Urantia Book 22. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua ben Joseph, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of the Universe of Nebadon. John and his disciples’ preaching became more intense than ever with the events surrounding Jesus. About 3 weeks after Jesus left them, priests and Pharisees came asking questions: “Are you Elijah? Are you the Messiah? Why are you baptizing these people? Why are you creating this stir?” John finally said: “I declare to you that, while I baptize with water, there has been among us one who will return to baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (135.9.4). Jesus came back on January 23, a Sabbath morning. The next day he went to Galilee and they never saw each other again. A quarter of John’s disciples followed Jesus, and John went south, but he was sad and confused. His preaching changed, and he began to criticize Herod Antipas. Herod was afraid John would foment rebellion, so he had him arrested. John’s disciples scattered, many of them going to Jesus. John was lonely and bitter in prison. He thought, if Jesus were the Messiah, he ought to get him magically released from prison. Prison was a great test of John’s faith in Jesus, and even God. Some of John’s disciples visited him and pointed out that Jesus was not even trying to get John released from prison. But John defended Jesus, saying he (John) was not the bridegroom, only the friend of the bridegroom, and that Jesus must increase while he (John) must decrease. John’s words were a rebuke to his disciples, and they went away silently. John, however, was agitated because he had just uttered a prophecy; he would never again doubt the divinity of Jesus. Why didn’t Jesus try to get John released from prison? Jesus knew the glorious destiny planned for John after his passing, and he would not interfere with his destiny. He did send a message confirming his identity as God, which brought John great comfort. Herod didn’t know what to do with John. John refused Herod’s requests that he leave Herod’s domains. John also refused to cease public activities. Herod was afraid John would foment rebellion if released, and was afraid of public rage if John were executed. Herod liked John. He would talk with him about the kingdom of heaven. But Herodias, Herod’s unlawful wife, hated John. She nagged Herod to have him put to death. Failing this, she schemed to have John killed during a trick at Herod’s birthday party. She would take advantage of Herod’s fondness for young girls and his addiction to alcohol. Herodias waited for the right time when Herod was sufficiently inebriated, and presented her daughter to entertain the guests. Her daughter was coached to dance seductively and slip out of some of her clothes. Herod’s attention was suddenly focused on the girl and he put her on his lap. He was so overcome with a girl that he hadn’t even noticed before that he promised her she could have anything she wanted. She told him what it was, and Herod sobered-up. He had to follow through; all the guests would expect it. So he sent the message that would be talked about for 2000 years and had John’s head brought to the daughter of Herodias.************* John and Jesus had different approaches and styles in their preaching. John’s message was “Repent! Flee from the wrath to come!” Jesus, on the other hand, preached good tidings, the joy and liberty of the new kingdom. The Jews were looking forward to a Messiah, an anointed one, who would be prophet, priest and king. By magical acts he would overthrow the Romans and restore Israel to national glory. Salvation of souls didn’t occur to them–didn’t figure into the equation, so it becomes obvious that Jesus would never be their acknowledged Messiah. And this is because they had lost sight of the personality of the Messiah. They could have seen Jesus as the terminator of one age and the inaugurator of a new and better dispensation of mercy and salvation for all nations (136.1.3). The Jews were very confused about their nation’s relationship to human sin, repentance and redemption. They just did not know how they worked; they just had theories. But they did believe the Messiah would relieve them of their sins and bring the kingdom of heaven. The Jews’ concept of the Messiah did not have 2 natures: human and divine. Therefore, they did not understand Jesus. It took 300 years for the dogma to be declared. It is referred to as a hypostatic union. The nation of Israel in John’s time was engaged in serious self-examination. They came to John for baptism because they were afraid that a sin, however minor, would delay the Messiah. When Jesus was baptized, it was his TA who spoke the words above his head. The TA is a fragment of the Father, so the two are actually one, and the TA was speaking for the Father. After Jesus was baptized, he went away into seclusion for 40 days. During the 40 days, Jesus formulated plans for bringing the kingdom of God to the people of Urantia. He was about to change the world, and he meditated on how best to do that. He did no fasting; he had no afflictions of the soul. He came to destroy notions of God that involved self-denial and asceticism. As Jesus was wondering around, he met Gabriel, his universe chief executive. Gabriel was carrying the message that Jesus had won his sovereignty and was free to go home. Also, the senior constellation Father appeared and announced: “The record is complete. The sovereignty of Michael number 611, 121 over his universe of Nebadon rests in completion at the right hand of the Universal Father.” Jesus remembered the instructions of Immanuel, his brother. Immanuel told him that he was to leave nothing in writing when he left earth. Jesus, while wandering in the wilderness, came up with a simple way to make decisions. There were 2 ways of conducting a world ministry: 1. His way –a way that was pleasant and profitable which met the immediate needs of the world and the edification of his universe. 2. The Father’s way–the exemplification of a farseeing ideal of creature life visualized by the high personalities of the Paradise administration of the universe of universes. Jesus decided that, in any situation, he would always do the Father’s will.

