Tuesday, June 2 09

A FEW spies, who hid themselves among the people, informed the Pharisees that I was teaching this way, and they deliberated among themselves to know what they could do to catch Me and bring Me to ruin.

[2] However, the more temperate ones said: “Of course, you can do what you want, but we can assure you in advance that you can do nothing against Him. Because first of all He has many followers among the people, and secondly He possesses an indescribable magic power by which all the powers of nature and the spirit world seem to obey Him. And thirdly He is so well versed in the Scriptures, that we, compared to Him, are all bunglers. Fourthly, the high-ranking Romans are on His side, because they surely take Him for a half-god. Also, He has those wondrous Egyptians, Persians, Arabians, Indians and still other men from the east around Him, and therefore it will be very difficult to undertake anything successful against Him. And in case you do not want to believe me, then you should go outside to be informed about everything and convince yourself.

[3] Did those two very reliable Pharisees not go to Emmaus, together with two of our smartest Levites? Where are they now? We do not know. The day before yesterday we sent our most reliable spies and chasers after them and insisted that they should inform us before evening to know what they were able to find out, but up to this hour nobody came back. Where are they? How terribly embarrassing were those appearances to us the night of the day before yesterday. Who is responsible for that, other than Him and His collaborators?

[4] Today 3 rising suns put us and the whole people into great confusion. Also this seems to be caused by Him. Everything we came to know from other places about Him and His deeds seems to be confirmed by Him, and therefore it is useless to make plans to do violence to Him. If He only were a little afraid of us, He

surely would not consider appearing openly in the temple with His teaching, for He knows as well as we do how severe we are against such people. So this is our sober opinion, but because of the majority of your votes you still can do what you want. We will in no way hinder you.

[5] However, when we think soberly – as always – we believe the following: if ever His mission would perhaps secretly be ordained by God, we will not be able to stop Him. But if it is only the work of men, then it will go away by itself in the dust of forgetfulness. If our words can do nothing against Him, our actions will be even less successful.”

[6] Now an arch Pharisee of the group of Caiphas said: “If all this is true, as you brought forward with a good intention, then according to you, what can we do for the best, because we cannot allow these things to happen that will cause our downfall?”

[7] Upon this, the more temperate one said: “If we cannot unmask Him in front of the people and the Romans with intelligent and well worked out questions and words, and make Him suspect, then we are as good as finished. By actions, we absolutely will not be able to harm Him. This is our firm and well founded opinion.”

[8] Upon this, the arch Pharisee said: “This advice sounds good and we can indeed try it out, because we still have enough of those clever, intelligent and good orators, although lately we lost quite a few very skillful orators, which is probably caused by that notorious Nazarene. Then who of us thinks that he is able to take this task upon him for a big reward?”

[9] Now a scribe and a Pharisee, who also knew the Roman laws very well, came forward, and they both said: “Let us carry out this task, then we can catch Him fast and easily, for nobody was yet too smart for us.”

[10] The whole counsel agreed on that, and Caiphas said with great seriousness: “Good. Then disguise yourselves, so that the people will not recognize you. Enter the temple through the big gate of the people, and do your job well, then I and God will be well-pleased with you.”

[11] Now, as Caiphas told them, they both disguised themselves and went into the temple where I was still teaching the people about the love for God and fellowman. But the high priests (chiefs), the Pharisees and still a few scribes did not totally trust the two, and they also disguised themselves and went after them into the temple in order to witness how those two would work on Me. They joined them in the temple.