591 lines
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591 lines
38 KiB
Plaintext
Urantia Book Paper 153 The Crisis At Capernaum
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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 153 The Crisis At Capernaum
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Introduction
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ON FRIDAY evening, the day of their arrival at Bethsaida, and on Sabbath
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morning, the apostles noticed that Jesus was seriously occupied with some
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momentous problem; they were cognizant that the Master was giving unusual
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thought to some important matter. He ate no breakfast and but little at
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noontide. All of Sabbath morning and the evening before, the twelve and their
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associates were gathered together in small groups about the house, in the
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garden, and along the seashore. There was a tension of uncertainty and a
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suspense of apprehension resting upon all of them. Jesus had said little to
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them since they left Jerusalem.
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Not in months had they seen the Master so preoccupied and uncommunicative. Even
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Simon Peter was depressed, if not downcast. Andrew was at a loss to know what
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to do for his dejected associates. Nathaniel said they were in the midst of the
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"lull before the storm." Thomas expressed the opinion that "something out of
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the ordinary is about to happen." Philip advised David Zebedee to "forget about
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plans for feeding and lodging the multitude until we know what the Master is
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thinking about." Matthew was putting forth renewed efforts to replenish the
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treasury. James and John talked over the forthcoming sermon in the synagogue
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and speculated much as to its probable nature and scope. Simon Zelotes
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expressed the belief, in reality a hope, that "the Father in heaven may be
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about to intervene in some unexpected manner for the vindication and support of
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his Son," while Judas Iscariot dared to indulge the thought that possibly Jesus
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was oppressed with regrets that "he did not have the courage and daring to
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permit the five thousand to proclaim him king of the Jews."
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It was from among such a group of depressed and disconsolate followers that
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Jesus went forth on this beautiful Sabbath afternoon to preach his epoch-making
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sermon in the Capernaum synagogue. The only word of cheerful greeting or
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well-wishing from any of his immediate followers came from one of the
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unsuspecting Alpheus twins, who, as Jesus left the house on his way to the
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synagogue, saluted him cheerily and said: "We pray the Father will help you,
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and that we may have bigger multitudes than ever."
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1. THE SETTING OF THE STAGE
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A distinguished congregation greeted Jesus at three o'clock on this exquisite
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Sabbath afternoon in the new Capernaum synagogue. Jairus presided and handed
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Jesus the Scriptures to read. The day before, fifty-three Pharisees and
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Sadducees had arrived from Jerusalem; more than thirty of the leaders and
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rulers of the neighboring synagogues were also present. These Jewish religious
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leaders were acting directly under orders from the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem, and
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they constituted the orthodox vanguard which had come to inaugurate
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top of page - 1708
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open warfare on Jesus and his disciples. Sitting by the side of these Jewish
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leaders, in the synagogue seats of honor, were the official observers of Herod
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Antipas, who had been directed to ascertain the truth concerning the disturbing
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reports that an attempt had been made by the populace to proclaim Jesus the
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king of the Jews, over in the domains of his brother Philip.
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Jesus comprehended that he faced the immediate declaration of avowed and open
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warfare by his increasing enemies, and he elected boldly to assume the
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offensive. At the feeding of the five thousand he had challenged their ideas of
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the material Messiah; now he chose again openly to attack their concept of the
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Jewish deliverer. This crisis, which began with the feeding of the five
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thousand, and which terminated with this Sabbath afternoon sermon, was the
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outward turning of the tide of popular fame and acclaim. Henceforth, the work
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of the kingdom was to be increasingly concerned with the more important task of
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winning lasting spiritual converts for the truly religious brotherhood of
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mankind. This sermon marks the crisis in the transition from the period of
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discussion, controversy, and decision to that of open warfare and final
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acceptance or final rejection.
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The Master well knew that many of his followers were slowly but surely
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preparing their minds finally to reject him. He likewise knew that many of his
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disciples were slowly but certainly passing through that training of mind and
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that discipline of soul which would enable them to triumph over doubt and
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courageously to assert their full-fledged faith in the gospel of the kingdom.
