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GOING THROUGH SAMARIA
PÅ VEJ GENNEM SAMARIA
1955 143:0.1 AT THE end of June, A.D. 27, because of the increasing opposition of the Jewish religious rulers, Jesus and the twelve departed from Jerusalem, after sending their tents and meager personal effects to be stored at the home of Lazarus at Bethany. Going north into Samaria, they tarried over the Sabbath at Bethel. Here they preached for several days to the people who came from Gophna and Ephraim. A group of citizens from Arimathea and Thamna came over to invite Jesus to visit their villages. The Master and his apostles spent more than two weeks teaching the Jews and Samaritans of this region, many of whom came from as far as Antipatris to hear the good news of the kingdom.
2015 143:0.1 PÅ GRUND AF den voksende modstand fra de jødiske religiøse magthavere, begav Jesus og de tolv sig bort fra Jerusalem i slutningen af juni år 27 e.Kr, efter at de først havde sendt deres telte og deres få personlige ejendele til opbevaring i hjemmet hos Lazarus i Betania. På vej nordpå til Samaria, stoppede de over sabbatten i Betel. Her prædikede de i flere dage for mennesker, der kom fra Gofna og Efraim. En gruppe af borgere fra Arimatæa og Tamna kom over for at bede Jesus om at besøge deres landsbyer. Mesteren og hans apostle brugte mere end to uger med at undervise jøderne og samaritanerne i denne region, og mange kom hele vejen fra Antipatris for at høre den gode nyhed om Guds rige.
1955 143:0.2 The people of southern Samaria heard Jesus gladly, and the apostles, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, succeeded in overcoming much of their prejudice against the Samaritans. It was very difficult for Judas to love these Samaritans. The last week of July Jesus and his associates made ready to depart for the new Greek cities of Phasaelis and Archelais near the Jordan.
2015 143:0.2 Befolkningen i det sydlige Samaria lyttede med glæde til Jesus og apostlene lykkedes, med undtagelse af Judas Iskariot, at overvinde meget af deres fordomme mod samaritanerne. Det var meget svært for Judas at elske disse samaritanere. Den sidste uge af juli gjorde Jesus og hans medarbejdere sig klar for afrejse til de nye græske byer Fasaelis og Arkelais nær Jordanfloden.
1. PREACHING AT ARCHELAIS
1. FORKYNDELSEN I ARKELAIS
1955 143:1.1 The first half of the month of August the apostolic party made its headquarters at the Greek cities of Archelais and Phasaelis, where they had their first experience preaching to well-nigh exclusive gatherings of gentiles—Greeks, Romans, and Syrians—for few Jews dwelt in these two Greek towns. In contacting with these Roman citizens, the apostles encountered new difficulties in the proclamation of the message of the coming kingdom, and they met with new objections to the teachings of Jesus. At one of the many evening conferences with his apostles, Jesus listened attentively to these objections to the gospel of the kingdom as the twelve repeated their experiences with the subjects of their personal labors.
2015 143:1.1 Den første halvdel af august måned havde det apostolske selskab hovedkvarter i de græske byer Arkelais og Fasaelis, hvor de havde deres første erfaringer af at prædike for samlinger af næsten udelukkende ikke-jøder - grækere, romere og syrere - for ganske få jøder boede i disse to græske byer. I kontakten med disse romerske borgere stødte apostlene på nye problemer med at forkynde budskabet om det kommende rige, og de mødtes med nye indsigelser mod Jesu lære. På et af de mange aftenmøder, som Jesus holdt sammen med sine apostle, lyttede han opmærksomt til disse indvendinger mod rigets evangelium da de tolv berettede, hvad de havde oplevet i deres personlige kontakter med mennesker.
1955 143:1.2 A question asked by Philip was typical of their difficulties. Said Philip: “Master, these Greeks and Romans make light of our message, saying that such teachings are fit for only weaklings and slaves. They assert that the religion of the heathen is superior to our teaching because it inspires to the acquirement of a strong, robust, and aggressive character. They affirm that we would convert all men into enfeebled specimens of passive nonresisters who would soon perish from the face of the earth. They like you, Master, and freely admit that your teaching is heavenly and ideal, but they will not take us seriously. They assert that your religion is not for this world; that men cannot live as you teach. And now, Master, what shall we say to these gentiles?”
2015 143:1.2 Et spørgsmål som Filip stillede var typisk for deres vanskeligheder. Filip sagde: "Mester, disse grækere og romere tager let på vores budskab, og siger, at sådan en lære kun er egnet til svæklinge og slaver. De hævder, at den hedenske religion er overlegen i forhold til vores undervisning, fordi den inspirerer mennesket til at erhverve en stærk, solid og energisk karakter. De hævder, at vi ønsker at konvertere alle mennesker til de svage uduelige, der passivt underkaster sig alt og snart ville forsvinde fra jordens overflade. De kan lide dig, Mester, og indrømmer, at din undervisning er himmelsk og idealistisk, men de vil ikke tage os alvorligt. De hævder, at din religion ikke er for denne verden, at folk ikke kan leve, som du underviser. Og nu, Mester, hvad skal vi sige til disse hedninger?"
1955 143:1.3 After Jesus had heard similar objections to the gospel of the kingdom presented by Thomas, Nathaniel, Simon Zelotes, and Matthew, he said to the twelve:
2015 143:1.3 Efter at Jesus havde hørt lignende indvendinger mod rigets evangelium blive præsenteret af Thomas, Nataniel, Simon Zelotes, og Mattæus, sagde han til de tolv:
1955 143:1.4 “I have come into this world to do the will of my Father and to reveal his loving character to all mankind. That, my brethren, is my mission. And this one thing I will do, regardless of the misunderstanding of my teachings by Jews or gentiles of this day or of another generation. But you should not overlook the fact that even divine love has its severe disciplines. A father’s love for his son oftentimes impels the father to restrain the unwise acts of his thoughtless offspring. The child does not always comprehend the wise and loving motives of the father’s restraining discipline. But I declare to you that my Father in Paradise does rule a universe of universes by the compelling power of his love. Love is the greatest of all spirit realities. Truth is a liberating revelation, but love is the supreme relationship. And no matter what blunders your fellow men make in their world management of today, in an age to come the gospel which I declare to you will rule this very world. The ultimate goal of human progress is the reverent recognition of the fatherhood of God and the loving materialization of the brotherhood of man.
2015 143:1.4 "Jeg er kommet til denne verden for at gøre min Faders vilje og for hele menneskeheden at åbenbare hans kærlige karakter. Det, mine brødre, er min mission. Og det er lige hvad jeg agter at gøre, uanset hvordan jøder og ikke-jøder i denne generation eller nogen anden generation misforstå min undervisning. Men du bør ikke overse det faktum, at selv i guddommelig kærlighed forekommer streng disciplin. En fars kærlighed til sin søn, tvinger ham ofte til at begrænse sine tankeløse afkoms ukloge handlinger. Barnet forstår ikke altid de kloge og kærlige motiver af faderens fastholdende disciplin. Men jeg fortæller jer, at min Fader i Paradiset udelukkende styre et univers af universer ved overbevisende kraft af hans kærlighed. Kærlighed er den største af alle åndelige virkeligheder. Sandheden er en befriende åbenbaring, men kærlighed er det øverste forhold. Og uanset hvilken brølere dine medmennesker gør i forvaltningen af dagens verden, i den kommende tidsalder, vil evangeliet som jeg forkynder til dig styre selve denne verden. Det endelige mål for menneskelig udvikling er den ærbødige erkendelse af Guds faderskab og kærlig realisering af menneskeligt broderskab[1].
1955 143:1.5 “But who told you that my gospel was intended only for slaves and weaklings? Do you, my chosen apostles, resemble weaklings? Did John look like a weakling? Do you observe that I am enslaved by fear? True, the poor and oppressed of this generation have the gospel preached to them. The religions of this world have neglected the poor, but my Father is no respecter of persons. Besides, the poor of this day are the first to heed the call to repentance and acceptance of sonship. The gospel of the kingdom is to be preached to all men—Jew and gentile, Greek and Roman, rich and poor, free and bond—and equally to young and old, male and female.
