Notes for this theme

The college of scribes

Page 7 of 8

Reading comfort

GRM 186.4 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«You were making grimaces because you had to pass near some animals.»
«They are unclean…»
«A sinner is much more so. These animals are made like that, and it is not their fault if they are like that. Man instead is responsible for being unclean because of his sins.»
«Why, then, are they classified as unclean[1] for us?» asks Philip.
«I have mentioned that once. In this commandment there is a supernatural reason and a natural one. The former reason is to teach the chosen people to live bearing in mind its election and the dignity of man, also in a common action like eating. A savage feeds on everything. It is enough for him to fill his stomach. A pagan, too, even if he is not a savage, eats everything, without considering that overeating foments vices and inclinations which degrade man. Indeed, pagans endeavour to reach this frenzy for pleasure, which is almost a religion for them. The more learned amongst you are aware of obscene celebrations in honour of their gods, which degenerate into lecherous orgies. A son of the people of God must be able to control himself, perfecting himself through obedience and prudence, bearing in mind his origin and his end: God and Heaven. The natural reason is not to stimulate the blood by means of food that causes a heat unbecoming of man, who is not forbidden also carnal love, but must always moderate it with the freshness of his soul tending to Heaven. Man must therefore make sure that the sentiment that joins him to his wife, in whom he must see a fellow creature like himself, not a female, is love, not sensuality. But the poor animals are neither guilty of being pigs nor of the effects that the flesh of pigs may cause in man’s blood on the long run. And the swineherds are much less guilty. If they are honest, what difference will there be, in the next life, between them and the scribe who is bent over his books but does not learn to be good? I solemnly tell you that we shall see swineherds among the just and scribes among the unjust.

Detail

Why were pigs declared unclean? Jesus answers this question, after the apostles had shown their disgust at these animals.

Annotation

Pigs are described as unclean in Leviticus 11:7 and Deuteronomy 14:8. More generally, the classification of clean and unclean animals, and the related prescriptions, are found in Genesis 7:2-3; Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21. See the altercation between Peter and an innkeeper in EMV 292.1.

Book of Leviticus 11, 7

Lv 11, 7 : Likethe swine, which has a divided horn and a cloven foot, but does not chew the cud: it will be unclean for you.

Deuteronomy 14, 8

Deut 14, 8: Like the swine, which has a divided horn but does not chew the cud: it shall be unclean for you. You shall not eat their flesh, nor touch their carcasses.

Book of Genesis 7, 2-3

Gn 7, 2-3 : Of all the clean animals, you shall take with you seven pairs, males and their females, and of all the animals that are not clean, you shall take two, a male and his female; seven pairs also of the birds of the air, males and their females, to keep alive their race on the face of all the earth.

Book of Leviticus 11

Lev 11: Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them: "Speak to the children of Israel, and say:

These are the animals you shall eat of all the beasts that are on the earth: Every animal that has a divided horn and a cloven foot, and chews the cud, you shall eat. But you shall not eat those that only chew the cud, or that only have a divided horn. Such is the camel, which chews the cud, but whose horn is not divided: it will be unclean to you. Like the jerboa, which chews the cud, but whose horn is not divided: it will be impure for you. Like the hare, which chews the cud but does not have a divided horn: it will be unclean for you. Like the pig, which has a divided horn and a cloven foot, but does not chew the cud: it shall be unclean for you. 8You shall not eat their flesh, nor touch their carcasses: they shall be unclean for you.

These are the beasts you shall eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, whether in the sea or in the rivers, you shall eat. But everything that does not have fins and scales, in the seas and in the rivers, among all the animals that move in the waters and among all the living creatures that are in them, you will find an abomination. They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, and their carcasses shall be an abomination to you. Everything in the waters that has no fins or scales is an abomination to you.

These are the birds you will abhor; they shall not be eaten, for they are an abomination: the eagle, the osprey and the vulture: the kite and all kinds of falcons; all kinds of ravens; the ostrich, the kite, the gull and all kinds of hawks; the owl, the cormorant and the owl; the swan, the pelican and the bearded vulture; the stork, all kinds of herons; the hoopoe and the bat.

