The
Urantia Book
PAPER 150
THE THIRD PREACHING TOUR
150:0.1 ON SUNDAY evening, January 16, A.D. 29,
Abner, with the apostles of John, reached Bethsaida and went into
joint conference with Andrew and the apostles of Jesus the next
day. Abner and his associates made their headquarters at Hebron
and were in the habit of coming up to Bethsaida periodically for
these conferences.
150:0.2 Among the many matters considered by
this joint conference was the practice of anointing the sick with
certain forms of oil in connection with prayers for healing. Again
did Jesus decline to participate in their discussions or to
express himself regarding their conclusions. The apostles of John
had always used the anointing oil in their ministry to the sick
and afflicted, and they sought to establish this as a uniform
practice for both groups, but the apostles of Jesus refused to
bind themselves by such a regulation.
150:0.3 On Tuesday, January 18, the twenty-four
were joined by the tested evangelists, about seventy-five in
number, at the Zebedee house in Bethsaida preparatory to being
sent forth on the third preaching tour of Galilee. This third
mission continued for a period of seven weeks.
150:0.4 The evangelists were sent out in groups
of five, while Jesus and the twelve traveled together most of the
time, the apostles going out two and two to baptize believers as
occasion required. For a period of almost three weeks Abner and
his associates also worked with the evangelistic groups, advising
them and baptizing believers. They visited Magdala, Tiberias,
Nazareth, and all the principal cities and villages of central and
southern Galilee, all the places previously visited and many
others. This was their last message to Galilee, except to the
northern portions.
1. THE WOMEN'S EVANGELISTIC CORPS
150:1.1 Of all the daring things which Jesus did
in connection with his earth career, the most amazing was his
sudden announcement on the evening of January 16: "On the morrow
we will set apart ten women for the ministering work of the
kingdom." At the beginning of the two weeks' period during which
the apostles and the evangelists were to be absent from Bethsaida
on their furlough, Jesus requested David to summon his parents
back to their home and to dispatch messengers calling to Bethsaida
ten devout women who had served in the administration of the
former encampment and the tented infirmary. These women had all
listened to the instruction given the young evangelists, but it
had never occurred to either themselves or their teachers that
Jesus would dare to commission women to teach the gospel of the
kingdom and minister to the sick. These ten women selected and
commissioned by Jesus were: Susanna, the daughter of the former
chazan of the Nazareth synagogue; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the
steward of Herod Antipas; Elizabeth, the daughter of a wealthy Jew
of Tiberias and Sepphoris; Martha, the elder sister of Andrew and
Peter; Rachel, the sister-in-law of Jude, the Master's brother in
the flesh; Nasanta, the daughter of Elman, the Syrian physician;
Milcha, a cousin of the Apostle Thomas; Ruth, the eldest daughter
of Matthew Levi; Celta, the daughter of a Roman centurion; and
Agaman, a widow of Damascus. Subsequently, Jesus added two other
women to this group -- Mary Magdalene and Rebecca, the daughter of
Joseph of Arimathea.
150:1.2 Jesus authorized these women to effect
their own organization and directed Judas to provide funds for
their equipment and for pack animals. The ten elected Susanna as
their chief and Joanna as their treasurer. From this time on they
furnished their own funds; never again did they draw upon Judas
for support.
