The Urantia Book
PAPER 157
AT CAESAREA-PHILIPPI
157:0.1 BEFORE Jesus took the twelve for a short
sojourn in the vicinity of Caesarea-Philippi, he arranged through
the messengers of David to go over to Capernaum on Sunday, August
7, for the purpose of meeting his family. By prearrangement this
visit was to occur at the Zebedee boatshop. David Zebedee had
arranged with Jude, Jesus' brother, for the presence of the entire
Nazareth family -- Mary and all of Jesus' brothers and sisters --
and Jesus went with Andrew and Peter to keep this appointment. It
was certainly the intention of Mary and the children to keep this
engagement, but it so happened that a group of the Pharisees,
knowing that Jesus was on the opposite side of the lake in
Philip's domains, decided to call upon Mary to learn what they
could of his whereabouts. The arrival of these Jerusalem
emissaries greatly perturbed Mary, and noting the tension and
nervousness of the entire family, they concluded that Jesus must
have been expected to pay them a visit. Accordingly they installed
themselves in Mary's home and, after summoning reinforcements,
waited patiently for Jesus' arrival. And this, of course,
effectively prevented any of the family from attempting to keep
their appointment with Jesus. Several times during the day both
Jude and Ruth endeavored to elude the vigilance of the Pharisees
in their efforts to send word to Jesus, but it was of no avail.
157:0.2 Early in the afternoon David's
messengers brought Jesus word that the Pharisees were encamped on
the doorstep of his mother's house, and therefore he made no
attempt to visit his family. And so again, through no fault of
either, Jesus and his earth family failed to make contact.
1. THE TEMPLE-TAX COLLECTOR
157:1.1 As Jesus, with Andrew and Peter, tarried
by the lake near the boatshop, a temple-tax collector came upon
them and, recognizing Jesus, called Peter to one side and said:
"Does not your Master pay the temple tax?" Peter was inclined to
show indignation at the suggestion that Jesus should be expected
to contribute to the maintenance of the religious activities of
his sworn enemies, but, noting a peculiar expression on the face
of the tax collector, he rightly surmised that it was the purpose
to entrap them in the act of refusing to pay the customary half
shekel for the support of the temple services at Jerusalem.
Accordingly, Peter replied: "Why of course the Master pays the
temple tax. You wait by the gate, and I will presently return with
the tax."
157:1.2 Now Peter had spoken hastily. Judas
carried their funds, and he was across the lake. Neither he, his
brother, nor Jesus had brought along any money. And knowing that
the Pharisees were looking for them, they could not well go to
Bethsaida to obtain money. When Peter told Jesus about the
collector and that he had promised him the money, Jesus said: "If
you have promised, then should you pay. But wherewith will you
redeem your promise? Will you again become a fisherman that you
may honor your word? Nevertheless, Peter, it is well in the
circumstances that we pay the tax. Let us give these men no
occasion for offense at our attitude. We will wait here while you
go with the boat and cast for the fish, and when you have sold
them at yonder market, pay the collector for all three of us."
157:1.3 All of this had been overheard by the
secret messenger of David who stood near by, and who then signaled
to an associate, fishing near the shore, to come in quickly. When
Peter made ready to go out in the boat for a catch, this messenger
and his fisherman friend presented him with several large baskets
of fish and assisted him in carrying them to the fish merchant
near by, who purchased the catch, paying sufficient, with what was
added by the messenger of David, to meet the temple tax for the
three. The collector accepted the tax, forgoing the penalty for
tardy payment because they had been for some time absent from
Galilee.
157:1.4 It is not strange that you have a record
of Peter's catching a fish with a shekel in its mouth. In those
days there were current many stories about finding treasures in
the mouths of fishes; such tales of near miracles were
commonplace. So, as Peter left them to go toward the boat, Jesus
remarked, half-humorously: "Strange that the sons of the king must
pay tribute; usually it is the stranger who is taxed for the
upkeep of the court, but it behooves us to afford no stumbling
block for the authorities. Go hence! maybe you will catch the fish
with the shekel in its mouth." Jesus having thus spoken, and Peter
so soon appearing with the temple tax, it is not surprising that
the episode became later expanded into a miracle as recorded by
the writer of Matthew's Gospel.
