‘Tell me, would it have been a great sin of the priests if when they were carrying the ark of the testimony of God they had let it fall to the ground?’
The disciples trembled hearing this, for they knew that God slew Uzzah for having wrongly touched the ark of God. And they said: ‘Most grievous would be such a sin.’
Then said Jesus: ‘As God liveth, it is a greater sin to forget the word of God, wherewith he made all things, whereby he offereth thee eternal life.’
And having said this Jesus made prayer; and after his prayer he said: ‘Tomorrow we needs must pass into Samaria, for so hath said unto me the holy angel of God.’
Early on the morning of a certain day, Jesus arrived near to the well which Jacob made and gave to Joseph his son. Whereupon Jesus, being wearied with the journey, sent his disciples to the city to buy food. And so he sat himself down by the well, upon the stone of the well. And, lo, a woman of Samaria cometh to the well to draw water.
Jesus saith unto the woman, ‘Give me to drink,’ The woman answered: ‘Now, art thou not ashamed that thou, being an Hebrew, askest drink of me which am a Samaritan woman?’
Jesus answered: ‘O woman, if thou knewest who he is that asketh thee for a drink, perchance thou wouldest have asked of him for drink.’
The woman answered: ‘Now how shouldest thou give me to drink, seeing thou hast no vessel to draw the water, nor rope, and the well is deep?’
Jesus answered: ‘O woman, whoso drinketh of the water of this well, thirst cometh to him again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I give hath thirst no more; but to them that have thirst give they to drink, insomuch that they come to eternal life.’
Then said the woman: ‘O Lord, give me of this thy water.’ Jesus answered: ‘Go call thy husband, and to both of you I will give to drink.’
Said the woman: ‘I have no husband.’
Jesus answered: ‘Well hast thou said the truth, for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.
The woman was confounded hearing this, and said: ‘Lord, hereby perceive I that thou art a prophet; therefore tell me, I pray: the Hebrews make prayer on mount Sion in the temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem, and say that there and nowhere else [men] find grace and mercy of God. And our people worship on these mountains, and say that only on the mountains of Samaria ought worship to be made. Who are the true worshipers?’
Then Jesus gave a sigh and wept, saying: ‘Woe to thee, Judaea, for thou gloriest, saying: “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,” and livest as though there were no God; given over wholly to the pleasures and gains of the world; for this woman in the day of judgement shall condemn thee to hell; for this woman seeketh to know how to find grace and mercy before God.’
And turning to the woman he said: ‘O woman, ye Samaritans worship that which ye know not, but we Hebrews worship that which we know. Verily, I say unto thee, that God is spirit and truth, and so in spirit and in truth must he be worshipped. For the promise of God was made in Jerusalem, in the temple of Solomon, and not elsewhere. But believe me, a time will come that God will give his mercy in another city, and in every place it will be possible to worship him in truth. And God in every place will have accepted true prayer with mercy.’
The woman answered: ‘We look for the Messiah; when he cometh he will teach us.’
Jesus answered: ‘Knowest thou, woman, that the Messiah must come?’
She answered: ‘Yea, Lord.’
Then Jesus rejoiced, and said: ‘So far as I see, O woman, thou art faithful: know therefore that in the faith of the Messiah shall be saved every one that is elect of God; therefore it is necessary that thou know the coming of the Messiah.’
Said the woman: ‘O Lord, perchance thou art the Messiah.’
Jesus answered: ‘I am indeed sent to the house of Israel as a prophet of salvation; but after me shall come the Messiah, sent of God to all the world; for whom God hath made the world. And then through all the world will God be worshipped, and mercy received, insomuch that the year of jubilee, which now cometh every hundred years, shall by the Messiah be reduced to every year in every place.’
Then the woman left her waterpot and ran to the city to announce all that she had heard from Jesus.
Whilst the woman was talking with Jesus came his disciples, and marvelled that Jesus was speaking so with a woman. Yet no one said unto him: ‘Why speakest thou thus with a Samaritan woman?’
Whereupon, when the woman was departed, they said: ‘Master, come and eat.’
Jesus answered: ‘I must eat other food.’
Then said the disciples one to another: ‘Perchance some wayfarer hath spoken with Jesus and hath gone to find him food.’ And they questioned him who writeth this, saying: ‘Hath there been anyone here, O Barnabas, who might have brought food to the master?’
Then answered he who writeth: ‘There hath not been here any other than the woman whom ye saw, who brought this empty vessel to fill it with water.’ Then the disciples stood amazed, awaiting the issue of the words of Jesus. Whereupon Jesus said: ‘Ye know not that the true food is to do the will of God; because it is not bread that sustaineth man and giveth him life, but rather the word of God, by his will. And so for this reason the holy angels eat not, but live nourished only by the will of God. And thus we, Moses and Elijah and yet another, have been forty days and forty nights without any food.’
