Kapitel 157		Paper 157
I Caesarea Filippi		At Caesarea-Philippi
157:0.1 (1743.1) FØR Jesus tog de tolv med på et kort ophold i nærheden af Cæsarea Filippi, aftalte han gennem Davids budbringere at tage over til Kapernaum søndag den 7. august med det formål at møde sin familie. Efter forudgående aftale skulle besøget finde sted i Zebedæus’ bådbutik. David Zebedæus havde aftalt med Jude, Jesus’ bror, at hele familien fra Nazaret—Maria og alle Jesus’ brødre og søstre—skulle være til stede, og Jesus tog af sted sammen med Andreas og Peter for at overholde denne aftale. Det var helt sikkert Marias og børnenes hensigt at overholde denne aftale, men det skete, at en gruppe farisæere, som vidste, at Jesus befandt sig på den modsatte side af søen i Filips domæne, besluttede at opsøge Maria for at finde ud af, hvad de kunne om hans opholdssted. Ankomsten af disse udsendinge fra Jerusalem gjorde Maria meget urolig, og da de bemærkede hele familiens anspændthed og nervøsitet, konkluderede de, at Jesus måtte forventes at aflægge dem et besøg. Derfor installerede de sig i Marias hjem, og efter at have tilkaldt forstærkninger, ventede de tålmodigt på Jesu ankomst. Og det forhindrede selvfølgelig effektivt nogen i familien i at forsøge at overholde deres aftale med Jesus. Flere gange i løbet af dagen forsøgte både Jude og Ruth at undgå farisæernes årvågenhed i deres bestræbelser på at sende bud til Jesus, men det var forgæves.		157:0.1 (1743.1) BEFORE Jesus took the twelve for a short sojourn in the vicinity of Caesarea-Philippi, he arranged through the messengers of David to go over to Capernaum on Sunday, August 7, for the purpose of meeting his family. By prearrangement this visit was to occur at the Zebedee boatshop. David Zebedee had arranged with Jude, Jesus’ brother, for the presence of the entire Nazareth family—Mary and all of Jesus’ brothers and sisters—and Jesus went with Andrew and Peter to keep this appointment. It was certainly the intention of Mary and the children to keep this engagement, but it so happened that a group of the Pharisees, knowing that Jesus was on the opposite side of the lake in Philip’s domains, decided to call upon Mary to learn what they could of his whereabouts. The arrival of these Jerusalem emissaries greatly perturbed Mary, and noting the tension and nervousness of the entire family, they concluded that Jesus must have been expected to pay them a visit. Accordingly they installed themselves in Mary’s home and, after summoning reinforcements, waited patiently for Jesus’ arrival. And this, of course, effectively prevented any of the family from attempting to keep their appointment with Jesus. Several times during the day both Jude and Ruth endeavored to elude the vigilance of the Pharisees in their efforts to send word to Jesus, but it was of no avail.
157:0.2 (1743.2) Tidligt på eftermiddagen bragte Davids budbringere Jesus besked om, at farisæerne havde slået lejr lige uden for døren til hans mors hus, og derfor gjorde han ikke noget forsøg på at besøge sin familie. Og igen lykkedes det ikke Jesus og hans jordiske familie at få kontakt, uden at nogen af dem kunne gøre for det.		157:0.2 (1743.2) Early in the afternoon David’s messengers brought Jesus word that the Pharisees were encamped on the doorstep of his mother’s house, and therefore he made no attempt to visit his family. And so again, through no fault of either, Jesus and his earth family failed to make contact.
1. Tempelskatteopkræveren ^top		1. The Temple-Tax Collector ^top
157:1.1 (1743.3) Da Jesus sammen med Andreas og Peter opholdt sig ved søen i nærheden af bådbutikken, kom en tempelskatteopkræver hen til dem, og da han genkendte Jesus, kaldte han Peter til side og sagde: “Betaler jeres mester ikke tempelskat?” Peter var tilbøjelig til at vise forargelse over forslaget om, at Jesus skulle forventes at bidrage til opretholdelsen af sine svorne fjenders religiøse aktiviteter, men da han bemærkede et særligt udtryk i skatteopkræverens ansigt, antog han med rette, at det var hensigten at fange dem i at nægte at betale den sædvanlige halve shekel til støtte for tempeltjenesten i Jerusalem. Derfor svarede Peter: “Selvfølgelig betaler Mesteren tempelskatten. Vent ved porten, så kommer jeg straks tilbage med skatten.”		157:1.1 (1743.3) As Jesus, with Andrew and Peter, tarried by the lake near the boatshop, a temple-tax collector came upon them and, recognizing Jesus, called Peter to one side and said: “Does not your Master pay the temple tax?” Peter was inclined to show indignation at the suggestion that Jesus should be expected to contribute to the maintenance of the religious activities of his sworn enemies, but, noting a peculiar expression on the face of the tax collector, he rightly surmised that it was the purpose to entrap them in the act of refusing to pay the customary half shekel for the support of the temple services at Jerusalem. Accordingly, Peter replied: “Why of course the Master pays the temple tax. You wait by the gate, and I will presently return with the tax.”
157:1.2 (1743.4) Nu havde Peter talt i hast. Judas bar deres penge, og han var på den anden side af søen. Hverken han, hans bror eller Jesus havde taget penge med. Og da de vidste, at farisæerne ledte efter dem, kunne de ikke tage til Bethsaida for at få penge. Da Peter fortalte Jesus om kollektøren, og at han havde lovet ham pengene, sagde Jesus: “Hvis du har lovet det, så skal du betale. Men hvormed vil du indløse dit løfte? Vil du igen blive fisker, så du kan holde dit ord? Ikke desto mindre, Peter, er det efter omstændighederne godt, at vi betaler skatten. Lad os ikke give disse mænd anledning til at blive fornærmede over vores holdning. Vi vil vente her, mens du går ud med båden og kaster efter fiskene, og når du har solgt dem på markedet derovre, betaler du opkræveren for os alle tre.”		157:1.2 (1743.4) Now Peter had spoken hastily. Judas carried their funds, and he was across the lake. Neither he, his brother, nor Jesus had brought along any money. And knowing that the Pharisees were looking for them, they could not well go to Bethsaida to obtain money. When Peter told Jesus about the collector and that he had promised him the money, Jesus said: “If you have promised, then should you pay. But wherewith will you redeem your promise? Will you again become a fisherman that you may honor your word? Nevertheless, Peter, it is well in the circumstances that we pay the tax. Let us give these men no occasion for offense at our attitude. We will wait here while you go with the boat and cast for the fish, and when you have sold them at yonder market, pay the collector for all three of us.”