157:1.5 Jesus, with Andrew and Peter, waited by
the seashore until nearly sundown. Messengers brought them word
that Mary's house was still under surveillance; therefore, when it
grew dark, the three waiting men entered their boat and slowly
rowed away toward the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
2. AT BETHSAIDA-JULIAS
157:2.1 On Monday, August 8, while Jesus and the
twelve apostles were encamped in Magadan Park, near
Bethsaida-Julias, more than one hundred believers, the
evangelists, the women's corps, and others interested in the
establishment of the kingdom, came over from Capernaum for a
conference. And many of the Pharisees, learning that Jesus was
here, came also. By this time some of the Sadducees were united
with the Pharisees in their effort to entrap Jesus. Before going
into the closed conference with the believers, Jesus held a public
meeting at which the Pharisees were present, and they heckled the
Master and otherwise sought to disturb the assembly. Said the
leader of the disturbers: "Teacher, we would like you to give us a
sign of your authority to teach, and then, when the same shall
come to pass, all men will know that you have been sent by God."
And Jesus answered them: "When it is evening, you say it will be
fair weather, for the heaven is red; in the morning it will be
foul weather, for the heaven is red and lowering. When you see a
cloud rising in the west, you say showers will come; when the wind
blows from the south, you say scorching heat will come. How is it
that you so well know how to discern the face of the heavens but
are so utterly unable to discern the signs of the times? To those
who would know the truth, already has a sign been given; but to an
evil-minded and hypocritical generation no sign shall be given."
157:2.2 When Jesus had thus spoken, he withdrew
and prepared for the evening conference with his followers. At
this conference it was decided to undertake a united mission
throughout all the cities and villages of the Decapolis as soon as
Jesus and the twelve should return from their proposed visit to
Caesarea-Philippi. The Master participated in planning for the
Decapolis mission and, in dismissing the company, said: "I say to
you, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Be
not deceived by their show of much learning and by their profound
loyalty to the forms of religion. Be only concerned with the
spirit of living truth and the power of true religion. It is not
the fear of a dead religion that will save you but rather your
faith in a living experience in the spiritual realities of the
kingdom. Do not allow yourselves to become blinded by prejudice
and paralyzed by fear. Neither permit reverence for the traditions
so to pervert your understanding that your eyes see not and your
ears hear not. It is not the purpose of true religion merely to
bring peace but rather to insure progress. And there can be no
peace in the heart or progress in the mind unless you fall
wholeheartedly in love with truth, the ideals of eternal
realities. The issues of life and death are being set before you
-- the sinful pleasures of time against the righteous realities of
eternity. Even now you should begin to find deliverance from the
bondage of fear and doubt as you enter upon the living of the new
life of faith and hope. And when the feelings of service for your
fellow men arise within your soul, do not stifle them; when the
emotions of love for your neighbor well up within your heart, give
expression to such urges of affection in intelligent ministry to
the real needs of your fellows."
3. PETER'S CONFESSION
157:3.1 Early Tuesday morning Jesus and the
twelve apostles left Magadan Park for Caesarea-Philippi, the
capital of the Tetrarch Philip's domain. Caesarea-Philippi was
situated in a region of wondrous beauty. It nestled in a charming
valley between scenic hills where the Jordan poured forth from an
underground cave. The heights of Mount Hermon were in full view to
the north, while from the hills just to the south a magnificent
view was had of the upper Jordan and the Sea of Galilee.
157:3.2 Jesus had gone to Mount Hermon in his
early experience with the affairs of the kingdom, and now that he
was entering upon the final epoch of his work, he desired to
return to this mount of trial and triumph, where he hoped the
apostles might gain a new vision of their responsibilities and
acquire new strength for the trying times just ahead. As they
journeyed along the way, about the time of passing south of the
Waters of Merom, the apostles fell to talking among themselves
about their recent experiences in Phoenicia and elsewhere and to
recounting how their message had been received, and how the
different peoples regarded their Master.
157:3.3 As they paused for lunch, Jesus suddenly
confronted the twelve with the first question he had ever
addressed to them concerning himself. He asked this surprising
question, "Who do men say that I am?"
