The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 155
The Priests Tempt Jesus Concerning Free Will
Then the high-priest called two old priests secretly and sent them to Jesus, who was gone out of the temple, and was sitting in Solomon's porch, waiting to pray the midday prayer. And near him he had his disciples with great multitude of people.
The priests drew near to Jesus and said: 'Master, wherefore did man eat corn and fruit? Did God will that he should eat it, or no?' And this they said tempting him; for if he said: 'God willed it,' they would answer: 'Why did he forbid it?' and if he said: 'God willed it not,' they would say: 'Then man hath more power than God, since he worketh contrary to the will of God.'
Jesus answered: 'Your question is like a road over a mountain, which hath a precipice on the right hand and on the left: but I will walk in the middle.'
When they heard this the priests were confounded, perceiving that he knew their heart. Then said Jesus: 'Every man, for that he hath need, worketh everything for his own use. But God, who hath no need of anything, wrought according to his good pleasure. Wherefore in creating man he created him free in order that he might know that God had no need of him; Verbi gratia, as doth a king, who to display his riches, and in order that his slaves may love him more, giveth freedom to his slaves. God, then, created man free in order that he might love his Creator much the more and might know his bounty. For although God is omnipotent, not having need of man, having created him by his omnipotence, he left him free by his bounty, in such wise that he could resist evil and do good. For although God had power to hinder sin, he would not contradict his own bounty (for God hath no contradiction), in order that, his omnipotence and bounty having wrought in man, he should not contradict sin in man—I say, in order that in man might work the mercy of God and his righteousness. And in token that I speak the truth, I tell you that the high-priest hath sent you to tempt me, and this is the fruit of his priesthood.'
The old men departed and recounted all to the high-priest, who said: 'This fellow hath the devil at his back, who recounteth everything to him; for he aspireth to the kingship over Israel; but God will see to that.'
Then the high priest secretly called two elderly priests and sent them to Jesus, who had left the temple and was sitting in Solomon's porch waiting for the midday prayer. His disciples and a large crowd were near him.
The priests approached Jesus and asked: 'Master, why did man eat the grain and fruit? Did God will him to eat it or not?' They said this to test him. If he answered, 'God willed it,' they would ask, 'Why, then, did he forbid it?' But if he answered, 'God did not will it,' they would say, 'Then man has greater power than God, since he acts contrary to God's will.'
Jesus answered: 'Your question is like a road over a mountain with a precipice on both the right and the left, but I will walk down the middle.'
When they heard this, the priests were confused because they realized that he knew their hearts. Then Jesus said: 'Every person, being in need, works for his own benefit. But God, who needs nothing, acted according to his good pleasure. In creating man, therefore, he made him free so that man might know that God had no need of him — just as a king, to display his wealth and to make his slaves love him more, sets his slaves free. God made man free so that he might love his Creator all the more and recognize his generosity. For though God is almighty and has no need of man, having created him by his power, in his goodness he left him free — able to resist evil and to do good. And though God had the power to prevent sin, he would not contradict his own goodness (for there is no contradiction in God): since his power and his goodness had both been at work in man, he would not contradict sin in man — I mean, so that in man both God's mercy and his justice might do their work. And as proof that I speak the truth, I tell you this: the high priest has sent you to test me, and this is the fruit of his priesthood.'
The old men went away and reported everything to the high priest, who said: 'This fellow has the devil at his back, who reports everything to him; he aspires to be king over Israel — but God will see to that.'
Then the high-priest called two old priests secretly and sent them to Jesus, who was gone out of the temple, and was sitting in Solomon's porch, waiting to pray the midday prayer. And near him he had his disciples with great multitude of people.
The priests drew near to Jesus and said: 'Master, wherefore did man eat corn and fruit? Did God will that he should eat it, or no?' And this they said tempting him; for if he said: 'God willed it,' they would answer: 'Why did he forbid it?' and if he said: 'God willed it not,' they would say: 'Then man hath more power than God, since he worketh contrary to the will of God.'
Jesus answered: 'Your question is like a road over a mountain, which hath a precipice on the right hand and on the left: but I will walk in the middle.'
When they heard this the priests were confounded, perceiving that he knew their heart. Then said Jesus: 'Every man, for that he hath need, worketh everything for his own use. But God, who hath no need of anything, wrought according to his good pleasure. Wherefore in creating man he created him free in order that he might know that God had no need of him; Verbi gratia, as doth a king, who to display his riches, and in order that his slaves may love him more, giveth freedom to his slaves. God, then, created man free in order that he might love his Creator much the more and might know his bounty. For although God is omnipotent, not having need of man, having created him by his omnipotence, he left him free by his bounty, in such wise that he could resist evil and do good. For although God had power to hinder sin, he would not contradict his own bounty (for God hath no contradiction), in order that, his omnipotence and bounty having wrought in man, he should not contradict sin in man—I say, in order that in man might work the mercy of God and his righteousness. And in token that I speak the truth, I tell you that the high-priest hath sent you to tempt me, and this is the fruit of his priesthood.'
The old men departed and recounted all to the high-priest, who said: 'This fellow hath the devil at his back, who recounteth everything to him; for he aspireth to the kingship over Israel; but God will see to that.'