Urantia Book 21. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua ben Joseph, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of Nebadon. Jesus was working in Zebedee’s workshop for a while when runners came announcing that a man named John was preaching and baptizing penitents in the Jordan. John preached: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent and be baptized.” Jesus listened to these reports as John worked his way up the Jordan valley…When John had reached a point near Pella in January of AD 26, Jesus put down his tools and said: “My hour has come,” and presented himself to John for baptism” (134.9.8). But this was not the same Jesus that people remembered from before his ascent of Mount Hermon. ******************** John the Baptist was born on March 25, 7 BC according to the promise Gabriel made to Elizabeth. Her husband, Zacharias, didn’t believe it until he had a dream confirming it. Still, he lost his speech until John was presented to the Temple. The most exciting thing in John’s life was a trip to visit Jesus when he was 6 years old (they were relatives). John was homeschooled by both parents. His father was a priest and well-versed in the scriptures, and his mother was well-educated for the times, too. At 14 John took the Nazarite vow to live a clean life. A Nazarite was in the same class as the high priest, and was the only person besides the high priest who could enter the holy of holies in the Temple. John, after his father’s death, took up sheep herding because Jesus told him the time was not right yet. After John’s mother’s death, when he was 28, he gave his herds to the brotherhood and detached himself from the world while he fasted and prayed. John only knew the old methods of approach to divinity; he only knew the records of Elijah, Samuel and Daniel. His ideal prophet was Elijah, and he believed he himself would be the last of a long, illustrious line of the messengers of heaven (135.4.2). And he was right. John had an expectation that Elijah would come again, and this held him back from preaching for 2 years, which he spent in the Nazarite home reading the book of Isaiah and other prophets, like Malachi, who said: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers toward the children and the hearts of the children toward their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (135.4.4). So John thought Elijah had returned and he was afraid of competing with him. John knew he wasn’t Elijah reincarnated, but he theorized that, since the first prophet was named Elijah, the last prophet would be named Elijah. His doubts kept him from calling himself Elijah, however. But he imitated Elijah in all things: his bluntness, his dress, his preoccupation with sins and vices, his denunciation of religious leaders. He decided that “the kingdom of God” would be the theme of his preaching and that he would be the prophet who proclaimed the Messiah. At this point he had no doubts and one day in March of AD 25, he walked out of the Nazarite home and began preaching repentance and baptizing. When Jesus and John entered the scene, Jews were influenced by apocalyptic thinking. They expected an end to Roman rule and the appearance of a Messiah-king from the line of David. It was an end of times thinking; the sufferings of the Jews was a penalty for the nation’s sins. That’s how they explained the Babylonian Exile. The Messiah would bring in the kingdom of God. So when John said: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” his listeners heard a dozen different messages. As John journeyed along the Jordan, he would say: “Go tell your masters that you have heard one crying in the wilderness, as spoken by the prophet, “make ready the way of the Lord, make straight a highway for our God” (135.6.6). When asked if he were the Messiah, he would say: “There will come after me one who is greater than I, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to unloose. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (135.7.2). John had lost his certainty about all this. He was confused. The further north along the Jordan he went, the more confused he became. He had no idea if Jesus was the promised Messiah. He was sorely in doubt about the role of Jesus in the coming kingdom of God. Was the kingdom even coming? When John and his followers reached Pella, Jesus and his brothers James and Jude went to him to be baptized. They stood in line to be baptized, which John had not expected. John didn’t say anything until Jesus stood in front of him. Then he said:”But why do you come down into the water to greet me?” Jesus answered:”To be subject to your baptism.” John replied: “But I have need to be baptized by you. Why do you come to me?” And Jesus whispered to John: “Bear with me now, for it becomes us to set this example for my brothers standing here with me, and so the people will know my hour has come” (135.8.5). Jesus was baptized on Monday, January 14, AD 26. After John had baptized James and Jude, he dismissed all others for the day. As the 4 were still standing in the water they heard a strange noise, and then they heard a voice saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus’ face changed, he walked out of the water, headed east, and wasn’t seen again for 40 days.

