1236 lines
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1236 lines
74 KiB
Plaintext
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Urantia Book Paper 139 The Twelve Apostles
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SPIRITWEB ORG, PROMOTING SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE INTERNET.
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
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of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
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Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
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Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
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Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
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Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
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The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
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Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
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The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
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In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
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Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
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Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
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Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
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Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
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Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
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Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
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Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
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Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
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Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
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To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem ...
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Paper 139 The Twelve Apostles
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Introduction
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IT IS an eloquent testimony to the charm and righteousness of Jesus' earth life
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that, although he repeatedly dashed to pieces the hopes of his apostles and
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tore to shreds their every ambition for personal exaltation, only one deserted
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him.
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The apostles learned from Jesus about the kingdom of heaven, and Jesus learned
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much from them about the kingdom of men, human nature as it lives on Urantia
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and on the other evolutionary worlds of time and space. These twelve men
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represented many different types of human temperament, and they had not been
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made alike by schooling. Many of these Galilean fishermen carried heavy strains
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of gentile blood as a result of the forcible conversion of the gentile
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population of Galilee one hundred years previously.
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Do not make the mistake of regarding the apostles as being altogether ignorant
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and unlearned. All of them, except the Alpheus twins, were graduates of the
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synagogue schools, having been thoroughly trained in the Hebrew scriptures and
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in much of the current knowledge of that day. Seven were graduates of the
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Capernaum synagogue schools, and there were no better Jewish schools in all
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Galilee.
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When your records refer to these messengers of the kingdom as being "ignorant
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and unlearned," it was intended to convey the idea that they were laymen,
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unlearned in the lore of the rabbis and untrained in the methods of rabbinical
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interpretation of the Scriptures. They were lacking in so-called higher
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education. In modern times they would certainly be considered uneducated, and
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in some circles of society even uncultured. One thing is certain: They had not
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all been put through the same rigid and stereotyped educational curriculum.
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From adolescence on they had enjoyed separate experiences of learning how to
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live.
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1. ANDREW, THE FIRST CHOSEN
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Andrew, chairman of the apostolic corps of the kingdom, was born in Capernaum.
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He was the oldest child in a family of five--himself, his brother Simon, and
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three sisters. His father, now dead, had been a partner of Zebedee in the
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fish-drying business at Bethsaida, the fishing harbor of Capernaum. When he
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became an apostle, Andrew was unmarried but made his home with his married
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brother, Simon Peter. Both were fishermen and partners of James and John the
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sons of Zebedee.
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In A.D. 26, the year he was chosen as an apostle, Andrew was 33, a full year
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older than Jesus and the oldest of the apostles. He sprang from an excellent
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line
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top of page - 1549
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of ancestors and was the ablest man of the twelve. Excepting oratory, he was
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the peer of his associates in almost every imaginable ability. Jesus never gave
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Andrew a nickname, a fraternal designation. But even as the apostles soon began
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to call Jesus Master, so they also designated Andrew by a term the equivalent
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of Chief.
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Andrew was a good organizer but a better administrator. He was one of the inner
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circle of four apostles, but his appointment by Jesus as the head of the
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apostolic group made it necessary for him to remain on duty with his brethren
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while the other three enjoyed very close communion with the Master. To the very
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end Andrew remained dean of the apostolic corps.
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Although Andrew was never an effective preacher, he was an efficient personal
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worker, being the pioneer missionary of the kingdom in that, as the first
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chosen apostle, he immediately brought to Jesus his brother, Simon, who
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subsequently became one of the greatest preachers of the kingdom. Andrew was
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the chief supporter of Jesus' policy of utilizing the program of personal work
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as a means of training the twelve as messengers of the kingdom.
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Whether Jesus privately taught the apostles or preached to the multitude,
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Andrew was usually conversant with what was going on; he was an understanding
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executive and an efficient administrator. He rendered a prompt decision on
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every matter brought to his notice unless he deemed the problem one beyond the
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domain of his authority, in which event he would take it straight to Jesus.
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Andrew and Peter were very unlike in character and temperament, but it must be
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recorded everlastingly to their credit that they got along together splendidly.
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Andrew was never jealous of Peter's oratorical ability. Not often will an older
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man of Andrew's type be observed exerting such a profound influence over a
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younger and talented brother. Andrew and Peter never seemed to be in the least
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jealous of each other's abilities or achievements. Late on the evening of the
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day of Pentecost, when, largely through the energetic and inspiring preaching
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of Peter, two thousand souls were added to the kingdom, Andrew said to his
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brother: "I could not do that, but I am glad I have a brother who could." To
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which Peter replied: "And but for your bringing me to the Master and by your
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steadfastness keeping me with him, I should not have been here to do this."
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Andrew and Peter were the exceptions to the rule, proving that even brothers
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can live together peaceably and work together effectively.
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After Pentecost Peter was famous, but it never irritated the older Andrew to
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spend the rest of his life being introduced as "Simon Peter's brother."
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Of all the apostles, Andrew was the best judge of men. He knew that trouble was
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brewing in the heart of Judas Iscariot even when none of the others suspected
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that anything was wrong with their treasurer; but he told none of them his
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fears. Andrew's great service to the kingdom was in advising Peter, James, and
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John concerning the choice of the first missionaries who were sent out to
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proclaim the gospel, and also in counseling these early leaders about the
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organization of the administrative affairs of the kingdom. Andrew had a great
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gift for discovering the hidden resources and latent talents of young people.
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Very soon after Jesus' ascension on high, Andrew began the writing of a
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personal record of many of the sayings and doings of his departed Master. After
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Andrew's death other copies of this private record were made and circulated
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freely among the early teachers of the Christian church. These informal notes
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of Andrew's were subsequently edited, amended, altered, and added to until they
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made up a fairly consecutive narrative of the Master's life on earth. The last
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of
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top of page - 1550
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these few altered and amended copies was destroyed by fire at Alexandria about
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one hundred years after the original was written by the first chosen of the
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twelve apostles.
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Andrew was a man of clear insight, logical thought, and firm decision, whose
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great strength of character consisted in his superb stability. His
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temperamental handicap was his lack of enthusiasm; he many times failed to
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encourage his associates by judicious commendation. And this reticence to
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praise the worthy accomplishments of his friends grew out of his abhorrence of
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flattery and insincerity. Andrew was one of those all-round, even-tempered,
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self-made, and successful men of modest affairs.
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Every one of the apostles loved Jesus, but it remains true that each of the
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twelve was drawn toward him because of some certain trait of personality which
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made a special appeal to the individual apostle. Andrew admired Jesus because
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of his consistent sincerity, his unaffected dignity. When men once knew Jesus,
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they were possessed with the urge to share him with their friends; they really
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wanted all the world to know him.
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When the later persecutions finally scattered the apostles from Jerusalem,
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Andrew journeyed through Armenia, Asia Minor, and Macedonia and, after bringing
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many thousands into the kingdom, was finally apprehended and crucified in
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Patrae in Achaia. It was two full days before this robust man expired on the
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cross, and throughout these tragic hours he continued effectively to proclaim
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the glad tidings of the salvation of the kingdom of heaven.
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2. SIMON PETER
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When Simon joined the apostles, he was thirty years of age. He was married, had
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three children, and lived at Bethsaida, near Capernaum. His brother, Andrew,
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and his wife's mother lived with him. Both Peter and Andrew were fisher
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partners of the sons of Zebedee.
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The Master had known Simon for some time before Andrew presented him as the
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second of the apostles. When Jesus gave Simon the name Peter, he did it with a
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smile; it was to be a sort of nickname. Simon was well known to all his friends
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as an erratic and impulsive fellow. True, later on, Jesus did attach a new and
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significant import to this lightly bestowed nickname.
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Simon Peter was a man of impulse, an optimist. He had grown up permitting
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himself freely to indulge strong feelings; he was constantly getting into
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difficulties because he persisted in speaking without thinking. This sort of
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thoughtlessness also made incessant trouble for all of his friends and
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associates and was the cause of his receiving many mild rebukes from his
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Master. The only reason Peter did not get into more trouble because of his
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thoughtless speaking was that he very early learned to talk over many of his
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plans and schemes with his brother, Andrew, before he ventured to make public
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proposals.
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Peter was a fluent speaker, eloquent and dramatic. He was also a natural and
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inspirational leader of men, a quick thinker but not a deep reasoner. He asked
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many questions, more than all the apostles put together, and while the majority
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of these questions were good and relevant, many of them were thoughtless and
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foolish. Peter did not have a deep mind, but he knew his mind fairly well. He
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was therefore a man of quick decision and sudden action. While others talked in
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their
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top of page - 1551
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astonishment at seeing Jesus on the beach, Peter jumped in and swam ashore to
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meet the Master.
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The one trait which Peter most admired in Jesus was his supernal tenderness.