157:1.3 (1744.1) Alt dette var blevet overhørt af Davids hemmelige budbringer, som stod i nærheden, og som derefter gav tegn til en kollega, der fiskede nær kysten, om at komme hurtigt ind. Da Peter gjorde sig klar til at sejle ud i båden efter fangst, gav budbringeren og hans fiskerven ham flere store kurve med fisk og hjalp ham med at bære dem hen til fiskehandleren i nærheden, som købte fangsten og betalte tilstrækkeligt med det, som Davids budbringer havde lagt til, til at dække tempelskatten for de tre. Opkræveren accepterede skatten og gav afkald på straffen for forsinket betaling, fordi de i nogen tid havde været fraværende fra Galilæa.		157:1.3 (1744.1) All of this had been overheard by the secret messenger of David who stood near by, and who then signaled to an associate, fishing near the shore, to come in quickly. When Peter made ready to go out in the boat for a catch, this messenger and his fisherman friend presented him with several large baskets of fish and assisted him in carrying them to the fish merchant near by, who purchased the catch, paying sufficient, with what was added by the messenger of David, to meet the temple tax for the three. The collector accepted the tax, forgoing the penalty for tardy payment because they had been for some time absent from Galilee.
157:1.4 (1744.2) Det er ikke mærkeligt, at der findes en beretning om, at Peter fangede en fisk med en shekel i munden. På den tid var der mange historier om at finde skatte i fiskens mund; sådanne fortællinger om næsten-mirakler var almindelige. Så da Peter forlod dem for at gå hen til båden, bemærkede Jesus, halvt humoristisk: “Det er mærkeligt, at kongesønnerne skal betale skat; normalt er det de fremmede, der bliver beskattet for at holde hoffet i gang, men det tilkommer os ikke at være til besvær for myndighederne. Gå hen! måske kan du fange en fisk med en shekel i munden.” Da Jesus havde talt sådan, og Peter så snart dukkede op med tempelskatten, er det ikke overraskende, at episoden senere blev udvidet til et mirakel, som forfatteren af Mattæusevangeliet har nedskrevet.		157:1.4 (1744.2) It is not strange that you have a record of Peter’s catching a fish with a shekel in its mouth. In those days there were current many stories about finding treasures in the mouths of fishes; such tales of near miracles were commonplace. So, as Peter left them to go toward the boat, Jesus remarked, half-humorously: “Strange that the sons of the king must pay tribute; usually it is the stranger who is taxed for the upkeep of the court, but it behooves us to afford no stumbling block for the authorities. Go hence! maybe you will catch the fish with the shekel in its mouth.” Jesus having thus spoken, and Peter so soon appearing with the temple tax, it is not surprising that the episode became later expanded into a miracle as recorded by the writer of Matthew’s Gospel.
157:1.5 (1744.3) Jesus ventede ved kysten sammen med Andreas og Peter, indtil solen næsten var gået ned. Budbringere fortalte dem, at Marias hus stadig var under opsyn, så da det blev mørkt, gik de tre ventende mænd i deres båd og roede langsomt væk mod den østlige bred af Galilæas Sø.		157:1.5 (1744.3) Jesus, with Andrew and Peter, waited by the seashore until nearly sundown. Messengers brought them word that Mary’s house was still under surveillance; therefore, when it grew dark, the three waiting men entered their boat and slowly rowed away toward the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
2. I betsaida julias ^top		2. At Bethsaida-Julias ^top
157:2.1 (1744.4) Mandag den 8. august, mens Jesus og de tolv apostle lå i lejr i Magadan Park nær Betsaida-Julias, kom mere end hundrede troende, evangelisterne, kvindekorpset og andre, der var interesserede i at etablere riget, over fra Kapernaum til en konference. Og mange af farisæerne, som havde hørt, at Jesus var her, kom også. På dette tidspunkt var nogle af saddukæerne blevet forenet med farisæerne i deres forsøg på at fange Jesus. Før Jesus gik ind til den lukkede konference med de troende, holdt han et offentligt møde, hvor farisæerne var til stede, og de hakkede på Mesteren og forsøgte på anden måde at forstyrre forsamlingen. Lederen af urostifterne sagde: “Mester, vi vil gerne have, at du giver os et tegn på din autoritet til at undervise, og når det så sker, vil alle mennesker vide, at du er sendt af Gud.” Og Jesus svarede dem: “Når det er aften, siger I, at det bliver godt vejr, for himlen er rød; om morgenen bliver det dårligt vejr, for himlen er rød og sænker sig. Når I ser en sky stige op i vest, siger I, at der vil komme byger; når vinden blæser fra syd, siger I, at der vil komme brændende hede. Hvordan kan det være, at I så godt kan skelne himlens ansigt, men er så fuldstændigt ude af stand til at skelne tidens tegn? For dem, der vil kende sandheden, er der allerede givet et tegn; men for en ondskabsfuld og hyklerisk generation skal der ikke gives noget tegn.”		157:2.1 (1744.4) On Monday, August 8, while Jesus and the twelve apostles were encamped in Magadan Park, near Bethsaida-Julias, more than one hundred believers, the evangelists, the women’s corps, and others interested in the establishment of the kingdom, came over from Capernaum for a conference. And many of the Pharisees, learning that Jesus was here, came also. By this time some of the Sadducees were united with the Pharisees in their effort to entrap Jesus. Before going into the closed conference with the believers, Jesus held a public meeting at which the Pharisees were present, and they heckled the Master and otherwise sought to disturb the assembly. Said the leader of the disturbers: “Teacher, we would like you to give us a sign of your authority to teach, and then, when the same shall come to pass, all men will know that you have been sent by God.” And Jesus answered them: “When it is evening, you say it will be fair weather, for the heaven is red; in the morning it will be foul weather, for the heaven is red and lowering. When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say showers will come; when the wind blows from the south, you say scorching heat will come. How is it that you so well know how to discern the face of the heavens but are so utterly unable to discern the signs of the times? To those who would know the truth, already has a sign been given; but to an evil-minded and hypocritical generation no sign shall be given.”
