Urantia Book 72. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua ben Joseph, Yeshua, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of Nebadon. On the last evening of the feast Jesus stood in the middle of the crowd and said: “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. Presuming to place me on trial and assuming to sit as my judges, you declare that, if I bear witness of myself, my witness cannot be true. But never can the creature sit in judgment on the Creator. Even if I so bear witness of myself, my witness is everlastingly true, for I know from where I came, who I am, and where I’m going. You who would kill the Son of Man know not whence I came, who I am, or whither I go. You only judge by the appearances of the flesh; you do not perceive the realities of the spirit. I judge no man, not even my archenemy. But if I should choose to judge, my judgment would be true and righteous, for I would judge not alone but in association with my Father, who sent me into the world, and is the source of all true judgment. You even allow that the witness of two reliable persons may be accepted–well, then, I bear witness to these truths; so also does my Father in heaven. And when I told you this yesterday, in your darkness you asked me, ‘Where is your Father?’ Truly, you know neither me nor my Father, for if you had known me, you would also have known my Father.”****** I am the light of life, and everyone who deliberately and with understanding rejects this saving light will die in his sin. However, he who sent me is true and faithful; my Father loves even his erring children. When the Son of Man is lifted up, then shall you all know that I am he, and that I have done nothing of myself but only as the Father has taught me. And he who has sent me is even now with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing in his sight” (162.5.1-4).** Just after the water and wine had been poured on the altar, Jesus, standing among the worshipers, said: “If any person thirsts, let them come to me and drink. From the Father above I bring to this world the water of life. Those who believe me will be filled with the spirit which this water represents, for even the Scriptures have said: ‘Out of him shall flow rivers of living waters.’ When the Son of Man has finished his work on earth, there will be poured out on all flesh the living Spirit of Truth. Those who receive this Spirit never shall know spiritual thirst.” To everyone who has faith shall this bestowal of the Spirit become the true teacher of the way which leads to everlasting life, to the true waters of life in the kingdom of heaven on earth and in the Father’s Paradise” (162.6.1-3).******************************* On the last afternoon of the feast Jesus again went to the temple to teach. Finding a large group of believers in Solomon’s Porch, he said to them: ” If my words abide in you and you are minded to do the will of my Father, then are you truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. I know how you will answer me: we are the children of Abraham, and we are in bondage to none; how then shall we be made free? Even so, I do not speak of outward subjection to another’s rule; I refer to the liberties of the soul. Verily, verily, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a bond servant to sin. You know that the Son remains in his father’s house, not the servant. So if the Son makes you free, he will make you sons, and you will be free indeed. If God were your Father, you would know me and love the truth which I reveal. I say to you who believe the gospel that, if a person will keep this word of truth alive in his heart, he shall never taste death. And now just at my side a scribe says that this statement proves that I have a devil, seeing that Abraham is dead, also the prophets. And he asks, ‘Are you so much greater than Abraham and the prophets that you dare to stand here and say that whoso keeps your word shall not taste death? Who do you claim to be that you dare to utter such blasphemies?’ And I say it is the Father who will glorify me, the same Father you call God.” There was such confusion and uproar that Jesus couldn’t continue. He was about to be arrested, so he disappeared down one of the corridors. He met Martha, Mary and Lazarus at a secret place near Bethany (162.7.1-5).******************************* During the feast Jesus divided his time between Bethany and Bethlehem. At Bethany he spent time with his apostles; at Bethlehem he gave instruction to Abner and John’s other apostles. It was this intimate contact that finally caused them to believe in him. They were influenced by the public teaching he was doing in Jerusalem and his sympathetic understanding as he taught them about the kingdom. In late October Jesus, Abner and their followers all left for Magadan Park.