Urantia Book 20. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua ben Joseph, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of the Universe of Nebadon. Jesus left Nazareth on the 1st of April, AD 24 for the caravan trip to the Caspian Sea area. This trip caused him to become closer to the Asian countries and to gain a better understanding of those peoples. He managed to make intimate contact with every one of the surviving races of Urantia except one: the red man. He enjoyed his personal ministry to these varied people. The Europeans from the Far West and the Asiatics from the Far East alike gave attention to his words of eternal life and hope. Leading the caravan was an unusual experience for Jesus because he functioned in an executive capacity, being responsible for the travelers’ safety and the protection of their possessions. On the return trip from the Caspian region, Jesus gave up direction of the caravan at Lake Urmia, where he rested for 2 weeks. Later, he went home to Capernaum and stayed with the Zebedees (134.2.1-5). ******** Urmia was an old Persian city on the shores of Lake Urmia. Off shore there was a large island with an amphitheater dedicated to the “spirit of religion.” Debates were held on the philosophy of religions. It was a school, and teachers represented every religion known at the time. No conflicts between religions were tolerated. Jesus took part in many of the discussions. He was also invited to give 24 lectures on the “Brotherhood of Men,” and to conduct 12 evening sessions for questions, discussions and debates on his lectures. These lectures were the most systematic and formal of all the Master’s teaching on Urantia. In reality, these lectures were on “the kingdom of God” and “the kingdoms of men.” The faculty of this school represented more than 30 religions and religious cults. In order to qualify as a faculty member, one had to espouse a belief in God. A Supreme Deity had to be included in their doctrines. Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is spiritual, that its founded on divine sovereignty–God. Religions will be at peace if they recognize the sovereignty of God. The Supreme Court has written God out of public life, and the result has been terrible. This country has lost its way. We have subjective values instead of truths we can all agree on. We have the top 1%insanely wealthy and a failing middle class. We have a cabal that wants to reduce the world’s population to 500,000. We were told the cabal would be arrested and sent to GITMO, but that hasn’t materialized. We have a government that keeps its citizens in the dark about too many events, the secret space program, free energy, ETs.* When Jesus was 31, AD 25, he returned from Urmia. As he was passing through Palestine, his Thought Adjuster led him to Mount Hermon in order to finish the work of mastering his human mind and complete his full consecration to the remainder of his lifework on earth. Jesus was alone with God for 6 weeks on the slopes of Mount Hermon.************ At the end of the 6 weeks, Jesus procured a pack animal and hired a boy named Tiglath. In the middle of August in AD 25 he set up a base camp, and leaving his supplies with Tiglath, he climbed up Mount Hermon. At 6000 feet he built a stone container in which Tiglath would put food twice a week. As Jesus ascended the first day he prayed that the Father would send a “guardian seraphim to be with Tiglath. He requested that he be permitted to go up to his last struggle with the realities of mortal existence alone. And his request was granted. He went into his great test with only his indwelling Adjuster to guide and sustain him” (134.8.2). While on the mountain, Jesus was confronted by superhuman beings, with whom he wrestled in spirit, and whom he defeated in power. They were real; they were his archenemies in the System of Satania.We can blame the Lucifer rebellion for the chaotic state of human civilization: wars, genocides, revolutions, murders, rapes, invasions, poverty, inequality, addictions and I could go on. During August and September Jesus finished the mortal task of personality control and mental comprehension. Jesus became assured of his triumph over the material aspects of his being, and the ascendancy of his divine nature over his human nature. During the last week on the mountain, Jesus asked the Father for permission to hold a conference with his Satania enemies as Joshua ben Joseph, the Son of Man. Permission was granted and a universe trial was set in motion. Satan, representing Lucifer, and the rebellious Planetary Prince, Caligastia, were present and fully visible to Jesus. And this “temptation,” this final trial of human loyalty in the face of misrepresentations of rebel personalities, had not to do with food, temple pinnacles or presumptuous acts. It had not to do with the kingdoms