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| Kapitel 141. Begyndelsen Af Det Offentlige Arbejde |
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Kapitel 143. På Vej Gennem Samaria |
THE PASSOVER AT JERUSALEM
PÅSKEN I JERUSALEM
1955 142:0.1 THE month of April Jesus and the apostles worked in Jerusalem, going out of the city each evening to spend the night at Bethany. Jesus himself spent one or two nights each week in Jerusalem at the home of Flavius, a Greek Jew, where many prominent Jews came in secret to interview him.
2015 142:0.1 HELE april måned arbejdede Jesus og apostlene i Jerusalem, og hver aften gik de ud af byen for at tilbringe natten i Betania. Jesus selv brugte hver uge en eller to nætter i Jerusalem hos Flavius, en græsk jødes hjem, hvor mange prominente jøder kom i hemmelighed for at tale med ham.
1955 142:0.2 The first day in Jerusalem Jesus called upon his friend of former years, Annas, the onetime high priest and relative of Salome, Zebedee’s wife. Annas had been hearing about Jesus and his teachings, and when Jesus called at the high priest’s home, he was received with much reserve. When Jesus perceived Annas’s coldness, he took immediate leave, saying as he departed: “Fear is man’s chief enslaver and pride his great weakness; will you betray yourself into bondage to both of these destroyers of joy and liberty?” But Annas made no reply. The Master did not again see Annas until the time when he sat with his son-in-law in judgment on the Son of Man.
2015 142:0.2 Den første dag i Jerusalem besøgte Jesus sin ven fra tidligere år, Hannas, der var en tidligere præst og slægtning til Salome, Zebedæus kone. Hannas havde hørt om Jesus og hans lære, og da Jesus besøgte ypperstepræstens hjem, blev han modtaget med stort forbehold. Da Jesus så Hannas kulde, tog han straks afsked, og sagde da han gik: "Frygt er menneskets primære slavebinder og stolthed dets største svaghed. Vil du forråde dig selv ind i trældom til begge disse ødelæggere af glæde og frihed?" Men Hannas svarede ikke. Mesteren så ikke Hannas igen indtil det tidspunkt, hvor han, sammen med sin svigersøn sad til doms over Menneskesønnen.
1. TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE
1. UNDERVISNING I TEMPLET
1955 142:1.1 Throughout this month Jesus or one of the apostles taught daily in the temple. When the Passover crowds were too great to find entrance to the temple teaching, the apostles conducted many teaching groups outside the sacred precincts. The burden of their message was:
2015 142:1.1 I hele denne måned underviste Jesus, eller nogen af apostlene dagligt i templet. Når påske festlighedernes folkemængder blev for store til at få plads til undervisningen i templet, gennemførte apostlene mange undervisningsgrupper udenfor de hellige indhegnede områder. Hovedvægten i deres budskab var:
1955 142:1.3 2. By faith in the fatherhood of God you may enter the kingdom of heaven, thus becoming the sons of God.
1955 142:1.4 3. Love is the rule of living within the kingdom—supreme devotion to God while loving your neighbor as yourself.
1955 142:1.5 4. Obedience to the will of the Father, yielding the fruits of the spirit in one’s personal life, is the law of the kingdom.
1955 142:1.7 Besides teaching in and about the temple, the apostles and other believers were engaged in doing much personal work among the Passover throngs. These interested men and women carried the news of Jesus’ message from this Passover celebration to the uttermost parts of the Roman Empire and also to the East. This was the beginning of the spread of the gospel of the kingdom to the outside world. No longer was the work of Jesus to be confined to Palestine.
2015 142:1.7 Ud over apostlene og andre troende der underviste i og omkring templet, udførte de meget personligt arbejde blandt påskeflokkene. Disse interesserede mænd og kvinder tog nyheden om Jesu budskab fra denne påskefest til de fjerneste egne af Romerriget, og selv til østen. Dette var begyndelsen på udbredelsen af evangeliet om riget til omverdenen. Jesu arbejde ville ikke længere være begrænset til Palæstina.
2. GOD’S WRATH
2. GUDS VREDE
1955 142:2.1 There was in Jerusalem in attendance upon the Passover festivities one Jacob, a wealthy Jewish trader from Crete, and he came to Andrew making request to see Jesus privately. Andrew arranged this secret meeting with Jesus at Flavius’s home the evening of the next day. This man could not comprehend the Master’s teachings, and he came because he desired to inquire more fully about the kingdom of God. Said Jacob to Jesus: “But, Rabbi, Moses and the olden prophets tell us that Yahweh is a jealous God, a God of great wrath and fierce anger. The prophets say he hates evildoers and takes vengeance on those who obey not his law. You and your disciples teach us that God is a kind and compassionate Father who so loves all men that he would welcome them into this new kingdom of heaven, which you proclaim is so near at hand.”
2015 142:2.1 Under påskefestlighederne i Jerusalem deltog i en vis Jakob, en velhavende jødisk købmand fra Kreta, og han kom til Andreas og bad om at træffe Jesus privat. Den følgende aften arrangerede Andreas et hemmeligt møde med Jesus i hjemmet hos Flavius. Denne mand kunne ikke forstå Mesterens lære, og han kom, fordi han ønskede at få mere detaljerede oplysninger om Guds rige. Jakob sagde til Jesus: "Men, Rabbi, Moses og de gamle profeter fortæller os, at Jahve er en jaloux Gud, en Gud, med stor vrede og rasende udbrud. Profeterne siger han hader misdædere og tager hævn over dem, der ikke adlyder hans lov. Du og dine disciple lærer os, at Gud er en venlig og medfølende Fader, som så elsker alle mennesker, at han byder dem velkommen ind i dette nye himmelriget, som du proklamere er så nær ved[6].
1955 142:2.2 When Jacob finished speaking, Jesus replied: “Jacob, you have well stated the teachings of the olden prophets who taught the children of their generation in accordance with the light of their day. Our Father in Paradise is changeless. But the concept of his nature has enlarged and grown from the days of Moses down through the times of Amos and even to the generation of the prophet Isaiah. And now have I come in the flesh to reveal the Father in new glory and to show forth his love and mercy to all men on all worlds. As the gospel of this kingdom shall spread over the world with its message of good cheer and good will to all men, there will grow up improved and better relations among the families of all nations. As time passes, fathers and their children will love each other more, and thus will be brought about a better understanding of the love of the Father in heaven for his children on earth. Remember, Jacob, that a good and true father not only loves his family as a whole—as a family—but he also truly loves and affectionately cares for each individual member.”
2015 142:2.2 Da Jakob var færdig med at tale, svarede Jesus: "Jakob, du har rigtigt udtrykt, hvad de gamle profeter prædikede. De lærte deres generations børn i overensstemmelse med det lys, der var på deres tid. Vor Fader i Paradiset er uforanderlig. Men opfattelsen af hans natur er udvidet og vokset fra Moses dage frem til Amos tid og videre til profeten Esajas generation. Og nu er jeg kommet i kødet for at åbenbare Faderen i ny herlighed og for at vise hans kærlighed og medfølelse for alle mennesker i alle verdener. Når dette evangelium om riget med hans budskab om godt mod og god vilje mod alle mennesker spredes ud over hele verden, vil der vokse forædlede og bedre relationer frem inden for og blandt alle nationers familier. Over tid, kommer fædre og deres børn til at elske hinanden mere, og dermed opstår en bedre forståelse af den himmelske Faders kærlighed til sine børn på jorden. Husk, Jakob, at en god og ægte far ikke kun elsker sin familie som helhed - som en familie - men han elsker også sandt og kærligt bekymre sig for hvert enkelt familiemedlem."
1955 142:2.3 After considerable discussion of the heavenly Father’s character, Jesus paused to say: “You, Jacob, being a father of many, know well the truth of my words.” And Jacob said: “But, Master, who told you I was the father of six children? How did you know this about me?” And the Master replied: “Suffice it to say that the Father and the Son know all things, for indeed they see all. Loving your children as a father on earth, you must now accept as a reality the love of the heavenly Father for you—not just for all the children of Abraham, but for you, your individual soul.”
