Episode:Jesus Faces Death—Farewell Instruction (Part 5)

From Symmetry of Soul


The peace of Jesus is the joy and satisfaction of a God-knowing individual who has achieved the triumph of learning fully how to do the will of God while living the mortal life in the flesh. The peace of Jesus’ mind was founded on an absolute human faith in the actuality of the divine Father’s wise and sympathetic overcare. The Master knew all that was to befall him, and he was unafraid.

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Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, Enduring Peace, Loving Service, Forgiving Tolerance

Summary by Kermit

Commentary after Review

In connection with the “day of the dead” commemoration SoS reflected on the peace and comfort we can claim in relation to the phenomenon of mortal death when viewed in light of the revelation’s perspective on our personality survival and ascension to perfection. We are reminded in the words of Jesus that the peace he gives us is “all we WILL receive”, emphasizing our free-will sovereignty in the acceptance or rejection of the various spiritual ministries we enjoy, in particular the Spirit of Truth (SoT).

In response to a caller’s question about the distinction between “correct understanding” and truth, we noted that a correct understanding of facts and their associations serves as a foundational launching pad for going up to truth. Furthermore, a correct understanding can be falsely applied in any circumstance leading to false interpretations which masquerade as truth.

Another caller remarked on the differentials in the writing style of the revelators in relation with their universe status. Though even secondary midwayers, as close to us as they are, have the use of morontia mind in addition to the sixth and seventh adjutants. Thus, they are far more able to approach reality holistically (truthfully).

181:1.7 (cont.)

Following the Master’s farewell instructions and admonitions to the apostles as a group, the midwayers insert an aside to the reader before Jesus says his individual goodbyes and advice and blessings.

Addressing the peace Jesus gives to his kingdom believers, contrast is drawn between

  • his peace which passes understanding, and
  • the joys and satisfactions of the material world.

The transcendent peace of Jesus is not to be found through a correct understanding of anything. Only through contact with dynamic and living truth is it experienced. The unbelieving materialist may find a limited utility of earthly satisfaction in the philosophies of stoicism or optimism, but the Master’s peace is not to be confused therewith. Listen to our discussion of the revelators’ precision of language and its consonance with the hourglass analogy of the human mind and levels of meaning in describing the optimist as “ever indulging that hope which springs eternal in the human breast...”

Continuing with the exploration of the peace of Jesus, it is characterized by and indissolubly linked with learning fully how to do the will of God while living the mortal life in the flesh as Jesus did. This led us to consider the widespread and longstanding serious misconceptions around that which constitutes the doing of the will of God. For ages man has viewed the doing of the will of God in terms of outer life activities. We read in [111.5.1] “The doing of the will of God is nothing more or less than an exhibition of creature willingness to share the inner life with God—…” Recognition and cultivation of an inner life is the necessary first step in attempting to do God’s will. It is in this inner life that we can attempt the faith grasp of spirit. God is Spirit, eternal and not a material or temporal technique of living. But such inner life cultivation does redound to mobilizing personal resources in meeting the rigorous demands of our evolutionary existence. It is from the vantage point of an inner spiritual anchoring (top-down) that the utility of the stoic or optimistic viewpoint can be profitably brought to bear in our life struggles.

Note that we continue to find application of the hourglass analogy in the text of the revelation, here in Jesus’ admonition to avoid contaminating the spiritualized mind (upper domain) with fear when he says, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” For fear in the heart becomes the seed of hatred.

181:2. Farewell Personal Admonitions

Note: admonition carries with it the sense of a warning from one who is in a position superior to the one warned.

In Jesus’ very direct remarks to each of the eleven, he is essentially delivering the equivalent of a performance evaluation of their time as an apostle. Also, he foreshadows the outworking of their areas of weakness and vulnerability with predictions of their potential pitfalls along with directives and advice for their mitigation.


