The Urantia Book
PAPER 158
THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION
158:0.1 IT WAS near sundown on Friday afternoon,
August 12, A.D. 29, when Jesus and his associates reached the foot
of Mount Hermon, near the very place where the lad Tiglath once
waited while the Master ascended the mountain alone to settle the
spiritual destinies of Urantia and technically to terminate the
Lucifer rebellion. And here they sojourned for two days in
spiritual preparation for the events so soon to follow.
158:0.2 In a general way, Jesus knew beforehand
what was to transpire on the mountain, and he much desired that
all his apostles might share this experience. It was to fit them
for this revelation of himself that he tarried with them at the
foot of the mountain. But they could not attain those spiritual
levels which would justify their exposure to the full experience
of the visitation of the celestial beings so soon to appear on
earth. And since he could not take all of his associates with him,
he decided to take only the three who were in the habit of
accompanying him on such special vigils. Accordingly, only Peter,
James, and John shared even a part of this unique experience with
the Master.
1. THE TRANSFIGURATION
158:1.1 Early on the morning of Monday, August
15, Jesus and the three apostles began the ascent of Mount Hermon,
and this was six days after the memorable noontide confession of
Peter by the roadside under the mulberry trees.
158:1.2 Jesus had been summoned to go up on the
mountain, apart by himself, for the transaction of important
matters having to do with the progress of his bestowal in the
flesh as this experience was related to the universe of his own
creation. It is significant that this extraordinary event was
timed to occur while Jesus and the apostles were in the lands of
the gentiles, and that it actually transpired on a mountain of the
gentiles.
158:1.3 They reached their destination, about
halfway up the mountain, shortly before noon, and while eating
lunch, Jesus told the three apostles something of his experience
in the hills to the east of Jordan shortly after his baptism and
also some more of his experience on Mount Hermon in connection
with his former visit to this lonely retreat.
158:1.4 When a boy, Jesus used to ascend the
hill near his home and dream of the battles which had been fought
by the armies of empires on the plain of Esdraelon; now he
ascended Mount Hermon to receive the endowment which was to
prepare him to descend upon the plains of the Jordan to enact the
closing scenes of the drama of his bestowal on Urantia. The Master
could have relinquished the struggle this day on Mount Hermon and
returned to his rule of the universe domains, but he not only
chose to meet the requirements of his order of divine sonship
embraced in the mandate of the Eternal Son on Paradise, but he
also elected to meet the last and full measure of the present will
of his Paradise Father. On this day in August three of his
apostles saw him decline to be invested with full universe
authority. They looked on in amazement as the celestial messengers
departed, leaving him alone to finish out his earth life as the
Son of Man and the Son of God.
158:1.5 The faith of the apostles was at a high
point at the time of the feeding of the five thousand, and then it
rapidly fell almost to zero. Now, as a result of the Master's
admission of his divinity, the lagging faith of the twelve arose
in the next few weeks to its highest pitch, only to undergo a
progressive decline. The third revival of their faith did not
occur until after the Master's resurrection.
158:1.6 It was about three o'clock on this
beautiful afternoon that Jesus took leave of the three apostles,
saying: "I go apart by myself for a season to commune with the
Father and his messengers; I bid you tarry here and, while
awaiting my return, pray that the Father's will may be done in all
your experience in connection with the further bestowal mission of
the Son of Man." And after saying this to them, Jesus withdrew for
a long conference with Gabriel and the Father Melchizedek, not
returning until about six o'clock. When Jesus saw their anxiety
over his prolonged absence, he said: "Why were you afraid? You
well know I must be about my Father's business; wherefore do you
doubt when I am not with you? I now declare that the Son of Man
has chosen to go through his full life in your midst and as one of
you. Be of good cheer; I will not leave you until my work is
finished."
