Kapitel 172		Paper 172
Rejsen Ind Til Jerusalem		Going into Jerusalem
172:0.1 (1878.1) JESUS og apostlene ankom til Betania kort efter klokken fire fredag eftermiddag den 31. marts år 30 e.Kr. Lazarus, hans søstre og deres venner ventede på dem, og da der kom så mange mennesker hver dag for at tale med Lazarus om hans opstandelse, blev Jesus informeret om, at der var truffet foranstaltninger til, at han kunne bo hos en troende nabo, en Simon, den ledende borger i den lille landsby, siden Lazarus’ far døde.		172:0.1 (1878.1) JESUS and the apostles arrived at Bethany shortly after four o’clock on Friday afternoon, March 31, a.d. 30. Lazarus, his sisters, and their friends were expecting them; and since so many people came every day to talk with Lazarus about his resurrection, Jesus was informed that arrangements had been made for him to stay with a neighboring believer, one Simon, the leading citizen of the little village since the death of Lazarus’s father.
172:0.2 (1878.2) Den aften modtog Jesus mange besøgende, og de almindelige mennesker i Betania og Betfage gjorde deres bedste for at få ham til at føle sig velkommen. Selvom mange troede, at Jesus nu var på vej ind i Jerusalem for at udråbe sig selv til jødernes konge på trods af jødernes råds dødsdom, var familien i Betania—Lazarus, Marta og Maria—mere klar over, at Mesteren ikke var den slags konge; de havde en svag fornemmelse af, at dette måske var hans sidste besøg i Jerusalem og Betania.		172:0.2 (1878.2) That evening, Jesus received many visitors, and the common folks of Bethany and Bethpage did their best to make him feel welcome. Although many thought Jesus was now going into Jerusalem, in utter defiance of the Sanhedrin’s decree of death, to proclaim himself king of the Jews, the Bethany family—Lazarus, Martha, and Mary—more fully realized that the Master was not that kind of a king; they dimly felt that this might be his last visit to Jerusalem and Bethany.
172:0.3 (1878.3) Ypperstepræsterne blev informeret om, at Jesus boede i Betania, men de mente, at det var bedst ikke at forsøge at pågribe ham blandt hans venner; de besluttede at afvente hans ankomst til Jerusalem. Jesus vidste alt dette, men han var majestætisk rolig; hans venner havde aldrig set ham mere fattet og sympatisk; selv apostlene var forbløffede over, at han skulle være så ubekymret, når jødernes råd havde opfordret alle jøder til at udlevere ham i deres hænder. Mens Mesteren sov den nat, vågede apostlene over ham to og to, og mange af dem var udstyret med sværd. Tidligt næste morgen blev de vækket af hundredvis af pilgrimme, der kom ud fra Jerusalem, selv på sabbatsdagen, for at se Jesus og Lazarus, som han havde opvakt fra de døde.		172:0.3 (1878.3) The chief priests were informed that Jesus lodged at Bethany, but they thought best not to attempt to seize him among his friends; they decided to await his coming on into Jerusalem. Jesus knew about all this, but he was majestically calm; his friends had never seen him more composed and congenial; even the apostles were astounded that he should be so unconcerned when the Sanhedrin had called upon all Jewry to deliver him into their hands. While the Master slept that night, the apostles watched over him by twos, and many of them were girded with swords. Early the next morning they were awakened by hundreds of pilgrims who came out from Jerusalem, even on the Sabbath day, to see Jesus and Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
1. Sabbatten i betania ^top		1. Sabbath at Bethany ^top
172:1.1 (1878.4) Pilgrimme uden for Judæa, såvel som de jødiske myndigheder, havde alle spurgt: “Hvad tror I? Vil Jesus komme op til festen?”Da folket hørte, at Jesus var i Betania, blev de derfor glade, men ypperstepræsterne og farisæerne var noget forvirrede. De var glade for at have ham under deres jurisdiktion, men de var en smule forvirrede over hans frimodighed; de huskede, at Lazarus var blevet oprejst fra de døde ved hans forrige besøg i Betania, og Lazarus var ved at blive et stort problem for Jesu fjender.		172:1.1 (1878.4) Pilgrims from outside of Judea, as well as the Jewish authorities, had all been asking: “What do you think? will Jesus come up to the feast?” Therefore, when the people heard that Jesus was at Bethany, they were glad, but the chief priests and Pharisees were somewhat perplexed. They were pleased to have him under their jurisdiction, but they were a trifle disconcerted by his boldness; they remembered that on his previous visit to Bethany, Lazarus had been raised from the dead, and Lazarus was becoming a big problem to the enemies of Jesus.
172:1.2 (1878.5) Seks dage før påsken, om aftenen efter sabbatten, deltog hele Betania og Betfage i fejringen af Jesu ankomst ved en offentlig banket i Simons hjem. Denne middag var til ære for både Jesus og Lazarus, og den blev holdt på trods af jødernes råd. Marta stod for serveringen af maden; hendes søster Maria var blandt de kvindelige tilskuere, da det var imod jødernes skik, at en kvinde sad med ved en offentlig banket. Det jødiske råds agenter var til stede, men de frygtede at pågribe Jesus midt blandt hans venner.		172:1.2 (1878.5) Six days before the Passover, on the evening after the Sabbath, all Bethany and Bethpage joined in celebrating the arrival of Jesus by a public banquet at the home of Simon. This supper was in honor of both Jesus and Lazarus; it was tendered in defiance of the Sanhedrin. Martha directed the serving of the food; her sister Mary was among the women onlookers as it was against the custom of the Jews for a woman to sit at a public banquet. The agents of the Sanhedrin were present, but they feared to apprehend Jesus in the midst of his friends.
