Kapitel 154		Paper 154
De Sidste Dage I Kafarnaum		Last Days at Capernaum
154:0.1 (1717.1) MENS Jesus på den begivenhedsrige lørdag aften den 30. april talte trøstende og opmuntrende ord til sine nedslagne og forvirrede disciple blev der holdt forhandlinger i Tiberias mellem Herodes Antipas og en gruppe af særlige udsendinge, der repræsenterede det jødiske råd i Jerusalem. Disse skriftkloge og farisæere forsøgte at overtale Herodes til at arrestere Jesus. De forsøgte på alle måder at overbevise ham om, at Jesus ansporede folket til uenighed og endda oprør. Men Herodes nægtede at gribe ind over for Jesus som en politisk forbryder. Herodes rådgivere havde korrekt gengivet begivenhed på den anden side af søen, da folket forsøgte at forkynde Jesus konge og hvordan han havde afvist forslaget.		154:0.1 (1717.1) ON THE eventful Saturday night of April 30, as Jesus was speaking words of comfort and courage to his downcast and bewildered disciples, at Tiberias a council was being held between Herod Antipas and a group of special commissioners representing the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. These scribes and Pharisees urged Herod to arrest Jesus; they did their best to convince him that Jesus was stirring up the populace to dissension and even to rebellion. But Herod refused to take action against him as a political offender. Herod’s advisers had correctly reported the episode across the lake when the people sought to proclaim Jesus king and how he rejected the proposal.
154:0.2 (1717.2) Et medlem af Herodes officielle familie, Kusas, hvis kone tilhørte kvinderne tjenende korps, havde meddelt ham, at Jesus ikke havde til hensigt at blande sig i det verdslige styres anliggender, at han kun var interesseret i at etablere et åndeligt broderskab af sine troende, et broderskab som han kaldte himmelriget. Herodes havde tillid til Kusas rapporter i det omfang, at han nægtede at gribe ind over for Jesu aktiviteter. Herodes var også på dette tidspunkt meget påvirket i hans holdning til Jesus af hans overtroiske frygt for Johannes Døberen. Herodes var en af disse frafaldne jøder, der ikke troede på noget, men frygtede alting. Han havde en dårlig samvittighed, fordi han været nødt til at dræbe Johannes, og han ønskede ikke at blive involveret i disse intriger mod Jesus. Han vidste af mange tilfælde af sygdom, der tilsyneladende var blevet helbredt af Jesus, og han betragtede ham som enten en profet eller en relativt harmløs religiøs fanatiker.		154:0.2 (1717.2) One of Herod’s official family, Chuza, whose wife belonged to the women’s ministering corps, had informed him that Jesus did not propose to meddle with the affairs of earthly rule; that he was only concerned with the establishment of the spiritual brotherhood of his believers, which brotherhood he called the kingdom of heaven. Herod had confidence in Chuza’s reports, so much so that he refused to interfere with Jesus’ activities. Herod was also influenced at this time, in his attitude toward Jesus, by his superstitious fear of John the Baptist. Herod was one of those apostate Jews who, while he believed nothing, feared everything. He had a bad conscience for having put John to death, and he did not want to become entangled in these intrigues against Jesus. He knew of many cases of sickness which had been apparently healed by Jesus, and he regarded him as either a prophet or a relatively harmless religious fanatic.
154:0.3 (1717.3) Da jøderne truede med at rapportere til Cæsar, at Herodes beskyttede en forræderisk undersåt, beordrede han dem ud af mødelokalet. Så her hvilede spørgsmålet i en uge, i hvilket tidsrum Jesus forberedte sine tilhængere for den forestående spredning.		154:0.3 (1717.3) When the Jews threatened to report to Caesar that he was shielding a traitorous subject, Herod ordered them out of his council chamber. Thus matters rested for one week, during which time Jesus prepared his followers for the impending dispersion.
1. En uges drøftelser ^top		1. A Week of Counsel ^top
154:1.1 (1717.4) Fra den 1. til den 7. maj holdt Jesus tillidsfulde samtaler med sine tilhængere i Zebedæus hus. Kun de afprøvede og betroede disciple deltog i disse møder. På dette tidspunkt var der kun omkring et hundrede disciple, der havde moralsk mod til at trodse oppositionen af farisæerne og åbent erklærer deres tilslutning til Jesus. Med denne gruppe, holdt Jesus møder formiddag, eftermiddage og aftener. Små grupper af søgende samledes hver eftermiddag på stranden, hvor nogle af evangelisterne eller apostlene underviste dem. Disse grupper bestod sjældent af mere end halvtreds mennesker.		154:1.1 (1717.4) From May 1 to May 7 Jesus held intimate counsel with his followers at the Zebedee house. Only the tried and trusted disciples were admitted to these conferences. At this time there were only about one hundred disciples who had the moral courage to brave the opposition of the Pharisees and openly declare their adherence to Jesus. With this group he held sessions morning, afternoon, and evening. Small companies of inquirers assembled each afternoon by the seaside, where some of the evangelists or apostles discoursed to them. These groups seldom numbered more than fifty.
154:1.2 (1717.5) Om fredagen denne uge besluttede synagogeforstanderne i Kapernaum officielt at lukke Guds hus til Jesus og alle hans tilhængere. Denne handling blev taget på foranledning af farisæerne i Jerusalem. Jairus fratrådte som ledende forstander og tilsluttede sig åbent til Jesus.		154:1.2 (1717.5) On Friday of this week official action was taken by the rulers of the Capernaum synagogue closing the house of God to Jesus and all his followers. This action was taken at the instigation of the Jerusalem Pharisees. Jairus resigned as chief ruler and openly aligned himself with Jesus.