158:1.7 As they partook of their meager evening
meal, Peter asked the Master, "How long do we remain on this
mountain away from our brethren?" And Jesus answered: "Until you
shall see the glory of the Son of Man and know that whatsoever I
have declared to you is true." And they talked over the affairs of
the Lucifer rebellion while seated about the glowing embers of
their fire until darkness drew on and the apostles' eyes grew
heavy, for they had begun their journey very early that morning.
158:1.8 When the three had been fast asleep for
about half an hour, they were suddenly awakened by a near-by
crackling sound, and much to their amazement and consternation, on
looking about them, they beheld Jesus in intimate converse with
two brilliant beings clothed in the habiliments of the light of
the celestial world. And Jesus' face and form shone with the
luminosity of a heavenly light. These three conversed in a strange
language, but from certain things said, Peter erroneously
conjectured that the beings with Jesus were Moses and Elijah; in
reality, they were Gabriel and the Father Melchizedek. The
physical controllers had arranged for the apostles to witness this
scene because of Jesus' request.
158:1.9 The three apostles were so badly
frightened that they were slow in collecting their wits, but
Peter, who was first to recover himself, said, as the dazzling
vision faded from before them and they observed Jesus standing
alone: "Jesus, Master, it is good to have been here. We rejoice to
see this glory. We are loath to go back down to the inglorious
world. If you are willing, let us abide here, and we will erect
three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." And
Peter said this because of his confusion, and because nothing else
came into his mind at just that moment.
158:1.10 While Peter was yet speaking, a silvery
cloud drew near and overshadowed the four of them. The apostles
now became greatly frightened, and as they fell down on their
faces to worship, they heard a voice, the same that had spoken on
the occasion of Jesus' baptism, say: "This is my beloved Son; give
heed to him." And when the cloud vanished, again was Jesus alone
with the three, and he reached down and touched them, saying:
"Arise and be not afraid; you shall see greater things than this."
But the apostles were truly afraid; they were a silent and
thoughtful trio as they made ready to descend the mountain shortly
before midnight.
2. COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
158:2.1 For about half the distance down the
mountain not a word was spoken. Jesus then began the conversation
by remarking: "Make certain that you tell no man, not even your
brethren, what you have seen and heard on this mountain until the
Son of Man has risen from the dead." The three apostles were
shocked and bewildered by the Master's words, "until the Son of
Man has risen from the dead." They had so recently reaffirmed
their faith in him as the Deliverer, the Son of God, and they had
just beheld him transfigured in glory before their very eyes, and
now he began to talk about "rising from the dead"!
158:2.2 Peter shuddered at the thought of the
Master's dying -- it was too disagreeable an idea to entertain --
and fearing that James or John might ask some question relative to
this statement, he thought best to start up a diverting
conversation and, not knowing what else to talk about, gave
expression to the first thought coming into his mind, which was:
"Master, why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must first
come before the Messiah shall appear?" And Jesus, knowing that
Peter sought to avoid reference to his death and resurrection,
answered: "Elijah indeed comes first to prepare the way for the
Son of Man, who must suffer many things and finally be rejected.
But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they received him
not but did to him whatsoever they willed." And then did the three
apostles perceive that he referred to John the Baptist as Elijah.
Jesus knew that, if they insisted on regarding him as the Messiah,
then must John be the Elijah of the prophecy.
158:2.3 Jesus enjoined silence about their
observation of the foretaste of his postresurrection glory because
he did not want to foster the notion that, being now received as
the Messiah, he would in any degree fulfill their erroneous
concepts of a wonder-working deliverer. Although Peter, James, and
John pondered all this in their minds, they spoke not of it to any
man until after the Master's resurrection.
158:2.4 As they continued to descend the
mountain, Jesus said to them: "You would not receive me as the Son
of Man; therefore have I consented to be received in accordance
with your settled determination, but, mistake not, the will of my
Father must prevail. If you thus choose to follow the inclination
of your own wills, you must prepare to suffer many disappointments
and experience many trials, but the training which I have given
you should suffice to bring you triumphantly through even these
sorrows of your own choosing."
