Kapitel 153		Paper 153
Krisen I Kafarnaum		The Crisis at Capernaum
153:0.1 (1707.1) FREDAG AFTEN, dagen, hvor de ankom til Betsaida, og på sabbatsmorgenen, bemærkede apostlene, at Jesus blev alvorligt optaget med nogle kritiske problemer. De var klar over, at Mesteren tænkte usædvanligt intenst på noget vigtigt. Han spiste ingen morgenmad og kun lidt til frokost. Under hele sabbatsmorgenen og natten før var de tolv og deres medarbejdere samlet i små grupper rundt omkring i huset, i haven og langs stranden. Der var en spænding af usikkerhed og en uvis ængstelse, som hvilede på dem alle. Jesus sagde ikke mange ord til dem, da de forlod Jerusalem.		153:0.1 (1707.1) ON FRIDAY evening, the day of their arrival at Bethsaida, and on Sabbath morning, the apostles noticed that Jesus was seriously occupied with some momentous problem; they were cognizant that the Master was giving unusual thought to some important matter. He ate no breakfast and but little at noontide. All of Sabbath morning and the evening before, the twelve and their associates were gathered together in small groups about the house, in the garden, and along the seashore. There was a tension of uncertainty and a suspense of apprehension resting upon all of them. Jesus had said little to them since they left Jerusalem.
153:0.2 (1707.2) Ikke i måneder havde de set Mesteren så fordybet i tanker og så lidt meddelsom. Selv Simon Peter var deprimeret, hvis ikke nedslået. Andreas vidste ikke, hvad han skulle gøre for sine modløse medarbejdere. Nataniel sagde, at de var midt i "stilhed før stormen". Thomas udtrykte den opfattelse, at "noget usædvanligt snart vil finde sted." Filip gav David Zebedee rådet til at "glemme alt om planer om kost og logi til folkemængderne, indtil vi ved, hvad der foregår i Mesterens tanker." Mattæus planlagde nye bestræbelser på at fylde kassen. James og Johannes drøftede den kommende prædiken i synagogen og spekulerede meget om dens sandsynlige indhold og omfang. Simon Zelotes udtrykte sin tro - faktisk hans håb - at "Faderen i himlen, kan tænkes at gribe ind på en uventet måde for at forsvare og støtte sin søn", mens Judas Iskariot vovede at forkæle den tanke, at Jesus muligvis var tynget med beklagelse, at "han ikke havde haft mod og frækhed til at lade de fem tusinde udråbe ham til jødernes konge."		153:0.2 (1707.2) Not in months had they seen the Master so preoccupied and uncommunicative. Even Simon Peter was depressed, if not downcast. Andrew was at a loss to know what to do for his dejected associates. Nathaniel said they were in the midst of the “lull before the storm.” Thomas expressed the opinion that “something out of the ordinary is about to happen.” Philip advised David Zebedee to “forget about plans for feeding and lodging the multitude until we know what the Master is thinking about.” Matthew was putting forth renewed efforts to replenish the treasury. James and John talked over the forthcoming sermon in the synagogue and speculated much as to its probable nature and scope. Simon Zelotes expressed the belief, in reality a hope, that “the Father in heaven may be about to intervene in some unexpected manner for the vindication and support of his Son,” while Judas Iscariot dared to indulge the thought that possibly Jesus was oppressed with regrets that “he did not have the courage and daring to permit the five thousand to proclaim him king of the Jews.”
153:0.3 (1707.3) Det var fra en sådan gruppe af deprimerede og trøstesløse tilhængere, at Jesus, denne smukke sabbat eftermiddag gik ud for at holde sin epokegørende prædiken i synagogen i Kapernaum. Den eneste muntre hilsen eller ønske om alt det bedste fra hans nærmeste tilhængere kom fra en af de intetanende Alpheus tvillinger, der så Jesus forlade huset på vej til synagogen, hilste ham med glæde og sagde: "Vi beder til, at Faderen vil hjælpe dig og at vi skal få større skarer end nogensinde.”		153:0.3 (1707.3) It was from among such a group of depressed and disconsolate followers that Jesus went forth on this beautiful Sabbath afternoon to preach his epoch-making sermon in the Capernaum synagogue. The only word of cheerful greeting or well-wishing from any of his immediate followers came from one of the unsuspecting Alpheus twins, who, as Jesus left the house on his way to the synagogue, saluted him cheerily and said: “We pray the Father will help you, and that we may have bigger multitudes than ever.”
1. Scenen gøres klar ^top		1. The Setting of the Stage ^top
153:1.1 (1707.4) En ærværdig menighed mødte Jesus denne udsøgte sabbat eftermiddag klokken tre i den nye synagoge i Kapernaum. Jairus præsiderede og rakte Jesus skrifterne til at læses. Den foregående dag var treoghalvtreds farisæere og saddukæere ankommet fra Jerusalem. Mere end tredive leder og forstandere for de omkringliggende synagoger var også til stede. Disse jødiske religiøse ledere handlede under direkte ordre fra det jødiske Sanhedrin råd i Jerusalem, og de udgjorde den ortodokse fortrop, der var kommet for at indlede den åbne krig mod Jesus og hans disciple. Ved siden af disse jødiske ledere, på hæderspladserne i synagogen, sad Herodes Antipas officielle observatører, som var blevet bestilt til at undersøge sandheden om de foruroligende rapporter om, at folket havde gjort et forsøg på at forkynde Jesus til jødernes konge over i de områder, der var styret af Herodes bror Filip.		153:1.1 (1707.4) A distinguished congregation greeted Jesus at three o’clock on this exquisite Sabbath afternoon in the new Capernaum synagogue. Jairus presided and handed Jesus the Scriptures to read. The day before, fifty-three Pharisees and Sadducees had arrived from Jerusalem; more than thirty of the leaders and rulers of the neighboring synagogues were also present. These Jewish religious leaders were acting directly under orders from the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem, and they constituted the orthodox vanguard which had come to inaugurate open warfare on Jesus and his disciples. Sitting by the side of these Jewish leaders, in the synagogue seats of honor, were the official observers of Herod Antipas, who had been directed to ascertain the truth concerning the disturbing reports that an attempt had been made by the populace to proclaim Jesus the king of the Jews, over in the domains of his brother Philip.
153:1.2 (1708.1) Jesus forstod, at han stod over for den umiddelbare erklæring om en anerkendt og åben krig fra deres mere talrige fjender, og han valgte dristigt at gå til angreb. Ved bespisningen af de fem tusinde havde han udfordret deres idéer om den materielle Messias. Nu valgte han igen åbent at angribe deres koncept af den jødiske befrier. Denne krise, som begyndte med bespisningen af de fem tusind og sluttede med prædiken denne sabbatseftermiddag, var det yderste vendepunkt for folkets gunst og hyldest. Efterfølgende vil rigets arbejde blive mere koncentreret om den vigtige opgave at vinde varige åndelige konvertitter for menneskehedens sande religiøse broderskab. Denne prædiken markerer krisen i overgangen fra perioden for diskussion, kontrovers, og beslutning til perioden med åben krigstilstand og endelig accept eller endeligt afslag.		153:1.2 (1708.1) Jesus comprehended that he faced the immediate declaration of avowed and open warfare by his increasing enemies, and he elected boldly to assume the offensive. At the feeding of the five thousand he had challenged their ideas of the material Messiah; now he chose again openly to attack their concept of the Jewish deliverer. This crisis, which began with the feeding of the five thousand, and which terminated with this Sabbath afternoon sermon, was the outward turning of the tide of popular fame and acclaim. Henceforth, the work of the kingdom was to be increasingly concerned with the more important task of winning lasting spiritual converts for the truly religious brotherhood of mankind. This sermon marks the crisis in the transition from the period of discussion, controversy, and decision to that of open warfare and final acceptance or final rejection.
