In the Writings of Baha’u’llah there are events which were not mentioned in the Gospels. These traditions are from the life of Christ. They show the genius and sublimity of Christ. I would like to tell you another story. It is said that one day Christ arrived in a village where the government made a law that the inhabitants must not allow strangers to enter their homes. This was because in those regions robbery was increasing. His Holiness went to the house of an old woman. When she saw His beauty and majesty she was ashamed to refuse to receive Him, and did not want to reject Him. So she admitted Him with the utmost respect. Then when she looked at Him and realized by His manners the greatness of His Holiness, she stepped forward and kissed His hand.
She said to Him: 'I have only one son and nobody else. He was wise, perfect, and we were living very happily. Now, for some time he has been worried; he is mourning; he fills our home with sorrow and sadness; he is working daily, but at night he comes home worried; he does not sleep, and whenever I ask him what the matter is, he does not answer.'
His Holiness said to her: 'Send him to Me.'
Her son came in the evening. The mother said: 'O my son, this is a great personage, and, if you have any trouble, tell him about it.' Then the son went and sat down in the holy presence.
Jesus said: ‘Tell me what art thou suffering from.’
The son: ‘I am not suffering.’
Jesus: ‘Do not speak a lie. Thou hast an incurable malady. Tell it to me. I am trustworthy. I do not tell the secrets of anyone. I keep them. Have confidence. Tell it to me. I will not reveal your secret.’
The son: ‘My sickness has no remedy.’
Jesus: ‘Tell me about it; I will remedy it.’
The son: ‘Because it has no remedy it cannot be cured.’
Jesus: ‘Tell it to me. I have the remedy.’
The son: ‘For any kind of disease?’
Jesus: ‘Yes, for any kind of disease.’
The son: ‘I am ashamed to tell you. I am mortified to tell you.’
Jesus: ‘Thou art my son.’
The son, thinking for a moment, said: ‘I cannot mention it with my tongue. It seems to me that I will be impolite if I do.’
Jesus: ‘I will forgive thee.’
The son: ‘I am in love with the daughter of the king who is in a city nearby. My work is the selling of thorns. What can I say more than this?’
Jesus: ‘Have confidence. God willing I shall send thee what thou wishest.’
Briefly, His Holiness arranged it for him so that he might marry the young woman. On the night of the wedding, just as he entered her room, which was full of ornaments and splendor, something came to his mind and he said to himself, this Person (Jesus) has brought to consummation so great a matter for me. Why did He not do it for himself? Inasmuch as He performed such good fortune for me, He could have performed the same thing for Himself. Yet with such ideal powers He wanders in the desert; He eats grass; He sleeps on the earth; He sits in the dark; lie is in the utmost poverty.
When this thought came to him he said to the young woman: ‘Remain thou here. I have a little business to attend to; I go and will return.’
He went out into the night in pursuit of His Holiness. Finally he found Him and said: ‘O, my Lord. Thou hast not treated me fairly.’
Jesus: ‘Why?’
Son: ‘Thou hast obtained for me that which thou desired not for thyself. Undoubtedly Thou hast something which is greater than this. And if this were the acceptable thing thou wouldst have chosen it for Thyself. It is evident Thou hast something which is greater than this. Therefore Thou art not just. Thou hast given me that which Thou desirest not for Thyself.’
Jesus: ‘Thou art right. Hast thou the capacity and the preparation for it?’
Son: ‘I hope so.’
Jesus: ‘Canst thou leave everything?’
Son: ‘Yes.’
Jesus: ‘It is the divine guidance which is greater than all things. If thou art able, come.’
He followed him. Then His Holiness went to His disciples and said: ‘I have found, in this village, a hidden treasure. Now I have saved it. This is my treasure. I have taken him out of the earth and I give him to you.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, at the Summer Home of a United States Government Official, June 4, 1912; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 9; Aust 20, 1916)
