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Chapter 17 - Human Commandments And The Laws Of Creation
1. Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jmmanuel and said,
2. "Why do your disciples disregard the statutes of the elders?"
3. He answered, saying to them, "Why do you violate the laws of Creation by following your statutes?
4. "Moses said, according to the laws of mankind, 'You must honour your father and mother, but those who unjustly dishonour their father and mother shall die.'
5. "The teaching of the laws of Creation is this: You shall honour your father and mother, but whosoever does not honour their father and mother shall be expelled from the family and from the society of the righteous.
6. "But you teach, 'Say to one's father or mother: I donate to the religious cult what I owe on your behalf, thus I am no longer indebted to you.
7. "Therefore you wrongly teach that people no longer need to honour their father or mother. Thus you have traded the laws of Creation for your own statutes and lust for power.
8. "You hypocrites, Isaiah has prophesied quite accurately about you, when he said,
9. "'The people of Israel give lip service to Creation, but their hearts and their knowledge are far from it.
10. "'They serve their cult in vain, because they teach such falsified and untruthful teachings, which are no more than man-made laws."'
11. And Jmmanuel called the people to him and said, "Listen and understand!
12. "The teachings of the scribes and Pharisees are false and untruthful, for they preach to you only man-made statutes, which are not the laws of Creation."
13. Thereupon, his disciples came to him and said, "Are you aware that the scribes and the Pharisees were offended by your words when they heard them!
14. "They went out to bear witness against you and to have you killed because of your teachings."
15. But he answered and spoke, "All plants that do not live according to the laws of Creation, will dry up and rot.
16. "Leave them be, they are blind leaders of the blind; but when a blind man leads another blind man, both will fall into the pit.
17. "But let us go away, so that the henchmen remain without booty.
18. Then Peter answered him saying, "Please interpret your speech about the plants and the blind men for us."
19. But Jmmanuel reprimanded his disciples and said, "Are you, too, still without wisdom and therefore also ignorant and doubting in recognition, comprehension and understanding?
20. "You have been with me for a long time now, but you still lack the ability to think and recognize the truth.
21. "Truly, I say to you, you yourselves will do much toward falsifying my teachings in the future.
22. "In your knowledge you barely exceed the other people.
23. "Haven't you realized yet that all the parables and speeches have a spiritual meaning and are therefore about the spiritual life of humans?
24. "Oh, you of little knowledge, does your understanding still not extend beyond the stupidity of the people?
25. "Beware, lest you see me in a false light and accuse me of an origin from which I could not have descended.