2015 142:2.3 Efter en temmelig omfattende diskussion af den himmelske Faders karakter, gjorde Jesus en pause og sagde: "Du Jakob, som er far til mange børn, vil let genkende sandheden i mine ord." Jakob sagde, "Men, Mester, hvem fortalte dig, at jeg er far til seks børn? Hvordan vidste du det om mig?" Mesteren svarede: "Lad det være nok at sige, at Faderen og Sønnen kender alle ting, for de ser faktisk alle. Når du elsker dine børn som far på jorden, skal du nu acceptere som en realitet den himmelske Faders kærlighed til dig - ikke kun for alle Abrahams børn, men for dig, din individuelle sjæl."
1955 142:2.4 Then Jesus went on to say: “When your children are very young and immature, and when you must chastise them, they may reflect that their father is angry and filled with resentful wrath. Their immaturity cannot penetrate beyond the punishment to discern the father’s farseeing and corrective affection. But when these same children become grown-up men and women, would it not be folly for them to cling to these earlier and misconceived notions regarding their father? As men and women they should now discern their father’s love in all these early disciplines. And should not mankind, as the centuries pass, come the better to understand the true nature and loving character of the Father in heaven? What profit have you from successive generations of spiritual illumination if you persist in viewing God as Moses and the prophets saw him? I say to you, Jacob, under the bright light of this hour you should see the Father as none of those who have gone before ever beheld him. And thus seeing him, you should rejoice to enter the kingdom wherein such a merciful Father rules, and you should seek to have his will of love dominate your life henceforth.”
2015 142:2.4 Derefter fortsatte Jesus med at sige: "Når dine børn er meget unge og umodne, og når du skal tugte dem, kan de opleve, at deres far er vred og fyldt med hævngerrig vrede. I deres umodenhed, kan de ikke se ud over straffen for at skelne faderens fremsynede og korrigerende hengivenhed. Men ville det ikke være dumt af disse samme børn, når de bliver voksne mænd og kvinder at klamrer sig til disse tidligere og fejlagtige overbevisninger om deres far? Som mænd og kvinder bør de nu indser deres fars kærlighed i alle disse tidligere discipliner, som de fik, da de var unge. Og burde menneskeheden ikke gennem århundreder bedre begynde at forstå den himmelske Faders sande natur og kærlig karakter? Hvilken fordel har du af efter hinanden følgende åndelige oplyste generationer, hvis du insisterer på at se Gud som Moses og profeterne så ham? Jeg fortæller dig Jakob, at du under denne times klare lys burde se Faderen som ingen af dem, der er gået forud nogen sinde har set ham. Og da du således ser ham, skal du glædes over at komme ind i det rige hvor sådan en barmhjertig Fader hersker, og du bør forsøge at få hans kærlige vilje til at dominere dit liv fremover."
1955 142:2.5 And Jacob answered: “Rabbi, I believe; I desire that you lead me into the Father’s kingdom.”
2015 142:2.5 Jakob sagde: "Rabbi, jeg tror; jeg ønsker, at du fører mig ind i Faderens rige.”
3. THE CONCEPT OF GOD
3. OPFATTELSEN OM GUD
1955 142:3.1 The twelve apostles, most of whom had listened to this discussion of the character of God, that night asked Jesus many questions about the Father in heaven. The Master’s answers to these questions can best be presented by the following summary in modern phraseology:
2015 142:3.1 De tolv apostle, hvoraf de fleste havde lyttet til denne diskussion af, hvad Gud er, stillede denne aftenen mange spørgsmål om Faderen i himlen til Jesus. Mesterens svar på disse spørgsmål kan bedst blive præsenteret af følgende sammendrag udtrykt i moderne fraseologi:
1955 142:3.2 Jesus mildly upbraided the twelve, in substance saying: Do you not know the traditions of Israel relating to the growth of the idea of Yahweh, and are you ignorant of the teaching of the Scriptures concerning the doctrine of God? And then did the Master proceed to instruct the apostles about the evolution of the concept of Deity throughout the course of the development of the Jewish people. He called attention to the following phases of the growth of the God idea:
2015 142:3.2 Jesus irettesatte mildt de tolv og sagde i det væsentlige: Kender du ikke til Israels traditioner vedrørende udviklingen i idéen om Jahve, og er du uvidende om, hvad skriften siger angående læren om Gud? Derefter begyndte Mesteren at undervise sine apostle om udviklingen af guddomsopfattelsen gennem hele udviklingen af det jødiske folk. Han gjorde opmærksom på følgende faser af gudsbegrebets vækst:
1955 142:3.3 1. Yahweh—the god of the Sinai clans. This was the primitive concept of Deity which Moses exalted to the higher level of the Lord God of Israel. The Father in heaven never fails to accept the sincere worship of his children on earth, no matter how crude their concept of Deity or by what name they symbolize his divine nature.
2015 142:3.3 1. Jahve - Sinaiklanernes gud[7]. Dette var den primitive guddomsopfattelse som Moses ophøjede til et højere niveau, til Herren, Israels Gud. Faderen i himlen afviser aldrig en oprigtig tilbedelse af sine børn på jorden, uanset hvor primitiv deres opfattelse af Guddommen er, eller hvad navn de bruger som et symbol på hans guddommelige natur.
1955 142:3.4 2. The Most High. This concept of the Father in heaven was proclaimed by Melchizedek to Abraham and was carried far from Salem by those who subsequently believed in this enlarged and expanded idea of Deity. Abraham and his brother left Ur because of the establishment of sun worship, and they became believers in Melchizedek’s teaching of El Elyon—the Most High God. Theirs was a composite concept of God, consisting in a blending of their older Mesopotamian ideas and the Most High doctrine.
2015 142:3.4 2. Den Højeste. Denne idé om Faderen i himlen blev proklameret af Melkisedek til Abraham og blev spredt af dem, der efterfølgende troede på denne større og udvidede guddommelig koncept, langt væk fra Salem. Abraham og hans bror forlod Ur på grund af at man der havde etableret soltilbedelsen, og de begyndte at tro på Melkisedeks undervisning om El Elyon - den højeste Gud[8][9]. De havde en sammensat opfattelse om Gud, som bestod af en blanding af deres ældre mesopotamiske idéer og læren om den Højeste.
1955 142:3.5 3. El Shaddai. During these early days many of the Hebrews worshiped El Shaddai, the Egyptian concept of the God of heaven, which they learned about during their captivity in the land of the Nile. Long after the times of Melchizedek all three of these concepts of God became joined together to form the doctrine of the creator Deity, the Lord God of Israel.
2015 142:3.5 3. El Shaddai[10]. I de gamle tider tilbad mange hebræer El Shaddai, det egyptiske koncept for himmelens Gud, som de havde lært om under deres fangenskab i landet ved Nilen. Længe efter Melkisedeks tid blev disse tre gudsbegreb sammenføjet og dannede læren om Skaberguddommen, Israels Herre og Gud.
1955 142:3.6 4. Elohim. From the times of Adam the teaching of the Paradise Trinity has persisted. Do you not recall how the Scriptures begin by asserting that “In the beginning the Gods created the heavens and the earth”? This indicates that when that record was made the Trinity concept of three Gods in one had found lodgment in the religion of our forebears.
2015 142:3.6 4. Elohim[11]. Lige siden Adams tid, har læren om Paradistreenigheden eksisteret. Kan du ikke huske, hvordan skrifterne begynder med at hævde: "I begyndelsen skabte guderne himlene og jorden"? Dette indikerer, at da denne optegnelse blev gjort vandt idéen om tre Guder i én Gud fodfæste i vores forfædres religion.
1955 142:3.7 5. The Supreme Yahweh. By the times of Isaiah these beliefs about God had expanded into the concept of a Universal Creator who was simultaneously all-powerful and all-merciful. And this evolving and enlarging concept of God virtually supplanted all previous ideas of Deity in our fathers’ religion.