172:1.3 (1879.1) Jesus talte med Simon om Josva i gamle dage, hvis navnebror han var, og fortalte, hvordan Josva og israelitterne var kommet op til Jerusalem gennem Jeriko. I en kommentar til legenden om Jerikos mure, der faldt ned, sagde Jesus: “Jeg er ikke bekymret for sådanne mure af mursten og sten; men jeg vil få fordommenes, selvretfærdighedens og hadets mure til at smuldre foran denne forkyndelse af Faderens kærlighed til alle mennesker.”		172:1.3 (1879.1) Jesus talked with Simon about Joshua of old, whose namesake he was, and recited how Joshua and the Israelites had come up to Jerusalem through Jericho. In commenting on the legend of the walls of Jericho falling down, Jesus said: “I am not concerned with such walls of brick and stone; but I would cause the walls of prejudice, self-righteousness, and hate to crumble before this preaching of the Father’s love for all men.”
172:1.4 (1879.2) Banketten forløb på en meget munter og normal måde, bortset fra at alle apostlene var usædvanligt ædru. Jesus var usædvanlig munter og havde leget med børnene, indtil han kom til bords.		172:1.4 (1879.2) The banquet went along in a very cheerful and normal manner except that all the apostles were unusually sober. Jesus was exceptionally cheerful and had been playing with the children up to the time of coming to the table.
172:1.5 (1879.3) Der skete ikke noget usædvanligt, før festen var ved at være slut, da Maria, Lazarus’ søster, trådte frem fra gruppen af kvindelige tilskuere og gik hen til det sted, hvor Jesus lå som æresgæst, og begyndte at åbne en stor alabastkrukke med meget sjælden og kostbar salve; og efter at have salvet Mesterens hoved, begyndte hun at hælde det på hans fødder, mens hun tog sit hår ned og tørrede dem med det. Hele huset blev fyldt med duften af salven, og alle de tilstedeværende var forbløffede over, hvad Maria havde gjort. Lazarus sagde ikke noget, men da nogle af folkene mumlede og viste forargelse over, at en så kostbar salve skulle bruges på den måde, gik Judas Iskariot hen til Andreas og sagde: “Hvorfor blev denne salve ikke solgt, og pengene brugt til at brødføde de fattige? Du bør tale med Mesteren, så han kan irettesætte et sådant spild.”		172:1.5 (1879.3) Nothing out of the ordinary happened until near the close of the feasting when Mary the sister of Lazarus stepped forward from among the group of women onlookers and, going up to where Jesus reclined as the guest of honor, proceeded to open a large alabaster cruse of very rare and costly ointment; and after anointing the Master’s head, she began to pour it upon his feet as she took down her hair and wiped them with it. The whole house became filled with the odor of the ointment, and everybody present was amazed at what Mary had done. Lazarus said nothing, but when some of the people murmured, showing indignation that so costly an ointment should be thus used, Judas Iscariot stepped over to where Andrew reclined and said: “Why was this ointment not sold and the money bestowed to feed the poor? You should speak to the Master that he rebuke such waste.”
172:1.6 (1879.4) Jesus, som vidste, hvad de tænkte, og hørte, hvad de sagde, lagde sin hånd på Marias hoved, mens hun knælede ved hans side, og med et venligt udtryk i ansigtet sagde han: “Lad hende være i fred, hver eneste af jer. Hvorfor plager I hende om dette, når hun har gjort en god ting i sit hjerte? Til jer, der knurrer og siger, at denne salve skulle have været solgt og pengene givet til de fattige, vil jeg sige, at I altid har de fattige hos jer, så I kan tjene dem, når det passer jer; men jeg vil ikke altid være hos jer; jeg går snart til min Fader. Denne kvinde har længe gemt denne salve til mit legeme ved begravelsen, og nu, hvor det har forekommet hende godt at lave denne salvelse i forventning om min død, skal hun ikke nægtes en sådan tilfredsstillelse. Ved at gøre dette har Maria bebrejdet jer alle, idet hun ved denne handling viser tro på det, jeg har sagt om min død og opstigning til min Fader i himlen. Denne kvinde skal ikke bebrejdes for det, hun har gjort i nat; tværtimod siger jeg jer, at i de kommende tider, hvor som helst dette evangelium bliver forkyndt i hele verden, vil der blive talt om det, hun har gjort, til minde om hende.”		172:1.6 (1879.4) Jesus, knowing what they thought and hearing what they said, put his hand upon Mary’s head as she knelt by his side and, with a kindly expression upon his face, said: “Let her alone, every one of you. Why do you trouble her about this, seeing that she has done a good thing in her heart? To you who murmur and say that this ointment should have been sold and the money given to the poor, let me say that you have the poor always with you so that you may minister to them at any time it seems good to you; but I shall not always be with you; I go soon to my Father. This woman has long saved this ointment for my body at its burial, and now that it has seemed good to her to make this anointing in anticipation of my death, she shall not be denied such satisfaction. In the doing of this, Mary has reproved all of you in that by this act she evinces faith in what I have said about my death and ascension to my Father in heaven. This woman shall not be reproved for that which she has this night done; rather do I say to you that in the ages to come, wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of in memory of her.”