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Jesus fully understood how men prepare themselves for the decisions of a crisis
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and the performance of sudden deeds of courageous choosing by the slow process
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of the reiterated choosing between the recurring situations of good and evil.
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He subjected his chosen messengers to repeated rehearsals in disappointment and
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provided them with frequent and testing opportunities for choosing between the
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right and the wrong way of meeting spiritual trials. He knew he could depend on
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his followers, when they met the final test, to make their vital decisions in
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accordance with prior and habitual mental attitudes and spirit reactions.
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This crisis in Jesus' earth life began with the feeding of the five thousand
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and ended with this sermon in the synagogue; the crisis in the lives of the
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apostles began with this sermon in the synagogue and continued for a whole
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year, ending only with the Master's trial and crucifixion.
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As they sat there in the synagogue that afternoon before Jesus began to speak,
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there was just one great mystery, just one supreme question, in the minds of
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all. Both his friends and his foes pondered just one thought, and that was:
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"Why did he himself so deliberately and effectively turn back the tide of
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popular enthusiasm?" And it was immediately before and immediately after this
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sermon that the doubts and disappointments of his disgruntled adherents grew
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into unconscious opposition and eventually turned into actual hatred. It was
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after this sermon in the synagogue that Judas Iscariot entertained his first
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conscious thought of deserting. But he did, for the time being, effectively
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master all such inclinations.
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Everyone was in a state of perplexity. Jesus had left them dumfounded and
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confounded. He had recently engaged in the greatest demonstration of
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supernatural power to characterize his whole career. The feeding of the five
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thousand was the one event of his earth life which made the greatest appeal
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top of page - 1709
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to the Jewish concept of the expected Messiah. But this extraordinary advantage
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was immediately and unexplainedly offset by his prompt and unequivocal refusal
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to be made king.
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On Friday evening, and again on Sabbath morning, the Jerusalem leaders had
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labored long and earnestly with Jairus to prevent Jesus' speaking in the
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synagogue, but it was of no avail. Jairus' only reply to all this pleading was:
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"I have granted this request, and I will not violate my word."
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2. THE EPOCHAL SERMON
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Jesus introduced this sermon by reading from the law as found in Deuteronomy:
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"But it shall come to pass, if this people will not hearken to the voice of
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God, that the curses of transgression shall surely overtake them. The Lord
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shall cause you to be smitten by your enemies; you shall be removed into all
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the kingdoms of the earth. And the Lord shall bring you and the king you have
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set up over you into the hands of a strange nation. You shall become an
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astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations. Your sons and your
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daughters shall go into captivity. The strangers among you shall rise high in
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authority while you are brought very low. And these things shall be upon you
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and your seed forever because you would not hearken to the word of the Lord.
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Therefore shall you serve your enemies who shall come against you. You shall
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endure hunger and thirst and wear this alien yoke of iron. The Lord shall bring
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against you a nation from afar, from the end of the earth, a nation whose
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tongue you shall not understand, a nation of fierce countenance, a nation which
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will have little regard for you. And they shall besiege you in all your towns
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until the high fortified walls wherein you have trusted come down; and all the
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land shall fall into their hands. And it shall come to pass that you will be
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driven to eat the fruit of your own bodies, the flesh of your sons and
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daughters, during this time of siege, because of the straitness wherewith your
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enemies shall press you."
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And when Jesus had finished this reading, he turned to the Prophets and read
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from Jeremiah: "`If you will not hearken to the words of my servants the
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prophets whom I have sent you, then will I make this house like Shiloh, and I
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will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.' And the priests
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and the teachers heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. And
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it came to pass that, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the
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Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and teachers
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laid hold of him, saying, 'You shall surely die.' And all the people crowded
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around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. And when the princes of Judah heard
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these things, they sat in judgment on Jeremiah. Then spoke the priests and the
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teachers to the princes and to all the people, saying: `This man is worthy to
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die, for he has prophesied against our city, and you have heard him with your
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own ears.'