2015 142:3.7 5. Den Højeste Jahve. På Esajas tid var disse overbevisninger om Gud udvidet til begrebet om en Universel Skaber, som på samme tid var almægtig og alt barmhjertig[12][13][14]. Dette fremvoksende og udvidende gudsbegreb fortrængte næsten alle tidligere gudsopfattelser fra vores fædres religion.
1955 142:3.8 6. The Father in heaven. And now do we know God as our Father in heaven. Our teaching provides a religion wherein the believer is a son of God. That is the good news of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. Coexistent with the Father are the Son and the Spirit, and the revelation of the nature and ministry of these Paradise Deities will continue to enlarge and brighten throughout the endless ages of the eternal spiritual progression of the ascending sons of God. At all times and during all ages the true worship of any human being—as concerns individual spiritual progress—is recognized by the indwelling spirit as homage rendered to the Father in heaven.
2015 142:3.8 6. Faderen i himlen[15]. Nu kender vi Gud som vor Fader i himlen. Vores undervisning tilbyder en religion, hvor den troende er en Guds søn. Det er de gode nyheder i himmelrigets evangelium. Sønnen og Ånden er sameksisterende med Faderen, og åbenbaringen af disse Paradisguddommes natur og aktiviteter vil fortsat blive udvidet og præciseret i de endeløse tidsaldre af evig åndelig progression af de opstigende Guds sønner. Med hensyn til individuelle åndelige fremskridt opfatter ånden i det indre menneske til alle tider og alle tidsaldre ethvert menneskes sande tilbedelse som en hyldest viet til Faderen i himlen.
1955 142:3.9 Never before had the apostles been so shocked as they were upon hearing this recounting of the growth of the concept of God in the Jewish minds of previous generations; they were too bewildered to ask questions. As they sat before Jesus in silence, the Master continued: “And you would have known these truths had you read the Scriptures. Have you not read in Samuel where it says: ‘And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, so much so that he moved David against them, saying, go number Israel and Judah’? And this was not strange because in the days of Samuel the children of Abraham really believed that Yahweh created both good and evil. But when a later writer narrated these events, subsequent to the enlargement of the Jewish concept of the nature of God, he did not dare attribute evil to Yahweh; therefore he said: ‘And Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel.’ Cannot you discern that such records in the Scriptures clearly show how the concept of the nature of God continued to grow from one generation to another?
2015 142:3.9 Aldrig før havde apostlene været så chokeret som de var efter at have hørt denne erklæring om gudsbegrebets udvikling af tidligere generationer af jøder; de var alt for forvirret til at stille spørgsmål. Så da de sad i stilhed foran Jesus, fortsatte Mesteren: "Du ville have kendt disse sandheder havde du læst skrifterne. Har du ikke læst det sted i Samuels bog, hvor der står: "Og Herrens vrede blussede op mod Israel, og han flyttede David mod dem og sagde: Gå hen og optæl Israel og Juda."? Det var ikke underligt, for i Samuel dage troede Abrahams børn virkelig, at Jahve havde skabt både det gode og det onde. Men da en senere forfatter skitserede de samme begivenheder, efter at den jødiske opfattelse om Guds karakter var udviklet, turde han ikke tilskrive Jahve ondskab. Derfor sagde han: "Og Satan trådte op mod Israel og provokerede David til at optælle Israel." Kan du ikke se, at sådanne optegnelser i skrifterne tydeligt viser, hvordan opfattelsen om Guds væsen fortsatte med at vokse fra den ene generation til den anden?[16]
1955 142:3.10 “Again should you have discerned the growth of the understanding of divine law in perfect keeping with these enlarging concepts of divinity. When the children of Israel came out of Egypt in the days before the enlarged revelation of Yahweh, they had ten commandments which served as their law right up to the times when they were encamped before Sinai. And these ten commandments were:
2015 142:3.10 "Derudover burde du have observeret, hvordan forståelsen af den guddommelige lov voksede helt i takt med de voksende opfattelser af guddommelighed. Da israelitterne drog ud af Egypten, i perioden før den udvidede åbenbaring af Jahve, havde de ti bud, som tjente som deres lovgivning helt op til de tidspunkter, hvor de boede i lejren ved foden af Sinai. Disse ti bud var:
1955 142:3.12 “2. You shall not make molten gods.
1955 142:3.13 “3. You shall not neglect to keep the feast of unleavened bread.
1955 142:3.14 “4. Of all the males of men or cattle, the first-born are mine, says the Lord.
1955 142:3.15 “5. Six days you may work, but on the seventh day you shall rest.
1955 142:3.17 “7. You shall not offer the blood of any sacrifice with leavened bread.
1955 142:3.20 “10. You shall not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.
1955 142:3.21 “And then, amidst the thunders and lightnings of Sinai, Moses gave them the new ten commandments, which you will all allow are more worthy utterances to accompany the enlarging Yahweh concepts of Deity. And did you never take notice of these commandments as twice recorded in the Scriptures, that in the first case deliverance from Egypt is assigned as the reason for Sabbath keeping, while in a later record the advancing religious beliefs of our forefathers demanded that this be changed to the recognition of the fact of creation as the reason for Sabbath observance?
2015 142:3.21 "Og så, midt i torden og lyn af Sinai, gav Moses dem de ti nye bud, som I alle nok indrømmer, at være værdige udtalelser til at ledsage de udvidede Jahve opfattelser om Guddommen. Og bemærkede du aldrig at disse befalinger, som to gange er optegnet i skrifterne, at der i det første tilfælde er anført udfrielse fra Egypten som årsag til at holde sabbatten, mens vores forfædres fremrykkende religiøse overbevisning krævede, at dette i sidstnævnte optegnelse blev ændret til anerkendelse af skabelsens faktum som årsag til helligholdelse af sabbatten?[27]
1955 142:3.22 “And then will you remember that once again—in the greater spiritual enlightenment of Isaiah’s day—these ten negative commandments were changed into the great and positive law of love, the injunction to love God supremely and your neighbor as yourself. And it is this supreme law of love for God and for man that I also declare to you as constituting the whole duty of man.”
2015 142:3.22 "Og så vil du huske, at disse ti negative bud, i større åndelig oplysning under Esajas tid, igen blev ændret til den storslåede og positive kærlighedens lov, til påbuddet om at elske Gud over alt og din næste som dig selv. Og det er denne øverste lov om kærlighed til Gud og til mennesket, som jeg også erklære til dig udgør menneskets hele pligt[28]."
1955 142:3.23 And when he had finished speaking, no man asked him a question. They went, each one to his sleep.
2015 142:3.23 Da han var færdig med at tale, stillede ingen ham flere spørgsmål. De gik hver og en til deres hvile.
4. FLAVIUS AND GREEK CULTURE
4. FLAVIUS OG DEN GRÆSKE KULTUR
1955 142:4.1 Flavius, the Greek Jew, was a proselyte of the gate, having been neither circumcised nor baptized; and since he was a great lover of the beautiful in art and sculpture, the house which he occupied when sojourning in Jerusalem was a beautiful edifice. This home was exquisitely adorned with priceless treasures which he had gathered up here and there on his world travels. When he first thought of inviting Jesus to his home, he feared that the Master might take offense at the sight of these so-called images. But Flavius was agreeably surprised when Jesus entered the home that, instead of rebuking him for having these supposedly idolatrous objects scattered about the house, he manifested great interest in the entire collection and asked many appreciative questions about each object as Flavius escorted him from room to room, showing him all of his favorite statues.
