The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ
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11 And I will say, My father, I am come again; I am a profligate, and I have lost my wealth in ways of sin; I am not worthy to be called your son.
12 I do not ask to be received again as son, but let me have a place among your servants, where I may have a shelter from the storms and have enough to eat.
13 And he arose and sought his father’s house, and as he came his mother saw him while yet a great way off.
14 (A mother’s heart can feel the first faint yearning of a wandering child.)
15 The father came, and hand in hand they walked a-down the way to meet the boy, and there was joy, great joy.
16 The boy tried hard to plead for mercy and a servant’s place; but love was all too great to listen to the plea.
17 The door was opened wide; he found a welcome in the mother’s heart, and in the father’s heart.
18 The father called the servants in, and bade them bring the finest robe for him; the choicest sandals for his feet; a ring of purest gold for him to wear.
19 And then the father said, My servants, go and kill the fatted calf; prepare a feast, for we are glad;
20 Our son we thought was dead is here alive; a treasure that we thought was lost is found.
21 The feast was soon prepared and all were merry, when the eldest son who had been serving in a distant field and knew not that his brother had returned, came home.
22 And when he learned the cause of all the merriment he was offended, and would not go into the house.
23 His father and his mother both besought him tearfully to disregard the waywardness and folly of their son; but he would not; he said,
24 Lo, all these years I have remained at home, have served you every day, have never yet transgressed your most severe commands;
25 And yet you never killed for me a kid, nor made for me a simple feast that I might make merry with my friends;
26 But when your son, this profligate, who has gone forth and squandered half your wealth in ways of sin, comes home, because he could do nothing else, you kill for him the fatted calf and make a wondrous feast.
27 His father said, My son, all that I have is yours and you are ever with us in our joys;
28 And it is well to show our gladness when your brother, who is near and dear to us, and who we thought was dead, returns to us alive.
29 He may have been a profligate; may have consorted with gay courtesans and thieves, yet he is still your brother and our son.
30 Then Jesus said so all might hear: He who has ears to hear, and hearts to understand will comprehend the meaning of this parable.
31 Then Jesus and the twelve came to Capernaum.
CHAPTER 145
Jesus speaks on the establishment of the Christine kingdom and the future coming of the Lord in power. Exhorts to faithfulness. Parable of the unjust judge. Parable of the Pharisee and the publican.
A company of Pharisees came up to speak with Jesus and they said, Rabboni, we have heard you say, The kingdom is at hand.
2 We read in Daniel that the God of heaven will form a kingdom, and we ask, Is this the kingdom of the God you speak about? If so, when will it come?
3 And Jesus said, The prophets all have told about this kingdom of the God, and it is just at hand; but men can never see it come.
4 It never can be seen with carnal eyes; it is within.
5 Lo, I have said, and now I say again, None but the pure in heart can see the king, and all the pure in heart are subjects of the king.
6 Reform, and turn away from sin; prepare you, O prepare! the kingdom is at hand.
7 And then he spoke to his disciples and he said, The seasons of the son of man are past.
8 The time will come when you will wish above all else to see again one of these days; but you can see it not.
9 And many men will say, Lo, here is Christ; lo, there is Christ. Be not deceived; go not into their ways.
10 For when the son of man will come again no man need point the way; for as the lightning lights the heavens, so will the son of man light up the heavens and earth.
11 But, lo, I say, that many generations will have come and gone before the son of man shall come in power; but when he comes no one will say, Lo, here is Christ; lo, there.
12 But as it was before the flood in Noah’s day, so shall it be. The people ate, they drank, were filled with merriment and sung for joy,
13 And did not know their doom until the ark was done and Noah entered in; but then the flood came on and swept them all away.
14 So, also, in the days of Lot; the people ate and drank; they bought, they sold, they planted and they reaped, they went their ways in sin, and they cared not;
15 But when the righteous Lot went from their city’s gates the earth beneath the city shook, and brimstone fires fell from heaven;
16 The gapping jaws of earth flew wide, and swallowed up their homes, their wealth, and they went down to rise no more.
17 So shall it be when comes the son of man in power.
18 I charge you men, as I will charge men then, Seek not to save your wealth, or you will lose your lives. Go forth, and look not back upon the crumbling walls of sin. Do not forget Lot’s wife.