And lifting up his eyes, Jesus said: ‘How far off is the harvest?’
The disciples answered: ‘Three months.’
Jesus said: ‘Look now, how the mountain is white with corn; verily I say unto you, that to-day there is a great harvest to be reaped. And then he pointed to the multitude who had come to see him. For the woman having entered into the city had moved all the city, saying: ‘O men, come and see a new prophet sent of God to the house of Israel’; and she recounted to them all that she had heard from Jesus. When they were come thither they besought Jesus to abide with them; and he entered into the city and abode there two days, healing all the sick, and teaching concerning the kingdom of God.
Then said the citizens to the woman: ‘We believe more in his words and miracles than we do in what thou saidst; for he is indeed a holy one of God, a prophet sent for the salvation of those that shall believe on him.’
After the prayer of midnight the disciples came near unto Jesus, and he said to them: ‘This night shall be in the time of the Messiah, messenger of God, the jubilee every year—that now cometh every hundred years. Therefore I will not that we sleep, but let us make prayer, bowing our head a hundred times, doing reverence to our God, mighty and merciful, who is blessed for evermore, and therefore each time let us say: “I confess thee our God alone, that hast not had beginning, nor shalt ever have end; for by thy mercy gavest thou to all things their beginning, and by thy justice thou shalt give to all an end: that hast no likeness among men, because in thine infinite goodness thou art not subject to motion nor to any accident. Have mercy on us, for thou hast created us, and we are the works of thy hand.”’
Having made the prayer, Jesus said: ‘Let us give thanks to God because he hath given to us this night great mercy; for that he hath made to come back the time that needs must pass in this night, in that we have made prayer in union with the messenger of God. And I have heard his voice.’
The disciples rejoiced greatly at hearing this, and said: ‘Master, teach us some precepts this night.’
Then said Jesus: ‘Have ye ever seen dung mixed with balsam?’
They answered: ‘Nay, Lord, for no one is so mad as to do this thing.’
‘Now I tell you that there be in the world greater madmen,’ said Jesus, ‘because with the service of God they mingle the service of the world. So much so that many of blameless life have been deceived of Satan, and while praying have mingled with their prayer worldly business, whereupon they have become at that time abominable in the sight of God. Tell me, when ye wash yourselves for prayer, do ye take care that no unclean thing touch you? Yea, assuredly. But what do ye when ye are making prayer? Ye wash your soul from sins through the mercy of God. Would ye be willing then, while ye are making prayer, to speak of worldly things? Take care not to do so, for every worldly word becometh dung of the devil upon the soul of him that speaketh.’
Then trembled the disciples, because he spake with vehemence of spirit; and they said: ‘O master, what shall we do if when we are making prayer a friend shall come to speak to us?’
Jesus answered: ‘Suffer him to wait, and finish the prayer.’
Said Bartholomew: ‘But what if he shall be offended and go his way, when he see that we speak not with him?’
Jesus answered: ‘If he shall be offended, believe me he will not be a friend of yours nor a believer, but rather an unbeliever and a companion of Satan. Tell me, if ye went to speak with a stable boy of Herod, and found his speaking into Herod’s ears, would ye be offended if he made you to wait?’ No, assuredly; but ye would be comforted at seeing your friend in favour with the king. Is this true?’ said Jesus.
The disciples answered: ‘It is most true.’
Then said Jesus: ‘Verily I say unto you, that every one when he prayeth speaketh with God. Is it then right that ye should leave speaking with God in order to speak with man? Is it right that your friend should for this cause be offended, because ye have more reverence for God than for him? Believe me that if he shall be offended when ye make him wait, he is a good servant of the devil. For this desireth the devil, that God should be forsaken for man. As God liveth, in every good work he that feareth God ought to separate himself from the works of the world, so as not to corrupt the good work.’
‘When a man worketh ill or talketh ill, if one go to correct him, and hinder such work, what doth such an one?’ said Jesus.
The disciples answered: ‘He doth well, because he serveth God, who always seeketh to hinder evil, even as the sun that always seeketh to chase away the darkness.’
Said Jesus: ‘And I tell you on the contrary that when one worketh well or speaketh well, whosoever seeketh to hinder him under pretext of aught that is not better, he serveth that devil, nay, he even becometh his companion. For the devil attendeth to nought else but to hinder every good thing.
‘But what shall I say unto you now? I will say unto you as said Solomon the prophet, holy one, and friend of God: ‘Of a thousand whom ye know, one be your friend.’
