| Kapitel 133 | Paper 133 | |
| Tilbagerejsen Fra Rom | The Return from Rome | |
| 133:0.1 (1468.1) DA JESUS gjorde sig klar til afrejse fra Rom, sagde han ikke farvel til nogen af sine venner. Den skriftlærde fra Damaskus ankom til Rom uden opmærksomhed og forsvandt på samme måde. Det gik et helt år, før de, der kendte og elskede ham opgav håbet om at se ham igen. Inden udgangen af det andet år, befandt små grupper af dem, som havde kendt ham sig trukket sammen af deres fælles interesse i hans lære og på grund af deres fælles minder fra de gode tider med ham. Disse små grupper af stoiker, kyniker og tilhængere af mysteriekulterne fortsatte med at holde uregelmæssige og uformelle møder helt op til det tidspunkt, hvor kristendommens første prædikant dukkede op i Rom. | 133:0.1 (1468.1) WHEN preparing to leave Rome, Jesus said good-bye to none of his friends. The scribe of Damascus appeared in Rome without announcement and disappeared in like manner. It was a full year before those who knew and loved him gave up hope of seeing him again. Before the end of the second year small groups of those who had known him found themselves drawn together by their common interest in his teachings and through mutual memory of their good times with him. And these small groups of Stoics, Cynics, and mystery cultists continued to hold these irregular and informal meetings right up to the time of the appearance in Rome of the first preachers of the Christian religion. | |
| 133:0.2 (1468.2) Gonod og Ganid havde købt så meget i Alexandria og Rom, at de sendte alle deres ting forud med lastkaravanen til Tarentum, mens de tre rejsende roligt gik tværs over Italien langs den storslåede Via Appia. På denne tur mødte de alle slags mennesker. Mange ædle romerske borgere og græske kolonister levede på denne vej, men også efterkommere af et store antal laverestående slaver var begyndt at dukke op. | 133:0.2 (1468.2) Gonod and Ganid had purchased so many things in Alexandria and Rome that they sent all their belongings on ahead by pack train to Tarentum, while the three travelers walked leisurely across Italy over the great Appian Way. On this journey they encountered all sorts of human beings. Many noble Roman citizens and Greek colonists lived along this road, but already the progeny of great numbers of inferior slaves were beginning to make their appearance. | |
| 133:0.3 (1468.3) En dag, da de hvilede ved frokosttid, halvvejs til Tarentum, stillede Ganid et direkte spørgsmål til Jesus om, hvad han mente om kastesystemet i Indien. Jesus sagde: "Selvom folk er forskellige fra hinanden i mange henseender er alle dødelige lige for Gud og i den åndelige verden. I Guds øjne, er der kun to grupper af dødelige: dem, der ønsker at gøre hans vilje, og dem, der ikke ønsker at gøre den. Når universet betragter en beboet verden, registrerer den også to store klasser: dem, der kender Gud og dem, der ikke kender ham. De, der ikke har mulighed for at kende Gud regnes blandt dyrene i verden. Menneskeheden kan bekvemt opdeles i flere klasser i henhold til de forskellige kvalifikationer, så de kan betragtes fysisk, psykisk, socialt, fagligt eller moralsk, men når disse forskellige klasser af dødelige fremtræder for Guds dommersæde, er de ens. Gud skelner i sandhed ikke mellem mennesker. Selv om man ikke kan undgå at observere menneskernes forskelle i form af intellektuelle, sociale og moralske evner bør man ikke gøre sådanne sondringer, når menneskers åndelige broderskab samles foran Gud for at tilbede ham." | 133:0.3 (1468.3) One day while resting at lunch, about halfway to Tarentum, Ganid asked Jesus a direct question as to what he thought of India’s caste system. Said Jesus: “Though human beings differ in many ways, the one from another, before God and in the spiritual world all mortals stand on an equal footing. There are only two groups of mortals in the eyes of God: those who desire to do his will and those who do not. As the universe looks upon an inhabited world, it likewise discerns two great classes: those who know God and those who do not. Those who cannot know God are reckoned among the animals of any given realm. Mankind can appropriately be divided into many classes in accordance with differing qualifications, as they may be viewed physically, mentally, socially, vocationally, or morally, but as these different classes of mortals appear before the judgment bar of God, they stand on an equal footing; God is truly no respecter of persons. Although you cannot escape the recognition of differential human abilities and endowments in matters intellectual, social, and moral, you should make no such distinctions in the spiritual brotherhood of men when assembled for worship in the presence of God.” | |
| 1. Barmhjertighed og retfærdighed ^top | 1. Mercy and Justice ^top | |
| 133:1.1 (1468.4) En meget interessant hændelse fandt sted en eftermiddag ved vejsiden, da de nærmede sig Tarentum. De så, hvordan en rå og voldelig ung mand brutalt mobbede en lille dreng. Jesus skyndte sig at hjælpe den unge fra angrebet, og da han havde undsat ham, holdt han fast i angriberen indtil den mindre dreng var flygtet. Så snart Jesus gav slip på den lille tyran kastede Ganid sig over drengen og begyndte at give ham en god gang prygl, men til Ganids forbavselse greb Jesus hurtigt ind. Efter at Jesus havde fået Ganid til at falde til ro, og tilladt den skræmte dreng at undslippe udbrød den unge mand oprørt, så snart han kunne trække vejret, "Jeg forstår dig ikke, lærer. Hvis barmhjertighed kræver, at du redder den mindre dreng, kræver retfærdighed så ikke, at du straffer den større og angribende unge mand? "Jesus svarede: | 133:1.1 (1468.4) A very interesting incident occurred one afternoon by the roadside as they neared Tarentum. They observed a rough and bullying youth brutally attacking a smaller lad. Jesus hastened to the assistance of the assaulted youth, and when he had rescued him, he tightly held on to the offender until the smaller lad had made his escape. The moment Jesus released the little bully, Ganid pounced upon the boy and began soundly to thrash him, and to Ganid’s astonishment Jesus promptly interfered. After he had restrained Ganid and permitted the frightened boy to escape, the young man, as soon as he got his breath, excitedly exclaimed: “I cannot understand you, Teacher. If mercy requires that you rescue the smaller lad, does not justice demand the punishment of the larger and offending youth?” In answering, Jesus said: | |
| 133:1.2 (1469.1) "Ganid, det er rigtigt, at du ikke forstår. At vise barmhjertighed påhviler altid individet, men at udmåle en retfærdig straf er altid en funktion for de sociale, statslige eller af universets administrative grupper. Som en person, er jeg forpligtet til at vise barmhjertighed; jeg må gå til den angrebne drengs redning, og det er kun logisk, at jeg kan anvende nok kraft til at holde aggressoren. Og det er lige, hvad jeg gjorde. Jeg formåede at frigøre den angrebne dreng; dermed havde jeg vist ham barmhjertighed. Så holdt jeg den voldelige aggressor længe nok til at den svage part i tvisten kunne undslippe, hvorefter jeg trak mig ud af sagen. Jeg fortsatte ikke med at dømme aggressoren, således at undersøge hans motiver - til retslig at behandle alt, som var relateret til hans angreb på hans kammerat - for derefter at påtage mig at udføre straffen, som mit sind kunne diktere som en lige gengældelse for hans ugerning. Ganid, barmhjertighed kan være overdådig, men retfærdighed er præcis. Kan du ikke se, at det er svært at finde to personer, der kan blive enige om den straf, som ville tilfredsstille retfærdighedens krav? Nogen ville pålægge fyrre piskeslag, en anden tyve, mens endnu en ville foreslå indespærring i isolation som en retfærdig straf. Kan du ikke se, at det er bedst, at sådanne forpligtelser i denne verden ligger hos gruppen eller administreres af valgte repræsentanter i gruppen? I universet ligger domsretten hos dem, der dybest set kender de faktiske omstændigheder i forbindelse med enhver overtrædelse, samt årsagerne til disse. I et civiliseret samfund, og i et organiseret univers forudsætter retsplejen leveringen af den retfærdige dom efter ærlig og fair vurdering, og sådanne beføjelser beror på de juridiske grupper i verdenerne og hos de alvidende administratorer af de højere universer i hele skabelsen." | 133:1.2 (1469.1) “Ganid, it is true, you do not understand. Mercy ministry is always the work of the individual, but justice punishment is the function of the social, governmental, or universe administrative groups. As an individual I am beholden to show mercy; I must go to the rescue of the assaulted lad, and in all consistency I may employ sufficient force to restrain the aggressor. And that is just what I did. I achieved the deliverance of the assaulted lad; that was the end of mercy ministry. Then I forcibly detained the aggressor a sufficient length of time to enable the weaker party to the dispute to make his escape, after which I withdrew from the affair. I did not proceed to sit in judgment on the aggressor, thus to pass upon his motive—to adjudicate all that entered into his attack upon his fellow—and then undertake to execute the punishment which my mind might dictate as just recompense for his wrongdoing. Ganid, mercy may be lavish, but justice is precise. Cannot you discern that no two persons are likely to agree as to the punishment which would satisfy the demands of justice? One would impose forty lashes, another twenty, while still another would advise solitary confinement as a just punishment. Can you not see that on this world such responsibilities had better rest upon the group or be administered by chosen representatives of the group? In the universe, judgment is vested in those who fully know the antecedents of all wrongdoing as well as its motivation. In civilized society and in an organized universe the administration of justice presupposes the passing of just sentence consequent upon fair judgment, and such prerogatives are vested in the juridical groups of the worlds and in the all-knowing administrators of the higher universes of all creation.” | |
| 133:1.3 (1469.2) I flere dage, talte de om dette problem med at vise barmhjertighed og administration af retfærdighed. Ganid forstod i hvert fald til en vis grad, hvorfor Jesus ikke ønskede at indgå i et personligt opgør. Men Ganid stillede et sidste spørgsmål, som han aldrig har modtaget en fuldt tilfredsstillende svar, og spørgsmålet var: "Men Mester, hvis en stærkere og mere ond skabning ville falde over dig og truer med at dræbe dig, hvad ville du gøre? Ville du ikke forsøge at forsvare dig selv?" Selv om Jesus ikke fuldt og tilfredsstillende kunne besvare drengens spørgsmål, når han ikke var villig til at afsløre, at han levede på jorden for at eksemplificere Paradisfaders kærlighed til et univers som så på, sagde han dog, så meget: | 133:1.3 (1469.2) For days they talked about this problem of manifesting mercy and administering justice. And Ganid, at least to some extent, understood why Jesus would not engage in personal combat. But Ganid asked one last question, to which he never received a fully satisfactory answer; and that question was: “But, Teacher, if a stronger and ill-tempered creature should attack you and threaten to destroy you, what would you do? Would you make no effort to defend yourself?” Although Jesus could not fully and satisfactorily answer the lad’s question, inasmuch as he was not willing to disclose to him that he (Jesus) was living on earth as the exemplification of the Paradise Father’s love to an onlooking universe, he did say this much: | |