150:1.3 It was most astounding in that day, when
women were not even allowed on the main floor of the synagogue
(being confined to the women's gallery), to behold them being
recognized as authorized teachers of the new gospel of the
kingdom. The charge which Jesus gave these ten women as he set
them apart for gospel teaching and ministry was the emancipation
proclamation which set free all women and for all time; no more
was man to look upon woman as his spiritual inferior. This was a
decided shock to even the twelve apostles. Notwithstanding they
had many times heard the Master say that "in the kingdom of heaven
there is neither rich nor poor, free nor bond, male nor female,
all are equally the sons and daughters of God," they were
literally stunned when he proposed formally to commission these
ten women as religious teachers and even to permit their traveling
about with them. The whole country was stirred up by this
proceeding, the enemies of Jesus making great capital out of this
move, but everywhere the women believers in the good news stood
stanchly behind their chosen sisters and voiced no uncertain
approval of this tardy acknowledgment of woman's place in
religious work. And this liberation of women, giving them due
recognition, was practiced by the apostles immediately after the
Master's departure, albeit they fell back to the olden customs in
subsequent generations. Throughout the early days of the Christian
church women teachers and ministers were called deaconesses
and were accorded general recognition. But Paul, despite the fact
that he conceded all this in theory, never really incorporated it
into his own attitude and personally found it difficult to carry
out in practice.
2. THE STOP AT MAGDALA
150:2.1 As the apostolic party journeyed from
Bethsaida, the women traveled in the rear. During the conference
time they always sat in a group in front and to the right of the
speaker. Increasingly, women had become believers in the gospel of
the kingdom, and it had been a source of much difficulty and no
end of embarrassment when they had desired to hold personal
converse with Jesus or one of the apostles. Now all this was
changed. When any of the women believers desired to see the Master
or confer with the apostles, they went to Susanna, and in company
with one of the twelve women evangelists, they would go at once
into the presence of the Master or one of his apostles.
150:2.2 It was at Magdala that the women first
demonstrated their usefulness and vindicated the wisdom of their
choosing. Andrew had imposed rather strict rules upon his
associates about doing personal work with women, especially with
those of questionable character. When the party entered Magdala,
these ten women evangelists were free to enter the evil resorts
and preach the glad tidings directly to all their inmates. And
when visiting the sick, these women were able to draw very close
in their ministry to their afflicted sisters. As the result of the
ministry of these ten women (afterward known as the twelve women)
at this place, Mary Magdalene was won for the kingdom. Through a
succession of misfortunes and in consequence of the attitude of
reputable society toward women who commit such errors of judgment,
this woman had found herself in one of the nefarious resorts of
Magdala. It was Martha and Rachel who made plain to Mary that the
doors of the kingdom were open to even such as she. Mary believed
the good news and was baptized by Peter the next day.
150:2.3 Mary Magdalene became the most effective
teacher of the gospel among this group of twelve women
evangelists. She was set apart for such service, together with
Rebecca, at Jotapata about four weeks subsequent to her
conversion. Mary and Rebecca, with the others of this group, went
on through the remainder of Jesus' life on earth, laboring
faithfully and effectively for the enlightenment and uplifting of
their downtrodden sisters; and when the last and tragic episode in
the drama of Jesus' life was being enacted, notwithstanding the
apostles all fled but one, these women were all present, and not
one either denied or betrayed him.
3. SABBATH AT TIBERIAS
150:3.1 The Sabbath services of the apostolic
party had been put in the hands of the women by Andrew, upon
instructions from Jesus. This meant, of course, that they could
not be held in the new synagogue. The women selected Joanna to
have charge of this occasion, and the meeting was held in the
banquet room of Herod's new palace, Herod being away in residence
at Julias in Perea. Joanna read from the Scriptures concerning
woman's work in the religious life of Israel, making reference to
Miriam, Deborah, Esther, and others.
150:3.2 Late that evening Jesus gave the united
group a memorable talk on "Magic and Superstition." In those days
the appearance of a bright and supposedly new star was regarded as
a token indicating that a great man had been born on earth. Such a
star having then recently been observed, Andrew asked Jesus if
these beliefs were well founded. In the long answer to Andrew's
question the Master entered upon a thoroughgoing discussion of the
whole subject of human superstition. The statement which Jesus
made at this time may be summarized in modern phraseology as
follows:
150:3.3 1. The courses of the stars in the
heavens have nothing whatever to do with the events of human life
on earth. Astronomy is a proper pursuit of science, but astrology
is a mass of superstitious error which has no place in the gospel
of the kingdom.