Then said Matthew: ‘Then shall we not be able to love anyone.’
Jesus answered: ‘Verily I say unto you, that it is not lawful for you to hate anything save only sin: insomuch that ye cannot hate even Satan as creature of God, but rather as enemy of God. Know ye wherefore? I will tell you; because he is a creature of God, and all that God hath created is good and perfect. Accordingly, whoso hateth the creature hateth also the creator. But the friend is a singular thing, that is not easily found, but is easily lost. For the friend will not suffer contradiction against him whom he supremely loveth. Beware, be ye cautious, and choose not for friend one who loveth not him whom ye love. Know ye what friend meaneth? Friend meaneth naught but physician of the soul. And so, just as one rarely findeth a good physician who knoweth the sickness and understandeth to apply the medicines thereto, so also are friends rare who know the faults and understand how to guide unto good. But herein is an evil, that there are many who have friends that feign not to see the faults of their friend; others excuse them; others defend them under earthly pretext; and, what is worse, there are friends who invite and aid their friend to err, whose end shall be like unto their villainy. Beware that ye receive not such men for friends, for that in truth they are enemies and slayers of the soul.
Let thy friend be such that, even as he willeth to correct thee, so he may receive correction; and even as he willeth that thou shouldest leave all things for love of God, even so again it may content him that thou forsake him for the service of God.
‘But tell me, if a man know not how to love God how shall he know how.to love himself; and how shall he know how to love others, not knowing how to love himself? Assuredly this is impossible. Therefore when thou choose thee one for friend (for verily he is supremely poor who hath no friend at all), see that thou consider first, not his fine lineage, nor his fine family, not his fine house, not his fine clothing, nor his fine person, not yet his fine words, for thou shalt be easily deceived. But look how he feareth God, how he despiseth earthly things, how he loveth good works, and above all how he hateth his own flesh, and so shalt thou easily find the true friend; if he above all things shall fear God, and shall despise the vanities of the world; if he shall be always occupied in good works, and shall hate his own body as a cruel enemy. Nor yet shalt thou love such a friend in such wise that thy love stay in him, for [so] shalt thou be an idolater. But love him as a gift that God hath given thee, for so shall God adorn [him] with greater favour. Verily I say unto you, that he who hath found a true friend hath found one of the delights of paradise; nay, such is the key of paradise.’
Thaddaeus answered: ‘But if perchance a man shall have a friend who is not such as thou hast said, O master? What ought he to do? Ought he to forsake him?’
Jesus answered: ‘He ought to do as the mariner doth with the ship, who saileth it so long as he perceiveth it to be profitable, but when he seeth it to be a loss forsaketh it. So shalt thou do with thy friend that is worse than thou: in those things wherein he is an offence to thee, leave him if thou wouldst not be left of the mercy of God.’
‘Woe unto the world because of offences. It needs must be that the offence come, because all the world lieth in wickedness. But yet woe to that man through whom the offence cometh. It were better for the man if he should have a millstone about his neck and should be sunk in the depths of the sea than that he should offend his neighbor. If thine eye be an offence to thee, pluck it out; for it is better that thou go with one eye only into paradise than with both of them into hell. If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, do likewise, for it is better that thou go into the kingdom of heaven with one foot or with one hand, than with two hands and two feet go into hell.’
Said Simon, called Peter: ‘Lord, how must I do this? Certain it is that in a short time I shall be dismembered.’
Jesus answered: ‘O Peter, put off fleshly prudence and straightway thou shalt find the truth. For he that teacheth thee is thine eye, and he that helpeth thee to work is thy foot, and he that ministereth aught unto thee is thine hand. Wherefore when such are to thee an occasion of sin leave them; for it is better for thee to go into paradise ignorant, with few works, and poor, than to go into hell wise, with great works, and rich. Everything that may hinder thee from serving God, cast it from thee as a man casteth away everything that hindereth his sight.’
And having said this, Jesus called Peter close to him, and said unto him: ‘If thy brother shall sin against thee, go and correct him. If he amend, rejoice, for thou hast gained thy brother; but if he shall not amend go and call afresh two witnesses and correct him afresh; and if he shall not amend, go and tell it to the church; and if he shall not then amend, count him for an unbeliever, and therefore thou shalt not dwell under the same roof whereunder he dwelleth, thou shalt not eat at the same table whereat he sitteth, and thou shalt not speak with him; insomuch that if thou know where he setteth his foot in walking thou shalt not set they foot there.’
‘But beware that thou hold not thyself for better; rather shalt thou say thus: “Peter, Peter, if God helped thee not with his grace thou wouldst be worse than he.”’
Peter answered: ‘How must I correct him?’