153:1.3 (1708.2) Mesteren vidste godt, at mange af hans tilhængere langsomt men sikkert forberedte deres sind for endelig at afvise ham. Han vidste også, at mange af hans disciple langsomt men sikkert gennemgik den sindstræning og den sjæledisciplin, der ville gøre det muligt for dem at triumfere over tvivl og modigt at hævde deres fuldgyldigt tro på rigets evangelium. Jesus forstod helt hvordan mennesker gennem en langsom proces med gentagende valg mellem de tilbagevendende situationer med godt og ondt, forberedte sig på at træffe beslutninger i en krisesituation og til at udføre pludselige modige handlinger. Han udsatte sine udvalgte budbringere til gentagne øvelser i skuffelse og gav dem mange muligheder og forsøg på at vælge mellem den rigtigt og forkerte måde at møde åndelige udfordringer. Han vidste, han kunne stole på sine tilhængere, når de mødte den sidste retssag, for at gøre deres vitale beslutninger i overensstemmelse med tidligere erhvervede og vanemæssige mentale holdninger og åndelige reaktioner.		153:1.3 (1708.2) The Master well knew that many of his followers were slowly but surely preparing their minds finally to reject him. He likewise knew that many of his disciples were slowly but certainly passing through that training of mind and that discipline of soul which would enable them to triumph over doubt and courageously to assert their full-fledged faith in the gospel of the kingdom. Jesus fully understood how men prepare themselves for the decisions of a crisis and the performance of sudden deeds of courageous choosing by the slow process of the reiterated choosing between the recurring situations of good and evil. He subjected his chosen messengers to repeated rehearsals in disappointment and provided them with frequent and testing opportunities for choosing between the right and the wrong way of meeting spiritual trials. He knew he could depend on his followers, when they met the final test, to make their vital decisions in accordance with prior and habitual mental attitudes and spirit reactions.
153:1.4 (1708.3) Denne krise i Jesu jordiske liv begyndte med bespisningen af de fem tusind og endte med denne prædiken i synagogen. Krisen i livet for apostlene begyndte med denne prædiken i synagogen og fortsatte i et helt år, indtil retssagen mod mesteren og hans korsfæstelse.		153:1.4 (1708.3) This crisis in Jesus’ earth life began with the feeding of the five thousand and ended with this sermon in the synagogue; the crisis in the lives of the apostles began with this sermon in the synagogue and continued for a whole year, ending only with the Master’s trial and crucifixion.
153:1.5 (1708.4) Som de sad der i synagogen den eftermiddagen før Jesus begyndte sin tale, var der kun et stort mysterium, blot ét stort spørgsmål i alles sind. Både hans venner og hans fjender overvejede kun en tanke, nemlig: "Hvorfor vendte han selv så overlagt og helt bestemt folkets bølge af populær begejstring?" Og det var umiddelbart før og umiddelbart efter denne prædiken, at tvivlen og skuffelsen i sine utilfredse tilhængere voksede først til en ubevidst opposition og senere til direkte had. Det var efter denne prædiken i synagogen, at Judas Iskariot for første gang bevidst legede med idéen om desertering. Men indtil videre, kunne han reelt beherske alle sådanne tilbøjeligheder.”		153:1.5 (1708.4) As they sat there in the synagogue that afternoon before Jesus began to speak, there was just one great mystery, just one supreme question, in the minds of all. Both his friends and his foes pondered just one thought, and that was: “Why did he himself so deliberately and effectively turn back the tide of popular enthusiasm?” And it was immediately before and immediately after this sermon that the doubts and disappointments of his disgruntled adherents grew into unconscious opposition and eventually turned into actual hatred. It was after this sermon in the synagogue that Judas Iscariot entertained his first conscious thought of deserting. But he did, for the time being, effectively master all such inclinations.
153:1.6 (1708.5) Alle var i en tilstand af rådvildhed. Jesus havde efterladt dem lamslået og forvirret. Han havde for nylig gennemført den største demonstration af overnaturlig magt som kom til at karakterisere hele sin karriere. Bespisningen af de fem tusinde var den begivenhed i hans jordiske liv, som gjorde størst appel til det jødiske begreb om den forventede Messias. Men denne ekstraordinære fordel blev straks og uforklaret opvejet af hans hurtige og utvetydige afvisning af at blive konge.		153:1.6 (1708.5) Everyone was in a state of perplexity. Jesus had left them dumfounded and confounded. He had recently engaged in the greatest demonstration of supernatural power to characterize his whole career. The feeding of the five thousand was the one event of his earth life which made the greatest appeal to the Jewish concept of the expected Messiah. But this extraordinary advantage was immediately and unexplainedly offset by his prompt and unequivocal refusal to be made king.
153:1.7 (1709.1) Fredag aften og igen lørdag morgen, havde lederne fra Jerusalem længe og alvorligt bearbejdet Jairus for at forhindre Jesus i at tale i synagogen, men til ingen nytte. Jairus svar på alle disse appeller var kun: "Jeg har givet ham tilladelse, og jeg vil ikke bryde mit ord."		153:1.7 (1709.1) On Friday evening, and again on Sabbath morning, the Jerusalem leaders had labored long and earnestly with Jairus to prevent Jesus’ speaking in the synagogue, but it was of no avail. Jairus’s only reply to all this pleading was: “I have granted this request, and I will not violate my word.”
2. Den epokegørende prædiken ^top		2. The Epochal Sermon ^top
153:2.1 (1709.2) Som indledning til denne prædiken, læste Jesus fra loven følgende passage fra Femte Mosebog: "Men det skal ske, at hvis folk ikke ønsker at lytte til Guds stemme, at alle disse overtrædelsens forbandelser sikkert skal indhente dem. Herren vil lade dig blive slået af jeres fjender; du skal føres bort til alle jordens riger. Herren vil levere dig og den konge du sætter over dig i hænderne på en nation, som du ikke kender. Du skal blive genstand for rædsel, spot og berygtet blandt alle folkeslag. Dine sønner og døtre vil blive taget i fangenskab. De fremmede blandt jer skal stige højt i autoritet over dig, men du vil synke dybt ned. Og alt dette skal hele tiden være på dig og din sæd, fordi du ikke ønsker at lytte til Herrens ord. Derfor skal du tjene dine fjender, der skal komme imod dig. Du skal udholde sult og tørst og bære dette fremmede åg af jern. Herren sender over dig en nation langvejs fra, fra jordens ende, et folk, hvis sprog du ikke forstår, en nation med grumme ansigter, en nation, der tager lidt hensyn til dig. Og de skal angribe dig i alle dine byer, indtil de høje, forstærkede mure, som du stoler på kollapser; og hele landet skal falde i deres hænder. Og det vil ske, at du er tvunget til at spise frugten af din egen krop, kødet af dine sønner og døtre, under denne belejringstid fordi dine fjender sætter dig i sådanne alvorlige vanskeligheder."		153:2.1 (1709.2) Jesus introduced this sermon by reading from the law as found in Deuteronomy: “But it shall come to pass, if this people will not hearken to the voice of God, that the curses of transgression shall surely overtake them. The Lord shall cause you to be smitten by your enemies; you shall be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. And the Lord shall bring you and the king you have set up over you into the hands of a strange nation. You shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations. Your sons and your daughters shall go into captivity. The strangers among you shall rise high in authority while you are brought very low. And these things shall be upon you and your seed forever because you would not hearken to the word of the Lord. Therefore shall you serve your enemies who shall come against you. You shall endure hunger and thirst and wear this alien yoke of iron. The Lord shall bring against you a nation from afar, from the end of the earth, a nation whose tongue you shall not understand, a nation of fierce countenance, a nation which will have little regard for you. And they shall besiege you in all your towns until the high fortified walls wherein you have trusted come down; and all the land shall fall into their hands. And it shall come to pass that you will be driven to eat the fruit of your own bodies, the flesh of your sons and daughters, during this time of siege, because of the straitness wherewith your enemies shall press you.”
