Kapitel 169		Paper 169
Den Sidste Undervisning Ved Pella		Last Teaching at Pella
169:0.1 (1850.1) SENT mandag aften den 6. marts ankom, Jesus og de ti apostle til Pella lejren. Dette var den sidste uge af Jesu ophold der, og han var meget aktiv med at undervise de mange og instruere apostlene. Han prædikede hver eftermiddag for folkemængderne og besvarede hver aften spørgsmål fra apostlene og nogle af de mere avancerede disciple, der boede i lejren.		169:0.1 (1850.1) LATE on Monday evening, March 6, Jesus and the ten apostles arrived at the Pella camp. This was the last week of Jesus’ sojourn there, and he was very active in teaching the multitude and instructing the apostles. He preached every afternoon to the crowds and each night answered questions for the apostles and certain of the more advanced disciples residing at the camp.
169:0.2 (1850.2) Budskabet om Lazarus opstandelse havde nået lejren to dage før Mesterens ankomst, og alle, der var samlet der var fulde af forventning. Ikke siden bespisningen de fem tusinde havde noget sket, som sådan satte folks fantasi i bevægelse. Og således var det på selve højdepunktet af den anden fase i rigets offentlige tjeneste, at Jesus planlagde at undervise i denne ene kort uge i Pella, og derefter begynde rundturen i det sydlige Peræa, som førte direkte til de endelige og tragiske oplevelser under den sidste uge i Jerusalem.		169:0.2 (1850.2) Word regarding the resurrection of Lazarus had reached the encampment two days before the Master’s arrival, and the entire assembly was agog. Not since the feeding of the five thousand had anything occurred which so aroused the imagination of the people. And thus it was at the very height of the second phase of the public ministry of the kingdom that Jesus planned to teach this one short week at Pella and then to begin the tour of southern Perea which led right up to the final and tragic experiences of the last week in Jerusalem.
169:0.3 (1850.3) Farisæerne og ypperstepræsterne var begyndt at formulere deres beskyldninger og krystallisere deres anklager. De protesterede mod Mesterens lære på disse grunde:		169:0.3 (1850.3) The Pharisees and the chief priests had begun to formulate their charges and to crystallize their accusations. They objected to the Master’s teachings on these grounds:
169:0.4 (1850.4) 1. Han er en ven af toldere og syndere; han modtager de ugudelige og spiser endda med dem.		169:0.4 (1850.4) 1. He is a friend of publicans and sinners; he receives the ungodly and even eats with them.
169:0.5 (1850.5) 2. Han er en bespotter; han taler om Gud som sin Fader og tror, han er lige med Gud.		169:0.5 (1850.5) 2. He is a blasphemer; he talks about God as being his Father and thinks he is equal with God.
169:0.6 (1850.6) 3. Han er en lovovertræder. Han helbreder sygdom på sabbatten og på mange andre måder viser foragt for Israels hellige lov.		169:0.6 (1850.6) 3. He is a lawbreaker. He heals disease on the Sabbath and in many other ways flouts the sacred law of Israel.
169:0.7 (1850.7) 4. Han er i ledtog med djævle. Han gør underværker, og tilsyneladende mirakler med magt fra djævleprinsen Beelzebub.		169:0.7 (1850.7) 4. He is in league with devils. He works wonders and does seeming miracles by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of devils.
1. Lignelsen om den fortabte søn ^top		1. Parable of the Lost Son ^top
169:1.1 (1850.8) Torsdag eftermiddag talte Jesus til folkemængden om "frelsens nåde". I denne prædiken, fortalte han igen historien om det mistede får og den tabte mønt, og så tilføjede han sin favorit lignelse om den fortabte søn. Jesus sagde:		169:1.1 (1850.8) On Thursday afternoon Jesus talked to the multitude about the “Grace of Salvation.” In the course of this sermon he retold the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin and then added his favorite parable of the prodigal son. Said Jesus:
169:1.2 (1850.9) "Du er blevet formanet af profeterne fra Samuel til Johannes til at søge Gud - søge efter sandheden. Altid har de sagt: "Søg Herren, mens han kan findes." Og alt sådan undervisning bør alvorligt overvejes og lægges på hjertet. Men jeg er kommet for at vise dig, at, mens du søger at finde Gud, søger Gud også at finde dig. Mange gange har jeg fortalt dig historien om den gode hyrde, der forlod de nioghalvfems får i folden, mens han gik ud for at lede efter det, der var faret vild, og hvordan han, da han havde fundet fåret, der havde forvildet sig, lagde det over sine skuldre og ømt bar det tilbage til folden. Og da det mistede får var blevet returneret til folden, kan du huske, at den gode hyrde kaldte på sine venner og bad dem glæde sig med ham over fåret, der var gået tabt men var blevet fundet. Igen siger jeg jer, at der vil være mere glæde i himlen over en eneste synder, som omvender sig, end over de nioghalvfems retfærdige personer, der ikke behøver omvendelse. Det faktum, at sjæle har forvildet sig øger kun den himmelske Faders interesse. Jeg er kommet til denne verden for at gøre min Faders vilje, og det er i sandhed blevet sagt om Menneskesønnen, at han er en ven af toldere og syndere.		169:1.2 (1850.9) “You have been admonished by the prophets from Samuel to John that you should seek for God—search for truth. Always have they said, ‘Seek the Lord while he may be found.’ And all such teaching should be taken to heart. But I have come to show you that, while you are seeking to find God, God is likewise seeking to find you. Many times have I told you the story of the good shepherd who left the ninety and nine sheep in the fold while he went forth searching for the one that was lost, and how, when he had found the straying sheep, he laid it over his shoulder and tenderly carried it back to the fold. And when the lost sheep had been restored to the fold, you remember that the good shepherd called in his friends and bade them rejoice with him over the finding of the sheep that had been lost. Again I say there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. The fact that souls are lost only increases the interest of the heavenly Father. I have come to this world to do my Father’s bidding, and it has truly been said of the Son of Man that he is a friend of publicans and sinners.