172:1.7 (1879.5) Det var på grund af denne irettesættelse, som han opfattede som en personlig bebrejdelse, at Judas Iskariot endelig besluttede sig for at hævne sine sårede følelser. Mange gange havde han haft sådanne tanker ubevidst, men nu vovede han at tænke sådanne onde tanker i sit åbne og bevidste sind. Og mange andre opmuntrede ham i denne holdning, da prisen for denne salve var en sum, der svarede til en mands indtjening i et år—nok til at give brød til fem tusind mennesker. Men Maria elskede Jesus; hun havde skaffet denne dyrebare salve til at balsamere hans krop med i døden, for hun troede på hans ord, da han advarede dem om, at han skulle dø, og det skulle ikke nægtes hende, hvis hun skiftede mening og valgte at skænke denne offergave til Mesteren, mens han endnu levede.		172:1.7 (1879.5) It was because of this rebuke, which he took as a personal reproof, that Judas Iscariot finally made up his mind to seek revenge for his hurt feelings. Many times had he entertained such ideas subconsciously, but now he dared to think such wicked thoughts in his open and conscious mind. And many others encouraged him in this attitude since the cost of this ointment was a sum equal to the earnings of one man for one year—enough to provide bread for five thousand persons. But Mary loved Jesus; she had provided this precious ointment with which to embalm his body in death, for she believed his words when he forewarned them that he must die, and it was not to be denied her if she changed her mind and chose to bestow this offering upon the Master while he yet lived.
172:1.8 (1879.6) Både Lazarus og Marta vidste, at Maria længe havde sparet penge sammen til at købe denne denne krukke med lavendelolie og de bifaldt hjerteligt, at hun gjorde, hvad hendes hjerte ønskede i denne sag, for de var velhavende og havde nemt råd til at give sådan et offer.		172:1.8 (1879.6) Both Lazarus and Martha knew that Mary had long saved the money wherewith to buy this cruse of spikenard, and they heartily approved of her doing as her heart desired in such a matter, for they were well-to-do and could easily afford to make such an offering.
172:1.9 (1880.1) Da ypperstepræsterne hørte om denne middag i Betania for Jesus og Lazarus, begyndte de at rådføre sig med hinanden om, hvad der skulle ske med Lazarus. Og snart besluttede de, at Lazarus også skulle dø. De konkluderede med rette, at det ville være nytteløst at slå Jesus ihjel, hvis de tillod Lazarus, som han havde oprejst fra de døde, at leve.		172:1.9 (1880.1) When the chief priests heard of this dinner in Bethany for Jesus and Lazarus, they began to take counsel among themselves as to what should be done with Lazarus. And presently they decided that Lazarus must also die. They rightly concluded that it would be useless to put Jesus to death if they permitted Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, to live.
2. Søndagmorgen med apostlerne ^top		2. Sunday Morning with the Apostles ^top
172:2.1 (1880.2) Denne søndag morgen, i Simons smukke have, samlede Mesteren sine tolv apostle omkring sig og gav dem de sidste instruktioner, inden de skulle rejse ind i Jerusalem. Han fortalte dem, at han sandsynligvis ville holde mange taler og undervise mange gange, før han vendte tilbage til Faderen, men rådede apostlene til at afholde sig fra at udføre noget offentligt arbejde under dette påskeophold i Jerusalem. Han bad dem om at blive i nærheden af ham og “våge og bede.” Jesus vidste, at mange af hans apostle og nærmeste tilhængere allerede dengang bar sværd skjult på sig, men han nævnte ikke dette faktum.		172:2.1 (1880.2) On this Sunday morning, in Simon’s beautiful garden, the Master called his twelve apostles around him and gave them their final instructions preparatory to entering Jerusalem. He told them that he would probably deliver many addresses and teach many lessons before returning to the Father but advised the apostles to refrain from doing any public work during this Passover sojourn in Jerusalem. He instructed them to remain near him and to “watch and pray.” Jesus knew that many of his apostles and immediate followers even then carried swords concealed on their persons, but he made no reference to this fact.
172:2.2 (1880.3) Denne morgens instruktioner omfattede en kort gennemgang af deres tjeneste fra dagen for deres ordination nær Kapernaum og frem til denne dag, hvor de forberedte sig på at gå ind i Jerusalem. Apostlene lyttede i stilhed; de stillede ingen spørgsmål.		172:2.2 (1880.3) This morning’s instructions embraced a brief review of their ministry from the day of their ordination near Capernaum down to this day when they were preparing to enter Jerusalem. The apostles listened in silence; they asked no questions.
172:2.3 (1880.4) Tidligt den morgen havde David Zebedæus overdraget Judas pengene fra salget af udstyret i Pella-lejren, og Judas havde til gengæld lagt størstedelen af disse penge i hænderne på Simon, deres vært, så han kunne opbevare dem sikkert i forventning om, at de skulle indtage Jerusalem.		172:2.3 (1880.4) Early that morning David Zebedee had turned over to Judas the funds realized from the sale of the equipment of the Pella encampment, and Judas, in turn, had placed the greater part of this money in the hands of Simon, their host, for safekeeping in anticipation of the exigencies of their entry into Jerusalem.