153:2.2 (1709.3) Og da Jesus havde fuldendt denne læsning, overgik han til profeterne og læste fra Jeremias: ”Hvis du ikke ønsker at høre, hvad der blev sagt af mine tjenere profeterne, som jeg har sendt dig, så vil jeg gøre med dette hus som med Silo, og jeg vil gøre denne by til en forbandelse for alle jordens nationer." Og præsterne og lærerne hørte Jeremia tale disse ord i Herrens hus. Og da Jeremias var færdig med at sige alt hvad Herren havde befalet ham at sige til alle mennesker, arresterede præsterne og lærerne ham og sagde: "Du skal visselig dø." Og alle mennesker samledes omkring Jeremias i Herrens hus. Og da Judas fyrster hørte dette, satte de sig til doms over Jeremias. Derefter talte præsterne og lærerne til fyrsterne og til alle mennesker og sagde: "Denne mand fortjener døden, fordi han har profeteret mod vores by, som du har hørt med dine egne ører." Så talte Jeremia til alle fyrsterne og alt folket og sagde: "Det er Herren, som har sendt mig til at profetere mod dette hus og denne by alle de ord du har hørt. Så derfor ændre nu dine veje og reformer jeres gerninger, og lyt til Herren din Guds stemme, så du kan undgå det onde, der er blevet udtalt imod dig. Og hvad mig angår, se, jeg er i dine hænder. Gør med mig, hvad du synes godt og ret. Men du kan vide, at hvis du dræber mig, bringer du uskyldigt blod over jer selv og over dette folk. For i sandhed er det Herren, som har sendt mig for at sige alt dette til dine ører."		153:2.2 (1709.3) And when Jesus had finished this reading, he turned to the Prophets and read from Jeremiah: “‘If you will not hearken to the words of my servants the prophets whom I have sent you, then will I make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.’ And the priests and the teachers heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. And it came to pass that, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and teachers laid hold of him, saying, ‘You shall surely die.’ And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. And when the princes of Judah heard these things, they sat in judgment on Jeremiah. Then spoke the priests and the teachers to the princes and to all the people, saying: ‘This man is worthy to die, for he has prophesied against our city, and you have heard him with your own ears.’ Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people: ‘The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words which you have heard. Now, therefore, amend your ways and reform your doings and obey the voice of the Lord your God that you may escape the evil which has been pronounced against you. As for me, behold I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right in your eyes. But know you for certain that, if you put me to death, you shall bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this people, for of a truth the Lord has sent me to speak all these words in your ears.’
153:2.3 (1710.1) "Den tids præster og lærere forsøgte at dræbe Jeremia, men dommerne ville ikke samtykke, men for hans advarende ords skyld, sænkede de ham ned med reb i et grimt fangehul, hvor han sank ned i mudderet op til armhulerne. Det er hvad dette folk gjorde til profeten Jeremia, da han adlød Herrens befaling til at advare sine brødre i deres forestående politiske undergang. I dag, vil jeg gerne spørge dig: Hvad vil dette folks ypperstepræsterne og religiøse ledere gøre med den mand, der vover at advare dem om deres kommende åndelige ødelæggelse? Vil du også prøve at dræbe den lærer, der vover at forkynde Herrens ord og som ikke er bange for at pege på, hvor det er, du nægter at gå langs lysets sti, som fører til himmelrigets port?		153:2.3 (1710.1) “The priests and teachers of that day sought to kill Jeremiah, but the judges would not consent, albeit, for his words of warning, they did let him down by cords in a filthy dungeon until he sank in mire up to his armpits. That is what this people did to the Prophet Jeremiah when he obeyed the Lord’s command to warn his brethren of their impending political downfall. Today, I desire to ask you: What will the chief priests and religious leaders of this people do with the man who dares to warn them of the day of their spiritual doom? Will you also seek to put to death the teacher who dares to proclaim the word of the Lord, and who fears not to point out wherein you refuse to walk in the way of light which leads to the entrance to the kingdom of heaven?
153:2.4 (1710.2) "Hvad er det, du søger som bevis for min mission på jorden? Vi har ladt dig forblive uforstyrret i dine holdninger af indflydelse og magt, mens vi prædikede den gode nyhed til de fattige og udstødte. Vi har ikke gjort nogen fjendtlige angreb mod det, som du holder i ære, men snarere proklamerede ny frihed for menneskets frygtplaget sjæl. Jeg er kommet til verden for at åbenbare min Fader og for at etablere på jorden det åndelige broderskab af Guds sønner, himmelriget. Og selvom jeg mange gange har mindet jer om, at mit rige ikke af denne verden, har min Fader dog givet dig mange manifestationer af materielle vidundere ud over flere beviselige stærke spirituelle forvandlinger og fornyelser.		153:2.4 (1710.2) “What is it you seek as evidence of my mission on earth? We have left you undisturbed in your positions of influence and power while we preached glad tidings to the poor and the outcast. We have made no hostile attack upon that which you hold in reverence but have rather proclaimed new liberty for man’s fear-ridden soul. I came into the world to reveal my Father and to establish on earth the spiritual brotherhood of the sons of God, the kingdom of heaven. And notwithstanding that I have so many times reminded you that my kingdom is not of this world, still has my Father granted you many manifestations of material wonders in addition to more evidential spiritual transformations and regenerations.
153:2.5 (1710.3) "Hvad er det nye tegn, du søger fra mig? Jeg fortæller dig, at du allerede har nok beviser til at træffe din beslutning. Sandelig, sandelig, siger jeg til mange, der sidder foran mig i dag, at du står overfor nødvendigheden for at vælge, hvilken vej du vil gå; og jeg siger til jer, som Josva sagde til jeres forfædre: "Vælg i dag, hvem I vil tjene." Mange af jer står i dag ved skillevejen.		153:2.5 (1710.3) “What new sign is it that you seek at my hands? I declare that you already have sufficient evidence to enable you to make your decision. Verily, verily, I say to many who sit before me this day, you are confronted with the necessity of choosing which way you will go; and I say to you, as Joshua said to your forefathers, ‘choose you this day whom you will serve.’ Today, many of you stand at the parting of the ways.
