Episode:Jesus Goes Public—Precursor and Prelude (Part 12)

From Symmetry of Soul


In the presence of the first four apostles, Philip led Nathaniel to Jesus, who, looking benignly into the face of the sincere doubter, said: "Behold a genuine Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. Follow me." And Nathaniel, turning to Philip, said: "You are right. He is indeed a master of men. I will also follow, if I am worthy." And Jesus nodded to Nathaniel, again saying, "Follow me."

Listen to the broadcast

Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, Andrew and Simon Peter, James and John, Philip and Nathaniel

Opening thought: Do not make the mistake of regarding the apostles as being altogether ignorant and unlearned. All [except two] were graduates of the synagogue schools, thoroughly trained in Hebrew scriptures much current-day knowledge of that day. But they were laymen, unlearned in the lore of the rabbis. They were lacking in so-called higher education. In modern times they would certainly be considered uneducated, and in some circles of society even uncultured. [139:0.4-5]

Closing thought: Even as we talk about righteousness all the time like this, let us never lose sight of the love of God; all discussion of righteousness must be understood in that context.

Summary by Kermit

Commentary after Review

SoS continues to highlight the ideal of righteousness as foundational to Jesus’ revelation of his heavenly Father as a God of love and mercy—the spiritual Father of each individual. A question arose regarding the degree and nature of accountability for righteousness to which those who possess the beginnings of a correct understanding of the 5th ER might possibly be held.

In today’s decidedly secular intellectual and philosophical environment the word and concept of righteousness finds less than wholehearted embrace even in nominally religious circles, where God himself often takes a back seat to humanistic directed ministries aimed at establishing the kingdom of “good” in the outer life.

Further discussion was had on the admonition found in the Gospel of Luke: “Of him to whom much is given, much will be required.” The question was presented, how seriously do devotees of the 5th ER take this admonition? If we are known by our fruits, what are we broadcasting to the world?

Lastly, a caller prompted a discussion of the levels of meaning as applied to life experiences beyond the rule for living examples cited by Jesus.

Paper 137 Tarrying Time in Galilee

Attention was called to the authors’ use of a full-time stamp—month, day, year—in the introduction to this paper as Jesus came down the mountain from his forty days of decision. SoS speculates they use a full time stamp to designate a date of singular importance or the beginning of a significant phase of the overall narrative.

137:1 Choosing the First Four Apostles

The first thing to notice is, of the biblical versions of Jesus’ choosing of the apostles, the Gospel of John is the closest to the events as given in the 5th ER. And again as many times mentioned on SoS, the 5th ER provides the coordination of essential knowledge in comparison with the New Testament Scriptures’ versions of these events. Such coordination is essential for sincere seekers to be able to access the truth of both the 4th and the 5th ERs. There is an actual physics to all of this coordination involving real spirit gravity and its ability to enhance cosmic consciousness.

Andrew and his brother Simon were leading disciples of the Baptist and happened to spend much time during the Sabbath with Jesus upon his return from the mountain. Notwithstanding Andrew’s inability to understand all of Jesus’ teaching due to his confusion concerning the inner and outer life, in privacy he did recognize Jesus as “the new Teacher” and sought Jesus’ acceptance to sit at his feet and learn the whole truth about the new kingdom. Subsequently Andrew sought out his brother Simon, well known for his enthusiasm, and informed him of his decisions and conclusions concerning Jesus and urged Simon to offer himself to Jesus for fellowship and service in the new kingdom. Following counsel with the Baptist who sadly recognized the direction things were taking, acknowledged Jesus’ as the rightful successor to his work of proclaiming the new kingdom with the exhortation to repentance and righteousness. It was in Jesus’ welcome to Simon’s request to join the fellowship of the new kingdom that he changed Simon’s name to Peter, with the first of many admonitions to be more thoughtful in his speech.

Consult the archive for a physics lesson on the interplay of the zeal of the 6th adjutant and 3rd cosmic intuition interacting to produce enthusiasm, with the requirement of the scientific consciousness of the 1st cosmic intuition to prevent such enthusiasm from leading to fanaticism.

The Zebedee brothers who had busied themselves searching for Jesus, unbidden during his retreat in the hills were saddened upon their return to find that Andrew and Simon Peter had been accepted first for service in the new kingdom. Jesus mildly chastised them for their sophomoric actions and reactions to this issue of preferment, which likely explains why this part of the story is not found in John’s Gospel. Jesus graciously reminded them that they were already considered members of the fellowship of the new kingdom and urged their focus on the inner life concerns of doing the will of the Father in heaven and abandon thoughts of outer life anxieties.

137:2 Choosing Philip and Nathaniel

Another full time stamp is used here, punctuating Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s final farewell in the flesh.

Andrew’s decision to follow Jesus, with the Baptist’s approval caused a rupture among the disciples of John. Citing Jesus as too mild mannered and being from Nazareth, highly suspect, another of John’s disciples Ezra defected with many others to continue to baptize in John’s name and forming the Mandeans, still in existence today.

Jesus and his four new apostles set out for Galilee and encountered Philip, already known to them, and Philip’s friend Nathaniel. The 5th ER narrative here suggests remarkable inner reality responses on the part of the two new prospects, as Peter engaged Philip in recruitment to volunteer for service in the new kingdom. Philip’s sudden insight as to Jesus’ nature led him to ask Jesus whether he should follow him or the Baptist. Philip in turn approached Nathaniel and urged him to join the growing group of future kingdom builders. The immediacy of Philip’s and Nathaniel’s decisions in seemingly spontaneous and passing circumstances speaks to the operation of genuine cosmic insight.

Upon reaching the Nazareth boyhood home of Jesus, the four new apostles witnessed Jesus proceed to destroy every vestige of his writing, which included the ten commandments, and other mottoes and sayings. Combined with the fact that they subsequently never witnessed him write on anything but sand or dust, the four were deeply impressed such that this may have discouraged them from making written records of their time as apostles until much later after the Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Notes by Brad

  • Being a serious student
    • God is no longer a sporadic hobby for you.
    • Instead, the concept of God is an ever-present predicate to everything you think and do.
    • Nothing is part of eternity unless it has an ever-present God nucleus.
    • Having an ever-present God nucleus is highly unnatural. Particularly these days, deep into the secular revolt.


  • It is unsafe to talk about the love of God unless you are firmly rooted in an understanding of God's righteousness—what is expected of you in the cosmos.