The Urantia Book
PAPER 190
MORONTIA APPEARANCES OF JESUS
190:0.1 THE resurrected Jesus now prepares to
spend a short period on Urantia for the purpose of experiencing
the ascending morontia career of a mortal of the realms. Although
this time of the morontia life is to be spent on the world of his
mortal incarnation, it will, however, be in all respects the
counterpart of the experience of Satania mortals who pass through
the progressive morontia life of the seven mansion worlds of
Jerusem.
190:0.2 All this power which is inherent in
Jesus -- the endowment of life -- and which enabled him to rise
from the dead, is the very gift of eternal life which he bestows
upon kingdom believers, and which even now makes certain their
resurrection from the bonds of natural death.
190:0.3 The mortals of the realms will arise in
the morning of the resurrection with the same type of transition
or morontia body that Jesus had when he arose from the tomb on
this Sunday morning. These bodies do not have circulating blood,
and such beings do not partake of ordinary material food;
nevertheless, these morontia forms are real. When the
various believers saw Jesus after his resurrection, they really
saw him; they were not the self-deceived victims of visions or
hallucinations.
190:0.4 Abiding faith in the resurrection of
Jesus was the cardinal feature of the faith of all branches of the
early gospel teaching. In Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, and
Philadelphia all the gospel teachers united in this implicit faith
in the Master's resurrection.
190:0.5 In viewing the prominent part which Mary
Magdalene took in proclaiming the Master's resurrection, it should
be recorded that Mary was the chief spokesman for the women's
corps, as was Peter for the apostles. Mary was not chief of the
women workers, but she was their chief teacher and public
spokesman. Mary had become a woman of great circumspection, so
that her boldness in speaking to a man whom she considered to be
the caretaker of Joseph's garden only indicates how horrified she
was to find the tomb empty. It was the depth and agony of her
love, the fullness of her devotion, that caused her to forget, for
a moment, the conventional restraints of a Jewish woman's approach
to a strange man.
1. HERALDS OF THE RESURRECTION
190:1.1 The apostles did not want Jesus to leave
them; therefore had they slighted all his statements about dying,
along with his promises to rise again. They were not expecting the
resurrection as it came, and they refused to believe until they
were confronted with the compulsion of unimpeachable evidence and
the absolute proof of their own experiences.
190:1.2 When the apostles refused to believe the
report of the five women who represented that they had seen Jesus
and talked with him, Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb, and the
others went back to Joseph's house, where they related their
experiences to his daughter and the other women. And the women
believed their report. Shortly after six o'clock the daughter of
Joseph of Arimathea and the four women who had seen Jesus went
over to the home of Nicodemus, where they related all these
happenings to Joseph, Nicodemus, David Zebedee, and the other men
there assembled. Nicodemus and the others doubted their story,
doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead; they conjectured that
the Jews had removed the body. Joseph and David were disposed to
believe the report, so much so that they hurried out to inspect
the tomb, and they found everything just as the women had
described. And they were the last to so view the sepulchre, for
the high priest sent the captain of the temple guards to the tomb
at half past seven o'clock to remove the grave cloths. The captain
wrapped them all up in the linen sheet and threw them over a
near-by cliff.
190:1.3 From the tomb David and Joseph went
immediately to the home of Elijah Mark, where they held a
conference with the ten apostles in the upper chamber. Only John
Zebedee was disposed to believe, even faintly, that Jesus had
risen from the dead. Peter had believed at first but, when he
failed to find the Master, fell into grave doubting. They were all
disposed to believe that the Jews had removed the body. David
would not argue with them, but when he left, he said: "You are the
apostles, and you ought to understand these things. I will not
contend with you; nevertheless, I now go back to the home of
Nicodemus, where I have appointed with the messengers to assemble
this morning, and when they have gathered together, I will send
them forth on their last mission, as heralds of the Master's
resurrection. I heard the Master say that, after he should die, he
would rise on the third day, and I believe him." And thus speaking
to the dejected and forlorn ambassadors of the kingdom, this
self-appointed chief of communication and intelligence took leave
of the apostles. On his way from the upper chamber he dropped the
bag of Judas, containing all the apostolic funds, in the lap of
Matthew Levi.
