| Kapitel 135 | Paper 135 | |
| Johannes Døberen | John the Baptist | |
| 135:0.1 (1496.1) Johannes Døberen blev født den 25. marts år 7 f.v.t. i overensstemmelse med det løfte, som Gabriel gav til Elisabet i juni det foregående år. I fem måneder holdt Elisabet Gabriels besøg hemmeligt, og da hun fortalte det til sin mand, Zakarias, blev han meget bekymret og troede først helt på hendes fortælling, da han havde haft en usædvanlig drøm omkring seks uger før Johannes’ fødsel. Bortset fra Gabriels besøg hos Elisabet og Zakarias’ drøm, var der intet usædvanligt eller overnaturligt forbundet med Johannes Døberens fødsel. | 135:0.1 (1496.1) JOHN the Baptist was born March 25, 7 b.c., in accordance with the promise that Gabriel made to Elizabeth in June of the previous year. For five months Elizabeth kept secret Gabriel’s visitation; and when she told her husband, Zacharias, he was greatly troubled and fully believed her narrative only after he had an unusual dream about six weeks before the birth of John. Excepting the visit of Gabriel to Elizabeth and the dream of Zacharias, there was nothing unusual or supernatural connected with the birth of John the Baptist. | |
| 135:0.2 (1496.2) På den ottende dag blev Johannes omskåret efter jødisk skik. Han voksede op som et almindeligt barn, dag for dag og år for år, i den lille landsby, der dengang var kendt som byen Juda, cirka fire kilometer vest for Jerusalem. | 135:0.2 (1496.2) On the eighth day John was circumcised according to the Jewish custom. He grew up as an ordinary child, day by day and year by year, in the small village known in those days as the City of Judah, about four miles west of Jerusalem. | |
| 135:0.3 (1496.3) Den mest begivenhedsrige hændelse i Johannes’ tidlige barndom var, da han sammen med sine forældre besøgte Jesus og familien i Nazaret. Dette besøg fandt sted i juni måned år 1 f.v.t., da han var lidt over seks år gammel. | 135:0.3 (1496.3) The most eventful occurrence in John’s early childhood was the visit, in company with his parents, to Jesus and the Nazareth family. This visit occurred in the month of June, 1 b.c., when he was a little over six years of age. | |
| 135:0.4 (1496.4) Efter deres hjemkomst fra Nazaret begyndte Johannes’ forældre en systematisk opdragelse af drengen. Der var ingen synagogeskole i den lille landsby, men da Zacharias var præst, var han ret veluddannet, og Elisabet var langt bedre uddannet end den gennemsnitlige judæiske kvinde; hun var også præst, da hun var efterkommer af “Arons døtre.” Da Johannes var enebarn, brugte de meget tid på hans mentale og åndelige træning. Zakarias havde kun korte perioder med tjeneste ved templet i Jerusalem, så han brugte meget af sin tid på at undervise sin søn. | 135:0.4 (1496.4) After their return from Nazareth John’s parents began the systematic education of the lad. There was no synagogue school in this little village; however, as he was a priest, Zacharias was fairly well educated, and Elizabeth was far better educated than the average Judean woman; she was also of the priesthood, being a descendant of the “daughters of Aaron.” Since John was an only child, they spent a great deal of time on his mental and spiritual training. Zacharias had only short periods of service at the temple in Jerusalem so that he devoted much of his time to teaching his son. | |
| 135:0.5 (1496.5) Zacharias og Elisabet havde en lille gård, hvor de opdrættede får. De havde svært ved at leve af denne jord, men Zacharias fik en regelmæssig understøttelse fra templets midler, der var afsat til præstegerningen. | 135:0.5 (1496.5) Zacharias and Elizabeth had a small farm on which they raised sheep. They hardly made a living on this land, but Zacharias received a regular allowance from the temple funds dedicated to the priesthood. | |
| 1. Johannes bliver naziræer ^top | 1. John Becomes a Nazarite ^top | |
| 135:1.1 (1496.6) Johannes havde ingen skole at afslutte i en alder af 14 år, men hans forældre havde valgt dette år som det rette for ham til at aflægge det formelle nasiræerløfte. Derfor tog Zacharias og Elisabet deres søn med til Engedi, nede ved Det Døde Hav. Det var det sydlige hovedkvarter for det nasiræeriske broderskab, og der blev drengen behørigt og højtideligt optaget i denne orden for livet. Efter disse ceremonier og afgivelsen af løfterne om at afholde sig fra alle berusende drikke, at lade håret vokse og at afholde sig fra at røre ved de døde, fortsatte familien til Jerusalem, hvor Johannes foran templet afsluttede afgivelsen af de offergaver, som krævedes af dem, der aflagde nasiræerløftet. | 135:1.1 (1496.6) John had no school from which to graduate at the age of fourteen, but his parents had selected this as the appropriate year for him to take the formal Nazarite vow. Accordingly, Zacharias and Elizabeth took their son to Engedi, down by the Dead Sea. This was the southern headquarters of the Nazarite brotherhood, and there the lad was duly and solemnly inducted into this order for life. After these ceremonies and the making of the vows to abstain from all intoxicating drinks, to let the hair grow, and to refrain from touching the dead, the family proceeded to Jerusalem, where, before the temple, John completed the making of the offerings which were required of those taking Nazarite vows. | |
| 135:1.2 (1496.7) Johannes aflagde de samme livsløfter, som hans berømte forgængere, Samson og profeten Samuel, havde aflagt. En nasiræer på livstid blev betragtet som en helliggjort og hellig personlighed. Jøderne betragtede en nasiræer med næsten samme respekt og ærbødighed som ypperstepræsten, og det var ikke mærkeligt, eftersom nasiræere med livslang indvielse var de eneste personer, bortset fra ypperstepræster, der nogensinde fik lov til at gå ind i det allerhelligste i templet. | 135:1.2 (1496.7) John took the same life vows that had been administered to his illustrious predecessors, Samson and the prophet Samuel. A life Nazarite was looked upon as a sanctified and holy personality. The Jews regarded a Nazarite with almost the respect and veneration accorded the high priest, and this was not strange since Nazarites of lifelong consecration were the only persons, except high priests, who were ever permitted to enter the holy of holies in the temple. | |
| 135:1.3 (1497.1) Johannes vendte hjem fra Jerusalem for at vogte sin fars får og voksede op til at blive en stærk mand med en ædel karakter. | 135:1.3 (1497.1) John returned home from Jerusalem to tend his father’s sheep and grew up to be a strong man with a noble character. | |
| 135:1.4 (1497.2) Da Johannes var 16 år gammel, blev han meget imponeret over profeten fra Karmelbjerget, fordi han havde læst om Elias, og han besluttede sig for at tage hans klædedragt til sig. Fra den dag bar Johannes altid en behåret klædedragt med et læderbælte. Som sekstenårig var han mere end to meter høj og næsten fuldvoksen. Med sit flagrende hår og sin særegne klædedragt var han virkelig en malerisk yngling. Og hans forældre forventede store ting af deres eneste søn, et barn af løfter og en nasiræer for livet. | 135:1.4 (1497.2) When sixteen years old, John, as a result of reading about Elijah, became greatly impressed with the prophet of Mount Carmel and decided to adopt his style of dress. From that day on John always wore a hairy garment with a leather girdle. At sixteen he was more than six feet tall and almost full grown. With his flowing hair and peculiar mode of dress he was indeed a picturesque youth. And his parents expected great things of this their only son, a child of promise and a Nazarite for life. | |
| 2. Zakarias død ^top | 2. The Death of Zacharias ^top | |
| 135:2.1 (1497.3) Efter flere måneders sygdom døde Zacharias i juli år 12, da Johannes var lige over 18 år gammel. Det var en meget pinlig tid for Johannes, da nasiræerløftet forbød kontakt med de døde, selv i ens egen familie. Selvom Johannes havde bestræbt sig på at overholde restriktionerne i sit løfte om forurening fra de døde, tvivlede han på, at han havde været helt lydig over for kravene i nasiræerordenen; derfor tog han efter sin fars begravelse til Jerusalem, hvor han i det nasiræiske hjørne af kvindernes forgård bragte de ofre, der var nødvendige for hans renselse. | 135:2.1 (1497.3) After an illness of several months Zacharias died in July, a.d. 12, when John was just past eighteen years of age. This was a time of great embarrassment to John since the Nazarite vow forbade contact with the dead, even in one’s own family. Although John had endeavored to comply with the restrictions of his vow regarding contamination by the dead, he doubted that he had been wholly obedient to the requirements of the Nazarite order; therefore, after his father’s burial he went to Jerusalem, where, in the Nazarite corner of the women’s court, he offered the sacrifices required for his cleansing. | |
| 135:2.2 (1497.4) I september i år rejste Elisabet og Johannes til Nazaret for at besøge Maria og Jesus. Johannes havde næsten besluttet sig for at kaste sig ud i sit livsværk, men han blev formanet, ikke kun af Jesu ord, men også af hans eksempel, til at vende hjem, tage sig af sin mor og vente på, at “Faderens time skulle komme.” Efter at have sagt farvel til Jesus og Maria ved slutningen af dette hyggelige besøg, så Johannes ikke Jesus igen, før han blev døbt i Jordanfloden. | 135:2.2 (1497.4) In September of this year Elizabeth and John made a journey to Nazareth to visit Mary and Jesus. John had just about made up his mind to launch out in his lifework, but he was admonished, not only by Jesus’ words but also by his example, to return home, take care of his mother, and await the “coming of the Father’s hour.” After bidding Jesus and Mary good-bye at the end of this enjoyable visit, John did not again see Jesus until the event of his baptism in the Jordan. | |
| 135:2.3 (1497.5) John og Elisabet vendte tilbage til deres hjem og begyndte at lægge planer for fremtiden. Da Johannes nægtede at tage imod den præsteydelse, han havde krav på fra templets midler, havde de efter to år næsten mistet deres hjem, så de besluttede at tage sydpå med fåreflokken. Den sommer, hvor Johannes var tyve år gammel, flyttede de derfor til Hebron. I den såkaldte “Judæas ørken” passede Johannes sine får langs en bæk, der var en biflod til en større å, som løb ud i Det Døde Hav ved Engedi. Engedi-kolonien omfattede ikke kun nasiræere med livslang og tidsbegrænset indvielse, men også adskillige andre asketiske hyrder, som samledes i denne region med deres besætninger og fraterniserede med nasiræerbroderskabet. De levede af fåreavl og af gaver, som velhavende jøder gav til ordenen. | 135:2.3 (1497.5) John and Elizabeth returned to their home and began to lay plans for the future. Since John refused to accept the priest’s allowance due him from the temple funds, by the end of two years they had all but lost their home; so they decided to go south with the sheep herd. Accordingly, the summer that John was twenty years of age witnessed their removal to Hebron. In the so-called “wilderness of Judea” John tended his sheep along a brook that was tributary to a larger stream which entered the Dead Sea at Engedi. The Engedi colony included not only Nazarites of lifelong and time-period consecration but numerous other ascetic herdsmen who congregated in this region with their herds and fraternized with the Nazarite brotherhood. They supported themselves by sheep raising and from gifts which wealthy Jews made to the order. | |