158:2.5 Jesus did not take Peter, James, and
John with him up to the mount of the transfiguration because they
were in any sense better prepared than the other apostles to
witness what happened, or because they were spiritually more fit
to enjoy such a rare privilege. Not at all. He well knew that none
of the twelve were spiritually qualified for this experience;
therefore did he take with him only the three apostles who were
assigned to accompany him at those times when he desired to be
alone to enjoy solitary communion.
3. MEANING OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
158:3.1 That which Peter, James, and John
witnessed on the mount of transfiguration was a fleeting glimpse
of a celestial pageant which transpired that eventful day on Mount
Hermon. The transfiguration was the occasion of:
158:3.2 1. The acceptance of the fullness of the
bestowal of the incarnated life of Michael on Urantia by the
Eternal Mother-Son of Paradise. As far as concerned the
requirements of the Eternal Son, Jesus had now received assurance
of their fulfillment. And Gabriel brought Jesus that assurance.
158:3.3 2. The testimony of the satisfaction of
the Infinite Spirit as to the fullness of the Urantia bestowal in
the likeness of mortal flesh. The universe representative of the
Infinite Spirit, the immediate associate of Michael on Salvington
and his ever-present coworker, on this occasion spoke through the
Father Melchizedek.
158:3.4 Jesus welcomed this testimony regarding
the success of his earth mission presented by the messengers of
the Eternal Son and the Infinite Spirit, but he noted that his
Father did not indicate that the Urantia bestowal was finished;
only did the unseen presence of the Father bear witness through
Jesus' Personalized Adjuster, saying, "This is my beloved Son;
give heed to him." And this was spoken in words to be heard also
by the three apostles.
158:3.5 After this celestial visitation Jesus
sought to know his Father's will and decided to pursue the mortal
bestowal to its natural end. This was the significance of the
transfiguration to Jesus. To the three apostles it was an event
marking the entrance of the Master upon the final phase of his
earth career as the Son of God and the Son of Man.
158:3.6 After the formal visitation of Gabriel
and the Father Melchizedek, Jesus held informal converse with
these, his Sons of ministry, and communed with them concerning the
affairs of the universe.
4. THE EPILEPTIC BOY
158:4.1 It was shortly before breakfast time on
this Tuesday morning when Jesus and his companions arrived at the
apostolic camp. As they drew near, they discerned a considerable
crowd gathered around the apostles and soon began to hear the loud
words of argument and disputation of this group of about fifty
persons, embracing the nine apostles and a gathering equally
divided between Jerusalem scribes and believing disciples who had
tracked Jesus and his associates in their journey from Magadan.
158:4.2 Although the crowd engaged in numerous
arguments, the chief controversy was about a certain citizen of
Tiberias who had arrived the preceding day in quest of Jesus. This
man, James of Safed, had a son about fourteen years old, an only
child, who was severely afflicted with epilepsy. In addition to
this nervous malady this lad had become possessed by one of those
wandering, mischievous, and rebellious midwayers who were then
present on earth and uncontrolled, so that the youth was both
epileptic and demon-possessed.
158:4.3 For almost two weeks this anxious
father, a minor official of Herod Antipas, had wandered about
through the western borders of Philip's domains, seeking Jesus
that he might entreat him to cure this afflicted son. And he did
not catch up with the apostolic party until about noon of this day
when Jesus was up on the mountain with the three apostles.
158:4.4 The nine apostles were much surprised
and considerably perturbed when this man, accompanied by almost
forty other persons who were looking for Jesus, suddenly came upon
them. At the time of the arrival of this group the nine apostles,
at least the majority of them, had succumbed to their old
temptation -- that of discussing who should be greatest in the
coming kingdom; they were busily arguing about the probable
positions which would be assigned the individual apostles. They
simply could not free themselves entirely from the long-cherished
idea of the material mission of the Messiah. And now that Jesus
himself had accepted their confession that he was indeed the
Deliverer -- at least he had admitted the fact of his divinity --
what was more natural than that, during this period of separation
from the Master, they should fall to talking about those hopes and
ambitions which were uppermost in their hearts. And they were
engaged in these discussions when James of Safed and his fellow
seekers after Jesus came upon them.
