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Urantia Book Paper 127 The Adolescent Years
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem ...
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Paper 127 The Adolescent Years
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Introduction
AS JESUS entered upon his adolescent years, he found himself the head and sole
support of a large family. Within a few years after his father's death all
their property was gone. As time passed, he became increasingly conscious of
his pre-existence; at the same time he began more fully to realize that he was
present on earth and in the flesh for the express purpose of revealing his
Paradise Father to the children of men.
No adolescent youth who has lived or ever will live on this world or any other
world has had or ever will have more weighty problems to resolve or more
intricate difficulties to untangle. No youth of Urantia will ever be called
upon to pass through more testing conflicts or more trying situations than
Jesus himself endured during those strenuous years from fifteen to twenty.
Having thus tasted the actual experience of living these adolescent years on a
world beset by evil and distraught by sin, the Son of Man became possessed of
full knowledge about the life experience of the youth of all the realms of
Nebadon, and thus forever he became the understanding refuge for the distressed
and perplexed adolescents of all ages and on all worlds throughout the local
universe.
Slowly, but certainly and by actual experience, this divine Son is earning the
right to become sovereign of his universe, the unquestioned and supreme ruler
of all created intelligences on all local universe worlds, the understanding
refuge of the beings of all ages and of all degrees of personal endowment and
experience.
1. THE SIXTEENTH YEAR (A.D. 10)
The incarnated Son passed through infancy and experienced an uneventful
childhood. Then he emerged from that testing and trying transition stage
between childhood and young manhood--he became the adolescent Jesus.
This year he attained his full physical growth. He was a virile and comely
youth. He became increasingly sober and serious, but he was kind and
sympathetic. His eye was kind but searching; his smile was always engaging and
reassuring. His voice was musical but authoritative; his greeting cordial but
unaffected. Always, even in the most commonplace of contacts, there seemed to
be in evidence the touch of a twofold nature, the human and the divine. Ever he
displayed this combination of the sympathizing friend and the authoritative
teacher. And these personality traits began early to become manifest, even in
these adolescent years.
This physically strong and robust youth also acquired the full growth of his
human intellect, not the full experience of human thinking but the fullness of
capacity for such intellectual development. He possessed a healthy and
well-proportioned body, a keen and analytical mind, a kind and sympathetic dis-
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position, a somewhat fluctuating but aggressive temperament, all of which were
becoming organized into a strong, striking, and attractive personality.
As time went on, it became more difficult for his mother and his brothers and
sisters to understand him; they stumbled over his sayings and misinterpreted
his doings. They were all unfitted to comprehend their eldest brother's life
because their mother had given them to understand that he was destined to
become the deliverer of the Jewish people. After they had received from Mary
such intimations as family secrets, imagine their confusion when Jesus would
make frank denials of all such ideas and intentions.
This year Simon started to school, and they were compelled to sell another
house. James now took charge of the teaching of his three sisters, two of whom
were old enough to begin serious study. As soon as Ruth grew up, she was taken
in hand by Miriam and Martha. Ordinarily the girls of Jewish families received
little education, but Jesus maintained (and his mother agreed) that girls
should go to school the same as boys, and since the synagogue school would not
receive them, there was nothing to do but conduct a home school especially for
them.
Throughout this year Jesus was closely confined to the workbench. Fortunately
he had plenty of work; his was of such a superior grade that he was never idle
no matter how slack work might be in that region. At times he had so much to do
that James would help him.
By the end of this year he had just about made up his mind that he would, after
rearing his family and seeing them married, enter publicly upon his work as a
teacher of truth and as a revealer of the heavenly Father to the world. He knew
he was not to become the expected Jewish Messiah, and he concluded that it was
next to useless to discuss these matters with his mother; he decided to allow
her to entertain whatever ideas she might choose since all he had said in the
past had made little or no impression upon her and he recalled that his father
had never been able to say anything that would change her mind. From this year
on he talked less and less with his mother, or anyone else, about these
problems. His was such a peculiar mission that no one living on earth could
give him advice concerning its prosecution.