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Peter never grew weary of contemplating Jesus' forbearance. He never forgot the
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lesson about forgiving the wrongdoer, not only seven times but seventy times
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and seven. He thought much about these impressions of the Master's forgiving
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character during those dark and dismal days immediately following his
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thoughtless and unintended denial of Jesus in the high priest's courtyard.
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Simon Peter was distressingly vacillating; he would suddenly swing from one
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extreme to the other. First he refused to let Jesus wash his feet and then, on
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hearing the Master's reply, begged to be washed all over. But, after all, Jesus
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knew that Peter's faults were of the head and not of the heart. He was one of
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the most inexplicable combinations of courage and cowardice that ever lived on
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earth. His great strength of character was loyalty, friendship. Peter really
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and truly loved Jesus. And yet despite this towering strength of devotion he
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was so unstable and inconstant that he permitted a servant girl to tease him
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into denying his Lord and Master. Peter could withstand persecution and any
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other form of direct assault, but he withered and shrank before ridicule. He
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was a brave soldier when facing a frontal attack, but he was a fear-cringing
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coward when surprised with an assault from the rear.
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Peter was the first of Jesus' apostles to come forward to defend the work of
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Philip among the Samaritans and Paul among the gentiles; yet later on at
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Antioch he reversed himself when confronted by ridiculing Judaizers,
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temporarily withdrawing from the gentiles only to bring down upon his head the
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fearless denunciation of Paul.
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He was the first one of the apostles to make wholehearted confession of Jesus'
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combined humanity and divinity and the first--save Judas--to deny him. Peter
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was not so much of a dreamer, but he disliked to descend from the clouds of
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ecstasy and the enthusiasm of dramatic indulgence to the plain and
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matter-of-fact world of reality.
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In following Jesus, literally and figuratively, he was either leading the
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procession or else trailing behind--"following afar off." But he was the
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outstanding preacher of the twelve; he did more than any other one man, aside
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from Paul, to establish the kingdom and send its messengers to the four corners
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of the earth in one generation.
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After his rash denials of the Master he found himself, and with Andrew's
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sympathetic and understanding guidance he again led the way back to the fish
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nets while the apostles tarried to find out what was to happen after the
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crucifixion. When he was fully assured that Jesus had forgiven him and knew he
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had been received back into the Master's fold, the fires of the kingdom burned
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so brightly within his soul that he became a great and saving light to
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thousands who sat in darkness.
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After leaving Jerusalem and before Paul became the leading spirit among the
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gentile Christian churches, Peter traveled extensively, visiting all the
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churches from Babylon to Corinth. He even visited and ministered to many of the
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churches which had been raised up by Paul. Although Peter and Paul differed
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much in temperament and education, even in theology, they worked together
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harmoniously for the upbuilding of the churches during their later years.
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top of page - 1552
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Something of Peter's style and teaching is shown in the sermons partially
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recorded by Luke and in the Gospel of Mark. His vigorous style was better shown
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in his letter known as the First Epistle of Peter; at least this was true
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before it was subsequently altered by a disciple of Paul.
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But Peter persisted in making the mistake of trying to convince the Jews that
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Jesus was, after all, really and truly the Jewish Messiah. Right up to the day
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of his death, Simon Peter continued to suffer confusion in his mind between the
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concepts of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, Christ as the world's redeemer, and
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the Son of Man as the revelation of God, the loving Father of all mankind.
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Peter's wife was a very able woman. For years she labored acceptably as a
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member of the women's corps, and when Peter was driven out of Jerusalem, she
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accompanied him upon all his journeys to the churches as well as on all his
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missionary excursions. And the day her illustrious husband yielded up his life,
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she was thrown to the wild beasts in the arena at Rome.
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And so this man Peter, an intimate of Jesus, one of the inner circle, went
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forth from Jerusalem proclaiming the glad tidings of the kingdom with power and
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glory until the fullness of his ministry had been accomplished; and he regarded
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himself as the recipient of high honors when his captors informed him that he
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must die as his Master had died--on the cross. And thus was Simon Peter
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crucified in Rome.
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3. JAMES ZEBEDEE
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James, the older of the two apostle sons of Zebedee, whom Jesus nicknamed "sons
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of thunder," was thirty years old when he became an apostle. He was married,
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had four children, and lived near his parents in the outskirts of Capernaum,
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Bethsaida. He was a fisherman, plying his calling in company with his younger
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brother John and in association with Andrew and Simon. James and his brother
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John enjoyed the advantage of having known Jesus longer than any of the other
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apostles.
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This able apostle was a temperamental contradiction; he seemed really to
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possess two natures, both of which were actuated by strong feelings. He was
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particularly vehement when his indignation was once fully aroused. He had a
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fiery temper when once it was adequately provoked, and when the storm was over,
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he was always wont to justify and excuse his anger under the pretense that it
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was wholly a manifestation of righteous indignation. Except for these periodic
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upheavals of wrath, James's personality was much like that of Andrew. He did
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not have Andrew's discretion or insight into human nature, but he was a much
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better public speaker. Next to Peter, unless it was Matthew, James was the best
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public orator among the twelve.
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Though James was in no sense moody, he could be quiet and taciturn one day and
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a very good talker and storyteller the next. He usually talked freely with
|
|||
|
|
Jesus, but among the twelve, for days at a time he was the silent man. His one
|
|||
|
|
great weakness was these spells of unaccountable silence.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The outstanding feature of James's personality was his ability to see all sides
|
|||
|
|
of a proposition. Of all the twelve, he came the nearest to grasping the real
|
|||
|
|
import and significance of Jesus' teaching. He, too, was slow at first to
|
|||
|
|
comprehend the Master's meaning, but ere they had finished their training, he
|
|||
|
|
had acquired a superior concept of Jesus' message. James was able to understand
|
|||
|
|
a wide range
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1553
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
of human nature; he got along well with the versatile Andrew, the impetuous
|
|||
|
|
Peter, and his self-contained brother John.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Though James and John had their troubles trying to work together, it was
|
|||
|
|
inspiring to observe how well they got along. They did not succeed quite so
|
|||
|
|
well as Andrew and Peter, but they did much better than would ordinarily be
|
|||
|
|
expected of two brothers, especially such headstrong and determined brothers.
|
|||
|
|
But, strange as it may seem, these two sons of Zebedee were much more tolerant
|
|||
|
|
of each other than they were of strangers. They had great affection for one
|
|||
|
|
another; they had always been happy playmates. It was these "sons of thunder"
|
|||
|
|
who wanted to call fire down from heaven to destroy the Samaritans who presumed
|
|||
|
|
to show disrespect for their Master. But the untimely death of James greatly
|