2015 143:1.5 "Men hvem fortalte dig, at mit evangelium kun var beregnet til slaver og svæklinge? Ligner I, mine udvalgte apostle, svæklinge? Lignede Johannes en svækling? Har du bemærket, at jeg ser ud til at være gjort til slave af frygt? Sandt nok, at evangeliet bliver forkyndt til denne generation af fattige og undertrykte. Religionerne i denne verden har forsømt de fattige, men min Fader gør ingen forskel på personer. Desuden er dagens fattige de første til at følge opfordringen til omvendelse og til at acceptere sønskabet. Rigets evangelium skal prædikes for alle mennesker - jøder og ikke-jøder, grækere og romere, rige og fattige, frie og slaver- og lige til unge og gamle, mænd og kvinder[2].
1955 143:1.6 “Because my Father is a God of love and delights in the practice of mercy, do not imbibe the idea that the service of the kingdom is to be one of monotonous ease. The Paradise ascent is the supreme adventure of all time, the rugged achievement of eternity. The service of the kingdom on earth will call for all the courageous manhood that you and your coworkers can muster. Many of you will be put to death for your loyalty to the gospel of this kingdom. It is easy to die in the line of physical battle when your courage is strengthened by the presence of your fighting comrades, but it requires a higher and more profound form of human courage and devotion calmly and all alone to lay down your life for the love of a truth enshrined in your mortal heart.
2015 143:1.6 "Fordi min Fader er kærlighedens Gud og finder behag i at vise barmhjertighed, må I ikke tilegne jer den opfattelse, at rigets tjenester vil være ensformige og lette. Opstigningen til Paradiset er det øverste eventyr under al tid, en hårdtarbejdende opnåelse af evigheden. Tjenesten af riget på jorden vil kræve al den modige manddom, som du og dine medarbejdere kan mønstre. Mange af jer vil blive dræbt for jeres loyalitet til dette evangelium om riget. Det er let at dø i kamplinjen ved fysisk konfrontation, når modet styrkes af tilstedeværelsen af ens kampberedte kammerater, men det kræver en højere og dybere form for menneskelig mod og hengivenhed roligt og helt alene at nedlægge sit liv for kærligheden til en sandhed, der er indeholdt i ens dødelige hjerte[3].
1955 143:1.7 “Today, the unbelievers may taunt you with preaching a gospel of nonresistance and with living lives of nonviolence, but you are the first volunteers of a long line of sincere believers in the gospel of this kingdom who will astonish all mankind by their heroic devotion to these teachings. No armies of the world have ever displayed more courage and bravery than will be portrayed by you and your loyal successors who shall go forth to all the world proclaiming the good news—the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men. The courage of the flesh is the lowest form of bravery. Mind bravery is a higher type of human courage, but the highest and supreme is uncompromising loyalty to the enlightened convictions of profound spiritual realities. And such courage constitutes the heroism of the God-knowing man. And you are all God-knowing men; you are in very truth the personal associates of the Son of Man.”
2015 143:1.7 "I dag, håner skeptikerne dig for at prædike et evangelium om ikke at gøre modstand og at du lever et liv uden vold, men du er de første frivillige i den lange række af dem, der oprigtigt tror på dette riges evangelium og som vil forbavse hele menneskeheden ved deres heroiske hengivenhed til denne proklamation. Ingen af denne verdens hære har nogensinde vist mere mod og tapperhed, end du og dine trofaste tilhængere vil vise, når du går ud i verden for at forkynde den gode nyhed - Guds faderskab og menneskets broderskab. Kødets mod er den laveste form for tapperhed. Sindets tapperhed er en højere form for menneskelig mod, men det højeste og øverste mod består af en urokkelig loyalitet til de oplyste overbevisninger af dybtgående åndelige realiteter. Og et sådan mod er det heltemod af det menneske, der kender Gud. Og i er alle mænd, der kender Gud; i er i sandhed de personlige associerede til Menneskesønnen."
1955 143:1.8 This was not all that Jesus said on that occasion, but it is the introduction of his address, and he went on at great length in amplification and in illustration of this pronouncement. This was one of the most impassioned addresses which Jesus ever delivered to the twelve. Seldom did the Master speak to his apostles with evident strong feeling, but this was one of those few occasions when he spoke with manifest earnestness, accompanied by marked emotion.
2015 143:1.8 Det var ikke alt, hvad Jesus sagde ved denne lejlighed, men det er begyndelsen af hans tale, og han fortsatte stadig lang tid med at udvide og illustrere denne erklæring. Dette var en af de mest lidenskabelige taler, som Jesus nogensinde holdt til de tolv. Sjældent talte Mesteren med tydelig stærke følelsesmæssige engagement til sine apostle, men det var en af de få gange, hvor han talte med åbenbar alvor ledsaget med markant følelse.
1955 143:1.9 The result upon the public preaching and personal ministry of the apostles was immediate; from that very day their message took on a new note of courageous dominance. The twelve continued to acquire the spirit of positive aggression in the new gospel of the kingdom. From this day forward they did not occupy themselves so much with the preaching of the negative virtues and the passive injunctions of their Master’s many-sided teaching.
2015 143:1.9 Indvirkningen på apostlenes offentlige forkyndelse og personlige tjeneste var øjeblikkelig. Fra den dag fik deres budskab en ny tone af modig dominans. De tolv fortsatte med at erhverve en ånd af positiv aggression i det nye evangelium om riget. Fra denne dag fremad, holdt de ikke længere så meget på at forkyndelse de negative dyder og de passive påbud som indgik i deres Mesters alsidige forkyndelse.
2. LESSON ON SELF-MASTERY
2. LEKTION OM SELVKONTROL
1955 143:2.1 The Master was a perfected specimen of human self-control. When he was reviled, he reviled not; when he suffered, he uttered no threats against his tormentors; when he was denounced by his enemies, he simply committed himself to the righteous judgment of the Father in heaven.
1955 143:2.2 At one of the evening conferences, Andrew asked Jesus: “Master, are we to practice self-denial as John taught us, or are we to strive for the self-control of your teaching? Wherein does your teaching differ from that of John?” Jesus answered: “John indeed taught you the way of righteousness in accordance with the light and laws of his fathers, and that was the religion of self-examination and self-denial. But I come with a new message of self-forgetfulness and self-control. I show to you the way of life as revealed to me by my Father in heaven.
2015 143:2.2 På et af aftenmøderne, spurgte Andreas Jesus: "Mester, skal vi udøve selvfornægtelse som Johannes lærte, eller skal vi stræbe efter selvbeherskelse i overensstemmelse med din undervisning? I hvilket omfang adskiller din undervisning sig fra, hvad Johannes lærte?" Jesus svarede: "Johannes lærte jer ganske rigtig retfærdighed i overensstemmelse med hans fædres oplysninger og love, og det var selvransagelsens og selvfornægtelsens religion. Men jeg kommer med et nyt budskab af uselviskhed og selvkontrol. Jeg viser dig den livsform, så som min Fader i himlen har åbenbaret den for mig.
1955 143:2.3 “Verily, verily, I say to you, he who rules his own self is greater than he who captures a city. Self-mastery is the measure of man’s moral nature and the indicator of his spiritual development. In the old order you fasted and prayed; as the new creature of the rebirth of the spirit, you are taught to believe and rejoice. In the Father’s kingdom you are to become new creatures; old things are to pass away; behold I show you how all things are to become new. And by your love for one another you are to convince the world that you have passed from bondage to liberty, from death into life everlasting.
2015 143:2.3 "Sandelig, sandelig, siger jeg jer, at den som hersker over sit eget selv, er større end den, der indtager en by. Selvkontrol er et mål for menneskets moralske natur og indikator for hans åndelige udvikling. Under den gamle orden, fastede du og bad. Som en af ånden genfødt ny skabning vil du lære at tro og glædes. I Faderens rige skal du bliver nye skabninger; alt det gamle vil forgå. Se, jeg viser dig, hvordan alt vil blive nyt[5]. Og ved jeres kærlighed til hinanden vil i overbevise verden om, at I er gået fra slaveri til frihed, fra død til evigt liv.