He was a real though youthful father to the family; he spent every possible
hour with the youngsters, and they truly loved him. His mother grieved to see
him work so hard; she sorrowed that he was day by day toiling at the
carpenter's bench earning a living for the family instead of being, as they had
so fondly planned, at Jerusalem studying with the rabbis. While there was much
about her son that Mary could not understand, she did love him, and she most
thoroughly appreciated the willing manner in which he shouldered the
responsibility of the home.
2. THE SEVENTEENTH YEAR (A.D. 11)
At about this time there was considerable agitation, especially at Jerusalem
and in Judea, in favor of rebellion against the payment of taxes to Rome. There
was coming into existence a strong nationalist party, presently to be called
the Zealots. The Zealots, unlike the Pharisees, were not willing to await the
coming of the Messiah. They proposed to bring things to a head through
political revolt.
A group of organizers from Jerusalem arrived in Galilee and were making good
headway until they reached Nazareth. When they came to see Jesus, he
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listened carefully to them and asked many questions but refused to join the
party. He declined fully to disclose his reasons for not enlisting, and his
refusal had the effect of keeping out many of his youthful fellows in Nazareth.
Mary did her best to induce him to enlist, but she could not budge him. She
went so far as to intimate that his refusal to espouse the nationalist cause at
her behest was insubordination, a violation of his pledge made upon their
return from Jerusalem that he would be subject to his parents; but in answer to
this insinuation he only laid a kindly hand on her shoulder and, looking into
her face, said: "My mother, how could you?" And Mary withdrew her statement.
One of Jesus' uncles (Mary's brother Simon) had already joined this group,
subsequently becoming an officer in the Galilean division. And for several
years there was something of an estrangement between Jesus and his uncle.
But trouble began to brew in Nazareth. Jesus' attitude in these matters had
resulted in creating a division among the Jewish youths of the city. About half
had joined the nationalist organization, and the other half began the formation
of an opposing group of more moderate patriots, expecting Jesus to assume the
leadership. They were amazed when he refused the honor offered him, pleading as
an excuse his heavy family responsibilities, which they all allowed. But the
situation was still further complicated when, presently, a wealthy Jew, Isaac,
a moneylender to the gentiles, came forward agreeing to support Jesus' family
if he would lay down his tools and assume leadership of these Nazareth
patriots.
Jesus, then scarcely seventeen years of age, was confronted with one of the
most delicate and difficult situations of his early life. Patriotic issues,
especially when complicated by tax-gathering foreign oppressors, are always
difficult for spiritual leaders to relate themselves to, and it was doubly so
in this case since the Jewish religion was involved in all this agitation
against Rome.
Jesus' position was made more difficult because his mother and uncle, and even
his younger brother James, all urged him to join the nationalist cause. All the
better Jews of Nazareth had enlisted, and those young men who had not joined
the movement would all enlist the moment Jesus changed his mind. He had but one
wise counselor in all Nazareth, his old teacher, the chazan, who counseled him
about his reply to the citizens' committee of Nazareth when they came to ask
for his answer to the public appeal which had been made. In all Jesus' young
life this was the very first time he had consciously resorted to public
strategy. Theretofore, always had he depended upon a frank statement of truth
to clarify the situation, but now he could not declare the full truth. He could
not intimate that he was more than a man; he could not disclose his idea of the
mission which awaited his attainment of a riper manhood. Despite these
limitations his religious fealty and national loyalty were directly challenged.
His family was in a turmoil, his youthful friends in division, and the entire
Jewish contingent of the town in a hubbub. And to think that he was to blame
for it all! And how innocent he had been of all intention to make trouble of
any kind, much less a disturbance of this sort.