169:1.3 (1851.1) "Du har lært, at Gud modtager dig efter at du har omvendt dig og på grund af alle dine opofrelse og anger, men jeg kan forsikre dig, at Faderen accepterer dig allerede før du har angret og sender Sønnen og hans medarbejdere for at finde dig, og bringe dig tilbage til folden, til sønskabet og det åndelige fremskridende rige. I er alle som får der er faret vild, og jeg er kommet for at søge og frelse dem, der er faret vild.		169:1.3 (1851.1) “You have been taught that divine acceptance comes after your repentance and as a result of all your works of sacrifice and penitence, but I assure you that the Father accepts you even before you have repented and sends the Son and his associates to find you and bring you, with rejoicing, back to the fold, the kingdom of sonship and spiritual progress. You are all like sheep which have gone astray, and I have come to seek and to save those who are lost.
169:1.4 (1851.2) "Og du vil sikkert også huske historien om kvinden, der, efter at have fået lavet ti sølvmønter til en halskæde til sig selv og som mistede en af mønterne, og hvordan hun tændte lampen og flittigt fejede huset og holdt udkig, indtil hun fandt den tabte sølvmønt. Og så snart hun havde fundet den tabte mønt, samlede hun sine venner og naboer, og sagde: Glæd jer med mig, jeg har fundet mønten, som jeg havde tabt. "Så siger jeg igen, at der altid er stor glæde blandt englene i himlen, når én synder omvender sig og vender tilbage til Faderens fold. Og jeg fortæller denne historie for at understrege for jer, at Faderen og Sønnen, gå ud for at lede efter dem, der har forvildet sig, og i denne søgning, bruger vi al den indflydelse, som kan være nyttig i vores vedvarende forsøg på at finde dem, der er forladt, dem, der har brug for frelse. Og sådan går Menneskesønnen ud i ørkenen for at søge efter fårene, der er faret vild, han søger også efter mønten, der er tabt i huset. Fårene vandrer væk, utilsigtet; mønten er dækket af tidens støv og skjult af alle de ting, som mennesker samler.		169:1.4 (1851.2) “And you should also remember the story of the woman who, having had ten pieces of silver made into a necklace of adornment, lost one piece, and how she lit the lamp and diligently swept the house and kept up the search until she found the lost piece of silver. And as soon as she found the coin that was lost, she called together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece that was lost.’ So again I say, there is always joy in the presence of the angels of heaven over one sinner who repents and returns to the Father’s fold. And I tell you this story to impress upon you that the Father and his Son go forth to search for those who are lost, and in this search we employ all influences capable of rendering assistance in our diligent efforts to find those who are lost, those who stand in need of salvation. And so, while the Son of Man goes out in the wilderness to seek for the sheep gone astray, he also searches for the coin which is lost in the house. The sheep wanders away, unintentionally; the coin is covered by the dust of time and obscured by the accumulation of the things of men.
169:1.5 (1851.3) "Og nu vil jeg fortælle dig en historie om en tankeløs søn af en velhavende landmand, der med vilje forlod sin fars hus og gik ud til et fremmed land, hvor han mødte mange vanskeligheder. Du vil erindre, at fårene forvildede sig uforvarende, men denne unge forlod sit hjem efter tidligere overvejelser. Det skete på denne måde:		169:1.5 (1851.3) “And now I would like to tell you the story of a thoughtless son of a well-to-do farmer who deliberately left his father’s house and went off into a foreign land, where he fell into much tribulation. You recall that the sheep strayed away without intention, but this youth left his home with premeditation. It was like this:
169:1.6 (1851.4) "En mand havde to sønner: den yngre var munter og sorgløs, ønskede altid at have det sjovt og ikke tage noget ansvar, den ældre bror var alvorlig, behersket, hårdtarbejdende og villige til at bære ansvar. Nu kom disse to brødre er ikke så godt overens med hinanden; de skændtes og mundhuggede altid. Den yngste knægt var munter og livlig men doven og upålidelig. Den ældste søn var stabil og flittig, men også selvcentreret, tvær og indbildsk. Den yngste søn nød at lege, men skyede arbejde; den ældre helliget sig til at arbejde, men legede sjældent. Båndet mellem dem blev så ubehagelig, at den yngste søn kom til sin far og sagde, 'Far, giv mig den tredjedel af din formue, der ville tilfalde mig og lade mig gå ud i verden for at søge min egen lykke." Og da faderen hørte denne anmodning og vidste, hvor ulykkelig den unge mand var hjemme og sammen med sin ældre bror, delte han sin ejendom og gav den unge hans andel.		169:1.6 (1851.4) “A certain man had two sons; one, the younger, was lighthearted and carefree, always seeking for a good time and shirking responsibility, while his older brother was serious, sober, hard-working, and willing to bear responsibility. Now these two brothers did not get along well together; they were always quarreling and bickering. The younger lad was cheerful and vivacious, but indolent and unreliable; the older son was steady and industrious, at the same time self-centered, surly, and conceited. The younger son enjoyed play but shunned work; the older devoted himself to work but seldom played. This association became so disagreeable that the younger son came to his father and said: ‘Father, give me the third portion of your possessions which would fall to me and allow me to go out into the world to seek my own fortune.’ And when the father heard this request, knowing how unhappy the young man was at home and with his older brother, he divided his property, giving the youth his share.
169:1.7 (1851.5) "Inden for et par uger, havde den unge mand samlet alle sine penge og begav sig på vej til et fjernt land; og da han ikke fandt noget nyttigt at gøre som samtidigt var sjovt, havde han snart spildt sin arv på et liv i udskejelser. Og da han havde brugt alt, opstod der en alvorlig hungersnød i landet, og han begyndte at lide nød. Og så, da han led af sult og hans nød var stor, fik han et arbejde hos en af landets indbyggere, som sendte ham ud på sine marker for at vogte svin. Og den unge mand ville gerne fyldet sin mave med de bønner, som svinene spiste, men ingen gav ham noget.		169:1.7 (1851.5) “Within a few weeks the young man gathered together all his funds and set out upon a journey to a far country, and finding nothing profitable to do which was also pleasurable, he soon wasted all his inheritance in riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a prolonged famine in that country, and he found himself in want. And so, when he suffered hunger and his distress was great, he found employment with one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed swine. And the young man would fain have filled himself with the husks which the swine ate, but no one would give him anything.