157:2.2 (1745.1) Da Jesus havde talt således, trak han sig tilbage og forberedte sig til aftenmødet med sine tilhængere. På denne konference blev det besluttet at gennemføre en fælles mission i alle byer og landsbyer i Dekapolis, så snart Jesus og de tolv skulle vende tilbage fra deres planlagte besøg i Cæsarea Filippi. Mesteren deltog i planlægningen af missionen i Dekapolis, og da han afskedigede selskabet, sagde han: “Jeg siger jer, tag jer i agt for farisæernes og saddukæernes surdej. Lad jer ikke narre af deres store lærdom og af deres dybe loyalitet over for religionens former. Vær kun optaget af ånden i den levende sandhed og kraften i den sande religion. Det er ikke frygten for en død religion, der vil frelse jer, men snarere jeres tro på en levende oplevelse af de åndelige realiteter i riget. Tillad ikke jer selv at blive blændet af fordomme og lammet af frygt. Tillad heller ikke, at ærbødighed for traditionerne fordrejer jeres forståelse, så jeres øjne ikke ser, og jeres ører ikke hører. Det er ikke formålet med sand religion blot at skabe fred, men snarere at sikre fremskridt. Og der kan ikke være fred i hjertet eller fremskridt i sindet, medmindre du forelsker dig helhjertet i sandheden, idealerne for de evige realiteter. Spørgsmålene om liv og død bliver stillet foran dig—tidens syndige fornøjelser mod evighedens retfærdige realiteter. Allerede nu bør du begynde at finde befrielse fra frygtens og tvivlens trældom, når du begynder at leve det nye liv i tro og håb. Og når følelserne af tjeneste for dine medmennesker opstår i din sjæl, så kvæl dem ikke; når følelserne af kærlighed til din næste vælder op i dit hjerte, så giv udtryk for sådanne trang til hengivenhed i intelligent tjeneste for dine medmenneskers virkelige behov.”		157:2.2 (1745.1) When Jesus had thus spoken, he withdrew and prepared for the evening conference with his followers. At this conference it was decided to undertake a united mission throughout all the cities and villages of the Decapolis as soon as Jesus and the twelve should return from their proposed visit to Caesarea-Philippi. The Master participated in planning for the Decapolis mission and, in dismissing the company, said: “I say to you, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Be not deceived by their show of much learning and by their profound loyalty to the forms of religion. Be only concerned with the spirit of living truth and the power of true religion. It is not the fear of a dead religion that will save you but rather your faith in a living experience in the spiritual realities of the kingdom. Do not allow yourselves to become blinded by prejudice and paralyzed by fear. Neither permit reverence for the traditions so to pervert your understanding that your eyes see not and your ears hear not. It is not the purpose of true religion merely to bring peace but rather to insure progress. And there can be no peace in the heart or progress in the mind unless you fall wholeheartedly in love with truth, the ideals of eternal realities. The issues of life and death are being set before you—the sinful pleasures of time against the righteous realities of eternity. Even now you should begin to find deliverance from the bondage of fear and doubt as you enter upon the living of the new life of faith and hope. And when the feelings of service for your fellow men arise within your soul, do not stifle them; when the emotions of love for your neighbor well up within your heart, give expression to such urges of affection in intelligent ministry to the real needs of your fellows.”
3. Peters bekendelse ^top		3. Peter’s Confession ^top
157:3.1 (1745.2) Tidligt tirsdag morgen forlod Jesus og de tolv apostle Magadan Park med kurs mod Cæsarea-Filippi, hovedstaden i tetrarken Filips domæne. Cæsarea Filippi lå i en region af vidunderlig skønhed. Den lå i en charmerende dal mellem naturskønne bakker, hvor Jordan strømmede frem fra en underjordisk grotte. Hermonbjergets højder var i fuld udsigt mod nord, mens man fra bakkerne lige mod syd havde en storslået udsigt over den øvre del af Jordan og Galilæas Sø.		157:3.1 (1745.2) Early Tuesday morning Jesus and the twelve apostles left Magadan Park for Caesarea-Philippi, the capital of the Tetrarch Philip’s domain. Caesarea-Philippi was situated in a region of wondrous beauty. It nestled in a charming valley between scenic hills where the Jordan poured forth from an underground cave. The heights of Mount Hermon were in full view to the north, while from the hills just to the south a magnificent view was had of the upper Jordan and the Sea of Galilee.
157:3.2 (1745.3) Jesus var taget til Hermonbjerget i sin tidlige erfaring med rigets anliggender, og nu, hvor han var på vej ind i den sidste epoke af sit arbejde, ønskede han at vende tilbage til dette prøvelsens og triumfens bjerg, hvor han håbede, at apostlene kunne få et nyt syn på deres ansvar og få ny styrke til de vanskelige tider, der lå forude. Mens de rejste langs vejen, omkring det tidspunkt, hvor de passerede syd for Meroms kilder, faldt apostlene i snak med hinanden om deres seneste oplevelser i Fønikien og andre steder, og de fortalte, hvordan deres budskab var blevet modtaget, og hvordan de forskellige folkeslag betragtede deres Mester.		157:3.2 (1745.3) Jesus had gone to Mount Hermon in his early experience with the affairs of the kingdom, and now that he was entering upon the final epoch of his work, he desired to return to this mount of trial and triumph, where he hoped the apostles might gain a new vision of their responsibilities and acquire new strength for the trying times just ahead. As they journeyed along the way, about the time of passing south of the Waters of Merom, the apostles fell to talking among themselves about their recent experiences in Phoenicia and elsewhere and to recounting how their message had been received, and how the different peoples regarded their Master.
157:3.3 (1745.4) Da de holdt frokostpause, konfronterede Jesus pludselig de tolv med det første spørgsmål, han nogensinde havde stillet dem om sig selv. Han stillede dette overraskende spørgsmål: “Hvem siger mennesker, at jeg er?”		157:3.3 (1745.4) As they paused for lunch, Jesus suddenly confronted the twelve with the first question he had ever addressed to them concerning himself. He asked this surprising question, “Who do men say that I am?”
157:3.4 (1746.1) Jesus havde brugt lange måneder på at undervise disse apostle i himmerigets natur og karakter, og han vidste godt, at tiden var kommet, hvor han måtte begynde at lære dem mere om sin egen natur og sit personlige forhold til riget. Og nu, mens de sad under morbærtræerne, gjorde Mesteren sig klar til at afholde et af de mest betydningsfulde møder i sit lange samvær med de udvalgte apostle.		157:3.4 (1746.1) Jesus had spent long months in training these apostles as to the nature and character of the kingdom of heaven, and he well knew the time had come when he must begin to teach them more about his own nature and his personal relationship to the kingdom. And now, as they were seated under the mulberry trees, the Master made ready to hold one of the most momentous sessions of his long association with the chosen apostles.
157:3.5 (1746.2) Mere end halvdelen af apostlene deltog i besvarelsen af Jesu spørgsmål. De fortalte ham, at han blev betragtet som en profet eller som en ekstraordinær mand af alle, der kendte ham; at selv hans fjender frygtede ham meget og forklarede hans kræfter med den anklage, at han var i ledtog med djævlenes prins. De fortalte ham, at nogle i Judæa og Samaria, som ikke havde mødt ham personligt, troede, at han var Johannes Døberen, der var genopstået fra de døde. Peter forklarede, at han på forskellige tidspunkter og af forskellige personer var blevet sammenlignet med Moses, Elias, Esajas og Jeremias. Da Jesus havde lyttet til denne beretning, rejste han sig op, og da han så ned på de tolv, der sad omkring ham i en halvcirkel, pegede han med overraskende eftertryk på dem med en fejende håndbevægelse og spurgte: “Men hvem siger I, at jeg er?” Der var et øjebliks anspændt stilhed. De tolv fjernede aldrig blikket fra Mesteren, og så sprang Simon Peter op og udbrød: “Du er Frelseren, Søn af den levende Gud.” Og de elleve siddende apostle rejste sig enstemmigt op og viste dermed, at Peter havde talt på vegne af dem alle.		157:3.5 (1746.2) More than half the apostles participated in answering Jesus’ question. They told him that he was regarded as a prophet or as an extraordinary man by all who knew him; that even his enemies greatly feared him, accounting for his powers by the indictment that he was in league with the prince of devils. They told him that some in Judea and Samaria who had not met him personally believed he was John the Baptist risen from the dead. Peter explained that he had been, at sundry times and by various persons, compared with Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. When Jesus had listened to this report, he drew himself upon his feet, and looking down upon the twelve sitting about him in a semicircle, with startling emphasis he pointed to them with a sweeping gesture of his hand and asked, “But who say you that I am?” There was a moment of tense silence. The twelve never took their eyes off the Master, and then Simon Peter, springing to his feet, exclaimed: “You are the Deliverer, the Son of the living God.” And the eleven sitting apostles arose to their feet with one accord, thereby indicating that Peter had spoken for all of them.