Something had to be done. He must state his position, and this he did bravely
and diplomatically to the satisfaction of many, but not all. He adhered to the
terms of his original plea, maintaining that his first duty was to his family,
that a widowed mother and eight brothers and sisters needed something more than
mere money could buy--the physical necessities of life--that they were entitled
to a father's watchcare and guidance, and that he could not in clear conscience
release himself from the obligation which a cruel accident had thrust upon him.
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He paid compliment to his mother and eldest brother for being willing to
release him but reiterated that loyalty to a dead father forbade his leaving
the family no matter how much money was forthcoming for their material support,
making his never-to-be-forgotten statement that "money cannot love." In the
course of this address Jesus made several veiled references to his "life
mission" but explained that, regardless of whether or not it might be
inconsistent with the military idea, it, along with everything else in his
life, had been given up in order that he might be able to discharge faithfully
his obligation to his family. Everyone in Nazareth well knew he was a good
father to his family, and this was a matter so near the heart of every noble
Jew that Jesus' plea found an appreciative response in the hearts of many of
his hearers; and some of those who were not thus minded were disarmed by a
speech made by James, which, while not on the program, was delivered at this
time. That very day the chazan had rehearsed James in his speech, but that was
their secret.
James stated that he was sure Jesus would help to liberate his people if he
(James) were only old enough to assume responsibility for the family, and that,
if they would only consent to allow Jesus to remain "with us, to be our father
and teacher, then you will have not just one leader from Joseph's family, but
presently you will have five loyal nationalists, for are there not five of us
boys to grow up and come forth from our brother-father's guidance to serve our
nation?" And thus did the lad bring to a fairly happy ending a very tense and
threatening situation.
The crisis for the time being was over, but never was this incident forgotten
in Nazareth. The agitation persisted; not again was Jesus in universal favor;
the division of sentiment was never fully overcome. And this, augmented by
other and subsequent occurrences, was one of the chief reasons why he moved to
Capernaum in later years. Henceforth Nazareth maintained a division of
sentiment regarding the Son of Man.
James graduated at school this year and began full-time work at home in the
carpenter shop. He had become a clever worker with tools and now took over the
making of yokes and plows while Jesus began to do more house finishing and
expert cabinet work.
This year Jesus made great progress in the organization of his mind. Gradually
he had brought his divine and human natures together, and he accomplished all
this organization of intellect by the force of his own decisions and with only
the aid of his indwelling Monitor, just such a Monitor as all normal mortals on
all postbestowal-Son worlds have within their minds. So far, nothing
supernatural had happened in this young man's career except the visit of a
messenger, dispatched by his elder brother Immanuel, who once appeared to him
during the night at Jerusalem.
3. THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR (A.D. 12)
In the course of this year all the family property, except the home and garden,
was disposed of. The last piece of Capernaum property (except an equity in one
other), already mortgaged, was sold. The proceeds were used for taxes, to buy
some new tools for James, and to make a payment on the old family supply and
repair shop near the caravan lot, which Jesus now proposed to buy back since
James was old enough to work at the house shop and help Mary about the home.
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With the financial pressure thus eased for the time being, Jesus decided to
take James to the Passover. They went up to Jerusalem a day early, to be alone,
going by way of Samaria. They walked, and Jesus told James about the historic
places en route as his father had taught him on a similar journey five years
before.
In passing through Samaria, they saw many strange sights. On this journey they
talked over many of their problems, personal, family, and national. James was a
very religious type of lad, and while he did not fully agree with his mother
regarding the little he knew of the plans concerning Jesus' lifework, he did
look forward to the time when he would be able to assume responsibility for the
family so that Jesus could begin his mission. He was very appreciative of
Jesus' taking him up to the Passover, and they talked over the future more
fully than ever before.
Jesus did much thinking as they journeyed through Samaria, particularly at
Bethel and when drinking from Jacob's well. He and his brother discussed the
traditions of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He did much to prepare James for what
he was about to witness at Jerusalem, thus seeking to lessen the shock such as
he himself had experienced on his first visit to the temple. But James was not
so sensitive to some of these sights. He commented on the perfunctory and
heartless manner in which some of the priests performed their duties but on the
whole greatly enjoyed his sojourn at Jerusalem.