1955 143:2.4 “By the old way you seek to suppress, obey, and conform to the rules of living; by the new way you are first transformed by the Spirit of Truth and thereby strengthened in your inner soul by the constant spiritual renewing of your mind, and so are you endowed with the power of the certain and joyous performance of the gracious, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Forget not—it is your personal faith in the exceedingly great and precious promises of God that ensures your becoming partakers of the divine nature. Thus by your faith and the spirit’s transformation, you become in reality the temples of God, and his spirit actually dwells within you. If, then, the spirit dwells within you, you are no longer bondslaves of the flesh but free and liberated sons of the spirit. The new law of the spirit endows you with the liberty of self-mastery in place of the old law of the fear of self-bondage and the slavery of self-denial.
2015 143:2.4 "På den gamle vej prøver du at undertrykke, adlyde og rette dig ind efter levereglerne; på den nye vej forvandles du først af Sandhedens Ånd og styrkes dermed i din indre sjæl af den konstante åndelig fornyelse af dit sind, og så beriges du med evnen til sikkert og med glæde at udføre Guds gode, velkomne og perfekte vilje. Glem ikke, at det er din personlige tro på Guds umådelige og dyrebare løfter, der garanterer din deltagelse i den guddommelige natur. Således bliver du, gennem din tro og gennem åndens forvandling, i virkeligheden Guds tempel, og hans ånd bor virkelig i dig. Hvis ånden derfor bor i dig, er du ikke længere slave af kødet men åndens frie og befriede sønner. Åndens nye lov giver dig frihed til at mestre dig selv i stedet for den gamle lov, som var baseret på frygten for selvundertrykkelse og slaveri, som selvfornægtelsen indebar[6]
1955 143:2.5 “Many times, when you have done evil, you have thought to charge up your acts to the influence of the evil one when in reality you have but been led astray by your own natural tendencies. Did not the Prophet Jeremiah long ago tell you that the human heart is deceitful above all things and sometimes even desperately wicked? How easy for you to become self-deceived and thereby fall into foolish fears, divers lusts, enslaving pleasures, malice, envy, and even vengeful hatred!
2015 143:2.5 "Mange gange, hvor du har gjort noget ondt har du ville tilskrive dine handlinger til den ondes indflydelse, når du i virkeligheden kun er blevet vildledt af dine egne naturlige tendenser. Fortalte profeten Jeremias ikke for længe siden, at det menneskelige hjerte er falsk over alle ting og nogle gange endda desperat ondskabsfuldt? Hvor let er det for dig at blive involveret i selvbedrag og dermed blive offer for tåbelig frygt, mangeartede lyster, slavebindende fornøjelser, ondskab, misundelse, og endda hævngerrig had![7]
1955 143:2.6 “Salvation is by the regeneration of the spirit and not by the self-righteous deeds of the flesh. You are justified by faith and fellowshipped by grace, not by fear and the self-denial of the flesh, albeit the Father’s children who have been born of the spirit are ever and always masters of the self and all that pertains to the desires of the flesh. When you know that you are saved by faith, you have real peace with God. And all who follow in the way of this heavenly peace are destined to be sanctified to the eternal service of the ever-advancing sons of the eternal God. Henceforth, it is not a duty but rather your exalted privilege to cleanse yourselves from all evils of mind and body while you seek for perfection in the love of God.
2015 143:2.6 "Frelsen er gennem åndens nyskabelse og ikke gennem kødets selvretfærdige gerninger. Du er begrundet i troen og optaget i fællesskabet gennem nåde, ikke af frygt og selvfornægtelse af kødet, selvom Faders børn, som er blevet født af ånden vedvarende og altid behersker deres jeg og alt vedrørende de kødelige begær. Når du ved, at troen har frelst dig, har du virkelig fred med Gud. Og alle, som følger denne vej af himmelsk fred er bestemt til at blive helliggjort til den evige tjeneste som den evige Guds stadigt fremrykkende sønner udføre. Fremover er det ikke en pligt, men snarere dit høje privilegium at rense dit sind og krop fra alt ondt, mens du søger perfektion i Guds kærlighed[8].
1955 143:2.7 “Your sonship is grounded in faith, and you are to remain unmoved by fear. Your joy is born of trust in the divine word, and you shall not therefore be led to doubt the reality of the Father’s love and mercy. It is the very goodness of God that leads men into true and genuine repentance. Your secret of the mastery of self is bound up with your faith in the indwelling spirit, which ever works by love. Even this saving faith you have not of yourselves; it also is the gift of God. And if you are the children of this living faith, you are no longer the bondslaves of self but rather the triumphant masters of yourselves, the liberated sons of God.
2015 143:2.7 "Din sønskab er forankret i troen, og du skal forblive uberørt af frygt. Din glæde er født af din tillid til det guddommelige ord, og du skal derfor ikke forledes til at tvivle på at Faderens kærlighed og barmhjertighed er virkelig. Det som leder folk til sand og ægte omvendelse er Guds godhed. Hemmeligheden med at I har kontrol over jer selv, er forbundet med at du tror på din medfødte ånd, som altid virker gennem kærlighed. Selv denne frelsende tro, har du ikke af dig selv; også den er en gave fra Gud. Og hvis I er børn af denne levende tro, er I ikke længere slaver af selv men snarere den sejrende mester over jer selv, de befriede Guds sønner[9].
1955 143:2.8 “If, then, my children, you are born of the spirit, you are forever delivered from the self-conscious bondage of a life of self-denial and watchcare over the desires of the flesh, and you are translated into the joyous kingdom of the spirit, whence you spontaneously show forth the fruits of the spirit in your daily lives; and the fruits of the spirit are the essence of the highest type of enjoyable and ennobling self-control, even the heights of terrestrial mortal attainment—true self-mastery.”
2015 143:2.8 "Hvis man derfor mine børn, er født af ånden, er du altid fri for selvbevidst trældom af et liv i selvfornægtelse og overvågning af kødet, og du er overført til åndens glade rige, hvorfra du spontant videreføre åndens frugter i dit daglige liv; og frugten af ånden er essensen af den højeste form for underholdende og forædlende selvkontrol, selv de højeste dødelige kan opnå på jorden - ægte selvbeherskelse.”[10]
3. DIVERSION AND RELAXATION
3. ADSPREDELSE OG AFSLAPNING
1955 143:3.1 About this time a state of great nervous and emotional tension developed among the apostles and their immediate disciple associates. They had hardly become accustomed to living and working together. They were experiencing increasing difficulties in maintaining harmonious relations with John’s disciples. The contact with the gentiles and the Samaritans was a great trial to these Jews. And besides all this, the recent utterances of Jesus had augmented their disturbed state of mind. Andrew was almost beside himself; he did not know what next to do, and so he went to the Master with his problems and perplexities. When Jesus had listened to the apostolic chief relate his troubles, he said: “Andrew, you cannot talk men out of their perplexities when they reach such a stage of involvement, and when so many persons with strong feelings are concerned. I cannot do what you ask of me—I will not participate in these personal social difficulties—but I will join you in the enjoyment of a three-day period of rest and relaxation. Go to your brethren and announce that all of you are to go with me up on Mount Sartaba, where I desire to rest for a day or two.
2015 143:3.1 På dette tidspunkt udvikledes en vældig nervøs og følelsesmæssige spænding blandt apostlene og disciplene, og deres nærmeste medarbejdere. De havde næppe haft tid til at vænne sig til at leve og arbejde sammen. De oplevede stigende vanskeligheder med at opretholde harmoniske relationer med Johannes disciple. Kontakten med ikke jøderne og samaritanerne var en stor prøvelse for disse jøder. Ud over alt dette, havde de seneste udtalelser af Jesus forøget deres forstyrrede sindstilstand. Andreas var næsten ude af sig selv. Han vidste ikke, hvad han skulle gøre, og så gik han til Mesteren med sine problemer og rådvildhed. Da Jesus havde hørt apostlenes leder forklare deres vanskeligheder, sagde han: "Andreas, du kan ikke tale folk fri fra deres rådvildhed, når de bliver så kompliceret, og når de berører så mange mennesker med stærke følelser. Jeg kan ikke gøre, hvad du spørger mig - jeg ønsker ikke at deltage i disse personlige vanskeligheder i relationer mellem mennesker - men jeg vil tilslutte mig til jer til nydelsen af en tredages hvileperiode og afslapning. Gå til dine brødre og lad dem vide, at de alle skal gå op på Sartababjerget med mig hvor jeg ønsker at hvile i et par dage.