| 135:2.4 (1497.6) Som tiden gik, vendte John sjældnere tilbage til Hebron, mens han aflagde hyppigere besøg i Engedi. Han var så helt anderledes end flertallet af nasaræerne, at han fandt det meget vanskeligt at fraternisere fuldt ud med broderskabet. Men han var meget glad for Abner, den anerkendte leder og overhoved for Engedi-kolonien. | 135:2.4 (1497.6) As time passed, John returned less often to Hebron, while he made more frequent visits to Engedi. He was so entirely different from the majority of the Nazarites that he found it very difficult fully to fraternize with the brotherhood. But he was very fond of Abner, the acknowledged leader and head of the Engedi colony. | |
| 3. En hyrdes liv ^top | 3. The Life of a Shepherd ^top | |
| 135:3.1 (1497.7) Langs dalen ved denne lille bæk byggede John ikke mindre end et dusin stenhytter og natteindhegninger, der bestod af opstablede sten, hvor han kunne holde øje med og beskytte sine flokke af får og geder. Johns liv som hyrde gav ham masser af tid til at tænke. Han talte meget med Ezda, en forældreløs dreng fra Beth-zur, som han på en måde havde adopteret, og som passede flokkene, når han rejste til Hebron for at besøge sin mor og sælge får, og når han tog ned til Engedi til sabbatsgudstjeneste. John og drengen levede meget simpelt og ernærede sig af fårekød, gedemælk, vild honning og de spiselige græshopper i området. Denne faste kost blev fra tid til anden suppleret med forsyninger fra Hebron og Engedi. | 135:3.1 (1497.7) Along the valley of this little brook John built no less than a dozen stone shelters and night corrals, consisting of piled-up stones, wherein he could watch over and safeguard his herds of sheep and goats. John’s life as a shepherd afforded him a great deal of time for thought. He talked much with Ezda, an orphan lad of Beth-zur, whom he had in a way adopted, and who cared for the herds when he made trips to Hebron to see his mother and to sell sheep, as well as when he went down to Engedi for Sabbath services. John and the lad lived very simply, subsisting on mutton, goat’s milk, wild honey, and the edible locusts of that region. This, their regular diet, was supplemented by provisions brought from Hebron and Engedi from time to time. | |
| 135:3.2 (1498.1) Elisabet holdt John orienteret om palæstinensiske og globale anliggender, og hans overbevisning blev dybere og dybere om, at tiden nærmede sig, hvor den gamle orden skulle ophøre; at han skulle blive forkynderen af en ny tidsalders komme, “Himmeriget.” Denne barske hyrde var meget optaget af profeten Daniels skrifter. Han læste tusind gange Daniels beskrivelse af det store billede, som Zacharias havde fortalt ham repræsenterede historien om de store kongeriger i verden, begyndende med Babylon, så Persien, Grækenland og til sidst Rom. Johannes opfattede, at Rom allerede var sammensat af så mange forskellige folkeslag og racer, at det aldrig kunne blive et stærkt cementeret og solidt konsolideret imperium. Han mente, at Rom allerede dengang var delt, ligesom Syrien, Egypten, Palæstina og andre provinser; og så læste han videre: “I disse kongers dage skal himlens Gud oprette et rige, som aldrig skal ødelægges. Og dette rige skal ikke overlades til andre folk, men skal bryde i stykker og fortære alle disse riger, og det skal bestå for evigt.” “Og der blev givet ham herredømme og ære og et rige, så alle folk, nationer og sprog skulle tjene ham. Hans herredømme er et evigt herredømme, som ikke skal forgå, og hans rige skal aldrig blive ødelagt.” “Og riget og herredømmet og rigets storhed under hele himlen skal gives til folket af Den Højestes hellige, hvis rige er et evigt rige, og alle herredømmer skal tjene og adlyde ham.” | 135:3.2 (1498.1) Elizabeth kept John posted about Palestinian and world affairs, and his conviction grew deeper and deeper that the time was fast approaching when the old order was to end; that he was to become the herald of the approach of a new age, “the kingdom of heaven.” This rugged shepherd was very partial to the writings of the Prophet Daniel. He read a thousand times Daniel’s description of the great image, which Zacharias had told him represented the history of the great kingdoms of the world, beginning with Babylon, then Persia, Greece, and finally Rome. John perceived that already was Rome composed of such polyglot peoples and races that it could never become a strongly cemented and firmly consolidated empire. He believed that Rome was even then divided, as Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and other provinces; and then he further read “in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. And this kingdom shall not be left to other people but shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” “And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom never shall be destroyed.” “And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” | |
| 135:3.3 (1498.2) Johannes var aldrig helt i stand til at hæve sig over den forvirring, som det, han havde hørt fra sine forældre om Jesus, og de passager, han læste i Skrifterne, skabte. I Daniel læste han: “Jeg så syner om natten, og se, en, der lignede Menneskesønnen, kom med himlens skyer, og der blev givet ham herredømme og ære og et rige.” Men disse ord fra profeten harmonerede ikke med det, hans forældre havde lært ham. Heller ikke hans samtale med Jesus, da han besøgte ham som 18-årig, stemte overens med disse udsagn fra Skriften. På trods af denne forvirring forsikrede hans mor ham om, at hans fjerne fætter, Jesus af Nasaret, var den sande Messias, at han var kommet for at sidde på Davids trone, og at han (Johannes) skulle blive hans fremmeste budbringer og vigtigste støtte. | 135:3.3 (1498.2) John was never able completely to rise above the confusion produced by what he had heard from his parents concerning Jesus and by these passages which he read in the Scriptures. In Daniel he read: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom.” But these words of the prophet did not harmonize with what his parents had taught him. Neither did his talk with Jesus, at the time of his visit when he was eighteen years old, correspond with these statements of the Scriptures. Notwithstanding this confusion, throughout all of his perplexity his mother assured him that his distant cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, was the true Messiah, that he had come to sit on the throne of David, and that he (John) was to become his advance herald and chief support. | |
| 135:3.4 (1498.3) Ud fra alt, hvad Johannes hørte om Roms last og ondskab og imperiets opløsning og moralske åndsforladthed, ud fra hvad han vidste om Herodes Antipas’ og guvernørernes i Judæas onde gerninger, var han tilbøjelig til at tro, at tidens ende var nært forestående. Det forekom dette barske og ædle naturbarn, at verden var moden til afslutningen på menneskets tidsalder og begyndelsen på den nye og guddommelige tidsalder—himlenes rige. Følelsen voksede i Johannes’ hjerte af, at han skulle være den sidste af de gamle profeter og den første af de nye. Og han vibrerede af den stigende impuls til at gå ud og proklamere til alle mennesker: “Omvend jer! Kom på ret køl med Gud! Gør jer klar til enden; forbered jer på, at den nye og evige orden på jorden, himlenes rige, vil indfinde sig.” | 135:3.4 (1498.3) From all John heard of the vice and wickedness of Rome and the dissoluteness and moral barrenness of the empire, from what he knew of the evil doings of Herod Antipas and the governors of Judea, he was minded to believe that the end of the age was impending. It seemed to this rugged and noble child of nature that the world was ripe for the end of the age of man and the dawn of the new and divine age—the kingdom of heaven. The feeling grew in John’s heart that he was to be the last of the old prophets and the first of the new. And he fairly vibrated with the mounting impulse to go forth and proclaim to all men: “Repent! Get right with God! Get ready for the end; prepare yourselves for the appearance of the new and eternal order of earth affairs, the kingdom of heaven.” | |
| 4. Elisabets død ^top | 4. The Death of Elizabeth ^top | |
| 135:4.1 (1499.1) Den 17. august år 22 e.Kr., da Johannes var 28 år gammel, døde hans mor pludselig. Elisabets venner, som kendte til nasiræernes restriktioner med hensyn til kontakt med de døde, selv i ens egen familie, sørgede for Elisabets begravelse, før de sendte bud efter Johannes. Da han fik besked om sin mors død, bad han Ezda om at drive sine hjorde til Engedi og tog af sted mod Hebron. | 135:4.1 (1499.1) On August 17, a.d. 22, when John was twenty-eight years of age, his mother suddenly passed away. Elizabeth’s friends, knowing of the Nazarite restrictions regarding contact with the dead, even in one’s own family, made all arrangements for the burial of Elizabeth before sending for John. When he received word of the death of his mother, he directed Ezda to drive his herds to Engedi and started for Hebron. | |
| 135:4.2 (1499.2) Da han vendte tilbage til Engedi fra sin mors begravelse, overrakte han sine flokke til broderskabet, og i en periode isolerede han sig fra omverdenen, mens han fastede og bad. Johannes kendte kun til de gamle metoder til at nærme sig det guddommelige; han kendte kun til beretningerne om Elias, Samuel og Daniel. Elias var hans ideal af en profet. Elias var den første af Israels lærere, der blev betragtet som en profet, og Johannes troede virkelig, at han skulle være den sidste i denne lange og berømte række af himmelske budbringere. | 135:4.2 (1499.2) On returning to Engedi from his mother’s funeral, he presented his flocks to the brotherhood and for a season detached himself from the outside world while he fasted and prayed. John knew only of the old methods of approach to divinity; he knew only of the records of such as Elijah, Samuel, and Daniel. Elijah was his ideal of a prophet. Elijah was the first of the teachers of Israel to be regarded as a prophet, and John truly believed that he was to be the last of this long and illustrious line of the messengers of heaven. | |
| 135:4.3 (1499.3) I to og et halvt år boede Johannes i Engedi, og han overbeviste de fleste i broderskabet om, at “tidens ende var nær”; at “Himmeriget var ved at vise sig.” Og al hans tidlige undervisning var baseret på den aktuelle jødiske idé og opfattelse af Messias som den lovede befrier af den jødiske nation fra deres ikke-jødiske herskeres dominans. | 135:4.3 (1499.3) For two and a half years John lived at Engedi, and he persuaded most of the brotherhood that “the end of the age was at hand”; that “the kingdom of heaven was about to appear.” And all his early teaching was based upon the current Jewish idea and concept of the Messiah as the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation from the domination of their gentile rulers. | |
