synopsis of the urantia papers

SYNOPSISOF

THE URANTIA PAPERSMichelle Klimesh

Bibles.org.uk, London

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Typeset by Bibles.org.uk with X ELATEX under Linux.Text set in Adobe Minion Pro at 15/19pt.

PDF: June 22, 2011

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PART I.THE CENTRAL AND SUPERUNIVERSES

1. THE UNIVERSAL FATHERe Universal Father is the rst source and center of all things.

He is a creator, a controller, and an upholder. All enlightened be-ings worship God the Father and have one supreme ambition-tobecome like him.

Messengers from Paradise carry God’s divine commandthroughout the universes: “Be you perfect, even as I am perfect.”Humans cannot be perfect in the in nite sense, but can becomecomplete in divinity of will, personality motivation, and God-consciousness.

e Father is known by many names, but reveals himself onlyby nature. God is primal reality and the source of all truth. Heis universal spirit, eternal truth, in nite reality, and a loving fa-ther. Affectionate dedication to doing his will is the only gi oftrue value that humans have to offer God.

God is an eternal, in nite, true, good, and beautiful personalitybeyond the imagination of the human mind. He delights in hischildren. e manifestations of the Universal Father in the localuniverses are his Creator Sons. It is eternally true: “He who hasseen the Son, has seen the Father.”

God-knowing mortals have within themselves three experien-tial phenomena that constitute positive proof of God’s existence:God-consciousness, God-seeking, and the desire to do God’s will.

God is an eternal power, a majestic presence, and a gloriousideal. He is a perfect personality, a person who can know and be

4 PART I. THE CENTRAL AND SUPERUNIVERSES

known, love and be loved. Personality is not just an attribute ofGod, it is the revelation of God to the universes. Human person-ality is the shadow cast by the divine personality. Mortals viewpersonality from the nite toward the in nite, but God’s perspec-tive moves from the in nite to the nite.

e human body is literally the temple of God; a divine frag-ment of the Father dwells within each mortal mind. e bene tsreceived from this presence of the divine Father are limited only bythe mortal’s capacity to receive and discern spiritual reality. Godparticipates in the struggle of every imperfect soul in the universewho seeks to ascend. It is true that in all our afflictions he is af-icted, for in him we live and move and have our being.Humans attain divine union through progressive spiritual com-

munion with God and wholehearted, intelligent conformity to hiswill. Mind yielded to spirit becomes increasingly spiritual and ul-timately will achieve oneness with the divine.

2. THE NATURE OF GODOur understanding of God is handicapped because our minds

are limited. Humans can best understand the nature of God as ithas been revealed through the life and teachings of Jesus.

God the Father unfailinglymeets the ever-changing demand forhimself all over the universe. He knows everything. Universe Sov-ereigns may engage in adventure; the Constellation Fathers mayexperiment; the system heads may practice; but the Universal Fa-ther sees the end from the beginning. To God, all time is present,there is no past or future. He is in nite in all of his attributes.

God is perfect. In the universes, perfection is relative, but onParadise, perfection is undiluted. He is perfect in beauty and good-


ness; there is nothing lacking in his divine character. His justice istempered with mercy. God is inherently kind, compassionate andmerciful. It is never necessary to persuade him to love us; our needis wholly sufficient to insure the ow of his grace.

Everything good comes from God. Love is the dominant char-acteristic of his personality. e highest reason to love God is thathe guides us, step by step, life by life, until we stand in his verypresence. God literally sends his spirit to live and toil with us aswe pursue the eternal universe career.

God is good; he is our eternal refuge. He heals the broken-hearted and binds up the wounds of the soul. It has been said thatGod loves sinners but hates sin. It is true that God loves sinners,but he has no attitude toward sin because sin is not a spiritual real-ity. Iniquity is inherently suicidal. e inevitable consequence ofdeliberate rebellion against God is loss of existence.

Divine truth is universal, but our understanding of truth is niteand therefore only relative. Evolving persons can be certain onlyas far as their own personal experience extends. at which is truein one part of the universe may be only partially true elsewhere.e search for truth requires a search for the creative design thatpre-exists all universe phenomena.

Truth is both beautiful and good. Beauty is true and good.Goodness is true and beautiful. Health, sanity, and happiness areintegrations of truth, beauty, and goodness in the human experi-ence.

3. THE ATTRIBUTES OF GODGod is omnipresent; he alone can be in numberless places si-

multaneously. He rules in the local universes through his Cre-


ator Sons who are discernible to lower orders of beings and cancompensate for God’s invisibility. God is greater than all of hiscombined creations. Although he exists throughout the univer-ses, the universes can never encompass his in nity. God pervadesthe physical universes of the past, present, and future. He is theprimordial foundation of material creation.

Individually, humans are indwelt by Father fragments, and theeffective presence of God within each person is conditioned by thedegree of cooperation provided. Fluctuations of God’s presenceare not due to whims of the Father but are directly determinedby the mortal’s choice to receive him. God has freely bestowedhimself without limit or favour.

God is energy. He is the cause of all physical phenomena; hecontrols all power. e power of God does not function blindly,but it is nearly impossible to explain the nature of his laws. Fromthe limitations of our mortal perspective, many actions of the Cre-ator may seem arbitrary and cruel, but God’s actions are alwayspurposeful, intelligent, kind, and wise.

God knows all things. He is the only personality who knows thenumber of all the stars and planets. His consciousness is universal,his circuit encompasses all personalities. God is never subject tosurprise. e potential force, wisdom, and love of God is not re-duced by his self-bestowal on subordinate creatures and creations.If creation should continue eternally, the power of God’s controlfrom the Isle of Paradise would be adequate for such an eternallyincreasing creation; God would still possess the same potentialas if his power had never poured forth into the universe. Like-wise, sending Father fragments to indwell the mortals of numer-ous worlds in no way lessens the wisdom and perfection of truth


of the all-powerful Father.e nearest approach to God is through love. Finite mind can-

not know the in nity of the Father, but it can feel the Father’s love.e uncertainties of life do not contradict the universal sover-

eignty of God. Creature life is beset with certain inevitabilities. Todevelop courage, we must grapple with hardships. To develop al-truism, we must experience social inequality. Hope results frombeing faced with insecurity, and faith arises when we live in such away that we know less than we can believe. e love of truth is cre-ated only in an environment where falsehood is possible. Idealismcomes as we struggle for a better world. Loyalty cannot emergeunless we live with the possibility of betrayal, and unsel shnessresults only if we have a self-life to forsake. To appreciate pleasurewe must live in a world where pain and suffering are possible. eonly evolutionary world without error would be a world withoutfree intelligence. Man must be fallible if he is to be free.

e sovereignty of God is unlimited. e universe was not inev-itable. It was not an accident, neither is it self-existent; it is subjectto the will of the Father. God the Father loves us, God the Sonserves us, and God the Spirit inspires us in the adventure of nd-ing the Father.

4. GOD’S RELATION TO THE UNIVERSEDivine providence is not the childish material ministry that

some mortals imagine it to be. Providence is possible due to re-lated activities of spiritual beings who continuously work for thehonour of God and for the spiritual advancement of his children.Providence is consistent with the perfect nature of God.

e watchword of the universe is progress.


God uses unlimited forces and personalities to ful ll his pur-poses and sustain his creatures. God creates, upholds, preserves,and renews all material and spiritual things. Without God, therewould be no such thing as reality. e Father unceasingly poursenergy, light, and life into his creations.

Much that appears haphazard to the human mind seems or-derly and constructive to higher minds, but even high spiritual be-ings come across apparently fortuitous inter-associations of forces,energies, intellects, and spirits. e medley of physical, mental,moral, and spiritual phenomena in the universes undoubtedly ac-crue to the glory of God.

Nature is the perfection of Paradise divided by the evil and in-completion of the un nished universes. Evolution modi es na-ture, diminishing the error of relative reality while augmenting thecontent of Paradise perfection. It is wrong to worship nature. Al-though nature is pervaded by God in a limited sense, it is also amanifestation of the imperfect results of the universe experimentof cosmic evolution. Apparent defects in the natural world do notindicate corresponding defects in the character of God.

God is incapable of wrath or anger. ese emotions are hardlyworthy of human beings, much less of God. God is the onlychangeless being in existence; he is self-existent and indepen-dent. God is all-wise and all-powerful. He has no limits other thatthose which he imposes on himself.

God’s absoluteness pervades all levels of universe reality. He iseternally motivated by love. In science, God is the First Cause; inreligion, God is theUniversal Father; in philosophy, God is the onebeing who exists by himself.


Human religious thought confuses associated Deity personali-ties with the Universal Father himself. is failure to recognizethe difference between God the Father and the local universe cre-ators and administrators is a source of great confusion on earth.Mortals also suffer from primitive concepts of God. e idea ofappeasing an angry God, of winning the favour of Deity throughsacri ce and penance represents a repulsive philosophy unworthyof an enlightened age of science and truth. It is an affront to Godto teach that innocent blood must be shed to win his favour or di-vert his wrath. e human race is destined to know the beauty ofcharacter of the Universal Father, that which was so magni centlyportrayed by Jesus when he sojourned on earth.

5. GOD’S RELATION TO THE INDIVIDUALA fragment of God lives within the intellect of every normal-

minded, morally conscious human being. is fragment, theought Adjuster, guides mortals unerringly through the spiritualjourney that leads into the presence of God the Father in Paradise.

God yearns for the association of every created being who canlove him. rough the indwelling Adjusters, we can seek intimatepersonal communion with God’s divine spirit as we advance in-ward through the ages toward Paradise. We cannot fail to attainthe destiny God has established for us if we yield to the leading ofhis spiritual guidance.

e indwellingought Adjuster allows us tomore fully discernthe presence of other spiritual in uences. Realization of contactwith theAdjuster is primarily limited to the realms of the soul: lackof intellectual consciousness concerning the indwelling fragmentdoes not disprove its existence. Proof of the divine Adjuster’s work


lies wholly in the fruits of the spirit that appear in the life of thebeliever.

Worship springs from a creature’s spontaneous reaction to therecognition of the Father’s nature and personality. Prayer con-tains an element of self-interest, but worship exists for its ownsake. Mortals worship God, pray to and commune with the Son,and work out the details of earthly life with the offspring of theIn nite Spirit.

Nonreligious activities seek to bend the universe to the serviceof self; religious individuals seek to devote their activities to theservice of the universe. Philosophy and art create bridges betweennonreligious and religious activities by luring people into contem-plating spiritual realities. Religious experience is essentially spir-itual and cannot be fully understood by a material mind; the re-alities of religion are beyond mortal capacity of intellectual com-prehension. Religious experience uni es human consciousness,promotes philosophic substantiation of ideal moral values, andleads to the spiritual satisfaction of worship-the experience of di-vine companionship.

God-consciousness includes the mind, the soul, and the spiritthrough the realization of the idea of God, the ideal of God, andthe spirit reality of God. e experience of God-consciousness re-mains the same throughout history, even though the theologicalde nition of God changes with each advancing epoch.

A human mind that possesses the capacity to distinguish rightfrom wrong and to worship God, in union with a divine Adjuster,is all that is required to initiate the existence of an immortal soul.Eternal survival is wholly dependent on the choice of the mortal


being. Survival is assured when the mind, soul, and Adjuster to-gether believe in God and desire to be like him.

Personality, bestowed byGod the Father, is one of the incompre-hensible mysteries of the universe. Capacity for divine personalityis inherent in the Adjuster, and capacity for human personalityis potential in the cosmic-mind endowment of the human being.Mortal personality is observable as a functional reality only aerthe mortal mind is touched by the Adjuster.

e material personality and the prepersonal Adjuster togethercan create an immortal soul; mortal man alone either wills or in-hibits the creation of this surviving self. No other being or agencyin the universe can interferewith the sovereignty ofmortal freewillregarding eternal survival, and no creature can be coerced into theeternal adventure against his will.

e Universal Father is personally conscious of all personalitiesat all levels of self-conscious existence. As gravity is circuited in theIsle of Paradise, as mind is circuited in the Conjoint Actor, and asspirit is circuited in the Eternal Son, so is personality circuited andcentered in the Universal Father.

6. THE ETERNAL SONe Eternal Son is the original Son of God, the Second Person

of Deity, and the Second Great Source and Center. e Son is thespiritual center of the universe government and the personal man-ifestation of God the Father in the universe. e Son co-createswith the Father and shares the sonship experience with all othercreated beings; he loves us as both father and brother. Mercy isthe essence of the Eternal Son’s spiritual character. He reveals thelove of God to the universes.


All spiritual beings are responsive to the drawing power of theEternal Son. He is omnipotent in the spiritual realm. Althoughthe Son does not personally function in the physical domains, hisomnipresence constitutes the spiritual unity and cohesion of allcreation. e spirit of the Eternal Son is with us and around us, butnot within us as is the ought Adjuster. e indwelling Fatherfragment adjusts the human mind to divine attitudes, and sucha mind becomes increasingly responsive to the spiritual drawingpower of the Son.

Personality is the exclusive gi of the Universal Father. e Songives origin to a vast spirit host, but he creates personality onlyin conjunction with the Father or the Conjoint Creator. e Son’spersonality is divine and absolute; it cannot be fragmented. espirit fragment of the Father dwells within us, the spirit of the Sonsurrounds us, and the two forever work as one for our spiritualadvancement.

e Eternal Son is spirit and has mind, but not a spirit or mindwhich mortal mind can comprehend. e kind of mind that allieswith spirit is not comparable to either material mind or mind thatcoordinates matter and spirit. e Son’s mind is unlike any otherin the universe except the Father’s.

e Eternal Son is wholly spiritual. Since mortals are nearly en-tirelymaterial, human understanding of the Sonmust await attain-ment of increased spiritual insight. e Son is a merciful minister,a divine spirit, and a spiritual power and personality. e Son isthe sum of the First Source and Center, divested of all which isnonpersonal, extra-divine, nonspiritual, and purely potential.

As God is the Universal Father, the Son is the Universal Mother.e Father and Son are separate individuals, but in the adminis-


tration of the universes they are so interrelated that it is not al-ways possible to distinguish between them. God is the initiatingthought and the Son is the expression, the Word. e Father is thebestower of human personality; the Son is the pattern of mortalpersonality attainment; the Spirit is the source of the mortal mind.

e Son is approachable through his Paradise Sons and throughthe patientministry of the creatures of the In nite Spirit. rough-out the local universe experience, a Creator Son will compensatefor the inability of mortals to appreciate the signi cance of theEternal Son in Paradise. As we progress toward Paradise, we willenjoy an ever-enlarging comprehension of the Eternal Son.

7. RELATION OF THE ETERNAL SON TO THE UNIVERSEe Eternal Son upholds the vast creation of spirit realities and

spiritual beings. He is the sovereign of the spiritual universe be-cause he controls the spiritual gravity circuit. Spiritual gravityfunctions independently of time and space; it is unreduced by timedelays or space diminution. Sin and rebellion may interfere withthe operation of a local universe, but nothing can suspend the spir-itual gravity of the Eternal Son. e spirit-gravity circuit createscohesion within the universe as a whole, as well as between indi-viduals and groups.

e spiritual-gravity circuit is the secret of the Paradise ascen-sion of surviving mortals. As time passes, ascenders become pro-gressively less subject to material gravity and more responsive tospirit gravity. e spirit-gravity circuit literally pulls the mortalsoul Paradiseward. is circuit is also the basic channel for thetransmission of prayers from the human mind to the conscious-ness of Deity.


On Paradise, the Eternal Son’s presence is spiritually absolute.He is not personally present in the superuniverses; his administra-tion there is not discernible by created beings. In the local univer-ses, the Eternal Son is present through the persons of the ParadiseCreator Sons.

e ascension plan for material beings is a joint creation of theFather and the Son. e universal plan for the creation, evolution,ascension, and perfection of will creatures embraces three corre-lated undertakings. e Universal Father bestows ought Ad-justers on material will creatures and endows them with person-ality. e Eternal Son bestows his Creator Sons upon the evolu-tionary universes to manifest the love of the Father and the mercyof the Son to all creatures. e In nite Spirit operates a tremen-dous enterprise of mercy ministry to all mortals. e Father, Son,and Spirit cooperate in the work of creation, control, evolution,revelation, administration, and if necessary, restoration and reha-bilitation of the ascending creatures of the universes.

e Eternal Son cannot directly contact human beings, but hedoes draw near them by gradually down stepping himself. eEternal Son and the Creator Sons can bestow themselves on lowerorder of created beings to share the experiences of intelligent willcreatures of the universes. Incarnation is the technique by whichthe Son escapes from the fetters of absolute personality.

e Eternal Son’s mercy and service characterize all orders ofdescending Sons of God. When the Father and the Son jointlyproject a new personal thought, this idea is instantly personalizedas a new Paradise Creator Son. In spirit and nature, each ParadiseSon is a perfect portrait of the Original Son. All Sons of God whooriginate in the Paradise Deities are in continuous communication


with the Eternal Son. e Eternal Son has perfect knowledge con-cerning the activities of all orders of Paradise Sons, just as he hasknowledge regarding everything of spiritual value existing in thehearts of all creatures in time and eternity.

eEternal Son is a complete, exclusive, universal, and nal rev-elation of the spirit and personality of God. He and the Father areone. In divine personality they are coordinate, in spiritual naturethey are equal, and in divinity they are identical.

8. THE INFINITE SPIRITe time-bound mind of man must have a starting point for vi-

sualizing universe history. While a portrayal of sequential originof Deity is helpful to the mortal mind as an explanation of the re-lationship of Deities, such a condescension does not preclude thefact that all three have existed eternally without beginning or end.

emembers of the Trinity are distinct individuals in eternal as-sociation. If we imagine that God the Father is ought and Godthe Son is Word, then God the Spirit is Action. In the instant thatthe Father and Son together conceived of in nite action, the In -nite Spirit sprang fully formed into being.

e existence of the In nite Spirit set the stage of space for thedrama of creation. In the instant of his creation, one billion per-fect spheresmaterialized. e central universe ofHavonawas thenembraced by physical and spiritual gravities, and the soil of lifeprepared for consciousness of mind manifest in the intelligencecircuits of the God of Action. Upon these seeds of potential, crea-ture personality appeared, and the presences of the Paradise Dei-ties lled organized space and began to draw all things Paradise-ward.


It is proper to name the ird Person of Deity the In nite Spirit,but material creatures may also conceive of him as the ConjointCreator, the In nite Reality, the Universal Organizer, and the Per-sonality Coordinator. He discloses the Father’s in nity and theSon’s mercy; he executes the purposes of the Father-Son. Ever andalways, the In nite Spirit is a mercy minister. As the Sons revealthe love of God, the Spirit reveals his mercy.

e Father delegates everything possible to the Son; likewise,the Son bestows all possible authority to the Spirit. Every post-Havona universe in existence was planned and created by partner-ship of the Son and the Spirit. e Spirit pledges all of his resourcesto the Father and the Son; he has dedicated all that he has to theplan of drawing will creatures to Paradise. e In nite Spirit isdevoted to fostering the ascension of material creatures, especiallythrough the persons of the Creative Daughters, the local universeMother Spirits.

e essence of the Spirit’s divine character is everlasting min-istry to mind. God is love, the Son is mercy, and the Spirit is theministry of divine love and endlessmercy to all creation. e Spiritis love applied to the individual minds of all the children of everyuniverse. e In nite Spirit is omnipresent. He is a universe pres-ence, an eternal action, a cosmic power, a holy in uence, a uni-versal mind, and a true and divine personality. He is the Spiritwhom all ascenders must attain before they approach the Fatherthrough the Son. In the administration of the universe the Father,Son, and Spirit are forever one, perfectly associated in the serviceof creation.


9. RELATION OF THE INFINITE SPIRIT TO THE UNIVERSEe ird Source and Center is responsive to both spiritual and

material reality. He is the universal coordinator, the correlatorof all reality. e In nite Spirit functions whenever energy andspirit associate; no reality can escape eventual relationship withhim. Agents of the In nite Spirit ceaselessly manipulate forces andenergies throughout the universes.

e In nite Spirit pervades all space. He is omnipresent withoutquali cation, but is omnipotent only in the domain of mind. eIn nite Spirit possesses the unique power of antigravity, which hetransmits to certain of his higher creatures. He also has powersthat neutralize energy and transcend force by slowing energy tothe point of materialization. e Conjoint Actor manipulates theforces and energies of Paradise, thus bringing into existence theuniversal and absolute mind.

eConjoint Creator is not the source of energy, rather, he is themanipulator of energy. He has created power-control creatures-physical controllers, power directors, and power centers-who reg-ulate and stabilize physical energies. ese material energies aredependent on the absoluteness of the Eternal Isle. Paradise is thepattern of in nity, and the God of Action activates that pattern.

Energy is receptive and responsive to mind. Mind can be su-perimposed on energy, but does not need to be added to purespirit because spirit is innately conscious. e insight of spirit tran-scends the consciousness of mind. Cosmic force responds tomindas cosmic mind responds to spirit. Mind establishes relationshipsbetween energy and spirit that suggest a mutual kinship in eter-nity.


e ird Source and Center bestows mind and is in nite inmind. If the universe should grow endlessly, his mind potentialwould remain adequate to endow limitless numbers of creatureswith suitableminds. roughhis associates, theird Sourcemin-isters to all minds on all spheres. He is personally conscious ofevery intellect in all of creation.

e Conjoint Creator is the ancestor of the cosmic mind; hecompletely controls the universal mind circuit. e human mindis an individual portion of the cosmic mind bestowed in the localuniverse by a Creative Mother Spirit. e In nite Spirit is the per-fect expression of the mind of the Creator to all creatures, just asthe Supreme Being is the evolving expression of the minds of allcreatures to the Creator.

e Conjoint Actor coordinates all levels of universe actual-ity through the phenomenon of universe re ectivity. He has thepower to see, hear, sense, and know all things as they transpire,and to re ect this knowledge to any desired point. Re ectivity isthe most complex interassociation of phases of existence in cre-ation. ere is a unique uni cation of spirit, energy, and mindin re ectivity which enables the universe rulers to know about re-mote conditions throughout the universes instantaneously. Re-ectivity appears to be omniscient within the limits of the experi-

ential nite. It may represent the emergence of the consciousnessof the Supreme Being.

e In nite Spirit transmits many of his powers to subordinatepersonalities, including the Seven Master Spirits of Paradise andthe local universe Creative Spirits. e ird Source is furtherrepresented in the universes by a vast array of spirits, messengers,teachers, adjudicators, helpers and advisers. is vast family of the


In nite Spirit is dedicated to administering the love of God andthe mercy of the Son to all intelligent creatures in time and space.ese spirit beings constitute the living ladder whereby mortalsclimb from chaos to glory.

e Father upholds, the Son reveals, Paradise stabilizes, and theSpirit uni es.

10. THE PARADISE TRINITYe existence of the Paradise Trinity is the one inescapable in-

evitability in universe affairs. e concept of Trinity combines theabsolute unity of Deity with the voluntary liberation that is inher-ent in God’s threefold personalization.

e Universal Father delegates everything possible on otherCreators or creatures, in every way, in every age, and in every placeexcept in the central universe of his own indwelling. God has re-served for himself only those powers and authorities which seemimpossible to delegate: absolute fatherhood and absolute volition.

By bestowing absolute personality on the Original Son, the FirstSource and Center became the Universal Father and escaped thefetters of personality absolutism. e creation of the In nite Spiritwas a joint effort of the Father and the Son. e Father has no an-cestral precedents, but is parent to both the Son and the Spirit. eSon is son to the Father and parent to the Spirit, and the Spirit isthe son of both the Father and the Son.

e Universal Father, the Eternal Son, and the In nite Spiritare unique persons. None is duplicate, each is original, yet all areunited. ey can act personally and collectively in seven possiblecombinations: Father alone, Son alone, Spirit alone, Father-Son,


Father-Spirit, Son-Spirit, and Father-Son-Spirit. e seven avail-able arrangements of divinity make it inevitable that the universeappears in seven variations of values, meanings, and personalities.

e First Source performs multiple functions outside of Ha-vona. He acts as creator through the Creator Sons, and as con-troller through the gravity of Paradise. rough the Eternal Sonhe functions as spirit, and through the Conjoint Actor he func-tions as mind. He maintains parental contact with all creaturesby means of his personality circuit. He acts directly as a personthrough his divine fragments, the ought Adjusters. Only withinthe Paradise Trinity does the First Source function as total Deity.

e Trinity is an association of persons functioning in a non-personal way, somewhat like the way a corporation functions as anonpersonal entity subject to the personal will of its officers. Func-tions of the Paradise Trinity include justice administration, coor-dinate actions, and cosmic overcontrol. e Trinity is not merelythe sum of the attributes of the Father, Son, and Spirit. All asso-ciations, including families, social groups, and the Trinity, enjoy agroup potential far in excess of the sum of the component individ-uals.

God is law. Law originates in the First Source and Center. eadministration of law inheres in the Second Source and Center.e revelation of law is the function of the ird Source and Cen-ter. e application of law-justice-is carried out by the Trinity. Jus-tice is inherent in the sovereignty of the Paradise Trinity; it is theTrinity’s response to the attributes of the Father’s love, the Son’smercy, and the Spirit’s ministry. Justice is always a group func-tion, never a personal one.


Judgment, the application of justice, is the work of the Station-ary Sons of the Trinity: Trinitized Secrets of Supremacy, Eternalsof Days, Ancients of Days, Perfections of Days, Recents of Days,Unions of Days, Faithfuls of Days, Perfectors of Wisdom, DivineCounselors, and Universal Censors. ese children of the Trin-ity are speci cally designed to represent the collective attitude ofDeity in the domains of justice.

e Supreme Being appears to re ect the attitude of the Trin-ity, but he is something less than the Trinity functioning in the -nite universes. e overcontrol of the Supreme is not wholly pre-dictable. Some events-accidents, disasters, illnesses-may or maynot be correlated with the workings of the Supreme Being, but it iscertain that all difficult situations inevitably accrue to the welfareand progress of the universes. As things appear to mortals, theParadise Trinity, like the Supreme Being, is concerned only withthe total planet, the total universe, the total superuniverse. Hu-man beings will not always be able to understand how the acts ofthe Trinity work for the good of individual mortals.

No single person of the Paradise Deities lls all Deity potential,but all three collectively do. e three divine persons activate theprepersonal and existential potential of total Deity-the Deity Ab-solute. e First, Second, and ird Persons of Deity are equal toeach other, and they are truly and divinely one.

11. THE ETERNAL ISLE OF PARADISEParadise is the dwelling place of Deity and the eternal center of

the universe of universes. It is the largest organized body of cosmicreality in the master universe; it is material as well as spiritual. e


streams of life, energy, and personality ow outward from God inParadise to every corner of the universe.

e Eternal Isle is essentially a at ellipsoid divided into threegeographic domains: upper Paradise, peripheral Paradise, andnether Paradise. Paradise is the original non-spiritual expressionof the First Source and Center and is created of a substance foundnowhere else in the universe. Paradise is nonspatial; it exists with-out time and has no location in space. Space seems to originate justbelow nether Paradise, and time from just above upper Paradise.

e three spheres of activity on upper Paradise are the Deitypresence, where the ree Persons dwell; the Most Holy Sphere,which is wholly spiritual; and the Holy Area, which is the resi-dential area of Paradise Citizens, Havona natives, and ascendantcreatures from the seven superuniverses. e staggering numberof residential areas on Paradise currently occupy less than one percent of the total residential area available.

e peripheral surface of Paradise contains landing and dis-patch elds for spirit personalities. e SevenMaster Spirits main-tain headquarters on the Paradise periphery. Here, the Seven Su-preme Power Directorsmark the locations of stations that disperseParadise energy into the seven superuniverses. Peripheral Para-dise is also the location of enormous historic and prophetic exhibitareas dedicated to the local universes of time and space.

All physical-energy and cosmic-force circuits have their originin nether Paradise. One zone of the force center of nether Par-adise seems to act as a gigantic heart whose pulsations direct andmodify force-energy currents to the outermost borders of physicalspace. e nether Paradise space presence is entirely impersonal,


notwithstanding that in some manner it seems to be indirectly re-sponsive to the Trinity. Personalities do not travel to nether Para-dise.

All forms of force and energy appear to be encircuited, travelingout throughout the universes and returning by de ned routes. eemanations seem to be either outgoing or incoming; they never oc-cur simultaneously. All force-energy originates from nether Para-dise and eventually returns thereto. Material organizations of theuniverses do not, however, all come from nether Paradise; spaceitself is the womb of several forms of matter and pre-matter. Allphysical force, energy, and matter are one.

Space alternatively contracts and expands, but we do not knowthe mechanism of this space respiration.

Space does not exist on any surface of Paradise, neither does ittouch Paradise. Paradise is themotionless nucleus of the quiescentzones existing between pervaded and unpervaded space.

Pervaded space extends from nearly peripheral Paradisethrough the fourth space level and beyond. e relatively quietzones between the moving space levels act as buffers, stabilizingthe alternate clockwise and counterclockwise ow of the galaxies.Space levels function as elliptical regions of motion, surroundedon all sides by relative motionlessness.

Gravity is the all-powerful grasp of the physical presence of Par-adise. Space, while nonresponsive to gravity, acts to equalize grav-ity. e center of absolute material gravity is the central Isle. Ab-solute gravity is Paradise gravity; linear gravity pertains to energyor matter. Linear gravity operates in the central universe, super-universes, and outer universes wherever suitable materializationhas taken place.


Paradise is unique because it is both the origin and the destinyof spirit personalities. Paradise is the geographic center of in n-ity. It is not part of universal creation, is not even a part of theeternal Havona universe. When the Father gave in nite personal-ity to the Son, simultaneously, he revealed the in nite potential ofhis nonpersonal aspect as Paradise. Non-personal, non-spiritualParadise appears to be an inevitable repercussion of the Father’sact which eternalized the Son. God projected reality in two phases:personal and non-personal, spiritual and non-spiritual. e ten-sion between the two gave existence to the Conjoint Actor and thecentral universe of material worlds and spiritual beings.

Paradise is the absolute of patterns. Everything which has been,now is, or will be, has come, now comes, or will come from thiseternal home of God.

12. THE UNIVERSE OF UNIVERSESGod is spirit, but Paradise is not. e material universe is the

arena wherein spiritual activities take place; spirit beings and spiritascenders live andwork on physical spheres ofmaterial reality. euniverse of universes may seem boundless to nite minds, but ithas de nite dimensions. e total aggregate of material creationfunctions with predictable behaviour as an organized whole.

e universe of universes is a series of elliptical space levels sep-arated by quiet zones, all of which continuously move through thegreat circuits of space. e rst of six ellipses encircling Paradiseis Havona, the central universe. Havona has existed eternally andconsists of one billion perfect spheres. Togetherwith Paradise, thissystem forms the nucleus of the master universe.


e grand universe consists of the Paradise-Havona systemcombined with the seven superuniverses. e superuniverses aregeographic clusters, each containing approximately one-seventh ofthe organized creation outside of Havona. e superuniverses arenot yet fully inhabited. Our local universe of Nebadon is one ofthe newer creations within Orvonton, the seventh superuniverse.

One-half million light years beyond the seven superuniverses,an unbelievably vast creation of force and energy is assembling inthe rst outer space level. Fiy million light years beyond the rstouter space level, past a quiet zone, even greater activity heralds theadvent of the second, third, and fourth outer space levels. e al-most countless collection of universes evolving beyond the bordersof the grand universe constitutes the domains of the Unquali edAbsolute.

All forms of energy-material, mindal, and spiritual-are subjectto gravity. Ninety- ve per cent of the physical gravity of the Isle ofParadise is now engaged in controlling systems beyond the bordersof the grand universe. However, virtually all of the spirit gravitypull of the Eternal Son is presently functioning within the granduniverse. e universes evolving in outer space are, as yet, non-spiritual. Eighty- ve per cent of the mind-gravity of the ConjointActor takes origin in the existing grand universe, which suggeststhat mind activities are involved with the physical activities pro-gressing in outer space.

Space from the human viewpoint seems to be nothing, but spaceis real. Space contains and conditions motion, and space itselfmoves. e alternating direction of movement from one spacelevel to the next contributes to the equalization of space tensionsin the universes. e universes are not static. e stability of the


universes is the product of balanced energies, cooperative minds,spirit overcontrol, and personality uni cation. Stability is whollyproportional to divinity.

Time is a result of motion. e absolute limit of time is eternity,but the absolute limit of space is unknown.

e will of God rules the universe of universes, even though itdoes not always prevail in the heart of each person. God loves eachindividual as a child without duplicate in in nity, as a creature ir-replaceable in all eternity. e universality of God’s love creates theuniversal brotherhood, which includes every personality in exis-tence.

All original energy proceeds from Paradise. Its journey throughthe universe is obedient to the ever-present pull of the eternal Isle.Physical energy steadfastly obeys universal law; only in the realmsof creature will has there been deviation from the divine plans.

Mind alone can mediate the material and spiritual levels. As themind of any personality becomes more spiritual, it simultaneouslybecomes less responsive to material gravity. Liaisons between thespiritual and material realms are phenomena of mind caused byacts of the In nite Spirit. Mind is the technique whereby creaturepersonalities experience spirit realities.

Mind, matter, and spirit are equally real, but they are not ofequal value to personality in the attainment of divinity. Matteris organized energy subject to physical gravity. Mind is organizedconsciousness modi ed by spirit, and is not wholly subject to ma-terial gravity. Spirit, the highest personal reality, is immune tophysical gravity. Spirit eventually becomes the motivating in u-ence over every evolving energy system bestowed with personal-ity.


e sum of two or more things is oen something more thanthe predictable consequence of their union. e human mind is apersonal-energy system surrounding a divine center, functioningin a material environment. Mortal man has a spirit nucleus. Itis this living relationship of personal mind and divine spirit thatcreates the potential for eternal personality.

13. THE SACRED SPHERES OF PARADISEree eternal seven-world circuits belonging to the Father, the

Son, and the Spirit exist between the Isle of Paradise and the in-nermost Havona planets.

Each of the seven spheres of the Father manifests a special as-pect of the Deities of the Paradise Trinity. Divinington holds thesecret of the bestowal and mission of ought Adjusters. Sonar-ington contains the secret of the incarnation of the divine sons.Spiritington is the sphere that holds the mysteries of re ectivity.Vicegerington includes the secrets of trinitization. Solitaringtonis the rendezvous point of numerous unrevealed orders of beings.Seraphington is the planet where the secrets of seraphic transportare held. Ascendington is the receiving sphere for pilgrims of timewho pass through Havona on the way to Paradise. e secrets ofAscendington include one of the most perplexing mysteries in theuniverse-how the mind of a mortal creature can evolve an immor-tal soul. roughout all of eternity, mortals will regard Ascend-ington as their home.

e seven spheres of the Eternal Son are worlds of pure-spiritexistence. ere is little concerning these worlds that can be re-vealed to material personalities.


e seven executive worlds of the In nite Spirit are inhabitedby various beings, including offspring of the Spirit, trinitized sonsof created personalities, and other unrevealed beings. e SevenMaster Spirits conduct work pertaining to the operations of thegrand universe from these planets, the Paradise headquarters ofthe seven superuniverses. e Master Spirits control the ow ofthe spirit presence of Deity into the realms of the superuniverses.

Physical reactions are uniform and unvarying throughout theuniverse, but the availability of the spiritual presence of the Dei-ties is conditioned by the decisions, choices, and attitudes of willcreatures. God is ever faithful in satisfying the sincere desire ofcreated beings for his presence in their lives.

14. THE CENTRAL AND DIVINE UNIVERSEebillionworlds of Havona are arranged into seven concentric

circuits surrounding the three circuits of Paradise satellites. Cir-cling on the outskirts of this central universe are a large numberof enormous dark gravity bodies. Since these dark gravity bodiesneither re ect nor absorb light, they serve to hide Havona fromthe view of nearby inhabited universes.

Time is not reckoned on Paradise, but each Havona world ob-serves its own time as determined by its position in the circuitaround Paradise. e Paradise-Havona day is based on the lengthof time the inner Havona circuit takes to complete one revolutionaround the Isle of Paradise-in earth years, just seven minutes lessthan one thousand years.

e substance of the Havona worlds is different from the mate-rial organization of the planets in the seven superuniverses. Ha-vona material consists of one thousand basic chemical elements.


e energy of Havona is threefold, as compared to the twofoldenergy charge of the superuniverses. Havona natives respond toforty-nine sensory stimuli. Citizens of the central universe wouldnot be visible to a person from Urantia; neither would our currentsenses react to any of the physical stimuli of Havona worlds.

Havona is spiritually perfect and physically stable. No sin hasappeared in any ascending creature who has arrived there, and thefreewill natives of Havona have never been guilty of transgressingthe will of Deity. Life in the central universe is so rich and repletethat it transcends human comprehension. Each planet of the cen-tral universe is a matchless, unique, and perfect creation.

Havona citizens enjoy the ideal of true self-government. ebillion Havona spheres are training worlds for the natives of Para-dise and Havona, and are the nal proving grounds for ascendingcreatures of the worlds of time. Only about one per cent of Ha-vona’s capacity relative to the mortal ascension plan is currentlybeing used.

ere are seven types of beings in the central universe: material,morontial, spiritual, absonite, ultimate, co-absolute, and absolute.Havona natives are the offspring of the Paradise Trinity. ey arenon-reproducing beings. As mortals strive to do the will of theFather, so Havona natives live to ful ll the ideals of the ParadiseTrinity. By nature, they are the will of God. All beings in all uni-verses are created aer a pattern of some creature living on one ofthe billion Havona worlds.

Havona serves many purposes. e central universe compen-sates for the time-space delay of the Father’s urge for in nite ex-pansion. It is his perfect pattern for all evolving universes, a rev-elation of spirit reality, the power nucleus for future universe ex-


pansion, and a worthy goal for ascending beings. Havona givesthe Eternal Son a base for ever-expanding spirit power and a foun-dation for his spirit-gravity control. e In nite Spirit nds inHavona a laboratory for the creation of mind, a place to rehearseministry, and a venue where he can participate in universe admin-istration. Havona also serves as a pattern of the potential of theSupreme Being, the training ground for the Creator Sons and theUniverse Mother Spirits, the destiny of every ascending mortal,and the starting place for naliters as they begin their explorationof the in nity of the Universal Father.

15. THE SEVEN SUPERUNIVERSESe seven superuniverses travel counterclockwise in an orderly

elliptical procession around the home of the First Great Source andCenter. Imagine the grand universe as a wheel, the hub being Par-adise, the spokes as the radiations of the Seven Master Spirits, andthe rim being the outer perimeter of the superuniverses. Our localuniverse of Nebadon belongs to the seventh superuniverse, Or-vonton. Our planet, Urantia, is near the outermost border of Ne-badon, which is currently traveling along the periphery of Orvon-ton.

e seven superuniverses are divided into ten major sectors,each of which encompass one hundred minor sectors, which eachcontain one hundred local universes. One local universe holdsone hundred constellations. Each constellation consists of approx-imately one thousand inhabitable worlds.

e Milky Way is the central nucleus of our superuniverse;nearly all of the stars visible to the naked eye on Urantia are withinOrvonton. When we look through the thickest area of the Milky


Way, we are looking toward the central universe, the center of allthings. e rotation point of our minor sector is located in thedense star cloud of Sagittarius.

Paradise force organizers transform space potency into primor-dial force. ey evolve this potential material into the primary andsecondary energymanifestations of physical reality. Paradise forceorganizers originate nebulae, the mother wheels which give originto suns and solar systems. Someof the larger nebulae of outer spaceare capable of generating one hundred million suns. e bulk ofthe mass contained in the suns and planets of the superuniversescomes from the nebular wheels.

ere are ve major classi cations of the spheres of space: suns,dark islands, minor space bodies, planets, and architectural sphe-res. Suns serve as local accelerators of energy circulation and actas power-control stations. Dark islands of space are dead suns andother large aggregates of matter without heat or light; they exert apowerful in uence in universe equilibrium and energy manipula-tion. Planets are the larger masses of matter orbiting around a sunor other space body. Minor space bodies are comets, meteors, andother small particles of matter.

ree planets in our solar system are presently suited to harborlife.

Architectural spheres are the only planets without evolutionaryorigins. Architectural worlds are speci cally constructed to serveas headquarters for universe administration from the superuniver-ses down through the systems. Headquarters worlds also functionas power-energy regulators and serve as focal points for direct-ing energy into the local universes. e grandeur of Uversa, the


architectural world that is Orvonton’s capital, surpasses anythingknown in the time-space creations.

Universe Power Directors are responsible for maintaining equi-librium between matter and energy. ey can condense and ex-pand energy, and can make, unmake, and remake matter in theendless metamorphoses of the universes. Orvonton seems now tobe winding down, but it is not so; nebulae may disperse, suns burnout, systems vanish, and planets perish, but the universes do notrun down.

Four circuits of Paradise pervade the seven superuniverses: per-sonality gravity, spiritual gravity, mind gravity, and material grav-ity. Superuniverse circuits include the cosmic-mind circuit of theMaster Spirits, re ective-service circuits of the Re ective Spirits,circuits of the Mystery Monitors, and circuits of the power cen-ters. e local universe circuits are the Spirit of Truth, the HolySpirit, and the intelligence-ministry circuit.

e present scheme of administration of the seven superuni-verses has existed nearly from the beginning of time. e execu-tive branch of superuniverse government includes three Ancientsof Days, three groups of the children of the Paradise Trinity, andthree groups of perfected mortals ascended from the evolutionaryworlds. When a local universe is settled in light and life, it be-comes a member of the superuniverse confederation of perfectedcreations and is eligible for admission into the councils of the An-cients of Days.

e legislative council of each superuniverse capital is known asthe deliberative assembly. e seven houses of this council consistof elected representatives from each of the local universes belong-ing to the superuniverse confederation.


e judicial branch of government in the superuniverses ismade up of personnel from the executive branch. e courts ofthe Ancients of Days are the high tribunals for the spiritual ad-judication of the universes. Sentences involving the extinction ofwill creatures are always executed from the headquarters of the su-peruniverse; only the Ancients of Days can sit in judgment on is-sues of eternal life and death. Courts of the Perfections of Daysdeal mainly with decisions about the intellectual status of the ma-jor sectors. Minor sector governments, ruled by three Recents ofDays, are concerned with physical control and stabilization of thelocal universes.

Each superuniverse has a special function arising from itsunique nature. Orvonton demonstrates a combination of love andmercy, and also seems to be weaving the unique purposes of thesix other superuniverses into a “meaning-of-the-whole” in the sev-enth superuniverse.

Urantia is the 606 planet of the system of Satania, the twenty-fourth system in the constellation Norlatiadek. Norlatiadek isnumber seventy of the constellations belonging to Nebadon,which is the eighty-fourth local universe in the minor sector ofEnsa. Ensa is the third minor sector of the major sector of Splan-don, the h major sector in the seventh superuniverse. Our pla-net is one of trillions in the cosmos, but it is just as lovingly admin-istered as if it were the only inhabited world in existence.

16. THE SEVEN MASTER SPIRITSe Seven Master Spirits of Paradise are the primary personali-

ties of the In nite Spirit. While the In nite Spirit is personally pre-sent within the Paradise-Havona system, his presence is revealed


to the rest of the grand universe through the Seven Master Spirits.Individual differences between the SevenMaster Spirits appear be-cause each of them represent one of the seven possible Deity com-binations.

Master Spirit number one presides over the rst superuniverse,and is a manifestation of the power, love, and wisdom of the Uni-versal Father. Number two portrays the character of the EternalSon as he directs the destinies of the second superuniverse. Mas-ter Spirit number three, in charge of the third superuniverse, re-sembles the In nite Spirit. Master Spirit number four displays thecombined natures of the Father and the Son as he fosters the fourthsuperuniverse. e h superuniverse is directed by Master Spiritnumber ve, who blends the characters of the Father and the Spirit.Master Spirit number six portrays the combination of the Son andthe Spirit in the sixth superuniverse.

e functions of the Seventh Master Spirit include portrayingthe personal natures of the Father, Son, and Spirit, representing thepersonal attitude of God the Supreme, disclosing the deity attitudeof the Paradise Trinity, and sponsoring the progress of ascensioncandidates from the worlds of time and space. e SeventhMasterSpirit’s domain is the seventh superuniverse.

As a group, the Master Spirits function on every universe levelof reality except the absolute level. ey are efficient supervisorsof all phases of administrative affairs in the superuniverses. eycreate the Universe Power Directors, who organize and regulatethe physical energies of the grand universe. e Master Spirits as-sist Creator Sons as they shape and organize the local universes.ey are the sevenfold source of cosmic mind, which provides theintellectual potential of the grand universe and of the individuals


who inhabit evolutionary worlds. It is postulated that Orvonton’sMaster Spirit is involved with Life Carriers, adjutant mind-spirits,re ectivity mechanisms, and the bestowals of the Holy Spirit andthe Spirit of Truth.

Each segment of the grand universe enjoys the bene ts of theunited wisdom of all seven Master Spirits, but receives the per-sonal attention of just one. Every human and angel created in thesuperuniverses bears the characteristic stamp of one of these sevenParadise Spirits.

All will creatures are endowed with an innate response to threedomains of universe realities: Causation, duty, and worship. Cau-sation, the domain of physical reality, is the factual, mathematical,or scienti c form of cosmic discrimination. Duty is the domain ofmorality, the arena in which right and wrong are judged. Worshipis the spiritual domain of divine fellowship, spirit values, and theassurance of eternal survival. ese innate cosmic intuitionsmakeit possible for humans to function rationally as self-conscious per-sonalities in the realms of science, philosophy, and religion. It isthe purpose of education to develop these innate endowments, ofcivilization to express them, of life experience to realize them, ofreligion to ennoble them, and of personality to unify them.

Man’s moral and religious nature distinguishes him from therest of the animal world. Virtue is righteousness-conformity withthe cosmos. Virtue is realized by the consistent choosing of goodover evil, and such choosing is evidence of moral nature. Moral-ity cannot be advanced by law or force; it is a personal choice thatspreads through contact with moral persons. Mortals can ascendto the level of moral beings because they are endowed with per-sonality.


Creature personality is distinguished by two phenomena: self-consciousness and relative free will. Self-consciousness is theawareness of personal actuality. It includes the ability to recog-nize the reality of other personalities and indicates a capacity forindividual experience with cosmic reality. Free will is involved inmoral decisions, spiritual choices, brotherly service, group loyalty,cosmic insight, devotion to God’s will, and worship.

Once a personality begins the realization of Deity kinship, sucha self, indwelt by a fragment of God, is in truth a spiritual child ofGod. A human being can never become as absolutely certain of afellow human being’s reality as he can be sure of the reality of thepresence of God living within him. e recognition of God is in-alienable and constitutive in all mortals. Self-consciousness is es-sentially a communal consciousness of God and man, Parent andchild, Creator and creature. We become conscious of the broth-erhood of man because we rst become conscious of God as ourFather. We worship God because he is, then, because he is in us,and last, because we are in him.

17. THE SEVEN SUPREME SPIRIT GROUPSe work of the Master Spirits in the grand universe is carried

out by the subordinate personalities of the Supreme Spirit groups.e classes of beings known as the seven Supreme Spirit groupsare: e Master Spirits, the Seven Supreme Executives, the Re ec-tive Spirits, the Re ective Image Aids, the Seven Spirits of the Cir-cuits, the Local Universe Creative Spirits, and the Adjutant Mind-Spirits. Together, the seven groups of Supreme Spirits constitutethe nucleus of the functional family of the ird Source and Cen-


ter. ey unify the descending administrative levels in the central,super, and local universes.

All executive matters-rulings, regulations, and administration-are carried out by the Seven Supreme Executives. e Supreme Ex-ecutives in essence are the board of directors of the post-Havonacreation. ey direct all things physical, intellectual, and spiritual;they see all, hear all, and know all that transpires in Havona andthe seven superuniverses.

Seven groups of Re ective Spirits are led by Majeston, the per-sonal center of re ectivity in the seven superuniverses. Each oneof the Re ective Spirits reveal the nature of one of the seven com-binations of divinity. One set of seven Re ective Spirits serves oneach superuniverse headquarters, gathering news, disseminatingdecrees, and recording everything of true spiritual value. Re ec-tive Spirits are the offspring of the Paradise Trinity and the MasterSpirits. A mystery attends their existence: neither the Master Spir-its nor the Paradise Deities demonstrate powers of re ectivity, yettogether they have created re ective beings.

Each Re ective Spirit creates one Re ective Image Aid, a vir-tual reproduction of the parent Re ective Spirit without his powerof re ectivity. Image Aids function as channels of communicationbetween the Re ective Spirits and the superuniverse authorities.Seven Spirits of the Havona Circuits enable the Master Spirits to

provide uni ed spiritual supervision in the central universe. Eachone of the Spirits of the Circuits permeates a single Havona cir-cuit. Circuit Spirits are related to the native inhabitants of Havonamuch as ought Adjusters are related to mortals.Local Universe Creative Spirits experience several stages of exis-

tence. When a Creator Son is rst personalized, the simultaneous


birth of his complementary Creative Mother Spirit occurs withinthe In nite Spirit. While the Michael Son is training, his futureconsort further develops as an entity. Next, the Creative Spirit dif-ferentiates from the In nite Spirit and becomes a part of the appro-priate Master Spirit, with whom she remains until the Creator Sontakes her into space to begin the adventure of universe creation.

Local Universe Mother Spirits create Adjutant Mind-Spirits inthe local universes.

18. THE SUPREME TRINITY PERSONALITIESSeven categories Supreme Trinity Personalities are created by

the Paradise Trinity to represent the justice of the Trinity in thesuperuniverses.

Ten Trinitized Secrets of Supremacy preside over each of theseven innermost Paradise worlds of the Universal Father.

Each of the billion worlds of Havona is permanently ruled byone Eternal of Days. Eternals of Days also preside over planetaryconclaves.

e rulers of the superuniverses are the Ancients of Days. eypossess individuality, but do not differ from each other as theMas-ter Spirits do. ree Ancients of Days oversee the administrationof each of the superuniverses.

ree Perfections of Days are assigned to each of the major sec-tor headquarters. eir work is mostly concerned with intellectualmatters. Perfections of Days earn their name because they are per-fect in the mastery of administrative detail.

Each minor sector is ruled by three Recents of Days, who attendto the physical problems of the universes.


Unions of Days serve as observers for the Paradise Trinity in thelocal universes. ey coordinate all administrative activities of theuniverse government, from the local universes through the super-universe levels. ey report intellectual matters to the Perfectionsof Days and spiritual matters to the Ancients of Days.

e Faithfuls of Days are Paradise advisers to the constellations.Faithfuls of Days act only as counselors, never participating in ad-ministrative roles except by invitation of the constellation author-ities. ey report to the Unions of Days of the local universes.

19. THE CO-ORDINATE TRINITY-ORIGIN BEINGSSeven groups of beings are classi ed as Coordinate Trinity-

Origin Beings. ese beings are brought into existence by theParadise Trinity. Although endowed with freewill, no CoordinateTrinity-Origin Being has ever defaulted in his duties.Trinity Teacher Sons serve throughout the central and superuni-

verses, even on individual planets. Sometimes known as Daynals,Teacher Sons have the distinction of also being classi ed as Para-dise Sons of God. Trinity Teacher Sons are educators devoted tothe spiritual enlightenment of mortals and seraphim.Perfectors of Wisdom personify the wisdom of divinity in the

superuniverses. ey do not re ect the wisdomof the Trinity; theyare that wisdom. One billion Perfectors of Wisdom are assignedto each of the superuniverses where they engage in the revelationof truth to ascending creatures.Divine Counselors are the counsel of Deity to the superuniverse

realms. ree billion serve in each superuniverse. When teamedwith one Perfector of Wisdom and one Universal Censor, seven


Divine Counselors constitute the highest mobile tribunal in timeand space. e united counsel of seven Divine Counselors in liai-sonwith a trio of perfected evolutionary beings approaches nearly-Paradisiacal attainment of the complete attitude of Deity towardany situation in the superuniverses.

e eight billionUniversal Censors in existence are the judgmentof Deity. One Censor serves on each of the billion planets of thecentral universe, and one billion are assigned to each of the sevensuperuniverses. When thousands of witnesses have testi ed, whenthe voice of wisdom has spoken, and when the counsel of divinityhas been recorded, then the Universal Censor reveals an unerringtotal of all that has transpired. It appears that Censors form newmeanings and values from the association of the facts and truthspresented to them. Once a Censor has spoken, there is no appeal.Inspired Trinity Spirits are one of the few wholly secret orders

in existence. ey belong to the category of super-personal spir-its. Trinity Spirits appear to act independently of time and space,and may be related in some manner to the ought Adjusters. Itis conjectured that their work is to enlighten universe creatures bysuperconscious techniques; perhaps they are engaged in the com-munication of the vast body of essential spiritual knowledge thatcannot consciously be received.Havona natives are superb beings directly created by the Para-

dise Trinity. Havoners are destined to develop deep eternal friend-ships with ascending mortals. Mortals need to compensate forinherent spiritual impoverishment while Havona natives seek toovercome the experiential handicap of divine perfection.Paradise citizens are not directly concerned with the ascension

plan for will creatures; therefore their functions are not revealed


to mortals. More than three thousand orders of this classi cationof intelligent personalities reside on Paradise.

20. THE PARADISE SONS OF GODDescending Sons of God who take origin in the Paradise Dei-

ties are known as Paradise Sons of God. Paradise Sons are creators,servers, bestowers, judges, teachers, and truth revealers. ey em-brace three orders. In the local universes, Creator Sons reveal theFather, Magisterial Sons reveal the Son, and Trinity Teacher Sonsreveal the In nite Spirit.

e Creator Sons, also known as the Michael Sons, are of dualorigin. Springing from God the Father and God the Son, theyembody characteristics of both. ey are the designers, creators,and administrators of the local universes of time and space. Eachunique Michael Son is accompanied in his local creation by a Cre-ative Daughter of the In nite Spirit. A Creator Son pledges to up-hold, protect, defend, and, if necessary, retrieve his local universe.ere is no experience of the children of time and space in whichsome Michael has not personally participated.

A Michael Son cannot assume supreme sovereignty in his localuniverse until he completes seven bestowal missions. When Jesusof Nazareth, the Creator Son of our local universe, breathed hislast on the cross two thousand years ago, the words from his lips,“It is nished,” applied not only to his human life but also to hissevenfold bestowal career.

Once his seventh bestowal is completed a Creator Son is con-sidered a Master Michael. Master Sons enjoy perfect connectionwith the Eternal Son and, through the Spirit of Truth, with every


bestowed world in their realm; thusMaster Sons serve as a link be-tween the lowest and highest intelligent creatures in the universe.Magisterial Sons, also known as Avonals, are planetary minis-

ters and judges. ere are nearly one billion unique MagisterialSons. ey serve in judicial, magisterial, and bestowal missions onthe evolutionary worlds. Avonals preside over the dispensations ofplanetary ages and the awakenings of sleeping survivors.

WhenMagisterial Sons perform judicial actions they usually ar-rive as a spiritual being rather than through incarnation. Duringthe initial magisterial mission of an evolutionary world, an Avonalappears as an adult male. During bestowal missions, the ParadiseSon is always born of a mortal woman. e bestowal process is anecessary part of a Magisterial Son’s education. e Spirit of Truthcomes to an evolutionary planet only aer a successful bestowal,and ought Adjusters cannot come en masse to a planet until theSpirit of Truth has been poured out. ere has never been a failureof a Magisterial Son during a bestowal mission.Trinity Teacher Sons, the Daynals, are constantly increasing in

number. ey are the moral and spiritual educators of the univer-ses, and their ministry is interrelated with that of the personalitiesof the In nite Spirit. Teacher Sons are the embodiment of serviceand wisdom. ey begin their work in the local systems and ad-vance inward through their home constellation teaching mortalsand angels. When a planet is ready to embark on a spiritual age,the Daynals volunteer for one thousand years of planetary service.Trinity Teacher Sons attempt to create spiritual counterparts forthe temporal wisdom and material knowledge of their students.


21. THE PARADISE CREATOR SONSDescending Sons of God who take origin in the Paradise Dei-

ties are known as Paradise Sons of God. Paradise Sons are creators,servers, bestowers, judges, teachers, and truth revealers. ey em-brace three orders. In the local universes, Creator Sons reveal theFather, Magisterial Sons reveal the Son, and Trinity Teacher Sonsreveal the In nite Spirit.

e Creator Sons, also known as the Michael Sons, are of dualorigin. Springing from God the Father and God the Son, theyembody characteristics of both. ey are the designers, creators,and administrators of the local universes of time and space. Eachunique Michael Son is accompanied in his local creation by a Cre-ative Daughter of the In nite Spirit. A Creator Son pledges to up-hold, protect, defend, and, if necessary, retrieve his local universe.ere is no experience of the children of time and space in whichsome Michael has not personally participated.

A Michael Son cannot assume supreme sovereignty in his localuniverse until he completes seven bestowal missions. When Jesusof Nazareth, the Creator Son of our local universe, breathed hislast on the cross two thousand years ago, the words from his lips,“It is nished,” applied not only to his human life but also to hissevenfold bestowal career.

Once his seventh bestowal is completed a Creator Son is con-sidered a Master Michael. Master Sons enjoy perfect connectionwith the Eternal Son and, through the Spirit of Truth, with everybestowed world in their realm; thusMaster Sons serve as a link be-tween the lowest and highest intelligent creatures in the universe.Magisterial Sons, also known as Avonals, are planetary minis-

ters and judges. ere are nearly one billion unique Magisterial


Sons. ey serve in judicial, magisterial, and bestowal missions onthe evolutionary worlds. Avonals preside over the dispensations ofplanetary ages and the awakenings of sleeping survivors.

WhenMagisterial Sons perform judicial actions they usually ar-rive as a spiritual being rather than through incarnation. Duringthe initial magisterial mission of an evolutionary world, an Avonalappears as an adult male. During bestowal missions, the ParadiseSon is always born of a mortal woman. e bestowal process is anecessary part of a Magisterial Son’s education. e Spirit of Truthcomes to an evolutionary planet only aer a successful bestowal,and ought Adjusters cannot come en masse to a planet until theSpirit of Truth has been poured out. ere has never been a failureof a Magisterial Son during a bestowal mission.Trinity Teacher Sons, the Daynals, are constantly increasing in

number. ey are the moral and spiritual educators of the univer-ses, and their ministry is interrelated with that of the personalitiesof the In nite Spirit. Teacher Sons are the embodiment of serviceand wisdom. ey begin their work in the local systems and ad-vance inward through their home constellation teaching mortalsand angels. When a planet is ready to embark on a spiritual age,the Daynals volunteer for one thousand years of planetary service.Trinity Teacher Sons attempt to create spiritual counterparts forthe temporal wisdom and material knowledge of their students.

22. THE TRINITIZED SONS OF GODSome Trinitized Sons of God are Deity�trinitized, some are

Trinity�embraced, and some are Creature-trinitized. MightyMes-sengers, ose High in Authority, and ose Without Name andNumber are adjuster�fused mortals who, aer attaining the Corps


of Finality, are embraced by the Trinity. Trinitized Custodians andTrinitizedAmbassadors are Spirit�fused and Son�fusedmortal as-cenders, or seraphim and midway creatures who have attainedParadise. Creature�trinitized beings include Celestial Guardiansand High Son Assistants.

Ascendant mortals who function loyally in the face of insur-rection are destined to become Mighty Messengers. One trillionMighty Messengers are commissioned on Uversa, and it is be-lieved that there are one trillion in each of the seven superuniver-ses. ese messengers serve as observers for the Ancients of Dayson individual planets and the headquarters worlds, and take partin all phases of mortal progression.

Perfected mortals who exhibit superior administrative abilityare chosen to serve as ose High in Authority, executives for theAncients of Days on the inhabited worlds. Over one hundred mil-lion ascendant mortals with minds of superior spiritual capacityhave become ose Without Name and Number, the supreme ju-rors of Orvonton.

Ascendant seraphim and translated midway creatures whoshow valiant cooperation with an ascendant mortal member ofthe Corps of Finality may become a Trinitized Custodian. erecurrently are about ten million Custodians administering groupprojects in Orvonton. Son�fused and Spirit�fused mortals are se-lected for the Trinity embrace as Trinitized Ambassadors in serviceof the Ancients of Days. ey are assigned to assist in the admin-istration of Son-fusion and Spirit�fusion worlds. ere is nothingon Urantia that is analogous to the activities of these beings.

Paradise�Havona personalities and some members of the -naliter corps can engage in creature- trinitization. is process


creates an entirely new being who is the personi cation of somepreviously unexpressed concept, idea, or ideal. Trinitization canbe achieved between two Paradise�Havona citizens, or two -naliters, or one of each. On the advice of the Trinity Teacher Sons,creature�trinitized beingsmay be embraced by the Trinity, therebybecoming twice�trinitized. ose of higher service become HighSon Assistants, those of lower service become Celestial Guardians.ere are almost one billion Celestial Guardians commissioned inOrvonton, and about one and one quarter millionHigh Son Assis-tants. ey are in constant circulation, traveling wherever they areneeded to further the work of the Paradise Trinity.

23. THE SOLITARY MESSENGERSe Solitary Messengers were created in a single act by the In-

nite Spirit. At last report 7,690 trillion Solitary Messengers werein service in Orvonton, which is apparently less than one seventhof their total number.

Solitary Messengers begin at the center of all things and moveoutward. ey crave remote assignments, even into the outerspace levels. ey are an important part of the In nite Spirit’s per-sonal contact with the creatures of time and space. Solitary Mes-sengers are capable of tuning into the universe broadcasts wher-ever they travel, and can detect the presence of ought Adjustersand Inspired Trinity Spirits. ey contribute much to the develop-ment of kinship between spiritual beings. Solitary Messengers aredistinguished by services they perform.Messengers of the Paradise Trinity are involved with the unre-

vealed policies and future conduct of the Deities. Since they areperfect, they never divulge secrets or betray con dences.


Messengers of theHavonaCircuits enjoy close and personal com-munion with Havona natives.Messengers of the Superuniverse can be dispatched with mes-

sages from the headquarters of one superuniverse to another. isis an advantage they enjoy over all other personalities, who mustpass through Havona and the executive worlds of the Master Spir-its before traveling to other superuniverses. A wide range of ser-vices are provided by Solitary Messengers in this capacity. eymost delight to serve in Orvonton, because the opportunities forheroic effort are greatest in the youngest universe.Messengers of the Local Universe reveal the motives and intent

of the local universe Mother Spirit. Explorers of Undirected As-signment are thrilled to be assigned to the task of exploring andcharting new worlds and universes in the unformed parts of theuniverses. Revelators of Truth are frequently attached to commis-sions sent to enlarge the revelation of truth to worlds and systems.

SolitaryMessengers sometimes serve asAmbassadors and Emis-saries of Special Assignment, representing one local universe to an-other until a native ambassador can be transported by seraphim toher assignment. Seraphim can carry a person at a speed of 550,000miles per second, but Solitary Messengers are very nearly capableof defying time and space. e distance a seraphic transport trav-els in two hundred years can be completed by a SolitaryMessengerin sixty-nineminutes. Faster beings exist, but they are not persons.

24. HIGHER PERSONALITIES OF THE INFINITE SPIRITe vast power currents of space and the circuits of spiritual en-

ergy are subject to intelligent supervision by four orders of Uni-verse Circuit Supervisors. One supreme circuit supervisor is sta-


tioned at each of the seven pilot worlds of the Havona circuits.One associate circuit supervisor is in charge of the circuits of theseven superuniverses. On the headquarters of each superuniverse,secondary circuit supervisors oversee energy circuits for the localuniverses. Tertiary circuit supervisors serve within each local uni-verse. Circuit supervisors serve eternally at the same assignment,directing personality transits and transmissions of spiritual mes-sages. If a system is in rebellion, it is they who isolate the worldsin spiritual quarantine.Census Directors are immediately aware of the birth and death

of every will creature in every part of the grand universe. eyare personally sensitive and responsive to intelligent will. Orvon-ton contains 100,000CensusDirectors who are overseen byUsatia,superuniverse chief of census directors.Personal Aids of the In nite Spirit travel through space like Soli-

taryMessengers. Only the In nite Spirit relates to themas persons;they emit no spiritual presence, and we do not meet them on theway to Paradise.

Seven hundred thousandAssociate Inspectors observe the affairsof the local universes and report to the Seven Supreme Executives.

Seven billion Assigned Sentinels keep the Associate Inspectorsinformed of the affairs of the systems of the local universes.Graduate Guides are in charge of the university of technical in-

struction and spiritual training for mortal ascenders. A GraduateGuide greets each mortal as they arrive in Havona and accompa-nies them throughout their entire billion�world journey.


25. THE MESSENGER HOSTS OF SPACEMidway between the highest and lowest personalities of the In-

nite Spirit are the Messenger Hosts of Space.Havona Servitals are the offspring of the Seven Master Spirits

and the Supreme Power Directors. ey are created in groups; 250semi�material Servitals for every 750 true spirit types. ese ver-satile beings train ascenders on the study worlds surrounding theheadquarters of the superuniverses.Universal Conciliators are the embodiment of supreme justice.

One Universal Conciliator appears in each of the superuniversesas a response to the creation of each Havona Servital. e Con-ciliators collectively manifest forty�nine experiential viewpointsin the superuniverses, insights which together are mutually com-pensatory. ey serve in quartets, consisting of one Judge�Arbiter,one Spirit�Advocate, one Divine Executioner, and a Recorder.