2015 142:4.1 Flavius, en græsk jøde, var en tilhænger ved porten, der hverken var omskåret eller døbt. Da han var en stor elsker af det smukke i kunst og skulptur var også det hus, hvor han boede under sit ophold i Jerusalem, en smuk bygning. Dette hjem var udsøgt prydet med kostbare skatte, han havde samlet her og der på hans rejser i verden. Da han først tænkte på at invitere Jesus til sit hjem, var han bange for, at Mesteren ville tage det ilde op ved synet af disse såkaldte billeder. Men Flavius var behageligt overrasket, da Jesus kom ind i hjemmet og i stedet for irettesætter ham for at have disse angiveligt afgudsdyrkende objekter spredt i hele huset, viste stor interesse for hele samlingen og stillede mange anerkendende spørgsmål om hvert objekt mens Flavius eskorterede ham fra rum til rum, og viste ham alle hans foretrukne statuer.
1955 142:4.2 The Master saw that his host was bewildered at his friendly attitude toward art; therefore, when they had finished the survey of the entire collection, Jesus said: “Because you appreciate the beauty of things created by my Father and fashioned by the artistic hands of man, why should you expect to be rebuked? Because Moses onetime sought to combat idolatry and the worship of false gods, why should all men frown upon the reproduction of grace and beauty? I say to you, Flavius, Moses’ children have misunderstood him, and now do they make false gods of even his prohibitions of images and the likeness of things in heaven and on earth. But even if Moses taught such restrictions to the darkened minds of those days, what has that to do with this day when the Father in heaven is revealed as the universal Spirit Ruler over all? And, Flavius, I declare that in the coming kingdom they shall no longer teach, ‘Do not worship this and do not worship that’; no longer shall they concern themselves with commands to refrain from this and take care not to do that, but rather shall all be concerned with one supreme duty. And this duty of man is expressed in two great privileges: sincere worship of the infinite Creator, the Paradise Father, and loving service bestowed upon one’s fellow men. If you love your neighbor as you love yourself, you really know that you are a son of God.
2015 142:4.2 Mesteren så, at hans vært var forvirret over hans venlige holdning til kunst. Derfor sagde Jesus, da de var gået igennem hele samlingen: "Hvorfor ville du forvente at blive irettesat fordi du værdsætte skønheden i ting skabt af min Fader, og formet af menneskers kunstneriske hænder? Hvorfor skal alle mennesker rynke på panden på reproduktion af glæde og skønhed fordi Moses i sin tid forsøgte at bekæmpe afgudsdyrkelse og tilbedelsen af falske guder? Jeg siger dig, Flavius, Moses børn har misforstået ham, og nu gør de falske guder selv af hans forbud mod statuer og sager der ligner ting, der er i himlen og på jorden. Men selv om Moses foreskrev sådanne restriktioner for den tids formørkede sind, hvad har det at gøre med denne dag, hvor Faderen i himlen er åbenbaret som den universelle Ånd der hersker over alle? Og, Flavius, jeg fortælle dig, at man i det kommende rige ikke længere skal undervise, "Du må ikke tilbede dette og ikke tilbede det.” De skal ikke længere bekymre sig om kommandoen til at afholde sig fra dette og undgå det, men snarere bør alle være berørt med en højeste pligt[29]. Og denne menneskelige forpligtelse udtrykkes i to store privilegier: oprigtig tilbedelse af den uendelige Skaber, Paradisfaderen, og kærlig tjeneste til gavn for ens medmennesker. Hvis du elsker din næste som du elsker dig selv, så vil du virkelig vide, at du er en af Guds sønner.
1955 142:4.3 “In an age when my Father was not well understood, Moses was justified in his attempts to withstand idolatry, but in the coming age the Father will have been revealed in the life of the Son; and this new revelation of God will make it forever unnecessary to confuse the Creator Father with idols of stone or images of gold and silver. Henceforth, intelligent men may enjoy the treasures of art without confusing such material appreciation of beauty with the worship and service of the Father in Paradise, the God of all things and all beings.”
2015 142:4.3 "I en tidsalder hvor min Fader var utilstrækkeligt forstået, blev Moses berettiget i hans forsøg på at bekæmpe afgudsdyrkelse, men i den kommende tidsalder vil Faderen blive åbenbaret i Sønnens liv; og denne nye åbenbaring af Gud vil gøre det for evigt unødvendigt at forveksle Skaberfaderen med afguder af sten eller statuer af guld og sølv. Fremover kan intelligente mennesker nyder kunstskatte uden at forveksle sådant materielle påskønnelser af skønhed med tilbedelsen og tjeneste af Faderen i Paradis, alle tings Gud og alle skabningers Gud."
1955 142:4.4 Flavius believed all that Jesus taught him. The next day he went to Bethany beyond the Jordan and was baptized by the disciples of John. And this he did because the apostles of Jesus did not yet baptize believers. When Flavius returned to Jerusalem, he made a great feast for Jesus and invited sixty of his friends. And many of these guests also became believers in the message of the coming kingdom.
2015 142:4.4 Flavius troede på alt, som Jesus lærte ham. Næste dag gik han til Betania ved Jordan og blev døbt af Johannes disciple. Dette gjorde han, fordi Jesu apostle endnu ikke døbte troende. Da Flavius vendte tilbage til Jerusalem, arrangerede han en stor fest for Jesus og inviterede tres af sine venner. Mange af disse gæster begyndte også at tro på budskabet om det kommende rige.
5. THE DISCOURSE ON ASSURANCE
5. FORELÆSNINGEN OM SIKKERHED
1955 142:5.1 One of the great sermons which Jesus preached in the temple this Passover week was in answer to a question asked by one of his hearers, a man from Damascus. This man asked Jesus: “But, Rabbi, how shall we know of a certainty that you are sent by God, and that we may truly enter into this kingdom which you and your disciples declare is near at hand?” And Jesus answered:
2015 142:5.1 En af de storslåede prædikener, som Jesus holdt i templet denne påskeuge var som svar på et spørgsmål fra en af hans tilhørere, en mand fra Damaskus. Denne mand spurgte Jesus: "Men, Rabbi, hvordan kan vi vide med sikkerhed, at du er sendt af Gud, og at vi faktisk kan træde ind i dette rige som du og dine disciple erklærer, er nær ved hånden?" Jesus svarede:
1955 142:5.2 “As to my message and the teaching of my disciples, you should judge them by their fruits. If we proclaim to you the truths of the spirit, the spirit will witness in your hearts that our message is genuine. Concerning the kingdom and your assurance of acceptance by the heavenly Father, let me ask what father among you who is a worthy and kindhearted father would keep his son in anxiety or suspense regarding his status in the family or his place of security in the affections of his father’s heart? Do you earth fathers take pleasure in torturing your children with uncertainty about their place of abiding love in your human hearts? Neither does your Father in heaven leave his faith children of the spirit in doubtful uncertainty as to their position in the kingdom. If you receive God as your Father, then indeed and in truth are you the sons of God. And if you are sons, then are you secure in the position and standing of all that concerns eternal and divine sonship. If you believe my words, you thereby believe in Him who sent me, and by thus believing in the Father, you have made your status in heavenly citizenship sure. If you do the will of the Father in heaven, you shall never fail in the attainment of the eternal life of progress in the divine kingdom.
2015 142:5.2 "Hvad angår mit budskab og mine disciples undervisning, skal du dømme dem på deres frugter. Hvis vi forkynder for jer åndens sandheder, vil ånden vidne i jeres hjerter, at vores budskab er ægte. Når det gælder riget, og din sikkerhed for, at den himmelske Fader modtager dig, lad mig spørge, hvilken værdig og godhjertet far iblandt jer vil holde sin søn i angst eller usikkerhed om deres status i familien, eller om hans sikkerhed i sin fars kærlige hjerte? Er det for dig, der er jordiske fædre, en fornøjelse at torturere dine børn med usikkerhed om, hvorvidt de har et sted af vedvarende kærlighed i jeres menneskelige hjerte? Ej heller lader jeres Fader i himlen sine åndelige troede børn i tvivlende usikkerhed om deres position i riget. Hvis du modtager Gud som din Fader, så ja, og i sandhed er du Guds sønner. Og hvis du er sønner, så er du sikker på din plads og position i alle spørgsmål vedrørende dit evige og guddommelige sønskab. Hvis du tror mine ord, tror du dermed på ham, som sendte mig, og når du dermed tror på Faderen, har du sikret din position som himmelske medborgere. Hvis du gør den himmelske Faders vilje vil du aldrig mislykkes i at opnå det evige liv for fremskridt i det guddommelige rige[30].