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top of page - 1710
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Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people: `The Lord sent me
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to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words which you
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have heard. Now, therefore, amend your ways and reform your doings and obey the
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voice of the Lord your God that you may escape the evil which has been
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pronounced against you. As for me, behold I am in your hands. Do with me as
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seems good and right in your eyes. But know you for certain that, if you put me
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to death, you shall bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this people,
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for of a truth the Lord has sent me to speak all these words in your ears.'
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"The priests and teachers of that day sought to kill Jeremiah, but the judges
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would not consent, albeit, for his words of warning, they did let him down by
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cords in a filthy dungeon until he sank in mire up to his armpits. That is what
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this people did to the Prophet Jeremiah when he obeyed the Lord's command to
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warn his brethren of their impending political downfall. Today, I desire to ask
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you: What will the chief priests and religious leaders of this people do with
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the man who dares to warn them of the day of their spiritual doom? Will you
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also seek to put to death the teacher who dares to proclaim the word of the
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Lord, and who fears not to point out wherein you refuse to walk in the way of
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light which leads to the entrance to the kingdom of heaven?
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"What is it you seek as evidence of my mission on earth? We have left you
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undisturbed in your positions of influence and power while we preached glad
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tidings to the poor and the outcast. We have made no hostile attack upon that
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which you hold in reverence but have rather proclaimed new liberty for man's
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fear-ridden soul. I came into the world to reveal my Father and to establish on
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earth the spiritual brotherhood of the sons of God, the kingdom of heaven. And
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notwithstanding that I have so many times reminded you that my kingdom is not
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of this world, still has my Father granted you many manifestations of material
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wonders in addition to more evidential spiritual transformations and
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regenerations.
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"What new sign is it that you seek at my hands? I declare that you already have
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sufficient evidence to enable you to make your decision. Verily, verily, I say
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to many who sit before me this day, you are confronted with the necessity of
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choosing which way you will go; and I say to you, as Joshua said to your
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forefathers, `choose you this day whom you will serve.' Today, many of you
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stand at the parting of the ways.
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"Some of you, when you could not find me after the feasting of the multitude on
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the other side, hired the Tiberias fishing fleet, which a week before had taken
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shelter near by during a storm, to go in pursuit of me, and what for? Not for
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truth and righteousness or that you might the better know how to serve and
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minister to your fellow men! No, but rather that you might have more bread for
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which you had not labored. It was not to fill your souls with the word of life,
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but only that you might fill the belly with the bread of ease. And long have
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you been taught that the Messiah, when he should come, would work those wonders
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which would make life pleasant and easy for all the chosen people. It is not
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strange, then, that you who have been thus taught should long for the loaves
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and the fishes. But I declare to you that such is not the mission of the Son of
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Man. I have come to proclaim spiritual liberty, teach eternal truth, and foster
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living faith.
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"My brethren, hanker not after the meat which perishes but rather seek for the
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spiritual food that nourishes even to eternal life; and this is the bread of
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life which the Son gives to all who will take it and eat, for the Father has
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given the Son this life without measure. And when you asked me, `What must we
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do to perform the works of God?' I plainly told you: `This is the work of God,
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that you believe him whom he has sent.'"
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And then said Jesus, pointing up to the device of a pot of manna which
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decorated the lintel of this new synagogue, and which was embellished with
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grape clusters: "You have thought that your forefathers in the wilderness ate
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manna--the bread of heaven--but I say to you that this was the bread of earth.
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While Moses did not give your fathers bread from heaven, my Father now
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top of page - 1711
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stands ready to give you the true bread of life. The bread of heaven is that
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which comes down from God and gives eternal life to the men of the world. And
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when you say to me, Give us this living bread, I will answer: I am this bread
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of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, while he who believes me shall
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never thirst. You have seen me, lived with me, and beheld my works, yet you
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believe not that I came forth from the Father. But to those who do
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believe--fear not. All those led of the Father shall come to me, and he who
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comes to me shall in nowise be cast out.