154:1.3 (1718.1) Det sidste af møderne på stranden blev afholdt sabbat eftermiddag, den 7. maj. Jesus talte til mindre end hundrede og halvtreds tilhørere, som havde samlet sig på det tidspunkt. Denne lørdag aften markerede det laveste punkt i offentlighedens agtelse for Jesus og hans lære. Derefter begyndte en konstant og langsomt, men mere sund og pålidelig udvikling af en menneskekærlig stemning; en ny tilhænger skare blev opbygget som var bedre funderet i åndelig tro og ægte religiøs erfaring. Den mere eller mindre sammensatte og kompromittere overgangsperiode fra de materialistiske begreber om riget hos Mesterens efterfølgere og de mere idealistiske og åndelige ideer, som Jesus underviste var nu afgjort afsluttet. Fra nu af var der en mere åben proklamation af rigets evangelium i sit større omfang og i sine fjerntliggende åndelige implikationer.		154:1.3 (1718.1) The last of the seaside meetings was held on Sabbath afternoon, May 7. Jesus talked to less than one hundred and fifty who had assembled at that time. This Saturday night marked the time of the lowest ebb in the tide of popular regard for Jesus and his teachings. From then on there was a steady, slow, but more healthful and dependable growth in favorable sentiment; a new following was built up which was better grounded in spiritual faith and true religious experience. The more or less composite and compromising transition stage between the materialistic concepts of the kingdom held by the Master’s followers and those more idealistic and spiritual concepts taught by Jesus, had now definitely ended. From now on there was a more open proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom in its larger scope and in its far-flung spiritual implications.
2. En uges hvile ^top		2. A Week of Rest ^top
154:2.1 (1718.2) Søndag den 8. maj i år 29 e.Kr. udstedte jødernes råd, Sanhedrinen i Jerusalem et dekret om at lukke alle synagogerne i Palæstina til Jesus og hans tilhængere. Det var en nyt og hidtil uset magtindgreb af jødernes råd i Jerusalem. Hidtil havde hver eksisterede synagoge virket som en selvstændig menighed af tilbedere og var under regler og styring af sin egen bestyrelse. Kun synagogerne i Jerusalem havde været underlagt Sanhedrinens myndighed. Som følge af denne summariske handling af Sanhedrinen fratrådte fem af medlemmerne. Et hundrede budbringere blev sendt væk med det samme for at meddele og håndhæve påbuddet. Indenfor to korte uger havde hver synagoge i Palæstina, undtagen i Hebron, bøjede sig for det jødiske råds manifest. Synagogeforstanderne i Hebron nægtede at anerkende rådets ret til at udøve en sådan jurisdiktion over deres forsamling. Deres afvisning af at adlyde påbuddet fra Jerusalem var baseret på menighedens påstand om selvbestemmelsesret snarere end sympati til Jesu forkyndelse. Kort tid derefter blev synagogen i Hebron ødelagt ved ild.		154:2.1 (1718.2) Sunday, May 8, a.d. 29, at Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin passed a decree closing all the synagogues of Palestine to Jesus and his followers. This was a new and unprecedented usurpation of authority by the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. Theretofore each synagogue had existed and functioned as an independent congregation of worshipers and was under the rule and direction of its own board of governors. Only the synagogues of Jerusalem had been subject to the authority of the Sanhedrin. This summary action of the Sanhedrin was followed by the resignation of five of its members. One hundred messengers were immediately dispatched to convey and enforce this decree. Within the short space of two weeks every synagogue in Palestine had bowed to this manifesto of the Sanhedrin except the synagogue at Hebron. The rulers of the Hebron synagogue refused to acknowledge the right of the Sanhedrin to exercise such jurisdiction over their assembly. This refusal to accede to the Jerusalem decree was based on their contention of congregational autonomy rather than on sympathy with Jesus’ cause. Shortly thereafter the Hebron synagogue was destroyed by fire.
154:2.2 (1718.3) Denne samme søndag morgen, erklærede Jesus en uges ferie og opfordrede alle sine disciple til at vende hjem eller til deres venner for at hvile deres sjæle og tale opmuntrende ord til deres kære. Han sagde: "Gå hver til sit hjem for at slappe af eller fiske, mens du beder for rigets udvidelse."		154:2.2 (1718.3) This same Sunday morning, Jesus declared a week’s holiday, urging all of his disciples to return to their homes or friends to rest their troubled souls and speak words of encouragement to their loved ones. He said: “Go to your several places to play or fish while you pray for the extension of the kingdom.”
154:2.3 (1718.4) Denne ledige uge gjorde det muligt for Jesus at besøge mange familier og grupper, der levede langs søbredden. Han gik også ud for at fiske ved flere lejligheder med David Zebedæus, og mens han en stor del af tiden gik rundt alene, var der altid tæt på to eller tre af Davids mest betroede sendebude, som havde klare ordrer fra deres chef om at beskytte Jesus. Der var absolut ingen offentlig undervisning i løbet af denne uges hvile.		154:2.3 (1718.4) This week of rest enabled Jesus to visit many families and groups about the seaside. He also went fishing with David Zebedee on several occasions, and while he went about alone much of the time, there always lurked near by two or three of David’s most trusted messengers, who had no uncertain orders from their chief respecting the safeguarding of Jesus. There was no public teaching of any sort during this week of rest.
