Episode:Jesus the Tutor—Sojourn at Rome (Part 4)

From Symmetry of Soul


Always the message of Jesus was: the fact of the heavenly Father’s love and the truth of his mercy, coupled with the good news that man is a faith-son of this same God of love.  Invariably would he tell distressed mortals about the love of God and impart the news that they were the children of this loving Father in heaven.

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Keywords: Urantia, Jesus, Ministry, Justice, Mercy

Summary by Kermit

Commentary on the Review

Because of man’s mental laziness, fear, and inertia he tends to crystallize science, formulate philosophy, and dogmatize truth. We examined the formulation of philosophy to determine why it represents an unprofitable activity. A formulated philosophy consists of an idea, a part, an ism, exalted through rationalization to the status apparent philosophic wholeness. Add to this formulated philosophy the psychic energy of the sixth adjutant and you have a systematized doctrine in the form of dogma applied zealously in the outer life, and not a personal living philosophy in the inner life.

We also reiterated in our review of the interplay of truth and faith, the importance of recognizing the difference between the grace spark of faith which initiates genuine human consciousness in the higher mind, and the belief systems that direct outer activities in the name of faith.

We speak a great deal about the revelators’ use of language and the earnest students’ need to go beyond everyday usage of words to reduce the inevitable distortion of meaning inherent in using words to reveal truth. We are told that true faith is predicated on

  • profound reflection,
  • sincere self-criticism, and
  • uncompromising moral consciousness.

Illustrating the above point we find that the word “criticism” makes more sense when it is understood to mean discern, separate as opposed to the common usage, fault finding. To put an even finer point on things, the self-examination proscribed in Jesus’ gospel entails a subjective and self-centered focus as opposed to self-criticism which involves objective thinking.

132:4 Personal Ministry

We note that in addition to preparing future disciples for the oncoming kingdom while in Rome, Jesus was also engaged in the mastery of the circles of cosmic development required of all ascending mortals preparatory to Adjuster fusion as part of his seventh creature bestowal to do list. He sought close contact with numerous human beings to learn their reactions to the lives they were living in the flesh. In addition he sought to say or do something to make their lives richer and more worthwhile. It should be no surprise that his religious teachings were no different from his public teachings. But as we are soon to see, his private ministry included many social, political, and economic issues not expressed in his public ministry, which is one reason why this period in his life is so valuable for our soul growth.

Jesus’ contacts and interactions with the diverse races and classes of people in Rome are described in broad strokes in the second paragraph of the section. He was equally effective in his teaching by asking or answering questions. We observed that the revelators challenge us to pay close attention to their word selection for correct interpretation of their meanings. They use the word burden in the phrase, “the burden of his message” to mean the main point of his message. Later we see overburdened and unburden employed, where burden means a load to be carried. We can see the perils of the revelators using the "circumscribed language of the realm." [0:0.2]

We also unpacked the intricacies contained in the phrase, “the fact of the Heavenly Father’s love and the truth of his mercy.” Listen to the archive for elucidation.

We note that with Jesus’ personal ministry he addressed issues of eternal importance while at the same time speaking words of comfort and immediate consolation. He always told these distressed mortals about the love of God and found various ways of letting them know that they were the children of this loving Father in heaven.

Jesus is characterized here as a versatile and aggressive man. Again, the authors challenge us to pursue the meanings of their words beyond popular usage. Aggressive can mean “tending toward unprovoked attacks”, but it also can mean “full of enterprise and initiative.” Which meaning of aggressive do you think applies to Jesus here?

The section concludes with four vignettes where Jesus engages, a Roman senator, a Roman soldier, a speaker at the Roman forum, and a poor man who had been falsely accused. As mentioned he spoke words of comfort and consolation to these troubled men and women, but he did not hesitate to challenge them with corrective instruction when necessary. These narratives are rich with inspiration and edification for any who seek to minister as Jesus did.

Notes by Brad

  • Concerning "sincere self-criticism"
    • The word critical has a subtle meaning often lost. It's about discerning (a separation), then holding this separation as you go forward in, say, critical thinking.
    • "Sincere self-criticism." Don't let the self (the lower-domain self) become the definition of reality, something it so often wants to do.
    • Nothing about this is like "harmful introspection"--burrowing into your navel, so to speak.
    • Stay above the self, don't get wrapped about the axle of all of its issues.
    • "Critic" doesn't mean "constantly saying negative things."
    • "Oh, everyone's a critic," they say. But no! It's sad to record so few persons are true critics.


  • The words burden and unburden are not related. Modern English spells these the same.
    • Burden is related to the drone tone of a musical instrument--the sound you always hear when bagpipes are playing.
    • It is not Shakespeare's "Oh heavy burden!"
    • Well, I always missed this.


  • "Truth of his mercy," reminds us that mercy is not a temporal fact around us easy to see. It is a truth of eternity, not the fact of time.
    • Moreover, mercy is not a material phenomenon. Don't reject God because you don't think you see mercy because "God let me get sick," for example.


  • Absence of requisite unity in one's mind leads to anxiety, anger, feeling overburdened, dejection--animal-origin phenomena.
  • Affectionate and uplifting contact: a favorable condition for growth, encountering differentials. Not being isolated.
  • Don't think in dichotomies. Just because there is top-down, that doesn't mean bottom-up is bad.


  • The word aggressive is not negative. It implies a directional man. Reminds us of the direction/place contrast.
    • ad- + -gress: go to some point.
    • "Why don't you just step to it!" He was an aggressive man.
  • The word meek means non-prideful, without vindictiveness. It doesn't mean wimpy.
  • These word issues attempt to be addressed when they teach us Latin and Greek in school. But most of us don't learn that anymore.


  • "Free love" has never been above the level of rank savagery. It isn't that Jesus was a prude. Don't apply our modern mores to him.
    • Look at it from the revelation point of view: he's biased against rank savagery.
    • It isn't that he thinks the human body is evil or anything.
  • And Jesus didn't, say, affirm that slavery is absolutely evil (it's an indispensable to civilization). There comes a point where civilization needs to move past it.


  • One's lower domain of mind will not naturally do higher things. Let your upper nature compel it.
    • But do this correctly. The upper nature is not the 2nd level of meanings (feelings). If you interpret this too shallowly, you will become a big blob of emotionality.
    • Your higher nature is not your feeling-ful nature.
  • There is true logic and false logic. Hence how Marcus' logic was "admirable."
  • Justice is applied law. Mercy is applied love.


  • We're looking for the truth of Jesus, not the words of Jesus. Truth cannot be defined with words.