|||
|
|
modified the vehement temperament of his younger brother John.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
That characteristic of Jesus which James most admired was the Master's
|
|||
|
|
sympathetic affection. Jesus' understanding interest in the small and the
|
|||
|
|
great, the rich and the poor, made a great appeal to him.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
James Zebedee was a well-balanced thinker and planner. Along with Andrew, he
|
|||
|
|
was one of the more level-headed of the apostolic group. He was a vigorous
|
|||
|
|
individual but was never in a hurry. He was an excellent balance wheel for
|
|||
|
|
Peter.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
He was modest and undramatic, a daily server, an unpretentious worker, seeking
|
|||
|
|
no special reward when he once grasped something of the real meaning of the
|
|||
|
|
kingdom. And even in the story about the mother of James and John, who asked
|
|||
|
|
that her sons be granted places on the right hand and the left hand of Jesus,
|
|||
|
|
it should be remembered that it was the mother who made this request. And when
|
|||
|
|
they signified that they were ready to assume such responsibilities, it should
|
|||
|
|
be recognized that they were cognizant of the dangers accompanying the Master's
|
|||
|
|
supposed revolt against the Roman power, and that they were also willing to pay
|
|||
|
|
the price. When Jesus asked if they were ready to drink the cup, they replied
|
|||
|
|
that they were. And as concerns James, it was literally true--he did drink the
|
|||
|
|
cup with the Master, seeing that he was the first of the apostles to experience
|
|||
|
|
martyrdom, being early put to death with the sword by Herod Agrippa. James was
|
|||
|
|
thus the first of the twelve to sacrifice his life upon the new battle line of
|
|||
|
|
the kingdom. Herod Agrippa feared James above all the other apostles. He was
|
|||
|
|
indeed often quiet and silent, but he was brave and determined when his
|
|||
|
|
convictions were aroused and challenged.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
James lived his life to the full, and when the end came, he bore himself with
|
|||
|
|
such grace and fortitude that even his accuser and informer, who attended his
|
|||
|
|
trial and execution, was so touched that he rushed away from the scene of
|
|||
|
|
James's death to join himself to the disciples of Jesus.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
4. JOHN ZEBEDEE
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When he became an apostle, John was twenty-four years old and was the youngest
|
|||
|
|
of the twelve. He was unmarried and lived with his parents at Bethsaida; he was
|
|||
|
|
a fisherman and worked with his brother James in partnership with Andrew and
|
|||
|
|
Peter. Both before and after becoming an apostle, John functioned as the
|
|||
|
|
personal agent of Jesus in dealing with the Master's family, and he continued
|
|||
|
|
to bear this responsibility as long as Mary the mother of Jesus lived.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Since John was the youngest of the twelve and so closely associated with Jesus
|
|||
|
|
in his family affairs, he was very dear to the Master, but it cannot be truth-
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1554
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
fully said that he was "the disciple whom Jesus loved." You would hardly
|
|||
|
|
suspect such a magnanimous personality as Jesus to be guilty of showing
|
|||
|
|
favoritism, of loving one of his apostles more than the others. The fact that
|
|||
|
|
John was one of the three personal aides of Jesus lent further color to this
|
|||
|
|
mistaken idea, not to mention that John, along with his brother James, had
|
|||
|
|
known Jesus longer than the others.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Peter, James, and John were assigned as personal aides to Jesus soon after they
|
|||
|
|
became apostles. Shortly after the selection of the twelve and at the time
|
|||
|
|
Jesus appointed Andrew to act as director of the group, he said to him: "And
|
|||
|
|
now I desire that you assign two or three of your associates to be with me and
|
|||
|
|
to remain by my side, to comfort me and to minister to my daily needs." And
|
|||
|
|
Andrew thought best to select for this special duty the next three first-chosen
|
|||
|
|
apostles. He would have liked to volunteer for such a blessed service himself,
|
|||
|
|
but the Master had already given him his commission; so he immediately directed
|
|||
|
|
that Peter, James, and John attach themselves to Jesus.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
John Zebedee had many lovely traits of character, but one which was not so
|
|||
|
|
lovely was his inordinate but usually well-concealed conceit. His long
|
|||
|
|
association with Jesus made many and great changes in his character. This
|
|||
|
|
conceit was greatly lessened, but after growing old and becoming more or less
|
|||
|
|
childish, this self-esteem reappeared to a certain extent, so that, when
|
|||
|
|
engaged in directing Nathan in the writing of the Gospel which now bears his
|
|||
|
|
name, the aged apostle did not hesitate repeatedly to refer to himself as the
|
|||
|
|
"disciple whom Jesus loved." In view of the fact that John came nearer to being
|
|||
|
|
the chum of Jesus than any other earth mortal, that he was his chosen personal
|
|||
|
|
representative in so many matters, it is not strange that he should have come
|
|||
|
|
to regard himself as the "disciple whom Jesus loved" since he most certainly
|
|||
|
|
knew he was the disciple whom Jesus so frequently trusted.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The strongest trait in John's character was his dependability; he was prompt
|
|||
|
|
and courageous, faithful and devoted. His greatest weakness was this
|
|||
|
|
characteristic conceit. He was the youngest member of his father's family and
|
|||
|
|
the youngest of the apostolic group. Perhaps he was just a bit spoiled; maybe
|
|||
|
|
he had been humored slightly too much. But the John of after years was a very
|
|||
|
|
different type of person than the self-admiring and arbitrary young man who
|
|||
|
|
joined the ranks of Jesus' apostles when he was twenty-four.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Those characteristics of Jesus which John most appreciated were the Master's
|
|||
|
|
love and unselfishness; these traits made such an impression on him that his
|
|||
|
|
whole subsequent life became dominated by the sentiment of love and brotherly
|
|||
|
|
devotion. He talked about love and wrote about love. This "son of thunder"
|
|||
|
|
became the "apostle of love"; and at Ephesus, when the aged bishop was no
|
|||
|
|
longer able to stand in the pulpit and preach but had to be carried to church
|
|||
|
|
in a chair, and when at the close of the service he was asked to say a few
|
|||
|
|
words to the believers, for years his only utterance was, "My little children,
|
|||
|
|
love one another."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
John was a man of few words except when his temper was aroused. He thought much
|
|||
|
|
but said little. As he grew older, his temper became more subdued, better
|
|||
|
|
controlled, but he never overcame his disinclination to talk; he never fully
|
|||
|
|
mastered this reticence. But he was gifted with a remarkable and creative
|
|||
|
|
imagination.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1555
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There was another side to John that one would not expect to find in this quiet
|
|||
|
|
and introspective type. He was somewhat bigoted and inordinately intolerant. In
|
|||
|
|
this respect he and James were much alike--they both wanted to call down fire
|
|||
|
|
from heaven on the heads of the disrespectful Samaritans. When John encountered
|
|||
|
|
some strangers teaching in Jesus' name, he promptly forbade them. But he was
|
|||
|
|
not the only one of the twelve who was tainted with this kind of self-esteem
|
|||
|
|
and superiority consciousness.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
John's life was tremendously influenced by the sight of Jesus' going about
|
|||
|
|
without a home as he knew how faithfully he had made provision for the care of
|
|||
|
|
his mother and family. John also deeply sympathized with Jesus because of his
|
|||
|
|
family's failure to understand him, being aware that they were gradually
|
|||
|
|
withdrawing from him. This entire situation, together with Jesus' ever
|
|||
|
|
deferring his slightest wish to the will of the Father in heaven and his daily
|
|||
|
|
life of implicit trust, made such a profound impression on John that it
|
|||
|
|
produced marked and permanent changes in his character, changes which
|
|||
|
|
manifested themselves throughout his entire subsequent life.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
John had a cool and daring courage which few of the other apostles possessed.
|
|||
|
|
He was the one apostle who followed right along with Jesus the night of his
|
|||
|
|
arrest and dared to accompany his Master into the very jaws of death. He was
|
|||
|
|
present and near at hand right up to the last earthly hour and was found
|
|||
|
|
faithfully carrying out his trust with regard to Jesus' mother and ready to
|
|||
|
|
receive such additional instructions as might be given during the last moments
|
|||
|
|
of the Master's mortal existence. One thing is certain, John was thoroughly
|
|||
|
|
dependable. John usually sat on Jesus' right hand when the twelve were at meat.
|
|||
|
|
He was the first of the twelve really and fully to believe in the resurrection,
|
|||
|
|
and he was the first to recognize the Master when he came to them on the
|
|||
|
|
seashore after his resurrection.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This son of Zebedee was very closely associated with Peter in the early
|
|||
|
|
activities of the Christian movement, becoming one of the chief supporters of
|
|||
|
|
the Jerusalem church. He was the right-hand support of Peter on the day of
|
|||
|
|
Pentecost.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Several years after the martyrdom of James, John married his brother's widow.
|
|||
|
|
The last twenty years of his life he was cared for by a loving granddaughter.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
John was in prison several times and was banished to the Isle of Patmos for a
|
|||
|
|
period of four years until another emperor came to power in Rome. Had not John
|
|||
|
|
been tactful and sagacious, he would undoubtedly have been killed as was his
|
|||
|
|
more outspoken brother James. As the years passed, John, together with James
|
|||
|
|
the Lord's brother, learned to practice wise conciliation when they appeared
|
|||
|
|
before the civil magistrates. They found that a "soft answer turns away wrath."
|
|||
|
|
They also learned to represent the church as a "spiritual brotherhood devoted
|
|||
|
|
to the social service of mankind" rather than as "the kingdom of heaven." They
|
|||
|
|
taught loving service rather than ruling power--kingdom and king.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When in temporary exile on Patmos, John wrote the Book of Revelation, which you
|
|||
|
|
now have in greatly abridged and distorted form. This Book of Revelation
|
|||
|
|
contains the surviving fragments of a great revelation, large portions of which
|
|||
|
|
were lost, other portions of which were removed, subsequent to John's writing.
|
|||
|
|
It is preserved in only fragmentary and adulterated form.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
John traveled much, labored incessantly, and after becoming bishop of the Asia
|
|||
|
|
churches, settled down at Ephesus. He directed his associate, Nathan, in
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1556
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
the writing of the so-called "Gospel according to John," at Ephesus, when he
|
|||
|
|
was ninety-nine years old. Of all the twelve apostles, John Zebedee eventually
|
|||
|
|
became the outstanding theologian. He died a natural death at Ephesus in A.D.