150:3.4 2. The examination of the internal
organs of an animal recently killed can reveal nothing about
weather, future events, or the outcome of human affairs.
150:3.5 3.
The spirits of the dead do not come
back to communicate with their families or their onetime friends
among the living.
150:3.6 4. Charms and relics are impotent to
heal disease, ward off disaster, or influence evil spirits; the
belief in all such material means of influencing the spiritual
world is nothing but gross superstition.
150:3.7 5. Casting lots, while it may be a
convenient way of settling many minor difficulties, is not a
method designed to disclose the divine will. Such outcomes are
purely matters of material chance. The only means of communion
with the spiritual world is embraced in the spirit endowment of
mankind, the indwelling spirit of the Father, together with the
outpoured spirit of the Son and the omnipresent influence of the
Infinite Spirit.
150:3.8 6. Divination, sorcery, and witchcraft
are superstitions of ignorant minds, as also are the delusions of
magic. The belief in magic numbers, omens of good luck, and
harbingers of bad luck, is pure and unfounded superstition.
150:3.9 7. The interpretation of dreams is
largely a superstitious and groundless system of ignorant and
fantastic speculation. The gospel of the kingdom must have nothing
in common with the soothsayer priests of primitive religion.
150:3.10 8. The spirits of good or evil cannot
dwell within material symbols of clay, wood, or metal; idols are
nothing more than the material of which they are made.
150:3.11 9. The practices of the enchanters, the
wizards, the magicians, and the sorcerers, were derived from the
superstitions of the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians,
and the ancient Canaanites. Amulets and all sorts of incantations
are futile either to win the protection of good spirits or to ward
off supposed evil spirits.
150:3.12 10. He exposed and denounced their
belief in spells, ordeals, bewitching, cursing, signs, mandrakes,
knotted cords, and all other forms of ignorant and enslaving
superstition.
4. SENDING THE APOSTLES OUT TWO AND TWO
150:4.1 The next evening, having gathered
together the twelve apostles, the apostles of John, and the newly
commissioned women's group, Jesus said: "You see for yourselves
that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Let us
all, therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest that he send forth
still more laborers into his fields. While I remain to comfort and
instruct the younger teachers, I would send out the older ones two
and two that they may pass quickly over all Galilee preaching the
gospel of the kingdom while it is yet convenient and peaceful."
Then he designated the pairs of apostles as he desired them to go
forth, and they were: Andrew and Peter, James and John Zebedee,
Philip and Nathaniel, Thomas and Matthew, James and Judas Alpheus,
Simon Zelotes and Judas Iscariot.
150:4.2 Jesus arranged the date for meeting the
twelve at Nazareth, and in parting, he said: "On this mission go
not to any city of the gentiles, neither go into Samaria, but go
instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Preach the
gospel of the kingdom and proclaim the saving truth that man is a
son of God. Remember that the disciple is hardly above his master
nor a servant greater than his lord. It is enough for the disciple
to be equal with his master and the servant to become like his
lord. If some people have dared to call the master of the house an
associate of Beelzebub, how much more shall they so regard those
of his household! But you should not fear these unbelieving
enemies. I declare to you that there is nothing covered up that is
not going to be revealed; there is nothing hidden that shall not
be known. What I have taught you privately, that preach with
wisdom in the open. What I have revealed to you in the inner
chamber, that you are to proclaim in due season from the
housetops. And I say to you, my friends and disciples, be not
afraid of those who can kill the body, but who are not able to
destroy the soul; rather put your trust in Him who is able to
sustain the body and save the soul.
