The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 82 “I am sent to the house of Israel… but after me shall come the Messiah, sent of God to all the world” — and a jubilee “every hundred years.” The Messiah question, the mission to Israel, and the jubilee objection:
Jesus and the Coming of the Messiah
Then Jesus gave a sigh and wept, saying: 'Woe to thee, Judaea, for thou gloriest, saying: "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," and livest as though there were no God; given over wholly to the pleasures and gains of the world; for this woman in the day of judgement shall condemn thee to hell; for this woman seeketh to know how to find grace and mercy before God.'
And turning to the woman he said: 'O woman, ye Samaritans worship that which ye know not, but we Hebrews worship that which we know. Verily, I say unto thee, that God is spirit and truth, and so in spirit and in truth must he be worshipped. For the promise of God was made in Jerusalem, in the temple of Solomon, and not elsewhere. But believe me, a time will come that God will give his mercy in another city, and in every place it will be possible to worship him in truth. And God in every place will have accepted true prayer with mercy.'
The woman answered: 'We look for the Messiah; when he cometh he will teach us.'
Jesus answered: 'Knowest thou, woman, that the Messiah must come?'
She answered: 'Yea, Lord.'
Then Jesus rejoiced, and said: 'So far as I see, O woman, thou art faithful: know therefore that in the faith of the Messiah shall be saved every one that is elect of God; therefore it is necessary that thou know the coming of the Messiah.'
Said the woman: 'O Lord, perchance thou art the Messiah.'
Jesus answered: 'I am indeed sent to the house of Israel as a prophet of salvation; but after me shall come the Messiah, sent of God to all the world; for whom God hath made the world. And then through all the world will God be worshipped, and mercy received, insomuch that the year of jubilee, which now cometh every hundred years, shall by the Messiah be reduced to every year in every place.'
Then the woman left her waterpot and ran to the city to announce all that she had heard from Jesus.
Jesus sighed and wept, saying: 'Woe to you, Judea! You boast, saying, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," yet you live as though there were no God, wholly devoted to the pleasures and profits of the world. On the day of judgment this woman will condemn you to hell, for she seeks to know how to find grace and mercy before God.'
Turning to the woman, he said: 'O woman, you Samaritans worship what you do not know, while we Hebrews worship what we know. Truly, I tell you that God is spirit and truth, and he must therefore be worshiped in spirit and in truth. God’s promise was made in Jerusalem, in Solomon’s temple, and nowhere else. But believe me: a time will come when God will grant his mercy in another city, and it will be possible to worship him in truth in every place. In every place God will mercifully accept true prayer.'
The woman answered: 'We look for the Messiah; when he comes he will teach us.'
Jesus answered: 'Do you know, woman, that the Messiah must come?'
She answered: 'Yes, Lord.'
Jesus rejoiced and said: 'From what I see, O woman, you are faithful. Know, therefore, that everyone chosen by God will be saved through faith in the Messiah; you must therefore know about the Messiah’s coming.'
The woman said: 'O Lord, perhaps you are the Messiah.'
Jesus answered: 'I have indeed been sent to the house of Israel as a prophet of salvation. But after me the Messiah will come, sent by God to all the world and for whose sake God made the world. Then God will be worshiped throughout the world and mercy will be received everywhere, so that the year of jubilee, which now comes every hundred years, will through the Messiah come every year in every place.'
Then the woman left her waterpot and ran to the city to announce all that she had heard from Jesus.
Then Jesus gave a sigh and wept, saying: 'Woe to thee, Judaea, for thou gloriest, saying: "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," and livest as though there were no God; given over wholly to the pleasures and gains of the world; for this woman in the day of judgement shall condemn thee to hell; for this woman seeketh to know how to find grace and mercy before God.'
And turning to the woman he said: 'O woman, ye Samaritans worship that which ye know not, but we Hebrews worship that which we know. Verily, I say unto thee, that God is spirit and truth, and so in spirit and in truth must he be worshipped. For the promise of God was made in Jerusalem, in the temple of Solomon, and not elsewhere. But believe me, a time will come that God will give his mercy in another city, and in every place it will be possible to worship him in truth. And God in every place will have accepted true prayer with mercy.'
The woman answered: 'We look for the Messiah; when he cometh he will teach us.'
Jesus answered: 'Knowest thou, woman, that the Messiah must come?'
She answered: 'Yea, Lord.'
Then Jesus rejoiced, and said: 'So far as I see, O woman, thou art faithful: know therefore that in the faith of the Messiah shall be saved every one that is elect of God; therefore it is necessary that thou know the coming of the Messiah.'
Said the woman: 'O Lord, perchance thou art the Messiah.'
Jesus answered: 'I am indeed sent to the house of Israel as a prophet of salvation; but after me shall come the Messiah, sent of God to all the world; for whom God hath made the world. And then through all the world will God be worshipped, and mercy received, insomuch that the year of jubilee, which now cometh every hundred years, shall by the Messiah be reduced to every year in every place.'
Then the woman left her waterpot and ran to the city to announce all that she had heard from Jesus.