Jesus answered: ‘In the way that thou thyself wouldst fain be corrected. And as thou wouldst fain be borne with, so bear with others. Believe me, Peter, for verily I say unto thee that every time thou shalt correct thy brother with mercy thou shalt receive mercy of God, and thy words shall bear some fruit; but if thou shalt do it with rigour, thou shalt be rigorously punished by the justice of God, and shalt bear no fruit. Tell me, Peter: Those earthen pots wherein the poor cook their food—do they wash them, perchance, with stones and iron hammers? Nay, assuredly; but rather with hot water. Vessels are broken in pieces with iron, things of wood are burned with fire; but man is amended with mercy. Wherefore, when thou shalt correct thy brother thou shalt say to thyself: “If God help me not, I shall do to-morrow worse than all that he hath done today.”’
Peter answered: ‘How many times must I forgive my brother, O master?’
Jesus answered: ‘As many times as thou wouldst fain be forgiven by him.’
Said Peter: ‘Seven times a day?’
Jesus answered: ‘Not only seven, but seventy times seven thou shalt forgive him every day; for he that forgiveth, to him shall it be forgiven, and he that condemneth shall be condemned.’
Then said he who writeth this: ‘Woe unto princes! for they shall go to hell.’
Jesus reproved him, saying: ‘Thou art become foolish, O Barnabas, in that thou hast spoken thus. Verily I say unto thee, that the bath is not so necessary for the body, the bit for the horse, and the tiller for the ship, as the prince is necessary for the state. And for what cause did God give Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, and Solomon, and so many others who passed judgement? To such hath God given the sword for the extirpation of iniquity.’
Then said he who writeth this: ‘Now, how ought judgement to be given, condemning and pardoning?’
Jesus answered: ‘Not every one is ajudge: for to the judge alone it appertaineth to condemn others, O Barnabas. And the judge ought to condemn the guilty, even as the father commandeth a putrified member to be cut off from his son in order that the whole body may not become putrified.’
Said Peter: ‘How long must I wait for my brother to repent?’
Jesus answered: ‘So long as thou wouldst be waited for.’
Peter answered: ‘Not every one will understand this; wherefore speak to us more plainly.’
Jesus answered: ‘Wait for thy brother as long as God waiteth for him.’
‘Neither will they understand this,’ said Peter.
Jesus answered: ‘Wait for him so long as he hath time to repent.’
Then was Peter sad, and the others also, because they understood not the meaning. Whereupon Jesus answered: ‘If ye had sound understanding, and knew that ye yourselves were sinners, ye would not think ever to cut off your heart from mercy to the sinner. And so I tell you plainly, that the sinner ought to be waited for that he may repent, so long as he hath a soul beneath his teeth to breathe. For so doth our God wait for him, the mighty and merciful. God said not: “In that hour that the sinner shall fast, do alms, make prayer, and go on pilgrimage, I will forgive him.” Wherefore this have many accomplished, and are damned eternally. But he said: “In that hour that the sinner shall bewail his sins, I for my part will not remember any more his iniquities.” Do ye understand?’ said Jesus.
The disciples answered: ‘Part we understand, and part not.’
Said Jesus: ‘Which is the part that ye understood not?’
They answered: ‘That many who have made prayer with fastings are damned.’
Then said Jesus: ‘Verily I say unto you, that the hypocrites and the Gentiles make more prayers, more alms, and more fasts than do the friends of God. But because they have not faith, they are not able to repent for love of God, and so they are damned.’
Then said John: ‘Teach us, for love of God, of the faith.’
Jesus answered: ‘It is time that we say the prayer of the dawn.’ Whereupon they arose, and having washed themselves made prayer to our God, who is blessed for evermore.
When the prayer was done, his disciples again drew near to Jesus, and he opened his mouth and said: ‘Draw near, John, for to-day will I speak unto thee of all that thou hast asked. Faith is a seal whereby God sealeth his elect: which seal he gave to his messenger, at whose hands every one that is elect hath received faith. For even as God is one, so is the faith one. Wherefore God, having created before all things his messenger, gave to him before aught else the faith which is as it were a likeness of God and of all that God hath done and said. And so the faithful by faith seeth all things, better than one seeth with his eyes; because the eyes can err; nay they do almost always err; but faith erreth never, for it hath for foundation God and his word. Believe me that by faith are saved all the elect of God. And it is certain that without faith it is impossible for anyone to please God. Wherefore Satan seeketh not to bring to naught fasting and prayer, alms and pilgrimages, nay rather he inciteth unbelievers thereto, for he taketh pleasure in seeing man work without receiving pay. But he taketh pains with all diligence to bring faith to nought, wherefore faith ought especially to be guarded with diligence, and the safest course will be to abandon the “Wherefore,” seeing that the “Wherefore” drove men out of Paradise and changed Satan from a most beautiful angel into a horrible devil.’