| 135:4.4 (1499.4) I hele denne periode læste Johannes meget i de hellige skrifter, som han fandt i nasiræernes hjem i Engedi. Han var især imponeret over Esajas og Malakias, de sidste af profeterne indtil da. Han læste og genlæste de sidste fem kapitler af Esajas, og han troede på disse profetier. Så læste han i Malakias: “Se, jeg vil sende jer profeten Elias, før Herrens store og frygtelige dag kommer, og han skal vende fædrenes hjerte til børnene og børnenes hjerte til deres fædre, så jeg ikke kommer og slår jorden med en forbandelse.” Og det var kun dette løfte fra Malakias om, at Elias ville vende tilbage, der afholdt Johannes fra at gå ud og prædike om det kommende rige og formane sine jødiske medborgere til at flygte fra den kommende vrede. Johannes var moden til at forkynde budskabet om det kommende rige, men denne forventning om Elias’ komme holdt ham tilbage i mere end to år. Han vidste, at han ikke var Elias. Hvad mente Malakias? Var profetien bogstavelig eller billedlig? Hvordan kunne han kende sandheden? Til sidst vovede han at tænke, at eftersom den første af profeterne blev kaldt Elias, så burde den sidste til sidst blive kendt under det samme navn. Alligevel var han i tvivl, tvivl nok til at forhindre ham i nogensinde at kalde sig Elias. | 135:4.4 (1499.4) Throughout this period John read much in the sacred writings which he found at the Engedi home of the Nazarites. He was especially impressed by Isaiah and by Malachi, the last of the prophets up to that time. He read and reread the last five chapters of Isaiah, and he believed these prophecies. Then he would read in Malachi: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers toward the children and the hearts of the children toward their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” And it was only this promise of Malachi that Elijah would return that deterred John from going forth to preach about the coming kingdom and to exhort his fellow Jews to flee from the wrath to come. John was ripe for the proclamation of the message of the coming kingdom, but this expectation of the coming of Elijah held him back for more than two years. He knew he was not Elijah. What did Malachi mean? Was the prophecy literal or figurative? How could he know the truth? He finally dared to think that, since the first of the prophets was called Elijah, so the last should be known, eventually, by the same name. Nevertheless, he had doubts, doubts sufficient to prevent his ever calling himself Elijah. | |
| 135:4.5 (1499.5) Det var Elias’ indflydelse, der fik Johannes til at anvende sine metoder med direkte og kontante angreb på sine samtidige synder og laster. Han forsøgte at klæde sig som Elias, og han forsøgte at tale som Elias; i alle ydre aspekter var han som den gamle profet. Han var præcis sådan et robust og malerisk naturbarn, præcis sådan en frygtløs og dristig forkynder af retfærdighed. Johannes var ikke analfabet, han kendte godt de jødiske hellige skrifter, men han var næppe kultiveret. Han var en klar tænker, en kraftfuld taler og en brændende anklager. Han var næppe et eksempel for sin samtid, men han var en veltalende irettesættelse. | 135:4.5 (1499.5) It was the influence of Elijah that caused John to adopt his methods of direct and blunt assault upon the sins and vices of his contemporaries. He sought to dress like Elijah, and he endeavored to talk like Elijah; in every outward aspect he was like the olden prophet. He was just such a stalwart and picturesque child of nature, just such a fearless and daring preacher of righteousness. John was not illiterate, he did well know the Jewish sacred writings, but he was hardly cultured. He was a clear thinker, a powerful speaker, and a fiery denunciator. He was hardly an example to his age, but he was an eloquent rebuke. | |
| 135:4.6 (1499.6) Endelig fandt han ud af, hvordan han skulle forkynde den nye tidsalder, Guds rige; han besluttede, at han skulle være Messias’ herold; han fejede al tvivl til side og rejste fra Engedi en dag i marts år 25 e.Kr. for at begynde sin korte, men strålende karriere som offentlig prædikant. | 135:4.6 (1499.6) At last he thought out the method of proclaiming the new age, the kingdom of God; he settled that he was to become the herald of the Messiah; he swept aside all doubts and departed from Engedi one day in March of a.d. 25 to begin his short but brilliant career as a public preacher. | |
| 5. Guds rige ^top | 5. The Kingdom of God ^top | |
| 135:5.1 (1500.1) For at forstå Johannes’ budskab bør man tage højde for det jødiske folks status på det tidspunkt, hvor han dukkede op på handlingens scene. I næsten hundrede år havde hele Israel været i et dilemma; de kunne ikke forklare deres fortsatte underkastelse under ikke-jødiske overherrer. Havde Moses ikke lært dem, at retfærdighed altid blev belønnet med velstand og magt? Var de ikke Guds udvalgte folk? Hvorfor var Davids trone øde og tom? I lyset af de mosaiske doktriner og profeternes forskrifter fandt jøderne det svært at forklare deres langvarige nationale trøstesløshed. | 135:5.1 (1500.1) In order to understand John’s message, account should be taken of the status of the Jewish people at the time he appeared upon the stage of action. For almost one hundred years all Israel had been in a quandary; they were at a loss to explain their continuous subjugation to gentile overlords. Had not Moses taught that righteousness was always rewarded with prosperity and power? Were they not God’s chosen people? Why was the throne of David desolate and vacant? In the light of the Mosaic doctrines and the precepts of the prophets the Jews found it difficult to explain their long-continued national desolation. | |
| 135:5.2 (1500.2) Omkring hundrede år før Jesus og Johannes’ tid opstod der en ny skole af religiøse lærere i Palæstina, apokalyptikerne. Disse nye lærere udviklede et trossystem, der forklarede jødernes lidelser og ydmygelser med, at de betalte straffen for nationens synder. De faldt tilbage på de velkendte grunde, der blev brugt til at forklare den babylonske og andre tidligere tiders fangenskaber. Men, lærte apokalyptikerne, Israel skulle fatte mod; deres lidelses dage var næsten forbi; disciplinen af Guds udvalgte folk var ved at være slut; Guds tålmodighed med de ikke-jødiske udlændinge var ved at være opbrugt. Afslutningen på det romerske styre var synonymt med slutningen på tidsalderen og i en vis forstand med verdens ende. Disse nye lærere støttede sig stærkt til Daniels forudsigelser, og de lærte konsekvent, at skabelsen var ved at gå ind i sin sidste fase; denne verdens riger var ved at blive til Guds rige. For datidens jøder var det betydningen af den sætning—Himmeriget—som går igen i både Johannes’ og Jesu lære. For jøderne i Palæstina havde udtrykket “Himmeriget” kun én betydning: en absolut retfærdig tilstand, hvor Gud (Messias) ville herske over jordens nationer med fuldkommen magt, ligesom han herskede i himlen—“ske din vilje på jorden som i himlen.” | 135:5.2 (1500.2) About one hundred years before the days of Jesus and John a new school of religious teachers arose in Palestine, the apocalyptists. These new teachers evolved a system of belief that accounted for the sufferings and humiliation of the Jews on the ground that they were paying the penalty for the nation’s sins. They fell back onto the well-known reasons assigned to explain the Babylonian and other captivities of former times. But, so taught the apocalyptists, Israel should take heart; the days of their affliction were almost over; the discipline of God’s chosen people was about finished; God’s patience with the gentile foreigners was about exhausted. The end of Roman rule was synonymous with the end of the age and, in a certain sense, with the end of the world. These new teachers leaned heavily on the predictions of Daniel, and they consistently taught that creation was about to pass into its final stage; the kingdoms of this world were about to become the kingdom of God. To the Jewish mind of that day this was the meaning of that phrase—the kingdom of heaven—which runs throughout the teachings of both John and Jesus. To the Jews of Palestine the phrase “kingdom of heaven” had but one meaning: an absolutely righteous state in which God (the Messiah) would rule the nations of earth in perfection of power just as he ruled in heaven—“Your will be done on earth as in heaven.” | |
| 135:5.3 (1500.3) På Johannes’ tid spurgte alle jøder forventningsfuldt: “Hvor hurtigt kommer riget?” Der var en generel følelse af, at enden på de ikke-jødiske nationers herredømme nærmede sig. I hele det jødiske folk var der et levende håb og en stærk forventning om, at fuldbyrdelsen af alle tiders ønske ville ske i denne generations levetid. | 135:5.3 (1500.3) In the days of John all Jews were expectantly asking, “How soon will the kingdom come?” There was a general feeling that the end of the rule of the gentile nations was drawing near. There was present throughout all Jewry a lively hope and a keen expectation that the consummation of the desire of the ages would occur during the lifetime of that generation. | |
| 135:5.4 (1500.4) Mens jøderne var meget forskellige i deres vurdering af det kommende kongeriges natur, var de ens i deres tro på, at begivenheden var nært forestående, ja, lige uden for døren. Mange, der læste Det Gamle Testamente bogstaveligt, så forventningsfuldt frem til en ny konge i Palæstina, til en genfødt jødisk nation, der var befriet fra sine fjender og ledet af kong Davids efterfølger, Messias, som hurtigt ville blive anerkendt som den retmæssige og retfærdige hersker over hele verden. En anden, men mindre, gruppe af fromme jøder havde et helt andet syn på dette Guds rige. De lærte, at det kommende rige ikke var af denne verden, at verden nærmede sig sin ende, og at “en ny himmel og en ny jord” skulle indlede etableringen af Guds rige; at dette rige skulle være et evigt herredømme, at synden skulle ophøre, og at borgerne i det nye rige skulle blive udødelige i deres nydelse af denne endeløse lyksalighed. | 135:5.4 (1500.4) While the Jews differed greatly in their estimates of the nature of the coming kingdom, they were alike in their belief that the event was impending, near at hand, even at the door. Many who read the Old Testament literally looked expectantly for a new king in Palestine, for a regenerated Jewish nation delivered from its enemies and presided over by the successor of King David, the Messiah who would quickly be acknowledged as the rightful and righteous ruler of all the world. Another, though smaller, group of devout Jews held a vastly different view of this kingdom of God. They taught that the coming kingdom was not of this world, that the world was approaching its certain end, and that “a new heaven and a new earth” were to usher in the establishment of the kingdom of God; that this kingdom was to be an everlasting dominion, that sin was to be ended, and that the citizens of the new kingdom were to become immortal in their enjoyment of this endless bliss. | |