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"And now let me declare to you, once and for all time, that I have come down
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upon the earth, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. And
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this is the final will of Him who sent me, that of all those he has given me I
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should not lose one. And this is the will of the Father: That every one who
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beholds the Son and who believes him shall have eternal life. Only yesterday
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did I feed you with bread for your bodies; today I offer you the bread of life
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for your hungry souls. Will you now take the bread of the spirit as you then so
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willingly ate the bread of this world?"
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As Jesus paused for a moment to look over the congregation, one of the teachers
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from Jerusalem (a member of the Sanhedrin) rose up and asked: "Do I understand
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you to say that you are the bread which comes down from heaven, and that the
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manna which Moses gave to our fathers in the wilderness did not?" And Jesus
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answered the Pharisee, "You understood aright." Then said the Pharisee: "But
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are you not Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, the carpenter? Are not your
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father and mother, as well as your brothers and sisters, well known to many of
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us? How then is it that you appear here in God's house and declare that you
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have come down from heaven?"
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By this time there was much murmuring in the synagogue, and such a tumult was
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threatened that Jesus stood up and said: "Let us be patient; the truth never
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suffers from honest examination. I am all that you say but more. The Father and
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I are one; the Son does only that which the Father teaches him, while all those
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who are given to the Son by the Father, the Son will receive to himself. You
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have read where it is written in the Prophets, `You shall all be taught by
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God,' and that `Those whom the Father teaches will hear also his Son.' Every
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one who yields to the teaching of the Father's indwelling spirit will
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eventually come to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, but the Father's
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spirit does live within man. And the Son who came down from heaven, he has
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surely seen the Father. And those who truly believe this Son already have
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eternal life.
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"I am this bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and are
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dead. But this bread which comes down from God, if a man eats thereof, he shall
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never die in spirit. I repeat, I am this living bread, and every soul who
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attains the realization of this united nature of God and man shall live
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forever. And this bread of life which I give to all who will receive is my own
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living and combined nature. The Father in the Son and the Son one with the
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Father--that is my life-giving revelation to the world and my saving gift to
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all nations."
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When Jesus had finished speaking, the ruler of the synagogue dismissed the
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congregation, but they would not depart. They crowded up around Jesus to ask
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more questions while others murmured and disputed among themselves. And this
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state of affairs continued for more than three hours. It was well past seven
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o'clock before the audience finally dispersed.
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top of page - 1712
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3. THE AFTER MEETING
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Many were the questions asked Jesus during this after meeting. Some were asked
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by his perplexed disciples, but more were asked by caviling unbelievers who
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sought only to embarrass and entrap him.
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One of the visiting Pharisees, mounting a lampstand, shouted out this question:
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"You tell us that you are the bread of life. How can you give us your flesh to
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eat or your blood to drink? What avail is your teaching if it cannot be carried
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out?" And Jesus answered this question, saying: "I did not teach you that my
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flesh is the bread of life nor that my blood is the water thereof. But I did
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say that my life in the flesh is a bestowal of the bread of heaven. The fact of
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the Word of God bestowed in the flesh and the phenomenon of the Son of Man
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subject to the will of God, constitute a reality of experience which is
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equivalent to the divine sustenance. You cannot eat my flesh nor can you drink
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my blood, but you can become one in spirit with me even as I am one in spirit
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with the Father. You can be nourished by the eternal word of God, which is
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indeed the bread of life, and which has been bestowed in the likeness of mortal
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flesh; and you can be watered in soul by the divine spirit, which is truly the
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water of life. The Father has sent me into the world to show how he desires to
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indwell and direct all men; and I have so lived this life in the flesh as to
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inspire all men likewise ever to seek to know and do the will of the indwelling
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heavenly Father."