Then said John: ‘Now, how shall we abandon the “Wherefore” seeing that it is the gate of knowledge?’
Jesus answered: ‘Nay, rather the “Wherefore” is the gate of hell.’
Thereupon John kept silence, when Jesus added: ‘When thou knowest that God hath said a thing, who art thou, O man, that thou shouldst say, forsooth, “Wherefore hath thou so said, O God: wherefore hast thou so done?” Shall the earthen vessel, perchance say to its maker: “Wherefore hast thou made me to hold water and not to contain balsam?” Verily I say unto you, it is necessary against every temptation to strengthen yourself with this word, saying “God hath so said”: “So hath God done”: “God so willeth”; for so doing thou shalt live safely.’
At this time there was a great disturbance throughout Judea for the sake of Jesus; for that the Roman soldiery, through the operation of Satan, stirred up the Hebrews, saying that Jesus was God come to visit them. Whereupon so great sedition arose, that nigh upon the Forty days all Judea was in arms, insomuch that the son was found against the father, and the brother against the brother, for that some said that Jesus was God come to the world; others said: ‘Nay, but he is a son of God’; and others said: ‘Nay for God hath no human similitude, and therefore begetteth not sons; but Jesus of Nazareth is a prophet of God.’
And this arose by reason of the great miracles which Jesus did.
Thereupon, to quiet the people, it was necessary that the high-priest should ride in procession, clothed in his priestly robes, with the holy name of God, the teta gramaton (sic), on his forehead. And in like manner rode the governor Pilate and Herod.
Whereupon, in Mizpeh assembled three armies, each one of two hundred thousand men that bare sword. Herod spake to them, but they were not quieted. Then spake the governor and the high-priest, saying: ‘Brethren, this war is aroused by the work of Satan, for Jesus is alive, and to him ought we to resort, and ask him that he give testimony of himself, and then believe in him, according to his word.’
So at this they were quieted, every one; and having laid down their arms they all embraced one another, saying one to the other: ‘Forgive me, brother!’
On that day, accordingly, every one laid this in his heart, to believe Jesus, according as he shall say. And by the governor and the high-priest were offered rewards to him who should come to announce where Jesus was to be found.
At this time we with Jesus, by the word of the holy angel, were gone to Mount Sinai. And there Jesus with his disciples kept the Forty days. When this was past, Jesus drew nigh to the river Jordan, to go to Jerusalem. And he was seen by one of them who believed Jesus to be God. Whereupon, with greatest gladness crying ever ‘Our God cometh!’ having reached the city he moved the whole city saying: ‘Our God cometh, O Jerusalem; prepare thee to receive him!’ And he testified that he had seen Jesus near to Jordan.
Then went out from the city every one, small and great, to see Jesus, insomuch that the city was left empty, for the women bare their children in their arms, and insomuch that they forgat to take food to eat.
When they perceived this, the governor and the high-priest rode forth and sent a messenger to Herod, who in like manner rode forth to find Jesus, in order that the sedition of the people might be quieted. Whereupon for two days they sought him in the wilderness near to Jordan, and the third day they found him, near the hour of midday, when he with his disciples was purifying himself for prayer, according to the book of Moses.
Jesus marvelled greatly, seeing the multitude which covered the ground with people, and said to his disciples: ‘Perchance Satan hath raised sedition in Judaea. May it please God to take away from Satan the dominion which he hath over sinners.’
And when he had said this, the crowd drew nigh, and when they knew him they began to cry out: ‘Welcome to thee, O our God!’ and they began to do him reverence, as unto God. Whereupon Jesus gave a great groan and said: ‘Get ye from before me, O madmen, for I fear lest the earth should open and devour me with you for your abominable words!’ Whereupon the people were filled with terror and began to weep.
Then Jesus, having lifted his hand in token of silence, said: ‘Verily ye have erred greatly, O Israelites, in calling me, a man, your God. And I fear that God may for this give heavy plague upon the holy city, handing it over in servitude to strangers. O a thousand times accursed Satan, that hath moved you to this!’
And having said this, Jesus smote his face with both his hands, whereupon arose such a noise of weeping that none could hear what Jesus was saying. Whereupon once more he lifted up his hand in token of silence, and the people being quieted from their weeping, he spake once more: ‘I confess before heaven, and I call to witness everything that dwelleth upon the earth, that I am a stranger to all that ye have said: seeing that I am man, born of mortal woman, subject to the judgement of God, suffering the miseries of eating and sleeping, of cold and heat, like other men. Wherefore when God shall come to judge, my words like a sword shall pierce each one [of them] that believe me to be more than man.’