1955 143:3.2 “Now you should go to each of your eleven brethren and talk with him privately, saying: ‘The Master desires that we go apart with him for a season to rest and relax. Since we all have recently experienced much vexation of spirit and stress of mind, I suggest that no mention be made of our trials and troubles while on this holiday. Can I depend upon you to co-operate with me in this matter?’ In this way privately and personally approach each of your brethren.” And Andrew did as the Master had instructed him.
2015 143:3.2 "Gå nu til hver af dine elleve brødre, og tal med dem og sig, 'Mesteren vil at vi går væk for os selv med ham for at hvile og slappe af i et stykke tid. Da vi alle for nylig har oplevet meget angst i ånden og stress i sindet, foreslår jeg at ingenting nævnes om vore prøvelser og vanskeligheder i løbet af vores tid væk. Kan jeg stole på dig til at samarbejde med mig i denne sag? "Henvend dig på denne måde individuelt og personligt til hver af dine brødre." Andreas gjorde som Mesteren havde instrueret ham.
1955 143:3.3 This was a marvelous occasion in the experience of each of them; they never forgot the day going up the mountain. Throughout the entire trip hardly a word was said about their troubles. Upon reaching the top of the mountain, Jesus seated them about him while he said: “My brethren, you must all learn the value of rest and the efficacy of relaxation. You must realize that the best method of solving some entangled problems is to forsake them for a time. Then when you go back fresh from your rest or worship, you are able to attack your troubles with a clearer head and a steadier hand, not to mention a more resolute heart. Again, many times your problem is found to have shrunk in size and proportions while you have been resting your mind and body.”
2015 143:3.3 Det var en storslået begivenhed for hver og en af dem at opleve. De glemte aldrig den dag, de vandrede op på bjerget. Under hele rejsen blev der næppe sagt et ord om deres vanskeligheder. Da de var nået bjergtoppen, bad Jesus dem sætte sig omkring ham og sagde: "Mine brødre, I må alle lære værdien af hvile, og effektiviteten af afslapning. I må indse, at den bedste metode til at løse visse komplekse problemer er, at for en tid at glemme dem. Når i siden vender tilbage forfrisket fra jeres hvile eller tilbedelse, kan i tackle jeres problemer med et klarere hoved og en rolig hånd, for ikke at nævne et mere resolut hjerte. Derudover finder i mange gange, at jeres problem er faldet i omfang og proportioner, mens I har hvilet jeres sind og krop."
1955 143:3.4 The next day Jesus assigned to each of the twelve a topic for discussion. The whole day was devoted to reminiscences and to talking over matters not related to their religious work. They were momentarily shocked when Jesus even neglected to give thanks—verbally—when he broke bread for their noontide lunch. This was the first time they had ever observed him to neglect such formalities.
2015 143:3.4 Den næste dag, gav Jesus hver af de tolv et emne for diskussion. Hele dagen var afsat til erindringer og til at tale om spørgsmål, der ikke var relateret til deres religiøse arbejde. Et øjeblik, blev de chokerede, da Jesus ikke - med ord - takkede, da han brød brødet til deres frokost. Det var første gang, de nogensinde havde set ham forsømme sådanne formaliteter.
1955 143:3.5 When they went up the mountain, Andrew’s head was full of problems. John was inordinately perplexed in his heart. James was grievously troubled in his soul. Matthew was hard pressed for funds inasmuch as they had been sojourning among the gentiles. Peter was overwrought and had recently been more temperamental than usual. Judas was suffering from a periodic attack of sensitiveness and selfishness. Simon was unusually upset in his efforts to reconcile his patriotism with the love of the brotherhood of man. Philip was more and more nonplused by the way things were going. Nathaniel had been less humorous since they had come in contact with the gentile populations, and Thomas was in the midst of a severe season of depression. Only the twins were normal and unperturbed. All of them were exceedingly perplexed about how to get along peaceably with John’s disciples.
2015 143:3.5 Da de gik op på bjerget havde Andreas sit hoved fuld af problemer. Johannes var grundigt forvirret i sit hjerte. Jakob var dybt bekymret i sin sjæl. Mattæus var hårdt presset af penge problemer, fordi de havde levet blandt ikke-jøder. Peter var overspændt og havde for nylig været mere temperamentsfuld end normalt. Judas led af et periodisk angreb af overfølsomhed og egoisme. Simon var usædvanlig irriteret i hans bestræbelser på at få sin patriotisme forenelig med kærlighed ifølge menneskeligt broderskab. Filip var mere og mere forundret over, hvordan tingene udviklede sig. Nataniel havde været mindre humoristisk, siden de var kommet i kontakt med de ikke jødiske befolkningsgrupper, og Thomas var midt i en alvorlig depressiv episode. Kun tvillingerne var normale og uanfægtet. Alle var meget forvirret om, hvordan de skulle komme fredeligt overens med Johannes disciple.
1955 143:3.6 The third day when they started down the mountain and back to their camp, a great change had come over them. They had made the important discovery that many human perplexities are in reality nonexistent, that many pressing troubles are the creations of exaggerated fear and the offspring of augmented apprehension. They had learned that all such perplexities are best handled by being forsaken; by going off they had left such problems to solve themselves.
2015 143:3.6 Den tredje dag på vej ned fra bjerget tilbage til deres lejr var en stor forandring kommer over dem. De havde gjort den vigtige opdagelse, at mange menneskelige rådvildheder i virkeligheden ikke eksisterer, at mange presserende problemer skabes af overdreven frygt og opstår af forstørret frygt. De havde lært, at alle sådanne rådvildheder håndteres bedst ved at blive forladt. Ved at gå væk havde de overladt sådanne problemer til at løse sig selv.
1955 143:3.7 Their return from this holiday marked the beginning of a period of greatly improved relations with the followers of John. Many of the twelve really gave way to mirth when they noted the changed state of everybody’s mind and observed the freedom from nervous irritability which had come to them as a result of their three days’ vacation from the routine duties of life. There is always danger that monotony of human contact will greatly multiply perplexities and magnify difficulties.
2015 143:3.7 Deres tilbagevenden fra denne orlov markerede begyndelsen på en periode med stærkt forbedrede forbindelser med tilhængere af Johannes. Mange af de tolv blev virkelig morsomme, da de så, hvordan alles humør havde ændret sig, og bemærket, hvordan de var blevet befriet for den nervøse irritabilitet som følge af dens tre feriedage væk fra livets rutineopgaver. Der er altid en fare for, at ensformighed i kontakten mellem mennesker i høj grad vil mangfoldiggøre rådvildheder og forstørre vanskeligheder.
1955 143:3.8 Not many of the gentiles in the two Greek cities of Archelais and Phasaelis believed in the gospel, but the twelve apostles gained a valuable experience in this their first extensive work with exclusively gentile populations. On a Monday morning, about the middle of the month, Jesus said to Andrew: “We go into Samaria.” And they set out at once for the city of Sychar, near Jacob’s well.
2015 143:3.8 Der var ikke mange, der troede på evangeliet blandt ikke jøderne i de to græske byer Arkelais og Fasaelis, men de tolv apostle fik en værdifuld erfaring i denne deres første omfattende arbejde udelukkende blandt ikke jødiske befolkningsgrupper. En mandag morgen i midten af måneden, sagde Jesus til Andreas: "Vi går ind i Samaria[11]." Og de begav sig på vej til byen Sykar, nær Jakobs brønd.
4. THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS
4. JØDERNE OG SAMARITANERNE
1955 143:4.1 For more than six hundred years the Jews of Judea, and later on those of Galilee also, had been at enmity with the Samaritans. This ill feeling between the Jews and the Samaritans came about in this way: About seven hundred years B.C., Sargon, king of Assyria, in subduing a revolt in central Palestine, carried away and into captivity over twenty-five thousand Jews of the northern kingdom of Israel and installed in their place an almost equal number of the descendants of the Cuthites, Sepharvites, and the Hamathites. Later on, Ashurbanipal sent still other colonies to dwell in Samaria.
2015 143:4.1 I over sekshundrede år levede jøderne i Judæa og senere jøderne i Galilæa i fjendskab med samaritanerne. Denne syge følelse mellem jøder og samaritanere skete på følgende måde: Omkring syvhundrede år f.Kr. havde den assyriske konge Sargon, da han neddæmpede et oprør i det centrale Palæstina, bortført i fangenskab over femogtyve tusinde jøder fra det nordlige kongerige Israel, og installerede i deres sted næsten det samme antal efterkommere af kutiter, sefarviter og hamatiter. Senere, sendte Ashurbanipal stadig andre grupper af kolonister til at bosætte sig i Samaria.
1955 143:4.2 The religious enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans dated from the return of the former from the Babylonian captivity, when the Samaritans worked to prevent the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Later they offended the Jews by extending friendly assistance to the armies of Alexander. In return for their friendship Alexander gave the Samaritans permission to build a temple on Mount Gerizim, where they worshiped Yahweh and their tribal gods and offered sacrifices much after the order of the temple services at Jerusalem. At least they continued this worship up to the time of the Maccabees, when John Hyrcanus destroyed their temple on Mount Gerizim. The Apostle Philip, in his labors for the Samaritans after the death of Jesus, held many meetings on the site of this old Samaritan temple.
2015 143:4.2 Det religiøse fjendskab mellem jøderne og samaritanerne daterede sig fra det tidspunkt, hvor de første vendte tilbage fra det babylonske fangenskab og samaritanerne forsøgte at forhindre genopbygningen af Jerusalem. Senere ophidsede de jøderne ved at give venlig hjælp til Alexanders hære. For at gengælde samaritaneres venskab gav Alexander dem tilladelse til at bygge et tempel på Gerizimbjerget, hvor de tilbad Jahve, og deres stammeguder og forrettede ofringer stort set under samme ordning som blev anvendt til tempeltjenesten i Jerusalem. De fortsatte denne tilbedelse i det mindste frem til Makkabæertiden, da Johannes Hyrkanos ødelagde deres tempel på Gerizimbjerget. Apostlen Filip, i hans arbejde for samaritanerne efter Jesu død, holdt mange møder på dette sted for samaritanernes gamle tempel.
1955 143:4.3 The antagonisms between the Jews and the Samaritans were time-honored and historic; increasingly since the days of Alexander they had had no dealings with each other. The twelve apostles were not averse to preaching in the Greek and other gentile cities of the Decapolis and Syria, but it was a severe test of their loyalty to the Master when he said, “Let us go into Samaria.” But in the year and more they had been with Jesus, they had developed a form of personal loyalty which transcended even their faith in his teachings and their prejudices against the Samaritans.
2015 143:4.3 Modsætningerne mellem jøderne og samaritanerne var hævdvundne og historiske. Siden Alexanders dage havde de ikke haft noget at gøre med hinanden. De tolv apostle havde ikke noget imod at forkynde i de græske og andre ikke jødiske byer i Dekapolis og Syrien, men det var en alvorlig test af deres loyalitet til Mesteren, da han sagde: "Lad os gå ind i Samaria." Men under det år og mere, som de havde tilbragt med Jesus, havde de udviklet en form for personlig loyalitet, som oversteg selv deres tro på hans lære og deres fordomme mod samaritanerne.
5. THE WOMAN OF SYCHAR
5. KVINDEN FRA SYKAR
1955 143:5.1 When the Master and the twelve arrived at Jacob’s well, Jesus, being weary from the journey, tarried by the well while Philip took the apostles with him to assist in bringing food and tents from Sychar, for they were disposed to stay in this vicinity for a while. Peter and the Zebedee sons would have remained with Jesus, but he requested that they go with their brethren, saying: “Have no fear for me; these Samaritans will be friendly; only our brethren, the Jews, seek to harm us.” And it was almost six o’clock on this summer’s evening when Jesus sat down by the well to await the return of the apostles.
2015 143:5.1 Da Mesteren og de tolv ankom til Jakobs brønd, blev Jesus træt efter rejsen ved brønden, så tog Filip apostlene med sig til at hjælpe med at skaffe mad og telte fra Sykar, for de havde til hensigt for en tid at bo i denne region[12][13]. Peter og Zebedæus sønner ville være blevet med Jesus, men han bad dem om at slutte sig til deres brødre og sagde: "Vær ikke bange for mig. Disse samaritaner er venskabelige, kun vore brødre, jøderne, søger at skade os." Klokken var næsten seks denne sommeraften, når Jesus satte sig ved brønden for at afvente apostlene tilbagekomst.
1955 143:5.2 The water of Jacob’s well was less mineral than that from the wells of Sychar and was therefore much valued for drinking purposes. Jesus was thirsty, but there was no way of getting water from the well. When, therefore, a woman of Sychar came up with her water pitcher and prepared to draw from the well, Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” This woman of Samaria knew Jesus was a Jew by his appearance and dress, and she surmised that he was a Galilean Jew from his accent. Her name was Nalda and she was a comely creature. She was much surprised to have a Jewish man thus speak to her at the well and ask for water, for it was not deemed proper in those days for a self-respecting man to speak to a woman in public, much less for a Jew to converse with a Samaritan. Therefore Nalda asked Jesus, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink of me, a Samaritan woman?” Jesus answered: “I have indeed asked you for a drink, but if you could only understand, you would ask me for a draught of the living water.” Then said Nalda: “But, Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; whence, then, have you this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well, and who drank thereof himself and his sons and his cattle also?”
2015 143:5.2 Vandet i Jakobs brønd var mindre mineralholdigt end vandet i de andre brønde i Sykar og var derfor højt værdsat som drikkevand. Jesus var tørstig, men der var ingen måde at hente vandet op fra brønden. Derfor, da en kvinde fra Sykar kom hen med sin vandkrukke, og var ved at hente vand fra brønden, sagde Jesus til hende: "Giv mig noget at drikke[14]." Denne samaritanske kvinde vidste fra Jesu udseende og påklædning, at han var en jøde, og hun formodede at han var en galilæisk jøde fra hans accent. Hendes navn var Nalda og hun var en smuk skabning. Hun var meget overrasket over, at en jøde på denne måde talte til hende ved brønden og bad om vand, for det blev anset på den tid som upassende for en mand med selvrespekt at tiltale en kvinde i det offentlige, meget mindre for en jøde at tale med en samaritaner. Nalda spurgte derfor Jesus: "Hvordan kan du, som er jøde, bede mig, en samaritansk kvinde, om vand?" Jesus svarede: "Jeg har faktisk bedt dig om noget at drikke, men om du blot kunne forstå, ville du bede mig om en drik af det levende vand[15]." Så sagde Nalda: ”Men, herre, du har intet at hente det op med, og brønden er dyb; hvorfra får du da dette levende vand? Er du større end vor fader Jakob, som gav os brønden og selv drak deraf og hans sønner, og hans kvæg?"[16][17]
1955 143:5.3 Jesus replied: “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whosoever drinks of the water of the living spirit shall never thirst. And this living water shall become in him a well of refreshment springing up even to eternal life.” Nalda then said: “Give me this water that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw. Besides, anything which a Samaritan woman could receive from such a commendable Jew would be a pleasure.”
2015 143:5.3 Jesus sagde: "Den, som drikker af dette vand, skal tørste igen, men dem som drikker af den levende åndens vand, skal aldrig mere tørste. Og dette levende vand bliver en forfriskende kilde i ham, som flyder op til evigt liv." Nalda sagde derefter:" Giv mig dette vand, så at jeg aldrig vil være tørstig, og behøver at gå hele vejen her for at hente. Desuden hvad en samaritansk kvinde kunne få fra sådan en prisværdig jøde ville være en fornøjelse[18]."