of this world, but with the sovereignty of a mighty and glorious universe. To the many proposals and counter proposals of the emissaries of Lucifer, Jesus only made reply: “May the will of my Paradise Father prevail, and you, my rebellious son, may the Ancients of Days judge you divinely. I am your Creator-father; I can hardly judge you justly, and my mercy you have already spurned. I commit you to the adjudication of the judges of a greater universe”(134.8.7). The Ancients of Days are the 3 rulers of the superuniverse of Orvonton. Lucifer and Satan were found guilty and chose self-termination as punishment. When Jesus came down the mountain, the rebellion was settled (or at least passed to a higher court), and he had gained full sovereignty of his universe.

Before I start, I want to explain why its been so long since my last post. I had to have my dog euthanized last Monday, and I’m not taking it well, not at all. I avoided facing my feelings, which is typical for me, so I was paralyzed and didn’t want to do anything. But I was finally able to get some writing done. Here it is. This is the life of Jesus, God of Nebadon. Their next stop was Cyprus. They loaded several pack animals with supplies and traveled into the remote mountains. Ganid suddenly became seriously ill with a high fever in an area with no doctors. Gonod was impressed with Jesus’ expertise in nursing Ganid back to health. When Ganid regained his health, he and Jesus walked the hills while Jesus discoursed on the human mind. Ganid wanted to know why Jesus said that “man experiences a higher form of self-consciousness than do the higher animals.” Jesus had already told Ganid about the divine spirit living in the mind. Then Jesus added: “self-consciousness is a reality. When any animal becomes self-conscious, it becomes a primitive man. (Also), Ideas are not simply a record of sensations; ideas are sensations plus the reflective interpretations of the personal self; and the self is more than the sum of one’s sensations…No mere animal could possess time self-consciousness…Neither is the human self merely the sum of the successive states of consciousness” (133.7.6-9).************************* The three stopped at Antioch, but the city was so immoral, that Jesus made no contacts and they soon left for Mesopotamia. Jesus helped with the loading of 20 camels, and Ganid asked him if there were anything he couldn’t do. Their target city was the ancient city of Ur. Jesus was very interested in Ur because Abraham was born there. Also, his father, Terah, was a priest of the Anunnaki “gods” who were actually an alien human race which developed the earthly human race. It would be interesting to know what Jesus thought of this. On earth Jesus had Life Carriers which seeded planets with DNA and other elements of life. When they were sure these living elements would survive, the Life Carriers went back to their labs and let Evolution take over. The people who study alien influence on humans say that we have been interbred with several alien species. Humans are actually aliens. And we have aliens walking our streets and we don’t know what their agenda is. David Jacobs of Temple University thinks their agenda is to take over earth. We know they made treaties with our government, and we know they ignored these treaties by abducting people. And that base at Dulce, NM is a horror chamber. Our military can’t control what happens there, and they have died trying. There are bad things going on in this world. That’s why I stay close to Jesus. Back to the post: While in Ur, Jesus and Ganid had a long talk about the difference among knowledge, wisdom and truth. Ganid liked the saying of the Hebrew wise man: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. With all your quest for knowledge, get understanding. Exalt wisdom and she will promote you. She will bring you to honor if you will but embrace her” (133.9.3). You notice the feminine pronoun in this saying. Wisdom in the Hebrew scriptures is feminine. She is the female counterpart of Yahweh, or perhaps she’s the feminine part of Yahweh. In very olden days Yahweh had a wife-goddess named Asherah. After they had seen Ur, it was time for them to part. They parted at Charax, a small boat taking Ganid and his father out to the ship they would sail in. Ganid grew up to be successful, and he enjoyed spreading his tutor’s teachings everywhere he went. When he heard of the crucifixion of a holy man in Palestine, he did not link him with his tutor.