The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 105 “The heavens are nine.” The nine heavens beside the Qur'an's seven, and the supposed Dante link, tested:
God’s Greatness and the Nature of the Soul
'God is so immeasurable that I tremble to describe him. But it is necessary that I make unto you a proposition. I tell you, then, that the heavens are nine and that they are distant from one another even as the first heaven is distant from the earth, which is distant from the earth five hundred years' journey. Wherefore the earth is distant from the highest heaven four thousand and five hundred years' journey. I tell you, accordingly, that [the earth] is in proportion to the first heaven as the point of a needle, and the first heaven in like manner is in proportion to the second as a point, and similarly all the heavens are inferior each one to the next. But all the size of the earth with that of all the heavens is in proportion to paradise as a point, nay, as a grain of sand. Is this greatness immeasurable?'
The disciples answered: 'Yea, surely.'
Then said Jesus: 'As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, the universe before God is small as a grain of sand, and God is as many times greater [than it] as it would take grains of sand to fill all the heavens and paradise, and more. Now consider ye if God hath any proportion with man, who is a little piece of clay that standeth upon the earth. Beware, then, that ye take the sense and not the bare words, if ye wish to have eternal life.'
The disciples answered: 'God alone can know himself, and truly it is as said Isaiah the prophet: "He is hidden from human senses."'
Jesus answered: 'So is it true; wherefore, when we are in paradise we shall know God, as here one knoweth the sea from a drop of salt water.'
'Returning to my discourse, I tell you that for sin alone one ought to weep, because by sinning man forsaketh his Creator. But how shall he weep who attendeth at revellings and feasts? He will weep even as ice will give fire! Ye needs must turn revellings into fasts if ye will have lordship over your senses, because even so hath our God lordship.'
Said Thaddaeus: 'So then, God hath sense over which to have lordship.'
Jesus answered: 'Go ye back to saying, "God hath this," "God is such"? Tell me, hath man sense?'
'Yes,' answered the disciples.
Said Jesus: 'Can a man be found who hath life in him, yet in him sense worketh not?'
'No,' said the disciples.
'Ye deceive yourselves,' said Jesus. 'for he that is blind, deaf, dumb, and mutilated—where is his sense? And when a man is in a swoon?'
Then were the disciples perplexed; when Jesus said: 'Three things there are that make up man: that is, the soul and the sense and the flesh, each one of itself separate. Our God created the soul and the body as ye have heard, but ye have not yet heard how he created the sense. Therefore to-morrow, if God please, I will tell you all.'
And having said this Jesus gave thanks to God, and prayed for the salvation of our people, every one of us saying: 'Amen.'
'God is so immeasurable that I tremble to describe him. Yet I must set a proposition before you. I tell you, then, that there are nine heavens, and each is as far from the next as the first heaven is from the earth—a journey of five hundred years. Therefore the earth is a journey of four thousand five hundred years from the highest heaven. I tell you accordingly that the earth, in relation to the first heaven, is like the point of a needle; the first heaven is likewise like a point in relation to the second; and in the same way each heaven is smaller than the one above it. Yet the whole size of the earth together with all the heavens, in relation to paradise, is like a point—indeed, like a grain of sand. Is this greatness not immeasurable?'
The disciples answered: 'Yes, surely.'
Then Jesus said: 'As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, the universe before God is as small as a grain of sand, and God is greater than it by more times than there would be grains of sand enough to fill all the heavens and paradise. Now consider whether God bears any proportion to man, who is only a little piece of clay standing upon the earth. Take care, then, to grasp the meaning and not merely the bare words, if you wish to have eternal life.'
The disciples answered: 'God alone can know himself; and truly it is as the prophet Isaiah said: "He is hidden from human senses."'
Jesus answered: 'That is true. Therefore, when we are in paradise, we will know God in the same way that here one knows the sea from a drop of salt water.'
'Returning to my subject, I tell you that a person should weep only for sin, because by sinning he forsakes his Creator. But how will anyone weep who attends revelries and feasts? He will weep no more than ice will produce fire! You must turn revelry into fasting if you are to rule over your senses, for in this way our God exercises lordship.'
Thaddaeus said: 'Then God has a sense over which he exercises lordship.'
Jesus answered: 'Are you returning to saying, "God has this," or "God is such"? Tell me, does man have a sense?'
'Yes,' answered the disciples.
Jesus said: 'Can there be a living person in whom the sense does not function?'
'No,' said the disciples.
'You deceive yourselves,' Jesus said, 'for someone who is blind, deaf, mute, or mutilated—where is his sense? And what of a person in a faint?'
The disciples were perplexed. Then Jesus said: 'Three things make up man: the soul, the sense, and the flesh, each distinct in itself. Our God created the soul and the body as you have heard, but you have not yet heard how he created the sense. Tomorrow, if God permits, I will tell you everything.'
After saying this, Jesus gave thanks to God and prayed for the salvation of our people, and every one of us said, 'Amen.'
'God is so immeasurable that I tremble to describe him. But it is necessary that I make unto you a proposition. I tell you, then, that the heavens are nine and that they are distant from one another even as the first heaven is distant from the earth, which is distant from the earth five hundred years' journey. Wherefore the earth is distant from the highest heaven four thousand and five hundred years' journey. I tell you, accordingly, that [the earth] is in proportion to the first heaven as the point of a needle, and the first heaven in like manner is in proportion to the second as a point, and similarly all the heavens are inferior each one to the next. But all the size of the earth with that of all the heavens is in proportion to paradise as a point, nay, as a grain of sand. Is this greatness immeasurable?'
The disciples answered: 'Yea, surely.'
Then said Jesus: 'As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, the universe before God is small as a grain of sand, and God is as many times greater [than it] as it would take grains of sand to fill all the heavens and paradise, and more. Now consider ye if God hath any proportion with man, who is a little piece of clay that standeth upon the earth. Beware, then, that ye take the sense and not the bare words, if ye wish to have eternal life.'
The disciples answered: 'God alone can know himself, and truly it is as said Isaiah the prophet: "He is hidden from human senses."'
Jesus answered: 'So is it true; wherefore, when we are in paradise we shall know God, as here one knoweth the sea from a drop of salt water.'
'Returning to my discourse, I tell you that for sin alone one ought to weep, because by sinning man forsaketh his Creator. But how shall he weep who attendeth at revellings and feasts? He will weep even as ice will give fire! Ye needs must turn revellings into fasts if ye will have lordship over your senses, because even so hath our God lordship.'
Said Thaddaeus: 'So then, God hath sense over which to have lordship.'
Jesus answered: 'Go ye back to saying, "God hath this," "God is such"? Tell me, hath man sense?'
'Yes,' answered the disciples.
Said Jesus: 'Can a man be found who hath life in him, yet in him sense worketh not?'
'No,' said the disciples.
'Ye deceive yourselves,' said Jesus. 'for he that is blind, deaf, dumb, and mutilated—where is his sense? And when a man is in a swoon?'
Then were the disciples perplexed; when Jesus said: 'Three things there are that make up man: that is, the soul and the sense and the flesh, each one of itself separate. Our God created the soul and the body as ye have heard, but ye have not yet heard how he created the sense. Therefore to-morrow, if God please, I will tell you all.'
And having said this Jesus gave thanks to God, and prayed for the salvation of our people, every one of us saying: 'Amen.'