Conciliators keep the universes running smoothly. ey beginas Conciliators of the Worlds, assisting the supervisors of individ-ual planets. As they ascend inward from the local universe theyevolve from arbiters of differences to explainers of mysteries. Atthe superuniverse levels Conciliators become wise teachers of theascending pilgrims of time and space. At last count, eighteen tril-lion quartets of Conciliators served in Orvonton.Technical Advisers serve in groups of seven as the legal and tech-

nical minds of the spirit world, the living law libraries of time andspace. ere currently are more than sixty-one trillion TechnicalAdvisers inOrvonton. Technical Advisers helpUniversal Censors,Melchizedeks, Life Carriers, and the rulers of systems, constella-tions, universes, and universe sectors; they do not directly deal


with material creatures. No Adviser has ever been known to goastray.Custodians of Records on Paradise are chosen from the tertiary

supernaphim inHavona to keep the formal written archives of Par-adise.Celestial Recorders serve by keeping the records of the superu-

niverses. Using their ability to manipulate both spiritual and ma-terial energy, they make original spirit recordings and simultane-ously create semimaterial copies for the superuniverses. roughtheir work, ascending mortals learn the history and traditions ofeach sphere.Morontia Companions are children of the local universe Mother

Spirits. ey are gracious hosts during an ascender’s morontia ca-reer, ensuring that time in rest and play is well spent.Paradise Companions are angels selected to befriend any being

who comes alone to Paradise. ey work mostly with ascendantbeings who reach Paradise without either a close associate or se-raphic guardian. ey are sympathetic and intriguing compan-ions. If, during the course of the Havona adventure, a lone as-cender fails in the Deity adventure and must be sent back to theuniverses of time, a Paradise Companion follows to comfort andcheer him.

26. MINISTERING SPIRITS OF THE CENTRAL UNIVERSETertiary Supernaphim are specialists who serve ascending pil-

grims of time and descending pilgrims of eternity inHavona. eyoriginate in the Seven Spirits of the Circuits, and serve in sevenclassi cations:


Harmony Supervisors contribute to mutual understanding be-tween the ascenders and descenders on Havona. Chief Record-ers record every important matter in triplicate: one copy for Ha-vona, one for Paradise, and one for their own les. Broadcastersreceive and send broadcasts of Havona and space reports of Deityphenomena on Paradise. Messengers bear messages requiring per-sonal transmission throughout the Paradise�Havona system. In-telligence Coordinators are the “living news” of Havona; they canassimilate asmuch information in one hour as the fastest telegraphcan record in a thousand years. Transport Personalities transportvarious beings within Havona and also between Havona and theuniverses of time. e Reserve Corps may perform any of the ser-vices of their order.

Secondary Supernaphimare created by the SevenMaster Spirits.ey work in the central universe tutoring Paradise citizens andascending mortals. When ascenders arrive on Havona they willpossess a single aspect of perfection-perfection of purpose. OnHavona, mortals begin to develop the comprehension necessaryfor Paradise perfection of personality. Seven groups of SecondarySupernaphim help mortals in this work.Pilgrim Helpers provide detailed instruction to ascenders in

three areas: supreme understanding of the Paradise Trinity, spir-itual comprehension of the Father�Son partnership, and intellec-tual recognition of the In nite Spirit. eir work is done whentheir students spiritually recognize the Master Spirit of their su-peruniverse.Supremacy Guideswork on the sixth circle of theHavona worlds

to help ascenders comprehend the Supreme Being. In the sixth cir-cle, ascending creatures undergo transforming growth, integration


of consciousness, and spiritualization of purpose. ese changesseem to be attributed to unrevealed activity of the Supreme Being.Trinity Guides of the h circle give mortals advanced instruc-

tion concerning the Trinity in preparation for the quest to achievepersonal recognition of the In nite Spirit. Intense mental effortand arduous spiritual exertion are required to discern the In niteSpirit on Paradise.Son Finders of the fourthHavona circuit assist ascenders in their

attempt to achieve contact with the Eternal Son. In addition tocontinued work in the realization of Trinity, Son Findersmust pre-pare their charges to recognize the personality of the Son and todifferentiate the personalities of the Son and the Spirit. Pilgrimswho attain the Spirit seldom fail in nding the Son.Father Guides of the third circle are the most experienced of the

superaphic ministers. All beings who inhabit the central universeserve as teachers in the schools and colleges maintained by the Fa-ther Guides.Counselors and Advisers of the second circle minister to all who

attempt the attainment of the Universal Father. ey comfortthose who fail to attain the Father, and instruct those who succeedconcerning the responsibilities of the Paradise career. On Para-dise, disappointment is never regarded as defeat; postponement isnever looked upon as disgrace; the apparent failures of time arenever confused with the signi cant delays of eternity.Complements of Rest train ascenders for Paradise residence; they

use the diverse residents of the nal Havona circuit to further thiseducation. Near the end of the sojourn through this inmost circleof Havona, the Instigators of Rest help prepare ascenders for the


nal metamorphosis as they transform into children of Paradise.

27. MINISTRY OF THE PRIMARY SUPERNAPHIMe seven orders of primary supernaphim are perfect servants

of the Paradise Deities. Primary supernaphim serve on the EternalIsle, of which it is said: “ere shall be no night there; and theyneed no light of the sun, for the Great Source and Center givesthem light; they shall live forever and ever. And God shall wipeaway all tears from their eyes; there shall be nomore death, neithersorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for theformer things have passed away.”Instigators of Rest collaborate with the Complements of Rest on

Havona to produce the nal sleep of mortal ascenders to Paradise.Metamorphic sleep is required between earth and the mansionworlds, from Orvonton to Havona, and from Havona to Paradise.Chiefs of Assignment preside over the self�governing orders of

primary, secondary, and tertiary supernaphim.Interpreters of Ethics assist new Paradise arrivals with the ethics

needed to get along with their ever-increasing circle of universeassociates.Directors of Conduct instruct newcomers in proper Paradise

conduct. ey teach divine techniques for spontaneous worshipand the approach of Divinity.Custodians of Knowledge are living books of knowledge, auto-

matic libraries for reference and veri cation. ese brilliant beingsare “the very thing you wish to know.”Masters of Philosophy conduct elaborate courses in seventy

functional divisions of wisdom. ey delight in their work andteach by every possible method of instruction.


Conductors of Worship direct worship experiences on Paradise.Never since the time the rst ascendant mortal reached Paradisehave the supernaphim been able to fully accommodate the spiritof worship on Paradise.

28. MINISTERING SPIRITS OF THE SUPERUNIVERSESere are three types of angelic hosts in the superuniverses;

Omniaphim, Seconaphim, and Tertiaphim. Of these, only Sec-onaphim are directly involved inministry tomortals. Seconaphimare produced in groups of seven by the seven Re ective Spirits,each group having one primary, three secondary and three tertiarySeconaphim. Primary Seconaphim are living mirrors that allow the An-

cients of Days to instantly communicate with beings hundreds oflight�years away. ey are categorized by the type of service theyperform: Voices of the Conjoint Actor, Voices of the Seven Mas-ter Spirits, Voices of the Creator Sons, Voices of the Angelic Hosts,Broadcast Receivers, Transporters and reserves.

Seven classes of Secondary Seconaphim assist Perfectors of Wis-dom, Divine Counselors, and Universal Censors. e Voices ofWisdom are in perpetual liaison with the living libraries of Para-dise. Souls of Philosophy create connections with the Masters ofPhilosophy on Paradise, and the Unions of Souls reveal the knowl-edge of Interpreters of Ethics. Hearts of Counsel are re ective ofthe intelligence and counsel of all beings, high and low. e Joysof Existence improve appreciation for humor and demonstrate theinherent joy in freewill existence. Satisfactions of Service are re-ective of the directors of conduct on Paradise; they have done


much to illuminate the deferred rewards inherent in unsel sh ser-vice. Discerner of Spirits inform Universal Censors about the truemotives, natures, and purposes of any individual in their universe.rough these angels the Censors see the very soul of the re ectedindividual.Tertiary seconaphim serve the Mighty Messengers, ose High

in Authority andoseWithout Name andNumber. Signi cancesof Origins are living genealogical references. Memories of Mercyare living records of the mercy which has been extended to indi-viduals and races by children of the In nite Spirit. Imports of Timeinstruct ascenders in the best use of time for rest andwork. Solem-nities of Trust reveal the sacredness of trust to ascending creaturesand reveal the trustworthiness of any creature to the TrinitizedSons of Attainment. Sanctities of Service bare the motives of hu-man hearts and angelic minds to determine their trustworthinessin service. e Secrets of Greatness and Souls of Goodness aretwo types of angels who function in tandem because greatness andgoodness cannot be separated.

29. THE UNIVERSE POWER DIRECTORSe Universe Power Directors are one of the three groups of

living beings concerned with force control and energy regulation.Power Directors embrace four major divisions.Seven Supreme PowerDirectors are stationed onperipheral Para-

dise. eir creation by the SevenMaster Spirits is the rst recordedinstance of semimaterial beings being derived from spirit ancestry.ey are, along with the Seven Master Spirits, ancestors of the vasthost of the Power Centers and Physical Controllers throughout thesuperuniverses.


Supreme Power Centers possess exquisite intelligence; they arethe intellect of the power systems of the grand universe. PowerCenters are inherently perfect and are always on duty. ey do notoriginate power, but they modify, manipulate, and directionize it.Power Centers are living and personal, and are closely associatedwith the cosmic overcontrol of the Supreme Being. Seven groupsof Power Centers regulate the master energy circuits of the granduniverse from nether Paradise through Havona and down into theinhabited worlds.Master Physical Controllers serve throughout the grand universe

and are able to traverse local space at speeds approaching that ofSolitary Messengers. ey are chie y concerned with the adjust-ment of basic energies undiscovered on Urantia, and their num-bers include sevendistinct groups: Associate PowerDirectors,Me-chanical Controllers, Energy Transformers, Energy Transmitters,Primary Associators, Secondary Dissociators, and Frandalanks.Master Force Organizers are residents of Paradise but generally

commute to unorganized space for their work. ey are underthe supervision of the Architects of the Master Universe. PrimaryMaster Force Organizers create nebulae.

30. PERSONALITIES OF THE GRAND UNIVERSEe enormous numbers of living beings are classi ed differently

in the grand universe than on Paradise. Living beings on Paradiseare classi ed according to inherent and attained relationship withthe Paradise Deities: Triune Origin Beings, Dual�Origin Beings,Single�Origin Beings, Eventuated Transcendental Beings, Frag-mented Entities of Deity, and Superpersonal Beings. Registrieson the superuniverse headquarters of Uversa include seven grand


divisions of personalities: Paradise Deities, Supreme Spirits, Trin-ity�Origin Beings, Sons of God, Personalities of the In nite Spirit,Universe Power Directors, and the Corps of Permanent Citizen-ship.

Evolutionary mortals pass through seven stages of universe de-velopment.Planetary mortals are animal origin beings of ascendant poten-

tial. Sleeping survivors are those who have not attained the level ofintelligence and spirituality required to go directly to the mansionworlds aer death. Such surviving souls remain unconscious un-til a new dispensation on the planet of their origin releases themfor resurrection on the mansion worlds. Mansion world studentsreawaken on the mansion worlds. Personality resurrection on themansion worlds provides a new morontia form for the indwellingsoul.Morontia progressors strive for the advancement of intellect,

spirit, and personality throughout their ascension through the lo-cal universe. Superuniverse wards are accredited evolving spirit be-ings who have embarked upon an individualized course of studyon the worlds of the minor sectors, major sectors, and superuni-verse headquarters. Havona pilgrims have completed their spiri-tual development and have begun personalized instruction in theperfect worlds of the central universe. Paradise arrivals are ascen-ders who have earned residency on Paradise.

31. THE CORPS OF THE FINALITYe Corps of Mortal Finaliters is one of seven naliter corps

whose destiny is assumed to be service in the outer space realms.


During the present universe age, naliters serve in the superu-niverses, never returning to their native superuniverse until theyhave served in all the others. Mortal naliters are always in ser-vice on Urantia. Finaliters are self�governing, bearing allegianceonly to the Paradise Trinity. ey are forever secure against sin.Finaliter corps are composed from six groups of beings: Havona Natives serve as teachers in the training schools of the

central universe, and may become greatly attached to the ascend-ing mortals in their care. Only one perfect Havona native is mus-tered into each thousand-member naliter corps.Gravity Messengers are personalized Adjusters who hail from

Divinington and are able to transcend time and space. ey aresuperspirit beings; divine, intelligent and touchingly understand-ing. Gravity Messengers and glori ed mortals have a profound af-fection for one another; one being a personalization of a fragmentof the Father and the other an immortal soul fused with a Fatherfragment.Glori ed Mortalsmake up the bulk of each naliter company. It

is conjectured that the lengthy universe training ascendant mor-tals receive is designed to qualify them for greater tests of futureservice. Glori ed mortals have not yet achieved nal spirit status,nal creature service, or experiential Deity attainment. ey have

ascended through every step of possible intelligent existence, andhave been trained in every possible detail of administration of thesuperuniverses.Adopted Seraphim are seraphic guardians who have gone

through the ascendant career. Many join the corps aer becomingFather�fused.


Glori ed Material Sons and Daughters may elect to humanizeand receive adjusters aer their planet settles in light and life. Ifthey join a naliter company, they are invariably chosen as its lead-ers.Glori ed Midway Creatures released from permanent citizen-

ship at the onset of the age of light and life on their home planetare destined for the nality corps. Secondary midwayers are even-tually Adjuster-fused and may be accepted into the mortal corps.

e Architects of the Master Universe oversee all seven corpsof nality: Mortal Finaliters, Paradise Finaliters, Trinitized Fi-naliters, Conjoint Trinitized Finaliters, Havona Finaliters, Tran-scendental Finaliters, and the Unrevealed Sons of Destiny. eseseven naliter corps are destined to serve the future needs of theundeveloped vast new system of universes now organizing in thedomains of outer space.

PART II.THE LOCAL UNIVERSE

32. THE EVOLUTION OF LOCAL UNIVERSESOnce a material creation has been planned by the Architects of

the Master Universe, the Master Force Organizers manipulate pri-mordial energy until it becomes responsive to gravity. When grav-ity response exists, Power Directors mobilize the energy to pro-duce suns and material spheres. When energy-matter reaches acertain stage of materialization, the Creator Son arrives with theCreative Spirit, and construction of the headquarters sphere be-gins.

It took over one billion years to construct Salvington, the localuniverse headquarters. Salvington is located at the exact center ofthe local universe of Nebadon, which is a young cluster of stars,with 3,840,101 inhabited planets at last count. Our system of Sata-nia has more than six hundred inhabited worlds in over ve hun-dred physical subsystems. Forty-six subsystems in Satania havetwo inhabited worlds, four systems have three, and one has fourinhabited planets. Satania is on the edge of Nebadon, which itselfis well out toward the edge of Orvonton.

Gabriel, the Bright and Morning Star, was the rst offspring ofthe Creative Spirit and Creator Son and is the chief executive ofNebadon. Immediately aer Gabriel’s creation, the Creator Sonand Spirit began the production of a vast and wonderful array ofdiverse creatures-the sons and daughters of the local universe.

Will creatures of evolutionary nature ascend the scale of life byprogressively translating from life to life and sphere to sphere. e

61 PART II. THE LOCAL UNIVERSE

acquired perfection of the creatures of time is a true personalitypossession, the result of individual effort and experience. Godcould have created all of his children in perfection, but doing sowould have deprived mortals of the valuable inward climb to per-fection. Perfect beings and perfected beings are co�ordinate anddependent. Each type requires the other to achieve completion offunction, service and destiny.

Human beings are part of an immense plan. e struggle ofmaterial existence is a transient bridge to eternal spiritual reality.Humans are virtually unable to comprehend eternity-that whichis never�beginning and never�ending-because everything famil-iar to mortals has an end. Death seems to represent an ending, butit constitutes the only method other than fusion by which mortalscan escape the fetters of time and the bonds of the material world.

33. ADMINISTRATION OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSEe Creator of our local universe, Michael of Nebadon, is

611,121 in a line of Creator Sons created by the Universal Fatherand the Eternal Son. Michael personi es the Paradise Father andthe Eternal Son; his consort, the Mother Spirit, represents the In-nite Spirit. Michael’s bestowal experience also quali es him to

portray the divinity of the Supreme Being. ese multiple aspectsof deity personi cation giveMichael unique quali cations for sov-ereignty. For all practical purposes, Michael is God in the localuniverse.

e Mother Spirit and Michael are concerned with three occu-pations: creation, sustenance, andministry. e Son and the Spiritfunction with the counsel and approval of the other. e CreatorSon functions as a father, and the Creative Spirit ministers as a


mother. is arrangement is the pattern for family organizationand government throughout all of Nebadon.

Gabriel, chief executive of the local universe, is capable of broadand sympathetic contact with seraphic hosts and evolutionary willcreatures. He and his staff are administrators, never departingfrom this work except during Michael’s creature bestowals. Gab-riel supervises Nebadon’s judicial system.

Personalities from the central universe and Paradise are presentin every local universe. At the head of Nebadon’s Paradise groupis Immanuel of Salvington, a Union of Days. He is the only per-sonality in Nebadon who does not acknowledge subordination toMichael. Immanuel functions as an advisor to Michael and as su-pervisor to the Faithfuls of Days.

ere are seventy court branches in Nebadon. Courts and as-semblies of universe administration focus on spiritual transac-tions, and are thus very different from corresponding activitieson Urantia. e universe courts cannot rule on matters involv-ing questions of eternal life, defections of Local Universe Sons, orthe spiritual status of any part of a local universe in spiritual iso-lation. In all other matters, the courts of Salvington are supreme;there is no appeal to their decisions.

Salvington possesses research and advisory councils but no truelegislative bodies. Legislative assemblies are located in the head-quarters of the one hundred constellations, and administration ofthe local creations is largely handled within the system headquar-ters.


34. THE LOCAL UNIVERSE MOTHER SPIRITWhen a Creator Son is ready to create life in a local universe,

a new local universe Mother Spirit is personalized. e MotherSpirit, also known as the Divine Minister or the Creative Spirit,possesses all the physical�control attributes of the In nite Spiritincluding antigravity andmind gravity. ere is a basic uniformityof spiritual character in all Universe Mother Spirits; there is alsodiversity caused by the in uence of one of the sevenMaster Spirits.

e Creative Spirit and the Creator Son produce, uphold, andconserve every creature in their realms. In personal prerogatives,the Creative Spirit is independent of space but not of time; she isequally present throughout her entire local universe. e CreatorSon is usually independent of time, but not always of space. Mi-chael cannot be in two places at once. When working together, theCreative Spirit and the Creator Son are essentially independent ofboth time and space.

ree distinct spirit circuits function in Nebadon: the Spiritof Truth, the Holy Spirit, and the intelligence�ministry circuitof the adjutant mind�spirits. e Spirit of Truth is the spiritualforce that draws all truth seekers towards Michael. It derives fromthe Creator Son, but functions from within the Divine Minister.e Holy Spirit of the Mother Spirit is active only in her personalpresence. By maintaining residence on Salvington, the CreativeMother Spirit serves as the universe focus of both the Spirit ofTruth and the Holy Spirit.

e Spirit of Truth and the Holy Spirit work as one, hoveringover the worlds, seeking to enlighten the minds of the ascend-ing creatures. e Spirit of Truth is limited by man’s personalreception of the mission of the bestowal Son. e Holy Spirit is


partially independent of human attitude, but is most effective inthose mortals who most fully obey divine leadings. As individ-uals we do not personally possess a portion of these spirits, butour indwelling ought Adjusters work in perfect harmony withthe combined spirits of the Creator Son and the Creative Spirit. Asmortals progress in spirit perception, the multiple spirit ministriesbecome more and more co�ordinate.

Adjutant mind-spirits endow human and sub�human orders oflife. e seven adjutant mind-spirits-the spirits of wisdom, wor-ship, counsel, knowledge, courage, understanding, and intuition-are created by the Divine Minister. e Creator Son and theMother Spirit work on the evolutionary worlds rst with lifelessmaterial, then vegetable life, then animal organisms, then earlyhumans, then will creatures. e seven adjutants, by leading theraces of mankind toward higher ideals, are largely responsible forthis progression. Mortal man rst experiences the ministry of theHoly Spirit when he develops receptivity for the adjutants of wor-ship and wisdom.

A conspiracy of spiritual forces increasingly subjects mortals tothe leadings of the Spirit. When such guidance is freely accepted,the human mind gradually develops consciousness of divine con-tact and assurance of spirit communion. is consciousness ofspirit domination attends an increasing exhibition of the fruits ofthe spirit: love, joy, peace, long�suffering, gentleness, goodness,faith, meekness and temperance.

On normal worlds, mortals do not experience con icts betweenthe spirit and the esh as acutely as Urantians do, but even onthe most ideal planets, people must put forth positive effort toascend. On Urantia, the Calagastia betrayal robbed subsequent


generations of the moral assistance of a well�ordered society. eAdamic default deprived the races of a physical nature that wouldhave beenmore responsive to spiritual aspirations. In spite of thesehandicaps, mortals who enter the spirit kingdom enjoy compara-tive deliverance from bondage in the esh. Faith sons work on lev-els far above the con icts produced by unrestrained or unnaturalphysical desires.

e love ofGod is shed abroad in all hearts by the presence of thedivine Spirit. In every dark hour, at every crossroad in the forwardstruggle, the Spirit of Truth will always speak, saying, “is is theway.”

35. THE LOCAL UNIVERSE SONS OF GODMelchizedeks, Vorondadeks, and Lanonandeks are orders of lo-

cal universe Sons of God created jointly by the Creator Son andCreative Spirit.

e rstborn of the Melchizedek order, the Father Melchize-dek, collaborates with the Creator Son and Creative Spirit in thecreation of the rest of the Melchizedek group. e Father Melchi-zedek is the rst executive associate of Gabriel. Gabriel presidesover regular tribunals and councils of Nebadon, while Father Mel-chizedek presides over special and emergency commissions.

Melchizedeks are a self-governing order. ey are the rst or-der of divine Sons that are close enough to humans to ministerdirectly to them. Melchizedeks are understanding friends, sym-pathetic teachers, and wise counselors to all forms of intelligentlife. ey oen win whole worlds to the recognition of the CreatorSon and the Paradise Father. Melchizedeks are nearly perfect inwisdom but are not infallible in judgment.


Generally, Melchizedeks devote themselves to education andtraining, but can also function in unusual assignments. On Eden-tia, they are known as emergency Sons. Melchizedeks render as-sistance when local universe plans are threatened, and sometimesact as temporary custodians of wayward planets. In Nebadon, aMelchizedek has appeared seven times in the likeness of mortalman.

Vorondadek Sons are commissioned by Gabriel to rule in theconstellations. ey do not possess the versatility of the Melchize-deks, but are more efficient as rulers and administrators. Voron-dadeks serve as ambassadors, legislators, historians, and consuls.ey rarely fall into error and have never rebelled. Twelve Voron-dadek Sons presently administer our constellation of Norlatiakek.

Lanonandek Sons serve as Universe Coordinators, Constella-tion Counselors, System Sovereigns, Planetary Princes, Messen-ger Corps, Custodians, Recorders, and Reserves. Lanonandeks areable and versatile local universe administrators. Because they area lower order of sonship, they are of greater service to the lowercreatures than either Melchizedeks or Vorondadeks, but they alsostand in greater danger of going astray. In Nebadon, seven hun-dred Lanonandeks rebelled against the universe government, pre-cipitating confusion and spiritual isolation in several systems.

36. THE LIFE CARRIERSLife Carriers bring life into the inhabitable worlds. e Life Car-

riers are the offspring of three personalities: the Creator Son, theUniverse Mother Spirit, and one Ancient of Days. One hundredmillion Life Carriers live inNebadon in three divisions: senior LifeCarriers, assistants, and custodians.


Life Carriers are devoted to the study of universe life. ey areinvolved in new life design, life preservation, evolution of creaturelife, life associated with mind, the correlation of mind with spiritin living organisms, and in unrevealed domains of evolutionarycreature life. e Life Carriers are living catalytic presences thatagitate, organize, and vitalize otherwise inert material.

A commission of Life Carriers can either carry life plasm onto anewworld or organize life patterns aer they arrive. Once physicalpatterns are arranged, the Universe Mother Spirit supplies the vi-tal spark of life; inert patterns become living matter. Life Carriersmay spend ve hundred thousand years to establish life on an evo-lutionary world. Once they have succeeded in producing a moralbeing, the Life Carriers’ work ends. Life Carriers are forbidden tointerfere with will creatures.

e central lodgments of the seven adjutant mind�spirits areon the headquarters world of the Life Carriers. e adjutants sendforth their in uence into all inhabited worlds. e rst ve ad-jutantmind-spirits-intuition, understanding, courage, knowledge,and counsel-function in the animal orders. e adjutants’ experi-ence in relationship to animals makes them more effective in theirministry to human beings. e nal two mind�spirits, worshipand wisdom, function only in mortal candidates for spiritual as-cension. e adjutant mind-spirits are not directly related to thefunction of the Holy Spirit, but they help preparemortal minds forthe appearance of this Spirit.

e survival ofmortal creatures is wholly dependent on the evo-lution of an immortal soul within the mortal mind. e life be-stowed on plants and animals possesses neither identity nor per-sonality; it survives only as a part of the cosmic forces of the uni-


verse. Life is neither energy nor force; it is the animation of ma-terial, mindal, and spiritual systems of energy. Life ows from theFather, through the Son, by the Spirit.

37. PERSONALITIES OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSELong-term and permanent residents of the local universe in-

clude the Brilliant Evening Stars, Archangels, Most High Assis-tants, High Commissioners, and Celestial Overseers.Brilliant Evening Stars are planned by theMelchizedeks and cre-

ated by the Creator Son and the Mother Spirit. ey chie y serveas liaison officers for Gabriel, representing him at every constel-lation and system capital in Nebadon. Brilliant Evening Stars area twofold order-some are speci cally created to serve in this po-sition and others attain service. ey accompany Avonal Sons ontheir bestowal missions and may be assigned as liaisons for TrinityTeachers Sons in the mortal realms.Archangels are created by the Creator Son and theMother Spirit,

and serve under the jurisdiction of Gabriel. Nearly eight hundredthousand archangels dedicate themselves to mortal survival andascension in Nebadon. Archangels serve the Avonal orders andpreserve mortal personality identi cation records between mortaldeath and resurrection.Most High Assistants originate outside the local universe and

volunteer in the local creations. ey help local universe nativescome to fuller harmony with the ideals of Paradise. ey are su-pervised by the Union of Days. Most High Assistants are assignedto administrative, executive, and educational activities.High Commissioners are Spirit-fused ascendant mortals. Souls

of this order attain immortality by fusing with a fragment of the


Universe Mother Spirit. High Commissioners begin their serviceas race commissioners, portraying the viewpoints and needs ofvarious human races. ey may serve at tribunals, with messen-ger hosts, with ministering spirits of time, at universe assemblies,or with bestowal missions. High Commissioners provide a conti-nuity that enhances and stabilizes local universe administration.

e Nebadon education system is maintained by the CelestialOverseers. More than three million recruited Overseers currentlyoversee the education of ascending mortals, from the nativityworlds up through local universe headquarters. eir divine edu-cation provides for the intimate association of work and instruc-tion.

Certain high-origin spirits of the family of the In nite Spirit areon permanent assignment to the local universes. ese includeSolitary Messengers, Universe Circuit Supervisors, Census Direc-tors, Associate Inspectors, Assigned Sentinels, Universal Concilia-tors, Technical Advisers, Celestial Recorders, and Morontia Com-panions.Material Sons of God, created solely by the Creator Son to ex-

press his dual origin, serve as the original Adam and Eve of eachlocal system in Nebadon. eir children are the permanent citi-zens of the system capitals.Midway Creatures are difficult to classify. ey arise from un-

usual circumstances involving transactions of superhuman beingson evolutionary planets. Midway Creatures are the permanentresidents of the evolutionary worlds, providing continuous plane-tary administration despite ever-changing celestial ministries andshiing mortal inhabitants.


38. MINISTERING SPIRITS OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSESeraphim are created by the universe Mother Spirit. Seraphim

are just outside the mortal range of vision. Seraphim appreciatehuman efforts in music, art, and humor. ey are mathemati-cal prodigies. Seraphim truly love mortals, and only good canresult from the effort to understand them. Once they completetheir training, seraphim are commissioned as ministering spiritsof time. ey gather in groups of 24, companies of 288, battalionsof 3,456, units of 41,472, and legions of 497,664. Twelve legionsconstitute a host and twelve hosts make an army of 71,663,616 an-gels.Cherubim and sanobim are slightly lower than the seraphim

spiritually. ey assist the seraphim in routine spiritual matters onindividual worlds but never attend to human beings. Every fourthcherub is nearly material. ese quasi-material types are able toperform many indispensable tasks. Cherubim and sanobim maybecome ascension candidates; some achieve full seraphic standing.Midway creatures appear on most inhabited worlds and all dec-

imal planets. Primary midwayers, the more spiritual type, areprogeny of the mortal staff of the Planetary Prince. ey resembleangelsmore thanmortals. On a normal world, primarymidwayersare the intelligence corps of the Planetary Prince. Secondary mid-wayers are a more material group and are quite similar to humanbeings. ere are twenty-four diverse techniques by which sec-ondary midwayers can be created. If midwayers remain faithful totheir trust, they eventually enter into the ascension plan alongsidetheir mortal brethren.

Beings descending from the Father and the Son are spoken of assons, while children of the Spirit are referred to as daughters. For


this reason, all mortals are considered sons of God, even if they arefemale, and all angels are referred to as daughters of God.

39. THE SERAPHIC HOSTSAlthough seraphim do not experience childhood as we know

it, they are experiential creatures. ey augment their divine en-dowments by acquiring skill in the various seraphic services. ehigher the inherent function of an angel, the more she seeks as-signment to the lower orders of service. Seraphim crave to serveat the lowest possible levels to achieve the highest range of experi-ence. ere are seven distinct groups of seraphim.Supreme Seraphimmay serve as Son-SpiritMinisters, Court Ad-

visers, Universe Orientors, Teaching Counselors, Directors of As-signment, or Recorders. Superior Seraphim are Intelligence Corps,Voices of Mercy, Spirit Coordinators, Assistant Teachers, Trans-ports, and Recorders. Supervisor Seraphim serve in the constel-lations as Supervising Assistants, Law Forecasters, Social Archi-tects, Ethical Sensitizers, Transporters, and Recorders. Adminis-trator Seraphim serve in the systems as Administrative Assistants,Justice Guides, Interpreters of Cosmic Citizenship, Quickeners ofMorality, Transporters, and Recorders.Planetary Helpers are assigned to serve the Planetary Adams.

ey include the Voices of the Garden, Spirits of Brotherhood,Souls of Peace, Spirits of Trust, Transporters, and Recorders. Tran-sition Ministers serve on the mansion worlds. Seraphim of the Fu-ture are not directly concerned with the mortal ascension plan.

ere are hundreds of paths by which seraphim may attain Par-adise, but their preferred career choice is that of guardian angel to


an evolutionary mortal. Only the most experienced seraphim arechosen to be guardians of mortal destiny.

40. THE ASCENDING SONS OF GODere are seven classes of ascending sons. e non-mortal

classes include evolutionary seraphim, ascending Material Sons,translated midwayers, and Personalized Adjusters. e mortalclasses of ascending sons are Father-fused mortals, Son-fusedmortals, and Spirit-fused mortals.

Mortals are also classi ed according to their type of Adjuster.Series one mortals are indwelt with transient Adjusters. is is atemporary series, appearing during the early eras of some inhab-ited worlds. Series one Adjusters contribute much to the advance-ment of primitive men but are unable to achieve union with them.

Series two mortals are also unable to attain eternal union withAdjusters. Many non�breathers belong to this series, along withmany other groups who do not usually fuse with Adjusters. esemortals are oen indwelt by virgin Adjusters. It is unknown whythese beings cannot fuse with the Father fragments.

Series three are mortals of Adjuster�fusion potential. ey areall of animal origin, and may be one�brained, two�brained, orthree�brained. Nearly all surviving mortals fuse with their Ad-justers during their sojourn on the mansion worlds, thereby en-tering a career of nearly limitless universe service. Since oughtAdjusters take origin in the Father, they do not cease striving untilthe mortal of their indwelling stands face to face with God.

Mortals who fail to attain fusion with their Adjuster may be-come fused with a fragment of the spirit of the Creator Son. ese


Son-fused mortals are rare, numbering less than one million inOrvonton. ey usually live permanently in the superuniverse oftheir birth. e wisdom of Son-fused mortals is a vital factor inthe settling of a universe.

Spirit�fused mortals are those who fuse with the spirit of theird Source and Center. When they arrive in the resurrectionhalls of the morontia spheres they are like newly created beings,without human memory. Spirit�fused mortals are permanent cit-izens of the local universes.

God loves each of his sons alike, and his love utterly eclipsesall other facts. All souls of every possible phase of mortal exis-tence will survive, provided they cooperate with their indwellingAdjusters and desire to nd God and to attain divine perfection.

41. PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSEe physical boundaries of the local universes are not easily

identi ed, although the major and minor sectors of Orvonton areclearly distinguishable. What separates one local universe from allothers is the presence of a local universe Creative Mother Spirit.

Nebadon sprang from Andronover and other nebulae. Today ittravels in an increasingly settled orbit around the Sagittarius centerof our minor sector. Our system of Satania is one of one hundredsystems in the constellation Norlatiadek.

ere are more than two thousand suns in Satania. Suns serveas way stations for concentrating the energy circuits of thematerialcreations. Some larger sunsmay break up or split into double stars.Some are solid, especially the older ones, and their density may beso great that one square inch weighs three tons. Urantia’s gaseoussun has a density of about one and a half times that of water.


Suns generate light and x�rays. Light is real; it can be highlyexplosive. Energy, including light, moves through space in straightlines and is responsive to other forces and energies. Large sunsmaintain such gravity control over their electrons that light escapesonly with the aid of powerful x-rays. ese rays penetrate all ofspace, and contribute to the maintenance of ultimatonic energyassociations. Atoms and electrons are subject to physical gravity,but ultimatons are obedient only to Paradise gravity.

Our sun’s surface temperature is about six thousand degreesFahrenheit; the interior temperature can approach thirty- ve mil-lion degrees. Sources of this enormous energy include annihila-tion of atoms, transmutation of elements, accumulation of spaceenergies, and solar contractions. A regulating blanket of hot gasesenvelops the sun and acts to stabilize solar heat loss. e heat givenout by the sun each second is enough to boil all the water in all ofUrantia’s oceans, instantly.

Earth’s sun is six billion years old and will continue to func-tion in its present state of efficiency for another twenty- ve bil-lion years. It currently radiates almost one hundred billion tons ofmatter annually.

42. ENERGY — MIND AND MATTERPaper 42: Energy–Mind and Mattere foundation of the universe is material, but the essence of life

is spirit. All energy is under God’s control. Energy and matter aremanifestations of the same cosmic reality, a phenomenon inherentin the Universal Father. e rst measurable form of energy, theultimaton, has Paradise as its nucleus.


e river of energy and life pours out from the Deities, pervad-ing all creation. e force organizers modify space�force into en-ergy, the power directors transmute energy into matter, and thematerial worlds are born. Energy is indestructible. It may be sub-ject to endless transformation, but having originated in Paradise,energy will ultimately return there.

Energy denotes motion, action, and potential. Force ispre�gravity; power is post�gravity.

Space potency refers to a pre�reality known as absoluta onUversa. Primordial force is pure energy. It is the rst basic changefrom space potency and is known as segregata. Emergent energiesare two forms of primordial force known on Uversa as ultimata.Havona energy, triata, is characteristic of the triune energy sys-tems of the central universe. Transcendental energy operates onlywith absonite beings, and is known as transota. Monota is the liv-ing non�spirit energy of Paradise.

ere are ten divisions of matter: ultimatonic, subelectronic,electronic, subatomic, shattered, ionized, atomic, molecular, ra-dioactive, and collapsed. Matter is identical in every universe ex-cept Havona. Power centers manipulate the basic units of mate-rialized energy-ultimatons-into electrons. e metamorphosis ofenergy and matter is in uenced by gravity, temperature, velocity,revolution, energy currents, distance, and the presence of force or-ganizers and power directors.

In Orvonton one hundred octaves of energy behave with wave-like tendencies. Sixty-four of these octaves are recognized onUrantia, including electronic energy, gamma rays, X�rays, ultra-violet, visible light, infrared rays, and radio waves. e human eyereacts to just one octave, the visible white light of sunlight.


e formation of matter resembles the solar system: a relativelystable energy nucleus surrounded by whirling energy units. ereare one hundred atomic stabilized atomic elements in Nebadon.

Material mind systems are non�spiritual energy systems. eseinclude themechanicalmind, adjutant�spirit minds, evolvingmo-rontia minds, and the cosmic mind-the mind of time and space asministered by the Master Spirits. Mind always connotes the pres-ence of living ministry plus various energy systems. e universeis neither mechanical nor magical; it is planned and administeredby the spirit�mind of the Creator.

Nearly every being in the superuniverses has a form. Humansthink of a body as having a spirit, but spiritual beings regard spiritas having a body. e spirit is the architect, themind is the builder,and the body is the material building.

43. THE CONSTELLATIONSe foundation of the universe is material, but the essence of life

is spirit. All energy is under God’s control. Energy and matter aremanifestations of the same cosmic reality, a phenomenon inherentin the Universal Father. e rst measurable form of energy, theultimaton, has Paradise as its nucleus.

e river of energy and life pours out from the Deities, pervad-ing all creation. e force organizers modify space�force into en-ergy, the power directors transmute energy into matter, and thematerial worlds are born. Energy is indestructible. It may be sub-ject to endless transformation, but having originated in Paradise,energy will ultimately return there.

Energy denotes motion, action, and potential. Force ispre�gravity; power is post�gravity.


Space potency refers to a pre�reality known as absoluta onUversa. Primordial force is pure energy. It is the rst basic changefrom space potency and is known as segregata. Emergent energiesare two forms of primordial force known on Uversa as ultimata.Havona energy, triata, is characteristic of the triune energy sys-tems of the central universe. Transcendental energy operates onlywith absonite beings, and is known as transota. Monota is the liv-ing non�spirit energy of Paradise.

ere are ten divisions of matter: ultimatonic, subelectronic,electronic, subatomic, shattered, ionized, atomic, molecular, ra-dioactive, and collapsed. Matter is identical in every universe ex-cept Havona. Power centers manipulate the basic units of mate-rialized energy-ultimatons-into electrons. e metamorphosis ofenergy and matter is in uenced by gravity, temperature, velocity,revolution, energy currents, distance, and the presence of force or-ganizers and power directors.

In Orvonton one hundred octaves of energy behave with wave-like tendencies. Sixty-four of these octaves are recognized onUrantia, including electronic energy, gamma rays, X�rays, ultra-violet, visible light, infrared rays, and radio waves. e human eyereacts to just one octave, the visible white light of sunlight.

e formation of matter resembles the solar system: a relativelystable energy nucleus surrounded by whirling energy units. ereare one hundred atomic stabilized atomic elements in Nebadon.

Material mind systems are non�spiritual energy systems. eseinclude themechanicalmind, adjutant�spirit minds, evolvingmo-rontia minds, and the cosmic mind-the mind of time and space asministered by the Master Spirits. Mind always connotes the pres-ence of living ministry plus various energy systems. e universe


is neither mechanical nor magical; it is planned and administeredby the spirit�mind of the Creator.

Nearly every being in the superuniverses has a form. Humansthink of a body as having a spirit, but spiritual beings regard spiritas having a body. e spirit is the architect, themind is the builder,and the body is the material building.

44. THE CELESTIAL ARTISANSCelestial artisans devote themselves to embellishment andbeau-

ti cation throughout the grand universe. Celestial artisans are se-lected fromHavona natives, ascendingmortals, and other celestialgroups. ey work with morontial and spiritual reality, since tospirit beings, the material world is almost entirely unreal. ereare seven divisions of celestial artisans:Celestial Musicians manipulate spiritual forces of sound, light,

energy, colour, thought, music, and orders of beings to producecelestial harmony. Harmony is the universal code of spirit com-munication; it is the speech of Havona.Heavenly Reproducers work in areas that are mostly unknown

to us. ey can present dramas using one million actors and onethousand scenes. ey are able to re�enact an entire age, or portraythe eternal values of the spirit world.Divine Builders create homes, industrial buildings, recreational

facilities, temples of worship, schools, and public buildings.ought Recorders preserve thoughts, idea patterns, oratory,

broadcasts, rhythm, poetry, and something like group pho-tographs.Energy Manipulators include physical energy manipulators,

mind energy manipulators, and spiritual energy manipulators.


Compound manipulators work with all three energies in their at-tempt to discover God the Supreme, in whom occurs the uni ca-tion of divine energy.Designers and Embellishers work with colour, sound, emotion,

odor, and taste.Harmony Workers deal with forces and energies that are unrec-

ognized by mortals.

45. THE LOCAL SYSTEM ADMINISTRATIONe chief executive of any local system is a primary Lanonan-

dek Son. e System Sovereign is entrusted with unusual personalprerogatives. e present system sovereign of Satania, Lanaforge,is a gracious and brilliant ruler who demonstrated his loyaltyto Michael during the second outbreak of rebellion in Nebadon.Lanaforge is a frequent visitor to Urantia.

Members of the Urantia advisory council are known as the fourand twenty counselors. ey live on Jerusem, the administrativecapital of Satania. e four and twenty counselors are the personalagents of Michael in all matters concerning mortal ascension onthe isolated worlds of the system. Counselors include representa-tives from the Urantia races, Adam and Eve, Enoch, Moses, Elijah,Machiventa Melchizedek, John the Baptist, and 1�2�3 the First.Eight seats on this committee are being kept in reserve for futureteachers and ascending mortals from Urantia.

Jerusem is surrounded by seven major satellites: the FinaliterWorld, the Morontia World, the Angelic World, the SuperangelWorld, the World of the Sons, the World of the Spirit, and theWorld of the Father. Jerusem is the location of more than thirtyeducational centers maintained by the Melchizedeks.


Elective bodies on Jerusem are voted into authority by threegroups: Material Sons and Daughters, seraphim and associates,and mortals. Suffrage is universal among these three groups, butvotes are weighted according to each individual’s mota achieve-ment. Mota is so important that ascenders cannot leave systemheadquarters to begin their constellation career until they are cer-ti ed for achievement of mota personality.

46. THE LOCAL SYSTEM HEADQUARTERSJerusem, the capital of Satania, is nearly perfect materially, mo-

rontially, and spiritually.One day on Jerusem is a little less than threeUrantia days. ere

are no days, nights, or seasons. Jerusem is not luminous in space,and would not be visible from Urantia even if it were near us.

Jerusem has no mountain ranges, no earthquakes, and nostorms. ere are thousands of small lakes but no rivers or oceans.e atmosphere is a mixture of three gases. On Jerusem there areno con icting forms of life, no survival of the ttest, no struggle forexistence. Jerusem so transcends the things of Urantia that com-parison is almost grotesque.

Mount Seraph, 15,000 feet high, is the point of departure forseraphic transports. Transports arrive on the planet on the “seaof glass,” a crystal eld that also serves as a receptor of the uni-verse broadcasts. is broadcast�receiving station is surroundedby an amphitheater large enough to hold ve billion material andmorontial beings, plus innumerable spirit beings. Listening to uni-verse broadcasts is themost popular of all leisure activities on Jeru-sem. Occasionally, messages come in from Paradise and the entirepopulation gathers to enjoy the re ectivity phenomenon.


Each of the seven major groups of universe life is assigned a setof seven concentric residential circles. e circles of the Sons ofGod are successively elevated so that each of the outer circles over-looks the smaller inner circles. People who live in these circlesare Magisterial Sons, Trinity Teacher Sons, Melchizedeks, Voron-dadeks, Lanonandeks, Life Carriers, and ascending sons. e Mi-chael memorial lls the center of the circles.

Solitary Messengers, messenger hosts, ministering spirits, ad-ministrator seraphim, planetary seraphim, transition ministers,and some unrevealed orders occupy the circles of the angels.e circles of the universe aids surround the headquarters of theEvening Stars. e circles of the Master Physical Controllers arearranged around the enormous temple of power.

e circles of the ascendingmortals contain a workingmodel ofEdentia surrounded by six hundred and nineteen memorials rep-resenting the inhabited worlds of Satania. e circles of the cour-tesy colonies house an observatory, an art gallery, and the theaterof the reversion directors. e circles of the naliters surround avacant, sealed temple, similar to one on every system headquartersin Nebadon.

Spornagia live within the rectangles. Spornagia, animal-typebeings devoted to the material care of the headquarters world,serve all manner of universe personalities. ey are the landscapegardeners of Jerusem, and use lower animals to help them in theirwork. Spornagia do not possess souls or personality. ey can liveforty to y thousand years. Spornagia are the only creatures inthe universe who experience reincarnationwhen their bodies wearout.


47. THE SEVEN MANSION WORLDSFiy-six worlds encircling Jerusem-seven planets each sur-

rounded by seven planets-are devoted to the transition of ascend-ing mortals.

e mansion worlds are the seven planets surrounding transi-tional world number one.

Transitional world number one, also known as the naliterworld, is the location of the probationary nursery. e probation-ary nursery is devoted to the care of childrenwhodie on evolution-ary worlds before they acquire individual status on the universe re-cords. Parents who have growing children in the probation nurs-ery are given every opportunity to participate in their children’straining. All ascending mortals must experience raising childrenat some time during their universe careers, either on their nativeplanets or during the aerlife.

All children who have ought Adjusters but who have notmade a nal choice about the ascension career are repersonalizedon the naliter world. Any time aer sixteen years of age thesechildren may translate to the rst mansion world and begin theirParadise ascent.

e center of all activities on the rst mansion world is the res-urrection hall, the temple of personality reassembly. Resurrectedmortal survivors resume their lives just where they were whenovertaken by death. ought Adjusters hold human mind tran-scripts andmemory patterns; mortal identity potentials are kept bythe seraphic guardians of destiny. ese two mortal componentsreassemble when sleeping survivors are restored to complete per-sonality in the resurrection halls. Mortals resume their intellectual


and spiritual training precisely at the point where they were wheninterrupted by death.

A new morontia body is acquired on each mansion world. Ad-juster memory remains fully intact from one world to another. Ev-erything in human mental life that has survival value is retained aspart of personal memory throughout the ascendant career. Sur-vivors become less material and more intellectual from one worldto the next, but will continue to eat, drink, and rest.

Mansion world number one pertains to de ciency ministry-correction of the legacies of life in the esh. Mansion worldnumber two is devoted to the removal of intellectual con ict anddisharmony. More positive educational work begins on worldnumber three, where ascenders gain practical insight into meta-physics, cosmic meanings, and universe interrelationships.

Onworld number four, mortals learn about the social life ofmo-rontia creatures, which is based on mutual appreciation, mutualservice, and awareness of the common destiny of divine perfec-tion. Ascenders begin to become God-knowing, God-revealing,God-seeking, and God- nding.

e culture of the h mansion world corresponds to the earlyera of light and life on normal planets. Ascenders, havingmasteredthe local universe language, now devote time to the perfection ofthe language of Uversa. ey also begin to learn about the con-stellation study worlds. A real birth of cosmic consciousness takesplace onworld number ve; ascenders becomeuniverse conscious.Study becomes voluntary and worship becomes spontaneous.

Time onmansion world number six is a brilliant age for ascend-ing mortals. Fusion frequently occurs on this planet.


e last remnants of “the mark of the beast” are eradicated onmansion world number seven. Here one engages in greater spiri-tual worship of the unseen Father. Classes begin to form for gradu-ation to Jerusem, where groups of ascendingmortals arewelcomedonto system headquarters as citizens. John the Revelator had a vi-sion of the arrival of a class of advancingmortals on Jerusemwhenhe said, “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with re; andthose who had gained the victory over the beast that was originallyin them and over the image that persisted through the mansionworlds...”

Mortal death is merely a technique of escape from life in theesh. e mansion world experience is the transition between

material existence on earth and the higher spiritual attainment ofeternity.

48. THE MORONTIA LIFEeonly possible method by whichmortals can transform from

material beings into perfected spirits is through the transition ofmorontia life.

Morontia materialization is a union of material and spiritualenergies made possible by the Morontia Power Supervisors, whoprovide each ascender with ve hundred and seventy consecutive morontia bodies. e Power Supervisors work in close associationwith both the physical controllers and the seraphim. Millions ofMorontia Power Supervisors coordinate the physical and spiritualenergy that ows into the morontia realms.Morontia Companions serve ascenders as companions, hosts,

instructors, translators, excursion supervisors, and custodians.


Reversion Directors volunteer to help mortals rest their mindsthrough humor. ey assist ascenders in reverting memories toa former state of being by creating reminiscent jests. Reversiondirectors also promote the unimportance of personal anxiety andthe satisfaction that all things work together for good.

Billions ofMansionWorld Teachers are recruited from the ranksof cherubim and sanobim who have completed their work as as-sistants to guardian seraphim. Teachers usually work in pairs inthe schools of things, feelings, doing, ethics, administration, so-cial adjustment, philosophy, divinity, and spirituality.Transition Ministers are seraphim devoted to facilitating the

transition from life in the esh to existence on the seven mansionworlds. Since the morontia life begins at the conception of thesoul, Transition Ministers begin their work on the evolutionaryworlds. Transition Ministers proclaim the gospel of eternal pro-gression and perfection attainment. ey counsel human teachersabout truth, righteousness, and the goodness of God. e Tran-sition Ministers are psychologists, counselors, philosophers, in-structors and recorders. From these seraphim, ascenders learn tolet pressure develop into stability; to be faithful, earnest, and cheer-ful; to accept challenges without complaint and difficulties withoutfear.

ere is a divine purpose in the morontia scheme of extensivetraining for ascending creatures. Passage through this life will bejoyous, but it also has a practical objective; the goal of transcen-dent service in the universes. e entire universe is a vast trainingschool through whichmortals are piloted, one by one, to their des-tiny as Paradise naliters in service to newuniverses in themaking.


49. THE INHABITED WORLDSAll worlds inhabited bymortals are evolutionary planets admin-

istered in systems of one thousand planets. Our system, Satania,is incomplete, with six hundred and nineteen inhabited worlds.irty-six more planets are near the life endowment stage, andnearly two hundred will be inhabitable within the next few mil-lion years.

Evolution may not always be predictable but it is never acciden-tal. ere is a precise system that determines the unfolding of lifebut no two worlds are exactly alike. Life Carriers have developedseven distinct physical types of mortal life:Atmospheric types are divided into nonbreathers, subbreathers,

mid-breathers and superbreathers. Mortals on the planet Venuswould be superbreathers, and on Mars, subbreathers. If mortalslived on the moon they would be nonbreathers. In Nebadon, lessthan three percent of all planets are inhabited by nonbreathers.Such a sphere exists in close proximity to Earth.Elemental typesmay dwell on land, in the treetops, in the water,

or in the air.Gravity types are modi ed to adapt to a planet’s gravity pull.

Mortals in Nebadon average seven feet in height, with a range be-tween two and a half feet and ten feet tall.Temperature types come in ve orders according to the surface

temperature of their world.Electric types display ten various adjustments to electric, mag-

netic, and electronic energies.Energizing types are categorized regarding nutritional intake.


Unnamed types have numerous additional unrevealed varia-tions.

All will creatures are erect bipeds. ere are three primary andthree secondary races, but not all races are present on all planets.e average number of physical senses is twelve. Sex equality pre-vails on all advanced worlds. Agriculture is the one pursuit com-mon to every atmospheric planet. Mortal longevity ranges fromtwenty- ve years to nearly ve hundred years.

Mortals may have different brain structures. e three-brainedtypes are more spiritual, ethical, and worshipful than two-brainedtypes such as Urantians, who are in turn more imaginative, ad-venturous, and philosophical than one-brained mortals. All threeorders are equally quali ed for the ascension career.

Spirit reception is in uenced by mind design, speci cally, bythe organization of certain glands that produce differing chemicalendowments. Mortal survival is dependent on the birth and evo-lution of the immortal soul. Some people attain sufficient spiritualprogress during their mortal lives to forego mansion world train-ing. ese individuals experience the mansion world as teachersrather than students. Some mortals from advanced planets escapethe world of their nativity by fusing with their ought Adjusters.Natural death becomes increasingly infrequent on spheres longsettled in light and life.

50. THE PLANETARY PRINCESA Planetary Prince is a Lanonandek Son charged with organiz-

ing and administrating an inhabited sphere. Every planet receivesa Planetary Prince soon aer intelligent evolutionary beings have


been developed by the Life Carriers. Planetary Princes are severelytested but seldom fail.

e Prince’s staff consists of personalities of the In nite Spirit,high evolved beings, and ascending mortals. e staff organizesschools where the highest members of the evolutionary races en-gage in physical labour, social activity, vocational training, andspiritual culture. A keen rivalry usually develops among indige-nous people seeking to gain entrance into the Prince’s schools.Eventually, an upliing and civilizing in uence begins to emanateinto the evolving races byway of the graduates of the Prince’s train-ing.

e progress of civilization is not alike on any two planets, butan average world passes through the following seven stages of de-velopment:e nutrition epoch-when the quest for food is the primary fo-

cus.e security age-when attention is paid to increasing personal

and clan security.e material comfort era-when people use their new leisure to

seek personal comfort.e quest for knowledge and wisdom-a time for the development

of culture.e epoch of philosophy and brotherhood-when people become

interested in ethics and accurate judgment.e age of spiritual striving-when people seek spiritual satisfac-

tions and cosmic understandings.e era of light and life-during which the blend of human ac-

complishments produces cosmic unity and unsel sh service.


When compared to normal worlds, Urantia seems intellectuallyconfused and spiritually retarded, but we should not imagine thatlife on other worlds is easy. A mortal’s rst life is always attendedby struggle. Urantia’s isolation provides a unique opportunity forfaith development. Surviving Urantians will be known on Jeru-sem as agondonters-evolutionary will creatures who can believewithout seeing, persevere when isolated, and triumph over diffi-culties even when alone. is distinct grouping persists even intothe Corps of the Mortal Finality.

51. THE PLANETARY ADAMSWhen a human race on any planet reaches its natural evolution-

ary limit, the System Sovereign dispatches a pair of biologic up-liers to upstep the evolutionary races. Material Sons and Daugh-ters who serve in this capacity are usually known on the assignedplanet as Adam and Eve.

Material Sons are a gi from the Creator Son to the inhabitedworlds. One unique pair is produced for each local system; thosewho serve as Planetary Adams and Eves are descendants of thesystem’s original pair. Materials Sons vary in height from eight toten feet tall, are visible to humans, and glow with a radiant light ofviolet hue.

Adams and Eves are equal to each other, differing only in repro-ductive characteristics and chemical endowments. Material Sonsare sustained by material food and by direct intake of cosmic en-ergies. Created Adam and Eves are immortal, but their offspringdepend on unbroken connection with the mind-gravity circuit ofthe Spirit for continuing life.


Material Sons are semi-material. ey must dematerialize to betransported by seraphim to the planet of their assignment, wherethey are rematerialized. One hundred thousand angels accompanyeach pair. Normally, Material Sons andDaughters stay on the pla-net of their assignment until it attains the era of light and life.

Material Sons and Daughters dwell in a garden home. esehomes are usually located in a secluded area in a near-tropicalzone. Adam and Eve’s offspring remain biologically segregated un-der the direction of the Planetary Prince until a strong violet racedevelops. Descendants of Adam and Eve are of two orders: physi-cal children and secondarymidway creatures. Secondarymidway-ers are oen invisible and contribute much to the advancement ofcivilization.

On a normal world, the red race is ordinarily rst to attain hu-man development. e evolution of many races provides desirablevariations in mortal types and contributes to the diverse expres-sion of human potential. It is impossible to understand a normalplanet’s racial evolution from observing the remnants of the earlyraces on Earth.

Slavery is typically abolished on a planet soon aer the arrival ofAdam and Eve. Evolutionary races are blended with the Adamicstrain only aer the inferior strains of each race are eliminated.Members of the violet race usually do not begin to mate with evo-lutionary humans until the violet race numbers one million indi-viduals. e violet race is monogamous. Any man or woman whomates with an Adamic son or daughter must pledge to be faith-ful to a single spouse and to raise their children to be monoga-mous. e children produced frommarriages between human andAdamic races are educated in the schools of the Planetary Prince


before returning to the race of their evolutionary parent. Fol-lowing this procreative outpouring, culture and civilization makerapid strides.

On a normal world, the centers of world culture are the Gar-den of Eden and the headquarters of the Planetary Prince. esetwo centers work together to in uence progress throughout theworld. e schools of the Prince are concerned with philosophy,religion, morals, and high intellectual and artistic achievements.e schools of Adam and Eve are devoted to practical arts, so-cial culture, economic development, trade relations, physical ef-ciency, civil government, and fundamental intellectual training.

52. PLANETARY MORTAL EPOCHSUrantia has not proceeded in the normal order of planetary de-

velopment. Average worlds progress through seven epochs of hu-man life, determined by the planetary missions of the divine Sons.

1. Pre-Planetary Prince is age is characterized by survivalof the ttest; some early races may be entirely obliterated. Prim-itive men are hunters and ghters. ey are cave dwellers, cliffresidents, or may live in treehuts. e early races learn to kindlere, improve tools, and vanquish large animals. ey use large y-

ing animals for transportation. People usually acquire moral willwhen they develop early language. Some primitive people receivetemporary ought Adjusters.

2. Post-Planetary Prince With the arrival of the PlanetaryPrince, primitive government appears and people make great so-cial strides. e invisible Prince and his visible staff make revela-tions of truth to upli the evolved religions of fear and ignorance.e races begin to develop specialized systems of religious and


philosophic thought. e great social achievement of the prince’sepoch is the emergence of family life, made possible by the realiza-tion of sexual equality. Domestication of animals and cultivationof the soil supplant the roving and unsettled life of the hunter. Onnormal worlds, the races are brought to a high state of physicalperfection and intellectual strength.

3. Post-Adamic When humankind has reached the apex ofanimal development, a Material Son and Daughter arrive. eAdamic regimemoves humans completely from the hunter/herderstage to the agriculturist/horticulturist stage. is age usuallycompletes the elimination of the un t strains of the races. eAdamic life plasm upsteps human intellectual capacity and spiri-tual progress. is is an age of invention, energy control, mechan-ical development, and exploration. All races blend into an amalga-mated race of one colour, an olive shade of the violet hue. Nation-alism wanes and the brotherhood of man begins to develop. In-terest ourishes in art, music, literature, intellectual realities, andphilosophy. Worldwide peace prompts the arrival of the age of theMagisterial Son.

4. Post-Magisterial Son AMagisterial Son incarnates and some-times rules for many generations. is age produces economicliberation. Citizens generally labour only two and one-half hoursa day, and use their newfound leisure for self-improvement andplanetary advancement. Most people are Adjuster-indwelt. Soci-ety returns to simple, natural forms of living. is age brings theowering of art, music and higher learning. e end of this age

is characterized by a worldwide spiritual enlightenment, signalingthe arrival of the Bestowal Son.

5. Post-Bestowal Son is age is characterized by the pursuit of


moral culture and spiritual truth, and the passion for communionwith spiritual reality. New systems of education and governmentarise. Aer the Bestowal Son returns to the headquarters of the lo-cal universe, he and the Creator Son send the Spirit of Truth to theplanet. Along with the Spirit of Truth, ought Adjusters arrive enmasse to indwell all normal-minded people. e average length ofhuman life during this era ismore than three hundred years. Fewerrestrictive laws become necessary. e military passes away andinternational harmony arrives. ere are many nations, but onlyone race, one language, and one religion.

6. Post-Teacher Son Teacher Sons come in groups to effectthe transition of a planet into the era of light and life. Naturaldeath becomes less frequent as more Adjusters fuse with their sub-jects during mortal lifetimes. e average length of mortal life ap-proaches ve hundred years. Representative government vanishesas the world passes into the rule of individual self-control. Moreand more people practice justice, mercy, and joyous service to theSons of God.

7. Light and Life Eventually, the Planetary Prince elevates toPlanetary Sovereign. e planet enters the era of light and life,something beyond human concepts of heaven.

Social brotherhood on Earth depends on the following transfor-mations:

1. Social fraternity-international associations of travel, com-merce, and competitive play; the development of a common lan-guage.

2. Intellectual cross-fertilization-an exchange of national andracial literature. Each nation must become familiar with the feel-ings of all nations.


3. Ethical awakening-disclosure of the immorality of intoler-ance and strife, development of the spiritual insight that is essentialto the golden rule.

4. Political wisdom-substitution of civilized adjudication forthe barbarism of war.

5. Spiritual insight-spiritual transformation, the enhance-ment of the soul capacity of every mortal to love every other mor-tal.

53. THE LUCIFER REBELLIONLucifer was a primary Lanonandek Son. He was once consid-

ered one of the hundred most brilliant personalities of more thanseven hundred thousand Lanonandek Sons. Lucifer now is one ofthree System Sovereigns in ten thousand who, by embracing sinand rejecting universe allegiance, have rebelled against the localuniverse government. Lucifer and his assistant, Satan, reigned onJerusem for more than ve hundred thousand years before theybecame traitors to the Universal Father.

It is difficult to trace the exact cause of Lucifer’s rebellion. Nospeci c conditions in the system of Satania favoured the outbreak.At some point, Lucifer’s evil devolved into deliberate sin; his self-pride turned into self-deception.

Several months passed before Lucifer succeeding in corrupt-ing his assistant, but once corrupted, Satan became the primaryspokesperson for Lucifer’s cause on Urantia. Satan was assistedby Caligastia, the Planetary Prince; Abaddon, Caligastia’s chief ofstaff; and Beelzebub, leader of the disloyal midwayers.

Lucifer presented his three main arguments in a manifestoknown as the Lucifer Declaration of Liberty. e rebel claimed


that the Universal Father was merely a myth invented by the Par-adise Sons so they could maintain power in the universes. Heprotested the right of Michael to rule and denounced the Ancientsof Days as tyrants and foreign potentates. Finally, he condemnedthe mortal ascension plan on the grounds that it wasted time andenergy on a ctional destiny.

Lucifer’s manifesto was issued at the annual conclave of Sataniaon the sea of glass two hundred thousand years ago. He prom-ised that Planetary Princes who followed him would rule as su-preme executives. Michael, aer taking counsel with his brotherImmanuel, decided to assume a position of noninterference. Lu-cifer was given a free hand to promote his plan, and he pointed tothis apparent lack of notice as proof that the universe governmentwas unable to stop him. e following years were a time of greattesting in Satania.

Gabriel, leading Lucifer’s opposition, set up headquarters in Sa-tania and assumed command of the hosts loyal to Michael. econ ict was terrible, real, and far more deadly than material war-fare on the immature worlds. Material life is lost in material con-icts, but those who choose the wrong side during heavenly rebel-

lion forfeit their eternal lives.e Lucifer Rebellion was system-wide. irty-seven Planetary

Princes chose the side of the rebel; hundreds of thousands of per-sonalities were lost. At the outbreak of the insurrection, the en-tire system of Satania was isolated from the constellation and uni-verse communication circuits. No Trinitized Sons, Melchizedeks,archangels, or Brilliant Evening Stars rebelled, but a heavy loss oc-curred fromMorontia Companions andMansionWorld Teachers.All of the supreme order of seraphim remained loyal, but many


superior and third order seraphim were lost. One third of the ad-ministrator angels went astray along with their associated cheru-bim. Over six hundred thousand Material Sons rebelled, as didlarge numbers of midway creatures. Ascending mortals withstoodthe rebellion better than the lower spirits. Not one ascendant cit-izen on Jerusem was lost, which, ironically, validated the mortalascension scheme by proving that the best security against cosmicrebellion was the experience of universe ascension.

Lucifer and Satan roamed freely until the bestowal mission ofMichael was completed onUrantia. eir attack against himwhilehewas incarnate onUrantia brought an end to any remaining sym-pathy for the rebel cause in Satania. Michael’s bestowal terminatedthe rebellion throughout the system except on the thirty-sevenplanets that rebelled. Salvation was offered to all rebels during theearly days of the insurrection; none of the leaders accepted mercy,but thousands of angels and lower orders of beings were rehabili-tated.

e Ancients of Days have yet to hand down a decision regard-ing the disposition of Lucifer, Satan, and their associates. Luciferand Satan are currently imprisoned on the Father’s transition sphe-res surrounding Jerusem. For nineteen hundred years, their statushas remained unchanged.

Michael’s last act before leaving Urantia was to offer mercy toCaligastia and Dalagastia, but they rejected his offer. Caligastia isstill free on Earth, although he has no power to enter the humanmind and cannot corrupt any person unless they truly desire tobe cursed with his presence. Both Caligastia and Dalagastia arepowerless against the ought Adjusters and the Spirit of Truth.

e system circuits will not be reinstated as long as Lucifer lives.


It is believed that all rebels whowill ever acceptmercy have alreadydone so. e universe awaits the Uversa decree that will deprivethese rebels of personality existence.

54. PROBLEMS OF THE LUCIFER REBELLIONOf all the problems caused by the Lucifer rebellion, none has

created more difficulty than the failure of immature mortals todistinguish between true and false liberty. True liberty is relatedto reality and is mindful of cosmic fairness, fraternity, and divineobligations. Liberty divorced from justice, fairness, forbearance,duty, and spiritual values is suicidal. License disguised as libertyis the precursor of abject bondage.

Ever since he rst formed Havona with the Son and the Spirit,God the Father has created a divine pattern of sharing. Sons andDaughters who attempt to replicate the central universe in the uni-verses of time and space are creative partners with the Father, as iseach person in every evolving universe who aspires to do the Fa-ther’s will. Lucifer’s crime was an attempt to disenfranchise everypersonality in Satania from this God-given freewill participationin the evolutionary struggle for light and life. e Lucifer mani-festo, masquerading as the promotion of liberty, attempted to de-prive ascenders of the privilege of participating in the creation oftheir own destinies.

Sin is potential whenever imperfect beings are endowed withthe ability to choose between good and evil. Mortals who are puz-zled as to why God permits evil and sin fail to comprehend thatboth are inevitable if the creature is to be truly free. Free will isnot a mere philosophic concept; it is a universe reality. Whole-hearted identi cation with sin leads eventually to non-existence,


but there is always a period between the embrace of sin and thepenalty thereof. e Ancients of Days do not annihilate any beinguntil all moral values are extinct, both in the evildoer and in anyrelated supporters.

