The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 174
Body and Soul in Paradise
'Two men serve one master in one and the same work. The one alone seeth the work, and giveth orders to the second, and the second performeth all that the first commandeth. Seemeth it just to you, I say, that the master should reward only him who seeth and commandeth, and should cast out of his house him who wearied himself in the work? Surely not.
'How then shall the justice of God bear this? The soul and the body with sense of man serve God: the soul only seeth and commandeth the service, because the soul, eating no bread, fasteth not, the soul walketh not, feeleth not cold and heat, falleth not sick, and is not slain, because the soul is immortal: it suffereth not any of those corporal pains which the body suffers at the instance of the elements. Is it, then, just, I say, that the soul alone should go into paradise, and not the body, which hath wearied itself so much in serving God?'
Peter answered: 'O master, the body, having caused the soul to sin, ought not to be placed in paradise.'
Jesus answered: 'Now how shall the body sin without the soul? Assuredly it is impossible. Therefore, in taking away God's mercy from the body, thou condemnest the soul to hell.'
'As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, our God promiseth his mercy to the sinner, saying: "In that hour that the sinner shall lament his sin, by myself, I will not remember his iniquities for ever."
'Now what should eat the meats of paradise, if the body go not thither? The soul? Surely not, seeing it is spirit.'
Peter answered: 'So then, the blessed shall eat in paradise; but how shall the meat be voided without uncleanness?'
Jesus answered: 'Now what blessedness shall the body have if it eat not nor drink? Assuredly it is fitting to give glory in proportion to the thing glorified. But thou errest, Peter, in thinking that such meat should be voided in uncleanness, because this body at the present time eateth corruptible meats, and thus it is that putrefaction cometh forth: but in paradise the body shall be incorruptible, impassible, and immortal, and free from every misery; and the meats, which are without any defect, shall not generate any putrefaction.'
'Two men serve one master in the same work. One merely sees what must be done and gives orders to the other, while the second carries out everything the first commands. Would it seem just to you for the master to reward only the one who sees and commands, while casting out of his house the one who exhausted himself in the work? Surely not.'
'How, then, could God's justice allow this? The soul, the body, and man's sense serve God together. The soul alone sees and directs the service, for the soul does not eat bread and therefore does not fast; it does not walk, feel heat or cold, fall ill, or die, because the soul is immortal. It suffers none of the bodily pains that the body suffers through the action of the elements. Would it be just, then, for the soul alone to enter paradise and not the body, which has labored so greatly in God's service?'
Peter answered: 'O Master, since the body caused the soul to sin, it should not be placed in paradise.'
Jesus answered: 'How could the body sin without the soul? It certainly could not. Therefore, by taking God's mercy away from the body, you condemn the soul to hell.'
'As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, our God promises mercy to the sinner, saying: "From the hour when the sinner mourns his sin, by myself, I will remember his iniquities no more forever."'
'What, then, would eat the food of paradise if the body did not enter it? The soul? Certainly not, since the soul is spirit.'
Peter answered: 'Then the blessed will eat in paradise; but how will the food pass from the body without producing uncleanness?'
Jesus answered: 'What blessedness would the body possess if it did not eat or drink? Surely glory must be given in a manner suited to the thing being glorified. But you are mistaken, Peter, in thinking that such food must leave the body as uncleanness. At present the body eats corruptible food, and therefore decay comes from it. In paradise, however, the body will be incorruptible, incapable of suffering, immortal, and free from every misery; and food that has no defect will produce no decay.'
'Two men serve one master in one and the same work. The one alone seeth the work, and giveth orders to the second, and the second performeth all that the first commandeth. Seemeth it just to you, I say, that the master should reward only him who seeth and commandeth, and should cast out of his house him who wearied himself in the work? Surely not.
'How then shall the justice of God bear this? The soul and the body with sense of man serve God: the soul only seeth and commandeth the service, because the soul, eating no bread, fasteth not, the soul walketh not, feeleth not cold and heat, falleth not sick, and is not slain, because the soul is immortal: it suffereth not any of those corporal pains which the body suffers at the instance of the elements. Is it, then, just, I say, that the soul alone should go into paradise, and not the body, which hath wearied itself so much in serving God?'
Peter answered: 'O master, the body, having caused the soul to sin, ought not to be placed in paradise.'
Jesus answered: 'Now how shall the body sin without the soul? Assuredly it is impossible. Therefore, in taking away God's mercy from the body, thou condemnest the soul to hell.'
'As God liveth, in whose presence my soul standeth, our God promiseth his mercy to the sinner, saying: "In that hour that the sinner shall lament his sin, by myself, I will not remember his iniquities for ever."
'Now what should eat the meats of paradise, if the body go not thither? The soul? Surely not, seeing it is spirit.'
Peter answered: 'So then, the blessed shall eat in paradise; but how shall the meat be voided without uncleanness?'
Jesus answered: 'Now what blessedness shall the body have if it eat not nor drink? Assuredly it is fitting to give glory in proportion to the thing glorified. But thou errest, Peter, in thinking that such meat should be voided in uncleanness, because this body at the present time eateth corruptible meats, and thus it is that putrefaction cometh forth: but in paradise the body shall be incorruptible, impassible, and immortal, and free from every misery; and the meats, which are without any defect, shall not generate any putrefaction.'