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Then one of the Jerusalem spies who had been observing Jesus and his apostles,
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said: "We notice that neither you nor your apostles wash your hands properly
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before you eat bread. You must well know that such a practice as eating with
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defiled and unwashed hands is a transgression of the law of the elders. Neither
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do you properly wash your drinking cups and eating vessels. Why is it that you
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show such disrespect for the traditions of the fathers and the laws of our
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elders?" And when Jesus heard him speak, he answered: "Why is it that you
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transgress the commandments of God by the laws of your tradition? The
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commandment says, `Honor your father and your mother,' and directs that you
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share with them your substance if necessary; but you enact a law of tradition
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which permits undutiful children to say that the money wherewith the parents
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might have been assisted has been `given to God.' The law of the elders thus
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relieves such crafty children of their responsibility, notwithstanding that the
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children subsequently use all such monies for their own comfort. Why is it that
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you in this way make void the commandment by your own tradition? Well did
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Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, saying: `This people honors me with their
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lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as
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their doctrines the precepts of men.'
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"You can see how it is that you desert the commandment while you hold fast to
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the tradition of men. Altogether willing are you to reject the word of God
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while you maintain your own traditions. And in many other ways do you dare to
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set up your own teachings above the law and the prophets."
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Jesus then directed his remarks to all present. He said: "But hearken to me all
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of you. It is not that which enters into the mouth that spiritually defiles the
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man, but rather that which proceeds out of the mouth and from the heart." But
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even the apostles failed fully to grasp the meaning of his words, for Simon
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Peter also asked him: "Lest some of your hearers be unnecessarily offended,
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would you explain to us the meaning of these words?" And then said Jesus to
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Peter:
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top of page - 1713
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"Are you also hard of understanding? Know you not that every plant which my
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heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up? Turn now your attention to
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those who would know the truth. You cannot compel men to love the truth. Many
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of these teachers are blind guides. And you know that, if the blind lead the
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blind, both shall fall into the pit. But hearken while I tell you the truth
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concerning those things which morally defile and spiritually contaminate men. I
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declare it is not that which enters the body by the mouth or gains access to
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the mind through the eyes and ears, that defiles the man. Man is only defiled
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by that evil which may originate within the heart, and which finds expression
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in the words and deeds of such unholy persons. Do you not know it is from the
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heart that there come forth evil thoughts, wicked projects of murder, theft,
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and adulteries, together with jealousy, pride, anger, revenge, railings, and
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false witness? And it is just such things that defile men, and not that they
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eat bread with ceremonially unclean hands."
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The Pharisaic commissioners of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin were now almost
|
||
convinced that Jesus must be apprehended on a charge of blasphemy or on one of
|
||
flouting the sacred law of the Jews; wherefore their efforts to involve him in
|
||
the discussion of, and possible attack upon, some of the traditions of the
|
||
elders, or so-called oral laws of the nation. No matter how scarce water might
|
||
be, these traditionally enslaved Jews would never fail to go through with the
|
||
required ceremonial washing of the hands before every meal. It was their belief
|
||
that "it is better to die than to transgress the commandments of the elders."
|
||
The spies asked this question because it had been reported that Jesus had said,
|
||
"Salvation is a matter of clean hearts rather than of clean hands." But such
|
||
beliefs, when they once become a part of one's religion, are hard to get away
|
||
from. Even many years after this day the Apostle Peter was still held in the
|
||
bondage of fear to many of these traditions about things clean and unclean,
|
||
only being finally delivered by experiencing an extraordinary and vivid dream.
|
||
All of this can the better be understood when it is recalled that these Jews
|
||
looked upon eating with unwashed hands in the same light as commerce with a
|
||
harlot, and both were equally punishable by excommunication.
|
||
|
||
Thus did the Master elect to discuss and expose the folly of the whole rabbinic
|
||
system of rules and regulations which was represented by the oral law--the
|
||
traditions of the elders, all of which were regarded as more sacred and more
|
||
binding upon the Jews than even the teachings of the Scriptures. And Jesus
|
||
spoke out with less reserve because he knew the hour had come when he could do
|
||
nothing more to prevent an open rupture of relations with these religious
|
||
leaders.
