right to catch him and to throw him out. [21] If You are the true Christ, then why does it offend You if we in front of the people are testing You? If we discover that no deceit is clinging on to You, of no matter what kind, then we will introduce You before the whole people as the One You introduce to us. But if we discover with our discernment that it is only Yourself who claims to be something special, for instance because of Your secret magic, then it is our duty, given by God, to reject You as an imposter and blasphemer, and to punish You according to the law. But how can You treat us like this by comparing us to the evil vine growers and to make us in this way suspicious in front of the whole people?” [22] I said: “Because I have all reason for that and am not afraid of you. But I will explain this reason for you even further. As you are now, and as you are behaving now, this was also the case a long time ago. Also those, who lived during that time (your ancestors), considered themselves to be the entire lawful watchers and workers of God’s vineyard. But no matter how and where they worked, they always kept the fruits for themselves and distorted the law of God, and even changed it for a worldly law to their own worldly advantage. [23] Then God sent prophets to them, and they were persecuted by them with fire and sword by always telling the people that they were false prophets. And all those who accepted the teaching of the prophets and lived according to it, were said to be breakers of the law and blasphemers. [24] Only 100 years later, the prophets who were persecuted by them were considered to be true prophets by the priests of that day. Monuments were erected for them, which even today you are whitewashing every year, but only out of apparent respect. However, now you believe as little the word of the prophets as the former priests of that time. And as they persecuted the old prophets, so you also are persecuting the prophets who are send to you, and you proclaim that they are false prophets, reject and kill them. [25] And when you do that – which you cannot deny – am I then not correct if I put you on the same level as those evil vine growers whose lives will indeed be taken by the Lord of the vineyard according to your own judgment? Indeed, you are watchers, but then of a kind that watch before a robbers’ den. [26] What do you care about pleasing God in whom you never believed? The only important thing for you is your honor before the world, because it produces a lot of gold, silver and precious stones, and moreover the first and the best produce of the land. For if you would believe in God, you also would keep His laws, wherein it is stated: ‘You will not covet what belongs to your fellowman’, and: ‘You shall not kill’. But you covet and take immediately what belongs to your fellowman and what he earned in the sweat of his face. And whoever does not want to give what you want, you are persecuting, even worse than hungry wolves after a lamb. And the one who warns you that you are acting incorrectly – because he was awakened by God for that reason – is seized by you and killed. [27] The fact that you are acting like this and not otherwise, I do not only know Myself, but this is known now to everyone, and people weep and mourn because of your unmerciful hardness. You put unbearable burdens on the shoulders of the poor people, but you yourself are not touching them with one finger. [28] Say to the people here, if Moses or another prophet ever gave you a law by which you are allowed to behave in such a brutal and unscrupulous way. Where is it written that you can appropriate the possessions of the widows and orphans in exchange for long prayers that you promise to them? And where did Moses command to proclaim that true prophets are false ones, to persecute and to kill them? [29] And if you are doing all these things, which you can never deny, it is clear to everyone that you are the evil vine growers that I mentioned.” [30] Now the two Pharisees and also the others became enraged because I pointed this out to them, and all the people said: “Yes, yes, He speaks the full truth! This is exactly how it is and not differently!” [31] When the people said this aloud, the two said in a threatening manner: “Tell us, who are You, that You dare to say this right in our face in front of the people. Do you not know our rights and our power? How long will You test our patience?” [32] I said: “I am the One who is talking to you now. I really do not fear your power because your imagined justice for God and all honest people is the highest injustice. But concerning patience, you rather should ask how long I will have the patience that you think you have with Me. Because all authority and power in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Me. My will can throw you into ruin and in the fire of My wrath, but you cannot do anything to Me because I can throw you into ruin much sooner than you are capable of hurting Me even with one finger. Yes, when I, because of your great evilness, will allow that you will put your wicked hands on Me, then also the day of your judgment and ruin will have come.” (GGJ Book 17, chap. 12) 13. THE PHARISEES ASK FOR GOD’S KINGDOM [1] ONE of the two said: “What kind of blasphemous nonsense are You uttering. Are we then not the builders who were appointed by Moses and Aaron in order to build God’s house on Earth, as it is written?” [2] I said: “Yes, yes, this is indeed written, but there is also written something else, and since you started with the builders, I will tell you what that is. What is written and what you certainly also know – because you also read it in the Scriptures – sounds as follows: ‘The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone. This is accomplished to the Lord and is now wonderfully visible before your eyes.’ Therefore, I say to you: God’s Kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to the gentiles, and they will bear its fruits.” [3] Then the two said: “Then what will further happen to the cornerstone for who You seem to take Yourself?” [4] I said: To the stone that is rejected by you, which nevertheless has become a cornerstone now, this will happen: the one who will fall upon the cornerstone, like you now, will crash. However, on who the cornerstone will fall – what you can expect – will be crushed. Do you understand this now?” [5] After I had given this explanation, also the other high priests and Pharisees who were present came to understand that they were the ones who would be crushed by the cornerstone which should fall upon them. They were then very upset and deliberated among themselves how maybe they still could trick Me and bring Me to ruin. [6] But the more temperate ones advised them against it and pointed out that all the people were taking Me for a great prophet, and that for this reason I already had sufficiently made it clear what the high priests and the Pharisees had always done to the prophets. Therefore, they found it more advisable to trick Me first in My own words, to declare Me thereby before the people to be a liar and imposter and only then to catch Me and deliver Me to court, since the people could then have no more objections. But as long I could not be tricked with words it would be extremely risky to capture Me, especially now when the people was still too excited because of the nightly signs. [7] The high priest and Pharisees were realizing that. They suppressed their anger and decided to catch Me with cunning words. [8] After they had taken this decision, they turned to Me again, with a kind of gentleness, because they were very afraid of the people, and were asking Me (the Pharisees): “From a Master who is so well versed in the Scripture, we also would like to hear wherein the Kingdom of God will consist, which will be taken away from us and given to the gentiles with whom it will bear the desired fruit. What is in fact the Kingdom of God? What do You mean by that? Is it Heaven, where all believers hope to come after the death of their body, or does it already exist somewhere on this Earth, which, according to Your words, seems to be the case, because otherwise it could not be given to the gentiles. It can certainly not be a true spiritual Heaven, because it is nowhere written that also the dark gentiles will ever be accepted into God’s Heaven. These words coming out of Your prophetic mouth were a bit puzzling to us, for which reason we are also inviting You to explain this further to us.” [9] Here they were already rejoicing, because they thought that with these words I already had entrapped Myself and that on such a clever question I could have no answer. Also here and there the people were looking seriously and were anxiously waiting how I would save Myself from this trap. [10] But I stood up as a hero and no embarrassment could be seen on My face, and I started once again to speak to them in parables: “Since you are full of laziness, full of sensuality and selfish pride, it is therefore also impossible to understand the secret and the truth of the Kingdom of God. You are imagining Heaven to be one or the other exquisite space above the stars, where the pious souls are accepted or – according to a still more foolish and absurd idea which some of you have – only after many thousands of years on the by you never understood youngest day, after which they then will revel forever in the most pleasurable life. And from such a heaven that exists nowhere except in your more than foolish fantasy and highest selfish belief, the gentiles are to be excluded. Yes, I say to you, from such a heaven as you are imagining yourselves, they also will be excluded forever, since it is impossible to be accepted into a heaven that in reality exists nowhere. [11] But, so that no one can ever find an excuse by claiming that he did not know wherein true Heaven consist, I will now, for the sake of the people, show in images wherein the true Heaven consist, everywhere in the whole of infinity and here on this Earth, in and above all stars, everywhere in the same manner. So listen to Me.” (GGJ Book 17, chap. 13) 14. THE PARABLE OF THE KING AND HIS WEDDING FEAST [1] THE Kingdom of Heaven or God’s Kingdom is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. He sent out his helpers and servants to invite many important guests for the royal wedding feast. But those who were invited said to themselves: ‘Why should we go to a royal wedding feast? We feel better at home and then we owe no one any gratitude.’ And for this reason no one of those who were invited wanted to come to the royal wedding feast. [2] When the king received the message that the guests who were invited first did not want to come, he sent out again other helpers, telling them beforehand: ‘Tell the guests: Look, I have prepared my wedding feast. My oxen and fat cattle are slaughtered and everything is ready. So come all of you to the wedding feast.’ [3] The helpers left and told it faithfully to the guests they had to invite. But again those who were invited ignored the invitation and despised it. One went to his field, the other started another work, and again others seized the helpers, scorned them, and even killed some of them. [4] When the king heard that, in his justified wrath he immediately sent out his armies and killed all those murderers, burned their city and leveled it with the ground. [5] After that, the king spoke again to his helpers: ‘It is true that the wedding feast is well prepared but the invited guests were not worthy of it. Therefore, go now to all the common streets and alleys, and invite anyone to the wedding that you will find.’ [6] The helpers left and brought all those they could find, the bad and the good ones. And look, the tables were all occupied. [7] Now when the tables were occupied in this manner, the king came into the large dining hall to see the guests. There he saw someone who by far was not wearing a garment that is fit for a wedding feast, while all the others, at the time they were invited,went quickly home to make them look as nice as possible for the wedding. [8] Then the king asked the helpers: ‘Why did this man over there not dress himself nicely for the wedding, to refresh my eyes and not to give any offence to the many other guests?’ [9] And the helpers said: ‘O mighty king, he is one of those who was invited first and who did not want to come. Now when we went to invite people for the third time, we also met him in the street, invited him once more and advised him to dress himself also nicely for the wedding. But he said: ‘Ah why? I am not going to make all possible effort because of the wedding. I will go to it as I am.’ And as we met him in the street, he also went together with the other guests to the wedding, and we did not stop him since we have no right to do this.’ [10] When the king heard this from the helpers, he went to the one who did not have a wedding garment and he said to him: ‘How could you come here without putting on a wedding garment? Look, the tables are now fully occupied with poor people, of whom a part of them were bad and only a small part good, but all of them dressed themselves so nicely that my eyes can find true pleasure in them. You were invited already the first time and you did not want to listen to the invitation, and now on the third general invitation you decided to come in, but without a wedding garment, while you still are wealthy enough to possess a wedding garment. Why then did you put me to shame?’ [11] After these questions, the man became very unwilling to theking. He also did not even want to apologize or ask the king for forgiveness but he kept silent and gave no answer at all, although the king at first addressed him as a friend. [12] This evil stubbornness irritated the king so much, that he said to his servants: ‘Since this man is so stubborn, and rewards my great kindliness and friendliness only with a bad mood, anger and contempt, you must bind his hands and feet (loving will and wisdom) and throw him out (into matter) into extreme darkness (pure worldly reason)! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (worldly quarrellings over justice, truth and life).’ [13] However, with this I am telling you that by His awakened helpers God also invited and called many of you to the true Kingdom of God, but only few are chosen, because the first time they did not want to listen to the invitation at all. After that, they resisted against it – just like it is the case now – and when for the third time all the gentiles were invited to the wedding, dressed themselves and came to the wedding, there was only one of those, who was invited first, who came in a dress that was not fit for the wedding feast, and this one is the image of your stubbornness of spirit which will throw you into the deepest darkness and distress of the world. And therefore, among those who were called since the beginning, only few will be chosen, and so the true Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and be given to the gentiles. But you, you will search in your deepest worldly darkness, and you will quarrel and fight and not find the Kingdom of God anymore which you have lost and which has left you until the end of the world. [14] The true and living Kingdom of God however, does not come in and does