* Jesus “made deliberate plans to return to Galilee to await the beginning of his lifework as a public teacher of truth…he did this of his own free will” (134.0.1). He decided that Palestine, the place of his birth, was the best place to set the closing chapters and enact the final scenes of his life on earth. He was finally satisfied with the program of fully manifesting his true nature and of revealing his divine identity among the Jews and gentiles of his native Palestine. Jesus had left Charax in December AD 23, and proceeded to Babylon, where he joined a caravan going to Damascus. From there he went to Zebedee’s boatshop in Capernaum, where he met his brothers James and Jude. Next, he went on to Nazareth and spent time with Mary and Ruth, the youngest at 15. Jesus was now 30 and it was AD 24. His family thought his absence was due to study in Alexandria, and he said nothing to the contrary. His family, especially his mother, wondered why he was so quiet. Why didn’t he tell his family about his adventures with the 2 Indians? What was Jesus afraid of revealing? Was it too secular? Was having fun something just not done? He revealed that side of himself when he set up recreation for his disciples. Was he afraid of criticism? Anyway, Simon and Jude had wanted to get married, but they wanted Jesus’ permission. Now with Jesus present, they could go ahead. So in early March of AD 24, they were married at a double wedding. Jesus was no sooner home than he picked up another job leading a caravan. A caravan leader suddenly died in Nazareth and Jesus, with his linguistic skills, offered to replace him. He would be gone a year. And his inner self needed more work before he could reveal himself. “Progress was made in effecting working harmony between his human mind and the indwelling Adjuster. The Adjuster had been actively engaged in reorganizing the thinking and in rehearsing the mind for the great events which were in the not then distant future. The personality of Jesus was preparing for his great change in attitude toward the world…(He would now be) making ready to complete his earth career as man appearing as God” (134.1.7).

Urantia Book 19. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua ben Joseph, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of the Universe of Nebadon. As the three were waiting to embark at Tarentum, they saw a man mistreating his wife. Jesus took the man aside and was so tactful in his approach to him that the man expressed sorrow for his behavior. “And then, in bidding him farewell, Jesus said: My brother, always remember that man has no rightful authority over woman unless the woman has willingly and voluntarily given him such authority. Your wife has engaged to go through life with you, to help you fight its battles and to assume the far greater share of the burden of bearing and raising your children; and in return for this special service, it is only fair that she receive from you that special protection that man can give to woman as the partner who must carry, bear and nurture the children…The Father in heaven treats the Spirit Mother of the children of the universe as one equal to himself”(133.2.2). As their boat moved away, they could see the couple in a silent embrace. Gonod, having heard the last part of Jesus’ message, meditated all day about it and decided to reorganize his household when he returned to India. Next, they spent several days in Nicopolis at the home of Jeramy, a Greek proselyte. Later, Paul would spend all winter in the same house with the son of Jeramy. Next, they sailed for Corinth. In Corinth, Ganid was interested in the Jewish religion, and they went to the synagogue frequently. They met the chief ruler, Crispus, and became very fond of him and his family. Jesus taught Crispus a deeper religion, and when Paul came through teaching the Gospel, he and his family became Christians. Paul was joined later by Silas and Timothy, and they heard a lot about the “Jewish tutor of the son of an Indian merchant.” Ganid knew Jesus didn’t like the public baths and was evasive about the topic of sex. One night as they were walking along, they passed two prostitutes. Thinking Jesus would disapprove of them, Ganid rudely told them to move away. Jesus said to Ganid: “You mean well, but you should not presume thus to speak to the children of God, even though they chance to be his erring children. Who are we that we should sit in judgment on these women? Do you happen to know all of the circumstances which led them to resort to such methods of obtaining a livelihood? Stop here with me while we talk about these matters” (133.3.6). Jesus said that prostitution didn’t make the women evil. Jesus took the women to a friend’s house. One found a job in the friend’s business and the other died.