Jesus took James to Bethany for the Passover supper. Simon had been laid to
rest with his fathers, and Jesus presided over this household as the head of
the Passover family, having brought the paschal lamb from the temple.
After the Passover supper Mary sat down to talk with James while Martha,
Lazarus, and Jesus talked together far into the night. The next day they
attended the temple services, and James was received into the commonwealth of
Israel. That morning, as they paused on the brow of Olivet to view the temple,
while James exclaimed in wonder, Jesus gazed on Jerusalem in silence. James
could not comprehend his brother's demeanor. That night they again returned to
Bethany and would have departed for home the next day, but James was insistent
on their going back to visit the temple, explaining that he wanted to hear the
teachers. And while this was true, secretly in his heart he wanted to hear
Jesus participate in the discussions, as he had heard his mother tell about.
Accordingly, they went to the temple and heard the discussions, but Jesus asked
no questions. It all seemed so puerile and insignificant to this awakening mind
of man and God--he could only pity them. James was disappointed that Jesus said
nothing. To his inquiries Jesus only made reply, "My hour has not yet come."
The next day they journeyed home by Jericho and the Jordan valley, and Jesus
recounted many things by the way, including his former trip over this road when
he was thirteen years old.
Upon returning to Nazareth, Jesus began work in the old family repair shop and
was greatly cheered by being able to meet so many people each day from all
parts of the country and surrounding districts. Jesus truly loved people--just
common folks. Each month he made his payments on the shop and, with James's
help, continued to provide for the family.
Several times a year, when visitors were not present thus to function, Jesus
continued to read the Sabbath scriptures at the synagogue and many times
offered comments on the lesson, but usually he so selected the passages that
comment was unnecessary. He was skillful, so arranging the order of the reading
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of the various passages that the one would illuminate the other. He never
failed, weather permitting, to take his brothers and sisters out on Sabbath
afternoons for their nature strolls.
About this time the chazan inaugurated a young men's club for philosophic
discussion which met at the homes of different members and often at his own
home, and Jesus became a prominent member of this group. By this means he was
enabled to regain some of the local prestige which he had lost at the time of
the recent nationalistic controversies.
His social life, while restricted, was not wholly neglected. He had many warm
friends and stanch admirers among both the young men and the young women of
Nazareth.
In September, Elizabeth and John came to visit the Nazareth family. John,
having lost his father, intended to return to the Judean hills to engage in
agriculture and sheep raising unless Jesus advised him to remain in Nazareth to
take up carpentry or some other line of work. They did not know that the
Nazareth family was practically penniless. The more Mary and Elizabeth talked
about their sons, the more they became convinced that it would be good for the
two young men to work together and see more of each other.
Jesus and John had many talks together; and they talked over some very intimate
and personal matters. When they had finished this visit, they decided not again
to see each other until they should meet in their public service after "the
heavenly Father should call" them to their work. John was tremendously
impressed by what he saw at Nazareth that he should return home and labor for
the support of his mother. He became convinced that he was to be a part of
Jesus' life mission, but he saw that Jesus was to occupy many years with the
rearing of his family; so he was much more content to return to his home and
settle down to the care of their little farm and to minister to the needs of
his mother. And never again did John and Jesus see each other until that day by
the Jordan when the Son of Man presented himself for baptism.
On Saturday afternoon, December 3, of this year, death for the second time
struck at this Nazareth family. Little Amos, their baby brother, died after a
week's illness with a high fever. After passing through this time of sorrow
with her first-born son as her only support, Mary at last and in the fullest
sense recognized Jesus as the real head of the family; and he was truly a
worthy head.