Any winged insect that walks on four legs, you will abhor. But of all the winged insects that walk on four legs, you shall eat those that have legs above their legs, to leap on the earth. These are the ones you shall eat: every kind of locust, every kind of solam, every kind of hargol, every kind of hagab. Every other winged beast with four legs is an abomination to you.

These also shall make you unclean: whoever touches their dead body shall be unclean until the even, and whoever takes away any part of their dead body shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the even.

Any animal that has a divided horn, but is not forked-footed and does not chew the cud, will be unclean to you; whoever touches it will make himself unclean. And of the four-footed animals, everything that walks on the soles of its feet will be unclean to you: whoever touches their dead body will be unclean until evening; and whoever carries their dead body will wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. These animals will be unclean for you.

Among the little beasts that crawl on the earth, these are the ones that will be unclean for you: the weasel, the mouse and all kinds of lizards; the shrew, the chameleon, the salamander, the green lizard and the mole. These are the unclean reptiles for you: whoever touches them dead will be unclean until evening. Anything on which dead ones fall shall be unclean: wooden utensils, clothing, skins, sackcloth, anything you use; you shall put it in water, and it shall remain unclean until evening, after which it shall be clean. If any of it falls into the middle of any earthen vessel, everything in the middle of the vessel will be defiled, and you will break the vessel. Any foodstuff prepared with water will be defiled; any beverage used in any vessel will be defiled. Every object on which anything of their dead body falls will be defiled; the oven and the vessel with its lid will be destroyed; they will be defiled and you will hold them to be defiled. But the springs and cisterns, where the pools of water are formed, will remain pure; however, whoever touches the dead body will be unclean. If anything of their dead body falls on a seed that is to be sown, the seed will remain pure; but if water has been put on the seed, and anything of their dead body falls on it, you will hold it unclean.

If one of your food animals dies, whoever touches its corpse will be unclean until evening. Whoever eats of its dead body shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; whoever carries its dead body shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening.

Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth is an abomination to you; it shall not be eaten. You shall not eat any animal that crawls on the ground, whether it be one that crawls on its belly, or one that walks on four feet or on many feet; for they are an abomination to you.

Do not make yourselves abominable by all these creeping things; do not make yourselves unclean by them; you will be defiled by them. For I am Yahweh, your God; you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy; and you shall not be defiled by all creeping things that creep upon the earth. For I am Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall be holy, for I am holy. "This is the law for all four-footed animals, for birds, for every living thing that moves in the water, and for every creeping thing that crawls on the earth, so that you may distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between the animal that can be eaten and the animal that cannot be eaten.

Deuteronomy 14, 3-21

You shall not eat any abominable thing. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep and the goat; the stag, the gazelle and the fallow deer; the ibex, the antelope, the wild ox and the wild goat. You shall eat of every animal that has a divided horn and a cloven foot, and that chews the cud. But you shall not eat of those that only chew the cud, or that only have a divided horn and a cloven foot; such are the camel, the hare and the rabbit, which chew the cud but do not have a divided horn: they shall be unclean to you; such again is the pig, which has a divided horn but does not chew the cud: it shall be unclean to you. You shall not eat their flesh, nor touch their carcasses.

These are the animals you shall eat of all that are in the waters: you shall eat everything that has fins and scales; but everything that does not have fins and scales you shall not eat: it shall be unclean for you. You shall eat every clean bird. These are the ones you shall not eat: the eagle, the osprey and the vulture; the falcon, the kite and all kinds of goshawk; all kinds of raven; the ostrich, the owl, the gull and all kinds of sparrowhawk; the owl, the ibis and the owl; the pelican, the cormorant and the loon; 18the stork and all kinds of heron; the hoopoe and the bat. 19You shall regard every winged insect as unclean: it shall not be eaten. You must eat every pure bird. You shall not eat any dead animal. You shall give it to the stranger within your gates to eat, or sell it to a foreigner; for you are a people holy to Yahweh, your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk.