172:2.4 (1880.5) Efter konferencen med apostlene talte Jesus med Lazarus og instruerede ham i at undgå at ofre sit liv for det jødiske råds hævngerrighed. Det var i lydighed mod denne formaning, at Lazarus et par dage senere flygtede til Filadelfia, da embedsmændene fra jødernes råd sendte mænd for at arrestere ham.		172:2.4 (1880.5) After the conference with the apostles Jesus held converse with Lazarus and instructed him to avoid the sacrifice of his life to the vengefulness of the Sanhedrin. It was in obedience to this admonition that Lazarus, a few days later, fled to Philadelphia when the officers of the Sanhedrin sent men to arrest him.
172:2.5 (1880.6) På en måde fornemmede alle Jesu tilhængere den forestående krise, men de blev forhindret i fuldt ud at indse dens alvor af Mesterens usædvanlige munterhed og exceptionelle gode humør.		172:2.5 (1880.6) In a way, all of Jesus’ followers sensed the impending crisis, but they were prevented from fully realizing its seriousness by the unusual cheerfulness and exceptional good humor of the Master.
3. Afrejsen til jerusalem ^top		3. The Start for Jerusalem ^top
172:3.1 (1880.7) Betania lå omkring tre kilometer fra templet, og klokken var halv to den søndag eftermiddag, da Jesus gjorde sig klar til at tage til Jerusalem. Han følte dyb hengivenhed for Betania og dets enkle folk. Nazaret, Kapernaum og Jerusalem havde afvist ham, men Betania havde accepteret ham, havde troet på ham. Og det var i denne lille landsby, hvor næsten alle mænd, kvinder og børn var troende, at han valgte at udføre det mægtigste værk i sin jordiske overdragelse, Lazarus’ opstandelse. Han oprejste ikke Lazarus, for at landsbyboerne skulle tro, men fordi de allerede troede.		172:3.1 (1880.7) Bethany was about two miles from the temple, and it was half past one that Sunday afternoon when Jesus made ready to start for Jerusalem. He had feelings of profound affection for Bethany and its simple people. Nazareth, Capernaum, and Jerusalem had rejected him, but Bethany had accepted him, had believed in him. And it was in this small village, where almost every man, woman, and child were believers, that he chose to perform the mightiest work of his earth bestowal, the resurrection of Lazarus. He did not raise Lazarus that the villagers might believe, but rather because they already believed.
172:3.2 (1880.8) Hele morgenen havde Jesus tænkt på sit indtog i Jerusalem. Hidtil havde han altid forsøgt at undertrykke al offentlig hyldest af ham som Messias, men det var anderledes nu; han nærmede sig afslutningen på sin karriere i kødet, hans død var blevet dekreteret af det jødiske råd og der kunne ikke ske nogen skade ved at lade hans disciple give frit udtryk for deres følelser, ligesom det kunne ske, hvis han valgte at foretage et formelt og offentligt indtog i byen.		172:3.2 (1880.8) All morning Jesus had thought about his entry into Jerusalem. Heretofore he had always endeavored to suppress all public acclaim of him as the Messiah, but it was different now; he was nearing the end of his career in the flesh, his death had been decreed by the Sanhedrin, and no harm could come from allowing his disciples to give free expression to their feelings, just as might occur if he elected to make a formal and public entry into the city.
172:3.3 (1881.1) Jesus besluttede ikke at gøre dette offentlige indtog til Jerusalem som en sidste forsøg på at vinde folkets gunst eller som et sidste greb om magten. Heller ikke gjorde han det kun for at tilfredsstille sine disciples og apostles menneskelige længsel. Jesus underholdt ingen illusioner som en fantastisk drømmer; Han vidste godt, hvordan hans besøg ville ende.		172:3.3 (1881.1) Jesus did not decide to make this public entrance into Jerusalem as a last bid for popular favor nor as a final grasp for power. Neither did he do it altogether to satisfy the human longings of his disciples and apostles. Jesus entertained none of the illusions of a fantastic dreamer; he well knew what was to be the outcome of this visit.
172:3.4 (1881.2) Da Mesteren havde besluttet sig for at gøre et offentligt indtog i Jerusalem, blev han konfronteret med nødvendigheden af at vælge en passende metode til at udføre en sådan beslutning. Jesus tænkte over alle de mange mere eller mindre modstridende såkaldte messianske profetier, men der syntes kun at være én, som det overhovedet var passende for ham at følge. De fleste af disse profetiske udtalelser skildrede en konge, Davids søn og efterfølger, en dristig og aggressiv verdslig befrier af hele Israel fra fremmedherredømmets åg. Men der var et skriftsted, som nogle gange var blevet forbundet med Messias af dem, der holdt mere fast i den åndelige opfattelse af hans mission, og som Jesus mente konsekvent kunne tages som en vejledning for hans planlagte indtog i Jerusalem. Dette skriftsted fandtes i Zakarias, og det sagde: “Glæd dig meget, Zions datter, råb, Jerusalems datter. Se, din konge kommer til dig. Han er retfærdig, og han bringer frelse. Han kommer som den ydmyge, ridende på et æsel, på et føl, et æselføl.”		172:3.4 (1881.2) Having decided upon making a public entrance into Jerusalem, the Master was confronted with the necessity of choosing a proper method of executing such a resolve. Jesus thought over all of the many more or less contradictory so-called Messianic prophecies, but there seemed to be only one which was at all appropriate for him to follow. Most of these prophetic utterances depicted a king, the son and successor of David, a bold and aggressive temporal deliverer of all Israel from the yoke of foreign domination. But there was one Scripture that had sometimes been associated with the Messiah by those who held more to the spiritual concept of his mission, which Jesus thought might consistently be taken as a guide for his projected entry into Jerusalem. This Scripture was found in Zechariah, and it said: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king comes to you. He is just and he brings salvation. He comes as the lowly one, riding upon an ass, upon a colt, the foal of an ass.”