157:3.4 Jesus had spent long months in training
these apostles as to the nature and character of the kingdom of
heaven, and he well knew the time had come when he must begin to
teach them more about his own nature and his personal relationship
to the kingdom. And now, as they were seated under the mulberry
trees, the Master made ready to hold one of the most momentous
sessions of his long association with the chosen apostles.
157:3.5 More than half the apostles participated
in answering Jesus' question. They told him that he was regarded
as a prophet or as an extraordinary man by all who knew him; that
even his enemies greatly feared him, accounting for his powers by
the indictment that he was in league with the prince of devils.
They told him that some in Judea and Samaria who had not met him
personally believed he was John the Baptist risen from the dead.
Peter explained that he had been, at sundry times and by various
persons, compared with Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. When
Jesus had listened to this report, he drew himself upon his feet,
and looking down upon the twelve sitting about him in a
semicircle, with startling emphasis he pointed to them with a
sweeping gesture of his hand and asked,
"But who say you that I
am?" There was a moment of tense silence. The twelve never took
their eyes off the Master, and then Simon Peter, springing to his
feet, exclaimed: "You are the Deliverer, the Son of the living
God." And the eleven sitting apostles arose to their feet with one
accord, thereby indicating that Peter had spoken for all of them.
157:3.6 When Jesus had beckoned them again to be
seated, and while still standing before them, he said:
"This has
been revealed to you by my Father. The hour has come when you
should know the truth about me. But for the time being I charge
you that you tell this to no man. Let us go hence."
157:3.7 And so they resumed their journey to
Caesarea-Philippi, arriving late that evening and stopping at the
home of Celsus, who was expecting them. The apostles slept little
that night; they seemed to sense that a great event in their lives
and in the work of the kingdom had transpired.
4. THE TALK ABOUT THE KINGDOM
157:4.1 Since the occasions of Jesus' baptism by
John and the turning of the water into wine at Cana, the apostles
had, at various times, virtually accepted him as the Messiah. For
short periods some of them had truly believed that he was the
expected Deliverer. But hardly would such hopes spring up in their
hearts than the Master would dash them to pieces by some crushing
word or disappointing deed. They had long been in a state of
turmoil due to conflict between the concepts of the expected
Messiah which they held in their minds and the experience of their
extraordinary association with this extraordinary man which they
held in their hearts.
157:4.2 It was late forenoon on this Wednesday
when the apostles assembled in Celsus' garden for their noontime
meal. During most of the night and since they had arisen that
morning, Simon Peter and Simon Zelotes had been earnestly laboring
with their brethren to bring them all to the point of the
wholehearted acceptance of the Master, not merely as the Messiah,
but also as the divine Son of the living God. The two Simons were
well-nigh agreed in their estimate of Jesus, and they labored
diligently to bring their brethren around to the full acceptance
of their views. While Andrew continued as the director-general of
the apostolic corps, his brother, Simon Peter, was becoming,
increasingly and by common consent, the spokesman for the twelve.
157:4.3 They were all
seated in the garden at just about noon when the Master appeared.
They wore expressions of dignified solemnity, and all arose to
their feet as he approached them. Jesus relieved the tension by
that friendly and fraternal smile which was so characteristic of
him when his followers took themselves, or some happening related
to themselves, too seriously. With a
commanding gesture he indicated that they should be seated. Never
again did the twelve greet their Master by arising when he came
into their presence.
They saw that he did not approve of such an
outward show of respect.
157:4.4 After they had partaken of their meal
and were engaged in discussing plans for the forthcoming tour of
the Decapolis, Jesus suddenly looked up into their faces and said:
"Now that a full day has passed since you assented to Simon
Peter's declaration regarding the identity of the Son of Man, I
would ask if you still hold to your decision?"
On hearing this,
the twelve stood upon their feet, and Simon Peter, stepping a few
paces forward toward Jesus, said: "Yes, Master, we do. We believe
that you are the Son of the living God." And Peter sat down with
his brethren.
157:4.5
Jesus, still standing, then said to the
twelve:
"You are my chosen ambassadors, but I know
that, in the circumstances, you could not entertain this belief as
a result of mere human knowledge. This is a revelation of the
spirit of my Father to your inmost souls. And when, therefore, you
make this confession by the insight of the spirit of my Father
which dwells within you, I am led to declare that upon this
foundation will I build the brotherhood of the kingdom of heaven.