190:1.4 It was about half past nine o'clock when
the last of David's twenty-six messengers arrived at the home of
Nicodemus. David promptly assembled them in the spacious courtyard
and addressed them:
190:1.5 "Men and brethren, all this time you
have served me in accordance with your oath to me and to one
another, and I call you to witness that I have never yet sent out
false information at your hands. I am about to send you on your
last mission as volunteer messengers of the kingdom, and in so
doing I release you from your oaths and thereby disband the
messenger corps. Men, I declare to you that we have finished our
work. No more does the Master have need of mortal messengers; he
has risen from the dead. He told us before they arrested him that
he would die and rise again on the third day. I have seen the tomb
-- it is empty. I have talked with Mary Magdalene and four other
women, who have talked with Jesus. I now disband you, bid you
farewell, and send you on your respective assignments, and the
message which you shall bear to the believers is: `Jesus has risen
from the dead; the tomb is empty.'"
190:1.6 The majority of those present endeavored
to persuade David not to do this. But they could not influence
him. They then sought to dissuade the messengers, but they would
not heed the words of doubt. And so, shortly before ten o'clock
this Sunday morning, these twenty-six runners went forth as the
first heralds of the mighty truth-fact of the resurrected Jesus.
And they started out on this mission as they had on so many
others, in fulfillment of their oath to David Zebedee and to one
another. These men had great confidence in David. They departed on
this assignment without even tarrying to talk with those who had
seen Jesus; they took David at his word. The majority of them
believed what David had told them, and even those who somewhat
doubted, carried the message just as certainly and just as
swiftly.
190:1.7 The apostles, the spiritual corps of the
kingdom, are this day assembled in the upper chamber, where they
manifest fear and express doubts, while these laymen, representing
the first attempt at the socialization of the Master's gospel of
the brotherhood of man, under the orders of their fearless and
efficient leader, go forth to proclaim the risen Savior of a world
and a universe. And they engage in this eventful service ere his
chosen representatives are willing to believe his word or to
accept the evidence of eyewitnesses.
190:1.8 These twenty-six were dispatched to the
home of Lazarus in Bethany and to all of the believer centers,
from Beersheba in the south to Damascus and Sidon in the north;
and from Philadelphia in the east to Alexandria in the west.
190:1.9 When David had taken leave of his
brethren, he went over to the home of Joseph for his mother, and
they then went out to Bethany to join the waiting family of Jesus.
David abode there in Bethany with Martha and Mary until after they
had disposed of their earthly possessions, and he accompanied them
on their journey to join their brother, Lazarus, at Philadelphia.
190:1.10 In about one week from this time John
Zebedee took Mary the mother of Jesus to his home in Bethsaida.
James, Jesus' eldest brother, remained with his family in
Jerusalem. Ruth remained at Bethany with Lazarus's sisters. The
rest of Jesus' family returned to Galilee. David Zebedee left
Bethany with Martha and Mary, for Philadelphia, early in June, the
day after his marriage to Ruth, Jesus' youngest sister.
2. JESUS' APPEARANCE AT BETHANY
190:2.1 From the time of the morontia
resurrection until the hour of his spirit ascension on high, Jesus
made nineteen separate appearances in visible form to his
believers on earth. He did not appear to his enemies nor to those
who could not make spiritual use of his manifestation in visible
form. His first appearance was to the five women at the tomb; his
second, to Mary Magdalene, also at the tomb.
190:2.2 The third appearance occurred about noon
of this Sunday at Bethany. Shortly after noontide, Jesus' oldest
brother, James, was standing in the garden of Lazarus before the
empty tomb of the resurrected brother of Martha and Mary, turning
over in his mind the news brought to them about one hour
previously by the messenger of David. James had always inclined to
believe in his eldest brother's mission on earth, but he had long
since lost contact with Jesus' work and had drifted into grave
doubting regarding the later claims of the apostles that Jesus was
the Messiah. The whole family was startled and well-nigh
confounded by the news brought by the messenger. Even as James
stood before Lazarus's empty tomb, Mary Magdalene arrived on the
scene and was excitedly relating to the family her experiences of
the early morning hours at the tomb of Joseph. Before she had
finished, David Zebedee and his mother arrived. Ruth, of course,
believed the report, and so did Jude after he had talked with
David and Salome.