169:1.8 (1852.1) "En dag, da han var meget sulten, kom han til besindelse og tænkte: 'Hvor mange ansatte tjenere hos min Fader har ikke brød nok og mere til, og her er jeg ved at sulte ihjel, mens jeg fodre svin herovre i et fremmed land! Jeg vil stå op og gå til min far og sige til ham: Far, jeg har syndet mod himlen og mod dig. Jeg er ikke længere værd at kaldes din søn; lad mig bare få beskæftigelse som en af dine tjenere." Og da den unge mand havde nået denne beslutning, rejste han sig og begyndte at begive sig hjem til sin far.		169:1.8 (1852.1) “One day, when he was very hungry, he came to himself and said: ‘How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare while I perish with hunger, feeding swine off here in a foreign country! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no more worthy to be called your son; only be willing to make me one of your hired servants.’ And when the young man had reached this decision, he arose and started out for his father’s house.
169:1.9 (1852.2) "Nu havde denne far været meget bedrøvet for sin søn; han havde savnet den muntre omend tankeløse dreng. Faderen elskede sin søn og var altid på udkig, hvis han skulle vende tilbage, så den dag, da han nærmede sig sit hjem, selv mens han endnu var langt borte så hans far ham, blev fyldt med kærlig medfølelse, løb ud for at møde ham og med kærligt hilsen omfavnede og kyssede ham. Og efter at de således havde mødt, så sønnen op i sin fars tårevædet ansigt og sagde, "Far, jeg har syndet mod himlen og mod dig; Jeg er ikke længere værd at kaldes din søn - " men drengen fik ikke mulighed for at afslutte sin tilståelse, for den overlykkelige fader sagde til sine tjenere, der nu var kommet til: "Bring hurtigt hans fineste klædning, som jeg har gemt og sæt den på ham og sæt sønnens ring på hans hånd og sandaler på hans fødder."		169:1.9 (1852.2) “Now this father had grieved much for his son; he had missed the cheerful, though thoughtless, lad. This father loved this son and was always on the lookout for his return, so that on the day he approached his home, even while he was yet afar off, the father saw him and, being moved with loving compassion, ran out to meet him, and with affectionate greeting he embraced and kissed him. And after they had thus met, the son looked up into his father’s tearful face and said: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no more worthy to be called a son’—but the lad did not find opportunity to complete his confession because the overjoyed father said to the servants who had by this time come running up: ‘Bring quickly his best robe, the one I have saved, and put it on him and put the son’s ring on his hand and fetch sandals for his feet.’
169:1.10 (1852.3) "Og så, efter at den lykkelige far havde ført den ømfodet og trætte dreng ind i huset, sagde han til sine tjenere: Hent en opfedet kalv og slagt den, så vi kan spise og være lystige, for denne min søn var død og er i live igen; han var fortabt, og er nu fundet." Og de samledes alle omkring faderen og glædede sig med ham over genoprettelsen af hans søn.		169:1.10 (1852.3) “And then, after the happy father had led the footsore and weary lad into the house, he called to his servants: ‘Bring on the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they all gathered about the father to rejoice with him over the restoration of his son.
169:1.11 (1852.4) "Ved denne tid, mens de festede, kom den ældste søn hjem fra sin dags arbejde i marken, og da han nærmede sig huset, hørte han musik og dans. Og da han kom til bagdøren, kaldte han på en af tjenerne og spurgte, hvad var betydningen af alt dette festivitas. Og tjeneren sagde: "Din bror som længe har været tabt er kommet hjem, og din far har slagtet fedekalven i glæde, over at hans søn er vendt tilbage i god behold. Kom ind, så du også kan møde din bror og byde ham velkommen tilbage i din fars hus."		169:1.11 (1852.4) “About this time, while they were celebrating, the elder son came in from his day’s work in the field, and as he drew near the house, he heard the music and the dancing. And when he came up to the back door, he called out one of the servants and inquired as to the meaning of all this festivity. And then said the servant: ‘Your long-lost brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf to rejoice over his son’s safe return. Come in that you also may greet your brother and receive him back into your father’s house.’
169:1.12 (1852.5) "Men da den ældre bror hørte dette, blev han så såret og vred at han ikke ville gå ind i huset. Da hans far hørte om hans sorg over velkomstfesten for hans lillebror, gik han ud og forsøgte at tale ham til rette. Men den ældste søn ville ikke lade sig overtale af sin far. Han svarede sin far og sagde: 'Her har jeg tjent dig i alle disse år og aldrig overtrådt nogen af dine regler, og mig har du aldrig givet selv en ung ged til at feste på med mine venner. Jeg har boet her for at passe dig alle disse år, men du har aldrig holdt en fest af glæde for min tro tjeneste. Men når han kommer hjem, din søn, der har spildt sin formue med prostituerede, så skynder du dig at slagte fedekalven og organiserer fest for ham."		169:1.12 (1852.5) “But when the older brother heard this, he was so hurt and angry he would not go into the house. When his father heard of his resentment of the welcome of his younger brother, he went out to entreat him. But the older son would not yield to his father’s persuasion. He answered his father, saying: ‘Here these many years have I served you, never transgressing the least of your commands, and yet you never gave me even a kid that I might make merry with my friends. I have remained here to care for you all these years, and you never made rejoicing over my faithful service, but when this your son returns, having squandered your substance with harlots, you make haste to kill the fatted calf and make merry over him.’