1955 143:5.4 Nalda did not know how to take Jesus’ willingness to talk with her. She beheld in the Master’s face the countenance of an upright and holy man, but she mistook friendliness for commonplace familiarity, and she misinterpreted his figure of speech as a form of making advances to her. And being a woman of lax morals, she was minded openly to become flirtatious, when Jesus, looking straight into her eyes, with a commanding voice said, “Woman, go get your husband and bring him hither.” This command brought Nalda to her senses. She saw that she had misjudged the Master’s kindness; she perceived that she had misconstrued his manner of speech. She was frightened; she began to realize that she stood in the presence of an unusual person, and groping about in her mind for a suitable reply, in great confusion, she said, “But, Sir, I cannot call my husband, for I have no husband.” Then said Jesus: “You have spoken the truth, for, while you may have once had a husband, he with whom you are now living is not your husband. Better it would be if you would cease to trifle with my words and seek for the living water which I have this day offered you.”
2015 143:5.4 Nalda vidste ikke, hvordan hun skulle tage Jesu villighed til at tale med hende. Hun så i Mesterens ansigtstræk en from og hellig mand, men hun forvekslede venlighed for dagligdags fortrolighed, og hun misfortolkede hans talemåde som en måde at gøre tilnærmelser til hende. Hun var en kvinde med en løs moral og derfor klar til åbent at flirte da Jesus så hende lige i øjnene og med en kommanderende stemme sagde: "Kvinde, gå og hent din mand." Denne befaling bragte Nalda til fornuft. Hun så, at hun havde fejlbedømt Mesterens venlighed. Hun indså, at hun havde misforstået hans måde at tale. Hun blev bange. Hun begyndte at indse, at hun stod over for en usædvanlig person og famlede i sit sind efter en passende svar, i stor forvirring sagde hun: "Men, herre, jeg kan ikke hente min mand, for jeg har ingen mand[19]." Da sagde Jesus: "Det er sand hvad du siger, for mens du engang havde haft en mand er den, du nu lever med, ikke din mand. Det ville være bedre, hvis du ophører med at spøge med mine ord og søgte det levende vand, som jeg i dag har tilbudt dig."
1955 143:5.5 By this time Nalda was sobered, and her better self was awakened. She was not an immoral woman wholly by choice. She had been ruthlessly and unjustly cast aside by her husband and in dire straits had consented to live with a certain Greek as his wife, but without marriage. Nalda now felt greatly ashamed that she had so unthinkingly spoken to Jesus, and she most penitently addressed the Master, saying: “My Lord, I repent of my manner of speaking to you, for I perceive that you are a holy man or maybe a prophet.” And she was just about to seek direct and personal help from the Master when she did what so many have done before and since—dodged the issue of personal salvation by turning to the discussion of theology and philosophy. She quickly turned the conversation from her own needs to a theological controversy. Pointing over to Mount Gerizim, she continued: “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and yet you would say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship; which, then, is the right place to worship God?”
2015 143:5.5 Nalda var nu igen rolig og hendes bedre selv blev vakt. Hun var ikke en umoralsk kvinde helt af eget valg. Hun havde været hensynsløst og uretfærdigt smidt ud af sin mand og i alvorlige vanskeligheder da hun indvilligede i at leve med en vis græker som hans kone men uden ægteskab. Nalda følte sig nu meget flov over, at hun havde talt så hensynsløst til Jesus, og hun vendte sig meget angerfuld til Mesteren og sagde: "Herre, jeg angrer min måde at tale til dig, fordi jeg er klar over, at du er en hellig mand eller måske en profet[20]. "Og hun var lige ved at søge direkte og personlig hjælp fra Mesteren, da hun gjorde, hvad så mange før og efter hende har gjort - undgik spørgsmålet om personlig frelse ved at skifte til en diskussion om teologi og filosofi. Hun vendte hurtigt samtalen fra hendes egne behov til en teologisk kontrovers. Pegende over mod Gerizimbjerget, fortsatte hun: "Vore fædre tilbad på dette bjerg, men alligevel siger I, at stedet, hvor man bør tilbede er i Jerusalem. Hvad er så det rigtige sted at tilbede Gud?"[21]
1955 143:5.6 Jesus perceived the attempt of the woman’s soul to avoid direct and searching contact with its Maker, but he also saw that there was present in her soul a desire to know the better way of life. After all, there was in Nalda’s heart a true thirst for the living water; therefore he dealt patiently with her, saying: “Woman, let me say to you that the day is soon coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. But now you worship that which you know not, a mixture of the religion of many pagan gods and gentile philosophies. The Jews at least know whom they worship; they have removed all confusion by concentrating their worship upon one God, Yahweh. But you should believe me when I say that the hour will soon come—even now is—when all sincere worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for it is just such worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Your salvation comes not from knowing how others should worship or where but by receiving into your own heart this living water which I am offering you even now.”
2015 143:5.6 Jesus indså, at kvindens sjæl forsøgte at undgå direkte og søgende kontakt med sin Skaber, men han så også at der i hendes sind var et ønske om at kende en bedre livsstil. Efter alt, var der i Naldas hjerte en sand tørst efter det levende vand. Derfor behandlede han hende med tålmodighed og sagde: "Kvinde, lad mig fortælle dig, at den dag snart vil komme, hvor du hverken på dette bjerg eller i Jerusalem, vil tilbede Faderen. Men nu tilbeder du hvad du ikke kender, en blanding af mange hedenske guders religion og fremmede filosofier. Jøderne ved i det mindste, hvem de tilbeder. De har fjernet al forvirring ved at koncentrere al deres tilbedelse til én Gud, Jahve. Men du bør tro mig når jeg siger, at tiden snart vil komme - den er faktisk allerede her - da alle sande tilbedere skal tilbede Faderen i ånd og sandhed, for det er netop sådanne tilbedere Faderen søger[22]. Gud er ånd, og de, som tilbeder ham, skal tilbede i ånd og sandhed. Din frelse kommer ikke af, at du ved, hvordan eller hvor andre skal tilbede, men ved at modtager ind i dit eget hjerte dette levende vand, som jeg nu tilbyder selv dig."
1955 143:5.7 But Nalda would make one more effort to avoid the discussion of the embarrassing question of her personal life on earth and the status of her soul before God. Once more she resorted to questions of general religion, saying: “Yes, I know, Sir, that John has preached about the coming of the Converter, he who will be called the Deliverer, and that, when he shall come, he will declare to us all things”—and Jesus, interrupting Nalda, said with startling assurance, “I who speak to you am he.”
2015 143:5.7 Men Nalda ville gøre yderligere et forsøg for at undgå en diskussion af det pinlige spørgsmål som galt hendes personlige liv på jorden og status for hendes sjæl overfor Gud. Endnu engang tyede hun tilflugt i spørgsmål om religion i almindelighed, og siger: "Ja, jeg ved, herre, at Johannes har prædiket om at Omvenderen skal komme, han, som vil blive kaldt Befrieren, og når han kommer, vil han forklare alt til os"- og Jesus afbrød Nalda og sagde med overraskende forsikring:" Jeg, som taler til dig er han."[23]
1955 143:5.8 This was the first direct, positive, and undisguised pronouncement of his divine nature and sonship which Jesus had made on earth; and it was made to a woman, a Samaritan woman, and a woman of questionable character in the eyes of men up to this moment, but a woman whom the divine eye beheld as having been sinned against more than as sinning of her own desire and as now being a human soul who desired salvation, desired it sincerely and wholeheartedly, and that was enough.
2015 143:5.8 Dette var den første direkte, positive og utilsløret tilkendegivelse om hans guddommelige natur og hans guddommelige sønskab som Jesus gjorde på jorden, og det var rettet til en kvinde, en samaritansk kvinde, og en kvinde i menneskernes øjne frem til dette øjeblik havde haft en tvivlsom karakter men en kvinde som det guddommelige øje så, at der var syndet mere mod, end hun havde syndet af eget ønske, og som nu var en menneskelig sjæl, der ønskede frelse, ønskede det oprigtigt og helhjertet, og det var nok.