| 133:1.4 (1469.3) "Ganid, jeg kan godt forstå, hvordan nogle af disse problemer forvirrer dig, og jeg vil forsøge at besvare dit spørgsmål. På ethvert angreb, der måtte blive rejst mod min person ville jeg først afgøre, om angriberen var en Guds søn - min broder i kødet - og hvis jeg konkluderede, at dette væsen manglede moralsk dom og åndelig forstand, ville jeg uden tøven forsvare mig fuldt ud med alle mine kræfter til at modstå, uanset konsekvenserne for angriberen. Men jeg ville ikke dermed overfalde et medmenneske, der har en position af sønskab, ikke engang i selvforsvar. Det vil sige, at jeg ikke på forhånd og uden dom ville straffe ham for hans angreb på mig. Jeg vil på alle mulige måder forsøge at forhindre et sådant angreb, og få ham til at give afkald på det, og hvis jeg ikke lykkes at afværge det, ville jeg forsøge at afbøde det. Ganid, jeg har fuld tillid til min himmelske Faders omsorg; jeg er dedikeret til at gøre min himmelske Faders vilje. Jeg tror ikke nogen reel skade kan tilstøde mig. Jeg tror ikke, at min livsværk virkelig kan være i fare for noget, som mine fjender ønskede at lade gå ud over mig, og af vores venner, frygter vi ikke nogen vold. Jeg er helt sikker på, at hele universet er venligt stemt mod mig - denne overbevisende sandhed insisterer jeg at tro med hele mit hjerte, tillidsfuld selv om alle ydre omstændigheder kan synes at indikere det modsatte. | 133:1.4 (1469.3) “Ganid, I can well understand how some of these problems perplex you, and I will endeavor to answer your question. First, in all attacks which might be made upon my person, I would determine whether or not the aggressor was a son of God—my brother in the flesh—and if I thought such a creature did not possess moral judgment and spiritual reason, I would unhesitatingly defend myself to the full capacity of my powers of resistance, regardless of consequences to the attacker. But I would not thus assault a fellow man of sonship status, even in self-defense. That is, I would not punish him in advance and without judgment for his assault upon me. I would by every possible artifice seek to prevent and dissuade him from making such an attack and to mitigate it in case of my failure to abort it. Ganid, I have absolute confidence in my heavenly Father’s overcare; I am consecrated to doing the will of my Father in heaven. I do not believe that real harm can befall me; I do not believe that my lifework can really be jeopardized by anything my enemies might wish to visit upon me, and surely we have no violence to fear from our friends. I am absolutely assured that the entire universe is friendly to me—this all-powerful truth I insist on believing with a wholehearted trust in spite of all appearances to the contrary.” | |
| 133:1.5 (1470.1) Men Ganid var ikke helt tilfreds. Mange gange talte de om disse spørgsmål, og Jesus fortalte ham om nogle af sine oplevelser fra drengeårene, og også om stenhuggerens søn Jacob. Da Ganid hørte, hvordan Jakob tog til sin opgave at forsvare Jesus, sagde han: "Ja, jeg begynder at forstå! Først og fremmest ville det være meget sjældent at et normalt menneske ønsker at angribe sådan en venlig person, som dig, og selv hvis nogen ville være så tankeløs at gøre det, er det helt sikkert, at der lige ved hånden ville være nogen anden dødelig som styrtede til din hjælp, ligesom du altid vil redde enhver, du ser til at være i nød. I mit hjerte, lærer, er jeg enig med dig, men mit sind siger stadig, at havde jeg været Jakob, ville jeg med glæde have straffet de uforskammede kammerater, der kom for at angribe dig, bare fordi de troede, du ikke ville forsvare dig selv. Jeg tror, du er temmelig sikker på din rejse gennem livet, siden du bruger så meget af din tid til at hjælpe andre og tage dig af dine medmennesker i nød -. Ja, mest sandsynligt, vil der altid være nogen på hånden til at forsvare dig." Jesus svarede: "testen er endnu ikke kommet, Ganid, og når den kommer, vil vi overholde Faderens vilje." Det var alt hvad drengen kunne få sin lærer til at sige om dette vanskelige emne som gjaldt selvforsvar og ikke-modstand. Ved en anden lejlighed lykkes det ham at få Jesus til at udtrykke den opfattelse, at organiserede samfund havde ret til at bruge magt i udførelsen af deres retmæssige beslutning. | 133:1.5 (1470.1) But Ganid was not fully satisfied. Many times they talked over these matters, and Jesus told him some of his boyhood experiences and also about Jacob the stone mason’s son. On learning how Jacob appointed himself to defend Jesus, Ganid said: “Oh, I begin to see! In the first place very seldom would any normal human being want to attack such a kindly person as you, and even if anyone should be so unthinking as to do such a thing, there is pretty sure to be near at hand some other mortal who will fly to your assistance, even as you always go to the rescue of any person you observe to be in distress. In my heart, Teacher, I agree with you, but in my head I still think that if I had been Jacob, I would have enjoyed punishing those rude fellows who presumed to attack you just because they thought you would not defend yourself. I presume you are fairly safe in your journey through life since you spend much of your time helping others and ministering to your fellows in distress—well, most likely there’ll always be someone on hand to defend you.” And Jesus replied: “That test has not yet come, Ganid, and when it does, we will have to abide by the Father’s will.” And that was about all the lad could get his teacher to say on this difficult subject of self-defense and nonresistance. On another occasion he did draw from Jesus the opinion that organized society had every right to employ force in the execution of its just mandates. | |
| 2. Påmønstring i tarentum ^top | 2. Embarking at Tarentum ^top | |
| 133:2.1 (1470.2) Mens passagererne ventede i havnen, på at skibet skulle losse deres last, så de en mand, der mishandlede sin kone. Som det var hans sædvane, intervenerede Jesus til fordel for den person som var udsat for angreb. Han gik over og stod bag den vrede mand, rørte ham let på skulderen og sagde: "Min ven, kan jeg tale med dig privat for et øjeblik?" Den vrede mand blev forvirret af en sådan tilnærmelse, og efter et øjebliks akavet tøven stammede han: "Hm - hvorfor - ja, hvad vil du med mig?” Da Jesus havde taget ham til side, sagde han: ”Min ven, jeg ser, at noget forfærdeligt må være sket for dig. Jeg vil meget gerne at du fortæller mig, hvad der kunne ske for sådan en stærk mand, der får ham til at angribe hans hustru, mor til hans børn, og selv herude foran alle. Jeg er sikker på, du tror, du har en god grund til denne voldshandling. Hvad har kvinden gjort for at fortjene en sådan behandling fra sin mand? Når jeg ser på dig, tror jeg, jeg skimter kærlighed til retfærdighed i dit ansigt, hvis ikke ønsket om at vise barmhjertighed. Jeg vil sige, at hvis du fandt mig ved vejkanten overfaldet af røvere, ville du uden tøven haste til min redning. Jeg tør sige, at du har gjort mange sådanne modige gerninger i dit liv. Nu, min ven, fortæl mig hvad der er galt. Har kvinden gjort noget forkert, eller tabte du dumt besindelsen og begyndte tankeløst at slå hende?" Det var ikke så meget, hvad Jesus sagde, der rørte denne mands hjerte, men det venlige blik og sympatiske smil, som Jesus gav ham da han afsluttede sine bemærkninger. Manden sagde: "Jeg kan se, at du er en præst af kynikerne, og jeg er taknemmelig for, at du kølede mig ned. Min kone er ikke skyldig i nogen stor forbrydelse. Hun er en god kvinde, men hun irriterer mig med sin måde at kritisere mig i det offentlige, og jeg mister mit temperament. Jeg er ked af min manglende selvkontrol, og jeg lover at forsøge at leve op til mit tidligere løfte til en af dine brødre, der, for mange år siden lærte mig den bedre vej. Jeg lover dig." | 133:2.1 (1470.2) While tarrying at the ship landing, waiting for the boat to unload cargo, the travelers observed a man mistreating his wife. As was his custom, Jesus intervened in behalf of the person subjected to attack. He stepped up behind the irate husband and, tapping him gently on the shoulder, said: “My friend, may I speak with you in private for a moment?” The angry man was nonplused by such an approach and, after a moment of embarrassing hesitation, stammered out—“er—why—yes, what do you want with me?” When Jesus had led him to one side, he said: “My friend, I perceive that something terrible must have happened to you; I very much desire that you tell me what could happen to such a strong man to lead him to attack his wife, the mother of his children, and that right out here before all eyes. I am sure you must feel that you have some good reason for this assault. What did the woman do to deserve such treatment from her husband? As I look upon you, I think I discern in your face the love of justice if not the desire to show mercy. I venture to say that, if you found me out by the wayside, attacked by robbers, you would unhesitatingly rush to my rescue. I dare say you have done many such brave things in the course of your life. Now, my friend, tell me what is the matter? Did the woman do something wrong, or did you foolishly lose your head and thoughtlessly assault her?” It was not so much what he said that touched this man’s heart as the kindly look and the sympathetic smile which Jesus bestowed upon him at the conclusion of his remarks. Said the man: “I perceive you are a priest of the Cynics, and I am thankful you restrained me. My wife has done no great wrong; she is a good woman, but she irritates me by the manner in which she picks on me in public, and I lose my temper. I am sorry for my lack of self-control, and I promise to try to live up to my former pledge to one of your brothers who taught me the better way many years ago. I promise you.” | |
| 133:2.2 (1471.1) Så sagde Jesus, da han sagde farvel til ham: "Min bror, husk altid, at manden ikke har nogen retmæssig myndighed over kvinden, medmindre kvinden villigt og frivilligt giver ham denne ret. Din kone har forpligtet sig til at gå gennem livet med dig, for at hjælpe dig med livets kampe og til at foretage den langt større del af byrden af at føde og opdrætte dine børn. Til gengæld for denne særlige service er det kun rimeligt, at hun modtager fra dig, at særlig beskyttelse, som manden kan give kvinden, som er den part, der skal bære, føde og give næring til børnene. Den kærlige omhu og omtanke, som en mand er villig til at give sin kone og deres børn er målet for menneskets opnåelse af de kreative og åndelige selvbevidsthedens højere niveauer. Ved du ikke, at mænd og kvinder er partnere med Gud i, for så vidt som at de samarbejder om skabelsen af væsener, der vokser op til at være i besiddelse af en udødelig sjæl potentiale? Faderen i himlen behandler Åndens Moder til universet børn som lige med sig selv. Det er guddommelig at dele dit liv og alt relateret til det på lige fod med moderen som din partner, som så fuldt ud deler med dig, den guddommelig oplevelse af at reproducere jer i dit barns liv. Hvis du blot kan elske dine børn som Gud elsker dig, vil du elske og værne om din kone som Faderen i Himlen ære og forherlige den Uendelige Ånd, mor til alle de åndelige børn i hele det store univers." | 133:2.2 (1471.1) 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 rearing your children; and in return for this special service it is only fair that she receive from you that special protection which man can give to woman as the partner who must carry, bear, and nurture the children. The loving care and consideration which a man is willing to bestow upon his wife and their children are the measure of that man’s attainment of the higher levels of creative and spiritual self-consciousness. Do you not know that men and women are partners with God in that they co-operate to create beings who grow up to possess themselves of the potential of immortal souls? The Father in heaven treats the Spirit Mother of the children of the universe as one equal to himself. It is Godlike to share your life and all that relates thereto on equal terms with the mother partner who so fully shares with you that divine experience of reproducing yourselves in the lives of your children. If you can only love your children as God loves you, you will love and cherish your wife as the Father in heaven honors and exalts the Infinite Spirit, the mother of all the spirit children of a vast universe.” | |
| 133:2.3 (1471.2) Da de gik ombord båden og kiggede tilbage, så de parret stå med tårer i øjnene, stående i stille omfavnelse. Gonod, der havde hørt den sidste del af Jesu budskab til manden, meditere hele dagen over, hvad han havde hørt, og han besluttede at reorganisere sit hjem, når han vendte tilbage i Indien. | 133:2.3 (1471.2) As they went on board the boat, they looked back upon the scene of the teary-eyed couple standing in silent embrace. Having heard the latter half of Jesus’ message to the man, Gonod was all day occupied with meditations thereon, and he resolved to reorganize his home when he returned to India. | |