169:1.13 (1852.6) "Da denne far virkelig elskede begge sine sønner, forsøgte han at appellere til den ældre, "Men min søn, du har altid været med mig, og alt mit er dit. Du kunne have taget et kid når som helst, hvis du havde venner at have det sjovt med. Men nu er det kun ret og rimeligt, at du skal komme og fejre og feste med mig, at din bror er kommet tilbage. Forestil dig, min søn, din bror var tabt, og er nu fundet igen; han er vendt tilbage i live til os!’”		169:1.13 (1852.6) “Since this father truly loved both of his sons, he tried to reason with this older one: ‘But, my son, you have all the while been with me, and all this which I have is yours. You could have had a kid at any time you had made friends to share your merriment. But it is only proper that you should now join with me in being glad and merry because of your brother’s return. Think of it, my son, your brother was lost and is found; he has returned alive to us!’”
169:1.14 (1853.1) Dette var en af de mest rørende og effektive af alle de lignelser, som Jesus nogensinde præsenterede for sine tilhørere for at indprente Faderens vilje til at modtage alle, som søger adgang til Himmelriget.		169:1.14 (1853.1) This was one of the most touching and effective of all the parables which Jesus ever presented to impress upon his hearers the Father’s willingness to receive all who seek entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
169:1.15 (1853.2) Jesus yndede at fortælle disse tre historier i træk. Han fortalte historien om det fortabte får for at vise, at når mennesker utilsigtet strejfer væk fra livets vej, så er Faderen opmærksom på disse tabte børn og går ud med sine sønner, flokkens sande hyrder, for at lede efter det mistede får. Han ville så fortælle historien om den tabte mønt i huset for at illustrere, hvor grundigt Gud søger efter alle, der er forvirret, forundret eller på anden måde er åndeligt blændet af materielle bekymringer og masser af detaljer i livet. Så ville han fortsætte med at fortælle lignelsen om den fortabte søn, modtagelse af den tilbagevendende fortabte søn, for at vise, hvor fuldstændig genoprettelsen af den tabte søn er i sin faders hus og hjerte.		169:1.15 (1853.2) Jesus was very partial to telling these three stories at the same time. He presented the story of the lost sheep to show that, when men unintentionally stray away from the path of life, the Father is mindful of such lost ones and goes out, with his Sons, the true shepherds of the flock, to seek the lost sheep. He then would recite the story of the coin lost in the house to illustrate how thorough is the divine searching for all who are confused, confounded, or otherwise spiritually blinded by the material cares and accumulations of life. And then he would launch forth into the telling of this parable of the lost son, the reception of the returning prodigal, to show how complete is the restoration of the lost son into his Father’s house and heart.
169:1.16 (1853.3) Mange, mange gange i løbet af hans års undervisning, fortalte og genfortalt Jesus historien om den fortabte søn. Denne lignelse og historien om den barmhjertige samaritaner var hans foretrukne middel til at undervise i Faderens kærlighed og menneskelig naboskab.		169:1.16 (1853.3) Many, many times during his years of teaching, Jesus told and retold this story of the prodigal son. This parable and the story of the good Samaritan were his favorite means of teaching the love of the Father and the neighborliness of man.
2. Lignelsen om den uærlige godsforvalter ^top		2. Parable of the Shrewd Steward ^top
169:2.1 (1853.4) En aften kommenterede Simon Zelotes på et af Jesu udsagn, og sagde: "Mester, hvad mente du, da du i dag sagde, at mange af verdens børn er klogere i deres generation end børnene i Guds rige, da de er behændige i at blive venner med uretfærdighedens mammon?" Jesus svarede:		169:2.1 (1853.4) One evening Simon Zelotes, commenting on one of Jesus’ statements, said: “Master, what did you mean when you said today that many of the children of the world are wiser in their generation than are the children of the kingdom since they are skillful in making friends with the mammon of unrighteousness?” Jesus answered:
169:2.2 (1853.5) "Nogle af jer var før i trådte ind i riget meget dygtige i håndteringen af jeres forretningsforbindelser. Selv hvis du var uretfærdig og ofte uhæderlig, var du ikke desto mindre forsigtig og fremsynet i den forstand, at du gennemførte dine forretninger kun med øje på din nuværende indtjening og din sikkerhed i fremtiden. Ligeledes bør i nu arrangere jeres liv i Guds rige, så det giver dig glæde i nuet, samtidigt som i forsikre jer, om i fremtiden at nyde de skatte, som i har gemt i himlen. Hvis I var så flittige i at give jer selv gevinst, når du tjente selvet, hvorfor skulle i være mindre flittig i at vinde sjæle for Guds rige, nu hvor I er det menneskelige broderskabs tjenere og Guds forvaltere?		169:2.2 (1853.5) “Some of you, before you entered the kingdom, were very shrewd in dealing with your business associates. If you were unjust and often unfair, you were nonetheless prudent and farseeing in that you transacted your business with an eye single to your present profit and future safety. Likewise should you now so order your lives in the kingdom as to provide for your present joy while you also make certain of your future enjoyment of treasures laid up in heaven. If you were so diligent in making gains for yourselves when in the service of self, why should you show less diligence in gaining souls for the kingdom since you are now servants of the brotherhood of man and stewards of God?
169:2.3 (1853.6) "I kan alle lære noget af historien om en rig mand, som havde en snu men uretfærdige godsforvalter. Denne godsforvalter havde ikke kun for egen egoistiske vinding gennemført afpresning af sin herres kunder, men havde også direkte spildt og begået underslæb af sin herres formue. Da hans herre endelig hørte om alt dette, kaldte han godsforvalteren foran sig og spurgte, hvad disse rygter betød og forlangte, at han straks skulle redegøre for sin forvaltning og forberede sig på at overføre sin herres anliggender til en anden.		169:2.3 (1853.6) “You may all learn a lesson from the story of a certain rich man who had a shrewd but unjust steward. This steward had not only oppressed his master’s clients for his own selfish gain, but he had also directly wasted and squandered his master’s funds. When all this finally came to the ears of his master, he called the steward before him and asked the meaning of these rumors and required that he should give immediate accounting of his stewardship and prepare to turn his master’s affairs over to another.