157:3.6 (1746.3) Da Jesus igen havde bedt dem om at sætte sig, og mens han stadig stod foran dem, sagde han: “Dette er blevet åbenbaret for jer af min Fader. Den time er kommet, hvor I skal kende sandheden om mig. Men indtil videre påbyder jeg jer, at I ikke fortæller dette til nogen. Lad os gå nu.”		157:3.6 (1746.3) When Jesus had beckoned them again to be seated, and while still standing before them, he said: “This has been revealed to you by my Father. The hour has come when you should know the truth about me. But for the time being I charge you that you tell this to no man. Let us go hence.”
157:3.7 (1746.4) Og så fortsatte de deres rejse til Caesarea Filippi, hvor de ankom sent om aftenen og stoppede ved Celsus’ hjem, som ventede dem. Apostlene sov ikke meget den nat; de syntes at fornemme, at en stor begivenhed i deres liv og i rigets arbejde havde fundet sted.		157:3.7 (1746.4) And so they resumed their journey to Caesarea-Philippi, arriving late that evening and stopping at the home of Celsus, who was expecting them. The apostles slept little that night; they seemed to sense that a great event in their lives and in the work of the kingdom had transpired.
4. Diskussionen om riget ^top		4. The Talk About the Kingdom ^top
157:4.1 (1746.5) Siden Johannes’ dåb af Jesus og forvandlingen af vandet til vin i Kana, havde apostlene på forskellige tidspunkter næsten accepteret ham som Messias. I korte perioder havde nogle af dem virkelig troet på, at han var den forventede frelser. Men knap var sådanne forhåbninger vokset frem i deres hjerter, før Mesteren slog dem i stykker med et knusende ord eller en skuffende handling. De havde længe været i en tilstand af uro på grund af konflikten mellem de forestillinger om den forventede Messias, som de havde i deres sind, og oplevelsen af deres ekstraordinære samvær med denne ekstraordinære mand, som de havde i deres hjerter.		157:4.1 (1746.5) Since the occasions of Jesus’ baptism by John and the turning of the water into wine at Cana, the apostles had, at various times, virtually accepted him as the Messiah. For short periods some of them had truly believed that he was the expected Deliverer. But hardly would such hopes spring up in their hearts than the Master would dash them to pieces by some crushing word or disappointing deed. They had long been in a state of turmoil due to conflict between the concepts of the expected Messiah which they held in their minds and the experience of their extraordinary association with this extraordinary man which they held in their hearts.
157:4.2 (1746.6) Det var sidst på formiddagen denne onsdag, da apostlene samledes i Celsus’ have til deres middagsmåltid. Det meste af natten, og siden de var stået op om morgenen, havde Simon Peter og Simon Zelotes arbejdet ihærdigt sammen med deres brødre for at få dem alle til helhjertet at acceptere Mesteren, ikke blot som Messias, men også som den levende Guds guddommelige Søn. De to Simoner var så godt som enige i deres vurdering af Jesus, og de arbejdede flittigt på at få deres brødre til at acceptere deres synspunkter fuldt ud. Mens Andreas fortsatte som apostlenes formand, blev hans bror, Simon Peter, i stigende grad og efter fælles samtykke talsmand for de tolv.		157:4.2 (1746.6) It was late forenoon on this Wednesday when the apostles assembled in Celsus’ garden for their noontime meal. During most of the night and since they had arisen that morning, Simon Peter and Simon Zelotes had been earnestly laboring with their brethren to bring them all to the point of the wholehearted acceptance of the Master, not merely as the Messiah, but also as the divine Son of the living God. The two Simons were well-nigh agreed in their estimate of Jesus, and they labored diligently to bring their brethren around to the full acceptance of their views. While Andrew continued as the director-general of the apostolic corps, his brother, Simon Peter, was becoming, increasingly and by common consent, the spokesman for the twelve.
157:4.3 (1747.1) De sad alle i haven lige omkring middagstid, da Mesteren dukkede op. De havde udtryk af værdig højtidelighed, og alle rejste sig op, da han nærmede sig dem. Jesus løste op for spændingen med det venlige og broderlige smil, som var så karakteristisk for ham, når hans tilhængere tog sig selv eller noget, der havde med dem at gøre, for alvorligt. Med en kommanderende gestus viste han dem, at de skulle sætte sig. Aldrig mere hilste de tolv deres Mester ved at rejse sig, når han kom i deres nærvær. De så, at han ikke billigede en sådan udadvendt respekt.		157:4.3 (1747.1) They were all seated in the garden at just about noon when the Master appeared. They wore expressions of dignified solemnity, and all arose to their feet as he approached them. Jesus relieved the tension by that friendly and fraternal smile which was so characteristic of him when his followers took themselves, or some happening related to themselves, too seriously. With a commanding gesture he indicated that they should be seated. Never again did the twelve greet their Master by arising when he came into their presence. They saw that he did not approve of such an outward show of respect.
157:4.4 (1747.2) Da de havde indtaget deres måltid og var i gang med at diskutere planerne for den kommende rundrejse i Dekapolis, så Jesus pludselig op i deres ansigter og sagde: “Nu, hvor der er gået en hel dag, siden I sagde ja til Simon Peters erklæring om Menneskesønnens identitet, vil jeg spørge, om I stadig holder fast ved jeres beslutning?” Da de tolv hørte dette, rejste de sig op, og Simon Peter trådte et par skridt frem mod Jesus og sagde: “Ja, Mester, det gør vi. Vi tror, at du er den levende Guds søn.”Og Peter satte sig ned sammen med sine brødre.		157:4.4 (1747.2) After they had partaken of their meal and were engaged in discussing plans for the forthcoming tour of the Decapolis, Jesus suddenly looked up into their faces and said: “Now that a full day has passed since you assented to Simon Peter’s declaration regarding the identity of the Son of Man, I would ask if you still hold to your decision?” On hearing this, the twelve stood upon their feet, and Simon Peter, stepping a few paces forward toward Jesus, said: “Yes, Master, we do. We believe that you are the Son of the living God.” And Peter sat down with his brethren.