153:2.6 (1710.4) "Nogle af jer, kunne ikke finde mig efter festmåltidet af menneskemængde på den anden side af søen, så i lejede en del af Tiberias fiskerflåde, som en uge tidligere havde søgt tilflugt i nærheden under en storm, for at lede efter mig, og hvorfor? Ikke for sandhed og retfærdighed, eller at du bedre kunne lære at forstå dine medmennesker og tjene dem! Nej, men for at du kunne få mere brød du ikke havde arbejdet for. I vil ikke fylde jeres sjæle med livets ord, men kun maven med bekvemmelighedens brød. Og længe har i lært, at når Messias kommer, vil han gøre de mirakler, der gør livet behageligt og nemt for alle de udvalgte folk. Det er derfor ikke mærkeligt, at I, som er blevet således undervist længes efter brød og fisk. Men jeg siger jer, at dette ikke er Menneskesønnens mission. Jeg er kommet for at forkynde åndelig frihed, undervise evig sandhed, og fremme levende tro.		153:2.6 (1710.4) “Some of you, when you could not find me after the feasting of the multitude on the other side, hired the Tiberias fishing fleet, which a week before had taken shelter near by during a storm, to go in pursuit of me, and what for? Not for truth and righteousness or that you might the better know how to serve and minister to your fellow men! No, but rather that you might have more bread for which you had not labored. It was not to fill your souls with the word of life, but only that you might fill the belly with the bread of ease. And long have you been taught that the Messiah, when he should come, would work those wonders which would make life pleasant and easy for all the chosen people. It is not strange, then, that you who have been thus taught should long for the loaves and the fishes. But I declare to you that such is not the mission of the Son of Man. I have come to proclaim spiritual liberty, teach eternal truth, and foster living faith.
153:2.7 (1710.5) "Mine brødre, længes ikke efter den føde, som er forgængelig, men søg snarere efter den åndelige føde, der nærer selv til det evigt liv; og dette er livets brød, som Sønnen giver til alle, som vil modtage det og spise det, for Faderen har givet Sønnen dette liv i overflod. Og når du spurgte mig, "Hvad skal vi gøre for at opnå Guds gerninger?" sagde jeg, rent ud til dig: "Dette er Guds værk, at I tro på den, som han har sendt.'"		153:2.7 (1710.5) “My brethren, hanker not after the meat which perishes but rather seek for the spiritual food that nourishes even to eternal life; and this is the bread of life which the Son gives to all who will take it and eat, for the Father has given the Son this life without measure. And when you asked me, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ I plainly told you: ‘This is the work of God, that you believe him whom he has sent.’”
153:2.8 (1710.6) Så sagde Jesus, mens han pegede op på et billede af en gryde med manna, der dekorerede overliggeren af døren af denne nye synagoge, og som var prydet med drueklaser: "I har troet, at jeres forfædre i ørkenen spiste manna - himmelsk brød - men jeg fortæller jer at det var jordiske brød. Selvom Moses ikke gav jeres fædre brød fra himlen, min Fader står nu klar til at give dig livets sande brød. Det himmelske brød er det brød, som kommer ned fra Gud og giver evigt liv til mennesker i verden. Og når du siger til mig: Giv os dette levende brød, svarer jeg: Jeg er dette livets brød. Han, som kommer til mig, skal ikke sulte, og den, der tror på mig, skal aldrig tørste. Du har set mig, levet med mig og set mine gerninger, men du tror ikke, at jeg kom fra Faderen. Men til dem, der virkelig tror, siger jeg - frygt ikke. Alle dem som er ført af Faderen skal komme til mig, og den, der kommer til mig, vil på ingen måde vises bort.		153:2.8 (1710.6) And then said Jesus, pointing up to the device of a pot of manna which decorated the lintel of this new synagogue, and which was embellished with grape clusters: “You have thought that your forefathers in the wilderness ate manna—the bread of heaven—but I say to you that this was the bread of earth. While Moses did not give your fathers bread from heaven, my Father now stands ready to give you the true bread of life. The bread of heaven is that which comes down from God and gives eternal life to the men of the world. And when you say to me, Give us this living bread, I will answer: I am this bread of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, while he who believes me shall never thirst. You have seen me, lived with me, and beheld my works, yet you believe not that I came forth from the Father. But to those who do believe—fear not. All those led of the Father shall come to me, and he who comes to me shall in nowise be cast out.
153:2.9 (1711.1) "Og lad mig fortælle dig en gang for alle, at jeg er kommet ned på jorden, ikke for at gøre min egen vilje, men for at gøre viljen af Ham, som sendte mig. Og dette er den endelige vilje af Ham, som sendte mig: at jeg ikke skal miste noget af alt det, han har givet mig. Thi dette er min Faders vilje: alle, der ser Sønnen og tror på ham, skal have evigt liv. Så sent som i går bespiste jeg jer med brød til jeres kroppe; I dag tilbyder jeg jer livets brød til jeres sultne sjæle. Vil du nu tage imod åndens brød lige så villige som du spiste af denne verden brød? "		153:2.9 (1711.1) “And now let me declare to you, once and for all time, that I have come down upon the earth, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. And this is the final will of Him who sent me, that of all those he has given me I should not lose one. And this is the will of the Father: That every one who beholds the Son and who believes him shall have eternal life. Only yesterday did I feed you with bread for your bodies; today I offer you the bread of life for your hungry souls. Will you now take the bread of the spirit as you then so willingly ate the bread of this world?”
153:2.10 (1711.2) Da Jesus holdt en kort pause for at kigge ud over forsamlingen rejste en af lærerne fra Jerusalem (medlem af Sanhedrin) sig op og sagde: "Skal jeg forstå, at du siger, du er det brød, som kommer ned fra himlen, og at den manna Moses gav vore fædre i ørkenen ikke gjorde det?" Jesus svarede farisæeren, "Du forstod korrekt." Så sagde farisæeren: "Men er du ikke Jesus af Nazaret, tømreren Josefs søn? Er ikke din far og mor og dine brødre og søstre velkendt for mange af os? Hvordan er det så at du fremtræder her i Guds hus og erklærer, at du er kommet ned fra himlen?"		153:2.10 (1711.2) As Jesus paused for a moment to look over the congregation, one of the teachers from Jerusalem (a member of the Sanhedrin) rose up and asked: “Do I understand you to say that you are the bread which comes down from heaven, and that the manna which Moses gave to our fathers in the wilderness did not?” And Jesus answered the Pharisee, “You understood aright.” Then said the Pharisee: “But are you not Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, the carpenter? Are not your father and mother, as well as your brothers and sisters, well known to many of us? How then is it that you appear here in God’s house and declare that you have come down from heaven?”
153:2.11 (1711.3) På dette tidspunkt var der meget mumlende i synagogen, og det truede med at blive sådan en larm, at Jesus stod op og sagde: "Lad os være tålmodig; sandheden lider aldrig af en ærlig undersøgelse. Jeg er alt, hvad du siger, men mere end det. Faderen og jeg er ét. Sønnen gør kun det, som Faderen lærer ham, mens alle dem der er giver til Sønnen af Faderen, vil Sønnen modtage til sig selv. Du har læst fra profeterne, hvor der står skrevet: "Gud vil undervise jer alle", og at "de som Faderen underviser, skal også høre hans Søn." Alle, der modtager undervisning fra Faderens iboende ånd i sit indre vil i sidste ende komme til mig. Ikke at nogen mennesker har set Faderen, men Faderens ånd lever i mennesket. Og Sønnen, der kom ned fra himlen, han har garanteret set Faderen. Og dem, der virkelig tror på denne Søn har allerede evigt liv.		153:2.11 (1711.3) By this time there was much murmuring in the synagogue, and such a tumult was threatened that Jesus stood up and said: “Let us be patient; the truth never suffers from honest examination. I am all that you say but more. The Father and I are one; the Son does only that which the Father teaches him, while all those who are given to the Son by the Father, the Son will receive to himself. You have read where it is written in the Prophets, ‘You shall all be taught by God,’ and that ‘Those whom the Father teaches will hear also his Son.’ Every one who yields to the teaching of the Father’s indwelling spirit will eventually come to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, but the Father’s spirit does live within man. And the Son who came down from heaven, he has surely seen the Father. And those who truly believe this Son already have eternal life.