169:2.4 (1853.7) "Nu begyndte denne troløse forvalter at sige til sig selv: ’Hvad skal jeg gøre, når jeg mister mit job som forvalter? Jeg har ikke kræfter til at grave, og at tigge skammer jeg mig. Jeg ved, hvad jeg skal gøre for at sikre mig, at alle, der gør forretninger med min herre byder mig velkommen i deres huse, når jeg mister mit job.’ Og så kaldte han alle dem, der var forgældede af hans herre, en ad gangen, og spurgte den første, 'Hvor meget han skyldte?’ ’Hundrede krukker af olie‘, svarede manden. Så sagde forvalteren, 'Her er dit gældsbevis, sæt dig ned med det samme, og ændre det til halvtreds.’ Så spurgte han den næste skyldner, 'Hvor meget skylder du?’ Og han sagde: ’Hundrede mål hvede.’ Så sagde forvalteren: 'Her er dit gældsbevis. Skriv firs.’ Og sådan gjorde han også med talrige andre forgældede. Og således forsøgte den uærlige forvalter at få venner for tiden efter at han havde forladt sin tjeneste. Selv hans herre og mester måtte indrømme, da han senere hørte om det, at hans troløse forvalter i det mindste havde vist snuhed i den måde, han forsøgte at forberede sig til de kommende dage med nød og modgang.		169:2.4 (1853.7) “Now this unfaithful steward began to say to himself: ‘What shall I do since I am about to lose this stewardship? I have not the strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do to make certain that, when I am put out of this stewardship, I will be welcomed into the houses of all who do business with my master.’ And then, calling in each of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ Then said the steward, ‘Take your wax board bond, sit down quickly, and change it to fifty.’ Then he said to another debtor, ‘How much do you owe?’ And he replied, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ Then said the steward, ‘Take your bond and write fourscore.’ And this he did with numerous other debtors. And so did this dishonest steward seek to make friends for himself after he would be discharged from his stewardship. Even his lord and master, when he subsequently found out about this, was compelled to admit that his unfaithful steward had at least shown sagacity in the manner in which he had sought to provide for future days of want and adversity.
169:2.5 (1854.1) "Og det er på denne måde at denne verdens mennesker nogle gange opfører sig mere fornuftigt, når de forbereder sig på fremtiden, end børn af lyset gør. Jeg siger til dig, der hævder at samle skatte i himlen: Tag ved lære af dem, der gør venner med uretfærdighedens mammon, og ligeledes tilrette læg jeres liv, så du altid bliver ven med retfærdighedens kræfter og dermed når alt det jordiske mislykkes skal du med glæde bydes velkommen i de evige boliger.		169:2.5 (1854.1) “And it is in this way that the sons of this world sometimes show more wisdom in their preparation for the future than do the children of light. I say to you who profess to be acquiring treasure in heaven: Take lessons from those who make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, and likewise so conduct your lives that you make eternal friendship with the forces of righteousness in order that, when all things earthly fail, you shall be joyfully received into the eternal habitations.
169:2.6 (1854.2) "Jeg kan forsikre dig, at enhver, der er trofast i lidt også vil være trofaste i meget, og den som er uærlig i lidt vil også være uærlig i meget. Hvis du ikke har vist fremsyn og integritet i denne verdens anliggender, hvordan kan du håbe at være trofast og klog, når du har fået overdraget forvaltningen af himmelrigets sande rigdomme? Hvis I ikke er gode forvaltere og trofaste bankfolk, hvis du ikke har været tro med andres ejendom, hvem ville være dum nok til at give dig en stor skat i dit eget navn?		169:2.6 (1854.2) “I affirm that he who is faithful in little will also be faithful in much, while he who is unrighteous in little will also be unrighteous in much. If you have not shown foresight and integrity in the affairs of this world, how can you hope to be faithful and prudent when you are trusted with the stewardship of the true riches of the heavenly kingdom? If you are not good stewards and faithful bankers, if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will be foolish enough to give you great treasure in your own name?
169:2.7 (1854.3) "Og igen forsikre jeg dig, at ingen kan tjene to herrer; enten han vil hade den ene og elske den anden, eller at ty til den ene, mens han foragter den anden. Du kan ikke tjene Gud og mammon."		169:2.7 (1854.3) “And again I assert that no man can serve two masters; either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to one while he despises the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
169:2.8 (1854.4) Da de tilstedeværende farisæere hørte det, begyndte de at håne og spotte da de var meget glade for at erhverve sig rigdom. Disse uvenlige tilhørere forsøgte at inddrage Jesus i et frugtesløst debat, men han nægtede at debattere med sine fjender. Da farisæerne begyndte at skændes med hinanden, tiltrak deres skinger tale et stort antal publikum, der havde slået lejr i nærheden. Da de begyndte at argumentere med hinanden, trak Jesus sig tilbage og gik ind i sit telt for natten.		169:2.8 (1854.4) When the Pharisees who were present heard this, they began to sneer and scoff since they were much given to the acquirement of riches. These unfriendly hearers sought to engage Jesus in unprofitable argumentation, but he refused to debate with his enemies. When the Pharisees fell to wrangling among themselves, their loud speaking attracted large numbers of the multitude encamped thereabouts; and when they began to dispute with each other, Jesus withdrew, going to his tent for the night.