| 133:2.4 (1471.3) Rejsen til Nicopolis var behagelig men langsom da vinden ikke var gunstig. De tre tilbragte mange timer på at tale om deres oplevelser i Rom og mindedes alt, hvad der var sket med dem, siden de først mødtes i Jerusalem. Ganid var ved at blive helt opfyldt med den personlige tjeneste i ånden. Han begyndte at arbejde på skibets hovmester, men da han den anden dag, kom på dybt religiøst vand, måtte han kaldte på Joshua for hjælp. | 133:2.4 (1471.3) The journey to Nicopolis was pleasant but slow as the wind was not favorable. The three spent many hours recounting their experiences in Rome and reminiscing about all that had happened to them since they first met in Jerusalem. Ganid was becoming imbued with the spirit of personal ministry. He began work on the steward of the ship, but on the second day, when he got into deep religious water, he called on Joshua to help him out. | |
| 133:2.5 (1471.4) De tilbragte flere dage i Nicopolis, byen, som Augustus havde grundlagt omkring halvtreds år tidligere, som "Sejrbyen" til minde om slaget ved Aktium, da dette sted var det sted, hvor han havde slået lejr med sin hær før slaget. De logerede i hjemmet hos Jeramy, en græker, som var konverteret til jødedommen og som de havde mødt på båden. Apostelen Paulus brugte en hel vinter hos Jeramys søn i samme hus under sin tredje missionsrejse. Fra Nicopolis sejlede de med samme båd til Korinth, hovedstaden i den romerske provins Achaia. | 133:2.5 (1471.4) They spent several days at Nicopolis, the city which Augustus had founded some fifty years before as the “city of victory” in commemoration of the battle of Actium, this site being the land whereon he camped with his army before the battle. They lodged in the home of one Jeramy, a Greek proselyte of the Jewish faith, whom they had met on shipboard. The Apostle Paul spent all winter with the son of Jeramy in the same house in the course of his third missionary journey. From Nicopolis they sailed on the same boat for Corinth, the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. | |
| 3. I korinth ^top | 3. At Corinth ^top | |
| 133:3.1 (1471.5) Da de nåede Korinth var Ganid blevet meget interesseret i den jødiske religion, og det var derfor ikke mærkeligt, at han en dag, da de gik forbi en synagoge og så folk går ind, bad Jesus om at tage ham med til gudstjeneste. Den dag, hørte de en lærd rabbiners foredrag om "Israels skæbne", og efter gudstjenesten, træf de en vis Krispos som var hovedforstander for synagogen. De vendte tilbage mange gange til tjenesten i synagogen, men først og fremmest for at møde Krispos. Ganid fandt stor sympati for Krispos, hans kone og deres familie af fem børn. Han kunne godt lide at observere, hvordan en jøde gennemførte sit familieliv. | 133:3.1 (1471.5) By the time they reached Corinth, Ganid was becoming very much interested in the Jewish religion, and so it was not strange that, one day as they passed the synagogue and saw the people going in, he requested Jesus to take him to the service. That day they heard a learned rabbi discourse on the “Destiny of Israel,” and after the service they met one Crispus, the chief ruler of this synagogue. Many times they went back to the synagogue services, but chiefly to meet Crispus. Ganid grew to be very fond of Crispus, his wife, and their family of five children. He much enjoyed observing how a Jew conducted his family life. | |
| 133:3.2 (1472.1) Mens Ganid studerede familielivet, underviste Jesus Krispos om, hvordan man bedre lever et religiøst liv. Jesus havde mere end tyve samtale med denne fremsynede jøde. Det er ikke overraskende, at da Paul mange år senere prædikede i denne samme synagoge, og da jøderne havde afvist hans budskab og stemte for at forbyde ham fra yderligere prædiken i synagogen, og da han gik derfra ud til hedningerne, så tilsluttede Krispos og hele hans familie sig til den nye religion og blev en af de vigtigste søjler i den kristne kirke, som Paulus senere organiserede på Korinth. | 133:3.2 (1472.1) While Ganid studied family life, Jesus was teaching Crispus the better ways of religious living. Jesus held more than twenty sessions with this forward-looking Jew; and it is not surprising, years afterward, when Paul was preaching in this very synagogue, and when the Jews had rejected his message and had voted to forbid his further preaching in the synagogue, and when he then went to the gentiles, that Crispus with his entire family embraced the new religion, and that he became one of the chief supports of the Christian church which Paul subsequently organized at Corinth. | |
| 133:3.3 (1472.2) I løbet af de halvandet år Paulus prædikede i Korinth - fik han senere følgeskab med Silas og Timoteus - mødte han mange andre, der var blevet undervist af den "jødiske privatlærer til en indisk købmands søn." | 133:3.3 (1472.2) During the eighteen months Paul preached in Corinth, being later joined by Silas and Timothy, he met many others who had been taught by the “Jewish tutor of the son of an Indian merchant.” | |
| 133:3.4 (1472.3) På Korinth mødte de folk af alle nationer fra tre kontinenter. Ved siden af Alexandria og Rom, var det den mest kosmopolitiske by i Middelhavets imperium. Der var meget, der tiltrak sig opmærksomheden fra denne by, og Ganid blev aldrig træt af at besøge fæstningen, der var næsten seks hundrede meter over havets overflade. Han brugte også en masse af sin fritid i synagogen og i Krispos hjem. Han var først chokeret, og senere charmeret af den holdning, kvinden havde i det jødiske hjem; Det var en åbenbaring for denne unge inder. | 133:3.4 (1472.3) At Corinth they met people of every race hailing from three continents. Next to Alexandria and Rome, it was the most cosmopolitan city of the Mediterranean empire. There was much to attract one’s attention in this city, and Ganid never grew weary of visiting the citadel which stood almost two thousand feet above the sea. He also spent a great deal of his spare time about the synagogue and in the home of Crispus. He was at first shocked, and later on charmed, by the status of woman in the Jewish home; it was a revelation to this young Indian. | |
| 133:3.5 (1472.4) Jesus og Ganid var ofte gæster i et andet jødisk hjem, nemlig hos Justus, en hengiven købmand, der boede ved siden af synagogen. Mange gange senere, da apostelen Paulus boede i dette hjem hørte han om disse drøftelser mellem den indiske dreng og hans jødiske lærer, mens både Paul og Justus spekulerede hvad der var blevet af sådan en klog og strålende hebraisk lærer. | 133:3.5 (1472.4) Jesus and Ganid were often guests in another Jewish home, that of Justus, a devout merchant, who lived alongside the synagogue. And many times, subsequently, when the Apostle Paul sojourned in this home, did he listen to the recounting of these visits with the Indian lad and his Jewish tutor, while both Paul and Justus wondered whatever became of such a wise and brilliant Hebrew teacher. | |
| 133:3.6 (1472.5) Da de var i Rom, bemærkede Ganid, at Jesus nægtede at ledsage dem, når de gik til det offentlige badehus. Flere gange bagefter forsøgte den unge mand at overtale Jesus til mere omfattende at fortælle, hvad han mente om forholdet mellem kønnene. Selvom Jesus besvarede drengens spørgsmål syntes han aldrig villig til at intensivere drøftelserne om disse emner. En aften, da de gik rundt i Korinth nær stedet hvor fæstningens mur løb ned til havet, kom to kvindelige prostituerede og talte til dem. Ganid havde tilegnet sig idéen, og med rette, at Jesus var en mand af høje idealer, og at han hadede alt, hvad der havde et anstrøg af urenhed eller en afsmag af det onde. Derfor talte han i stærke vendinger til disse kvinder og vinkede dem uhøfligt væk. Da Jesus så det, sagde han til Ganid: "Du mener vel, men du bør ikke tage dig frihed til at tale til Guds børn på denne måde, selv om de tilfældigvis er hans vildfarende børn. Hvem er vi til at sidde til doms over disse kvinder? Kender du tilfældigvis alle de omstændigheder, der førte dem til at ty til sådanne metoder til at få deres levebrød? Stop her med mig, mens vi taler om disse ting." Kurtisanerne var endnu mere overraskede end Ganid over, hvad han sagde. | 133:3.6 (1472.5) When in Rome, Ganid observed that Jesus refused to accompany them to the public baths. Several times afterward the young man sought to induce Jesus further to express himself in regard to the relations of the sexes. Though he would answer the lad’s questions, he never seemed disposed to discuss these subjects at great length. One evening as they strolled about Corinth out near where the wall of the citadel ran down to the sea, they were accosted by two public women. Ganid had imbibed the idea, and rightly, that Jesus was a man of high ideals, and that he abhorred everything which partook of uncleanness or savored of evil; accordingly he spoke sharply to these women and rudely motioned them away. When Jesus saw this, he 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.” The courtesans were astonished at what he said even more than was Ganid. | |
| 133:3.7 (1472.6) Som de stod der i måneskinnet, fortsatte Jesus med at sige: "I hvert menneskelige sind lever en guddommelig ånd, en gave fra Faderen i Himlen. Denne gode ånd stræber konstant efter at føre os til Gud, hjælp os med at finde Gud og at kende Gud. Men de dødelige har også mange naturlige fysiske tendenser, som Skaberen har givet dem, og som er beregnet til at tjene den enkelte og racens væsen. Nu er det så, at mænd og kvinder ofte bliver forvirrede, når de forsøger at forstå sig selv og når de tumler med de mangfoldige problemer med at leve i en verden, der i så høj grad er domineret af selviskhed og synd. Jeg ser Ganid, at ingen af disse kvinder er bevidst onde. Jeg kan læse i deres ansigter, at de har oplevet megen sorg. De har lidt meget i hænderne på en tilsyneladende grusom skæbne. De har ikke med vilje valgt denne form for liv, de har i en modløshed som grænser til fortvivlelse bukket under for den øjeblikkelige nød og accepteret denne usmagelige måde at tjene deres levebrød som den bedste vej ud af en situation, der for dem syntes håbløs. Ganid, nogle mennesker er virkelig onde i deres hjerte; de gør med vilje, fuldt bevidst, det der er ondt, men fortæl mig, når du nu ser ind disse forgrædte ansigter, ser du noget dårligt eller ond? Og da Jesus standsede for Ganids svar, kvalte hans stemme da han fremstammede sit svar: "Nej, lærer, jeg kan ikke se. Og jeg undskylder for min uhøflighed til dem - jeg beder om deres tilgivelse. " Da sagde Jesus:" Og jeg siger til dig fra dem, at de har tilgivet dig, ligesom jeg siger for min himmelske Faders del, at han har tilgivet dem. Kom alle med mig til en vens hus, hvor vi vil søge forfriskning og planlægge for et nyt og bedre liv forude." Indtil dette øjeblik havde de to overraskede kvinder ikke sagt et ord. De kiggede på hinanden og fulgte tavse efter, mens mændene førte an. | 133:3.7 (1472.6) As they stood there in the moonlight, Jesus went on to say: “There lives within every human mind a divine spirit, the gift of the Father in heaven. This good spirit ever strives to lead us to God, to help us to find God and to know God; but also within mortals there are many natural physical tendencies which the Creator put there to serve the well-being of the individual and the race. Now, oftentimes, men and women become confused in their efforts to understand themselves and to grapple with the manifold difficulties of making a living in a world so largely dominated by selfishness and sin. I perceive, Ganid, that neither of these women is willfully wicked. I can tell by their faces that they have experienced much sorrow; they have suffered much at the hands of an apparently cruel fate; they have not intentionally chosen this sort of life; they have, in discouragement bordering on despair, surrendered to the pressure of the hour and accepted this distasteful means of obtaining a livelihood as the best way out of a situation that to them appeared hopeless. Ganid, some people are really wicked at heart; they deliberately choose to do mean things, but, tell me, as you look into these now tear-stained faces, do you see anything bad or wicked?” And as Jesus paused for his reply, Ganid’s voice choked up as he stammered out his answer: “No, Teacher, I do not. And I apologize for my rudeness to them—I crave their forgiveness.” Then said Jesus: “And I bespeak for them that they have forgiven you as I speak for my Father in heaven that he has forgiven them. Now all of you come with me to a friend’s house where we will seek refreshment and plan for the new and better life ahead.” Up to this time the amazed women had not uttered a word; they looked at each other and silently followed as the men led the way. | |
