Episode:Last Ministry of the Master—Detour for Lazarus (Part 3)

From Symmetry of Soul


The Father gives salvation to the children of men, and this salvation is a free gift to all who have the faith to receive sonship in the divine family. There is nothing man can do to earn this salvation. Works of self-righteousness cannot buy the favor of God, and much praying in public will not atone for lack of living faith in the heart. God looks into your souls, not at your outward service.

Listen to the broadcast

Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, Marriage and Divorce, Women and Children, Public Worship

Summary by Kermit

Commentary after Review

SoS commented that Jesus’ decision to reanimate Lazarus was something akin to using him as a pawn in a plan to give the Jerusalem rulers one last chance to believe in the Master’s true nature and mission. Such seemingly harsh references serve to draw attention to the practical realities Jesus was addressing, and to disabuse our audience of any notions that Jesus was motivated by sentimentality in his affection for his dear friend, and further, to encourage reflection from above on stark facts to more fully contextualize the notable episodes of the Master’s life and teachings.

A question came up about atheists and why they apparently are not more depressed than anyone else. In the main, what passes for atheism is often a superficial rejection of conventional belief systems of institutional religion. Listen to the broadcast for discussion of the likely adjutant mind dynamics involved. This type of atheism is spiritually irrelevant.

Man’s understanding of the true nature of the human mind and treatment of its ailments is handicapped by the primitive animal model of the human mind. Increasingly effective remedies for mental-emotional maladaptation will follow upon development of a more accurate human mind model which includes encircuitment in the Holy Spirit, as well as the other mind-spirit realities as the Spirit of Truth, Thought Adjuster, and personality, all enabled with knowledge from the 5th ER.

Lastly, prior to our reading, note was made of the use by the revelators of the language choices found in the King James version of the New Testament which embody a more philosophical flavor, off of which they are able to leverage their presentation of revelatory truth. One of the pitfalls of having the 5th ER with its considerable factual precision is a tendency to treat the text more mechanically and less reflectively.

167:5 On the Way to Bethany (aka the Visit to Jericho)

Extensive discussion of the first paragraph of this section was devoted to an examination of the statement of Jesus, immediately preceding the parable of the publican and the Pharisee: “Works of self-righteousness cannot buy the favor of God, and much praying in public will not atone for lack of living faith in the heart.” The discussion should be re-visited for details as it is far too complex to summarize in this space. The term “piety” was introduced as outwardly observable behaviors (self-righteous works) depicting religiosity. A chain of connection from righteousness (conformity of the mindal self with the cosmos) to piety (conformity of the body with the spiritualized mind) was made. Piety is thus interpreted as a self-centered and subordinate derivative of righteousness. For self-conscious piety to find rehabilitation from self-righteousness Jesus’ teaching of self-forgetfulness must come into play. It comes as no surprise that this predicate to the parable which followed immediately is nowhere to be found in the gospel record of Luke.

The Pharisees sought to entrap Jesus with the topic of marriage and divorce, but he artfully deflected such an invitation. The midwayers expound further on the Pharisee-publican parable drawing contrasts between the Pharisee’s mock piety inducing self-righteous inactivity and assurance of false spiritual security and the devotion exhibited by the publican stirring his soul to seek mercy.

While Jesus did not become embroiled in controversy concerning divorce, he did exalt high and ideal concepts of marriage, and intimated strong disapproval of unfair divorce practices. He countenanced only those teachings which accorded women equality with men as well as denounced the injustice to women and children resulting from the unfair divorce practices of the day. The apostles had difficulty grasping why the Master was reluctant to make positive pronouncements about scientific, social, economic, and political problems. They simply did not realize, as many today do not recognize that Jesus’ earth mission was exclusively one of spiritual uplift.

The authors end the section with a clear exposition of the Master’s model of home, family and marriage. The Father’s will in creating male and female as co-creative partners, is for the purpose of establishing homes for the reception and training of children. Unfortunately, Jesus’ exaltation of the ideals of marriage, children, and the home were codified in the New Testament by those who made records as strict prohibitions against divorce.

167:6 Blessing the Little Children

Word of Jesus’ ennobling message about marriage and children spread throughout Jericho, such that early the following morning he was besieged by scores of mothers with their children seeking his blessing for the little ones. After reproving the apostles for rudely attempting to disperse the women and children, the Master proceeded to receive and bless all of the children with encouraging words for their mothers.

The section concludes with Jesus’ teaching on the value of beauty as an influence contributing to the urge to worship God, especially with children. He praised the simple beauty of nature as most suitable for introducing children to the worship of the Creator, thus avoiding the extremes of bareness or massive ornateness.

Notes by Brad

  • High beings do tasks for the sake of the cosmos.
    • If your prayer is answered, it is in the context of you being used as a "pawn" on the side of the angels.


  • The revelators preferred source works that leaned into holistic, philosophical thinking
    • Including the King James Version of the bible, even though more scientifically accurate later translations.
    • getting out of the dusty facts and more into the alive philosophy.


  • Piety is not religion
    • Religion can be seen in another individual only by insight.
    • You can see piety with sight, even a computer could detect piety.
      • And watch out: piety is not too far from "works of self-righteousness." Even if it is sincere.
  • Piety is not righteousness
    • Righteousness is conformity with the cosmos.
    • Piety is conformity of your body with your mindal self.
      • Pretty self oriented, a path to self-righteous.
      • I'm using something within myself as my frame of reference, not something (like the cosmos) as a basis for comparison.
      • I'm making an assumption about outward acts that God wants to see, and then conforming my body to do that.
      • Most religionists through all of human history have been in this mode.
  • Can you outgrow the toddler stage--where you are endlessly fascinated by yourself?
  • Piety can easily be immature
    • Fruits of the spirit can be faked from the bottom up (virtue signaling). "Men you may deceive by your outward service..."
    • A Pharisee was faking his fruits. "I fast. I give tithes." And it was a belief with total certitude.
  • Even if piety is genuine, it is still not religion.
    • The purity and position of your body now is eternally irrelevant. Your body doesn't survive death.
  • The real cosmos does not look like anyone's contrived theology.


  • Can you aim higher and ensure that the real you is conforming to the cosmos, instead of your body conforming to some notion you have about what God would want to see?
    • And even if you achieve this, remember you are not buying God's favor. Salvation is a free gift.
  • Can you accept nothing less that true religion? Not stop short and get stuck on piety?


  • Marriage in the 5th ER is defined as a man and woman cleaving together to procreate children and raise them in the home.
  • Jesus exalted marriage, but not to the level of a sacrament.