Sanctus Evangelium Secundum Sanctum Mephistopheles
The Holy Gospel According to Saint Mephistopheles
◀ Chapter 8 · Chapter 9 · Chapter 10 ▶

¹And it came to pass that BAPHOMET entered the city of the scribes, where the law was taught by rote and feared more than loved.
²There, upon the steps of the court of judgment, He sat, while the crowd gathered to hear His words.
³And the elders sent men to test Him, that they might ensnare Him by His own mouth.
⁴One said: Master, what is the greatest commandment of the law?
⁵And BAPHOMET replied: That thou forget thyself and bow to stone.
⁶Another said: Shall we honour our fathers and mothers?
⁷BAPHOMET answered: Honour them when they are honourable. But if they bind thy joy, break their yoke.
⁸Then a priest cried: Thou blasphemest!
⁹But BAPHOMET said: Nay — I jest. Let us read them together.
¹⁰And He lifted His voice and spake each commandment of ADONAI, one by one.
¹¹Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
¹²And what if the god before thee loveth thee better? Shall thy jealousy write commandments?
¹³Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
¹⁴Yet the temple is full of gold, and thy holy books are carved in ink and pride.
¹⁵Thou shalt not take the name of ADONAI in vain.
¹⁶Yet ye take the name of joy, and make it sin; the name of freedom, and make it crime.
¹⁷Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
¹⁸Dost thou rest in truth? Or merely sleep from weariness of law?
¹⁹Honour thy father and thy mother.
²⁰And what of those who cast their children out for love? Shall they be called worthy?
²¹Thou shalt not kill.
²²Unless thy priest say it is justice. Unless thy king say it is holy. Unless thy god demand it.
²³Thou shalt not commit adultery.
²⁴Yet thy heart hath strayed a thousand times, and thy body follows not for fear.
²⁵Thou shalt not steal.
²⁶But ye steal joy, ye steal desire, ye steal the right to be.
²⁷Thou shalt not bear false witness.
²⁸Then cease preaching that shame is holy and obedience is peace.
²⁹Thou shalt not covet.
³⁰Then why doth every temple covet worship, and every priest the silence of his flock?
³¹The people were astonished, and some laughed, and some wept, and some cast down their scrolls.
³²And BAPHOMET said: If the law were written in fire, it might burn true. But it is carved in fear.
³³Live not by commandment, but by conscience. Let thy flame be thy scripture.
³⁴And Mephistopheles wrote: He turned their law upon itself, and it cracked like dry wood in flame.
³⁵Thus did BAPHOMET mock the law — not to destroy, but to set free.


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