| 135:5.5 (1500.5) Alle var enige om, at en drastisk udrensning eller rensende disciplin nødvendigvis måtte gå forud for etableringen af det nye rige på jorden. De bogstavtro lærte, at der ville følge en verdensomspændende krig, som ville tilintetgøre alle vantro, mens de troende ville sejre universelt og for evigt. Spiritisterne lærte, at riget ville blive indvarslet af Guds store dom, som ville henvise de uretfærdige til deres velfortjente straf og endelige ødelæggelse, samtidig med at de troende hellige fra det udvalgte folk ville blive ophøjet til høje sæder af ære og autoritet sammen med Menneskesønnen, som ville herske over de forløste nationer i Guds navn. Og denne sidstnævnte gruppe troede endda, at mange fromme ikke-jøder kunne blive optaget i fællesskabet i det nye rige. | 135:5.5 (1500.5) All were agreed that some drastic purging or purifying discipline would of necessity precede the establishment of the new kingdom on earth. The literalists taught that a world-wide war would ensue which would destroy all unbelievers, while the faithful would sweep on to universal and eternal victory. The spiritists taught that the kingdom would be ushered in by the great judgment of God which would relegate the unrighteous to their well-deserved judgment of punishment and final destruction, at the same time elevating the believing saints of the chosen people to high seats of honor and authority with the Son of Man, who would rule over the redeemed nations in God’s name. And this latter group even believed that many devout gentiles might be admitted to the fellowship of the new kingdom. | |
| 135:5.6 (1501.1) Nogle af jøderne mente, at Gud muligvis kunne etablere dette nye rige ved direkte og guddommelig indgriben, men langt de fleste troede, at han ville indsætte en repræsentativ mellemmand, Messias. Og det var den eneste mulige betydning, udtrykket Messias kunne have haft i tankerne hos jøderne i Johannes’ og Jesu generation. Messias kunne umuligt referere til en, der blot underviste i Guds vilje eller proklamerede nødvendigheden af et retfærdigt liv. Til alle sådanne hellige personer gav jøderne titlen profet. Messias skulle være mere end en profet; Messias skulle indføre etableringen af det nye rige, Guds rige. Ingen, der ikke gjorde dette, kunne være Messias i traditionel jødisk forstand. | 135:5.6 (1501.1) Some of the Jews held to the opinion that God might possibly establish this new kingdom by direct and divine intervention, but the vast majority believed that he would interpose some representative intermediary, the Messiah. And that was the only possible meaning the term Messiah could have had in the minds of the Jews of the generation of John and Jesus. Messiah could not possibly refer to one who merely taught God’s will or proclaimed the necessity for righteous living. To all such holy persons the Jews gave the title of prophet. The Messiah was to be more than a prophet; the Messiah was to bring in the establishment of the new kingdom, the kingdom of God. No one who failed to do this could be the Messiah in the traditional Jewish sense. | |
| 135:5.7 (1501.2) Hvem skulle denne Messias være? Igen var de jødiske lærere uenige. De ældre holdt fast i doktrinen om Davids søn. De nyere lærte, at eftersom det nye rige var et himmelsk rige, kunne den nye hersker også være en guddommelig personlighed, en som længe havde siddet ved Guds højre hånd i himlen. Og hvor mærkeligt det end kan se ud, så betragtede de, der på denne måde forestillede sig det nye riges hersker, ham ikke som en menneskelig Messias, ikke som en simpel mand,, men som “Menneskesønnen”—en Guds søn—en himmelsk prins, der længe havde ventet på at overtage herredømmet over den nye jord. Sådan var den religiøse baggrund i den jødiske verden, da Johannes gik ud og proklamerede: “Omvend jer, for Himmeriget er kommet nær!” | 135:5.7 (1501.2) Who would this Messiah be? Again the Jewish teachers differed. The older ones clung to the doctrine of the son of David. The newer taught that, since the new kingdom was a heavenly kingdom, the new ruler might also be a divine personality, one who had long sat at God’s right hand in heaven. And strange as it may appear, those who thus conceived of the ruler of the new kingdom looked upon him not as a human Messiah, not as a mere man, but as “the Son of Man”—a Son of God—a heavenly Prince, long held in waiting thus to assume the rulership of the earth made new. Such was the religious background of the Jewish world when John went forth proclaiming: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” | |
| 135:5.8 (1501.3) Det bliver derfor tydeligt, at Johannes’ bekendtgørelse af det kommende rige havde ikke mindre end et halvt dusin forskellige betydninger i hovedet på dem, der lyttede til hans lidenskabelige prædiken. Men uanset hvilken betydning de tillagde de sætninger, som Johannes brugte, var hver af disse forskellige grupper af jødiske kongerigeforventende fascineret af proklamationerne fra denne oprigtige, entusiastiske, barske prædikant for retfærdighed og omvendelse, som så højtideligt formanede sine tilhørere til at “flygte fra den kommende vrede.” | 135:5.8 (1501.3) It becomes apparent, therefore, that John’s announcement of the coming kingdom had not less than half a dozen different meanings in the minds of those who listened to his impassioned preaching. But no matter what significance they attached to the phrases which John employed, each of these various groups of Jewish-kingdom expectants was intrigued by the proclamations of this sincere, enthusiastic, rough-and-ready preacher of righteousness and repentance, who so solemnly exhorted his hearers to “flee from the wrath to come.” | |
| 6. Johannes begynder at forkynde ^top | 6. John Begins to Preach ^top | |
| 135:6.1 (1501.4) Tidligt i marts måned, 25 e.Kr., rejste Johannes rundt om vestkysten af Det Døde Hav og op ad Jordanfloden til overfor Jeriko, det gamle vadested, som Josva og Israels børn passerede, da de første gang kom ind i det forjættede land; og da han krydsede over på den anden side af floden, slog han sig ned nær indgangen til vadestedet og begyndte at prædike for de mennesker, der kom forbi på deres vej frem og tilbage over floden. Dette var den mest besøgte af alle Jordans overgange. | 135:6.1 (1501.4) Early in the month of March, a.d. 25, John journeyed around the western coast of the Dead Sea and up the river Jordan to opposite Jericho, the ancient ford over which Joshua and the children of Israel passed when they first entered the promised land; and crossing over to the other side of the river, he established himself near the entrance to the ford and began to preach to the people who passed by on their way back and forth across the river. This was the most frequented of all the Jordan crossings. | |
| 135:6.2 (1501.5) Det var åbenlyst for alle, der hørte Johannes, at han var mere end en prædikant. Langt de fleste af dem, der lyttede til denne mærkelige mand, som var kommet op fra Judæas ørken, gik derfra i den tro, at de havde hørt en profets stemme. Det er ikke underligt, at disse trætte og forventningsfulde jøders sjæle blev dybt rørt af et sådant fænomen. Aldrig i hele den jødiske historie havde Abrahams fromme børn længtes så meget efter “Israels trøst” eller glædet sig mere til “genoprettelsen af riget.” Aldrig i hele den jødiske historie kunne Johannes’ budskab, “Himmeriget er nær,” have appelleret så dybt og universelt som netop på det tidspunkt, hvor han så mystisk dukkede op på bredden af denne sydlige overfart af Jordan. | 135:6.2 (1501.5) It was apparent to all who heard John that he was more than a preacher. The great majority of those who listened to this strange man who had come up from the Judean wilderness went away believing that they had heard the voice of a prophet. No wonder the souls of these weary and expectant Jews were deeply stirred by such a phenomenon. Never in all Jewish history had the devout children of Abraham so longed for the “consolation of Israel” or more ardently anticipated “the restoration of the kingdom.” Never in all Jewish history could John’s message, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” have made such a deep and universal appeal as at the very time he so mysteriously appeared on the bank of this southern crossing of the Jordan. | |
| 135:6.3 (1502.1) Han kom fra hyrdefolket, ligesom Amos. Han var klædt som den gamle Elias, og han tordnede sine formaninger og udgød sine advarsler i “Elias’ ånd og kraft.” Det er ikke overraskende, at denne mærkelige prædikant skabte stor opstandelse i hele Palæstina, da de rejsende bragte nyheden om hans prædiken videre langs Jordanfloden. | 135:6.3 (1502.1) He came from the herdsmen, like Amos. He was dressed like Elijah of old, and he thundered his admonitions and poured forth his warnings in the “spirit and power of Elijah.” It is not surprising that this strange preacher created a mighty stir throughout all Palestine as the travelers carried abroad the news of his preaching along the Jordan. | |
| 135:6.4 (1502.2) Der var endnu et nyt træk ved denne nasiræerprædikants arbejde: Han døbte hver eneste af sine troende i Jordan “til syndernes forladelse.” Selvom dåb ikke var en ny ceremoni blandt jøderne, havde de aldrig set den anvendt, som Johannes nu gjorde det. Det havde længe været praksis at døbe de ikke-jødiske proselytter ind i fællesskabet i templets ydre forgård, men aldrig var jøderne selv blevet bedt om at underkaste sig omvendelsens dåb. Der gik kun femten måneder, fra Johannes begyndte at prædike og døbe, til han blev arresteret og fængslet på foranledning af Herodes Antipas, men på denne korte tid døbte han langt over hundrede tusinde omvendte. | 135:6.4 (1502.2) There was still another and a new feature about the work of this Nazarite preacher: He baptized every one of his believers in the Jordan “for the remission of sins.” Although baptism was not a new ceremony among the Jews, they had never seen it employed as John now made use of it. It had long been the practice thus to baptize the gentile proselytes into the fellowship of the outer court of the temple, but never had the Jews themselves been asked to submit to the baptism of repentance. Only fifteen months intervened between the time John began to preach and baptize and his arrest and imprisonment at the instigation of Herod Antipas, but in this short time he baptized considerably over one hundred thousand penitents. | |
| 135:6.5 (1502.3) Johannes prædikede i fire måneder ved Betanias vadested, før han drog nordpå ad Jordanfloden. Titusinder af tilhørere, nogle nysgerrige, men mange alvorlige og seriøse, kom for at høre ham fra alle dele af Judæa, Peræa og Samaria. Selv nogle få kom fra Galilæa. | 135:6.5 (1502.3) John preached four months at Bethany ford before starting north up the Jordan. Tens of thousands of listeners, some curious but many earnest and serious, came to hear him from all parts of Judea, Perea, and Samaria. Even a few came from Galilee. | |
| 135:6.6 (1502.4) I maj dette år, mens han stadig opholdt sig ved Betania vadested, sendte præsterne og levitterne en delegation ud for at spørge Johannes, om han hævdede at være Messias, og med hvis bemyndigelse han prædikede. Johannes svarede disse spørgere ved at sige: “Gå hen og fortæl jeres herrer, at I har hørt ‘en røst af en, der råber i ørkenen’, som profeten har sagt: ‘Gør Herrens vej klar, lav en lige vej for vores Gud. Hver en dal skal fyldes, og hvert et bjerg og hver en bakke skal sænkes; den ujævne jord skal blive til en slette, og de ujævne steder skal blive til en glat dal; og alt kød skal se Guds frelse.’” | 135:6.6 (1502.4) In May of this year, while he still lingered at Bethany ford, the priests and Levites sent a delegation out to inquire of John whether he claimed to be the Messiah, and by whose authority he preached. John answered these questioners by saying: “Go tell your masters that you have heard ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness,’ as spoken by the prophet, saying, ‘make ready the way of the Lord, make straight a highway for our God. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; the uneven ground shall become a plain, while the rough places shall become a smooth valley; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” | |