3. Den rige mand og tiggeren ^top		3. The Rich Man and the Beggar ^top
169:3.1 (1854.5) Da mødet blev for støjende, rejse Simon Peter sig op og tog tøjlerne i hånden med ordene: "I mænd, brødre, det er beskæmmende, at I skændes sådan indbyrdes. Mesteren har talt, og det er bedre, at du overvejer hans ord. Dette er ikke en ny doktrin, som han har forkyndt til dig. Har I ikke også hørt nasiræernes allegori om den rige mand og tiggeren? Nogle af os hørte Johannes Døberen tordne denne advarende lignelse til dem, der elsker rigdom og begærer uærlig rigdom. Og mens denne gamle lignelse ikke er i overensstemmelse med evangeliet, som vi forkynder, ville I alle gøre klogt i at lytte til dens lærdom indtil du ser himmelrigets nye lys. Historien, som Johannes fortalte den, lyder sådan her:		169:3.1 (1854.5) When the meeting became too noisy, Simon Peter, standing up, took charge, saying: “Men and brethren, it is not seemly thus to dispute among yourselves. The Master has spoken, and you do well to ponder his words. And this is no new doctrine which he proclaimed to you. Have you not also heard the allegory of the Nazarites concerning the rich man and the beggar? Some of us heard John the Baptist thunder this parable of warning to those who love riches and covet dishonest wealth. And while this olden parable is not according to the gospel we preach, you would all do well to heed its lessons until such a time as you comprehend the new light of the kingdom of heaven. The story as John told it was like this:
169:3.2 (1854.6) "Der var en rig mand ved navn Dives som var klædt i purpur og fint linned og levede løssluppen i fest og pragt hver dag. Men der var en tigger ved navn Lazarus, som lå ved hans port fuld af sår, og som ønskede, at han ville komme til at spise de krummer, der faldt fra den riges bord; ja, selv hundene kom og slikkede hans sår. Så skete det at tiggeren døde, og blev båret af englene til at hvile i Abrahams skød. Og kort efter døde også den rige mand og blev begravet med pomp og kongelig pragt. Da den rige mand forlod denne verden, vågnede han op i helvede, og da han mærkede, at han havde smerter, løftede han sine øjne og fik øje på Abraham langt borte og Lazarus ved hans side. Og så råbte Dives højt: ’Fader Abraham, forbarm dig over mig, og send Lazarus over til at dyppe sine fingre i vand og læske min tunge, for jeg er i store kvaler på grund af min straf.’ Men Abraham sagde: 'Husk, min søn, at du i din levetid nød de gode ting, mens Lazarus blev ramt af det onde. Men nu er alt dette ændret, så Lazarus trøstes her, mens du pines. Desuden er der en stor kløft mellem os og dig, så vi kan ikke komme over til dig, ej heller kan du komme over til os.’ Så sagde Dives til Abraham: ’Jeg beder dig sende Lazarus tilbage til min faders hus, da jeg har fem brødre, og at han kan vidne for at forhindre, at de ikke også kommer her til dette pinefulde sted.’ Men Abraham sagde: ’Min søn, de har Moses og profeterne.; de kan lytte til dem.’ Da svarede Dives: ’ Nej, nej, fader Abraham! Men hvis nogen kommer til dem fra de døde, vil de omvende sig.’ Men Abraham sagde: ’Hvis de ikke hører Moses og profeterne, så vil de heller ikke lade sig overbevise, selvom en opstod fra de døde.’”		169:3.2 (1854.6) “There was a certain rich man named Dives, who, being clothed in purple and fine linen, lived in mirth and splendor every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at this rich man’s gate, covered with sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table; yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried away by the angels to rest in Abraham’s bosom. And then, presently, this rich man also died and was buried with great pomp and regal splendor. When the rich man departed from this world, he waked up in Hades, and finding himself in torment, he lifted up his eyes and beheld Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And then Dives cried aloud: ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send over Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am in great anguish because of my punishment.’ And then Abraham replied: ‘My son, you should remember that in your lifetime you enjoyed the good things while Lazarus in like manner suffered the evil. But now all this is changed, seeing that Lazarus is comforted while you are tormented. And besides, between us and you there is a great gulf so that we cannot go to you, neither can you come over to us.’ Then said Dives to Abraham: ‘I pray you send Lazarus back to my father’s house, inasmuch as I have five brothers, that he may so testify as to prevent my brothers from coming to this place of torment.’ But Abraham said: ‘My son, they have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And then answered Dives: ‘No, No, Father Abraham! but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.’ And then said Abraham: ‘If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded even if one were to rise from the dead.’”
169:3.3 (1855.1) Efter at Peter havde fortalt denne urgamle lignelse fra nasiræernes broderskab, og da forsamlingen var faldet til ro, rejst Andreas sig og sendte folk væk for natten. Selv om både apostlene og disciplene ofte stillede Jesus spørgsmål om lignelsen om Dives og Lazarus, gik han aldrig med på at kommentere den.		169:3.3 (1855.1) After Peter had recited this ancient parable of the Nazarite brotherhood, and since the crowd had quieted down, Andrew arose and dismissed them for the night. Although both the apostles and his disciples frequently asked Jesus questions about the parable of Dives and Lazarus, he never consented to make comment thereon.
4. Faderen og hans rige ^top		4. The Father and His Kingdom ^top
169:4.1 (1855.2) Jesus havde altid problemer med at forsøge at forklare til apostlene, at selv om de proklamerede oprettelsen af Guds rige, var Faderen i himlen ikke en konge. På det tidspunkt da Jesus levede på jorden og underviste i kødet kendte folk på Urantia først og fremmest mest til konger og kejsere, der regerer nationer, og jøderne havde længe overvejet Guds kommende rige. Af disse og andre grunde anså Mesteren at det var bedst at betegne menneskets åndelige broderskab som himmelriget og det åndelige overhoved af dette samfund som Faderen i himlen. Jesus talte aldrig om sin Fader som en konge. I sine fortrolige samtaler med apostlene omtalte han altid sig selv som Menneskesønnen, og deres storebror. Han beskrev alle hans tilhængere som menneskehedens tjenere og budbringere af rigets evangelium.		169:4.1 (1855.2) Jesus always had trouble trying to explain to the apostles that, while they proclaimed the establishment of the kingdom of God, the Father in heaven was not a king. At the time Jesus lived on earth and taught in the flesh, the people of Urantia knew mostly of kings and emperors in the governments of the nations, and the Jews had long contemplated the coming of the kingdom of God. For these and other reasons, the Master thought best to designate the spiritual brotherhood of man as the kingdom of heaven and the spirit head of this brotherhood as the Father in heaven. Never did Jesus refer to his Father as a king. In his intimate talks with the apostles he always referred to himself as the Son of Man and as their elder brother. He depicted all his followers as servants of mankind and messengers of the gospel of the kingdom.