1955 142:5.3 “The Supreme Spirit shall bear witness with your spirits that you are truly the children of God. And if you are the sons of God, then have you been born of the spirit of God; and whosoever has been born of the spirit has in himself the power to overcome all doubt, and this is the victory that overcomes all uncertainty, even your faith.
1955 142:5.4 “Said the Prophet Isaiah, speaking of these times: ‘When the spirit is poured upon us from on high, then shall the work of righteousness become peace, quietness, and assurance forever.’ And for all who truly believe this gospel, I will become surety for their reception into the eternal mercies and the everlasting life of my Father’s kingdom. You, then, who hear this message and believe this gospel of the kingdom are the sons of God, and you have life everlasting; and the evidence to all the world that you have been born of the spirit is that you sincerely love one another.”
2015 142:5.4 "Profeten Esajas sagde, da han talte om disse tider, "Når ånden fra det høje hældes ud over os, da skal retfærdighedens arbejde bliver fred, ro og sikkerhed for evigt.” Og for alle, der virkelig tror dette evangelium, vil jeg blive kautionist for deres modtagelse i de evige herligheder og evigt liv i min Faders rige. Derfor er du som hører dette budskab og tror dette evangelium om riget, Guds sønner, I har evigt liv, og beviset for verden, at du er blevet født af ånden er, at du oprigtigt elsker hinanden."[32]
1955 142:5.5 The throng of listeners remained many hours with Jesus, asking him questions and listening attentively to his comforting answers. Even the apostles were emboldened by Jesus’ teaching to preach the gospel of the kingdom with more power and assurance. This experience at Jerusalem was a great inspiration to the twelve. It was their first contact with such enormous crowds, and they learned many valuable lessons which proved of great assistance in their later work.
2015 142:5.5 Mængden af publikum opholdt sig mange timer hos Jesus, spurgte ham spørgsmål og lyttede opmærksomt til hans trøstende svar. Jesu undervisning gjorde selv apostlene dristigere i at prædike evangeliet om riget med større kraft og overbevisning. Denne erfaring i Jerusalem var en stor inspiration for de tolv. Det var deres første kontakt med sådanne enorme folkemasser, og de lærte mange værdifulde erfaringer, som viste sig til stor hjælp i deres senere arbejde.
6. THE VISIT WITH NICODEMUS
6. SAMTALEN MED NIKODEMOS
1955 142:6.1 One evening at the home of Flavius there came to see Jesus one Nicodemus, a wealthy and elderly member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. He had heard much about the teachings of this Galilean, and so he went one afternoon to hear him as he taught in the temple courts. He would have gone often to hear Jesus teach, but he feared to be seen by the people in attendance upon his teaching, for already were the rulers of the Jews so at variance with Jesus that no member of the Sanhedrin would want to be identified in any open manner with him. Accordingly, Nicodemus had arranged with Andrew to see Jesus privately and after nightfall on this particular evening. Peter, James, and John were in Flavius’s garden when the interview began, but later they all went into the house where the discourse continued.
2015 142:6.1 En aften kom en vis Nikodemus, en velhavende og alderen medlem af jødernes Sanhedrin råd, til Flavius hjem for at møde Jesus[33]. Han havde hørt meget om denne galilæers forkyndelse, og derfor gik han en eftermiddag for at høre ham, da han underviste i tempelgårdene. Han ville have gået oftere for at høre Jesus undervise, men han var bange for at blive set af de mennesker, der fulgte Jesu lære, for allerede var jødernes herskere i modstrid med Jesus, at intet medlem af jødernes råd åbent ønskede at blive identificeret med ham. Derfor havde Nikodemus aftalt med Andreas at se Jesus privat, og efter mørkets frembrud på denne særlige aften. Peter, James og Johannes var i Flavius have, da samtalen begyndte, men senere gik de alle ind i huset, hvor diskussionen fortsatte.
1955 142:6.2 In receiving Nicodemus, Jesus showed no particular deference; in talking with him, there was no compromise or undue persuasiveness. The Master made no attempt to repulse his secretive caller, nor did he employ sarcasm. In all his dealings with the distinguished visitor, Jesus was calm, earnest, and dignified. Nicodemus was not an official delegate of the Sanhedrin; he came to see Jesus wholly because of his personal and sincere interest in the Master’s teachings.
2015 142:6.2 Da Jesus modtog Nikodemus, viste han ingen særlig ærbødighed. I samtalen med ham, var der intet kompromis eller unødigt overbevisende. Mesteren gjorde intet forsøg på at afvise sin hemmelighedsfulde besøgende, og han var heller ikke sarkastisk. I al sin omgang med den fornemme gæst, var Jesus rolig, seriøs og værdig. Nikodemus var ikke en officiel repræsentant for jødernes råd. Han kom for at se Jesus kun på grund af sin personlige og oprigtige interesse i Mesterens belæringer.
1955 142:6.5 Jesus said: “Nevertheless, I declare to you, except a man be born of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. But you should not marvel that I said you must be born from above. When the wind blows, you hear the rustle of the leaves, but you do not see the wind—whence it comes or whither it goes—and so it is with everyone born of the spirit. With the eyes of the flesh you can behold the manifestations of the spirit, but you cannot actually discern the spirit.”
2015 142:6.5 Jesus sagde: "Men ikke desto mindre siger jeg til dig, at den som ikke bliver født af ånden kan ikke komme ind i Guds rige. Det, der er født af kødet, er kød, og det, der er født af ånden, er ånd. Men vær ikke overrasket over, at jeg sagde, at du må fødes ovenfra. Når vinden blæser, kan du høre bladene rasle, men du kan ikke se vinden - hvorfra den kommer, og hvor den går - og sådan er det med alle født af ånden. Med kroppens øjne kan du se manifestationer af ånden, men ånden, kan du faktisk ikke skelne[37]."
1955 142:6.6 Nicodemus replied: “But I do not understand—how can that be?” Said Jesus: “Can it be that you are a teacher in Israel and yet ignorant of all this? It becomes, then, the duty of those who know about the realities of the spirit to reveal these things to those who discern only the manifestations of the material world. But will you believe us if we tell you of the heavenly truths? Do you have the courage, Nicodemus, to believe in one who has descended from heaven, even the Son of Man?”
2015 142:6.6 Nikodemus svarede: "Men jeg forstår ikke - hvordan er dette muligt?” Jesus sagde: "Er det muligt, at du er lærer i Israel og dog uvidende om alt dette? Det bliver derefter en pligt for dem, der kender til åndens virkeligheder at åbenbare disse ting til dem, der kun skelne manifestationer af den materielle verden[38]. Men vil du tro os, hvis vi fortæller dig om de himmelske sandheder? Er du modig nok, Nikodemus, at tro på en, der nedstiger fra himlen, nemlig Menneskesønnen?"[39]
1955 142:6.7 And Nicodemus said: “But how can I begin to lay hold upon this spirit which is to remake me in preparation for entering into the kingdom?” Jesus answered: “Already does the spirit of the Father in heaven indwell you. If you would be led by this spirit from above, very soon would you begin to see with the eyes of the spirit, and then by the wholehearted choice of spirit guidance would you be born of the spirit since your only purpose in living would be to do the will of your Father who is in heaven. And so finding yourself born of the spirit and happily in the kingdom of God, you would begin to bear in your daily life the abundant fruits of the spirit.”