Lucifer and Satan were permitted to work their wickedness foran extended time before they were apprehended. People whohave raised children are best able to understand why Michael, theCreator-father, might be slow to destroy his sons. Immanuel, theFaithful of Days, the Supreme Executive of Orvonton, and the Di-vine Minister all concurred that the rebellion should be allowed totake its full natural course.

Mercy delays of time are mandated by the Creators, and there isgood to be derived in the universe from patience in dealing withsinful rebels. But such delays are not interminable. Justice in amercy-dominated universe may be slow, but it is certain. Mercyrequires that wrongdoers be given sufficient time to fully choosetheir evil thoughts and acts. Justice will never destroy that whichmercy can save.

When a father shows mercy to one of his erring children, it maybring a temporary hardship to his other children. Such risk is in-separable from the reality of being a member of a family. Eachfamily member pro ts by the righteous conduct of every othermember, and each suffers the consequences of the misconduct ofthe others. But such hardships are transient; no consequence offraternal misbehaviour can never jeopardize the eternal prospectsof another individual.

Compensation invariably accompanies the sin of rebellion. eLucifer rebellion at rst seemed to be a complete calamity, butgradually bene ts began to accrue. About twenty thousand years


ago, the good that had arisen from Lucifer’s sin came to equal theevil incurred. e evil now has become almost stationary, whilethe bene cial repercussions continue to multiply throughout thesuperuniverse. e good that has resulted from the Lucifer rebel-lion is nowmore than a thousand times the sum of the evil created.As mortals ascend Paradiseward, they will increasingly learn howultimate good can derive from time-limited evil.

55. THE SPHERES OF LIGHT AND LIFEe nal attainment of an evolutionary world is the age of light

and life. Once attained, the era of light and life continues forever.A morontia temple appears at a planet’s entry into light and life.

Morontia temples are designed on system headquarters and arebuilt byMorontia Power Supervisors andMaster Physical Control-lers. ree hundred thousand seats provide for silent cosmic con-templation, revelation of spirit beings, graduation exercises, andfusion ceremonies.

A planet in the golden ages of light and life has achieved onelanguage, one religion, and one race. Disease has not been entirelyvanquished; hospitals still exist to treat accidental injuries and thein rmities of old age. Human government continues. In the ad-vanced stages of light and life on a planet, idleness, poverty, de-generacy, insanity, and delinquency virtually disappear. Science,art, and industry ourish; economic life becomes ethical. War isknown only in history; there are no armies or police forces. Gov-ernment fades away in inverse proportion to morality and spiritu-ality. Life is refreshingly simple.

Advanced mortals are taught the local universe language beforefusion. Most people who live on worlds in the advanced stages of


light and life do not die; they are translated directly to the moron-tia existence through fusion. When people gather in the moron-tia temples to observe the passing of a loved one to the mansionworlds, it is an occasion of great joy.

Universes also pass through stages of light and life. e rststage beginswhen a single planet settles in light and life; the secondstage occurs when a whole system is settled. e third is the con-stellation stage and the fourth is the local universe stage. e hand sixth stages (minor and major sectors) are relatively insigni -cant, but the seventh stage when an entire superuniverse settles inlight and life may trigger sweeping changes in the entire superuni-verse.

56. UNIVERSAL UNITYe universe of universes is one mechanism controlled by one

mind. Physical, intellectual, and spiritual realities are divinely cor-related and are uni ed in the plans of the Architects of the MasterUniverse. Non-spiritual realities spring from pure energy. Divineovercontrol of all energy systems springs from pure spirit. Pureenergy and pure spirit seem to be diverse phenomena, but bothare centered in the Paradise Father-they are one because God isone.

Mind is the inevitable link between spiritual and material re-alities. At the Creator’s rst thought, two realities appeared: theIsle of Paradise (energy) and the Eternal Son (spirit). Mind uni esthese two universe expressions of God. Mind, an endowment ofthe In nite Spirit, is uni ed throughout time and space. From theadjutant mind spirits, to the mind of the chief executive of a uni-verse, to the Seven Master Spirits, to the Supreme Mind-all mind


ministry is perfectly correlated through the mind of the In niteSpirit.

God is one. He reveals himself through the dual phenomena ofspirit and energy. Likewise, Paradise spirit realities are one, butthis single spirit is revealed through the spirit personalities of theEternal Son and the In nite Spirit, and through the prepersonalspirit entities of the Father. All spiritual phenomena are derivedfrom one God.

Perfected creature existence is attained when mortal mind fuseswith a fragment of spirit. When a mortal mind, created by Sonsof the Eternal Son and Daughters of the In nite Spirit, fuses withthe Father’s ought Adjuster, it becomes blessed with a threefoldspirit endowment. is triple endowment becomes perfectly uni-ed in naliters even as it was originally uni ed in the I AM.Spirit ultimately becomes Trinity-uni ed. God is a divinely uni-

ed personality, and his ascendant children who come to Paradiseby the rebound of the ought Adjusters will also be fully uni edpersonalities.

Personality inherently reaches out to unify all constituent re-alities. rough the personality circuit, each creature can main-tain unbroken contact with the Father of personalities on Paradise.Philosophically, we may postulate plural Deities and Trinities, butour worshipful contact with God the Father reveals that he is one.

ere are three eternal personalizations of Deity, but in the Par-adise Trinity they are one undivided Deity. Divinity functions inthe superuniverses through the Creator Sons and Spirits, the An-cients of Days, and the SevenMaster Spirits. ese rst three levelsof God the Sevenfold lead inward to Paradise through the coordi-nation of the evolving Supreme Being.


In the central universe, Deity unity is a fact. In the evolvinguniverses, Deity unity is an achievement.

Before the creation of the seven superuniverses, God the Su-preme functioned only on spiritual levels. e Creators of thegrand universe instigated the evolution of the power prerogativesof the Almighty Supreme. is new power of Deity coordinateswith the spiritual person of the Supreme through the SupremeMind, which sprang from the in nite mind of the In nite Spirit.Mortals can comprehend Deity unity only as it evolves in thepower-personality synthesis of the Supreme Being.

Evolution in the universes is accompanied by an increase of rev-elation of Deity to universe residents. Ascending mortals may ex-perience the impersonal presence of Deity before they know theseDeities on a personal level. As the creations of time and spaceprogress, God the Supreme functions more fully and the CreatorSons and Spirits, Ancients of Days, and Master Spirits begin towithdraw.

e Supreme Being uni es divinity in time and space. He is themaximum level of Deity that mortals can comprehend. roughhim, humans learn to experience absonitemind, eternal spirit, andParadise personality. Finaliters, born in the local universes, nur-tured in the superuniverses, and trained in the central universe,will have the potential to comprehend howGod the Sevenfold uni-es in the Supreme.As worlds settle in light and life, the main pursuit of advanc-

ing mortals becomes the study of the comprehensible elementsof Deity-truth, beauty and goodness-through philosophy, cosmol-ogy, and divinity. ese qualities represent the revelation of Deityto the worlds of time and space. Eternal truth is the ministry of


the Paradise Sons. Universal beauty is a re ection of the Isle ofParadise. Divine goodness is most fully shown in the ministry ofthe In nite Spirit. Love, the sum of truth, beauty, and goodness,is man’s perception of God as his Father. Our increasing under-standing of the love of God yields the fruits of divinity: intellectualpeace, social progress, moral satisfaction, spiritual joy, and cosmicwisdom.

Love is the greatest thing in the universe.God is love.Love is the desire to do good to others.

PART III.THE HISTORY OF URANTIA

57. THE ORIGIN OF URANTIA Nearly one trillion years ago, an inspector from the Primary

Master ForceOrganizers of Paradise reported that conditions werefavourable for materialization in our sector of Orvonton.

Nine hundred billion years ago a permit was issued authorizingthe dispatch of a force organizer and his staff, who inaugurated theenergy whirl that became the Andronover nebula.

Six hundred billion years ago the Andronover nebula acquiredits maximum mass. e nebula’s rotational speed increase, itsgravity began to weaken, and gas began to escape into two giganticarms on opposing sides of the original mass.

Five hundred billion years ago the rst sun in the Andronoversystem was formed.

Two hundred billion years ago the oldest inhabited planets ofNebadon were formed.

Six billion years ago our sunwas born as the Andronover nebulacondensed. Our solar system, Monmatia, had an unusual origin.An enormous system, Angona, drew near toMonmatia. Its gravitypulled solar gases from the sun, which evolved into planets, me-teors, and space dust of our solar system. e planets now travelin the plane of the Angona system rather than around the equato-rial plane of our sun. e reverse motion in the orbits of our sun’splanets, which perplexes astronomers, is a result of material fromthe Angona system merging into our sun’s gravity range. Jupiter

105 PART III. THE HISTORY OF URANTIA

and Saturn shone so brightly when they rst formed that they weresecondary suns; they remain largely gaseous today.

ree billion years ago our solar system was much as it is today.e planets were smaller; for some time the earth was not muchbigger than the moon.

One and one half billion years ago volcanic activity on earth wasat its height. A crust gradually formed, and atmosphere slowly be-gan to surround the planet.

One billion years ago Urantia was officially placed on the phys-ical registries of Nebadon. As the world cooled, the rst oceanformed, covering the entire earth in fresh water one mile deep.Fiy million years later there was one great continent and oneocean. Lava ows, earthquakes, and violent storms characterizedthis age.

Nine hundred million years ago a scouting party from Sata-nia recommended that Urantia be designated a decimal planet, alife�experiment world.

Six hundred and y million years ago, the continents had sep-arated, the seas were attaining the necessary saltiness, and Urantiawas nearly ready for establishment of life in the inland seas.

58-Life Establishment on UrantiaLife Carriers experiment with life forms on every tenth inhabit-

able planet in an effort to improve types of living beings. Urantiais the sixty- rst of these experimental worlds in Satania. Life Car-riers chose a sodium chloride pattern of life for our planet. All lifehere evolved in a salt�solution; human blood literally submersesevery cell of the body in the essential salt solution. e Life Carri-ers implanted life when the ocean water became sufficiently salty,


a large number of protected inland seas emerged, and atmosphericconditions became advantageous.

Five hundred and y million years ago the Life Carriers ini-tiated the original life patterns of Urantia by planting them si-multaneously in the ancient inland seas of three locations: Eura-sia/Africa, Australia, and Greenland/America. ree identicalbatches of life material were planted to ensure that there would belife on each of the great land masses when the continents driedapart. Within y million years, marine vegetable life was wellestablished.

Four hundred and y million years ago animal life developed.e transition to animal organisms took place in sheltered tropicalbays and shorelines of the separating continents. is change wasinherent in the original life patterns, and came about gradually.Slimemolds, classi ed as neither plants nor animals, are a remnantof this era.

Genetic mutations are entirely natural. From era to era, rad-ically new species can arise; new orders of life may appear sud-denly. Although there are connecting links between the most sim-ple to the most advanced life organisms, there are none betweenthe highest prehuman animals and the earliest humans.

58. LIFE ESTABLISHMENT ON URANTIALife Carriers experiment with life forms on every tenth inhabit-

able planet in an effort to improve types of living beings. Urantiais the sixty- rst of these experimental worlds in Satania. Life Car-riers chose a sodium chloride pattern of life for our planet. All lifehere evolved in a salt�solution; human blood literally submerses


every cell of the body in the essential salt solution. e Life Carri-ers implanted life when the ocean water became sufficiently salty,a large number of protected inland seas emerged, and atmosphericconditions became advantageous.

Five hundred and y million years ago the Life Carriers ini-tiated the original life patterns of Urantia by planting them si-multaneously in the ancient inland seas of three locations: Eura-sia/Africa, Australia, and Greenland/America. ree identicalbatches of life material were planted to ensure that there would belife on each of the great land masses when the continents driedapart. Within y million years, marine vegetable life was wellestablished.

Four hundred and y million years ago animal life developed.e transition to animal organisms took place in sheltered tropicalbays and shorelines of the separating continents. is change wasinherent in the original life patterns, and came about gradually.Slimemolds, classi ed as neither plants nor animals, are a remnantof this era.

Genetic mutations are entirely natural. From era to era, rad-ically new species can arise; new orders of life may appear sud-denly. Although there are connecting links between the most sim-ple to the most advanced life organisms, there are none betweenthe highest prehuman animals and the earliest humans.

59. THE MARINE-LIFE ERA ON URANTIAe billion-year history of Urantia extends through ve ma-

jor eras: the Pre-Life era (Archeozoic), the Life-Dawn era (Pro-terozoic), the Marine Life era (Paleozoic), the Early Land-Life era


(Mezozoic), and the Mammalian era (Cenozoic). At the dawn ofthe marine�life period, plants and animals were fairly well dis-tributed throughout the seas and vegetation had begun to moveonto the land.

Four hundred million years ago the rst multicellular animalssuddenly made their appearance. e trilobites evolved and dom-inated the seas for ages. Periodically, land masses would sink intothe oceans and rise again. At times the American land mass wasalmost entirely submerged. Greenland was warmed by the GulfStream. Sediments of conglomerates, limestone, shale, and sand-stone were deposited.

ree hundred and sixty million years ago marine life includedseaweed, sponges, one-celled organisms, trilobites, and other crus-taceans. Of the three thousand varieties of brachiopods appearingat the close of this period, only two hundred have survived intopresent times.

ree hundred and y million years ago saw the beginningof great ood periods on the continents. is age was character-ized by enormous amounts of limestone laid down by the lime-secreting algae.

ree hundred and ten million years ago every type of marinelife below the vertebrate scale was represented. Sea worms, sometypes of jelly sh, corals, and sponges evolved. Cephalopods de-veloped and have survived as the modern pearly nautilus, octo-pus, cuttle sh and squid. Shelled animals were single-shelled andbivalve gastropods-drills, periwinkles, snails, oysters, clams andscallops-and by valve-shelled brachiopods.

ree hundred million years ago another great ood era oc-curred. e enormous deposits of animal and vegetable matter


carried down with this land submergence provided the world withgas, oil, zinc, and lead.

Two hundred and eighty million years ago the continents hadlargely re-emerged. e trilobites declined. e cephalopods be-came masters of the seas; some of the larger mollusks grew to beeen feet long. Coral-reef formations multiplied. During this

age the primitive water scorpions evolved and soon thereaer therst air breathing scorpions appeared.Two hundred and y million years ago vertebrates suddenly

appeared in the sh family. e land was rapidly overrun by neworders of vegetation. Ferns appeared suddenly and quickly spreadover the face of the earth, some growing to be one hundred feethigh. Lea ess trees developed. e atmosphere of the earth be-came enriched with oxygen.

Two hundred and ten million years ago warm�water seas againcovered most of North America and Europe. Out from the warmwaters came snails, scorpions, and frogs. Spiders, cockroaches,crickets, locusts, and thirty-inch dragon ies soon followed.

Two hundred million years ago the most active stages of world-wide coal formation were in process.

One hundred and seventy million years ago great evolutionarychanges took place. Lands rose and ocean beds sank. e earth’scrust folded extensively, and inland lakes and seas evaporated. Twonew climatic factors appeared-glaciation and aridity. ousandsof marine animals perished. Of the 100,000 species of life on earthduring this era, less than ve hundred survived. Harsh weatherreplaced the mild climate. Insects underwent radical changes tomeet the demands of winter and drought.


is period of biologic adversity eliminated all forms of life ex-cept those which had survival value. At the close of themarine-lifeera, the land was largely covered with vegetation, and the atmo-sphere had become ideal for animal respiration. e vast oceanicnursery of life on Urantia had served its purpose.

60. URANTIA DURING THE EARLY LAND-LIFE ERAOne hundred and forty million years ago two full- edged rep-

tiles suddenly appeared, from which sprang crocodiles, sea ser-pents, ying reptiles, and dinosaurs. Early dinosaurs were egg lay-ers and had very small brains. Several million years later the rstmammal appeared and quickly failed.

One hundred and twentymillion years ago dinosaurs of all sizeshad evolved. e larger dinosaurs required somuch food that theystarved themselves into extinction.

One hundred and tenmillion years ago sea urchinsmutated intoexistence. Crabs and lobsters matured, and sh continued to de-velop. Sea serpents infested the seas and threatened the destruc-tion of all shes.

Ninety million years ago angiosperms, g trees, tulip trees, andmagnolias came into existence, followed by breadfruit trees andpalms.

Sixty- ve million years ago plant life evolved greatly with theappearance of modern-day trees such as beech, birch, oak, wal-nut, sycamore, maple and modern palms. Fruits, grasses, and ce-reals were widespread. ese seed-bearing plants were second inevolutionary importance only to the appearance of man himself.Flowering plants mutated and spread all over the world.


Sixty million years ago land turtles measured twenty feet across.Modern�type crocodiles and snakes thrived.

Fiy- ve million years ago the ancestor of all bird life, a smallpigeon-like creature, suddenly appeared. It was the third type ofying creature to appear on Urantia; it sprang directly from the

reptilian group. is period marked the end of the continentaldri and the buildup of modern mountains. Fern forests werelargely replaced by pines and redwoods. By the end of this period,the biologic stage was set for the early ancestors of mammaliantypes.

61. THE MAMMALIAN ERA ON URANTIAe mammalian era covers a period of y thousand years,

starting from the times of the origin of placental mammals to theend of the ice age. Mammals have several survival advantages overother forms of life. ey possess an ability to adapt to their envi-ronment, superior intelligence, agility, delivery of relatively ma-ture offspring, and a tendency to nourish and protect their young.

Fiymillion years ago placentalmammals suddenly appeared inNorth America, descendants of a small, highly active, springing-type of carnivorous dinosaur.

Forty- ve million years ago mammalian life was evolvingrapidly. A small egg�laying type of mammal ourished. e an-cestors of kangaroos existed in Australia. Small versions of horses,rhinoceroses, tapirs, primitive pigs, squirrels, lemurs, opossumsand monkey-like creatures appeared. A ten-foot-tall ostrich�likebird developed which became the ancestor of the passenger birdsof later times.


ese early mammals lived on land, under the water, in the airand among the treetops. ey hadmammary glands, were coveredwith considerable hair, developed two successive sets of teeth, andhad large brains. At this timeNorth America was connected to ev-ery continent except Australia; the world was overrun by primitivemammals.

irty- ve million years ago began the age of domination byplacental mammals. e dinosaur species were on the decline.Various groups of mammals took origin in an amphibious animal,now extinct, that was a cross between a cat and a seal. e ancestorof dogs evolved in Europe. Rodents appeared.

irty million years ago modern types of mammals began todevelop. Hoofed types of grazing animals appeared. Horses andrhinoceroses continued to evolve. A small hog-like creature devel-oped which became the ancestor of swine, peccaries, and hippos.Camels, llamas, and ancient lemurs originated. A group of mam-mals took to the seas and became ancestors to whales, dolphins,seals and sea lions. Most modern bird types existed.

Twenty million years ago the Bering land bridge was above wa-ter. Deer, oxen, camels, bison and rhinoceroses migrated to NorthAmerica from Asia. Fiy species of elephant overran the entireworld except Australia. Giant pigs became extinct.

Fieen million years ago enormous herds of horses roamedwestern North America. Primitive monkeys and gorillas evolvedin Asia. Wolves and foxes came into existence; panthers andsaber�tooth tigers represented the cat family.

Ten million years ago the last great world�wide animal mi-gration began. Camels entered China; sloths, armadillos, an-telopes and bears moved to North America. e giraffe evolved


in Africa. Mastodons migrated into every continent except Aus-tralia. e ocean currents shied and seasonal winds changed di-rection. Parts of Europe and North America rose up to 30,000 feetandmore; the thick depths of snow that began to formon the high-lands eventually became masses of solid creeping ice.

Two million years ago marks the beginning of the ice ages.roughout the ice ages, glaciers advanced and retreated acrossthe continents, carving the landscape as they went. Many animalspecies were destroyed and others were radically changed by therigors of migration. In North America, the last glacier movementwiped out horses, tapirs, llamas, and saber�tooth tigers. e iceages ended thirty- ve thousand years ago.

62. THE DAWN RACES OF EARLY MANegreat event of the ice agewas the evolution of primitiveman.Several million years ago, North American lemurs migrated

over the Bering land bridge and settled west of India. ere, theyunited with other favourable strains from the central life implan-tation to produce a superior lemur type. When climatic and geo-logic factors isolated the region from the rest of world, the superiorlemur strains were able to multiply without contamination frominferior stocks.

A little more than a million years ago, Mesopotamian dawnmammals suddenly arose from the lemurs. Dawn mammals werethree feet tall, carnivorous, and had opposable thumbs and grasp-ing big toes. ey had the largest brain of any proportionatelysized animal that existed to that date. e creatures experiencedmany emotions and instincts; the human tendency to harbor irra-tional fear dates from their time. Dawn mammals had a strong


tribal spirit and did not hesitate to make war on their inferiorneighbours. e species progressively improved by selective sur-vival. For a thousand years theymultiplied and spread throughoutthe Mesopotamian peninsula.

Aer seventy generations, twins far superior to their parentswere born to a pair of the dawn mammals. ese mid-mammalshad larger brains and bodies, less hair, longer legs, and shorterarms than their parents. ey grew to be a little over four feet inheight and walked upright. e mid-mammal twins were soonrecognized as leaders of the dawn-mammal tribe.

e twins instituted primitive forms of social organization andcrude divisions of labour. ey mated and produced twenty-onechildren, the nucleus of a new species. When the mid-mammalsbecame numerous, war broke out, and dawn mammals were com-pletely annihilated. e new species multiplied for een thou-sand years.

Rudimentary human traits appeared in the mid�mammals.ey collected stones for weapons, fought among themselves,hoarded food, and built homes in the treetops and underground.Six hundred generations aer the rst mid-mammals appeared, asuperior couple produced twins that were the rst primates, thedirect ancestors of the human race.. During the same era, anotherpair of mid�mammals gave birth to a set of twins who became theancestors of modern simians.

e superior twins weremore human and less animal than theirpredecessors. ey had less hair on their bodies, had fully devel-oped human-type hands and feet, and spoke to each other withsigns and sounds. e twins grew to be over ve feet tall. Evenwhen very young, they insisted on walking upright. At fourteen


years of age, the twins le home. eir descendants lived on theMesopotamian peninsula where they were segregated from theirless intelligent cousins.

Aer nine hundred generations-approximately 993,000 yearsago-a mutation within this Primate stock gave origin to anotherset of twins, the rst two true human beings. ey had perfecthuman hands and feet; they walked and ran. e twins communi-cated verbally as well as through signs and symbols. ese rst twohumans felt a range of emotions including curiosity, admiration,vanity, awe, reverence, humility, pity, shame, love, hate, revengeand jealousy.

When they were about nine years old, the twins pledged theirlives to each other. Two years later, they decided to elope; theyle their tribe to start a new life together. is conscious decisionmarked the moment when the mind-spirit of wisdom rst beganto function on earth. e twins were recognized as true humanbeings, and Urantia was officially registered as an inhabited world.

63. THE FIRST HUMAN FAMILYAndon and Fonta, the rst human beings, were in some respects

the most remarkable pair of humans who ever lived on Urantia.ey were in every way superior to their immediate descendantsand radically different from all of their ancestors. Andon andFonta’s decision to ee from the primate tribes implied a high qual-ity of mind. ey knew they were more than mere animals; theypossessed personality and the presence of indwellingought Ad-justers.

Before they ed, Andon and Fonta prepared a treetop retreathalf a day’s journey away. ey retained the primate fear of being


on the ground aer dark, but knowing that they were less likelyto be pursued during the night, they set out on their own beforenightfall.

On the northward journey, Andon and Fonta gathered a supplyof int stones for future uses. By accident Andon discovered theirsparking quality. Aer many failed attempts they learned to createre by using bird’s nests as kindling. Andon andFonta realized that

their discoverywouldmake it possible for them to defy climate andlive away from the warm regions. Two years aer they le home,Fonta gave birth to their rst child, Sontad.

Andon and Fonta had nineteen children and lived to know al-most y grandchildren and several great grandchildren. eirextended family lived in four rock shelters connected by hallwaysexcavated with int tools. ey avoided separation, seeming torealize that they were an isolated and unique group. e familyhunted in groups and never strayed far from home. Andon andFonta lived to be forty-two years old; their family group held to-gether for twenty generations.

Early Andonites resembled the present�day Eskimo. ey werethe rst creatures to use animal skins to protect themselves fromcold weather. ey developed social groups and divisions oflabour. ey were less sensitive to pain than modern-day humans.ey were very loyal to their families. Many of the most noble hu-man traits were foreshadowed in these primitive people.

As time passed the Andonites grew in numbers. Tribal warserupted. Serious losses were sustained among the best specimensof the more advanced groups; some of the most valuable humanstrains were forever lost to the world.


eAndonites spread northward until the third glacier advancestopped them. ey established more than one thousand settle-ments along the rivers leading to the warm waters of the NorthSea. Andonites were clever in disguising their homes and showedgreat skill in building stone sleeping chambers. ey were fearlesshunters, living almost exclusively on meat, wild berries, and fruits.ey became skilled in fashioning int tools. In some ways, theearly Andonites showed a degree of intelligence that their retro-gressing descendants did not attain again for half a million years.

Andonites developed a fear of the elements: thunder, lightning,rain, snow, hail and ice. Since they largely subsisted on animals,they evolved a form of animal worship. Andonite worship cere-monies eventually included the use of sacri ces.

Aer ten thousand years of Andonite retrogression, Onagar, agreat mastermind and spiritual guide, assumed leadership of thetribes. Onagar established peace and led the tribesmen to worshipthe “Breath Giver.” From his headquarters at a settlement near thepresent-day Caspian Sea, he sent out the world’s rst missionar-ies. e tribal government that Onagar instituted was extremelyefficient. Although Andon, Fonta, and many of their immediatedescendants had received ought Adjusters, it was not until thetime of Onagar that large numbers of Adjusters and guardian an-gels came to this planet.

64. THE EVOLUTIONARY RACES OF COLOURTo avoid co�mingling with the southern simian tribes, the early

Andonites ed northward. Cold weather and frequent hunger inthe northern lands stimulated action, resourcefulness, and inven-tion.


One hundred thousand years aer the time of Andon and Fontathe arts of the Andonites and the culture of Onagar were vanish-ing from the earth. Fewer and fewer of the primitive settlementsmaintained the worship of the Breath Giver. Culture, religion, andint work were at a low point. e only groups who retained some

of these high traditions were the Foxhall people of England andthe Badonan tribes north-west of India.

e Foxhalls, being farthest west, maintained their racial purityand kept their primitive religious customs alive. ey also suc-ceeded in preserving knowledge of int work, which they even-tually passed on to their descendants, the Eskimos. Most of thesettlements of these early people are now under water in the En-glish Channel and the North Sea.

In the foothills of the Indian highlands among the tribes ofBadonan, another struggling center of culture persisted. Fear ofoods in the lowlands kept these tribes fairly isolated for many

thousands of years. e mixed descendants of Badonan stock be-came the Neanderthals.

Neanderthals were excellent ghters, great hunters, and ex-tensive travelers. ey improved int work so much thatit approached the level of Andon’s age. Neanderthals weresuperstitious-afraid of clouds, mists, darkness, and other naturalforces. ey used human sacri ces to coax the moon into shin-ing. During the fourth and h glacial advances, the Neanderthalculture spread and dominated the world.

Five hundred thousand years ago, around the time of the Plan-etary Prince’s arrival, the relatively pure Badonan tribes becameinvolved in a great racial struggle. Aer more than one hundred


years of warfare, only about one hundred families of Andon andFonta’s descendants were le alive.

Among these Badonites a man and woman began to produce afamily of unusually intelligent childrenwhose skins turned variouscolours in the sunlight. ere were ve red children, two each oforange, indigo, and green, and four each of yellow and blue. iswas the Sangik family, ancestors of the six coloured races on Uran-tia. For one hundred thousand years the Sangik peoples spread outamong the Indian foothills and generally mingled together. Indiain that era became the most cosmopolitan place ever known onearth.

e red Sangiks were the rst to leave their homeland. Whenthey had built up sufficient numbers, they migrated north-east tooccupy Asia. ey were followed by the yellow tribes, who drovethe red people out of Asia across the Bering land bridge intoNorthAmerica. e red man was accompanied to North America bythree tribes of mixed ancestry, the largest being a combination oforange and blue. Leaving the purer reds behind inNorth America,these peoples journeyed together into Mexico and Central Amer-ica, where they eventually were joined by a mixed group of redsand yellows. ese travelers intermarried and founded a new racethat was less warlike than the pure red race. Within ve thou-sand years, these new people had divided themselves into threegroups and established civilizations in Mexico, Central America,and South America.

Eighty- ve thousand years ago the Bering land bridge sank, iso-lating the red men on the American continent. e red race wasthe rst of the Sangik races to develop tribal government, but in-ghting and tribal wars nearly caused their extinction. Sixty- ve


thousand years ago, the leadership of Onamonalonton brought thered tribes temporary peace by reviving the worship of the GreatSpirit. is great leader’s teachings were eventually obscured buthis descendants, the Blackfoot Indians, live on today.

e yellow race was the rst to establish settled communitiesand base their home lives on agriculture. ey were intellectuallyinferior to the red race, but socially and collectively they were su-perior to the other Sangik peoples. ey lived together in relativepeace. eir spiritual leader was Singlangton, who taught them toworship the One Truth.

In Asia, offspring of red and yellow races migrated to the east-ern peninsulas and the islands of the sea; they are the present-daybrown people.

e blue men traveled westward into Europe along the trails ofthe Andon tribes. ere they came across Neanderthals, and theintermingling of these groups led to the immediate improvementof the Neanderthals. e blue man had the intelligence of the redrace and the sentiment of the yellow race. He developed many ofthe arts of modern civilization; the tools, bones and art of the bluepeople are found throughout Europe by those who study the OldStone Age. Orlandof was their great teacher. eir descendants,mixed with yellow, red, Nodite and Adamic stock, provide the bi-ologic foundation for today’s white races. e blue people whoremained on the Arabian peninsula mated with other races, espe-cially the yellow. is blend was upstepped by the later-appearingviolet race and exists today as the modern Arabs.

e outstanding characteristic of the orange race was their urgeto build anything and everything, even to the piling up of vastmounds of stone just to see who could build the highest mound.


ey were the rst of the Sangiks to travel southward towardAfrica. Before they were wiped out by the green race, they wereuplied by the leadership of Porshunta of Armageddon. e or-ange race was destroyed one hundred thousand years ago.

e green race was weakened by extensive migrations. osewho went north were enslaved and absorbed by the yellow andblue men; those who went east were absorbed mainly into the In-dian people but survive in greatest numbers in Burma and Indo-China. ose who traveled south killed off and absorbed their or-ange brothers, and the resultant mix was subsequently integratedinto the indigo people. While the darker races are generally shorterin stature, unexpected strains of giantism appeared in both the or-ange and the green man.

e indigo race was the last of the Sangiks to migrate from theIndian highlands. Aer incorporating the orange and green rem-nants, they took over the African continent. e purer indigo el-ements dried southward. Alone in Africa, they made little prog-ress until they were spiritually awakened by their leader, Orvonon,who believed in the God of Gods. ey maintained a form of wor-ship of the Unknown up to a few thousand years ago.

Although there were intense struggles between the variousraces, different races appear on evolutionary worlds to provide anopportunity for natural selection, healthy competition, the blend-ing of superior characteristics, and the promotion of altruism.

65. THE OVERCONTROL OF EVOLUTIONEvolution is always purposeful, never accidental. Its course is

directed by the combined teamwork of the Master Physical Con-trollers, who manage the mechanical, non-teachable types of life;


the AdjutantMind Spirits, who activate and regulate teachable life;and the Life Carriers, who plant life and oversee it until the appear-ance of human will.

Life Carriers perform on three levels: the physical, the quasi-morontial, and the semi-spiritual. When Life Carriers have chosenthe sites for life implantation, they are modi ed to function on thephysical level. Having started life, Life Carriers are returned to amorontial phase from which they can manipulate and maneuverevolving life. When will creatures appear, the Life Carriers ceasetheir attempts to steer the course of organic evolution.

Life on Urantia was planted in three warm-water locations. Allplant and animal life evolved from the slime of the sea beds. Bac-teria and fungi were the most primitive forms of plant life. Nextcame transition organisms such as sponges, then single-celledameba and other protozoans-the rst true animals. ese werefollowed by stone lilies, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, centipedes,insects, spiders, crustaceans, earthworms, leeches, and mollusks.Further mutations produced sh, frogs, reptiles, and placentalmammals. Within this latter group arose the ancestral lemur fromwhich sprang the dawn mammals, then mid-mammals, and lastlythe Primates, who gave origin to the rst human beings.

Life Carriers take advantage of environmental conditions toguide evolving life in favourable directions. Having selected south-east Asia as the best site for early man to evolve, and knowing thatgood prehuman stocks were developing in the central life group,the Life Carriers ledman’s North American lemur ancestors acrossthe Bering land bridge and into that central region where the twosuperior stocks could continue to evolve.

e appearance of man during the ice ages was intentional.


e rigors of a cold climate produce hardiness in humans. Ifman’s ancestor strains had perished, evolution would have beenretarded but not prevented; Life Carriers were simultaneously fos-tering over a thousand mutating strains of potentially pre-humanlife. Even the loss of Andon and Fonta would only have delayedthe eventual appearance of human beings.

Urantia is an experimental planet, where Life Carriers have theopportunity to modify life forms in the attempt to improve them.Evidence that life was intelligently planned is demonstrated by theway an injured cell throws off chemical substances to alert neigh-bouring cells to create replacement cells. is healing method waschosen by the Life Carriers aer half a million laboratory experi-ments. e appearance of the Andonic will creatures prior to theevolution of the six Sangik races was a planned experiment. An-other was the simultaneous appearance of the six coloured racesin one family.

A major advance in the evolution of higher mammals was thedevelopment of the ability of iron to double as oxygen carrier andcarbon dioxide remover. e fact that evolution is still in progressis illustrated by the evolution of teeth in higher mammals-whileman’s remote ancestors had thirty-six teeth, humans are now grav-itating toward twenty-eight.

Experiments in plant evolution include the development ofchlorophyll-making ability and the evolution of the spore into acomplex seed. A great disappointment for the Life Carriers onUrantia was the reversion of certain plant forms to parasitic bac-teria, which later caused diseases in higher mammals.


66. THE PLANETARY PRINCE OF URANTIAMost worlds receive a Planetary Prince when primitive man is

able to choose eternal survival, which usually does not happen un-til the coloured race emerges. e task of a Planetary Prince is tobegin to transform primitiveman from hunter to herder to farmer.

Urantia’s Planetary Prince, Caligastia, was a Lanonandek Son ofthe secondary order. He had acceptably managed ve successiveassignments prior to his arrival on earth. Caligastia. He arrivednearly ve hundred thousand years aer the arrival of the rst willcreatures, concurrent with the appearance of the six Sangik races.

Caligastia was invisible to the mortals of the realm. He was as-sisted by Daligastia, a fellow secondary Lanonandek Son. e twowere accompanied by a group of one hundred ascendant Jerusemcitizens. To rematerialize these volunteers into human form, theLife Carriers transferred life plasm from one hundred Andonitesinto bodies created for the Jerusem citizens. e contributing An-donites were given access to the system circuits, which enabledthem to live for centuries alongside the Prince’s staff.

Caligastia’s headquarters, Dalamatia, was established near whatis now the Persian Gulf. Dalamatia was a simple, beautiful citysurrounded by a forty-foot wall. e modest buildings were neatand clean. Agricultural land within the city walls was sufficient forthe support of twenty thousand people. A temple to the unseenFather was built at the center of the city.

e Prince’s staff gathered superior individuals from the sur-rounding tribes, trained them in Dalamatia, and then returnedthem to their tribes as teachers and leaders. e staff was dividedinto ten councils.


1. e council on food and material welfarewas led by Ang. iscorps taught well digging and irrigation. ey introduced weav-ing, improvedmethods of creating clothing fromanimal skins, andadvanced cooking and food storage.

2. e board of animal domestication and utilization was di-rected by Bon. is council helped select and breed animals fortransport, food, and soil. ey trained carrier pigeons to sendmessages and fandors as passenger birds. is corps introducedthe wheel to the human races.

3. e advisers regarding the conquest of predatory animalstaught protection from wild animals and hostile humans. Cap-tained by Dan, this group built the wall around Dalamatia to pre-vent surprise attacks. ey trained people outside the walls to im-prove their dwellings and to make better animal traps.

4. e faculty on dissemination and conservation of knowledgeformulated the rst alphabet. ey introduced a system of writ-ing using tree barks, clay tablets, stone slabs, and parchment. eDalamatia library was named the House of Fad in honour of theleader of this group.

5. e commission on industry and trade was led by Nod. iscouncil provided many new commodities and expanded trade.ey introduced commercial credit, using tokens from a centralexchange to substitute for objects of barter.

6. e college of revealed religion attempted to substitute Cre-ator fear for ghost worship. Led by Hap, they established a form ofreligious service, providing the Dalamatians with seven chants ofworship and a daily praise-phrase.

7. e guardians of health and life were organized by Lut. iscouncil introduced sanitation and promoted hygiene. ey taught


cooking as a means of avoiding sickness, persuaded people tobathe, and encouraged them to substitute handshaking for salivaexchange and blood drinking.

8. e planetary council on art and science elevated ideas ofbeauty and gave men instruction in rudimentary physics andchemistry. Under Mek’s guidance this corps advanced pottery andmetal work. Decorative and home arts were improved; the idealsof human beauty were enhanced.

9. e governors of advanced tribal relations was commissionedto bring human society up to the level of statehood. Tut was thechief of this group, which promoted intertribal marriage, socialdances, and competitive games. ey attempted to regulate war-fare and worked to improve tribal governments.

10. e supreme court of tribal co-ordination and racial co-operation was directed by Van. is council served as the courtof appeals for the other nine councils, and was entrusted with allmatters that were not speci cally assigned to the other groups.

e inhabitants of Dalamatia lived in family units. e staffserved as parents to adopted children from the superior familiesof the surrounding tribes. Industrial schools were set up in whichstudents learned by doing useful manual tasks.

e Dalamatia teachers wisely refrained from attempts to radi-cally modify the human way of life. e backward races had spentages acquiring their religion and morals, and these superhumanteachers knew that only confusion would result by teaching theirstudents more than they could understand. e Prince’s staff de-sired progression by evolution rather than by revolution or reve-lation.


67. THE PLANETARY REBELLIONCaligastia had been in charge ofUrantia for three hundred thou-

sand years when Satan, Lucifer’s assistant, arrived for an inspec-tion. During this visit, Satan discussed Lucifer’s proposed Decla-ration of Liberty with Caligastia. Caligastia decided to betray hisplanet by casting his lot with Lucifer.

Shortly aer Satan’s visit, Daligastia called a special session ofthe ten councils. Caligastia announced that he was appointinghimself absolute sovereign of Urantia, and demanded that all ad-ministrative groups resign their powers to Daligastia.

Van, chairman of the council of coordination, objected to Cali-gastia’s announcement, and petitioned the councilors to abstainfrom any action until an appeal could be taken to Lucifer. e ap-peal was made. In reply, Lucifer designated Caligastia as supremesovereign. Van formally accused Daligastia, Caligastia, and Lu-cifer of being in contempt of universe sovereignty, and appealedto the Most Highs of Edentia. By the time the second appeal couldbe sent out, the system circuits had been severed, and Urantia wasisolated from outside counsel.

e rebellion determined the fate of every superhuman person-ality on the planet. Debates continued until every personality con-cerned had made a nal decision in the matter. Sixty members ofthe Prince’s staff sided with Lucifer. e remaining forty relocatedto an unwalled settlement a few miles east of Dalamatia guardedconstantly by loyal midway creatures. Angels took control of thetree of life.

e sixty rebels choseNod as their leader. ey soon discoveredthat they had been degraded to mortal status. Daligastia, knowing


that they would eventually die, ordered them to begin sexual re-production. e disloyal staff migrated north and east; their de-scendants were long known asNodites. We do not know the fate ofthe original sixty, although their Adjusters still tarry on Jerusem.

Caligastia’s scheme for the reconstruction of human societyproved a swi and complete failure. Liberty was quickly trans-lated into license by the semi-savage population. One hundredand sixty-two years aer the rebellion, a tidal wave washed overDalamatia and the headquarters sank beneath the sea.

Van’s followers moved to the highlands west of India where theyplanned for the rehabilitation of the world. Under the temporaryleadership of the senior Life Carriers, Van divided his staff into tencouncils of four along the lines of the Prince’s staff. Van’s peopleprovided leadership until the days ofAdamandEve. Van remainedon Urantia until the times of Adam and Eve.

68. THE DAWN OF CIVILIZATIONCivilization is a human acquirement; it is not biologically inher-

ent. Its scienti c, philosophic and religious qualities are transmit-ted from one generation to the next only by enlightened conserva-tion.

Cooperation is not a natural human trait. It was rst intro-duced by the Dalamatia teachers, who nurtured man in the ideaof group activities for three hundred thousand years. Early mensoon learned to appreciate the strength of union. ey developedgroup associations primarily for survival reasons; civilization pro-vided insurance against violent death. Hunger, sex, and fear wereadditional in uences that prompted association between humans.


e family, the rst successful group, satis ed the sex urge inmales and maternal devotion in females. Women maintained set-tled homes where they could cultivate food. Men and womenlearned to adjust their antagonisms to ensure the survival of thespecies.

e greatest single factor in the evolution of human society wasthe ghost dream. Early people were afraid of dreams, and dread ofthe departed dead gave them special terror. eir senseless super-stitions caused them to band tightly together for protection. Untilthe Dalamatia teachers came with their liberating instructions, ev-ery activity people engaged in was prescribed by their mores andceremonies.

Urantia has had four stages of civilization. Early men sustainedthemselves by gleaning food from the land. e invention of toolsmade hunting for food possible; learning to cure meat was a for-ward step during the hunting era. Further liberation occurred dur-ing the pastoral stage, when the domestication of animals gave hu-mans more time to devote to culture and progress. e highesttype of material civilization was brought about through the culti-vation of plants-horticulture.

69. PRIMITIVE HUMAN INSTITUTIONSLong standing human social groups tend to culminate in institu-

tionalization. Human institutionsminister to social needs in threegeneral classes.Institutions of self�maintenance grow out of hunger and self-

preservation; they include industry, property, and war for gain.Institutions of self�perpetuation grow out of sex hunger,

maternal instincts and the higher emotions, and comprise


home�building, marriage customs, education, religion, and warfor defense.Institutions of self�grati cation grow out of vanity and pride;

these embrace dress customs, war for glory, dancing, amusements,and games.

Poverty is man’s natural estate; wealth springs from labour,knowledge, and organization. Primitive men disliked hard work,but the necessity of labour was early man’s greatest blessing be-cause it stimulated effort and industriousness. Primitive divisionsof labour evolved based on sex, age, religion, and physical andmental endowments.

e rst traders were women. e beginnings of trade and in-dustry inspired innovations such as weights, units of barter, andthe art of writing for keeping trade records; the rst human lit-erature was a salt advertisement. New ideas were carried aroundthe world by traders. Commerce, linked with adventure, led toexploration and discovery, improved methods of communication,the birth of transportation, and cultural cross-fertilization. Peo-ple began to store food and other goods for future use. Militaryorganization stemmed from the desire to protect and increase in-dividual and group wealth.

Fire was a great civilizer of early humans. Fire made eveningsocial intercourse more pleasant and enabled people to stay on theground at night. It protected against cold and wild beasts, andwas thought to protect against ghosts. People learned to be watch-ful and dependable by keeping watch over the family hearth. Fireled to cooking, opened the door to metal�working, and led to theeventual discovery of steam power and electricity. Andon did notworship re, but many of his descendants regarded it as a fetish.


Humans learned to protect themselves from animals, then todomesticate them and put them to work. Men herded animals toinsure a food supply. Animals that were easily tamed and that bredwell in captivity were chosen for selective breeding. e rst do-mesticated animal was the dog, which for ages was used for food,hunting, transportation, and companionship.

Slaverywas an indispensable link in the chain of human civiliza-tion. Slavery temporarily created culture and social achievement.It enforced human industriousness and gave origin to the begin-nings of government. Early slavery represented an advancementin mores from the times when prisoners were eaten, tortured, orsacri ced.

Primitive society was communal. e tribe owned all prop-erty, including women, tools and weapons. Among the rst per-sonal possessionswere utensils, charms, sleeping spaces, andwaterholes. Communal life gave way to the concept of private property.e private ownership of property has been the nucleus of govern-ment, law, order, civil rights, peace, and happiness.

70. THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN GOVERNMENTGovernment evolves by trial and error. On an evolutionary

world, peace is secured only by the development of a system to reg-ulate social behaviour. e natural antagonisms between tribes,clans, families, and individuals call for regulation and coordina-tion. e development of industry demands law and order; privateproperty requires government.

War, an animalistic reaction to misunderstandings and irrita-tions, is the natural state of evolving man.


ough costly and dangerous, war contributes many bene ts tosociety. It fosters discipline, cooperation, and courage, and accel-erates social changes. But war, like slavery, must be abandoned ascivilization advances. War will continue until people create ade-quate substitutes for the bene ts that war provides.

Industrialism can triumph over militarism if we avoid the dan-gers of the worship of wealth, indolence, biologic deterioration,and industrial slavery. Peace will be promoted more efficientlyby international trade organizations than by visionary planning.Trade relations improve through advances in language, commu-nication, and transportation.

e rst peaceful group was the family, then the clan, the tribe,and the nation. e rst government was a council of distin-guished elders. During wartime, the efficiency of having a singleleader led to having one ruler of the tribe acting as chief executive.Councils of elders became the legislative and judicial branches ofgovernment. Effective state rule came when chiefs or kings weregiven full executive authority.

e inequality of human beings insures that social classes willappear. e only worlds without social strata are the most primi-tive and the most advanced. Flexible social classes are indispens-able to an evolving civilization, but when class becomes caste, itcurtails individual development. Classes will persist until peopleobliterate them through education, by eliminating inferior humanstrains, and through religious awareness of human brotherhood.

Nature conferred no rights on humans, only life and a worldin which to live. So-called human rights are social concepts thatchange from age to age. During the European middle ages every


man belonged to someone else; rights were favours granted to in-dividuals by the church or state. e revolt from this error led tothe equally erroneous belief that all men are born equal. e weakmay insist that the state compel the strong to make up for theirde ciencies, but this equality is not found in nature.

Justice as conceived by humans has been a matter of progressiveevolution. Early administration of justice included trial by ordeal.Society early adopted the attitude of “an eye for an eye.” Suicidewas a common form of retaliation, because people believed that asa ghost they could return and visit wrath on their enemies. Justicewas rst meted out by the family, then the clan, and later the tribe.True justice appears when revenge is taken from private hands andis administered by the state. When society fails to punish crimes,group resentment may assert itself through lynch law. e thor-oughness and equity of the courts and the integrity of judges ac-curately determine the status of a civilization.

Law in advancing civilization becomes increasingly positive anddirective. e ideal government for evolutionary people is a rep-resentative system where leadership is based on ability and wherea proper balance of power is maintained between the executive,legislative, and judicial branches.

If people are to maintain their freedom, their government mustprevent the following pitfalls: usurpation of unwarranted powerby any one branch of government; machinations of ignorant agi-tators; retardation of scienti c progress; the dominance of medi-ocrity; domination by viciousminorities; control bywould�be dic-tators; taxation enslavement of the citizenry by the state; social andeconomic unfairness; union of church and state; and loss of per-


sonal liberty.

71. DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATEe state is not of divine origin, nor was it purposely produced

by intelligent human action. It is an evolution of civilization thatregulates social interaction and represents society’s net gain aerthe devastation of war.

An enduring state needs to have a common language, mores,and institutions. Strong states are held together by several fac-tors, including private property, cities, agriculture, domesticationof animals, patriarchal family units, a clearly de ned territory, andstrong rulers. Democracy is an ideal but has inherent dangers, oneof which is the glori cation ofmediocrity. Democracy is a productof civilization rather than of evolution.

e ideal state is guided by the realization of human brother-hood, intelligent patriotism, and cosmic insight. It should providefor liberty, security, education, and social coordination. Societywill not progress well if it permits idleness and poverty, but povertywill never be eliminated if degenerate stocks are freely supportedand permitted to reproduce without restraint. A governmentmustevolve if it is to survive.

An ideal society cannot be realized while the weak are allowedto take unfair advantage of idealists. People must live according totheir ideals while maintaining adequate defense against those whomay seek to exploit them. e test of the idealism of a governmentis the maintenance of military preparedness for defense but neverfor offense.

Pro t motives are necessary to keep people at work, but pro tmotives must be augmented by service motives. In the ideal state,


education continues throughout life. Philosophy, the search forwisdom, may become the chief pursuit of citizens. Control of edu-cationmust be taken from lawyers and businessmen and entrustedto philosophers and scientists.

e only sacred feature of government is its division into execu-tive, legislative and judicial domains; the universe is administeredin accordancewith such a plan. Apart from this divine concept, theform of government is not as important as the fact that its citizenryis ever progressing toward the goal of augmented self-control andincreased social service.

e earmarks of ideal statehood are: the executive, legislative,and judicial branches; freedom of social, political, and religiousactivities; abolition of human bondage; citizen’s control of taxa-tion; universal lifelong education; proper adjustment between lo-cal and national government; fostering of science; conquest of dis-ease; sexual equality; use of machines to reduce drudgery; univer-sal language; end of war; and exaltation of the pursuit of wisdom.

72. GOVERNMENT ON A NEIGHBOURING PLANETWhile it is most unusual for the system rulers to divulge infor-

mation to one planet about the affairs of another, the revelatorswere granted permission to reveal something of the social, moral,and political life of a neighbouring planet in the Satania system.is world, like Urantia, suffered from the disloyalty of the Luciferrebellion and the default of its Material Son and Daughter.

On this neighbouring planet, a superior civilization of one hun-dred and forty million people is evolving on an isolated continentabout the size of Australia. e people are a mixture the blue,


yellow, and violet races. Due to favourable climatic factors, nat-ural resources, and advances in science, the society has becomeself�sustaining.

Cities are limited to one million inhabitants and are adminis-tered by the most advanced citizens. eir representative cen-tral government is divided into executive, judicial, and legislativebranches. e central government oversees a federation of onehundred states. e federal chief executive is elected by the peopleand is advised by a team comprised of every living former chiefexecutive.

is nation has two major court systems. Law courts decidecases on local, state and federal levels, while socioeconomic courtsenforce laws affecting home, school, and economics. People re-gard the home as the basic institution of civilization. e smallesthome site permitted is y thousand square feet. Families havean average of ve children, and attendance of parents at parentalschools is compulsory.

Instruction in sex and religion is done at home, although somemoral instruction is provided by teachers at school. ere are nochurches. Religion is thought of as the striving to know God andto manifest love for one’s fellows through service.

Children remain legally subject to their parents until they areeen. ey can marry with parental consent and vote when they

are twenty, and marry without parental consent at twenty- ve.Permission to marry is granted aer one year’s notice and comple-tion of training for the responsibilities of married life. All childrenmust leave home by their thirtieth year.

Education is compulsory from ages ve to eighteen. All stu-dents become assistant teachers, instructing those behind them.


ere are no classrooms; books are used only to nd informa-tion to solve problems in the school shops and farms. e fee-ble�minded are trained only for agriculture and are segregated bysex to prevent parenthood. Students spend a quarter of the schoolday participating in competitive athletics. At the age of eighteen,each child graduates as a skilled artisan and self�supporting citi-zen; only then do they begin the study of books and pursuit of spe-cialized knowledge. Special schools aer compulsory educationinclude those for statesmanship, philosophy, science, professions,and military training.

Industry operates on a thirty-hour week. Everyone takes vaca-tion for one month of the ten�month year. e pro t motive isbeing displaced by higher ideals; public service is becoming thechief goal of ambition. People must retire at sixty- ve. Slaveryhas been abolished for over one hundred years, and the nation hasturned its attention to reducing the number of degenerates.

e federal government cannot go into debt except in the caseof war. Federal income is derived from ve sources: import du-ties, royalties, inheritance taxes, leasing ofmilitary equipment, andnatural resources. Every person over twenty years old has one vote.ose who have rendered great service to society and those whopay heavy taxes can have additional votes conferred upon them.Prisoners and government employees are not allowed to vote.

ese people are passing from the negative to the positive era oflaw. Ordinary criminals and defectives are segregated by sex andplaced in self�supporting agricultural colonies. Serious habitualoffenders and the incurably insane are swily sentenced to death.Efforts to prevent breeding of criminals and defectives have beensuccessful; there are no prisons or hospitals for the insane.


Courses pursued in the military schools include military train-ing and professional mastery. During industrial slumps, unem-ployed people build military defenses; during periods of peacethe mobile defense mechanisms are fully employed in trade, com-merce, and recreation. is nation has not launched an offensivewar in more than one hundred years, but has defended itself ninetimes in that period against the less advanced surrounding nations.

While in some ways this nation’s society is superior to that ofUrantia nations, it has not bene ted by magisterial or bestowalmissions of the Paradise Sons. Since Urantia has been blessed withthe Spirit of Truth, it is better prepared for the more immediate re-alization of a planetary government.

73. THE GARDEN OF EDENe setbacks resulting from the Lucifer rebellion did not affect

the biologic evolution of the human race, which approached itsapex in 40,000 BC. e Life Carriers and Melchizedek receiversjointly petitioned the Most Highs for the immediate dispatch ofbiologic upliers, and within a hundred years a Material Son andDaughter arrived on earth.

During this ear, only the Nodites and the Amadonites retainedtraces of the Dalamatia culture. e rest of the world had revertedto the savagery of pre-Planetary Prince days. e most advancedand civilized races were settled near the Caspian Sea, Lake Van,and the eastern Mediterranean.

Van had been predicting the arrival of a Material Son andDaughter for nearly one hundred years. He dispatched a commit-tee to nd an optimal site for establishing a garden home for them.e site chosen for the garden of Eden was a peninsula-almost an


island-projecting westward from the eastern shore of the Mediter-ranean Sea. e climate was ideal. A great river, fed by four trib-utaries, ran from the high lands and owed east to the mainland.

Van and his associates spent two years transferring the world’scultural headquarters from the Indian highlands to the chosenpeninsula. ree thousand volunteers began the construction ofthe garden homeland. Plans provided for homes and land for upto one million people. At the center of the Garden stood a templeof the Universal Father. To the north lay the administrative head-quarters; to the south, the homes of the workers and their families;to the west, grounds for the proposed Adamic schools; and to theeast, homes for Adam and Eve and their children. Drinking waterwas puri ed and all waste was scrupulously buried until a sew-age�disposal system was established. Fruits, vegetables, and nutswere cultivated and improved. By the time Adam arrived, Edenhad thousands of miles of irrigation ditches and over twenty- vethousand miles of paved roads.

Van planted the long�guarded tree of life in the center of thegarden temple. Native to constellation headquarters spheres, thetree of life was a super-plant that stored certain space energies. Itsfruit provided life�extension to the Prince’s staff and their modi-ed human associates, and Adam and Eve depended on it for their

sustenance.Aer the fall of Adam and Eve, the garden of Eden fell into the

possession of Nodites. Eventually the temple and the tree were de-stroyed by re. e Garden was occupied for four thousand yearsuntil geologic upheavals caused the peninsula to sink into the sea.


74. ADAM AND EVEAdam and Eve had been employed in the physical laboratories

of Jerusem for een thousand years when they were selected fortheir mission to Urantia. e volunteer pool from which theywere chosen included the entire senior corps of Material Sons andDaughters. Adam and Eve were thoroughly instructed concerningevery danger and duty awaiting them on their strife-torn planet.

Leaving behind y sons and y daughters, Adam and Eve leEdentia for Earth almost thirty-eight thousand years ago. Aerbeing rematerialized in the Father’s temple, they were greeted byVan, Amadon, and a large audience of supporters. Adam spoketo the Garden dwellers of his plans for the rehabilitation of theworld. Concurrent with their formal installation as the new rulersof the world, the broadcast voice of Gabriel decreed that a newdispensation-the Age of Adam-had begun, and the sleeping sur-vivors from the age of the Planetary Prince were resurrected onthe mansion worlds.

Adam and Eve’s second day on Urantia was spent learning de-tails of the tragic history of the planet. On subsequent days theytoured the garden, addressed the garden assembly, organized atemporary government, and inspected the various men and an-imals. On the seventh day they rested. e fable that our planetwas created in six days was based on this period of time that Adamand Eve spent in surveying the Garden.

e Garden dwellers wholeheartedly accepted Adam and Eveas their rulers. Aer seven years, the Melchizedeks returned toJerusem. Van and Amadon, who had been on Urantia for overfour hundred and y thousand years, le with the Melchizedeks.


e Material Son and Daughter were alone with their enormoustask.

Eve bore sixty-three children who enjoyed a great appreciationfor music, play, and humor. ey attended school until they weresixteen, were betrothed at eighteen, and were allowed to marry attwenty.

e purpose of the schools of Eden was socialization. Youngerchildren were taught by their siblings about healthcare, the goldenrule, the relationship of individual rights to group rights, the his-tory and cultures of the earth races, world trade, coordination ofcon icting duties, play, humor, and competitive substitutes forghting. Mornings were devoted to horticulture and agriculture,

aernoons to competitive play, and evenings to developing socialskills and friendships. Public worship was at noon, family worshipat sunset.

For a while all went fairly well. Adam and Eve tried to teach sexequality and improve worship by substituting offerings of fruit foranimal sacri ce. ey fostered trade relations and manufacturing,and began to establish laws and social organization. Yet wheneverthey tried to work outside the Garden, trouble arose. Caligastia,still present on earth, resisted all plans for the rehabilitation of so-ciety. Although Adam had a difficult task leading these mixed andmongrel savages in the better way, the more intelligent of the raceslooked forward to a future time when they would be permitted tointermarry with the children of the violet race.

75. THE DEFAULT OF ADAM AND EVEAdamandEve had laboured in theGarden for over one hundred

years with little progress, and their isolation weighed heavily on


them. e situation Adam and Eve faced seemed so desperate thatAdam wondered whether that the solution to their dilemma layoutside the ordained plan.

Caligastia was still titular Planetary Prince and was able to in-uence the minds of planetary inhabitants. He paid many visits to

the Garden, but Adam and Eve resisted his suggestions for com-promise and short-cuts. Caligastia soon gave up on Adam andbegan to focus on Eve.

Eve did not realize that Caligastia intended to exploit her friend-ship with a brilliant Nodite named Serapatatia, the leader of themost powerful and intelligent of the neighbouring Nodite tribes.Serapatatia was deeply impressed with Adam’s cause and an-nounced his support for the Adamic program for world improve-ment. Adam and Eve were greatly cheered by his assistance; Sera-patatia became one of the most efficient of Adam’s lieutenants.

One day it occurred to Serapatatia that it would be helpful ifsomething could be done immediately to advance world affairswhile they waited for the violet race to increase. He reminded Evethat Adam was discouraged by the lack of progress in their mis-sion. Serapatatia contended that a violet leader born to the Nod-ite race would constitute a powerful tie binding the Nodites tothe Garden. Aer ve years, Eve consented to meet secretly withCano, a magni cent descendant of the Prince’s staff, the most bril-liant leader of a nearby colony of friendly Nodites.

Cano was wholly sympathetic to Adam and Eve’s cause. Eve toldCano that she had been warned not to combine good and evil.Cano, not knowing the importance of such warnings, assured herthat men andwomenwith goodmotives could do no evil. Inducedby attery and personal persuasion, Eve mated with Cano.


ecelestial life on the planetwas astir; Adam recognized some-thing was amiss. He confronted Eve and heard her plan for accel-erating world improvement. It was then that Solonia, the “voice inthe Garden,” announced Eve’s default. Eve’s disillusionment waspathetic. Adam was heartbroken. He knew Eve had been reducedto mortal status. e thought of remaining on Urantia withouther was unbearable; Adam chose to share her fate by mating withLaotta, a brilliant Nodite woman.

When the Garden inhabitants learned what had happened toEve, they destroyed the nearby Nodite settlement, killing the en-tire tribe including Cano. Serapatatia, overcome with remorse,drowned himself. Adamwandered in solitude for thirty days, leav-ing his children to comfort their distraught mother.

Seventy days later, the Melchizedek receivers returned to theplanet to resume jurisdiction. Adam and Eve knew their missionhad failed.

When news of the annihilation of theNodite settlement reachedthe home tribes of Serapatatia, an army assembled to march onthe Garden. Adam sought advice from the Melchizedeks. eyrefused to intervene, promising only to cooperate with whateverpath he chose. Aer an all-night conference with twelve hundredloyal followers, Adam elected to leave the Garden unopposed.

e next morning these sad pilgrims le Eden on a quest for anew home. On the third day their caravan was halted by the ar-rival of seraphic transports from Jerusem, who had come to takeAdam and Eve’s young children to Edentia. e grown childrenwere given a choice to remain with their parents or go to Edentia.One third of the adults elected to remain with Adam and Eve; the


rest, along with every child under the age of twenty, were trans-ported to Edentia. Gabriel appeared to pronounce judgment onthe Material Son and Daughter. Adam and Eve were officially indefault and were reduced to mortal status.

Although Adam and Eve failed, there has been no “fall of man.”On the contrary, the human race has pro ted enormously fromthe limited contributionmade by Adam and Eve and their descen-dants.

76. THE SECOND GARDENe Adamic caravan ed eastward to avoid the advancing hos-

tile Nodites. Laden with seeds, cereals, bulbs, and herds, theyset out on their journey. Aer a year the caravan reached oneof the three sites originally proposed for the rst Garden by Vanand Amadon, a pleasant region between the Tigris and Euphratesrivers. During the journey Laotta died during childbirth; Eve de-livered Cain, the offspring of her union with Cano.

In their new location Adam and his helpers built houses and es-tablished a new center of culture and religion. It was a difficultstruggle, as the land had not been prepared for sowing. Adam,busy with building, defense, and agriculture, entrusted the orga-nization of worship and education to the Nodite priests. In a shorttime the religious practices of the second Garden reverted to thestandards and rulings of pre-Adamic times.

e rst child of Adam and Eve to be born in the secondGardenwas Abel, who arrived two years aer Cain. Cain chose agricultureas his vocation and Abel devoted himself to herding. e brothersoen argued about whose occupation had more value, and when


Abel was eighteen his repeated taunts infuriatedCain somuch thatCain killed Abel.

Fear and remorse prompted Cain to seek help from Eve. In re-sponse to his honest appeal for divine guidance, Cain received aought Adjuster. Soon thereaer he departed for the land ofNod, where he married his distant cousin Remona. Cain maturedto become a leader of his people, promoting peace between theAdamites and Nodites.

e violet race had blue eyes, fair complexions, and blonde,red, or brown hair. ey did not suffer during childbirth untilthey became mixed with other races. e original Adamites’ su-perior physical and spiritual senses enabled them to see midway-ers, angels, and Melchizedeks. e Adamic children were usuallyAdjuster-indwelt. eir body cells, not being akin to the micro-scopic disease-producing organisms of the realm, were far moredisease resistant than those of the indigenous peoples.

Adam spent most of his time teaching civil administration, ed-ucational methods, and religious devotions. e Garden dwellersdeveloped an alphabet and maintained the arts of writing, met-alworking, pottery making, weaving and architecture. Childrenwere educated in agriculture, crasmanship, and animal hus-bandry.

e line of civil rulers was drawn from Adam and Eve’s sons.One son founded a secondary center of the violet race to the north,another became a great leader and administrator, and a third tookover aer Adam’s death as head of the Adamic tribes. e reli-gious rulers sprang from their son Seth and his descendants, whoworked to improve the spiritual status of the Adamites and the sur-


rounding tribes. Each Sethite was a physician and teacher as wellas a priest.

Aer becoming established in Mesopotamia, Adam chose toleave behind as many children as possible to upli the world’s ge-netic stock. Eve selected nearly seventeen hundred women fromthe neighbouring tribes to be impregnated. e resultant children,representing most of the races on earth, were born and raised inthe tribes of their mothers.

Adam and Eve’s mistake was an error in judgment, but it wasnot deliberate rebellion. eir human status coupled with sincererepentance enabled them to become Adjuster-indwelt, and thisgreatly comforted them. Eve died when she was ve hundredand eighteen years old; Adam died twelve years later. Aer theirdeaths, Adam and Eve were repersonalized on themansion worldsand quickly passed through the ascension worlds, attaining citi-zenship once again on Jerusem. ey le their home in Jerusemas sons of God and returned as sons of man.

77. THE MIDWAY CREATURESMost inhabited worlds harbor groups of unique beings who fall

into a category between humans and angels. ese midway crea-tures are valuable helpers and are an essential order of planetaryministers. On Urantia there are two types: primary midwayers,whose origin dates back to early Dalamatia, and secondary mid-wayers, who came into existence during the days of Adam.

e physical members of the Prince’s staff, though capable ofsexual reproduction, had been ordered not to procreate. It cameas a surprise to them when, as the result of a non-sexual liaison


between a male and a female, the rst of the primary midway-ers appeared. Upon the discovery that such a creature could beof great service, permission was granted for each couple to pro-duce a similar being. Eventually y thousand midway creatureswere produced. ese midwayers became Caligastia’s intelligencecorps, studying and observing the human races. ey renderedinvaluable service in the work of in uencing human society.

e secondary midwayers also sprang partially from the Nod-ite race. e Life Carriers had projected that the esh-and-bloodstaff members would sometime mate with the best of the Andon-ites. ey planned that resultant offspring would mate with therst generation of Adam and Eve’s children to produce a new or-

der of teacher�rulers.It was assumed that the Prince’s staff, having bodies generated

by the plasm of the Andonites, would have children resemblingother Andonites. But when the rebel members of the Prince’s staffresorted to sexual reproduction, their offspring proved to have su-perior mental, physical, and spiritual capacity. ese children be-came the ancestors of the magni cent Nodite race, the “mightymen of old.”