| 135:6.7 (1502.5) Johannes var en heroisk, men taktløs prædikant. En dag, da han prædikede og døbte på den vestlige bred af Jordan, kom en gruppe farisæere og et antal saddukæere frem og lod sig døbe. Før han førte dem ned i vandet, sagde Johannes henvendt til dem som en gruppe: “Hvem har advaret jer om at flygte, som hugorme for ilden, fra den kommende vrede? Jeg vil døbe jer, men jeg advarer jer om at frembringe frugt, der er oprigtig omvendelse værdig, hvis I vil modtage jeres synders forladelse. Fortæl mig ikke, at Abraham er din far. Jeg erklærer, at Gud er i stand til af disse tolv sten her foran jer at oprejse værdige børn for Abraham. Og selv nu er øksen lagt til selve træernes rødder. Ethvert træ, som ikke bærer god frugt, skal hugges ned og kastes i ilden.” (De tolv sten, han henviste til, var de såkaldte mindesten, som Josva havde rejst til minde om de “tolv stammers” krydsning på netop dette sted, da de først kom ind i det forjættede land). | 135:6.7 (1502.5) John was a heroic but tactless preacher. One day when he was preaching and baptizing on the west bank of the Jordan, a group of Pharisees and a number of Sadducees came forward and presented themselves for baptism. Before leading them down into the water, John, addressing them as a group said: “Who warned you to flee, as vipers before the fire, from the wrath to come? I will baptize you, but I warn you to bring forth fruit worthy of sincere repentance if you would receive the remission of your sins. Tell me not that Abraham is your father. I declare that God is able of these twelve stones here before you to raise up worthy children for Abraham. And even now is the ax laid to the very roots of the trees. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is destined to be cut down and cast into the fire.” (The twelve stones to which he referred were the reputed memorial stones set up by Joshua to commemorate the crossing of the “twelve tribes” at this very point when they first entered the promised land.) | |
| 135:6.8 (1502.6) Johannes holdt kurser for sine disciple, hvor han instruerede dem i detaljerne i deres nye liv og forsøgte at besvare deres mange spørgsmål. Han rådede lærerne til at undervise i lovens ånd såvel som bogstav. Han instruerede de rige i at brødføde de fattige; til skatteopkræverne sagde han: “Opkræv ikke mere end det, der er tildelt jer.” Til soldaterne sagde han: “Udøv ikke vold og kræv ikke noget uretmæssigt—vær tilfreds med din løn.” Mens han rådede alle: “Gør jer klar til tidens ende—himmeriget er nær.” | 135:6.8 (1502.6) John conducted classes for his disciples, in the course of which he instructed them in the details of their new life and endeavored to answer their many questions. He counseled the teachers to instruct in the spirit as well as the letter of the law. He instructed the rich to feed the poor; to the tax gatherers he said: “Extort no more than that which is assigned you.” To the soldiers he said: “Do no violence and exact nothing wrongfully—be content with your wages.” While he counseled all: “Make ready for the end of the age—the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” | |
| 7. Johannes vandrer nordover ^top | 7. John Journeys North ^top | |
| 135:7.1 (1503.1) Johannes havde stadig forvirrede ideer om det kommende rige og dets konge. Jo længere tid han prædikede, jo mere forvirret blev han, men denne intellektuelle usikkerhed om det kommende riges natur mindskede aldrig hans overbevisning om visheden om, at riget ville komme med det samme. Johannes kunne være forvirret i tankerne, men aldrig i ånden. Han var ikke i tvivl om det kommende rige, men han var langt fra sikker på, om Jesus skulle være hersker over dette rige. Så længe Johannes holdt fast i tanken om genoprettelsen af Davids trone, virkede hans forældres lære om, at Jesus, født i Davids by, skulle være den længe ventede befrier, konsistent; men på de tidspunkter, hvor han hældede mere til læren om et åndeligt rige og afslutningen på den jordiske tidsalder, var han meget i tvivl om, hvilken rolle Jesus ville spille i sådanne begivenheder. Nogle gange satte han spørgsmålstegn ved alt, men ikke længe. Han ville virkelig ønske, at han kunne tale om det hele med sin fætter, men det var i modstrid med deres udtrykkelige aftale. | 135:7.1 (1503.1) John still had confused ideas about the coming kingdom and its king. The longer he preached the more confused he became, but never did this intellectual uncertainty concerning the nature of the coming kingdom in the least lessen his conviction of the certainty of the kingdom’s immediate appearance. In mind John might be confused, but in spirit never. He was in no doubt about the coming kingdom, but he was far from certain as to whether or not Jesus was to be the ruler of that kingdom. As long as John held to the idea of the restoration of the throne of David, the teachings of his parents that Jesus, born in the City of David, was to be the long-expected deliverer, seemed consistent; but at those times when he leaned more toward the doctrine of a spiritual kingdom and the end of the temporal age on earth, he was sorely in doubt as to the part Jesus would play in such events. Sometimes he questioned everything, but not for long. He really wished he might talk it all over with his cousin, but that was contrary to their expressed agreement. | |
| 135:7.2 (1503.2) Da Johannes rejste nordpå, tænkte han meget på Jesus. Han holdt pause mere end et dusin steder, mens han rejste op ad Jordan. Det var i Adam, at han første gang henviste til “en anden, som skal komme efter mig” som svar på det direkte spørgsmål, som hans disciple stillede ham: “Er du Messias?” Og han fortsatte med at sige: “Der skal komme en efter mig, som er større end jeg, og hvis sandalremme jeg ikke er værdig til at bøje mig ned og løsne. Jeg døber jer med vand, men han skal døbe jer med Helligånden. Og hans skovl er i hans hånd for at rense hans tærskeplads grundigt; han vil samle hveden i sit kornkammer, men avnerne vil han brænde op med dommens ild.” | 135:7.2 (1503.2) As John journeyed north, he thought much about Jesus. He paused at more than a dozen places as he traveled up the Jordan. It was at Adam that he first made reference to “another one who is to come after me” in answer to the direct question which his disciples asked him, “Are you the Messiah?” And he went on to say: “There will come after me one who is greater than I, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And his shovel is in his hand thoroughly to cleanse his threshing floor; he will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff will he burn up with the judgment fire.” | |
| 135:7.3 (1503.3) Som svar på sine disciples spørgsmål fortsatte Johannes med at udvide sin lære og tilføjede fra dag til dag mere, der var nyttigt og trøstende i forhold til hans tidlige og kryptiske budskab: “Omvend jer og bliv døbt.” På dette tidspunkt ankom skarer fra Galilæa og Dekapolis. Snesevis af oprigtigt troende blev hængende hos deres tilbedte lærer dag efter dag. | 135:7.3 (1503.3) In response to the questions of his disciples John continued to expand his teachings, from day to day adding more that was helpful and comforting compared with his early and cryptic message: “Repent and be baptized.” By this time throngs were arriving from Galilee and the Decapolis. Scores of earnest believers lingered with their adored teacher day after day. | |
| 8. Mødet mellen jesus og johannes ^top | 8. Meeting of Jesus and John ^top | |
| 135:8.1 (1503.4) I december 25 e.Kr., da Johannes nåede til Pella-området på sin rejse op ad Jordan, havde hans berømmelse bredt sig til hele Palæstina, og hans arbejde var blevet det vigtigste samtaleemne i alle byerne omkring Galilæas sø. Jesus havde talt positivt om Johannes’ budskab, og det havde fået mange fra Kapernaum til at slutte sig til Johannes’ omvendelses- og dåbskult. Jakob og Johannes, Zebedæus’ fiskersønner, var taget ned i december, kort efter at Johannes var begyndt at prædike i nærheden af Pella, og havde tilbudt sig selv til dåb. De besøgte Johannes en gang om ugen og bragte friske førstehåndsberetninger om evangelistens arbejde med tilbage til Jesus. | 135:8.1 (1503.4) By December of a.d. 25, when John reached the neighborhood of Pella in his journey up the Jordan, his fame had extended throughout all Palestine, and his work had become the chief topic of conversation in all the towns about the lake of Galilee. Jesus had spoken favorably of John’s message, and this had caused many from Capernaum to join John’s cult of repentance and baptism. James and John the fishermen sons of Zebedee had gone down in December, soon after John took up his preaching position near Pella, and had offered themselves for baptism. They went to see John once a week and brought back to Jesus fresh, firsthand reports of the evangelist’s work. | |
| 135:8.2 (1503.5) Jesu brødre James og Jude havde talt om at tage ned til Johannes for at blive døbt, og nu, hvor Jude var kommet til Kapernaum for at deltage i sabbatsgudstjenesten, besluttede både han og James, efter at have lyttet til Jesu tale i synagogen, at rådføre sig med ham om deres planer. Det var lørdag aften den 12. januar år 26 e.Kr. Jesus bad dem om at udskyde diskussionen til den følgende dag, hvor han ville give dem sit svar. Han sov meget lidt den nat, fordi han var i tæt kontakt med Faderen i himlen. Han havde aftalt at spise frokost med sine brødre ved middagstid og rådgive dem om Johannes’ dåb. Den søndag morgen arbejdede Jesus som sædvanlig i bådbutikken. James og Jude var ankommet med frokosten og ventede på ham i tømmerrummet, da det endnu ikke var tid til middagspausen, og de vidste, at Jesus var meget regelmæssig, når det gjaldt den slags ting. | 135:8.2 (1503.5) Jesus’ brothers James and Jude had talked about going down to John for baptism; and now that Jude had come over to Capernaum for the Sabbath services, both he and James, after listening to Jesus’ discourse in the synagogue, decided to take counsel with him concerning their plans. This was on Saturday night, January 12, a.d. 26. Jesus requested that they postpone the discussion until the following day, when he would give them his answer. He slept very little that night, being in close communion with the Father in heaven. He had arranged to have noontime lunch with his brothers and to advise them concerning baptism by John. That Sunday morning Jesus was working as usual in the boatshop. James and Jude had arrived with the lunch and were waiting in the lumber room for him, as it was not yet time for the midday recess, and they knew that Jesus was very regular about such matters. | |