153:2.12 (1711.4) "Jeg er livets brød. Jeres fædre spiste manna i ørkenen, og er døde. Men hvis mennesket spiser af det brød, som kommer ned fra Gud, skal det aldrig dø i ånden. Jeg gentager, at jeg er det levende brød, og enhver sjæl, som opnår indsigten af denne forenede Guds natur og menneske skal leve evigt. Og dette livets brød, som jeg giver til alle, der modtager det, er min egen levende og kombineret natur. Faderen i Sønnen og Sønnen ét med Faderen - det er mit livgivende åbenbaring til verden og min frelsende gave til alle mennesker."		153:2.12 (1711.4) “I am this bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and are dead. But this bread which comes down from God, if a man eats thereof, he shall never die in spirit. I repeat, I am this living bread, and every soul who attains the realization of this united nature of God and man shall live forever. And this bread of life which I give to all who will receive is my own living and combined nature. The Father in the Son and the Son one with the Father—that is my life-giving revelation to the world and my saving gift to all nations.”
153:2.13 (1711.5) Da Jesus var færdig med at tale, bad synagogens forstander forsamlingen om at forlade stedet, men menneskerne, ønskede ikke at tage af sted. De pressede sig frem omkring Jesus for at stille flere spørgsmål, mens andre mumlede og skændtes indbyrdes. Situationen fortsatte for mere end tre timer. Klokken var langt over syv, før publikum endelig spredte sig.		153:2.13 (1711.5) When Jesus had finished speaking, the ruler of the synagogue dismissed the congregation, but they would not depart. They crowded up around Jesus to ask more questions while others murmured and disputed among themselves. And this state of affairs continued for more than three hours. It was well past seven o’clock before the audience finally dispersed.
3. Mødet bagefter ^top		3. The After Meeting ^top
153:3.1 (1712.1) Mange var de spørgsmål som blev stillet til Jesus på dette møde bagefter. Nogle blev stillet af hans forvirrede disciple, men endnu flere blev stillet af kværulerende ikke-troende, som kun forsøgte at gøre ham flov og fange ham.		153:3.1 (1712.1) Many were the questions asked Jesus during this after meeting. Some were asked by his perplexed disciples, but more were asked by caviling unbelievers who sought only to embarrass and entrap him.
153:3.2 (1712.2) En af de besøgende farisæere klatrede op på en lampeholder og råbte sit spørgsmål: "Du fortæller os, at du er livets brød. Hvordan kan du give os dit kød at spise eller dit blod at drikke? Hvad tjener din undervisning, hvis den ikke kan anvendes?" Jesus besvarede spørgsmålet ved at sige: "Jeg har ikke lært dig at mit kød er livets brød, eller at mit blod er livets vand. Men jeg har helt sikkert sagt, at mit liv i den kødelige krop er en offentliggørelse af det himmelske brød. Det faktum, at Guds ord er blevet udgivet i kødet og fænomenet med Menneskesønnen underlagt Guds vilje udgør en virkelig oplevelse, som svarer til den guddommelige næring. Du kan ikke spise mit kød og drikke mit blod, men du kan i ånden blive ét med mig, da jeg i ånd er ét med Faderen. Du kan blive næret af den evige Guds ord, som faktisk er livets brød, og som er udgivet i lighed med dødeligt kød; og du kan vandes i sjælen af den guddommelige ånd, som virkelig er livets vand. Faderen sendte mig til verden for at vise, hvordan han ønsker at bo i alle mennesker og lede dem; og jeg har så levet dette legemlige liv, der ville inspirerer alle mennesker som desuden hele tiden søger at vide og gøre, hvad der er den himmelske Faders vilje i deres sind."		153:3.2 (1712.2) One of the visiting Pharisees, mounting a lampstand, shouted out this question: “You tell us that you are the bread of life. How can you give us your flesh to eat or your blood to drink? What avail is your teaching if it cannot be carried out?” And Jesus answered this question, saying: “I did not teach you that my flesh is the bread of life nor that my blood is the water thereof. But I did say that my life in the flesh is a bestowal of the bread of heaven. The fact of the Word of God bestowed in the flesh and the phenomenon of the Son of Man subject to the will of God, constitute a reality of experience which is equivalent to the divine sustenance. You cannot eat my flesh nor can you drink my blood, but you can become one in spirit with me even as I am one in spirit with the Father. You can be nourished by the eternal word of God, which is indeed the bread of life, and which has been bestowed in the likeness of mortal flesh; and you can be watered in soul by the divine spirit, which is truly the water of life. The Father has sent me into the world to show how he desires to indwell and direct all men; and I have so lived this life in the flesh as to inspire all men likewise ever to seek to know and do the will of the indwelling heavenly Father.”
153:3.3 (1712.3) Da sagde en af spionerne fra Jerusalem, som havde observeret Jesus og hans apostle: "Vi observerer, at hverken du eller dine apostle vasker jeres hænder ordentligt, før i spiser brød. Du er naturligvis klar over, at en sådan praksis som at spise med besmittet og uvaskede hænder er en krænkelse af de ældstes lov. I vasker heller ikke ordentligt jeres kopper og køkkengrej. Hvordan er det, at du viser sådan en mangel på respekt for fædrenes traditioner og de ældstes love?" Og da Jesus havde hørt ham tale, svarede han: "Hvordan er det, at du bryder Guds bud ved dine traditions love? Buddet lyder: "Ær din fader og din moder," og det betyder, at du om nødvendigt må dele af din velfærd med dem; men du vedtager en traditionslov, som tillader pligtforsømmende børn at sige, at de penge, som forældrene kunne have været hjulpet med er "givet til Gud." De ældstes lov fritager således sådanne snedige børn for deres ansvar, selv om børnene efterfølgende bruger alle disse penge for deres egen velbefindende. Hvordan er det, at I dermed ugyldiggør buddet med jeres egne traditioner? Rettelig profeterede Esajas om jer hyklere, da han sagde: "Dette folk ærer mig med læberne, men deres hjerte er langt borte fra mig. Forgæves, dyrker de mig, da deres lære består af lærde regler udtænkt af folk."		153:3.3 (1712.3) Then one of the Jerusalem spies who had been observing Jesus and his apostles, said: “We notice that neither you nor your apostles wash your hands properly before you eat bread. You must well know that such a practice as eating with defiled and unwashed hands is a transgression of the law of the elders. Neither do you properly wash your drinking cups and eating vessels. Why is it that you show such disrespect for the traditions of the fathers and the laws of our elders?” And when Jesus heard him speak, he answered: “Why is it that you transgress the commandments of God by the laws of your tradition? The commandment says, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and directs that you share with them your substance if necessary; but you enact a law of tradition which permits undutiful children to say that the money wherewith the parents might have been assisted has been ‘given to God.’ The law of the elders thus relieves such crafty children of their responsibility, notwithstanding that the children subsequently use all such monies for their own comfort. Why is it that you in this way make void the commandment by your own tradition? Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, saying: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.’