157:4.5 (1747.3) Jesus, som stadig stod oprejst, sagde så til de tolv: “I er mine udvalgte ambassadører, men jeg ved, at I under de givne omstændigheder ikke kunne få denne tro som et resultat af ren menneskelig viden. Dette er en åbenbaring fra min Faders ånd til jeres inderste sjæle. Og når I derfor aflægger denne bekendelse ved indsigten fra min Faders ånd, som bor i jer, bliver jeg ført til at erklære, at på dette fundament vil jeg bygge broderskabet i himmeriget. På denne klippe af åndelig virkelighed vil jeg bygge det levende tempel af åndeligt fællesskab i de evige realiteter i min Faders rige. Alle ondskabens kræfter og syndens hærskarer skal ikke sejre over dette menneskelige broderskab i den guddommelige ånd. Og mens min Faders ånd altid skal være den guddommelige vejleder og mentor for alle, der træder ind i dette åndelige fællesskab, overdrager jeg nu nøglerne til det ydre rige til jer og jeres efterfølgere—autoriteten over de timelige ting—de sociale og økonomiske funktioner i denne sammenslutning af mænd og kvinder som rigets fæller.” Og igen pålagde han dem, at de indtil videre ikke skulle fortælle nogen, at han var Guds Søn.		157:4.5 (1747.3) Jesus, still standing, then said to the twelve: “You are my chosen ambassadors, but I know that, in the circumstances, you could not entertain this belief as a result of mere human knowledge. This is a revelation of the spirit of my Father to your inmost souls. And when, therefore, you make this confession by the insight of the spirit of my Father which dwells within you, I am led to declare that upon this foundation will I build the brotherhood of the kingdom of heaven. Upon this rock of spiritual reality will I build the living temple of spiritual fellowship in the eternal realities of my Father’s kingdom. All the forces of evil and the hosts of sin shall not prevail against this human fraternity of the divine spirit. And while my Father’s spirit shall ever be the divine guide and mentor of all who enter the bonds of this spirit fellowship, to you and your successors I now deliver the keys of the outward kingdom—the authority over things temporal—the social and economic features of this association of men and women as fellows of the kingdom.” And again he charged them, for the time being, that they should tell no man that he was the Son of God.
157:4.6 (1747.4) Jesus var begyndt at have tiltro til sine apostles loyalitet og integritet. Mesteren forestillede sig, at en tro, der kunne udholde det, som hans udvalgte repræsentanter for nylig havde været igennem, utvivlsomt ville udholde de brændende prøvelser, som lå lige for, og komme ud af det tilsyneladende vrag af alle deres håb og ind i det nye lys i en ny dispensation og derved være i stand til at gå ud og oplyse en verden, der sad i mørke. På denne dag begyndte Mesteren at tro på sine apostles tro, på nær én.		157:4.6 (1747.4) Jesus was beginning to have faith in the loyalty and integrity of his apostles. The Master conceived that a faith which could stand what his chosen representatives had recently passed through would undoubtedly endure the fiery trials which were just ahead and emerge from the apparent wreckage of all their hopes into the new light of a new dispensation and thereby be able to go forth to enlighten a world sitting in darkness. On this day the Master began to believe in the faith of his apostles, save one.
157:4.7 (1747.5) Og lige siden den dag har den samme Jesus bygget det levende tempel på det samme evige fundament af sit guddommelige slægtskab, og de, der derved bliver Guds selvbevidste sønner, er de menneskelige sten, der udgør dette levende tempel af slægtskab, der rejser sig til ære og herlighed for visdommen og kærligheden hos åndernes evige Fader.		157:4.7 (1747.5) And ever since that day this same Jesus has been building that living temple upon that same eternal foundation of his divine sonship, and those who thereby become self-conscious sons of God are the human stones which constitute this living temple of sonship erecting to the glory and honor of the wisdom and love of the eternal Father of spirits.
157:4.8 (1747.6) Og da Jesus havde talt således, bad han de tolv om at gå for sig selv i bjergene for at søge visdom, styrke og åndelig vejledning indtil aftensmåltidet. Og de gjorde, som Mesteren formanede dem til.		157:4.8 (1747.6) And when Jesus had thus spoken, he directed the twelve to go apart by themselves in the hills to seek wisdom, strength, and spiritual guidance until the time of the evening meal. And they did as the Master admonished them.
5. Den nye opfattelse ^top		5. The New Concept ^top
157:5.1 (1748.1) Det nye og afgørende i Peters bekendelse var den klare anerkendelse af, at Jesus var Guds Søn, af hans ubestridte guddommelighed. Lige siden hans dåb og brylluppet i Kana havde disse apostle på forskellig vis betragtet ham som Messias, men det var ikke en del af den jødiske opfattelse af den nationale befrier, at han skulle være guddommelig. Jøderne havde ikke lært, at Messias skulle udspringe af guddommelighed; han skulle være “den salvede,” men de havde næppe tænkt på ham som “Guds søn.” I den anden bekendelse blev der lagt mere vægt på den kombinerede natur, den overjordiske kendsgerning, at han var Menneskesønnen og Guds Søn, og det var på denne store sandhed om foreningen af den menneskelige natur med den guddommelige natur, at Jesus erklærede, at han ville bygge himmelriget.		157:5.1 (1748.1) The new and vital feature of Peter’s confession was the clear-cut recognition that Jesus was the Son of God, of his unquestioned divinity. Ever since his baptism and the wedding at Cana these apostles had variously regarded him as the Messiah, but it was not a part of the Jewish concept of the national deliverer that he should be divine. The Jews had not taught that the Messiah would spring from divinity; he was to be the “anointed one,” but hardly had they contemplated him as being “the Son of God.” In the second confession more emphasis was placed upon the combined nature, the supernal fact that he was the Son of Man and the Son of God, and it was upon this great truth of the union of the human nature with the divine nature that Jesus declared he would build the kingdom of heaven.
157:5.2 (1748.2) Jesus havde forsøgt at leve sit liv på jorden og fuldføre sin overdragelsesmission som Menneskesønnen. Hans tilhængere var tilbøjelige til at betragte ham som den forventede Messias. Da han vidste, at han aldrig kunne opfylde deres messianske forventninger, forsøgte han at ændre deres opfattelse af Messias, så han delvist kunne leve op til deres forventninger. Men han erkendte nu, at en sådan plan næppe kunne gennemføres med succes. Han valgte derfor frimodigt at afsløre den tredje plan—åbent at annoncere sin guddommelighed, anerkende sandheden i Peters bekendelse og direkte proklamere for de tolv, at han var Guds Søn.		157:5.2 (1748.2) Jesus had sought to live his life on earth and complete his bestowal mission as the Son of Man. His followers were disposed to regard him as the expected Messiah. Knowing that he could never fulfill their Messianic expectations, he endeavored to effect such a modification of their concept of the Messiah as would enable him partially to meet their expectations. But he now recognized that such a plan could hardly be carried through successfully. He therefore elected boldly to disclose the third plan—openly to announce his divinity, acknowledge the truthfulness of Peter’s confession, and directly proclaim to the twelve that he was a Son of God.
157:5.3 (1748.3) I tre år havde Jesus proklameret, at han var “Menneskesønnen,” mens apostlene i de samme tre år havde insisteret mere og mere på, at han var den forventede jødiske Messias. Nu afslørede han, at han var Guds Søn, og ud fra tanken om Menneskesønnens og Guds Søns kombinerede natur besluttede han sig for at opbygge himmeriget. Han havde besluttet at afstå fra yderligere forsøg på at overbevise dem om, at han ikke var Messias. Nu foreslog han frimodigt at afsløre for dem, hvad han er, og derefter ignorere deres vilje til at blive ved med at betragte ham som Messias.		157:5.3 (1748.3) For three years Jesus had been proclaiming that he was the “Son of Man,” while for these same three years the apostles had been increasingly insistent that he was the expected Jewish Messiah. He now disclosed that he was the Son of God, and upon the concept of the combined nature of the Son of Man and the Son of God, he determined to build the kingdom of heaven. He had decided to refrain from further efforts to convince them that he was not the Messiah. He now proposed boldly to reveal to them what he is, and then to ignore their determination to persist in regarding him as the Messiah.
