CHAPTER X

THE WARFARE WITH TEMPTATION

Therefore, not to fall by temptation, we must, at every moment of life, be at one with the Father

(Lead us not into temptation)

AFTER this, the orthodox chief priests began to do all they could to lay traps for Jesus, in some way or other to destroy him. (lk 11:53) They gathered in council, and began to consider. They said: This man must somehow or other be put an end to. He so proves his teaching that, (jn 11:47) if he be left alone, all will believe in him, and cast off our belief. Already half of the people believe in him. But if the Jews believe in his teaching, that all men are sons of one Father, and brothers, and that there is nothing in our Hebrew people different from other peoples, then the Romans will completely overwhelm us, and the Hebrew kingdom will be no more. (jn 11:48)

And the orthodox high priest and learned men for long counseled together, and could not think what to do with Jesus. (lk 19:47) They could not make up their minds to kill him. (lk 19:48)

Then one of them, Caiaphas, the chief priest of that year, thought of the following device. (jn 11:49) He said to the others: You must remember this: it is expedient to kill one man, that the whole people may not perish. (jn 11:50) If we leave this man alone, the people will perish; this I declare to you. Therefore it is better to kill Jesus. Even if the people do not perish, they will nevertheless go astray, (jn 11:52) departing from the one belief, if we do not kill Jesus. Therefore it is better to kill Jesus.

And when Caiaphas said this, they resolved that there was no need to discuss, but that Jesus must be killed without fail. (jn 11:53)

They would have taken Jesus at once and killed him, but he withdrew from them into the desert. (jn 11:54) But at this time the feast of the Passover was approaching, when a great multitude always gathered in Jerusalem. (jn 11:55) And the orthodox high priests reckoned upon Jesus coming with the people to the feast. (jn 11:56) And they made known to the people that if anyone should see Jesus he should bring him to them. (jn 11:57)

And it so happened that, six days before the Passover, (jn 12:1) Jesus said to his disciples; Let us go to Jerusalem. (jn 11:7) And he went with them.

And the disciples said to him: Do not go into Jerusalem. The high priests have resolved now to stone you to death. If you come they will kill you. (jn 11:8)

Jesus said to them: I can fear nothing, because I live in the light of understanding. And as every man, that he may not stumble, walks by day and not by night, so every man, that he may doubt nothing and fear nothing, must live by this understanding. (jn 11:9) Only he doubts and fears who lives by the flesh; (jn 11:10) but he who lives by understanding, for him there is nothing doubtful or fearful.

And Jesus came to the village of Bethany, near Jerusalem, (jn 12:1) and to the house of Martha and Mary which was there.

Early in the morning Jesus went into Jerusalem. There was a great crowd for the feast. (jn 12:12) And when they recognized Jesus, they surrounded him, tore branches from the trees, and threw their clothes before him on the road, and all shouted; Here is our true king, he who has taught us the true God. (jn 12:13)

Jesus sat upon an asss foal, riding, (jn 12:14) and the people ran before him and shouted; thus he rode into Jerusalem. And when he had thus ridden into the town, the whole people were excited, and asked; Who is he? (mt 21:10) They who knew him answered: Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, in Galilee. (mt 21:11)

And Jesus went into the temple, and again drove out thence all the buyers and sellers. (mk 11:15)

And the orthodox high priests saw all this, and said to each other: See what this man is doing. The whole people are following him. (jn 12:19)

But they did not dare to take him straight from among the people, because they saw that the people were gathering round him, (mk 11:18) and they bethought them how to take him by cunning.

Meanwhile Jesus was in the temple, and taught the people. Among the people, besides Jews, there were Greeks and heathen. (jn 12:20) The Greeks heard of the teaching of Jesus, and understood his teaching in this way, namely, that he taught the truth, not only to Hebrews but to all men. Therefore they wished to be also his disciples, and spoke about this to Philip. (jn 12:21) And Philip told this to Andrew. (jn 12:22)

These two disciples feared to bring Jesus together with the Greeks. They were afraid lest the people should be angry with Jesus, because he did not recognize any difference between Hebrews and other nations, and they long wavered about telling this to Jesus; but afterward both together told him, and hearing that the Greeks wished to be his followers, Jesus was troubled. He knew that the people hated him because he made no difference between the Hebrews and the heathen, but acknowledged himself to be the same as the heathen.