And having said this, Jesus saw a great multitude of horsemen, whereby he perceived that there were coming the governor with Herod and the high-priest.
Then said Jesus: ‘Perchance they also are become mad.’
When the governor arrived there, with Herod and the priest, every one dismounted, and they made a circle round about Jesus, insomuch that the soldiery could not keep back the people that were desirous to hear Jesus speaking with the priest.
Jesus drew near to the priest with reverence, but he was wishful to bow himself down and worship Jesus, when Jesus cried out: ‘Beware of that which thou doest, priest of the living God! Sin not against our God!’
The priest answered: ‘Now is Judaea so greatly moved over thy signs and thy teaching that they cry out that thou art God; wherefore, constrained by the people, I am come hither with the Roman governor and king Herod. We pray thee therefore from our heart, that thou wilt be content to remove the sedition which is arisen on thy account. For some say thou art God, some say thou art son of God, and some say thou art a prophet.’
Jesus answered: ‘And thou, O high-priest of Ged, wherefore hast thou not quieted this sedition? Art thou also, perchance, gone out of thy mind? Have the prophecies, with the law of God, so passed into oblivion, O wretched Judaea, deceived of Satan!’
And having said this, Jesus said again: ‘I confess before heaven, and call to witness everything that dwelleth upon the earth, that I am a stranger to all that men have said of me, to wit, that I am more than man. For I am a man, born of a woman, subject to the judgement of God; that live here like as other men, subject to the common miseries. As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, thou hast greatly sinned, O priest, in saying what thou hast said. May it please God that there come not upon the holy city great vengeance for this sin.’
Then said the priest: ‘May God pardon us, and do thou pray for us.’
Then said the governor and Herod: ‘Sir, it is impossible that man should do that which thou doest; wherefore we understand not that which thou sayest.’
Jesus answered: ‘That which ye say is true, for God worketh good in man, even as Satan worketh evil. For man is like a shop, wherein whoso entereth with his consent worketh and selleth therein. But tell me, O governor, and thou O king, ye say this because ye are strangers to our law; for if ye read the testament and covenant of our God ye would see that Moses with a rod made the water turn into blood, the dust into fleas, the dew into tempest, and the light into darkness. He made the frogs and mice to come into Egypt, which covered the ground, he slew the first-born, and opened the sea, wherein he drowned Pharaoh. Of these things I have wrought none. And of Moses, every one confesseth that he is a dead man at this present. Joshua made the sun to stand still, and opened the Jordan, which I have not yet done. And of Joshua every one confesseth that he is a dead man at this present. Elijah made fire to come visibly down from heaven, and rain, which I have not done. And of Elijah every one confesseth that he is a man. And [in like manner] very many other prophets, holy men, friends of God, who in the power of God have wrought things which cannot be grasped by the minds of those who know not our God, almighty and merciful, who is blessed for evermore.’
Accordingly the governor and the priest and the king prayed Jesus that in order to quiet the people he should mount up into a lofty place and speak to the people. Then went up Jesus on to one of the twelve stones which Joshua made the twelve tribes take up from the midst of Jordan, when all Israel passed over there dry shod; and he said with a loud voice: ‘Let our priest go up into a high place whence he may confirm my words.’ Thereupon the priest went up thither; to whom Jesus said distinctly, so that every one might hear: ‘It is written in the testament and covenant of the living God that our God hath no beginning, neither shall he ever have an end.’
The priest answered: ‘Even so is it written therein.’
Jesus said: ‘It is written there that our God by his word alone hath created all things.’
‘Even so it is,’ said the priest.
Jesus said: ‘It is written there that God is invisible and hidden from the mind of man, seeing he is incorporeal and uncomposed, without variableness.’
‘So it is, truly,’ said the priest.
Jesus said: ‘It is written there how that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, seeing that our God is infinite.’
‘So said Solomon the prophet,’ said the priest. ‘O Jesus.’
Said Jesus: ‘It is written there that God hath no need, forasmuch as he eateth not, sleepeth not, and suffereth not from any deficiency.’
‘So is it,’ said the priest.
Said Jesus: ‘It is written there that our God is everywhere, and that there is not any other god but he, who striketh down and maketh whole, and doeth all that pleaseth him.’
‘So is it written.’ replied the priest.