Aer the sinking of Dalamatia, the Nodites founded the cityof Dilmun as their new racial and cultural headquarters. Gradu-ally the pure-lineNodites intermingledwith the evolutionary racesand dispersed to form three great Nodite centers: e western,or Syrian Nodites, moved north and mated with the Andonites;the eastern, or Elamite Nodites, settled near Mesopotamia in “theland of Nod”; and the central Nodites eventually blended withAdamites to establish the Sumerian culture. A fourth strong Nod-ite center to the north was made up of the loyal followers of Van


who had established their center of culture around the shores ofLake Van.

Among the children of Adam who elected to stay on earth aerthe default of his parents was Adamson, the rst-born son. Adam-son’s wife and children had chosen to be transported to Edentia.When he was 120 years old, Adamson traveled north from the sec-ond Garden in search of the highland home of Van. Here he met abeautiful woman, Ratta, who claimed to be the last pure�line de-scendant of the fallen staff members. Within three months Rattaand Adamson were married.

Adamson and Ratta had sixty-seven children and founded agreat line of world leaders. Sixteen of these children were of aunique order, oen invisible. Ratta was perturbed by and evensuperstitious of these strange children, but Adamson well knewof the primary midwayers and concluded that these children weresomewhat similar to the original midway creatures. He decidedto mate male and female; their progeny constituted the origin ofthe secondary midwayers. e eight sets of male and female chil-dren of Ratta and Adamson lived and died as mortals, but pro-duced 1,984 immortal secondarymidway creatures. Adamson andRatta had the bene t of these wonderful helpers throughout theirlong lives. Adamson lived for 396 years. e culture he and Rattafounded near the Caspian Sea lasted for almost seven thousandyears.

Aer the death of Adamson, the secondary midwayers becamedisorganized. Over forty thousand primary midwayers and ninehundred secondary midwayers were in uenced by the philosophyof Lucifer and fell into rebellion against the local universe govern-ment. ese midwayers are now in custody, waiting for the nal


adjudication of the case against Lucifer.e United Midwayers of Urantia currently function as a sin-

gle corps numbering 10,992. eir motto is: “What the UnitedMidwayers undertake, the United Midwayers do.” ey are ableto follow human humor and worship, and enter into the spirit ofmortal work, rest, and play. ey do not sleep or procreate.

Primary midwayers are more like angels than humans. Sec-ondary midwayers are nearer to humans than angels; they existjust outside the range of mortal vision. ey can make contactwith material things, and have power over the things of time andspace. Many acts attributed to angels have been performed by sec-ondary midwayers.

78. THE VIOLET RACE AFTER THE DAYS OF ADAMApart from the Nodite centers, most of the world languished in

savagery when the second Garden was established in Mesopota-mia. For ten thousand years the Adamic people laboured peace-fully along the rivers, working on irrigation and ood-control, per-fecting their defenses, and preserving the culture of Adam.

e major Adamic migrations began around 25,000 BC. etwo largest populations of the violet race were the Adamites inMesopotamia and the Adamsonites on the southern shores of theCaspian Sea. e purer Nodites, pre-Sumerians, were in Mesopo-tamia.

e Andonites maintained representative settlements to thenorth of the Adamsonites and in Turkestan. Isolated Andonitegroups persisted throughout Eurasia, Iceland, and Greenland, butthey had been driven out of Europe and Asia. e red man oc-cupied the Americas, the yellow race was in control of Asia, and


the blue man held Europe. A blended mixture of all six colouredraces, mainly green, orange, and indigo, settled in pre-DravidianIndia; an indigo-black group carrying submerged strains of greenand orange had their most progressive settlements in the Saharadesert. A highly blended race of Saharans, blue men, and Noditesoccupied the Mediterranean basin.

e early pure-line Adamic migrants scattered in three direc-tions. Some went west into the valley of the Nile. A few pene-trated eastward into Asia. e largest contingent of the violet peo-plemovednorthward around theCaspian Sea into Europe. As theymoved into Eurasia, the Adamites absorbed the best of the Noditesand Andonites. By 15,000 BC, more descendants of Adam inhab-ited Eurasia that any other region on earth. e stage was set forthe emergence of the Andites.

e Andite race took origin in the regions near Mesopotamia.ey were a blend of pure-line violet and Nodites, mixed withthe best strains of the yellow, blue, and green men. ey werepre�Aryan and pre�white, neither Occidental nor Oriental. Whenthe deteriorated Nodites added a belligerent strain to the Anditemix, migrations began to take the form of military conquests.

e Andite migrations occurred from 15,000 to 6,000 BC,mainly into Europe. By 12,000 BC three quarters of the Anditesin the world were in northern and eastern Europe. Others hadin ltrated China, India, Egypt, and both coasts of Africa. Onehundred and thirty-two Andites traveled in boats from Japan toSouth America and founded the ancestry of the Incas. Othersstopped permanently in the Paci c islands and mixed with thenative groups there. As the Andites poured out of Mesopotamia,


they strengthened the surrounding cultures, contributing art, mu-sic, manufacturing, agriculture, and the domestication of animals.

When the last three waves of Andites le Mesopotamia be-tween 8000 and 6000 BC, the center of world civilization movedto the Nile and the Mediterranean. Five percent of the purer An-dites remained in their Mesopotamian homeland and became theSumerians-Nodite by culture and Andite by inheritance.

Barbarians of Turkestan and the Iranian peninsula, driven southby drought, invaded the Euphrates valley and assimilated the re-mainder of the Andites, taking over all except the Sumerian set-tlement. e resultant mix became the Babylonians, who adoptedthe arts of the valley tribes and much of the culture of the Sumeri-ans. About 2500 BC, the Sumerians were conquered by invadingnortherners and subsequently were absorbed into the Semite race.

79. ANDITE EXPANSION IN THE ORIENTUntil 2000 BC, central Eurasia was predominantly Andite. e

Andite centers of culture were located in the then-fertile TarimRiver valleys and in the highlands of Tibet. Traders began toappear about 15,000 BC. Urban life, together with commerce instone, metal, wood, and pottery, began to ourish. Adonia, lo-cated near the present-day city of Ashkhabad, became the Asiancenter of commerce.

Andites had been slowly ltering northward into Europe formany centuries, but by 8000 BC the aridity of the highlands beganto drive them southward to the shores of the Nile, Euphrates, In-dus, and Yellow rivers. Extensive migrations beginning in 15,000BC brought Andites into India where all of the Urantia races,mainly the secondary Sangiks, had blended. An infusion of Andite


blood resulted in a mixed people called the Dravidians, the mostversatile civilization of their time. e Dravidians were among theearliest people to build cities. ey engaged in extensive trade byland and sea, andDravidian commercial relationships greatly con-tributed to the further diversi cation of their culture. Much oftheir religious life stemmed from the teachings of Sethite priestswho had entered India with the early Andite and later Aryan in-vasions.

Diminishing rainfall to the north drove the Andonites south-ward and forced the terminal exodus of Andites from their Tur-kestan homelands into the Eastern hemisphere. e nal exo-dus of the Andites from Turkestan to India occurred around 2500BC. ese Aryan Andites greatly in uenced culture and religionthroughout India, but made little racial impression in India ex-cept in the north. e most characteristic feature of their societywas an elaborate caste system, formed to preserve their racial iden-tity. Brahmans of today are the cultural descendants of the Sethiteteacher-priests.

China’s story is primarily of two Sangik races, the red and theyellow, both of which largely avoided the Neanderthal race thathad retarded the blue race of Europe. e red man moved aroundthe highlands of India into eastern Asia and ruled there for almostone hundred thousand years.

About three hundred thousand years ago, the yellow race en-tered China from the south and invaded the hunting grounds ofthe redmen. For over two hundred thousand years these two raceswaged war. e yellow race assimilated much of the red stock,and eventually the united strength of the yellow race drove the redrace-greatly weakened by a tendency to ght among themselves-


out of China into North America across the Bering land bridge.e North American red men thereaer remained relatively iso-lated from the rest of the world.

In China, the expanding yellow race drove out the remainingAndonites. e strength of the yellow race was due to four factors:they had largely escaped mixture with inferior stocks; they valuedpeace among themselves; they had inherent spiritual tendencies;and they were protected geographically by mountains to the westand an ocean to the east.

Fieen thousand years ago, the migrating Andites had begun tospread over the upper valleys of the Yellow River. e northernChinese received enough of the Adamic strain to stimulate theirminds, but not enough to cause the restless curiosity so character-istic of the white races. By 10,000 BC, the Chinese were beginningto build cities and engage in manufacture. Similarities betweenChinese and Mesopotamian methods of time-reckoning, astron-omy, and government administration sprang from their commer-cial relationships. e yellow race progressed in agriculture andhorticulture, but the cumbersome nature of their writing systemlimited the numbers of their educated classes.

As time passed, the Chinese search for new truth became over-shadowed by tendency to venerate established ideas. e stabilityof Chinese family groups helped conserve wealth, property andexperience, and promoted morality, ethics, and the efficient edu-cation of children.

80. ANDITE EXPANSION IN THE OCCIDENTirty- ve thousand years ago, the blue people of Europe were

a highly blended race carrying strains of both yellow and red. e


Adamites used a route around the Caspian Sea to enter Europe,where they united with the higher members of the blue race. eresultant mixture produced a dozen groups of superior blue men,including those whom we know today as Cro-Magnons.

e blue men were vigorous, honest, courageous, and monog-amous. ey were hunters, shers, food gatherers, and boatbuilders; they made stone axes and cut trees to build log huts.e women were well versed in domestic arts and agriculture.Children were trained in the care of caves, art, and int-making.e blue race had strong artistic tendencies, and the addition ofAdamic blood accelerated their creativity.

Climatic changes een thousand years ago altered the Euro-pean landscape, turning the open grazing lands into Alpine forest.Hunters became herders, shers, and farmers. By this time thepure Adamites worldwide had become thoroughly blended withthe other races, particularly the Nodites, to produce the Andites.

e next twelve thousand years saw seven major Andite inva-sions into Europe from Mesopotamia and Turkestan. e An-dites were aggressive militarists. e use of horses during the nalthree invasions increased Andite mobility enough to allow themto maintain coherent groups as they entered Europe, where theyabsorbed the best of the blue people and exterminated the worstof them. e racial mixing that resulted from these invasions pro-duced the ancestors of the Nordic races: Scandinavians, Germans,and Anglo-Saxons.

For three thousand years, successive military campaigns werelaunched from Andite headquarters established in Denmark. eresultant early white men moved continuously southward, nallywiping out the last remnants of the Cro-Magnoid race in southern


France. By 5000 BC, the evolving white race dominated northernEurope.

When the last exodus from the Euphrates occurred, manyskilled Andite artisans moved to Egypt, which had received asteady stream ofMesopotamians for thousands of years. eNod-ites introduced pottery, agriculture, metalwork, and domesticatedanimals to the Nile region. By 5000 BC, the cultural center ofthe world had shied from Mesopotamia to the valley of the Nile.e Andites built the rst stone structures and pyramids in Egypt.ey developed an extensive theology and a burdensome priest-hood.

About 12,000 BC, a brilliant tribe of Andites migrated to Crete.ey were highly skilled in textiles, metals, pottery, plumbing,building with stone, writing, herding, and agriculture. Two thou-sand years later a group of tall, beautiful, intelligent descendants ofAdamson journeyed from their highland home over the northernAegean islands into Greece. A high civilization evolved. PresentlyGreece and the Aegean succeeded Egypt as the center of world cul-ture. e Greeks were great teachers, artists, traders, and colo-nizers. Advances earned by Greek civilization persisted in south-ern Europe even aer the Greek culture itself declined under theweight of the rapidly multiplying descendants of imported slaves.

e Andonites had always inhabited the mountainous regionsof central Europe and the Danube valley where they farmed andherded, made pottery, and tilled the land. ey were oen rein-forced by Andonites from Asia Minor. By 3000 BC, the Asian An-donites, who had been pushed farther and farther to the north andinto central Asia, were being driven by drought conditions backinto Turkestan. Here they split and penetrated Europe through


both the Balkans and the Ukraine, carrying with them the remain-ing Andites from Iran and Turkestan. By 2500 BC the Asian An-donites had overrun Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and the Danubebasin, where they united with the older Andonites. It was duringthese great nomadic invasions that a great expansion of sea trafficand trade permeated the Mediterranean coast lands.

ree white races were in Europe at the close of the Andite mi-grations. e northern or Nordic race consisted of the blue andAndite races, with small amounts of red and yellow Sangik. eearly Nordic people were tall, long-headed, and blond. e centralgroup was predominantly Andonite with strains of blue, yellow,and Andite. eir descendants were broad-headed, swarthy, andstocky. e southern white race was largely Andite and blue witha considerable Saharan strain. It has been impossible to identifythese distinctions for several thousand years.

81. DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN CIVILIZATIONe human race is made up of ve basic racial stocks-Andonic,

primary Sangik, secondary Sangik, Nodite, and Adamic-each ofwhich could at one time be identi ed by distinct skeletal types.Extensive blending over the past twenty thousand years has re-sulted in mankind being divided into three basic groups: Cauca-soid, Mongoloid, and Negroid.

Biologic evolution may advance in the absence of culture, butculture does not ourishwithout prior racial progression. e vio-let race improved human brain capacity and hastened natural evo-lution. e infusion of violet blood caused advances in civilizationthat exceeded the total biologic progress of the previous millionyears.


Early important events contributed greatly to the growth of hu-man civilization. e taming of re gave birth to modern science.e domestication of dogs, horses, sheep, goats, cows, camels,fowl, elephants, oxen, and yak lightened the human work load.rough agriculture, animal domestication, and improved archi-tecture, mankind gradually began to seek higher standards of liv-ing.

About 12,000 BC, trade and manufacturing began to promotecross�fertilization of cultures. Two thousand years later, the eraof independent cities dawned. Commerce quickly became themost effective in uence in the spread of civilization. Military con-quests, colonization, and missionary work also contributed to theexchange of ideas between people.

e socialization of human culture curtails personal liberty butenhances individual survival potential. Civilization protects grouprights as well as those of individuals. e following essentialsmaintain and foster human civilizations:Natural circumstances-Climate and geographic conditions con-

tribute to cultural evolution.Capital goods-Material prosperity and well-earned leisure time

afford people the opportunity to think and plan for social progress.Scienti c knowledge-Science trains people to think precisely, sta-

bilizes philosophy, and puri es religion.Human resources-e number of intelligent people in uences

the progress of society.Natural resources-Much depends on the wise utilization of nat-

ural resources, scienti c knowledge, capital goods and human po-tentials.


Effectiveness of language-Common language facilitates peace;linguistic development facilitates the expression of evolvingthought.Effectiveness of mechanical devices-e progress of civilization is

directly related to the development of tools, machines, and distri-bution channels.Character of torchbearers-e home must be the basic institu-

tion of culture for education of young people. Social life andschools should be secondary.Racial ideals-Intelligence controls civilization, wisdom directs

it, and spiritual idealism uplis it.Coordination of specialists-Civilization is dependent on the ef-

fective coordination of social, artistic, and industrial specialists.Place� nding devices-Not only must man be trained for work,

but society must devise techniques for directing individuals tosuitable employment. People lose morale when continually sup-ported from public funds.ewillingness to cooperate-Nations tend to disintegratewithout

intelligent patriotism.Effective and wise leadership-Teamwork depends on leadership.Social changes-Changes must keep pace with scienti c develop-

ment, but great changes should not be attempted suddenly.e prevention of transitional breakdown-Moving from estab-

lished methods into new systems requires strong leadership.

82. THE EVOLUTION OF MARRIAGEMarriage is the evolutionary social repercussion of mating,


which is instinctive. Marriage is the basis of all social evolutionand is certain of enduring in some form. It creates the home,the crowning glory of the human evolutionary struggle. Childrenlearn most of what is essential about life from their family andneighbours. e family is a master civilizer.

Sexual experience was fairly simple for primitive people. erewas little or no sex regulation; there was no marriage or prostitu-tion. Intense modern sexual passions are mainly due to race mix-tures, especially the Andite inheritance. Regulation of sex in rela-tion tomarriage indicates both the relative progress of civilization,and the amount of Andite stock in a society. Sex codes can be ex-pressive of both the highest and the lowest of human physical andemotional natures. No human emotion when overindulged cancause as much harm as the sex urge.

ere will always be two distinct realms of marriage: the lawregulating the external aspects, and the personal relationship.Marriage balances self-maintenance and self-perpetuation. Mar-riage regulations serve to balance the con icting interests of par-ents, children, relatives, and society.

Mating has progressed through a multitude of transitions.Brides have been purchased, kidnapped, andwon as contest prizes.Husbands have been required to prove their skill in hunting andghting. In ancient times there have been child marriages and

marriages between dead people. Some tribes mated their youngmen to older women and older men to young women to ensurethat childrenwould have at least one good parent. ere have beentimes when a widow was expected to commit suicide on her hus-band’s grave, when wives took pride in their husbands’ affairs, andwhen chastity in girls was frowned upon.


Marriage has been linked to property and religion. Property sta-bilizes marriage; religion moralizes it.

Modern sexual jealousy is a product of evolving mores. echastity taboo had its origin in the idea that the wife was the prop-erty of the husband. As civilization advanced, adultery came to berecognized as a form of stealing. Chastity requirements were ap-plied to wives but not to single women. When the idea of virginitybefore marriage took hold, it became the practice to imprison un-wed girls to preserve their virginity.

e Adamites and the Nodites practiced mating among them-selves, and this in uenced later customs in Egypt, Syria, andMeso-potamia. Outside marriages eventually gained preference becausethey promoted peace, led to military alliances, and insured greaterfreedom from in-laws.

Hybridization of superior dissimilar stocks contributes to thecreation of more vigorous strains. Race mixtures greatly increasecreative potential. e prejudice against interracial mating arisesbecause modern cross-breeding is oen between inferior strains.Racial amalgamation is most successful when it takes place be-tween the higher members of the races. ere is jeopardy in theunrestrained multiplication of the degenerate strains within eachrace.

83. THE MARRIAGE INSTITUTIONCustoms and rituals that surround modern-day wedding cer-

emonies stem from a number of sources. Magic and ritual sur-rounded the entire life of the ancients; marriage was no exception.Various ancient wedding rituals included eating together, the ex-change of presents, consultation of astrologers, human sacri ce,


lucky days, throwing grain, lighting candles, sprinkling holy wa-ter, and blessing the wedding bed. e bridal veil served to hidethe bride from jealous ghosts. In some groups, wedding guestsserved as legal witnesses by observing the consummation of themarriage.

Group marriages preceded polygamy which preceded monog-amy. Monogamy was unnatural to evolutionary man, but whollynatural to the purer Nodites and Adamites.

Monogamy has been of great cultural value to the advancedraces. It is the idealistic goal of human sexual evolution and themeasure of the advance of social civilization. Monogamy con-tributes to spiritual growth and to the re nement of moral charac-ter. It is the best arrangement for parental happiness, child welfare,and social efficiency.

Monogamy is good for those who attain it, but we are admon-ished to not disdain those unfortunate men and women who failto achieve this ideal state. Large numbers of unmarried adults in asociety indicate a temporary transition ofmores. Inmodern times,the ideal of individual love in marriage has replaced the propertymotive; this has created temporary instability in the institution ofmarriage. Modern home life is also being challenged by the ad-vancement of long-denied legal rights for women.

A successfulmarriage is a life�long partnership of self�effacement,dedication to child rearing, compromise, and devotion. Divorcewill function as a social safety valve as long as society fails to pro-vide premarital training, and as long as immature idealism is thearbiter of entrance into marriage.

Much spiritual development occurs from the sincere effort of ahusband and wife to progress together, but marriage is not neces-


sarily sacred. While it cannot be compared to the human relation-ship with the indwelling Adjuster, nor to fraternity with Jesus, theideal mortal marriage may be considered humanly sacred.

84. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFEBefore the connection between sex and pregnancy was under-

stood, family units were maternal. Maternal love is an instinctiveendowment of the adjutant mind-spirits, and is proportional tothe length of infancy. Men were rst attracted into marriage notby love but by hunger, because they knew that where women andchildren were sheltered, food could usually be found.

When herding gave control of the main source of food to men,the father�family came into being. Later, men became involved inagriculture, and women were able to devote more time to home-making and child rearing. e shi from the mother�family tothe father�family is one of the most radical adjustments that everoccurred in the human race. e mother�family is natural andbiologic; the father�family is social, economic, and political.

Sexual equality is worthy of an expanding civilization, but it isnot found in nature. When justice, peace and fairness prevail, wo-men gradually emerge from slavery. e modern factory changedworking conditions so that men and women compete more evenlyin the work force. Evolution has succeeded in doing that whichrevelation failed to accomplish.

Civilization can never obliterate the differences of behaviour be-tween the sexes. Women cannot thrive on men’s rights any morethan men can thrive on women’s; each sex will always remain su-preme in its own domain. Men and women are two distinct va-rieties of the same species living in close association. Complete


understanding between the sexes is not possible; differing maleand female viewpoints persist throughout the superuniverse as-cension. ese differences are highly bene cial. A man and wo-man cooperating are vastly superior in most ways to either twomen or two women.

Marriage is now passing out of the property stage and into thepersonal era. New mores are emerging to stabilize marriage andthe home even asmodern child rearing is becomingmore difficult.Problems arise from the degree of racial mixtures, acceptance ofsuper cial education, and parents’ frequent absences from home.Advancing ideals will promote the idea that bringing a child intothe world is the supreme responsibility of human existence.

Attempts to shi parental responsibility to the state or churchare suicidal to civilization’s advancement. Civilization depends onthe willingness of one generation to invest in the welfare of thenext. e family teaches the essentials of brotherhood: patience,altruism, tolerance, and forbearance. Families are best managedthrough family councils rather than through autocratic methods.A good family reveals the love of the Creator to parents and chil-dren alike.

85. THE ORIGINS OF WORSHIPHumans have worshipped everything on earth, including them-

selves. e rst object to be worshipped was a stone. Stone wor-ship was followed by hill worship; humans believed that gods in-habited mountains. Plants were worshipped because they were asource of intoxicants¾alcohol is still referred to as spirits. Sprout-ing grains were sources of awe, and many plants were veneratedfor their medicinal powers. Tree worship cults leave remnants of


their beliefs in modern�day May poles, Christmas trees, and thesuperstition of knocking on wood.

e primitive races revered animals, earth, air, re, water,springs, rivers, rainbows, wind, clouds, rain, hail, thunder, andlightning. Dei cation of the moon, stars and sun developed. Civ-ilizations honoured the sun by naming the rst day of the weekaer it; sun veneration eventually led to Mithraism, the greatest ofthe mystery cults, which eventually wielded a potent in uence onChristianity.

In some cultures people worshipped lunatics, epileptics, priests,kings, and prophets. When tribal chiefs died they were some-times dei ed; later, distinguished people who died were sainted.e worship of man by men reached its peak when earthly rulersclaimed to have descended from the gods.

e sixth adjutant mind-spirit has been at work throughouttime, constantly stimulating the worship urge. When worship isdirected by wisdom and meditation, it begins to develop into realreligion. When wisdom prevails, worshippers turn from the ado-ration of nature to the adoration of the Creator of nature. Evo-lutionary religion creates gods in the likeness of mortal man, butrevelatory religion seeks to transform mortal man into the imageand likeness of God.

86. EARLY EVOLUTION OF RELIGIONPrimitive people lived in constant danger. eir struggle for

survival depended on factors over which they had no control.Chance played such a large role in early human life that peoplelived in continuous anxiety. Most people died violently; natural


deaths were so unusual that people thought they were caused byspirits.

Helplessness against the forces of nature impelled early man toseek to understand supernatural phenomena. Belief in the aerlifebegan when people dreamt of deceased tribesmen. Belief in thesoul started when men observed that breath was present in livingcreatures but not in the dead; they speculated that the breath livedon as a ghost aer death. Disembodied ghosts were thought to beresponsible for all inexplicable events.

Primitive people thought that the soul could escape the bodyduring fainting, sleeping, comas, death, or sneezing. Dreams werethought to be adventures of the soul. People believed that disem-bodied souls could enter animals and inanimate objects. Shadowswere feared and mirrors were regarded with superstition.

e religion of ghost fear led people to believe that a spirit worldcontrolled human destiny and that they could appease the spiritsby regulating personal conduct. Rituals helped to relieve peoplefrom their unrelenting fears by helping them believe that they hadthe power to in uence their own fate.

e idea that speci c actions could help one avoid angeringwandering ghosts was the seed of the concept of right and wrong.From this humble beginning, human ethics were born. Mortalminds began to prepare for the bestowal of true spirit forces, the in-dwelling fragments of Godwho have laboured ceaselessly to trans-form the fear of God into the love of God.

87. THE GHOST CULTSEarly men feared death because death meant the creation of a

new ghost. Ghosts were thought to have supernatural powers,


but not supernatural intelligence. Attempts to trick ghosts ledto many strange behaviours, some of which continue in today’sworld. Some people still imagine that an outward pretense of pietycan win the favour of God.

Primitive men believed that angry ghosts were sources of griefand misfortune. ey avoided houses where death had occurred,and this ritual delayed early tribes from building permanent vil-lages. People observed silence during mourning to encourage theghost to leave. Wives were sometimes buried alive with their deadhusbands, and slaves were buried with their masters.

Sometimes months were spent in the inactivity of mourning.Tools, weapons, and other property were destroyed for the useof the ghost. Ancient funerals wasted enormous amounts of re-sources, and it was a great advance when the notion of inheritancereplaced burning and burying the dead person’s property.

Divination, sooth-saying, astrology, magic, and many otherstrange practices developed from early people’s attempts to trickghosts. Children were kept inside aer dark, people were afraidto yawn, and phallic cults appeared. Women were veiled. e ad-vancement of art was sti ed because beauty supposedly incited theenvy of ghosts. Ghost cult rituals were designed to ward off badluck. Later men attempted to court good luck by bribing ghosts;humans still tend to bargain with deity. Cursing and nger cross-ing are remnants of ancient ghost cult rituals.

Cults throughout history have had both positive and negativeresults for human civilization. Cults retard social progress butpreserve ceremony; they can either sti e or enhance philosophy.Cults serve as skeletal structures around which the living body of


personal spiritual experience grows.

88. FETISHES, CHARMS, AND MAGICFetishism is the belief that spirits can enter objects, animals, or

persons. Primitive fetishes included volcanoes, comets, pebbles,re, holy water, trees, plants, fruits, animals, days of the week,

numbers, saliva, hair, nails, skulls, umbilical cords, handicappedpeople, lunatics, intoxicants, poisons, bones, replaces, altars, andtemples.

Odd customs arose from fetishism. Friday was considered anunlucky day. ree and seven were lucky numbers, but thir-teen was unlucky. When animals became fetishes, taboos evolvedaround eating them. When geniuses were considered fetishes, tal-ented humans oen resorted to fraud and trickery to wield powerand authority over othermen. e Israelites believed that the spiritof God literally lived in their stone altars. Skeletal remains of saintsand heroes are regarded with superstitious awe even in moderntimes.

Magical properties were attributed to human esh, tiger claws,crocodile teeth, snake venom, bones, bodily secretions, effigies,black cats, wands, drums, bells, and knots. Names were esteemedso highly that many ancients had two: a sacred name which theydid not reveal, and a common name for everyday use. Moses triedto control the fetish worship of the Hebrews by forbidding themto create images. is lessened fetish worship but greatly retardedart and the enjoyment of beauty. Moses’ mandate against fetishesbecame a fetish.

Words become fetishes, especially those words considered tobe words of God. When doctrines become fetishes they can lead


to bigotry, intolerance, and fanaticism. Holy books have becomefetishes, and the practice of opening a book at random to seek ad-vice is a form of fetishism.

Totemismwas a combination of social and religious observance.Totems have largely been replaced by ags and other national sym-bols. Modern fetishes include the insignias of priests, the symbolsof royalty, and public opinion.

In the past, medicine men, priests, and shamans practiced pub-lic magic for the good of the whole tribe. Witches, wizards, andsorcerers might use personal magic to bring evil to their enemiesor good to themselves. Chants and incantationswere thought to bemagical; gestures, dances, and mimicry were even more so. Magicwas thought to be a way to secure insight into the future. Magicgained a powerful in uence over primitive people, who fearedmagic so much that their own fears sometimes killed them.

Ancient magic served the human race as the cocoon of modernscience. Incantations became prayers, astrology became astron-omy, and the study of magic numbers led to the science of math-ematics. Such words as spellbound, possession, inspiration, inge-nious, thunderstruck, entrancing, and astonished all have roots inthe belief in magical spirits. Today, superstitions linger even in theminds of civilized people; mankind is slow to leave magic behind.

89. SIN, SACRIFICE, AND ATONEMENTPrimitive people believed that spirits enjoyed human misery,

and that staying in favour with the gods depended on either doingor avoiding speci c things. is belief led to the birth of taboos.Later, religion made taboos into sins; confession, renunciation,


and sacri ces developed. People bargained for the favour of Godby fasting, chastity, voluntary poverty, and self�torture.

Early sacri ces included plucking hair, knocking out teeth, cut-ting off ngers and other mutilations. People offered sacri cesto the gods as thanksgiving and for the redemption of debts.Later, the idea of sacri cial substitution evolved into the atone-ment concept-an insurance policy against the displeasure of deity.

Cannibalism at one time was nearly universal, serving social,economic, religious, andmilitary purposes. e Sangik races werecannibalistic; the pure-lineAndonites, Nodites andAdamites werenot. e Dalamatia taboo against cannibalism spread through-out the world, and cannibalism fell greatly out of common prac-tice once human sacri ce made human esh the food of the gods.Human sacri ce endured various modi cations, including ani-mal sacri ce, enforced exile, temple prostitution, temple virgins,bloodletting, physical mutilation, circumcision, castration, pierc-ing, tattooing, and scarring. Moses tried to put an end to humansacri ce among the Hebrews by inventing a system of ransoms topriests as a substitute.

e practices of ransom, redemption, and covenants haveevolved into the modern-day sacraments. Early prayers werecrude bartering agreements with the spirit world, but they demon-strated human progress in that people had evolved to the point thatthey dared to make deals with God.

90. SHAMANISM — MEDICINE MEN AND PRIESTSAs rituals became increasingly complex, people came to believe

that only medicine men and shamans could communicate withthe spirit world, and religion became a second-hand experience.


Since abnormal human behaviour was attributed to spirit posses-sion, quali cation for religious leadership included such things asepilepsy, hysteria, and paranoia. Some shamans were deliberatefrauds, but many truly believed that they were possessed by spir-its.

Shamans helped people control the hazards of their lives. eyalso specialized in rainmaking, healing, and crime detection.Shamans were great believers in chance as a revelatory tool. eyfrequently cast lots to arrive at decisions; evidence of this practicesurvives into modern times in children’s rhymes. Other tools of ashaman’s trade were astrology, interpretation of dreams, commu-nicating with the dead, and fortune-telling.

Shamans were the original aristocracy, exempt from all tribalrestrictions. ey oen functioned as doctors and surgeons. In-juries and illnesses that could not be attributed to obvious causeswere thought to be caused by ghosts, magic, or a violation of thetaboos. People greatly feared the sick, believing that ghosts had be-come displeased with the sufferer. Remedies for illness includedchanting, howling, laying on of hands, breathing on the patient,massage, bloodletting, vapor baths, drumming, fasting, dieting,and purging.

Superstitious fears of the unknown and dread of the unseenwere scaffolding for human concepts of God. Shamans eventu-ally evolved into modern�day priests. Priests have done much todelay scienti c development, but have also contributed to the sta-bilization of civilization and have sometimes been invaluable inpointing the way to higher realities.


91. THE EVOLUTION OF PRAYEREarly men oen prayed for food, shelter, or rain. Praying for

material blessings is a perversion of prayer, but it encouragedprimitive people to seek these necessities by ethical means.

True prayer appears only in conjunctionwith the understandingthat God is a personal being. Prayer contributes to the conserva-tion of social, moral, and spiritual values. Prayer is a psychologi-cal procedure combined with a spiritual technique that promotesdevelopment of religious sentiment. It induces humans to lookin two directions for help: to the subconscious mind for materialaid, and to the superconscious mind for inspiration and guidance.Prayer must be a stimulus for action rather than a substitute foraction. It oen effects lasting change in the person who prays.

Prayer contributes to health, personal happiness, self�control,social harmony, and spiritual attainment. God does not solveman’s difficulties, but he will provide wisdom and strength whileman resolutely attacks his problems himself. Contact with the in-dwelling Adjuster is favoured by meditation, but it is more fre-quently prompted through loving service to others.

Religious experience bene ts the individual by bringing betterphysical health, more efficientmental function, socialization of re-ligious experience, increased God-consciousness, and enhancedappreciation of truth, beauty and goodness. Genuine prayer isspontaneous God-consciousness. Words are irrelevant to prayerbecause God answers man’s attitudes, not his words.

To attain effective prayer, one must consider the laws of prevail-ing petitions. Effective prayer requires the petitioner to: sincerelyand courageously face problems that come up; exhaust the capac-ity to solve the problem by human means; surrender every wish


of mind and every craving of soul to the transforming embrace ofspiritual growth; make a wholehearted choice to follow the divinewill; recognize the Father’s will and translate it into action; pray fordivine wisdom; and have living faith.

92. THE LATER EVOLUTION OF RELIGIONReligion has progressed from nature worship through ghost

worship to fetishism. roughout history fear has been the basicreligious stimulus, but as civilization advances fear becomes mod-i ed by reverence and repentance.

Attempts to suddenly accelerate religious growth are unwise.Religion clings to mores; traditions become sacred; passing gen-erations are afraid to discard what their ancestors deemed holy.Morality is not determined by evolutionary religion, rather, reli-gious forms are dictated by morality. At some time in history, allthat is now considered immoral was once accepted. Religion hashandicapped social development in many ways, but without reli-gion there would have been no enduring morality or worthwhilecivilization. Religion has provided the discipline and self�controlthat makes wisdom possible.

Evolutionary religion, unlike science, does not provide for itsown correction. e only two in uences that can upli religiousdogma are the pressure of advancing mores, and periodic epochalrevelations. Evolutionary religion must continue to be re ned byrevealed religion and genuine science, but revelation cannot be farremoved from the thoughts of the era in which it is presented.

Evolutionary religion is a human reaction to the spiritual world;revelatory religion is the spirit realm’s reaction to the human searchfor truth. Revelation is always limited by human capacity. ere


have beenmany events of religious revelation, but only ve were ofepochal signi cance: the Planetary Prince’s arrival, the mission ofAdam and Eve, Melchizedek’s teachings, Jesus’ teachings, and theUrantia A Synopsis of Papers. e h epochal revelation differsfrom all previous revelations because it is the collaborative work ofmany persons instead of just one person.

ere is an instinctive longing in the human heart for help fromabove. is impulse was designed to foster the work of the Plane-tary Prince and the Material Sons and Daughters. People have al-ways venerated their leaders, sometimes even at the expense of histeachings. ere have been hundreds upon hundreds of religiousleaders on our planet who have served as the personality fulcrumson which the levers of revelation depend.

New religions cannot be invented; they either evolve or are sud-denly revealed. Religions are good if they bring mortals to Godand bring the realization of God to mortals. It is wise to study andassimilate the truths contained in every faith; it is arrogance forany group of religionists to think that they possess the only truth.

e quality of religion is indicated by loyalties, values, and thecosmic progress of the persons involved. Religion is devotion tothe service of supreme values, a living experience of love, a tech-nique of thinking, and the eternal foundation of all enduring civ-ilizations. No revelation short of the attainment of the UniversalFather can ever be complete-all other celestial ministrations arepartial adaptations to local conditions in time and space.

93. MACHIVENTA MELCHIZEDEKe Melchizedek Sons oen function in emergencies and have

been exceptionally active on our planet. TwelveMelchizedeks took


authority here shortly aer the Caligastia default. ese sametwelve stayed until Adam and Eve arrived and returned aer Eve’sdefault.

Aer the days of Adam and Eve, human beings slowly began tolose sight of the concept of God. To prevent the light of truth fromgoing out, one of the twelve Melchizedeks, Machiventa, volun-teered to personalize on earth in human form to bring a new rev-elation of truth to Urantia. Machiventa appeared in Palestine al-most two thousand years before Jesus was born. Hismetamorpho-sis was achieved in cooperationwith the Life Carriers and other ce-lestial personalities. Machiventa was rst seen on earth when heentered the tent of a herder and announced, “I am Melchizedek,priest of El Elyon, the Most High, the one and only God.” Withina few years, Melchizedek had gathered a nucleus of disciples whoformed the later community of Salem, now Jerusalem.

Machiventa resembled a man of the blended Nodite and Sume-rian races. He spoke seven languages. Machiventa wore an em-blem of three concentric circles on his clothing; this symbol be-came so sacred to his followers that they never dared use it. Fewfollowers ever learned that the circles symbolized the in nity, eter-nity, and universality of the Paradise Trinity.

Melchizedek taught people that there was only one God, andthat the favour of God depended on faith rather than sacri ces.Melchizedek substituted the sacrament of bread and wine for theolder sacri ce of esh and blood. He asked his followers to obeyseven commandments and to spread the word of his teachings toall men. His ideas were too advanced for most people of thosedays; they simply could not grasp the idea of receiving divinefavour through faith alone.


Because of the need to establish contact with a human familythrough whom Machiventa could work to promote the new teach-ings, the Melchizedeks for many generations had been watchingthe ancestors of Abraham. ey were con dent that within a cer-tain generation, someone would appear who would be intelligent,wise, sincere, and capable of taking initiative. From this family,Melchizedek chose Abraham to study with him in Salem.

Abraham had kingly ambitions. In time, he was recognizedas the civil ruler of Salem and seven other tribes. Melchizedekmaintained peaceful relations with the neighbouring tribes, butAbraham envisioned the military conquest of all Canaan. Onlywith difficulty did Melchizedek restrain Abraham from using war-fare to force the neighbouring tribes to more quickly learn thetruths of Salem. Machiventa’s disapproval of Abraham’s schemesfor military conquest caused a temporary severance of their rela-tionship. As time passed, Abraham found himself well on the wayto becoming the head of a powerful civil state in Palestine, but hewas held back by two concerns; the lack of Melchizedek’s sanctionof his plan, and that he had no son to continue his reign.

Abrahamarranged a conferencewithMelchizedek. Melchizedekpersuaded Abraham to abandon his scheme of military leader-ship in favour of spiritual promotion of the kingdom of heaven.In exchange, Melchizedek promised Abraham that he would pro-duce an heir and many descendants. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, sub-sequently gave birth to Isaac.

Soon aer the child was born, Abraham and Melchizedek madea formal covenant in which Abraham surrendered his personalambitions on behalf of the greater good of fostering Melchizedeks’spiritual goals for humankind. e covenant betweenMelchizedek


andAbraham represents the great agreement between divinity andhumanity wherein God agrees to do everything, while man agreessimply to believe God’s promises and to follow his instructions.

From their Salem headquarters, Melchizedek’s missionariestraveled to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, the British Isles, Ice-land, China, and Japan. His teachings reached the descendants ofAdamson, still living around the shores of Lake Van. Machiventacontinued to instruct his students for 94 years. When he had doneall he could, he disappeared without fanfare, just as he had arrived.

Abraham’s descendants lost much of the Salem teachings.Within ve hundred years many people regarded the story of Mel-chizedek as amyth,eMelchizedek gospelwas almost completelyabsorbed into the cults of the Great Mother, the Sun and other an-cient beliefs. Hebrew scribes later edited out scriptural referencesto Melchizedek in an attempt to bolster their national ego by ex-alting the memory of Abraham.

Aer leaving Urantia, MachiventaMelchizedek resumed his ca-reer as one of the twelve receivers of Urantia. He continues to takegreat interest in the affairs of the descendants of those who hadbelieved in him in the esh. Machiventa has recently been namedVicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia.

94. THE MELCHIZEDEK TEACHINGS IN THE ORIENTe strength of the Brahman priests and their rituals prevented

the people of ancient India from accepting theMelchizedek idea ofsalvation through faith alone. e Brahman priests had investedso much in being at the top of the caste system that they could notallow people to believe that faith was the only requirement for a re-lationship with God. eRig�Veda, one of the oldest sacred books


on earth, was written by the Brahmans in an attempt to combat theteachings of the Salem missionaries.

e rejection of the Melchizedek gospel was a major turningpoint in the civilization of India. As people rejected mortal am-bitions and embraced reincarnation, they fell into a sense of spiri-tual hopelessness. Nevertheless, Brahmanism was a noble humaneffort into philosophy and metaphysics. It came close to the con-cept of an all�pervading Absolute, the IT IS rather than the I AM.Brahman teachings about universal overcontrol were very close tothe truth about the Supreme Being.

e idea of karma bears some similarity to truth about inevi-table repercussions of one’s actions. e teaching of the soul be-ing the indwelling of the Brahman approaches the concept of theought Adjuster, even including the point that the soul returnsto Brahman as the Adjuster returns to the Father. e Hindu reli-gion today is a composite of the Brahman teachings, ancient Vedicrituals, Buddhism, and Jainism. Hinduism is the most tolerant re-ligion on earth and has survived as part of the social fabric of India.

In China, the Salem teachings led to an early form of Taoism, avery different religion than that which exists today. Early Taoismencompassed the monotheistic teachings of Singlangton, a ver-sion of the Melchizedek teachings, and the Brahman concepts. InJapan, this version of Taoism was known as Shinto. In both Japanand China, Taoism eventually became mixed with ancestor wor-ship.

In the sixth century before Jesus’ bestowal, an unusual coordi-nation of spiritual agencies in uenced a great number of religiousteachers throughout the world. Lao�tse taught about One First


Cause, the Tao, man’s destiny of being united with Tao, the Trin-ity as the source of all reality, and returning good for evil. Lao-tse’s teachings about nonresistance later became perverted into theerroneous belief of seeing, doing, and thinking nothing. Today’sTaoism has little in common with the teachings of Lao�tse.

Confucius’ chief work was a compilation of the wise sayings ofancient philosophers. His writings were not widely known or ac-cepted during his lifetime, but became a great in uence ever af-terward in both China and Japan. Confucius put morality in theplace of magic, and taught about the Way of Heaven, the patternsof the cosmos.

In India, Guatama Siddhartha formed the beginnings of Bud-dhism. He fought against the growing caste system by teachinga gospel of universal salvation, and freedom from sacri ce, ritu-als, torture, and priests. He taught that divine nature resided in allmen, and that we could attain the realization of this divinity. Hisideas were surprisingly similar to the Salem gospel.

Modern Buddhism is no more the teachings of Siddhartha thanmodern Christianity is the teachings of Jesus. e farther Bud-dhism spread from India, the more it was mixed with other reli-gions; it was affected by Taoism, Shinto, and Christianity. Bud-dhism today is a growing religion because it conserves high moralvalues, promotes calmness and self�control, and augments seren-ity and happiness.

95. THE MELCHIZEDEK TEACHINGS IN THE LEVANTIn Mesopotamia, Salem missionaries failed to bring a perma-

nent realization of monotheism. Mesopotamians believed in mul-tiple gods and were especially fond of Ishtar and the sex worship


that accompanied her devotions. When the Salem teachers triedto abolish temple harlotry Mesopotamians resisted; they subse-quently rejected all of the spiritual and philosophic teachings ofthe Salemites.

In Egypt a strongmoral codewas already in place, and the Salemreligion ourished. One of the few great Egyptian prophets wasAmenemope. He taught that riches were a gi from God, that ev-ery moment should be lived in the realization of the presence ofGod, and that all things earthly were eeting. Amenemope wrotethe Book of Wisdom, much of which is preserved as passages inthe book of Proverbs, and also the rst Psalm. His writings weretranslated into Greek and Hebrew.

Ikhnaton, Pharaoh of Egypt, had been taught monotheism byhis mother. Ikhnaton kept the doctrine of One God alive in Egypt.He had the clearest grasp of the religion of Salem of any personoutside of Melchizedek’s time. In his determination to swing thenation from polytheism to monotheism, Ikhnaton broke with thepast, changed his name, abandoned his capital, built a new city,and created new art and literature for his people. Ikhnaton taughtthat God made not only Egypt, but all the lands and all the peo-ple in the world. is teaching was too much for the nationalisticpriests, who sprang back into power aer Ikhnaton’s death. Al-though his teachings did not remain in force aer he died, the con-cept of monotheism never again entirely died out in Egypt. Ikh-naton wrote 137 hymns, twelve of which are recorded in the bookof Psalms.

In Iran, Melchizedek’s doctrines advanced for ve hundredyears until a change of rulers led to the persecution of monothe-istic teachers. Monotheism had become practically extinct in Iran


when Zoroaster, the great prophet of Persia, appeared to revivethe Salem gospel. He used the ame as a symbol of the wise Spiritof universal dominance. Zoroastrianism is the only religion onearth that retained the concepts of the Seven Master Spirits, whichZoroaster learned about in Ur. Jewish beliefs in heaven, hell, anddevils all derived from Zoroastrianism.

e Salem teachers failed most completely in Arabia, so near toSalem itself. is desert region continued as it had for thousandsof years, with each tribe worshipping its ancient fetish and manyfamilies praying to their own household gods. Long did the strug-gle continue between the Babylonian Ishtar, the Hebrew Yahweh,the Iranian Ahura, and the Christian Father of Jesus. Never wasone concept able fully to displace the others; the people of Arabiadid not universally embrace monotheism until the times of Islam.

96. YAHWEH — GOD OF THE HEBREWSe early Semites had varying ideas of God, even during the

same period. ey worshipped Yahweh, El Elyon, El Shaddai, El,and Elohim; they believed in nature gods and other subordinatespirits.

Moses initiated the Hebrew belief in monotheism. Moses’mother was a member of the Egyptian royal family, and his fa-ther was a Semite liaison between the Egyptian government andthe Hebrew slaves. Moses tried to negotiate for Hebrew freedom,but the agreement was later repudiated by the Pharaoh. A yearlater, while the Egyptian armies were busy elsewhere, Moses ledhis followers out of Egypt in a spectacular escape.

Moses comprehended Egyptian philosophy. He had been edu-cated as a child about El Shaddai, and through his father�in�law


he learned of El Elyon. e slaves he led knew little about suchthings but had retained a vague memory of Yahweh, the god ofMount Horeb (Sinai). During their extended encampment at thebase of Mount Horeb, Moses wisely adjusted his teachings of theOneGod, attributing all the qualities of the Creator to Yahweh, thefamiliar god of his ignorant people.

It is unlikely that Moses’ advanced monotheistic teachingswould have held the attention of the ex�captives if it had not beenfor the fortuitous eruption of the Horeb volcano during the thirdweek they camped there. Moses used the occurrence to convincehis people that their God was mighty and all�powerful, above allother gods, who had singled out theHebrews as his chosen people.e Hebrew concept of a jealous God rst sprang from this event.

Moses was the most important spiritual teacher between Mel-chizedek and Jesus. He was an extraordinary combination ofmilitary leader, social organizer, and religious teacher. Aer hisdeath, progress in the understanding of Yahweh rapidly deterio-rated among the Hebrews. Leaders of Israel continued to believe,but the common people dried backward in their beliefs, becom-ing contaminated with the less advanced Canaanite religious prac-tices.

e Book of Psalms records various concepts of God from thetimes of Amenemope to Isaiah, from the crude idea of tribal deityto the expanded ideal of a loving and merciful Father. e Bookof Job is derived from over twenty Mesopotamians who lived overa period of three hundred years. e idea of God during thosecenturies was best preserved near Ur in Chaldea. In Palestine, thewisdom of God was understood, but his love and mercy were not.Only those from Ur continued to preach about the mercy of God


and salvation by faith.

97. EVOLUTION OF THE GOD CONCEPT AMONG THEHEBREWS

e Hebrews accomplished the greatest feat in the evolution ofreligion when they transformed Yahweh, the savage, jealous godof Sinai, into the loving creator of all things, the merciful Father ofall mankind.

Aer the times of Moses, the Hebrew people regressed in theirreligious practices. When Hebrew leaders combined their tribesto stave off hostile neighbours in Palestine, Samuel, a teacher froma long line of Salem teachers, used the new central government toturn Israel away from the worship of Baal and back to the worshipof Yahweh. His great contribution was the pronouncement thatYahweh was changeless, perfect, and divine. Samuel taught thatthe favour of Yahweh was not shown through material prosper-ity. Samuel progressed in his understanding of God throughouthis lifetime, eventually knowing him as a merciful judge. Samuel’ssuccessors continued his legacy, preaching a god of divine power.

One thousand years before Christ, the Hebrews split into twonations. Spiritual decadence set in. Elijah worked diligently torestore the northern kingdom to a God concept similar to the daysof Samuel by devoting himself to demolishing the altars of Baal andother idols.

ere was a long�standing controversy between followers ofYahweh and followers of Baal (Baal means owner). e south-ern tribes believed in one God. ey thought that land belongedto Yahweh; it could not be bought and sold. e northern tribes,Canaanites and Baalites, believed in many Baals, and in the right


to buy and sell land. Elijah succeeded in his work by shiing theYahweh�Baal controversy from the issue of land ownership to theissue of monotheism vs. polytheism.

Amos discovered new concepts of Deity. From Amos, the He-brews heard for the rst time that God would no more toleratetheir sins than he would tolerate the sins of other nations. isdirect attack on the chosen people doctrine was resented by manyHebrews. Amos proclaimed that Yahweh was the God of all na-tions, and that ritual could not replace righteousness. Hosea fol-lowed Amos with a doctrine of forgiveness through repentancerather than sacri ce; his gospel was one of divinemercy and lovingkindness.

e rst Isaiah preached the eternal nature of God, his in nitewisdom and reliability. He was followed by Micah and Obadiah,who denounced priestly rituals and attacked the systems of sacri-ce. Jeremiah declared that Yahweh was God of all the earth, of all

nations and all peoples, and that God did not defend Hebrews intheir military struggles against other nations. He was cast into adungeon for this accurate statement.

e Hebrew nation fell before the armies of Babylon. While incaptivity in Mesopotamia, Hebrew priests prepared a textbook tobolster the courage of their people. Although they had no inten-tion of writing a sacred book, their textbook later became scrip-ture. In their fervor, these priests destroyed every known recordof Hebrew history to make way for their newly written glori ca-tion of the Hebrew race.

epriests were greatly hindered in their in uence over the cap-tives by Isaiah the Second, a true believer in the God of justice,


love and mercy. His theories of the nature of God were so com-pelling that he made converts equally among the Jews and theircaptors. e writings of the second Isaiah are preserved in theBook of Isaiah, chapters forty through y- ve. Isaiah taught elo-quently about God as universal creator and upholder. His writingsare among the truest presentations of God’s character before thetime of Jesus.

e Jewish religion of the Old Testament was born in Babylonduring the captivity. e Hebrews concluded that if they were toprevail, they must convert the gentiles; they had to become thechosen servants of God. e leaders preached that the Jews wouldbe a chosen people, not due to special indulgences from God, butbecause they would perform the special service of carrying thetruth of one God to all people. But when the Babylonian captivityended, the Jewish people returned to their rituals. Without losingthe concept of the Universal Father, the Hebrews fell into spiritualretrogression. Jewish theology refused to expand. Judaismpersiststoday by virtue of its strong institutions and deep love of justice,wisdom, truth, and righteousness.

98. THE MELCHIZEDEK TEACHINGS IN THE OCCIDENTIn Palestine, religious dogma sti ed rational thinking; in

Greece, human thought became so abstract that the concept ofGod faded. e Salem missionaries failed to build a great religiousstructure inGreece. eir rigid interpretation ofMelchizedek’s ad-monition not to function as priests prevented any priesthood of in-uence from arising in Greece. e Greeks rejected monotheism

because they believed that fate controlled even the gods. Eventu-


ally, Greek ethics and philosophy advanced beyond the boundariesof their spirituality.

Intelligent Greeks steeped themselves in philosophy and meta-physics, disdaining all forms of worship. ey held loosely to theidea of a Great Source. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle forged Hel-lenic intellectual advancement. e common people who couldnot understand deep philosophy rejected both the philosophersand the Salem teachers in favour of the mystery cults.

e Roman state religion, greatly in uenced by the Greeks, hada full range of gods and goddesses. Many cults ourished in Romeuntil the time of Augustus Caesar, who reorganized the state reli-gion and appointed himself supreme god. A small cult of Cynicswere the last of the believers in Melchizedek’s teachings. e ma-jority of Greco�Romans turned to the spectacular and emotionalmystery cults, which offered promises of salvation aer death. emost popular mystery cults were the Phrygian cult of Cybele andher son Attis, the Egyptian cult of Osiris and his mother Isis, andthe Iranian cult of Mithras, redeemer of all mankind.

Mithraism eventually overshadowed every other cult. By thetime it entered Rome, theMithraic cult had been upstepped by theteachings of Zoroaster. Legends and rituals of this cult included aood from which one man escaped in a special boat, a last supper

aer which Mithras ascended into the heavens, and an annual fes-tival on the twenty- h of December. Mithraics believed that theunbaptized would be annihilated, the wicked would be destroyedby re, and the righteous would rule with Mithras forever.

During the third century aer Jesus, Mithraic and Christianchurches were very similar. Most churches were underground andcontained altars depicting the suffering of the savior. Mithraic


worshippers dipped their ngers in holy water upon entering thetemple. Both religions baptized believers and used the sacramentof bread andwine. e two religions differed in thatMithraism en-couraged militarism while Christianity was paci st. e decidingfactor in the struggle between the two faiths was that Christianityallowed full fellowship for women.

e Christian religion is a complex combination of the Mel-chizedek teachings; Hebrew morality, ethics, and theology; theZoroastrian concept of the struggle between good and evil; themystery cults, particularlyMithraism; the teachings of Jesus ofNa-zareth; the personal beliefs of Paul of Tarsus; and Hellenistic phi-losophy. Christianity valiantly portrays a beautiful religion aboutJesus but has long ceased to be the religion of Jesus. It glori esJesus as Christ, but has largely forgotten his personal gospel-theFatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of all people.

99. THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF RELIGIONIn the modern age, we are faced with rapid adjustments of civ-

ilization. Society is becoming more mechanical, more complex,and more interdependent; it will not settle for a thousand years.e function of religion during this transition period will be tostabilize human ideals. In the midst of the confusions of a rapidlychanging environment, humans need the sustenance of a cosmicperspective.

Religionists should function individually rather than as groups.Individual religionists are certainly sympathetic to social suffer-ing, civil injustice, economic thinking, and political tyranny, butas a group, they should con ne their efforts to the furtherance of


purely religious causes. Religion directly in uences social recon-struction by increasing the spirituality of individuals. Religion cre-ates insight into human fellowships, puts new meaning into groupassociations, imparts new value to play, and exalts true humor. Itgrows when it is disciplined by constructive criticism, ampli ed byphilosophy, puri ed by science, and nourished by loyal fellowship.True religion is a meaningful way of living everyday life.

Religion inspires us to live courageously and joyfully, joiningpatience with passion, insight with zeal, sympathy with power,and ideals with energy. Religious experience unfailingly yieldsthe fruits of the spirit. Religionists express their religion throughwholehearted service to the brotherhood of man. Knowing Godas a Father is a personal religious experience. e corollary of thisexperience-knowing others as brothers-leads to the group aspectof religious life.

Group religious activities enhance the service of unsel sh fel-lowship, glorify the potentials of family life, promote religiouseducation, provide spiritual guidance, encourage group worshipand friendship, conserve morality, and facilitate the spread of thegospel. e dangers of formalized religion include crystallizationof beliefs, diversion of religion from the service of God to the ser-vice of the church, the inclination of leaders to become administra-tors instead of ministers, the tendency to form sects and compet-itive divisions, the establishment of oppressive ecclesiastical au-thority, the creation of a “chosen people” attitude, exaggeratedideas of sacredness, a tendency to venerate the past, and failureto hold the interest of youth.


100. RELIGION IN HUMAN EXPERIENCESpiritual growth is stimulated by intimate associationwith other

religionists; love is the soil for religious growth. A person cannotcause growth, but he can supply favourable conditions. Religiousgrowth is inhibited by prejudice and ignorance. Habits whichcontribute to religious growth include meditation, sensitivity todivine values, worshipful problem solving, sharing the spirituallife, and avoidance of sel shness. Religious growth requires self-realization, the coordination of natural talents, curiosity, a senseof adventure, awareness, and humility.

Initial awareness of God-spiritual birth-may occur either sud-denly or gradually. A spirit-born individual becomes so remoti-vated in life that he can calmly stand bywhile his fondest ambitionsperish, knowing that the experience will lead to a more noble andenduring universe reality. Genuine religion takes nothing awayfrom life, but adds new meaning, enthusiasm, and courage. A re-ligious outlook elevates the drudgery of daily living.

Spiritual growth yields lasting joy. One of the earmarks of re-ligious living is a peace which passes all human understanding,that peace which Paul spoke of when he said, “I am persuaded thatneither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, noranything else shall be able to separate us from the love of God.”

Ideals worth striving for are those that are divine, spiritual, andeternal. e struggle for cosmic ideals is characterized by increas-ing patience, forbearance, fortitude, and tolerance. Spiritual devel-opment depends onmaintaining a connectionwith spiritual forcesand in ministering to others. Relationships between religionistsstimulate spiritual growth. Understanding others leads us to tol-


erance, which leads to friendship, which leads ultimately to love.If one could only fathom the motives of others, he would eventu-ally learn to love them.

Jesus was the perfectly uni ed human personality. Jesus wassincere, reasonable, approachable, unafraid, considerate, andcheerful. He taught the truth, he lived the truth, he was the truth.Jesus continues to unify mortal experience and transform the hu-man mind. He uni es life, ennobles character, and simpli es ex-perience.

101. THE REAL NATURE OF RELIGIONReligion is the true experience of eternal realities in time. Re-

ligious experiences result from the combined operations of theought Adjuster and the Spirit of Truth as they work with hu-man ideas, ideals, insights, and spiritual strivings. Religion livesand prospers by faith and insight, eventually resulting in the con-sciousness of God and assurance of survival.

Revelation compensates for the absence of the morontia view-point by providing a technique for comprehension of the relation-ships ofmatter and spirit through themediation ofmind. Personalrevelation is continuous; epochal revelation is periodic. Revela-tion enlarges ethics and expands morals; it is validated only by hu-man experience.

True religion cannot be observed or understood from the out-side. e assurance of a personal God depends wholly on spiritualinsight. For people who are assured of spiritual realities, no argu-ment about the reality of God is necessary; but for those who donot know God, no possible argument could be convincing.


Spiritual intuition is the endowment of the cosmic mind in as-sociation with the divine Adjuster. Spiritual reason is the endow-ment of theHoly Spirit, and spiritual philosophy is the endowmentof the Spirit of Truth. e coordination of these spirit endowmentscreates a potential spirit personality within the mortal host. It isthis embryonic spirit personality that is the part of a person thatsurvives aer death.

A soul reveals itself by the manner in which it reacts to diffi-cult intellectual and social situations. Genuine spiritual faith en-genders moral progress, sublime trust in God, profound cour-age, inexplicable poise, and unswerving faith-in spite of adver-sity, calamity, disappointment, suffering, injustice, and defeat. eteachings of Jesus provide temporal tranquility, intellectual cer-tainty, moral enlightenment, philosophic stability, ethical sensi-tivity, God-consciousness, and the assurance of personal survival.

A personal religious philosophy is derived from both inner andouter experiences. Social status, economic conditions, education,moral trends, politics, racial tendencies, religious teachings, tem-perament, intellect, vocation, marriage, and kin all in uence per-sonal standards of life. ere are four levels in the evolution ofpersonal religious philosophy:

1. Submission to tradition and authority2. Small spiritual attainments that stabilize daily life3. Dependence on logic, which may stagnate into cultural or

scienti c bondage4. Freedom from tradition and convention-to think, act, and

live honestly, loyally, and fearlesslyBelief becomes faith when it motivates life and shapes be-

haviour. Living religious faith is more than a set of noble beliefs;


it is a living experience concerned with spiritual meanings, di-vine ideals, and supreme values. Faith is God-knowing and man-serving. Living faith never fosters bigotry, persecution, or intoler-ance.

102. THE FOUNDATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FAITHFaith stimulates the realization that values can be translated

from the material to the spiritual, from the human to the divine,from time into eternity. e certainties of science proceed fromthe intellect; but the certainties of religion spring from the entirepersonality. e indwelling Adjuster promotes a hunger for per-fection that can be satis ed only by communion with God.

Religious experience requires spiritual growth, intellectual ex-pansion, factual enlargement, and social service. No real religiousgrowth can be accomplished without a highly active personality.Lazy people may seek to escape the rigors of religious activitiesby retreating to the false shelter of religious dogmas; poorly dis-ciplined souls may use religion as an escape from the demands ofliving; but the true mission of religion is to prepare religionists tobravely face the vicissitudes of life. True religion must act.

e pursuit of knowledge constitutes science; the search for wis-dom is philosophy; the love of God is religion; the hunger for truthis revelation. Revelation uni es history and coordinates science.Religion is to morality as love is to duty, sonship is to servitude,essence is to substance. e relation between an individual andhis Creator is a living experience. To isolate religion as one part oflife is a disintegration of life and a distortion of religion.

Human things must be known in order to be loved, but divinethings must be loved in order to be known.


Prayer is part of religious experience, but it has been wronglyemphasized by modern religions to the neglect of the more es-sential communion of worship. e re ective powers of the mindare deepened and broadened by worship. Prayer enriches life, butworship illuminates destiny.

103. THE REALITY OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCEAlthough religious awakening is a gradual process, some spiri-

tual births are accompanied by crisis and anguish while others area natural growth of the recognition of spiritual values. Becausepersonalities are unique, no two individuals interpret divine lead-ings the same way. People tend to agree more easily on religiousgoals than on beliefs or creeds.

Every human being experiences con ict between self-seekingand altruistic impulses. An unsel sh choice in the face of a de-sire to be sel sh constitutes a primitive religious experience. God-consciousness is sometimes attained as the result of seeking forhelp in the resolution of such moral con icts.

In the absence of wrong teaching, the minds of normal childrenmove toward moral righteousness and social ministry. e rstemergence of a child’s moral nature is a response to justice, fair-ness, or kindness. Unsel sh interest in thewelfare of others springsfrom the divine within; animals cannot make such a choice.

Only a fairly well uni ed personality can arbitrate the con ictsbetween ego and social consciousness. When there is failure ofpersonality uni cation, altruistic tendencies may become overde-veloped and injurious to the welfare of the self. e rights of theself and the rights of one’s neighbours must be balanced, althoughthis dilemma cannot always be resolved in time and space.


Man’s ideals tend to grow by geometric progression, while hisability to live up to his ideals grows only arithmetically. Ratherthan hoping to live up to his highest ideals, he can try to seek Godand become more like him. e pursuit of the ideal-striving to beGodlike-is a continuous effort before and aer death. e goodaccomplished in mortal life carries over to the enhancement of lifeaer death and directly contributes to the rst stages of immortalsurvival experience. Man is truly the architect of his own eternaldestiny.

Neither science nor religion can hope to provide a complete un-derstanding of universal truths. An analytical study of the cosmoswill reveal to the mind and the physical senses that the universeis mechanical and material. A view of the universe from the per-spective of the inner lifemakes all of creation appear to be spiritual.Failure to coordinate these two viewpoints is due to ignorance ofthe domain between the spiritual and material worlds-the moron-tia phase of reality.

Man’s highest philosophy should be based on the reason of sci-ence, the faith of religion, and the insight of revelation. Scienceand religion are each incomplete and are predicated on assump-tions. In the mortal state, nothing can be proven absolutely; rev-elation must compensate for the frailties of evolving philosophy.Genuine religion is not merely thinking, but is also feeling, acting,and living. e earmarks of true religion are faith in a supremeDeity, hope of eternal survival, and love-especially love of one’sfellows.


104. GROWTH OF THE TRINITY CONCEPTe rst revelation of the Trinity on earth wasmade by the Plan-

etary Prince’s staff ve hundred thousand years ago. Subsequentrevelations were presented by Adam and Eve, Melchizedek, andJesus. It has been difficult for cultures emerging into monotheismfrom polytheism to accept the concept of the Trinity. People of theHebrew and Islamic faiths nd it difficult to differentiate betweenworshipping multiple gods (polytheism) and the worship of oneDeity in a triune manifestation.

e Paradise Trinity is an entity. e Trinity is not a personality,but is a true and absolute reality eventuating from the conjoining ofthe Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Recognition of the Trinity con-cept leads to understanding the interrelationship of love and lawand to the investigation of other triune associations of the FirstSource and Center in which the In nite functions in various ca-pacities of force, energy, power, causation, reaction, potentiality,actuality, gravity, tension, pattern, principle, and unity.

e completeness of in nity must be reconciled with the in-completeness of the evolving universe. Total reality-in nity-is pre-sented as existing in the seven Absolutes:

e Universal Fathere Eternal Sone In nite Spirite Isle of Paradisee Deity Absolutee Universal Absolutee Unquali ed Absolute


e Paradise Trinity is not a triunity. It is an undivided andindivisible Deity, but the three Deities also function as the rst tri-unity. e common factor between trinity and triunity is that theyeach result in functions other than what is the discernible from thesum of the attributes of component members.

e Universal Father exercises control of the functions of in n-ity as the primal member of many triunities. He reveals himself aslove to the creatures of the evolving cosmos through the personalpurposive triunity of the Father, Son, and Spirit. God patternsthe universes and organized energy through the power pattern-triunity of the Father-Son, the Paradise Isle, and the Conjoint Ac-tor. All spirit nds reality expression in the spirit-evolutional tri-unity of the Father, the Son-Spirit, and the Deity Absolute. Alto-gether there are een triune associations of the First Source andCenter in his various functions, and these associations make thesub-in nite manifestations of God’s reality possible.

Other triune relationships-triodities- do not involve the Father,but they result as a consequence of the existence of the triunities.Triodities are directly concerned in the experiential Deities-theSupreme, Ultimate and Absolute.