Keywords

GRM 187.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Where are we going exactly?» asks Peter.
«To give Passover to those who suffer. I have been wanting to do it for a long time. But I could not. I would have done it going back to Galilee. Now that they compel us to go along roads that we have not chosen, I am going to bless Jonah’s poor friends.»
«We will be wasting a lot of time! Passover is near! There are always delays for various reasons.» Another chorus of complaints rises to the sky. I do not know how Jesus can be so patient…
Without reproaching anyone He says: «Please, do not hinder Me! Endeavour to understand My need to love and to be loved. I have but this solace on the earth: to love and do the will of God.»
«And are we going from here? Was it not better to go from Nazareth?»
«If I had suggested that, you would have rebelled. No one will suspect that I am here… and I am doing it for you… because you are afraid.»
«Afraid? Ah! No! We are ready to fight for You.»
«Pray the Lord not to put you to the test. I know that you are quarrelsome, resentful, anxious to offend those who offend Me and to humble your neighbour. I know all that. But I do not know you to be brave. As far as I am concerned, I would have also gone by Myself and along the main road and nothing would have happened because it is not yet the time. But I feel sorry for you. I have to obey My Mother, yes, but I do not want to upset Simon the Pharisee. I will not disgust them. But they will disgust Me.»
«And where do we go from here? I am not familiar with this area» says Thomas.
«We will reach Tabor, we will coast part of it and will go to Nain via Endor; from there to the plain of Esdraelon. Be not afraid!… Doras, the son of Doras, and Johanan are already in Jerusalem.»