19 Whoever tries to save his life will lose his life; whoever freely gives his life in serving life will save his life.
20 Then comes the sifting time. Two men will be in bed; one will be called, the other left; two women will be working side by side; one will be snatched away, the other left.
21 And his disciples said, Explain to us this parable; or is it not a parable?
22 And Jesus said, The wise will understand, for where the bread of heaven is, there you will find the pure in heart; and where the carcass lies will gather all the birds of prey.
23 But, lo, I say, before these days will come, the son of man will be betrayed by one of you into the hands of wicked men, and he will give his life for you and all the world.
24 Yea, more; the Holy Breath will come in power and fill you with the wisdom of the just.
25 And you will tell the wondrous story in Judea and in Samaria and in the farther lands of earth.
26 And then to teach that men should pray and never faint, he told this parable:
27 There was a judge who feared not God, nor yet regarded man.
28 There was a widow who oft implored the judge to right her wrongs and to avenge her foes.
29 At first the judge would hear her not, but after many days he said,
30 I fear not God, and I regard not man, yet, lest this widow wear me out by pleading every day I will avenge her on her foes.
31 When the disciples asked the meaning of this parable, the Lord replied, The wise can understand; the foolish have no need to know.
32 And then to teach a lesson unto certain of his followers who trusted in themselves and thought that they were holier than other men, he told this parable:
33 Two men went to the synagogue to pray; one was a Pharisee, the other was a publican.
34 The Pharisee stood forth and prayed thus with himself, O God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, who are extortioners, unjust, adulterers;
35 Not even like this publican. I fast two times a week, and I give tithes of all I get.
36 The publican came not a-near; he would not lift his eyes to heaven, but smote his breast and said,
37 O Lord, be merciful to me; I am a sinner in thy sight; I am undone.
38 And now, you men, I say to you, The publican knew how to pray, and he was justified.
39 The Pharisee knew how to talk, but still he went away condemned.
40 Lo, every one who lauds himself shall be abased, and he who does not praise himself shall be exalted in the sight of God.
CHAPTER 146
Last meeting of Jesus with his disciples in Galilee. Miriam sings a song of praise. The song. The Christines begin their journey to Jerusalem. They rest at Enon Springs. The selfish request of the mother of James and John. The Christines reach Jerusalem.
The work of Jesus in the land of Galilee was done, and he sent forth a message, and the many came from many towns of Galilee; came to receive a benediction from his hand.
2 Among the multitudes who came was Luke, a Syrian from Antioch, a learned physician and a just and upright man.
3 Theophilus, a Grecian senator, a minister of Cæsar’s court, was also there; and many other men of honor and renown.
4 And Miriam sung: All hail the Day Star from on high!
5 All hail the Christ who ever was, and is and evermore shall be!
6 All hail the darkness of the shadowland! All hail the dawn of peace on earth; good will to men!
7 All hail triumphant king, who grapples with the tyrant Death, who conquers in the fight, and brings to light immortal life for men!
8 All hail the broken cross, the mutilated spear!
9 All hail the triumph of the soul! All hail the empty tomb!
10 All hail to him despised by men, rejected by the multitudes; for he is seated on the throne of power!
11 All hail! for he has called the pure in heart of every clime to sit with him upon the throne of power!
12 All hail, the rending veil! The way into the highest courts of God is open for the sons of men!
13 Rejoice, O men of earth, rejoice, and be exceeding glad!
14 Bring forth the harp and touch its highest strings; bring forth the lute, and sound its sweetest notes!
15 For men who were made low, are high exalted now, and they who walked in darkness and in the vale of death, are risen up and God and man are one forevermore,
16 Allelujah! praise the Lord forevermore. Amen.
17 And Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,
18 My Father-God, let now the benediction of thy love, thy mercy and thy truth rest on these men.
19 The lamp is taken from their midst, and if the inner light be not aflame, lo, they must tread the ways of darkness and of death.
