Urantia Book 90. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua bin Joseph, Yeshua, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of Nebadon. Jesus, accompanied by his apostles, the Greeks, Joseph of Arimathea and other disciples, went to the temple on Tuesday afternoon to give his last discourse. The temple was quiet. He said, I have been traveling around teaching and preaching, the Father has done many wonderful works, even raising the dead. But even this has not opened the eyes of those who are determined to refuse to see the light, those who are determined to reject the gospel of the kingdom. Although I and my apostles have done our utmost to live in peace and obey the laws, the leaders of Israel will not have it. By rejecting the truth of God and the light of heaven, they are aligning themselves with the side of error and darkness. But even now it is not too late for them to accept the kingdom of God. You have killed prophet after prophet because you did not like the message. You killed John the Baptist because he was trying to save you. Now you will destroy the Son of Man. This people was called to become the light of the world, to show forth a spiritual glory of a God-knowing race, but your leaders are about to perform the supreme folly of rejecting the gift of God to all persons and for all ages–the revelation of the love of the Father for all his creatures on earth. Then this gift will be given to other peoples, to those who will receive it with joy and gladness. I solemnly warn you that you are about to lose your position in the world as the standard-bearers of eternal truth and the custodians of divine law. I am offering you your last chance to accept the kingdom of heaven, accept the Father’s love…..But behold how the Father’s mercy is slighted and how the messengers of truth are rejected. Nevertheless, I admonish you, that these scribes and Pharisees still sit in Moses’s seat, and, therefore, until the Most Highs, who rule in the kingdoms of men, shall finally overthrow this nation and destroy the place of these rulers, I bid you cooperate with these elders in Israel (I have no idea who the “Most Highs” are; Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and the Most Highs rule the Constellation Norlatiadek, which is the only one in this universe). Jesus criticized the leaders for oppressing the worshipers with ceremonies and enslaving them with traditions. And the priests made a show of sanctity while confiscating widows’ houses. And he told his listeners to call no one Father. Only God is Father. Now we come to the Woes: “Woe upon you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You would shut the doors of the kingdom of heaven against sincere men because they happen to be unlearned in the way of your teaching.” “Woe upon you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to find a proselyte, and when you’ve found him, you make him twice as bad as you are.” “Woe upon you, chief priest and rulers! You take the property of the poor and demand heavy dues of those who would serve God as Moses taught.” “Woe upon you, false teachers, blind guides! What can be expected of a nation where the blind lead the blind? They both fall into a pit of destruction!” “Woe upon you who dissimulate when you take an oath! You are tricksters since you teach that a man may swear by the temple and break his oath, but that whoever swears by the gold in the temple must remain bound. You are all fools and blind!” “Woe to you, scribes, Pharisees and other hypocrites! You tithe anise, mint and cumin and at the same time disregard the weightier matters of the law–faith, mercy and judgment. You are truly blind guides and dumb teachers; you strain out the gnat and swallow the camel.” “Woe upon you, scribes, Pharisees and hypocrites! You wicked reprobates, you make the outward performance of your religion conform with the letter of your interpretation of Moses’ law while your souls are steeped in iniquity and filled with murder.” “Woe on all of you who reject truth and spurn mercy! Many of you are like white sepulchers, which are beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are bones and all sorts of filth. You also appear holy and righteous on the outside but are full of filth and iniquity on the inside. Don’t you understand that the Judge will require an accounting of why this people murdered the messengers sent to them, and for what they are about to do to the Son of Man? Jesus mourned: “O,Jerusalem and the children of Abraham, you who have stoned the prophets and killed the teachers that were sent to you, even now I would gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you will not.”