|
||
|
||
4. LAST WORDS IN THE SYNAGOGUE
|
||
|
||
In the midst of the discussions of this after meeting, one of the Pharisees
|
||
from Jerusalem brought to Jesus a distraught youth who was possessed of an
|
||
unruly and rebellious spirit. Leading this demented lad up to Jesus, he said:
|
||
"What can you do for such affliction as this? Can you cast out devils?" And
|
||
when the Master looked upon the youth, he was moved with compassion and,
|
||
beckoning for the lad to come to him, took him by the hand and said: "You know
|
||
who I am; come out of him; and I charge one of your loyal fellows to see that
|
||
you do not return." And immediately the lad was normal and in his right mind.
|
||
And this is the first case where Jesus really cast an "evil spirit" out of a
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1714
|
||
|
||
human being. All of the previous cases were only supposed possession of the
|
||
devil; but this was a genuine case of demoniac possession, even such as
|
||
sometimes occurred in those days and right up to the day of Pentecost, when the
|
||
Master's spirit was poured out upon all flesh, making it forever impossible for
|
||
these few celestial rebels to take such advantage of certain unstable types of
|
||
human beings.
|
||
|
||
When the people marveled, one of the Pharisees stood up and charged that Jesus
|
||
could do these things because he was in league with devils; that he admitted in
|
||
the language which he employed in casting out this devil that they were known
|
||
to each other; and he went on to state that the religious teachers and leaders
|
||
at Jerusalem had decided that Jesus did all his so-called miracles by the power
|
||
of Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Said the Pharisee: "Have nothing to do with
|
||
this man; he is in partnership with Satan."
|
||
|
||
Then said Jesus: "How can Satan cast out Satan? A kingdom divided against
|
||
itself cannot stand; if a house be divided against itself, it is soon brought
|
||
to desolation. Can a city withstand a siege if it is not united? If Satan casts
|
||
out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? But
|
||
you should know that no one can enter into the house of a strong man and
|
||
despoil his goods except he first overpower and bind that strong man. And so,
|
||
if I by the power of Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them
|
||
out? Therefore shall they be your judges. But if I, by the spirit of God, cast
|
||
out devils, then has the kingdom of God truly come upon you. If you were not
|
||
blinded by prejudice and misled by fear and pride, you would easily perceive
|
||
that one who is greater than devils stands in your midst. You compel me to
|
||
declare that he who is not with me is against me, while he who gathers not with
|
||
me scatters abroad. Let me utter a solemn warning to you who would presume,
|
||
with your eyes open and with premeditated malice, knowingly to ascribe the
|
||
works of God to the doings of devils! Verily, verily, I say to you, all your
|
||
sins shall be forgiven, even all of your blasphemies, but whosoever shall
|
||
blaspheme against God with deliberation and wicked intention shall never obtain
|
||
forgiveness. Since such persistent workers of iniquity will never seek nor
|
||
receive forgiveness, they are guilty of the sin of eternally rejecting divine
|
||
forgiveness.
|
||
|
||
"Many of you have this day come to the parting of the ways; you have come to a
|
||
beginning of the making of the inevitable choice between the will of the Father
|
||
and the self-chosen ways of darkness. And as you now choose, so shall you
|
||
eventually be. You must either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else
|
||
will the tree become corrupt and its fruit corrupt. I declare that in my
|
||
Father's eternal kingdom the tree is known by its fruits. But some of you who
|
||
are as vipers, how can you, having already chosen evil, bring forth good
|
||
fruits? After all, out of the abundance of the evil in your hearts your mouths
|
||
speak."
|
||
|
||
Then stood up another Pharisee, who said: "Teacher, we would have you give us a
|
||
predetermined sign which we will agree upon as establishing your authority and
|
||
right to teach. Will you agree to such an arrangement?" And when Jesus heard
|
||
this, he said: "This faithless and sign-seeking generation seeks a token, but
|
||
no sign shall be given you other than that which you already have, and that
|
||
which you shall see when the Son of Man departs from among you."
|
||
|
||
And when he had finished speaking, his apostles surrounded him and led him from
|
||
the synagogue. In silence they journeyed home with him to Bethsaida. They were
|
||
all amazed and somewhat terror-stricken by the sudden change in the
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1715
|
||
|
||
Master's teaching tactics. They were wholly unaccustomed to seeing him perform
|
||
in such a militant manner.