20 And then he said to all, Farewell.
21 Then Jesus and his mother, and the twelve, and Miriam and Mary, mother of the two disciples, James and John,
22 And many other loyal souls who loved the Christ, went to Jerusalem, that they might celebrate the Jewish feast.
23 And as they journeyed on their way they came to Enon Springs, near unto Salim where the harbinger once taught.
24 And as they rested by the fountain, Mary, wife of Zebedee, and mother of the two disciples, James and John, came to the master and she said,
25 My Lord, I know the kingdom is about to come, and I would ask this boon: Command that these my sons shall sit with you upon the throne, the one upon the right, the other on the left.
26 And Jesus said to her, You know not what you ask.
27 And then he turned to James and John and said, Are you prepared and are you strong enough to drink the cup that I will drink?
28 They said, Yes, master, we are strong enough to follow where you go.
29 Then Jesus said, You shall indeed drink of my cup; but I am not the judge of who will sit upon my right hand or my left.
30 The men who live the life and keep the faith will sit upon the throne of power.
31 Now, when the apostles heard the pleadings of the mother for her sons, and knew that James and John were seeking special favors from the Lord, they were indignant and they said,
32 We surely thought that James and John had risen above the selfish self. Who can we trust among the sons of men?
33 And Jesus called the ten apart and said to them, How hard for men to comprehend the nature of the kingdom of the soul!
34 These two disciples do not seem to know that rulership in heaven is not akin to rulership on earth.
35 In all the kingdoms of the world, the men of power, they who exalt themselves, show their authority, and rule with iron rule;
36 But you must know that they who rule the sons of light are they who seek no earthly power, but give their lives in willing sacrifice for men.
37 Whoever would be great must be the minister of all. The highest seat in heaven is at the feet of him who is the lowest man of earth.
38 I had a glory with our Father-God before the worlds were made, and still I come to serve the race of men; to be the minister of men; to give my life for men.
39 And then the Christines journeyed on and came unto Jerusalem.
CHAPTER 147
Jesus speaks to the people in the temple regarding the messiahship. Rebukes the Jews for treachery. The Jews attempt to stone him, but are prevented by Joseph. The Christines go to Jericho, and later to Bethabara.
Now, many Jews from Galilee, Judea and Samaria were in Jerusalem and at the feast.
2 The porch of Solomon was filled with scribes and Pharisees and doctors of the law, and Jesus walked with them.
3 A scribe approaching Jesus said, Rabboni, why do you keep the people waiting in suspense? If you are the Messiah that the prophets said would come, will you not tell us now?
4 And Jesus said, Lo, I have told you many times, but you believed me not.
5 No man can do the work that I have done and bring to men the truth as I have brought the truth who did not come from God.
6 What I have done and said are witnesses for me.
7 God calls, and they whose ears have been attuned to hear the heavenly voice have heard the call and have believed in me; because God testifies for me.
8 You cannot hear the voice of God, because your ears are closed. You cannot comprehend the works of God, because your hearts are full of self.
9 And you are busy-bodies, mischief-makers, hypocrites. You take these men whom God has given me into your haunts and try to poison them with sophistries and lies, and think that you will snatch them from the fold of God.
10 I tell you, men, these men are tried and you can snatch not one of them away.
11 My Father who has given them to me is greater than you all, and he and I are one.
12 And then the Jews took stones to throw at him and cried, Now we have heard enough; away with him; let him be stoned.
13 But Joseph, member of the great Sanhedrim of the Jews, was in the porch and he came forth and said,
14 You men of Israel, do nothing rash; throw down those stones; your reason is a better guide than passion in such times as these.
15 You do not know your accusations to be true, and if this man should prove himself to be the Christ, and you should take his life, the wrath of God would rest upon you evermore.
16 And Jesus said to them, Lo, I have healed your sick, have caused your blind to see, your deaf to hear, your lame to walk, and cast out unclean spirits from your friends;
17 For which of these great works would you desire to take my life?
18 The Jews replied, We would not stone you for your works of grace, but for your vile, blasphemous words. You are but man and still you say that you are God.
