Jerusalem

Jesus returns to Bethany after the Feast of Tabernacles. He talks to Lazarus, who tells him about Joseph of Arimathea, as well as Nicodemus. The former wants to see him, and says that anyone who performs miracles has God with him. The second criticizes the presence of Judas in the apostolic group, because he's a chameleon. So the two friends discuss Iscariot, and then the vision ends.

Jesus goes to a banquet given by Joseph of Arimathea. Lazarus, Gamaliel, Felix, John, Simon and Cornelius (Pharisees) are present. Jesus, for his part, has taken Thomas and Nicodemus with him. The guests talk about John the Baptist, whose holiness is indisputable, and how miracles do not necessarily prove holiness. They deviate to Aaron and Moses, talking in particular about the pontificate and the high priest, Caiaphas. Jesus gives a definition of a pontiff, but Felix is angry and leaves. Jesus then asks Gamaliel if he too wants a miracle, and Gamaliel only wants the sign the Child has promised him.

Jesus is in the Temple in Jerusalem. He is praying. But Alexander, the Roman soldier he has met before, appears. His horse has wounded a child, who is in agony, so he comes looking for the Master, who he is sure can save this innocent. His arrival causes a scandal, because a pagan in the Temple is very serious in the eyes of the Pharisees. So Jesus goes straight to him and heals the boy. The doctors of the Law then reproached him for all the commotion he was causing in the holy place...

Jesus is with his disciples in the olive grove of Gethsemane. The apostolic group talks about the Gentiles who are interested in Jesus, which creates misgivings among some Israelites. The discussion then turns to the idolatry of the Romans, but also to the idolatries in everyone's hearts. Later, everyone withdraws, except John, Simon the Zealot and Jesus. The Master has kept his two apostles close to him because Nicodemus wants to see him, and while John goes to fetch him, Christ confides to Simon that he will be leaving Jerusalem for a while. Nicodemus then arrives and tells them that he and Joseph of Arimathea are his disciples in secret, the better to know what the Sanhedrin wants to do against him. The Sanhedrin is hostile to him, and Jesus lets him know that he will be moving away from Jerusalem. This devastates Nicodemus, who thinks he's done the wrong thing by talking to him, and Simon the Zealot confirms to the old man that Jesus was already planning to leave the Holy City, even before their meeting.

Lazarus gives the Savior a house to stay in for a while. Then the Pharisee comes along, grieving that he doesn't believe as simply as John and Simon, and Jesus confides in him that they have been spiritually reborn. He confirms that there is no such thing as reincarnation, and gives his speech as found in John 3:1-21: "Amen, amen, I say to you: no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit", and so on.

Jesus goes to Bethany to face the hostility of the Pharisees. Lazarus gives him the land of Belle-Eau. In this chapter, we discover that the son of Theophilus intervened a great deal in secret, on behalf of Jesus and his friend Simon. The Lord speaks of his friend's spiritual goodness and promises that the Father has a great reward in store for him. He speaks of his future sanctification in Heaven, and by extension of the saints and blessed who will be there.