Then Jesus, having lifted up his hands, said: ‘Lord our God, this is my faith wherewith I shall come to thy judgement: in testimony against every one that shall believe the contrary. And turning himself towards the people, he said: ‘Repent, for from all that of which the priest hath said that it is written in the book of Moses, the covenant of God for ever, ye may perceive your sin; for that I am a visible man and a morsel of clay that walketh upon the earth, mortal as are other men. And I have had a beginning, and shall have an end, and [am] such that I cannot create a fly over again.’
Thereupon the people raised their voices weeping, and said: ‘We have sinned, Lord our God, against thee; have mercy upon us.’ And they prayed Jesus, every one, that he would pray for the safety of the holy city, that our God in his anger should not give it over to be trodden down of the nations. Thereupon Jesus, having lifted up his hands, prayed for the holy city and for the people of God, every one crying: ‘So be it.’ ‘Amen.’
When the prayer was ended, the priest said with a loud voice: ‘Stay, Jesus, for we need to know who thou art, for the quieting of our nation.’
Jesus answered: ‘I am Jesus, son of Mary, of the seed of David, a man that is mortal and feareth God, and I seek that to God be given honour and glory.’
The priest answered: ‘In the book of Moses it is written that our God must send us the Messiah, who shall come to announce to us that which God willeth, and shall bring to the world the mercy of God. Therefore I pray thee tell us the truth, art thou the Messiah of God whom we expect?’
Jesus answered: ‘It is true that God hath so promised, but indeed I am not he, for he is made before me, and shall come after me.’
The priest answered: ‘By thy words and signs at any rate we believe thee to be a prophet and an holy one of God, wherefore I pray thee in the name of all Judaea and Israel that thou for love of God shouldst tell us in what wise the Messiah will come.’
Jesus answered: ‘As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, I am not the Messiah whom all the tribes of the earth expect, even as God promised to our father Abraham, saying: “In thy seed will I bless all the tribes of the earth.” But when God shall take me away from the world, Satan will raise again this accursed sedition, by making the impious believe that I am God and son of God, whence my words and my doctrine shall be contaminated, insomuch that scarcely shall there remain thirty faithful ones: whereupon God will have mercy upon the world, and will send his messenger for whom he hath made all things; who shall come from the south with power, and shall destroy the idols with the idolaters; who shall take away the dominion from Satan which he hath over men. He shall bring with him the mercy of God for salvation of them that shall believe in him, and blessed is he who shall believe his words.
‘Unworthy though I am to untie his hosen, I have received grace and mercy from God to see him.’
Then answered the priest, with the governor and the king, saying: ‘Distress not thyself, O Jesus, holy one of God, because in our time shall not this sedition be any more I seeing that we will write to the sacred Roman senate in such wise I that by imperial decree none shall any more call thee God or son of God.’
Then said Jesus: ‘With your words I am not consoled, because where ye hope for light darkness shall come; but my consolation is in the coming of the messenger, who shall destroy every false opinion of me, and his faith shall spread and shall take hold of the whole world, for so hath God promised to Abraham our father. And that which giveth me consolation is that his faith shall have no end, but shall be kept inviolate by God.’
The priest answered: ‘After the coming of the messenger of God shall other prophets come?’
Jesus answered: ‘There shall not come after him true prophets sent by God but there shall come a great number of false prophets, whereat I sorrow. For Satan shall raise them up by the just judgement of God, and they shall hide themselves under the pretext of my gospel.’
Herod answered: ‘How is it a just judgement of God that such impious men should come?’
Jesus answered: ‘It is just that he who will not believe in the truth to his salvation should believe in a lie to his damnation. Wherefore I say unto you, that the world hath ever despised the true prophets and loved the false, as can be seen in the time of Michaiah and Jeremiah. For every like loveth his like.’
Then said the priest: ‘How shall the Messiah be called, and what sign shall reveal his coming?’
Jesus answered: ‘The name of the Messiah is admirable, for God himself gave him the name when he had created his soul, and placed it in a celestial splendour. God said: ‘Wait Mohammed; for thy sake I will to create paradise, the world, and a great multitude of creatures, whereof I make thee a present, insomuch that whoso shall bless thee shall be blessed, and whoso shall curse thee shall be accursed. When I shall send thee into the world I shall send thee as my messenger of salvation, and thy word shall be true, insomuch that heaven and earth shall fail, but thy faith shall never fail.” Mohammed is his blessed name.’
Then the crowd lifted up their voices, saying: ‘O God, send us thy messenger: O Mohammed, come quickly for the salvation of the world!’
And having said this, the multitude departed with the priest and the governor with Herod, having great disputations concerning Jesus and concerning his doctrine. Whereupon the priest prayed the governor to write unto Rome to the senate the whole matter; which thing the governor did; wherefore the senate had compassion on Israel, and decreed that on pain of death none should call Jesus the Nazarene, prophet of the Jews, either God or son of God. Which decree was posted up in the temple, engraved upon copper.