|
|||
|
|
103 when he was one hundred and one years of age.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
5. PHILIP THE CURIOUS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Philip was the fifth apostle to be chosen, being called when Jesus and his
|
|||
|
|
first four apostles were on their way from John's rendezvous on the Jordan to
|
|||
|
|
Cana of Galilee. Since he lived at Bethsaida, Philip had for some time known of
|
|||
|
|
Jesus, but it had not occurred to him that Jesus was a really great man until
|
|||
|
|
that day in the Jordan valley when he said, "Follow me." Philip was also
|
|||
|
|
somewhat influenced by the fact that Andrew, Peter, James, and John had
|
|||
|
|
accepted Jesus as the Deliverer.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Philip was twenty-seven years of age when he joined the apostles; he had
|
|||
|
|
recently been married, but he had no children at this time. The nickname which
|
|||
|
|
the apostles gave him signified "curiosity." Philip was always wanting to be
|
|||
|
|
shown. He never seemed to see very far into any proposition. He was not
|
|||
|
|
necessarily dull, but he lacked imagination. This lack of imagination was the
|
|||
|
|
great weakness of his character. He was a commonplace and matter-of-fact
|
|||
|
|
individual.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When the apostles were organized for service, Philip was made steward; it was
|
|||
|
|
his duty to see that they were at all times supplied with provisions. And he
|
|||
|
|
was a good steward. His strongest characteristic was his methodical
|
|||
|
|
thoroughness; he was both mathematical and systematic.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Philip came from a family of seven, three boys and four girls. He was next to
|
|||
|
|
the oldest, and after the resurrection he baptized his entire family into the
|
|||
|
|
kingdom. Philip's people were fisherfolk. His father was a very able man, a
|
|||
|
|
deep thinker, but his mother was of a very mediocre family. Philip was not a
|
|||
|
|
man who could be expected to do big things, but he was a man who could do
|
|||
|
|
little things in a big way, do them well and acceptably. Only a few times in
|
|||
|
|
four years did he fail to have food on hand to satisfy the needs of all. Even
|
|||
|
|
the many emergency demands attendant upon the life they lived seldom found him
|
|||
|
|
unprepared. The commissary department of the apostolic family was intelligently
|
|||
|
|
and efficiently managed.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The strong point about Philip was his methodical reliability; the weak point in
|
|||
|
|
his make-up was his utter lack of imagination, the absence of the ability to
|
|||
|
|
put two and two together to obtain four. He was mathematical in the abstract
|
|||
|
|
but not constructive in his imagination. He was almost entirely lacking in
|
|||
|
|
certain types of imagination. He was the typical everyday and commonplace
|
|||
|
|
average man. There were a great many such men and women among the multitudes
|
|||
|
|
who came to hear Jesus teach and preach, and they derived great comfort from
|
|||
|
|
observing one like themselves elevated to an honored position in the councils
|
|||
|
|
of the Master; they derived courage from the fact that one like themselves had
|
|||
|
|
already found a high place in the affairs of the kingdom. And Jesus learned
|
|||
|
|
much about the way some human minds function as he so patiently listened to
|
|||
|
|
Philip's foolish questions and so many times complied with his steward's
|
|||
|
|
request to "be shown."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The one quality about Jesus which Philip so continuously admired was the
|
|||
|
|
Master's unfailing generosity. Never could Philip find anything in Jesus which
|
|||
|
|
was small, niggardly, or stingy, and he worshiped this ever-present and
|
|||
|
|
unfailing liberality.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1557
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There was little about Philip's personality that was impressive. He was often
|
|||
|
|
spoken of as "Philip of Bethsaida, the town where Andrew and Peter live." He
|
|||
|
|
was almost without discerning vision; he was unable to grasp the dramatic
|
|||
|
|
possibilities of a given situation. He was not pessimistic; he was simply
|
|||
|
|
prosaic. He was also greatly lacking in spiritual insight. He would not
|
|||
|
|
hesitate to interrupt Jesus in the midst of one of the Master's most profound
|
|||
|
|
discourses to ask an apparently foolish question. But Jesus never reprimanded
|
|||
|
|
him for such thoughtlessness; he was patient with him and considerate of his
|
|||
|
|
inability to grasp the deeper meanings of the teaching. Jesus well knew that,
|
|||
|
|
if he once rebuked Philip for asking these annoying questions, he would not
|
|||
|
|
only wound this honest soul, but such a reprimand would so hurt Philip that he
|
|||
|
|
would never again feel free to ask questions. Jesus knew that on his worlds of
|
|||
|
|
space there were untold billions of similar slow-thinking mortals, and he
|
|||
|
|
wanted to encourage them all to look to him and always to feel free to come to
|
|||
|
|
him with their questions and problems. After all, Jesus was really more
|
|||
|
|
interested in Philip's foolish questions than in the sermon he might be
|
|||
|
|
preaching. Jesus was supremely interested in men, all kinds of men.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The apostolic steward was not a good public speaker, but he was a very
|
|||
|
|
persuasive and successful personal worker. He was not easily discouraged; he
|
|||
|
|
was a plodder and very tenacious in anything he undertook. He had that great
|
|||
|
|
and rare gift of saying, "Come." When his first convert, Nathaniel, wanted to
|
|||
|
|
argue about the merits and demerits of Jesus and Nazareth, Philip's effective
|
|||
|
|
reply was, "Come and see." He was not a dogmatic preacher who exhorted his
|
|||
|
|
hearers to "Go"--do this and do that. He met all situations as they arose in
|
|||
|
|
his work with "Come"--"come with me; I will show you the way." And that is
|
|||
|
|
always the effective technique in all forms and phases of teaching. Even
|
|||
|
|
parents may learn from Philip the better way of saying to their children not
|
|||
|
|
"Go do this and go do that," but rather, "Come with us while we show and share
|
|||
|
|
with you the better way."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The inability of Philip to adapt himself to a new situation was well shown when
|
|||
|
|
the Greeks came to him at Jerusalem, saying: "Sir, we desire to see Jesus." Now
|
|||
|
|
Philip would have said to any Jew asking such a question, "Come." But these men
|
|||
|
|
were foreigners, and Philip could remember no instructions from his superiors
|
|||
|
|
regarding such matters; so the only thing he could think to do was to consult
|
|||
|
|
the chief, Andrew, and then they both escorted the inquiring Greeks to Jesus.
|
|||
|
|
Likewise, when he went into Samaria preaching and baptizing believers, as he
|
|||
|
|
had been instructed by his Master, he refrained from laying hands on his
|
|||
|
|
converts in token of their having received the Spirit of Truth. This was done
|
|||
|
|
by Peter and John, who presently came down from Jerusalem to observe his work
|
|||
|
|
in behalf of the mother church.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Philip went on through the trying times of the Master's death, participated in
|
|||
|
|
the reorganization of the twelve, and was the first to go forth to win souls
|
|||
|
|
for the kingdom outside of the immediate Jewish ranks, being most successful in
|
|||
|
|
his work for the Samaritans and in all his subsequent labors in behalf of the
|
|||
|
|
gospel.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Philip's wife, who was an efficient member of the women's corps, became
|
|||
|
|
actively associated with her husband in his evangelistic work after their
|
|||
|
|
flight from the Jerusalem persecutions. His wife was a fearless woman. She
|
|||
|
|
stood at the foot of Philip's cross encouraging him to proclaim the glad
|
|||
|
|
tidings even to his murderers, and when his strength failed, she began the
|
|||
|
|
recital of the story of sal-
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1558
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
vation by faith in Jesus and was silenced only when the irate Jews rushed upon
|
|||
|
|
her and stoned her to death. Their eldest daughter, Leah, continued their work,
|
|||
|
|
later on becoming the renowned prophetess of Hierapolis.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Philip, the onetime steward of the twelve, was a mighty man in the kingdom,
|
|||
|
|
winning souls wherever he went; and he was finally crucified for his faith and
|
|||
|
|
buried at Hierapolis.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
6. HONEST NATHANIEL
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Nathaniel, the sixth and last of the apostles to be chosen by the Master
|
|||
|
|
himself, was brought to Jesus by his friend Philip. He had been associated in
|
|||
|
|
several business enterprises with Philip and, with him, was on the way down to
|
|||
|
|
see John the Baptist when they encountered Jesus.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When Nathaniel joined the apostles, he was twenty-five years old and was the
|
|||
|
|
next to the youngest of the group. He was the youngest of a family of seven,
|
|||
|
|
was unmarried, and the only support of aged and infirm parents, with whom he
|
|||
|
|
lived at Cana; his brothers and sister were either married or deceased, and
|
|||
|
|
none lived there. Nathaniel and Judas Iscariot were the two best educated men
|
|||
|
|
among the twelve. Nathaniel had thought to become a merchant.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Jesus did not himself give Nathaniel a nickname, but the twelve soon began to
|
|||
|
|
speak of him in terms that signified honesty, sincerity. He was "without
|
|||
|
|
guile." And this was his great virtue; he was both honest and sincere. The
|
|||
|
|
weakness of his character was his pride; he was very proud of his family, his
|
|||
|
|
city, his reputation, and his nation, all of which is commendable if it is not
|
|||
|
|
carried too far. But Nathaniel was inclined to go to extremes with his personal
|
|||
|
|
prejudices. He was disposed to prejudge individuals in accordance with his
|
|||
|
|
personal opinions. He was not slow to ask the question, even before he had met
|
|||
|
|
Jesus, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" But Nathaniel was not
|
|||
|
|
obstinate, even if he was proud. He was quick to reverse himself when he once
|
|||
|
|
looked into Jesus' face.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In many respects Nathaniel was the odd genius of the twelve. He was the
|
|||
|
|
apostolic philosopher and dreamer, but he was a very practical sort of dreamer.