154:2.4 (1718.5) I løbet af denne uge led Nataniel og James Zebedæus af en temmelig alvorlig sygdom. I tre dage og nætter var de plaget af en pludselige og smertefuldt fordøjelsesproblem. På den tredje nat sendte Jesus Salome, James mor, væk for at hvile, mens han tog sig af hans lidende apostle. Selvfølgelig kunne Jesus øjeblikkeligt have helbredt disse to mænd, men det er hverken Sønnens, eller Faderens måde at håndtere sådanne banale vanskeligheder og trængsler for menneskernes børn på de evolutionære verdner i tid og rum. Gennem hele sit begivenhedsrige jordiske liv, indlod Jesus sig ikke engang i nogen form for overnaturlig omsorg for ethvert medlem af hans jordiske familie eller nogen af hans umiddelbare efterfølgere.		154:2.4 (1718.5) This was the week that Nathaniel and James Zebedee suffered from more than a slight illness. For three days and nights they were acutely afflicted with a painful digestive disturbance. On the third night Jesus sent Salome, James’s mother, to her rest, while he ministered to his suffering apostles. Of course Jesus could have instantly healed these two men, but that is not the method of either the Son or the Father in dealing with these commonplace difficulties and afflictions of the children of men on the evolutionary worlds of time and space. Never once, throughout all of his eventful life in the flesh, did Jesus engage in any sort of supernatural ministration to any member of his earth family or in behalf of any one of his immediate followers.
154:2.5 (1719.1) Vanskelighederne i universet og de planetariske forhindringer skal behandles som en del af oplevelsens uddannelse til vækst og udvikling, den gradvise perfektion, af de dødeliges udviklende sjæle. Åndeliggørelse af den menneskelige sjæl kræver grundig erfaring i uddannelsesmæssige løsninger af en bred vifte af reelle universelle problemer. Dyreverden og de lavere former for viljevæsener udvikler sig ikke positivt i en for let miljø. Problematiske situationer kombineret med incitamenter til at gøre en indsats, går sammen om at frembringe de aktiviteter i sindet, sjælen og ånden, der i høj grad bidrager til at nå værdifulde mål for den menneskelige udvikling og højere niveauer af åndelig skæbne.		154:2.5 (1719.1) Universe difficulties must be met and planetary obstacles must be encountered as a part of the experience training provided for the growth and development, the progressive perfection, of the evolving souls of mortal creatures. The spiritualization of the human soul requires intimate experience with the educational solving of a wide range of real universe problems. The animal nature and the lower forms of will creatures do not progress favorably in environmental ease. Problematic situations, coupled with exertion stimuli, conspire to produce those activities of mind, soul, and spirit which contribute mightily to the achievement of worthy goals of mortal progression and to the attainment of higher levels of spirit destiny.
3. Den anden konference i tiberias ^top		3. The Second Tiberias Conference ^top
154:3.1 (1719.2) Den 16. maj blev det andet møde afholdt i Tiberias mellem myndighederne i Jerusalem og Herodes Antipas. Både de religiøse og politiske ledere fra Jerusalem deltog i mødet. De jødiske ledere var i stand til at rapportere til Herodes, at praktisk talt alle synagoger i både Galilæa og Judæa var lukket for Jesu lære. Et nyt forsøg blev gjort for at få Herodes til at arrestere Jesus, men han nægtede at udføre deres anmodning. Den 18. maj, godkendte Herodes imidlertid en plan om at lade Sanhedrin myndighederne arrestere Jesus og bringe ham til Jerusalem for at blive prøvet af religiøse grunde, forudsat at den romerske statholder i Judæa samtykkede om et sådant arrangement. I mellemtiden, arbejdede Jesu fjender ihærdigt i hele Galilæa med at sprede det rygte, at Herodes var blevet fjendtlig over for Jesus, og at hans hensigt var at udrydde alle, der troede på Jesu lære.		154:3.1 (1719.2) On May 16 the second conference at Tiberias between the authorities at Jerusalem and Herod Antipas was convened. Both the religious and the political leaders from Jerusalem were in attendance. The Jewish leaders were able to report to Herod that practically all the synagogues in both Galilee and Judea were closed to Jesus’ teachings. A new effort was made to have Herod place Jesus under arrest, but he refused to do their bidding. On May 18, however, Herod did agree to the plan of permitting the Sanhedrin authorities to seize Jesus and carry him to Jerusalem to be tried on religious charges, provided the Roman ruler of Judea concurred in such an arrangement. Meanwhile, Jesus’ enemies were industriously spreading the rumor throughout Galilee that Herod had become hostile to Jesus, and that he meant to exterminate all who believed in his teachings.
154:3.2 (1719.3) Lørdag aften den 21. maj nåede beskeden til Tiberias, at de civile myndigheder i Jerusalem ikke havde nogen indvendinger mod aftalen mellem Herodes og farisæerne, om at Jesus skulle blive arresteret og taget til Jerusalem for at blive prøvet foran jødernes råd for bagvaskelse af det jødiske folks hellige love. Derfor underskrev Herodes kort før midnat denne dag dekretet, som bemyndigede det jødiske råds tjenestemænd til at gribe Jesus indenfor Herodes forvaltningsområde og med magt føre ham til Jerusalem for retssagen. Herodes blev udsat for intenst pres fra mange retninger inden han samtykkede om at give denne tilladelse, og han vidste godt, at Jesus ikke kunne forvente en retfærdig rettergang, foran hans bitre fjender i Jerusalem.		154:3.2 (1719.3) On Saturday night, May 21, word reached Tiberias that the civil authorities at Jerusalem had no objection to the agreement between Herod and the Pharisees that Jesus be seized and carried to Jerusalem for trial before the Sanhedrin on charges of flouting the sacred laws of the Jewish nation. Accordingly, just before midnight of this day, Herod signed the decree which authorized the officers of the Sanhedrin to seize Jesus within Herod’s domains and forcibly to carry him to Jerusalem for trial. Strong pressure from many sides was brought to bear upon Herod before he consented to grant this permission, and he well knew that Jesus could not expect a fair trial before his bitter enemies at Jerusalem.
