Evildoers: Should You Call for a Vengeance or Pray for them?.

When Jesus with his disciples near to a city of the Samaritans, the city dwellers would not let him enter the city, nor would they sell bread to them. After passing certain days James and John said to Jesus: "Master, may it please you that we pray God that he send down fire from heaven upon these people?"

He answered: "You know not by what spirit you are led, that you so speak. Remember that God determined to destroy Nineveh because he did not find one who feared God in that city; the which was so wicked that God, having called Jonah; the prophet to send him to that city, he would fain for fear of the people have fled to Tarsus;,wherefore God caused him to be cast into the sea, and received by a fish and cast up near to Nineveh. And he preaching there, that people was converted to repentance, so that God had mercy on them.

Woe to them that call for vengeance; for on themselves it shall come, seeing that every man has in himself cause for the vengeance of God. Now tell me, have you created this city with this people? Aassuredly no. For all creatures united together could not create a single new fly from nothing, and this it is to create. If the blessed God who has created this city now sustains it, why desire you to destroy it? Why did you not say: "May it please you, master, that we pray to the Lord our God that this people may be converted to penitence?"

The proper act of a Mumin is to pray to God for those who do evil. Thus did Abel when his brother Cain, accursed of God, slew him. Thus did Abraham; for Pharaoh;, who took from him his wife, and whom therefore, the angel of God did not slay, but only struck with infirmity. Thus did Zechariah when, by decree of the impious king, he was slain in the Temple. Thus did Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and David, with all the friends of God and holy Prophets.

Tell me, if a brother were stricken with frenzy, would you slay him because he spoke evil and struck those who came near him? Assuredly you would not do so; but rather would you endeavour to restore his health with medicines suitable to his infirmity."

"As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, a sinner is of infirm mind when he persecutes a man. For tell me, is there anyone who would break his head for the sake of tearing the cloak of his enemy? Now how can he be of sane mind who separates himself from God, the head of his soul, in order that he may injure the body of his enemy?

"Tell me, O man, who is your enemy? Assuredly your body, and every one who praises you. Wherefore if you were of sane mind you would kiss the hand of those who revile you, and present gifts to those who persecute you and strike you much; because, O man because the more that for your sins you are reviled and persecuted in this life the less shall you be in the day of judgment.

But tell me, O man, if the saints and prophets of God have been persecuted and defamed by the world even though they were innocent, what shall be done to you, O sinner? and if they endured all with patience, praying for their persecutors, what shouldst you do, O man, who are worthy of hell?

Tell me, do you not know that Shimei cursed the servant of God, David the prophet, and threw stones at him? Now what said David to those who would fain have killed Shimei? "What is it to you, O Joab, that you would kill Shimei? Let him curse me, for this is the will of God, who will turn this curse into a blessing."
And thus it was; for God saw the patience of David and delivered him from the persecution of his own son, Absalom.

Assuredly not a leaf stirs without the will of God. Wherefore, when you are in tribulation do not think of how much you have borne, nor of him who afflicts you; but consider how much for your sins you are worthy to receive at the hand of the devils of hell. You are angry with this city because it would not receive us, nor sell bread to us. Tell me, are these people your slaves? have you given them this city? have you given them their corn? Or have you helped them to reap it? Assuredly no; for you are strangers in this land, and poor men. What thing is this then that you say?"

The End.

Not Yet Verified.

Source: Gospel of Barnabas

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Learning: Is a Precept of God.

Bread is not so good for the temporal life as is learning for the eternal life? Know you not that it is a precept of God to learn? For thus says God: Ask of your elders, and they shall teach you. And of the Law says God: See that my precept be before your eyes, and when you sit down, and when you walk, and at all times meditate thereon. Whether, then, it is good not to learn, you may now know. He who despises wisdom, for he is sure to lose eternal life."

One may say that Job learned not from a master, nor Abraham; nevertheless they became holy ones and Prophets. Its true and actually they don't need to Learn, because, he who is of the bridegroom's house does not need to be invited to the marriage, as he dwells in the house where the marriage is held; but they that are far from the house. And we know that the prophets of God are in the house of God's grace and mercy, and so have the Law of God manifest in them: as David our father says on this matter: The Law of his God is in his heart; therefore his path shall not be digged up.

Our God in creating man not only created him righteous, but inserted in his heart a light that should show to him that it is fitting to serve God. Wherefore, even if this light be darkened after sin, yet is it not extinguished. For every nation has the desire to serve God, though they have lost God and serve false and lying gods.

Accordingly it is necessary that a man be taught of the prophets of God, for he may clear the light to learn the way to go to paradise, by serving God well: just as it is necessary that he who has his eyes through him diseased should be guided and helped."