1955 143:5.9 As Nalda was about to voice her real and personal longing for better things and a more noble way of living, just as she was ready to speak the real desire of her heart, the twelve apostles returned from Sychar, and coming upon this scene of Jesus’ talking so intimately with this woman—this Samaritan woman, and alone—they were more than astonished. They quickly deposited their supplies and drew aside, no man daring to reprove him, while Jesus said to Nalda: “Woman, go your way; God has forgiven you. Henceforth you will live a new life. You have received the living water, and a new joy will spring up within your soul, and you shall become a daughter of the Most High.” And the woman, perceiving the disapproval of the apostles, left her waterpot and fled to the city.
2015 143:5.9 Netop da Nalda ville udtrykke hendes virkelige og personlige længsel efter noget bedre, og efter en mere ædel livsform, ligesom hun var klar til at udtrykke sit hjertes sande ønske, vendte de tolv apostle tilbage fra Sykar, og da de kom på tværs af denne scene, hvor Jesus talte så intimt med denne kvinde - denne samaritanske kvinde, og alene - blev de mere end overrasket[24]. De satte hurtigt deres forsyninger væk og trak til side, uden at nogen vovede at bebrejde ham, mens Jesus sagde til Nalda: "Kvinde, gå din vej, Gud har tilgivet dig. Fremover vil du leve et nyt liv. Du har modtaget det levende vand, og en ny glæde vil springer op i din sjæl, og du vil blive en datter af den Højeste. "Kvinden, der så misbilligelse af apostlene, efterlod sin vandkrukke og flygtede ind i byen.
1955 143:5.10 As she entered the city, she proclaimed to everyone she met: “Go out to Jacob’s well and go quickly, for there you will see a man who told me all I ever did. Can this be the Converter?” And ere the sun went down, a great crowd had assembled at Jacob’s well to hear Jesus. And the Master talked to them more about the water of life, the gift of the indwelling spirit.
2015 143:5.10 Da hun kom ind i byen, proklamerede hun til alle hun mødte: "Gå ud til Jakobs brønd og gå hurtigt, for der vil du se en mand, som har fortalt mig alt, hvad jeg har gjort. Kan han være Omvenderen? "Inden solen gik ned var en stor skare samlet ved Jakobs brønd for at høre Jesus. Mesteren talte mere til dem om livets vand, gaven fra ånden i menneskets indre[25].
1955 143:5.11 The apostles never ceased to be shocked by Jesus’ willingness to talk with women, women of questionable character, even immoral women. It was very difficult for Jesus to teach his apostles that women, even so-called immoral women, have souls which can choose God as their Father, thereby becoming daughters of God and candidates for life everlasting. Even nineteen centuries later many show the same unwillingness to grasp the Master’s teachings. Even the Christian religion has been persistently built up around the fact of the death of Christ instead of around the truth of his life. The world should be more concerned with his happy and God-revealing life than with his tragic and sorrowful death.
2015 143:5.11 Apostlene ophørte aldrig med at være chokeret over at Jesus var villig til at tale med kvinder, kvinder af tvivlsom karakter, selv umoralske kvinder. Det var meget svært for Jesus at lære sine apostle, at kvinder, selv såkaldte umoralske kvinder, har sjæle, der kan vælge Gud til sin Fader og dermed blive Guds døtre og kandidater til evigt liv. Selv nitten århundreder senere viser mange den samme uvilje mod at forstå Mesterens belæringer. Selv den kristne religion er vedholdende opbygget omkring det faktum, om Kristi død i stedet for sandheden om hans liv. Verden bør beskæftige sig mere med hans glade og Gud åbenbarende liv end med hans tragiske og sørgelige død.
1955 143:5.12 Nalda told this entire story to the Apostle John the next day, but he never revealed it fully to the other apostles, and Jesus did not speak of it in detail to the twelve.
2015 143:5.12 Den næste dag fortalte Nalda hele denne historie til apostlen Johannes, men han åbenbarede den aldrig helt til de andre apostle, og Jesus talte aldrig om den i detaljer til de tolv.
1955 143:5.13 Nalda told John that Jesus had told her “all I ever did.” John many times wanted to ask Jesus about this visit with Nalda, but he never did. Jesus told her only one thing about herself, but his look into her eyes and the manner of his dealing with her had so brought all of her checkered life in panoramic review before her mind in a moment of time that she associated all of this self-revelation of her past life with the look and the word of the Master. Jesus never told her she had had five husbands. She had lived with four different men since her husband cast her aside, and this, with all her past, came up so vividly in her mind at the moment when she realized Jesus was a man of God that she subsequently repeated to John that Jesus had really told her all about herself.
2015 143:5.13 Nalda fortalte Johannes, at Jesus havde fortalt hende "alt det, hun havde gjort". Johannes ville mange gange spørger Jesus om denne samtale med Nalda, men han gjorde det aldrig. Jesus havde kun fortalt hende én ting om hende selv, men hans blik ind i hendes øjne, og den måde, han behandlede hende havde bragt op i hendes sind for et øjeblik hele hendes brogede liv som en panoramaoverblik, så hun tilknyttede hele denne selvåbenbaring af hendes tidligere liv med Mesterens øjne og ord[26]. Jesus sagde aldrig til hende, at hun havde haft fem mænd. Hun havde levet med fire forskellige mænd, efter hendes mand havde smidt hende ud, og dette, sammen med hele hendes fortid kom så levende op i hendes sind det øjeblik, hvor hun indså Jesus var en Guds mand, at hun efterfølgende gentog for Johannes at Jesus havde fortalt hende alt om hende selv[27].
6. THE SAMARITAN REVIVAL
6. DEN SAMARITANSKE VÆKKELSE
1955 143:6.1 On the evening that Nalda drew the crowd out from Sychar to see Jesus, the twelve had just returned with food, and they besought Jesus to eat with them instead of talking to the people, for they had been without food all day and were hungry. But Jesus knew that darkness would soon be upon them; so he persisted in his determination to talk to the people before he sent them away. When Andrew sought to persuade him to eat a bite before speaking to the crowd, Jesus said, “I have meat to eat that you do not know about.” When the apostles heard this, they said among themselves: “Has any man brought him aught to eat? Can it be that the woman gave him food as well as drink?” When Jesus heard them talking among themselves, before he spoke to the people, he turned aside and said to the twelve: “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work. You should no longer say it is such and such a time until the harvest. Behold these people coming out from a Samaritan city to hear us; I tell you the fields are already white for the harvest. He who reaps receives wages and gathers this fruit to eternal life; consequently the sowers and the reapers rejoice together. For herein is the saying true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I am now sending you to reap that whereon you have not labored; others have labored, and you are about to enter into their labor.” This he said in reference to the preaching of John the Baptist.
2015 143:6.1 Om aftenen, da Nalda trak folkemassen ud fra Sykar for at se Jesus, var de tolv lige vendt tilbage med mad og bad Jesus om at spise med dem i stedet for at tale med menneskerne, for de havde været uden mad hele dagen og var sultne. Men Jesus vidste, at mørket snart ville være over dem; derfor fortsatte han med sin beslutning om at tale med folk, før han sendte dem væk. Da Andreas forsøgte at overtale ham til at spise en bid før han talte til forsamlingen, sagde Jesus: "Jeg har mad at spise, som du ikke kender[28][29]." Da apostlene hørte det, sagde de til hinanden: "Har nogen bragte ham mad? Kan det være, at kvinden gav ham mad samt noget at drikke?" Da hørte Jesus dem tale med hinanden, før han talte til folket, så trådte han til side og sagde til de tolv: "Mit mad er at gøre hans vilje, som har sendt mig og at fuldføre hans værk. Du bør ikke længere sige, at der er sådan og sådan en lang tid indtil høsten. Se disse mennesker som er kommet ud fra en samaritansk by for at høre os; jeg fortæller dig at markerne allerede er klar til at blive høstet. Den som høster får sin løn, og samler denne frugt til evigt liv. Derfor kan dem, der sår, og de, som høster glæde sig sammen. For heri er det sagte sandt: "En sår og en anden høster ' Jeg sender jer nu til at høste det, du ikke har arbejdet; andre have arbejdet, og du vil snart tage deres arbejde." Han sagde dette med hensyn til Johannes Døberens prædiken.