Upon this rock of spiritual
reality will I build the living temple of spiritual fellowship in
the eternal realities of my Father's kingdom. All the forces of
evil and the hosts of sin shall not prevail against this human
fraternity of the divine spirit. And while my Father's spirit
shall ever be the divine guide and mentor of all who enter the
bonds of this spirit fellowship, to you and your successors I now
deliver the keys of the outward kingdom -- the authority over
things temporal -- the social and economic features of this
association of men and women as fellows of the kingdom."
And again
he charged them, for the time being, that they should tell no man
that he was the Son of God.
157:4.6 Jesus was beginning to have faith in the
loyalty and integrity of his apostles. The Master conceived that a
faith which could stand what his chosen representatives had
recently passed through would undoubtedly endure the fiery trials
which were just ahead and emerge from the apparent wreckage of all
their hopes into the new light of a new dispensation and thereby
be able to go forth to enlighten a world sitting in darkness. On
this day the Master began to believe in the faith of his apostles,
save one.
157:4.7 And ever since that day this same Jesus
has been building that living temple upon that same eternal
foundation of his divine sonship, and those who thereby become
self-conscious sons of God are the human stones which constitute
this living temple of sonship erecting to the glory and honor of
the wisdom and love of the eternal Father of spirits.
157:4.8 And when Jesus had thus spoken, he
directed the twelve to go apart by themselves in the hills to seek
wisdom, strength, and spiritual guidance until the time of the
evening meal. And they did as the Master admonished them.
5. THE NEW CONCEPT
157:5.1 The new and vital feature of Peter's
confession was the clear-cut recognition that Jesus was the Son of
God, of his unquestioned divinity. Ever since his baptism and the
wedding at Cana these apostles had variously regarded him as the
Messiah, but it was not a part of the Jewish concept of the
national deliverer that he should be divine. The Jews had
not taught that the Messiah would spring from divinity; he was to
be the "anointed one," but hardly had they contemplated him as
being "the Son of God." In the second confession more emphasis was
placed upon the combined nature, the supernal fact that he
was the Son of Man and the Son of God, and it was upon this
great truth of the union of the human nature with the divine
nature that Jesus declared he would build the kingdom of heaven.
157:5.2 Jesus had sought to live his life on
earth and complete his bestowal mission as the Son of Man. His
followers were disposed to regard him as the expected Messiah.
Knowing that he could never fulfill their Messianic expectations,
he endeavored to effect such a modification of their concept of
the Messiah as would enable him partially to meet their
expectations. But he now recognized that such a plan could hardly
be carried through successfully. He therefore elected boldly to
disclose the third plan -- openly to announce his divinity,
acknowledge the truthfulness of Peter's confession, and directly
proclaim to the twelve that he was a Son of God.
157:5.3 For three years Jesus had been
proclaiming that he was the "Son of Man," while for these same
three years the apostles had been increasingly insistent that he
was the expected Jewish Messiah. He now disclosed that he was the
Son of God, and upon the concept of the combined nature of the Son
of Man and the Son of God, he determined to build the kingdom of
heaven. He had decided to refrain from further efforts to convince
them that he was not the Messiah. He now proposed boldly to reveal
to them what he is, and then to ignore their determination to
persist in regarding him as the Messiah.
6. THE NEXT AFTERNOON
157:6.1 Jesus and the apostles remained another
day at the home of Celsus, waiting for messengers to arrive from
David Zebedee with funds. Following the collapse of the popularity
of Jesus with the masses there occurred a great falling off in
revenue. When they reached Caesarea-Philippi, the treasury was
empty. Matthew was loath to leave Jesus and his brethren at such a
time, and he had no ready funds of his own to hand over to Judas
as he had so many times done in the past. However, David Zebedee
had foreseen this probable diminution of revenue and had
accordingly instructed his messengers that, as they made their way
through Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, they should act as collectors
of money to be forwarded to the exiled apostles and their Master.