105. DEITY AND REALITYIn nity is only partially comprehensible, even to high orders of

universe intelligence. To the nite mind, it seems there must bea beginning, but there never was a beginning to reality. ere ismuch about Deity which cannot be grasped by universe creatures.Mortals can know God as a Father, but the Father aspect of Godis only one phase of the I AM. e enormous magnitude of thevisible universes is only a partial revelation of the In nite.


By internal metamorphoses, the I AM establishes a sevenfoldself-relationship. e seven-phase nature of I AM includes: theUniversal Father, the Universal Controller, the Universal Creator,the In nite Upholder, the In nite Potential, the In nite Capac-ity, and the Universal One of In nity-I AM as I AM. ese sevenrealities are coordinately eternal, even though in time-space theyare described as though they originated sequentially. Explana-tions of the relationships of absolutes in eternity involve paradoxeswhen they are presented in the language of time and the patternsof space.

rough these seven phases, the I AM encompasses all personalrelationships, all impersonal relationships, the creative cycle, allactual and potential reality, and absolute coherence of energy andspirit. e primacy of the First Source and Center covers every-thing in the universe, which is how it can truly be said of all crea-tures, from the lowest mortals to the citizens of Paradise, that “inhim we all live and move and have our being.”

e seven phases of the in nite I AMeternalize as the SevenAb-solutes of In nity. e seven Absolutes had no beginning. eyare eternal and constitute the beginning of reality. e Seven Ab-solutes are:

1. e First Source and Center-God2. e Second Source and Center-the Eternal Son3. e Paradise Source and Center-the foundation of universe

gravity4. e ird Source and Center-the Conjoint Actor5. e Deity Absolute-the total of potential Deity reality6. e Unquali ed Absolute-the total of potential non-dei ed

reality


7. e Universal Absolute-the uni er of the dei ed and non-dei ed

Duality becomes existent by the association of the Seven Abso-lutes of In nity with the seven phases of the I AM. e I AM isunity. Unity begets duality, duality begets triunity, and triunity isthe eternal ancestor of all things. e dualities eternalize realityfoundations; the triunities eventuate universal function.

e diversi cation of the I AM is attributed to his inherent vo-lition. Only the in nity of the Father’s will could qualify absoluteexistence so as to create nite realities. With the appearance ofquali ed reality, there came into being the growth cycle that marksthe beginning of universe history and the existence of time.

Many repercussions occurred when the in nite created the -nite. e deity response to the creation of the nite eventuatedin the evolution of supremacy. e superuniverse reaction con-cerned the architectural plans of space. e creature repercussionsresulted in the appearance of perfect beings inHavona, and of evo-lutionary ascenders in the seven superuniverses. e divinity re-sponse produced the time lag of evolution thatmakes creature par-ticipation in divine creation possible.

To nite creatures, the beginning of the nite seems to be thebeginning of reality.

ere are two phases of nite creation: the Havona type, whichis created in perfection, and the superuniverse type, which is cre-ated to become perfect. Mortals can attain perfection because theyevolve; they grow. Humans measure growth in time, and becauseof this growth, they appear to be incomplete in time. Mortal in-completeness seems to differentiate evolving beings from those -nite beings of Havona who are created in perfection, but differ-


ences between the two types of creatures are nonexistent in eter-nity.

at mortals attain perfection implies something other thanperfection as a point of departure. At this point imperfection arisesand the potential for evil seeps into the universe. Disharmony andcon ict are inherent where evolutionary growth is allowed.

Transcendental realities are both sub-in nite and super- nite.From various viewpoints they seem to be a consequence of the -nite, an anticipation of the nite, or even a “pre-echo” of the -nite. As the Supreme is associated with nites, so the Ultimate isidenti ed with transcendentals; the Ultimate is an eventuation ofnew Deity realities. e universes of time and space exist on nite,transcendental, and absolute levels.

106. UNIVERSE LEVELS OF REALITYe evolving master universe contains multiple phases of exis-

tential and experiential reality. Although there are many ways oflooking at reality, human perception is constrained by language,mind capacity, human inability to grasp even a partial view of eter-nity, and the limited development of the seven superuniverses.

God the Sevenfold provides the superuniverse time lag thatmakes creature participation in evolutionary growth possible.Mortals are truly partners with the Creator in their own evolu-tion. As God the Sevenfold coordinates nite evolution, the Su-preme Being synthesizes destiny attainment. e Supreme Beingembraces everything evolving in time and space and invests allwith spirit personality. God the Supreme is both experiential andexperiencible.


It is conjectured that when the Supreme Being emerges at theend of the present universe age, the rst experiential Trinity willeventuate. e functioning of this Ultimate Trinity may result inthe emergence of the apex of transcendental reality-God the Ulti-mate. is theoretical occurrence leads to anticipation of the sec-ond experiential Trinity, the Absolute Trinity, which would comeinto existence only at the completion of the entire master universe,from Havona to the fourth space level. If at some future time thereexists the original existential Paradise Trinity and two experientialTrinities, we come to the possibility that, at some far distant mo-ment, a Trinity of Trinities may emerge.

It is difficult to develop concepts of in nite reality. All suchconcepts must embrace the nality of universal development, theexperiential realization of all that could ever be. Mortals, spirits,even the universes themselves have potential nal destinies, but itis doubtful that any being will ever completely attain all aspects ofthis destiny. Nomatter howmuch a creature grows in Father com-prehension, he will always be staggered by the unrevealed in nityof the Father-I AM. e in nity of the I AM is the assurance thatthroughout the endless future, ascending beings will enjoy contin-uing possibilities of personality development which even eternitywill never exhaust. e inconceivably distant futuremomentwhenthe entire master universe is completed may signal the beginningof even greater and more enthralling metamorphoses.

When human beings try to understand the uni cation of thenite and the in nite, they face inherent intellectual limitations.

Time, space, and experience are barriers to understanding theseconcepts, yet without time humans could not discern sequence,without space perception they could not fathom simultaneity, and


without experience they could not even exist. Time, space, and ex-perience simultaneously aid and create obstacles to humanpercep-tions of reality. e space-time phenomenon does not take placeon Paradise; potentials on Paradise are perceived as actuals.

e uni cation of all realities must involve both existential andexperiential realities. e concept of the existential, solitary, pre-Trinity nonattainable I AM, and the postulate of the experientialpost-Trinity of Trinities and the attainable I AM, are one and thesame. e I AM exists before all existentials and aer all experi-entials.

Mortals will grapple with the never-ending paradoxes of in n-ity and eternity throughout their eternal careers. e nal questof eternity is the endless exploration of in nity-the never-endingvoyage of discovery into the absoluteness of the First Source andCenter. Creature growth is proportional to Father identi cation,and living the will of God is the eternal passport to the endlesspossibility of in nity itself.

107. ORIGIN AND NATURE OF THOUGHT ADJUSTERSAlthough the Universal Father resides on Paradise, he is also

present in the minds of his countless children in the worlds ofspace. e fragment of God that indwells mortals, the oughtAdjuster, creates an incessant longing to be like God and to at-tain Paradise. e Adjuster is an infallible cosmic compass whichunerringly guides human beings to Paradise.

A ought Adjuster has one of three destinies: attainment ofpersonality by fusion with a mortal, attainment of personality byat of theUniversal Father, or liberation from known assignments.


Fusion between a person and the Adjuster provides personality tothe Adjuster and eternal life to the human being.

ought Adjusters are of the essence of original Deity. ey arefragments of the presence of God and proceed directly from theUniversal Father. Adjusters are of God and are like God; they re-veal his supernal love and spiritual ministry. ought Adjustershave minds; they can plan, work, and love. eir valor and wis-dom suggest that they have undergone a training of tremendousscope and range. Adjusters truly love us; they long for our divinityattainment and for the time when they will be delivered from thelimitations of our material bodies.

ought Adjusters are pure spirits, presumably absolute spirits.Adjusters do not require energy intake because they are divine en-ergy. ey can use the material-gravity circuits but are not subjectto gravity as we are; they are fragments of the ancestor of gravity.ought Adjusters are not personalities-they are the divine pres-ence.

Adjusters volunteer to indwell humans. ey can adapt andmodify according to circumstances, and they act in accordancewith human choice. Adjusters have genuine volition, but, be-ing prepersonal, are subservient to the mortal will of their in-dwelling. roughout the cosmos, that which is prepersonal, non-personal, or subpersonal is ever responsive to the will of personal-ity.

rough ought Adjusters, the Father has direct communica-tion with every material creature throughout his in nite realms.e full possibilities inherent in this partnership betweenman andGod are yet to be disclosed.


108. MISSION AND MINISTRY OF THOUGHT ADJUSTERSWhen ought Adjusters are sent out from Divinington to in-

dwell mortals, they are identical in divinity endowment but mayvary in experience. An Adjuster volunteers for assignments aerreviewing data concerning the mortal candidate’s heredity, intel-lect, and spiritual capacity.

Adjusters volunteer for service as soon as personality forecastsare received, but are not dispatched until the rst time a mortalsubjectmakes amoral decision-usually just prior to the sixth birth-day on our world. Mortal minds are not ready for Adjuster be-stowal until they have been prepared by the ministry of the adju-tant mind-spirits and the Holy Spirit. On Urantia, Adjusters havebeen universally bestowed on all normal minds since the day ofPentecost.

It is not fully understood how theAdjusters live andworkwithinthe human mind. ey appear to come and go independently ofother spiritual presences, yet they function in perfect coordina-tion with all spirit ministries, including adjutant mind-spirits, theHoly Spirit, and the Spirit of Truth. Adjusters never lose anythingentrusted to their care; they are absolutely dependable. ey arechie y concerned with a mortal’s future life rather than life onearth. ought Adjusters are not interested in making life easier;a reasonably difficult life creates many decision-making opportu-nities, and growth is stimulated by daily choices and decisions. Itis the business ofought Adjusters to ensure human survival andto prepare humans for the eternal adventure.

Adjusters truly become “the kingdom of Heaven” within us;they are wellsprings of spiritual attainment and the hope of divinecharacter. Because they exist within ourminds, they are distressed


when subjected to sordid thoughts, sel shness, or irreverence forthat which is beautiful and good. Human fears and anxieties delaytheir work. An Adjuster is the divine parent, as we are the mortalparent, of our own evolving immortal souls.

109. RELATION OF ADJUSTERS TO UNIVERSE CREATURESLife experience has no cosmic substitute. In common with

all living beings in the superuniverse, ought Adjusters mustacquire experience. ought Adjusters acquire skill and abilitythrough contact with the material races, and are classi ed accord-ing to their experience.Virgin Adjusters are on their rst assignment. ey are usually

sent to worlds during early epochs when people are so primitivethat few will attain higher levels of spirituality. Others are on loanto individuals on worlds whose mortals are destined to attain eter-nal life through Spirit fusion. On these worlds, Adjusters can givemore help to their human subjects than is normal on earth.Advanced Adjusters have served on one or more worlds where

the mortals are destined for Spirit-fusion.Supreme Adjusters are those which previously indwelt mortals

who failed to choose survival, and have subsequently been reas-signed to another mortal. Adjusters are seldom given two in-dwelling experiences on the same planet-there are no Adjusterson Urantia now who have been here previously. It is believed thatnearly all Adjusters living in mortals of survival capacity on Uran-tia are advanced or supreme Adjusters.Self-acting Adjusters are the most versatile group. ey are ca-

pable of carrying out extraordinary missions. eir subjects are


oenmustered into the reserve corps of destiny; fusion is regardedas a fact. Supreme and self-acting Adjusters are able to leave thehuman body at will, although they rarely do so.

An Adjuster’s work is hindered by preconceived opinions, set-tled ideas, long-standing prejudices, and shiing mental attitudes.Sometimes they are able to arrest the mental ow and divertideas to effect deep spiritual transformations in the supercon-scious mind. Intelligent communication between humans is fa-cilitated by Adjusters, and Adjuster type has much to do with po-tential human personality expression.

Adjusters never fail. Nothing worthwhile is ever lost; everymeaningful value in every will creature is certain of survival. Evenif a mortal creature rejects survival, his Adjuster will carry his lifeexperiences to some other world and some other survival candi-date.

110. RELATION OF ADJUSTERS TO INDIVIDUAL MORTALSe Adjuster is not an organic part of the human body. It

would be more accurate to think of Adjusters as indwelling thehuman mind rather than indwelling the human brain. Adjustersare chie y concerned with the spiritual preparation for upcomingstages of existence, but are also interested in the temporal welfareof their human host.

Adjusters begin to work with a predetermined plan for develop-ment, but humans are not required to accept this plan. Adjustersare subservient to humanwill andwill never force us to follow theirguidance. ey are dedicated to improving, modifying, and ad-justing mortal thought processes. Adjusters do not try to control


our thinking, but attempt rather to spiritualize it. e more we at-tune ourselves with our divine Adjusters, the more we approachthe morontia order of existence. Morontia mind is the sum of ourmaterial and spiritual natures—dualmind dominated by one will.

e success of our Adjusters depends not on our beliefs, but onour decisions, determinations, and steadfast faith. Our eternal sur-vival depends on our desire to be Godlike and on our willingnessto do and to be anything that is essential to the nal attainmentof that desire. e ideal life is one of loving service, but many hu-mans spend so much time on the tri es of living that they over-look the essential task of developing a working relationship withthe indwelling divine gi. Adjuster harmony can be consciouslyaugmented by choosing to respond to divine leading, loving Godand desiring to be like him, loving man and sincerely desiring toserve him, and joyfully accepting cosmic citizenship.

e Adjuster’s in uence is not “conscience.” Conscience ad-monishes us to do right, while the Adjuster endeavours to showus what is right.

ere exists a large gulf between the human and the divine.Mortals are so electrically and chemically controlled that it is dif-cult for Adjusters to guide them. Few people are true thinkers-

they do not develop themselves physically, mentally, and spiritu-ally enough for the divine spark within to lead them easily. Con-fusion and discouragement do not necessarily signify resistance tothe leading of the Adjuster.

Certain abrupt thoughts and mental pictures may be the workof the Adjuster, but more oen they are simply the emergence ofideas which have been grouping themselves together in the sub-


conscious mind. Many a new religion and strange “ism” has arisenfrom misunderstood communications from ought Adjusters.

During sleep, Adjusters attempt to communicate within thehigher levels of the human mind. Some grotesque dreams indi-cate failure to make efficient contact. Speculation about the Ad-juster content of dreams is dangerous; it is better to risk rejectingan Adjuster’s suggestion than to mistake something originating inthe human mind as a communication from the indwelling frag-ment of God.

Adjuster attunement is related to the attainment of the sevenpsychic circles of mortal potential. e seventh circle marks thebeginning of human personality function, and the rst circle rep-resents relative maturity. Moving through the circles demands theharmonious function of the entire personality-material, intellec-tual, and spiritual. Every decision we make either impedes or fa-cilitates the Adjuster’s function; likewise do these decisions deter-mine our advancement in the circles.

e seven levels of human personality growth are variable ineach person and seem to be determined by the growth capacity ofeach individual. It is to themind of perfect poise, housed in a bodyof clean habits, stabilized neural energies, and balanced chemicalfunction that a maximum of light and truth can be imparted witha minimum of temporal risk.

We literally become more real as we ascend from the seventh tothe rst psychic circle.

Faith gives us the experience of being a child of God, but actionis essential to consciousness of kinship with the evolving SupremeBeing. In the nite realm, potential becomes actual through our


choices, but in the spiritual realm, potentials are transmuted intoactuals through faith.

Immortality is attained through Adjuster fusion. Many peoplehave attained their circles, but fusion depends on a nal and com-plete attunement of the mortal will with the will of God. Sub-sequent to mortal fusion, the Adjuster shares our destiny andexperience-mortal and Adjuster become a single entity. While formost humans the emerging soul is liberated from the body throughdeath, it is possible for a person to fuse with the Adjuster withoutpassing through material death.

111. THE ADJUSTER AND THE SOULe soul is neither the human mind nor the divine spirit that

dwells within the mind. Material mind is the arena in which welive, make decisions, choose or forsake God, and survive or de-stroy ourselves. Material evolution provides us with a body andthe Father endows us with spirit reality, but it is by mind that welive or die. e mortal mind is merely a temporary system lentto us for use during our material lives. Our evolving souls willfaithfully portray the decisions made with theminds we have beengiven.

e human soul has three antecedents: the human mind, thedivine spirit, and the relationship between these two. e rela-tionship between mind and spirit produces the soul, an entirelynew and unique universe value. e human soul is an embry-onic form of the future vehicle of personality. If this evolving soulbecomes permeated by truth, beauty, and goodness-if it becomesGod-conscious-it becomes indestructible. e soul exists as mo-rontia reality midway between the material and spiritual worlds.


An Adjuster’s work is spiritual, but is accomplished in the in-tellectual realm. e mind is the ship, the Adjuster is the pilot,and human will is the captain. With mortal consent, the faithfulpilot will safely carry his captain across the barriers of time andthe handicaps of space to the source of divine mind, even to theParadise Father.

e mortal career is an education. It is not so much what wecomprehend, as what we desire to comprehend that insures oursurvival. It is not what our minds are like, as what our minds arestriving to be like that constitutes spirit identi cation. What weare today is not as important as what we are becoming.

Doing the will of God is the willingness to share the inner lifewith God. Peace in this life, survival in death, perfection in thenext life, and service in eternity are all achieved when the humanwill chooses to become subject to the Father’s will. Such choice isnot a surrender of will, but is the consecration and perfecting ofwill-the Father’s will becomes the mortal’s will.

Many human problems come from our two-fold natures: we arepart of nature, yet we are able to transcend nature; we are nite, butwe are indwelt by a spark in in nity. Religious con dence-livingfaith-can sustain us amid con icts born of this dual nature. eindwelling Adjuster cannot stop or even materially alter the careerstruggle of time; the Adjuster cannot lessen the hardships of lifeon this world. But humans would be comforted and inspired ifthey would allow the Adjuster to reveal the eternal purpose of thedifficult struggle of the material world.

Uncertainty with security is the essence of the Paradise adven-ture. God lives in us and trusts himself to us, and we live in himand learn to trust ourselves to him. We may not be certain of the


details of the coming events of our lives, but we are always securein the in nite love and compassion of our Father.

112. PERSONALITY SURVIVALWhile we cannot adequately de ne personality, it is helpful to

know that personality is bestowed by God, is relatively creative,uni es the identity of living energy systems, is changeless, discrim-inates between levels of conduct, is unique, and is capable of re-sponding to other personalities. e Adjuster and the personalityare both changeless, but the relationship between them is nothingbut change.

Life is a process that takes place between an organism and itsenvironment. Personality impacts life by imparting values andmeanings into the life process. In humans, personality uni es allactivity and confers identity and creativity. Humans are spiritualbeings; the unity of self and the self-consciousness of personalityare endowments of the supermaterial world. e purpose of cos-mic evolution is to achieve unity of personality through increasingspirit dominance and increasing response to the indwelling frag-ment of God.

e material self is dependent during the physical life on thecontinuing function of the material life vehicle. Mortals transcenddeath by transferring the seat of their personality identities fromthematerial body to themore enduringmorontia soul. is trans-fer is effected by sincerity, persistence, and steadfastness of God-seeking decisions.

ere are three kinds of death. Spiritual death happens whena person rejects survival. Mind death takes place when the body


continues to function aer the essential mind circuits have beendestroyed. Physical death occurs when both body and mind ceaseto function.

Aer physical death, two nonmaterial pieces of a surviving per-sonality persist: memory transcripts and the immortal soul. eought Adjuster carries the mortal’s memory transcripts to Di-vinington, while the soul is remanded to the care of the seraphim.Temporarily aer death, the ought Adjuster loses personalityand the mortal loses identity until they can be reunited in a newmanifestation on the mansion worlds. A mortal is repersonalizedon themansionworlds either at the end of a dispensation or withinthree “periods.” Reassembly of the parts of a onetime material be-ing involves the fabrication of a suitable form, the return of theAdjuster, and the bestowal of the soul into the awaiting morontiaform by the seraphic custodian.

Selood persists in spite of a continuous change in all of thefactors of self. In physical life, changes are gradual. At death anddepersonalization, the change is sudden. Human life is endlesschange uni ed by the stability of the unchanging personality.

e universe government always manifests patience, tolerance,andmercy. If there is ever any doubt as to the advisability of allow-ing a mortal to advance, the universe government invariably rulesin the favour of the individual. Will creatures must be given onetrue opportunity to make their nal choice about the eternal life;the soul of each person is allowed to fully reveal its true intent andpurpose.

ere is much about our mortal lives that we will not remem-ber in the future. Our Adjusters will retain only those memoriesand experiences which are essential to the universe career. Much


ofmaterial experience will pass away, but personality and relation-ships between personalities will persist. We will always remember,and be remembered by, the people known in this life. On theman-sion worlds, personalities are revealed for the rst time apart frommaterial esh. In physical life, one may be outwardly beautifulwhile inwardly ugly, but in the morontia form and higher levels,outward appearance varies in accordance with the inner nature.

Mortals pass through a relatively short and intense testing pe-riod. On the evolutionary worlds, survival decisions are formed;in the morontia state, survival decisions are con rmed; at the spir-itual level, survival decisions have been made. Fusion with the in-dwelling Adjuster usually happens within the local system whenthere has been a nal and irrevocable choice for the eternal career.Aer fusion, there is never any doubt as to the eternal career ofsuch a personality.

Aer passing through the local universe, ascenders meet the lo-cal universe sovereign who grants credentials for the quest for theUniversal Father. Fused mortals become a member of a uniqueorder of ascending personalities who are ever serviceable, faithful,and efficient; never ceasing to ascend until they stand in the pres-ence of the Father on Paradise.

Mortals have every opportunity to determine their own destiny.e cosmos is an in nitely integrated aggregation of units, all ofwhich are subject to the destiny of the whole. ose units thatare personal are endowed with the choice of destiny acceptance orrejection. Personality will attain Deity destiny, but humans mustchoose whether or not to be present at the attainment of such des-tiny.


113. SERAPHIC GUARDIANS OF DESTINYGuardian angels are seraphim who serve mortals in the quest

for spiritual advancement. One thousand humans of seventh circleattainment share one pair of seraphimand a company of cherubim.Five hundred sixth circlers share a pair of seraphim and a companyof cherubim. By the fourth circle, mortals are supervised in groupsof ten. Once the third circle is attained, a personal seraphic pair isexclusively devoted to a single person; such seraphim are knownas guardians of destiny.

Only experienced volunteers are assigned as seraphic guardiansof destiny. Like cherubim, seraphim occasionally work singly butusually work in pairs. ey develop a deep affection for humans.Seraphim share most human emotions and experience additionalones. e emotions that they nd hardest to understand are fear,dread, and anxiety.

One of the most important things angelic guardians do for usis to coordinate the spirit in uences which indwell and surroundus. Because they are children of the Creative Spirit, they are ableto correlate the in uence of the In nite Spirit with the oughtAdjuster and the Spirit of Truth. ey interpret morontia realityto mind and manipulate the physical environment through liaisonwith the master physical controllers and midway creatures.

Our seraphic friends continually seek to promote circle-makingdecisions. Guardian angels are most active when the Adjuster isleast active, but the ministry of the two is correlated. e urge topray is oen the result of seraphic in uence.

Seraphim work through our social, ethical, and moral environ-ments. Angels labour independently of human appeals; they per-form their tasks as they are directed by their superiors, regardless


of the changing whims of their mortal charges. e seraphic mis-sion is to guard rather than to in uence. Human beings chart theirown courses, and the seraphim act to make the best possible useof the chosen course.

In this life we are rarely aware of our seraphic guardians, butwe will become conscious of them on the next world. Our angelswill remain with us through the mansion worlds, through fusionwith the Adjuster, on through Jerusem and Edentia, and beyondSalvington through the minor and major sectors of the superuni-verse. Our association with our guardians will never be forgottenor completely severed. In the eternal ages, humans and angels willforever cooperate in divine service.

114. SERAPHIC PLANETARY GOVERNMENTeMostHighs rule in the kingdoms ofmen chie y through the

ministry of seraphim, who carry out much of the detail of super-human planetary government. Urantia’s planetary government isunique in Nebadon due to several unusual circumstances, includ-ing earth’s life modi cation status, the Lucifer rebellion, and theAdamic default. Urantia is also unique in being a bestowal planetand the location of an archangel circuit.

Urantia’s Planetary Prince isMichael ofNebadon, whohasmadeno action to personally administrate our world other than to es-tablish a commission of twenty-four counselors to supervise theaffairs of the planet. Machiventa Melchizedek has recently beengiven vicegerent authority to act as Planetary Prince. He hascon-tinued the established routine of having one of the twenty-fourcounselors serve as resident governor general. Urantia will con-tinue to have twenty-four counselors in charge of affairs until Ma-


chiventa returns, but the timing of his return is a matter of somespeculation. e resident governor general, as the representativeof the twenty-four counselors, passes down scores of rulings eachday. Twelve corps of special seraphim perform diverse tasks underthe immediate direction of the governor general.e epochal angels oversee the affairs of each generation. Prog-

ress angels initiate the evolutionary progress of successive socialages. Religious guardians endeavour to maintain ideals and valuesfrom one generation to another. e angels of nation life direct thepolitical performance of national affairs on Urantia. e angels ofthe races work for the conservation of the evolutionary races. eangels of the future forecast the events of a future age and plan forthe realization of more advanced dispensations.Angels of enlightenment foster mental and moral training. e

angels of health assist mortal agencies dedicated to the promo-tion of health and prevention of disease. Home seraphim advancethe home, the basic institution of human civilization. e angelsof industry foster industrial development and improved economicconditions. Angels of diversion promote upliing play, humor, andrest. Angels of superhuman ministry minister to all other superhu-man life on the planet-these are the angels of the angels.

None of these groups of seraphim directly control their as-signed domains, but they can manipulate planetary conditions tofavourably in uence the human activity with which they are con-cerned. Aside from these speci c tasks, seraphim mobilize, train,and maintain the reserve corps of destiny. e reserve corps areliving men and women in the service of the superhuman admin-istration of world affairs. Reservist service is possible only whenthe mortal displays a special capacity for being secretly rehearsed


for emergency missions, wholehearted dedication to some specialcause, willingness to serve without human recognition, and thepossession of an extraordinarily versatile ought Adjuster. OnUrantia, there is one corps of destiny for each of the seraphicgroups. Although these people are seldom noted in the pages ofhuman history, it is to a certain extent through this group that theMost Highs are able to rule in the kingdoms of men.

No one seems to know when the unsettled status of Urantia’splanetary administration will terminate. ere has been no prece-dent for Urantia’s situation in the history of the local universe.Even so, mortals on earth are watched as faithfully and cherishedas lovingly as if the sphere had never been betrayed.

115. THE SUPREME BEINGTo become part of the Supreme Being, one must do something

as well as be something.All minds must develop a framework in which to think ratio-

nally and, although such frames are indispensable, they are, with-out exception, erroneous. Finite creatures in an in nite cosmosmust live with distorted conceptions of limitless, never-beginning,never-ending existence. In nity is beyond the human ability tocomprehend, but contemplating in nity can help expand currentuniverse frames.

ere is a unity in in nity which is expressed as the I AM-thepremier postulate of the human mind. Our distance from in n-ity causes us to inaccurately express this concept with a singleword. In nity on one hand is unity, but on the other hand it isdiversity without end or limit. In nity, from the human point ofview, is the maximum paradox of philosophy.


To help us comprehend the universe, it is reasonable to de-scribe the levels of universe reality as nite, absonite, and abso-lute. Only the absolute level of reality is eternal without quali -cation. Absonites and nites are modi ed attenuations of original,absolute reality. One way to consider the absolute level of realityis to imagine three phases:

1. eOriginal-the I AM fromwhich all reality takes origin-thatwhich is.

2. e Actual- the union of the Eternal Son, the In nite Spirit,and Paradise-that which was and is. Together the Son, Spirit, andParadise constitute the actual revelation of the I AM.

3. e Potential-including the Deity, Unquali ed, and the Uni-versal Absolutes-that which is becoming and will be, which to-gether constitute the full potential revelation of the I AM.

From the eternal viewpoint, these qualities are not separatelydistinguished. In eternity, all already IS, but all has not yet beenrevealed in time and space. e interassociation of the Original,the Actual, and the Potential results in the possibility for all growthin the universes. All decisions, even human decisions, open upa new capacity for potential growth. From a limited viewpoint,activities have endings, but from an expanded view, endings aremerely transitions from one phase of development to another.

e dynamics of the cosmos ensure the continuous transfer ofreality from potentiality to actuality. is metamorphosis willnever end, since Potential and Actual are both included in theOriginal I AM. As potentials become actualized, they, by becom-ing actual, open up new potentials that were previously nonexis-tent.


eevolution of the Supreme involves the transformation of po-tentials to actuals on the nite level of existence. e Supreme isa spirit person who originated in the Paradise Trinity, but the Su-preme is also a Deity of evolutionary growth, growth which comesfrom the constant tension between actuals and potentials. emo-tion of the Supreme is twofold: inward toward Paradise and out-ward toward the limitless Absolutes of potential. In the presentage, this dual motion is revealed in the descending and ascendingpersonalities of the grand universe.

rough the creation of the Supreme, the Father I AM hasachieved nearly complete liberation from the limitations inherentin his in nity status, eternal being, and absolute nature. In achiev-ing liberation from eternity, the Almighty encounters the barriersof time; the Supreme experiences growth only as a consequence ofthe incompleteness of his nature.

God the Father’s plan predicates nite progress upon effort,creature achievement upon perseverance, and personality devel-opment upon faith. God the Supreme is the personi cation of thenite shadow cast on the universe by the in nite unity of the Par-

adise Father, the First Source and Center, the I AM. As the Su-preme Being encompasses the sum of evolutionary experience, heconnects the nite with the absonite.

116. THE ALMIGHTY SUPREMEe Almighty overcontrol of the grand universe is physical, in-

tellectual, and spiritual. God the Supreme derives his spirit andpersonality from the Paradise Trinity, but the source of his growingpower as sovereign of the seven superuniverses lies in the collec-


tive acts of the Creator Sons, the Ancients of Days, and the MasterSpirits.

e experience of every evolving creature is a phase of the ex-perience of the Almighty Supreme.

Unquali ed Deity is incomprehensible to evolving creatures.Paradise Deity originated God the Sevenfold-attenuations of de-ity that carry the light of life from Paradise to the evolutionaryworlds. Mortals encounter the successive levels of God the Sev-enfold in this order:

1. e Creator Sons and Creative Spirits2. e Ancients of Days3. e Seven Master Spirits4. e Supreme Being5. e Conjoint Actor6. e Eternal Son7. e Universal Fathere rst three categories are Supreme Creators, the nal three

are the Paradise Trinity. God the Supreme links the existentialParadise Trinity with the experiential Supreme Creators. e Al-mighty Supreme actualizes in time and space through the activitiesof the Supreme Creators, just as the Conjoint Actor sprang into ex-istence through the will of the Father and the Son.

e local universes are laboratories in which the Supreme isachieving deity evolution through the experiences and progres-sions of the creatures within them. e local universes are birth-places for the personalities farthest from God, those who are des-tined to experience the greatest degree of spiritual ascent in the


universe. ese same local universes provide depth of experiencefor descending personalities as well.

e universes are not perfect, and the struggle for perfectionpertains to the physical level as well as the intellectual and spirituallevels. e Supreme is evolving as the overcontroller of the physi-cal power of the grand universe. In the present universe age, thispotential of physical power appears to be centered in the SevenSupreme Power Directors. e power directors are devoted tobringing about the material control of the universes. Establishedcircuits of physical creation are constantly jeopardized by the ap-pearance of new energy and mass, and because of this growth, thetime-space universe is unsettled. No part of the whole will ndstability until the material creation is complete.

e goal of the evolutionary universes is the subjugation ofenergy-matter by mind and coordination of mind with spirit, byvirtue of the creative unifying presence of personality. In relationto personality, physical systems become subordinate, mind sys-tems become coordinate, and spirit systems become directive. Onabsolute levels, energy and spirit are one. But as energy and spiritmove outward from Paradise, the gulf between them widens un-til they are no longer identical. As evidenced by the work of thepower directors, both energy and mass are responsive to mind;mind intervenes to interrelate mass and energy. e potentialunity of all nite creation is disclosed in the fact that spirit in voli-tional personality can strive through mind for mastery of energy-matter.

ere is an interdependence of all forces and personalitiesthroughout the universes. ewide gulf between energy and spiritin time-space creates experiential potential formind to unify phys-


ical patterns with spiritual purpose. Evolutionary experience onnite levels is shared by all, from mortal man to the Supreme Be-

ing. All personally strive in superuniverse achievement, as all willpersonally participate in universe destiny.

Man’s urge for God-attainment creates a genuine divinity ten-sion in the cosmos that can only be resolved by the evolution ofan immortal soul. When all creatures and all Creators in the uni-verse strive for God-attainment, a profound cosmic tension buildswhich can nd resolution only in the evolving God of all creatures,the Supreme Being.

117. GOD THE SUPREMEe potential of the Supreme increases in actuality as each crea-

ture learns to do the will of God. e individuals of the grand uni-verse evolve as a re ection of the total evolution of the Supreme,while the Supreme is the cumulative total of all grand universe evo-lution. e Supreme is the oversoul of the grand universe, the per-soni cation of Creator-creature experience. e Supreme is God-in-time. rough him, human spiritual growth is possible, andthrough his creatures, the Supreme’s growth is possible. e in-completeness of the Supreme makes the evolution of the presentuniverses possible.

In some way, human evolution resembles the growth of the Su-preme. Mortals consciously grow from the material toward thespiritual by the power of their own decisions, while the Supremegrows through the acts of the Creator personalities. Humans haveliaison with an indwelling fragment of the Universal Father; Godthe Supreme has liaison with the Paradise Trinity. As mortalsstrive for self-expression, the Supreme strives for deity expression.


e personality of any individual mortal is insigni cant com-pared to the total of Supremacy, but the personality of each in-dividual represents an irreplaceable value. Personality, once ex-pressed, never again nds identical expression unless in the con-tinuing existence of that person. e relationship of humans tothe Supreme is the foundation for cosmic morality-universal sen-sitivity to duty. Morality is directly predicated on the creature’sappreciation of his obligation to experiential Deity. When mor-tals consecrate their will to doing the Father’s will, when they giveGod all that they have, then does God make them more than theyare.

e evolving Supreme will eventually compensate nite crea-tures for their inability to achievemore experiencewith the univer-ses. We are incapable of understanding the in nite Father, but allof our experiences are part of the Supreme. When the Supreme be-comes fully completed, our contact with him will inherently con-nect us with total experience.

All true love ows from God, and we receive divine affection aswe bestow love on each other. Love is dynamic, it is alive. e Fa-ther’s love becomes real to us only whenwe allow it to pass throughus as we love each other; and this fraternal affection is the essenceof the love of the Supreme. God the Father can be found by anyindividual who has attained the divine level of Godliness, but Godthe Supreme will never be personally discovered by any one crea-ture until all creatures simultaneously nd him at the completionof light and life.


118. SUPREME AND ULTIMATE — TIME AND SPACEIn the evolutionary universes, eternity is the everlasting NOW.

We become eternal by identifying with the indwelling spirit. Weidentify with the indwelling spirit by choosing to do the will ofthe Father. Complete consecration of will is the guarantee that nofuture event will change our intention to serve God.

ere is a direct relationship between maturity and the mortalunit of time consciousness. Experience, wisdom, and judgmenthelp to lengthen a person’s reckoning of time; the older one gets,the less dependent they are on making judgments based on thepresent moment. Past experiences and future possibilities illumi-nate the true meaning of daily life. On the absolute and eternallevel, potential reality is as meaningful as actual reality; only time-bound creatures perceive a vast difference between potential andactual.

Truth is radiantly alive. When truth becomes linked with fact,time and space condition its meaning. Such truth-facts becomerelative reality. e absolute truth of the Creator linked with thefactual experience of the nite creature eventuates new values inthe Supreme.

Space comes nearest of all nonabsolute things to being absolute.Material bodies exist in space, but space also exists inmaterial bod-ies. On material levels, patterns occupy space, but spirit patternsdo not occupy, displace, or contain space. Ideas do not containspace, but it is not safe to postulate that the immaterial is alwaysnonspatial.

Difficulties arise when subordinate Divinity and Deity are as-signed in nite attributes. It is true that there is a First Cause, but


there are also a host of coordinate, subordinate, associate, and sec-ondary causes. Causation has three functions: to activate static po-tential, to eventuate universe capacities, and to create and evolveuniverse actualities.

e omnipotence of Deity does not imply the power to do theundoable; God cannot create square circles or produce evil that isinherently good. God cannot do an ungodlike thing. Also, God isnot omni cent-he does not personally do all that is done.

Only the Father-I AM possesses nality of volition; there is butone uncaused Cause in the universe. is fact does not deny thefree will of the myriads of children of God scattered throughoutthe universe. Mortal volition is not absolute, but it is relatively -nal concerning the destiny of the individual concerned. Volitionon any level below God himself includes inherent limitations; forexample, a human cannot choose to be something other than hu-man. e entire range of human will is limited to the nite exceptwhen we choose to nd God and to be like him.

ere are no limitations for partnerships betweenGod andman.at God has foreknowledge-makes full allowance for all nitechoice-does not in any way abrogate human free will. A maturehumanmay accurately forecast a decision of a younger person, butthis foreknowledge takes nothing away from the genuineness ofthe younger person’s decision.

Sin occurs when immature creatures accept the freedom of vo-lition while failing to perceive the obligations and duties of cosmiccitizenship. If a person has the prerogative to choose his very exis-tence, and if this is a true and free choice, then that evolving personmust also have the possible choice of destroying himself. e pos-


sibility of cosmic self-destruction cannot be avoided if the personis to be truly free to exercise his nite will.

We are rooted in the physical world. Human beings aremachines-living mechanisms. But we are also much more thanmachines. We are endowed with mind and indwelt by spirit. Dur-ing the material life, mortals cannot escape the chemical and elec-trical mechanisms of existence, but we can increasingly learn howto subordinate our physicalmechanismby consecrating ourmindsto the spiritual urging of the indwelling Adjuster.

Biologic evolution makes it impossible for primitive people toappear with any large endowment of self-restraint. External re-straints such as time, space, hunger, and fear effectively limit therange of choices for early humans. As we gain experiential wis-dom, internal restraints begin to balance diminishing external re-straints. Systems settled in light and life are allowed liberties thatwould prove destructive to men of earlier eras.

Basic universe mechanisms exist in response to the will of theFirst Source and Center. Time and space are a conjoined mecha-nism whereby nite creatures are enabled to coexist in the cosmoswith the In nite. e grand universe is a living mechanism acti-vated by Supreme Mind and coordinated by Supreme Spirit. Eventhe human body is a mechanism, one which can never be perfectlycontrolled by man himself since it is the product of supermortalcreation.

ere is providence in the universe, and it can be discoveredonly if a mortal has attained capacity to perceive the purpose ofthe universes. Most of what a mortal would call providence is not;much of what we call good luck may really be bad luck. Fortunethat bestows unearned leisure and undeserved wealth may be the


greatest of human afflictions. Similarly, seemingly cruel tribula-tion may be the method by which an immature person developsreal character.

It is true that the love of the Father operates directly in the heartof each individual, but the impersonal presence of Deity is con-cerned for the whole of creation rather than its parts. Providencein the overcontrol of the Supreme becomes increasingly apparentas each part of the universe progresses. Providence becomes in-creasingly discernible as ascenders reach upward from the mate-rial to the spiritual. Although much that happens on an evolvingworld is hard to understand, the human viewpoint can bemodi edby understanding, vision, increased control of physical surround-ings, and harmony with the Paradise Trinity and the Supreme Be-ing.

119. THE BESTOWALS OF CHRIST MICHAELe ability for bestowal is an inherent gi of the Creator Sons.

Divine Sons learn to become sympathetic, merciful, and under-standing sovereigns by incarnating as lower beings. It is so im-portant that a Creator Son understand the perspective of even thelowest of his creatures, that he must actually become a being of hisrealm seven times. Creator Sons are never certi ed as sovereignsof their local universes by the Ancients of Days until they have ac-quired creature viewpoint through actual experience.

Michael of Nebadon, our local universe sovereign, is the611,121 of his order to achieve approval of the Ancients of Daysfor local universe sovereignty. Michael made his rst bestowalnearly one billion years ago and embarked on a new bestowal mis-


sion every 150,000,000 years. Michael’s seven incarnations in Ne-badon were as:

1. A Melchizedek Son, during which he displayed matchlesswisdom and superb devotion to duty.

2. A Lanonandek Son serving as a temporary replacement for arebel system sovereign in constellation 37.

3. AMaterial Son in constellation 61, where he became an actingPlanetary Prince.

4. A Seraphim in the corps of teaching counselors.5. An ascendant mortal of spirit status on Uversa. During this

bestowal, the residents of Salvington began to suspect thatMichaelwas going to eventually incarnate as a mortal on an evolutionaryworld.

6. A morontia mortal in constellation ve.

PART IV.THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS

120. THE BESTOWAL OF MICHAEL ON URANTIAACreator Son can, at any time, rule his local universe in his own

right, but he can rule as a representative of the Paradise Trinityonly aer completing seven creature bestowals. e seventh andnal bestowal of Michael, the Creator Son of Nebadon, took place

on Urantia when he incarnated as Jesus of Nazareth. Prior to hisbestowal, Michael’s brother Immanuel advised him to:

1. Maintain unbroken communion with his Paradise Father.2. Terminate the Lucifer rebellion.3. Attend rst to men’s spiritual needs, then their intellect, and

lastly their physical health.4. Lead a life that would educate and inspire the entire universe

of Nebadon.5. Refrain from using the superhuman powers associated with

being a creator son.6. Give precedence to the accepted customs of family life of the

day.7. Con ne his efforts to spiritual regeneration, avoiding eco-

nomic and political commitments.8. Avoid the formation of an organized cult.9. Leave no writings behind.10. Leave no human offspring.Jesus was not God in association with man, but God incarnate

in man. Jesus did not progressively become God; God did not at

228 PART IV. THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS

some moment become man. Jesus was God and man, always. esupreme spiritual purpose of Michael’s bestowal on Urantia was toenhance the revelation of God. rough Jesus, the Father chose tomanifest himself as he always does-in a usual, normal, dependableway.

121. THE TIMES OF MICHAEL’S BESTOWALMichael chose a unique time to visit Urantia. European civi-

lization uni ed under three in uences: Roman political systems,Greek language and culture, and Jewish religious andmoral teach-ings. Palestine was the crossroads of three continents. More thanhalf of the caravan traffic arriving from the Orient passed throughor near Galilee. Travel and trade were more vibrant during thisperiod than during any previous era.

e Jewish people were fairly self-governing. At the time of Je-sus’ birth, the king of Judea was Herod the Idumean. Friendly re-lations between Herod and the Roman rulers made travel safe forJews and opened theway for increased Jewish penetration into dis-tant areas of the Roman empire.

Mediterranean society included ve classes: e upper class,the business class, a tiny middle class, the free proletariat, and theslaves. Slaves comprised half of the total population. e earlyChristian church was largely composed of the lower classes andthe slaves.

Four philosophies dominated the gentile world. Epicurianswere dedicated to the pursuit of happiness. Stoics believed in acontrolling Reason-fate and taught that the soul of man was di-vine. Cynics drew from the remnants of the teaching of Melchize-


dek, preaching simplicity and virtue. Skeptics espoused a negativeview; they believed that knowledge was never certain.

Religions in the Occident included the pagan cults, emperorworship, astrology, and the mystery religions. e embrace ofthe mystery religions caused the birth of numerous personal cults.Mystery cults were generally interracial brotherhoods, character-ized by elaborate ceremonies and a belief in a mythical legendabout some god’s life, death, and return to life. ese cults invari-ably promised salvation, deliverance from evil, and survival aerdeath. Although they failed to truly satisfy people’s longings forpersonal religion and salvation, mystery cults paved the way forthe acceptance of the teachings of Jesus.

ree languages were spoken in Palestine: Aramaic, Hebrew,and Greek. e eventual translation of the Hebrew scriptures intoGreek later in uenced the movement of Paul’s Christian cult to-ward theWest instead of the East. Philo of Alexandria harmonizedGreek philosophy and Hebrew theology, and Paul used this syn-thesis as a foundation for Christianity. Paul’s Christianity eventu-ally became a blend of the gospel of Jesus, Greek philosophy, themystery cult teachings, and Jewish morality.

Jerusalem was the center of Jewish culture and religion. Jewsheld the gentiles in contempt; they thought gentiles were heathensand sought to separate themselves from the gentileworld. e Jew-ish people were held in subjugation to the letter of the law and alsoto the demand of traditions. e scribes, the Pharisees, and thepriests held the Jews in a bondage far more restrictive than that oftheir Roman rulers.

e Urantia Book’s account of the life and teaching of Jesus isderived from several sources including writings of the apostle An-


drew; the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and the re-cords of a host of celestial beings who were on earth during Mi-chael’s bestowal. New revelation has been used only when humanrecords and concepts failed to supply adequate thought patterns.

e writing of the gospels was greatly delayed because the apos-tles observed that Jesus had avoided leaving written records. Manydecades passed before some disciples began to preserve the sto-ries of Jesus’ life in writing. Of the records that survived into ourcentury, the gospel of Mark is the earliest; John Mark wrote thisrecord soon aer Peter’s death in AD 68, aer being encouragedto do so by Peter. e gospel of Matthew was written by one ofhis disciples, Isador. is record was written to in uence JewishChristians, and it tends to show Jesus’ life in such a way as to ful llthe words of earlier scriptures. e gospel of Luke was written inAD 82-90 by Luke, a gentile physician who began to follow Paulin AD 47. In some ways, this record was the gospel according toPaul. e gospel of John was written by Nathan, an associate ofJohn Zebedee, in the year 101; only the epistle known as First Johnwas written by John himself.

ese records, imperfect as they were, were powerful enough tochange the course of history for two thousand years.

122. BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUSBased on a report by the Melchizedeks, Michael chose Urantia

as the planet of his nal bestowal. Subsequently, Gabriel visitedUrantia to study the spiritual, intellectual, racial, and geographicfeatures of theworld and its people. He selected theHebrews as thebestowal race. A commission appointed by Gabriel was sent to in-vestigate Jewish family life, aer which Gabriel personally judged


Joseph and Mary to be best suited to become the earthly parentsof the local universe Creator Son.

Jesus’ lifework was begun by his distant cousin, John the Bap-tist. John was born to Zacharias and Elizabeth in March of 7 BC.Gabriel appeared to Elizabeth before John’s birth to reveal John’smission as forerunner of a divine teacher who would soon be bornto Elizabeth’s kinswoman, Mary. Gabriel appeared to Mary inNovember, 8 BC, to tell her that she had conceived a son whowould inaugurate the kingdom of heaven on earth. Joseph haddoubts about the Gabriel visitation but was reconciled to it aerhe had an impressive dream. Joseph and Mary eventually came tobelieve that they were to become the parents of the Messiah.

Joseph was mild-mannered, conscientious, gentle, sympathetic,meditative and worshipful. Mary was cheerful, composed, coura-geous, optimistic, and a gied teacher. ey were both well edu-cated for their time. Joseph leaned toward the Eastern, Babylonianview of the Jewish religion, whileMary leaned towardmore liberal,Hellenistic interpretations.

In 7 BC, a census for the Roman empire was taken in the Pales-tinian kingdom of Herod. Joseph was required to travel from Na-zareth to Bethlehem to enroll in the census. Mary, fearful of be-ing le alone while so near delivery, insisted on accompanyinghim. Bethlehem was so crowded when they arrived that Josephand Mary settled into a grain storage room in front of a stable forthe night.

At noon the next day, August 21, 7 BC, Mary gave birth. efollowing day Joseph and Mary were offered a room at the localinn where they stayed for nearly three weeks. ree priests from


the city of Ur came to visit aer a religious teacher had a dreamthat the light of life was to appear on earth as a baby.

When Jesus was eight days old, he was circumcised and giventhe name Joshua. Zacharias con ded to a singer, Simeon, anda poet, Anna, that the baby was to be the deliverer of the Jew-ish people. During Jesus’ ceremony at the temple, Simeon sanga poem that Anna had written describing the mission of this childof promise who was to bring salvation from the enemies of theJewish people.

Herod’s spies reported that the priests of Ur had visited Bethle-hem. Herod called the priests in and questioned them, but theygave him no satisfactory answers. Aer informers brought Herodinformation about Simeon’s song, Herod decided to destroy thepotential “king of the Jews” by having all male babies in Bethle-hem killed. One of Herod’s court attachés came to warn Zachariasthe night before themassacre. Zacharias warned Joseph andMary,who ed to Egypt for two years. ey did not return to Bethlehemuntil aer the death of Herod.

123. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD OF JESUSWhen Jesus was just over three years old, Joseph and Mary re-

turned to their Nazareth home. Joseph built a workshop close tothe village spring. He made yokes and plows and worked withleather, rope, and canvas. Jesus’ brother James was born in April,3 BC. His sister Miriam was born in July, 2 BC.

Jesus’ ought Adjuster, which had previously served with Ma-chiventaMelchizedek, arrivedwhen Jesus was four and a half yearsold. When Jesus turned ve, Joseph assumed responsibility for his


son’s education and started teaching Jesus from a Greek copy ofthe Hebrew scriptures.

In the summer of 1 BC, Zacharias and Elizabeth brought Johnto visit Nazareth. Meeting his cousin prompted Jesus to becomeinterested in the history of Israel and the Jewish rites and feasts.About this time Joseph began his career as a builder, working inCana, Bethlehem, Magdala, Nain, Sepphoris, Capernaum, Endorand Nazareth. Jesus oen accompanied Joseph in his work.

During this year, Joseph and Mary started to have concernsabout how Jesus said his prayers. Jesus insisted on talking to hisheavenly Father in the same way that he talked to Joseph. Since Je-sus knew that this departure from reverent prayer was disconcert-ing to Mary, the boy would rst say his prayers as he was taught,and then have “a little talk” with his Father. He learned to ad-just his feelings and impulses to the demands of home and family.Joseph explained the reasons for curtailment of personal desires indeference to the welfare of the family, and when Jesus understoodthe situation he always willingly cooperated.

Jesuswas a normal but inquisitive child. He liked to look at ow-ers and plants and stars. Jesus enjoyed playing with other childrenwith wooden blocks and wood shavings in the carpentry shop.He administered a charity fund from the proceeds of a dovecotethat Mary kept. Jesus was not immune from accidents. When hewas seven, his fall from an outdoor staircase during a sandstormcaused Mary great anxiety.

His brother Joseph was born in March, 1 AD. In August Jesusentered formal school where he spent the next six years learningto read, write, and speak Hebrew. It was customary for a childto choose a birthday text at the onset of the school career. e


passage Jesus chose was from Isaiah: “e spirit of the Lord Godis upon me, for the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bringgood news to the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaimliberty to the captives, and to set the spiritual prisoners free.”

Joseph and Jesus enjoyed going forwalks on Sabbath aernoons.When he was eight, Jesus learned to milk the cow, make cheese,and operate a loom. He enjoyed playing with clay at the potter’sshop with his friend Jacob. Jesus did his school work so well thathe was given a week off everymonth, which he usually spent eitherat an uncle’s farm or on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. He devel-oped a keen sense of numbers, distances, and proportions. Jesusliked music, and arranged to trade dairy products for lessons onthe harp. In school he asked many questions, particularly aboutgeography and astronomy.

A third brother, Simon, was born in April of 2 AD.Nahor, a rabbi from Jerusalem, advised Joseph andMary to send

Jesus to Jerusalem for his education. Mary supported the plan, butJoseph hesitated. When Jesus was asked his opinion of the matter,he told Nahor that he felt he should remain at home with his par-ents because they loved him and could guide him more safely thanstrangers.

124. THE LATER CHILDHOOD OF JESUSJesus delighted in drawing landscapes and modeling in clay, but

these activities were forbidden by Jewish law. One day when Jesuswas nine years old he drew a charcoal likeness of his teacher. eelders of the community, aer viewing his drawing, sent a com-mittee to demand that Joseph suppress this behaviour in his son.


Jesus listened to the discussion between his father and the el-ders. Resentful that they blamed Joseph for this misdeed, Jesusinsisted on being heard by the committee. He defended his view-point courageously, then announced that he would abide by thedecision of his father. Jesus never again drew or modeled in clayas long as he lived in Joseph’s house; giving up this favourite pas-time was one of the trials of his youth.

Jesus’ sister Martha was born in 3 AD. is year Joseph builtan addition onto the house, a combined workshop and bedroom.Jesus had his own workbench and tools, and eventually becamepro cient at making yokes. His trips away from home during hisbreaks from school didmuch to help himunderstand his own fam-ily, and his parents began to learn from him as well as teach him.

When Jesus was ten, he began to become aware of the nature ofhis life mission. His parents listened to his comments, but neitherone volunteered information about what they knew. At school, hewas constantly asking questions. His most unusual trait was hisunwillingness to ght for himself, and his friend Jacob saw thatno one took advantage of Jesus’ aversion to ghting. is year healso began to show a preference for the company of older people,delighting in discussing culture, education, economics, politics,and religion. Jesus spent a lot of time at the caravan supply shop,conversing with travelers from around the world. He was a bornleader, even when engaged in play. Joseph began to teach Jesusabout the various ways of making a living.

When Jesus was eleven his brother Jude was born. Compli-cations from the birth made Mary so ill that Joseph remained athome for several weeks. Jesus became occupied with many dutiescaused by hismother’s illness, andwas compelled to assume the re-


sponsibilities of rst-born son two years earlier than was normallythe custom.

In May, 5 AD, Jesus and Joseph traveled to the Greek cityScythopolis on business. It was time for the annual competitiveathletic games, and Jesus insisted that his father take him to theamphitheater to watch. Joseph was shocked to see his son’s enthu-siasm for these games; it was the only time in his life that Josephwas visibly angry with Jesus. Jesus remained unconvinced of theevil of such games, but never again discussed his opinion of ath-letics while Joseph lived.

Jesus taught home school for his sisters and brothers. He beganto notice the difference between Joseph’s and Mary’s views aboutthe nature of his life’s mission. He was inclined to favour his fa-ther’s viewpoint, that his was a spiritual mission. As time went on,Jesus did much to modify the family’s practice of prayer and otherreligious customs. He also struggled to alleviate his personal con-ict between loyalty to his convictions and duty to his family.A new brother, Amos, was born in 7 AD. is was also the year

that Jesus graduated from the Nazareth synagogue school, whichgave him the right to participate in the Passover celebrations inJerusalem. On the day before the Passover Sabbath, a messengerfrom Salvington appeared to Jesus, declaring, “e hour has come.It is time that you began to be about your Father’s business.” Jesuswas not yet thirteen years old.

125. JESUS AT JERUSALEMJesus was thrilled that he would be allowed to participate in the

Passover rituals as a full- edged son of Israel. From the time the


group le Nazareth for Jerusalem, he looked forward to the expe-rience with great anticipation. Although women seldom attendedthe Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus insisted that his mother accom-pany him and was shocked that Mary and the other women sepa-rated from the men when they reached Jerusalem. Mary was notallowed to watch her son’s consecration ceremonies.

Jesus was further disappointed by the perfunctory nature of therituals. While he found some Jewish rituals beautiful, he couldnot accept those which required belief in the wrath of God. WhenJoseph became mildly insistent that Jesus accept the orthodox be-liefs, Jesus responded, “I refuse to believe that my Father in heavenloves me less than does my father on earth.”

Jesus was also upset by the irreverence of people in the tem-ple, and by themoneychangers, animal vendors, and courtesans inthe court of the gentiles. He was especially sickened by the killingof animals in the priests’ court. Jesus was sure that God was notpleased with these sacri cial offerings. As time passed he becameincreasingly determined to establish a bloodless Passover.

Oen during this Passover week Jesus sat off by himself, think-ing. Joseph and Mary were perplexed, and looked forward to thetime when they could bring their son home.

At the end of the week the Nazareth company gathered to travelhome. It was customary for the men to travel separately from thewomen and children. Jesus, now a consecrated son of Israel, couldhave traveled home with the men, even though he had accompa-nied the women and children on the journey into Jerusalem.

As he waited for the group to assemble, Jesus became absorbedin the temple discussions. Joseph and Mary, each thinking that


their sonwaswith the other, le forNazarethwithout him. Neitherrealized that Jesus was missing until they stopped for the night inJericho. e nextmorning Joseph andMary returned to Jerusalemto nd him.

Jesus spent his time in the temple, asking many questions of theteachers. He showed such hunger for knowledge that most of thetemple teachers humored him, even when his questions seemedcritical. e teachers were impressed at Jesus’ familiarity with thescriptures in Hebrew and Greek. Some of Jesus’ questions were:

1. What exists in the holy of holies?2. Why are mothers segregated during worship?3. Why would the slaughter of animals gain divine favour?4. Why is secular barter allowed in a temple dedicated to the

worship of God?5. Is the Messiah to be a temporal prince or a spiritual leader?Meanwhile, Joseph andMary continued their anxious search for

the boy, never thinking to nd him in the temple. On the fourthday, they looked for Zacharias, hoping that he would know Jesus’whereabouts. As they walked through the temple, they were sur-prised to recognize the voice of their missing son, who was givinghis views on prayer and worship. Mary ran up and chastised Jesusin front of the assembly, bringing his instruction at the temple toa halt.

Jesus said to Mary, “Why is it that you have so long sought me?Would you not expect to nd me in my Father’s house since thetime has come when I should be about my Father’s business?” ecrowd was astonished at his words.

Jesus said little during the three-day journey back to Nazareth.Upon reaching home, Jesus told them that although he must do


the will of the heavenly Father, he would also be obedient to hisfather on earth. Jesus became adept in adjusting his spiritual dutyto his family obligations. Josephwas puzzled by his son’swords andbehaviour, but Mary was more convinced than ever that her sonwas to be Israel’s deliverer. From then on she worked to prepareJesus for his place on the throne of David.

126. THE TWO CRUCIAL YEARSe story of Jesus’ experience in the temple at Jerusalem grati-

ed the people of Nazareth, especially his former teachers. By nowJesus had become adept at yoke making and leather work. He waslearning carpentry and cabinet making. e family nances wereimproving; Jesus was permitted to resume his music lessons. Dur-ing this year Joseph and Mary began to entertain doubts about Je-sus’ destiny-he was so difficult to understand, and nothing mirac-ulous had happened.

In September, 8 AD, Joseph was killed at work by a falling der-rick. Mary and the children were overcome with sadness. Jesus,just fourteen years old, became the sole support and guardian ofhis father’s family. e youngest of the children, Ruth, was bornthe following April, and Jesus took his father’s place in the deliveryand care of the child.

Family responsibility removed all thought in Jesus’ mind of im-mediate plans to be about his Father’s business. He understoodthat the welfare of his earthly family took priority over all otherduties; the support of his family became his rst obligation.

During his eenth year, Jesus became convinced that he wasnot to be the Jewish Messiah. He was impressed by the phrase


“Son of Man” in the book of Enoch, and decided to adopt it as histitle when he began his public work.

e greatest confusion of his youth arose when he tried to un-derstand the Scriptural reference to the coming Messiah. Wouldhe recognize this messiah? What would his relationship be tohim? Jesus thought through these and many other problems ashe worked at the carpenter’s bench. Mary was alarmed at hisstrange ideas and his frequent trips to the hilltops for meditationand prayer.

Jesus worked long hours, faithfully ful lling the responsibili-ties of his immediate situation. Each passing month necessitatedthe practice of greater frugality. Jesus donated his copy of theGreek scriptures to the Nazareth synagogue rather than risk itscon scation by tax collectors. He rented a piece of land where theother children each planted a vegetable garden. Jesus gave seri-ous thought to purchasing a small farm, but when their claim forJoseph’s back pay was denied, the family’s dream of a life in thecountry ended.

127. THE ADOLESCENT YEARSJesus attained full physical growth when he was sixteen. He had

a healthy body, a keen mind, a kind disposition, and a strong per-sonality. His siblings were becoming confused about his mission.Mary intimated that Jesus was to be the deliverer of the Jewish peo-ple, but Jesus denied it.

James took over the schooling of their three sisters, which freedJesus to devote himself to earning a living for them at his work-bench. Jesus gradually spoke less about his thoughts concerning


his life’s mission. Although there was much Mary could not un-derstand about her son, she appreciated his diligence in providingfor their family.

When Jesus was seventeen, there was growing political discon-tent in Judea. e Zealots wanted to revolt against Roman rule.Mary pressured Jesus to enlist in the Zealots, but he refused. Amoneylender named Isaac offered to support of the family if Jesuswould enlist, but still he refused. Aer consulting with his chazan,Jesus announced that his family needed not just those things thatmoney could buy, but also a father’s care. Jesus began working inthe old family repair shop, where he was cheered by daily contactwith people from all over the country.

Over time, Jesus persuaded Mary to accept his method of childrearing-encouraging the positive instead of forbidding the nega-tive. is theme carried on into Jesus’ public teachings. He al-ways emphasized what should be done rather than what should beavoided.

Rebecca, daughter of Erza, fell in love with Jesus and asked himto marry her. Jesus thanked her for her offer, but refused, say-ing that he was not free to consider marriage until his family wasraised, and even then, he would have to wait until his destiny be-came clear. Rebecca was heartbroken, but remained in such a stateof admiration for Jesus that she followed him throughout his pub-lic work.

By the end of his teenage years, Jesus had learned to take respon-sibility well, to carry on in the face of disappointment, to bear upbravely when his plans were thwarted, to be fair when faced withinjustice, to adjust spiritual living to the demands of existence, and


to depend solely on the guidance of his Father in Heaven.

128. JESUS’ EARLY MANHOODBy the time Jesus was twenty-one, he had learned to blend his

two natures, the divine and the human. He studied, gained expe-rience, and developed wisdom just as other people do. Not untilaer his baptism did Jesus tap into his divine powers; he wantedto live life as a normal mortal.

When Simon graduated from school, the family membersagreed to diversify their trades. Simon began work as a stone ma-son with Jacob. James worked at the caravan repair shop, andJoseph did carpentry at the work bench at home. Jesus spentsome time working in a metal shop in Sepphoris, where he hadthe chance to study the gentile way of life.

By patient planning, Jesusmade his withdrawal from active par-ticipation in family affairs. He made James the acting head of thefamily before he le for Sepphoris. Jesus returned toNazareth aersix months, but he never again assumed leadership of the family.

In 17 AD, Simon came of age and Jesus took him to Jerusalemfor the Passover. Later that year, Jesus spent four months in Dam-ascus as the guest of a merchant he had met in Philadephia. ismerchant was interested in establishing a school of religious phi-losophy and wanted Jesus to tour the educational institutions ofthe world as preparation for becoming the head teacher of thisnew school. Another offer was extended by a company of Jewsin Alexandria, who wanted Jesus to begin as assistant chazan intheir main synagogue. He refused both positions.

In 18 AD, James and Miriam each approached Jesus about thepossibility of their future marriages. It was decided that in two


years time, if Josephwas ready to assume the leadership of the fam-ily and Martha could assume responsibilities of eldest daughter,that James could marry Esta, from Nazareth, and Miriam wouldwed Jacob, the stone mason.

e next year Jesus took Jude to Jerusalem for the Passover.ere they witnessed a Roman guardmaking improper commentsto a passing Jewish girl, and Jude expressed his resentment so di-rectly that he was arrested and taken to prison. Jesus accompaniedhim. Aer two days in prison they were brought before a magis-trate, and Jesus spoke on his brother’s behalf. Hearing the circum-stances of the arrest, the judge released Jude with a warning.

For years James had trouble with Jude, who didn’t like to workand was not dependable in providing his share of the family’s ex-penses. Jude was so prone to patriotic outbursts against the Ro-mans that James and Joseph were inclined to cast him from thefamily. Jesus counseled patience, advising that Jude would learn abetter way from observing their own wise behaviour.

In 20 AD Miriam married Jacob and James married Esta. Je-sus con ded in James that he was preparing to leave home. ebrothers signed a secret contract in which James accepted title tothe repair shop in exchange for relieving Jesus from all future obli-gations for the nances of the family. Even so, Jesus continued tosend home funds until his public ministry began.

129. THE LATER ADULT LIFE OF JESUSJesus le home when he was twenty-six years old. Aer visiting

several cities on the Sea of Galilee, he accepted a job in Capernaumbuilding boats with Zebedee, a friend of his father. Jesus worked inCapernaum for more than a year, creating a new style of boat that


was so superior that the shop had more work than it could handlefor several years.

Five evenings a week Jesus studied at the Capernaum syna-gogue. One night each week he spent with young people, andone with the elderly. Jesus endeared himself to both age groupsbecause he was always interested in what people were doing. Heseldom offered advice unless asked. He made a habit of conduct-ing question-and-answer sessions each evening before going out tostudy, discussing such topics as politics, science, philosophy andreligion.

In March, 22 AD, Jesus le for Jerusalem. Salome, Zebedee’swife, wrote a letter for Jesus introducing him to her relative, An-nas, who was once a high priest in Jerusalem. rough this con-nection, Jesus visited the Jerusalem schools; he also spent much oftime listening to the temple discussions.

Near the end of Passover week, Jesus met two travelers from In-dia, Gonod and his son Ganid. e travelers hired Jesus as an in-terpreter and tutor to accompany them on a business trip aroundthe Mediterranean. e experiences of this Mediterranean tourgave Jesus the opportunity to grow close to people ofmany colours,education levels, cultural backgrounds, social strata, and religiouspersuasions.

130. ON THE WAY TO ROMEandJesus, Gonod, and Ganid le Jerusalem on April 26, 22 AD

to embark on a tour of the Mediterranean that included Alexan-dria, Crete, Carthage, Naples, Rome, Corinth, Athens, Ephesus,


Cyprus, Syria, Damascus, Mesopotamia, Babylon, and Ur. Jesusspent half of each day teaching Ganid and acting as interpreter forGonod’s business contacts, and the other half getting to know peo-ple. Ganid learned much from Jesus during their association.