4. Lørdag aften i kafarnaum ^top		4. Saturday Night in Capernaum ^top
154:4.1 (1719.4) Denne samme lørdag aften samledes i synagogen i Kapernaum en gruppe på halvtreds førende borgere for at diskutere det skæbnesvangre spørgsmål: "Hvad skal vi gøre med Jesus?" De talte og diskuterede indtil efter midnat, men de kunne ikke finde nogen fælles grundlag for en aftale. Bortset fra et par mennesker, der var tilbøjelig til at tro på at Jesus kunne være Messias, i det mindste en hellig mand eller måske en profet, blev mødet opdelt i fire næsten lige store grupper med forskellige opfattelser af Jesus:		154:4.1 (1719.4) On this same Saturday night, in Capernaum a group of fifty leading citizens met at the synagogue to discuss the momentous question: “What shall we do with Jesus?” They talked and debated until after midnight, but they could not find any common ground for agreement. Aside from a few persons who inclined to the belief that Jesus might be the Messiah, at least a holy man, or perhaps a prophet, the meeting was divided into four nearly equal groups who held, respectively, the following views of Jesus:
154:4.2 (1719.5) 1. At han var en vildledt og harmløs fanatiker.		154:4.2 (1719.5) 1. That he was a deluded and harmless religious fanatic.
154:4.3 (1719.6) 2. At han var en farlig agitator med onde hensigter, der kunne tilskynde folk til oprør.		154:4.3 (1719.6) 2. That he was a dangerous and designing agitator who might stir up rebellion.
154:4.4 (1720.1) 3. At han var i ledtog med djævle, at han faktisk kunne være deres prins.		154:4.4 (1720.1) 3. That he was in league with devils, that he might even be a prince of devils.
154:4.5 (1720.2) 4. At han var ude af sig selv, gal, mentalt ubalanceret.		154:4.5 (1720.2) 4. That he was beside himself, that he was mad, mentally unbalanced.
154:4.6 (1720.3) Der var meget snak om Jesus prædikede doktriner, der gjorde de almindelige mennesker forvirrede. Hans fjender hævdede, at hans lære var upraktisk, at alt ville gå i stykker, hvis hver og en gjorde et seriøst forsøg på at leve efter hans idéer. Mange generationer senere, har folk sagt det samme. Mange intelligente og velmenende mennesker, selv i mere oplyste tidsalder for disse åbenbaringer, fastholder, at den moderne civilisation ikke kunne have været bygget på Jesu lære - og de har delvist ret. Men alle disse tvivlere glemmer, at en langt bedre civilisation kunne have været bygget på grundlag af hans lære - og en gang vil blive bygget. Denne verden har aldrig for alvor forsøgt at realisere Jesu lære i stor skala, på trods af halvhjertede forsøg ofte er blevet gjort for at følge læresætningerne i den såkaldte kristendom.		154:4.6 (1720.3) There was much talk about Jesus’ preaching doctrines which were upsetting for the common people; his enemies maintained that his teachings were impractical, that everything would go to pieces if everybody made an honest effort to live in accordance with his ideas. And the men of many subsequent generations have said the same things. Many intelligent and well-meaning men, even in the more enlightened age of these revelations, maintain that modern civilization could not have been built upon the teachings of Jesus—and they are partially right. But all such doubters forget that a much better civilization could have been built upon his teachings, and sometime will be. This world has never seriously tried to carry out the teachings of Jesus on a large scale, notwithstanding that halfhearted attempts have often been made to follow the doctrines of so-called Christianity.
5. Den begivenhedsrige søndag morgen ^top		5. The Eventful Sunday Morning ^top
154:5.1 (1720.4) Den 22. maj var en begivenhedsrig dag i Jesu liv. Før daggry denne søndag morgen ankom en af Davids sendebude med stor hast fra Tiberias, med beskeden, at Herodes havde godkendt, eller var ved at godkende, det jødiske råds tjenestemænd til at arrestere Jesus. Da David Zebedæus modtog nyheden om denne forestående fare fik det ham til at vække sine budbringere og sende dem ud til alle de lokale grupper af disciple for at kalde dem til et hastemøde klokken syv om morgenen. Da Judas (Jesu brors) svigerinde hørte dette alarmerende budskab sendte hun hastigt bud til alle medlemmer af Jesu familie, der boede i nærheden, og kaldte dem til straks at samles i Zebedæus hus. Og som svar på denne forhastede indkaldelse ankom snart Maria, James, Josef, Juda og Ruth.		154:5.1 (1720.4) May 22 was an eventful day in the life of Jesus. On this Sunday morning, before daybreak, one of David’s messengers arrived in great haste from Tiberias, bringing the word that Herod had authorized, or was about to authorize, the arrest of Jesus by the officers of the Sanhedrin. The receipt of the news of this impending danger caused David Zebedee to arouse his messengers and send them out to all the local groups of disciples, summoning them for an emergency council at seven o’clock that morning. When the sister-in-law of Jude (Jesus’ brother) heard this alarming report, she hastened word to all of Jesus’ family who dwelt near by, summoning them forthwith to assemble at Zebedee’s house. And in response to this hasty call, presently there were assembled Mary, James, Joseph, Jude, and Ruth.
154:5.2 (1720.5) På dette tidlige morgenmøde gav Jesus sine farvel instrukser til de forsamlede disciple, dvs. han tog en tidsubegrænset afsked med dem, da han vel vidste, at de snart ville blive spredt fra Kapernaum. Han opfordrede dem alle til at søge Guds vejledning og til at fortsætte med rigets arbejde uanset konsekvenserne. Evangelisterne skulle arbejde efter eget skøn, indtil de muligvis blev kaldt sammen. Han valgte tolv af evangelisterne til at ledsage ham. De tolv apostle, instrueret han til at blive hos ham, uanset hvad der skete. De tolv kvinder, bad han om at forblive i Zebedæus hus og Peters hus, indtil han ville kalde på dem.		154:5.2 (1720.5) At this early morning meeting Jesus imparted his farewell instructions to the assembled disciples; that is, he bade them farewell for the time being, knowing well that they would soon be dispersed from Capernaum. He directed them all to seek God for guidance and to carry on the work of the kingdom regardless of consequences. The evangelists were to labor as they saw fit until such time as they might be called. He selected twelve of the evangelists to accompany him; the twelve apostles he directed to remain with him no matter what happened. The twelve women he instructed to remain at the Zebedee house and at Peter’s house until he should send for them.