2015 142:6.7 Og Nikodemus sagde, "Men hvordan kan jeg begynde at få styr på denne ånd, der vil omskabe mig som forberedelse til at indgå i riget?" Jesus svarede: ”Selv nu, lever den himmelske Faders Ånd i dit indre. Hvis du lader dig blive ledet af denne ånd ovenfra, begynder du meget snart at se med åndens øjne, og gennem et helhjertet valg af åndens vejledning vil du blive født af ånden, eftersom dit eneste formål i livet er at gøre din himmelske Faders vilje. Og når du finder dig selv født af ånden og lykkelig i Guds rige, begynder du i dit daglige liv at bære rigelig med åndens frugter."
1955 142:6.8 Nicodemus was thoroughly sincere. He was deeply impressed but went away bewildered. Nicodemus was accomplished in self-development, in self-restraint, and even in high moral qualities. He was refined, egoistic, and altruistic; but he did not know how to submit his will to the will of the divine Father as a little child is willing to submit to the guidance and leading of a wise and loving earthly father, thereby becoming in reality a son of God, a progressive heir of the eternal kingdom.
2015 142:6.8 Nikodemus var grundigt oprigtig. Han var dybt imponeret, men gik væk forvirret. Nikodemus var kommet langt i selvudvikling, selvbeherskelse, og havde også høje moralske kvaliteter. Han var raffineret, egoistisk og altruistisk; men han forstod ikke, hvordan han skulle underordne sin vilje til den guddommelige Faders vilje, som et lille barn, der er villig til at underkaste sig en klog og kærlig jordisk fars vejledning og styring, for på denne måde i virkeligheden at blive en Guds søn, en progressiv arving i det evige rige.
1955 142:6.9 But Nicodemus did summon faith enough to lay hold of the kingdom. He faintly protested when his colleagues of the Sanhedrin sought to condemn Jesus without a hearing; and with Joseph of Arimathea, he later boldly acknowledged his faith and claimed the body of Jesus, even when most of the disciples had fled in fear from the scenes of their Master’s final suffering and death.
2015 142:6.9 Men det lykkede Nikodemus at mønstre nok tro til at få styr på riget. Han protesterede svagt, da hans kolleger i jødernes råd forsøgte at fordømme Jesus uden at han blev hørt; og sammen med Josef af Arimatæa, indrømmede han senere frimodigt sin tro og gjorde krav på Jesu legeme, selv da, de fleste af disciplene var flygtet i frygt fra scenerne af deres Mesters endelige lidelse og død.[40]
7. THE LESSON ON THE FAMILY
7. LEKTIONEN OM FAMILIEN
1955 142:7.1 After the busy period of teaching and personal work of Passover week in Jerusalem, Jesus spent the next Wednesday at Bethany with his apostles, resting. That afternoon, Thomas asked a question which elicited a long and instructive answer. Said Thomas: “Master, on the day we were set apart as ambassadors of the kingdom, you told us many things, instructed us regarding our personal mode of life, but what shall we teach the multitude? How are these people to live after the kingdom more fully comes? Shall your disciples own slaves? Shall your believers court poverty and shun property? Shall mercy alone prevail so that we shall have no more law and justice?” Jesus and the twelve spent all afternoon and all that evening, after supper, discussing Thomas’s questions. For the purposes of this record we present the following summary of the Master’s instruction:
2015 142:7.1 Efter den travle periode med undervisning og personligt arbejde under påskeugen i Jerusalem, tilbragte Jesus den følgende onsdag sammen med sine apostle i Betania for at hvile. Om eftermiddagen, stillede Thomas et spørgsmål, som fremkaldte et langt og lærerigt svar. Thomas sagde: "Mester, den dag vi blev indsat som ambassadører for riget, havde du en masse at sige til os. Du instruerede os om vores personlige livsstil, men hvad skal vi underviser folkemasserne? Hvordan skal disse mennesker leve, når riget kommer for alvor? Skal dine disciple eje slaver? Skal de, der tror på dig efterstræbe fattigdom og undgå ejendom? Skal barmhjertighed alene være til stede, så vi ikke længere har nogen lov og ret? Jesus og de tolv tilbragte hele eftermiddagen og hele aftenen, efter aftensmaden, med at diskutere Thomas spørgsmål. Med henblik på denne redegørelse præsenterer vi følgende sammendrag af Mesterens undervisning:
1955 142:7.2 Jesus sought first to make plain to his apostles that he himself was on earth living a unique life in the flesh, and that they, the twelve, had been called to participate in this bestowal experience of the Son of Man; and as such coworkers, they, too, must share in many of the special restrictions and obligations of the entire bestowal experience. There was a veiled intimation that the Son of Man was the only person who had ever lived on earth who could simultaneously see into the very heart of God and into the very depths of man’s soul.
2015 142:7.2 Jesus forsøgte først at gøre det klart for sine apostle, at han selv levede et enestående liv i kødet på jorden, og at de, de tolv, var blevet kaldet til at deltage i denne overdragelses erfaring af Menneskesønnen; og som sådanne medarbejdere, må de også deler mange af de særlige restriktioner og forpligtelser i forbindelse med overdragelseserfaringen i sin helhed. Der var en tilsløret tilkendegivelse, at Menneskesønnen var den eneste person, der nogensinde havde levet på Jorden, som samtidig kunne se direkte ind i selve Guds hjerte og ind i selve dybet af den menneskelige sjæl.
1955 142:7.3 Very plainly Jesus explained that the kingdom of heaven was an evolutionary experience, beginning here on earth and progressing up through successive life stations to Paradise. In the course of the evening he definitely stated that at some future stage of kingdom development he would revisit this world in spiritual power and divine glory.
2015 142:7.3 Jesus forklarede meget tydeligt, at himmelriget er en evolutionær oplevelse, begyndende her på jorden, og fortsætter op gennem successive livsstationer til Paradiset. I løbet af aftenen, erklærede han absolut, at han under en senere fase i udviklingen af riget igen ville besøge denne verden, i åndelig styrke og guddommelig herlighed.
1955 142:7.4 He next explained that the “kingdom idea” was not the best way to illustrate man’s relation to God; that he employed such figures of speech because the Jewish people were expecting the kingdom, and because John had preached in terms of the coming kingdom. Jesus said: “The people of another age will better understand the gospel of the kingdom when it is presented in terms expressive of the family relationship—when man understands religion as the teaching of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, sonship with God.” Then the Master discoursed at some length on the earthly family as an illustration of the heavenly family, restating the two fundamental laws of living: the first commandment of love for the father, the head of the family, and the second commandment of mutual love among the children, to love your brother as yourself. And then he explained that such a quality of brotherly affection would invariably manifest itself in unselfish and loving social service.
2015 142:7.4 Han forklarede derefter, at "idéen om riget var" ikke var den bedste måde at illustrere menneskets forhold til Gud, at han brugte sådanne talemåder, fordi det jødiske folk forventer riget, og fordi Johannes havde prædiket i form af det kommende rige. Jesus sagde: "Folk i en anden tidsalder vil bedre kunne forstå evangeliet om riget, når det præsenteres i form, som udtrykker relationer i familien - når mennesket forstår religionen som undervisning i Guds faderskab og menneskets broderskab, sønskab med Gud[41]." Derefter underviste Mesteren ret detaljeret om den jordiske familie som en illustration af den himmelske familie og gentog livets to grundlæggende love: det første bud af kærlighed til faderen, lederen af familien, og det andet bud af gensidig kærlighed blandt børnene, til at elske din broder som dig selv. Så forklarede han, at en sådan broderlig hengivenhed uundgåeligt ville manifesterer sig i uselvisk og kærlig social tjeneste.
1955 142:7.5 Following that, came the memorable discussion of the fundamental characteristics of family life and their application to the relationship existing between God and man. Jesus stated that a true family is founded on the following seven facts:
2015 142:7.5 Herefter kom den mindeværdige diskussion af de grundlæggende karakteristika for familielivet og deres anvendelse til bestående forhold mellem Gud og mennesket. Jesus erklærede, at en sand familie er baseret på følgende syv fakta:
1955 142:7.6 1. The fact of existence. The relationships of nature and the phenomena of mortal likenesses are bound up in the family: Children inherit certain parental traits. The children take origin in the parents; personality existence depends on the act of the parent. The relationship of father and child is inherent in all nature and pervades all living existences.