While in Joppa, Jesus met Gadiah, a Philistine interpreter. Oneday as Jesus and Gadiah were walking by the sea, Gadiah pointedout the place that was reputed to be the site from which Jonah hadbegun his ill-fated voyage. Gadiah asked Jesus whether he thoughtJonah really had been swallowed by a big sh.

Jesus perceived that Gadiah, through the story of Jonah, hadbeen impressed against the folly of running away from duty. Jesusanswered, “My friend, we are all Jonahs with lives to live in accor-dance with the will of God, and at all times when we seek to escapethe present duty of living by running away to far-off enticements,we thereby put ourselves in the immediate control of those in u-ences which are not directed by the powers of truth and the forcesof righteousness. e ight from duty is the sacri ce of truth. eescape from the service of light and life can only result in thosedistressing con icts with the difficult whales of sel shness whichlead eventually to darkness and death unless such God-forsakingJonahs shall turn their hearts, even when in the very depths of de-spair, to seek aer God and his goodness. And when such dis-heartened souls sincerely seek for God-hunger for truth and thirstfor righteousness-there is nothing that can hold them in furthercaptivity.”

Sometime later Gadiah asked why God, who is in nitely good,permits the existence of evil. Jesus replied, “My brother, God islove; therefore he must be good, and his goodness is so great andreal that it cannot contain the small and unreal things of evil. God


is so positively good that there is absolutely no place in him fornegative evil. Your Father in heaven, by endowing you with thepower to choose between truth and error, created the potentialnegative of the positive way of light and life; but such errors of evilare really nonexistent until such a time as an intelligent creaturewills their existence by mischoosing the way of life.”

In Caesarea, Jesus and his friends were delayed because one ofthe boats on which they intended to travel was being repaired.ere was a shortage of skilled woodworkers, and Jesus volun-teered to assist in the repair. Anaxand, one of themenwhoworkedon the boat with Jesus, became interested when Jesus spoke of theFather in heaven being interested in the welfare of his children onearth. e young man asked, “If the Gods are interested in me,then why do they not remove the cruel and unjust foreman of thisworkshop?”

Jesus answered, “Since you know the ways of kindness and valuejustice, perhaps the Gods have brought this erring man near thatyou may lead him into this better way. Maybe you are the saltwhich is tomake this brother more agreeable to all other men; thatis, if you have not lost your savor. As it is, this man is your masterin that his evil ways unfavourably in uence you. Why not assertyour mastery of evil by virtue of the power of goodness and thusbecome the master of all relations between the two of you? I pre-dict that the good in you could overcome the evil in him if yougave it a fair and living chance.”

When the boat was ready, the company le for Alexandria.Gonod went about his business while Jesus and Ganid went tothe university and the legendary library. Jesus and Ganid spenttime every day in the library where nearly a million manuscripts


from throughout the world were assembled. Under Jesus’ direc-tion, Ganid made a collection of the teachings of religions whichrecognized some formof universal deity: Cynicism, Judaism, Bud-dhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Suduanism, Shinto, Taoism,andConfucianism. Ganid hiredmore than sixty translators to helphim with this effort.

From Alexandria, the travelers journeyed to Crete to relax. Oneday in the mountains, Jesus met a distressed young man. Jesusasked the youth for directions to a certain place, and the youngman marked out the trails on the ground and explained the routein detail. Jesus soon turned the conversation to the young man’sdisconsolation. “My friend, arise! Standup like aman! Youmay besurroundedwith small enemies andbe retarded bymany obstacles,but the big things and the real things of this world and the universeare on your side. e sun rises every morning to salute you just asit does the most powerful and prosperous man on earth.”

Aer further discourse, Jesus continued, “is day, my son, youare to be reborn, re-established as a man of faith, courage, and de-voted service to man, for God’s sake. And when you become soreadjusted to life within yourself, you become likewise readjustedto the universe; you have been born again-born of the spirit-andhenceforth will your whole life become one of victorious accom-plishment. Trouble will invigorate you; disappointment will spuryou on; difficulties will challenge you; and obstacles will stimulateyou. Arise, young man! Say farewell to the life of cringing fear andeeing cowardice. Hasten back to duty and live your life in theesh as a son of God, a mortal dedicated to the ennobling service

of man on earth and destined to the superb and eternal service ofGod in eternity.”


is young man later became the leader of Christians in Crete.

131. THE WORLD’S RELIGIONSandJesus, Gonod, and Ganid le Jerusalem on April 26, 22 AD

to embark on a tour of the Mediterranean that included Alexan-dria, Crete, Carthage, Naples, Rome, Corinth, Athens, Ephesus,Cyprus, Syria, Damascus, Mesopotamia, Babylon, and Ur. Jesusspent half of each day teaching Ganid and acting as interpreter forGonod’s business contacts, and the other half getting to know peo-ple. Ganid learned much from Jesus during their association.

While in Joppa, Jesus met Gadiah, a Philistine interpreter. Oneday as Jesus and Gadiah were walking by the sea, Gadiah pointedout the place that was reputed to be the site from which Jonah hadbegun his ill-fated voyage. Gadiah asked Jesus whether he thoughtJonah really had been swallowed by a big sh.

Jesus perceived that Gadiah, through the story of Jonah, hadbeen impressed against the folly of running away from duty. Jesusanswered, “My friend, we are all Jonahs with lives to live in accor-dance with the will of God, and at all times when we seek to escapethe present duty of living by running away to far-off enticements,we thereby put ourselves in the immediate control of those in u-ences which are not directed by the powers of truth and the forcesof righteousness. e ight from duty is the sacri ce of truth. eescape from the service of light and life can only result in thosedistressing con icts with the difficult whales of sel shness whichlead eventually to darkness and death unless such God-forsakingJonahs shall turn their hearts, even when in the very depths of de-


spair, to seek aer God and his goodness. And when such dis-heartened souls sincerely seek for God-hunger for truth and thirstfor righteousness-there is nothing that can hold them in furthercaptivity.”

Sometime later Gadiah asked why God, who is in nitely good,permits the existence of evil. Jesus replied, “My brother, God islove; therefore he must be good, and his goodness is so great andreal that it cannot contain the small and unreal things of evil. Godis so positively good that there is absolutely no place in him fornegative evil. Your Father in heaven, by endowing you with thepower to choose between truth and error, created the potentialnegative of the positive way of light and life; but such errors of evilare really nonexistent until such a time as an intelligent creaturewills their existence by mischoosing the way of life.”

In Caesarea, Jesus and his friends were delayed because one ofthe boats on which they intended to travel was being repaired.ere was a shortage of skilled woodworkers, and Jesus volun-teered to assist in the repair. Anaxand, one of themenwhoworkedon the boat with Jesus, became interested when Jesus spoke of theFather in heaven being interested in the welfare of his children onearth. e young man asked, “If the Gods are interested in me,then why do they not remove the cruel and unjust foreman of thisworkshop?”

Jesus answered, “Since you know the ways of kindness and valuejustice, perhaps the Gods have brought this erring man near thatyou may lead him into this better way. Maybe you are the saltwhich is tomake this brother more agreeable to all other men; thatis, if you have not lost your savor. As it is, this man is your masterin that his evil ways unfavourably in uence you. Why not assert


your mastery of evil by virtue of the power of goodness and thusbecome the master of all relations between the two of you? I pre-dict that the good in you could overcome the evil in him if yougave it a fair and living chance.”

When the boat was ready, the company le for Alexandria.Gonod went about his business while Jesus and Ganid went tothe university and the legendary library. Jesus and Ganid spenttime every day in the library where nearly a million manuscriptsfrom throughout the world were assembled. Under Jesus’ direc-tion, Ganid made a collection of the teachings of religions whichrecognized some formof universal deity: Cynicism, Judaism, Bud-dhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Suduanism, Shinto, Taoism,andConfucianism. Ganid hiredmore than sixty translators to helphim with this effort.

From Alexandria, the travelers journeyed to Crete to relax. Oneday in the mountains, Jesus met a distressed young man. Jesusasked the youth for directions to a certain place, and the youngman marked out the trails on the ground and explained the routein detail. Jesus soon turned the conversation to the young man’sdisconsolation. “My friend, arise! Standup like aman! Youmay besurroundedwith small enemies andbe retarded bymany obstacles,but the big things and the real things of this world and the universeare on your side. e sun rises every morning to salute you just asit does the most powerful and prosperous man on earth.”

Aer further discourse, Jesus continued, “is day, my son, youare to be reborn, re-established as a man of faith, courage, and de-voted service to man, for God’s sake. And when you become soreadjusted to life within yourself, you become likewise readjustedto the universe; you have been born again-born of the spirit-and


henceforth will your whole life become one of victorious accom-plishment. Trouble will invigorate you; disappointment will spuryou on; difficulties will challenge you; and obstacles will stimulateyou. Arise, young man! Say farewell to the life of cringing fear andeeing cowardice. Hasten back to duty and live your life in theesh as a son of God, a mortal dedicated to the ennobling service

of man on earth and destined to the superb and eternal service ofGod in eternity.”

is young man later became the leader of Christians in Crete.

132. THE SOJOURN AT ROMEIn Rome, Jesus had six months to become acquainted with the

city and its people. Jesus’ work during this period was entirely per-sonal. He made valuable contact in Rome with leaders of the Sto-ics, Cynics, and mystery cults. irty of this group of thirty-tworeligionists later became proponents of Christianity. Jesus’ contactwith these leaders was one of three acts thatmost effected the rapidgrowth of Christianity in the rst century; the other two were thechoice of Peter as an apostle, and Jesus’ talk with Stephen, whosedeath led to the conversion of Paul.

Some of the highlights of Jesus’ various talks with the religiousleaders in Rome were:

“In every age scientists and religionists must recognize that theyare on trial before the bar of human need. ey must eschew allwarfare between themselves while they strive valiantly to justifytheir continued survival by enhanced devotion to the service ofhuman progress.”

“If you are ethically lazy and socially indifferent, you can take asyour standard of good the current social usages.”


“e spiritually blind individual who logically follows scienti cdictation, social usage, and religious dogma stands in grave dangerof sacri cing his moral freedom and losing his spiritual liberty.”

“Actual evil is not necessary as a personal experience. Potentialevil acts equally well as a decision stimulus in the realms of moralprogress on the lower levels of spiritual development.”

“Revealed truth, personally discovered truth, is the supremedelight of the human soul; it is the joint creation of the materialmind and the indwelling spirit.”

“Human life continues-survives-because it has a universe func-tion, the task of nding God.”

Jesus spent a great deal of timepreparing religious leaders for thefuture. He also enjoyed learning about how people felt about life,and giving them themessage of the Father’s love andmercy. Whilehe usually started conversations with people by asking questions,frequently he would end up answering questions. He taught themost to people to whom he said the least. Jesus was very fond ofdoing things for people.

One Roman senator, aer talking with Jesus, spent the rest ofhis life trying to change state policy from having the governmentsupport the people to having people support the government. Aslaveholder released over one hundred slaves the day aer he hada long talk with Jesus. Jesus counseled a rich man who wonderedwhat he should do with his money. Jesus advised the man to rstinvestigate where the money came from, aer which he could de-cide how to disburse it wisely.

One day Jesus and Ganid spent several hours bringing a lostchild home to his mother. During this adventure, Jesus said,


“...most human beings are like the lost child. ey spend muchof their time crying in fear and suffering in sorrow when, in verytruth, they are but a short distance from safety and security.”

Jesus also talked about how we cannot reveal God to those whodo not seek him. He said that people become hungry for trutheither as a result of the experiences of living, or as the result ofcontact with the lives of those who know God. If we know God,our real business on earth is to live so as to permit the Father toreveal himself in our lives.

133. THE RETURN FROM ROMEJesus, Ganid, andGonodwalked across Italy on the greatAppian

Way. During a discussion about India’s caste system, Jesus said,“ere are only two groups of mortals in the eyes of God: thosewho desire to do his will and those who do not.”

e trio saw a child being attacked by a bully. Jesus assisted thechild by restraining the bully until the boy made his escape. Assoon as Jesus released the offender, Ganid began to beat him. Jesuspromptly restrained Ganid. Ganid couldn’t understand why Jesusdidn’t let him punish the bully. Jesus explained, “Mercy ministryis always the work of the individual, but justice punishment is thefunction of the social, governmental, or universe administrativegroups.” Jesus said that mercy may be lavish, but justice must beprecise. ey talked about this subject for days.

In Corinth, Jesus and Ganid were approached by two prosti-tutes. Ganid, assuming that Jesus would be offended, shooed themaway rudely. Jesus’ response astonished both Ganid and the wo-men: “You mean well, but you should not presume thus to speakto the children of God, even though they chance to be his erring


children. Who are we to sit in judgment on these women?” Je-sus eventually led the women to the house of his friend Justus,a local merchant. ere the women were presented to the mer-chant’s wife, Martha, for nourishment and counsel. Martha dideverything for the strangers that Jesus had hoped. e elder wo-man soon died, but the younger went to work for Justus, eventuallyjoining the rst Christian church in Corinth.

Jesus had many other interesting conversations with people inCorinth. He tailored his saving message to each person-the Mith-raic leader, an Epicurean, a builder, a Chinese merchant, a Britishtraveler, a condemned criminal. To a miller, he described how togrind truth in the mill of living experience to make it suitable forother people’s capacity of receptivity. Jesus advised the mistress ofan inn to minister her hospitality as one who entertains the chil-dren of theMost High. He told a runaway that there are two thingspeople cannot run away from-God and themselves.

Aer two months, the party sailed to Athens, where Ganid andGonod enjoyed a discussion Jesus carried onwith aGreek philoso-pher. Jesus discussed the limits of logic and mathematics as theyapply to life. Jesus said that a group of human beings working inharmony creates a force far greater than the sum of the personali-ties involved. He said that there is unity in the universe, and thatthe universe is friendly to every child of God.

Later in Cyprus, Ganid asked Jesus to explain how people expe-rience a higher form of self-conscious than animals. Jesus empha-sized that self-consciousness is a reality. e attainment of self-consciousness warrants the bestowal of the spirit of the Father inheaven, which is the absolute focal point for the human person-ality. Humans differ not only in heredity and environmental in-


uences, but also in the degree of uni cation with the indwellingspirit of God. Uni cation of mind depends on being wholly dedi-cated to doing the will of the Father in heaven.

e travelers made their way to Salamis, Antioch, and the an-cient city of Ur. In Ur Jesus le his Indian friends, never to seethem again in the esh. Later in life, Ganid heard of the so-calledSon of Man who lost his life on a cross in Palestine, but he neverknew that this was his beloved tutor.

134. THE TRANSITION YEARSAer spending a few months visiting with his family in Naza-

reth, Jesus worked for a year as a driver on a caravan traveling tothe Caspian Sea. During this trip he visited an amphitheater inUrmia that was used as a temple of the philosophy of religions.Teachers at this temple represented over thirty religions and reli-gious cults, all of which believed in a supreme Deity.

On Jesus’ journey home from theCaspian Sea, he gave a series oflectures in Urmia about the kingdom of God and the kingdoms ofmen. Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is neither materialnor intellectual, but rather a spiritual relationship between manand God. Religious peace-brotherhood-will not exist until all re-ligions surrender ecclesiastical authority and accept God alone asspiritual sovereign.

He discussed how political sovereignty arrives from the surren-der of self-determinism; rst by the individual to the family, thenthe family to the clan, and then to the tribe and the state. Patrio-tismmakes the evolution of a government of all mankind difficult.

Jesus said that confederations of nations may reduce con icts,but warwill continue until theworld government is created. War is


not a disease, but a symptom of the disease of national sovereignty.e problem of war cannot be solved by armaments or disarma-ments; men will continue ghting with sts and stones as long asthey cling to the delusion of the right of national sovereignty.

He taught that mortals cannot live together in peace withoutbecoming subservient to laws that grant each person a degree offreedom while safeguarding an equal amount of freedom for oth-ers. e political sovereignty of a representative government ofhumankind will bring lasting peace on earth, and spiritual broth-erhoodwill forever insure goodwill among people. is is the onlyway that peace on earth and good will among men can be realized.

e following year, Jesus’ family moved to Capernaum. Aervisiting their new home, Jesus traveled much of the year throughPalestine and Syria. He spent six weeks on Mount Hermon, com-muningwith the Father and consecrating himself to the remainderof his life’s work. During this period of isolation Jesus became ab-solutely assured of the ascendancy of his divine nature.

Near the end of this time on the mountain Jesus requested aconference with the rebels of Satania. Satan and Calagastia, emis-saries of Lucifer, suggested many compromises and proposals. Je-sus responded by saying that they had already spurned his mercy;he committed them to the judgment of the Ancients of Days. eLucifer rebellion was settled.

When Jesus came down from Mount Hermon he met with hisfamily again in Capernaum, and then traveled to Jerusalem withJohn Zebedee for three weeks. Aer this holiday he returned toZebedee’s workshop, saying, “It behooves me to keep busy whileI wait for my hour to come.” Jesus worked until January with his


brother John, building boats.

135. JOHN THE BAPTISTJohn the Baptist grew up in a small town west of Jerusalem. He

took the vows of a Nazarite when he was fourteen years old. Attwenty, he le home to tend sheep in a colony of Nazarites headedby Abner. As time passed, John became convinced that he was tobecome the herald of the coming kingdom of heaven. At the ageof thirty-two he embarked on his short, brilliant career as a publicpreacher.

John’s message can best be understood within the context of histime. For almost one hundred years, Israel had been suffering un-der the continuous control of gentiles. e Jewish people couldnot understand why God’s chosen people should be thus humili-ated. Most Jews were con dent that the kingdom of heaven wascoming and that God would rule the nations of earth during theirgeneration. e vast majority of Jews believed that God would ac-complish his plan by sending a Messiah.

John began his public preaching tour in March, 25 AD. Headded a new twist to an old customwhen he baptized to symbolizethe remission of sins; in the past only gentile proselytes had sub-mitted to baptism. John baptized more than one hundred thou-sand believers in een months of active preaching. James andJohn, sons of Zebedee, were baptized.

Jesus’ brothers, James and Jude, considered being baptized aswell. When they asked for Jesus’ advice, the three brothers madetheir way together to the Jordan valley. Jesus and his brotherswere baptized in the Jordan river at noon on Monday, January 14,26 AD. An apparition appeared over Jesus’ head, and a voice was


heard to say, “is is my beloved Son in who I am well pleased.”Aer his baptism, Jesus took his leave, going into the hills for fortydays.

When Jesus returned in mid-February, John knew that the re-sponsibility for the coming kingdom no longer rested with him.His preaching changed into an expression of mercy toward thecommon people and a denouncement of corrupt political and re-ligious rulers. In June, Herod Antipas had John arrested.

John was imprisoned for a year and a half. He was lonely andsometimes bitter. A group of his disciples who came to visit ex-pressed wonderment that Jesus didn’t try to save John. In responseto their concerns John said, “isman can do nothing unless it hasbeen given him by his Father in heaven. You well remember that Isaid, ’I am not the Messiah, but I am one sent on before to preparethe way for him.’ And that I did. He who has the bride is the bride-groom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands near�by andhears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. is,my joy, therefore is ful lled. Hemust increase but I must decrease.I am of this earth and have declaredmymessage. Jesus of Nazarethcomes down to the earth from heaven and is above us all. e Sonof Man has descended from God, and the words of God he willdeclare to you.” John was amazed because he understood that hehad spoken a prophecy. Never again did he doubt the divinity ofJesus.

Jesus loved John. He knew that John’s life’s work was nished,and that great things were in store for John once he departed thisworld. Jesus restrained himself from interfering in the course ofthe great preacher’s end.

John remained in prison because Herod feared releasing John


almost as much as he feared putting him to death. But Herod’sunlawful wife, Herodias, hated John. One night, during a feast forHerod’s birthday, Herodias’s daughter danced for Herod. He wasso enchanted with her that he promised her anything she asked.Aer seeking counsel from her mother, the daughter asked forJohn’s head on a platter. John’s life on earth ended that night.

136. BAPTISM AND THE FORTY DAYSFollowing his baptism, Jesus went into seclusion for forty days.

He was now fully aware of his relationship to the universe, and re-called Immanuel’s instructions concerning the bestowal mission.While Jesus was in seclusion, Gabriel appeared to him to discussthe welfare of the local universe. He was accompanied by the Con-stellation Father of Edentia who informed Jesus that he was nowat liberty to terminate his incarnation.

Aer Jesus’ celestial visitors le he planned for his remainingdays on earth. Jesus decided not to teach until John’s work wasnished. He reviewed Immanuel’s instructions and pondered the

methods of ministry open to him. Jesus realized that situationsmight arise in his public career in which his concern for the planetcould con ict with his Father’s desire for an illustration of the idealmortal life. He decided that if he had to choose between these two,he would subordinate his own wishes to the will of his Father.

ree days aer Jesus secluded himself in the hills, he was givena vision of the assembled hosts of seraphim and other celestial be-ings who had been sent to serve him. Twelve legions of seraphim,nearly sixmillion angels, awaited his command. Jesus decided thathe would not use them unless it was evident that it was his Father’swill.


Jesus made a conscious decision not to transcend natural law toobtain personal necessities or to prevent his own untimely death.Neither would he use superhuman power to win favour for his sav-ingmessage. Jesus decided that he would not allow his followers tothink of him as the Messiah, and that he would remain completelysubject to the Father’s will in all matters.

Jesus did not intend to use miracles or wonders to win peopleto his message. He knew the Jewish people were expecting a Mes-siah who could perform miracles, but Jesus refused to prostitutehis divine powers. Miracle-working might have grati ed the Jews,but would not have been a revelation of the heavenly Father. Jesuschose to establish the kingdom of heaven by the natural, ordinary,and difficult methods that all humans must use in their work ofexpanding the kingdom.

137. TARRYING TIME IN GALILEEIn February, 26 AD, Jesus chose Andrew as his rst apostle. At

Andrew’s suggestion, Simon Peter became the second apostle. Je-sus welcomed Simon, saying, “I admonish you to become morethoughtful in your speech. I would change your name to Peter.”

Meanwhile James and John, sons of Zebedee, returned from afutile search for the Master in the hills of Pella. When they heardJesus had chosen his rst associates in their absence they were up-set. Jesus admonished them, “You should learn to search for thesecret of the new kingdom in your hearts and not in the hills.” Heasked them to be of good cheer and to prepare to accompany theother men into Galilee.

e next morning, this small band of men started on their jour-ney. On the road to Galilee they met Philip of Bethsaida and his


friend Nathaniel. Peter consulted with Philip, urging him to offerhis services to Jesus. Philip, having been on his way to visit Johnthe Baptist, was unsure of what to do. He decided to let Jesus de-cide the matter. “Teacher, shall I go down to John or shall I joinmy friends who follow you?” And Jesus answered, “Follow me.”Philip then presented Nathaniel to Jesus, and Nathaniel was like-wise welcomed into apostleship.

e group crossed the Jordan river and reached Nazareth latethat evening. e next day, the apostles went to Cana to preparefor a wedding feast, while Jesus visited his family and the Zebedeesin Capernaum.

His mother and friends suspected that Jesus would soon an-nounce that he was the Messiah. In spite of Jesus’ warnings to tellno one about him, they quietly spread the news that somethingwas about to happen. As a result, more than four times the num-ber of invited guests showed up in Cana for the wedding of Naomiand Johab.

Jesus became aware that the people at the wedding were expect-ing something of him, and he was especially concerned that hisfamily and apostles seemed to be waiting for a sign. Early in theaernoon, Mary and James frankly asked Jesus to tell them howhe was going to demonstrate his power to the wedding guests. Je-sus, disappointed and indignant, replied, “If you love me, then bewilling to tarry with me while I wait upon the will of my Fatherwho is in heaven.” He gathered his apostles and told them, “inknot that I have come to this place to work some wonder for thegrati cation of the curious.”

Later that evening, the mother of the bridegroom con ded toMary that thewine supply for thewedding feast was running short.


Mary asked Jesus to help, but Jesus said, “What have I to do withthat?” Mary told him that she had promised to get him to help.When Jesus replied that she shouldn’t have promised such a thing,Mary began to cry.

Jesus, trying to comfort Mary, said, “Grieve not. Most gladlywould I do what you ask ofme if it were a part of the Father’s will—.” Jesus stopped, suddenly realizing that something had happened.e moment Jesus desired to ful ll his mother’s request, his wishwas implemented by the unseen celestial personalities accompa-nying him. Wine appeared in the water jugs.

Jesuswasmore surprised than anyone by the appearance ofwineat the wedding feast. roughout his subsequent career, he tried tokeep his guard up against such events, but many similar wondershappened during his life on earth.

Jesus and his apostles le early the next morning for Caper-naum. On the way, Jesus tried to describe the nature of his missionon earth. He told his men not to talk about how he had turnedwater into wine. As Jesus tried to explain his mission, he began torealize that their idea of a Jewish Messiah was so set that he wouldnot be able to dissuade them from it. He decided to leave this prob-lem to the Father.

Jesus and his six apostles stayed in Capernaum for four months,working during the day and spending three hours each eveningpreparing for their future work. is time of waiting tested theapostles’ patience; absolutely nothing miraculous happened. AsJesus instructed them night aer night, they began to know eachother well.

In June Jesus preached at the synagogue in Capernaum. He toldthe crowd that when he nished his work on earth, the Spirit of


Truth would come to all people, both Jew and gentile. Jesus ex-plained that his kingdom was not of this world, and that his fol-lowers needed to have the faith of children to gain admission. Heannounced, “And whatever it shall cost you in the things of theworld, no matter what price you may pay to enter the kingdom ofheaven, you shall receive manyfold more of joy and spiritual prog-ress in this world, and in the age to come eternal life.”

All who heard him speak that day were astonished. One thirdbelieved him even though they could not completely comprehend,one third rejected his spiritual concept of the kingdom, and onethird thought he was mentally unbalanced.

138. TRAINING THE KINGDOM’S MESSENGERSIn June, 26 AD, Jesus sent the apostles out for two weeks. Each

apostle was asked to invite one other man to join the group andto speak personally with people about the kingdom. e apostlesbegan to sense the spiritual hunger in people and learn the valueof personal contact. Meanwhile, Jesus visited with his family inNazareth.

When they returned, each man proposed his candidate for thegroup. Andrew selectedMatthewLevi, Philip choseomasDidy-mus, James Zebedee invited James Alpheus, John Zebedee choseJudas Alpheus, Peter chose Simon Zelotes, and Nathaniel invitedJudas Iscariot. Jesus personally called the new apostles to theirwork.

Arrangements were made for the apostles to live in the Zebe-dees’ house in Capernaum while they spent a week in training. Byday, the six new apostles learned from the original six, and eachevening all learned together from Jesus. For the next ve months,


the apostles went out in pairs, alternating personal ministry withshing. Jesus divided his time among the six pairs of apostles. In

January, 27 AD, Jesus formally ordained the twelve as preachersand ambassadors of the kingdom.

is was a period of quiet ministry and growth. e apostleshad trouble understanding much that Jesus taught because theyinsisted on trying to t his teachings into their old religious be-liefs. ey were shocked by his treatment of women as equals inspiritual matters. Judas Iscariot was unsatis ed with Jesus’ lack ofaction in the imprisonment of John the Baptist. e six originalapostles complained when they heard that the newer six would begranted equal status. All questioned Jesus about how he was goingto establish the kingdom, and what positions each of them wouldhave.

Jesus instructed the apostles to portray the revelation of the Fa-ther’s lovewithout being sidetracked into preaching about him. Heasked them to seek sinners and to comfort the downhearted. Jesustried to convince the apostles that his kingdomwas a spiritual one,rather than a rule of power and glory on earth.

Jesus taught the apostles about forgiveness of sin through faith,without penance or sacri ce. Jesus wanted them to have the per-sonal experience and assurance of God’s indwelling love and grace.e apostles learned that Jesus had a profound respect for everyhuman being he met; nothing was so important to him as the in-dividual person who happened to be in his presence. ey did notcomprehend Jesus’ teachings completely, but they truly believedin him.

e common people marveled at the teachings of Jesus and hisapostles. ey had been told by rabbis that ignorant people could


not be pious or righteous, but Jesus’ apostles disproved this.

139. THE TWELVE APOSTLESAndrew, the rst chosen apostle, was chairman of the group. He

was thirty three years old when Jesus called him, the oldest of allthe apostles. Andrew was a good administrator, efficient at per-sonal ministry but never an effective preacher. He got along wellwith his brother Simon Peter, but was quite unlike him in tem-perament. Of all the apostles, Andrew was the best judge of peo-ple. He had a knack for discovering hidden talents. He was even-tempered, stable, and logical. Andrew died by cruci xion aerbringing many thousands in Armenia, Asia Minor, and Macedo-nia into the kingdom.

Peterwasmarriedwith three childrenwhen he joined the group.He was an impulsive optimist, and oen caused trouble by speak-ing thoughtlessly. He was a natural speaker- uent, eloquent anddramatic. Peter asked more questions of Jesus than all the otherapostles put together. He is described as “one of the most inex-plicable combinations of courage and cowardice that ever lived onearth.” Peter was a loyal friend, but he feared ridicule. He didmorethan any of the other apostles to establish the kingdom aer Jesus’death; he was a saving light to thousands of people. Peter’s wifebecame a member of the women’s corps and was thrown to thebeasts in the arena the same day that Peter was cruci ed in Rome.

James Zebedee was married and had four children when Jesuschose him. He, John, and Peter were assigned to be the personalcompanions of Jesus. James was an exceptional public speaker andof all the apostles came the closest to grasping the importance of


Jesus’ teaching. James was a well-balanced thinker. He was mod-est, undramatic and unpretentious. e rst apostle to be put todeath, he was killed by Herod Agrippa. When death came, Jamesbore himself with such grace that Herod’s informer against Jameswas inspired to join Jesus’ disciples.

John Zebedee, the youngest of the twelve, was twenty four whenhe joined. John was dependable and faithful. His gospel revealshow the concept of love became dominant in his life. John wasconceited but usually concealed this trait. He was somewhat big-oted and intolerant of people he considered beneath himself. Johnhad courage unmatched by the other apostles-he followed Jesusthroughout the night of his arrest. He was the rst apostle to be-lieve in the resurrection, and the rst to recognize Jesus in his mo-rontia form. John married his brother James’ widow. He was im-prisoned several times, and wrote the book of Revelation while inexile on the isle of Patmos. John died a natural death at Ephesuswhen he was 101 years old.

Philip was married when he joined the apostles. He was me-thodical, tenacious, and thorough; he was appointed the stewardof the group. Philip’s weakest trait was his lack of imagination. Hiseffectiveness lay in his habit of showing people what he meant; healways said, “Come and I will show you” rather than, “Go and see.”Philip’s wife was a fearless member of the women’s corps; as Philipwas dying, she stood at the foot of his cross encouraging him, andwhen his strength failed she continued to preach until irate Jewsstoned her to death.

When Nathaniel joined the apostles he was twenty- ve and un-married. Honest and sincere, Nathaniel moved easily betweenphilosophy and humor. He was the best storyteller of the apos-


tles. In spite of a tendency toward prejudice, Nathaniel got alongwell with everyone except Judas Iscariot. His apostolic duty was tocare for the families of the twelve and he saw to it that the needs ofeach family were well met. Nathaniel died in India.

Matthew was a married customs collector with four children.He was a good business man and got along well with a variety ofpeople. Matthew was in charge of fundraising for the apostles. Hewaswholeheartedly devoted to the cause of the kingdom. Hemadeextensive notes on Jesus’ talks, and these notes later became thebasis of the narrative known as the gospel according to Matthew.e fact that he was a publican caused some consternation amongthe other apostles, but it was a comfort tomany downhearted soulswho had previously regarded themselves as unworthy of religiousconsolation. Aer Jesus died, Matthew traveled north, preachingand baptizing until he was put to death in race.

omas was twenty-nine and married, with four children.omas was logical, somewhat skeptical, and courageously loyal.He possessed the one truly analytical mind of the twelve. He waspessimistic and somewhat quarrelsome, tending toward suspicion.He was also honest and un inchingly loyal. omas’ task was tomanage the itinerary, and he did this well. He was cautious, but ifhis conservative votewas overruled, he fearlessly supported the de-cision of the group. Aer Jesus’ death, omas traveled to Cyprus,Crete, and North Africa, and was put to death in Malta.

James and Judas Alpheus were twenty-six-year-old twin sher-men when they were called. ey were almost identical physically,mentally, and spiritually. James and Judas understood little of thediscussions of the apostles, but they rejoiced to be among such agroup of men. ey were the chief ushers during the preaching


tours and helped Philip and Nathaniel with their work. e ac-ceptance of these two men into the corps was a great encourage-ment to the common people of the time. James and Judas couldnot comprehend Jesus’ teachings but they did experience his spir-itual nature. e twins were good-natured, simple-minded, andwell loved by the other apostles. Aer Jesus died they returned totheir families and their shing nets.

Judas Iscariot was unmarried and unemployed when he came tothe apostles. He was the most well educated of the twelve, and theonly Judean. Judas was appointed treasurer, a duty that he ful lledefficiently and honestly. He was a good business man, discharginghis duties with tact and patience. Judas was oen critical of Jesusand the other apostles in his own mind. He was never able to riseabove his prejudice against Galileans. Judas had exaggerated ideasof self-importance; he was a poor loser.

For Jesus, Judas was a “faith adventure.” By accepting Judas ashis associate, Jesus demonstrated tomortals of all worlds thatwhendoubt exists about the sincerity of a creature’s devotion to God, theuniverse practice is to give the person every bene t of the doubt.To the very end, Jesus tried to transform Judas’ weak spirituality, toprevent him from going the wrong way. Judas brooded over imag-ined slights and personal disappointments and became steeped insuspicion and malice. Aer Judas betrayed Jesus, he experienceda moment of regret before committing suicide.

140. THE ORDINATION OF THE TWELVEHaving selected his apostolic corps, Jesus called the apostles to-

gether in the highlands north of Capernaum to formally present


them to God as messengers of his kingdom. What is known to-day as the “Sermon on the Mount” is a fragmented recollection ofJesus’ ordination speech to the twelve that day. Jesus advised hisapostles that all things essential to their eternal survival would besecure if they rst found the kingdom of God. Jesus told them thatwhosoever wished to become great in the kingdom should servehis brothers, and that men would know them not by the wordsthey spoke but by the lives they lived. He asked them to think ofthemselves not as men among men, but as enlightened citizens ofa heavenly country among the ignorant creatures of a dark world.

During the following week the apostles prepared for their pend-ing public ministry, teaching by day and holding private confer-ences by night. Jesus constantly repeated the two great motives ofthe upcomingmission: to reveal God to people, and to lead peopleto realize that they are the children of God.

Toward the end of the week Jesus gave special instruction to Pe-ter, James, and John. He taught that to trust in the overcare of theFather was not the same as passive fatalism. He quoted the scrip-tures, saying, “He who will not work shall not eat.” He told themto abandon anxiety and worry, but not prudence and forethought.He said that while individuals should not resist evil, civil govern-ment must sometimes employ force in the interest of social order.He made it clear that his instructions applied only to individualsand not to the state or society.

Jesus taught his followers to feed the poor, but admonished themthat indiscriminate kindness is the cause of many social evils. Heexalted family life as the highest human duty but counseled thatfamily should not interfere with religious obligations. Jesus did notconcentrate on relieving social, political, or economic problems.


He worked to perfect men’s spiritual life to enable them to morecompetently solve their own human problems. Jesus taught thatmorality rises not from human nature, but from the relationshipbetween man and God. He asked his followers to show fatherlylove rather than brotherly love.

141. BEGINNING THE PUBLIC WORKIn January, AD27, Jesus and the apostles le Bethsaida to set out

on their public ministry. A crowd arrived to see them off and wishthem well. Just as the apostles prepared to leave, they noticed thatJesus was missing, and Andrew set off in search of him. He foundJesus alone on the beach, weeping. Andrew asked, “Which of ushas offended you?” Jesus replied, “I am saddened only becausenone of my father Joseph’s family have remembered to come overto bid us Godspeed.”

Over one hundred believers desired to accompany the groupbut, knowing that Herod would soon take notice of them, Jesusasked them not to. Jesus and his men traveled to Pella, where theyspent two weeks, preaching by day and conferring each evening.

e apostles spent the next three weeks at Amathus. Andreworganized a system by which ten apostles worked each day whiletwo rested. e apostles taught twice daily and Jesus preached onSabbath aernoons. Peter, James and John did most of the preach-ing. Philip, Nathaniel, omas, and Simon did personal work andconducted smaller classes. Andrew, Matthew and Judas did gen-eral management as well as religious work. During this rst yearthe apostles spent much time working with followers of John theBaptist.


At the end of February, the group journeyed to the Jordan River.ey worked for four weeks in Bethany and Jericho. e apostlesconcentrated on Jesus’ request to minister to the sick and discov-ered that their message not only comforted sick people but alsohealed them. Aer visiting Lazarus in Bethany for several days,Jesus and the apostles traveled to celebrate the Passover in Jerusa-lem.

During these months, Jesus taught the apostles to recognize thedifferences between diseases of the body, diseases of themind, andpossessions by evil spirits. He knew the difference between spiritpossessions and insanity, but it was not possible to make this mat-ter fully understandable to the apostles. Jesus promised them thatonce he had ascended to the Father, evil spirits would never againbe able to molest humans.

Jesus never tired of teaching the apostles; whenhe failed to reachthemwith one illustration, he would try again with a different way.Repeatedly he warned the apostles against formulating creeds andtraditions as a means of guiding or controlling believers. Jesustried to convince his disciples that they should live in such a waythat people would become conscious of the kingdom by seeing itoperating in their lives.

Jesus tried to explain to the apostles that his mission was notjust to set an example for people on our planet, but to demon-strate a standard of life for all people on all worlds in the universe.He taught the attainment of salvation by faith alone. Jesus offeredspiritual joy and divine communion in this world, and eternal lifeof spiritual progress in the next. He taught, “God is your Father,and religion-my gospel-is nothing more nor less than the believ-ing recognition of the truth that you are his son.” Jesus didn’t ask


his followers to think alike; he came to proclaim spiritual libertyand to empower individuals to live with originality and freedombefore God. He did not desire that social harmony be purchasedby sacri cing spiritual originality.

142. THE PASSOVER AT JERUSALEMDuring themonth of April, 27 AD, Jesus and the apostles taught

daily in the temple in Jerusalem. ey worked personally withpeople who later carried the gospel to other areas of the Romanempire and the East.

A Jewish trader, Jacob, asked Jesus to explain the difference be-tween the angry God described by Moses and the loving God ofJesus. Jesus said, “When your children are very young and imma-ture, and when you must chastise them, they may re ect that theirfather is angry and lled with resentful wrath. eir immaturitycannot penetrate beyond the punishment to discern the father’sfarseeing and corrective affection. But when these same childrenbecome grown-up men and women, would it not be folly for themto cling to these earlier and misconceived notions regarding theirfather? ...And should not mankind, as the centuries pass, comethe better to understand the true nature and loving character ofthe Father in heaven?”

Jesuswas invited to visit the home of awealthyGreek JewnamedFlavius. Flavius had collected many works of art and was nervousabout inviting the Master because he feared Jesus would take of-fense at them. Instead, Jesus showed great interest in the art. Sens-ing Flavius’s discomfort, Jesus said, ”Why should you expect to berebuked? Moses’ children have misunderstood him, and now dothey make false gods of even his prohibitions of images and the


likeness of things in heaven and on earth... I declare that in thecoming kingdom they shall no longer teach, ’Do not worship thisand do not worship that’; no longer shall they concern themselveswith commands to refrain from this and take care not to do that;but rather shall all be concerned with one supreme duty. And thisduty of man is expressed in two great privileges: sincere worshipof the In nite Creator, the Paradise Father, and loving service be-stowed on one’s fellowmen. If you love your neighbour as you loveyourself, you really know that you are a son of God.”

A man from Damascus asked how he could know for certainthat Jesus was sent by God; Jesus said that his message and hisdisciples should be judged by their fruits. Nicodemus, a memberof the Sanhedrin, requested a private conference with the Master,during which Jesus said that children of God are born again, ”bornof the spirit.” Nicodemus asked, ”How can a man be born againwhen he is old?” Jesus spoke of entering the spiritual kingdom,saying, ”at which is born of the esh is esh, and that which isborn of the spirit is spirit.”

Jesus taught the apostles that the concept of ”kingdom” was notthe best way to illustrate a person’s relationship with God. He em-ployed suchwords because the Jewish peoplewere expecting a newkingdom to appear. Jesus told them that the people of other ageswould better understand the gospel presented in terms expressiveof a true family, founded on:

1. e fact of existence.2. Security and pleasure.3. Education and training.4. Discipline and restraint.


5. Companionship and loyalty.6. Love and mercy.7. Provision for the future.By the end of April the opposition to Jesus in Jerusalem was so

strong that he decided to go south to work in Bethlehem and He-bron. No public preaching was done. During part of this time,Jesus visited with Abner in the Nazarite colony. By the rst weekof June, the mood in Jerusalem had quieted down enough that theapostles returned. Jesus and the apostles lived in tents in the gar-den of Gethsemane for the entire month of June, never preachingpublicly. ey spent their weekends with Lazarus in Bethany.

e Jerusalem Jewish leaders saw that Jesus did no publicpreaching and decided to leave him alone. At the end of June,Simon, an in uential member of the Sanhedrin, espoused Jesus’teachings publicly. A new agitation against the Master sprang up.Jesus and the apostles le Jerusalem for Samaria.

143. GOING THROUGH SAMARIAJesus and his apostles spent the month of July near Bethel,

Arimathea, and amna. During the rst half of August, theypreached in the Greek cities of Archelais and Phasaelis. Here theyhad their rst experience with a group that was almost exclusivelyRoman, Greek, and Syrian, and the apostles met with new objec-tions to theMaster’s teachings. ese gentiles told the apostles thatJesus’ words were t only for weaklings and slaves.

Jesus said, ”Do you, my chosen apostles, resemble weaklings?Did John look like a weakling? Do you observe that I am enslavedby fear? e Paradise ascent is the supreme adventure of all time,


the rugged achievement of eternity. e service of the kingdom onearth will call for all the courageous manhood that you and yourcoworkers can muster. You are the rst volunteers of a long line ofsincere believers in the gospel of this kingdom who will astonishall mankind by their heroic devotion to these teachings.”

It was mid-August when the apostles set out for the city of Sy-char in Samaria. It was a test of loyalty for the apostles to visitSamaria, as there had been bad blood between Jews and Samari-tans for more than six hundred years. During this trip the apostleslearned to overcome much of their prejudice against Samaritans.

At Jacob’s well near Sychar, Jesus encountered a woman namedNalda. During this conversation Jesus told Nalda, ”You have re-ceived that living water, and a new joy will spring up within yoursoul, and you shall become a daughter of the Most High.” atevening Nalda brought a crowd from Sychar to hear Jesus speakabout self-mastery as the measure of spiritual development.

e apostles never ceased to be shocked by Jesus’ willingness totalk with women. It was difficult for Jesus to convince them thateven so-called immoral women possessed souls and could becomedaughters of God.

144. AT GILBOA AND IN THE DECAPOLISJesus and the apostles spent September andOctober in seclusion

on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. John the Baptist was still impris-oned, and Herod was suspicious of the relationship between Johnand Jesus. Jesus spent this time working quietly, rehearsing theapostles, allowing opposition to die down, and awaiting the fate ofJohn.


e theme of discussions in September centered around prayerand worship. e apostles knew that Jesus did not approve of for-mal prayers or public prayer, yet believers frequently asked to betaught how to pray. Jesus shared the prayer he had taught his sib-lings in Nazareth:

Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Yourkingdom come; your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our bread for tomorrow; Refresh our souls withthe water of life. And forgive us every one our debts As we alsohave forgiven our debtors. Save us in temptation, deliver us fromevil, And increasingly make us perfect like yourself.

Jesus taught that prayer should be personal, spontaneous, andpersistent- ”the breath of the soul.” e apostles learned to pray insolitude. Prayer is a technique of detachment from the daily rou-tine of life and oen leads to worship. Effective prayer should beunsel sh, believing, sincere, intelligent, and trustful. e earnestrepetition of any petition sincerely uttered in faith, no matter howill�advised, never fails to expand the soul’s capacity for spiritualreceptivity.

Around the rst of October, Philip met some of John’s apostlesat the villagemarket. e two groups arranged a three�weekmeet-ing at the Gilboa camp. During the rst week, Jesus stayed andlistened to the deliberations of the twenty-four men but refrainedfrom advising them about the issues they grappled with.

During this conference, the twenty-four believers reached sev-eral agreements together. ey decided to teach believers the newprayer that Jesus had suggested. ey agreed that as long as Johnlived, joint meetings would be held every three months, and thatonly the apostles of John would baptize believers. If and when


John died, the apostles of Johnwould follow Jesus, and both groupswould then use baptism as a symbol of the divine Spirit.

e apostles le the Gilboa camp early in November, work-ing quietly in the Greek cities of Scythopolis, Gerasa, Abila, andGadara. John the Baptist was executed in January. When messen-gers brought news to Jesus about the death of John, he called thetwenty-four together and said, ”ehour has come to proclaim thekingdom openly and with power. Tomorrow we go into Galilee.”

145. FOUR EVENTFUL DAYS AT CAPERNAUMJesus and the apostles returned to the Zebedee’s home in Caper-

naum in preparation for their rst public tour in Galilee. At thesynagogue that week, Jesus preached about religion as a personalexperience. He said that the approach to God should be attemptedas a child of God, rather than as a child of Israel. e people of Ca-pernaumwere astonished at how Jesus taught as onewith authorityrather than as a scribe.

At the end of this particular sermon, a man suffered an epilep-tic attack. Jesus took the man’s hand just as he began to recover.e inaccurate report spread that Jesus had cast a demon out ofthe man, healing him. at same aernoon, Jesus visited Peter’smother-in-law, who was sick with a fever and chills. It happenedthat her fever broke just at the time when Jesus was with her. eapostles saw this coincidence as another miracle, and spread thenews to the people of the city.

By the time Jesus sat down to dinner, all of Capernaum wasstirring. Scores of afflicted people made their way to the Zebe-dee home in Bethsaida. Peter’s wife heard voices in the front yard,and saw the large company assembling. A voice from the crowd


called, ”Master, speak the word, restore our health, heal our dis-eases, and save our souls.” Peter asked Jesus to heed their cry, andJesus replied that if it were thewill of his Father in heaven, hewoulddesire to see the afflicted made whole. In that instant, all six hun-dred and eighty-three people were healed.

Of all who witnessed this healing, Jesus was the most surprised.e apostles were overjoyed; to them this was possibly the great-est day in their time spent with the Master. Jesus was disturbed bywhat had happened and refused to be congratulated. e majorityof those who were healed that evening were not permanently up-lied spiritually by this display of mercy. Miracles were not part ofJesus’ plan. ey were incidental occurrences that happened be-cause a divine beingwith almost unlimited creative powers lived inthe esh. Jesus was so distressed that he couldn’t sleep. He didn’twish to avoid physical healing altogether, but he knew that teach-ing and religious training were more important. e Master roseearly the next morning and went into the hills to pray for wisdomand judgment. Peter, James, and John went searching for Jesus.When they found him, they asked him to tell them why he wastroubled. e Master spent more than four hours explaining thereasons why the kingdom of God could not be based on wonder-working and physical healing, but the apostles could not under-stand him.

Meanwhile, crowds of afflicted people and curiosity-seekers hadgathered at the Zebedee home, clamouring to see Jesus. Andrewwent in search of Jesus to ask him to work with the new crowd, butJesus refused to return to the house. e crowd was dismissed andthe apostles prepared for travel.

e apostles were saddened to leave the interestedmultitudes in


Capernaum. Peter believed that one thousand believerswere readyto be baptized, butomas said, ”eMaster has spoken. Nomat-ter if we cannot fully comprehend the mysteries of the kingdom ofheaven, of one thing we are certain: We follow a teacher who seeksno glory for himself.”

146. FIRST PREACHING TOUR OF GALILEEe rst public preaching tour in Galilee lasted for almost two

months. One of the remarkable events of this tour took place atJotapata, where Jesus spoke to the apostles about prayer and wor-ship. Jesus taught that:

Prayer doesn’t change God’s attitude toward man, but changesman’s attitude toward God.

Praying for people cannot replace ministering to their needs.Prayers of thanksgiving are appropriate for groups, but personal

prayers should be made privately.Believers should pray for the extension of the kingdom and the

spiritual progress of others, but should avoid materialistic prayers.Prayer helps increase the capacity for the presence of divine

spirit.One day in the city of Iron, a man approached Jesus and asked

to be healed of his leprosy. Since lepers were forbidden to engagein public worship, this man believed he could not be close to Godunless he was cured. Jesus cured him. He asked that the man tellno one, but theman immediately spread theword of his cure. Sucha crowd of sick people gathered that Jesus was forced to leave thecity.

In Cana aman named Titus came to Jesus and asked him to curehis son. Jesus said, ”e power of God is in your midst, but except


you see signs and behold wonder, you refuse to believe.” But Tituspleaded until Jesus assured him that his son would live. e manreturned home to nd his son recovering. Titus and his familybelieved incorrectly that they had witnessed one of the Master’smiracles.

Jesus le Cana to travel to Nain. On the way he met a funeralprocession bearing the son of awidow. Jesus examined the boy andsaid, ”Your son is not dead; he sleeps.”When the boy sat up and be-gan to talk, the villagers thought another miracle had taken place.No matter how Jesus tried to explain to them that the boy hadnever been dead, they would not listen. Word traveled throughGalilee and Judea that Jesus had raised this boy from the dead.

147. THE INTERLUDE VISIT TO JERUSALEMJesus and the apostles traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the

Passover in April, 28 AD. ey set up camp in Gethsemane andmoved between there and Bethany to avoid crowds of followers.e apostles were somewhat restless.

John brought Jesus to a nearby hot spring reputed to cure thesick of everything that ailed them. John hoped that Jesus, seeingthe sick people there, would feel compassion for them, work amir-acle, and win Jerusalem to the gospel. Again, Jesus attempted toexplain to John that wonders and miracles were no substitute forteaching the gospel.

at same evening, Nathaniel asked Jesus to teach them howthe golden rule could be applied universally. Nathaniel used theexample of a lustful man, asking ”How can we teach that this evil-intending man should do to others as he would they should do to


him?” e apostles disappointed Jesus because they failed to in-terpret his teachings from the spiritual perspective. He describedthe levels of application of the golden rule, from the lowest level ofthe esh, through the levels of feelings, mind, brotherly love, andmorality. Spiritually interpreted, the golden rule means that weshould treat others as we believe God would treat them.

A wealthy Pharisee, Simon, invited Jesus to his home for a meal.e Pharisee custom was to leave the doors open when they en-tertained so beggars could come in for food. During this dinner,a new convert to the kingdom, a former brothel owner, came inand stood behind Jesus as he ate. She had brought a ask of lotionwith which to anoint his feet, and as she did so, she began to kisshis feet and weep with gratitude. Simon thought to himself thatif Jesus were really a prophet, he would know what a sinner thiswoman was.

Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and said, ”A certainwealthy moneylender had two debtors. e one owed him vehundred denarii and the other y. Now, when neither of themhad wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them doyou think, Simon, would love himmost?” In the ensuing discourse,Jesus described how those who have themost sins forgivenmay beled to love Godmost deeply. God is available to everyone who sin-cerely seeks Him, even the most humble sinner.

Jewish leaders in Jerusalem wanted to be rid of Jesus. ey triedto get Herod to arrest him, but Herod refused. e priests thensent six spies to follow Jesus so they could gather evidence of blas-phemy, a crime that could be tried by the Sanhedrin themselves.

e spies soonwitnessed an infraction against Jewish law. Someof the apostles had plucked ripe grain from the roadside and eaten


it. e spies told Jesus that harvesting grain was the same as work-ing on the Sabbath. Jesus pointed out that the Sabbath was madefor man, not man for the Sabbath. ”If you are here present withus to watch my words, then will I openly proclaim that the Son ofMan is lord even of the Sabbath.” e spies were confounded.

Jesus and the apostles traveled to Bethsaida by boat, trying toescape the crowd that followed them. By the next day, the spieshad caught up with them. One evening in Bethsaida, one of thespies asked Jesus why he did not insist his disciples fast and prayas the Pharisees and John the Baptist taught. Jesus replied thatpraying is natural for the children of God but fasting is not. ”Mydisciples show wisdom in that they do not bring too much of theold order over into the new teaching of the gospel of the kingdomof heaven... the sons of God shall experience freedom from fear,and joy in the divine spirit.” Jesus taught that it was faith thatmakesman secure with God, not afflictions of the body or fasting. It isright that old truth should be kept and new falsehood rejected, butone must also have the courage to accept new truth.

148. TRAINING EVANGELISTS AT BETHSAIDABetween May and October, 28 AD, Jesus and the apostles ran a

camp for prospective evangelists in Bethsaida. David Zebedee wascamp supervisor and Peter was in charge of the school. e apos-tles taught groups of trainees in the morning, and the trainees andapostles together taught visitors in the aernoons. Several thou-sand people attended this camp during the ve months it existed.

While in Bethsaida, Jesus spent much of his time in the hills”about his Father’s business.” e apostles taught their own per-


sonal interpretations of the Master’s truth, which Jesus harmo-nized during his weekly instructions.

One evening Jesus de ned evil, sin, and iniquity. Evil is unin-tentional transgression of divine law and a measure of human im-perfection. Sin is the deliberate transgression of the Father’s will-ameasure of unwillingness to be led. Iniquity is persistent trans-gression of divine law.

Nathaniel asked why God permits afflictions. Jesus explainedthat God does not send afflictions to men, but that our world hasbeen upset by sins of those disloyal to God. He said people bringa lot of unnecessary pain to themselves by refusing to heed the di-vine will. Humans suffer from the accidents of time and from im-maturity. God never sends afflictions as arbitrary punishment forwrongdoing, neither does material wealth indicate God’s favour.

One day while Jesus was speaking in the synagogue, the leaderof the Pharisee spies convinced amanwith a deformed hand to askJesus whether it was lawful for him to heal on the Sabbath. Jesusasked whether this man would rescue a sheep that fell into a piton the Sabbath. e man said yes. e audience agreed. Jesusthen looked at the audience and said, ”I know wherefore you havesent this man into my presence. You would nd cause for offensein me if you could tempt me to show mercy on the Sabbath day.””How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! I proclaim thatit is lawful to do good to men on the Sabbath day.” e man washealed.

e angry spies hurried to Tiberias to report this to Herod, butHerod was not interested. is protest against meaningless Sab-bath restrictions was the rst miracle Jesus worked as a direct re-sponse to his enemies.


Meanwhile in Jerusalem, an in uential member of the San-hedrin was publicly baptized in a fountain by Abner. e dona-tion this convert made to the apostolic funds helped launch nearlyone hundred newly trained evangelists from the camp. is con-version caused some consternation in Jerusalem among Jesus’ en-emies. Messengers set out to bring the six spies home.

During the nal days of the camp, a paralyzedman sought heal-ingwhile theMaster was teaching in the Zebedee home. ehousewas so crowded that the man’s friends could not get him into theroom. ey climbed a ladder onto the roof, lied the man up withthem, removed some roof tiles, and lowered theman into the roomdirectly in front of theMaster. e paralytic asked for healing, say-ing, ”I am not like those who received healing and immediatelyforgot your teaching. I would be made whole that I might servein the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus, seeing man’s faith, replied, ”Son,fear not; your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you.”

e Pharisees thought this was blasphemy, and began to mur-mur among themselves. Jesus said, ”But that you who witness allthis may nally know that the Son ofMan has authority and poweron earth to forgive sins, I will say to this afflicted man, Arise, takeup your bed, and go to your own house.” e man stood up andwalked out of the room, much to the astonishment of everyonepresent.

At about this time the messengers of the Sanhedrin arrived toinstruct the spies to return to Jerusalem. e leader and two othersreturned, but three of the spies had come to believe in Jesus andwere baptized into the kingdom.


149. THE SECOND PREACHING TOURe second public teaching tour of Galilee began early in Octo-

ber, 28 AD. Each apostle traveled with about a dozen of the newlytrained evangelists. James, John, and Jesus traveled together, ob-serving the work of the new people. It was during this time thatDavid Zebedee started the messenger service that would faithfullyserve Jesus and his disciples as long as Jesus lived.

Jesus’ fame as a healer spread throughout Syria and Palestine.An unexplained healing phenomenon continued throughout therest of Jesus’ life. Scores of people were spontaneously healed eventhough Jesus did not deliberately intend to heal them. ree fac-tors in uenced these cases: strong, living faith in a person whosought healing for spiritual bene ts; the great compassion of Jesus,who possessed nearly unlimited healing powers; and that Jesuswasthe personi ed expression of God’s will on this planet.

During this tour, Jesus taught that anger is a failure of the spiri-tual nature to control the intellectual and physical nature. He dis-cussed the desirability of a well�balanced character. On the sub-ject of happiness, Jesus said that some people are naturally morehappy than others, but much depends on our willingness to be ledby the Spirit. He advised his followers not to look for false peaceand eeting joy, but for faith and the assurance of divine sonshipthat brings supreme joy of the spirit.

One evening, Philip asked Jesus to explain why the scripturescommanded men to fear the Lord, while Jesus taught that menshould love God fearlessly. Jesus answered, ”I have come into theworld to put love in the place of fear, joy in the place of sorrow, con-dence in the place of dread, loving service and appreciative wor-

ship in the place of slavish bondage and meaningless ceremonies.


But it is still true of those who sit in darkness that ’the fear of theLord is the beginning of wisdom.’ But when the light has morefully come, the sons of God are led to praise the In nite for whathe is rather than to fear him for what he does.”

e second preaching tour ended onDecember 30. e evange-lists discussed their experiences with each other in Bethsaida be-fore taking a two-week break.

150. THE THIRD PREACHING TOURDuring the third preaching tour, the evangelists traveled to-

gether in small groups, covering central and southern Galilee.Jesus chose ten women as teachers for this tour: Susanna, the

daughter of the Nazareth chazzan; Joanna, the wife of Herod’ssteward; Elizabeth of Tiberias and Sepphoris; Martha, the sis-ter of Andrew and Peter; Rachel, Jude’s sister-in-law; Nasanta,the daughter of Elman; Milcha, the cousin of omas; Ruth, thedaughter of Matthew Levi; Celta, the daughter of a Roman cen-turion; and Agaman, a widow from Damascus. Later Rebecca,daughter of Joseph of Arimathea, and Mary Magdalene joined thewomen. e women’s corps elected Suzanna as their chief andJoanna as treasurer.

e formation of this group was a shock to the twelve apos-tles. ey had heard Jesus say that all people are equal as sonsand daughters of God, yet they were stunned when he formallycommissioned women as religious teachers. e enemies of Jesusheld this against him, but women everywhere approved of this ac-knowledgment of a woman’s place in religious work.

At Magdala the women demonstrated the wisdom of theirgroup’s existence when they freely entered the ”evil resorts” to


preach to the prostitutes there. It was during one of these visitsthat Martha and Rachel converted Mary Magdalene, who later be-came the most effective preacher in the women’s corps.

Jesus and the apostles traveled to Nazareth. Nazareth hadchanged since Jesus’ boyhood days and many of Jesus’ childhoodfriends were dead or gone. Nazarenes had become increasinglyin uenced by the low moral standards of nearby Sepphoris, andsome resented that Jesus had not done any miracles for them.

On the Sabbath, Jesus spoke in the synagogue on the subject of”Sons and Daughters of God.” Many of the people were pleasedwith his gracious talk, but his disciples were aware of a group ofbelligerent thugs that Jesus’ enemies had hired to cause trouble.Simon Zelotes became angry and the mob became aroused. eygrabbed Jesus and took him to the edge of a hill, intending to pushhim over. At the edge of the cliff, Jesus suddenly turned on his at-tackers, quietly folded his arms, and walked unmolested throughthe mob. Jesus escaped harm, but the episode had a sobering ef-fect on his followers. e apostles began to understand what Jesusmeant when he told them that peace would not always attend theirpreaching.

151. TARRYING AND TEACHING BY THE SEASIDEJesus and his preachers gathered by the sea at Bethsaida, qui-

etly ministering while they waited to travel into Jerusalem for thePassover. It was about this time that Jesus began to employ para-bles. Jesus used parables so those people who wanted the truthcould learn, while his enemies would hear without understand-ing. Parables appeal simultaneously to different levels of intellect


and spirit-they stimulate the imagination, provoke critical think-ing, and promote sympathy without arousing antagonism. Para-bles use material reality to introduce spiritual lessons.

One of Jesus’ rst parables was:”A sower went forth to sow, and it came to pass as he sowed

that some seed fell by the wayside to be trodden underfoot anddevoured by the birds of heaven. Other seed fell upon the rockyplaces where there was little earth, and immediately it sprang upbecause therewas no depth to the soil, but as soon as the sun shone,it withered because it had no root whereby to secure moisture.Other seed fell among the thorns, and as the thorns grew up, itwas choked so that it yielded no grain. Still other seed fell upongood ground and, growing, yielded, some thirtyfold, some sixty-fold, and some a hundredfold.”

e apostles tried to unravel the meaning of Jesus’ parable. Pe-ter came to the conclusion that the parable was an allegory andtried to gure out the meaning of each part. Nathaniel also triedto assign a meaning to each detail but came to a different interpre-tation. omas, remembering that Jesus had warned them not toinvent spiritual applications for every detail, interpreted the para-ble of the sower to mean that no matter how faithfully one teachesthe gospel, degrees of success will vary due to conditions that can-not be controlled.

Jesus commended omas. He reiterated the danger of tryingto make allegories out of parables. Jesus told them that it might bepro table to thus speculate in private, but not to offer such lessonsin public work. Jesus also advised his men to adjust their presen-tations of truth to the hearts and minds of each audience.


enext day Jesus taughtmany other parables, relating the king-dom to a grain ofmustard seed, leaven, a treasure hidden in a eld,a merchant seeking pearls, and a sweep net.

e crowds increased as the week passed. Jesus became wearyanddecided to travel across the sea to rest for a fewdays inKheresa.When the group reached the outskirts of Kheresa, a lunatic namedAmos rushed up to them, saying, ”I am possessed of many devils,and I beseech younot to tormentme.” Jesus tookAmos by the handand told him that he was not possessed, and commanded him tocome out of his spell. Amos was so swayed by Jesus’ words thathe was immediately restored to his right mind. A crowd from thevillage had gathered, as well as some pig herders.

e herders hurried to the village to tell people that Jesus hadcured Amos. Just then, dogs charged an untended herd of swine,driving them over a cliff into the sea. is occurrence promptedthe legend that Jesus cured Amos by casting his devils into theswine. e whole village believed this, and Amos’ belief in thiserroneous tale had much to do with the permanency of his cure.

e next day the swine herders asked the apostles to leave, fear-ing theywould lose toomany pigs if Jesus stayed. Jesus leKheresawithout the much-needed rest he had sought.

152. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE CAPERNAUM CRISISJesus’ reputation as a healer was growing. e apostles and the

common people seemed unable to discern the difference betweentrue miracles and coincidence. Jesus’ attempts to explain his ap-parent miracles as natural phenomenon had little effect, partly be-cause people enjoyed the idea of miracles so much.


e story of Amos’ cure reached Capernaum even before Jesusreturned from Kheresa. A great crowd was waiting for him whenhis boat landed. Jairus, a leader from the Capernaum synagogue,asked Jesus to come to his house because his daughter was close todeath. As Jesus walked to Jairus’s house, he felt a ”living energy”drawn from him. A sick woman in the crowd had touched his hemand was healed of her ailment. Jesus stopped to assure her that itwas her faith, and not the touch of his hem, that had cured her.is miracle was genuine although unintended.

When the group arrived at Jairus’s house, they were informedthat the child was already dead, but Jesus saw that she was onlysleeping. He asked her to arise, which she did. Jesus tried to ex-plain to the family and the apostles that she had only been in acoma, but they all believed he had raised her from the dead. Noth-ing Jesus said could convince them otherwise.

Jesus continued to teach in Capernaum. Soon, he was so tiredthat he instructed his disciples to go home for a week, but half ofhis followers refused to leave. e crowds continued to grow. Jesusand the apostles tried to leave unnoticed. ey went to MagadanPark on the opposite shore of the lake, hoping for a few days rest.Over ve thousand people followed them. A rumor was spreadingthat Jesus had chosen this secluded spot as the place in which hewanted to be crowned king. e crowds refused to leave even aertheir food supplies were depleted.

Jesus decided to feed the people and asked Philip what foodthey had to share. Philip brought him ve loaves of bread and twodried sh. Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, broke the bread, andpassed it to his apostles who distributed it to the multitudes. Hedid the same with the sh. e crowd ate until they were full, and


when they were done, the apostles gathered up the leovers-twelvebaskets full. is was the rst and only nature miracle that Jesusever performed with conscious preplanning. It was a genuine su-pernatural ministration.

e crowds nished eating and began to shout, ”Make himking!” But Jesus said, ”You would make me king, not because yoursouls have been lighted with a great truth, but because your stom-achs have been lled with bread. How many times have I told youthat my kingdom is not of this world? Go hence to your ownhomes. If you must have a king, let the Father of lights be en-throned in the heart of each of you as the spirit Ruler of all things.”

e people were stunned; the apostles were speechless. Of theve thousand who were fed, only ve hundred continued to follow

the Master. Jesus asked Andrew to take the apostles to Bethsaidato pray while he went into the hills to be alone.

When Jesus later rejoined the apostles at Zebedee’s home, hetried to explain once and for all why the kingdom could not beinaugurated with miracle-working.