* Athens, the center of culture, was the next stop. At their inn a Greek philosopher lectured for 3 hours about science. When he was finished, Jesus replied: “Scientists may someday measure the energy, or force manifestations, of gravitation, light and electricity, but the same scientists can never (scientifically) tell you what these universe phenomena are” (133.5.4). Jesus went on with a very complicated analysis of matter and energy; and the insufficiency of math and equations. He said that science and religion both must become less dogmatic. Real knowledge says that quantitative fact and qualitative value have a common causation in the Paradise Father. And “when the energies of the universe are so slowed down that they acquire the requisite degree of motion, then, under favorable conditions, these same energies become mass” (133.5.9). I am at a loss to know why Jesus is discussing the opposite of Einstein’s formula, E=MC2. Anyway, his listeners were astounded, and one of them said: “At last my eyes have beheld who thinks of something besides racial superiority and talks of something besides religion.” They didn’t make many contacts in Athens because people were either intellectually snobbish or stupid and ignorant.**************************** Ephesus, the first Christian city and the Roman capital of Asia, was next on their itinerary. Ephesus was important later because there Christianity got its start. Paul spent two years preaching there while making tents for a living. Jesus had a conversation with a Greek who was confused by his use of the word “soul.” Jesus answered him by saying: ” The soul is the self-reflective, truth-discerning and spirit-perceiving part of man which forever elevates him above the animal world. Self-consciousness, in and of itself, is not the soul…the soul is that part of man which represents the potential survival value of human experience. Moral choice and spiritual attainment, the ability to know God and the urge to be like him, are the characteristics of the soul. The soul cannot exist apart from moral thinking and spiritual activity. A stagnant soul is a dying soul. As long as there is a glimmer of a desire to find the Father, the soul can survive.

Urantia Book 18. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua ben Joseph, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of the Universe of Nebadon. When Jesus was in Rome, he was approached many times to help with businesses, religious teaching or social reform. He was happy to serve these people while injecting some thought of spiritual uplift. Jesus talked with a Roman senator on politics and statesmanship; and such an impression was made on this senator that he spent the rest of his life trying to change government policy from supporting people to having people support the government. Jesus talked one evening to a slaveholder about man as a son of God, and the next day this man, Claudius, gave 117 slaves their freedom. He had dinner with a Greek physician and told him that his patients had minds and souls as well as bodies; this led the doctor to a more far-reaching ministry to his patients. The only place Jesus refused to go was the public baths because of the promiscuity in these places. He also may have known about germs.************** There was one incident in Rome that came close to a public appearance. “Jesus met a poor man who had been falsely accused, and went with him before the magistrate. Having obtained special permission to appear on the man’s behalf, Jesus made a superb defense as follows:”Justice makes a nation great, and the greater the nation, the more solicitous it will be to see that injustice shall not befall even its most humble citizen. Woe upon any nation when only those who possess money and influence can secure ready justice before its courts. It is the sacred duty of a magistrate to acquit the innocent as well as to punish the guilty. Upon the impartiality, fairness and integrity of its courts the endurance of a nation depends. Civil government is founded on justice, even as true religion is founded on mercy…The judge re-opened the case, and when the evidence had been sifted, he discharged the prisoner”(132.4.8).* A rich man introduced by Angamon asked Jesus what he should do with his great wealth. Jesus, not taking him seriously, told him to leave it to his descendants. But the man was serious, so Jesus told him to analyze his wealth and find the sources of the wealth. And what are they? 1. Inherited 2. Discovered-oil 3.Trade 4. Unfair wealth 5.Interest on investments 6. Genius wealth from inventions 7. Accidental wealth 8. Stolen wealth 9.Trust funds 10. Earned wealth. Then, said Jesus, divide your wealth into these 10 divisions and when in doubt about the equity and justice of these divisions, favor those who are in need, favor those who suffer the misfortune of undeserved hardships. Claudius wanted Jesus to be more specific, so this is what Jesus told him: 1. If any of your inherited wealth was obtained illegally, give it to the needy. 2. Discovered wealth is usually developed with partners. 3. Trade should always be honest. 4. There is no place for slavery in the life of a god-loving mortal. 5. Capital lent must be legitimate wealth. 