150:4.3
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
And yet I declare that not one of them is forgotten in God's
sight. Know you not that the very hairs of your head are all
numbered? Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than a great
many sparrows. Be not ashamed of my teaching; go forth proclaiming
peace and good will, but be not deceived -- peace will not always
attend your preaching. I came to bring peace on earth, but when
men reject my gift, division and turmoil result. When all of a
family receive the gospel of the kingdom, truly peace abides in
that house; but when some of the family enter the kingdom and
others reject the gospel, such division can produce only sorrow
and sadness. Labor earnestly to save the whole family lest a man's
foes become those of his own household. But, when you have done
your utmost for all of every family, I declare to you that he who
loves father or mother more than this gospel is not worthy of the
kingdom."
150:4.4 When the twelve had heard these words,
they made ready to depart. And they did not again come together
until the time of their assembling at Nazareth to meet with Jesus
and the other disciples as the Master had arranged.
5. WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
150:5.1 One evening at Shunem, after John's
apostles had returned to Hebron, and after Jesus' apostles had
been sent out two and two, when the Master was engaged in teaching
a group of twelve of the younger evangelists who were laboring
under the direction of Jacob, together with the twelve women,
Rachel asked Jesus this question: "Master, what shall we answer
when women ask us, What shall I do to be saved?" When Jesus heard
this question, he answered:
150:5.2 "When men and women ask what shall we do
to be saved, you shall answer, Believe this gospel of the kingdom;
accept divine forgiveness. By faith recognize the indwelling
spirit of God, whose acceptance makes you a son of God. Have you
not read in the Scriptures where it says, `In the Lord have I
righteousness and strength.' Also where the Father says, `My
righteousness is near; my salvation has gone forth, and my arms
shall enfold my people.' `My soul shall be joyful in the love of
my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation and
has covered me with the robe of his righteousness.' Have you not
also read of the Father that his name `shall be called the Lord
our righteousness.' `Take away the filthy rags of
self-righteousness and clothe my son with the robe of divine
righteousness and eternal salvation.' It is forever true, `the
just shall live by faith.' Entrance into the Father's kingdom is
wholly free, but progress -- growth in grace -- is essential to
continuance therein.
150:5.3 "Salvation is the gift of the Father and
is revealed by his Sons. Acceptance by faith on your part makes
you a partaker of the divine nature, a son or a daughter of God.
By faith you are justified; by faith are you saved; and by this
same faith are you eternally advanced in the way of progressive
and divine perfection. By faith was Abraham justified and made
aware of salvation by the teachings of Melchizedek. All down
through the ages has this same faith saved the sons of men, but
now has a Son come forth from the Father to make salvation more
real and acceptable."
150:5.4 When Jesus had left off speaking, there
was great rejoicing among those who had heard these gracious
words, and they all went on in the days that followed proclaiming
the gospel of the kingdom with new power and with renewed energy
and enthusiasm. And the women rejoiced all the more to know they
were included in these plans for the establishment of the kingdom
on earth.
150:5.5 In summing up his final statement, Jesus
said: "You cannot buy salvation; you cannot earn righteousness.
Salvation is the gift of God, and righteousness is the natural
fruit of the spirit-born life of sonship in the kingdom. You are
not to be saved because you live a righteous life; rather is it
that you live a righteous life because you have already been
saved, have recognized sonship as the gift of God and service in
the kingdom as the supreme delight of life on earth. When men
believe this gospel, which is a revelation of the goodness of God,
they will be led to voluntary repentance of all known sin.
Realization of sonship is incompatible with the desire to sin.
Kingdom believers hunger for righteousness and thirst for divine
perfection."
6. THE EVENING LESSONS
150:6.1 At the evening discussions Jesus talked
upon many subjects. During the remainder of this tour -- before
they all reunited at Nazareth -- he discussed "The Love of God,"
"Dreams and Visions," "Malice," "Humility and Meekness," "Courage
and Loyalty," "Music and Worship," "Service and Obedience," "Pride
and Presumption," "Forgiveness in Relation to Repentance," "Peace
and Perfection," "Evil Speaking and Envy," "Evil, Sin, and
Temptation," "Doubts and Unbelief," "Wisdom and Worship." With the
older apostles away, these younger groups of both men and women
more freely entered into these discussions with the Master.