For four years their standard of living had steadily declined; year by year
they felt the pinch of increasing poverty. By the close of this year they faced
one of the most difficult experiences of all their uphill struggles. James had
not yet begun to earn much, and the expenses of a funeral on top of everything
else staggered them. But Jesus would only say to his anxious and grieving
mother: "Mother-Mary, sorrow will not help us; we are all doing our best, and
mother's smile, perchance, might even inspire us to do better. Day by day we
are strengthened for these tasks by our hope of better days ahead." His sturdy
and practical optimism was truly contagious; all the children lived in an
atmosphere of anticipation of better times and better things. And this hopeful
courage contributed mightily to the development of strong and noble characters,
in spite of the depressiveness of their poverty.
Jesus possessed the ability effectively to mobilize all his powers of mind,
soul, and body on the task immediately in hand. He could concentrate his
deep-thinking mind on the one problem which he wished to solve, and this, in
connection
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with his untiring patience, enabled him serenely to endure the trials of a
difficult mortal existence--to live as if he were "seeing Him who is
invisible."
4. THE NINETEENTH YEAR (A.D. 13)
By this time Jesus and Mary were getting along much better. She regarded him
less as a son; he had become to her more a father to her children. Each day's
life swarmed with practical and immediate difficulties. Less frequently they
spoke of his lifework, for, as time passed, all their thought was mutually
devoted to the support and upbringing of their family of four boys and three
girls.
By the beginning of this year Jesus had fully won his mother to the acceptance
of his methods of child training--the positive injunction to do good in the
place of the older Jewish method of forbidding to do evil. In his home and
throughout his public-teaching career Jesus invariably employed the positive
form of exhortation. Always and everywhere did he say, "You shall do this--you
ought to do that." Never did he employ the negative mode of teaching derived
from the ancient taboos. He refrained from placing emphasis on evil by
forbidding it, while he exalted the good by commanding its performance. Prayer
time in this household was the occasion for discussing anything and everything
relating to the welfare of the family.
Jesus began wise discipline upon his brothers and sisters at such an early age
that little or no punishment was ever required to secure their prompt and
wholehearted obedience. The only exception was Jude, upon whom on sundry
occasions Jesus found it necessary to impose penalties for his infractions of
the rules of the home. On three occasions when it was deemed wise to punish
Jude for self-confessed and deliberate violations of the family rules of
conduct, his punishment was fixed by the unanimous decree of the older children
and was assented to by Jude himself before it was inflicted.
While Jesus was most methodical and systematic in everything he did, there was
also in all his administrative rulings a refreshing elasticity of
interpretation and an individuality of adaptation that greatly impressed all
the children with the spirit of justice which actuated their father-brother. He
never arbitrarily disciplined his brothers and sisters, and such uniform
fairness and personal consideration greatly endeared Jesus to all his family.
James and Simon grew up trying to follow Jesus' plan of placating their
bellicose and sometimes irate playmates by persuasion and nonresistance, and
they were fairly successful; but Joseph and Jude, while assenting to such
teachings at home, made haste to defend themselves when assailed by their
comrades; in particular was Jude guilty of violating the spirit of these
teachings. But nonresistance was not a rule of the family. No penalty was
attached to the violation of personal teachings.
In general, all of the children, particularly the girls, would consult Jesus
about their childhood troubles and confide in him just as they would have in an
affectionate father.
James was growing up to be a well-balanced and even-tempered youth, but he was
not so spiritually inclined as Jesus. He was a much better student than Joseph,
who, while a faithful worker, was even less spiritually minded. Joseph was a
plodder and not up to the intellectual level of the other children. Simon was a
well-meaning boy but too much of a dreamer. He was slow in getting settled down
in life and was the cause of considerable anxiety to Jesus and Mary. But he
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was always a good and well-intentioned lad. Jude was a firebrand. He had the
highest of ideals, but he was unstable in temperament. He had all and more of
his mother's determination and aggressiveness, but he lacked much of her sense
of proportion and discretion.