6. The inventor and the company he works for deserve a portion of the wealth from the invention. 7. Accidental wealth must be shared by the God-loving mortal. 8. If wealth is procured by fraud, it must be returned immediately. 9. Only take from a trust what is allowed. 10. Your wages are rightfully your own. When the man said goodnight, he promised to begin the administration of his wealth according to Jesus’ advice.* During their stay in Rome, Jesus and Ganid encountered a lost child and devoted their time to finding his home. Jesus said to Ganid, “You know, Ganid, most human beings are like the lost child. They spend much of their time crying in fear and suffering in sorrow when, in very truth, they are but a short distance from safety and security, even as this child was only a little way from home…Did we not supremely enjoy this ministry of restoring the child to his mother? So do those who lead men to God experience the extreme satisfaction of human service”(132.6.1).* The trio made 5 trips away from Rome to points of interest in the surrounding territory. They met a man casually that Jesus did not converse with, and this puzzled Ganid. Jesus explained that the man was not ripe for the harvest of salvation; he must be allowed more time for the trials and difficulties of life to prepare him for the reception of wisdom and higher learning. And you cannot reveal God to those who do not seek for him; you cannot lead unwilling souls into the joys of salvation. In Switzerland Jesus had a day-long talk with both father and son about Buddhism. Gonod asked Jesus a direct question about the Buddha. (Ganid had asked questions and received evasive answers.) But Jesus gave Gonod a direct reply: “Your Buddha was much better than your Buddhism. Buddha was a great man, but early he lost sight of his spiritual Father, the Father in heaven. His experience was tragic. He tried to live and teach as a messenger of God, but without God. His ship ran aground very close to the harbor of salvation. His followers must abandon his philosophy and seize upon his spirit, and then they can enter the harbor.********* As they neared Terentum the three saw a big bully of a boy beating up a small boy. Jesus quickly intervened and held the bully while the small boy disappeared. That was the end of it, but Ganid wasn’t satisfied. He said Jesus should have punished the bully. Jesus told him justice doesn’t work that way. The government metes out justice. He also said he would defend himself if attacked, no matter the consequences to the attacker. This made more sense to Ganid.

Urantia Book 17. The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua ben Joseph, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of the Universe of Nebadon. When the three reached Rome, Gonod carried greetings for Emperor Tiberius from the princes of India. Tiberius was in a good mood so he chatted pleasantly with them. Later the Emperor remarked to his aide, referring to Jesus,” If I had that fellow’s kingly bearing and gracious manner, I would be a real emperor, eh?” (130.0.1). Due to chronic clinical depression, I was a nihilist during college, but I married a Catholic seminary student. I found myself attracted to his theology books and eventually found my way to Christ. We were both liberals, so there were no arguments between us about religion. So I agree with Tiberius that Jesus is attractive and powerful. Now back to our trio. Gonod had much business to transact in Rome, and Ganid had reached the age where he had to learn his father’s business, so Jesus had whole days to himself. He became thoroughly acquainted with this city of 1 million people. He would often go to the Forum, the center of political, legal and business life. He often went up to the Capitoleum and thought about the ignorance in which these people lived as he admired the temple dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. He also frequented Palatine Hill, the location of the emperor’s residence, the temple of Apollo and the Greek and Latin libraries. The Roman Empire at that time occupied all of southern Europe, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Northwest Africa, including every country of the Eastern Hemisphere. Jesus’ desire to study this mix of people was the chief reason he accepted Gonod’s invitation. One of the most valuable experiences of Jesus’ 6 months in Rome was his contact with and influence on the religious leaders the city. He sought out the leaders of the Cynics, the Stoics and the Mithraic mystery cult. Jesus saw his disciples coming to Rome to preach the Gospel, and thus prepared the leaders of Rome to accept these disciples and their message. So, Jesus spent time with 5 of the leading Stoics, 11 of the Cynics, and 16 of the mystery-cult leaders in intimate association. He seldom met with more than one person to converse with. Never once did he attack