172:3.5 (1881.3) En krigerkonge gik altid ind i en by ridende på en hest; en konge på en mission for fred og venskab gik altid ind ridende på et æsel. Jesus ville ikke gå ind i Jerusalem som en mand på en hest, men han var villig til at gå ind i byen fredeligt og med god vilje som Menneskesønnen på et æsel.		172:3.5 (1881.3) A warrior king always entered a city riding upon a horse; a king on a mission of peace and friendship always entered riding upon an ass. Jesus would not enter Jerusalem as a man on horseback, but he was willing to enter peacefully and with good will as the Son of Man on a donkey.
172:3.6 (1881.4) Jesus havde længe forsøgt gennem direkte undervisning at indprente sine apostle og disciple, at hans rige ikke var af denne verden, at det var et rent åndeligt anliggende; men det var ikke lykkedes for ham. Nu ville han forsøge at opnå det, han ikke havde formået at gøre ved almindelig og personlig undervisning, ved hjælp af en symbolsk appel. Derfor kaldte Jesus Peter og Johannes til sig lige efter middagsmaden, og efter at have bedt dem om at gå over til Betfage, en nabolandsby lidt væk fra hovedvejen og et kort stykke nordvest for Betania, sagde han videre: “Gå til Betfage, og når I kommer til vejkrydset, vil I finde et æselføl bundet der. Løs føllet, og tag det med dig tilbage. Hvis nogen spørger jer, hvorfor I gør det, skal I bare sige: ‘Mesteren har brug for ham.’” Og da de to apostle var gået ind i Betfage, som Mesteren havde sagt, fandt de føllet bundet nær sin mor på åben gade og tæt på et hus på hjørnet. Da Peter begyndte at binde føllet løs, kom ejeren hen og spurgte, hvorfor de gjorde det, og da Peter svarede ham, som Jesus havde befalet, sagde manden: “Hvis jeres mester er Jesus fra Galilæa, så lad ham få føllet.” Og så vendte de tilbage med føllet.		172:3.6 (1881.4) Jesus had long tried by direct teaching to impress upon his apostles and his disciples that his kingdom was not of this world, that it was a purely spiritual matter; but he had not succeeded in this effort. Now, what he had failed to do by plain and personal teaching, he would attempt to accomplish by a symbolic appeal. Accordingly, right after the noon lunch, Jesus called Peter and John, and after directing them to go over to Bethpage, a neighboring village a little off the main road and a short distance northwest of Bethany, he further said: “Go to Bethpage, and when you come to the junction of the roads, you will find the colt of an ass tied there. Loose the colt and bring it back with you. If anyone asks you why you do this, merely say, ‘The Master has need of him.’” And when the two apostles had gone into Bethpage as the Master had directed, they found the colt tied near his mother in the open street and close to a house on the corner. As Peter began to untie the colt, the owner came over and asked why they did this, and when Peter answered him as Jesus had directed, the man said: “If your Master is Jesus from Galilee, let him have the colt.” And so they returned bringing the colt with them.
172:3.7 (1881.5) På dette tidspunkt havde flere hundrede pilgrimme samlet sig omkring Jesus og hans apostle. Siden midt på eftermiddagen havde de besøgende, der kom forbi på vej til påsken, ventet. I mellemtiden påtog David Zebedæus og nogle af hans tidligere budbringere sig at skynde sig ned til Jerusalem, hvor de effektivt spredte budskabet blandt de mange besøgende pilgrimme omkring templet om, at Jesus af Nazaret var på vej ind i byen i triumf. Derfor strømmede flere tusinde af disse besøgende ud for at hilse på denne meget omtalte profet og mirakelmager, som nogle troede var Messias. Denne skare, der kom ud fra Jerusalem, mødte Jesus og den skare, der var på vej ind i byen, lige efter at de havde passeret Oliebjerget og var begyndt nedstigningen til byen.		172:3.7 (1881.5) By this time several hundred pilgrims had gathered around Jesus and his apostles. Since midforenoon the visitors passing by on their way to the Passover had tarried. Meanwhile, David Zebedee and some of his former messenger associates took it upon themselves to hasten on down to Jerusalem, where they effectively spread the report among the throngs of visiting pilgrims about the temple that Jesus of Nazareth was making a triumphal entry into the city. Accordingly, several thousand of these visitors flocked forth to greet this much-talked-of prophet and wonder-worker, whom some believed to be the Messiah. This multitude, coming out from Jerusalem, met Jesus and the crowd going into the city just after they had passed over the brow of Olivet and had begun the descent into the city.