JOHN

Jesus consigns to John the continued responsibility for the care of Jesus’ earthly family. We conjecture that this responsibility will contribute to John's maturation, inasmuch as he is the youngest of the apostles. And in light of his previous exhibition of intolerance and conceit, Jesus bids him to dedicate his life to teaching and embodying the new commandment to love one another as Jesus loved him.

Interestingly, as Jesus sadly paused by the empty seat of Judas Iscariot, we are told that the eleven were so busy and focused on their own concerns that they did not put two and two together and connect Judas's absence with Jesus’ announcement that one of them would betray him.


SIMON ZELOTES

Jesus recounts his difficulties getting Simon to see the kingdom as a spiritual kingdom and not a material one. Jesus goes on to accurately describe Simon’s difficulties following the crucifixion over his protestations to the contrary. We note that the midwayers give considerably more ink to Simon Zelotes than they did John, perhaps because we are all relatively materialistic in our concepts of the heavenly kingdom. He leaves Simon with the admonition to recognize that the temporal duties of citizenship and the responsibilities of spiritual service in the brotherhood of the kingdom are not incompatible

Notes by Brad

  • We all must die.
    • The Necessity for leaving, indeed. For Jesus. For us.
    • This author reports that processing death is easier for him, both in general and in specific, because of this study and a lifetime with the 5th ER.
      • Dia de los Muertos, spoken of in a Christian church sermon, brought this to mind.
    • Today makes 2 years to-the-day that this author's father passed on ("graduated?"). It simply is not that troubling at all. There is peace, and no evidence of anything unhealthy being repressed.
    • Will you receive peace about death from the spirit ministries? (Emphasis on the word will, as in exertion of free will, acting unnaturally)


  • Starting with a correct understanding of facts is just that: a fine start.
    • But there is nothing, absolutely nothing, inherent in correct understanding that will inherently lead you to objective truth.
    • Truthhood and falsehood both "feel" the same subjectively.
      • There is an apparent spherical wholeness "feel" to these domains (hence the -hood suffix).
      • Only by insight and reflective thinking can you expect to tease apart these subjective domains.
    • Remember: you cannot obey facts, only truth.


  • When new understanding enters your life, can you resist the natural tendency to pit it "us versus them, only one shall stand" style against your existing understanding?
    • What if this new understanding is orthogonal to your existing understanding and can be incorporated without throwing out anything before?


  • How can a secondary midwayer write in such an advanced fashion? Aren't they close to us?
    • Not exactly. They also have morontia-type mind.
      • They innately approach subjects more holistically, truthfully, in a natural way than we possibly can.
      • The universe of motion (not a universe of matter) is easier to comprehend with morontia mind.
      • The triune nature of the cosmos is easier to comprehend with morontia mind.
    • But all is not lost for us. Can you go beyond the surface of what you're reading?
      • If so, if you can engage in reflective thinking... even if you can't sort out all the details, you can feel a reality response from it. That's cosmic intuition.
  • An archangel has a harder time relating to our human condition, so an author of this order (upon reflection) comes across as a bit aloof.
    • This author notes the appropriateness of a midwayer writing Paper 139. It is warm and sympathetic to our strengths and weaknesses here. A Universal Censor might have been... somewhat colder.


  • Concerning peace that passes all understanding, is correct understanding "beyond understanding?"
    • No! Indeed no! Hence, there is no enduring peace from mere correct understanding.
    • You need something more dynamic, that moves with you as you progress. Correct understanding is dead, static. If you move, your fleeting correct understanding vanishes.
    • Do you constantly talk about how peaceful you are to people? You "doth protest too much," and surely this is a sign you don't have enduring peace.
    • If your hope merely springs in your "breast" (a very physical connotation by the authors), it is physically rooted and cannot be enduring peace.
      • "Vanity of vanities" says the embittered author of Ecclesiastes, who longed all his life for a peace which never really came.