|
|||
|
|
He alternated between seasons of profound philosophy and periods of rare and
|
|||
|
|
droll humor; when in the proper mood, he was probably the best storyteller
|
|||
|
|
among the twelve. Jesus greatly enjoyed hearing Nathaniel discourse on things
|
|||
|
|
both serious and frivolous. Nathaniel progressively took Jesus and the kingdom
|
|||
|
|
more seriously, but never did he take himself seriously.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The apostles all loved and respected Nathaniel, and he got along with them
|
|||
|
|
splendidly, excepting Judas Iscariot. Judas did not think Nathaniel took his
|
|||
|
|
apostleship sufficiently seriously and once had the temerity to go secretly to
|
|||
|
|
Jesus and lodge complaint against him. Said Jesus: "Judas, watch carefully your
|
|||
|
|
steps; do not overmagnify your office. Who of us is competent to judge his
|
|||
|
|
brother? It is not the Father's will that his children should partake only of
|
|||
|
|
the serious things of life. Let me repeat: I have come that my brethren in the
|
|||
|
|
flesh may have joy, gladness, and life more abundantly. Go then, Judas, and do
|
|||
|
|
well that which has been intrusted to you but leave Nathaniel, your brother, to
|
|||
|
|
give account of himself to God." And the memory of this, with that of many
|
|||
|
|
similar experiences, long lived in the self-deceiving heart of Judas Iscariot.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1559
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Many times, when Jesus was away on the mountain with Peter, James, and John,
|
|||
|
|
and things were becoming tense and tangled among the apostles, when even Andrew
|
|||
|
|
was in doubt about what to say to his disconsolate brethren, Nathaniel would
|
|||
|
|
relieve the tension by a bit of philosophy or a flash of humor; good humor,
|
|||
|
|
too.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Nathaniel's duty was to look after the families of the twelve. He was often
|
|||
|
|
absent from the apostolic councils, for when he heard that sickness or anything
|
|||
|
|
out of the ordinary had happened to one of his charges, he lost no time in
|
|||
|
|
getting to that home. The twelve rested securely in the knowledge that their
|
|||
|
|
families' welfare was safe in the hands of Nathaniel.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Nathaniel most revered Jesus for his tolerance. He never grew weary of
|
|||
|
|
contemplating the broadmindedness and generous sympathy of the Son of Man.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Nathaniel's father (Bartholomew) died shortly after Pentecost, after which this
|
|||
|
|
apostle went into Mesopotamia and India proclaiming the glad tidings of the
|
|||
|
|
kingdom and baptizing believers. His brethren never knew what became of their
|
|||
|
|
onetime philosopher, poet, and humorist. But he also was a great man in the
|
|||
|
|
kingdom and did much to spread his Master's teachings, even though he did not
|
|||
|
|
participate in the organization of the subsequent Christian church. Nathaniel
|
|||
|
|
died in India.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
7. MATTHEW LEVI
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Matthew, the seventh apostle, was chosen by Andrew. Matthew belonged to a
|
|||
|
|
family of tax gatherers, or publicans, but was himself a customs collector in
|
|||
|
|
Capernaum, where he lived. He was thirty-one years old and married and had four
|
|||
|
|
children. He was a man of moderate wealth, the only one of any means belonging
|
|||
|
|
to the apostolic corps. He was a good business man, a good social mixer, and
|
|||
|
|
was gifted with the ability to make friends and to get along smoothly with a
|
|||
|
|
great variety of people.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Andrew appointed Matthew the financial representative of the apostles. In a way
|
|||
|
|
he was the fiscal agent and publicity spokesman for the apostolic organization.
|
|||
|
|
He was a keen judge of human nature and a very efficient propagandist. His is a
|
|||
|
|
personality difficult to visualize, but he was a very earnest disciple and an
|
|||
|
|
increasing believer in the mission of Jesus and in the certainty of the
|
|||
|
|
kingdom. Jesus never gave Levi a nickname, but his fellow apostles commonly
|
|||
|
|
referred to him as the "money-getter."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Levi's strong point was his wholehearted devotion to the cause. That he, a
|
|||
|
|
publican, had been taken in by Jesus and his apostles was the cause for
|
|||
|
|
overwhelming gratitude on the part of the former revenue collector. However, it
|
|||
|
|
required some little time for the rest of the apostles, especially Simon
|
|||
|
|
Zelotes and Judas Iscariot, to become reconciled to the publican's presence in
|
|||
|
|
their midst. Matthew's weakness was his shortsighted and materialistic
|
|||
|
|
viewpoint of life. But in all these matters he made great progress as the
|
|||
|
|
months went by. He, of course, had to be absent from many of the most precious
|
|||
|
|
seasons of instruction as it was his duty to keep the treasury replenished.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
It was the Master's forgiving disposition which Matthew most appreciated. He
|
|||
|
|
would never cease to recount that faith only was necessary in the business of
|
|||
|
|
finding God. He always liked to speak of the kingdom as "this business of
|
|||
|
|
finding God."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1560
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Though Matthew was a man with a past, he gave an excellent account of himself,
|
|||
|
|
and as time went on, his associates became proud of the publican's
|
|||
|
|
performances. He was one of the apostles who made extensive notes on the
|
|||
|
|
sayings of Jesus, and these notes were used as the basis of Isador's subsequent
|
|||
|
|
narrative of the sayings and doings of Jesus, which has become known as the
|
|||
|
|
Gospel according to Matthew.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The great and useful life of Matthew, the business man and customs collector of
|
|||
|
|
Capernaum, has been the means of leading thousands upon thousands of other
|
|||
|
|
business men, public officials, and politicians, down through the subsequent
|
|||
|
|
ages, also to hear that engaging voice of the Master saying, "Follow me."
|
|||
|
|
Matthew really was a shrewd politician, but he was intensely loyal to Jesus and
|
|||
|
|
supremely devoted to the task of seeing that the messengers of the coming
|
|||
|
|
kingdom were adequately financed.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The presence of Matthew among the twelve was the means of keeping the doors of
|
|||
|
|
the kingdom wide open to hosts of downhearted and outcast souls who had
|
|||
|
|
regarded themselves as long since without the bounds of religious consolation.
|
|||
|
|
Outcast and despairing men and women flocked to hear Jesus, and he never turned
|
|||
|
|
one away.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Matthew received freely tendered offerings from believing disciples and the
|
|||
|
|
immediate auditors of the Master's teachings, but he never openly solicited
|
|||
|
|
funds from the multitudes. He did all his financial work in a quiet and
|
|||
|
|
personal way and raised most of the money among the more substantial class of
|
|||
|
|
interested believers. He gave practically the whole of his modest fortune to
|
|||
|
|
the work of the Master and his apostles, but they never knew of this
|
|||
|
|
generosity, save Jesus, who knew all about it. Matthew hesitated openly to
|
|||
|
|
contribute to the apostolic funds for fear that Jesus and his associates might
|
|||
|
|
regard his money as being tainted; so he gave much in the names of other
|
|||
|
|
believers. During the earlier months, when Matthew knew his presence among them
|
|||
|
|
was more or less of a trial, he was strongly tempted to let them know that his
|
|||
|
|
funds often supplied them with their daily bread, but he did not yield. When
|
|||
|
|
evidence of the disdain of the publican would become manifest, Levi would burn
|
|||
|
|
to reveal to them his generosity, but always he managed to keep still.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When the funds for the week were short of the estimated requirements, Levi
|
|||
|
|
would often draw heavily upon his own personal resources. Also, sometimes when
|
|||
|
|
he became greatly interested in Jesus' teaching, he preferred to remain and
|
|||
|
|
hear the instruction, even though he knew he must personally make up for his
|
|||
|
|
failure to solicit the necessary funds. But Levi did so wish that Jesus might
|
|||
|
|
know that much of the money came from his pocket! He little realized that the
|
|||
|
|
Master knew all about it. The apostles all died without knowing that Matthew
|
|||
|
|
was their benefactor to such an extent that, when he went forth to proclaim the
|
|||
|
|
gospel of the kingdom after the beginning of the persecutions, he was
|
|||
|
|
practically penniless.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When these persecutions caused the believers to forsake Jerusalem, Matthew
|
|||
|
|
journeyed north, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and baptizing believers.