190:2.3 In the meantime, as they looked for
James and before they found him, while he stood there in the
garden near the tomb, he became aware of a near-by presence, as if
someone had touched him on the shoulder; and when he turned to
look, he beheld the gradual appearance of a strange form by his
side. He was too much amazed to speak and too frightened to flee.
And then the strange form spoke, saying: "James, I come to call
you to the service of the kingdom. Join earnest hands with your
brethren and follow after me." When James heard his name spoken,
he knew that it was his eldest brother, Jesus, who had addressed
him. They all had more or less difficulty in recognizing the
morontia form of the Master, but few of them had any trouble
recognizing his voice or otherwise identifying his charming
personality when he once began to communicate with them.
190:2.4 When James perceived that Jesus was
addressing him, he started to fall to his knees, exclaiming, "My
father and my brother," but Jesus bade him stand while he spoke
with him. And they walked through the garden and talked for almost
three minutes; talked over experiences of former days and forecast
the events of the near future. As they neared the house, Jesus
said, "Farewell, James, until I greet you all together."
190:2.5 James rushed into the house, even while
they looked for him at Bethpage, exclaiming: "I have just seen
Jesus and talked with him, visited with him. He is not dead; he
has risen! He vanished before me, saying, `Farewell until I greet
you all together.'" He had scarcely finished speaking when Jude
returned, and he retold the experience of meeting Jesus in the
garden for the benefit of Jude. And they all began to believe in
the resurrection of Jesus. James now announced that he would not
return to Galilee, and David exclaimed: "He is seen not only by
excited women; even stronghearted men have begun to see him. I
expect to see him myself."
190:2.6 And David did not long wait, for the
fourth appearance of Jesus to mortal recognition occurred shortly
before two o'clock in this very home of Martha and Mary, when he
appeared visibly before his earthly family and their friends,
twenty in all. The Master appeared in the open back door, saying:
"Peace be upon you. Greetings to those once near me in the flesh
and fellowship for my brothers and sisters in the kingdom of
heaven. How could you doubt? Why have you lingered so long before
choosing to follow the light of truth with a whole heart? Come,
therefore, all of you into the fellowship of the Spirit of Truth
in the Father's kingdom." As they began to recover from the first
shock of their amazement and to move toward him as if to embrace
him, he vanished from their sight.
190:2.7 They all wanted to rush off to the city
to tell the doubting apostles about what had happened, but James
restrained them. Mary Magdalene, only, was permitted to return to
Joseph's house. James forbade their publishing abroad the fact of
this morontia visit because of certain things which Jesus had said
to him as they conversed in the garden. But James never revealed
more of his visit with the risen Master on this day at the Lazarus
home in Bethany.
3. AT THE HOME OF JOSEPH
190:3.1 The fifth morontia manifestation of
Jesus to the recognition of mortal eyes occurred in the presence
of some twenty-five women believers assembled at the home of
Joseph of Arimathea, at about fifteen minutes past four o'clock on
this same Sunday afternoon. Mary Magdalene had returned to
Joseph's house just a few minutes before this appearance. James,
Jesus' brother, had requested that nothing be said to the apostles
concerning the Master's appearance at Bethany. He had not asked
Mary to refrain from reporting the occurrence to her sister
believers. Accordingly, after Mary had pledged all the women to
secrecy, she proceeded to relate what had so recently happened
while she was with Jesus' family at Bethany. And she was in the
very midst of this thrilling recital when a sudden and solemn hush
fell over them; they beheld in their very midst the fully visible
form of the risen Jesus. He greeted them, saying: "Peace be upon
you. In the fellowship of the kingdom there shall be neither Jew
nor gentile, rich nor poor, free nor bond, man nor woman. You also
are called to publish the good news of the liberty of mankind
through the gospel of sonship with God in the kingdom of heaven.
Go to all the world proclaiming this gospel and confirming
believers in the faith thereof. And while you do this, forget not
to minister to the sick and strengthen those who are fainthearted
and fear-ridden. And I will be with you always, even to the ends
of the earth." And when he had thus spoken, he vanished from their
sight, while the women fell on their faces and worshiped in
silence.