153:3.4 (1712.4) "Du kan se, hvordan det er, at du opgiver buddet, mens du holder fast i menneskers traditioner. Helt igennem villig er du til at afvise Guds ord, mens du vedligeholder dine egne traditioner. Og på mange andre måder opretter I jeres egen lære over loven og profeterne."		153:3.4 (1712.4) “You can see how it is that you desert the commandment while you hold fast to the tradition of men. Altogether willing are you to reject the word of God while you maintain your own traditions. And in many other ways do you dare to set up your own teachings above the law and the prophets.”
153:3.5 (1712.5) Jesus rettede derefter sine ord til alle tilstedeværende. Han sagde: "Men lyt i alle til mig. Det er ikke hvad der kommer ind i munden, der gør mennesker åndeligt urene, men det, som kommer ud af munden, og fra hjertet. "Men selv apostlene kunne ikke fuldt ud forstå betydningen af hans ord, for Simon Peter spurgte ham: "Vil du forklare os betydningen af disse ord, så ingen del af dit publikum unødigt føler sig såret?" Og så sagde Jesus til Peter: "Har du også svært ved at forstå? Ved du ikke, at enhver plante, der ikke er plantet af min himmelske Fader vil blive rykket op med rode? Vend nu din opmærksomhed til dem, der ønsker at kende sandheden. Man kan ikke tvinge folk til at elske sandheden. Mange af disse lærere er blinde vejledere. Og du ved, at når en blind leder en blind, falder de begge i graven. Men lyt når jeg fortæller dig sandheden om, hvad der moralsk besmitter og åndeligt forurener menneskerne. Jeg fortæller dig, at det ikke er det, der kommer ind i kroppen gennem munden eller får adgang til sindet gennem øjne og ører, der gør mennesket urent. Mennesket forurenes kun af det onde, der kan opstå i sit hjerte, og som kommer til udtryk i ord og gerninger hos sådanne uhellig personer. Ved du ikke, at det er fra hjertet, at der kommer onde tanker, forbryderiske planer om mord, tyveri og ægteskabsbrud og jalousi, stolthed, vrede, hævn, fornærmelser og falsk vidnesbyrd? Og det er netop sådanne ting, der forurener mennesker, og ikke, at de spiser brød med ceremonielt urene hænder."		153:3.5 (1712.5) Jesus then directed his remarks to all present. He said: “But hearken to me, all of you. It is not that which enters into the mouth that spiritually defiles the man, but rather that which proceeds out of the mouth and from the heart.” But even the apostles failed fully to grasp the meaning of his words, for Simon Peter also asked him: “Lest some of your hearers be unnecessarily offended, would you explain to us the meaning of these words?” And then said Jesus to Peter: “Are you also hard of understanding? Know you not that every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up? Turn now your attention to those who would know the truth. You cannot compel men to love the truth. Many of these teachers are blind guides. And you know that, if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the pit. But hearken while I tell you the truth concerning those things which morally defile and spiritually contaminate men. I declare it is not that which enters the body by the mouth or gains access to the mind through the eyes and ears, that defiles the man. Man is only defiled by that evil which may originate within the heart, and which finds expression in the words and deeds of such unholy persons. Do you not know it is from the heart that there come forth evil thoughts, wicked projects of murder, theft, and adulteries, together with jealousy, pride, anger, revenge, railings, and false witness? And it is just such things that defile men, and not that they eat bread with ceremonially unclean hands.”
153:3.6 (1713.1) De farisæiske kommissærer fra jødernes råd i Jerusalem var nu næsten overbevist om, at Jesus skulle pågribes på en anklage for blasfemi eller for at have vist foragt for jødernes hellige lov; derfor forsøgte de på at få ham til at diskutere og muligvis angribe nogle af de ældste traditioner, de såkaldte nationens mundtlige love. Uanset hvor knap vandet kunne være, undlod disse traditionelle slavebundne jøder aldrig at udføre den nødvendige ceremonielle håndvask før hvert måltid. De mente, at "det er bedre at dø end at overtræde de ældste befalinger." Spionerne stillede dette spørgsmål, fordi det var blevet rapporteret, at Jesus havde sagt: "Frelsen er et spørgsmål om rene hjerter i stedet for rene hænder." Men sådanne overbevisninger, når de bliver en del af ens religion, er svære at slippe af med. Selv mange år efter denne dag var apostlen Peter bundet af frygtens lænker til mange af disse traditioner om, hvad var rent og urent, og blev til sidst frigjort efter at have haft en usædvanlig og levende drøm. Alt dette kan bedre forstås, når man husker, at disse jøder betragtede spisning med uvaskede hænder på samme måde som at besøge en prostitueret, og begge blev straffet på samme måde, med udelukkelse fra samfundet.		153:3.6 (1713.1) The Pharisaic commissioners of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin were now almost convinced that Jesus must be apprehended on a charge of blasphemy or on one of flouting the sacred law of the Jews; wherefore their efforts to involve him in the discussion of, and possible attack upon, some of the traditions of the elders, or so-called oral laws of the nation. No matter how scarce water might be, these traditionally enslaved Jews would never fail to go through with the required ceremonial washing of the hands before every meal. It was their belief that “it is better to die than to transgress the commandments of the elders.” The spies asked this question because it had been reported that Jesus had said, “Salvation is a matter of clean hearts rather than of clean hands.” But such beliefs, when they once become a part of one’s religion, are hard to get away from. Even many years after this day the Apostle Peter was still held in the bondage of fear to many of these traditions about things clean and unclean, only being finally delivered by experiencing an extraordinary and vivid dream. All of this can the better be understood when it is recalled that these Jews looked upon eating with unwashed hands in the same light as commerce with a harlot, and both were equally punishable by excommunication.
153:3.7 (1713.2) På denne måde valgte Jesus at diskutere og eksponere idioti, i hele det rabbinske system af regler og bestemmelser, som er repræsenteret ved den mundtlige lov - de ældste traditioner, som alle blev anset for mere hellige og mere bindende for jøderne end selv skrifternes lære. Jesus udtalte sig nu med mindre reservation, fordi han vidste, at tiden var kommet, da han ikke længere kunne gøre noget for at forhindre et åbent brud med de religiøse ledere.		153:3.7 (1713.2) Thus did the Master elect to discuss and expose the folly of the whole rabbinic system of rules and regulations which was represented by the oral law—the traditions of the elders, all of which were regarded as more sacred and more binding upon the Jews than even the teachings of the Scriptures. And Jesus spoke out with less reserve because he knew the hour had come when he could do nothing more to prevent an open rupture of relations with these religious leaders.