|
|||
|
|
He was lost to the knowledge of his former apostolic associates, but on he
|
|||
|
|
went, preaching and baptizing, through Syria, Cappadocia, Galatia, Bithynia,
|
|||
|
|
and Thrace. And it was in Thrace, at Lysimachia, that certain unbelieving Jews
|
|||
|
|
conspired with the Roman soldiers to encompass his death. And this regenerated
|
|||
|
|
publican died triumphant in the faith of a salvation he had so surely learned
|
|||
|
|
from the teachings of the Master during his recent sojourn on earth.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1561
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
8. THOMAS DIDYMUS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Thomas was the eighth apostle, and he was chosen by Philip. In later times he
|
|||
|
|
has become known as "doubting Thomas," but his fellow apostles hardly looked
|
|||
|
|
upon him as a chronic doubter. True, his was a logical, skeptical type of mind,
|
|||
|
|
but he had a form of courageous loyalty which forbade those who knew him
|
|||
|
|
intimately to regard him as a trifling skeptic.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When Thomas joined the apostles, he was twenty-nine years old, was married, and
|
|||
|
|
had four children. Formerly he had been a carpenter and stone mason, but
|
|||
|
|
latterly he had become a fisherman and resided at Tarichea, situated on the
|
|||
|
|
west bank of the Jordan where it flows out of the Sea of Galilee, and he was
|
|||
|
|
regarded as the leading citizen of this little village. He had little
|
|||
|
|
education, but he possessed a keen, reasoning mind and was the son of excellent
|
|||
|
|
parents, who lived at Tiberias. Thomas had the one truly analytical mind of the
|
|||
|
|
twelve; he was the real scientist of the apostolic group.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The early home life of Thomas had been unfortunate; his parents were not
|
|||
|
|
altogether happy in their married life, and this was reflected in Thomas's
|
|||
|
|
adult experience. He grew up having a very disagreeable and quarrelsome
|
|||
|
|
disposition. Even his wife was glad to see him join the apostles; she was
|
|||
|
|
relieved by the thought that her pessimistic husband would be away from home
|
|||
|
|
most of the time. Thomas also had a streak of suspicion which made it very
|
|||
|
|
difficult to get along peaceably with him. Peter was very much upset by Thomas
|
|||
|
|
at first, complaining to his brother, Andrew, that Thomas was "mean, ugly, and
|
|||
|
|
always suspicious." But the better his associates knew Thomas, the more they
|
|||
|
|
liked him. They found he was superbly honest and unflinchingly loyal. He was
|
|||
|
|
perfectly sincere and unquestionably truthful, but he was a natural-born
|
|||
|
|
faultfinder and had grown up to become a real pessimist. His analytical mind
|
|||
|
|
had become cursed with suspicion. He was rapidly losing faith in his fellow men
|
|||
|
|
when he became associated with the twelve and thus came in contact with the
|
|||
|
|
noble character of Jesus. This association with the Master began at once to
|
|||
|
|
transform Thomas's whole disposition and to effect great changes in his mental
|
|||
|
|
reactions to his fellow men.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Thomas's great strength was his superb analytical mind coupled with his
|
|||
|
|
unflinching courage--when he had once made up his mind. His great weakness was
|
|||
|
|
his suspicious doubting, which he never fully overcame throughout his whole
|
|||
|
|
lifetime in the flesh.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In the organization of the twelve Thomas was assigned to arrange and manage the
|
|||
|
|
itinerary, and he was an able director of the work and movements of the
|
|||
|
|
apostolic corps. He was a good executive, an excellent businessman, but he was
|
|||
|
|
handicapped by his many moods; he was one man one day and another man the next.
|
|||
|
|
He was inclined toward melancholic brooding when he joined the apostles, but
|
|||
|
|
contact with Jesus and the apostles largely cured him of this morbid
|
|||
|
|
introspection.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Jesus enjoyed Thomas very much and had many long, personal talks with him. His
|
|||
|
|
presence among the apostles was a great comfort to all honest doubters and
|
|||
|
|
encouraged many troubled minds to come into the kingdom, even if they could not
|
|||
|
|
wholly understand everything about the spiritual and philosophic phases of the
|
|||
|
|
teachings of Jesus. Thomas's membership in the twelve was a standing
|
|||
|
|
declaration that Jesus loved even honest doubters.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1562
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The other apostles held Jesus in reverence because of some special and
|
|||
|
|
outstanding trait of his replete personality, but Thomas revered his Master
|
|||
|
|
because of his superbly balanced character. Increasingly Thomas admired and
|
|||
|
|
honored one who was so lovingly merciful yet so inflexibly just and fair; so
|
|||
|
|
firm but never obstinate; so calm but never indifferent; so helpful and so
|
|||
|
|
sympathetic but never meddlesome or dictatorial; so strong but at the same time
|
|||
|
|
so gentle; so positive but never rough or rude; so tender but never
|
|||
|
|
vacillating; so pure and innocent but at the same time so virile, aggressive,
|
|||
|
|
and forceful; so truly courageous but never rash or foolhardy; such a lover of
|
|||
|
|
nature but so free from all tendency to revere nature; so humorous and so
|
|||
|
|
playful, but so free from levity and frivolity. It was this matchless symmetry
|
|||
|
|
of personality that so charmed Thomas. He probably enjoyed the highest
|
|||
|
|
intellectual understanding and personality appreciation of Jesus of any of the
|
|||
|
|
twelve.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
In the councils of the twelve Thomas was always cautious, advocating a policy
|
|||
|
|
of safety first, but if his conservatism was voted down or overruled, he was
|
|||
|
|
always the first fearlessly to move out in execution of the program decided
|
|||
|
|
upon. Again and again would he stand out against some project as being
|
|||
|
|
foolhardy and presumptuous; he would debate to the bitter end, but when Andrew
|
|||
|
|
would put the proposition to a vote, and after the twelve would elect to do
|
|||
|
|
that which he had so strenuously opposed, Thomas was the first to say, "Let's
|
|||
|
|
go!" He was a good loser. He did not hold grudges nor nurse wounded feelings.
|
|||
|
|
Time and again did he oppose letting Jesus expose himself to danger, but when
|
|||
|
|
the Master would decide to take such risks, always was it Thomas who rallied
|
|||
|
|
the apostles with his courageous words, "Come on, comrades, let's go and die
|
|||
|
|
with him."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Thomas was in some respects like Philip; he also wanted "to be shown," but his
|
|||
|
|
outward expressions of doubt were based on entirely different intellectual
|
|||
|
|
operations. Thomas was analytical, not merely skeptical. As far as personal
|
|||
|
|
physical courage was concerned, he was one of the bravest among the twelve.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Thomas had some very bad days; he was blue and downcast at times. The loss of
|
|||
|
|
his twin sister when he was nine years old had occasioned him much youthful
|
|||
|
|
sorrow and had added to his temperamental problems of later life. When Thomas
|
|||
|
|
would become despondent, sometimes it was Nathaniel who helped him to recover,
|
|||
|
|
sometimes Peter, and not infrequently one of the Alpheus twins. When he was
|
|||
|
|
most depressed, unfortunately he always tried to avoid coming in direct contact
|
|||
|
|
with Jesus. But the Master knew all about this and had an understanding
|
|||
|
|
sympathy for his apostle when he was thus afflicted with depression and
|
|||
|
|
harassed by doubts.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Sometimes Thomas would get permission from Andrew to go off by himself for a
|
|||
|
|
day or two. But he soon learned that such a course was not wise; he early found
|
|||
|
|
that it was best, when he was downhearted, to stick close to his work and to
|
|||
|
|
remain near his associates. But no matter what happened in his emotional life,
|
|||
|
|
he kept right on being an apostle. When the time actually came to move forward,
|
|||
|
|
it was always Thomas who said, "Let's go!"
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Thomas is the great example of a human being who has doubts, faces them, and
|
|||
|
|
wins. He had a great mind; he was no carping critic. He was a logical thinker;
|
|||
|
|
he was the acid test of Jesus and his fellow apostles. If Jesus and his work
|
|||
|
|
had not been genuine, it could not have held a man like Thomas from the start
|
|||
|
|
to the finish. He had a keen and sure sense of fact. At the first appearance of
|
|||
|
|
fraud or deception Thomas would have forsaken them all. Scientists may not
|
|||
|
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|
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top of page - 1563
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
fully understand all about Jesus and his work on earth, but there lived and
|
|||
|
|
worked with the Master and his human associates a man whose mind was that of a
|
|||
|
|
true scientist--Thomas Didymus--and he believed in Jesus of Nazareth.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Thomas had a trying time during the days of the trial and crucifixion. He was
|
|||
|
|
for a season in the depths of despair, but he rallied his courage, stuck to the
|
|||
|
|
apostles, and was present with them to welcome Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. For
|
|||
|
|
a while he succumbed to his doubting depression but eventually rallied his
|
|||
|
|
faith and courage. He gave wise counsel to the apostles after Pentecost and,
|
|||
|
|
when persecution scattered the believers, went to Cyprus, Crete, the North
|
|||
|
|
African coast, and Sicily, preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom and
|
|||
|
|
baptizing believers. And Thomas continued preaching and baptizing until he was
|
|||
|
|
apprehended by the agents of the Roman government and was put to death in
|
|||
|
|
Malta. Just a few weeks before his death he had begun the writing of the life
|
|||
|
|
and teachings of Jesus.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
9 and 10. JAMES AND JUDAS ALPHEUS
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
James and Judas the sons of Alpheus, the twin fishermen living near Kheresa,
|
|||
|
|
were the ninth and tenth apostles and were chosen by James and John Zebedee.