19 And Jesus said, A prophet of your own said to the sons of men, Lo, you are gods!
20 Now, hark, you men, if he could say that to the men who simply heard the word of God, why should you think that I blaspheme the name of God because I say, I am a son of God?
21 If you believe not what I say you must have faith in what I do, and you should see the Father in these works, and know that I dwell in the Father-God, and that the Father dwells in me.
22 And then again the Jews took stones and would have stoned him in the temple court; but he withdrew himself from sight and left the porch and court and went his way;
23 And with the twelve he went to Jericho, and after certain days they crossed the Jordan and in Bethabara abode for many days.
CHAPTER 148
Lazarus dies and Jesus and the twelve return to Bethany. The resurrection of Lazarus, which greatly excites the rulers in Jerusalem. The Christines go to the hills of Ephriam, and there abide.
One day as Jesus and the twelve were in the silence in a home in Araba a messenger came and said,
2 Lord, Jesus, hear! your friend in Bethany is sick, nigh unto death; his sisters urge that you arise and come in haste.
3 Then turning to the twelve the master said, Lo, Lazarus has gone to sleep, and I must go and waken him.
4 And his disciples said, What need to go if he has gone to sleep; he will awaken by and by?
5 Then Jesus said, It is the sleep of death; for Lazarus is dead.
6 But Jesus did not haste to go; he stayed two days in Araba; and then he said, The hour has come and we must go to Bethany.
7 But his disciples urged him not to go; they said, The Jews are waiting your return that they may take your life.
8 And Jesus said, Men cannot take my life till I have handed unto them my life.
9 And when the time shall come I will myself lay down my life; that time is near, and God knows best; I must arise and go.
10 And Thomas said, Then we will also go; yes, we will offer up our lives and die with him. And they arose and went.
11 Now, Mary, Martha, Ruth and many friends were weeping in their home when one approached and said, The Lord has come; but Mary did not hear the words.
12 But Ruth and Martha heard, and they arose and went to meet the Lord; he waited at the village gate.
13 And when they met the master Martha said, You are too late, for Lazarus is dead; if you had only been with us I know that he would not have died.
14 But even now I know that you have power over death; that by the sacred Word you may cause life to rise from death.
15 And Jesus said, Behold, for Lazarus shall live again.
16 And Martha said, I know that he will rise and live again when all the dead shall rise.
17 And Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he who has faith in me, though he be dead, yet shall he live;
18 And he who is alive, and has a living faith in me, shall never die. Do you believe what I have said?
19 And Martha said, Lord, I believe that you are come to manifest the Christ of God.
20 Then Jesus said, Go back and call aside your sister, and my mother and the prophetess and say that I have come; and I will stay here by the gate till they have come to me.
21 And Ruth and Martha did as Jesus bade them do, and in a little while the Marys and the prophetess had met the Lord.
22 And Mary said, Why did you tarry thus? If you had been with us our brother, dear, would not have died.
23 Then Jesus went up to the house and when he saw the heavy grief of all, he was himself stirred up with grief, and said, Where is the tomb in which he lies?
24 They said, Lord, come and see. And Jesus wept.
25 The people said, Behold how Jesus loved this man!
26 And others said, Could not this Lord who opened up the eyes of one born blind, have saved this man from death?
27 But soon the mourners stood beside the tomb, a sepulcher hewn out of solid rock; a massive stone closed up the door.
28 And Jesus said, Take you away the stone.
29 But Martha said, Lord, is it well? Behold our brother has been dead four days; the body must be in decay, and is it well that we should see it now?
30 The Lord replied, Have you forgotten, Martha, what I said while we were at the village gate? Did I not say that you should see the glory of the Lord?
31 And then they rolled the stone away; the flesh had not decayed; and Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,
32 My Father-God, thou who hast ever heard my prayers, I thank thee now, and that these multitudes may know that thou hast sent me forth, that I am thine and thou art mine, make strong the Word of power.