6. Den følgende eftermiddag ^top		6. The Next Afternoon ^top
157:6.1 (1748.4) Jesus og apostlene blev endnu en dag hjemme hos Celsus og ventede på, at budbringere fra David Zebedæus skulle ankomme med penge. Efter sammenbruddet i Jesu popularitet hos masserne skete der et stort fald i indtægterne. Da de nåede Cæsarea Filippi, var pengekassen tom. Mattæus ville nødig forlade Jesus og hans brødre på et sådant tidspunkt, og han havde ikke selv nogen penge, han kunne overdrage til Judas, som han havde gjort så mange gange før. Men David Zebedæus havde forudset denne sandsynlige nedgang i indtægterne og havde derfor instrueret sine budbringere om, at de på deres vej gennem Judæa, Samaria og Galilæa skulle fungere som indsamlere af penge, der skulle sendes videre til de forviste apostle og deres Mester. Så om aftenen denne dag ankom disse budbringere fra Betsaida med penge nok til at forsørge apostlene, indtil de vendte tilbage for at tage på Decapolis-turen. Mattæus forventede at have penge fra salget af sin sidste ejendom i Kapernaum på det tidspunkt og havde arrangeret, at disse midler anonymt skulle overdrages til Judas.		157:6.1 (1748.4) Jesus and the apostles remained another day at the home of Celsus, waiting for messengers to arrive from David Zebedee with funds. Following the collapse of the popularity of Jesus with the masses there occurred a great falling off in revenue. When they reached Caesarea-Philippi, the treasury was empty. Matthew was loath to leave Jesus and his brethren at such a time, and he had no ready funds of his own to hand over to Judas as he had so many times done in the past. However, David Zebedee had foreseen this probable diminution of revenue and had accordingly instructed his messengers that, as they made their way through Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, they should act as collectors of money to be forwarded to the exiled apostles and their Master. And so, by evening of this day, these messengers arrived from Bethsaida bringing funds sufficient to sustain the apostles until their return to embark upon the Decapolis tour. Matthew expected to have money from the sale of his last piece of property in Capernaum by that time, having arranged that these funds should be anonymously turned over to Judas.
157:6.2 (1749.1) Hverken Peter eller de andre apostle havde en særlig god opfattelse af Jesu guddommelighed. De var ikke klar over, at dette var begyndelsen på en ny epoke i deres Mesters karriere på jorden, den tid, hvor læreren og helbrederen var ved at blive den nyligt undfangede Messias—Guds Søn. Fra dette tidspunkt kom der en ny tone i Mesterens budskab. Fra nu af var hans eneste ideal i livet åbenbaringen af Faderen, mens hans eneste idé i undervisningen var at præsentere sit univers for personificeringen af den højeste visdom, som kun kan forstås ved at leve den. Han kom, for at vi alle kunne få livet og få det i overflod.		157:6.2 (1749.1) Neither Peter nor the other apostles had a very adequate conception of Jesus’ divinity. They little realized that this was the beginning of a new epoch in their Master’s career on earth, the time when the teacher-healer was becoming the newly conceived Messiah—the Son of God. From this time on a new note appeared in the Master’s message. Henceforth his one ideal of living was the revelation of the Father, while his one idea in teaching was to present to his universe the personification of that supreme wisdom which can only be comprehended by living it. He came that we all might have life and have it more abundantly.
157:6.3 (1749.2) Jesus gik nu ind i den fjerde og sidste fase af sit menneskelige liv i kødet. Den første fase var hans barndom, de år, hvor han kun var svagt bevidst om sin oprindelse, natur og skæbne som menneske. Det andet stadie var de stadig mere selvbevidste år i ungdommen og den fremadskridende manddom, hvor han mere klart forstod sin guddommelige natur og menneskelige mission. Dette andet stadie sluttede med de oplevelser og åbenbaringer, der var forbundet med hans dåb. Den tredje fase af Mesterens jordiske erfaring strakte sig fra dåben gennem årene med hans tjeneste som lærer og helbreder og op til denne betydningsfulde time med Peters bekendelse i Cæsarea Filippi. Denne tredje periode af hans jordiske liv omfattede de tider, hvor hans apostle og hans nærmeste tilhængere kendte ham som Menneskesønnen og betragtede ham som Messias. Den fjerde og sidste periode af hans jordiske karriere begyndte her i Cæsarea-Filippi og strakte sig frem til korsfæstelsen. Denne fase af hans tjeneste var kendetegnet ved hans anerkendelse af guddommelighed og omfattede arbejdet i hans sidste år i kødet. I løbet af den fjerde periode, mens flertallet af hans tilhængere stadig betragtede ham som Messias, blev han kendt af apostlene som Guds Søn. Peters bekendelse markerede begyndelsen på den nye periode med den mere fuldstændige erkendelse af sandheden om hans højeste tjeneste som en overdragelsessøn på Urantia og for et helt univers, og anerkendelsen af denne kendsgerning, i det mindste svagt, af hans udvalgte ambassadører.		157:6.3 (1749.2) Jesus now entered upon the fourth and last stage of his human life in the flesh. The first stage was that of his childhood, the years when he was only dimly conscious of his origin, nature, and destiny as a human being. The second stage was the increasingly self-conscious years of youth and advancing manhood, during which he came more clearly to comprehend his divine nature and human mission. This second stage ended with the experiences and revelations associated with his baptism. The third stage of the Master’s earth experience extended from the baptism through the years of his ministry as teacher and healer and up to this momentous hour of Peter’s confession at Caesarea-Philippi. This third period of his earth life embraced the times when his apostles and his immediate followers knew him as the Son of Man and regarded him as the Messiah. The fourth and last period of his earth career began here at Caesarea-Philippi and extended on to the crucifixion. This stage of his ministry was characterized by his acknowledgment of divinity and embraced the labors of his last year in the flesh. During the fourth period, while the majority of his followers still regarded him as the Messiah, he became known to the apostles as the Son of God. Peter’s confession marked the beginning of the new period of the more complete realization of the truth of his supreme ministry as a bestowal Son on Urantia and for an entire universe, and the recognition of that fact, at least hazily, by his chosen ambassadors.
157:6.4 (1749.3) Således eksemplificerede Jesus i sit liv, hvad han lærte i sin religion: væksten af den åndelige natur ved hjælp af teknikken med levende fremskridt. Han lagde ikke, som sine senere tilhængere, vægt på den uophørlige kamp mellem sjælen og kroppen. Han lærte snarere, at ånden var en let sejrherre over begge og effektiv i den gavnlige forsoning af meget af denne intellektuelle og instinktive krigsførelse.		157:6.4 (1749.3) Thus did Jesus exemplify in his life what he taught in his religion: the growth of the spiritual nature by the technique of living progress. He did not place emphasis, as did his later followers, upon the incessant struggle between the soul and the body. He rather taught that the spirit was easy victor over both and effective in the profitable reconciliation of much of this intellectual and instinctual warfare.