172:3.8 (1882.1) Da processionen startede ud fra Betania, var der stor begejstring blandt den festlige skare af disciple, troende og besøgende pilgrimme, hvoraf mange kom fra Galilæa og Perea. Lige før de startede, ankom de tolv kvinder fra det oprindelige kvindekorps, ledsaget af nogle af deres medarbejdere, og sluttede sig til denne unikke procession, mens den glædeligt bevægede sig mod byen.		172:3.8 (1882.1) As the procession started out from Bethany, there was great enthusiasm among the festive crowd of disciples, believers, and visiting pilgrims, many hailing from Galilee and Perea. Just before they started, the twelve women of the original women’s corps, accompanied by some of their associates, arrived on the scene and joined this unique procession as it moved on joyously toward the city.
172:3.9 (1882.2) Før de begyndte, lagde Alfæus-tvillingerne deres kapper på æslet og holdt det, mens Mesteren steg op. Da processionen bevægede sig mod Oliebjergets top, kastede den feststemte folkemængde deres klæder på jorden og hentede grene fra de nærliggende træer for at lave et ærestæppe til æslet, der bar den kongelige søn, den lovede Messias. Da den glade skare bevægede sig videre mod Jerusalem, begyndte de at synge, eller rettere at råbe i kor, salmen: “Hosianna Davids søn; velsignet være han, som kommer i Herrens navn. Hosianna i det højeste. Velsignet være det rige, som kommer ned fra himlen.”		172:3.9 (1882.2) Before they started, the Alpheus twins put their cloaks on the donkey and held him while the Master got on. As the procession moved toward the summit of Olivet, the festive crowd threw their garments on the ground and brought branches from the near-by trees in order to make a carpet of honor for the donkey bearing the royal Son, the promised Messiah. As the merry crowd moved on toward Jerusalem, they began to sing, or rather to shout in unison, the Psalm, “Hosanna to the son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed be the kingdom that comes down from heaven.”
172:3.10 (1882.3) Jesus var let om hjertet og munter, mens de gik videre, indtil han kom til Oliebjergets bakkekam hvor byen og tempeltårnene kom til fuld skue; der standsede Mesteren processionen, og en stor stilhed kom over alle, mens de så ham græde. Da Mesteren så ned på den store menneskemængde, der kom ud fra byen for at hilse på ham, sagde han med stor bevægelse og tårevædet stemme: “O Jerusalem, hvis du bare havde vidst, selv du, i det mindste i denne din tid, de ting, der hører til din fred, og som du så frit kunne have haft! Men nu er disse herligheder ved at blive skjult for dine øjne. I er ved at afvise Fredens Søn og vende ryggen til frelsens evangelium. De dage vil snart komme over jer, hvor jeres fjender vil støbe en skyttegrav omkring jer og belejre jer fra alle sider; de vil fuldstændig ødelægge jer, så der ikke bliver en sten tilbage på den anden. Og alt dette skal ramme jer, fordi I ikke kendte tidspunktet for jeres guddommelige besøg. I er ved at afvise Guds gave, og alle mennesker vil afvise jer.”		172:3.10 (1882.3) Jesus was lighthearted and cheerful as they moved along until he came to the brow of Olivet, where the city and the temple towers came into full view; there the Master stopped the procession, and a great silence came upon all as they beheld him weeping. Looking down upon the vast multitude coming forth from the city to greet him, the Master, with much emotion and with tearful voice, said: “O Jerusalem, if you had only known, even you, at least in this your day, the things which belong to your peace, and which you could so freely have had! But now are these glories about to be hid from your eyes. You are about to reject the Son of Peace and turn your backs upon the gospel of salvation. The days will soon come upon you wherein your enemies will cast a trench around about you and lay siege to you on every side; they shall utterly destroy you, insomuch that not one stone shall be left upon another. And all this shall befall you because you knew not the time of your divine visitation. You are about to reject the gift of God, and all men will reject you.”
172:3.11 (1882.4) Da han var færdig med at tale, begyndte de at gå ned ad Oliebjerget, og snart fik de følgeskab af de mange besøgende, der var kommet fra Jerusalem, og som viftede med palmegrene, råbte hymner og på anden måde udtrykte glæde og godt fællesskab. Mesteren havde ikke planlagt, at disse skarer skulle komme ud fra Jerusalem for at møde dem; det var andres værk. Han planlagde aldrig noget, som var dramatisk.		172:3.11 (1882.4) When he had finished speaking, they began the descent of Olivet and presently were joined by the multitude of visitors who had come from Jerusalem waving palm branches, shouting hosannas, and otherwise expressing gleefulness and good fellowship. The Master had not planned that these crowds should come out from Jerusalem to meet them; that was the work of others. He never premeditated anything which was dramatic.
172:3.12 (1882.5) Sammen med folkemængden, der strømmede ud for at byde Mesteren velkommen, kom også mange af farisæerne og hans andre fjender. De var så foruroligede over dette pludselige og uventede udbrud af folkelig hyldest, at de frygtede at arrestere ham for ikke at udløse et åbent oprør i befolkningen. De frygtede i høj grad holdningen hos det store antal besøgende, som havde hørt meget om Jesus, og hvoraf mange troede på ham.		172:3.12 (1882.5) Along with the multitude which poured out to welcome the Master, there came also many of the Pharisees and his other enemies. They were so much perturbed by this sudden and unexpected outburst of popular acclaim that they feared to arrest him lest such action precipitate an open revolt of the populace. They greatly feared the attitude of the large numbers of visitors, who had heard much of Jesus, and who, many of them, believed in him.