154:5.3 (1720.6) Jesus gav samtykke til at David Zebedæus fortsatte sin landsdækkende budtjeneste, og derefter tog David hurtigt afsked med Mesteren, og sagde: "Gå ud til dit arbejde, Mester. Lad ikke fanatikerne fange dig, og tvivl aldrig på, at budbringerne vil følge dig. Mine mænd vil aldrig miste kontakten med dig, og gennem dem, ved du, hvordan det står til med riget i andre områder, og gennem dem, får vi alle besked om dig. Intet, der kunne tænkes at ske for mig kan forstyrre denne tjeneste, for jeg har udnævnt første og anden reserveledere, selv en tredje. Jeg er hverken lærer eller prædikant, men jeg ønsker af hele mit hjerte at gøre dette, og ingen kan stoppe mig."		154:5.3 (1720.6) Jesus consented to David Zebedee’s continuing his countrywide messenger service, and in bidding the Master farewell presently, David said: “Go forth to your work, Master. Don’t let the bigots catch you, and never doubt that the messengers will follow after you. My men will never lose contact with you, and through them you shall know of the kingdom in other parts, and by them we will all know about you. Nothing that might happen to me will interfere with this service, for I have appointed first and second leaders, even a third. I am neither a teacher nor a preacher, but it is in my heart to do this, and none can stop me.”
154:5.4 (1720.7) Omkring 7:30 denne morgen begyndte Jesus sin afskedstale til næsten et hundrede troende, som havde stuvet sig sammen indendørs for at høre ham. Det var en højtidelig begivenhed for alle tilstedeværende, men Jesus syntes at være i usædvanligt godt humør. Han var tilbage i sin sædvanlige selv. Flere ugers alvor var væk, og han inspirerede dem alle med hans ord om tro, håb og mod.		154:5.4 (1720.7) About 7:30 this morning Jesus began his parting address to almost one hundred believers who had crowded indoors to hear him. This was a solemn occasion for all present, but Jesus seemed unusually cheerful; he was once more like his normal self. The seriousness of weeks had gone, and he inspired all of them with his words of faith, hope, and courage.
6. Jesu familie ankommer ^top		6. Jesus’ Family Arrives ^top
154:6.1 (1721.1) Klokken var omkring otte denne søndag morgen, da fem medlemmer af Jesu jordiske familie ankom til skuepladsen som reaktion på den indtrængende opfordring af Judas svigerinde. Af alle i hans kødelige familie tænkte kun én, nemlig Ruth, helhjertet og vedholdende på at hans mission på jorden var guddommelig. Judas og James, og selv Josef havde stadig meget tilbage af deres tro på Jesus, men de havde ladet stolthed forstyrre deres gode dømmekraft og deres virkelige åndelige tilbøjeligheder. Maria var også splittet mellem kærlighed og frygt, mellem moderkærlighed og familie stolthed. Selv om hun var plaget af tvivl, kunne hun aldrig helt glemme alt om Gabriel besøg før Jesus blev født. Farisæerne havde været flittig i at få Maria til at tro, at Jesus var ude af sig selv, dement. De opfordrede hende til at gå med sine sønner for at forsøge at afholde ham fra yderligere offentlig uddannelse. De forsikrede Maria om at Jesu helbred snart ville svigte, og at kun vanære og skam kunne komme over hele familien som følge af, at lade ham fortsætte. Så da meddelelsen kom fra Judas svigerinde, gik de alle fem straks til Zebedæus hus; de havde været samlet i Marias hjem, hvor de havde mødtes med farisæerne aftenen før. De havde talt med lederne fra Jerusalem til langt ud på natten, og de var alle mere eller mindre overbevist om, at Jesus opførte sig mærkeligt, at han allerede i nogen tid havde gjorde det. Selv om Ruth ikke kunne forklare alle hans handlinger, insisterede hun på, at han altid havde behandlet sin familie retfærdigt og nægtede at gå med til planen om at forsøge at få ham til at afstå fra at fortsætte det videre arbejde.		154:6.1 (1721.1) It was about eight o’clock on this Sunday morning when five members of Jesus’ earth family arrived on the scene in response to the urgent summons of Jude’s sister-in-law. Of all his family in the flesh, only one, Ruth, believed wholeheartedly and continuously in the divinity of his mission on earth. Jude and James, and even Joseph, still retained much of their faith in Jesus, but they had permitted pride to interfere with their better judgment and real spiritual inclinations. Mary was likewise torn between love and fear, between mother love and family pride. Though she was harassed by doubts, she could never quite forget the visit of Gabriel ere Jesus was born. The Pharisees had been laboring to persuade Mary that Jesus was beside himself, demented. They urged her to go with her sons and seek to dissuade him from further efforts at public teaching. They assured Mary that soon Jesus’ health would break, and that only dishonor and disgrace could come upon the entire family as a result of allowing him to go on. And so, when the word came from Jude’s sister-in-law, all five of them started at once for Zebedee’s house, having been together at Mary’s home, where they had met with the Pharisees the evening before. They had talked with the Jerusalem leaders long into the night, and all were more or less convinced that Jesus was acting strangely, that he had acted strangely for some time. While Ruth could not explain all of his conduct, she insisted that he had always treated his family fairly and refused to agree to the program of trying to dissuade him from further work.