| 133:3.8 (1473.1) Forestil jer Justus kones overraskelse, da Jesus, på dette sene tidspunkt ankom i selskab med Ganid og disse to fremmede, og sagde: "Tilgiv os, at vi kommer på denne tidspunkt, men Ganid og jeg ønskede en bid at spise, og vi vil gerne dele det med disse vores nye venner, som også har behov for at spise. Derudover kommer vi til dig med den tanke, at du kan være interesseret i at give os rådgivning om den bedste måde at hjælpe til disse kvinder med at får en ny start i livet. De kan fortælle dig deres historie, men jeg gætte, de har haft mange problemer, og deres tilstedeværelse her i dit hus viser, hvor inderligt de tørster efter at kende nogle gode mennesker, og hvor villige de ønsker at benytte lejligheden til at vise hele verden - og selv englene i himlen - hvilken modige og ædle kvinder, de kan blive." | 133:3.8 (1473.1) Imagine the surprise of Justus’ wife when, at this late hour, Jesus appeared with Ganid and these two strangers, saying: “You will forgive us for coming at this hour, but Ganid and I desire a bite to eat, and we would share it with these our new-found friends, who are also in need of nourishment; and besides all this, we come to you with the thought that you will be interested in counseling with us as to the best way to help these women get a new start in life. They can tell you their story, but I surmise they have had much trouble, and their very presence here in your house testifies how earnestly they crave to know good people, and how willingly they will embrace the opportunity to show all the world—and even the angels of heaven—what brave and noble women they can become.” | |
| 133:3.9 (1473.2) Da Marta, Justus kone, havde sat mad på bordet, tog Jesus uventet afsked med dem og sagde: "Da det er blevet sent, og da den unge mands far venter på os, beder vi om at være undskyldt, mens vi efterlader jer her sammen - tre kvinder - elskede børn af den Højeste. Og jeg vil bede om åndelig vejledning for jer, som I lægge planer for et nyt og bedre liv på jorden og et evigt liv i det storslåede liv herefter." | 133:3.9 (1473.2) When Martha, Justus’ wife, had spread the food on the table, Jesus, taking unexpected leave of them, said: “As it is getting late, and since the young man’s father will be awaiting us, we pray to be excused while we leave you here together—three women—the beloved children of the Most High. And I will pray for your spiritual guidance while you make plans for a new and better life on earth and eternal life in the great beyond.” | |
| 133:3.10 (1473.3) Således tog Jesus og Ganid afsked med kvinderne. Indtil videre havde de to kurtisaner ikke sagt noget; ligeledes var Ganid målløs. For et øjeblik var Marta det også, men fik snart styr på situationen og gjort alt for disse fremmede, som Jesus havde håbet på. Den ældste af disse to kvinder døde dog kort tid senere med et klart håb om evig overlevelse, og den yngre kvinde arbejdede på Justus forretningssted og blev senere en livslang medlem af den første kristne kirke i Korinth. | 133:3.10 (1473.3) Thus did Jesus and Ganid take leave of the women. So far the two courtesans had said nothing; likewise was Ganid speechless. And for a few moments so was Martha, but presently she rose to the occasion and did everything for these strangers that Jesus had hoped for. The elder of these two women died a short time thereafter, with bright hopes of eternal survival, and the younger woman worked at Justus’ place of business and later became a lifelong member of the first Christian church in Corinth. | |
| 133:3.11 (1473.4) I Krispos hjem mødte Jesus og Ganid flere gange en vis Gaius, som efterfølgende blev en loyal tilhænger af Paulus. I løbet af disse to måneder i Korinth havde de personlige samtaler med mange vigtige personer, og som et resultat af alle disse tilsyneladende tilfældige kontakter blev mere end halvdelen af de således berørte individer medlemmer af det kristne samfund, der senere opstod. | 133:3.11 (1473.4) Several times in the home of Crispus, Jesus and Ganid met one Gaius, who subsequently became a loyal supporter of Paul. During these two months in Corinth they held intimate conversations with scores of worth-while individuals, and as a result of all these apparently casual contacts more than half of the individuals so affected became members of the subsequent Christian community. | |
| 133:3.12 (1473.5) Da Paulus først gik til Korinth, havde han ikke til formål at gøre et længere besøg. Men han vidste ikke, hvor godt den jødiske vejleder havde beredt vejen for hans indsats. Desuden opdagede han, hvor meget interesse der allerede var blevet vakt af Aquila og Priscilla. Aquila var en af de kynikere, som Jesus var kommet i kontakt med, da han var i Rom. Dette par var jødiske flygtninge fra Rom, og de assimilerede hurtigt Pauls undervisning. Han boede sammen med dem og arbejdede med dem, for de var også teltmagere. Det var disse omstændigheder, der gjorde at Paulus forlængede sit ophold i Korinth. | 133:3.12 (1473.5) When Paul first went to Corinth, he had not intended to make a prolonged visit. But he did not know how well the Jewish tutor had prepared the way for his labors. And further, he discovered that great interest had already been aroused by Aquila and Priscilla, Aquila being one of the Cynics with whom Jesus had come in contact when in Rome. This couple were Jewish refugees from Rome, and they quickly embraced Paul’s teachings. He lived with them and worked with them, for they were also tentmakers. It was because of these circumstances that Paul prolonged his stay in Corinth. | |
| 4. Personligt arbejde i korinth ^top | 4. Personal Work in Corinth ^top | |
| 133:4.1 (1474.1) Jesus og Ganid havde mange spændende oplevelser i Korinth. De havde detaljerede drøftelser med et stort antal mennesker, som havde stor gavn af den undervisning, de modtog fra Jesus. | 133:4.1 (1474.1) Jesus and Ganid had many more interesting experiences in Corinth. They had close converse with a great number of persons who greatly profited by the instruction received from Jesus. | |
| 133:4.2 (1474.2) En møller, lærte han at male korn af sandhed i møllen af levende oplevelse for således at gøre det som er hårdt i det guddommelige liv lettere at modtage selv for de svage og skrøbelige blandt ens dødelige medmennesker. Jesus sagde: "Giv mælken af sandhed til dem, der er som små børn i form af åndelig opfattelse. I din levende og kærlige tjeneste servere åndelig føde i attraktivt form, og tilpasset efter modtagelseskapaciteten hos hver og en som forhører sig hos dig." | 133:4.2 (1474.2) The miller he taught about grinding up the grains of truth in the mill of living experience so as to render the difficult things of divine life readily receivable by even the weak and feeble among one’s fellow mortals. Said Jesus: “Give the milk of truth to those who are babes in spiritual perception. In your living and loving ministry serve spiritual food in attractive form and suited to the capacity of receptivity of each of your inquirers.” | |
| 133:4.3 (1474.3) Til den romerske centurion sagde han: "Giv kejseren, hvad kejserens er, og Gud, hvad der hører til Gud. Den oprigtige tjeneste for Gud og tro tjeneste af kejseren er ikke i modstrid med hinanden, medmindre kejseren ville tage den frihed ved hovmodigt at gøre krav på den hyldest, som kun Guddommen kan kræve. Loyalitet til Gud, hvis du skulle komme til at kende ham, ville gøre dig så meget mere loyal og trofast i din hengivenhed til en værdig kejser." | 133:4.3 (1474.3) To the Roman centurion he said: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things which are God’s. The sincere service of God and the loyal service of Caesar do not conflict unless Caesar should presume to arrogate to himself that homage which alone can be claimed by Deity. Loyalty to God, if you should come to know him, would render you all the more loyal and faithful in your devotion to a worthy emperor.” | |
| 133:4.4 (1474.4) Til en oprigtig leder af Mithraskulten, sagde han: "Du gør klogt i at søge efter en religion, der giver evig frelse, men du fejler, når du er på udkig efter en strålende sandhed blandt de mysterier, som folk har skabt og blandt menneskelige filosofier. Ved du ikke, at mysteriet om evig frelse bor inden for din egen sjæl? Ved du ikke, at himlens Gud har sendt sin ånd til at leve i dig, og at denne ånd vil føre alle dødelige, der elsker sandheden og tjener Gud ud af dette liv og gennem dødens portaler op mod lyset af evige højder hvor Gud venter på at modtage sine børn? Og glem aldrig, at jer, som kender Gud, er Guds sønner, hvis I virkelig længes efter at blive som ham." | 133:4.4 (1474.4) To the earnest leader of the Mithraic cult he said: “You do well to seek for a religion of eternal salvation, but you err to go in quest of such a glorious truth among man-made mysteries and human philosophies. Know you not that the mystery of eternal salvation dwells within your own soul? Do you not know that the God of heaven has sent his spirit to live within you, and that this spirit will lead all truth-loving and God-serving mortals out of this life and through the portals of death up to the eternal heights of light where God waits to receive his children? And never forget: You who know God are the sons of God if you truly yearn to be like him.” | |
| 133:4.5 (1474.5) Til en epikuræisk lærer sagde han: "Du har ret til at vælge det bedste og sætte pris på det gode, men er du klog, når du undlader at skelne de større ting i det jordiske liv, der kommer til udtryk i de åndelige riger og er forårsaget af realiseringen af Guds tilstedeværelse i det menneskelige hjerte? Det, der i den menneskelige erfaring er virkelig stort, er at komme til erkendelsen, af at man kender Gud, hvis ånd lever i en og som forsøge at føre en fremad på den lange og næsten uendelige rejse for at opnå den personlige tilstedeværelse af vores fælles Fader, hele skabelsens Gud, universernes Herre." | 133:4.5 (1474.5) To the Epicurean teacher he said: “You do well to choose the best and esteem the good, but are you wise when you fail to discern the greater things of mortal life which are embodied in the spirit realms derived from the realization of the presence of God in the human heart? The great thing in all human experience is the realization of knowing the God whose spirit lives within you and seeks to lead you forth on that long and almost endless journey of attaining the personal presence of our common Father, the God of all creation, the Lord of universes.” | |
| 133:4.6 (1474.6) Til en græsk entreprenør og bygherre sagde han: ”Min ven, når du opfører menneskenes materielle strukturer, lad selv en åndelig natur vokse, i lighed med den guddommelige ånd i din sjæl. Lad ikke din succes som en verdslig bygherre være større end din opnåelse som en åndelig søn af Himmelriget. Mens du er ved at opbygge de fremtidige boliger for andre, forsøm ikke at sikre retten til evighedens bolig for dig selv. Husk altid, at der er en by, hvis fundament er retfærdighed og sandhed, og hvis bygmester og skaber er Gud." | 133:4.6 (1474.6) To the Greek contractor and builder he said: “My friend, as you build the material structures of men, grow a spiritual character in the similitude of the divine spirit within your soul. Do not let your achievement as a temporal builder outrun your attainment as a spiritual son of the kingdom of heaven. While you build the mansions of time for another, neglect not to secure your title to the mansions of eternity for yourself. Ever remember, there is a city whose foundations are righteousness and truth, and whose builder and maker is God.” | |
| 133:4.7 (1474.7) Til den romerske dommer sagde han: "Når du dømmer mennesker, så husk at du også en dag vil gå til dom ved Universherskernes domstol. Døm retfærdigt, selv barmhjertigt, for du vil også en dag have det samme ønske om en barmhjertig behandling i den Højeste dommers hånd. Døm derfor, som du selv ville blive bedømt under lignende omstændigheder, så du lader dig styrer af ånden i loven såvel som dens bogstav. Og selv når du giver retfærdighed domineret af hvad der er rimeligt i lyset af situationen for dem, der er foran dig, så har du ret til at forvente, at retfærdighed er mildnet af barmhjertighed, når du en gang står foran hele jordens Dommer." | 133:4.7 (1474.7) To the Roman judge he said: “As you judge men, remember that you yourself will also some day come to judgment before the bar of the Rulers of a universe. Judge justly, even mercifully, even as you shall some day thus crave merciful consideration at the hands of the Supreme Arbiter. Judge as you would be judged under similar circumstances, thus being guided by the spirit of the law as well as by its letter. And even as you accord justice dominated by fairness in the light of the need of those who are brought before you, so shall you have the right to expect justice tempered by mercy when you sometime stand before the Judge of all the earth.” | |