157:6.5 (1749.4) Fra dette tidspunkt får al Jesu undervisning en ny betydning. Før Cæsarea-Filippi præsenterede han evangeliet om riget som dets mesterlærer. Efter Cæsarea Filippi viste han sig ikke blot som en lærer, men som den guddommelige repræsentant for den evige Fader, som er centrum og omkreds for dette åndelige rige, og det var påkrævet, at han gjorde alt dette som et menneske, Menneskesønnen.		157:6.5 (1749.4) A new significance attaches to all of Jesus’ teachings from this point on. Before Caesarea-Philippi he presented the gospel of the kingdom as its master teacher. After Caesarea-Philippi he appeared not merely as a teacher but as the divine representative of the eternal Father, who is the center and circumference of this spiritual kingdom, and it was required that he do all this as a human being, the Son of Man.
157:6.6 (1749.5) Jesus havde oprigtigt forsøgt at føre sine tilhængere ind i det åndelige rige som lærer og derefter som lærer og helbreder, men de ville ikke have det sådan. Han vidste godt, at hans mission på jorden umuligt kunne opfylde det jødiske folks messianske forventninger; de gamle profeter havde portrætteret en Messias, som han aldrig kunne blive. Han forsøgte at etablere Faderens rige som Menneskesønnen, men hans tilhængere ville ikke gå videre i eventyret. Da Jesus så dette, valgte han at møde sine tilhængere på vejen og forberedte sig dermed åbent på at påtage sig rollen som Guds overdragelsessøn.		157:6.6 (1749.5) Jesus had sincerely endeavored to lead his followers into the spiritual kingdom as a teacher, then as a teacher-healer, but they would not have it so. He well knew that his earth mission could not possibly fulfill the Messianic expectations of the Jewish people; the olden prophets had portrayed a Messiah which he could never be. He sought to establish the Father’s kingdom as the Son of Man, but his followers would not go forward in the adventure. Jesus, seeing this, then elected to meet his believers part way and in so doing prepared openly to assume the role of the bestowal Son of God.
157:6.7 (1750.1) Derfor hørte apostlene meget, der var nyt, da Jesus talte til dem denne dag i haven. Og nogle af disse udtalelser lød mærkelige, selv for dem. Blandt andre opsigtsvækkende meddelelser lyttede de til følgende:		157:6.7 (1750.1) Accordingly, the apostles heard much that was new as Jesus talked to them this day in the garden. And some of these pronouncements sounded strange even to them. Among other startling announcements they listened to such as the following:
157:6.8 (1750.2) “Fra nu af, hvis nogen vil have fællesskab med os, så lad ham påtage sig slægtskabets forpligtelser og følge mig. Og når jeg ikke længere er hos jer, så tro ikke, at verden vil behandle jer bedre, end den behandlede jeres Mester. Hvis du elsker mig, så forbered dig på at bevise denne hengivenhed ved at være villig til at bringe det højeste offer.”		157:6.8 (1750.2) “From this time on, if any man would have fellowship with us, let him assume the obligations of sonship and follow me. And when I am no more with you, think not that the world will treat you better than it did your Master. If you love me, prepare to prove this affection by your willingness to make the supreme sacrifice.”
157:6.9 (1750.3) “Og læg godt mærke til mine ord: Jeg er ikke kommet for at kalde de retfærdige, men synderne. Menneskesønnen kom ikke for at blive betjent, men for at betjene og skænke sit liv som gave til alle. Jeg erklærer jer, at jeg er kommet for at søge og frelse dem, der er fortabte.”		157:6.9 (1750.3) “And mark well my words: I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. The Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to bestow his life as the gift for all. I declare to you that I have come to seek and to save those who are lost.”
157:6.10 (1750.4) “Intet menneske i denne verden ser nu Faderen undtagen Sønnen, som kom ud af Faderen. Men hvis Sønnen bliver løftet op, vil han drage alle mennesker til sig, og enhver, der tror på denne sandhed om Sønnens kombinerede natur, vil blive udstyret med et liv, der er mere end tidsbegrænset.”		157:6.10 (1750.4) “No man in this world now sees the Father except the Son who came forth from the Father. But if the Son be lifted up, he will draw all men to himself, and whosoever believes this truth of the combined nature of the Son shall be endowed with life that is more than age-abiding.”
157:6.11 (1750.5) “Vi forkynder måske endnu ikke åbent, at Menneskesønnen er Guds Søn, men det er blevet åbenbaret for jer; derfor taler jeg frimodigt til jer om disse mysterier. Selv om jeg står foran jer i denne fysiske tilstedeværelse, kom jeg ud af Gud Faderen. Før Abraham var, er jeg. Jeg kom fra Faderen til denne verden, som I har kendt mig, og jeg erklærer jer, at jeg nu må forlade denne verden og vende tilbage til min Faders arbejde.”		157:6.11 (1750.5) “We may not yet proclaim openly that the Son of Man is the Son of God, but it has been revealed to you; wherefore do I speak boldly to you concerning these mysteries. Though I stand before you in this physical presence, I came forth from God the Father. Before Abraham was, I am. I did come forth from the Father into this world as you have known me, and I declare to you that I must presently leave this world and return to the work of my Father.”
157:6.12 (1750.6) “Og kan jeres tro nu forstå sandheden i disse erklæringer, når jeg advarer jer om, at Menneskesønnen ikke vil leve op til jeres fædres forventninger, da de forestillede sig Messias? Mit rige er ikke af denne verden. Kan I tro sandheden om mig i lyset af, at selvom rævene har huller og himlens fugle har reder, så har jeg ikke noget sted at lægge mit hoved?”		157:6.12 (1750.6) “And now can your faith comprehend the truth of these declarations in the face of my warning you that the Son of Man will not meet the expectations of your fathers as they conceived the Messiah? My kingdom is not of this world. Can you believe the truth about me in the face of the fact that, though the foxes have holes and the birds of heaven have nests, I have not where to lay my head?”
157:6.13 (1750.7) “Men jeg siger jer, at Faderen og jeg er ét. Den, der har set mig, har set Faderen. Min Fader arbejder sammen med mig i alle disse ting, og han vil aldrig forlade mig alene i min mission, ligesom jeg aldrig vil forlade jer, når I nu går ud for at forkynde dette evangelium i hele verden.		157:6.13 (1750.7) “Nevertheless, I tell you that the Father and I are one. He who has seen me has seen the Father. My Father is working with me in all these things, and he will never leave me alone in my mission, even as I will never forsake you when you presently go forth to proclaim this gospel throughout the world.
157:6.14 (1750.8) “Og nu har jeg taget jer med mig og for jer selv for en lille stund, så I kan forstå herligheden og fatte storheden i det liv, jeg har kaldet jer til: troseventyret om etableringen af min Faders rige i menneskehedens hjerter, opbygningen af mit fællesskab af levende forening med sjælene hos alle, der tror på dette evangelium.”		157:6.14 (1750.8) “And now have I brought you apart with me and by yourselves for a little while that you may comprehend the glory, and grasp the grandeur, of the life to which I have called you: the faith-adventure of the establishment of my Father’s kingdom in the hearts of mankind, the building of my fellowship of living association with the souls of all who believe this gospel.”
