The Gospel of Barnabas - chapter 158

Sacred-Texts Islam
  

158.

The man born blind went to find Jesus, who comforted him saying: 'At no time hast thou been so blessed as thou art now, for thou art blest of our God who spake through David, our father and his prophet, against the friends of the world, saying: "They curse and I bless"; and by Micah the prophet he said: "I curse your blessing." For earth is not so contrary to air, water to fire, light to darkness, cold to heat, or love to hate, as is the will that God hath contrary to the will of the world.'

The disciples accordingly asked him, saying: 'Lord, great are thy words; tell us, therefore, the meaning, for as yet we understand not.'

Jesus answered: "When ye shall know the world, ye shall see that I have spoken the truth, and so shall ye know the truth in every prophet.

'Know ye, then, that there be three kinds of worlds comprehended in a single name: the one standeth for the heavens and the earth, with water, air and fire, and all the things that are inferior to man. Now this world in all things followeth the will of God, for, as saith David, prophet of God: "God hath given them a precept which they transgress not."

'The second standeth for all men, even as the "house of such an one" standeth not for the walls, but for the family. Now this world, again, loveth God; because by nature they long after God, forasmuch as according to nature every one longeth after God, even though they err in seeking God. And know ye wherefore all long after God? Because they long every one after an infinite good without any evil, and this is God alone. Therefore the merciful God hath sent his prophets to this world for its salvation.

'The third world is man's fallen condition of sinning, which hath transformed itself into a law contrary to God, the creator of the world. This maketh man become like unto the demons, God's enemies. And this world our God hateth so sore that if the prophets had loved this world—what think ye? Assuredly God would have taken from them their prophecy. And what shall I say? As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, when the messenger of God shall come to the world, if he should conceive love towards this evil world, assuredly, God would take away from him all that he gave him when he created him, and would make him reprobate: so greatly is God contrary to this world.'