150:6.2 After spending two or three days with
one group of twelve evangelists, Jesus would move on to join
another group, being informed as to the whereabouts and movements
of all these workers by David's messengers. This being their first
tour, the women remained much of the time with Jesus. Through the
messenger service each of these groups was kept fully informed
concerning the progress of the tour, and the receipt of news from
other groups was always a source of encouragement to these
scattered and separated workers.
150:6.3 Before their separation it had been
arranged that the twelve apostles, together with the evangelists
and the women's corps, should assemble at Nazareth to meet the
Master on Friday, March 4. Accordingly, about this time, from all
parts of central and southern Galilee these various groups of
apostles and evangelists began moving toward Nazareth. By
midafternoon, Andrew and Peter, the last to arrive, had reached
the encampment prepared by the early arrivals and situated on the
highlands to the north of the city. And this was the first time
Jesus had visited Nazareth since the beginning of his public
ministry.
7. THE SOJOURN AT NAZARETH
150:7.1 This Friday afternoon Jesus walked about
Nazareth quite unobserved and wholly unrecognized. He passed by
the home of his childhood and the carpenter shop and spent a half
hour on the hill which he so much enjoyed when a lad. Not since
the day of his baptism by John in the Jordan had the Son of Man
had such a flood of human emotion stirred up within his soul.
While coming down from the mount, he heard the familiar sounds of
the trumpet blast announcing the going down of the sun, just as he
had so many, many times heard it when a boy growing up in
Nazareth. Before returning to the encampment, he walked down by
the synagogue where he had gone to school and indulged his mind in
many reminiscences of his childhood days. Earlier in the day Jesus
had sent Thomas to arrange with the ruler of the synagogue for his
preaching at the Sabbath morning service.
150:7.2 The people of Nazareth were never
reputed for piety and righteous living. As the years passed, this
village became increasingly contaminated by the low moral
standards of near-by Sepphoris. Throughout Jesus' youth and young
manhood there had been a division of opinion in Nazareth regarding
him; there was much resentment when he moved to Capernaum. While
the inhabitants of Nazareth had heard much about the doings of
their former carpenter, they were offended that he had never
included his native village in any of his earlier preaching tours.
They had indeed heard of Jesus' fame, but the majority of the
citizens were angry because he had done none of his great works in
the city of his youth. For months the people of Nazareth had
discussed Jesus much, but their opinions were, on the whole,
unfavorable to him.
150:7.3 Thus did the Master find himself in the
midst of, not a welcome homecoming, but a decidedly hostile and
hypercritical atmosphere. But this was not all. His enemies,
knowing that he was to spend this Sabbath day in Nazareth and
supposing that he would speak in the synagogue, had hired numerous
rough and uncouth men to harass him and in every way possible make
trouble.
150:7.4 Most of the older of Jesus' friends,
including the doting chazan teacher of his youth, were dead or had
left Nazareth, and the younger generation was prone to resent his
fame with strong jealousy. They failed to remember his early
devotion to his father's family, and they were bitter in their
criticism of his neglect to visit his brother and his married
sisters living in Nazareth. The attitude of Jesus' family toward
him had also tended to increase this unkind feeling of the
citizenry. The orthodox among the Jews even presumed to criticize
Jesus because he walked too fast on the way to the synagogue this
Sabbath morning.
8. THE SABBATH SERVICE
150:8.1 This Sabbath was a beautiful day, and
all Nazareth, friends and foes, turned out to hear this former
citizen of their town discourse in the synagogue. Many of the
apostolic retinue had to remain without the synagogue; there was
not room for all who had come to hear him. As a young man Jesus
had often spoken in this place of worship, and this morning, when
the ruler of the synagogue handed him the roll of sacred writings
from which to read the Scripture lesson, none present seemed to
recall that this was the very manuscript which he had presented to
this synagogue.