154:6.2 (1721.2) På vej til Zebedæus hus talte de om alt dette og blev gensidigt enige om at forsøge at overtale Jesus til at komme hjem med dem, for, som Maria sagde: "Jeg ved, at jeg kan påvirke min søn, hvis han bare kom hjem og lyttede til mig." James og Jude havde hørt rygter om planerne om at arrestere Jesus og føre ham til Jerusalem for rettergang. De frygtede også for deres egen sikkerhed. Så længe Jesus var en populær person i offentligheden lod familien hændelserne tager deres egen kurs, men nu, da befolkningen i Kapernaum og lederne i Jerusalem pludselig havde vendt sig imod ham, begyndte de stærkt at føle presset af den pinlige situations formodede vanære.		154:6.2 (1721.2) On the way to Zebedee’s house they talked these things over and agreed among themselves to try to persuade Jesus to come home with them, for, said Mary: “I know I could influence my son if he would only come home and listen to me.” James and Jude had heard rumors concerning the plans to arrest Jesus and take him to Jerusalem for trial. They also feared for their own safety. As long as Jesus was a popular figure in the public eye, his family allowed matters to drift along, but now that the people of Capernaum and the leaders at Jerusalem had suddenly turned against him, they began keenly to feel the pressure of the supposed disgrace of their embarrassing position.
154:6.3 (1721.3) De havde forventet at møde Jesus, tage ham til side og bede ham om at komme hjem med dem. De havde tænkt sig at forsikre ham om, at de ville glemme, at han havde forsømt dem - de ville tilgive og glemme - hvis han blot ville ophøre med dumheden om at forsøge at prædike en ny religion, som kun kunne skabe problemer for ham selv og trække vanære på sin familie. Til alt dette sagde Ruth kun: "Jeg vil sige til min bror, at jeg tror, han er en mand af Gud, og at jeg håber, at han vil være villig til at dø i stedet lade disse onde farisæere stoppe hans forkyndelse." Joseph lovede at sikre at Ruth var tavs, mens de andre bearbejdede Jesus.		154:6.3 (1721.3) They had expected to meet Jesus, take him aside, and urge him to go home with them. They had thought to assure him that they would forget his neglect of them—they would forgive and forget—if he would only give up the foolishness of trying to preach a new religion which could bring only trouble to himself and dishonor upon his family. To all of this Ruth would say only: “I will tell my brother that I think he is a man of God, and that I hope he would be willing to die before he would allow these wicked Pharisees to stop his preaching.” Joseph promised to keep Ruth quiet while the others labored with Jesus.
154:6.4 (1721.4) Da de nåede Zebedæus hus, var Jesus midt i sin afskedstale til sine disciple. De forsøgte at komme ind i huset, men det var fyldt til bristepunktet. Til sidst besluttede de at vente på verandaen bag huset og sendte bud til Jesus, fra person til person, så beskeden til sidst blev hvisket til Jesus af Simon Peter, som af hensyn til formålet afbrød hans tale og sagde: "Se, din mor og dine brødre er derude, og de er meget ivrige efter at tale med dig." Jesu mor tænkte ikke på, hvor vigtigt det var for ham at overbringe dette afskedsbudskab til sine tilhængere, hun vidste heller ikke, at hans tale til enhver tid kunne få en hurtig afslutning ved ankomsten af dem som ville anholde ham. Hun troede virkelig, efter så lang tids af et kølig forhold og i betragtning af, at hun og hans brødre havde vist ham velvilje til rent faktisk at finde ham, at Jesus ville ophøre med at tale og komme til dem det øjeblik han modtog budskabet om at de ventede.		154:6.4 (1721.4) When they reached the Zebedee house, Jesus was in the very midst of delivering his parting address to the disciples. They sought to gain entrance to the house, but it was crowded to overflowing. Finally they established themselves on the back porch and had word passed in to Jesus, from person to person, so that it finally was whispered to him by Simon Peter, who interrupted his talking for the purpose, and who said: “Behold, your mother and your brothers are outside, and they are very anxious to speak with you.” Now it did not occur to his mother how important was the giving of this parting message to his followers, neither did she know that his address was likely to be terminated any moment by the arrival of his apprehenders. She really thought, after so long an apparent estrangement, in view of the fact that she and his brothers had shown the grace actually to come to him, that Jesus would cease speaking and come to them the moment he received word they were waiting.
154:6.5 (1722.1) Det var igen et af disse tilfælde, hvor Jesu jordiske familie ikke kunne forstå, at han måtte tage sig af sin Faders anliggender. Så derfor blev Maria og hans brødre dybt såret, da de hørte ham, selv om han afbrød sin tale for at modtage beskeden, i stedet for at skynde sig ud og hilse på dem, løftede sin melodiske stemme og sagde: "Sig til min mor og mine brødre, at de ikke skal frygte for mig. Faderen, som sendte mig ind i denne verden forlader mig ikke; og heller ikke skal nogen skade komme over min familie. Byd dem at være ved godt mod, og at stole på rigets Fader. Men trods alt, hvem er min mor, og hvem er mine brødre?" I det at han strakte hænderne ud mod alle sine disciple, som var samlet i lokalet, sagde han: "Jeg har ingen mor, jeg har ingen brødre. Se, min mor og se mine brødre! For enhver, som gør min himmelske Faders vilje er min mor, min bror og min søster."		154:6.5 (1722.1) It was just another of those instances in which his earth family could not comprehend that he must be about his Father’s business. And so Mary and his brothers were deeply hurt when, notwithstanding that he paused in his speaking to receive the message, instead of his rushing out to greet them, they heard his musical voice speak with increased volume: “Say to my mother and my brothers that they should have no fear for me. The Father who sent me into the world will not forsake me; neither shall any harm come upon my family. Bid them be of good courage and put their trust in the Father of the kingdom. But, after all, who is my mother and who are my brothers?” And stretching forth his hands toward all of his disciples assembled in the room, he said: “I have no mother; I have no brothers. Behold my mother and behold my brethren! For whosoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my mother, my brother, and my sister.”