2015 142:7.6 1. Tilværelsen som et faktum. De relationer som findes i naturen, og fænomenet med de dødeliges ligheder er tæt forbundet i familien: Børn arver visse træk af deres forældre. Børn har deres oprindelse i forældrene; personligheds eksistensen er afhængig af forældrehandling. Forholdet mellem far og barn er indbygget i hele naturen, og gennemstrømmer alle levende eksistenser.
1955 142:7.7 2. Security and pleasure. True fathers take great pleasure in providing for the needs of their children. Many fathers are not content with supplying the mere wants of their children but enjoy making provision for their pleasures also.
2015 142:7.7 2. Sikkerhed og fornøjelse. For rigtige fædre, er det en stor fornøjelse at sørge for deres børns behov. Mange fædre er ikke tilfreds med blot at opfylde deres børns behov, men sikre også gerne deres fornøjelser.
1955 142:7.8 3. Education and training. Wise fathers carefully plan for the education and adequate training of their sons and daughters. When young they are prepared for the greater responsibilities of later life.
2015 142:7.8 3. Uddannelse og træning. Vise fædre planlægger omhyggeligt for uddannelse og passende træning af deres sønner og døtre. Når disse er unge, forberedes de for de større forpligtelser senere i livet.
1955 142:7.9 4. Discipline and restraint. Farseeing fathers also make provision for the necessary discipline, guidance, correction, and sometimes restraint of their young and immature offspring.
2015 142:7.9 4. Disciplin og tilbageholdenhed. Fremsynede fædre fastsætter også den nødvendige disciplin, vejledning, rettelse, og nogle gange tilbageholder deres unge og umodne afkom.
1955 142:7.10 5. Companionship and loyalty. The affectionate father holds intimate and loving intercourse with his children. Always is his ear open to their petitions; he is ever ready to share their hardships and assist them over their difficulties. The father is supremely interested in the progressive welfare of his progeny.
2015 142:7.10 5. Venskab og loyalitet. Den hengivne far har et tæt og kærligt forhold til sine børn. Hans øre er altid åben for deres ønsker. Han er altid klar til at dele deres strabadser og hjælpe dem over deres vanskeligheder. En far er ekstremt interesseret i sit afkoms progressive velfærd.
1955 142:7.11 6. Love and mercy. A compassionate father is freely forgiving; fathers do not hold vengeful memories against their children. Fathers are not like judges, enemies, or creditors. Real families are built upon tolerance, patience, and forgiveness.
2015 142:7.11 6. Kærlighed og barmhjertighed. En medfølende far er klar til at tilgive. Fædre gemmer ikke hævngerrige erindringer mod deres børn. Fædre er ikke som dommere, fjender eller kreditorer. Rigtige familier er bygget på tolerance, tålmodighed og tilgivelse.
1955 142:7.12 7. Provision for the future. Temporal fathers like to leave an inheritance for their sons. The family continues from one generation to another. Death only ends one generation to mark the beginning of another. Death terminates an individual life but not necessarily the family.
2015 142:7.12 7. Omsorg for fremtiden. Jordiske fædre ønsker at efterlade nogen arv til sine sønner. Familien fortsætter fra generation til generation. Døden ender kun én generation, og indikerer begyndelsen af en anden. Døden afslutter et individuelt liv, men ikke nødvendigvis familien.
1955 142:7.13 For hours the Master discussed the application of these features of family life to the relations of man, the earth child, to God, the Paradise Father. And this was his conclusion: “This entire relationship of a son to the Father, I know in perfection, for all that you must attain of sonship in the eternal future I have now already attained. The Son of Man is prepared to ascend to the right hand of the Father, so that in me is the way now open still wider for all of you to see God and, ere you have finished the glorious progression, to become perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
2015 142:7.13 For timer diskuterede Mesteren, hvordan man anvender disse grundlæggende funktioner i familielivet til mennesket, jordbarnets, forhold til Gud, Paradisfaderen. Dette var hans konklusion: "Hele denne sammenhæng af Sønnens forhold til Faderen, kender jeg til perfektion, for alt det, du i den evige fremtid skal opnå af sønskab, har jeg allerede nu opnået. Menneskesønnen er parat til at stige op til Faderens højre side, så at vejen i mig nu er endnu bredere for jer alle til at se Gud, og inden du har afsluttet jeres herlige progression, for at blive perfekt, som jeres himmelske Fader er fuldkommen[42]."
1955 142:7.14 When the apostles heard these startling words, they recalled the pronouncements which John made at the time of Jesus’ baptism, and they also vividly recalled this experience in connection with their preaching and teaching subsequent to the Master’s death and resurrection.
2015 142:7.14 Da apostlene hørte disse opsigtsvækkende ord, huskede de udtalelserne, som Johannes havde gjort ved Jesu dåb, og de kunne også tydeligt huske denne oplevelse i forbindelse med deres forkyndelse og undervisning efter Mesterens død og opstandelse.
1955 142:7.15 Jesus is a divine Son, one in the Universal Father’s full confidence. He had been with the Father and comprehended him fully. He had now lived his earth life to the full satisfaction of the Father, and this incarnation in the flesh had enabled him fully to comprehend man. Jesus was the perfection of man; he had attained just such perfection as all true believers are destined to attain in him and through him. Jesus revealed a God of perfection to man and presented in himself the perfected son of the realms to God.
2015 142:7.15 Jesus er en guddommelig Søn, en i hvem den Universelle Fader har fuld tillid. Han havde været med Faderen, og forstod ham helt. Han havde nu levet sit jordiske liv til Faderens fulde tilfredshed, og denne inkarnation i kødet havde gjort det muligt for ham helt at forstå mennesket. Jesus var et menneske, der havde opnået fuldkommenhed i menneskelig henseende. Han havde nået netop sådan en perfektion som alle sande troende er bestemt til at nå i ham og gennem ham. Jesus åbenbarede en fuldkommenhedens Gud for mennesker og præsenterede i sig selv til Gud en perfektioneret søn af verdenerne.
1955 142:7.16 Although Jesus discoursed for several hours, Thomas was not yet satisfied, for he said: “But, Master, we do not find that the Father in heaven always deals kindly and mercifully with us. Many times we grievously suffer on earth, and not always are our prayers answered. Where do we fail to grasp the meaning of your teaching?”
2015 142:7.16 Selvom Jesus underviste i flere timer, var Thomas endnu ikke tilfreds, for han sagde: "Men, Mester, vi finder ikke at Faderen i himmelen altid handler venligt og barmhjertigt med os. Mange gange lider vi vanskeligt på jorden, og ikke altid får vi svar på vore bønner. Hvori mangler vores evne til at forstå betydningen af din undervisning? "
1955 142:7.17 Jesus replied: “Thomas, Thomas, how long before you will acquire the ability to listen with the ear of the spirit? How long will it be before you discern that this kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, and that my Father is also a spiritual being? Do you not understand that I am teaching you as spiritual children in the spirit family of heaven, of which the fatherhead is an infinite and eternal spirit? Will you not allow me to use the earth family as an illustration of divine relationships without so literally applying my teaching to material affairs? In your minds cannot you separate the spiritual realities of the kingdom from the material, social, economic, and political problems of the age? When I speak the language of the spirit, why do you insist on translating my meaning into the language of the flesh just because I presume to employ commonplace and literal relationships for purposes of illustration? My children, I implore that you cease to apply the teaching of the kingdom of the spirit to the sordid affairs of slavery, poverty, houses, and lands, and to the material problems of human equity and justice. These temporal matters are the concern of the men of this world, and while in a way they affect all men, you have been called to represent me in the world, even as I represent my Father. You are spiritual ambassadors of a spiritual kingdom, special representatives of the spirit Father. By this time it should be possible for me to instruct you as full-grown men of the spirit kingdom. Must I ever address you only as children? Will you never grow up in spirit perception? Nevertheless, I love you and will bear with you, even to the very end of our association in the flesh. And even then shall my spirit go before you into all the world.”