172:3.13 (1882.6) Da de nærmede sig Jerusalem, blev folkemængden mere demonstrativ, så meget, at nogle af farisæerne stillede sig op på siden af Jesus og sagde: “Mester, du burde irettesætte dine disciple og formane dem til at opføre sig mere sømmeligt.” Jesus svarede: “Det er kun passende, at disse børn byder Fredssønnen velkommen, som ypperstepræsterne har forkastet. Det ville være nytteløst at stoppe dem, hvis ikke stenene i vejkanten skulle råbe i deres sted.”		172:3.13 (1882.6) As they neared Jerusalem, the crowd became more demonstrative, so much so that some of the Pharisees made their way up alongside Jesus and said: “Teacher, you should rebuke your disciples and exhort them to behave more seemly.” Jesus answered: “It is only fitting that these children should welcome the Son of Peace, whom the chief priests have rejected. It would be useless to stop them lest in their stead these stones by the roadside cry out.”
172:3.14 (1882.7) Farisæerne skyndte sig videre foran processionen for at slutte sig til jødernes råd, som på det tidspunkt var samlet i templet, og de rapporterede til deres kolleger: “Se, alt, hvad vi gør, er til ingen nytte; vi er forvirrede over denne galilæer. Folk er blevet vanvittige over ham; hvis vi ikke stopper disse uvidende, vil hele verden gå efter ham.”		172:3.14 (1882.7) The Pharisees hastened on ahead of the procession to rejoin the Sanhedrin, which was then in session at the temple, and they reported to their associates: “Behold, all that we do is of no avail; we are confounded by this Galilean. The people have gone mad over him; if we do not stop these ignorant ones, all the world will go after him.”
172:3.15 (1883.1) Der var virkelig ingen dyb betydning at tillægge dette overfladiske og spontane udbrud af folkelig entusiasme. Selvom velkomsten var glædelig og oprigtig, vidnede den ikke om nogen reel eller dybtliggende overbevisning i hjerterne på denne festlige folkemængde. De samme skarer var lige så villige til hurtigt at afvise Jesus senere på ugen, da jødernes råd en gang tog et fast og beslutsomt standpunkt imod ham, og da de blev desillusionerede—da de indså, at Jesus ikke ville etablere riget i overensstemmelse med deres længe nærede forventninger.		172:3.15 (1883.1) There really was no deep significance to be attached to this superficial and spontaneous outburst of popular enthusiasm. This welcome, although it was joyous and sincere, did not betoken any real or deep-seated conviction in the hearts of this festive multitude. These same crowds were equally as willing quickly to reject Jesus later on this week when the Sanhedrin once took a firm and decided stand against him, and when they became disillusioned—when they realized that Jesus was not going to establish the kingdom in accordance with their long-cherished expectations.
172:3.16 (1883.2) Men hele byen blev stærkt oprørt, så alle spurgte: “Hvem er denne mand?” Og folkemængden svarede: “Det er profeten fra Galilæa, Jesus fra Nazaret.”		172:3.16 (1883.2) But the whole city was mightily stirred up, insomuch that everyone asked, “Who is this man?” And the multitude answered, “This is the prophet of Galilee, Jesus of Nazareth.”
4. Besøg rundt om i templet ^top		4. Visiting About the Temple ^top
172:4.1 (1883.3) Mens Alfeus-tvillingerne returnerede æslet til dets ejer, løsrev Jesus og de ti apostle sig fra deres nærmeste medarbejdere og spadserede rundt i templet for at se på forberedelserne til påsken. Der blev ikke gjort noget forsøg på at forulempe Jesus, da Sanhedrinet frygtede folket, og det var trods alt en af grundene til, at Jesus lod folkemængden hylde ham på denne måde. Apostlene forstod ikke, at dette var den eneste menneskelige procedure, som kunne have været effektiv til at forhindre, at Jesus blev arresteret med det samme, da han kom ind i byen. Mesteren ønskede at give Jerusalems indbyggere, høj og lav, såvel som de titusinder af påskegæster, endnu en og sidste chance for at høre evangeliet og modtage Fredens Søn, hvis de ville.		172:4.1 (1883.3) While the Alpheus twins returned the donkey to its owner, Jesus and the ten apostles detached themselves from their immediate associates and strolled about the temple, viewing the preparations for the Passover. No attempt was made to molest Jesus as the Sanhedrin greatly feared the people, and that was, after all, one of the reasons Jesus had for allowing the multitude thus to acclaim him. The apostles little understood that this was the only human procedure which could have been effective in preventing Jesus’ immediate arrest upon entering the city. The Master desired to give the inhabitants of Jerusalem, high and low, as well as the tens of thousands of Passover visitors, this one more and last chance to hear the gospel and receive, if they would, the Son of Peace.