Now, It is a Question that how shall the prophets teach us if they are dead; and how shall he be taught who has not knowledge of the prophets?"

The doctrine of the Prophet is written down, for you to study. He who despises the prophecy, despises not only the prophet, but also God who has sent the prophet. But concerning such as know not the prophet, as are the nations, Say, if there shall live in those regions any man who lives as his heart shall show him, not doing to others that which he would not receive from others, and giving to his neighbour that which he would receive from others, such a man shall not be forsaken of the mercy of God.

Wherefore at death, if not sooner, God will show him and give him his Law with mercy. Perhaps you think that God has given the Law for love of the Law? 

Assuredly this is not true, but rather has God given his Law in order that man might work good for love of God. And so if God shall find a man who for love of him works good, shall he perhaps despise him?

No, surely, but rather will he love him more than those to whom he has given the Law. For an example: There was a man who had great possessions; and in his territory he had desert land that only bore unfruitful things. And so, as he was walking out one day through such desert land, he found among such unfruitful plants a plant that had delicate fruits.

Whereupon this man said: "Now how does this plant here bear these so delicate fruits? Assuredly I will not that it be cut down and put on the fire with the rest."
And having called his servants he made them dig it up and set it in his garden. Even so, I tell you, that our God shall preserve from the flames of hell those who work righteousness;,wheresoever they be."

"Tell me, where dwelt Job but in Ur among idolaters? And at the time of the flood, how writes Moses? Tell me. He says: "Noah truly found grace before God." 

Our father Abraham had a father without faith, for he made and worshipped false idols. Lot abode among the most wicked men on earth. Daniel as a child, with Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in such wise that they were but two years old when they were taken; and they were nurtured among the multitude of idolatrous servants.

As God lives, even as the fire burns dry things and converts them into fire, making no difference between olive and cypress and palm; even so our God has mercy on every one that works righteously, making no difference between Jew, Scythian, Greek, or Ishmaelite.

But let not your heart stop there, because where God has sent the prophet it is necessary entirely to deny your own judgment and to follow the prophet, and not to say: 'Why says he thus? Why does he thus forbid and command?'
But say: 'Thus God wills. Thus God commands.' Now what said God to Moses when Israel despised Moses? They have not despised you, but they have despised me.

Truly, man ought to spend all the time of his life not in learning how to speak or to read, but in learning how to work well. Now tell me, who is that servant of Herod who would not study to please him by serving him with all diligence?

Woe to the world that studies only to please a body that is clay and dung, and studies not but forgets the service of God who has made all things, who is blessed for evermore."

The End.

Not Yet Verified.

Source:
Gospel of Barnabas.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Haggai and Hosea: The Sincere Seekers of God.

It is written by Daniel the prophet that when Haggai was fifteen years old, having sold his patrimony and given it to the poor, he went forth from Anathoth to serve Obadiah the prophet. Now the aged Obadiah, who knew the humility of Haggai, used him as a book wherewith to teach his disciples. Wherefore he oftentimes presented him raiment and delicate food, but Haggai ever sent back the messenger, saying: "Go, return to the house, for you have made a mistake. Shall Obadiah send me such things? Surely not: for he knows that I am good for nothing, and only commit sins. And Obadiah, when he had anything bad, used to give it to the one next to Haggai, in order that he might see it.

Thereupon Haggai. when he saw it, would say to himself: "Now, behold, Obadiah has certainly forgotten you, for this thing is suited to me alone, because I am worse than all. And there is nothing so vile but that, receiving it from Obadiah, by whose hands God grants it to me, it were a treasure."

When Obadiah desired to teach any one how to pray, he would call Haggai and say: "Recite here your prayer so that every one may hear your words." Then Haggai would say-

"Lord God of Israel, with mercy look upon your servant, who calls upon you, for that you have created him. Righteous Lord God, remember your righteousness and punish the sins of your servant, in order that I may not pollute your work. 
Lord my God, I cannot ask you for the delights that you grant to your faithful servants, because I do nought but sins. Wherefore, Lord, when you would give an infirmity to one of your servants, remember me your servant, for your own glory."

And when Haggai did so, God so loved him that to every one who in his time stood by him God gave, [the gift of] prophecy. And nothing did Haggai ask in prayer that God withheld.'

On the other Hand, "Hosea, when he went to serve God, was prince over the tribe of Naphtali, and aged fourteen years. And so, having sold his patrimony and given it to the poor, he went to be disciple of Haggai.

Hosea was so inflamed with charity that concerning all that was asked of him he would say: 'This has God given me for you, O brother; accept it, therefore!' For which cause he was soon left with two garments only namely, a tunic of sackcloth and a mantle of skins. He sold, I say, his patrimony and gave it to the poor, because otherwise no one would be suffered to be called a Pharisee.