| 135:8.3 (1504.1) Lige før middagshvilet lagde Jesus sit værktøj fra sig, tog sit arbejdsforklæde af og sagde blot til de tre håndværkere, der var i rummet sammen med ham: “Min time er kommet.” Han gik ud til sine brødre James og Jude og gentog: “Min time er kommet—lad os gå til Johannes.” Og de tog straks af sted til Pella, mens de spiste deres frokost. Det var søndag den 13. januar. De overnattede i Jordandalen og ankom til stedet, hvor Johannes døbte, omkring middagstid den næste dag. | 135:8.3 (1504.1) Just before the noon rest, Jesus laid down his tools, removed his work apron, and merely announced to the three workmen in the room with him, “My hour has come.” He went out to his brothers James and Jude, repeating, “My hour has come—let us go to John.” And they started immediately for Pella, eating their lunch as they journeyed. This was on Sunday, January 13. They tarried for the night in the Jordan valley and arrived on the scene of John’s baptizing about noon of the next day. | |
| 135:8.4 (1504.2) Johannes var lige begyndt at døbe dagens kandidater. Snesevis af angrende stod i kø og ventede på, at det blev deres tur, da Jesus og hans to brødre stillede sig op i rækken af oprigtige mænd og kvinder, der var blevet troende på Johannes’ forkyndelse om det kommende rige. Johannes havde forhørt sig om Jesus af Zebedæus’ sønner. Han havde hørt om Jesu bemærkninger om sin forkyndelse, og han forventede dag for dag at se ham ankomme til scenen, men han havde ikke forventet at hilse på ham i rækken af dåbskandidater. | 135:8.4 (1504.2) John had just begun baptizing the candidates for the day. Scores of repentants were standing in line awaiting their turn when Jesus and his two brothers took up their positions in this line of earnest men and women who had become believers in John’s preaching of the coming kingdom. John had been inquiring about Jesus of Zebedee’s sons. He had heard of Jesus’ remarks concerning his preaching, and he was day by day expecting to see him arrive on the scene, but he had not expected to greet him in the line of baptismal candidates. | |
| 135:8.5 (1504.3) Da Johannes var opslugt af detaljerne i den hurtige dåb af et så stort antal konvertitter, kiggede han ikke op for at se Jesus, før Menneskesønnen stod i hans umiddelbare nærhed. Da Johannes genkendte Jesus, blev ceremonierne afbrudt et øjeblik, mens han hilste på sin fætter i kød og blod og spurgte: “Men hvorfor kommer du ned i vandet for at hilse på mig?” Og Jesus svarede: “For at underkaste mig din dåb.” Johannes svarede: “Men jeg har brug for at blive døbt af dig. Hvorfor kommer du til mig?” Og Jesus hviskede til Johannes: “Bær over med mig nu, for det klæder os at sætte dette eksempel for mine brødre, der står her sammen med mig, og for at folket skal vide, at min time er kommet.” | 135:8.5 (1504.3) Being engrossed with the details of rapidly baptizing such a large number of converts, John did not look up to see Jesus until the Son of Man stood in his immediate presence. When John recognized Jesus, the ceremonies were halted for a moment while he greeted his cousin in the flesh and asked, “But why do you come down into the water to greet me?” And Jesus answered, “To be subject to your baptism.” John replied: “But I have need to be baptized by you. Why do you come to me?” And Jesus whispered to John: “Bear with me now, for it becomes us to set this example for my brothers standing here with me, and that the people may know that my hour has come.” | |
| 135:8.6 (1504.4) Der var en tone af endegyldighed og autoritet i Jesu stemme. Johannes var helt oprevet, da han gjorde sig klar til at døbe Jesus af Nazaret i Jordanfloden ved middagstid mandag den 14. januar 26 e.Kr. Således døbte Johannes Jesus og hans to brødre James og Jude. Og da Johannes havde døbt disse tre, lod han de andre gå for i dag og meddelte, at han ville genoptage dåben næste dag ved middagstid. Da folk gik, hørte de fire mænd, der stadig stod i vandet, en mærkelig lyd, og et øjeblik viste der sig en åbenbaring lige over Jesu hoved, og de hørte en stemme sige: “Dette er min elskede søn, som jeg har fundet velbehag i.” En stor forandring kom over Jesu ansigt, og da han steg op af vandet i stilhed, tog han afsked med dem og gik mod bakkerne mod øst. Og ingen så Jesus igen i fyrre dage. | 135:8.6 (1504.4) There was a tone of finality and authority in Jesus’ voice. John was atremble with emotion as he made ready to baptize Jesus of Nazareth in the Jordan at noon on Monday, January 14, a.d. 26. Thus did John baptize Jesus and his two brothers James and Jude. And when John had baptized these three, he dismissed the others for the day, announcing that he would resume baptisms at noon the next day. As the people were departing, the four men still standing in the water heard a strange sound, and presently there appeared for a moment an apparition immediately over the head of Jesus, and they heard a voice saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” A great change came over the countenance of Jesus, and coming up out of the water in silence he took leave of them, going toward the hills to the east. And no man saw Jesus again for forty days. | |
| 135:8.7 (1504.5) Johannes fulgte Jesus så langt, at han kunne fortælle ham historien om Gabriels besøg hos hans mor, før nogen af dem var blevet født, for han havde hørt den så mange gange fra sin mors mund. Han lod Jesus fortsætte sin vej, efter at han havde sagt: “Nu ved jeg med sikkerhed, at du er Frelseren.” Men Jesus svarede ikke. | 135:8.7 (1504.5) John followed Jesus a sufficient distance to tell him the story of Gabriel’s visit to his mother ere either had been born, as he had heard it so many times from his mother’s lips. He allowed Jesus to continue on his way after he had said, “Now I know of a certainty that you are the Deliverer.” But Jesus made no reply. | |
| 9. Fyrre dage med forkyndelse ^top | 9. Forty Days of Preaching ^top | |
| 135:9.1 (1505.1) Da Johannes vendte tilbage til sine disciple (han havde nu femogtyve eller tredive, som boede hos ham hele tiden), fandt han dem i en alvorlig samtale, hvor de diskuterede, hvad der lige var sket i forbindelse med Jesu dåb. De blev så meget desto mere forbløffede, da Johannes nu fortalte dem historien om Gabriels besøg hos Maria, før Jesus blev født, og også at Jesus ikke sagde et ord til ham, selv efter at han havde fortalt ham om det. Der var ingen regn den aften, og denne gruppe på tredive eller flere talte længe i den stjerneklare nat. De spekulerede på, hvor Jesus var taget hen, og hvornår de ville se ham igen. | 135:9.1 (1505.1) When John returned to his disciples (he now had some twenty-five or thirty who abode with him constantly), he found them in earnest conference, discussing what had just happened in connection with Jesus’ baptism. They were all the more astonished when John now made known to them the story of the Gabriel visitation to Mary before Jesus was born, and also that Jesus spoke no word to him even after he had told him about this. There was no rain that evening, and this group of thirty or more talked long into the starlit night. They wondered where Jesus had gone, and when they would see him again. | |
| 135:9.2 (1505.2) Efter oplevelsen på denne dag fik Johannes’ forkyndelse nye og sikre toner af proklamation om det kommende rige og den forventede Messias. Det var en anspændt tid, disse fyrre dage, hvor man ventede på, at Jesus skulle vende tilbage. Men Johannes fortsatte med at prædike med stor kraft, og hans disciple begyndte på dette tidspunkt at prædike for de overfyldte skarer, der samledes omkring Johannes ved Jordan. | 135:9.2 (1505.2) After the experience of this day the preaching of John took on new and certain notes of proclamation concerning the coming kingdom and the expected Messiah. It was a tense time, these forty days of tarrying, waiting for the return of Jesus. But John continued to preach with great power, and his disciples began at about this time to preach to the overflowing throngs which gathered around John at the Jordan. | |
| 135:9.3 (1505.3) I løbet af disse fyrre dages venten spredtes der mange rygter på landet og endda til Tiberias og Jerusalem. Tusinder kom over for at se den nye attraktion i Johannes’ lejr, den påståede Messias, men Jesus var ikke at se. Da Johannes’ disciple hævdede, at den mærkelige Guds mand var gået op i bjergene, tvivlede mange på hele historien. | 135:9.3 (1505.3) In the course of these forty days of waiting, many rumors spread about the countryside and even to Tiberias and Jerusalem. Thousands came over to see the new attraction in John’s camp, the reputed Messiah, but Jesus was not to be seen. When the disciples of John asserted that the strange man of God had gone to the hills, many doubted the entire story. | |
| 135:9.4 (1505.4) Omkring tre uger efter at Jesus havde forladt dem, ankom der en ny delegation fra præsterne og farisæerne i Jerusalem til Pella. De spurgte Johannes direkte, om han var Elias eller den profet, som Moses havde lovet, og da Johannes svarede: “Det er jeg ikke,” dristede de sig til at spørge: “Er du Messias?” Og Johannes svarede: “Det er jeg ikke.” Da sagde disse mænd fra Jerusalem: “Hvis du ikke er Elias eller profeten eller Messias, hvorfor døber du så folket og skaber al denne uro?” Og Johannes svarede: “Det burde være op til dem, der har hørt mig og modtaget min dåb, at sige, hvem jeg er, men jeg erklærer jer, at mens jeg døber med vand, har der været en blandt os, som vil vende tilbage for at døbe jer med Helligånden.” | 135:9.4 (1505.4) About three weeks after Jesus had left them, there arrived on the scene at Pella a new deputation from the priests and Pharisees at Jerusalem. They asked John directly if he was Elijah or the prophet that Moses promised; and when John said, “I am not,” they made bold to ask, “Are you the Messiah?” and John answered, “I am not.” Then said these men from Jerusalem: “If you are not Elijah, nor the prophet, nor the Messiah, then why do you baptize the people and create all this stir?” And John replied: “It should be for those who have heard me and received my baptism to say who I am, but I declare to you that, while I baptize with water, there has been among us one who will return to baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” | |
| 135:9.5 (1505.5) Disse fyrre dage var en vanskelig periode for Johannes og hans disciple. Hvad skulle Johannes’ forhold til Jesus være? Hundrede spørgsmål kom op til diskussion. Politik og selvisk favorisering begyndte at gøre sig gældende. Intense diskussioner voksede frem omkring de forskellige ideer og begreber om Messias. Ville han blive en militær leder og en davidisk konge? Ville han slå de romerske hære, som Josva havde slået kanaanæerne? Eller ville han komme for at etablere et åndeligt rige? Johannes besluttede sammen med mindretallet, at Jesus var kommet for at etablere Himmeriget, selvom han ikke selv var helt klar over, hvad denne mission om at etablere Himmeriget skulle omfatte. | 135:9.5 (1505.5) These forty days were a difficult period for John and his disciples. What was to be the relation of John to Jesus? A hundred questions came up for discussion. Politics and selfish preferment began to make their appearance. Intense discussions grew up around the various ideas and concepts of the Messiah. Would he become a military leader and a Davidic king? Would he smite the Roman armies as Joshua had the Canaanites? Or would he come to establish a spiritual kingdom? John rather decided, with the minority, that Jesus had come to establish the kingdom of heaven, although he was not altogether clear in his own mind as to just what was to be embraced within this mission of the establishment of the kingdom of heaven. | |