He said: The hour is come to explain what I understand by the Son of Man, (jn 12:23) though I perish because, in explaining this, I destroy distinction between Jews and heathen. I must speak the truth. A grain of wheat will only bring forth fruit when it itself perishes. (jn 12:24) He who loves his fleshly life loses the true life, and he who despises the fleshly life keeps it for the everlasting life. (jn 12:25) He who wishes to follow my teaching, let him do as I do. And he who does as I do shall be rewarded by my Father. (jn 12:26) My soul is now wrestling. Shall I surrender myself to the compromises of temporary life, or fulfil the will of the Father, now, at this hour? And what then? Surely now, when this hour is come in which I am living, I shall not say: Father, save me from that which I should do. I cannot say this for the sake of my life. (jn 12:27) And therefore I say: Father, show yourself in me. (jn 12:28)

And Jesus said: Henceforth the present society of men is condemned to destruction. From now that which rules this world shall be destroyed. (jn 12:31) And when the Son of Man shall be exalted above the earthly life, then shall he unite all in one. (jn 12:32)

Then the Jews said to him: We understand from the law what the everlasting Christ is; but why do you say that the Son of Man shall be exalted? What is the meaning of exalting the Son of Man? (jn 12:34)

To this Jesus answered: To exalt the Son of Man, means to live by the life of understanding that is in you. (jn 12:35) To exalt the Son of Man above that which is earthly, means to believe in the light while there is light, in order to be a son of understanding. (jn 12:36)

He who believes in my teaching believes not in me, but in that spirit which gave life to the world. (jn 12:44) And he who understands my teaching, understands that spirit which gave life to the world. (jn 12:45) But if anyone hears my words and does not fulfil them, it is not I who blame him, seeing that I came, not to accuse, but to save. (jn 12:47) He who does not accept my words is accused, not by my teaching, but by the understanding which is in himself. This it is which accuses him. (jn 12:48) I did not speak of myself, but said what my Father, the living spirit in me, suggested to me. (jn 12:49) That which I say, the spirit of understanding has told me, and that which I teach is the true life. (jn 12:50)

And having said this, Jesus went away, and again hid from the chief priests. (jn 12:36)

And of those who heard these words of Jesus, many of the powerful and wealthy people believed, but were afraid to acknowledge it to the chief priests, because not one of these priests believed and acknowledged it. (jn 12:42) They were accustomed to judge according to man, and not according to God. (jn 12:43)

After Jesus had hidden, the high priests and the elders again met in the court of Caiaphas. (mt 26:3) And they began to plan how to take Jesus (mt 26:4) unknown to the people, (mt 26:5) for they were afraid to seize him openly. And there came to their council one of the first twelve disciples of Jesus, Judas Iscariot, who said: (mt 26:14) If you wish to take Jesus secretly, so that the people may not see, I will find a time when there will be few people with him, and will show you where he is; and then take him. But what will you give me for this? They promised him for this thirty silver coins. (mt 26:15) He agreed; and from that time began to seek an opportunity to bring the chief priests upon Jesus, in order to take him. (mt 26:16)

Meanwhile Jesus withdrew from the people, and with him were only his disciples. When the first feast of unleavened bread approached, the disciples said to Jesus: Where, then, shall we keep the Passover? (mt 26:17) And Jesus said: Go into some village, and enter some ones house, and say that we have not time to prepare the feast, and ask him to admit us to celebrate the Passover. (mt 26:18) And the disciples did so; (mt 26:19) they asked a man in the village, and he invited them in. And they came and sat down to the table, (mt 26:20) Jesus and the twelve disciples, Judas among them.

Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot had already promised to betray him to death, (jn 13:11) but he did not accuse Judas for this, or show him ill-will, but as in all his life he taught his disciples love, so even now he only reproached Judas lovingly. When they all twelve were seated at table, he looked at them, and said: (mt 26:21) Among you sits he who has betrayed me. (mk 14:18) Yes, he who eats and drinks with me shall also destroy me. (mt 26:23) And he said nothing more, so that they did not know of whom he spoke, and they began to sup.

When they began to eat, Jesus took a loaf and broke it into twelve parts, and gave each of the disciples a piece, and said: Take and eat, this is my body. (mt 26:26) And he then filled a cup with wine, handed it to the disciples, and said: Drink, all of you, of this cup. (mt 26:27) And when they had all drunk, he said: This is my blood. I shed it that people may know my will, to forgive others their sins. (mt 26:28) For I shall soon die, and be no more with you in this world, but shall join you only in the kingdom of heaven. (lk 22:18)

After this, Jesus got up from the table, girt himself with a towel, (jn 13:4) took a ewer of water, and began to wash the feet of all the disciples. (jn 13:5) And he came to Peter; and Peter said: But why will you wash my feet? (jn 13:6) Jesus said to him: It seems strange to you that I should wash your feet; but you will know soon why I do this. (jn 13:7) Though you are clean, yet not all of you are so, (jn 13:10) but among you is my betrayer, to whom I gave, with my own hand, bread and wine, and whose feet I wish to wash.