|
|||
|
|
They were twenty-six years old and married, James having three children, Judas
|
|||
|
|
two.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There is not much to be said about these two commonplace fisherfolk. They loved
|
|||
|
|
their Master and Jesus loved them, but they never interrupted his discourses
|
|||
|
|
with questions. They understood very little about the philosophical discussions
|
|||
|
|
or the theological debates of their fellow apostles, but they rejoiced to find
|
|||
|
|
themselves numbered among such a group of mighty men. These two men were almost
|
|||
|
|
identical in personal appearance, mental characteristics, and extent of
|
|||
|
|
spiritual perception. What may be said of one should be recorded of the other.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Andrew assigned them to the work of policing the multitudes. They were the
|
|||
|
|
chief ushers of the preaching hours and, in fact, the general servants and
|
|||
|
|
errand boys of the twelve. They helped Philip with the supplies, they carried
|
|||
|
|
money to the families for Nathaniel, and always were they ready to lend a
|
|||
|
|
helping hand to any one of the apostles.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The multitudes of the common people were greatly encouraged to find two like
|
|||
|
|
themselves honored with places among the apostles. By their very acceptance as
|
|||
|
|
apostles these mediocre twins were the means of bringing a host of fainthearted
|
|||
|
|
believers into the kingdom. And, too, the common people took more kindly to the
|
|||
|
|
idea of being directed and managed by official ushers who were very much like
|
|||
|
|
themselves.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
James and Judas, who were also called Thaddeus and Lebbeus, had neither strong
|
|||
|
|
points nor weak points. The nicknames given them by the disciples were
|
|||
|
|
good-natured designations of mediocrity. They were "the least of all the
|
|||
|
|
apostles"; they knew it and felt cheerful about it.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
James Alpheus especially loved Jesus because of the Master's simplicity. These
|
|||
|
|
twins could not comprehend the mind of Jesus, but they did grasp the
|
|||
|
|
sympathetic bond between themselves and the heart of their Master. Their minds
|
|||
|
|
were not of a high order; they might even reverently be called stupid, but they
|
|||
|
|
had a real experience in their spiritual natures. They believed in Jesus; they
|
|||
|
|
were sons of God and fellows of the kingdom.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1564
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Judas Alpheus was drawn toward Jesus because of the Master's unostentatious
|
|||
|
|
humility. Such humility linked with such personal dignity made a great appeal
|
|||
|
|
to Judas. The fact that Jesus would always enjoin silence regarding his unusual
|
|||
|
|
acts made a great impression on this simple child of nature.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The twins were good-natured, simple-minded helpers, and everybody loved them.
|
|||
|
|
Jesus welcomed these young men of one talent to positions of honor on his
|
|||
|
|
personal staff in the kingdom because there are untold millions of other such
|
|||
|
|
simple and fear-ridden souls on the worlds of space whom he likewise wishes to
|
|||
|
|
welcome into active and believing fellowship with himself and his outpoured
|
|||
|
|
Spirit of Truth. Jesus does not look down upon littleness, only upon evil and
|
|||
|
|
sin. James and Judas were little, but they were also faithful. They were simple
|
|||
|
|
and ignorant, but they were also big-hearted, kind, and generous.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
And how gratefully proud were these humble men on that day when the Master
|
|||
|
|
refused to accept a certain rich man as an evangelist unless he would sell his
|
|||
|
|
goods and help the poor. When the people heard this and beheld the twins among
|
|||
|
|
his counselors, they knew of a certainty that Jesus was no respecter of
|
|||
|
|
persons. But only a divine institution--the kingdom of heaven--could ever have
|
|||
|
|
been built upon such a mediocre human foundation!
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Only once or twice in all their association with Jesus did the twins venture to
|
|||
|
|
ask questions in public. Judas was once intrigued into asking Jesus a question
|
|||
|
|
when the Master had talked about revealing himself openly to the world. He felt
|
|||
|
|
a little disappointed that there were to be no more secrets among the twelve,
|
|||
|
|
and he made bold to ask: "But, Master, when you do thus declare yourself to the
|
|||
|
|
world, how will you favor us with special manifestations of your goodness?"
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The twins served faithfully until the end, until the dark days of trial,
|
|||
|
|
crucifixion, and despair. They never lost their heart faith in Jesus, and (save
|
|||
|
|
John) they were the first to believe in his resurrection. But they could not
|
|||
|
|
comprehend the establishment of the kingdom. Soon after their Master was
|
|||
|
|
crucified, they returned to their families and nets; their work was done. They
|
|||
|
|
had not the ability to go on in the more complex battles of the kingdom. But
|
|||
|
|
they lived and died conscious of having been honored and blessed with four
|
|||
|
|
years of close and personal association with a Son of God, the sovereign maker
|
|||
|
|
of a universe.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
11. SIMON THE ZEALOT
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Simon Zelotes, the eleventh apostle, was chosen by Simon Peter. He was an able
|
|||
|
|
man of good ancestry and lived with his family at Capernaum. He was
|
|||
|
|
twenty-eight years old when he became attached to the apostles. He was a fiery
|
|||
|
|
agitator and was also a man who spoke much without thinking. He had been a
|
|||
|
|
merchant in Capernaum before he turned his entire attention to the patriotic
|
|||
|
|
organization of the Zealots.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Simon Zelotes was given charge of the diversions and relaxation of the
|
|||
|
|
apostolic group, and he was a very efficient organizer of the play life and
|
|||
|
|
recreational activities of the twelve.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Simon's strength was his inspirational loyalty. When the apostles found a man
|
|||
|
|
or woman who floundered in indecision about entering the kingdom, they would
|
|||
|
|
send for Simon. It usually required only about fifteen minutes for this
|
|||
|
|
enthusiastic advocate of salvation through faith in God to settle all doubts
|
|||
|
|
and
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1565
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
remove all indecision, to see a new soul born into the "liberty of faith and
|
|||
|
|
the joy of salvation."
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Simon's great weakness was his material-mindedness. He could not quickly change
|
|||
|
|
himself from a Jewish nationalist to a spiritually minded internationalist.
|
|||
|
|
Four years was too short a time in which to make such an intellectual and
|
|||
|
|
emotional transformation, but Jesus was always patient with him.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The one thing about Jesus which Simon so much admired was the Master's
|
|||
|
|
calmness, his assurance, poise, and inexplicable composure.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Although Simon was a rabid revolutionist, a fearless firebrand of agitation, he
|
|||
|
|
gradually subdued his fiery nature until he became a powerful and effective
|
|||
|
|
preacher of "Peace on earth and good will among men." Simon was a great
|
|||
|
|
debater; he did like to argue. And when it came to dealing with the legalistic
|
|||
|
|
minds of the educated Jews or the intellectual quibblings of the Greeks, the
|
|||
|
|
task was always assigned to Simon.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
He was a rebel by nature and an iconoclast by training, but Jesus won him for
|
|||
|
|
the higher concepts of the kingdom of heaven. He had always identified himself
|
|||
|
|
with the party of protest, but he now joined the party of progress, unlimited
|
|||
|
|
and eternal progression of spirit and truth. Simon was a man of intense
|
|||
|
|
loyalties and warm personal devotions, and he did profoundly love Jesus.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Jesus was not afraid to identify himself with business men, laboring men,
|
|||
|
|
optimists, pessimists, philosophers, skeptics, publicans, politicians, and
|
|||
|
|
patriots.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Master had many talks with Simon, but he never fully succeeded in making an
|
|||
|
|
internationalist out of this ardent Jewish nationalist. Jesus often told Simon
|
|||
|
|
that it was proper to want to see the social, economic, and political orders
|
|||
|
|
improved, but he would always add: "That is not the business of the kingdom of
|
|||
|
|
heaven. We must be dedicated to the doing of the Father's will. Our business is
|
|||
|
|
to be ambassadors of a spiritual government on high, and we must not
|
|||
|
|
immediately concern ourselves with aught but the representation of the will and
|
|||
|
|
character of the divine Father who stands at the head of the government whose
|
|||
|
|
credentials we bear." It was all difficult for Simon to comprehend, but
|
|||
|
|
gradually he began to grasp something of the meaning of the Master's teaching.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
After the dispersion because of the Jerusalem persecutions, Simon went into
|
|||
|
|
temporary retirement. He was literally crushed. As a nationalist patriot he had
|
|||
|
|
surrendered in deference to Jesus' teachings; now all was lost. He was in
|
|||
|
|
despair, but in a few years he rallied his hopes and went forth to proclaim the
|
|||
|
|
gospel of the kingdom.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
He went to Alexandria and, after working up the Nile, penetrated into the heart
|
|||
|
|
of Africa, everywhere preaching the gospel of Jesus and baptizing believers.