Keywords

GRM 190.1-3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The sun is setting in a red sky when Jesus comes in view of Johanan’s fields.
«Let us quicken our pace, My friends, before the sun sets. And you, Peter, go with your brother to inform our friends, Doras’ men.»
«I will go indeed, to see also whether the son has really gone away.» Peter stresses the word «son». And he goes away.
In the meantime Jesus proceeds at a slower pace, looking around to see whether any of Johanan’s men are about. But He can only see the fertile fields, in which the ears of grain are already well formed.
At last, a face, wet with perspiration, appears among the vine-leaves and an exclamation is heard: «Oh! Blessed Lord!» and the peasant runs out of the vineyard and prostrates himself at Jesus’ feet.
«Peace to you, Isaiah!»
«Oh! You remember my name too?»
«It is written in My heart. Stand up. Where are your companions?»
«Over there. In the apple-orchards. But I will tell them at once. You will be our guest, will You not? The master is not here and we can welcome You. In any case… what with the fear, what with the joy… it is better. Just imagine, he gave us a lamb this year and will allow us to go to the Temple! He has only given us six days…. but we will run all the way… We will be in Jerusalem, too… Imagine!… And thanks to You.» The man is in his seventh heaven of delight because he has been treated as a man and as an Israelite.
«I have done nothing, as far as I know…» says Jesus smiling.
«Eh! no! You have done a great deal. Doras, and the fields of Doras, and these ones here, which are instead so beautiful this year… Johanan was informed of your visit, and he is not a fool. He is afraid and… and he is afraid.»
«Of what?»
«He is afraid that what happened to Doras may happen to him. Both with regards to his life and to his property. Have You seen Doras’ fields?»
«I have come from Nain…»
«In that case You have not seen them. They are a complete ruin. (The man whispers that in a low but clear voice, like someone imparting a secret concerning something dreadful.) They are all ruined! There is no hay, no fodder, no fruit. Vines and orchards withered… Dead… everything is dead… like Sodom and Gomorrah… Come, I will show You.»
«It is not necessary. I am going to see those peasants…»
«But they are no longer here! Did You not know? Doras, the son of Doras, has scattered them or dismissed them, and the ones he sent to the other country places which belong to him, must not speak of You, or they will be lashed… Not to speak of You! That will be difficult! Also Johanan said so to us.»
«What did he say?»
«He said: “I am not so foolish as Doras and I will not say to you: ‘I do not want you to speak of the Nazarene’. It would be useless, because you would do it just the same and I do not want to lose you by lashing you to death like untameable animals. On the contrary I say to you: ‘Be good as the Nazarene certainly teaches you and tell Him that I treat you well’. I do not want to be cursed, too”. Of course, he can see what these fields are like after You blessed them, and what the ones You cursed are like.
190.2
Oh! Here are the ones who ploughed the field for me…» and the man runs to meet Peter and Andrew.
But Peter greets him briefly and proceeds on his way and begins to shout: «Oh! Master! There is no one left! They are all new faces. And everything is laid waste! He could very well do without any peasants here. It is worse than the Salt Sea!…»
«I know. Isaiah told Me.»
«But come and see! What a sight…»
Jesus pleases him after saying to Isaiah: «I will stay with you. Tell your companions. But do not go to any trouble. I have enough food. All we need is a barn to sleep in and your love. I will come back soon.»
The sight of Doras’ fields is really distressing. Fields and meadows are dry and barren, vineyards are withered, the foliage and fruit of trees are completely destroyed by millions of insects of all kinds. Also the garden-orchard near the house looks like a desolate dying wood. The peasants wander to and fro uprooting weeds, crushing caterpillars, snails, earth-worms and the like, shaking branches under which they place basins full of water to drown little butterflies, aphides and other parasites which cover the leaves and eat away the plant until it dies. They endeavour to find a sign of life in the vine-shoots, which break like dry wood as soon as they are touched and sometimes fall off the main branch, as if the roots had been cut by a saw. The contrast with Johanan’s fields, vineyards and orchards is most striking and the ruin of the cursed fields seems more impressive when compared to the fruitfulness of the others.
«The hand of the God of Sinai is a heavy one» whispers Simon the Zealot.
Jesus makes a gesture as if to say: «How right you are!» but He does not say anything. He only asks: «How did it happen?»
A peasant replies between his teeth: «Moles, locusts, worms… but go away! The steward is faithful to Doras… Don’t cause us trouble…»
Jesus sighs and goes away.
Another peasant, who is bent under an apple-tree earthing it up, in the hope he may save it, says: «We will reach You tomorrow… when the steward goes to Jezreel for the prayer… we will come to Micah’s house.»
Jesus makes the gesture of blessing and goes away.
190.3
When He goes back to the cross-road, all the peasants of Johanan are there and joyful and happy they surround their Messiah and take Him to their poor dwellings.
«Did You see, over there?»
«Yes, I did. Doras’ peasants are coming tomorrow.»
«Of course, when the hyenas go to pray… We do that every Sabbath… and we speak of You, we tell what we heard from Jonah, from Isaac, who often comes to see us, and what we learned from You in Tishri. We speak as best we can. Because it is impossible not to speak of You. And the more we suffer, the more we are forbidden, the more we speak of You. Those poor people… they drink the essence of life every Sabbath… But how many there are in this plain who are in need of knowing, of knowing You at least, and yet they cannot come here…»
«I will see to them as well. And may you be blessed for what you do.»
The sun is setting while Jesus enters a kitchen blackened by smoke. The Sabbath rest begins.

Annotation

"The man runs to meet Peter and Andrew. Cf. EMV 109.4: Peter and Andrew, James and John, who took the place of the ploughmen to enable them to listen to Jesus' word.

The God of Sinai has a heavy hand. Direct reference to Jesus' words in EMV 109.12.

We speak of You, with what we have learned from Jonah, from Isaac who often comes to us, and from your speech at Tisri. Cf. EMV 109.5.

