(The Lord) “In our presence there are not quests who are either very eminent or very lowly, but only brothers.” (GGJ III, 164:16) The Lord preaches brotherly equality and declares slavery an abomination before God (The Lord) “In our presence there are not quests who are either very eminent or very lowly, but only brothers.” (THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN vol. 3, 164:16) “Concerning Jored’s question regarding protective duty and slave-trade, which are regulated by Roman law, the Lord advises to adhere to the civil laws, but Jored should not sell any of his slaves again, [10] for to sell human beings is an abomination before God. He should make his slaves free, devout men, whereby he would prepare for himself a great treasure in heaven.” (THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN vol. 6, chap. 92) The history of the Lord converting a chief slave-trader and freeing his slaves (The Lord)”[1] After the crowd had soon completely dispersed, I, together with Raphael, Agricola and Lazarus went to the chief trader and addressed him in his own tongue: “Who gave you initially the right to sell human beings and their children as merchandise on the markets of the world thereby making them slaves of a tyrannical, lewd buyer?” [2] Said the Chief Trader: “If you want to buy them from me, I will show you that I have the right to do this. If you do not buy them, I will, if you wish it, tell you only before the governor that I am entitled to this. Once, I myself was sold as a slave, but my master, whom I served faithfully, gave me my freedom and much money. I returned to my homeland and am now trading with the same merchandise, as which I had to serve another man twenty years ago. I became happy as a slave; why should that not be the case with those over there? Besides, this is a very ancient custom in our lands, and our sages have never reproached us concerning it. Thus, we are not offending against the laws of our land and to comply with the laws of your land, we pay a ransom. And so, we do not have to account for our good right to anyone!” [3] Said I: “Thirty days ago, you were in the mountains and sacrificed 130 sheep, 10 oxes and 10 calves and your soothsayer told you: “If on your journey you do not see a flash of lightning or hear any thunder, you will be lucky!’ You interpreted this to your advantage, thinking that at this late time of the year, there are no longer any thunderstorms with lightning and thunder; and so, you set out with your associates on this long journey. However, it has now thundered and there has been lightning. What will you do now?”
[4] Here, the Chief Trader stared at Me in surprise and said: “If you were only a man like me, you could not possibly know that. For, firstly, you have never been to our land and, secondly, none in all the world knows the abode of the foremost and most famous soothsayer. No one could have given this secret away, for we would not do that for all the treasures of the world. How, then, can you know my deepest secret? Friend, tell me but this, and all these slaves shall belong to you!” [5] Said I: “Did not your soothsayer once tell you that there existed a yet greater God about whom he had only read in ancient, secret scriptures. However, this was too great and incomprehensible for mortals and you were not to investigate this matter any further. – Did not your soothsayer say this?” [6] Now, the Chief Trader was quite beside himself and said: “I said it already and repeat it: You are not a man, - You are a god! How may I, a weak worm of this earth, oppose You, who can destroy me with just a breath? It is true, from an earthly point of view, I do not gain anything; but if I had a thousand times as many slaves as I have here, and this truly at great cost, they would all be yours!” […] Said I to the bystanders: “Do take example of this, all of you. These are extremely ignorant slave-traders, and how soon they have recognized Me! Up there is the temple David and Solomon built for Me at great expense, but what a vast difference there is between these slave-traders who only sell human bodies and those who sell souls to hell.” […] [10] Here I turned once more to the slave trader and said: “Friend, how much would you demand for all these slaves? Tell Me!” [11] Said the Chief Trader: “My God, what could I, a weak mortal man, demand of You? I give You all these and a thousand times as many, if You would find Me worthy of Your grace and tell me what is lacking with us and where we have failed.” [12] Said I: “So give them all their freedom and I will give you eternal freedom for your souls and everlasting life!” [13] Said thereupon the Chief Trader: “That is a deal, for it is easy to deal with gods. Free all the slaves, we have now clinched the best bargain ever. Are you, my companions, all in agreement?” [14] Said all: “Yes, Hibram, this is the greatest profit we have ever made! Our soothsayer, however, has been wrong this time, for it was the lightning and thunder that helped us to the greatest happiness. – Take the shackles off the slaves, and they shall be the free-of-charge property of this pure God! We shall then start on our way home without delay.” [15] Said I: “Oh, no, I do accept the shackled, but you will still remain here for three days, although not at your own expense; for I shall pay for you temporally and eternally.” (THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN vol. 7, chap. 4) “Raphael, upon a sign by the Lord, frees and clothes in an instant all the shackled and naked slaves who are beside themselves with joy and soon form a great circle around the Lord, in order to thank Him. [13] The Salves: “Oh, you good father, we thank you for having saved us and removed our hard shackles. We do not possess anything to make it up to you, but we shall from now on serve you as if we were your feet, hands, eyes, ears, your nose and your mouth. Oh, do allow also us to love you, kind father! Remain a father to us in your kindness and love and do not ever leave us!” [14] Thereupon, the Lord goes to every single one of them, embraces him and presses him to His bosom with the words: “Peace be with you, My son… My daughter!” [15] And the fair-haired youths and maidens wet His hands and feet with their tears of joy.” (THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN Vol. 7, chap. 5)
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