158:4.5 Andrew stepped up to greet this father
and his son, saying, "Whom do you seek?" Said James: "My good man,
I search for your Master. I seek healing for my afflicted son. I
would have Jesus cast out this devil that possesses my child." And
then the father proceeded to relate to the apostles how his son
was so afflicted that he had many times almost lost his life as a
result of these malignant seizures.
158:4.6 As the apostles listened, Simon Zelotes
and Judas Iscariot stepped into the presence of the father,
saying: "We can heal him; you need not wait for the Master's
return. We are ambassadors of the kingdom; no longer do we hold
these things in secret. Jesus is the Deliverer, and the keys of
the kingdom have been delivered to us." By this time Andrew and
Thomas were in consultation at one side. Nathaniel and the others
looked on in amazement; they were all aghast at the sudden
boldness, if not presumption, of Simon and Judas. Then said the
father: "If it has been given you to do these works, I pray that
you will speak those words which will deliver my child from this
bondage." Then Simon stepped forward and, placing his hand on the
head of the child, looked directly into his eyes and commanded:
"Come out of him, you unclean spirit; in the name of Jesus obey
me." But the lad had only a more violent fit, while the scribes
mocked the apostles in derision, and the disappointed believers
suffered the taunts of these unfriendly critics.
158:4.7 Andrew was deeply chagrined at this
ill-advised effort and its dismal failure. He called the apostles
aside for conference and prayer. After this season of meditation,
feeling keenly the sting of their defeat and sensing the
humiliation resting upon all of them, Andrew sought, in a second
attempt, to cast out the demon, but only failure crowned his
efforts. Andrew frankly confessed defeat and requested the father
to remain with them overnight or until Jesus' return, saying:
"Perhaps this sort goes not out except by the Master's personal
command."
158:4.8 And so, while Jesus was descending the
mountain with the exuberant and ecstatic Peter, James, and John,
their nine brethren likewise were sleepless in their confusion and
downcast humiliation. They were a dejected and chastened group.
But James of Safed would not give up. Although they could give him
no idea as to when Jesus might return, he decided to stay on until
the Master came back.
5. JESUS HEALS THE BOY
158:5.1 As Jesus drew near, the nine apostles
were more than relieved to welcome him, and they were greatly
encouraged to behold the good cheer and unusual enthusiasm which
marked the countenances of Peter, James, and John. They all rushed
forward to greet Jesus and their three brethren. As they exchanged
greetings, the crowd came up, and Jesus asked, "What were you
disputing about as we drew near?" But before the disconcerted and
humiliated apostles could reply to the Master's question, the
anxious father of the afflicted lad stepped forward and, kneeling
at Jesus' feet, said: "Master, I have a son, an only child, who is
possessed by an evil spirit. Not only does he cry out in terror,
foam at the mouth, and fall like a dead person at the time of
seizure, but oftentimes this evil spirit which possesses him rends
him in convulsions and sometimes has cast him into the water and
even into the fire. With much grinding of teeth and as a result of
many bruises, my child wastes away. His life is worse than death;
his mother and I are of a sad heart and a broken spirit. About
noon yesterday, seeking for you, I caught up with your disciples,
and while we were waiting, your apostles sought to cast out this
demon, but they could not do it. And now, Master, will you do this
for us, will you heal my son?"