Keywords

GRM 191.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The peasants of Johanan, women, men and children follow them. The men are carrying two small amphoras, which, however, are not very small, and which must be full of wine. They are jars rather than amphoras and contain about ten litres each. (Please do not take my estimate literally). They go towards a thick vineyard, which is already all covered with new leaves, at the end of Johanan’s property. Beyond it there is a large ditch which is kept full of water with, I wonder, how much work.
«See? Johanan quarrelled with Doras over this ditch. Johanan said: “It is your father’s fault if everything is ruined. If he did not want to adore Him, he should have been afraid of Him instead of provoking Him”. And Doras shouted like a demon: “It was this ditch that saved you. The insects did not cross it…”. And Johanan replied: “Why is all your property ruined, then, when previously your fields were the nicest ones in Esdraelon? It’s God’s punishment, believe me. You went beyond the limit. This water?… It has been here all the time and that is not what saved me”. And Doras shouted again: “Which proves that Jesus is a demon”. “He is a just man” Johanan shouted back. And they continued for some time, while they had breath. Later Johanan spent a lot of money to divert the torrent, to find other underground water sources, and to dig more ditches on the boundary line between him and his relative, and he made them deeper and told us what we told You yesterday… After all, he is happy that it happened. He was so envious of Doras… He now hopes that he will be able to buy everything, because Doras will end up by selling everything at a very low price.»

Detail

The peasants of Yokhanan have found Jesus and are accompanying him and some of his apostles.

Keywords

GRM 192.5-6 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

They are already near Engannim – which must be a beautiful little town supplied with water brought from the hills by means of an elevated aqueduct, probably a Roman work – when the noise of an oncoming military squad makes them take refuge on the edge of the road. The hooves of the horses resound on the road, which here, near the town, shows signs of a paving that appears through the dust gathered on it with rubble. The road has obviously never been swept with a besom.
«Hail, Master! How do You happen to be here?» shouts Publius Quintilianus dismounting from his horse, and going towards Jesus with a broad smile, holding the horse by the reins. His soldiers slow down to keep pace with their superior.
«I am going to Jerusalem for Passover.»
«I am going, too. We are reinforcing the guard for the festivity, also because Pontius Pilate is coming to town, too, and Claudia is there. We are her runners. The roads are so insecure! The eagles drive jackals away» says the soldier laughing and looks at Jesus. He then continues in a low voice: «Double watch this year, to protect the back of filthy Antipas. There is a lot of ill-feeling because of the capture of the Prophet. Ill-feeling in Israel… and consequently dissatisfaction among us. But… we have already ensured that the High Priest and his stooges have been… benignly lectured…» and he ends in a low voice: «Go without any fear. All the claws have been retracted into the paws. Oh! They are afraid of us. If we only clear our throats, they take it for a roar. Will you speak at Jerusalem? Come near the Praetorium. Claudia speaks of You as of a great philosopher. That is a good thing because Claudia is the proconsul.»
192.6
He looks around and sees Peter flushed, perspiring with his load. «And that boy?»
«An orphan I brought with Me.»
«But that man of Yours is working too hard! Boy, are you afraid to come on the horse with me for a few yards? I will keep you under my chlamys and I will go slow. I will hand you back to him when we are at the gate.»
The boy does not object, he is as mild as a lamb, and Publius lifts him up onto the saddle.
And while he is ordering his soldiers to go slow he also sees the man from Endor. He stares at him and says: «What! You here?»
«I am here. I have stopped selling eggs to the Romans. But the chicken are still there. I am now with the Master…»
«Good for you! You will have greater comfort. Goodbye. Hail, Master. I will wait for You at that group of trees.» And he spurs his horse.
«Do you know him? And does he know you?» many ask John of Endor.
«Yes, as his supplier of chicken. He did not know me before, but once I was summoned to the headquarters at Nain to fix the prices, and he was there. Since then he always spoke to me when I went to Caesarea to buy books or tools. He calls me Cyclops or Diogenes. He is not a bad fellow, and although I cannot bear Romans I have never offended him because he might be useful to me.»
«Did you hear that, Master? My speech to the centurion at Capernaum was a good thing. I feel more relaxed now» says Peter.
They reach the thicket in the shade of which the patrol has dismounted.
«I am handing the boy back to You. Have You orders, Master?»
«No, Publius. May God show Himself to you.»
«Hail», he mounts his horse and spurs it, followed by his men with a loud rattle of hooves and body-armour.

Annotation

There is much discontent because of the prophet's arrest: in EMV 180.

My speech to the centurion in Capernaum had an effect: in EMV 182.