150:8.2 The services on this day were conducted
just as when Jesus had attended them as a boy. He ascended the
speaking platform with the ruler of the synagogue, and the service
was begun by the recital of two prayers: "Blessed is the Lord,
King of the world, who forms the light and creates the darkness,
who makes peace and creates everything; who, in mercy, gives light
to the earth and to those who dwell upon it and in goodness, day
by day and every day, renews the works of creation. Blessed is the
Lord our God for the glory of his handiworks and for the
light-giving lights which he has made for his praise. Selah.
Blessed is the Lord our God, who has formed the lights."
150:8.3 After a moment's pause they again
prayed: "With great love has the Lord our God loved us, and with
much overflowing pity has he pitied us, our Father and our King,
for the sake of our fathers who trusted in him. You taught them
the statutes of life; have mercy upon us and teach us. Enlighten
our eyes in the law; cause our hearts to cleave to your
commandments; unite our hearts to love and fear your name, and we
shall not be put to shame, world without end. For you are a God
who prepares salvation, and us have you chosen from among all
nations and tongues, and in truth have you brought us near your
great name -- selah -- that we may lovingly praise your unity.
Blessed is the Lord, who in love chose his people Israel."
150:8.4 The congregation then recited the Shema,
the Jewish creed of faith. This ritual consisted in repeating
numerous passages from the law and indicated that the worshipers
took upon themselves the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, also the
yoke of the commandments as applied to the day and the night.
150:8.5 And then followed the third prayer:
"True it is that you are Yahweh, our God and the God of our
fathers; our King and the King of our fathers; our Savior and the
Savior of our fathers; our Creator and the rock of our salvation;
our help and our deliverer. Your name is from everlasting, and
there is no God beside you. A new song did they that were
delivered sing to your name by the seashore; together did all
praise and own you King and say, Yahweh shall reign, world without
end. Blessed is the Lord who saves Israel."
150:8.6 The ruler of the synagogue then took his
place before the ark, or chest, containing the sacred writings and
began the recitation of the nineteen prayer eulogies, or
benedictions. But on this occasion it was desirable to shorten the
service in order that the distinguished guest might have more time
for his discourse; accordingly, only the first and last of the
benedictions were recited. The first was: "Blessed is the Lord our
God, and the God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; the great, the mighty, and the
terrible God, who shows mercy and kindness, who creates all
things, who remembers the gracious promises to the fathers and
brings a savior to their children's children for his own name's
sake, in love. O King, helper, savior, and shield! Blessed are
you, O Yahweh, the shield of Abraham."
150:8.7 Then followed the last benediction: "O
bestow on your people Israel great peace forever, for you are King
and the Lord of all peace. And it is good in your eyes to bless
Israel at all times and at every hour with peace. Blessed are you,
Yahweh, who blesses his people Israel with peace." The
congregation looked not at the ruler as he recited the
benedictions. Following the benedictions he offered an informal
prayer suitable for the occasion, and when this was concluded, all
the congregation joined in saying amen.
150:8.8 Then the chazan went over to the ark and
brought out a roll, which he presented to Jesus that he might read
the Scripture lesson. It was customary to call upon seven persons
to read not less than three verses of the law, but this practice
was waived on this occasion that the visitor might read the lesson
of his own selection. Jesus, taking the roll, stood up and began
to read from Deuteronomy: "For this commandment which I give you
this day is not hidden from you, neither is it far off. It is not
in heaven, that you should say, who shall go up for us to heaven
and bring it down to us that we may hear and do it? Neither is it
beyond the sea, that you should say, who will go over the sea for
us to bring the commandment to us that we may hear and do it? No,
the word of life is very near to you, even in your presence and in
your heart, that you may know and obey it."