”And now do you all see that the working of miracles and theperformance of material wonders will not win souls for the spiri-tual kingdom? We fed the multitude, but it did not lead them tohunger for the bread of life neither to thirst for the waters of spir-itual righteousness. When their hunger was satis ed, they soughtnot entrance into the kingdom of heaven but rather sought to pro-claim the Son of Man king aer the manner of the kings of thisworld, only that they might continue to eat bread without havingto toil therefor. And all this, in which many of you did more orless participate, does nothing to reveal the heavenly Father or toadvance his kingdom on earth. Have we not sufficient enemies


among the religious leaders of the land without doing that whichis likely to estrange also the civil rulers? I pray that the Father willanoint your eyes that youmay see and open your ears that youmayhear, to the end that you may have full faith in the gospel which Ihave taught you.”

In April, 29 AD, Jesus and the apostles traveled once again to Je-rusalem for the Passover. ey traveled quietly, dividing into pairsto stay in various homes. During this trip, the apostles learned howbitter the talk against their Master was beginning to turn.

153. THE CRISIS AT CAPERNAUMReturning from Jerusalem to Bethsaida, Jesus seemed preoccu-

pied. e apostles were downhearted. Andrew went to the Caper-naum synagogue to secure permission for Jesus to speak on thefollowing Sabbath day.

More that y Pharisees and Sadducees from Jerusalem gath-ered on the Sabbath in the synagogue along with leaders fromneighbouring synagogues. Jesus, knowing that Jewish leaders in-tended to initiate open opposition to the gospel, took the offensive.Jesus understood that half-hearted followers were going to rejecthim and that his disciples would get the training they needed tofully assert their growing faith in the gospel.

Jesus began his sermon by reading sections ofDeuteronomy andJeremiah about people who didn’t listen to the word of God. Heasked the congregation what signs they needed as evidence of hismission. He berated those who had pursued him looking for mir-acles and would have crowned him king as reward for bread forwhich they had not laboured. Jesus told them they needed to lookfor spiritual food that nourishes eternal life. ”He who comes to me


shall not hunger, while he who believes me shall never thirst. Willyou now take the bread of the spirit as you then so willingly ate thebread of this world?”

When asked why he and the apostles did not wash their handsproperly before they ate, Jesus said, ”It is not that which enters intothe mouth that spiritually de les the man, but rather that whichproceeds out of the mouth and from the heart... Do you not knowit is from the heart that there come forth evil thoughts, wickedprojects of murder, the, and adulteries, together with jealousy,pride, anger, revenge, railings and false witness? And it is just suchthings that de le men, and not that they eat bread with ceremoni-ally unclean hands.”

One of his enemies brought a young man who was possessedand asked if Jesus could cure him. Jesus banished the evil spirit.Immediately the lad behaved normally, and the people marveled.e Pharisee charged that Jesus’ power to cure the lad was fromSatan. Jesus replied, ”How can Satan cast out Satan?” He warnedthem against ascribing works of God to the devil, declaring thatthose who knowingly blasphemed against God would not be for-given.

is meeting lasted for more than three hours. When Jesus n-ished, his somewhat frightened apostles led him home to Beth-saida. ey were amazed at Jesus’ sudden use of such militant tac-tics. Jesus secluded himself while the apostles ate supper.

A little aer midnight Jesus gathered the disciples and tried tocomfort them, saying, ”I realize that this siing of the kingdomdis-tresses you, but it is unavoidable. Why is it that you are lled withfear and consternation when you see the kingdom being divestedof these lukewarm multitudes and these halearted disciples? My


beloved, you must remember that it is the spirit that quickens; theesh and all that pertains thereto is of little pro t. ewordswhich

I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”Jesus fully understood how men prepare themselves for coura-

geous performance during a crisis by the slow process of reiter-ated choosing between the recurring situations of good and evil.He knew that when his followers met the nal test, they wouldmake their decisions in accordance with habitual mental and spir-itual attitudes. Jesus subjected his chosen messengers to repeatedrehearsals in disappointment, and provided them with frequentopportunities for choosing between the right and wrong ways ofmeeting spiritual trials.

154. LAST DAYS AT CAPERNAUMJewish leaders pressured Herod to arrest Jesus, but Herod sent

them away. e Sanhedrin ordered all the synagogues in Palestineclosed to Jesus and his follower. Five members of the Sanhedrinresigned in protest. Although this unprecedented mandate overthe independent congregationswas unusual, all but one synagoguecomplied.

InMay the Jewish leaders tried again to have Herod arrest Jesus.Herod refused, but decreed that the Sanhedrin could seize Jesus onreligious charges and take him to Jerusalem for trial. Meanwhile,Jesus and his disciples rested; no public teaching took place duringthis time.

Citizens of Capernaum gathered to discuss their opinions of Je-sus. A few believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Others thoughthe was a harmless religious fanatic, a dangerous agitator, in league


with the devil, or crazy. is was the lowest point of Jesus’ pop-ularity. When news of Herod’s decree reached Capernaum, Jesusprepared to ee. He called an early morning meeting to give in-structions to the disciples.

Jesus’ family learned of his pending arrest and decided to tryto meet with Jesus to talk some sense into him. Ruth was the onlyperson in Jesus’ earth family who still believed in her brother’smis-sion. e Pharisees had been trying to convince Mary that Jesuswas mad, and she wavered between love and fear. Jesus’ brothersfelt disgraced and embarrassed by him. e family decided thatwhile Joseph kept Ruth quiet, Mary, James and Jude would try todissuade Jesus from his plans.

When the family reached the Zebedee’s house, it was so crowdedthat they could not enter. Not realizing that Jesus’ enemies were sonearby at the time, they waited on the back porch and sent wordto Jesus that they needed to see him.

When Jesus heard they were waiting, he said, ”Say tomymotherand my brothers that they should have no fear for me. e Fatherwho sent me into the world will not forsake me; neither shall anyharm come upon my family. Bid them be of good courage andput their trust in the Father of the kingdom. But, aer all, who ismy mother and who are my brothers? I have no mother; I have nobrothers. Beholdmymother and beholdmy brethren! For whoso-ever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is mymother, my brother, and my sister.”

Jesus nished his message to the disciples, intending to go outto the garden to meet his family privately. But just then a mes-senger arrived warning of the imminent arrival of the authoritiessent from Tiberias to arrest Jesus. Jesus and the apostles hurried


through the front door onto boats and escaped by rowing acrossthe Sea of Galilee to Kheresa. e Jewish authorities arrived soonthereaer and wasted a week looking for Jesus near Capernaum.

155. FLEEING THROUGH NORTHERN GALILEEOnce safely across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sent twelve evange-

lists with Peter to Chorazin while he and the other apostles went toCaesarea-Philippi. Peter’s group taught about the spiritual aspectsof the gospel, but won few new converts.

e apostles held many private meetings with local believers.Although a little depressed about the quiet phase of preaching theyhad entered, the apostles learned much from their daily confer-ences with Jesus. Jesus told them that people can best be taught tolove God by rst being taught to love other people. Jesus saw truereligion as loyalty to one’s highest convictions. Religion lessens thestrain of existence and gives one courage for dealing with daily life.

Aer twoweeks the groups reunited and traveled to the Phoeni-cian coast to avoid their enemies. Over lunch, Jesus discoursed onreligion. He spoke sowell that bymid-aernoon the apostles askedhim to stop walking and tell them more.

Jesus discussed three kinds of religious devotion: primitivereligion-the religion of fear; religion of civilization-established re-ligious authority; and true religion-the religion of the spirit in hu-man experience. He stated that until the world was more fully civ-ilized, superstitious ceremonies would persist; many people wouldcontinue to prefer religions of authority to the faith adventure ofa spiritual quest. Religions of authority provide a haven for thosewho are fearful and uncertain, but they do not provide for the thrillof truth, intellectual discovery, and personal religious experience.


e religion of the spirit means effort, struggle, con ict, faith, de-termination, love, loyalty, and progress.

Jesus asked, ”Are you fearful, so, and ease-seeking? Are youafraid to trust your future in the hands of the God of truth, whosesons you are? Are you distrustful of the Father, whose childrenyou are? Will you go back to the easy path of the certainty andintellectual settledness of the religion of traditional authority, orwill you gird yourselves to go forward with me into that uncertainand troublous future of proclaiming the new truths of the religionof the spirit, the kingdom of heaven in the hearts of men?”

He said, ”I have called upon you to be born again, to be born ofthe spirit. I have called you out of the darkness of authority and thelethargy of tradition into the transcendent light of the realizationof the possibility of making for yourselves the greatest discoverypossible for yourself, in yourself, and of yourself, and of doing allthis as a fact in your own personal experience.”

Jesus explained that God does not reveal Himself to one gen-eration and then withhold himself from the next. All things aresacred in the lives of those who are spirit led, and those who areborn of the spirit can hear God’s word no matter where it appears.Jesus taught the apostles that there are two demonstrations that re-veal a person is God-knowing; rst, the fruits of the spirit evidentin the believer’s daily life, and second, the believer’s willingness torisk everything in the pursuit of God and eternal life.

156. THE SOJOURN AT TYRE AND SIDONJesus and the apostles spent two and a half weeks in Sidon. A

woman, Norana, hearing that Jesus was near, brought her daughter


to be healed. e apostles explained that the Master was restingand could not be disturbed, but Norana refused to leave.

Finally Simon Zelotes chastised her, saying, ”Woman, you are aGreek-speaking gentile. It is not right that you should expect theMaster to take the bread intended for the children of the favouredhousehold and cast it to the dogs.” Norana replied, ”I am only adog in the eyes of the Jews, but as concerns your Master, I am abelieving dog.” As they exchanged words, Norana’s daughter wentinto convulsions.

Norana pleaded with Simon, saying, ”If our need does not im-press you, it would appeal to your Master, who I have been toldloves all men and dares even to heal the gentiles when they be-lieve. You are not worthy to be his disciples. I will not go until mychild has been cured.”

Jesus, hearing this conversation, went outside and said, ”O wo-man, great is your faith, so great that I cannot withhold that whichyou desire; go your way in peace. Your daughter already has beenmade whole.”

Jesus used this woman’s faith to demonstrate to the apostles thateven gentiles could acquire faith. His lesson was driven home dur-ing the next few weeks by the great success the preachers had inwinning converts among the gentile population. Many non-Jewsgrasped the fact that not only was Jesus like God, but that God waslike Jesus.

In Sidon, Jesus’ instructions centered on spiritual progression.He declared that we must either go forward in righteousness orretrogress into sin; that we must not only cease to do evil but mustactively learn to do right.


InTyre, Jesus used a parable about a foolish carpenter to admon-ish men not to waste time measuring and smoothing rotten woodthat later will be rejected as un t for use. He warned against sup-planting one desire for another by sheer will power; saying that weshould develop a love for higher conduct so as to be delivered fromtemptation through spiritual transformation rather than throughsuppression of mortal desires.

Jesus asked his followers to love people who were not easy tolove because those are the people have who have the greatest needfor love. He also advised them to step aside from the rush of life torefresh and renew their spirits in worship.

While Jesus was away from Galilee, opposition to his teachingssubsided. e mandate to shun him from the synagogues back-red; local resentment began to build against the Pharisees and

Sanhedrin. Even Herod Antipas had a change of heart. He sentword that although he had signed a warrant for the arrest of Jesusin Galilee, no such order was in effect in Perea. e Master, freeto travel outside of Galilee, made plans to sojourn near Caesarea-Philippi.

157. AT CAESAREA-PHILIPPIBefore setting out for Caesarea-Phillipi, Jesus and the apostles

camped again at Magadan Park. Believers, evangelists, and thewomen’s corps came in from Capernaum for a conference duringwhich it was decided that a united preaching effort would bemadethroughout the Decapolis aer Jesus returned from Caesarea-Philippi.

e next day as Jesus and the apostles stopped for lunch, Je-sus asked, ”Who do men say that I am?” e apostles answered


him, saying that people thought he was a prophet, an extraordi-nary man, a person feared by his enemies, a man in league withthe devil, or maybe even John the Baptist risen from the dead.

en Jesus asked, ”But who say you that I am?” Simon Peterleapt to his feet and said, ”You are the Deliverer, the Son of the liv-ing God.” When the rest indicated that they agreed, Jesus replied,”is has been revealed to you by my Father. e hour has comewhen you should know the truth about me.” e apostles sensedthat a great event had taken place.

e next day, Jesus asked them again if they believed that he wasthe Son of God, and again they asserted their belief in him. Jesusbegan to have con dence in the faith of his apostles. He said, ”isis a revelation of the spirit of my Father to your inmost souls. I amled to declare that upon this foundation will I build the brother-hood of the kingdom of heaven. Upon this rock of spiritual realitywill I build the living temple of spiritual fellowship in the eternalrealities of my Father’s kingdom. All the forces of evil and hostsof sin shall not prevail against this human fraternity of the divinespirit.” Jesus told the apostles that he was vesting them with au-thority over the social and economic features of the kingdom, ”thekeys” of the outward kingdom.

e important new concept of the apostles grasped during thisepisode was that Jesus was truly divine. For years Jesus had an-nounced himself as the Son of Man, and now he could disclosethat he was also the Son of God, two natures combined in oneperson. With this announcement, Jesus entered the nal stage ofhis earthly career. roughout the rest of his human life, he livedopenly as the personi cation of God on earth.

e apostles were stunned by many new teachings from Jesus


that day. In the evening, Andrew spoke individually with eachof the other apostles. His discussion with Judas troubled him somuch that he sought advice from Jesus. Jesus told Andrew thattherewas nothingmore they could do for Judas, and that he shouldsay nothing to the others about it.

Judas had been shocked by John the Baptist’s death, hurt by Je-sus’ rebukes, disappointed when Jesus refused to become king, anddejected over the depletion of their treasury when public opin-ion turned against them. But his biggest error was that duringthe times that Jesus sent the apostles out to pray for guidance insolitude, Judas indulged in fear, doubt, and thoughts of revengeinstead of praying.

158. THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATIONJesus traveled to Mount Hermon to meet with Gabriel and

Father Melchizedek. While nine apostles rested at the foot ofthe mountain, Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus up themountainside. Jesus then took leave of his three men, asking thatthey wait for him while he met with his Father’s messengers.

Jesus’ rst conference with the universe personalities lasted forthree hours. Gabriel brought assurance of the ful llment of Jesus’bestowal on behalf of the EternalMother-Son. FatherMelchizedekcon rmed the satisfaction of the In nite Spirit. Jesus was pleasedat these testimonies, but he also noted that God the Father did notindicate that his workwas nished. When he rejoined the apostles,Jesus told them that he had chosen to complete his full mortal life.

Aer supper, Peter, James, and John fell asleep by the re. eyawoke to a crackling sound and were amazed to see Jesus with twobeings; Jesus, Gabriel, and Father Melchizedek were glowing with


a heavenly light and conversing in another language. e threeapostles were frightened by what they saw, but as the vision faded,they were so excited from the experience that they wanted to stayand live on the mountain. As they presented this idea to Jesus, acloud appeared above them and they heard a voice saying, ”isis my beloved Son; give heed to him.” e cloud vanished. Jesusasked them not to tell anyone what they had seen until aer hehad risen from the dead. His men were shocked by his words.

Meanwhile down at the base camp, the nine apostles fell intotheir persistent habit of talking aboutwhowould bemost esteemedin the coming kingdom. As they argued amongst themselves, aman, James of Safed, brought his son to be healed by Jesus.

Simon and Judas told the man that he did not need to wait forJesus; that since they nowheld the keys to the kingdom, theywouldheal the boy themselves. Simon laid his hands on the boy and triedto heal him, but failed. Onlookers mocked him. en Andrewtried and failed. Andrew asked James to stay until Jesus returned.

Shortly before breakfast the next morning, Jesus, Peter, James,and John reached the apostles’ camp. e anxious father knelt atJesus’ feet, relating the boy’s symptoms and the apostles’ failure.James begged that his son be healed. Jesus told him not to questionGod’s love, but to have sincere faith that all things were possible toone who believes. James replied, ”Lord, I believe. I pray you helpmy unbelief.” Jesus healed the boy.

at evening, the apostles asked Jesus to tell them why they hadfailed to heal James’s son. Jesus told them that instead of prayingfor deeper understanding of the Father’s will, they had fallen intothe contemplation of their places of honour in the material king-dom. ey continued to cling to the concept of a kingdom that


did not exist, and refused to accept that the kingdom of heavenwas not of this world. Jesus said, ”Spiritual greatness consists inan understanding love that is Godlike and not in an enjoyment ofthe exercise of material power for the exaltation of self. In whatyou attempted, in which you so completely failed, your purposewas not pure. Your motive was not divine. Your ideal was notspiritual. Your procedure was not based on love, and your goal ofattainment was not the will of the Father in heaven.”

Jesus said that he was entering the last phase of his work onearth. e apostles were dismayed as he discussed his own deathand resurrection. Jesus told them plainly that he would suffermany things at the hands of the priests of Jerusalem, and that hewould be killed and then rise from the dead.

Peter jumped up and declared that these things would neverhappen. Jesus rebuked him, saying, ”When you talk in this man-ner, you are not on my side but rather on the side of our enemy.In this way do you make your love for me a stumbling block to mydoing the Father’s will.”

e Master continued, ”If any man would come aer me, lethim disregard himself, take up his responsibilities daily, and followme. For whosoever would save his life sel shly, shall lose it, butwhosoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s, shall save it.What does it pro t aman to gain the whole world and lose his ownsoul? What would a man give in exchange for eternal life?”

e apostles reeled from the rebuke. ey were horri ed by theidea that Jesuswould suffer anddie even as their heartswere stirredby theMaster’s appeal. Jesus and the twelve startedwalking towardCapernaum to their camp at Magadan Park.


159. THE DECAPOLIS TOURWhen Jesus and the apostles reached Magadan Park, they were

greeted by a group of one hundred evangelists who were ready tostart the planned four-week tour of the Decapolis. Each apostleworked with a small group of evangelists in the towns and villages,while Jesus and the women’s corps rotated between the variousgroups. Hundreds of believers were won for the kingdom dur-ing this tour, and the apostles gained valuable experience workingwithout daily contact with Jesus.

On this tour Jesus declared that there is more joy in heaven overone sinner who repents than over ninety and nine righteous per-sons who need no repentance. He instructed his disciples to for-give their brethren not just seven times, as was taught in the scrip-tures, but seventy times seven. e Master advised his followersthat all who believe the gospel would not be subject to their di-rection, saying, ”Rejoice that already our teaching has begun tomanifest itself beyond the bounds of our personal in uence.” Healso clearly stated that the Father does not limit the revelation oftruth to any one generation or to any one people.

Jesus took the best of the known scriptures and wove them intothe teachings of his new gospel. His religion put the spirit of posi-tive action into play. Jesus taught that one should not just believewhat the gospel says, but should also actively do those things thatthe gospel requires.

eMaster’s teaching about turning the other cheekwas not thatpeople should passively submit to indignities but that they shouldactively be alert for opportunities to overcome evil with good. Heemphasized that goodness is alwaysmore powerful than evil. Jesusdescribed three possible ways of dealing with evil:


1. To return evil for evil: the unrighteously positive method2. To suffer evil without complaint: the negative method3. To return good for evil: the righteously positive methodJesus said, ”Believing the gospel will not prevent getting into

trouble, but it will insure that you shall be unafraid when troubledoes overtake you. If you dare to believe inme andwholeheartedlyproceed to follow aerme, you shall most certainly by so doing en-ter upon the sure pathway to trouble. I do not promise to deliveryou from the waters of adversity, but I do promise to go with youthrough all of them.”

160. RODAN OF ALEXANDRIAandWhile the rest of the apostles took a week’s rest with family and

friends, Nathaniel and omas remained in Magadan to engage indiscussion with a Greek philosopher, Rodan. Rodan gave a seriesof ten talks toNathaniel,omas, and a group of two dozen believ-ers. Rodan had embraced the gospel and was synthesizing his ownphilosophy with the teachings of Jesus. He believed that the reli-gion of Jesus transcended all former concepts because it declaredthat the divine source of values, the eternal center of the universe,is personally attainable by every mortal who chooses to seek God.

Rodan asked, ”But are we willing pay the price of this entranceinto the kingdom of heaven? Are we willing to be born again? Tobe remade? Are we willing to be subject to this terrible and testingprocess of self-destruction and soul reconstruction?” Rodan wasmindful that the Master had declared that whomever would savehis life must lose it.


One thing that Rodan and Jesus’ apostles disagreed about wasthe personality of God. Rodan believed that the heavenly Fa-ther could not be a person as man conceives of personality. isdisagreement bothered omas and Nathaniel so much that theyasked Jesus to intervene, but the Master refused.

Rodan believed that personality could only exist in the contextof full and mutual communication between beings of equality. Hemaintained that since God is the Creator of all other beings, thereare none equal to him in the universe, and no one for him to com-municate with as an equal. omas tried to convince Rodan thatGod was a personality, but aer two days, the most Rodan wouldconcede was that omas had proven the reality of God, not hispersonality.

Aer omas gave up, Nathaniel succeeded. Nathaniel rea-soned that since the Eternal Son and the In nite Spirit are equal toGod, that meant that even by Rodan’s de nition there was a pos-sibility that God had personality. Rodan accepted this possibility.en Nathaniel reasoned that since Jesus was equal to God, andJesus was able to communicate with humans, this proved that Godand humans can intercommunicate. Also, since Jesus and the Fa-ther were one, the personality of Jesus demonstrated the person-ality of God. Finally, God must be a personality, since he is theCreator of all personality as well as the destiny of all personality.

Rodan accepted that God was a person. e three men spenttwo more days discussing the divine nature of Jesus. e apostlestold Rodan their reasons for accepting the Master’s divinity:

Jesus said he was divine.He never made mistakes; he was consistently sinless.He healed diseases and professed to forgive sin.


He seemed to know people’s thoughts.He seemed to have foreknowledge of things, even his own death.He knew what was happening away from his immediate pres-

ence.He spoke with the authority of a divine teacher.John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the Son of God.He talked about God as an ever-present associate.He appeared to communicate directly with God.

161. FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH RODANandWhile the rest of the apostles took a week’s rest with family and

friends, Nathaniel and omas remained in Magadan to engage indiscussion with a Greek philosopher, Rodan. Rodan gave a seriesof ten talks toNathaniel,omas, and a group of two dozen believ-ers. Rodan had embraced the gospel and was synthesizing his ownphilosophy with the teachings of Jesus. He believed that the reli-gion of Jesus transcended all former concepts because it declaredthat the divine source of values, the eternal center of the universe,is personally attainable by every mortal who chooses to seek God.

Rodan asked, ”But are we willing pay the price of this entranceinto the kingdom of heaven? Are we willing to be born again? Tobe remade? Are we willing to be subject to this terrible and testingprocess of self-destruction and soul reconstruction?” Rodan wasmindful that the Master had declared that whomever would savehis life must lose it.

One thing that Rodan and Jesus’ apostles disagreed about wasthe personality of God. Rodan believed that the heavenly Fa-ther could not be a person as man conceives of personality. is


disagreement bothered omas and Nathaniel so much that theyasked Jesus to intervene, but the Master refused.

Rodan believed that personality could only exist in the contextof full and mutual communication between beings of equality. Hemaintained that since God is the Creator of all other beings, thereare none equal to him in the universe, and no one for him to com-municate with as an equal. omas tried to convince Rodan thatGod was a personality, but aer two days, the most Rodan wouldconcede was that omas had proven the reality of God, not hispersonality.

Aer omas gave up, Nathaniel succeeded. Nathaniel rea-soned that since the Eternal Son and the In nite Spirit are equal toGod, that meant that even by Rodan’s de nition there was a pos-sibility that God had personality. Rodan accepted this possibility.en Nathaniel reasoned that since Jesus was equal to God, andJesus was able to communicate with humans, this proved that Godand humans can intercommunicate. Also, since Jesus and the Fa-ther were one, the personality of Jesus demonstrated the person-ality of God. Finally, God must be a personality, since he is theCreator of all personality as well as the destiny of all personality.

Rodan accepted that God was a person. e three men spenttwo more days discussing the divine nature of Jesus. e apostlestold Rodan their reasons for accepting the Master’s divinity:

Jesus said he was divine.He never made mistakes; he was consistently sinless.He healed diseases and professed to forgive sin.He seemed to know people’s thoughts.He seemed to have foreknowledge of things, even his own death.


He knew what was happening away from his immediate pres-ence.

He spoke with the authority of a divine teacher.John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the Son of God.He talked about God as an ever-present associate.He appeared to communicate directly with God.

162. AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLESSynopsis of Paper 162: At the Feast of the TabernaclesJesus and the apostles spent October 29 AD in or near Jerusa-

lem. Jesus divided his time between the apostles in Bethany andAbner’s group in Bethlehem. Abner was the leader of John theBaptist’s former followers.

e apostles had asked the Master many times to preach thegospel in Jerusalem, to which he always replied that his hour hadnot yet come. Now that Jesus was being pursued by the Sanhedrinthe apostles pleaded with him not to go into Jerusalem. Jesus re-sponded, ”But the hour has come.”

People from as far away as Spain and India were gathered inJerusalem for the feast of the tabernacles. Jesus boldly enteredthecity on several occasions to teach publically in the temple.

Jesus’s appearances during this feast confused both his followersand his enemies. Abner and his associates had donemuch to createfavourable opinion for Jesus’ gospel, so his enemies were afraid tobe too outspoken against him. Some members of the Sanhedrinbelieved in Jesus, and others were adverse to arresting him whilesomany people were in town. e Sanhedrin also conjectured that


Jesus appeared so openly in their midst due to some promise ofprotection by the Romans. So the Master taught unmolested.

e crowds who listened to Jesus had various opinions: he wasthe Messiah, a good man, a prophet, a meddler, a madman. Evenhis enemies marveled at his teachings. One man asked Jesus howhe could teach so uently when he had not been taught by the rab-bis. Jesus said that his teaching was not his own, but God’s.

One of the men in the crowd asked Jesus why the rulers soughtto kill him. He replied, ”e rulers seek to kill me because theyresent my teaching about the good news of the kingdom, a gospelthat sets men free from the burdensome traditions of a formal reli-gion of ceremonies which these teachers are determined to upholdat any cost... they well know that, if you honestly believe and dareto accept my teaching, their system of traditional religion will beoverthrown, forever destroyed.” Eber, an officer of the Sanhedrin,was sent to arrest Jesus. As Eber approached, Jesus said, ”I knowyou have been sent to apprehend me, but you should understandthat nothing will befall the Son of Man until his hour comes.”

Jesus continued to speak about the love of the Father. He pro-claimed that he had come that all might have eternal life.WhenJesus nished, Eber refused to arrest him. He returned to theSanhedrin and told his superiors that Jesus was speaking wordsof mercy, cheering and comforting the downhearted. Eber asked,”What can there be wrong in such teachings even though he maynot be the Messiah of the Scriptures?” e Sanhedrin disbandedin confusion.

A man who had known Jesus in childhood conspired withagents of the Sanhedrin to trap Jesus. e man had married a wo-man, Hildana, and set her up as a prostitute. ehusband betrayed


his wife to the Sanhedrin’s men so they could use her to set a trapfor Jesus. e Sanhedrin agents brought Hildana to Jesus saying,”Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now,the law of Moses commands that we should stone such a woman.What do you say should be done with her?” If Jesus upheld the lawof Moses, he would be speaking against the Roman authorities. Ifhe forbade the stoning, the Sanhedrin could accuse him of settinghimself above Jewish law. If he said nothing, they would accusehim of cowardice. Jesus looked over the crowd, saw the husband,and walked over to where he stood. Jesus wrote a few words in thesand. When the man read them, he quickly le the scene.

e Master then stood before the agents of the Sanhedrin andwrote on the sand again. One by one, these men also went away.Finally, Jesus wrote words in front of the man taken with Hildana,who also took his leave. Jesus said, ”Woman, where are your ac-cusers? did no man remain to stone you?” Hildana replied, ”Noman, Lord.” Jesus replied, ”I know about you; neither do I con-demn you. Go your way in peace.” Hildana later became a discipleof the kingdom.

e former apostles of John the Baptist were in uenced by thecourage Jesus displayed in his public preaching during the feastof the tabernacles, and also by the sympathetic understanding ofhis private work with them in Bethlehem. During this time, Abnerand Jesus consolidated their two groups. Early inNovemberAbnerand his group joined Jesus in his work. ey laboured with theapostles until the cruci xion.


163. ORDINATION OF THE SEVENTY AT MAGADANJesus returned to Magadan, where he met with Abner and his

disciples, the women’s corps, the evangelistic corps, and about onehundred and y other disciples from various parts of Palestine.e entire group began a course of intensive training. Jesus talkedto the believers each morning. Peter taught methods of publicpreaching, Nathaniel taught about the art of teaching, andomasexplained how to answer questions.

e selection of the seventy was decided by a committee ofAndrew, Abner, and the acting head of the evangelistic corps.When these three judges were not unanimous in their opinion,they brought the candidate to Jesus.

One disciple brought before Jesus asked that he be allowed rstto return home to await the imminent death and burial of his fa-ther. Jesus said theman could remain a faithful disciple whilemin-istering to loved ones, but if he wanted to be ordained, he must letothers bury the dead. Another wanted to go home to comfort hisfamily. He was told that he must choose one or the other.

A rich man, Matadormus, a former member of the Sanhedrin,pleaded with Jesus to allow him to become one of the newly or-dained messengers. Jesus said he would accept Matadormus if hewas willing to pay the price. Matadormus replied. ”Master, I willdo anything if I may be allowed to follow you.” Jesus told him to goand sell all that he owned, and bestow the proceeds to the poor.

Matadormus had been raised to believe that wealth was a signof the favour of God. Jesus knew that he couldn’t be an ordainedteacher until he was free of his love of wealth. Jesus also saw thatMatadormus could have become the leader of the group, but un-


less Matadormus gave up his wealth he would not be accepted byothers who had truly given up everything.

Matadormus couldn’t do it. Jesus was sad that Matadormus didnot choose ordination, for he greatly loved him. Sometime later,Matadormus did obey Jesus’ request and became treasurer of thechurch in Jerusalem. But his delay deprived him of the chance forpersonal association with the Master during his last few monthson earth.

Later Peter asked, ”Shall we require those who follow you to giveup all their worldly goods?” Jesus replied that this was necessaryonly for those who would become apostles. ”Whatever thing orperson comes between you and the love of the truths of the king-dom, must be surrendered. If one’s wealth does not invade theprecincts of the soul, it is of no consequence in the spiritual life ofthose who would enter the kingdom.”

At the end of this two�week training period Jesus ordained sev-enty new teachers of the gospel.

During the ordination ceremony, Jesus instructed them to:Give the gospel to all, gentile and Jew alike.Refrain from the expectation of miracles.Proclaim a spiritual brotherhood rather than a worldly king-

dom.Stay in the rst worthy house offered in each city.Tell believers that the time for an open break with the Jerusalem

Jewish leaders had come.Reveal that man’s only duties are to love God completely, and

his neighbour as himself.Peter also spoke to the new teachers, asking them to:


Pray for more labourers for the kingdom.Expect hostility and persecution.Trust the Father to provide food and shelter.Attend to their business with enthusiasm and without distrac-

tion.Show kindness and courtesy toward all.Minister to those sick in mind and body.When the ordination sermon was over, Abner assigned them to

preach for six weeks in Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. e seventyset out in pairs on theirmission. Jesus and the apostles broke campearly in December and set off to establish headquarters in Perea.

Aer they le, David Zebedee curtailed his messenger service.He organized a camp near the vacated Magadan site for housingpilgrims who arrived daily from throughout the Roman empire.Within aweek, David’s campwas prepared to accommodate eenhundred visitors.

On December 30, the seventy messengers assembled at thePerea headquarters to exchange their stories of the completedsix�week tour. Jesus rejoiced to see men continue the proclama-tion of the gospel without his immediate presence. e Masteraddressed them, saying,

”To you and to all who shall follow in your steps down throughthe ages, let me say: I always stand near, and my invitation�call is,and ever shall be, Come to me all you who labour and are heavyladen, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learnof me, for I am true and loyal, and you shall nd spiritual rest foryour souls.”

Preparation for the three�month Perean mission, the Master’s


last mission, began. Jesus no longer needed to travel to teach peo-ple; increasingly, people came to him. He and the apostles spentmuch of the time during the Perean tour in camp teaching themul-titudes, while the seventy and the women’s corps went out two bytwo into the cities.

164. AT THE FEAST OF DEDICATIONInDecember, 29 AD, to give the Jerusalem leaders onemore op-

portunity to embrace the gospel, Jesus tookNathaniel andomasto Jerusalem to attend the feast of the dedication.

On the way, they stopped for the night in Jericho. During adiscussion with the local people, a lawyer began asking questions,hoping to entrap or embarrass Jesus. ”Teacher, I should like you totell me just who is my neighbour?” Jews generally looked upon allnon-Jews as less than human, and Jewish law de ned neighboursas ”the children of one’s people.”

Jesus, knowing the lawyer’s motive, responded by telling a story.A traveler was robbed, beaten, and le half dead on the roadside.Soon, a priest passed by. When he saw the unfortunate traveler hecrossed to the other side of the road and continued his journey.Likewise, a Levite passed by without stopping. Later, a Samaritancame upon the woundedman. Moved with compassion, he boundtheman’s wounds, brought him to an inn, and cared for him. Jesusthen asked the lawyer, ”Which of these three turned out to be theneighbour of him who fell among the robbers?” And the lawyerreplied, ”He who showed mercy on him.” Jesus answered, ”Go anddo likewise.” By turning the lawyer’s question back to him, Jesus si-multaneously taught a lesson to his followers, renounced the Jew-ish attitude toward Samaritans, and avoided the lawyer’s trap.


In Jerusalem, the Master met with a group of educated men inthe home of Nicodemus, many of whom were or had been mem-bers of the Sanhedrin. ey listened to his teachings intently andoffered to help him in winning over the others. Jesus declined,saying that he would wait for his Father’s guidance.

e next morning, on the Sabbath, Jesus and the two apostlesencountered a well-known blind beggar named Josiah near thetemple. As an open challenge to the Sanhedrin, Jesus decided torestore Josiah’s sight. He spat on the ground and mixed some clay,which he placed over Josiah’s eyes. Jesus told Josiah that his eyeswould be restored when he washed the clay away in the pool ofSiloam. Josiah obeyed him, andwhen his sight was restored, he re-turned to his usual place and began telling people what happened.

An intense public discussion arose. e Sanhedrin convened indirect violation of the rule that forbade meeting on the Sabbath,and summoned Josiah for questioning. Aer hearing the story,the leaders fell to arguing whether this act was one of God or ofthe devil. A serious division arose among them.

e Sanhedrin sent for Josiah’s parents and questioned them,and then resumed Josiah’s interrogation. Josiah became impatientwith his questioners, asking them, ”I have told you how it all hap-pened, and if you did not believe my testimony, why would youhear it again? Would you by any chance also become his disci-ples?” As the Sanhedrin broke up in confusion, Josiah said, ”Lookthen, all of you, upon me and realize what has been done this dayin Jerusalem! I tell you, if this man were not from God, he couldnot do this.”

During the time the session was in progress, Jesus was teachingclose by, but the Sanhedrin were afraid to send for him. e op-


portunity they had so diligently sought was given them voluntarilyby the Master, but they feared even calling him as a witness. Later,as Jesus continued to teach, some of the Jewish leaders baited him.One man asked, ”If you are the Messiah, why do you not plainlytell us?”

Jesus said, ”I have told you about myself and my Father manytimes, but you will not believe. e teacher of truth attracts onlythose who hunger for the truth and who thirst for righteousness.My sheep hearmy voice and I know them and they followme. Andto all who follow my teaching I give eternal life; they shall neverperish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. e Fatherand I are one.”Many who heard would have liked to stone him, butJesus le the temple unharmed.

When Jesus heard later that Josiah had been cast out of the syna-gogue, he invited him to go with them to the camp in Pella. Josiahproved to be a worthy recipient of the Master’s miracle by becom-ing a lifelong preacher of the gospel.

165. THE PEREAN MISSION BEGINSIn January, 30 AD, Abner dispersed the entire group of evange-

lists into the cities and villages of Perea. is region, evenly dividedbetween gentile and Jew, turned out to be the most fruitful in ac-ceptance of the Master’s teachings. e Perean mission lasted forthree months. Jesus divided his time between teaching the multi-tudes at Pella and assisting the traveling preachers.

Over three hundred Pharisees and others from Jerusalem hadfollowed Jesus to Pella aer the feast of the dedication. Soon aerthey arrived Jesus addressed the crowd, saying that he knew there


were some among them who would die for him and others whowanted to kill him.

Jesus told a parable in which he described himself as a trueshepherd, one who gathers his ock in times of danger and whowould lay down his life for his fold. He openly declared that noother person could take away his life: ”I have the right and thepower to lay down my life, and I have the same power and right totake it up again. You cannot understand this, but I received suchauthority from my Father even before this world was.” His wordsprompted astonished discussion among his friends as well as hisenemies. e next day, half of the Jerusalem Pharisees cast theirlot with Jesus.

Toward the end of January, Jesus spoke on trust and spiritualpreparedness. He advised his followers not to fear their religiousenemies who have no power other than to kill the body. eapostles were instructed not to be concerned for their sustenance:”Which of you by anxiety can add a handbreadth to your statureor a day to your life? Since such matters are not in your hands,why do you give anxious thought to any of these problems? Seekthe greater thing, and the lesser will be found therein; ask for theheavenly, and the earthly shall be included. e shadow is certainto follow the substance.” Jesus also asked his followers not to beanxious about how to answer the questions of their enemies, say-ing, ”.for the spirit that dwells within you shall certainly teach youin that very hour what you should say in honour of the gospel ofthe kingdom.”

One young man went privately to Jesus and asked him tohelp him regain his inheritance which was being withheld by hisbrother. Jesus replied that his covetousness in the matter of his


material inheritance was causing him to miss an opportunity tolearn about his heavenly inheritance. Aer advising him to takehis complaint to the proper authorities, Jesus sent the man away,saying, ”My son, what shall it pro t you if you gain thewhole worldand lose your own soul?”

166. LAST VISIT TO NORTHERN PEREAA wealthy Pharisee named Nathaniel invited Jesus to breakfast

with a group of Pharisees as the guest of honour. Many of theguests knew of Jesus’ teachings, and were not surprised when hecame to the table without washing his hands, but Nathaniel andan unfriendly Pharisee started whispering about it. Jesus rebukedthem, saying, ”How carefully you cleanse the outside of the cupsand the platters while the spiritual-food vessels are lthy and pol-luted! You make sure to present a pious and holy appearance tothe people, but your inner souls are lled with self-righteousness,covetousness, extortion, and all manner of spiritual wickedness.”

Aer a lengthy dissertation, Jesus le. Some of the Phariseeswho heard him that day became believers, but most continued tooppose him.

e next day, Jesus explained to the apostles that gentiles andless orthodox Jews were more accepting of the gospel than ortho-dox Jews. He pointed out how their message had been readily re-ceived by the Galileans and Samaritans. Just then, the apostles en-countered a group of lepers-nine Jews and one Samaritan. Whenthe lepers saw Jesus coming near they called him to have mercyand heal them.

Simon Zelotes wanted Jesus to pass the lepers by without stop-ping, but the Master seized the opportunity to reinforce his lesson.


Jesus told the lepers that they would be made whole if they wentand presented themselves to the priests. ey set out to do as Jesusasked, and as they le they were made whole.

When the Samaritan saw that he was healed, he returned to Je-sus, fell on his knees, and gave thanks, while the others continuedon their way. Jesus remarked, ”You see how it is that the childrenof the house, even when they are insubordinate to their Father’swill, take their blessings for granted.but the strangers, when theyreceive gis from the head of the house, are lled with wonder andare constrained to give thanks in recognition of the good thingsbestowed upon them.”

One day, a believing Pharisee asked, ”Lord, will there be few ormany really saved?” e Jewish people had been taught that onlyJews would be allowed into the kingdom of heaven, and that theway to eternal life was straight and narrow. Jesus said, ”I declarethat salvation is rst a matter of your personal choosing. Evenif the door to the way of life is narrow, it is wide enough to ad-mit all who sincerely seek to enter, for I am that door. And theSon will never refuse entrance to any child of the universe who,by faith, seeks to nd the Father through the Son.” Jesus declaredthat whether few or many are to be saved altogether depends onwhether few or many heed his invitation: ”I am the door, I amthe new and living way, and whosoever wills may enter to embarkupon the endless truth-search for eternal life.”

omas asked whether spiritual beings are concerned withevents in the material world, and whether angels could preventaccidents. Jesus replied that believing prosperity was a sign of di-vine approval or that adversity was a sign of God’s displeasure wassuperstitious. ”e Father causes his rain to fall on the just and


the unjust; the sun likewise shines on the righteous and the un-righteous.” Jesus continued to teach them, saying that matters ofsickness and health are the result of material causes rather thandivine favour or disfavour, but he found it difficult to dissuade theapostles from their long-held beliefs.

Jesus and the apostles traveled to Philadelphia, whereAbnerwasteaching three times daily in the synagogue.

167. THE VISIT TO PHILADELPHIAOver six hundred people accompanied Jesus on his visit to

Philadelphia in February. No miracles happened during thepreaching tour through theDecapolis and, except for the cleansingof the lepers, there had been none so far in Perea. During this tourthe gospel was being taught withoutmiracles and for themost partwithout the presence of Jesus or the apostles.

One day a wealthy Pharisee in Philadelphia invited Jesus tobreakfast. A large number of visitors, including many Pharisees,also attended. Near the end of the meal a diseased man came infrom the street. One Pharisee voiced his objection that the sickman was allowed to enter the room, but Jesus smiled so warmly atthe man that he drew closer and sat down on the oor.

Jesus asked the men gathered, ”Is it lawful to heal the sick andafflicted on the Sabbath day, or not?” No one replied. Jesus tookthe sick man’s hand and said, ”Arise and go your way. You havenot asked to be healed, but I know the desire of your heart and thefaith of your soul.” Addressing the guests Jesus continued, ”Suchworks my Father does, not to tempt you into the kingdom, but toreveal himself to those who are already in the kingdom.”


Jesus told a parable: A ruler invited guests to a wedding supper.When the time for the feast arrived his friends did not attend, andthe ruler sent his servants out into the street to ll the house withthe poor, the lame, the blind, and the outcasts. One of the Phar-isees listening understood Jesus’ meaning and was baptized intothe kingdom that same day.

On the Sabbath, Abner arranged for Jesus to teach in the syna-gogue. Aer the service theMaster spoke to awoman bowed downby depression and fear. Believing in him, she straightened up forthe rst time in years and began to glorify God.

e chief ruler of this synagogue was an unfriendly Phariseewho objected to this healing because he believed that healing waswork and should not be performed on the Sabbath. Jesus re-sponded, asking, ”Does not everyone of you, on the Sabbath, loosehis ox from the stall and lead him forth for watering? If such a ser-vice is permissable on the Sabbath day, should not this woman,a daughter of Abraham who has been bound down by evil theseeighteen years, be loosed from this bondage and led forth to par-take of the waters of liberty and life, even on this Sabbath day?”As a result of this public criticism, the ruler of the synagogue wasdeposed and was replaced by one of Jesus’ followers.

A messenger from Bethany brought news that Lazarus was verysick. Jesus told his apostles to prepare to travel to Judea. e apos-tles thought it was too dangerous for Jesus to travel to Bethany andthey pleaded with him not to go.

Jesus told the apostles that Lazarus was dead. e Masterwanted to give the Jews one more chance to believe in his Father’smessage. He told his men that even if no more Jews were broughtinto the kingdom, the trip to Bethany would give the apostles a


new belief in the gospel that would strengthen them when aer hewas gone.

e apostles saw that Jesus would not be dissuaded. Some werereluctant to accompany him, butomas rallied them, saying, ”Wehave told the Master our fears, but he is determined to go to Beth-any. I am satis ed it means the end; they will surely kill him, butif that is the Master’s choice, then let us acquit ourselves like menof courage; let us go also that we may die with him.”

On the way to Judea, Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee andthe publican. A Pharisee stood in the temple and prayed, givingthanks that he was not like other men, and listing all the gooddeeds he had done. e publican stood with his eyes turned down,asking for God’s mercy on his sins. Jesus said, ”I tell you that thepublican went home with God’s approval rather than the Pharisee,for every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he whohumbles himself shall be exalted.”

In Jericho, Jesus was asked to discuss marriage. While he wasreluctant to make pronouncements about marriage and divorce,Jesus taught thatmarriagewas honourable andwas to be desired byall men. He denounced the lax divorce laws used by the Phariseeson the grounds that they were unjust to women and children.

Jesus’ message about marriage and children spread all over Jeri-cho. e next morning, scores of mothers came to where Jesuslodged to have the Master bless their children. e apostles triedto send the women away, but Jesus reproved them, saying, ”Suf-fer little children to come to me; forbid them not, for of such isthe kingdom of heaven.” He laid his hands on the children, andspoke words of courage and hope to the mothers. Women’s statuswas much improved by Jesus’ teaching, and so it would have been


throughout the world if his followers had not departed from histeachings.

168. THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUSWhen Jesus arrived in Bethany on March 2, 30 AD, Lazarus had

been dead for four days. Many people were comforting Mary andMartha, including some who were enemies of Jesus. Martha saidto Jesus, ”Master, if you had been here, my brother would not havedied!” Jesus replied, ”Only have faith, Martha, and your brothershall rise again.”

As the grieving sisters led him to the tomb, Jesus wept. He feltdeep affection and sympathy for Martha and Mary. He resentedthe outward show of mourning by some of the insincere in thecrowd, and hesitated to bring Lazarus back to the certain bitterpersecution that he would endure.

A group of forty- ve people gathered before the tomb, alongwith a vast assembly of celestial beings who awaited the commandof their beloved Sovereign. When Jesus asked that the stone betaken away from the front of the tomb, Martha and Mary werelled with con icted emotions. Martha said, ”Must we roll away

the stone? My brother has now been dead four days, so that by thistime decay of the body has begun.”

Jesus asked, ”Did I not tell you at the rst that this sickness wasnot to the death?” His apostles and some of the neighbours rolledthe stone away. ey could see the form of Lazarus, wrapped inlinen, lying in the cave.

Jesus began to pray aloud, and then he cried out, ”Lazarus, comeforth!” Lazarus, still wrapped in the grave cloths, sat upright. Ev-eryone except his sisters and the apostles ed.


Lazarus asked why he was in the garden wrapped in linens. Hehad no memory of his death. Aer Martha explained what hadhappened, Lazarus went to the Master, knelt at his feet and of-fered praise to God. Jesus lied his friend and said, ”My son, whathas happened to you will also be experienced by all who believethis gospel except that they shall be resurrected in a more gloriousform. You shall be a living witness of the truth which I spoke-I amthe resurrection and the life.”

By noon the next day the story of Lazarus had spread through-out Jerusalem. People ocked to Bethany to see him. e alarmedPharisees called a meeting; the miracle had strengthened the faithof believers but only made the Sanhedrin more determined to de-stroy Jesus.

One of the Pharisees made a proposal advocating Jesus’ imme-diate death without trial. e resolution did not come to a votethat day because fourteen members of the Sanhedrin resigned inprotest. Two weeks later, ve other members were expelled on thesuspicion that they believed Jesus’ gospel.

Although the Sanhedrin admitted that Lazarus had been resur-rected from the dead, they attributed this and all of Jesus’ miraclesto the work of the devil. No matter the source of his power, theJewish leaders believed that if he were not stopped all the commonpeople would soon believe in him.

On the following Sunday morning, Jesus and the apostles trav-eled back to Pella. On the journey, the apostles asked Jesus ques-tions concerning the answers to prayer. Jesus taught them thatprayer is an effort of the nite mind to approach the In nite. Heassured the apostles that all spirit-born prayers are certain of an an-swer, even when they appear to go unanswered. Some prayers can


only be answered in eternity or when a person advances to higherspiritual levels. Sometimes people don’t recognize the answers totheir prayers.

Lazarus remained at his home in Bethany until the week Jesuswas killed. When Lazarus was warned that the Sanhedrin wereplanning to kill him as well, he ed to Perea. Mary and Marthalater joined their brother in Philadelphia where he served as trea-surer of the church under Abner.

169. LAST TEACHING AT PELLAJesus and the apostles returned to the camp at Pella, where the

assembled crowds had already learned of the resurrection of La-zarus. Jesus preached in Pella, telling the stories of the lost sheep,the lost coin, and the prodigal son. He grouped these three storiestogether to demonstrate that God knows when we are lost, is dili-gent in his search for those who are lost, and that when a lost soulreturns to God, he is accepted with joy.

Jesus taught that when people seek God, God is likewise seekingthem. He said that there is more joy in heaven over one sinnerwho repents that in ninety-nine who need no repentance. Jesusemphasized that he and God actively search for lost souls and useevery resource possible to nd those in need of salvation.

One evening Jesus told the parable of the shrewd steward to il-lustrate to his followers that they should arrange their lives to pro-vide for present joy as well as future enjoyment of the treasures inheaven. He said, ”He who is faithful in little will also be faithfulin much, while he who is unrighteous in little will also be unrigh-teous inmuch. If you have not shown foresight and integrity in theaffairs of this world, how can you hope to be faithful and prudent


when you are trusted with the stewardship of the true riches of theheavenly kingdom?”

Jesus always had trouble explaining to the apostles that the Fa-ther in heaven was not a king. People of Jesus’ time were accus-tomed to kings and emperors, and Jewish lore had long told of thecoming of the kingdom of God. For this reason, Jesus referred tothe spiritual brotherhood as the kingdom of God, but he never re-ferred to his Father as a king.

Meanwhile in Jerusalem, the priests created these accusationsagainst Jesus:

He is a friend of sinners; he even eats with them.He blasphemes by saying that God is his father.He heals disease on the Sabbath and outs the sacred law of Is-

rael.He does miracles by the power of devils.

170. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVENe term, ”kingdom of heaven” was one that had many mean-

ings in Jesus’ era. Jewish people thought the kingdom would markthe coming of the Messiah who was to establish Jewish power onearth. Persians believed that a divine kingdom would be estab-lished miraculously at the end of the world.

Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven centered in the Father-hood of God and the brotherhood of man. He taught the apostlesto pray, ”Your kingdom come, your will be done.” He earnestlysought, without success, to have them exchange the phrase ”thekingdom of God” for ”the will of God.” e apostles’ distortedideas were compounded aer his death by their belief that Jesus


would return within their lifetimes to establish the new kingdomin power and glory.

e kingdom of God in this world is the supreme desire to dothe will of God and an unsel sh love of others. Humans enter thekingdom by faith, sincerity, trust in the Father, open-mindedness,truth-hunger, and the desire to nd God and be like Him. Accep-tance of God’s forgiveness creates a path that ensures the continu-ing progress of children of God toward righteousness.

True righteousness is the natural result of unsel sh love forothers. Although righteousness is more than merely doing goodworks, the true religion of the kingdom unfailingly manifests it-self in social service. Jesus did not concern himself with moralsand ethics as such, rather, he was concerned with an inward spir-itual fellowship with God that outwardly manifests as loving ser-vice. Religion is personal, but the results of religion are familialand social.

Jesus observed ve phases of the kingdom of God: personal ex-perience of spiritual relationship with God, enhanced social ethicsresulting from the in uence of God’s spirit in the heart, supermor-tal brotherhood of spiritual beings in heaven and on earth, hope ofamore perfect ful llment of God’s will in the next age of humanity,and the spiritual age of light and life on earth.

Features of the kingdom of heaven are: pre-eminence of the in-dividual; will as determining factor in man’s experience; spiritualfellowship with God the Father; supreme satisfaction of loving ser-vice; and the transcendence of the spiritual over the material inhuman personality.

e world has yet to seriously implement Jesus’ ideals of thekingdom of heaven. Jesus’ teachings nearly failed because of his


followers’ distortion of his concepts. Jewish believers persisted inregarding himas theMessiahwhowould return to establish a king-dom on earth. Gentile Christians accepted the doctrines of Paul,who described Jesus as the redeemer of the church.

e church as a social outgrowth of the kingdom is desirable,but not if it becomes an institutional substitute for the kingdomof heaven. Jews thought of the kingdom as the Jewish commu-nity; gentiles thought of it as the church. Jesus taught that it wasall people who confess their faith in the Fatherhood of God, anddeclare their wholehearted dedication to doing his will. eChris-tian church is the cocoon in which Jesus’ concept of the kingdomnow slumbers. Someday, a new John the Baptist will revive the ac-tual teachings of the Master, and the religion of Jesus will replacethe religion about Jesus.

171. ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEMOn March 12, 30 AD, Jesus announced that he and the apostles

would travel to Jerusalem for the Passover. His followers, in spiteof all that Jesus taught about his kingdom not being of this world,assumed that hewas going there to establish the temporal kingdomof Jewish supremacy.

Salome, mother of the Zebedee brothers, came to Jesus withJames and John and asked him to promise that her sons would tosit at his right and le side in the kingdom. Jesus grieved that hisbeloved apostles still did not understand the nature of his king-dom. He assured them that they would indeed drink of his cup ofbitterness and share in his humiliation, but it was not his placeto give what Salome asked. Later, when Salome witnessed the


Master cruci ed between two criminals, she remembered her ill-conceived request.

e other apostles were upset to learn that James and John hadgone secretly to Jesus seeking preference. ey began again to ar-gue among themselves. Jesus spoke to them, saying, ”Whosoeverwould be great among you, let him rst become your servant. Ideclare to you that the Son of Man came not to be ministered tobut to minister; and I now go up to Jerusalem to lay down my lifein the doing of the Father’s will and in the service of my brethren.”

One thousand people traveled with Jesus as he made his naljourney to Jerusalem. At a ford in the Jordan river, the Masterdiscoursed on the cost of being his disciple. Jesus warned his fol-lowers that they would face bitter persecutions and crushing dis-appointment; they must be willing to renounce all that they wereand to dedicate all that they had. He frequently repeated that hiskingdom was not of this world. His apostles considered what Je-sus said but clung to the belief that aer a period of adversity, thekingdom would be established just as they desired.

As the group traveled the number of followers shrunk to lessthan two hundred. On March 29, they camped at Livias. HereSimonZelotes and SimonPeter obtained over one hundred swordsthat they distributed and wore concealed beneath their cloaks.

Jesus warned his men not to put their trust in the uncertaintiesof the esh. He told them plainly that he would be delivered tothe priests and put to death in Jerusalem. e Master asked themnot to be dismayed and to remember that he would rise again onthe third day. e stunned apostles would not accept what he wastelling them. ey were so attached to their old beliefs that they


could not believe that Jesus really meant he would be killed by hisenemies in Jerusalem.

In Jericho, a tax collector named Zaccheus wanted to see Jesussomuch that he had climbed a sycamore tree to get a good view. AsJesus passed by, he looked up at Zaccheus and said, ”Make haste,Zaccheus, and come down, for tonight I must abide at your house.”e people who witnessed this were surprised that Jesus wishedto stay with this publican, and one of the Pharisees commentedon Jesus’ willingness to lodge with a sinner who robbed his ownpeople.

When Zaccheus heard this, he responded, ”Men of Jericho, hearme! I may be a publican and a sinner, but the great Teacher hascome to abide in my house; and before he goes in, I tell you thatI am going to bestow one half of all my goods upon the poor... Iam going to seek salvation with all my heart and learn to do righ-teousness in the sight of God.” And when Zaccheus nished, Jesussaid, ”Today has salvation come to this home, and you have be-come indeed a son of Abraham. And marvel not at what I say nortake offense at what we do, for I have all along declared that theSon of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

e next day, when the apostles stopped for lunch, Jesus tolda parable. A nobleman entrusted each of his stewards with onepound to invest during the nobleman’s absence. When an account-ing was later required, the rst steward had increased his poundtenfold. He was given authority over ten cities. e second servanthad earned ve pounds, and was made ruler of ve cities. e laststeward had wrapped his pound in a napkin to keep it safe. Hismaster took it from him and gave it to the servant who had tencities, saying, ”To every one who has shall be givenmore, but from


him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken from him.”

172. GOING INTO JERUSALEMJesus and the apostles arrived in Bethany on the aernoon of

March 31st. Six days before the Passover, the people of two towns,Bethany and Bethphage, honoured Jesus and Lazarus by attendinga banquet at the home of Simon. Since all Jews were under orderto deliver Jesus to the Sanhedrin on sight, this feast was held inde ance of the priests.

Near the end of the banquet, Mary, sister of Lazarus, went toJesus and opened a large container of expensive ointment. Sheanointed Jesus’ head and feet with it, and then wiped his feet withher hair. e crowd murmured. Judas thought that the Mastershould rebuke this wastefulness. He whispered that the oil shouldhave been sold and the proceeds given to the poor.

Jesus said, ”Let her alone . . . you have the poor always withyou so that you may minister to them at any time it seems goodto you; but I shall not always be with you; I go soon to my Father.is woman has long saved this ointment for my body at its burial,and now that it has seemed good to her to make this anointing inanticipation of my death, she shall not be denied such satisfaction.In the doing of this, Mary has reproved all of you in that by this actshe evinces faith in what I have said about my death and ascensionto my Father in heaven.”

Judas felt humiliated. It was at this moment that Judas made hisrst conscious decision to seek revenge against Jesus.Jesus, having decided tomake a public entrance into the city, re-

called a scripture that had sometimes been associated with the an-ticipated Messiah: ”Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O


daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king comes to you. He is justand he brings salvation. He comes as the lowly one, riding uponan ass, upon a colt, the foal of an ass.” Warrior kings entered citiesriding horseback, but a king on a peaceful mission always enteredriding an ass. Jesus used this symbol in an attempt to reinforce theidea that his kingdom was not an earthly one.

Several hundred people gathered to escort Jesus into Jerusalem.As they moved toward Jerusalem, the procession became increas-ingly festive. e crowd began to shout the psalm, ”Hosanna to theson of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Je-sus was lighthearted until he reached the brow of Olivet, where hestopped. Silence came over the crowd as they beheld him weepingat the thought of the fate of Jerusalem.

David Zebedee and his men had been spreading the word thatJesus was about to make his entry into the city, and several thou-sand pilgrims poured out of the city to greet him. e Phariseeswere unhappy about this unanticipated acclaim; it prevented themfrom arresting the Master immediately. ere was no deep sig-ni cance in this outburst of public enthusiasm. e people whocheered Jesus so joyously as he entered the city quickly rejectedhim when they realized later that he would not inaugurate anearthly kingdom.

Jesus and the apostles strolled about the Jerusalem temple butdid no preaching that day. When they returned to Bethany thatevening the apostles were full of mixed emotions. Andrew hadbeen worried that the other apostles, especially those with swords,would be swept away by the emotion of the day. Simon Peter wasdisappointed that Jesus hadwasted an opportunity to preach in thetemple. James Zebedee could not understand why Jesus would ac-


cept the crowd’s acclaim, then refuse to speak once they had safelyentered the temple.

John Zebedee suspected that Jesus had been emulating theScripture that described the Messiah riding into Jerusalem on anass. Nathaniel, besides being aware of the symbolism of Scrip-ture, also reasoned that without the demonstration Jesus wouldnot have reached the temple without being arrested; he was notsurprised that once inside the city the Master had no further usefor the cheering crowds. Matthew also recalled the Scripture. Hewas elated at the thought that something spectacular was about tohappen, and when nothing occurred, he became depressed.

Philip’s enjoyment in watching Jesus being honoured was offsetby his worry that he, Philip, would be required to feed the mul-titude. omas, at rst bewildered by the Master’s motives, soonrealized that the crowd was keeping the Sanhedrin at bay. By theend of the day, omas was cheered by Jesus’ cleverness at out-witting the priests. Simon Zelotes had visions as they entered thecity of the nationalists taking action, of himself in command ofthe kingdom’s military forces, and of all the Sanhedrin dead. Bythe anticlimactic evening, Simon was crushed emotionally; it wasnot until long aer the resurrection that he recovered from his de-pression and disappointment. e Alpheus twins had a perfectday; they enjoyed every moment.

Judas Iscariot was still stewing over the Master’s rebuke of himthe previous day. e idea of coming into Jerusalem this wayseemed ridiculous to him. He considered leaving but decided notto because he still had possession of the apostolic funds. Judaswas especially humiliated by the ridicule of some of his Sadduceanfriends, who laughed as they teased Judas about his Master riding


into town on an ass.

173. MONDAY IN JERUSALEMPriests in Jerusalem pro ted enormously from businesses in the

temple courtyards. Many worshipers bought overpriced sacri -cial animals guaranteed to pass the required pre�sacri ce inspec-tion. Extensive amounts of foreign currencies were converted be-cause shekels were required for the temple head tax; moneychang-ers charged thirteen cents for each ten�cent coin.

On Monday morning Jesus and the apostles arrived at the tem-ple to preach. As Jesus began, a hundred steer bellowed as theywere led through the courtyard and a violent argument arose atthe table of one of the money lenders.

To the amazement of the apostles, Jesus stepped down from theteaching platform, took a whip from the boy who was driving thesteer, and drove the cattle from the temple. He then opened allof the pens and released the other animals while the assembledcrowds began to overturn the lenders’ tables. In less than vemin-utes, all commercial activity in the temple ceased.

is cleansing of the temple discloses the Master’s attitude to-ward the commercialization of religion, as well as his disdain forall forms of unfairness at the expense of the poor and the un-learned. is episode also demonstrates that Jesus did not dis-approve of the employment of force against the unfair practicesof unjust minorities who entrench themselves behind political, -nancial, or ecclesiastical power. Shrewd, wicked, and designingmen are not to be permitted to organize themselves for the ex-ploitation and oppression of others.


By the time Roman guards arrived, the temple was calm. Jesuswas preaching, ”You have this day witnessed that which is writtenin the Scriptures: ’My house shall be called a house of prayer for allnations, but you have made it a den of robbers.’” e apostles wereso stunned by their Master’s actions that they could only watch inamazement.

When the priests heard the news, they were dumbfounded; theywere more determined than ever to destroy Jesus. e priestsagreed that Jesus must be destroyed but were unwilling to arresthim publicly. ey decided to attempt to discredit him in front ofhis audience.

A group of priests asked Jesus who had given him authority todo the things he did. Jesus answered with a question, asking themwhether John the Baptist got his authority from heaven or frommen. e elders found themselves confused. If they answered”from heaven”, Jesus would be able to logically ask why they didnot believe in him. If they answered ”from men”, they were afraidthat the crowd would turn on them, because people generally be-lieved that John was a prophet. So they were compelled to expressno opinion, and answered that they didn’t know. And Jesus said,”Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” eSadducees and the Pharisees asked no more questions that day.

While the priests lingered, Jesus told a parable about alandowner with two sons. e landowner asked one son to workin the vineyard. At rst the son refused, but aer his father le,this son repented and went to work. e landowner also asked thesecond son to work, and he agreed, but when his father le, hedidn’t work. Jesus asked, ”Which of these sons really did his fa-ther’s will? .now do I declare that the publicans and harlots, even


though they appear to refuse the call to repentance, shall see theerror of their way and go on into the kingdom of God before you,who make great pretensions of serving the Father in heaven whileyou refuse to do the works of the Father.”

eMaster told another story about a man who rented his vine-yard out to tenants. When he sent servants to collect the rent pay-ment, the tenants beat the servants and sent them away empty-handed. Repeated attempts by the lord’s servants to collect the rentfailed. His favourite steward and his son were sent, and the tenantskilled them both. Jesus asked the people to imagine what the lordwould do to these wicked tenants. Some of them understood thatthis parable referred to the Jewish nation’s rejection of Jesus andthe prophets.

Jesus then told the parable of the wedding feast. A king sentmessengers to invite guests to a feast celebrating his son’s wedding,but the guests didn’t come. Some guests openly rebelled againstthe king, killing his messengers. e king ordered his armies todestroy the rebels. He then sent his servants out to gather people,good and bad, rich and poor, to ll the wedding hall. When theking entered the hall he saw a man without a wedding garment.is surprised the king, who had provided the wedding garmentsfor free. e unpreparedmanwas cast out and the king said, ”I willhave none here except those who delight to accept my invitation,and who do me the honour to wear those guest garments so freelyprovided for all.”

Aman asked Jesus what sign theMaster would give to prove thathe was truly the Son of God. Jesus said, pointing at his own body,”Destroy this temple, and in three day I will raise it up.” But theydid not understand him. Even the apostles did not understand


until aer his resurrection.As they made their way out of the city that aernoon, the apos-

tles sensed that something of tragic import was about to happen.

174. TUESDAY MORNING IN THE TEMPLEOn Tuesday morning, Jesus went to Jerusalem with four of the

apostles while the rest set up camp at Gethsemane. On the road toJerusalem, James and Peter asked Jesus to help them understanddivine forgiveness. Jesus explained that mature relationships pre-vent any estrangement that would require either a child’s repen-tance or a parent’s forgiveness. A good parent sees the immatu-rity of his child in light of his own understanding, and the divineparent possesses in nite sympathy and understanding. Jesus saidthat when we love others, we have already forgiven them. isquality of forgiveness is Godlike. An immature child may feel asense of separation due to guilt over wrongdoing, but the true par-ent is not conscious of separation. Sin is an experience of creatureconsciousness: it is not a part of God’s consciousness. Inability toforgive others is a measure of immaturity.

Soon Jesus and the four apostles arrived at the temple. Nosooner had Jesus begun to teach than a group of students who hadbeen coached by the Pharisees asked, ”Is it lawful for us to givetribute to Caesar?” e priests reasoned that this question, if an-swered affirmatively, would alienate the multitude, who resentedRoman rule. If Jesus answered negatively, it would give them causeto go to the Roman authorities and have him charged with incitingrebellion.

Jesus told them to show him a coin. As he looked at it he askedthem whose image was on the coin. e students answered, ”Cae-


sar’s”. And Jesus said, ”Render to Caesar the things that are Cae-sar’s and render to God the things that are God’s.” e studentsmarveled at the wisdom of his answer.

A lawyer representing a group of Pharisees asked Jesus what thegreatest commandment was. Jesus answered: ”ere is but onecommandment, and that one is the greatest of all, and that com-mandment is: ’Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one;and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and withall your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.’ is isthe rst and great commandment. And the second commandmentis like this rst; indeed, it springs directly therefrom, and it is: ’Youshall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ere is no commandmentgreater than these; on these two commandments hang all the lawand the prophets.” e lawyer who asked the question perceivedthat the Master had answered wisely. at evening this same manwas baptized near Gethsemane.

