208. Nicodemus speaks to Iesus
'If I work iniquity, reprove me, and God will love you because ye shall be doing HIS will, but if none can reprove me (of sin) it is a sign that ye are not sons of Abraham as ye call yourselves, nor are ye incorporate with that head wherein Abraham was incorporate. As God liveth, so greatly did Abraham love God, that he not only brake in pieces the false idols and forsook his father and mother, but was willing to slay his own son in obedience to God.
The high priest answered:
'This I ask of thee, and I do not seek to slay thee, wherefore tell us: Who was this son of Abraham?'
Iesus answered:
'The zeal of thine honour, O God, enflameth me, and I cannot hold my peace. Verily I say, the son of Abraham was Ishmael, from whom must be descended the Messiah promised to Abraham, that in him should all the tribes (of the earth) be blessed.'
Then was the high priest wroth, hearing this, and cried out:
'Let us stone this impious fellow, for he is an Ishmaelite, and hath spoken blasphemy against Moses and against the law of God.'
Whereupon every scribe and Pharisee, with the elders (of the people) took up stones to stone Iesus, who vanished from their eyes and went out of the temple. And then, through the great desire that they had to slay Iesus, blinded with fury and hatred, they struck one another in such wise that there died a thousand men; and they polluted the holy temple. The disciples and believers, who saw Iesus go out of the temple (for from them he was not hidden), followed him to the house of Simon.
Thereupon Nicodemus came thither and counselled Iesus to go out of Jerusalem beyond the brook Cedron, saying:
'Lord, I have a garden with a house beyond the brook Cedron, I pray thee, therefore, go thither with some of thy disciples, to tarry there until this hatred of our priests be past; for I will minister to you what is necessary. And the multitude of disciples leave thou here in the house of Simon and in my house, for God will provide for all.'
And this Iesus did, desiring only to have with him the twelve first called apostles.