150:8.9 And when he had ceased reading from the
law, he turned to Isaiah and began to read: "The spirit of the
Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good tidings
to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those
who are bruised and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
150:8.10 Jesus closed the book and, after
handing it back to the ruler of the synagogue, sat down and began
to discourse to the people. He began by saying: "Today are these
Scriptures fulfilled." And then Jesus spoke for almost fifteen
minutes on "The Sons and Daughters of God." Many of the people
were pleased with the discourse, and they marveled at his
graciousness and wisdom.
150:8.11 It was customary in the synagogue,
after the conclusion of the formal service, for the speaker to
remain so that those who might be interested could ask him
questions. Accordingly, on this Sabbath morning Jesus stepped down
into the crowd which pressed forward to ask questions. In this
group were many turbulent individuals whose minds were bent on
mischief, while about the fringe of this crowd there circulated
those debased men who had been hired to make trouble for Jesus.
Many of the disciples and evangelists who had remained without now
pressed into the synagogue and were not slow to recognize that
trouble was brewing. They sought to lead the Master away, but he
would not go with them.
9. THE NAZARETH REJECTION
150:9.1 Jesus found himself surrounded in the
synagogue by a great throng of his enemies and a sprinkling of his
own followers, and in reply to their rude questions and sinister
banterings he half humorously remarked: "Yes, I am Joseph's son; I
am the carpenter, and I am not surprised that you remind me of the
proverb, `Physician heal yourself,' and that you challenge me to
do in Nazareth what you have heard I did at Capernaum; but I call
you to witness that even the Scriptures declare that `a prophet is
not without honor save in his own country and among his own
people.'"
150:9.2 But they jostled him and, pointing
accusing fingers at him, said: "You think you are better than the
people of Nazareth; you moved away from us, but your brother is a
common workman, and your sisters still live among us. We know your
mother, Mary. Where are they today? We hear big things about you,
but we notice that you do no wonders when you come back." Jesus
answered them: "I love the people who dwell in the city where I
grew up, and I would rejoice to see you all enter the kingdom of
heaven, but the doing of the works of God is not for me to
determine. The transformations of grace are wrought in response to
the living faith of those who are the beneficiaries."
150:9.3 Jesus would have good-naturedly managed
the crowd and effectively disarmed even his violent enemies had it
not been for the tactical blunder of one of his own apostles,
Simon Zelotes, who, with the help of Nahor, one of the younger
evangelists, had meanwhile gathered together a group of Jesus'
friends from among the crowd and, assuming a belligerent attitude,
had served notice on the enemies of the Master to go hence. Jesus
had long taught the apostles that a soft answer turns away wrath,
but his followers were not accustomed to seeing their beloved
teacher, whom they so willingly called Master, treated with such
discourtesy and disdain. It was too much for them, and they found
themselves giving expression to passionate and vehement
resentment, all of which only tended to arouse the mob spirit in
this ungodly and uncouth assembly. And so, under the leadership of
hirelings, these ruffians laid hold upon Jesus and rushed him out
of the synagogue to the brow of a near-by precipitous hill, where
they were minded to shove him over the edge to his death below.
But just as they were about to push him over the edge of the
cliff, Jesus turned suddenly upon his captors and, facing them,
quietly folded his arms. He said nothing, but his friends were
more than astonished when, as he started to walk forward, the mob
parted and permitted him to pass on unmolested.
150:9.4 Jesus, followed by his disciples,
proceeded to their encampment, where all this was recounted. And
they made ready that evening to go back to Capernaum early the
next day, as Jesus had directed. This turbulent ending of the
third public preaching tour had a sobering effect upon all of
Jesus' followers. They were beginning to realize the meaning of
some of the Master's teachings; they were awaking to the fact that
the kingdom would come only through much sorrow and bitter
disappointment.
150:9.5 They left Nazareth this Sunday morning,
and traveling by different routes, they all finally assembled at
Bethsaida by noon on Thursday, March 10. They came together as a
sober and serious group of disillusioned preachers of the gospel
of truth and not as an enthusiastic and all-conquering band of
triumphant crusaders.
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