When Jesus had washed all theirfeet, he again sat down, and said: Do you understand why I did this? (jn 13:12) It was so that you always may do the same for each other. (jn 13:14) I, your teacher, do this, that you may know how to behave toward those who do you evil. If you have understood this, and will do it, then you will be happy. (jn 13:17) When I said that one of you will betray me, I did not speak of all of you, because only a single one of you, whose feet I washed, and who ate bread with me, will betray me. (jn 13:18)

And having said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and yet again said: Yes, yes, one of you will betray me. (jn 13:21)

And again the disciples began to look round at each other, not knowing of whom he spoke. (jn 13:22) One disciple sat near to Jesus, (jn 13:23) and Simon Peter signed to him in a way to ask who the betrayer was. (jn 13:24) The disciple asked. (jn 13:25) And Jesus said: I will soak a piece of bread, and give it to him: and he to whom I shall give it is my betrayer. And he gave the bread to Judas Iscariot, (jn 13:26) and said to him: What you wish to do, do quickly. (jn 13:27) Then Judas understood that he must go out, and as soon as he had taken the bread he forthwith went out. (jn 13:30) And it was impossible to follow him, as it was night.

And when Judas was gone out, Jesus said: It is now clear to you what the Son of Man is. It is now clear to you that in him God is, to make him as blessed as God Himself. (jn 13:31)

Children! I have not long now to be with you. (jn 13:33) Do not equivocate over my teaching, as I said to the orthodox, but do that which I do. I give you this, a new commandment. As I always, and to the end, have loved you all, do you always, and to the end, love each other. (jn 13:34) By this only will you be distinguished. Seek to be only thus distinguished from other people. Love one another. (jn 13:35)

And after this, they went to the Mount of Olives. (mt 26:30)

And on the way Jesus said to them: See, the time is coming when that shall happen which is written, the shepherd shall be killed, and all the sheep shall be scattered. And to-night this shall happen. I shall be taken, and you will all abandon me, and scatter. (mt 26:31)

Peter said to him in answer: Even if all shall be frightened, and scatter, I will not deny you. (mt 26:33) I am ready for prison and for death with you.

And Jesus said to him: But I tell you that this very night, before cock-crow, after I have been taken, you will deny me, not once, but thrice. (mt 26:34)

But Peter said that he would not deny him; and the other disciples averred the same. (mt 26:35)

Then Jesus said to the disciples: Before, neither I nor you had need of anything. You went without wallet and without change of shoes, and I so bade you do. (lk 22:35) But now, if I am accounted an outlaw, we can no longer do so, but we must be furnished with everything, and with swords, that we may not perish in vain. (lk 22:36)

And the disciples said: See, we have two swords.

Jesus said: It is well. (lk 22:38)

And having said this, Jesus went with the followers into the garden of Gethsemane. (jn 18:1) Corning into the garden, he said: Wait you here, but I wish to pray. (mt 26:36)

And while near to Peter and the two brothers, sons of Zebedee, he began to feel weary and sad, (mt 26:37) and he said to them: I feel very sad and my soul is full of the anguish before death. Wait here, (mt 26:38) and be not cast down as I am.

And he went off a little way, lay on the ground on his face, and began to pray, and said: My Father, the Spirit! Let it be not as I will, which is that I should not die, but let it be as Thou wilt. (mt 26:39) Let me die, but for Thee, as a spirit, all is possible; let it be that I may not fear death, that I may escape the temptation of the flesh.

And then he arose, went up to the disciples, and saw that they were cast down. And he said to them: How is it you have not strength for one hour to keep up your spirit even as I! (mt 26:40) Keep up your spirit, so as not to fall into the temptation of the flesh. The spirit is strong, the flesh is weak. (mt 26:41)

And again Jesus went away from them, and again began to pray, and said: Father, if I must suffer, must die, and am about to die, then so let it be. Let Thy will be done. (mt 26:42) And having said this, he again went up to the disciples, and saw that they were still more cast down, and ready to weep. (mt 26:43)

And he again went away from them, and the third time said: Father, let Thy will be done. (mt 26:44)

Then he returned to the disciples, and said to them: Now be easy, and be calm, because it is now decided that I shall give myself into the hands of worldly men. (mt 26:45)