4. De sidste ord i synagogen ^top		4. Last Words in the Synagogue ^top
153:4.1 (1713.3) Midt i drøftelserne på dette møde efter gudstjenesten kom en af farisæerne fra Jerusalem til Jesus med en forvirret unge, der var besat af en voldsom og oprørsk ånd. Han førte denne demente unge mand hen til Jesus og sagde: "Hvad kan du gøre ved en lidelse som denne? ? Kan du uddrive djævle?" Og da Mesteren så på den unge, blev han bevæget af medlidenhed, vinkede drengen hen til sig, tog ham i hånden og sagde: "Du ved, hvem jeg er; kom ud fra ham; og jeg oplader en af dine trofaste følgesvende til at se, at du ikke vende tilbage." Straks blev drengen normal igen, og ved fuld forståelse. Dette er den første sag, hvor Jesus virkelig uddrev en "ond ånd" fra et menneske. I alle de tidligere tilfælde havde man kun formodet, at personen var besat af djævelen, men dette var et ægte tilfælde af dæmonisk besiddelse; sådan som det undertiden skete på det tidspunkt og indtil den første pinsedag, da Mesterens ånd blev udgydt over alt kød, hvilket gjorde det for evigt umuligt for disse få himmelske oprørere på denne måde at drage fordel af visse ustabile mennesketyper.		153:4.1 (1713.3) In the midst of the discussions of this after meeting, one of the Pharisees from Jerusalem brought to Jesus a distraught youth who was possessed of an unruly and rebellious spirit. Leading this demented lad up to Jesus, he said: “What can you do for such affliction as this? Can you cast out devils?” And when the Master looked upon the youth, he was moved with compassion and, beckoning for the lad to come to him, took him by the hand and said: “You know who I am; come out of him; and I charge one of your loyal fellows to see that you do not return.” And immediately the lad was normal and in his right mind. And this is the first case where Jesus really cast an “evil spirit” out of a human being. All of the previous cases were only supposed possession of the devil; but this was a genuine case of demoniac possession, even such as sometimes occurred in those days and right up to the day of Pentecost, when the Master’s spirit was poured out upon all flesh, making it forever impossible for these few celestial rebels to take such advantage of certain unstable types of human beings.
153:4.2 (1714.1) Mens folket forundrede sig trådte en af farisæerne frem og hævdede, at Jesus kun kunne gøre dette, fordi han var i ledtog med djævle, at Jesus med de ord, han brugte, da han drev djævelen ud havde indrømmet, at de kendte hinanden. Han fortsatte med at sige, at de religiøse lærere og ledere i Jerusalem havde besluttet, at Jesus gjorde alle hans såkaldte mirakler med Belsebubs, djævle prinsens, kraft. Farisæeren sagde: "Hav intet at gøre med denne mand; han er i ledtog med Satan."		153:4.2 (1714.1) When the people marveled, one of the Pharisees stood up and charged that Jesus could do these things because he was in league with devils; that he admitted in the language which he employed in casting out this devil that they were known to each other; and he went on to state that the religious teachers and leaders at Jerusalem had decided that Jesus did all his so-called miracles by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Said the Pharisee: “Have nothing to do with this man; he is in partnership with Satan.”
153:4.3 (1714.2) Så sagde Jesus: "Hvordan kan Satan uddrive Satan? Et rige i splid med sig selv, kan ikke bestå; hvis en husstand er splittet i sig selv, står huset snart øde. Kan en by modstå en belejring, hvis den ikke er forenet? Hvis Satan uddriver Satan, kæmper han mod sig selv. Hvordan vil hans rige da kunne bestå? Men du skal vide, at ingen kan gå ind i huset hos en stærk mand og plyndre hvad han ejer, medmindre han først overmandes og bindes. Og således, hvis jeg ved Belsebubs kraft uddriver djævle, med hjælp fra hvem driver jeres sønner dem så ud? Derfor skal de være jeres dommere. Men hvis det er med Guds Ånd, at jeg uddriver dæmoner, så har Guds rige virkelig nået jer. Hvis du ikke var forblændet af fordomme og vildledt af frygt og stolthed, ville du med lethed kunne forstå, at en, der er større end djævle står i jeres midte. Du tvinger mig til at erklære, at den som ikke er med mig, er imod mig, og at den, der ikke samler med mig, spreder. Lad mig udtrykke en advarsel til dem, der vover, at med åbne øjne og overlagt ondskab at tilskrive Guds arbejde til djævlens gerninger! Sandelig, sandelig, siger jeg jer, alle jeres synder får du tilgivet, selv alle dine bespottelser, men den, der overlagt og med onde hensigter bespotter Gud vil aldrig blive tilgivet. Da sådanne hårdnakkede udådsmænd aldrig vil søge eller modtage tilgivelse, er de skyldige i den synd, at de for evigt afviser guddommelig tilgivelse.		153:4.3 (1714.2) Then said Jesus: “How can Satan cast out Satan? A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand; if a house be divided against itself, it is soon brought to desolation. Can a city withstand a siege if it is not united? If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? But you should know that no one can enter into the house of a strong man and despoil his goods except he first overpower and bind that strong man. And so, if I by the power of Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore shall they be your judges. But if I, by the spirit of God, cast out devils, then has the kingdom of God truly come upon you. If you were not blinded by prejudice and misled by fear and pride, you would easily perceive that one who is greater than devils stands in your midst. You compel me to declare that he who is not with me is against me, while he who gathers not with me scatters abroad. Let me utter a solemn warning to you who would presume, with your eyes open and with premeditated malice, knowingly to ascribe the works of God to the doings of devils! Verily, verily, I say to you, all your sins shall be forgiven, even all of your blasphemies, but whosoever shall blaspheme against God with deliberation and wicked intention shall never obtain forgiveness. Since such persistent workers of iniquity will never seek nor receive forgiveness, they are guilty of the sin of eternally rejecting divine forgiveness.
153:4.4 (1714.3) "Mange af jer er nu kommet til en korsvej; kommet til det punkt, hvor du er nødt til at begynde at gøre det uundgåelige valg mellem Faderens vilje, og jeres selvvalgte mørke veje. Og som du nu vælger, sådan vil du blive i sidste ende. Du må enten gøre træet godt og dets frugter gode, eller træet vil bliver ubrugeligt og dets frugt uduelig. Jeg siger jer, at i min Faders evige rige kendes træet på frugten. Men nogle af jer, der er som hugorme, hvordan kan I, som allerede har valgt det onde frembringe gode frugter? For det onde, som jeres hjerter er fulde af, det udtaler jeres munde."		153:4.4 (1714.3) “Many of you have this day come to the parting of the ways; you have come to a beginning of the making of the inevitable choice between the will of the Father and the self-chosen ways of darkness. And as you now choose, so shall you eventually be. You must either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else will the tree become corrupt and its fruit corrupt. I declare that in my Father’s eternal kingdom the tree is known by its fruits. But some of you who are as vipers, how can you, having already chosen evil, bring forth good fruits? After all, out of the abundance of the evil in your hearts your mouths speak.”
153:4.5 (1714.4) Så rejste endnu en farisæer sig, som sagde: "Mester, vi vil have dig til at gøre en forudbestemt tegn, som vi er enige om som etablerer din myndighed og ret til at undervise. Går du med til et sådant arrangement?" Da Jesus hørte det, sagde han: "Denne troløse og tegnsøgende generation kræver et bevis, men du vil ikke få noget anden tegn end hvad du allerede har, og hvad du vil se, når Menneskesønnen går væk fra dig."		153:4.5 (1714.4) Then stood up another Pharisee, who said: “Teacher, we would have you give us a predetermined sign which we will agree upon as establishing your authority and right to teach. Will you agree to such an arrangement?” And when Jesus heard this, he said: “This faithless and sign-seeking generation seeks a token, but no sign shall be given you other than that which you already have, and that which you shall see when the Son of Man departs from among you.”