Miriam was a well-balanced and level-headed daughter with a keen appreciation
of things noble and spiritual. Martha was slow in thought and action but a very
dependable and efficient child. Baby Ruth was the sunshine of the home; though
thoughtless of speech, she was most sincere of heart. She just about worshiped
her big brother and father. But they did not spoil her. She was a beautiful
child but not quite so comely as Miriam, who was the belle of the family, if
not of the city.
As time passed, Jesus did much to liberalize and modify the family teachings
and practices related to Sabbath observance and many other phases of religion,
and to all these changes Mary gave hearty assent. By this time Jesus had become
the unquestioned head of the house.
This year Jude started to school, and it was necessary for Jesus to sell his
harp in order to defray these expenses. Thus disappeared the last of his
recreational pleasures. He much loved to play the harp when tired in mind and
weary in body, but he comforted himself with the thought that at least the harp
was safe from seizure by the tax collector.
5. REBECCA, THE DAUGHTER OF EZRA
Although Jesus was poor, his social standing in Nazareth was in no way
impaired. He was one of the foremost young men of the city and very highly
regarded by most of the young women. Since Jesus was such a splendid specimen
of robust and intellectual manhood, and considering his reputation as a
spiritual leader, it was not strange that Rebecca, the eldest daughter of Ezra,
a wealthy merchant and trader of Nazareth, should discover that she was slowly
falling in love with this son of Joseph. She first confided her affection to
Miriam, Jesus' sister, and Miriam in turn talked all this over with her mother.
Mary was intensely aroused. Was she about to lose her son, now become the
indispensable head of the family? Would troubles never cease? What next could
happen? And then she paused to contemplate what effect marriage would have upon
Jesus' future career; not often, but at least sometimes, did she recall the
fact that Jesus was a "child of promise." After she and Miriam had talked this
matter over, they decided to make an effort to stop it before Jesus learned
about it, by going direct to Rebecca, laying the whole story before her, and
honestly telling her about their belief that Jesus was a son of destiny; that
he was to become a great religious leader, perhaps the Messiah.
Rebecca listened intently; she was thrilled with the recital and more than ever
determined to cast her lot with this man of her choice and to share his career
of leadership. She argued (to herself) that such a man would all the more need
a faithful and efficient wife. She interpreted Mary's efforts to dissuade her
as a natural reaction to the dread of losing the head and sole support of her
family; but knowing that her father approved of her attraction for the
carpenter's son, she rightly reckoned that he would gladly supply the family
with sufficient income fully to compensate for the loss of Jesus' earnings.
When her father agreed to such a plan, Rebecca had further conferences with
Mary and Miriam, and when she
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failed to win their support, she made bold to go directly to Jesus. This she
did with the co-operation of her father, who invited Jesus to their home for
the celebration of Rebecca's seventeenth birthday.
Jesus listened attentively and sympathetically to the recital of these things,
first by the father, then by Rebecca herself. He made kindly reply to the
effect that no amount of money could take the place of his obligation
personally to rear his father's family, to "fulfill the most sacred of all
human trusts--loyalty to one's own flesh and blood." Rebecca's father was
deeply touched by Jesus' words of family devotion and retired from the
conference. His only remark to Mary, his wife, was: "We can't have him for a
son; he is too noble for us."
Then began that eventful talk with Rebecca. Thus far in his life, Jesus had
made little distinction in his association with boys and girls, with young men
and young women. His mind had been altogether too much occupied with the
pressing problems of practical earthly affairs and the intriguing contemplation
of his eventual career "about his Father's business" ever to have given serious
consideration to the consummation of personal love in human marriage. But now
he was face to face with another of those problems which every average human
being must confront and decide. Indeed was he "tested in all points like as you
are."
After listening attentively, he sincerely thanked Rebecca for her expressed
admiration, adding, "it shall cheer and comfort me all the days of my life." He
explained that he was not free to enter into relations with any woman other
than those of simple brotherly regard and pure friendship. He made it clear
that his first and paramount duty was the rearing of his father's family, that
he could not consider marriage until that was accomplished; and then he added:
"If I am a son of destiny, I must not assume obligations of lifelong duration
until such a time as my destiny shall be made manifest."
