The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 154
Free Will and the Mercy of God
Then there drew nigh to Jesus a doctor, and said to him: 'Good master, tell me, wherefore God did not grant corn and fruit to our fathers? Knowing that they must needs fall, surely he should have allowed them corn, or not have suffered men to see it.'
Jesus answered: 'Man, thou callest me good, but thou errest, for God alone is good. And much more dost thou err in asking why God hath not done according to thy brain. Yet I will answer thee all. I tell thee, then, that God our creator in his working conformeth not himself to us, wherefore it is not lawful for the creature to seek his own way and convenience, but rather the honour of God his creator, in order that the creature may depend on the Creator and not the Creator on the creature. As God liveth in whose presence my soul standeth, if God had granted everything to man, man would not have known himself to be God's servant; and so he would have accounted himself lord of paradise. Wherefore the Creator, who is blessed for evermore, forbade him the food, in order that man might remain subject to him.
And verily I say unto you, that whoso hath the light of his eyes clear seeth everything clear, and draweth light even out of darkness itself; but the blind doeth not so. Wherefore I say that, if man had not sinned, neither I nor thou would have known the mercy of God and his righteousness. And if God had made man incapable of sin he would have been equal to God in that matter; wherefore the blessed God created man good and righteous, but free to do that which he pleaseth in regard to his own life and salvation or damnation.'
The doctor was astounded when he heard this, and departed in confusion.
Then an expert in the Law approached Jesus and said: 'Good master, tell me, why did God not permit our first parents to eat the grain and fruit? Knowing that they were bound to fall, surely he should either have allowed them to eat or kept them from seeing it.'
Jesus answered: 'Man, you call me good, but you are mistaken, for God alone is good. You are still more mistaken in asking why God did not act according to your reasoning. Nevertheless, I will answer you. God our Creator does not conform his actions to us; therefore a creature must not seek his own way and convenience but the honor of God his Creator, so that the creature depends on the Creator and not the Creator on the creature. As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, if God had granted everything to man, man would not have recognized himself as God's servant but would have considered himself lord of paradise. Therefore the Creator, who is blessed forever, forbade him that food so that man might remain subject to him.'
'Truly I tell you, a person whose eyesight is clear sees everything clearly and draws light even from darkness itself, but a blind person does not. Therefore I say that if man had not sinned, neither I nor you would have known God's mercy and justice. And if God had made man incapable of sin, man would in that respect have been equal to God. Therefore the blessed God created man good and righteous, yet free to choose what concerns his own life—salvation or damnation.'
The expert in the Law was astounded when he heard this, and departed in confusion.
Then there drew nigh to Jesus a doctor, and said to him: 'Good master, tell me, wherefore God did not grant corn and fruit to our fathers? Knowing that they must needs fall, surely he should have allowed them corn, or not have suffered men to see it.'
Jesus answered: 'Man, thou callest me good, but thou errest, for God alone is good. And much more dost thou err in asking why God hath not done according to thy brain. Yet I will answer thee all. I tell thee, then, that God our creator in his working conformeth not himself to us, wherefore it is not lawful for the creature to seek his own way and convenience, but rather the honour of God his creator, in order that the creature may depend on the Creator and not the Creator on the creature. As God liveth in whose presence my soul standeth, if God had granted everything to man, man would not have known himself to be God's servant; and so he would have accounted himself lord of paradise. Wherefore the Creator, who is blessed for evermore, forbade him the food, in order that man might remain subject to him.
And verily I say unto you, that whoso hath the light of his eyes clear seeth everything clear, and draweth light even out of darkness itself; but the blind doeth not so. Wherefore I say that, if man had not sinned, neither I nor thou would have known the mercy of God and his righteousness. And if God had made man incapable of sin he would have been equal to God in that matter; wherefore the blessed God created man good and righteous, but free to do that which he pleaseth in regard to his own life and salvation or damnation.'
The doctor was astounded when he heard this, and departed in confusion.