Keywords

GRM 198.5 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«I saw Joseph of Arimathea, Lazarus. He is coming here on Monday with some friends.»
«Oh! Well, You are my guest on that day!»
«Yes. He is coming to spend the day with us, but also to arrange a ceremony concerning Jabez. John: take the boy up to the terrace. He will enjoy himself there.»
John of Zebedee, who is always obedient, gets up at once and shortly afterwards the boy can be heard chattering and running about on the terrace that surrounds the house.
«The child» Jesus explains to His Mother, His friends, the women among whom there is also Martha, who has rushed back so that she would not miss one moment of joy near the Master, «is the grandson of one of Doras’ peasants. I passed through Esdraelon…»
«Is it true that the fields are a complete ruin and that he wants to sell them?»
«They are a ruin. Whether he wants to sell them, I do not know. One of Johanan’s men mentioned it to me. But I do not know whether it is certain.»
«If he should sell them… I would willingly buy them to have a refuge for You also in the middle of that nest of snakes.»
«I do not think that you will be successful. Johanan is ready to buy them.»
«We shall see… But go on. Who are the peasants? He scattered all the former servants.»
«Yes, he did. The present ones come from his land in Judaea, at least the old man, the boy’s relative, does. The boy was kept in a wood, like a wild animal, so that Doras could not see him… and he had been there since last winter…»
«Oh! poor boy! But why?» The women are all moved.
«Because his father and mother were buried under the landslide near Emmaus. The whole family: father, mother and his little brothers. He survived because he was not at home. They took him to the old father. But what could a peasant of Doras do? Isaac, also in this case, you spoke of Me as a saviour.»
«Was that wrong?» asks Isaac humbly.
«You did the right thing. God wanted it. The old man gave me the boy, who is to come of age in the next few days.»
«Oh! poor little thing! So tiny at twelve years of age?! My Judas was twice his size at that age… And Jesus? What a beautiful flower!» says Mary of Alphaeus.
And Salome: «Also my children were much stronger!»
Martha whispers: «He is really tiny! I thought he was not ten yet.»
«Eh! Hunger is a nasty thing. And he must have suffered from starvation since he was born. And now… What could the old man give him, if they are all dying of starvation there?» says Peter.
«Yes, he suffered a great deal. But he is good and intelligent. I took him to comfort both the old man and the boy.»

Keywords

GRM 198.11 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

…It is late in the night when Jesus can speak to His Mother in peace. They have gone up to the terrace, and sitting one beside the other, hand in hand, they speak and listen to each other.
Jesus is the first to tell the story of the things that happened. Then Mary says: «Son, after Your departure, immediately after, a woman came to Me… She was looking for You. A great misery. And a great redemption. But the poor creature needs to be forgiven by You so that she may persevere in her decision. I entrusted her to Susanna saying that she had been cured by You. That is true. I could have kept her with Me if our house were not like a sea-port, where all the boats come in… and many with evil intentions. And the woman is disgusted with the world by now. Do You want to know who she is?»
«She is a soul. But tell Me her name that I may receive her without any mistake.»
«She is Aglae. The Roman mime and sinner whom You began to save at Hebron, who looked for You and found You at the Clear Water and she has already suffered because of her revived honesty. How much she has suffered!… She told Me everything… How horrible!…»
«Her sin?»
«That… and I would say how much more: how horrible the world is. Oh! My Son! Do not trust the Pharisees in Capernaum! They wanted to use the unhappy creature to harm You. They would have used even her…»
«I know, Mother… Where is Aglae?»
«She will be coming with Susanna before Passover.»
«Very well. I will speak to her. I will be here every evening and with the exception of Passover evening, which I am reserving for the family, I will wait for her. All You need do is tell her to wait, if she comes. It is a great redemption, as You said. And such a spontaneous one! I solemnly tell You that in few hearts My seed took root with the same strength as it did in this unhappy soil. And later Andrew helped it to grow until it was fully formed.»
«She told Me.»
«Mother, what did You feel when that ruin approached You?»
«Disgust and joy. I seemed to be on the brink of a hellish abyss, and at the same time I felt as if I were being carried into the blue sky. You are God indeed, My Son, when You work such miracles!»
They remain silent, under the very bright stars and the pale light of the first quarter of the moon, which is tending to become full. Silent, loving each other and resting in each other’s love.