Rebecca was heartbroken. She refused to be comforted and importuned her father
to leave Nazareth until he finally consented to move to Sepphoris. In after
years, to the many men who sought her hand in marriage, Rebecca had but one
answer. She lived for only one purpose--to await the hour when this, to her,
the greatest man who ever lived would begin his career as a teacher of living
truth. And she followed him devotedly through his eventful years of public
labor, being present (unobserved by Jesus) that day when he rode triumphantly
into Jerusalem; and she stood "among the other women" by the side of Mary on
that fateful and tragic afternoon when the Son of Man hung upon the cross, to
her, as well as to countless worlds on high, "the one altogether lovely and the
greatest among ten thousand."
6. HIS TWENTIETH YEAR (A.D. 14)
The story of Rebecca's love for Jesus was whispered about Nazareth and later on
at Capernaum, so that, while in the years to follow many women loved Jesus even
as men loved him, not again did he have to reject the personal proffer of
another good woman's devotion. From this time on human affection for Jesus
partook more of the nature of worshipful and adoring regard. Both men and women
loved him devotedly and for what he was, not with any tinge of
self-satisfaction or desire for affectionate possession. But for many years,
whenever the story of Jesus' human personality was recited, the devotion of
Rebecca was recounted.
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Miriam, knowing fully about the affair of Rebecca and knowing how her brother
had forsaken even the love of a beautiful maiden (not realizing the factor of
his future career of destiny), came to idealize Jesus and to love him with a
touching and profound affection as for a father as well as for a brother.
Although they could hardly afford it, Jesus had a strange longing to go up to
Jerusalem for the Passover. His mother, knowing of his recent experience with
Rebecca, wisely urged him to make the journey. He was not markedly conscious of
it, but what he most wanted was an opportunity to talk with Lazarus and to
visit with Martha and Mary. Next to his own family he loved these three most of
all.
In making this trip to Jerusalem, he went by way of Megiddo, Antipatris, and
Lydda, in part covering the same route traversed when he was brought back to
Nazareth on the return from Egypt. He spent four days going up to the Passover
and thought much about the past events which had transpired in and around
Megiddo, the international battlefield of Palestine.
Jesus passed on through Jerusalem, only pausing to look upon the temple and the
gathering throngs of visitors. He had a strange and increasing aversion to this
Herod-built temple with its politically appointed priesthood. He wanted most of
all to see Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Lazarus was the same age as Jesus and now
head of the house; by the time of this visit Lazarus's mother had also been
laid to rest. Martha was a little over one year older than Jesus, while Mary
was two years younger. And Jesus was the idolized ideal of all three of them.
On this visit occurred one of those periodic outbreaks of rebellion against
tradition--the expression of resentment for those ceremonial practices which
Jesus deemed misrepresentative of his Father in heaven. Not knowing Jesus was
coming, Lazarus had arranged to celebrate the Passover with friends in an
adjoining village down the Jericho road. Jesus now proposed that they celebrate
the feast where they were, at Lazarus's house. "But," said Lazarus, "we have no
paschal lamb." And then Jesus entered upon a prolonged and convincing
dissertation to the effect that the Father in heaven was not truly concerned
with such childlike and meaningless rituals. After solemn and fervent prayer
they rose, and Jesus said: "Let the childlike and darkened minds of my people
serve their God as Moses directed; it is better that they do, but let us who
have seen the light of life no longer approach our Father by the darkness of
death. Let us be free in the knowledge of the truth of our Father's eternal
love."
That evening about twilight these four sat down and partook of the first
Passover feast ever to be celebrated by devout Jews without the paschal lamb.