2015 142:7.17 Jesus svarede: "Thomas, Thomas, hvor lang tid vil det tage, før du får mulighed for at lytte med åndens øre? Hvor længe før du indser, at dette rige er et åndeligt rige, og at min Fader også er et åndeligt væsen? Forstår du ikke, at jeg underviser jer som åndelige børn i himlens åndefamilie, hvis faderoverhoved er en uendelig og evig ånd? Hvorfor tillade du mig ikke at bruge den jordiske familie som en illustration af guddommelige relationer uden så bogstaveligt at anvende min undervisning til materielle forhold? Kan I ikke i jeres sind skelne rigets åndelige realiteter fra denne tidsalders materielle, sociale, økonomiske og politiske problemer? Når jeg taler åndens sprog, hvorfor insisterer du på at oversætte, hvad jeg mener med sproget i kødet, bare fordi jeg vover at bruge som illustrationer verdslige og konkrete relationer? Mine børn, jeg beder jer inderligt om at ophører med at anvende undervisningen om åndeverdenen i sådanne elendige situationer som slaveri, fattigdom, huse, og jordområder, eller på de materielle problemer af menneskelig lighed og retfærdighed. Disse jordiske forhold vedrører denne verdens mennesker, og mens de på en måde påvirker alle mennesker, er du imidlertid blevet kaldet til at repræsentere mig i verden, ligesom jeg repræsenterer min Fader. I er åndelige ambassadører for et åndeligt rige, særlige repræsentanter for Åndefaderen. På dette tidspunkt bør det være muligt for mig at instruere jer som fuldvoksne mænd i åndens rige. Skal jeg altid tale til jer som børn? Vil du aldrig vokser op i åndens opfattelse? Ikke desto mindre, jeg elsker dig og vil bære over med dig lige til slutningen af vores tid sammen i kødet. Og selv da skal min ånd gå forud for jer ud til hele verden.”
8. IN SOUTHERN JUDEA
8. I DEN SYDLIGE DEL AF JUDÆA
1955 142:8.1 By the end of April the opposition to Jesus among the Pharisees and Sadducees had become so pronounced that the Master and his apostles decided to leave Jerusalem for a while, going south to work in Bethlehem and Hebron. The entire month of May was spent in doing personal work in these cities and among the people of the surrounding villages. No public preaching was done on this trip, only house-to-house visitation. A part of this time, while the apostles taught the gospel and ministered to the sick, Jesus and Abner spent at Engedi, visiting the Nazarite colony. John the Baptist had gone forth from this place, and Abner had been head of this group. Many of the Nazarite brotherhood became believers in Jesus, but the majority of these ascetic and eccentric men refused to accept him as a teacher sent from heaven because he did not teach fasting and other forms of self-denial.
2015 142:8.1 I slutningen af april var opposition mod Jesus blandt farisæerne og saddukæerne blevet så udtalt, at Mesteren og hans apostle besluttede for en tid at forlade Jerusalem og gå sydover for at arbejde i Betlehem og Hebron[43]. Hele maj måned blev brugt til personligt arbejde i disse byer og blandt folk i de omkringliggende landsbyer. Ingen offentlige prædikener blev holdt under denne tur, men kun besøg fra hus til hus. Noget af denne tid, mens apostlene underviste i evangeliet og plejede de syge, tilbragte Jesus og Abner i Engedi, hvor de besøgte nasiræer kolonien. Johannes Døberen var gået frem fra dette sted, og Abner havde været leder af denne gruppe. Mange medlemmer af nasiræer broderskabet begyndte at tro på Jesus, men de fleste af disse asketiske og excentriske mænd nægtede at acceptere ham som en lærer sendt fra himlen, fordi han ikke forkyndte faste og andre former for selvfornægtelse.
1955 142:8.2 The people living in this region did not know that Jesus had been born in Bethlehem. They always supposed the Master had been born at Nazareth, as did the vast majority of his disciples, but the twelve knew the facts.
2015 142:8.2 De mennesker, der levede i denne region vidste ikke, at Jesus var blevet født i Betlehem. De antog altid, at Mesteren var blevet født i Nazaret, som langt de fleste af hans disciple gjorde, men de tolv kendte den virkelige situation.
1955 142:8.3 This sojourn in the south of Judea was a restful and fruitful season of labor; many souls were added to the kingdom. By the first days of June the agitation against Jesus had so quieted down in Jerusalem that the Master and the apostles returned to instruct and comfort believers.
2015 142:8.3 Dette ophold i det sydlige Judæa var en afslappende og frugtbart arbejdsperiode; mange sjæle blev tilføjet til riget. I begyndelsen af juni havde agitationen imod Jesus i Jerusalem faldet til ro, så Mesteren og apostlene vendte tilbage for at undervise og trøste de troende.
1955 142:8.4 Although Jesus and the apostles spent the entire month of June in or near Jerusalem, they did no public teaching during this period. They lived for the most part in tents, which they pitched in a shaded park, or garden, known in that day as Gethsemane. This park was situated on the western slope of the Mount of Olives not far from the brook Kidron. The Sabbath weekends they usually spent with Lazarus and his sisters at Bethany. Jesus entered within the walls of Jerusalem only a few times, but a large number of interested inquirers came out to Gethsemane to visit with him. One Friday evening Nicodemus and one Joseph of Arimathea ventured out to see Jesus but turned back through fear even after they were standing before the entrance to the Master’s tent. And, of course, they did not perceive that Jesus knew all about their doings.
2015 142:8.4 Selvom Jesus og apostlene tilbragte hele juni måned i eller i nærheden af Jerusalem, underviste de ikke offentligt i denne periode. De levede for det meste i telte, som de opsatte i en skyggefuld park eller have, som på det tidspunkt hed Getsemane. Denne park lå på den vestlige skråning af Olivenbjerget, ikke langt fra bækken Kidron. Sabbatweekenderne tilbragte de som regel sammen med Lazarus og hans søstre i Betania. Kun et par gange gik Jesus indenfor Jerusalems murer, men et stort antal interesserede søgende kom ud til Getsemane for at besøge ham. En fredag aften vovede Nikodemus og en vis Josef fra Arimatæa sig ud for at møde Jesus, men af frygt vendte de tilbage, selvom de allerede stod foran indgangen til Mesterens telt. Selvfølgelig, indså de ikke, at Jesus vidste alt om deres forehavende.
1955 142:8.5 When the rulers of the Jews learned that Jesus had returned to Jerusalem, they prepared to arrest him; but when they observed that he did no public preaching, they concluded that he had become frightened by their previous agitation and decided to allow him to carry on his teaching in this private manner without further molestation. And thus affairs moved along quietly until the last days of June, when one Simon, a member of the Sanhedrin, publicly espoused the teachings of Jesus, after so declaring himself before the rulers of the Jews. Immediately a new agitation for Jesus’ apprehension sprang up and grew so strong that the Master decided to retire into the cities of Samaria and the Decapolis.
2015 142:8.5 Da jødernes herskere hørte, at Jesus var vendt tilbage til Jerusalem, gjorde de sig klar til at anholde ham. Da de imidlertid bemærkede, at han ikke prædikede offentligt, så konkluderede de, at han var blevet skræmt af deres tidligere agitation og besluttede at tillade ham at fortsætte undervisningen på denne private måde uden yderligere at forulempe ham. Således gik alt stille indtil de sidste dage af juni, da en vis Simon, der var medlem af jødernes råd, offentligt tilsluttede sig til Jesu lære efter at have forklaret sig overfor de jødiske herskere[44]. Straks begyndte en ny agitation for at arrestere Jesus, og den blev så stærk, at Mesteren besluttede at trække sig tilbage til byerne i Samaria og Dekapolis.
| Kapitel 141. Begyndelsen Af Det Offentlige Arbejde |
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Kapitel 143. På Vej Gennem Samaria |