|
|||
|
|
Thus he labored until he was an old man and feeble. And he died and was buried
|
|||
|
|
in the heart of Africa.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
12. JUDAS ISCARIOT
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Judas Iscariot, the twelfth apostle, was chosen by Nathaniel. He was born in
|
|||
|
|
Kerioth, a small town in southern Judea. When he was a lad, his parents moved
|
|||
|
|
to Jericho, where he lived and had been employed in his father's various
|
|||
|
|
business enterprises until he became interested in the preaching and work of
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1566
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
John the Baptist. Judas's parents were Sadducees, and when their son joined
|
|||
|
|
John's disciples, they disowned him.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When Nathaniel met Judas at Tarichea, he was seeking employment with a
|
|||
|
|
fish-drying enterprise at the lower end of the Sea of Galilee. He was thirty
|
|||
|
|
years of age and unmarried when he joined the apostles. He was probably the
|
|||
|
|
best-educated man among the twelve and the only Judean in the Master's
|
|||
|
|
apostolic family. Judas had no outstanding trait of personal strength, though
|
|||
|
|
he had many outwardly appearing traits of culture and habits of training. He
|
|||
|
|
was a good thinker but not always a truly honest thinker. Judas did not really
|
|||
|
|
understand himself; he was not really sincere in dealing with himself.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Andrew appointed Judas treasurer of the twelve, a position which he was
|
|||
|
|
eminently fitted to hold, and up to the time of the betrayal of his Master he
|
|||
|
|
discharged the responsibilities of his office honestly, faithfully, and most
|
|||
|
|
efficiently.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There was no special trait about Jesus which Judas admired above the generally
|
|||
|
|
attractive and exquisitely charming personality of the Master. Judas was never
|
|||
|
|
able to rise above his Judean prejudices against his Galilean associates; he
|
|||
|
|
would even criticize in his mind many things about Jesus. Him whom eleven of
|
|||
|
|
the apostles looked upon as the perfect man, as the "one altogether lovely and
|
|||
|
|
the chiefest among ten thousand," this self-satisfied Judean often dared to
|
|||
|
|
criticize in his own heart. He really entertained the notion that Jesus was
|
|||
|
|
timid and somewhat afraid to assert his own power and authority.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Judas was a good business man. It required tact, ability, and patience, as well
|
|||
|
|
as painstaking devotion, to manage the financial affairs of such an idealist as
|
|||
|
|
Jesus, to say nothing of wrestling with the helter-skelter business methods of
|
|||
|
|
some of his apostles. Judas really was a great executive, a farseeing and able
|
|||
|
|
financier. And he was a stickler for organization. None of the twelve ever
|
|||
|
|
criticized Judas. As far as they could see, Judas Iscariot was a matchless
|
|||
|
|
treasurer, a learned man, a loyal (though sometimes critical) apostle, and in
|
|||
|
|
every sense of the word a great success. The apostles loved Judas; he was
|
|||
|
|
really one of them. He must have believed in Jesus, but we doubt whether he
|
|||
|
|
really loved the Master with a whole heart. The case of Judas illustrates the
|
|||
|
|
truthfulness of that saying: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the
|
|||
|
|
end thereof is death." It is altogether possible to fall victim to the peaceful
|
|||
|
|
deception of pleasant adjustment to the paths of sin and death. Be assured that
|
|||
|
|
Judas was always financially loyal to his Master and his fellow apostles. Money
|
|||
|
|
could never have been the motive for his betrayal of the Master.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Judas was an only son of unwise parents. When very young, he was pampered and
|
|||
|
|
petted; he was a spoiled child. As he grew up, he had exaggerated ideas about
|
|||
|
|
his self-importance. He was a poor loser. He had loose and distorted ideas
|
|||
|
|
about fairness; he was given to the indulgence of hate and suspicion. He was an
|
|||
|
|
expert at misinterpretation of the words and acts of his friends. All through
|
|||
|
|
his life Judas had cultivated the habit of getting even with those whom he
|
|||
|
|
fancied had mistreated him. His sense of values and loyalties was defective.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
To Jesus, Judas was a faith adventure. From the beginning the Master fully
|
|||
|
|
understood the weakness of this apostle and well knew the dangers of admitting
|
|||
|
|
him to fellowship. But it is the nature of the Sons of God to give every
|
|||
|
|
created being a full and equal chance for salvation and survival. Jesus wanted
|
|||
|
|
not only the mortals of this world but the onlookers of innumerable other
|
|||
|
|
worlds to know
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1567
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
that, when doubts exist as to the sincerity and wholeheartedness of a
|
|||
|
|
creature's devotion to the kingdom, it is the invariable practice of the Judges
|
|||
|
|
of men fully to receive the doubtful candidate. The door of eternal life is
|
|||
|
|
wide open to all; "whosoever will may come"; there are no restrictions or
|
|||
|
|
qualifications save the faith of the one who comes.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This is just the reason why Jesus permitted Judas to go on to the very end,
|
|||
|
|
always doing everything possible to transform and save this weak and confused
|
|||
|
|
apostle. But when light is not honestly received and lived up to, it tends to
|
|||
|
|
become darkness within the soul. Judas grew intellectually regarding Jesus'
|
|||
|
|
teachings about the kingdom, but he did not make progress in the acquirement of
|
|||
|
|
spiritual character as did the other apostles. He failed to make satisfactory
|
|||
|
|
personal progress in spiritual experience.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Judas became increasingly a brooder over personal disappointment, and finally
|
|||
|
|
he became a victim of resentment. His feelings had been many times hurt, and he
|
|||
|
|
grew abnormally suspicious of his best friends, even of the Master. Presently
|
|||
|
|
he became obsessed with the idea of getting even, anything to avenge himself,
|
|||
|
|
yes, even betrayal of his associates and his Master.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
But these wicked and dangerous ideas did not take definite shape until the day
|
|||
|
|
when a grateful woman broke an expensive box of incense at Jesus' feet. This
|
|||
|
|
seemed wasteful to Judas, and when his public protest was so sweepingly
|
|||
|
|
disallowed by Jesus right there in the hearing of all, it was too much. That
|
|||
|
|
event determined the mobilization of all the accumulated hate, hurt, malice,
|
|||
|
|
prejudice, jealousy, and revenge of a lifetime, and he made up his mind to get
|
|||
|
|
even with he knew not whom; but he crystallized all the evil of his nature upon
|
|||
|
|
the one innocent person in all the sordid drama of his unfortunate life just
|
|||
|
|
because Jesus happened to be the chief actor in the episode which marked his
|
|||
|
|
passing from the progressive kingdom of light into that self-chosen domain of
|
|||
|
|
darkness.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Master many times, both privately and publicly, had warned Judas that he
|
|||
|
|
was slipping, but divine warnings are usually useless in dealing with
|
|||
|
|
embittered human nature. Jesus did everything possible, consistent with man's
|
|||
|
|
moral freedom, to prevent Judas's choosing to go the wrong way. The great test
|
|||
|
|
finally came. The son of resentment failed; he yielded to the sour and sordid
|
|||
|
|
dictates of a proud and vengeful mind of exaggerated self-importance and
|
|||
|
|
swiftly plunged on down into confusion, despair, and depravity.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Judas then entered into the base and shameful intrigue to betray his Lord and
|
|||
|
|
Master and quickly carried the nefarious scheme into effect. During the
|
|||
|
|
outworking of his anger-conceived plans of traitorous betrayal, he experienced
|
|||
|
|
moments of regret and shame, and in these lucid intervals he faintheartedly
|
|||
|
|
conceived, as a defense in his own mind, the idea that Jesus might possibly
|
|||
|
|
exert his power and deliver himself at the last moment.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
When the sordid and sinful business was all over, this renegade mortal, who
|
|||
|
|
thought lightly of selling his friend for thirty pieces of silver to satisfy
|
|||
|
|
his long-nursed craving for revenge, rushed out and committed the final act in
|
|||
|
|
the drama of fleeing from the realities of mortal existence--suicide.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The eleven apostles were horrified, stunned. Jesus regarded the betrayer only
|
|||
|
|
with pity. The worlds have found it difficult to forgive Judas, and his name
|
|||
|
|
has become eschewed throughout a far-flung universe.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
top of page - 1568
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
|
|||
|
|
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
|
|||
|
|
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
|
|||
|
|
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
|
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Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
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Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
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The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
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Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
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The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
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In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
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Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
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Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
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Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
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Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
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Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
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Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
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Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
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Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
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Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
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To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
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Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
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Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
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Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
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The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
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Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
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Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
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Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
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Faith Of Jesus
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
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<EFBFBD> // <20> <20> <20> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> Training The <20> The Ordination <20> Urantia Book <20> Search <20> SiteMap! <20>
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<EFBFBD> Ki... <20> ... <20> PA... <20> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
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//
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> SPIRITWEB ORG (info@spiritweb.org), <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> http://www.spiritweb.org <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> Webmaster <webmaster@spiritweb.org> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> ONLINE SINCE 1993. MAINTAINED IN SWITZERLAND. <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> DISTRIBUTED TO CALIFORNIA, SPAIN, ITALY, SOUTH AFRICA, <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> AUSTRALIA <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20> <20>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
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