The unleavened bread and the wine had been made ready for this Passover, and
these emblems, which Jesus termed "the bread of life" and "the water of life,"
he served to his companions, and they ate in solemn conformity with the
teachings just imparted. It was his custom to engage in this sacramental ritual
whenever he paid subsequent visits to Bethany. When he returned home, he told
all this to his mother. She was shocked at first but came gradually to see his
viewpoint; nevertheless, she was greatly relieved when Jesus assured her that
he did not intend to introduce this new idea of the Passover in their family.
At home with the children he continued, year by year, to eat the Passover
"according to the law of Moses."
It was during this year that Mary had a long talk with Jesus about marriage.
She frankly asked him if he would get married if he were free from his family
top of page - 1405
responsibilities. Jesus explained to her that, since immediate duty forbade his
marriage, he had given the subject little thought. He expressed himself as
doubting that he would ever enter the marriage state; he said that all such
things must await "my hour," the time when "my Father's work must begin."
Having settled already in his mind that he was not to become the father of
children in the flesh, he gave very little thought to the subject of human
marriage.
This year he began anew the task of further weaving his mortal and divine
natures into a simple and effective human individuality. And he continued to
grow in moral status and spiritual understanding.
Although all their Nazareth property (except their home) was gone, this year
they received a little financial help from the sale of an equity in a piece of
property in Capernaum. This was the last of Joseph's entire estate. This real
estate deal in Capernaum was with a boatbuilder named Zebedee.
Joseph graduated at the synagogue school this year and prepared to begin work
at the small bench in the home carpenter shop. Although the estate of their
father was exhausted, there were prospects that they would successfully fight
off poverty since three of them were now regularly at work.
Jesus is rapidly becoming a man, not just a young man but an adult. He has
learned well to bear responsibility. He knows how to carry on in the face of
disappointment. He bears up bravely when his plans are thwarted and his
purposes temporarily defeated. He has learned how to be fair and just even in
the face of injustice. He is learning how to adjust his ideals of spiritual
living to the practical demands of earthly existence. He is learning how to
plan for the achievement of a higher and distant goal of idealism while he
toils earnestly for the attainment of a nearer and immediate goal of necessity.
He is steadily acquiring the art of adjusting his aspirations to the
commonplace demands of the human occasion. He has very nearly mastered the
technique of utilizing the energy of the spiritual drive to turn the mechanism
of material achievement. He is slowly learning how to live the heavenly life
while he continues on with the earthly existence. More and more he depends upon
the ultimate guidance of his heavenly Father while he assumes the fatherly role
of guiding and directing the children of his earth family. He is becoming
experienced in the skillful wresting of victory from the very jaws of defeat;
he is learning how to transform the difficulties of time into the triumphs of
eternity.
And so, as the years pass, this young man of Nazareth continues to experience
life as it is lived in mortal flesh on the worlds of time and space. He lives a
full, representative, and replete
top of page - 1406
life on Urantia. He left this world ripe in the experience which his creatures
pass through during the short and strenuous years of their first life, the life
in the flesh. And all this human experience is an eternal possession of the
Universe Sovereign. He is our understanding brother, sympathetic friend,
experienced sovereign, and merciful father.
As a child he accumulated a vast body of knowledge; as a youth he sorted,
classified, and correlated this information; and now as a man of the realm he
begins to organize these mental possessions preparatory to utilization in his
subsequent teaching, ministry, and service in behalf of his fellow mortals on
this world and on all other spheres of habitation throughout the entire
universe of Nebadon.
Born into the world a babe of the realm, he has lived his childhood life and
passed through the successive stages of youth and young manhood; he now stands
on the threshold of full manhood, rich in the experience of human living,
replete in the understanding of human nature, and full of sympathy for the
frailties of human nature. He is becoming expert in the divine art of revealing
his Paradise Father to all ages and stages of mortal creatures.
And now as a full-grown man--an adult of the realm--he prepares to continue his
supreme mission of revealing God to men and leading men to God.
top of page - 1407
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
Faith Of Jesus
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