| 133:4.8 (1475.1) Til en værtinde på en græsk kro, sagde han: "Vis din gæstfrihed som en, der underholder den Højestes børn. Ophøj sliddet i dit daglige arbejde til kunstens høje niveauer gennem den stigende erkendelse af, at du tjener Gud i de mennesker, som han bebor med sin ånd, som er steget ned for at leve i menneskenes hjerter, og dermed søge at omdanne deres sind og føre deres sjæle til kundskab om Paradisfaderen af alle disse overdragne gaver af den guddommelige ånd." | 133:4.8 (1475.1) To the mistress of the Greek inn he said: “Minister your hospitality as one who entertains the children of the Most High. Elevate the drudgery of your daily toil to the high levels of a fine art through the increasing realization that you minister to God in the persons whom he indwells by his spirit which has descended to live within the hearts of men, thereby seeking to transform their minds and lead their souls to the knowledge of the Paradise Father of all these bestowed gifts of the divine spirit.” | |
| 133:4.9 (1475.2) Jesus havde mange samtaler med en kinesisk købmand. Da han tog afsked med ham, sagde han følgende ord af formaning: "Tilbed alene Gud som er din sande åndelige forfader. Husk på, at Faderens ånd altid lever i dig og altid viser din sjæls retning mod himlen. Hvis du følger den ubevidste vejledning af denne udødelige ånd, kan du være sikker på at fortsætte videre af denne opløftende vej til at finde Gud. Og når du kommer til Faderen i himlen, er det fordi, ved at søge ham er du blevet mere og mere som ham. Farvel derfor Chang, men kun for en tid, for vi skal mødes igen i lysets verdener, hvor de åndelige sjæles Fader har mange dejlige opholdssteder for dem, der er på vej til Paradis." | 133:4.9 (1475.2) Jesus had many visits with a Chinese merchant. In saying good-bye, he admonished him: “Worship only God, who is your true spirit ancestor. Remember that the Father’s spirit ever lives within you and always points your soul-direction heavenward. If you follow the unconscious leadings of this immortal spirit, you are certain to continue on in the uplifted way of finding God. And when you do attain the Father in heaven, it will be because by seeking him you have become more and more like him. And so farewell, Chang, but only for a season, for we shall meet again in the worlds of light where the Father of spirit souls has provided many delightful stopping-places for those who are Paradise-bound.” | |
| 133:4.10 (1475.3) Til en rejsende fra Storbritannien sagde han: ”Min bror, jeg ser, at du søger sandheden, og jeg vil antyde, at den ånd, der kommer fra Faderen af al sandhed kan tænkes at bo i dig. Har du nogensinde seriøst prøvet at tale med ånden i din egen sjæl? Det er noget, der helt sikkert er svært og sjældent fører til bevidsthed af succes, men ethvert ærligt forsøg som det materielle sind gør for at kommunikere med sin indre ånd fører uundgåeligt til succes, selv om et flertal af sådan storslåede menneskelige oplevelser længe må forblive som overbevidste registreringer i sådanne gudbevidste dødeliges sjæle." | 133:4.10 (1475.3) To the traveler from Britain he said: “My brother, I perceive you are seeking for truth, and I suggest that the spirit of the Father of all truth may chance to dwell within you. Did you ever sincerely endeavor to talk with the spirit of your own soul? Such a thing is indeed difficult and seldom yields consciousness of success; but every honest attempt of the material mind to communicate with its indwelling spirit meets with certain success, notwithstanding that the majority of all such magnificent human experiences must long remain as superconscious registrations in the souls of such God-knowing mortals.” | |
| 133:4.11 (1475.4) Til en ung mand, der var løbet hjemmefra, sagde Jesus: "Husk, at der er to ting, man ikke kan flygte fra - Gud og dig selv. Uanset hvor du går hen tager du dig selv og vor himmelske Faders ånd, der bor i dit hjerte med. Min søn, hold op med at narre dig selv, slå dig til ro med den modige praksis at stå ansigt med livets kendsgerninger. Tag et fast greb om forsikringen, om at du er Guds søn, og visheden om det evigt liv, som jeg har lært dig. Beslut, at fra denne dag frem vil du være en rigtig mand, en mand, der er besluttet på at møde livet modigt og intelligent." | 133:4.11 (1475.4) To the runaway lad Jesus said: “Remember, there are two things you cannot run away from—God and yourself. Wherever you may go, you take with you yourself and the spirit of the heavenly Father which lives within your heart. My son, stop trying to deceive yourself; settle down to the courageous practice of facing the facts of life; lay firm hold on the assurances of sonship with God and the certainty of eternal life, as I have instructed you. From this day on purpose to be a real man, a man determined to face life bravely and intelligently.” | |
| 133:4.12 (1475.5) Til en dømt kriminel sagde han ved den sidste time: "Min bror, du har faldet på onde tider. Du gik på afveje; du blev viklet ind i forbrydelsens netværk. Af vores samtale, ved jeg, at du ikke har planlagt at gøre det som nu om kort til vil koste dig dit jordiske liv. Men du gjorde helt sikkert det onde, og dine medmennesker har dømt dig skyldig. De har besluttet, at du skal dø. Du eller jeg kan ikke nægte staten denne ret til nødværge på den måde, som den selv har valgt. Menneskelig set, synes der ikke at være nogen måde at undslippe straffen for din forbrydelse. Dine medmennesker skal dømme dig ved, hvad du gjorde, men der er en dommer, som du kan appellere til om tilgivelse og som vil dømme dig efter dine egentlige motiver og bedre intentioner. Du behøver ikke være bange for at møde Guds dom, hvis din omvendelse er ægte og din tro oprigtig. Det faktum, at din fejl bærer en dødsstraf pålagt af mennesker berører ikke chancen for din sjæl for at opnå retfærdighed og nyde barmhjertighed foran de himmelske domstole." | 133:4.12 (1475.5) To the condemned criminal he said at the last hour: “My brother, you have fallen on evil times. You lost your way; you became entangled in the meshes of crime. From talking to you, I well know you did not plan to do the thing which is about to cost you your temporal life. But you did do this evil, and your fellows have adjudged you guilty; they have determined that you shall die. You or I may not deny the state this right of self-defense in the manner of its own choosing. There seems to be no way of humanly escaping the penalty of your wrongdoing. Your fellows must judge you by what you did, but there is a Judge to whom you may appeal for forgiveness, and who will judge you by your real motives and better intentions. You need not fear to meet the judgment of God if your repentance is genuine and your faith sincere. The fact that your error carries with it the death penalty imposed by man does not prejudice the chance of your soul to obtain justice and enjoy mercy before the heavenly courts.” | |
| 133:4.13 (1476.1) Jesus havde mange tillidsfulde samtaler med et stort antal af sultne sjæle, alt for mange til at finde plads i denne redegørelse. De tre rejsende nød deres ophold i Korinth. Med undtagelse af Athen, som var mere berømt som et uddannelsescenter, var Korinth den vigtigste by i Grækenland i disse romerske tider. Deres to måneders ophold i dette blomstrende kommercielle centrum gav dem alle tre mulighed for at få meget værdifulde erfaringer. Deres ophold i denne by var et af de mest interessante af alle deres ophold på vej tilbage fra Rom. | 133:4.13 (1476.1) Jesus enjoyed many intimate talks with a large number of hungry souls, too many to find a place in this record. The three travelers enjoyed their sojourn in Corinth. Excepting Athens, which was more renowned as an educational center, Corinth was the most important city in Greece during these Roman times, and their two months’ stay in this thriving commercial center afforded opportunity for all three of them to gain much valuable experience. Their sojourn in this city was one of the most interesting of all their stops on the way back from Rome. | |
| 133:4.14 (1476.2) Gonod havde mange interesser i Korinth, men til sidst blev han færdig med sin virksomhed og parat til at sejle til Athen. De rejste med en lille båd, som kunne bæres over land ad en sti fra en af havnene i Korinth til en anden, en afstand på omkring seksten kilometer. | 133:4.14 (1476.2) Gonod had many interests in Corinth, but finally his business was finished, and they prepared to sail for Athens. They traveled on a small boat which could be carried overland on a land track from one of Corinth’s harbors to the other, a distance of ten miles. | |
| 5. I athen - forelæsning om videnskab ^top | 5. At Athens—Discourse on Science ^top | |
| 133:5.1 (1476.3) De ankom snart til det gamle centrum af græsk videnskab og læring, og det gik en gysen gennem Ganid ved tanken om at han var i Athen, Grækenland, det kulturelle centrum af det, der engang var Alexander den Stores imperium, hvis grænser havde strakt sig hele vejen til hans eget land, Indien. Der var ikke så mange ærinder, hvorfor Gonod tilbragte det meste af sin tid i selskab med Jesus og Ganid, der besøgte mange interessante steder, og ved at lytte til de mange interessante diskussioner, som drengen og hans alsidige lærer førte. | 133:5.1 (1476.3) They shortly arrived at the olden center of Greek science and learning, and Ganid was thrilled with the thought of being in Athens, of being in Greece, the cultural center of the onetime Alexandrian empire, which had extended its borders even to his own land of India. There was little business to transact; so Gonod spent most of his time with Jesus and Ganid, visiting the many points of interest and listening to the interesting discussions of the lad and his versatile teacher. | |
| 133:5.2 (1476.4) Et storslået universitet blomstrede stadig i Athen, og de tre besøgte ofte dets læsesale. Jesus og Ganid havde grundigt diskuteret Platons lære, da de deltog i foredrag i museet i Alexandria. De nød alle den græske kunst, da der stadig var eksempler her og der i byen. | 133:5.2 (1476.4) A great university still thrived in Athens, and the trio made frequent visits to its halls of learning. Jesus and Ganid had thoroughly discussed the teachings of Plato when they attended the lectures in the museum at Alexandria. They all enjoyed the art of Greece, examples of which were still to be found here and there about the city. | |
| 133:5.3 (1476.5) Både far og søn nød meget diskussionen om videnskab, som Jesus havde en aften i deres kro med en græsk filosof. Efter at denne pedant havde talt i næsten tre timer, og nået til slutningen af sit foredrag, sagde Jesus, udtrykt som i en moderne tankegang: | 133:5.3 (1476.5) Both the father and the son greatly enjoyed the discussion on science which Jesus had at their inn one evening with a Greek philosopher. After this pedant had talked for almost three hours, and when he had finished his discourse, Jesus, in terms of modern thought, said: | |
| 133:5.4 (1476.6) Forskere kan måske en dag måle tyngdekraften, lys og elektricitetens energi eller kraft manifestationer, men disse samme forskerne kan aldrig (videnskabeligt) fortælle dig, hvad disse universets fænomener er. Videnskaben omhandler fænomener i relation til fysik og energi; religionen behandler evige værdier. Ægte filosofi vokser ud af den visdom, der gør sit bedste for at korrelere disse kvantitative og kvalitative observationer. Der er altid en fare for, at den rent fysiske videnskabsmand kan blive ramt af matematisk stolthed og statistisk egoisme, for ikke at nævne åndelig blindhed. | 133:5.4 (1476.6) Scientists may some day measure the energy, or force manifestations, of gravitation, light, and electricity, but these same scientists can never (scientifically) tell you what these universe phenomena are. Science deals with physical-energy activities; religion deals with eternal values. True philosophy grows out of the wisdom which does its best to correlate these quantitative and qualitative observations. There always exists the danger that the purely physical scientist may become afflicted with mathematical pride and statistical egotism, not to mention spiritual blindness. | |