153:4.6 (1714.5) Da han var færdig med at tale, samledes apostlene omkring ham og førte ham bort fra synagogen. I stilhed gik de hjem med ham til Betsaida. De var alle overrasket og noget foruroliget over den pludselige ændring i Mesterens undervisning taktik. De var helt uvant over at se ham optræde på sådan en militant måde.		153:4.6 (1714.5) And when he had finished speaking, his apostles surrounded him and led him from the synagogue. In silence they journeyed home with him to Bethsaida. They were all amazed and somewhat terror-stricken by the sudden change in the Master’s teaching tactics. They were wholly unaccustomed to seeing him perform in such a militant manner.
5. Lørdag aften ^top		5. The Saturday Evening ^top
153:5.1 (1715.1) Igen og igen havde Jesus tilintetgjort forhåbningerne hos sine apostle, gentagne gange havde han knust deres mest skattede forventninger, men ingen tid af skuffelse eller periode af sorg havde nogensinde været så alvorlig som den som nu kom over dem. Desuden blandede der sig nu med deres modløshed en reel frygt for deres sikkerhed. De var alle overraskende forskrækket over, hvor pludseligt og fuldstændigt folket havde forladt dem. De var også noget bange og flove på grund af den uventede dristighed og beslutsomhed som farisæerne fra Jerusalem udviste. Men mest af alt, var de forundret, over at Jesus pludselig havde ændrede taktik. Under normale omstændigheder ville de have bifaldet fremkomsten af denne mere militante holdning, men da den nu kom samtidig med så meget uventet, blev de skræmt af den.		153:5.1 (1715.1) Time and again had Jesus dashed to pieces the hopes of his apostles, repeatedly had he crushed their fondest expectations, but no time of disappointment or season of sorrow had ever equaled that which now overtook them. And, too, there was now admixed with their depression a real fear for their safety. They were all surprisingly startled by the suddenness and completeness of the desertion of the populace. They were also somewhat frightened and disconcerted by the unexpected boldness and assertive determination exhibited by the Pharisees who had come down from Jerusalem. But most of all they were bewildered by Jesus’ sudden change of tactics. Under ordinary circumstances they would have welcomed the appearance of this more militant attitude, but coming as it did, along with so much that was unexpected, it startled them.
153:5.2 (1715.2) Og nu, oven i alle disse bekymringer, nægtede Jesus nu også at spise, da de kom hjem. For timer forblev han isoleret i et af værelserne på øverste etage. Nær midnat vendte Joab tilbage, lederen af evangelisterne, og meddelte, at omkring en tredjedel af hans medarbejdere havde deserteret dem. Under hele aftenen havde loyale disciple kommet og gået, rapporteret at følelser af afsky i Kapernaum havde vendt sig mod Mesteren. Lederne fra Jerusalem var ikke sene til at forstærke denne følelse af utilfredshed, og på alle mulige måder forsøge at fremme en afvisning af Jesus og hans lære. Under disse svære timer samledes de tolv kvinder til møde i Peters hus. De var uhyre ked af det, men ingen af dem deserterede.		153:5.2 (1715.2) And now, on top of all of these worries, when they reached home, Jesus refused to eat. For hours he isolated himself in one of the upper rooms. It was almost midnight when Joab, the leader of the evangelists, returned and reported that about one third of his associates had deserted the cause. All through the evening loyal disciples had come and gone, reporting that the revulsion of feeling toward the Master was general in Capernaum. The leaders from Jerusalem were not slow to feed this feeling of disaffection and in every way possible to seek to promote the movement away from Jesus and his teachings. During these trying hours the twelve women were in session over at Peter’s house. They were tremendously upset, but none of them deserted.
153:5.3 (1715.3) Lidt efter midnat kom Jesus ned fra kammeret ovenpå og stod blandt de tolv og deres medarbejdere, omkring tredive i alt. Han sagde: "Jeg kan se, at denne sigtning af riget, bekymre jer, men det er uundgåeligt. Men på trods af dette, trods alt den uddannelse, du har modtaget, var der ingen god grund til at du bør snuble over mine ord? Hvorfor er det at du er fyldt med frygt og bestyrtelse, når du ser riget befriet fra disse lunkne skarer, og disse halvhjertede disciple? Hvorfor sørger du, når en ny dag er ved at bryde frem, hvor himmelrigets åndelige lære vil skinne med en ny glans? Hvis du finder det svært at udholde denne test, hvad vil du gøre, når Menneskesønnen skal vende tilbage til Faderen? Hvornår og hvordan vil du forberede dig til tiden, når jeg stiger op til det sted, hvorfra jeg kom til denne verden?		153:5.3 (1715.3) It was a little after midnight when Jesus came down from the upper chamber and stood among the twelve and their associates, numbering about thirty in all. He said: “I recognize that this sifting of the kingdom distresses you, but it is unavoidable. Still, after all the training you have had, was there any good reason why you should stumble at my words? Why is it that you are filled with fear and consternation when you see the kingdom being divested of these lukewarm multitudes and these halfhearted disciples? Why do you grieve when the new day is dawning for the shining forth in new glory of the spiritual teachings of the kingdom of heaven? If you find it difficult to endure this test, what, then, will you do when the Son of Man must return to the Father? When and how will you prepare yourselves for the time when I ascend to the place whence I came to this world?
153:5.4 (1715.4) "Min kære, du skal huske, at det er ånden, der levendegøre; kødet og alt som er relateret dertil er af ringe værdi. De ord, jeg har talt til jer er ånd og liv. Vær ved godt mod! Jeg har ikke forladt dig. Mange vil blive krænket af de direkte ord i disse dage. Du har allerede hørt at mange af mine disciple har vendt om; de går ikke længere med mig. Fra begyndelsen vidste jeg, at disse halvhjertede troende ville falde væk på vejen. Valgte jeg ikke jer, de tolv mænd, og udnævnte jer til rigets ambassadører? Og nu, i en tid som denne, ville du også svigte? Se hver til sin egen tro, for en af jer er i alvorlig fare." Da Jesus var færdig med at tale, sagde Simon Peter: "Ja, Herre, vi er triste og forvirrede, men vi vil aldrig svigte dig. Du har lært os det evige livs ord. Vi har troet på dig og fulgt dig hele denne tid. Vi vil ikke vende om, fordi vi ved, at du er blevet sendt af Gud." Og ligesom Peter tav, nikkede de alle enstemmigt deres godkendelse af hans løfte om loyalitet.		153:5.4 (1715.4) “My beloved, you must remember that it is the spirit that quickens; the flesh and all that pertains thereto is of little profit. The words which I have spoken to you are spirit and life. Be of good cheer! I have not deserted you. Many shall be offended by the plain speaking of these days. Already you have heard that many of my disciples have turned back; they walk no more with me. From the beginning I knew that these halfhearted believers would fall out by the way. Did I not choose you twelve men and set you apart as ambassadors of the kingdom? And now at such a time as this would you also desert? Let each of you look to his own faith, for one of you stands in grave danger.” And when Jesus had finished speaking, Simon Peter said: “Yes, Lord, we are sad and perplexed, but we will never forsake you. You have taught us the words of eternal life. We have believed in you and followed with you all this time. We will not turn back, for we know that you are sent by God.” And as Peter ceased speaking, they all with one accord nodded their approval of his pledge of loyalty.
153:5.5 (1716.1) Så sagde Jesus: "Gå hen og hvil jer, for vi står overfor travle tider; aktive dage er lige foran os."		153:5.5 (1716.1) Then said Jesus: “Go to your rest, for busy times are upon us; active days are just ahead.”