158:5.2 When Jesus had listened to this recital,
he touched the kneeling father and bade him rise while he gave the
near-by apostles a searching survey. Then said Jesus to all those
who stood before him: "O faithless and perverse generation, how
long shall I bear with you? How long shall I be with you? How long
ere you learn that the works of faith come not forth at the
bidding of doubting unbelief?" And then, pointing to the
bewildered father, Jesus said, "Bring hither your son." And when
James had brought the lad before Jesus, he asked, "How long has
the boy been afflicted in this way?" The father answered, "Since
he was a very young child." And as they talked, the youth was
seized with a violent attack and fell in their midst, gnashing his
teeth and foaming at the mouth. After a succession of violent
convulsions he lay there before them as one dead. Now did the
father again kneel at Jesus' feet while he implored the Master,
saying: "If you can cure him, I beseech you to have compassion on
us and deliver us from this affliction." And when Jesus heard
these words, he looked down into the father's anxious face,
saying: "Question not my Father's power of love, only the
sincerity and reach of your faith. All things are possible to him
who really believes." And then James of Safed spoke those
long-to-be-remembered words of commingled faith and doubt, "Lord,
I believe. I pray you help my unbelief."
158:5.3 When Jesus heard these words, he stepped
forward and, taking the lad by the hand, said: "I will do this in
accordance with my Father's will and in honor of living faith. My
son, arise! Come out of him, disobedient spirit, and go not back
into him." And placing the hand of the lad in the hand of the
father, Jesus said: "Go your way. The Father has granted the
desire of your soul." And all who were present, even the enemies
of Jesus, were astonished at what they saw.
158:5.4 It was indeed a disillusionment for the
three apostles who had so recently enjoyed the spiritual ecstasy
of the scenes and experiences of the transfiguration, so soon to
return to this scene of the defeat and discomfiture of their
fellow apostles. But it was ever so with these twelve ambassadors
of the kingdom. They never failed to alternate between exaltation
and humiliation in their life experiences.
158:5.5 This was a true healing of a double
affliction, a physical ailment and a spirit malady. And the lad
was permanently cured from that hour. When James had departed with
his restored son, Jesus said: "We go now to Caesarea-Philippi;
make ready at once." And they were a quiet group as they journeyed
southward while the crowd followed on behind.
6. IN CELSUS' GARDEN
158:6.1 They remained overnight with Celsus, and
that evening in the garden, after they had eaten and rested, the
twelve gathered about Jesus, and Thomas said: "Master, while we
who tarried behind still remain ignorant of what transpired up on
the mountain, and which so greatly cheered our brethren who were
with you, we crave to have you talk with us concerning our defeat
and instruct us in these matters, seeing that those things which
happened on the mountain cannot be disclosed at this time."
158:6.2 And Jesus answered Thomas, saying:
"Everything which your brethren heard on the mountain shall be
revealed to you in due season. But I will now show you the cause
of your defeat in that which you so unwisely attempted. While your
Master and his companions, your brethren, ascended yonder mountain
yesterday to seek for a larger knowledge of the Father's will and
to ask for a richer endowment of wisdom effectively to do that
divine will, you who remained on watch here with instructions to
strive to acquire the mind of spiritual insight and to pray with
us for a fuller revelation of the Father's will, failed to
exercise the faith at your command but, instead, yielded to the
temptation and fell into your old evil tendencies to seek for
yourselves preferred places in the kingdom of heaven -- the
material and temporal kingdom which you persist in contemplating.
And you cling to these erroneous concepts in spite of the
reiterated declaration that my kingdom is not of this world.
158:6.3 "No sooner does your faith grasp the
identity of the Son of Man than your selfish desire for worldly
preferment creeps back upon you, and you fall to discussing among
yourselves as to who should be greatest in the kingdom of heaven,
a kingdom which, as you persist in conceiving it, does not exist,
nor ever shall. Have not I told you that he who would be greatest
in the kingdom of my Father's spiritual brotherhood must become
little in his own eyes and thus become the server of his brethren?
Spiritual greatness consists in an understanding love that is
Godlike and not in an enjoyment of the exercise of material power
for the exaltation of self. In what you attempted, in which you so
completely failed, your purpose was not pure. Your motive was not
divine. Your ideal was not spiritual. Your ambition was not
altruistic. Your procedure was not based on love, and your goal of
attainment was not the will of the Father in heaven.