190:3.2 Of the five morontia appearances of
Jesus occurring up to this time, Mary Magdalene had witnessed
four.
190:3.3 As a result of sending out the
messengers during the midforenoon and from the unconscious leakage
of intimations concerning this appearance of Jesus at Joseph's
house, word began to come to the rulers of the Jews during the
early evening that it was being reported about the city that Jesus
had risen, and that many persons were claiming to have seen him.
The Sanhedrists were thoroughly aroused by these rumors. After a
hasty consultation with Annas, Caiaphas called a meeting of the
Sanhedrin to convene at eight o'clock that evening. It was at this
meeting that action was taken to throw out of the synagogues any
person who made mention of Jesus' resurrection. It was even
suggested that any one claiming to have seen him should be put to
death; this proposal, however, did not come to a vote since the
meeting broke up in confusion bordering on actual panic. They had
dared to think they were through with Jesus. They were about to
discover that their real trouble with the man of Nazareth had just
begun.
4. APPEARANCE TO THE GREEKS
190:4.1 About half past four o'clock, at the
home of one Flavius, the Master made his sixth morontia appearance
to some forty Greek believers there assembled. While they were
engaged in discussing the reports of the Master's resurrection, he
manifested himself in their midst, notwithstanding that the doors
were securely fastened, and speaking to them, said: "Peace be upon
you. While the Son of Man appeared on earth among the Jews, he
came to minister to all men. In the kingdom of my Father there
shall be neither Jew nor gentile; you will all be brethren -- the
sons of God. Go you, therefore, to all the world, proclaiming this
gospel of salvation as you have received it from the ambassadors
of the kingdom, and I will fellowship you in the brotherhood of
the Father's sons of faith and truth." And when he had thus
charged them, he took leave, and they saw him no more. They
remained within the house all evening; they were too much overcome
with awe and fear to venture forth. Neither did any of these
Greeks sleep that night; they stayed awake discussing these things
and hoping that the Master might again visit them. Among this
group were many of the Greeks who were at Gethsemane when the
soldiers arrested Jesus and Judas betrayed him with a kiss.
190:4.2 Rumors of Jesus' resurrection and
reports concerning the many appearances to his followers are
spreading rapidly, and the whole city is being wrought up to a
high pitch of excitement. Already the Master has appeared to his
family, to the women, and to the Greeks, and presently he
manifests himself in the midst of the apostles. The Sanhedrin is
soon to begin the consideration of these new problems which have
been so suddenly thrust upon the Jewish rulers. Jesus thinks much
about his apostles but desires that they be left alone for a few
more hours of solemn reflection and thoughtful consideration
before he visits them.
5. THE WALK WITH TWO BROTHERS
190:5.1 At Emmaus, about seven miles west of
Jerusalem, there lived two brothers, shepherds, who had spent the
Passover week in Jerusalem attending upon the sacrifices,
ceremonials, and feasts. Cleopas, the elder, was a partial
believer in Jesus; at least he had been cast out of the synagogue.
His brother, Jacob, was not a believer, although he was much
intrigued by what he had heard about the Master's teachings and
works.
190:5.2 On this Sunday afternoon, about three
miles out of Jerusalem and a few minutes before five o'clock, as
these two brothers trudged along the road to Emmaus, they talked
in great earnestness about Jesus, his teachings, work, and more
especially concerning the rumors that his tomb was empty, and that
certain of the women had talked with him. Cleopas was half a mind
to believe these reports, but Jacob was insistent that the whole
affair was probably a fraud. While they thus argued and debated as
they made their way toward home, the morontia manifestation of
Jesus, his seventh appearance, came alongside them as they
journeyed on. Cleopas had often heard Jesus teach and had eaten
with him at the homes of Jerusalem believers on several occasions.
But he did not recognize the Master even when he spoke freely with
them.