|
||
|
||
5. THE SATURDAY EVENING
|
||
|
||
Time and again had Jesus dashed to pieces the hopes of his apostles, repeatedly
|
||
had he crushed their fondest expectations, but no time of disappointment or
|
||
season of sorrow had ever equaled that which now overtook them. And, too, there
|
||
was now admixed with their depression a real fear for their safety. They were
|
||
all surprisingly startled by the suddenness and completeness of the desertion
|
||
of the populace. They were also somewhat frightened and disconcerted by the
|
||
unexpected boldness and assertive determination exhibited by the Pharisees who
|
||
had come down from Jerusalem. But most of all they were bewildered by Jesus'
|
||
sudden change of tactics. Under ordinary circumstances they would have welcomed
|
||
the appearance of this more militant attitude, but coming as it did, along with
|
||
so much that was unexpected, it startled them.
|
||
|
||
And now, on top of all of these worries, when they reached home, Jesus refused
|
||
to eat. For hours he isolated himself in one of the upper rooms. It was almost
|
||
midnight when Joab, the leader of the evangelists, returned and reported that
|
||
about one third of his associates had deserted the cause. All through the
|
||
evening loyal disciples had come and gone, reporting that the revulsion of
|
||
feeling toward the Master was general in Capernaum. The leaders from Jerusalem
|
||
were not slow to feed this feeling of disaffection and in every way possible to
|
||
seek to promote the movement away from Jesus and his teachings. During these
|
||
trying hours the twelve women were in session over at Peter's house. They were
|
||
tremendously upset, but none of them deserted.
|
||
|
||
It was a little after midnight when Jesus came down from the upper chamber and
|
||
stood among the twelve and their associates, numbering about thirty in all. He
|
||
said: "I recognize that this sifting of the kingdom distresses you, but it is
|
||
unavoidable. Still, after all the training you have had, was there any good
|
||
reason why you should stumble at my words? Why is it that you are filled with
|
||
fear and consternation when you see the kingdom being divested of these
|
||
lukewarm multitudes and these halfhearted disciples? Why do you grieve when the
|
||
new day is dawning for the shining forth in new glory of the spiritual
|
||
teachings of the kingdom of heaven? If you find it difficult to endure this
|
||
test, what, then, will you do when the Son of Man must return to the Father?
|
||
When and how will you prepare yourselves for the time when I ascend to the
|
||
place whence I came to this world?
|
||
|
||
"My beloved, you must remember that it is the spirit that quickens; the flesh
|
||
and all that pertains thereto is of little profit. The words which I have
|
||
spoken to you are spirit and life. Be of good cheer! I have not deserted you.
|
||
Many shall be offended by the plain speaking of these days. Already you have
|
||
heard that many of my disciples have turned back; they walk no more with me.
|
||
From the beginning I knew that these halfhearted believers would fall out by
|
||
the way. Did I not choose you twelve men and set you apart as ambassadors of
|
||
the kingdom? And now at such a time as this would you also desert? Let each of
|
||
you look to his own faith, for one of you stands in grave danger." And when
|
||
Jesus had finished speaking, Simon Peter said: "Yes, Lord, we are sad and
|
||
perplexed, but we will never forsake you. You have taught us the words of
|
||
eternal life. We have believed in you and followed with you all this time. We
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1716
|
||
|
||
will not turn back, for we know that you are sent by God." And as Peter ceased
|
||
speaking, they all with one accord nodded their approval of his pledge of
|
||
loyalty.
|
||
|
||
Then said Jesus: "Go to your rest, for busy times are upon us; active days are
|
||
just ahead."
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1717
|
||
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
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'
|
||
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
|
||
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
|
||
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
|
||
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
|
||
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
|
||
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
|
||
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
|
||
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
|
||
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
|
||
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
|
||
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
|
||
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
|
||
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
|
||
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
|
||
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
|
||
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
|
||
Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
|
||
Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
|
||
Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
|
||
The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
|
||
Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
|
||
Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
|
||
Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
|
||
Faith Of Jesus
|
||
|
||
<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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