154:6.6 (1722.2) Da Maria hørte disse ord, kollapsede hun i Judas arme. De bar hende ud i haven for at få hende til at komme sig, mens Jesus sluttede sit afskedsbudskab. Han ville så have gået ud for at tale med sin mor og hans brødre, men en budbringer kom i al hast fra Tiberias, med ord om at Sanhedrinens mænd var på vej bemyndiget til at arrestere Jesus og tage ham til Jerusalem. Andreas modtog denne besked, og afbrød Jesus for at fortælle det til ham.		154:6.6 (1722.2) And when Mary heard these words, she collapsed in Jude’s arms. They carried her out in the garden to revive her while Jesus spoke the concluding words of his parting message. He would then have gone out to confer with his mother and his brothers, but a messenger arrived in haste from Tiberias bringing word that the officers of the Sanhedrin were on their way with authority to arrest Jesus and carry him to Jerusalem. Andrew received this message and, interrupting Jesus, told it to him.
154:6.7 (1722.3) Andreas kunne ikke huske, at David havde indsat omkring femogtyve vagter omkring Zebedæus hus, så ingen kunne overraske dem; så han spurgte Jesus, hvad de skulle gøre? Mesteren stod der i stilhed, mens hans mor, som havde hørt ordene, "Jeg har ingen mor," var ved at komme sig over chokket i haven. Lige i dette øjeblik rejse en kvinde sig i rummet og udbrød: "Velsignet er det moderliv, som bar dig, og velsignede er de bryster, der har ammet dig." Jesus vendte sig et øjeblik væk fra samtalen med Andreas og sagde: "Nej. snarere er den velsignet der hører Guds ord og vover at adlyde det."		154:6.7 (1722.3) Andrew did not recall that David had posted some twenty-five sentinels about the Zebedee house, and that no one could take them by surprise; so he asked Jesus what should be done. The Master stood there in silence while his mother, having heard the words, “I have no mother,” was recovering from the shock in the garden. It was at just this time that a woman in the room stood up and exclaimed, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and blessed are the breasts that nursed you.” Jesus turned aside a moment from his conversation with Andrew to answer this woman by saying, “No, rather is the one blessed who hears the word of God and dares to obey it.”
154:6.8 (1722.4) Maria og Jesu brødre troede, at Jesus ikke forstod dem, at han havde mistet interessen for dem, uden nogensinde at indse, at det var dem, der ikke forstod Jesus. Jesus forstod fuldt, hvor svært det er for mennesker at bryde med deres fortid. Han vidste, hvordan mennesker lader sig påvirke af prædikantens veltalenhed, og hvordan samvittigheden reagerer på følelsesmæssig appel ligesom sindet gør ved logik og fornuft, men han vidste også, hvor meget sværere det er at overtale mennesker til at tage afstand fra og frigøre sig fra fortiden.		154:6.8 (1722.4) Mary and Jesus’ brothers thought that Jesus did not understand them, that he had lost interest in them, little realizing that it was they who failed to understand Jesus. Jesus fully understood how difficult it is for men to break with their past. He knew how human beings are swayed by the preacher’s eloquence, and how the conscience responds to emotional appeal as the mind does to logic and reason, but he also knew how far more difficult it is to persuade men to disown the past.
154:6.9 (1722.5) Det er for evigt sandt, at alle, som tror, at de er misforstået eller ikke værdsat har i Jesus en sympatiserende ven og en forstående rådgiver. Han havde advaret sine apostle, at et menneskets fjender kan være dem, der tilhører hans egen husholdning, men han havde næppe indset, hvor tæt denne forudsigelse ville komme til at gælde for sin egen erfaring. Jesus havde ikke forladt sin jordiske familie for at udføre sin Faders arbejde - de forlod ham. Senere, efter Mesterens død og opstandelse, da James blev forbundet med den tidlige kristne bevægelse, led han forfærdeligt over at han ikke havde haft gavn af dette tidligere samarbejde med Jesus og hans disciple.		154:6.9 (1722.5) It is forever true that all who may think they are misunderstood or not appreciated have in Jesus a sympathizing friend and an understanding counselor. He had warned his apostles that a man’s foes may be they of his own household, but he had hardly realized how near this prediction would come to apply to his own experience. Jesus did not forsake his earth family to do his Father’s work—they forsook him. Later on, after the Master’s death and resurrection, when James became connected with the early Christian movement, he suffered immeasurably as a result of his failure to enjoy this earlier association with Jesus and his disciples.
154:6.10 (1723.1) Da Jesus gennemlevede disse begivenheder, valgte han at være styret af den begrænsede viden i hans menneskelige sind. Han ønskede at gennemleve denne oplevelse sammen med sine medarbejdere, kun som menneske. Og det var i hans menneskelige sind, at Jesus havde tanker om at se sin familie, før han begav sig af sted. Han ønskede ikke at stoppe midt i sin tale og således gøre deres første møde, efter et langt fravær til en offentlig affære. Hans hensigt var at afslutte sin tale og derefter mødes med dem, før han gik bort, men planen blev forpurret af de begivenheder, der umiddelbart fulgte efter.		154:6.10 (1723.1) In passing through these events, Jesus chose to be guided by the limited knowledge of his human mind. He desired to undergo the experience with his associates as a mere man. And it was in the human mind of Jesus to see his family before he left. He did not wish to stop in the midst of his discourse and thus render their first meeting after so long a separation such a public affair. He had intended to finish his address and then have a visit with them before leaving, but this plan was thwarted by the conspiracy of events which immediately followed.