| 133:5.5 (1476.7) Logikken er gyldig i den materielle verden, og matematikken er pålidelig, når dens anvendelser er begrænset til fysiske fænomener, men ingen af dem bør betragtes som helt pålidelig eller ufejlbarlig, når de anvendes på livets problemer. For livet opfatter fænomen som ikke er helt materielle. Aritmetikken siger, at hvis en mand kan klippe et får på ti minutter, så kan ti mænd klippe det på et minut. Der er sund matematik, men det er ikke sandt, for de ti mænd kan ikke gøre det. De ville være i vejen for hinanden så meget, at arbejdet ville tage endnu længere tid. | 133:5.5 (1476.7) Logic is valid in the material world, and mathematics is reliable when limited in its application to physical things; but neither is to be regarded as wholly dependable or infallible when applied to life problems. Life embraces phenomena which are not wholly material. Arithmetic says that, if one man could shear a sheep in ten minutes, ten men could shear it in one minute. That is sound mathematics, but it is not true, for the ten men could not so do it; they would get in one another’s way so badly that the work would be greatly delayed. | |
| 133:5.6 (1477.1) Matematikken hævder, at hvis en person repræsenterer en vis enhed af intellektuelt og moralsk værdi, så ville ti personer repræsentere ti gange denne værdi. Men med hensyn til den menneskelige personlighed, ville det være tættere på sandheden at sige, at en sådan sammenslutning af personligheder snarere repræsenterer en sum, som er kvadratet på antallet af personligheder, der indgår i ligningen, end den simple aritmetiske sum af dem. En social gruppe af mennesker i koordineret arbejdende harmoni repræsenterer en kraft, der er meget større end den simple sum af dens dele. | 133:5.6 (1477.1) Mathematics asserts that, if one person stands for a certain unit of intellectual and moral value, ten persons would stand for ten times this value. But in dealing with human personality it would be nearer the truth to say that such a personality association is a sum equal to the square of the number of personalities concerned in the equation rather than the simple arithmetical sum. A social group of human beings in co-ordinated working harmony stands for a force far greater than the simple sum of its parts. | |
| 133:5.7 (1477.2) Mængde kan identificeres som et faktum, og bliver dermed en videnskabelig ensartethed. Kvalitet, som er afhængig af sindets fortolkning, repræsenterer et skøn af værdier, og må derfor forblive en oplevelse af den enkelte. Når både videnskab og religion bliver mindre dogmatisk og mere modtagelige for kritik, vil filosofien begynde at opnå enhed i den intelligente opfattelse af universet. | 133:5.7 (1477.2) Quantity may be identified as a fact, thus becoming a scientific uniformity. Quality, being a matter of mind interpretation, represents an estimate of values, and must, therefore, remain an experience of the individual. When both science and religion become less dogmatic and more tolerant of criticism, philosophy will then begin to achieve unity in the intelligent comprehension of the universe. | |
| 133:5.8 (1477.3) Der er enhed i det kosmiske univers hvis I blot kunne observere dens funktioner i virkeligheden. Det virkelige univers er venligt over for ethvert barn af den evige Gud. Det virkelige problem er: hvordan kan menneskets finite sind opnå en logisk, sand, og tilsvarende enhed i tanke? Denne sindstilstand som kendetegnes af virkelig viden om universet kan kun nås gennem erkendelsen om, at de kvantitative forhold og kvalitative værdier har en fælles oprindelse i Paradisfaderen. En sådan opfattelse af virkeligheden giver en bredere indsigt om univers fænomeners målrettet enhed; det åbenbare endda det åndelige mål af progressiv personligheds opnåelse. Og dette er en opfattelse om enhed, som kan fornemme den uforanderlige baggrund af et levende univers, hvor de upersonlige forhold er under konstant forandring, og de personlige relationer udvikles. | 133:5.8 (1477.3) There is unity in the cosmic universe if you could only discern its workings in actuality. The real universe is friendly to every child of the eternal God. The real problem is: How can the finite mind of man achieve a logical, true, and corresponding unity of thought? This universe-knowing state of mind can be had only by conceiving that the quantitative fact and the qualitative value have a common causation in the Paradise Father. Such a conception of reality yields a broader insight into the purposeful unity of universe phenomena; it even reveals a spiritual goal of progressive personality achievement. And this is a concept of unity which can sense the unchanging background of a living universe of continually changing impersonal relations and evolving personal relationships. | |
| 133:5.9 (1477.4) Materie og ånd samt den tilstand som eksisterer mellem dem er tre indbyrdes forbundne og tilhørende niveauer af den sande enhed i det virkelige univers. Uanset hvor divergerende universets fænomener af fakta og værdier i universet kan synes, er de trods alt, samlet i den Højeste. | 133:5.9 (1477.4) Matter and spirit and the state intervening between them are three interrelated and interassociated levels of the true unity of the real universe. Regardless of how divergent the universe phenomena of fact and value may appear to be, they are, after all, unified in the Supreme. | |
| 133:5.10 (1477.5) Virkelighed i form af materiel eksistens omfatter ukendt energi samt synligt stof. Når hastigheden af energierne i universet reduceres, så de får den nødvendige grad af bevægelse, bliver de samme energier under gunstige vilkår masse. Og glem ikke, at sindet som alene kan opfatte tilstedeværelsen af tilsyneladende virkelighed i sig selv også er reel. Og årsagen til dette univers af energi-masse, sind og ånd er evig - den eksisterer, og består i den Universelle Fader og hans absolutte ligeværdige. | 133:5.10 (1477.5) Reality of material existence attaches to unrecognized energy as well as to visible matter. 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. And forget not, the mind which can alone perceive the presence of apparent realities is itself also real. And the fundamental cause of this universe of energy-mass, mind, and spirit, is eternal—it exists and consists in the nature and reactions of the Universal Father and his absolute co-ordinates. | |
| 133:5.11 (1477.6) De var alle mere end forbløffet over Jesu ord, og da grækeren tog afsked med dem, sagde han: "Til sidst mine øjne har set en jøde, der tænker noget, udover hans folks overherredømme og taler noget andet end religion." De trak sig tilbage for natten. | 133:5.11 (1477.6) They were all more than astounded at the words of Jesus, and when the Greek took leave of them, he said: “At last my eyes have beheld a Jew who thinks something besides racial superiority and talks something besides religion.” And they retired for the night. | |
| 133:5.12 (1477.7) Opholdet i Athen var behageligt og rentabelt, men det var ikke særlig frugtbart i form af menneskelige kontakter. Alt for mange af den tids athenerne var enten intellektuelt stolte af deres ry for en anden tid eller mentalt dumme og uvidende da de nedstammede fra laverestående slaver af disse tidligere perioder, hvor der var herlighed i Grækenland og visdom i sindet hos befolkningen. Men stadig, kunne man finde mange skarpsindede borgere i Athen. | 133:5.12 (1477.7) The sojourn in Athens was pleasant and profitable, but it was not particularly fruitful in its human contacts. Too many of the Athenians of that day were either intellectually proud of their reputation of another day or mentally stupid and ignorant, being the offspring of the inferior slaves of those earlier periods when there was glory in Greece and wisdom in the minds of its people. Even then, there were still many keen minds to be found among the citizens of Athens. | |
| 6. I efesos — forelæsning om sjælen ^top | 6. At Ephesus—Discourse on the Soul ^top | |
| 133:6.1 (1477.8) Da de forlod Athen begav de rejsende sig via Troy til Efesos, hovedstaden i den romerske provins Asien. De gjorde mange ture ud til efesernes berømte tempel Artemis lidt over tre kilometer uden for byen. Artemis var den mest berømte gudinde for hele Lilleasien og en bestående ånd af oldtidens endnu tidligere modergudinde af Anatolien. Det grovhuggede idol, der blev udstillet i et enorm tempel blev påstået at være faldet fra himlen. Alt Ganids tidlig undervisning i at respektere statuer som symboler på guddommelighed var ikke helt blevet udryddet, og han syntes, det var bedst at købe et lille sølv skrin til ære for denne frugtbarhedsgudinde af Lilleasien. Samme aften havde de en lang samtale om tilbedelsen af genstande lavet af menneskehænder. | 133:6.1 (1477.8) On leaving Athens, the travelers went by way of Troas to Ephesus, the capital of the Roman province of Asia. They made many trips out to the famous temple of Artemis of the Ephesians, about two miles from the city. Artemis was the most famous goddess of all Asia Minor and a perpetuation of the still earlier mother goddess of ancient Anatolian times. The crude idol exhibited in the enormous temple dedicated to her worship was reputed to have fallen from heaven. Not all of Ganid’s early training to respect images as symbols of divinity had been eradicated, and he thought it best to purchase a little silver shrine in honor of this fertility goddess of Asia Minor. That night they talked at great length about the worship of things made with human hands. | |
| 133:6.2 (1478.1) På tredje dagen på deres besøg, vandrede de ned langs floden for at observere opgravningen af havnens mund. Ved middagstid talte de med en ung fønikisk mand som havde hjemve og var meget modløs, men mest af alt var han misundelig på en vis ung mand, der havde avanceret med forfremmelse i stedet for ham selv. Jesus talte trøstende ord til ham og citerede et gammel hebraisk ordsprog: "En mands gave gør plads til ham og bringer ham for store mænd." | 133:6.2 (1478.1) On the third day of their stay they walked down by the river to observe the dredging of the harbor’s mouth. At noon they talked with a young Phoenician who was homesick and much discouraged; but most of all he was envious of a certain young man who had received promotion over his head. Jesus spoke comforting words to him and quoted the olden Hebrew proverb: “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.” | |
| 133:6.3 (1478.2) Af alle de store byer, de besøgte under Middelhavs rejsen udførte de her mindst af værdi til de kristne missionærers senere arbejde. Kristendommen fik sin start i Efesos i vid udstrækning gennem indsatsen fra Paulus. Han boede der i over to år, lavede telte for sin opretholdelse, og holdt hver aften foredrag om religion og filosofi i en stor festsal i Tyrannus skole. | 133:6.3 (1478.2) Of all the large cities they visited on this tour of the Mediterranean, they here accomplished the least of value to the subsequent work of the Christian missionaries. Christianity secured its start in Ephesus largely through the efforts of Paul, who resided here more than two years, making tents for a living and conducting lectures on religion and philosophy each night in the main audience chamber of the school of Tyrannus. | |
| 133:6.4 (1478.3) Der var en progressiv tænker, som var knyttet til denne lokale skole i filosofi, og Jesus havde flere frugtbare møder med ham. Under samtalerne havde Jesus gentagne gange brugt ordet "sjæl". Denne lærte græker spurgte til sidst, hvad han mente med "sjæl", og Jesus svarede: | 133:6.4 (1478.3) There was a progressive thinker connected with this local school of philosophy, and Jesus had several profitable sessions with him. In the course of these talks Jesus had repeatedly used the word “soul.” This learned Greek finally asked him what he meant by “soul,” and he replied: | |