And so, by evening of this day, these messengers arrived from
Bethsaida bringing funds sufficient to sustain the apostles until
their return to embark upon the Decapolis tour. Matthew expected
to have money from the sale of his last piece of property in
Capernaum by that time, having arranged that these funds should be
anonymously turned over to Judas.
157:6.2 Neither Peter nor the other apostles had
a very adequate conception of Jesus' divinity. They little
realized that this was the beginning of a new epoch in their
Master's career on earth, the time when the teacher-healer was
becoming the newly conceived Messiah -- the Son of God. From this
time on a new note appeared in the Master's message. Henceforth
his one ideal of living was the revelation of the Father, while
his one idea in teaching was to present to his universe the
personification of that supreme wisdom which can only be
comprehended by living it. He came that we all might have life and
have it more abundantly.
157:6.3 Jesus now entered upon the fourth and
last stage of his human life in the flesh. The first stage was
that of his childhood, the years when he was only dimly conscious
of his origin, nature, and destiny as a human being. The second
stage was the increasingly self-conscious years of youth and
advancing manhood, during which he came more clearly to comprehend
his divine nature and human mission. This second stage ended with
the experiences and revelations associated with his baptism. The
third stage of the Master's earth experience extended from the
baptism through the years of his ministry as teacher and healer
and up to this momentous hour of Peter's confession at
Caesarea-Philippi. This third period of his earth life embraced
the times when his apostles and his immediate followers knew him
as the Son of Man and regarded him as the Messiah. The fourth and
last period of his earth career began here at Caesarea-Philippi
and extended on to the crucifixion. This stage of his ministry was
characterized by his acknowledgment of divinity and embraced the
labors of his last year in the flesh. During the fourth period,
while the majority of his followers still regarded him as the
Messiah, he became known to the apostles as the Son of God.
Peter's confession marked the beginning of the new period of the
more complete realization of the truth of his supreme ministry as
a bestowal Son on Urantia and for an entire universe, and the
recognition of that fact, at least hazily, by his chosen
ambassadors.
157:6.4 Thus did Jesus exemplify in his life
what he taught in his religion: the growth of the spiritual nature
by the technique of living progress. He did not place emphasis, as
did his later followers, upon the incessant struggle between the
soul and the body. He rather taught that the spirit was easy
victor over both and effective in the profitable reconciliation of
much of this intellectual and instinctual warfare.
157:6.5 A new significance attaches to all of
Jesus' teachings from this point on. Before Caesarea-Philippi he
presented the gospel of the kingdom as its master teacher. After
Caesarea-Philippi he appeared not merely as a teacher but as the
divine representative of the eternal Father, who is the center and
circumference of this spiritual kingdom, and it was required that
he do all this as a human being, the Son of Man.
157:6.6 Jesus had sincerely endeavored to lead
his followers into the spiritual kingdom as a teacher, then as a
teacher-healer, but they would not have it so. He well knew that
his earth mission could not possibly fulfill the Messianic
expectations of the Jewish people; the olden prophets had
portrayed a Messiah which he could never be. He sought to
establish the Father's kingdom as the Son of Man, but his
followers would not go forward in the adventure. Jesus, seeing
this, then elected to meet his believers part way and in so doing
prepared openly to assume the role of the bestowal Son of God.
157:6.7 Accordingly, the apostles heard much
that was new as Jesus talked to them this day in the garden. And
some of these pronouncements sounded strange even to them. Among
other startling announcements they listened to such as the
following:
157:6.8 "From this time on, if any man would
have fellowship with us, let him assume the obligations of sonship
and follow me. And when I am no more with you, think not that the
world will treat you better than it did your Master. If you love
me, prepare to prove this affection by your willingness to make
the supreme sacrifice."
157:6.9 "And mark well my words: I have not come
to call the righteous, but sinners. The Son of Man came not to be
ministered to, but to minister and to bestow his life as the gift
for all. I declare to you that I have come to seek and to save
those who are lost."
157:6.10 "No man in this world now sees the
Father except the Son who came forth from the Father. But if the
Son be lifted up, he will draw all men to himself, and whosoever
believes this truth of the combined nature of the Son shall be
endowed with life that is more than age-abiding."
157:6.11 "We may not yet proclaim openly that
the Son of Man is the Son of God, but it has been revealed to you;
wherefore do I speak boldly to you concerning these mysteries.