169:4.2 (1855.3) Jesus gav aldrig sine apostle en systematisk undervisning om den himmelske Faders personlighed og karakteristika. Han bad aldrig folk om at tro på sin Fader; han tog det for givet, at de gjorde det. Jesus forringede aldrig sig selv ved at komme op med argumenter som bevis for, at Faderen var virkelig. Hele hans undervisning om Faderen koncentrerede sig om at forkynde, at han og Faderen er ét, at enhver, der har set Sønnen har set Faderen, at Faderen, ligesom Sønnen kender alle ting, at kun Sønnen, og den, for hvem Sønnen åbenbarer Faderen virkelig kender Faderen, at den, som kender Sønnen også kender Faderen, at Faderen sendte ham til verden for at åbenbare deres kombinerede natur og fremvise deres fælles aktiviteter. Han gjorde aldrig nogen andre udsagn om hans Fader med undtagelse til den samaritanske kvinde ved Jakobs brønd, da han sagde: "Gud er ånd."		169:4.2 (1855.3) Jesus never gave his apostles a systematic lesson concerning the personality and attributes of the Father in heaven. He never asked men to believe in his Father; he took it for granted they did. Jesus never belittled himself by offering arguments in proof of the reality of the Father. His teaching regarding the Father all centered in the declaration that he and the Father are one; that he who has seen the Son has seen the Father; that the Father, like the Son, knows all things; that only the Son really knows the Father, and he to whom the Son will reveal him; that he who knows the Son knows also the Father; and that the Father sent him into the world to reveal their combined natures and to show forth their conjoint work. He never made other pronouncements about his Father except to the woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well, when he declared, “God is spirit.”
169:4.3 (1856.1) Du kan lære om Gud fra Jesus ved at observere guddommeligheden i hans liv, ikke ved at være afhængig af hans forkyndelse. Fra Mesterens liv kan hver og en tilegne sig det Gud begreb som svarer til den grad af ens evne til at realisere de åndelige og guddommelige realiteter, virkelige og evige sandheder. Den finite kan aldrig håbe på at forstå den Uendelige undtagen som den Uendelige var fokuseret i tid og rum personlighedens finite erfaring i det menneskeliv som Jesus fra Nazaret levede.		169:4.3 (1856.1) You learn about God from Jesus by observing the divinity of his life, not by depending on his teachings. From the life of the Master you may each assimilate that concept of God which represents the measure of your capacity to perceive realities spiritual and divine, truths real and eternal. The finite can never hope to comprehend the Infinite except as the Infinite was focalized in the time-space personality of the finite experience of the human life of Jesus of Nazareth.
169:4.4 (1856.2) Jesus vidste godt, at det kun er muligt at kende Gud gennem erfaringens realiteter; aldrig kan han forstås kun gennem undervisning i sindet. Jesus lærte sine apostle, at mens de aldrig helt kunne forstå Gud, kunne de helt sikkert kende ham, ligesom de var kommet til at kende Menneskesønnen. Du kan kende Gud, ikke ved at forstå, hvad Jesus sagde, men ved at vide, hvad Jesus var. Jesus var en åbenbaring af Gud.		169:4.4 (1856.2) Jesus well knew that God can be known only by the realities of experience; never can he be understood by the mere teaching of the mind. Jesus taught his apostles that, while they never could fully understand God, they could most certainly know him, even as they had known the Son of Man. You can know God, not by understanding what Jesus said, but by knowing what Jesus was. Jesus was a revelation of God.
169:4.5 (1856.3) Undtagen når Jesus citerede de hebraiske skrifter, talte han om Guddommen kun med to navne: Gud og Fader. Når Jesus talte om sin Fader som Gud, brugte han typisk det hebraiske ord der betegner flertalsformen Gud (Treenigheden), og ikke ordet Jahve, som stod for den forbedrede opfattelse af jødernes stamme gud.		169:4.5 (1856.3) Except when quoting the Hebrew scriptures, Jesus referred to Deity by only two names: God and Father. And when the Master made reference to his Father as God, he usually employed the Hebrew word signifying the plural God (the Trinity) and not the word Yahweh, which stood for the progressive conception of the tribal God of the Jews.
169:4.6 (1856.4) Jesus kaldte aldrig Faderen en konge, og han beklagede meget, at det jødiske håb om et restaureret kongerige og Johannes proklamation af et kommende rige gjorde det nødvendigt for ham at kalde deres fremtidige åndelige broderskab Himmelriget. Med en enkelt undtagelse - erklæringen om, at "Gud er ånd" - talte Jesus aldrig om Guddommen i nogen anden form end i vendinger, som beskrev hans eget personlige forhold til den Første Kilde og Center i Paradiset.		169:4.6 (1856.4) Jesus never called the Father a king, and he very much regretted that the Jewish hope for a restored kingdom and John’s proclamation of a coming kingdom made it necessary for him to denominate his proposed spiritual brotherhood the kingdom of heaven. With the one exception—the declaration that “God is spirit”—Jesus never referred to Deity in any manner other than in terms descriptive of his own personal relationship with the First Source and Center of Paradise.
169:4.7 (1856.5) Jesus brugte ordet Gud til at betegne idéen om Guddommen og ordet Faderen til at betegne oplevelsen af at kende Gud. Når ordet Fader bruges til at angive Gud bør det forstås i bredeste forstand. Ordet Gud kan ikke defineres, og står derfor for det uendelige begreb om Faderen, mens begrebet Fader, hvoraf en del kan defineres, kan bruges til at udtrykke den menneskelige koncept af den guddommelige Fader, som han er relateret til mennesket i løbet af dets jordiske tilværelse.		169:4.7 (1856.5) Jesus employed the word God to designate the idea of Deity and the word Father to designate the experience of knowing God. When the word Father is employed to denote God, it should be understood in its largest possible meaning. The word God cannot be defined and therefore stands for the infinite concept of the Father, while the term Father, being capable of partial definition, may be employed to represent the human concept of the divine Father as he is associated with man during the course of mortal existence.