When the greater part of the crowd had departed, there remained about five thousand men, without women and children; who being wearied by the journey, having been two days without bread, for that through longing to see Jesus they had forgotten to bring any, whereupon they ate raw herbs—therefore they were not able to depart like the others.
Then Jesus, when he perceived this, had pity on them, and said to Philip: ‘Where shall we find bread for them that they perish not of hunger?’
Philip answered: ‘Lord, two hundred pieces of gold could not buy so much bread that each one should taste a little.’ Then said Andrew: ‘There is here a child which hath five loaves and two fishes, but what will it be among so many?’
Jesus answered: ‘Make the multitude sit down.’ And they sat down upon the grass by fifties and by forties. Thereupon said Jesus: ‘In the name of God!’ And he took the bread, and prayed to God and then brake the bread, which he gave to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the multitude; and so did they with the fishes. Everyone ate and every one was satisfied. Then said Jesus: ‘Gather up that which is over. So the disciples gathered fragments, and filled twelve baskets. Thereupon every one put his hand to his eyes, saying: ‘Am I awake, or do I dream?’ And they remained, every one, for the space of an hour, as it were beside themselves by reason of the great miracle.
Afterwards Jesus, when he had given thanks to God, dismissed them, but there were seventy-two men that willed not to leave him; wherefore Jesus, perceiving their faith, chose them for disciples.
Jesus, having withdrawn into a hollow part of the desert in Tiro near to Jordan, called together the seventy-two with the twelve, and, when he had seated himself upon a stone, made them to sit near him. And he opened his mouth with a sigh and said: This day have we seen a great wickedness in Judaea and in Israel, and such an one that my heart yet trembleth within my breast for fear of God. Verily I say unto you, that God is jealous for his honour, and loveth Israel as a lover. Ye know that when a youth loveth a lady, and she love not him, but another, he is moved to indignation and slayeth his rival. Even so, I tell you, doth God: for, when Israel hath loved anything by reason whereof he forgetteth God, God hath brought such thing to nought. Now what thing is more dear to God here on earth than the priesthood and the holy temple? Nevertheless, in the time of Jeremiah the prophet, when the people had forgotten God, and boasted only of the temple, for that there was none like it in all the world, God raised up his wrath by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and with an army caused him to take the holy city and burn it with the sacred temple, insomuch that the sacred things which the prophets of God trembled to touch were trodden under foot of infidels full of wickedness.
‘Abraham loved his son Ishmael a little more that was right, wherefore God commanded, in order to kill that evil love out of the heart of Abraham, that he should slay his son; which he would have done had the knife cut.
‘David loved Absalom vehemently, and therefore God brought it to pass that the son rebelled against his father and was suspended by his hair and slain by Joab. O fearful judgement of God that Absalom loved his hair above all things, and this was turned into a rope to hang him withal!
‘Innocent Job came near to loving [over much] his seven sons and three daughters, when God gave him into the hand of Satan, who not only deprived him of his sons and his riches in one day, but smote him also with grievous sickness, insomuch that for seven years following worms came out of his flesh.
‘Our father Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons, wherefore God caused him to be sold, and caused Jacob to be deceived by these same sons, insomuch that he believed that the beasts had devoured his son, and so abode ten years mourning.
‘As God liveth, brethern, I fear lest God be angered against me. Therefore ye needs must go through Judaea and Israel, preaching to the twelve tribes of Israel the truth, that they may be undeceived.’
The disciples answered with fear, weeping: ‘We will do whatsoever thou shalt bid us.’
Then said Jesus: ‘Let us for three days make prayer and fast and from henceforth every evening when the first star shall appear, when prayer is made to God, let us make prayer three times, asking Him three times for mercy; because the sin of Israel is three times more grievous than other sins.’
‘So be it.’ answered the disciples.
When the third day was ended, on the morning of the fourth day, Jesus called together all the disciples and apostles and said to them: ‘Suffice it that there abide with me Barnabas and John: do ye others go through all the region of Samaria and Judaea and Israel, preaching penitence: because the axe is laid nigh unto the tree to cut it down. And make prayer over the sick, because God hath given me authority over every sickness.’
Then said he who writeth: ‘O Master, if thy disciples be asked of the manner in which they ought to show penitence, what shall they answer?’
Jesus answered: ‘When a man loseth a purse doth he turn back only his eye, to see it? or his hand, to take it? or his tongue, to ask? No, assuredly, but he turneth back his whole body and employeth every power of his soul to find it. Is this true?’
Then answered he who writeth: ‘It is most true.’