1955 143:6.2 Jesus and the apostles went into Sychar and preached two days before they established their camp on Mount Gerizim. And many of the dwellers in Sychar believed the gospel and made request for baptism, but the apostles of Jesus did not yet baptize.
1955 143:6.3 The first night of the camp on Mount Gerizim the apostles expected that Jesus would rebuke them for their attitude toward the woman at Jacob’s well, but he made no reference to the matter. Instead he gave them that memorable talk on “The realities which are central in the kingdom of God.” In any religion it is very easy to allow values to become disproportionate and to permit facts to occupy the place of truth in one’s theology. The fact of the cross became the very center of subsequent Christianity; but it is not the central truth of the religion which may be derived from the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
2015 143:6.3 Den første nat i lejren på Gerizimbjerget forventede apostlene, at Jesus ville irettesætte dem for deres holdning til kvinden ved Jakobs brønd, men han sagde ikke noget om det. I stedet gav han dem, den mindeværdig tale om "De realiteter, som er centrale i Guds rige." I enhver religion er det meget nemt at tillade værdier at blive uforholdsmæssig og at lade kendsgerningerne indtage sandhedens plads i ens egen teologi. Korsets kendsgerning blev selve centret i den senere opstået kristendom; men det er ikke den centrale sandhed af den religion, som kan udledes fra Jesus af Nazarets liv og lære.
1955 143:6.4 The theme of Jesus’ teaching on Mount Gerizim was: That he wants all men to see God as a Father-friend just as he (Jesus) is a brother-friend. And again and again he impressed upon them that love is the greatest relationship in the world—in the universe—just as truth is the greatest pronouncement of the observation of these divine relationships.
2015 143:6.4 Temaet for Jesu lære på Gerizimbjerget var: At han ønskede, at alle mennesker skal se Gud som deres Fader og ven, ligesom han (Jesus) er en bror og ven. Igen og igen indprentede han i dem, at kærlighed er det vigtigste forhold i verden - i universet - ligesom sandheden er det fineste udtryk for iagttagelsen af disse guddommelige relationer.
1955 143:6.5 Jesus declared himself so fully to the Samaritans because he could safely do so, and because he knew that he would not again visit the heart of Samaria to preach the gospel of the kingdom.
2015 143:6.5 Jesus tilkendegav sig så fuldt ud til samaritanerne, fordi han trygt kunne gøre det, og fordi han vidste, at han ikke igen ville besøge hjertet af Samaria for at forkynde rigets evangelium.
1955 143:6.6 Jesus and the twelve camped on Mount Gerizim until the end of August. They preached the good news of the kingdom—the fatherhood of God—to the Samaritans in the cities by day and spent the nights at the camp. The work which Jesus and the twelve did in these Samaritan cities yielded many souls for the kingdom and did much to prepare the way for the marvelous work of Philip in these regions after Jesus’ death and resurrection, subsequent to the dispersion of the apostles to the ends of the earth by the bitter persecution of believers at Jerusalem.
2015 143:6.6 Jesus og de tolv slog lejr på Gerizimbjerget indtil slutningen af august. De prædikede den gode nyhed om riget - Guds faderskab - til samaritanerne i byerne om dagen og tilbragte aftenen i lejren. Det arbejde, som Jesus og de tolv gjorde i disse Samaritanske byer vandt mange sjæle for riget og gjorde meget for at bane vejen for det storslåede arbejde, som Filip gjorde i disse regioner efter Jesu død og opstandelse, efter at apostlene blev spredt til alle jordens hjørner af den bitre forfølgelse af de troende i Jerusalem[32].
7. TEACHINGS ABOUT PRAYER AND WORSHIP
7. LÆRDOMME OM BØN OG GUDSTILBEDELSE
1955 143:7.1 At the evening conferences on Mount Gerizim, Jesus taught many great truths, and in particular he laid emphasis on the following:
2015 143:7.1 Under aftenmøderne på Gerizimbjerget, lærte Jesus mange store sandheder, og især understregede han følgende:
1955 143:7.2 True religion is the act of an individual soul in its self-conscious relations with the Creator; organized religion is man’s attempt to socialize the worship of individual religionists.
2015 143:7.2 Sand religion er en individuel sjæls aktivitet i dens bevidste relationer med Skaberen. Organiseret religion er menneskets forsøg på at socialisere tilbedelsen af de enkelte religionsudøvere.
1955 143:7.3 Worship—contemplation of the spiritual—must alternate with service, contact with material reality. Work should alternate with play; religion should be balanced by humor. Profound philosophy should be relieved by rhythmic poetry. The strain of living—the time tension of personality—should be relaxed by the restfulness of worship. The feelings of insecurity arising from the fear of personality isolation in the universe should be antidoted by the faith contemplation of the Father and by the attempted realization of the Supreme.
2015 143:7.3 Tilbedelse - Betragtningen af det åndelige - skal veksle med tjeneste, kontakt med den materielle virkelighed. Arbejdet bør veksle med afslapning. Religion bør afbalanceres af humor. Gennemgribende filosofi bør afhjælpes ved rytmisk poesi. Livets stress - den spænding som personligheden udsættes for i tiden - bør løses af afslappelse i tilbedelse. De følelser af usikkerhed som følger af frygten for personlighedens isolation i universet bør modvirkes af at man i troen overvejer Faderen og forsøger at forstå den Højeste.
1955 143:7.4 Prayer is designed to make man less thinking but more realizing; it is not designed to increase knowledge but rather to expand insight.
2015 143:7.4 Bøn er designet til at gøre mennesket mindre tænkende, men mere indsigtsfuld. Den er ikke designet til at øge viden, men snarere at udvide indsigten.
1955 143:7.5 Worship is intended to anticipate the better life ahead and then to reflect these new spiritual significances back onto the life which now is. Prayer is spiritually sustaining, but worship is divinely creative.
2015 143:7.5 Tilbedelse er beregnet til at give et glimt af fremtidens bedre liv og derefter at afspejle disse nye åndelige betydninger tilbage til det nuværende liv. Bøn er åndelig vedligeholdelse, men tilbedelse er guddommelig skabende.
1955 143:7.6 Worship is the technique of looking to the One for the inspiration of service to the many. Worship is the yardstick which measures the extent of the soul’s detachment from the material universe and its simultaneous and secure attachment to the spiritual realities of all creation.
2015 143:7.6 Tilbedelse er teknikken med at ser til den Ene for inspiration til at tjene de mange. Tilbedelse er den målestok, som måler omfanget af sjælens løsrivelse fra det materielle univers og dens samtidige og sikker fastgørelse til de åndelige realiteter i hele skabelsen.
1955 143:7.7 Prayer is self-reminding—sublime thinking; worship is self-forgetting—superthinking. Worship is effortless attention, true and ideal soul rest, a form of restful spiritual exertion.
2015 143:7.7 Bøn er selvpåmindelse - sublim tænkning. Tilbedelse er selvforglemmelse - super tænkning. Tilbedelse er ubesværet opmærksomhed, sand og ideel hvile for sjælen, en form for afslappende åndelig øvelse.
1955 143:7.8 Worship is the act of a part identifying itself with the Whole; the finite with the Infinite; the son with the Father; time in the act of striking step with eternity. Worship is the act of the son’s personal communion with the divine Father, the assumption of refreshing, creative, fraternal, and romantic attitudes by the human soul-spirit.
2015 143:7.8 Tilbedelse er den handling, hvor en del identificere sig med Helheden, den finite med det uendelige, Sønnen med Faderen, tiden på vej til harmoni med evigheden. Tilbedelse er den aktivitet, hvor sønnen personligt kommunikere med den guddommelige Fader, hvor den menneskelige sjæl-ånd indtager forfriskende, kreative, broderlige, og romantiske holdninger
1955 143:7.9 Although the apostles grasped only a few of his teachings at the camp, other worlds did, and other generations on earth will.
2015 143:7.9 Selvom apostlene kun forstod nogle få af hans lære i lejren, var der andre verdener som gjorde, og andre generationer på jorden vil komme til at forstå.