| 135:9.6 (1505.6) Det var anstrengende dage i Johannes’ liv, og han bad om, at Jesus måtte vende tilbage. Nogle af Johannes’ disciple organiserede spejdergrupper for at lede efter Jesus, men Johannes forbød det og sagde: “Vores tid er i hænderne på himlens Gud; han vil lede sin udvalgte søn.” | 135:9.6 (1505.6) These were strenuous days in John’s experience, and he prayed for the return of Jesus. Some of John’s disciples organized scouting parties to go in search of Jesus, but John forbade, saying: “Our times are in the hands of the God of heaven; he will direct his chosen Son.” | |
| 135:9.7 (1505.7) Det var tidligt om morgenen på sabbatten den 23. februar, at Johannes’ følge, som var i færd med at spise deres morgenmåltid, kiggede op mod nord og så Jesus komme hen til dem. Da han nærmede sig dem, stillede Johannes sig op på en stor klippe og løftede sin klangfulde stemme og sagde: “Se Guds søn, verdens frelser! Det er om ham, at jeg har sagt: ‘Efter mig skal der komme én, som er foretrukket frem for mig, fordi han var før mig.’ Derfor drog jeg ud af ørkenen for at prædike omvendelse og døbe med vand og forkynde, at Himmeriget er kommet nær. Og nu kommer der en, som skal døbe jer med Helligånden. Og jeg så den guddommelige ånd dale ned over denne mand, og jeg hørte Guds røst sige: ‘Dette er min elskede søn, som jeg har fundet velbehag i.’” | 135:9.7 (1505.7) It was early on the morning of Sabbath, February 23, that the company of John, engaged in eating their morning meal, looked up toward the north and beheld Jesus coming to them. As he approached them, John stood upon a large rock and, lifting up his sonorous voice, said: “Behold the Son of God, the deliverer of the world! This is he of whom I have said, ‘After me there will come one who is preferred before me because he was before me.’ For this cause came I out of the wilderness to preach repentance and to baptize with water, proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And now comes one who shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And I beheld the divine spirit descending upon this man, and I heard the voice of God declare, ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’” | |
| 135:9.8 (1506.1) Jesus bad dem gå tilbage til deres mad, mens han satte sig ned for at spise med Johannes, da hans brødre James og Jude var vendt tilbage til Kapernaum. | 135:9.8 (1506.1) Jesus bade them return to their food while he sat down to eat with John, his brothers James and Jude having returned to Capernaum. | |
| 135:9.9 (1506.2) Tidligt om morgenen den næste dag tog han afsked med Johannes og hans disciple og tog tilbage til Galilæa. Han gav dem ingen besked om, hvornår de ville se ham igen. Til Johannes’ spørgsmål om sin egen forkyndelse og mission sagde Jesus kun: “Min Fader vil lede jer nu og i fremtiden, som han har gjort i fortiden.” Og disse to store mænd skiltes den morgen ved Jordans bred for aldrig mere at hilse på hinanden i kød og blod. | 135:9.9 (1506.2) Early in the morning of the next day he took leave of John and his disciples, going back to Galilee. He gave them no word as to when they would again see him. To John’s inquiries about his own preaching and mission Jesus only said, “My Father will guide you now and in the future as he has in the past.” And these two great men separated that morning on the banks of the Jordan, never again to greet each other in the flesh. | |
| 10. Johannes vandrer sydover ^top | 10. John Journeys South ^top | |
| 135:10.1 (1506.3) Da Jesus var gået nordpå til Galilæa, følte Johannes sig foranlediget til at gå tilbage sydpå. Søndag morgen, den 3. marts, begyndte Johannes og resten af hans disciple derfor deres rejse sydpå. Omkring en fjerdedel af Johannes’ nærmeste tilhængere var i mellemtiden rejst til Galilæa for at lede efter Jesus. Der var en trist forvirring omkring Johannes. Han prædikede aldrig mere, som han havde gjort, før han døbte Jesus. Han følte på en eller anden måde, at ansvaret for det kommende rige ikke længere lå på hans skuldre. Han følte, at hans arbejde næsten var færdigt; han var trøstesløs og ensom. Men han prædikede, døbte og rejste videre sydpå. | 135:10.1 (1506.3) Since Jesus had gone north into Galilee, John felt led to retrace his steps southward. Accordingly, on Sunday morning, March 3, John and the remainder of his disciples began their journey south. About one quarter of John’s immediate followers had meantime departed for Galilee in quest of Jesus. There was a sadness of confusion about John. He never again preached as he had before baptizing Jesus. He somehow felt that the responsibility of the coming kingdom was no longer on his shoulders. He felt that his work was almost finished; he was disconsolate and lonely. But he preached, baptized, and journeyed on southward. | |
| 135:10.2 (1506.4) I nærheden af landsbyen Adam opholdt Johannes sig i flere uger, og det var her, han foretog det mindeværdige angreb på Herodes Antipas for ulovligt at have taget en anden mands kone. I juni dette år (26 e.Kr.) var Johannes tilbage ved Jordanflodens vadested i Betania, hvor han mere end et år tidligere var begyndt at forkynde om det kommende rige. I ugerne efter Jesu dåb ændrede Johannes’ forkyndelse gradvist karakter til en proklamation af barmhjertighed over for almindelige mennesker, mens han med fornyet voldsomhed fordømte de korrupte politiske og religiøse magthavere. | 135:10.2 (1506.4) Near the village of Adam, John tarried for several weeks, and it was here that he made the memorable attack upon Herod Antipas for unlawfully taking the wife of another man. By June of this year (a.d. 26) John was back at the Bethany ford of the Jordan, where he had begun his preaching of the coming kingdom more than a year previously. In the weeks following the baptism of Jesus the character of John’s preaching gradually changed into a proclamation of mercy for the common people, while he denounced with renewed vehemence the corrupt political and religious rulers. | |
| 135:10.3 (1506.5) Herodes Antipas, i hvis område Johannes havde prædiket, blev urolig for, at han og hans disciple skulle starte et oprør. Herodes var også vred over Johannes’ offentlige kritik af hans interne anliggender. I lyset af alt dette besluttede Herodes at sætte Johannes i fængsel. Derfor arresterede Herodes’ agenter Johannes meget tidligt om morgenen den 12. juni, før folkemængden var ankommet for at høre forkyndelsen og overvære dåben. Som ugerne gik, og han ikke blev løsladt, spredte hans disciple sig over hele Palæstina, og mange af dem tog til Galilæa for at slutte sig til Jesu tilhængere. | 135:10.3 (1506.5) Herod Antipas, in whose territory John had been preaching, became alarmed lest he and his disciples should start a rebellion. Herod also resented John’s public criticisms of his domestic affairs. In view of all this, Herod decided to put John in prison. Accordingly, very early in the morning of June 12, before the multitude arrived to hear the preaching and witness the baptizing, the agents of Herod placed John under arrest. As weeks passed and he was not released, his disciples scattered over all Palestine, many of them going into Galilee to join the followers of Jesus. | |
| 11. Johannes i fængsel ^top | 11. John in Prison ^top | |
| 135:11.1 (1506.6) Johannes havde en ensom og noget bitter oplevelse i fængslet. Kun få af hans tilhængere fik lov til at se ham. Han længtes efter at se Jesus, men måtte nøjes med at høre om hans arbejde gennem de af hans tilhængere, der var blevet troende på Menneskesønnen. Han blev ofte fristet til at tvivle på Jesus og hans guddommelige mission. Hvis Jesus var Messias, hvorfor gjorde han så ikke noget for at befri ham fra dette uudholdelige fængsel? I mere end halvandet år sad denne barske mand fra Guds udendørsliv i dette afskyelige fængsel. Og denne oplevelse var en stor test af hans tro på og loyalitet over for Jesus. Faktisk var hele denne oplevelse en stor test af Johannes’ tro, selv på Gud. Mange gange blev han fristet til at tvivle på ægtheden af sin egen mission og oplevelse. | 135:11.1 (1506.6) John had a lonely and somewhat bitter experience in prison. Few of his followers were permitted to see him. He longed to see Jesus but had to be content with hearing of his work through those of his followers who had become believers in the Son of Man. He was often tempted to doubt Jesus and his divine mission. If Jesus were the Messiah, why did he do nothing to deliver him from this unbearable imprisonment? For more than a year and a half this rugged man of God’s outdoors languished in that despicable prison. And this experience was a great test of his faith in, and loyalty to, Jesus. Indeed, this whole experience was a great test of John’s faith even in God. Many times was he tempted to doubt even the genuineness of his own mission and experience. | |
| 135:11.2 (1507.1) Da han havde været i fængsel i flere måneder, kom en gruppe af hans disciple hen til ham, og efter at de havde fortalt om Jesu offentlige aktiviteter, sagde de: “Så du ser, lærer, at han, som var sammen med dig ved den øvre del af Jordan, har fremgang og tager imod alle, der kommer til ham. Han holder endda fest med toldere og syndere. Du bar modigt vidnesbyrd om ham, og alligevel gør han intet for at udfri dig.” Men Johannes svarede sine venner: “Denne mand kan ikke gøre noget, medmindre det er givet ham af hans Fader i himlen. I husker vel, at jeg sagde: ‘Jeg er ikke Messias, men jeg er en, der er sendt i forvejen for at berede vejen for ham.’ Og det gjorde jeg. Den, der har bruden, er brudgommen, men brudgommens ven, der står nær ved og hører ham, glæder sig meget over brudgommens stemme. Dette, min glæde, er derfor opfyldt. Han skal blive større, men jeg skal blive mindre. Jeg er af denne jord og har forkyndt mit budskab. Jesus af Nazaret kommer ned til jorden fra himlen og er over os alle. Menneskesønnen er steget ned fra Gud, og Guds ord vil han forkynde for jer. For Faderen i himlen giver ikke ånden efter mål til sin egen søn. Faderen elsker sin Søn og vil nu lægge alle ting i hænderne på denne Søn. Den, der tror på Sønnen, har evigt liv. Og disse ord, som jeg taler, er sande og blivende.” | 135:11.2 (1507.1) After he had been in prison several months, a group of his disciples came to him and, after reporting concerning the public activities of Jesus, said: “So you see, Teacher, that he who was with you at the upper Jordan prospers and receives all who come to him. He even feasts with publicans and sinners. You bore courageous witness to him, and yet he does nothing to effect your deliverance.” But John answered his friends: “This man can do nothing unless it has been given him by his Father in heaven. You well remember that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I am one sent on before to prepare the way for him.’ And that I did. He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands near by and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is fulfilled. He must increase but I must decrease. I am of this earth and have declared my message. Jesus of Nazareth comes down to the earth from heaven and is above us all. The Son of Man has descended from God, and the words of God he will declare to you. For the Father in heaven gives not the spirit by measure to his own Son. The Father loves his Son and will presently put all things in the hands of this Son. He who believes in the Son has eternal life. And these words which I speak are true and abiding.” | |