Though I stand before you in this physical presence, I came forth
from God the Father. Before Abraham was, I am. I did come forth
from the Father into this world as you have known me, and I
declare to you that I must presently leave this world and return
to the work of my Father."
157:6.12 "And now can your faith comprehend the
truth of these declarations in the face of my warning you that the
Son of Man will not meet the expectations of your fathers as they
conceived the Messiah? My kingdom is not of this world. Can you
believe the truth about me in the face of the fact that, though
the foxes have holes and the birds of heaven have nests, I have
not where to lay my head?"
157:6.13 "Nevertheless, I tell you that the
Father and I are one. He who has seen me has seen the Father. My
Father is working with me in all these things, and he will never
leave me alone in my mission, even as I will never forsake you
when you presently go forth to proclaim this gospel throughout the
world.
157:6.14 "And now have I brought you apart with
me and by yourselves for a little while that you may comprehend
the glory, and grasp the grandeur, of the life to which I have
called you: the faith-adventure of the establishment of my
Father's kingdom in the hearts of mankind, the building of my
fellowship of living association with the souls of all who believe
this gospel."
157:6.15 The apostles listened to these bold and
startling statements in silence; they were stunned. And they
dispersed in small groups to discuss and ponder the Master's
words. They had confessed that he was the Son of God, but they
could not grasp the full meaning of what they had been led to do.
7. ANDREW'S CONFERENCE
157:7.1 That evening Andrew took it upon himself
to hold a personal and searching conference with each of his
brethren, and he had profitable and heartening talks with all of
his associates except Judas Iscariot. Andrew had never enjoyed
such intimate personal association with Judas as with the other
apostles and therefore had not thought it of serious account that
Judas never had freely and confidentially related himself to the
head of the apostolic corps. But Andrew was now so worried by
Judas's attitude that, later on that night, after all the apostles
were fast asleep, he sought out Jesus and presented his cause for
anxiety to the Master. Said Jesus: "It is not amiss, Andrew, that
you have come to me with this matter, but there is nothing more
that we can do; only go on placing the utmost confidence in this
apostle. And say nothing to his brethren concerning this talk with
me."
157:7.2 And that was all Andrew could elicit
from Jesus. Always had there been some strangeness between this
Judean and his Galilean brethren. Judas had been shocked by the
death of John the Baptist, severely hurt by the Master's rebukes
on several occasions, disappointed when Jesus refused to be made
king, humiliated when he fled from the Pharisees, chagrined when
he refused to accept the challenge of the Pharisees for a sign,
bewildered by the refusal of his Master to resort to
manifestations of power, and now, more recently, depressed and
sometimes dejected by an empty treasury. And Judas missed the
stimulus of the multitudes.
157:7.3 Each of the other apostles was, in some
and varying measure, likewise affected by these selfsame trials
and tribulations, but they loved Jesus. At least they must have
loved the Master more than did Judas, for they went through with
him to the bitter end.
157:7.4 Being from Judea, Judas took personal
offense at Jesus' recent warning to the apostles to "beware the
leaven of the Pharisees"; he was disposed to regard this statement
as a veiled reference to himself. But the great mistake of Judas
was: Time and again, when Jesus would send his apostles off by
themselves to pray, Judas, instead of engaging in sincere
communion with the spiritual forces of the universe, indulged in
thoughts of human fear while he persisted in the entertainment of
subtle doubts about the mission of Jesus as well as giving in to
his unfortunate tendency to harbor feelings of revenge.
157:7.5 And now Jesus would take his apostles
along with him to Mount Hermon, where he had appointed to
inaugurate his fourth phase of earth ministry as the Son of God.
Some of them were present at his baptism in the Jordan and had
witnessed the beginning of his career as the Son of Man, and he
desired that some of them should also be present to hear his
authority for the assumption of the new and public role of a Son
of God. Accordingly, on the morning of Friday, August 12, Jesus
said to the twelve: "Lay in provisions and prepare yourselves for
a journey to yonder mountain, where the spirit bids me go to be
endowed for the finish of my work on earth. And I would take my
brethren along that they may also be strengthened for the trying
times of going with me through this experience."
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