Keywords

GRM 201.2-3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Master, we are here!» shouts Thomas, who is on the other side of the Gate with Philip and Bartholomew.
«Is Judas not here?», «Why are you here?» ask many.
«No. We came here at daybreak, because we were afraid that You might come earlier. But we have not seen him. I met him yesterday, he was with Sadoc, the scribe, you know, Joseph? The old, very lean man, with a wart under his eye. And there were other people with him… young people. I shouted to him: “Hallo, Judas”. But he did not reply, pretending he did not know me. I said: “But what’s the matter with him?” and I followed him for a few yards. He left Sadoc, in whose company he looked like a Levite, and went with the other men of his own age… who were certainly not Levites… And now he is not here… And he knew that we had decided to come here!»
Philip does not say anything. Bartholomew tightens his lips so much that they can no longer be seen, in an effort to stifle his opinion, which is rising from his heart.
«Very well! Let us go just the same! I will certainly not weep because of his absence» says Peter.
«Let us wait for a little while. He may have been held up» says Jesus seriously.
They lean against the wall, on its shady side, the women in one group, the men in another.
They are all wearing their best clothes. Peter, especially, is really magnificent. He is showing off brand new snow-white headgear, adorned with a galloon embroidered in red and gold. He is wearing his best tunic, a very dark garnet-red, adorned with a new belt identical in style with the decoration of his headgear. A knife, like a dagger, with an engraved hilt and an open-work brass sheath, through which the blade shines, hangs from his belt. The others are also armed more or less in the same fashion. Only Jesus is without a weapon. He is wearing a pure white linen tunic and a fleur-de-lis blue mantle, which Mary has certainly woven for Him during the winter months. Marjiam’s dress is pale red with a festoon in a darker shade around the neck, cuffs and hem. A similar galloon is embroidered around the waist and the hem of the mantle, which the boy is carrying on his arm and caresses happily. Now and again he raises his head and his little face looks half smiling and half worried… Also Peter has a little parcel in his hand and he holds it very carefully.
201.3
Some time goes by… but there is no sign of Judas.
«He did not deign…» grumbles Peter, and perhaps he would say something else, but John, the apostle, says: «Perhaps he is waiting for us at the Golden Gate…»
They go to the Temple. But Judas is not there.
Joseph of Arimathea loses patience. He says: «Let us go.»

Keywords

GRM 202.1-2 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

It is the eve of Passover. Jesus is alone with His apostles, because the women have not joined the group, and He is waiting for Peter, who has taken the lamb of Passover to be sacrificed. While they are waiting and Jesus is speaking to Marjiam of Solomon, Judas crosses the large yard. He is with a group of young men speaking, gesticulating ostentatiously and assuming an inspired attitude. He shakes his mantle continuously, then drapes it round himself posing skilfully. I do not think that Cicero looked so stately when delivering his orations…
«Look, Judas is over there!» says Thaddeus.
«He is with a group of saforim» remarks Philip.
And Thomas says: «I am going to hear what he is saying» and he runs away before Jesus may express a foreseeable «don’t».
Oh! Jesus’ countenance! A countenance of suffering and of severe judgement. Marjiam, who was looking at Him while He was speaking kindly and somewhat sadly of the great king of Israel, notices, the sudden change, is almost frightened by it and shakes Jesus’ hand to call Him back to His senses exclaiming: «Don’t look! Don’t look! Look at me, for I love You.»…
202.2
Thomas is successful in reaching Judas without being seen by him and follows him for a few steps. I do not know what he hears, but I know that he bursts into a sudden thundering exclamation. which causes many people to turn around, and in particular Judas, who becomes livid with rage: «How many rabbis there are in Israel! I congratulate you, new light of wisdom!»
«I am not a flint-stone. I am a sponge. And I absorb. And when the desire of those starving for wisdom demands it, I squeeze out all my juices of life to give them…» Judas is pompous and contemptuous.
«You sound like a perfect echo. But an echo can only exist, if it is near the Voice. Otherwise it fades away, my friend. You seem to be going away from it. He is over there. Are you not coming?»
Judas changes colour, with the rancorous disgusting countenance of his worst moments. But he controls himself. He says: «Goodbye, my friends. Here I am with you, Thomas, my dear friend. Let us go to the Master at once. I did not know that He was here in the Temple. If I had known, I would have looked for Him» and he clasps Thomas’ shoulders with his arm, as if he were very fond of him.

