Episode:Jesus Goes Public—Preparation and Preaching (Part 5)
The other apostles held Jesus in reverence because of some special and outstanding trait of his replete personality, but Thomas revered his Master because of his superbly balanced character. It was this matchless symmetry of personality that so charmed Thomas. He probably enjoyed the highest intellectual understanding and personality appreciation of Jesus of any of the twelve.
Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, Thomas Didymus, Symmetry of Soul, James and Judas Alpheus
Note: Justin Armstrong filled in for Brad Garner. And Karen Allen was present for the show as well alongside Andrea Barnes.
Summary by Kermit
Commentary after Review
“How do we effectively reveal the Master in our lives?”, is a persistent question in the hearts of Jesus’ followers. Our discussion of which revolved around the differences between humanistic idealism and genuine religiosity, with a further distinction between commonly accepted definitions of “goodness”. Humanists will define goodness in terms of outer life actions in many forms of social service. Regrettably, religionists today all too often adopt the same criteria for goodness, and to the degree they do this are in actuality close to becoming secularists. The “spiritual but not religious” folks direct and attach their spiritual faculties to various ideological pursuits in the name of goodness for the benefit of mankind. As we are reminded in the 5th ER, civilization and its accrued benefits for mankind are attainable only through the cultivation of true creativity stemming from the recognition and realization of the God nucleus, accessible only in the inner life of man. This is where faith is born in the moral consciousness upon the realization that human values may be translated in experience from the material to the spiritual, from the human to divine, from time to eternity.
What is a SoS episode without some righteous talk about righteousness? SoS cites a lack of recognition of the nature and need for righteousness as one of the red flags of our burgeoning emergency for progressing civilization. For those inspired to spread good news, how might the message of the need for righteousness best be fashioned? For the professed religionist (who may be an actual secularist), appeal to following God’s ways in God’s universe is a potential entrée to a discussion leading to our punch line, righteousness is conformity with the cosmos. For the humanist a longer road lies ahead beginning with perhaps postulating righteousness is simply doing what is right. Perhaps this will prompt some reflection wherein the three cosmic intuitions can trigger some reality responses. The 5th ER of course contains the full story beginning with the 1st ER (and fear of the Lord) down through subsequent ER’s to the recognition of divine ideals which become fruits of the spirit enabling genuine civilization from God to man.
139:8 Thomas Didymus
Interesting etymology discloses Thomas’s name means twin (Thomas in Aramaic) twin (Didymus in Greek)—twin-twin.
So-called “doubting Thomas” was hardly regarded by his fellow apostles as a chronic doubter. Possessed of a logical, skeptical mind in concert with courageous loyalty his intimates in no way saw him as a trifling skeptic. Thomas’s truly analytic mind occupied a free logical space uncontaminated with spurious elements likely to drag him into being overly skeptical. He was the real scientist of the group.
His genetics were excellent, but early home life with unhappily married parents gave Thomas a quarrelsome disposition, even described as being cursed with suspicion. His honesty, loyalty, sincerity, and truthfulness however endeared him to his fellows over time. But he was a natural-born faultfinder and pessimist. The Master’s influence however, had a salutary transforming effect on Thomas’s mental reactions to his fellow men.
He enjoyed the highest intellectual understanding and personality appreciation of Jesus among the twelve, which likely accounted for Jesus’ enjoyment of Thomas and their many long personal talks.
Similar to Philip in frequently wanting to be shown, it was due to entirely different mental mechanisms, he was genuinely analytical operating from a holistic concept space.
Subject to moods of depression and cautious, yet loyal and courageous, he would argue to the bitter end against a given proposal, but when overruled by the group would be the first to say, “Let’s go!” He was a good example of one who struggled with temperamental obstacles, yet exercised personality management from above to overcome many of his natural tendencies.
Again, not surprisingly, Thomas admired in Jesus that which he needed himself, a superbly balanced character. Jesus embodied the symmetry of soul for which this broadcast is named.
Thomas overcame his initial depression following the crucifixion and went on to preach and baptize believers until, at the hands of the Romans he was killed in Malta, not in India according to stories of longstanding.
139:9-10 James and Judas Alpheus
The Alpheus twins were very simple men. There was not much to differentiate one from the other. They were the ever-ready helpers of the twelve, also serving as ushers to the multitudes. Known by good natured designations of mediocrity to their associates their presence among Jesus’ chosen apostles signaled to untold millions of simple and fear ridden souls in Michael’s universe, the welcoming fellowship awaiting believers who choose to follow the Master.
It was the Master’s simplicity which appealed to James while it was Jesus’ unostentatious humility which drew Judas. Unable to fathom the complexities of establishing the kingdom, they did have a real experience in their spiritual natures. And it should be seen as testimony to the divine nature of the institution of the kingdom of heaven, that it was built on such a mediocre human foundation.
Never did they lose their heart faith in Jesus, they returned to their former lives following the Master’s departure conscious of their close and personal association with a Son of God, the sovereign maker of a universe.