not consist of outward appearance, but it is in the deepest of man, because if man does not have it in himself, it does eternally not exist anywhere else in the whole of infinity. [15] And the Kingdom of God in man consists of this: that he keeps the commandments of God and that from now on he believes in Him who was sent to you in Me. [16] In truth, I say to you: he who believes in Me and acts according to My word, has eternal life in him, and together with that he will also have the Kingdom of God. For I Myself am the Truth, the Light, the Way and eternal Life. [17] The one who will either hear it from My mouth or from the mouth of those whom I am already sending out now as My real and true witnesses – and that I will send out even more in the future – and will not believe that this is so and cannot ever be otherwise, will not enter the Kingdom of God, but will remain in the night of his own worldly judgment. This I have said to you now. Blessed is the one who will take it to heart.” (GGJ Book 17, chap. 14) 15. ASKING FOR THE TAX COIN [1]THEN the high priests, scribes and Pharisees heard this from Me, they did not know what more they could do against Me to catch Me in My words, since with the question about the Kingdom of God they did not succeed because they could not say anything against it and because all the people from the crowd loudly declared that I had spoken and taught the full truth. [2] Also the more moderate ones who were present said: “We told you before that with questions from the Scriptures you are no match to Him because He may be more familiar in this than we ourselves. You only should ask His advice and opinion about Roman laws, which He, as a so-called prophet, cannot approve because of the laws of Moses. We could more easily catch Him with that. But then the questions should be asked by those who are very qualified.” [3] All agreed on this and they secretly deliberated to know how they should handle it to catch Me in My own words in the manner that was advised. [4] Some went outside to the scholars of the Roman law and also to the judicial advisers of Herod, and they promised a great reward if they could catch Me in My words. [5] Soon they came with a pretended friendly look and said (the servants of Herod): “Master, we know that You are truthful and You make the way of God known in the right manner, without asking if perhaps someone did not agree with Your teaching. For only the truth counts for You and not the respect of a person, so that You always can speak out a free judgment. Look, we are lawyers and found it always very strange that we as Jews, who according to the law of Moses should always be free, still have to pay taxes to the emperor of Rome. What is Your opinion about this matter? Is it right that we Jews have to pay taxes while we have a certificate which says that we, despite the Roman domination may move freely according to the law of Moses. What do You say about this?” [6] However, because I noticed very clearly their cunningness at the time they came in, I looked at them very seriously and said aloud: “Hypocrites, why do you want to tempt Me!? Show Me such a tax coin!” [7] At once they showed Me such a coin. [8] Then I said: “Whose image is on it and whose inscription!?” [9] They said: “As You can see, the one from the emperor.” [10] I said: “Well, then give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor and to God what belongs to God!” [11] When they heard this, they were surprised at My wisdom and said to the priests: “You can test this wise Man yourself, because we are no match for His wisdom.” [12] Then they went away. [13] And again I spoke freely with the people about the immortality of the human soul, which attracted a few Sadducees who were there. After a short while I came in contact with them, which follows now. [14] After these discussions it was of course already around noon. For this reason a few of My disciples asked Me if it would not be better to leave the temple and to look for a midday meal, because I conquered the Pharisees almost completely and all the people was in our favor and they believed in Me. [15] I said: “This can still wait for awhile because man does not live from bread alone, but also from every word that comes out of the mouth of God. I have to work as long as it is day. When the night comes it is not easy to deal with this people and to work. Sure, the Pharisees have left now to deliberate again if perhaps I still cannot be caught in one way or another. Therefore, they soon will come back to make it difficult for Me. And there is a big group of Sadducees who also have something against Me and will soon start a discussion with Me. On this occasion the necessary Pharisees and scribes will not be absent either. Therefore, we will stay in the temple, for also the people will stay here. But if one of you wants to leave to take care of his body he also can do that. But I prefer that you stay here.” [16] When the disciples heard that from Me they stayed and not one of them left the temple. (GGJ Book 17, chap. 15)
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