Annotation

He is with a group of saforim. Saforim (sopherîms): scribes. They are not named.

Keywords

GRM 206.15-17 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Lazarus congratulates Jesus. He says: «Oh! I am sorry to see You go away. But I am happier than I would have been, had I seen You go away the day before yesterday!»
«Why, Lazarus?»
«Because You looked so tired and sad… You did not speak, and You hardly ever smiled… Yesterday and today You have become once again my kind holy Master, and that makes me so happy…»
«I was so even if I was quiet…»
«You were. But You are serenity and word. That is what we want from You. We drink our strength at those sources. And now those sources seemed to be dried up. Our thirst was painful… You see that also the Gentiles are amazed, and they have come looking for them…»
The Iscariot, whom John of Zebedee had approached, dares to speak: «Of course, they also inquired of me… Because I was very often at the Antonia, hoping to see You.»
«You knew where I was» replies Jesus briefly.
«I did. But I was hoping You would not disappoint those who were expecting You. Also the Romans were disappointed. I do not know why You behaved like that…»
«And you are asking Me? Are you not aware of the humours of the Sanhedrin, of the Pharisees, and of others as well, with regards to Me?»
«What? Were You afraid?»
«I was disgusted.
206.16
Last year, when I was alone — all by Myself against the whole world, which did not even know whether I was a prophet — I bore evidence that I was not afraid. And you were a conquest of that audacity of Mine. I spoke openly against a whole world of howlers; I caused the voice of God to be heard by a people who had forgotten it; I cleansed the House of God of the material filth in it, without any hope of purifying it of the more serious moral filth nesting in it, because I am not unaware of the future of men. But I had to do My duty, because of My zeal for the House of the Eternal Lord, which had been converted into a place where swindlers, usurers and thieves bawled, and I did it to arouse from their torpor those whom centuries of priests’ carelessness had caused to fall into spiritual lethargy. It was a cry to gather My people and take them to God… This year I have come back… And I saw that the Temple is still the same… it is even worse. It is no longer a den of thieves, but a place of conspiracy, it will later become the centre of Crime, then a brothel and finally it will be destroyed by a power greater than Samson’s, crushing a caste unworthy of being called holy. It is useless to speak in that place, where, I would remind you, I was forbidden to speak. Faithless people, whose poisoned leaders dare to forbid the Word of God to speak in His House! I was forbidden. I was silent for the sake of the least ones. It is not yet time to kill Me. Too many people are in need of Me, and My apostles are not yet strong enough to take on their arms My off-spring: the World. Do not weep, Mother, forgive, good Mother, Your Son’s need to tell those, who wish to or may deceive themselves, the truth that I know… I will be silent… But woe to those who cause God to be silent!… Mother, Marjiam, do not weep!… Please. Let no one weep.»
But in actual fact they are all weeping more or less bitterly.
Judas, as white as death in his striped red and yellow robe, dares still to speak, in a moaning ridiculous voice: «Believe me, Master, that I am amazed and grieved… I do not know what You mean… I know nothing… It is true that I have not seen anyone of the Temple. I have broken off contacts with everybody… But if You say so it must be true…»
«Judas!… You have not seen Sadoc either?»
Judas bends his head grumbling: «He is a friend. I met him as such, not as one of the Temple…»
Jesus does not reply to him. He turns to Isaac and John of Endor, to whom He gives more advice concerning their work.
Meanwhile the women comfort Mary Who is weeping and the boy who is weeping seeing Mary weep.