NOTE: Several years ago, Denver Snuffer published a version of the Gospel of John called “The Testimony of St. John” (TSJ). Whether or not you believe Denver Snuffer to be a prophet of God or not, this “newly revealed account of John the Beloved’s Testimony of Jesus the Messiah” is worth reading and studying with an open, meditative, pondering mind and while taking the Holy Spirit as your guide. To be honest, the Lord has taught me a lot through the writings of Mr. Snuffer – the implication being, for me at least, that many of his teachings are/were inspired. Having said that, I do not take anything that he has said as truth at straight face value but have taken it to the Lord – which, ironically, is one of the main takeaways I’ve received from Snuffer, and I apply it as much to his ideas as I do to those of the LDS Church leaders or Hindu gurus or Native American medicine men or Buddhist monks, or anyone else I have read and learned from, who purports to have a connection to God.
I’ve not referenced the “TSJ” directly in any of my other New Testament posts but the 21st chapter of John is another matter. I have found it to be immensely enlightening to what John might have written as a “hermetic” text. So, I hope that you will indulge me in this post and read and ponder this “revealed account” with an open mind – and with the Holy Spirit as your guide; but if not, I understand.
Christ’s Visitation at the Sea of
Galilee
READ TSJ John 21:1-3
After
this, Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This
is an account of that event: There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called
Didymus, and Nathanael from the city of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of
Zebedee, and two others, also disciples. Simon Peter said to them, I ascend to
the deep. They responded to him, we go with you. They went forth, and entered
into the ark; and they could not grasp anything.
What is a hermetic text?
How might the TSJ translation suggest hermetic
language in the traditional translations?
READ TSJ John 21:4-8
But
at the horizon of the morning star, Jesus stood at the sacred entry; however,
the disciples could not recognize it was Jesus for the glory about Him. Then
Jesus asked them, Children, have you celebrated the ritual meal? They answered
Him, No. And He directed them and said, Approach the veil to the east and you
will find what you seek. They approached the veil as instructed, and now they
were overcome by the multitude of what was received. Therefore, the disciple
Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it
was the Lord, he quickly clothed himself (for he did not wear the apparel) and
cast himself into the great deep. And the other disciples came into the ark and
parted also the veil (for they were not bound by the limits of this world).
What is the “sacred entry”?
What is the horizon of the morning star?
What does it mean to approach the veil to
the east?
What are they seeking?
In the traditional translation, the
fishermen cast their net on the other side of the boat and cannot draw it up
for the multitude of fishes; what does “being overcome by the multitude of what
was received” mean?
What apparel did Peter put on and why
must he cloth himself?
Does Peter cast himself into the sea?
What “ark” do the other disciples “come into”
to part the veil?
What does it mean to not be bound by the
limits of this world?
READ TSJ John 21:9-14
As
they ascended, they saw a fire burning at the offering place and the Flesh
Offering was upon it, who is also the Bread of Life. Jesus said to them, Rise
above the flesh you now occupy, and Simon Peter ascended, and drew the veil
open, and there were ministering a hundred, and then fifty, and then three; and
for these many who they beheld, yet the veil remained open. Jesus said to them,
Come and eat the food of the rising sun. And none of the disciples asked of
him, What name is now yours? knowing that it was their Lord. Jesus then served
to them His flesh and blood, and they were filled by His Spirit. This was now
the third time Jesus ministered to His disciples following His rise from among
the dead.
How are they ascending and where are they
ascending to?
Is the “flesh offering” being roasted on
the altar like the fish and bread was on the coal fire in the traditional
translation?
If they have already ascended through the
sacred entry, why is Christ asking them to “rise above the flesh you now
occupy”?
What are the hundred, then fifty, then
three that Peter sees ministering?
What does it mean that “yet the veil
remained open”?
What is the food of the rising sun?
What name is now Christ’s?
READ TSJ John 21:15-19
After
the meal, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me above
everything else? He answered him, Yes, Lord. You know that I love you. He said
to him, Take care of my lambs as they are growing. He asked him again the
second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me above everything else? He said
to Him, Yes, Lord you know that I love you. He said to him, Take care of my
lambs as they increase. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, do
you love me above everything else? Peter was concerned because He asked him for
a third time, Do you love me? And he said to Him, Lord, you know all things.
You know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Care for my lambs as they are
added upon. In the name of Father Ahman I tell you, when you were progressing,
you dressed yourself, and went where you chose to go; but as you approach the
end of the path, you will have to let others stretch out your hands and
likewise nail you, even if you plead to have the bitter cup removed. This He
said to foretell the sacrificial death that is required for endless glory. And
then He added, You must follow after me.
Why did Christ ask Peter three times if
he loved Christ above everything else?
What is the difference between “growing”,
“increasing”, and being “added upon”?
What is the relationship between loving
Christ and this mission to “take care of Christ’s lambs”; what is implied?
What does it mean to “dress yourself”;
what is Christ referring to?
In the traditional translation it says
“but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another
shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not”; what does this new
translation reveal about this hermetic metaphor of being “old”?
What is the relationship between the
mission Christ gives Peter and the counsel about sacrificial death?
How does this scripture inform what it
means to “follow after” Christ?
What is the nature of the bitter cup Gods
suffer?
Why is a sacrificial death required of
all who would receive endless glory - why is Christ’s death not sufficient for
all, throughout all time and eternity, as it was an infinite and eternal
sacrifice?
READ TSJ John 21:20-25
Then
Peter turned and looked at the disciple whom Jesus loved, who was behind. This
was he who was next to Jesus at supper, and had quietly asked Him during
supper, Lord, who is the one that will betray you? Peter saw him and asked
Jesus, Lord, and what will become of this man? Jesus explained, I said to him,
John, my beloved, what do you desire? And John replied, Lord, give to me the
power that I may bring souls to you. And I said to him, In the name of Father
Ahman I commit to you that because you desire this you shall tarry until I
return in my glory. And for this reason the Lord said to Peter, if I will that
he tarry till I come, what is that to you? For he desires from me that he might
bring souls to me, but you desire that you might come to me in my kingdom. I
tell you, Peter, yours was a good desire, but my beloved has undertaken a
greater work on earth. In the name of Father Ahman I say to you that you shall
both have what you requested, and you both will have joy from what you each
requested. Now, therefore, know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Walker in the
Path who has proven for evermore that Father Ahman sent Him into the world to
prove His Father’s path. In addition to this account, many other things were
done by Jesus, which, if they were all written, that library would fill the
entire cosmos. Amen.
What is John’s mission today?
Why was John’s request to bring souls to
Christ a better desire than Peter’s?
Why would Peter waste his “wish” on
“coming to Christ in His kingdom” upon his death; aren’t all who inherit the
Celestial Kingdom going to receive that blessing anyway?
If John petitioned Christ to do a
“greater work” than Peter, what is implied by the fact that they both will have
joy from what they each requested?
What does it mean that Christ is the
“Walker in the Path” and what is that to us, as He was and is a god while we
are so far from that state?