Hosea had the Book of Moses, which he read with greatest earnestness. Now one day Haggai said to him: "Hosea, who has taken away from you all that you had?"

He answered: "The Book of Moses."

It happened that a disciple of a neighbouring prophet wanted to go to Jerusalem, but did not have a mantle. Wherefore, having heard of the charity of Hosea, he went to find him, and said to him: 'Brother, I would want to go to Jerusalem to perform a sacrifice to our God, but I have not a mantle, wherefore I know not what to do.'

When he heard this, Hosea said: 'Pardon me, brother, for I have committed a great sin against you: because God has given me a mantle in order that I might give it to you, and I had forgotten. Now therefore accept it, and pray to God for me.'

The man, believing this, accepted Hosea's mantle and departed. And when Hosea went to the house of Haggai, Haggai said: 'Who has taken away your mantle?'

Hosea replied: 'The Book of Moses.'

Haggai was much pleased at hearing this, because he perceived the goodness of Hosea.

It happened that a poor man was stripped by robbers and left naked. Whereupon Hosea, seeing him, stripped off his own tunic and gave it to him that was naked; himself being left with a little piece of goat-skin over the privy parts. Wherefore, as he came not to see Haggai, the good Haggai thought that Hosea was sick. So he went with two disciples to find him: and they found him wrapped in palm-leaves. Then said Haggai: 'Tell me now, why have you not been to visit me?'

Hosea answered: "The Book of Moses has taken away my tunic, and I feared to come thither without a tunic."

Whereupon Haggai gave him another tunic.

It happened that a young man, seeing Hosea read the Book of Moses, wept, and said: 'I also would learn to read if I had a book.'

Hearing which, Hosea gave him the book, saying: 'Brother, this book is yours; for God gave it me in order that I should give it to one who, weeping, should desire a book.'

The man believed him, and accepted the book.

There was a disciple of Haggai near to Hosea; and he, wishing to see if his own book was well written, went to visit Hosea, and said to him: "Brother, take your book and let us see if it is even as mine."

Hosea answered: "It has been taken away from me."

"Who has taken it from you?" said the disciple.

Hosea answered: "The Book of Moses,"

Hearing which, the other went to Haggai ;and said to him: "Hosea has gone mad, for he says that the Book of Moses has taken away from him the Book of Moses."

Haggai answered: "Would to God, O brother, that I were mad in like manner, and that all mad folk were like to Hosea!"

Now the Syrian robbers, having raided the land of Judea, seized the son of a poor widow, who dwelt hard by Mount Carmel, where the prophets and Pharisees abode. It chanced, accordingly, that Hosea having gone to cut wood met the woman, who was weeping. Thereupon he straightway began to weep; for whenever he saw any one laugh he laughed, and whenever he saw any one weep he wept. Hosea then asked the woman touching the reason of her weeping, and she told him all.

Then said Hosea: 'Come, sister, for God wills to give you your son."

And they went both of them to Hebron;, where Hosea;sold himself, and gave the money to the widow;, who, not knowing how he had gotten that money, accepted it, and redeemed her son. He who had bought Hosea took him to Jerusalem, where he had an abode, not knowing Hosea.

Haggai;, seeing that Hosea was not to be found, remained afflicted thereat. Whereupon the angel of God told him how he had been taken as a slave to Jerusalem.

The good Haggai, when he heard this, wept for the absence of Hosea as a mother weeps for the absence of her son. And having called two disciples he went to Jerusalem. And by the will of God, in the entrance of the city he met Hosea, who was laden with bread to carry it to the labourers in his master's vineyard.

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Having recognized him, Haggai said: "Son, how is it that you have forsaken your old father, who seeks you mourning?"

Hosea answered: "Father, I have been sold."

Then said Haggai in wrath: "Who is that bad fellow who has sold you?"

Hosea answered: "God forgive you, O my father; for he who has sold me is so good that if he were not in the world no one would become holy." '

‘Who, then, is he?" said Haggai;.

'Hosea answered: "O my father, it was the Book of Moses;."

Then the good Haggai remained as it were beside himself, and said: "Would to God, my son, that the Book of Moses; would sell me also with all my children, even as it has sold you!"

And Haggai went with Hosea to the house of his master, who when he saw Haggai said: "Blessed be our God, who has sent his prophet to my house"; and he ran to kiss his hand.

Then said Haggai: "Brother, kiss the hand of your slave whom you have bought, for he is better than I." And he narrated to him all that had passed; whereupon the master gave Hosea his freedom.’

The End.
Not Yet Verified.

Sources:
Gospel of Barnabas, CH-185-88