We sit down to the meal and begin to eat it quite happily and cheerfully, when Judas enters through the door and begins to reproach us in earnest, asking why we had not sent a messenger for him, since we surely ought to know that he had much to do and could not always inquire when we were going to eat. For, he thinks, he too belongs to our company!? Thomas becomes quite furious at this speech and says, ‘Lord, now my restraint is at an end! He must taste my fists once again!’
I say, ‘Let that be. Have you never heard that where twelve angels dwell under one roof, the twelfth is a devil in disguise!? Let him have his pleasure! You will not change that one.’ Thomas sits down, and Judas goes on without a meal.
As we then continue eating the well-prepared meal, Judas returns, gives us kind words and asks to have something to eat; for, he says, there is nothing to be had anywhere in the town, since the many guests have already eaten up everything prepared.
I say, ‘Then give him something to eat.’ And brother James gave him bread, salt and a whole large, well-prepared fish. And Judas consumed the whole fish, weighing about seven pounds, and afterwards much water, so that he felt somewhat unwell afterwards. Then he began to complain and suggested that the fish was stale, which always harmed his stomach.
But Thomas became annoyed again and said to Judas Iscariot, ‘You are still the same old uncouth and coarse person you always were. Go out into the pantry and see whether our fish are stale!? If, ravenous as a wolf, you immediately swallow a fish weighing seven pounds, drink a whole jug of water with it and besides eat a by no means small loaf of bread, then surely you must feel pressure in your stomach!? But if it really hurts you so much, we have the best physician in our midst; ask Him, and He will surely help you!?’
Judas Iscariot says, ‘You are all furious with me and say that I am a devil. How will you be willing to believe me, as a devil, that I am suffering, and how will you help!?’
Thomas says, ‘Were you not with us among the Gergesenes, and did you not see how the Lord there also heard the devils’ request and allowed them what they had asked for!? If you now seriously consider yourself a devil, then ask like a devil, and surely some herd of swine will be found into which you can enter if the Lord hears your request!’
Judas Iscariot says, ‘Ah, you truly mean well by me; I would never have believed I had such a good friend in you!? But see, I shall nevertheless ask Jesus, the son of this house, for proper help, and see whether he will compel me, as you do, to enter a herd of swine!?’ Here Judas turns to Me and presents his distress to Me. But I say, ‘Go to your pots; there your stomach will surely get better!’
Judas goes and remarks to Thomas in passing, ‘So not into a herd of swine after all!?’ Thomas says, ‘But not much better! For your pots are just as much goods for profiteering for you as the swine were for the Gergesenes.’ Judas says nothing in reply and quickly leaves.
But soon afterwards three Pharisees from Capernaum come into the house and ask whether I am at home. When they are told that I am indeed at home, they immediately enter the dining room and ask for Me again there, for they did not know Me by sight.
But I say with full force, ‘I am He! What do you wish Me to do for you!?’
But they were so horrified at My addressing them in this way that they no longer dared ask about anything; for My forceful word had an effect in their hearts as though they had been struck by lightning. And I asked them again what they wanted.
Then one steps forward and says in a very fearful voice, ‘Good Master!’
But I say, ‘Why do you call Me good!? Do you not know that no one is good except God?!’ The Pharisee says, ‘I ask you, do not be so harsh with me, for I need your proven help.’ I say, ‘Go, and do not detain Me; for this afternoon I intend to go down to the sea and catch fish there. You will find Me there.’
With this answer the three leave. But the one who spoke with Me was a ruler of the school and synagogue at Capernaum and was named Jairus.