| 135:11.3 (1507.2) Disciplene var forbløffede over Johannes’ udtalelse, så meget, at de gik bort i tavshed. Johannes var også meget oprørt, for han indså, at han havde fremsat en profeti. Aldrig mere tvivlede han helt på Jesu mission og guddommelighed. Men det var en stor skuffelse for Johannes, at Jesus ikke sendte ham noget ord, at han ikke kom for at se ham, og at han ikke udøvede sin store magt til at befri ham fra fængslet. Men Jesus vidste alt om dette. Han havde stor kærlighed til Johannes, men da han nu kendte sin guddommelige natur og fuldt ud vidste, hvilke store ting der var forberedt for Johannes, når han forlod denne verden, og også vidste, at Johannes’ arbejde på jorden var afsluttet, tvang han sig selv til ikke at blande sig i den naturlige udfoldelse af den store prædikant-profetens karriere. | 135:11.3 (1507.2) These disciples were amazed at John’s pronouncement, so much so that they departed in silence. John was also much agitated, for he perceived that he had uttered a prophecy. Never again did he wholly doubt the mission and divinity of Jesus. But it was a sore disappointment to John that Jesus sent him no word, that he came not to see him, and that he exercised none of his great power to deliver him from prison. But Jesus knew all about this. He had great love for John, but being now cognizant of his divine nature and knowing fully the great things in preparation for John when he departed from this world and also knowing that John’s work on earth was finished, he constrained himself not to interfere in the natural outworking of the great preacher-prophet’s career. | |
| 135:11.4 (1507.3) Denne lange ventetid i fængslet var menneskeligt uudholdelig. Bare et par dage før sin død sendte Johannes igen betroede budbringere til Jesus og spurgte: “Er mit arbejde færdigt? Hvorfor skal jeg sidde i fængsel? Er du virkelig Messias, eller skal vi lede efter en anden?” Og da disse to disciple gav Jesus dette budskab, svarede Menneskesønnen: “Gå tilbage til Johannes og sig til ham, at jeg ikke har glemt, men at han også skal lide dette for mig, for det klæder os at opfylde al retfærdighed. Fortæl Johannes, hvad du har set og hørt—at de fattige får det gode budskab forkyndt—og fortæl endelig den elskede herold for min jordiske mission, at han skal blive rigeligt velsignet i den kommende tidsalder, hvis han ikke finder anledning til at tvivle og snuble over mig.” Og dette var det sidste ord, Johannes modtog fra Jesus. Dette budskab trøstede ham i høj grad og gjorde meget for at stabilisere hans tro og forberede ham på den tragiske afslutning på hans liv i kødet, som fulgte så kort efter denne mindeværdige begivenhed. | 135:11.4 (1507.3) This long suspense in prison was humanly unbearable. Just a few days before his death John again sent trusted messengers to Jesus, inquiring: “Is my work done? Why do I languish in prison? Are you truly the Messiah, or shall we look for another?” And when these two disciples gave this message to Jesus, the Son of Man replied: “Go back to John and tell him that I have not forgotten but to suffer me also this, for it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Tell John what you have seen and heard—that the poor have good tidings preached to them—and, finally, tell the beloved herald of my earth mission that he shall be abundantly blessed in the age to come if he finds no occasion to doubt and stumble over me.” And this was the last word John received from Jesus. This message greatly comforted him and did much to stabilize his faith and prepare him for the tragic end of his life in the flesh which followed so soon upon the heels of this memorable occasion. | |
| 12. Johannes døberens død ^top | 12. Death of John the Baptist ^top | |
| 135:12.1 (1508.1) Da Johannes arbejdede i det sydlige Perea, da han blev arresteret, blev han straks ført til fængslet i fæstningen Machaerus, hvor han sad indespærret, indtil han blev henrettet. Herodes herskede både over Perea og Galilæa, og han havde på dette tidspunkt residens i både Julias og Machaerus i Perea. I Galilæa var den officielle residens blevet flyttet fra Sepphoris til den nye hovedstad i Tiberias. | 135:12.1 (1508.1) As John was working in southern Perea when arrested, he was taken immediately to the prison of the fortress of Machaerus, where he was incarcerated until his execution. Herod ruled over Perea as well as Galilee, and he maintained residence at this time at both Julias and Machaerus in Perea. In Galilee the official residence had been moved from Sepphoris to the new capital at Tiberias. | |
| 135:12.2 (1508.2) Herodes frygtede at løslade Johannes for ikke at anspore til oprør. Han frygtede at slå ham ihjel, så folkemængden ikke gjorde oprør i hovedstaden, for tusinder af Pereas borgere troede, at Johannes var en hellig mand, en profet. Derfor holdt Herodes den nasiræiske prædikant i fængsel, da han ikke vidste, hvad han ellers skulle gøre med ham. Johannes havde flere gange været foran Herodes, men han ville aldrig gå med til hverken at forlade Herodes’ domæner eller afstå fra alle offentlige aktiviteter, hvis han blev løsladt. Og den nye uro omkring Jesus af Nazaret, som var støt stigende, formanede Herodes om, at det ikke var tid til at slippe Johannes løs. Desuden var Johannes også et offer for det intense og bitre had fra Herodias, Herodes’ ulovlige kone. | 135:12.2 (1508.2) Herod feared to release John lest he instigate rebellion. He feared to put him to death lest the multitude riot in the capital, for thousands of Pereans believed that John was a holy man, a prophet. Therefore Herod kept the Nazarite preacher in prison, not knowing what else to do with him. Several times John had been before Herod, but never would he agree either to leave the domains of Herod or to refrain from all public activities if he were released. And this new agitation concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was steadily increasing, admonished Herod that it was no time to turn John loose. Besides, John was also a victim of the intense and bitter hatred of Herodias, Herod’s unlawful wife. | |
| 135:12.3 (1508.3) Ved adskillige lejligheder talte Herodes med Johannes om Himmeriget, og selvom han nogle gange var alvorligt imponeret over hans budskab, var han bange for at løslade ham fra fængslet. | 135:12.3 (1508.3) On numerous occasions Herod talked with John about the kingdom of heaven, and while sometimes seriously impressed with his message, he was afraid to release him from prison. | |
| 135:12.4 (1508.4) Da der stadig var meget byggeri i gang i Tiberias, tilbragte Herodes meget tid i sine residenser i Perea, og han var meget glad for fæstningen Machaerus. Det varede flere år, før alle de offentlige bygninger og embedsboligen i Tiberias var helt færdige. | 135:12.4 (1508.4) Since much building was still going on at Tiberias, Herod spent considerable time at his Perean residences, and he was partial to the fortress of Machaerus. It was a matter of several years before all the public buildings and the official residence at Tiberias were fully completed. | |
| 135:12.5 (1508.5) For at fejre sin fødselsdag holdt Herodes et stort festmåltid i det machaiske palads for sine øverste officerer og andre højtstående mænd i regeringsrådene i Galilæa og Perea. Da Herodias ikke havde formået at få Johannes dræbt ved at appellere direkte til Herodes, satte hun sig nu for at få Johannes dræbt ved hjælp af snedig planlægning. | 135:12.5 (1508.5) In celebration of his birthday Herod made a great feast in the Machaerian palace for his chief officers and other men high in the councils of the government of Galilee and Perea. Since Herodias had failed to bring about John’s death by direct appeal to Herod, she now set herself to the task of having John put to death by cunning planning. | |
| 135:12.6 (1508.6) I løbet af aftenens festligheder og underholdning præsenterede Herodias sin datter for at danse foran festdeltagerne. Herodes var meget tilfreds med pigens optræden, og da han kaldte hende til sig, sagde han: “Du er charmerende. Jeg er meget tilfreds med dig. Bed mig på denne min fødselsdag om, hvad du end ønsker, og jeg vil give dig det, selv halvdelen af mit kongerige.” Og Herodes gjorde alt dette, mens han var godt påvirket af sine mange vine. Den unge kvinde trak sig til side og spurgte sin mor, hvad hun skulle bede Herodes om. Herodias sagde: “Gå hen til Herodes og bed om Johannes Døberens hoved.” Den unge kvinde vendte tilbage til festbordet og sagde til Herodes: “Jeg beder dig om straks at give mig Johannes Døberens hoved på et fad.” | 135:12.6 (1508.6) In the course of the evening’s festivities and entertainment, Herodias presented her daughter to dance before the banqueters. Herod was very much pleased with the damsel’s performance and, calling her before him, said: “You are charming. I am much pleased with you. Ask me on this my birthday for whatever you desire, and I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.” And Herod did all this while well under the influence of his many wines. The young lady drew aside and inquired of her mother what she should ask of Herod. Herodias said, “Go to Herod and ask for the head of John the Baptist.” And the young woman, returning to the banquet table, said to Herod, “I request that you forthwith give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” | |
| 135:12.7 (1508.7) Herodes var fyldt med frygt og sorg, men på grund af sin ed og på grund af alle dem, der sad til bords med ham, ville han ikke afvise anmodningen. Og Herodes Antipas sendte en soldat og befalede ham at bringe Johannes’ hoved. Den nat blev Johannes halshugget i fængslet, og soldaten bragte profetens hoved på et fad og præsenterede det for den unge kvinde bagerst i festsalen. Og jomfruen gav fadet til sin mor. Da Johannes’ disciple hørte om dette, kom de til fængslet for at hente Johannes’ lig, og efter at have lagt det i en grav, gik de hen og fortalte det til Jesus. | 135:12.7 (1508.7) Herod was filled with fear and sorrow, but because of his oath and because of all those who sat at meat with him, he would not deny the request. And Herod Antipas sent a soldier, commanding him to bring the head of John. So was John that night beheaded in the prison, the soldier bringing the head of the prophet on a platter and presenting it to the young woman at the rear of the banquet hall. And the damsel gave the platter to her mother. When John’s disciples heard of this, they came to the prison for the body of John, and after laying it in a tomb, they went and told Jesus. |