Other groups had been instructed to ask Jesus questions, butwhen they saw what was happening, they decided to keep quiet.When Jesus saw that no more questions were forthcoming, heasked the audience a question, ”What do you think of the Deliver?at is, whose son is he?” One of the scribes replied, ”e Mes-siah is the son of David.” Jesus then referenced a Psalm attributedto David, ”e Lord said to my lord, sit on my right hand untilI make your enemies that footstool of your feet.” Jesus asked, ”IfDavid calls him Lord, how then can he be his son?” e priestssaw the dilemma and would not answer. No more questions wereasked in the temple that morning.

At lunch time, a group of Greek gentile believers were invitedby Andrew and Philip to meet with Jesus. As he spoke during the


meal, Jesus remarked that this would be the rst and last time thathe would instruct a group that was composed equally of Jews andgentiles. He looked at the Greeks and said:

”He who believes this gospel, believes not merely in me but inHim who sent me. When you look upon me, you see not only theSon of Man but also Him who sent me. I am the light of the world,and whosoever will believe my teaching shall no longer abide indarkness. If you gentiles will hear me, you shall receive the wordsof life and shall enter forthwith into the joyous liberty of the truthof sonship with God.”

”But to both Jew and gentile I declare the hour has about comewhen the Son of Man will be glori ed. You well know that, excepta grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it abides alone; butif it dies in good soil, it springs up again to life and bears muchfruit. Hewho sel shly loves his life stands in danger of losing it; buthe who is willing to lay down his life for my sake and the gospel’sshall enjoy a more abundant existence on earth and in heaven, lifeeternal.” Having thus spoken, Jesus led the way back to the temple.

175. THE LAST TEMPLE DISCOURSEJesus returned to the temple accompanied by Joseph of Ari-

mathea, thirty Greeks, several disciples, and eleven of the apostles-all but Judas. He delivered his nal discourse in the temple. Jesusexplained once again that his proclamation of the truth of sonshipwith God was open to all. He said that he had persistently soughtpeace but that the rulers of Israel would not have it. ”ere cannotbe peace between light and darkness, between life and death, be-tween truth and error.” He offered mercy once more to the leaderswho were about to reject him.


Jesus spoke about the long history of mercy that his Father hadbestowed on the Jewish people, and about the prophets that hadbeen sent generation aer generation. He warned them that theywere in danger of losing their status as the custodians of divine law.Jesus offered them onemore chance to repent, to seek God and thekingdom of heaven.

Jesus faulted the scribes and Pharisees for being hypocrites, forrefusing to enter the kingdom, for preventing others from en-tering the kingdom, for refusing to show mercy to the poor, forbeing false teachers, for dishonesty, for being strict about titheswhile disregarding laws on faith, mercy, and judgment, for reject-ing truth and spurning mercy, and for making an outward showof religion while their souls were steeped in iniquity. He warnedthem that if they persisted in their evil ways an accounting wouldbe required. Jesus nished his speech and le the temple with hisfollowers.

e apostles were confused. e crowds who heard Jesus werestunned. at evening all of Jerusalem discussed the question ofJesus’ fate. More than thirty prominent Jews met that night andagreed that if Jesus was arrested, they would make an open ac-knowledgment of their allegiance to him.

Judas returned to the temple in time to hear the last half of Jesus’discourse. Although he clung more rmly than ever to his plan toforsake the gospel, Judas le the temple with the other apostles andremained with them that night at Mount Olivet.

e Sanhedrin’s answer to the Master’s offer of mercy was theirunanimous vote to sentence him to death, a sentence declared evenbefore Jesus was arrested. e Sanhedrin gave orders that Jesuswas to be apprehended in secret and brought to court ursday


at midnight. e angels and celestial beings attending the Mas-ter were eager to assist him but were powerless to act against hiswishes.

176. TUESDAY EVENING ON MOUNT OLIVETOn Tuesday evening as the Master and his men le Jerusalem

for the Gethsemane camp, Jesus declared to his apostles that thetemple in Jerusalem would be destroyed. He admonished themnot to be overly concerned about being delivered to the authorities,thrown out of the synagogue, put in prison, or even put to deathfor the gospel’s sake. He advised the apostles to remain in the cityuntil Roman troops invaded Jerusalem, at which time they shouldee into the mountains.e apostles were bewildered by the Master’s predictions. In

spite of his attempts to dissuade them, many apostles assumed thatthe destruction of Jerusalem would coincide with Jesus’ promisedreturn.

”Have I not all this time taught you that your connection withthe kingdom is spiritual and individual, wholly a matter of per-sonal experience in the spirit by the faith�realization that you area son of God? What more shall I say? e downfall of nations,the crash of empires, the destruction of the unbelieving Jews, theend of an age, even the end of the world, what have these thingsto do with one who believes this gospel, and who has hid his lifein the surety of the eternal kingdom? What does it matter to youwho believe this gospel of the kingdom if nations overturn, the ageends, or all things visible crash, since you know that your life is thegi of the Son, and that it is eternally secure in the Father?”


”Every generation of believers should carry on their work, inview of the possible return of the Son of Man, exactly as each in-dividual believer carries forward his lifework in view of inevitableand ever-impending natural death.”

Jesus told a story about a man who, before embarking on a jour-ney, divided his treasures among his servants to be cared for whilehe was gone. Most of the servants invested their talents to increasetheir master’s wealth, but one servant buried the talent entrustedto him in the ground. When the master returned, he commendedthose servants who had invested their talents wisely, and he in-creased their responsibilities. But the servant who buried his tal-ent in the ground was chastised, and his talent was taken fromhim. ”To every one who has, more shall be given, and he shallhave abundance; but from him who has not, even that which hehas shall be taken away. You cannot stand still in the affairs of thekingdom.”

”Truth is living; the Spirit of Truth is ever leading the childrenof light into new realms of spiritual reality and divine service. Youare not given truth to crystallize into settled, safe, and honouredforms. Your revelation of truth must be so enhanced by passingthrough your personal experience that new beauty and actual spir-itual gains will be disclosed to all who behold your spiritual fruitsand in consequence thereof are led to glorify the Father who is inheaven.”

177. WEDNESDAY, THE REST DAYOn Wednesday Jesus suggested that the apostles take some free

time, asking only that they not go into Jerusalem. Jesus prepared togo into the hills alone to communewith his Father. David Zebedee


proposed to send threemen along for protection but Jesus declinedthe company.

Just before Jesus set out, John Mark brought him a basket offood and water. As Jesus reached for the basket the boy beggedto come along. Holding fast to the lunch, John Mark promisedthat he would not disturb the Master and that he could watch thebasket while Jesus prayed. Jesus relented, ”Sincewith all your heartyou crave to go with me, it shall not be denied you. We will go byourselves and have a good visit.”

e apostles spent most of the day visiting with disciples. Asthe day passed, they grew increasingly anxious about Jesus’ safety.ey were lonely for him. Nathaniel voiced the opinion ”.that whatis wrong with most of us is that we are only half-hearted. We failto love the Master as he loves us. If we had all wanted to go withhim as much as John Mark did, he would surely have taken us all.”

at aernoon, David Zebedee received word that his motherwas on her way to Jerusalem accompanied by Jesus’ mother andfamily. David kept the news of their pending arrival to himself.

Soon aer Jesus le camp, Judas slipped away tomeet with Jesus’enemies at the home of the high priest Caiaphas. His Sadduceanfriends told Judas that his reversal of opinion on Jesus would behailed as a great event and that hewould receive high honours fromthe Sanhedrin.

Judas was convinced that Jesus was going to allow himself tobe defeated by the Jewish rulers, and Judas could not endure thathumiliation. He entertained the idea that Jesus was probably notsound of mind. Judas resented Jesus for not assigning him greaterhonour, and was indignant to think that James, Peter, and Johnhad been closer to the Master. is meeting with the Sanhedrin


gave Judas an opportunity to secure glory for himself while takingrevenge on those whom he now so bitterly resented.

Judas presented his case to Caiaphas and the other Jewish lead-ers, offering to help them arrest Jesus in a private place. An agree-ment wasmade that Judas would deliver Jesus to the temple guardslate ursday evening. Judas was pleased that he had found a wayto salvage the lost glory he had dreamed of in the new kingdomfor immediate honour in the old. e other apostles also cravedhonour, but their love for Jesus was a more powerful in uence onthem than their desire for personal glory.

Evening came. Jesus returned to camp and tried to cheer his fol-lowers, but they were so downhearted by their sense of impendingdisaster that it was nearly an impossible task. e apostles had be-gun to realize the terrible isolation that was about to visit them,and none of them felt prepared.

During his evening talk Jesus warned his disciples to beware thesupport of the multitudes who believe the truth super cially butdo not allow it to grow roots in their hearts. ”ose who knowthe gospel only in the mind, and who have not experienced it inthe heart, cannot be depended upon for support when real trou-ble comes.” Knowing that this was their last evening together Jesussent them to sleep, saying, ”Go to your sleep, my brethren, andpeace be upon you till we rise on the morrow, one more day to dothe Father’s will and experience the joy of knowing that we are hissons.”

178. LAST DAY AT THE CAMPAer breakfast ursday Jesus led y disciples to a secluded

place above the camp to deliver his farewell discourse. He spoke


for nearly two hours on the subject of the relationship betweenearthly kingdoms and the kingdom of heaven. Jesus taught thatwhile earthly governments may use physical force to maintain lawand order, in the kingdom of heaven believers will not, althoughsocial groups of believers are right tomaintain order and disciplineamong their membership.

Awareness of spiritual sonship should help mortals becomeideal earthly citizens. ere is no con ict between cosmic andearthly citizenship unless human rulers usurp the spiritual hon-our and worship that belongs to God. Material-minded peoplewill only know of spiritual light when those who possess it drawnear them in unsel sh social service.

Jesus taught, ”As faith-enlightened and spirit-liberated sons ofthe kingdom of heaven, you face a double responsibility of dutyto man and duty to God while you voluntarily assume a third andsacred obligation: service to the brotherhood of God-knowing be-lievers.”

Jesus admonished his followers not to worship earthly rulersand not to use temporal power to further the spiritual kingdom.He asked them to offer loving service to believers and unbelieversalike; sincere and loving service is a mighty social lever. Jesus ad-vised them to become experts at adjusting misunderstandings anddisagreements, and to seek to live peacefully with all people.

Jesuswarned his followers that in the near future they should ex-pect trouble, persecution, and death. He told them that the man-ner in which they suffered for the gospel would enlighten theirbackward brethren. He asked that they remain faithful to the king-dom even in times of peace, always labouring to persuade peoplebut never trying to compel them.


He gave them much instruction in dealing with other people inthe work of spreading the gospel. ”e revelation I have made toyou is a living revelation, and I desire that it shall bear appropri-ate fruits in each individual and in each generation in accordancewith the laws of spiritual growth, increase, and adaptive develop-ment. You are not to attack the old ways; you are skillfully to putthe leaven of new truth in themidst of the old beliefs. Let the Spiritof Truth do his own work.” Few who heard Jesus speak that morn-ing comprehended anything he said, but the Greeks understoodhim best. e apostles were bewildered by his references to gen-erations of believers.

David Zebedee learned of the plan to arrest Jesus-including Ju-das’ part in the plot-but when he tried to speak to Jesus, Jesus askedhim to remain silent. Philip asked Jesus what plan should be madefor the Passover meal. Judas tried to eavesdrop on this conversa-tion, but David quickly drew Judas aside to discuss the status ofthe apostolic funds. During this conversation, Judas turned overthe money in his possession to David.

Meanwhile, Philip, Peter, and John learned that Jesus had madeplans to have supper that evening at John Mark’s parents housein Jerusalem. ey went into the city to make the arrangements,then returned to the camp to lead the rest of the group back intoJerusalem.

To avoid the crowds, the group traveled by way of the westernbrow of Mount Olivet. As they paused to look down on the city,Jesus told his men that he would soon leave them to return to thework the Father had given him. He warned them not to need-lessly expose themselves to danger when he was taken, saying thatif the Father wished his departure, nothing the apostles could do


would change things. eMaster asked them not to bemisled intoany foolish plan to defend him. He spoke to them of cities whosebuilder is God and worlds whose habit of life is righteousness andjoy in the truth. He told them that they would one day sit withhim on high when their work on earth was nished. e apostlesthen stood up and made their way into the city, where John Markwelcomed them into his parent’s home.

179. THE LAST SUPPERe apostles arrived at John Mark’s house, wondering why Jesus

had decided to celebrate Passover one day early. ey went im-mediately to the upper chamber while Jesus spoke with the familydownstairs.

As the apostles entered the supper room, they noticed waterpitchers, basins, and towels that were set aside for washing theirfeet. Noticing that no servant was present to perform this task,they began to wonder which of them would have to act the ser-vant and wash the feet of the others. Looking at the table that wasprepared for them, they also wondered whether they should seatthemselves, or wait for Jesus.

Judas went to the seat of honour at the le of the host’s seat,and sat down. e others fell into dispute. John Zebedee imme-diately sat in the next highest seat, at the right of the host. Peterbecame angry that these two would presume to seat themselvesnearest the Master, and so he marched around the table to sit atthe lowest seat, hoping that Jesus would call him to displace oneof those in the most honoured seats. e rest of the apostles choseplaces around the table, continuing their arguments until Jesus ap-peared and took his seat.


James Alpheus brought Jesus the rst cup of water and wine,and Jesus held the cup saying, ”Take this cup and divide it amongyourselves and when you partake of it, realize that I shall not againdrink with you the fruit of the vine since this is our last supper.When we sit down again in this manner, it will be in the kingdomto come.”

Aer drinking the rst cup, Jewish customdictated that the hostshould wash his hands. Knowing that Jesus never observed thisrite, the apostles were curious when they saw him rise from the ta-ble and move toward the water pitchers. ey were shocked whenthe Master poured water into one of the foot basins and preparedto wash the feet of Simon Peter. As Jesus knelt before Peter, alltwelve men rose to their feet in amazement.

Embarrassed, Peter asked Jesus if he really intended to wash hisfeet. Jesus replied, ”You may not fully understand what I am aboutto do, but hereaer you will know the meaning of these things.”Peter exclaimed, ”Master, you shall never washmy feet!” And eachof the apostles nodded their agreement.

Jesus said, ”Peter, I declare that if I do not wash your feet, youwill have no part with me in that which I am about to perform.”Peter thought for a moment and said, ”en, Master, wash not myfeet only but also my hands and my head.” Jesus set about to washeach of the apostles’ feet in turn.

When Jesus nished, he asked his followers what lesson theythought they should learn from the fact the their Master had sowillingly done a service that they refused to do for each other. Hespoke of how his life had been one of service to them, and toldthem that they were slow to realize that greatness in the spiritualkingdom is not obtained the same way as power in the material


world. He chastised them for arguing among themselves about theseating arrangements and compared their behaviour to that of thePharisees. He told them that he loved each of them just as he didthe others and that there was no place of preferment at his table.

During the second course, the Master told them again that hewould not be with them the next evening. ”Now has my hourcome, but it was not required that one of you should betray meinto the hands ofmy enemies.”When the twelve heard this remark,they began to look at each other and inquire, ”Is it I?” When Judasasked, Jesus replied, ”You have said.” e others didn’t hear thewords Jesus spoke to Judas. ey continued to murmur amongthemselves until Jesus said, ”I sorrow that this evil should havecome to pass and hoped even up to this hour that the power oftruth might triumph over the deceptions of evil, but such victoriesare not won without the faith of the sincere love of truth.”

Jesus then leaned over to Judas and told him to go quickly. Judasrose from the table and le the room. e other men, seeing himleave, assumed that Jesus had sent Judas out on some errand andstill did not guess that he was the traitor.

Over the third cup of wine, Jesus said, ”Take this cup, all of you,and drink of it. is shall be the cup of my remembrance. isis the cup of the blessing of a new dispensation of grace and truth.is shall be to you the emblem of the bestowal andministry of thedivine Spirit of Truth. And I will not again drink this cup with youuntil I drink in new formwith you in the Father’s eternal kingdom.”

And when they nished, Jesus broke the bread, saying, ”Takethis bread of remembrance and eat it. I have told you that I amthe bread of life. And this bread of life is the united life of theFather and the Son in one gi. e word of the Father, as revealed


in the Son, is indeed the bread of life.” ey meditated for a fewmoments, and Jesus said, ”When you do these things, recall the lifeI have lived on earth among you and rejoice that I am to continueto live on earth with you and to serve through you.” ey endedthe Passover meal by singing the 118th Psalm.

180. THE FAREWELL DISCOURSEWhen the Psalm ended, Jesus told the apostles, ”When I enacted

for you a parable indicating how you should be willing to serve oneanother, I said that I desired to give you a new commandment; andI would do this now as I am about to leave you. You well know thecommandment which directs that you love one another; that youlove your neighbour even as yourself. But I am not wholly satis edwith even that sincere devotion on the part ofmy children. I wouldhave you perform still greater acts of love in the kingdom of thebelieving brotherhood. And so I give you this new commandment:at you love one another even as I have loved you. And by thiswill all men know that you are my disciples if you thus love oneanother.”

”I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. I am thevine, and you are the branches. Herein is the Father glori ed: thatthe vine has many living branches, and that every branch bearsmuch fruit.” Jesus told his men that if they would live within him,his spirit would so infuse them that they ”may ask whatsoever myspirit wills and do all this with the assurance that the Father willgrant us our petition.”

is particular teaching has been much misinterpreted throughthe centuries. Some people believe mistakenly that invoking Je-sus’ name is a magic formula for getting what they want fromGod.


Prayer is not a way to get God to bow to the will of mortals, but away for humans to learn God’s will. Once a person is truly alignedwith Jesus they can be certain that all of their desires will be com-patible with God’s will.

e Master continued his advice, telling the apostles not to bediscouragedwhen faint-hearted believers turned against them. Headvised them to remember how he also suffered for the sake of thegospel. He promised that he would not leave them alone in theworld, and that when he was gone his spirit would come to helpthem. Jesus said that he was going to the Father, and that theycould not follow yet.

omas said, ”Master, we do not know where you are going, soof course we do not know the way, But we will follow you this verynight if you will show us the way.” And Jesus answered, ”omas,I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man goes to the Fatherexcept through me. If you know me, you know the way to theFather.” Philip said, ”Master, show us the Father, and everythingyou have saidwill bemade plain.” Jesus replied, ”Philip, have I beenso long with you and yet you do not even now know me? Againdo I declare: He who has seen me has seen the Father.”

Jesus spoke more about the Spirit of Truth. ”I have loved theFather and have kept his word; you have loved me, and you willkeep my word. As my Father as given me of his spirit, so will I giveyou of my spirit. And this Spirit of Truth which I will bestow uponyou shall guide and comfort you and shall eventually lead you intoall truth.” Jesus told them that they would be indwelt by the Fatherand the Son, and that those gis of heaven would work together tohelp them remember all that Jesus had taught.

”is new teacher is the Spirit of Truth who will live with each


one of you, in your hearts, and so will all the children of light bemade one and be drawn toward one another. And in this verymanner will my Father and I be able to live in the souls of each oneof you and also in the hearts of all othermenwho love us andmakethat love real in their experiences by loving one another, even as Iam now loving you.”

e Spirit of Truth leads the humanmind to spiritual meanings.It is the spirit of living, growing, expanding, adaptive truth. Truthcannot be imprisoned in formulas or creeds, but it can be knownand lived. Static truth is dead; living truth is dynamic. e Spirit ofTruth helps humans interpret their experiences in a spiritual way.

e Spirit helps God-knowing people apply the golden rule insuch a way that others receive the highest possible good from suchcontact. e golden rule cannot be properly understood as dogma,it can only be understood by living. No amount of piety can com-pensate for an absence of sincere and generous friendliness, anymore than formal worship can atone for a lack of genuine com-passion for others.

Jesus warned his apostles that the authorities might turnstrongly against them. He reminded them again that his spiritwould be with them throughout their sufferings, even though hewould be leaving them. ”And so are you about to sorrow over mydeparture, but I will soon see you again, and then will your sorrowbe turned into rejoicing, and there shall come to you a new rev-elation of the salvation of God which no man can ever take awayfrom you.” Even aer this frank discussion the apostles could notcomprehend that Jesus was leaving.


181. FINAL ADMONITIONS AND WARNINGSBefore returning to camp, Jesus gave the apostles his last words

of comfort and advice. He told them that when he was releasedfrom mortal form he could return as an indwelling spirit to guideeach one of them. Jesus told them that everyone who received hisspirit would be enlightened, cleansed, and comforted. He askedthem not to feel troubled or fearful, because in him they would alltriumph in faith.

e peace that Jesus gives to his followers is not that of a stoicprepared to endure the worst, nor that of an optimist who longs forfuture peace. Some stoicism and optimism are serviceable in life,but neither is the cause of that superb peace theMaster brings. epeace of Jesus is based on human faith in God’s overcare. It is theassurance of a child who knows that his universe career is safely inthe keeping of a wise, loving, omnipotent Father.

As the apostles were still seated at the table in JohnMark’s home,Jesus moved around the table to speak to each of his men individ-ually. Jesus asked John to continue to act in his stead in all matterspertaining to his earth family, and to dedicate his life to teachingothers how to love as Jesus had loved. John wept as he asked Je-sus how he could learn to love his brethren more. Jesus told himthat he would love others more aer he learned to love God more.Jesus told John to try to live peacefully with everyone, and not tostrive with the people he was trying to win for the kingdom.

Jesus observed that Simon was still set on making a kingdomaccording to his own liking. He knew that none of his apostleswere more sincere or honest than Simon, and that none wouldbe more upset when Jesus was gone. e Master warned Simonabout rendering unto Caesar what was Caesar’s, and told him that


throughout Simon’s discouragement Jesus’ spirit and the apostlesthemselves would be at hand. He warned him that people whoght with the sword perish with the sword. Jesus promised that

Simon would see the kingdom that he longed for, but not in thislifetime.

e Master advised Matthew that the apostles would soon bescattered to the ends of the earth proclaiming the gospel. WhenMatthew asked how they would know where to go and who wouldsend them, Jesus replied that the Spirit of Truth would lead them.He told Matthew to show the world what God could do for a tax-gatherer who dared to follow the Son of Man. He asked that Mat-thew serve by showing that God was no respecter of persons, thatall believers are children of God.

Jesus asked James to allow the new teacher to give him compas-sion and tolerance. He warned James to remember that wisdomembraces discretion as well as courage, and that there would betimes when it was better to placate the wrath of unbelievers so asto continue to live and preach another day. Jesus also told Jamesthat he and his brother would be separated, and that one would dielong before the other.

When Andrew spoke with the Master, Jesus released Andrewfrom his duties as administrator and thanked him for his faithfulservice. He asked that Andrew hold the apostles together until theSpirit of Truth arrived to guide them individually. Andrew wasinstructed to do his best to promote harmony among the variousgroups of gospel believers.

Jesus counseled the Alpheus twins that when their time withhim was nished they would return to their previous work, andthat someday they would sit with him on high. He asked the twins


to dedicate their lives to enhancing common toil. He said that tothem all things had become sacred, and their labour had becomea service to the Father.

e Master reminded Philip of the many foolish questionsPhilip had asked. Philip always wanted to be shown, and Jesusassured him that very soon he would see great things. Jesus pre-dicted that since the world is lled with people who look at life theway Philip did, he would have great work to do. He told Philip thatwhen his life was nished, he would come to Jesus in his kingdom,and that Jesus would then take great pleasure in showing him ”thatwhich eye has not seen, ear heard, nor themortalmind conceived.”

Nathaniel was warned that his frankness might interfere withgetting along well with others. He was told that his lessons mustbe adapted to the intellectual status and spiritual development ofthe person he was addressing. ”Sincerity is most serviceable in thework of the kingdom when it is wedded to discretion.” Jesus cau-tioned Nathaniel that he was handicapped by a tendency to inter-pret the gospel according to Jewish teachings, and thatwhatNatha-niel did not learn from Jesus, he would be taught by ”that masterof all teachers-actual experience.”

Jesus advised omas that even though he had oen lackedfaith, he had never lacked courage. Jesus had con dence that falseprophets would not deceiveomas, and he askedomas to ded-icate his life to showing how the human mind could triumph overthe inertia of intellectual doubt.

To Peter, Jesus revealed his distress that years of such close as-sociation had not done more to help Peter think before he spoke.”What experience must you pass through before you will learn to


set a guard upon your lips?” Jesus told Peter that he was destinedto make much trouble for himself if he didn’t overcome this fault.

Jesus then addressed all of the apostles, saying, ”is night youwill all be in great danger of stumbling over me.”

Peter replied, ”No matter if all my brethren should succumb todoubts because of you, I promise that I will not stumble over any-thing you may do.”

Jesus then foretold that Peter would deny Jesus three or fourtimes that very evening. ”But remember my promise: When I amraised up, I will tarry with you for a season before I go to the Father.And even this night will I make supplication to the Father that hestrengthen each of you for that which you must now so soon passthrough. I love you all with the love wherewith the Father lovesme, and therefore should you henceforth love one another, evenas I have loved you.”

182. IN GETHSEMANELate ursday night Jesus led the eleven apostles back to camp

where he asked them to kneel in a circle as he prayed. He askedGod to help them and to keep them faithful until the Spirit of Trutharrived. ”You gave me twelve men, and I have kept them all saveone, the son of revenge, who would not have further fellowshipwith us. ese men are weak and frail, but I know we can trustthem; I have proved them; they love me, even as they reverenceyou.” Jesus prayed for their strength and courage, and nished bysaying, ”is world knows very little of you, righteous Father, butI know you, and I have made you known to these believers, andthey will make known your name to other generations. And now I


promise them that you will be with them in the world even as youhave been with me - even so.”

Jesus revealed God’s name to the world as never before. In re-vealing himself to Moses, all the Father could communicate was ”IAM that I AM.” Jesus’ life enlarged the revelation of the name ofGod to all generations:

I am the bread of life.I am the living water.I am the light of the world.I am the desire of all ages.I am the open door to eternal salvation.I am the reality of endless life.I am the good shepherd.I am the pathway of in nite perfection.I am the resurrection and the life.I am the secret of eternal survival.I am the way, the truth, and the life.I am the in nite Father of my nite children.I am the true vine; you are the branches.I am the hope of all who know the living truth.I am the living bridge from one world to another.I am the living link between time and eternity.As the apostles made their way back to camp they had a discus-

sion about Judas. John Mark and David Zebedee told Jesus pri-vately that they knew Judas intended to betray him to his enemies.Jesus asked them not to be troubled by it.

Before they retired, Simon Zelotes offered the apostles weapons.Each man took a sword except for Nathaniel, who pleaded with


the others to remember that Jesus didn’t want them to use forceto establish the kingdom of heaven. Nathaniel said he would praybut he would not arm himself. When Andrew heard Nathaniel’sspeech he turned his sword back in. Nine men remained armed.

Aer the men went to their tents, Jesus requested a messengerfrom David. Jesus sent the messenger to Philadelphia to warn Ab-ner of what was to come and to promise that Abner would see Jesusagain shortly. Jesus also asked the chief of the visiting Greeks notto be disturbed about what was to take place.

None of the apostles expected anything to happen that evening;only David and John Mark realized that their Master’s enemieswould come that very night. David bade farewell to Jesus, saying,”Master, I have had great joy in my service with you. My brothersare your apostles, but I have delighted to do the lesser things asthey should be done, and I shall miss you with all my heart whenyou are gone.” Jesus replied, ”David, my son, others have done thatwhich they were directed to do, but this service have you done ofyour own heart and I have not been unmindful of your devotion.”

Jesus withdrew with Peter, James, and John to a nearby ravine.His heart was heavy with sorrow. e trial Jesus faced appearedmore appalling to him as the evening wore on. He was weary, andanxious for the safety of the apostles. Parting with his men was agreat strain. e divine Jesus knew that he had done his best, butthe human Jesus wished he could have done more.

Jesus desired that the three apostles keep him company as heprayed, but they kept falling asleep. ree times Jesus went asideto pray for assurance from his Father, and three times he returnedto nd his friends sleeping. During his prayers an angel came to


strengthen him. Jesus was convinced that his Father was going tolet events take their natural course.

183. THE BETRAYAL AND ARREST OF JESUSe Master awakened Peter, James and John and suggested that

they return to their tents to rest. Back at the camp, the apostlesslept but the Greeks were still awake. Jesus unsuccessfully tried toconvince them all to return to their tents. Failing to disperse them,Jesus went to sit by an olive press near the entrance of Gethsemane,hoping to avoid a confrontation between his followers and thosewho were coming to arrest him.

Meanwhile, Judas went to the captain of the temple guards. Adelay in Jerusalem caused the guards to miss nding Jesus in theMark home. is upset Judas. He knew that only two apostles hadbeen armed during supper, but sixty followers and many weaponswere available in Gethsemane.

Judas and the guards returned to the temple. Judas told the Jew-ish rulers that theywould have to look for Jesus inGethsemane. Herequested armed guards. Jewish authorities took this request to theRoman commander, who refused and sent them to his superior of-cer. ey nally obtained permission for the armed guards from

Pontius Pilate, who granted their petition, thinking that he couldlater undo any harm that might be committed that night.

About sixty people accompanied Judas to Gethsemane. Judaswalked ahead of the group, hoping to make it look like he was notassociated with the others. He pretended that he was coming towarn Jesus of the pending arrest with the thought that this mightkeep the other apostles from turning against him in anger.


When Peter, James, and John saw the armed band approaching,they rushed to the olive press along with thirty disciples. Jesusmade one last effort to save Judas frombetraying him. Before Judascould speak, Jesus approached aRoman guard, askedwhomhewaslooking for, and identi ed himself as Jesus of Nazareth.

But Judas wanted to make a show of his part in the betrayal toensure his claim on nancial compensation. Judas stepped up toJesus placing a kiss on his brow, saying, ”Hail, Master and Teacher.”Jesus replied, ”Friend, is it not enough to do this! Would you evenbetray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

e apostles were stunned. Jesus again asked the guards whothey sought. Again the captain said, ”Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said,”I have told you that I am he. If, therefore, you seek me, let theseothers go their way. I am ready to go with you.”

One of the guards began to tie Jesus’ hands behind his back. isupset Peter and the others somuch that they drew their swords andrushed forward, but Jesus forbade them. e captain feared thatthese followers would come later to rescue Jesus and ordered theirarrest, but they ed. John Mark ran to David and informed him ofwhat was happening. Together they woke the other apostles.

John Zebedee and Peter followed Jesus and the guards while theothers met by the olive press to decide what should be done. Si-mon Zelotes made an impassioned case for trying to rescue Jesus.Nathaniel reminded them of the Master’s teachings about non-resistance and his recent instruction that they should save theirown lives so they could preach the gospel to the world. James Ze-bedee reminded them how Jesus had forbidden the use of forceduring the arrest. omas convinced them that they could do


nothing to save Jesus, since Jesus himself had refused both humanand divine intervention.

emenwere persuaded to separate. David agreed to remain incamp to eld messages. e apostles went into hiding in Bethany,Bethphage, and Jerusalem. Shortly aer daylight, Jude arrived incamp and learned that his brother had been placed under arrest.

A dispute arose between the Jewish captain of the guards andthe Roman captain of the soldiers about where Jesus was to be de-tained. e Jewish captainwanted Jesus taken toCaiaphas, the act-ing high priest, but the Roman guards were under orders to bringhim before Annas, the former high priest. As they marched alongdiscussing this issue, John Zebedee stepped up between the guardsto be near his Master. e temple guards tried to arrest John, butthe Romans stopped them. Since Roman law provided that anyprisoner could have someone stand with him before his judges,the Roman captain ordered that John be allowed to accompany Je-sus unmolested. Due to this intervention, John was able to be nearJesus throughout the trial and cruci xion, relaying information toDavid’s messengers as events unfolded.

From the time of his arrest until his appearance before Annas,Jesus said nothing at all.

Great misunderstandings are associated with the events thatended the Master’s life on earth. It was the will of the Father thatJesus should experience mortal life from birth to death, but Godhad nothing to do with the brutality and torture that were in ictedon Jesus. e inhuman and shocking nal hours of Jesus’ life werein no way the divine will of God; these cruelties were the work ofevil men.


Just as ordinary people cannot expect to have their last hours onearthmade easy by divine intervention, Jesus steadfastly refused toextricate himself from his situation by divine means.

184. BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN COURTJesus was brought before Annas at his palace on Mount Olivet.

Annas knew that the Sanhedrin waited for Jesus at Caiaphas’spalace but it was illegal to convene a court before three in themorning.

Annas was the most powerful person in Jewry during that era.Annas had taken a positive interest in Jesus when he was younger,but the recent assault on the money-changers in the temple hadturned Annas against him. Annas charged Jesus with disturbingthe peace and questioned him about the names of his disciples.Jesus did not reply.

Annas was disturbed by Jesus’ silence. He reminded Jesus thathe had some power over the pending trial. Jesus said, ”Annas,you know that you could have no power over me unless it werepermitted by my Father. Some would destroy the Son of Man be-cause they are ignorant, they knowno better, but you, friend, knowwhat you are doing. How can you, therefore, reject the light ofGod?” Annas continued to question the Master, but his mind wasalready set that Jesus must be either banished or killed. As dawnapproached he sent Jesus under guard to Caiaphas.

While Annas was questioning Jesus, Simon Peter waited shiv-ering in the palace courtyard. John Zebedee knew Annas’ door-keeper and requested that Peter be allowed to enter. Peter wasnervous about being inside the enemy’s courtyard. He was un-


armed and confused; he should have been with the other apostlesin hiding.

e doorkeeper came up to Peter as he warmed himself by there and asked, ”Are you not also one of this man’s disciples?” Pe-

ter immediately replied, ”I am not.” Another servant said that hethought he had seen Peter in the garden with Jesus, but Peter de-nied that he knew the Master. e portress drew him aside pri-vately and asked him once again why he denied being a disciple.Peter cursed her, insisting that he never even heard of Jesus before.Twice more he was asked, and twice more Peter denied Jesus.

As he uttered his nal denial, Peter heard a cock crow. He wasreminded of what Jesus had predicted earlier that night. Guiltwashed over Peter as the palace doors opened and guards led Jesusout. Jesus saw the despair on Peter’s face, and looked on him withsuch pity and love that Peter never forgot the look as long as helived. Jesus and the guards le the palace, and Peter wept bitterly.He joined his brother Andrew in hiding.

Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin began at half past three in themorning. Since the Sanhedrin had already agreed that Jesus wasguilty, they were now concerned with developing charges thatwould justify a death penalty. More than twenty false witnesseswere on hand. eir testimony was so trumped up that even theSanhedrin were ashamed to listen.

Aer some time Caiaphas shouted to Jesus, ”Do you not answerany of these charges?” Jesus stood in silence. Caiaphas, no longerable to watch Jesus standing there in quiet composure, shook hisnger in the Master’s face and said, ”I adjure you, in the name of

the livingGod, that you tell us whether you are theDeliver, the Sonof God.” Jesus answered, ”I am.”


Caiaphas angrily declared that they had witnessed blasphemy,and the court cried out for his death. Annas wanted the trial tocontinue until they showed charges that transgressed Roman law,but the rest of the Sanhedrin were eager to nish the trial. Jewishlaw forbade them to work past noon the day before Passover, andPilate was only in Jerusalem for a short while. Caiaphas hit Jesus.

Annas was truly shocked when the other Sanhedrin le theroom, spitting at Jesus and slapping him as they passed by. In thisunprecedented confusion, the rst session of the trial ended.

In order to pass a death sentence, two sessions of court wererequired, one day apart. e Sanhedrin waited one hour. Jesusspent the break in the audience chamber with guards and servantswho mocked him, spit on him, and beat him. When the abusebegan, Jesus made John leave the room.

roughout his suffering, Jesus was silent. A shudder of indig-nation lled the universe as celestial observers witnessed the sightof their Sovereign submitting himself to ignorant, misguided peo-ple. ese were the moments of the Master’s greatest victories.

At half past ve the court reassembled. Jesus was sent intothe side room where John waited, while the Sanhedrin drew upa three-point indictment. is entire procedure was against Jew-ish law for many reasons: false witnesses, lack of witnesses for thedefense, failure to wait one day between sessions, absence of wit-nesses to verify charges in the nal indictment, and the fact thatthe prisoner was never told the charges against him. By six in themorning, the trial was over. Jesus was led away to appear beforePontius Pilate.


185. THE TRIAL BEFORE PILATEPontius Pilate had committed several errors early in his admin-

istration which incurred the displeasure of the emperor Tiberius.is situation gave the Judean Jewish leaders some leverage overPilate. ey had learned to use the threat of civil uprising to ma-nipulate him.

e Sanhedrin brought Jesus before Pilate and asked permissionto have him executed. Written charges were presented: pervertingthe nation and stirring people to rebellion, forbidding the people topay tribute to Caesar, claiming to be king of the Jews and foundinga new kingdom.

Jesus had not been legally convicted of any of these charges. Nei-ther Jesus nor John responded to them when read aloud. Pilatewas convinced that the proceeding was irregular and took Jesusand John into an inner chamber for a private examination.

Aer dismissing the rst two charges, Pilate asked Jesus if hewere king of the Jews and whether he was trying to found a newkingdom. Jesus replied, ”Do you not perceive that my kingdomis not of this world?” Pilate asked, ”en you are a king aer all?”Jesus answered, ”Yes, I am such a king, and my kingdom is thefamily of the faith sons of my Father who is in heaven.”

Pilate did not understand Jesus but he was convinced that hewas nothing but a harmless visionary. He went back outside andtold the priests that he had questioned Jesus and found no faultin him. e crowd became angry. One of the Sanhedrin declaredthat Pilate would long regret letting Jesus go.

Pilate, feeling pressured, announced that since Jesus was aGalilean he would send him to Herod, who had jurisdiction over


Galilee. Jesus was brought before Herod but refused to answerHerod’s questions. Herod sent him back to Pilate.

Pilate still wanted to set Jesus free. It had long been the cus-tom to release a condemned man at Passover. It occurred to Pi-late that he could release Jesus under this excuse. But the crowdcalled for the release of Barabbas, a man condemned for robberyand murder. Pilate was angry that the Jews requested mercy for amurderer instead of Jesus, but was afraid to defy the aroused Jews.”What shall I do with himwho is called the king of the Jews?” Andthe crowd shouted, ”Crucify him!” Pilate responded, ”Why wouldyou crucify this man? What evil has he done?” But they continuedto cry out for his cruci xion.

Pilate decided to try one more tactic. He ordered the guards toscourge Jesus, hoping that this punishment would be enough toappease the crowds’ anger. When the punishment ended, Pilatebrought the prisoner before the crowd. e sight of the Masterat this point was enough to send ”a mighty shudder through therealms of a vast universe,” but the crowd continued to shout forhis death. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent, but he was unwilling todefy the Jewish leaders. Pilate released Barabbas.

Pontius Pilate’s life ended in suicide. His wife Claudia became abeliever in Jesus and contributed to the spread of the gospel.

186. JUST BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXIONeexecutive business of the universe nearly came to a complete

halt as Gabriel and the celestial hosts observed what they termed”Pilate on trial before Jesus.” When Jesus was arrested, he knewthat his work in the esh was nished. He understood the way he


would die, and the details of his trial were of little concern to him.Jesus pitied Pilate and sincerely tried to enlighten him as the entireuniverse looked on.

Jesus was convinced that it was the will of God that the courseof human events should unfold without celestial or divine inter-ference. Jesus’ love for mortals was evident in his patience in theface of the jeers and beatings of the soldiers and servants. Jesus’life was revelation of God to man, and in the nal episodes of hisearthly career, he made a new and touching revelation of man toGod.

At about half past eight that Friday morning, Jesus was turnedover to the soldiers who would crucify him.

Judas went to Caiaphas to claim his reward. Before he could en-ter the Sanhedrin’s chamber, a servant took him aside and handedhim thirty pieces of silver. Judas was stunned at this aloof treat-ment. He tried to go inside to speak toCaiaphas but hewas refusedadmittance. Judas felt humiliated. Judas later saw Jesus’ cross be-ing lied ontoGolgotha from afar andwas so overwhelmed that heran back to Caiaphas’ chamber. He stammered that he had sinnedand had been insulted and he repented in what he had done. Hethrew the silver onto the oor and le. In his despair, Judas wentoutside the city gates and killed himself.

A detachment of temple guards went to Gethsemane to arrestthe Master’s followers, but they had scattered. Upon hearing thatGethsemane was empty, the Sanhedrin were satis ed that therewas no further danger of an uprising. ey adjourned their meet-ing to prepare for the Passover.

David Zebedee was the only disciple who took Jesus literallywhen he said he would rise again on the third day. He dismissed


his messengers for the Passover, instructing them to report to himagain rst thing Sunday morning.

Humans, not God, planned the death of Jesus. e truth thatmen, by faith, can become spirit-conscious children of God doesnot depend on the death of Jesus. Mortals are the children of God,and the only thing required to actualize this truth is spirit-bornfaith. e love of God for his creatures is an inherent universe factthat is independent of the bestowal missions of the Creator Sons.e Father loved man just as much before Jesus lived on earth ashe did aerward.

187. THE CRUCIFIXIONJesus arrived at Golgotha in the company of two condemned

robbers and a group of Roman soldiers. e soldiers removedJesus’ clothing and dressed him in a loincloth. ey bound hisarms to the crossbeam before nailing his hands to the wood. eyhoisted the crossbeam onto the upright timber and nailed it intoplace. e soldiers bound Jesus’ feet and nailed them to the cross,using one long nail to pierce both feet. It was half past nine in themorning.

e Creator Son’s death on the cross took ve and a half hours.He won two men for the kingdom during his cruci xion; the rst,one of the two thieves hanging beside him, the other, the Romancenturion who was captain of the guard. Shortly before three inthe aernoon, Jesus spoke his last words: ”It is nished! Father,into your hands I commend my spirit.”

John Zebedee, Jude, Ruth, Mary Magdalene, and Rebecca werewith the Master when he died.


188. THE TIME OF THE TOMBIt was customary to throw the bodies of those who had been

cruci ed into an open burial pit. To prevent this from happeningto Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus gained permissionfrom Pilate to take the Master’s body for proper burial.

Over the violent objections of the Sanhedrin, Joseph andNicodemus took possession of Jesus’ body on Golgotha. e bodywas carried to a tomb owned by Joseph, where it was wrapped inbandages saturated in myrrh and aloe, covered with a linen sheet,and placed on a shelf. e men who tended to this sad task wereJoseph, Nicodemus, John Zebedee, and the Roman centurion. ecenturion then signaled his men to roll the heavy stone into placeto cover the entrance to the tomb.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas, Martha the aunt ofJesus, and Rebecca of Sepphoris lingered near the tomb until af-ter dark. ey had followed the funeral procession at a distancebecause it was not permitted for women to associate with men atsuch a time. ese four women saw that Jesus had been given ahasty burial; they agreed to return aer the Sabbath to properlyprepare his body.

Jesus’ enemies remembered reports that Jesus would rise fromthe dead on the third day. e chief priests requested that a Ro-man guard be stationed in front of the tomb so that Jesus’ follow-ers couldn’t steal his body and then pretend he had risen. Ten Ro-man soldiers joined ten Jewish guards to watch over the burial site.ey placed a second stone in front of the rst and attached Pi-late’s seal to it to make certain nothing would be disturbed. esemen stayed on guard in front of the tomb continuously through


the hour of the resurrection.ere are signi cant lessons attached to Jesus’ death on the

cross. Jesus lived and died for the whole universe. His life on earthshed light on the mortal pathway to salvation, and his death for-evermade evident the certainty of survival aer death. Jesus’ deathportrays the full devotion that he had for even the lowest membersof his creation.

e triumph of the death on the cross is summed up in the atti-tude of Jesus toward his assailants. eMaster neither condemnednor condoned sin. Divine love doesn’t merely forgive sins, it ab-sorbs and destroys them. e cross became an eternal symbol ofthe victory of love over hate and truth over evil when Jesus prayed,”Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” His de-votion to mortals was contagious throughout the universe. Onmillions of worlds evolving creatures were inspired by the sight ofJesus laying down his life in unsel sh devotion to human beings.

e cross is the abiding symbol of sacred service, representingthe devotion of one’s life to the welfare and salvation of others.When intelligent people look upon Jesus as he offers up his life,their own hardships and grievances hardly seem worth complain-ing about. e Master’s death on the cross stimulates the univer-sal realization of the Father’s eternal love and the Son’s unendingmercy.

189. THE RESURRECTIONAs Jesus’ body lay in the tomb, the chief archangel stationed on

Urantia called ameeting to consider techniques for restoring Jesus’life. e angels were advised by Gabriel that Michael already had


whatever power he needed to take up his life again. Michael’s per-sonalized Adjuster also advised them, saying, ”ose things whichyou ordinarily do for the creature, youmay not do for the Creator.”And so the council of celestials waited patiently for further eventsto unfold.

At two forty- ve Sunday morning, a commission of seven Par-adise personalities arrived on the scene. Vibrations began to em-anate from the tomb, and at two minutes past three, Jesus cameforth. e form in which the Master appeared during this nalepisode of earthly life was that of a resurrected morontia ascen-der. e mortal body still lay in the sepulchre undisturbed. esoldiers were still on guard, the seal of Pilate still unbroken.

Jesus’ physical body could not be removed from the tomb thesame way his morontia form was released. e chief archangelreceived permission from Gabriel to dissolve the mortal body ofJesus. He invoked the ”process of accelerated time” in order thatthe hosts of heaven would be spared the sight of the slow decay ofthe human form of their Creator.

Secondary midwayers rolled away the huge stones from thetomb. e mortal remains of the Master then went through theusual disintegration process, but without the time factor. ephysical dissolution of Jesus’ body happened nearly instanta-neously. When the guards at the grave saw the stones begin tomove, they ed in fear back to the city.

at morning, ten of the apostles were staying at the Markhome. omas was in solitude at the home of Simon of Bethphage.e women were at the home of Joseph of Arimathea, and otherdisciples were gathered at the home of Nicodemus.


Five women started out before daybreak with bandages and em-balming lotions, intending to anoint and rewrap the body of Je-sus. It was half past three when these women arrived at the tomb.ey were surprised to see the stone already rolled away from theentrance; they had wondered how they would get into the tomb.As the others stood by fearfully Mary Magdalene went inside thesepulchre.

Mary saw that Jesus’ body was gone; only the grave cloths re-mained on the shelf. She cried out in alarm and the other womenpanicked. ey ed all the way to the Damascus gate before theyrallied and returned to the tomb. Mary showed her friends that thetomb was empty. ey conjectured that the body had been movedto another place. As the women discussed what they should dothey noticed a stranger standing nearby.

Mary Magdalene rushed over to him, asking, ”Where have youtaken the Master? Where have they laid him?” e stranger didnot answer. Mary began to weep. Jesus then asked, ”Whom doyou seek?” And Mary told him that they were looking for Jesus,and asked again where he had been taken. Jesus asked, ”Did notthis Jesus tell you, even in Galilee, that he would die, but that hewould rise again?” And then he spoke to Mary in a familiar voice,saying simply, ”Mary.” She recognized the voice of her Master andknelt at his feet. Mary tried to embrace Jesus’ feet but he preventedher. He asked thewomen to go back into the city to tell the apostlesthat he had risen.

e women hurried to the Mark home and related what theyhad seen and heard. e apostles did not believe them. Peter andJohn ran out to look at the empty tomb for themselves. ey couldnot understand what could have happened, thinking that perhaps


the body had been stolen by the guards. Mary returned to the tomb disheartened that the apostles did

not believe her. Aer Peter and John le the Master appeared toher again, asking her to have courage. Jesus asked Mary to tell theapostles that he would soon appear before them. Mary returnedto the city to speak once more with the apostles. ey still did notbelieve, but when they heard Peter and John’s reports they werelled with fear.Mankind is slow to perceive that, in all that is personal, matter

is the skeleton of morontia, and that both are the re ected shadowof enduring spirit reality. How long before you will regard time asthe moving image of eternity and space as the eeting shadow ofParadise?

190. MORONTIA APPEARANCES OF JESUSUnsuccessful in their attempts to persuade the apostles that Je-

sus had risen, Mary Magdalene and the other women spread thenews to the women gathered at Joseph’s and to the men at Nicode-mus’s home.

David Zebedee and Joseph set out to inspect the tomb. ey im-mediately went on to the Mark home and told the apostles that thetomb was empty. Only John Zebedee was faintly swayed. Daviddeclined to argue with the apostles. He took his leave of themsaying, ”You are the apostles, and you ought to understand thesethings. I heard the Master say that, aer he should die, he wouldrise on the third day, and I believe him.”

At half past nine that morning, a squadron of messengers as-sembled at the home of Nicodemus. David bid them to spread


the message that Jesus had risen from the dead. Twenty-six run-ners set out to Bethany, Beersheba, Damascus, Sidon, Philadel-phia, Alexandria, and other cities.

Jesus’ family was staying in Bethany with Martha and Marywhen David’s messenger arrived with the news of the resurrec-tion. As Jesus’ brother James stood alone in front of Lazarus’ emptytomb pondering what the messenger had told them, he becameaware of a presence. He watched in amazement as a strange formappeared. Jesus said, ”James, I come to call you to the service ofthe kingdom. Join earnest hands with your brethren and follow af-ter me.” e two brothers conversed for three minutes before Jesussaid farewell. James rushed inside to tell the rest of his family whathe had seen.

Two hours later Jesus appeared again at Lazarus’s home, thistime to almost twenty family members and believers.

e women assembled at Joseph’s house were next to see Jesus.He greeted them: ”Peace be upon you. In the fellowship of thekingdom there shall be neither Jew nor gentile, rich nor poor, freenor bond, man nor woman. You also are called to publish the goodnews of the liberty of mankind through the gospel of sonship withGod in the kingdom of heaven. And I will be with you always evento the ends of the earth.”

e Master next appeared to forty Greek believers who werestaying at the home of Flavius.

Two brothers, Cleopas and Jacob, were walking outside of Jeru-salem discussing the rumors of the resurrection when Jesus joinedthem on the road. He spoke to them at length. When they reachedtheir home, the brothers invited Jesus inside. When they sat downto eat, they gave Jesus their bread to bless. He broke the bread and


handed it to them. Suddenly Cleopas and Jacob realized who hewas, and Jesus vanished. e brothers rushed to Jerusalem wherethey burst into the Mark home and excitedly told the apostles allthat they had seen and heard.

Reports began to reach the Jewish rulers that Jesus had risen.e Sanhedrin called a meeting and decided that anyone whomentioned the resurrection would be banned from the syna-gogues. It was further suggested that the penalty should be death,but this didn’t come to a vote because the meeting broke up in apanic. e Sanhedrin were about to discover that their problemswith Jesus were only beginning.

191. APPEARANCES TO THE APOSTLES AND OTHERLEADERS

April 9th, resurrection Sunday, was amiserable day for the apos-tles. omas spent the day brooding alone in Bethphage. Petervacillated between believing in the resurrection and doubting it.James wanted to go to the tomb to see for himself until Nathanielreminded him that Jesus had warned against jeopardizing theirown safety. Andrew was perplexed but was also grateful that hehad been released from his leadership role.

Simon Zelotes spent most of the day lying on a couch, staring atthe wall. Matthew was distracted by the fact that he had receivedthe apostolic funds formerly carried by Judas, and he was worriedabout what to do with the money. Philip asked many questions.e Alpheus twins believed that Jesus was alive, because they hadspoken with their mother who said she had talked to the resur-rected Master.


Jesus delayed his rst appearance to the apostles because hewanted them to think about what he had said about his death. eMaster also wanted Peter to work through some of his problems,and omas to rejoin his fellows.

Peter wondered if Jesus refrained from appearing to his men be-cause of Peter’s denials in Annas’s courtyard. He went outside tothe garden to think. As he contemplated events his faith increased.He spoke aloud, saying, ”I believe he has risen from the dead; I willgo and tellmy brethren.” At that verymoment, Jesus appeared, say-ing, ”Peter, the enemy desired to have you, but I would not giveyou up.” Peter and Jesus spoke for almost ve minutes before theMaster vanished. Peter rushed into the upper chamber and toldthe apostles that he had seen the Master. e report had an in u-ence on the apostles, but not enough to convince them of Jesus’resurrection.

Soon thereaer, Jesus appeared in their midst. ”Peace be uponyou. Why are you so frightened when I appear, as though you hadseen a spirit? Did I not tell you about these things when I waspresent with you in the esh?” Jesus told them that when they wereall together again they would go into Galilee to enter into a newphase of service in the kingdom. e Master vanished.

On Monday, Jesus spent time visiting with morontia beings onUrantia. On Tuesday, he appeared to Abner, Lazarus, and overone hundred others at a meeting in Philadelphia which was calledto discuss rumors of the resurrection. All day Wednesday Jesusvisited morontia delegates from the mansion worlds of the localsystems of Norlatiadek.

On Saturday, Peter and John went to Bethphage and broughtomas to Jerusalem. omas continued to disbelieve the stories


of the resurrection. ”I will not believe unless I see the Master withmy own eyes and put my nger in the mark of the nails.” At thatmoment, the morontia form of Jesus appeared. Aer speaking tothe group, Jesus spoke toomas, saying, ”I bid you be not faithlessbut believing-and I knowyouwill believe, evenwith awhole heart.”

It took nine days for the news of the cruci xion to reachAlexan-

dria. On April 18, Rodan gathered some eighty Greek and Jew-ish believers to hear the messenger’s sad news. Just as his reportended the morontia form of Jesus appeared. Jesus’ nal words tothis gathering were:

”As the Father sent me into this world, even so now send I you.You are all called to carry the good news to those who sit in dark-ness. is gospel of the kingdom belongs to all who believe it; itshall not be committed to the custody of mere priests. Soon willthe Spirit of Truth come upon you, and he shall lead you into alltruth. Go you, therefore, into all the world preaching this gospel,and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.”

192. APPEARANCES IN GALILEEeapostles le forGalilee, followed by JohnMark. Jewish lead-

ers in Jerusalem, noting that the apostles were out of the publiceye, decided that the Jesus movement had been squelched. eapostles arrived in Bethsaida late Wednesday. Simon Zelotes wasso disheartened that he turned around and went home. ursdaynight Peter suggested they go shing. ey shed all night withoutcatching anything, and at dawn they decided to go ashore.

As they dropped anchor a man on the beach asked themwhether they caught anything. When they told him they hadn’t,


he advised them to drop their net on the right side of the boat. eapostles did as they were told and their net was immediately lled.John Zebedee realized who the man on shore was and whisperedto Peter, ”It is the Master.” Impetuously Peter jumped into the wa-ter and began to swim to shore, reaching Jesus just ahead of theothers.

Jesus visited with John Mark and the apostles for more than anhour as they ate breakfast. Aer breakfast, he walked on the beachwith them two by two, advising them, counseling them, and en-couraging them to be strongduring the trials ahead. Jesus le themwith instructions that they were to nd Simon Zelotes and returnwith him to ameeting the next day on themount of the ordinationnear Capernaum.

At noon on Saturday Jesus appeared among his apostles at thesite where they had rst been ordained as ambassadors of the king-dom. e eleven men once again knelt in a circle around theirMaster as he reaffirmed their ordination. When the ceremony wascomplete, Jesus vanished.

Many believers arrived in Bethsaida to ask about the resurrec-tion. Peter announced that a public meeting would be held the fol-lowing Saturday aernoon. More than ve hundred people gath-ered that day to hear Peter preach his rst public sermon since theresurrection. Peter ended with these words: ”We affirm that Je-sus of Nazareth is not dead; we declare that he has risen from thetomb; we proclaim that we have seen him and talked with him.”Just as Peter said this, Jesus appeared, saying only, ”Peace be uponyou, and my peace I leave with you.”

e next day the apostles started back for Jerusalem where theyheadquartered in the home of John Mark. All except the Alpheus


twins, omas, and Simon Zelotes, pledged themselves to preachthe new gospel of the risen Lord. e subtle process of altering thereligion of Jesus into a religion about Jesus had begun.

193. FINAL APPEARANCES AND ASCENSIONJesus appeared in the courtyard of Nicodemus’s homewhere the

apostles, the women’s corps, and about y other disciples weregathered. He commented on the diversity of believers this gath-ering represented and reminded them that the gospel was aboutthe fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men. Jesus warnedthem not to adjust their message because of the resurrection.

On May 13 Jesus appeared to Nalda and seventy- ve Samari-tans near Jacob’s well at Sychar.

On May 16 Jesus appeared at Tyre in Phoenicia at the close ofa meeting of believers; these believers carried the story to Sidon,Antioch, and Damascus.

On May 18 the Master made his nal appearance on earth tothe eleven apostles in the homeof JohnMark. Jesus led the apostlesto the Mount of Olives where they looked out over Jerusalem. Asthe men knelt about Jesus in a circle he spoke his nal instructionsto them.

”I bade you tarry in Jerusalem until you were endowed withpower from on high. I am now about to take leave of you; I amabout to ascend to my Father, and soon, very soon, will we sendinto this world of my sojourn the Spirit of Truth; and when he hascome, you shall begin the new proclamation of the gospel of thekingdom, rst in Jerusalem and then to the uttermost parts of theworld. Love men with the love wherewith I have loved you and


serve your fellow mortals even as I have served you. By the spiritfruits of your lives impel souls to believe the truth thatman is a sonof God, and that all men are brethren. Remember all I have taughtyou and the life I have lived among you. My love overshadows you,my spirit will dwell with you, and my peace shall abide upon you.Farewell.”

Jesus vanished from sight. He went to Edentia by way of Jeru-sem, where the Most Highs released him from morontia form andreturned him to sovereignty on Salvington.

Peter called a meeting for disciples in Jerusalem that samemorning. Aer Peter described their nal meeting with the Mas-ter, the disciples began to pray in preparation for the reception ofthe promised Spirit of Truth.

194. BESTOWAL OF THE SPIRIT OF TRUTHOn Pentecost, one hundred and twenty believers gathered in

prayer in Jerusalem aer listening to Peter describe the farewellmessage of their Master. As they prayed, the became lled with anew consciousness of spiritual joy and power, followed by an urgeto publicly proclaim the gospel. e Spirit of Truth, the promisednew teacher, had arrived.

e apostles emerged from forty days in hiding and began topreach their new message in the temple. Peter delivered an appealwhichwonmore than two thousand souls. e Jewish leaderswereastounded at the apostles’ boldness.

Jesus’ followers quickly discovered that the story of his resurrec-tion held great allure. e gospel of the Fatherhood of God quicklychanged into the gospel of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. e apos-


tles proclaimed the facts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, andthe fervent hope of his imminent return.

e Jesus brotherhood grew. Converts to the gospel prayed to-gether, broke bread together, referred to each other as brothers andsisters. ey ministered to the poor and shared their material pos-sessions. enew fellowship spread rapidly formany years. Jewishleaders, seeing that they didn’t pose any threat and that they con-tinued to follow Jewish law, took little notice.

All went well in Jerusalem until pupils of Rodan began to makeconverts among the Hellenists. Greeks did not conform to Jewishpractices and ceremonies and this eventually caused relations be-tween the Jesus brotherhood and the Jewish leaders to deteriorate.One Greek convert, Stephen, was stoned to death as he preached,thus becoming the rst martyr of the new religion.

Stephen’s death brought about the formal organization of theearly Christian church. Believers agreed to separate themselvesfrom unbelievers. Within a month of Stephen’s death, Peter andJames were leading the new church in Jerusalem. Missionarieswent forth throughout the Roman empire carrying the messageof the new gospel, and relentless persecution by the Jews began.

Pentecost was a call to spiritual unity among believers. eSpirit of Truth descended in Jerusalem, Alexandria, Philadelphia,and all other places where true believers lived. e Spirit equippedteachers of the new faith with spiritual weapons: unfailing forgive-ness, matchless goodwill, and boundless love. Among themselves,followers of Jesus were set free from discrimination based on sex,race, culture, and social status.

e life and death of Jesus eternally prove that goodness andfaith will always be vindicated. Michael, as Jesus, revealed God to


mankind as the Spirit of Truth reveals Michael to mankind. emission of the Spirit is to foster and personalize truth and to de-stroy mortal feelings of orphanhood. e Spirit of Truth puri esthe human heart and leads us to commit to the will of God and thewelfare of humankind. e joy of this Spirit is a tonic for health,a stimulus for mind, and an unfailing energy for the soul. eSpirit of Truth brings a restatement of the message of Jesus to ev-ery new generation of believers, providing personal enlightenmentand guidance for the spiritual difficulties of mortal life.

195. AFTER PENTECOSTe Roman Empire was receptive to the spread of Christian-

ity. Con icts between older religions and the budding new reli-gion were solved through compromise. A revised version of Jesus’teachings blendedwithGreek andHebrew philosophy,Mithraism,and paganism to become Christianity.

Christianity started growing primarily in the lower classes. Af-ter the rst century, the best members of the Greco-Roman cul-ture were increasingly drawn in. Early leaders deliberately com-promised the ideals of Jesus in the attempt to preserve his ideas.e eastern form of Christianity remained more true to the orig-inal teachings of Jesus, but was eventually lost in the rise of Is-lam. But someday the ideals of the Master will assert their powerthroughout the world.

e Roman empire was tolerant of strange peoples, languages,and religions; Christianity was opposed only when it seemed tobe in competition with the state. e Romans were successful ingoverning the western world because of their honesty, devotion,and self-control, and these same qualities provided ideal soil for


the spread of Christianity. Although the new religion came toolate to save the Roman empire from its eventual moral decline, theempire did last long enough to insure the survival of Christianity.

Today Christianity faces a struggle more difficult than any ithas known throughout history. e rise of science and material-ism challenges religion. e higher a civilization evolves, themorenecessary it becomes that people seek spiritual reality to help sta-bilize society and solve material problems. Religion helps us de-velop faith, trust and assurance. Society without a morality basedon spiritual reality cannot survive.

Science has destroyed childlike interpretations of life. True sci-ence has no con ict with true religion; but the change from an ageof miracles to an age of machines has been upsetting to modernman. Religious leaders are mistaken when they try to lure peo-ple to spiritual practice with methods that were used in themiddleages. Religion must renew itself and nd new ways to approachmodern people.

Modern secularism sprang from two in uences: atheistic sci-ence and the protest against the domination of western civilizationby the medieval Christian church. For hundreds of years Westernthinking has been progressively secularized; most professedChris-tians are actually secularists. Secularism is barren of spiritual val-ues and satisfactions. It freed humankind from ecclesiastical slav-ery only to lead them into political and economic slavery. isphilosophy leads to unrest, unhappiness, and disaster. e bless-ings of secularism-tolerance, social service, democracy, and civilliberty-can be had without sacri cing faith in God.

Christianity stands in need of the teachings of Jesus. ”Urantiais now quivering on the very brink of one of its most amazing and


enthralling epochs of social readjustment, moral quickening, andspiritual enlightenment.” Religion needs leaders who will dependsolely on Jesus and his teachings. e world must see Jesus liv-ing again in the experience of spirit-born mortals who reveal theMaster to all people.

e true Church is invisible, spiritual, and characterized byunity rather than uniformity. If the Christian church would followthe Master, young people would not hesitate to enlist in his greatspiritual adventure. It is not duty that will transform our world,but the ”second mile” of freely-given service and devotion by fol-lowers of Jesus who truly live and love as he taught.

Christianity suffers a handicap because it is identi edwith west-ern civilization-a society burdened with science without idealism,politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure with-out restraint, knowledge without character, power without con-science, and industry without morality.

196. THE FAITH OF JESUSJesus magni cently demonstrated living faith in God. He never

doubted the certainty of God’s watch care. His faith was notmerelyintellectual; it was a profound conviction which securely held himin the living reality of God and destroyed every desire that con-icted with the will of the Father. Jesus never failed to exhibit un-

questioning loyalty to God’s will.Jesus trusted God as a child trusts his father. His complete de-

pendence on God gave Jesus the assurance of absolute personalsecurity. Jesus had con dence in the goodness of the universe.He wants his followers to believe in the reality of the Father’s love


so that they too can experience the con dence that comes fromknowing they are children of God.

Jesus was the most truly religious person who ever lived onearth. If the religion of Jesus suddenly replaced the religion aboutJesus, the social, economic, and moral transformations that wouldoccur would be revolutionary.

Christianity is founded on the personal religious experience ofPaul, but the gospel of the kingdom is founded on the personalreligious experience of Jesus. We should not literally imitate Jesus’life; we need to trust God as Jesus trusts God and to believe in eachother as he believes in us. e greatest of all human knowledge isknowing the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it.

Jesus’ life reveals a pattern of religious growth that started withearly primitive awe, moved through personal spiritual commu-nion, and arrived at advanced consciousness of oneness with theFather. He grew from the humble mortal status that prompted hiswords, ”Why do you call me good?” to the sublime consciousnessof divinity which led him to say, ”Which one of you convicts meof sin?”

Jesus did not believe, as Paul did, that the world was fundamen-tally evil. He viewed humans positively. Jesus saw men as sonsof God and knew of the magni cent futures awaiting those whochose survival. Jesus was willing to devote himself to mortal ser-vice because of the high value that he placed on people. We areuplied by his extraordinary faith in us.

ere are three evidences that spirit indwells the human mind.e rst is love-only a spirit-indwelt mind is capable of altruism.e second is wisdom-only a spirit-indwelt mind can discern thatthe universe is friendly. e third is worship-only a spirit-indwelt


mind can realize the divine presence and seek experience with di-vinity.

e human mind does not create value. It can only discover,recognize, interpret, and choose values and meanings. Humansurvival is dependent on choosing those values selected by the in-dwelling Adjuster, the spirit-value sorter. Man’s challenge on earthis to achieve better communication with this indwelling Monitor.

Be not discouraged; human evolution is still in progress, and therevelation of God in the world, in and through Jesus, shall not fail.

synopsis of the urantia papers

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