Episode:Last Ministry of the Master—Beyond the Jordan (Part 4)
Said Jesus to his apostles: "In the time of testing, a man’s soul is revealed; trial discloses what really is in the heart. Remember, much has been given to you; therefore will much be required of you. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and I am on watch until this is accomplished. You preach peace on earth, but my mission will not bring peace in the material affairs of men—not for a time, at least."
Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, The Way of Truth, The Way of Darkness, Self-Righteousness
Note: Justin Armstrong filled in for Andrea Barnes.
Summary by Kermit
Commentary after Review
Further discussion concerning the issues of wealth led to consideration of the spiritual corruption associated with covetousness. Add to this, Luke’s previously cited strong belief in social equality and we speculate that today’s misplaced religious motivation to redistribute wealth is further contaminated with covetousness. This corrupting preoccupation of the spiritual inner life with secular and material interests might well constitute one of the emergency serious enough to trigger the gift from on high of the 5th ER. It also does not require any great leap of imagination to notice the line of logic connecting to another destroyer of civilization, unrestrained self-gratification repeatedly cited the revelators. And herein lies the relevance of this narrative of Jesus ministry two thousand years ago.
165:6 Answer to Peter’s Question
Jesus’ answer to Peter’s inquiry as to the target audience for his teaching about wealth characteristically demands discrimination. With the end near approaching Jesus is trying to prepare them for the fiery trials ahead. We might well look to our own fiery trials near of approach.
Plumbing the remarks of Jesus for truth requires the cultivation and exercise of the faculties of Holy Spirit encircuitment which are accessible initially only superconsciously. And as agondonters without visible planetary guidance in the flesh we are left to our own devices in large part to develop them. This is not an easy proposition with the ready availability of intellectual assent, credulity, and established authority with which to short circuit our efforts and struggles to progress. Humility then becomes a necessary antidote for the pride we take in the authority of our opinions based on the ignorance of others.
To be sure the Master’s way leads to a peace that passes understanding for the individual faith son, yet in the collective, and absent mitigating influences to the contrary, the conflict between the way of truth and the way of darkness will persist. Disturbingly, of historical note, initially we observe a preponderance of proponents for the dark way over those of way of truth in the neighborhood of 60-40. And the mitigating influence of the Thought Adjuster, without a sound and true philosophical foundation, acts as a double edged sword. In light of all of this the Master encourages his chosen twelve to go into all the world proclaiming the gospel to all nations, to every man, woman, and child.
Paper 166 Last Visit to Northern Perea
The work of preaching and teaching in northern Perea was being undertaken by the, dare we call them second stringers?, the seventy working under the direction of Abner. These kingdom builders were meeting with success, as Jesus repeatedly reminded the twelve, without a display of miracles and wonders. Increasingly going forward, the gospel reflected the Master’s teachings more than his personality. Sad to record following his death, in building the early church his followers reverted to the appeal to miraculous concepts and glorified memories of his divine human personality.
166:1 The Pharisees at Ragaba
The narrative continues treating us with a scene of Jesus as honored guest at breakfast with Pharisees and a smattering of lawyers some twenty persons in all. Jesus immediately scandalizes the gathering by completely omitting the ceremonial handwashing upon his entrance and taking his seat. Talk about getting of on the wrong foot. The unspoken but undisguised horror of the those gathered prompted the Master to indulge in some rare, for him, sarcasm. After which he delivers a blistering indictment of their hypocrisy in a warm up to his likewise blistering excoriation of the Sanhedrin to be delivered two months hence in the Last Temple Discourse [Paper 175]. Paralleling Luke’s gospel we note that the good physician pulls another 180, in obedience to his social justice bent. Where the Master declares, “Think not that the giving of alms and the paying of tithes will cleanse you from unrighteousness and enable you to stand clean in the presence of the Judge of all men.” Luke has Jesus proclaiming, “But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.” In so doing Luke has given us the seeds of so much that is missing the mark in terms of true religion today.
Worth comment is the consideration of the terms righteousness, unrighteousness, and self-righteousness. The 5th ER meaning of righteousness is conformity with the cosmos. Unrighteousness is its opposite, and in a personal active sense wicked. Self-righteousness thus becomes conformity with self, wickedness.
As Jesus stood preparing to leave without partaking of the meal, a lawyer unwisely prompted Jesus for perchance a good word on behalf of lawyers. To this Jesus unloaded another fusillade of denunciations and calling due of the present self-righteous generation the accounting for the blood of the prophets and apostles of past generations.
Interestingly, some of the Pharisees present chose to enter the kingdom, but sadly, as related above, and even with the mitigating presence of God incarnate, a greater number of his hearers persisted in the way of darkness.
The narrative concludes with a listing of the three things which the Pharisees paid scrupulous attention to in their so-called religious practice: strict tithing, observance of the laws of purification, and avoidance of association with non-Pharisees, in substance all three are rooted in their preoccupation with purity. Listen to our discussion of the significance of spiritual purity and its role in conditioning our attitudes about material things falsely exalted to spiritual levels.