their errors or the flaws in their teachings. In each case he would select the truth in what they taught; he would embellish this truth until it crowded out the flaw. These Jesus-taught men and women were thus prepared for the recognition of additional and similar truths in the teachings of the early Christian missionaries. From the teaching of these religious leaders, only 2 did not bear fruit. The others became pivotal individuals in the establishment of Christianity in Rome, and some aided in turning the chief Mithraic temple into the first Christian church of Rome. There were 3 factors of paramount value in setting the stage for the rapid spread of Christianity: “1. The choosing and holding of Simon Peter as an apostle. 2. The talk in Jerusalem with Steven, whose death led to the winning of Saul of Tarsus. 3. The preliminary preparation of these 30 Romans for the subsequent leadership of the new religion in Rome and throughout the Empire”(132.0.5). (Note: These are the writers’ opinions. I believe good roads and trade enabled the spread. Also, when people worship the emperor or a marble statue, there is going to be a sense of disillusionment, and the timing of Christianity was just right in that regard. Jesus spent all night with a Stoic named Angamon, who subsequently became a close friend of Paul. Here is a summary of Jesus’ teaching: “The standard of true values must be looked for in the spiritual world and on divine levels of eternal reality. To an ascending mortal all lower and material standards must be recognized as transient, partial and inferior. The scientist, as such, is limited to the discovery of the relatedness of facts”(132.1.2). Jesus went on to say that if materialism in a society dominates moral insight and spiritual attainment, it will menace civilization. Civilization will collapse if there is no return to spiritual values. The scientist and idealist will always be in conflict unless they have a common standard of high moral and spiritual levels. Both scientists and religionists must recognize that they are on trial before the bar of human need. They must stop fighting long enough to justify their continued survival by enhanced devotion to the service of human progress (UB). ***** Mardus, the leader of the Cynics in Rome, became a friend to the “scribe of Damascus.” He wanted Jesus’ views on good and evil. Jesus’ views are surprising: “My brother, good and evil are merely words symbolizing relative levels of human comprehension of the observable universe. If you are ethically lazy and socially indifferent, you can take as your standard of good the current social usages. If you are spiritually indolent and morally unprogressive, you may take as your standard of good the religious practices and traditions of your contemporaries. But the soul who survives time and emerges into eternity must make a living and personal choice between good and evil as they are determined by the true values of the spiritual standards established by the divine spirit which the Father in heaven has sent to dwell within the heart of man. This indwelling spirit is the standard of personality survival. Goodness, like truth, is always relative and unfailingly evil-contrasted. An experience is good when it heightens the appreciation of beauty, augments the moral will, enhances the discernment of truth, enlarges the capacity to love and serves one’s fellows, exalts the spiritual ideals, and unifies the supreme human motives of time with the eternal plans of the indwelling Adjuster, all of which lead directly to an increased desire to do the Father’s will, thereby fostering the divine passion to find God and to be more like him”(132.2.1-4). Jesus said that evil per se is not necessary; its only necessary to give man a choice between good and evil. Evil only becomes a reality when a mortal mind makes evil its choice. Jesus also conversed with Nabon, a Greek Jew and leader in the Mithraic mystery-cult. Nabon tried to convert Jesus, and the shoe was on the other foot, but Jesus wasn’t buying. Here’s what he said: “Truth cannot be defined with words, only by living. Truth is always more than knowledge. Knowledge pertains to things observed, but truth transcends such purely material levels in that it consorts with wisdom and embraces such imponderables as human experience, even spiritual and living realities. Knowledge originates in science; wisdom in true philosophy; truth, in the religious experience of spiritual living. Knowledge deals with facts; wisdom with relationships; truth, with reality values” (132.3.1-2). The joint creation of the material mind and the indwelling spirit is revealed truth and the supreme delight of the human soul. But everything depends on faith, because man’s thoughts, wisdom, ethics and ideals will not rise higher than his faith. I wouldn’t want to put that to the test!