Episode:Last Ministry of the Master—Detour for Lazarus (Part 1)

From Symmetry of Soul


Jesus and his apostles were much rejoiced over the progress of the gospel at Philadelphia and among the near-by villages. Excepting the cleansing of the ten lepers, thus far there had been no miracles on this Perean mission. This was a period when the gospel was proclaimed with power, without miracles, and most of the time without the personal presence of Jesus or even of his apostles.

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Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, Visit to Philadelphia, Breakfast with the Pharisees, Parable of the Great Supper

Summary by Kermit

Commentary after Review

Discussion of the apparently unfortunate loss of Abner’s more accurate version of Jesus’ teachings and gospel led us to question the utility of our habits of linear logic in choosing the best plan of action for establishing the kingdom of heaven going forward (or any project we might consider for that matter). As with so many seemingly disturbing developments in our historical past the question is often posed, why do not or why did not our celestial benefactors intervene to prevent such developments. This led to further questions as to the appropriateness of celestial intervention to change the course of events versus allowing for the outworking of evolutionary developments in resolving universe problems.

We material mortals are hindered by the fact that our adjutant mind makes us subject (intellectually) to material gravity as it is unresponsive to spirit gravity. Only through persistent engagement of personality prerogatives are we able to exert self-control in cultivating a response to spirit gravity enabled by our encircuitment in the Holy Spirit (spiritualized mind).

Listen to the further discussion of the physics of the lower (Adjutant) and upper (Holy Spirit encircuitment) domains of mind with respect to the influence of material and spirit gravity. Helpful in this regard is inclusion of a vertical dimension going from the material to the spiritual in a serviceable concept frame for the human mind.

Paper 167 The Visit to Philadelphia

We pick up our narrative with Jesus and the apostles minus Peter and Andrew who were back at the Pella camp instructing the multitude arriving at Philadelphia where they were accompanied by over six hundred followers. Note that the success of the seventy proclaiming the gospel throughout this Perean ministry with power was accomplished without the distractions of miracles, Jesus, and without even the apostles. They were met with encouraging reports of progress of the gospel in and around Philadelphia as well as positive news from David Zebedee’s messengers of further advancement of the kingdom throughout Palestine and from Alexandria and Damascus.

167:1 Breakfast with the Pharisees

Previously Jesus had encountered a group of Pharisees and lawyers at a Sabbath breakfast in Ragaba where he pointedly exposed the spiritual barenness of their strict practice of tithing, and scrupulous observance of the laws of purification. Now, with many of those same Pharisees present on this occasion, he took them to task for their practice of avoiding association with all non-Pharisees.

When one of the visiting Jerusalem Pharisees suffered the humiliation of being asked to move to a lower seat at the table, having taken the seat of honor which was intended for Jesus, the Master used the incident to impart his well-known lesson, “…every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, while he who truly humbles himself shall be exalted.” Jesus, again took advantage of circumstances presented him to further provoke the Pharisees by healing the man with dropsy, and likening such Sabbath day healing to rescuing a favorite animal who may have happened to fall into a well on the Sabbath.

This episode is in parallel with Luke’s gospel. Luke’s account is essentially upheld by the midwayer account, with the midwayers providing additional information detailing the states of mind and motivation of the various participants. One element of Luke’s account draws our attention. He concludes the scene with a declaration that by inviting those who cannot repay you, you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. It thus appears that this statement could be something added to Luke’s gospel later as Christian eschatology was emerging and found a place in the evolving scriptures.

167:2 Parable of the Great Supper

Here the Master speaks to the third item of those things which were of greatest importance to the Pharisees, the avoidance of association with non-Pharisees. The initial invitations of the ruler for the great supper were all rebuffed by his chosen guests whereupon he orders his servants to go out and invite strangers, and outcasts that his house would be filled.

Listen to the discussion of the three refused invitations and the implications for our ascension in terms of personality being inherently neither male nor female, yet recognizing the profound differences between male and female.

As was his habit the Master steadfastly refused to offer help in understanding the parable, saying, “Let every man find out the meaning for himself and in his own soul.”

Notes by Brad

  • In a simple linear view of events, it sure seems Abner should have been accorded more credit in history.
    • But in a broader context, surely there is something appropriate at play.
    • Your adjutant mind cannot possibly take the long-distance view. You have to willfully acquire a long-distance view.
    • And adjutant animal-origin mind is immune to spirit gravity. Left alone, it will become depressed by material gravity.
    • And adjutant mind always will snap back to older, more primitive, more ignorant forms. That's appropriate for it.
    • But watch out: in the material-comfort era, it's easy to lose sight of the lessons of the nutrition epoch (store food for tomorrow--don't just live for today).
    • And having that vertical dimension to your perspective will not be understood by many of the men on the street these days.
    • Also don't confuse intense feelings (above the level of the flesh) for spirit gravity. Feeligion, we might call it.
    • Also don't just let spirit gravity run unregulated--that's fanaticism, zeal run amok. That is an inappropriate lifting-up of things that ought not be lifted up.
      • Why would try to exalt your adjutant mind into your spiritized mind?? It is not resurrectable. And it will result in mania.


  • This author has been mightily impressed by the TV Series The Chosen. Imagine being interviewed about your time with Jesus, for the purposes of someone writing a book. That's Season 2's opening scene.


  • Philadelphia was a receptive place for Jesus message--it has Greek philosophy in the streets
    • Thanks, Alexander the Great!
    • Note Philadelphila is its name, not Amman, at this time.


  • Note that the gospel was proclaimed more powerful with fewer miracles.
    • Are you sure you'd want to be an apostle? Jesus was a shiny outer life object... could you still focus on your inner life?
    • Curious to ponder: Jesus was a distraction to his own message!


  • The man with dropsy still had a reflective inner life, because they refer to "in his heart."
    • Thanks, Alexander the Great! Favorable soil for reflective people.


  • Note that Luke or someone else added a line in Luke 14, attributed to Jesus, about being rewarded after death for feeding the poor.
    • Jesus didn't preach eschatology! But these words were put into his mouth.
      • and then debated endlessly for centuries. "What exactly is the 'resurrection of the righteous??'"


  • We see Jesus previewing--trying out--some of the ideas that will soon appear in the last temple discourse.


  • The parable of the great feast is Jesus addressing Pharisees not consorting with non-Pharisees.
    • That was something they alluded to in [Paper 166].
    • Don't you, also, like to hang out with people like you... for purity's sake?


  • "I just got married, so I can't come to the feast." Even long ago the "battle of the sexes" raged!
    • A genuine man and a genuine woman (both with personalities, freedom, etc).
    • Not just a man subjugating a woman as property.
    • You can start with spiritual unity (kindred spirits, as they both are personalities--then work down to the biological differences (to achieve kindred minds)


  • A Pharisee who entered the breakfast sneering left ready to be baptized.
    • The inner life can turn on a dime. And have outer-life repercussions.


  • Jesus ends by implicitly invoking the levels of meaning by finding the meaning of this parable in our own soul.
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