158:6.4 "How long will it take you to learn that
you cannot time-shorten the course of established natural
phenomena except when such things are in accordance with the
Father's will? nor can you do spiritual work in the absence of
spiritual power. And you can do neither of these, even when their
potential is present, without the existence of that third and
essential human factor, the personal experience of the possession
of living faith. Must you always have material manifestations as
an attraction for the spiritual realities of the kingdom? Can you
not grasp the spirit significance of my mission without the
visible exhibition of unusual works? When can you be depended upon
to adhere to the higher and spiritual realities of the kingdom
regardless of the outward appearance of all material
manifestations?"
158:6.5 When Jesus had thus spoken to the
twelve, he added: "And now go to your rest, for on the morrow we
return to Magadan and there take counsel concerning our mission to
the cities and villages of the Decapolis. And in the conclusion of
this day's experience, let me declare to each of you that which I
spoke to your brethren on the mountain, and let these words find a
deep lodgment in your hearts: The Son of Man now enters upon the
last phase of the bestowal. We are about to begin those labors
which shall presently lead to the great and final testing of your
faith and devotion when I shall be delivered into the hands of the
men who seek my destruction. And remember what I am saying to you:
The Son of Man will be put to death, but he shall rise again."
158:6.6 They retired for the night, sorrowful.
They were bewildered; they could not comprehend these words. And
while they were afraid to ask aught concerning what he had said,
they did recall all of it subsequent to his resurrection.
7. PETER'S PROTEST
158:7.1 Early this Wednesday morning Jesus and
the twelve departed from Caesarea-Philippi for Magadan Park near
Bethsaida-Julias. The apostles had slept very little that night;
so they were up early and ready to go. Even the stolid Alpheus
twins had been shocked by this talk about the death of Jesus. As
they journeyed south, just beyond the Waters of Merom they came to
the Damascus road, and desiring to avoid the scribes and others
whom Jesus knew would presently be coming along after them, he
directed that they go on to Capernaum by the Damascus road which
passes through Galilee. And he did this because he knew that those
who followed after him would go on down over the east Jordan road
since they reckoned that Jesus and the apostles would fear to pass
through the territory of Herod Antipas. Jesus sought to elude his
critics and the crowd which followed him that he might be alone
with his apostles this day.
158:7.2 They traveled on through Galilee until
well past the time for their lunch, when they stopped in the shade
to refresh themselves. And after they had partaken of food,
Andrew, speaking to Jesus, said: "Master, my brethren do not
comprehend your deep sayings. We have come fully to believe that
you are the Son of God, and now we hear these strange words about
leaving us, about dying. We do not understand your teaching. Are
you speaking to us in parables? We pray you to speak to us
directly and in undisguised form."
158:7.3 In answer to Andrew, Jesus said: "My
brethren, it is because you have confessed that I am the Son of
God that I am constrained to begin to unfold to you the truth
about the end of the bestowal of the Son of Man on earth. You
insist on clinging to the belief that I am the Messiah, and you
will not abandon the idea that the Messiah must sit upon a throne
in Jerusalem; wherefore do I persist in telling you that the Son
of Man must presently go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be
rejected by the scribes, the elders, and the chief priests, and
after all this be killed and raised from the dead. And I speak not
a parable to you; I speak the truth to you that you may be
prepared for these events when they suddenly come upon us." And
while he was yet speaking, Simon Peter, rushing impetuously toward
him, laid his hand upon the Master's shoulder and said: "Master,
be it far from us to contend with you, but I declare that these
things shall never happen to you."
158:7.4 Peter spoke thus because he loved Jesus;
but the Master's human nature recognized in these words of
well-meant affection the subtle suggestion of temptation that he
change his policy of pursuing to the end his earth bestowal in
accordance with the will of his Paradise Father. And it was
because he detected the danger of permitting the suggestions of
even his affectionate and loyal friends to dissuade him, that he
turned upon Peter and the other apostles, saying: "Get you behind
me. You savor of the spirit of the adversary, the tempter. When
you talk in this manner, you are not on my side but rather on the
side of our enemy. In this way do you make your love for me a
stumbling block to my doing the Father's will. Mind not the ways
of men but rather the will of God."