| 133:6.5 (1478.4) "Sjælen er den del af mennesket, som afspejler overjeget, skelner sandheden og opfatter ånden, og den hæver for evigt mennesket over niveauet for dyrenes verden. Selvbevidsthed er ikke i sig selv sjælen. Moralsk selvbevidsthed er sand menneskelig selvrealisering og udgør grundlaget for den menneskelige sjæl, og sjælen er den del af mennesket, som repræsenterer den potentielle overlevelses værdi af den menneskelige erfaring. Moralsk valg og åndelig opnåelse, evnen til at kende Gud og ønsket om at blive som ham er kendetegnende for sjælen. Menneskets sjæl kan ikke eksistere adskilt fra moralsk tænkning og åndelig aktivitet. En stagnerende sjæl er en døende sjæl. Men menneskets sjæl er ikke det samme som den guddommelige ånd, som bor i sindet. Den guddommelige ånd ankommer samtidigt som den første moralske aktivitet finder sted i det menneskelige sind, og i det øjeblik fødes sjælen. | 133:6.5 (1478.4) “The soul is the self-reflective, truth-discerning, and spirit-perceiving part of man which forever elevates the human being above the level of the animal world. Self-consciousness, in and of itself, is not the soul. Moral self-consciousness is true human self-realization and constitutes the foundation of the human soul, and 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 of man cannot exist apart from moral thinking and spiritual activity. A stagnant soul is a dying soul. But the soul of man is distinct from the divine spirit which dwells within the mind. The divine spirit arrives simultaneously with the first moral activity of the human mind, and that is the occasion of the birth of the soul. | |
| 133:6.6 (1478.5) "En sjæls frelse eller ødelæggelse har at gøre med, hvorvidt den moralske bevidsthed opnår overlevelses status gennem evig alliance med dens tilhørende udødelige ånds begavelse. Frelsen er åndeliggørelse af den moralske bevidstheds selvrealisering. Denne moralske bevidsthed får således overlevelses værdi. Alle former for sjælens konflikter skyldes manglende harmoni mellem den moralske eller åndelige selvbevidsthed og den rent intellektuelle selvbevidsthed. | 133:6.6 (1478.5) “The saving or losing of a soul has to do with whether or not the moral consciousness attains survival status through eternal alliance with its associated immortal spirit endowment. Salvation is the spiritualization of the self-realization of the moral consciousness, which thereby becomes possessed of survival value. All forms of soul conflict consist in the lack of harmony between the moral, or spiritual, self-consciousness and the purely intellectual self-consciousness. | |
| 133:6.7 (1478.6) "Når den menneskelige sjæl er modnet, forædlet og åndeliggjort nærmer den sig himmelske status i at den kommer tæt på at være en enhed, som er placeret mellem det materielle og det åndelige, mellem det materielle selv og den guddommelige ånd. Et menneskes udviklende sjæl er svær at beskrive og endnu sværere at bevise, for den kan ikke bevises, for den kan ikke opdages hverken med materielle undersøgelser eller med åndelig bevisførelse. Den materielle videnskab kan ikke demonstrere at en sjæl eksisterer, ej heller kan ren ånde test gøre det. Selvom hverken materiel videnskab og åndelige målestokke kan opdage den menneskelige sjæl eksistens, så ved hver moralsk bevidst dødelig, at dets sjæl er en virkelig og faktisk personlig erfaring.” | 133:6.7 (1478.6) “The human soul, when matured, ennobled, and spiritualized, approaches the heavenly status in that it comes near to being an entity intervening between the material and the spiritual, the material self and the divine spirit. The evolving soul of a human being is difficult of description and more difficult of demonstration because it is not discoverable by the methods of either material investigation or spiritual proving. Material science cannot demonstrate the existence of a soul, neither can pure spirit-testing. Notwithstanding the failure of both material science and spiritual standards to discover the existence of the human soul, every morally conscious mortal knows of the existence of his soul as a real and actual personal experience.” | |
| 7. Besøget på cypern — forelæsning om sindet ^top | 7. The Sojourn at Cyprus—Discourse on Mind ^top | |
| 133:7.1 (1479.1) Snart satte de rejsende sejl for Cypern og gjorde et ophold på Rhodos. De nød den lange sørejse og nåede øen, som var deres destination meget udhvilet i krop og opløftet i ånden. | 133:7.1 (1479.1) Shortly the travelers set sail for Cyprus, stopping at Rhodes. They enjoyed the long water voyage and arrived at their island destination much rested in body and refreshed in spirit. | |
| 133:7.2 (1479.2) Det var deres plan at nyde en periode med rigtig hvile og forfriskning i løbet af dette besøg på Cypern, da deres rundtur i Middelhavet var ved at være slut. De landede på Pafos og begyndte straks at samle forsyninger til flere ugers ophold i de nærliggende bjerge. På tredje dagen efter deres ankomst satte de ud mod bakkerne med deres godt læssede pakkedyr. | 133:7.2 (1479.2) It was their plan to enjoy a period of real rest and play on this visit to Cyprus as their tour of the Mediterranean was drawing to a close. They landed at Paphos and at once began the assembly of supplies for their sojourn of several weeks in the near-by mountains. On the third day after their arrival they started for the hills with their well-loaded pack animals. | |
| 133:7.3 (1479.3) I en to ugers tid, nød trioen meget deres tilværelse, og derefter, uden varsel, blev unge Ganid alvorligt syg. For to uger led han af høj feber og talte i vildelse. Både Jesus og Gonod blev holdt travlt med at pleje den syge dreng. Jesus passede drengen dygtigt og ømt, og faderen var forbløffet over både den mildhed og færdighed, der kom for dagens lys i alle Jesu gerning til den ramte unge. De var langt fra menneskelige boliger, og drengen var for syg til at blive flyttet, så de forberedte sig, så godt de kunne på at pleje ham, hvor de var i bjergene, indtil han var rask. | 133:7.3 (1479.3) For two weeks the trio greatly enjoyed themselves, and then, without warning, young Ganid was suddenly taken grievously ill. For two weeks he suffered from a raging fever, oftentimes becoming delirious; both Jesus and Gonod were kept busy attending the sick boy. Jesus skillfully and tenderly cared for the lad, and the father was amazed by both the gentleness and adeptness manifested in all his ministry to the afflicted youth. They were far from human habitations, and the boy was too ill to be moved; so they prepared as best they could to nurse him back to health right there in the mountains. | |
| 133:7.4 (1479.4) Under Ganids tre ugers lange rekonvalescens fortalte Jesus ham mange interessante ting om naturen og dens forskellige stemninger. Hvad sjovt de havde, da de vandrede over bjergene, drengen stillede spørgsmål, Jesus besvarede dem, og faderen var forundret over hele skuespillet. | 133:7.4 (1479.4) During Ganid’s convalescence of three weeks Jesus told him many interesting things about nature and her various moods. And what fun they had as they wandered over the mountains, the boy asking questions, Jesus answering them, and the father marveling at the whole performance. | |
| 133:7.5 (1479.5) I løbet af den sidste uge af deres ophold i bjergene havde Jesus og Ganid en lang snak om det menneskelige sinds funktioner. Efter flere timers diskussion stillede drengen dette spørgsmål: "Men, lærer, hvad mener du, når du siger, at mennesket oplever en højere form for selvbevidsthed end de højere dyr?" Udtrykt med hensyn til nutidige fraseologi, sagde Jesus: | 133:7.5 (1479.5) The last week of their sojourn in the mountains Jesus and Ganid had a long talk on the functions of the human mind. After several hours of discussion the lad asked this question: “But, Teacher, what do you mean when you say that man experiences a higher form of self-consciousness than do the higher animals?” And as restated in modern phraseology, Jesus answered: | |
| 133:7.6 (1479.6) Min søn, jeg har allerede fortalt dig meget om det menneskelige sind og den guddommelige ånd, der bor i det, men lad mig understrege, at selvbevidsthed er en realitet. Når et dyr bliver selvbevidst, bliver det et primitivt menneske. En sådan opnåelse er et resultat af en koordinering af funktionen mellem upersonlig energi og åndeligt opfattende sind, og det er dette fænomen, der berettiger til overdragelsen af et absolut samlingspunkt i den menneskelige personlighed, nemlig den himmelske Faders ånd. | 133:7.6 (1479.6) My son, I have already told you much about the mind of man and the divine spirit that lives therein, but now let me emphasize that self-consciousness is a reality. When any animal becomes self-conscious, it becomes a primitive man. Such an attainment results from a co-ordination of function between impersonal energy and spirit-conceiving mind, and it is this phenomenon which warrants the bestowal of an absolute focal point for the human personality, the spirit of the Father in heaven. | |
| 133:7.7 (1479.7) Idéer er ikke kun registreret fornemmelser. Idéer er fornemmelser plus de reflekterende fortolkninger af det personlige selv, og selvet er mere end summen af sine fornemmelser. Der begynder at være noget som nærmer sig enhed i et udviklende selv, og denne enhed nedstammer fra den iboende tilstedeværelse af en del af den absolutte enhed, som åndeligt aktiverer et sådan selv-bevidst sind, som har sin oprindelse i dyreriget. | 133:7.7 (1479.7) 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. There begins to be something of an approach to unity in an evolving selfhood, and that unity is derived from the indwelling presence of a part of absolute unity which spiritually activates such a self-conscious animal-origin mind. | |
| 133:7.8 (1479.8) Ingen skabninger som kun er dyr kan have en tidsmæssig selvbevidsthed. Dyrene har en fysiologisk koordinering med tilhørende fornemmelser og observationer og hukommelse deraf, men ingen dyr oplever en meningsfuld opfattelse af følelse eller udviser en målrettet sammenslutning af disse kombinerede fysiske erfaringer som kommer til udtryk i konklusioner baseret på den menneskelige intelligens og reflekterende fortolkninger. Og dette faktum, at mennesket eksisterer som selvbevidst i forbindelse med virkeligheden i dets efterfølgende åndelig oplevelse, gør mennesket til en potentiel søn af universet og varsler, at det en gang vil nå den Højeste enhed i universet. | 133:7.8 (1479.8) No mere animal could possess a time self-consciousness. Animals possess a physiological co-ordination of associated sensation-recognition and memory thereof, but none experience a meaningful recognition of sensation or exhibit a purposeful association of these combined physical experiences such as is manifested in the conclusions of intelligent and reflective human interpretations. And this fact of self-conscious existence, associated with the reality of his subsequent spiritual experience, constitutes man a potential son of the universe and foreshadows his eventual attainment of the Supreme Unity of the universe. | |
| 133:7.9 (1480.1) Menneskets selv er heller ikke blot summen af de progressive bevidsthedstilstande. Hvis der ikke var en effektiv fungerende sortering og associering af bevidsthed, ville der ikke være en tilstrækkelig enhed til at retfærdiggøre udtrykket af selvet. Et sådan uforenet sind kunne næsten ikke nå bevidste niveauer, af menneskelig status. Hvis sammenslutninger af bevidsthed blot var en tilfældighed, ville alle menneskers sind udvise de ukontrollerede og tilfældige sammenslutninger, der er typiske for visse faser af sindssyge. | 133:7.9 (1480.1) Neither is the human self merely the sum of the successive states of consciousness. Without the effective functioning of a consciousness sorter and associater there would not exist sufficient unity to warrant the designation of a selfhood. Such an ununified mind could hardly attain conscious levels of human status. If the associations of consciousness were just an accident, the minds of all men would then exhibit the uncontrolled and random associations of certain phases of mental madness. | |
| 133:7.10 (1480.2) Et menneskeligt sind, opbygget udelukkende ved bevidstheden om fysiske fornemmelser kunne aldrig opnå åndelige niveauer. Denne form for materielle sind ville helt mangle en forståelse af moralske værdier og ville ikke have en vejledende følelse af åndelig dominans, som er så afgørende for at opnå en harmonisk personligheds enhed i tid og som er uundværlig for personlighedens overlevelse i evigheden. | 133:7.10 (1480.2) A human mind, built up solely out of the consciousness of physical sensations, could never attain spiritual levels; this kind of material mind would be utterly lacking in a sense of moral values and would be without a guiding sense of spiritual dominance which is so essential to achieving harmonious personality unity in time, and which is inseparable from personality survival in eternity. | |