33 And then he spoke the Word, and in a voice that souls can comprehend, he said, O Lazarus, awake!
34 And Lazarus arose and came out of the tomb. The grave clothes were about him fast, and Jesus said,
35 Loose him and let him go.
36 The people were amazed and multitudes confessed their faith in him.
37 And some went to Jerusalem and told the Pharisees about this resurrection of the dead.
38 The chief priests were confounded, and they said, What shall we do? This man is doing many mighty deeds, and if we do not stay him in his work, all men will look on him as king, and through the Romans he may take the throne, and we will lose our place and power.
39 And then the chief priests and the Pharisees in council met and sought a plan by which they might put him to death.
4 °Caiaphas was the high priest then, and he came forth and said, You men of Israel, do you not know the law?
41 Do you not know that in such times as these we may give up one life to save our nation and our laws?
42 Caiaphas did not know that he was prophet, speaking out the words of truth.
43 He did not know the time had come for Jesus to be offered up a sacrifice for every man, for Jew and Greek, and all the world.
44 From that day forth the Jews conferred together every day, maturing plans to put the Lord to death.
45 Now, Jesus and the twelve did not remain in Bethany; but in the hills of Ephriam, upon the borders of Samaria, they found a home, and there abode for many days.
CHAPTER 149
The Jews gather in Jerusalem to attend the feast. The Christines go to Jericho. Jesus dines with Zaccheus. He relates the parable of the ten talents.
The great passover of the Jews, the feast of spring, was calling every loyal Jew up to Jerusalem.
2 Ten days before the feast the Lord and his disciples left the Ephriam hills and, by the Jordan way, went down to Jericho.
3 And as they entered Jericho a wealthy publican came out to see the Lord; but he was small in stature and the throng was great and he could see him not.
4 A tree, a sycamore, stood by the way and he climbed up the tree and found a seat among its boughs.
5 When Jesus came, he saw the man and said, O Zaccheus, make haste, come down; I would abide with you today.
6 And Zaccheus came down and joyfully received the Lord; but many of the stricter sect called out and said,
7 For shame! he goes to lodge with Zaccheus, the sinner and the publican.
8 But Jesus did not care for what they said; he went his way with Zaccheus, who was a man of faith, and as they talked together Zaccheus said,
9 Lord, I have ever tried to do the right; I give unto the poor half of my goods, and if by any means I wrong a man, I right the wrong by paying him four fold.
10 And Jesus said to him, Your life and faith are known to God, and lo, the benedictions of the Lord of hosts abide with you and all your house.
11 Then Jesus spoke a parable to all; he said, A vassal of an emperor was made a king, and he went to the foreign land to claim his rights and take the kingdom to himself.
12 Before he went he called ten trusted servants and to each he gave a pound and said,
13 Go forth and use these pounds as you have opportunity, that you may gain for me more wealth. And then he went his way.
14 And after many days he came again, and called the ten, demanding a report.
15 The first one came and said, Lord, I have gained for you nine pounds; you gave me one and here are ten.
16 The king replied, Well done, you faithful man; because you have been faithful in a little thing I judge that you will be a faithful servant in a greater thing;
17 Behold, I make you ruler over nine important cities of my realm.
18 The second came and said, Lord, I have gained for you four pounds; you gave me one, and here are five.
19 The king replied, and you have proven up your faithfulness. Behold, I make you ruler over four important cities of my realm.
20 Another came and said, Lord, I have doubled what you gave to me. You gave one pound to me and here are two.
21 The ruler said, And you have proved your faithfulness; Behold, I make you ruler over one important city of my realm.
22 Another came and said, Lord, here is what you gave to me. I knew you were an austere man, oft reaping where you did not sow and I was sore afraid, and so I took the pound you gave to me and hid it in a secret place; and here it is.
23 The king exclaimed, You slothful man! you knew what I required, that I expected every man to do his best.
24 If you were timid and afraid to trust your judgment in the marts of trade, why did you not go forth and put my money out for gain, that I could have my own with interest?
25 Then turning to the steward of his wealth the ruler said, Take you this pound and give it unto him who has by diligence earned nine.