169:4.8 (1856.6) For jøderne, var Elohim gudernes Gud, mens Jahve var Israels Gud. Jesus accepterede begrebet Elohim og kaldte denne øverste gruppe af væsener Gud. I stedet for begrebet Jahve, stammeguden, introducerede han idéen om Guds faderskab og menneskehedens verdensomspændende broderskab. Han opløftede Jahve begrebet om en guddommeliggjort racemæssig Fader til idéen om alle menneskers Fader, den enkelte troendes guddommelige Fader. Han lærte endvidere, at denne universernes Gud og denne alle menneskers Fader var en og samme Paradisguddom.		169:4.8 (1856.6) To the Jews, Elohim was the God of gods, while Yahweh was the God of Israel. Jesus accepted the concept of Elohim and called this supreme group of beings God. In the place of the concept of Yahweh, the racial deity, he introduced the idea of the fatherhood of God and the world-wide brotherhood of man. He exalted the Yahweh concept of a deified racial Father to the idea of a Father of all the children of men, a divine Father of the individual believer. And he further taught that this God of universes and this Father of all men were one and the same Paradise Deity.
169:4.9 (1856.7) Jesus hævdede aldrig at han var en kødelig manifestation af Elohim (Gud). Han erklærede aldrig at han var en åbenbaring af Elohim (Gud) til verdnerne. Han lærte aldrig at enhver, der havde set ham havde set Elohim (Gud). Men han proklamerede sig derimod, som åbenbaringen af Faderen i kødet, og han sagde rent faktisk, at enhver, der havde set ham havde set Faderen. Som den guddommelige Søn hævdede han kun at repræsentere Faderen.		169:4.9 (1856.7) Jesus never claimed to be the manifestation of Elohim (God) in the flesh. He never declared that he was a revelation of Elohim (God) to the worlds. He never taught that he who had seen him had seen Elohim (God). But he did proclaim himself as the revelation of the Father in the flesh, and he did say that whoso had seen him had seen the Father. As the divine Son he claimed to represent only the Father.
169:4.10 (1857.1) Han var faktisk Søn, selv til Elohim-Guden, men i lighed med dødeligt kød og til Guds dødelige sønner, valgte han at begrænse sin livs åbenbaring til skildringen af hans Faders karakter, for så vidt som at en sådan åbenbaring muligvis kunne være forståelig for dødelige menneske. Med hensyn til karakteren af de øvrige personer i Paradistreenigheden, må vi være tilfredse med undervisningen, at de er helt ligesom Faderen, som er åbenbaret i en personlig skildring af det liv hans inkarnerede Søn, Jesus af Nazaret, levede.		169:4.10 (1857.1) He was, indeed, the Son of even the Elohim God; but in the likeness of mortal flesh and to the mortal sons of God, he chose to limit his life revelation to the portrayal of his Father’s character in so far as such a revelation might be comprehensible to mortal man. As regards the character of the other persons of the Paradise Trinity, we shall have to be content with the teaching that they are altogether like the Father, who has been revealed in personal portraiture in the life of his incarnated Son, Jesus of Nazareth.
169:4.11 (1857.2) Selvom Jesus i sit jordiske liv åbenbarede den himmelske Faders sande natur, underviste han ikke meget om ham. Faktisk lærte han kun to ting: at Gud i sig selv er ånd, og at der i alt vedrørende Guds forhold til sine skabninger, er han en Fader. På denne aften, gjorde Jesus sin sidste afsigelse om sit forhold til Gud, da han erklærede: "Jeg er kommet ud fra Faderen og er kommet til verden, men jeg vil igen forlade verden og gå til Faderen."		169:4.11 (1857.2) Although Jesus revealed the true nature of the heavenly Father in his earth life, he taught little about him. In fact, he taught only two things: that God in himself is spirit, and that, in all matters of relationship with his creatures, he is a Father. On this evening Jesus made the final pronouncement of his relationship with God when he declared: “I have come out from the Father, and I have come into the world; again, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
169:4.12 (1857.3) Men bemærk! Jesus sagde aldrig: "Enhver, der har hørt mig har hørt Gud." Men han sagde faktisk: "Den, der har set mig, har set Faderen." At høre Jesu forkyndelse er ikke det samme som at kende Gud, men at se Jesus er en oplevelse hvilket i sig selv er en åbenbaring af Faderen til sjælen. Universernes Gud hersker over den vidtstrakte skabelse, men det er Faderen i himlen, som udsender sin ånd til at leve i jeres sind.		169:4.12 (1857.3) But mark you! never did Jesus say, “Whoso has heard me has heard God.” But he did say, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” To hear Jesus’ teaching is not equivalent to knowing God, but to see Jesus is an experience which in itself is a revelation of the Father to the soul. The God of universes rules the far-flung creation, but it is the Father in heaven who sends forth his spirit to dwell within your minds.
169:4.13 (1857.4) Jesus er i den menneskelige form den åndelige linse som for det materielle væsen synliggør Ham, som er usynlig. Han er din storebror, som i kødet gør et Væsen med uendelige attributter kendt for dig, et Væsen, som ikke engang de himmelske værter kan hævde, at de fuldt ud forstår. Men alt dette skal bestås i den personlige erfaring hos den individuelle troende. Gud, som er ånd kan kun blive kendt som en åndelig oplevelse. Gud kan åbenbares for de finite sønner i de materielle verdener, af den guddommelige Søn af de åndelige riger, kun som en Fader. Du kan kende den Evige som en Fader; du kan tilbede ham som universernes Gud, den uendelige Skaberen af alle eksistenser.		169:4.13 (1857.4) Jesus is the spiritual lens in human likeness which makes visible to the material creature Him who is invisible. He is your elder brother who, in the flesh, makes known to you a Being of infinite attributes whom not even the celestial hosts can presume fully to understand. But all of this must consist in the personal experience of the individual believer. God who is spirit can be known only as a spiritual experience. God can be revealed to the finite sons of the material worlds, by the divine Son of the spiritual realms, only as a Father. You can know the Eternal as a Father; you can worship him as the God of universes, the infinite Creator of all existences.