158:7.5 After they had recovered from the first
shock of Jesus' stinging rebuke, and before they resumed their
journey, the Master spoke further: "If any man would come after
me, let him disregard himself, take up his responsibilities daily,
and follow me. For whosoever would save his life selfishly, shall
lose it, but whosoever loses his life for my sake and the
gospel's, shall save it. What does it profit a man to gain the
whole world and lose his own soul? What would a man give in
exchange for eternal life? Be not ashamed of me and my words in
this sinful and hypocritical generation, even as I will not be
ashamed to acknowledge you when in glory I appear before my Father
in the presence of all the celestial hosts. Nevertheless, many of
you now standing before me shall not taste death till you see this
kingdom of God come with power."
158:7.6 And thus did Jesus make plain to the
twelve the painful and conflicting path which they must tread if
they would follow him. What a shock these words were to these
Galilean fishermen who persisted in dreaming of an earthly kingdom
with positions of honor for themselves! But their loyal hearts
were stirred by this courageous appeal, and not one of them was
minded to forsake him. Jesus was not sending them alone into the
conflict; he was leading them. He asked only that they bravely
follow.
158:7.7 Slowly the twelve were grasping the idea
that Jesus was telling them something about the possibility of his
dying. They only vaguely comprehended what he said about his
death, while his statement about rising from the dead utterly
failed to register in their minds. As the days passed, Peter,
James, and John, recalling their experience upon the mount of the
transfiguration, arrived at a fuller understanding of certain of
these matters.
158:7.8 In all the association of the twelve
with their Master, only a few times did they see that flashing eye
and hear such swift words of rebuke as were administered to Peter
and the rest of them on this occasion. Jesus had always been
patient with their human shortcomings, but not so when faced by an
impending threat against the program of implicitly carrying out
his Father's will regarding the remainder of his earth career. The
apostles were literally stunned; they were amazed and horrified.
They could not find words to express their sorrow. Slowly they
began to realize what the Master must endure, and that they must
go through these experiences with him, but they did not awaken to
the reality of these coming events until long after these early
hints of the impending tragedy of his latter days.
158:7.9 In silence Jesus and the twelve started
for their camp at Magadan Park, going by way of Capernaum. As the
afternoon wore on, though they did not converse with Jesus, they
talked much among themselves while Andrew talked with the Master.
8. AT PETER'S HOUSE
158:8.1 Entering Capernaum at twilight, they
went by unfrequented thoroughfares directly to the home of Simon
Peter for their evening meal. While David Zebedee made ready to
take them across the lake, they lingered at Simon's house, and
Jesus, looking up at Peter and the other apostles, asked: "As you
walked along together this afternoon, what was it that you talked
about so earnestly among yourselves?" The apostles held their
peace because many of them had continued the discussion begun at
Mount Hermon as to what positions they were to have in the coming
kingdom; who should be the greatest, and so on. Jesus, knowing
what it was that occupied their thoughts that day, beckoned to one
of Peter's little ones and, setting the child down among them,
said: "Verily, verily, I say to you, except you turn about and
become more like this child, you will make little progress in the
kingdom of heaven. Whosoever shall humble himself and become as
this little one, the same shall become greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. And whoso receives such a little one receives me. And they
who receive me receive also Him who sent me. If you would be first
in the kingdom, seek to minister these good truths to your
brethren in the flesh. But whosoever causes one of these little
ones to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were
hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea. If the things
you do with your hands, or the things you see with your eyes give
offense in the progress of the kingdom, sacrifice these cherished
idols, for it is better to enter the kingdom minus many of the
beloved things of life rather than to cling to these idols and
find yourself shut out of the kingdom. But most of all, see that
you despise not one of these little ones, for their angels do
always behold the faces of the heavenly hosts."
158:8.2 When Jesus had finished speaking, they
entered the boat and sailed across to Magadan.
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