190:5.3 After walking a short way with them,
Jesus said: "What were the words you exchanged so earnestly as I
came upon you?" And when Jesus had spoken, they stood still and
viewed him with sad surprise. Said Cleopas: "Can it be that you
sojourn in Jerusalem and know not the things which have recently
happened?" Then asked the Master, "What things?" Cleopas replied:
"If you do not know about these matters, you are the only one in
Jerusalem who has not heard these rumors concerning Jesus of
Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in word and in deed before God
and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers delivered him
up to the Romans and demanded that they crucify him. Now many of
us had hoped that it was he who would deliver Israel from the yoke
of the gentiles. But that is not all. It is now the third day
since he was crucified, and certain women have this day amazed us
by declaring that very early this morning they went to his tomb
and found it empty. And these same women insist that they talked
with this man; they maintain that he has risen from the dead. And
when the women reported this to the men, two of his apostles ran
to the tomb and likewise found it empty" -- and here Jacob
interrupted his brother to say, "but they did not see Jesus."
190:5.4 As they walked along, Jesus said to
them: "How slow you are to comprehend the truth! When you tell me
that it is about the teachings and work of this man that you have
your discussions, then may I enlighten you since I am more than
familiar with these teachings. Do you not remember that this Jesus
always taught that his kingdom was not of this world, and that all
men, being the sons of God, should find liberty and freedom in the
spiritual joy of the fellowship of the brotherhood of loving
service in this new kingdom of the truth of the heavenly Father's
love? Do you not recall how this Son of Man proclaimed the
salvation of God for all men, ministering to the sick and
afflicted and setting free those who were bound by fear and
enslaved by evil? Do you not know that this man of Nazareth told
his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, be delivered up to his
enemies, who would put him to death, and that he would arise on
the third day? Have you not been told all this? And have you never
read in the Scriptures concerning this day of salvation for Jew
and gentile, where it says that in him shall all the families of
the earth be blessed; that he will hear the cry of the needy and
save the souls of the poor who seek him; that all nations shall
call him blessed? That such a Deliverer shall be as the shadow of
a great rock in a weary land. That he will feed the flock like a
true shepherd, gathering the lambs in his arms and tenderly
carrying them in his bosom. That he will open the eyes of the
spiritually blind and bring the prisoners of despair out into full
liberty and light; that all who sit in darkness shall see the
great light of eternal salvation. That he will bind up the
brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives of sin, and open
up the prison to those who are enslaved by fear and bound by evil.
That he will comfort those who mourn and bestow upon them the joy
of salvation in the place of sorrow and heaviness.
That he shall be the desire of all
nations and the everlasting joy of those who seek righteousness.
That this Son of truth and righteousness shall rise upon the world
with healing light and saving power; even that he will save his
people from their sins; that he will really seek and save those
who are lost. That he will not destroy the weak but minister
salvation to all who hunger and thirst for righteousness. That
those who believe in him shall have eternal life. That he will
pour out his spirit upon all flesh, and that this Spirit of Truth
shall be in each believer a well of water, springing up into
everlasting life. Did you not understand how great was the gospel
of the kingdom which this man delivered to you? Do you not
perceive how great a salvation has come upon you?"
190:5.5 By this time they had come near to the
village where these brothers dwelt. Not a word had these two men
spoken since Jesus began to teach them as they walked along the
way. Soon they drew up in front of their humble dwelling place,
and Jesus was about to take leave of them, going on down the road,
but they constrained him to come in and abide with them. They
insisted that it was near nightfall, and that he tarry with them.
Finally Jesus consented, and very soon after they went into the
house, they sat down to eat. They gave him the bread to bless, and
as he began to break and hand to them, their eyes were opened, and
Cleopas recognized that their guest was the Master himself. And
when he said, "It is the Master -- ," the morontia Jesus vanished
from their sight.
190:5.6 And then they said, the one to the
other, "No wonder our hearts burned within us as he spoke to us
while we walked along the road! and while he opened up to our
understanding the teachings of the Scriptures!"
190:5.7 They would not stop to eat. They had
seen the morontia Master, and they rushed from the house,
hastening back to Jerusalem to spread the good news of the risen
Savior.
190:5.8 About nine o'clock that evening and just
before the Master appeared to the ten, these two excited brothers
broke in upon the apostles in the upper chamber, declaring that
they had seen Jesus and talked with him. And they told all that
Jesus had said to them and how they had not discerned who he was
until the time of the breaking of the bread.
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