154:6.11 (1723.2) Deres flugt blev fremskyndet af, at en del af Davids sendebud ankom til bagindgangen af Zebedæus hjem. Opstandelsen som disse mænd forårsagede, skræmte apostlene til at tro, at disse nyankomne kunne være deres fjender, og af frygt for straks at blive anholdt, skyndte de sig ud gennem den forreste indgang og hen til den ventende båd. Og alt dette forklarer, hvorfor Jesus ikke træf sin familie som ventede på bagsidens veranda.		154:6.11 (1723.2) The haste of their flight was augmented by the arrival of a party of David’s messengers at the rear entrance of the Zebedee home. The commotion produced by these men frightened the apostles into thinking that these new arrivals might be their apprehenders, and in fear of immediate arrest, they hastened through the front entrance to the waiting boat. And all of this explains why Jesus did not see his family waiting on the back porch.
154:6.12 (1723.3) Men han sagde til David Zebedæus da han steg ned i båden ved den forhastede flugt: "Sig til min mor og mine brødre, at jeg værdsætter at de kom og at min hensigt var at møde dem. Bed dem om ikke at føle sig såret på grund af mig, men snarere at søge viden om Guds vilje og velvilje og mod til at gøre denne vilje.”		154:6.12 (1723.3) But he did say to David Zebedee as he entered the boat in hasty flight: “Tell my mother and my brothers that I appreciate their coming, and that I intended to see them. Admonish them to find no offense in me but rather to seek for a knowledge of the will of God and for grace and courage to do that will.”
7. Den forhastede flugt ^top		7. The Hasty Flight ^top
154:7.1 (1723.4) Således kom det sig, at Jesus, med sine tolv apostle og de tolv evangelister denne søndag morgen den 22. maj, år 29 e.Kr. hastigt flygtede fra det jødiske råds officerer, der var på vej til Betsaida med autoritet fra Herodes Antipas til at arrestere Jesus og tage ham med til Jerusalem for at blive retsforfulgt for blasfemi og andre forbrydelser mod den jødiske hellige lov. Klokken var næsten halv ni denne smukke morgen, da dette selskab af femogtyve mennesker bemandede årerne og roede mod den østlige bred af Genesaret Sø.		154:7.1 (1723.4) And so it was on this Sunday morning, the twenty-second of May, in the year a.d. 29, that Jesus, with his twelve apostles and the twelve evangelists, engaged in this hasty flight from the Sanhedrin officers who were on their way to Bethsaida with authority from Herod Antipas to arrest him and take him to Jerusalem for trial on charges of blasphemy and other violations of the sacred laws of the Jews. It was almost half past eight this beautiful morning when this company of twenty-five manned the oars and pulled for the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
154:7.2 (1723.5) Efter Mesterens båd fulgte et anden, mindre fartøj med seks af Davids sendebud, der havde instruktioner om at opretholde kontakt med Jesus og hans medarbejdere og sikre, at oplysninger om deres færden og sikkerhed regelmæssigt blev overført til Zebedæus hjem i Betsaida, som i lang tid havde tjent som hovedkvarter for rigets arbejde. Men Jesus kom aldrig mere til at have sit hjem i Zebedæus hus. Fra nu og resten af sit jordiske liv, havde Mesteren virkelig "intet sted at lægge sit hoved." Han havde ikke længere noget, der blot antydede en fast bopæl.		154:7.2 (1723.5) Following the Master’s boat was another and smaller craft, containing six of David’s messengers, who had instructions to maintain contact with Jesus and his associates and to see that information of their whereabouts and safety was regularly transmitted to the home of Zebedee in Bethsaida, which had served as headquarters for the work of the kingdom for some time. But Jesus was never again to make his home at the house of Zebedee. From now on, throughout the remainder of his earth life, the Master truly “had not where to lay his head.” No more did he have even the semblance of a settled abode.
154:7.3 (1723.6) De roede over i nærheden af landsbyen Gerasa, placeret deres båd under tilsyn af venner og begyndte deres vandringer i det sidste begivenhedsrige år i Mesterens liv på jorden. For en tid forblev de indenfor Filippos forvaltningsområde og vandrede fra Kheresa op til Cæsarea Filippi. Derfra rejste de over til Fønikiens kyst.		154:7.3 (1723.6) They rowed over to near the village of Kheresa, put their boat in the custody of friends, and began the wanderings of this eventful last year of the Master’s life on earth. For a time they remained in the domains of Philip, going from Kheresa up to Caesarea-Philippi, thence making their way over to the coast of Phoenicia.
154:7.4 (1723.7) Folkemængden dvælede omkring Zebedæus hjem og fulgte de to bådes rejse over søen mod den østlige bred, og bådene var godt på vej, da embedsmændene fra Jerusalem styrtede frem og begyndte deres søgen efter Jesus. De nægtede at tro, at han var sluppet fra dem, og mens Jesus og hans selskab rejste nordpå gennem Batanea tilbragte farisæerne og deres medarbejdere næsten en hel uge af forgæves søgen efter ham nær Kapernaum.		154:7.4 (1723.7) The crowd lingered about the home of Zebedee watching these two boats make their way over the lake toward the eastern shore, and they were well started when the Jerusalem officers hurried up and began their search for Jesus. They refused to believe he had escaped them, and while Jesus and his party were journeying northward through Batanea, the Pharisees and their assistants spent almost a full week vainly searching for him in the neighborhood of Capernaum.
154:7.5 (1724.1) Jesu familie vendte tilbage til deres hjem i Kapernaum og tilbragte næsten en uge med at diskutere, debattere og bede. De var fyldt med forvirring og bestyrtelse. De havde ingen ro i sindet indtil torsdag eftermiddag, da Ruth vendte tilbage fra et besøg i Zebedæus hus, hvor hun fik at vide af David, at hendes far-bror var i sikkerhed, at han var ved godt helbred, og på vej mod den fønikiske kyst.		154:7.5 (1724.1) Jesus’ family returned to their home in Capernaum and spent almost a week in talking, debating, and praying. They were filled with confusion and consternation. They enjoyed no peace of mind until Thursday afternoon, when Ruth returned from a visit to the Zebedee house, where she learned from David that her father-brother was safe and in good health and making his way toward the Phoenician coast.