| 133:7.11 (1480.3) Det menneskelige sind begynder tidligt at udstille kvaliteter som er overmaterielle. Det virkelig reflekterende menneskelige intellekt er ikke helt bundet af tidens begrænsninger. De store forskelle mellem individerne angående deres livs præstationer afhænger ikke kun af diverse forfædres arvelighed og de forskellige miljømæssige påvirkninger, men også af graden af forening med Faderens iboende ånd som selvet har opnået, i hvilket omfang de har identificeret sig med hinanden. | 133:7.11 (1480.3) The human mind early begins to manifest qualities which are supermaterial; the truly reflective human intellect is not altogether bound by the limits of time. That individuals so differ in their life performances indicates, not only the varying endowments of heredity and the different influences of the environment, but also the degree of unification with the indwelling spirit of the Father which has been achieved by the self, the measure of the identification of the one with the other. | |
| 133:7.12 (1480.4) Det menneskelige sind har svært ved at bære eller håndtere den konflikt som en dobbelt loyalitet indebær. Det er en alvorlig belastning for sjælen at gennemgå oplevelsen af at forsøge at tjene både det gode og det onde. Det højeste glade og effektive forenet sind er det der helt er dedikeret til Faderen i himlen. Uløste konflikter ødelægger enheden og kan forårsage en opsplitning af sindet. Men sjælens overlevelseskarakter fremmes ikke ved at forsøge at få fred i sindet for enhver pris: ved at opgive de ædle ambitioner, og ved at sænke de åndelige idealer. Snarere er sådan en fred opnåelig ved at man standhaftigt hævder sejren for hvad der er sandt, og sejren er opnået i overvindelse af det onde ved den godes mægtige kraft. | 133:7.12 (1480.4) The human mind does not well stand the conflict of double allegiance. It is a severe strain on the soul to undergo the experience of an effort to serve both good and evil. The supremely happy and efficiently unified mind is the one wholly dedicated to the doing of the will of the Father in heaven. Unresolved conflicts destroy unity and may terminate in mind disruption. But the survival character of a soul is not fostered by attempting to secure peace of mind at any price, by the surrender of noble aspirations, and by the compromise of spiritual ideals; rather is such peace attained by the stalwart assertion of the triumph of that which is true, and this victory is achieved in the overcoming of evil with the potent force of good. | |
| 133:7.13 (1480.5) Den næste dag begav de sig til Salamis, hvor de gik ombord for at påbegynde en rejse til Antiokia ved den syriske kyst. | 133:7.13 (1480.5) The next day they departed for Salamis, where they embarked for Antioch on the Syrian coast. | |
| 8. I antiokia ^top | 8. At Antioch ^top | |
| 133:8.1 (1480.6) Antiokia var hovedstad i den romerske provins Syrien, og her havde kejserens guvernør sin residens. Antiokia havde en halv million indbyggere; det var imperiets tredjestørste by og den første i ondskab og åbenlys umoral. Gonod havde adskillelige forretninger at udrette, så Jesus og Ganid var meget for sig selv. De besøgte alt, hvad der var at se i denne flersprogede by undtagen Dafnes lund. Gonod og Ganid besøgte denne berygtede skammens helligdom, men Jesus afviste at ledsage dem. Sådanne scener var ikke så chokerende for inderne, men de var frastødende til en idealistisk hebræer. | 133:8.1 (1480.6) Antioch was the capital of the Roman province of Syria, and here the imperial governor had his residence. Antioch had half a million inhabitants; it was the third city of the empire in size and the first in wickedness and flagrant immorality. Gonod had considerable business to transact; so Jesus and Ganid were much by themselves. They visited everything about this polyglot city except the grove of Daphne. Gonod and Ganid visited this notorious shrine of shame, but Jesus declined to accompany them. Such scenes were not so shocking to Indians, but they were repellent to an idealistic Hebrew. | |
| 133:8.2 (1480.7) Jesus var alvorlig og eftertænksom, da de kom nærmere Palæstina og slutningen af deres rejse. Han besøgte nogle få mennesker i Antiokia, men vandrede sjældent omkring i byen. Efter at Ganid havde spurgt mange gange, hvorfor hans lærer viste så lidt interesse for Antiokia, fik han endelig Jesus til at sige: "Denne by er ikke langt fra Palæstina, måske kan jeg komme tilbage her en anden gang." | 133:8.2 (1480.7) Jesus became sober and reflective as he drew nearer Palestine and the end of their journey. He visited with few people in Antioch; he seldom went about in the city. After much questioning as to why his teacher manifested so little interest in Antioch, Ganid finally induced Jesus to say: “This city is not far from Palestine; maybe I shall come back here sometime.” | |
| 133:8.3 (1481.1) Ganid havde en meget interessant oplevelse i Antiokia. Den unge mand havde vist sig at være en dygtig og lærenem elev og var allerede begyndt at gennemføre nogle af Jesu lære. Der var en vis inder, der var knyttet til hans fars forretning i Antiokia, der var blevet så ubehagelig og utilfreds, at hans afskedigelse var blevet overvejet. Da Ganid hørte dette, gik han til sin fars forretningssted og havde en lang snak med sin landsmand. Denne mand troede, at han var sat til det forkerte job. Ganid fortalte ham om Faderen i himlen og udvidet på mange måder hans syn på religion. Men af alt hvad Ganid sagde, var et citat af et hebraisk ordsprog det der gjorde mest godt, og disse visdomsord var: "Hvad dine hænder end finder at gøre, gør det med al din kraft." | 133:8.3 (1481.1) Ganid had a very interesting experience in Antioch. This young man had proved himself an apt pupil and already had begun to make practical use of some of Jesus’ teachings. There was a certain Indian connected with his father’s business in Antioch who had become so unpleasant and disgruntled that his dismissal had been considered. When Ganid heard this, he betook himself to his father’s place of business and held a long conference with his fellow countryman. This man felt he had been put at the wrong job. Ganid told him about the Father in heaven and in many ways expanded his views of religion. But of all that Ganid said, the quotation of a Hebrew proverb did the most good, and that word of wisdom was: “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do that with all your might.” | |
| 133:8.4 (1481.2) Da de havde forberedt deres bagage for kamelkaravanen, fortsatte de turen ned til Sidon og derfra over til Damaskus. Tre dage senere, gjorde de sig klar til den lange og besværlige rejse gennem ørkenen. | 133:8.4 (1481.2) After preparing their luggage for the camel caravan, they passed on down to Sidon and thence over to Damascus, and after three days they made ready for the long trek across the desert sands. | |
| 9. I mesopotamien ^top | 9. In Mesopotamia ^top | |
| 133:9.1 (1481.3) Karavaneturen gennem ørkenen var ikke en ny oplevelse for disse berejste mænd. Efter at Ganid havde set, hvordan hans lærer havde hjulpet med læsningen af deres tyve kameler og set ham tilbyder at føre deres egne dyr, udbrød han: ”Mester, er der noget du ikke kan gøre?" Jesus smilede kun og sagde: "Læreren er bestemt ikke uden ære i en flittig studerendes øjne." Så begav de sig på vej mod den antikke by Ur. | 133:9.1 (1481.3) The caravan trip across the desert was not a new experience for these much-traveled men. After Ganid had watched his teacher help with the loading of their twenty camels and observed him volunteer to drive their own animal, he exclaimed, “Teacher, is there anything that you cannot do?” Jesus only smiled, saying, “The teacher surely is not without honor in the eyes of a diligent pupil.” And so they set forth for the ancient city of Ur. | |
| 133:9.2 (1481.4) Jesus var meget interesseret i Urs tidlige historie. Ur var fødestedet for Abraham, og han var lige så fascineret af Susas ruiner og traditioner, endda i en sådan grad at Gonod og Ganid forlængede deres ophold med tre uger i disse områder for at give Jesus mere tid til at gennemføre sine undersøgelser, og også for at få mere tid at overtale ham til at gå med dem til Indien. | 133:9.2 (1481.4) Jesus was much interested in the early history of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, and he was equally fascinated with the ruins and traditions of Susa, so much so that Gonod and Ganid extended their stay in these parts three weeks in order to afford Jesus more time to conduct his investigations and also to provide the better opportunity to persuade him to go back to India with them. | |
| 133:9.3 (1481.5) I Ur havde Ganid en lang snak med Jesus om forskellen mellem viden, visdom og sandhed. Han var meget fascineret af den hebraiske klog mands udtalelser: "Visdom er det vigtigste; derfor erhverv visdom. I al din søgen efter viden, så prøv at erhverve forståelse. Ophøj visdommen og hun vil fremme dig. Hun vil bringe dig til ære, hvis du bare lukker hende ind i dine arme." | 133:9.3 (1481.5) It was at Ur that Ganid had a long talk with Jesus regarding the difference between knowledge, wisdom, and truth. And he was greatly charmed with 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.” | |
| 133:9.4 (1481.6) Omsider kom afskedens dag. De var alle modige, især drengen, men det var en belastende prøvelse. De havde tårer i øjnene, men mod i hjertet. Da Ganid sagde farvel til sin lærer, sagde han: "Farvel, Mester, men ikke for evigt. Når jeg igen kommer til Damaskus, vil jeg se dig. Jeg elsker dig, for jeg tror, at Faderen i Himlen skal være som dig; i det mindste ved jeg, at du er meget ligesom det, du har fortalt mig om ham. Jeg vil huske din undervisning, men frem for alt vil jeg aldrig glemme dig. "Faderen sagde:". Farvel til en stor lærer, en der har gjort os bedre og hjulpet os med at kende Gud. "Jesus svarede:" Fred være med jer. og må velsignelsen fra Faderen i himmelen altid hvile på jer." Jesus stod på stranden og overvågede at den lille båd bragte dem ud til skibet, der lå for anker. Således skiltes Mesteren fra sine indiske venner i Charax, for aldrig at se dem igen i denne verden; de fik heller ikke i denne verden nogensinde at vide, at den mand, der senere viste sig som Jesus af Nazaret var denne samme ven, de lige havde taget afsked med - Joshua deres lærer. | 133:9.4 (1481.6) At last the day came for the separation. They were all brave, especially the lad, but it was a trying ordeal. They were tearful of eye but courageous of heart. In bidding his teacher farewell, Ganid said: “Farewell, Teacher, but not forever. When I come again to Damascus, I will look for you. I love you, for I think the Father in heaven must be something like you; at least I know you are much like what you have told me about him. I will remember your teaching, but most of all, I will never forget you.” Said the father, “Farewell to a great teacher, one who has made us better and helped us to know God.” And Jesus replied, “Peace be upon you, and may the blessing of the Father in heaven ever abide with you.” And Jesus stood on the shore and watched as the small boat carried them out to their anchored ship. Thus the Master left his friends from India at Charax, never to see them again in this world; nor were they, in this world, ever to know that the man who later appeared as Jesus of Nazareth was this same friend they had just taken leave of—Joshua their teacher. | |
| 133:9.5 (1481.7) I Indien, voksede Ganid op til en indflydelsesrig mand, en værdig efterfølger af sin eminente far, og han udspredte mange af de ædle sandheder, som han havde lært af Jesus, hans elskede lærer. Da Ganid senere i livet hørte om den mærkelige lærer i Palæstina, som endte sit liv på korset, så forekom det ham aldrig, - at selv om han indså ligheden mellem det evangelium som denne Menneskesønnen forkyndte og den lære, han havde modtaget fra sin jødiske tutor - at disse to faktisk var den samme person. | 133:9.5 (1481.7) In India, Ganid grew up to become an influential man, a worthy successor of his eminent father, and he spread abroad many of the noble truths which he had learned from Jesus, his beloved teacher. Later on in life, when Ganid heard of the strange teacher in Palestine who terminated his career on a cross, though he recognized the similarity between the gospel of this Son of Man and the teachings of his Jewish tutor, it never occurred to him that these two were actually the same person. | |
| 133:9.6 (1482.1) Således endte kapitlet af Menneskesønnens liv, der kunne kaldes: Joshua mission som lærer. | 133:9.6 (1482.1) Thus ended that chapter in the life of the Son of Man which might be termed: The mission of Joshua the teacher. |