157:6.15 (1750.9) Apostlene lyttede til disse dristige og opsigtsvækkende udtalelser i tavshed; de var lamslåede. Og de spredte sig i små grupper for at diskutere og overveje Mesterens ord. De havde bekendt, at han var Guds Søn, men de kunne ikke fatte den fulde betydning af det, de var blevet ledt til at gøre.		157:6.15 (1750.9) The apostles listened to these bold and startling statements in silence; they were stunned. And they dispersed in small groups to discuss and ponder the Master’s words. They had confessed that he was the Son of God, but they could not grasp the full meaning of what they had been led to do.
7. Andreas konference ^top		7. Andrew’s Conference ^top
157:7.1 (1750.10) Den aften påtog Andreas sig at holde en personlig og ransagende konference med hver af sine brødre, og han havde udbytterige og opmuntrende samtaler med alle sine medarbejdere undtagen Judas Iskariot. Andreas havde aldrig haft et så intimt personligt forhold til Judas som til de andre apostle og havde derfor ikke taget det alvorligt, at Judas aldrig havde fortalt frit og fortroligt om sig selv til lederen af det apostoliske korps. Men Andreas var nu så bekymret over Judas’ holdning, at han senere på natten, efter at alle apostlene var faldet i søvn, opsøgte Jesus og fremlagde sin grund til bekymring for Mesteren. Jesus sagde: “Det er ikke forkert, Andreas, at du er kommet til mig med denne sag, men der er ikke mere, vi kan gøre; fortsæt bare med at have den største tillid til denne apostel. Og sig ikke noget til hans brødre om denne samtale med mig.”		157:7.1 (1750.10) That evening Andrew took it upon himself to hold a personal and searching conference with each of his brethren, and he had profitable and heartening talks with all of his associates except Judas Iscariot. Andrew had never enjoyed such intimate personal association with Judas as with the other apostles and therefore had not thought it of serious account that Judas never had freely and confidentially related himself to the head of the apostolic corps. But Andrew was now so worried by Judas’s attitude that, later on that night, after all the apostles were fast asleep, he sought out Jesus and presented his cause for anxiety to the Master. Said Jesus: “It is not amiss, Andrew, that you have come to me with this matter, but there is nothing more that we can do; only go on placing the utmost confidence in this apostle. And say nothing to his brethren concerning this talk with me.”
157:7.2 (1751.1) Og det var alt, hvad Andreas kunne få ud af Jesus. Der havde altid været en vis mærkelighed mellem denne judæer og hans galilæiske brødre. Judas var blevet chokeret over Johannes Døberens død, alvorligt såret af Mesterens irettesættelser ved flere lejligheder, skuffet, da Jesus nægtede at blive gjort til konge, ydmyget, da han flygtede fra farisæerne, ærgerlig, da han nægtede at acceptere farisæernes udfordring om et tegn, forvirret over Mesterens afvisning af at ty til magtmanifestationer, og nu, for nylig, deprimeret og til tider nedslået over en tom kasse. Og Judas savnede stimulansen fra de mange mennesker.		157:7.2 (1751.1) And that was all Andrew could elicit from Jesus. Always had there been some strangeness between this Judean and his Galilean brethren. Judas had been shocked by the death of John the Baptist, severely hurt by the Master’s rebukes on several occasions, disappointed when Jesus refused to be made king, humiliated when he fled from the Pharisees, chagrined when he refused to accept the challenge of the Pharisees for a sign, bewildered by the refusal of his Master to resort to manifestations of power, and now, more recently, depressed and sometimes dejected by an empty treasury. And Judas missed the stimulus of the multitudes.
157:7.3 (1751.2) Hver af de andre apostle blev i forskellig grad påvirket af de samme prøvelser og trængsler, men de elskede Jesus. I det mindste må de have elsket Mesteren mere end Judas, for de gik igennem med ham til den bitre ende.		157:7.3 (1751.2) Each of the other apostles was, in some and varying measure, likewise affected by these selfsame trials and tribulations, but they loved Jesus. At least they must have loved the Master more than did Judas, for they went through with him to the bitter end.
157:7.4 (1751.3) Da Judas var fra Judæa, blev han personligt fornærmet over Jesu nylige advarsel til apostlene om at “passe på farisæernes surdej”; han var tilbøjelig til at betragte denne udtalelse som en skjult henvisning til ham selv. Men det var Judas’ store fejltagelse: Gang på gang, når Jesus sendte sine apostle alene ud for at bede, hengav Judas sig til tanker om menneskelig frygt i stedet for at engagere sig i oprigtigt fællesskab med universets åndelige kræfter, mens han vedblev med at nære subtil tvivl om Jesu mission og gav efter for sin uheldige tendens til at nære hævnfølelser.		157:7.4 (1751.3) Being from Judea, Judas took personal offense at Jesus’ recent warning to the apostles to “beware the leaven of the Pharisees”; he was disposed to regard this statement as a veiled reference to himself. But the great mistake of Judas was: Time and again, when Jesus would send his apostles off by themselves to pray, Judas, instead of engaging in sincere communion with the spiritual forces of the universe, indulged in thoughts of human fear while he persisted in the entertainment of subtle doubts about the mission of Jesus as well as giving in to his unfortunate tendency to harbor feelings of revenge.
157:7.5 (1751.4) Og nu ville Jesus tage sine apostle med sig til Hermonbjerget, hvor han havde bestemt sig for at indvie sin fjerde fase af sin tjeneste på jorden som Guds Søn. Nogle af dem var til stede ved hans dåb i Jordan og havde været vidne til begyndelsen på hans karriere som Menneskesøn, og han ønskede, at nogle af dem også skulle være til stede for at høre hans bemyndigelse til at påtage sig den nye og offentlige rolle som Guds Søn. Om morgenen fredag den 12. august sagde Jesus derfor til de tolv: “Sørg for proviant og gør jer klar til en rejse til bjerget derovre, hvor ånden byder mig at tage hen for at blive udrustet til at afslutte mit arbejde på jorden. Og jeg vil tage mine brødre med, så de også kan blive styrket til den svære tid, det er at gå sammen med mig gennem denne oplevelse.”		157:7.5 (1751.4) And now Jesus would take his apostles along with him to Mount Hermon, where he had appointed to inaugurate his fourth phase of earth ministry as the Son of God. Some of them were present at his baptism in the Jordan and had witnessed the beginning of his career as the Son of Man, and he desired that some of them should also be present to hear his authority for the assumption of the new and public role of a Son of God. Accordingly, on the morning of Friday, August 12, Jesus said to the twelve: “Lay in provisions and prepare yourselves for a journey to yonder mountain, where the spirit bids me go to be endowed for the finish of my work on earth. And I would take my brethren along that they may also be strengthened for the trying times of going with me through this experience.”