  • Materialism is a root -ism in our world.
    • Derived from materialism can be found several subordinate -isms...
      • Stoicism. The materialist biased toward individuality consciousness will take on this grim, practical, fatalistic view of life on Earth.
      • Optimism. The materialist biased toward unity consciousness will delusionally chant "it's all good," even as some inner part of them knows this is empty—"vanity of vanities".
    • Aim higher. Don't look left or right in the plane of materialism, flatlander, searching for peace.
      • Though you can start with the shadow of hope that is cast down into the breast. Just don't stop there.
      • Genuine hope is a positive potentiality, not some delusionally exalted actuality here on Earth, today.


  • The inner life is largely unexplored territory.
    • Hence the true will of God is largely unexplored territory.
    • God is not a material technique.
    • Can you actually set time aside? We've been called to that challenge for 2,000 years, for 4,000 years.
    • Being troubled or afraid are intrinsically temporal matters. If your inner life truly is predicated on eternity, it is entirely logical that it will "stand unmoved", not the slightest ripple of troubled waters.


  • Stoicism can provide a stabilizing stasis. For a new beginning in one's life.
    • But it's not the last word. Don't think it's an end unto itself. Don't apply it as an -ism.
    • A fine developmental beginning, but it is not the living way.
      • Can stoicism help reset you? Sure.
      • But don't build a tabernacle and dwell forever there! Don't let is be an end unto itself. It is not the living way.
      • Stoicism is simply too neutral a position to be a living way.
      • Just under its surface is, if applied too much, essentially is the dictum "It's impossible. Give up."


  • Doing the will of God is not some arrangement of molecules.
    • "What job should I take? What should I eat for dinner? Should I marry? Should I have children". No! It's not material.
    • God is not a material technique. His will has nothing to do with material issues, temporal issues (be they mindal or spiritual)
    • Start with the inner life. Seek first the kingdom of heaven.
      • Doing the will of God is nothing more or less than a willingness to share the inner life with God.
      • Can you set time aside for a second? Pardon the pun.
    • Start simple: Matter is tied to time. Spirit is tied to eternity.
    • And stop turning yourself inside out. If you drag fear (the zero-eth level of meaning!) into the inner life, you'll invert everything. Fear in the heart becomes the seed of hatred.


  • Concerning time versus eternity:
  • Peace in time; assurance in eternity (as in faith, trust, and assurance in the lists of 3).
    • But still, be a human, not a computer when reading. There always is context in this text, and only a human ca reflect and really understand that context.
  • One's career safely cared for in time; wholly kept in eternity.
  • The final paragraph of section 1 repeats the time versus eternity difference over and over. In parallel structures. Big hint from the authors, reinforcing this concept.
  • All this sophisticated writing is to help you determine which way is up. Store your treasure in heaven, as they say!


  • How is an admonition different from simply a warning?
    • The "ad-" prefix suggests "to." This is the master TO the student.
    • It connotes higher wisdom, the elder, etc. This is the predicate for Section 2's words.
    • So the words will be received as admonitions, not just warnings.
    • And it will take humility to receive this.


  • John Zebedee. Jesus challenges John Zebedee to get up to the level of Fatherly love, not mere brotherly love in the levels of meaning.
    • Less thunder, John. More love. And fatherly love, not mere brotherly love.
      • Brotherly love can still be immature and petty. Fatherly love is above all that.
    • John started out as a narrow bigot. Can't get to fatherly love if you're stuck there.
    • John always struggled with being conceited, especially in early and late life.
    • Can you avoid assaulting someone's incorrect approach to things? Avoid that tit-for-tat back and forth with them?
      • That is "striving with the souls you would win for the kingdom." Jesus admonished John Zebedeee not to do this.


  • Simon Zelotes. Are you also fired by zeal like Simon? Biased toward it? Animated by ideals?
    • If so, it's all the easier to fly off on tangents. Seeking the realization of material ideals.
    • And then the crushing depression when you find your ideals were misplaced.
    • Lessons from Jesus' words to Simon Zelotes, for any of us biased to unity consciousness.
      • Which is probably most people who pick up The Urantia Book.
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