172:4.2 (1883.4) Og nu, hvor aftenen nærmede sig, og folkemængden gik på jagt efter mad, var Jesus og hans nærmeste tilhængere alene tilbage. Sikke en mærkelig dag, det havde været! Apostlene var eftertænksomme, men målløse. Aldrig i de år, de havde været sammen med Jesus, havde de oplevet sådan en dag. Et øjeblik satte de sig ned ved skatkammeret og så folk komme med deres bidrag: De rige lagde meget i kassen, og alle gav noget i forhold til, hvor meget de ejede. Til sidst kom der en fattig enke, sparsomt klædt, og de så, hvordan hun smed to småmønter i trompeten. Og så sagde Jesus og henledte apostlenes opmærksomhed på enken: “Hør godt efter, hvad I lige har set. Denne stakkels enke gav mere end alle de andre, for alle de andre gav af deres overflod en lille smule som gave, men denne stakkels kvinde gav, selv om hun var i nød, alt, hvad hun havde, selv det, hun levede af.”		172:4.2 (1883.4) And now, as the evening drew on and the crowds went in quest of nourishment, Jesus and his immediate followers were left alone. What a strange day it had been! The apostles were thoughtful, but speechless. Never, in their years of association with Jesus, had they seen such a day. For a moment they sat down by the treasury, watching the people drop in their contributions: the rich putting much in the receiving box and all giving something in accordance with the extent of their possessions. At last there came along a poor widow, scantily attired, and they observed as she cast two mites (small coppers) into the trumpet. And then said Jesus, calling the attention of the apostles to the widow: “Heed well what you have just seen. This poor widow cast in more than all the others, for all these others, from their superfluity, cast in some trifle as a gift, but this poor woman, even though she is in want, gave all that she had, even her living.”
172:4.3 (1883.5) Da aftenen nærmede sig, gik de tavse rundt i tempelgården, og efter at Jesus endnu en gang havde betragtet disse velkendte scener og mindedes sine følelser i forbindelse med tidligere besøg, bortset fra de tidligere, sagde han: “Lad os gå op til Betania og hvile os.” Jesus tog sammen med Peter og Johannes hjem til Simon, mens de andre apostle indlogerede sig hos deres venner i Betania og Betfage.		172:4.3 (1883.5) As the evening drew on, they walked about the temple courts in silence, and after Jesus had surveyed these familiar scenes once more, recalling his emotions in connection with previous visits, not excepting the earlier ones, he said, “Let us go up to Bethany for our rest.” Jesus, with Peter and John, went to the home of Simon, while the other apostles lodged among their friends in Bethany and Bethpage.
5. Apostlernes indstilling ^top		5. The Apostles’ Attitude ^top
172:5.1 (1883.6) Denne søndag aften, da de vendte tilbage til Betania, gik Jesus foran apostlene. Der blev ikke sagt et ord, før de skiltes efter ankomsten til Simons hus. Ingen tolv mennesker har nogensinde oplevet så forskellige og uforklarlige følelser, som nu strømmede gennem sindet og sjælen på disse ambassadører for riget. Disse robuste galilæere var forvirrede og rådvilde; de vidste ikke, hvad de nu skulle forvente; de var for overraskede til at være særligt bange. De vidste intet om Mesterens planer for den næste dag, og de stillede ingen spørgsmål. De gik til deres hytter, men de sov ikke meget, bortset fra tvillingerne. Men de holdt ikke bevæbnet vagt over Jesus i Simons hus.		172:5.1 (1883.6) This Sunday evening as they returned to Bethany, Jesus walked in front of the apostles. Not a word was spoken until they separated after arriving at Simon’s house. No twelve human beings ever experienced such diverse and inexplicable emotions as now surged through the minds and souls of these ambassadors of the kingdom. These sturdy Galileans were confused and disconcerted; they did not know what to expect next; they were too surprised to be much afraid. They knew nothing of the Master’s plans for the next day, and they asked no questions. They went to their lodgings, though they did not sleep much, save the twins. But they did not keep armed watch over Jesus at Simon’s house.
172:5.2 (1884.1) Andreas var fuldstændig forvirret, ja, nærmest rådvild. Han var den eneste apostel, der ikke seriøst forsøgte at evaluere det folkelige udbrud af hyldest. Han var for optaget af tanken om sit ansvar som leder af det apostoliske korps til for alvor at overveje meningen eller betydningen af folkemængdens højlydte tilråb. Andreas havde travlt med at holde øje med nogle af sine medarbejdere, som han frygtede kunne blive ført væk af deres følelser under begejstringen, især Peter, James, Johannes og Simon Zelotes. I løbet af denne dag og dem, der fulgte umiddelbart efter, var Andreas plaget af alvorlig tvivl, men han udtrykte aldrig nogen af disse betænkeligheder over for sine apostoliske medarbejdere. Han var bekymret over holdningen hos nogle af de tolv, som han vidste var bevæbnet med sværd; men han vidste ikke, at hans egen bror, Peter, bar et sådant våben. Og derfor gjorde processionen ind i Jerusalem et forholdsvis overfladisk indtryk på Andreas; han havde for travlt med sit embedes ansvar til at blive påvirket på anden vis.		172:5.2 (1884.1) Andrew was thoroughly bewildered, well-nigh confused. He was the one apostle who did not seriously undertake to evaluate the popular outburst of acclaim. He was too preoccupied with the thought of his responsibility as chief of the apostolic corps to give serious consideration to the meaning or significance of the loud hosannas of the multitude. Andrew was busy watching some of his associates who he feared might be led away by their emotions during the excitement, particularly Peter, James, John, and Simon Zelotes. Throughout this day and those which immediately followed, Andrew was troubled with serious doubts, but he never expressed any of these misgivings to his apostolic associates. He was concerned about the attitude of some of the twelve who he knew were armed with swords; but he did not know that his own brother, Peter, was carrying such a weapon. And so the procession into Jerusalem made a comparatively superficial impression upon Andrew; he was too busy with the responsibilities of his office to be otherwise affected.
172:5.3 (1884.2) Simon Peter blev først næsten revet med af denne folkelige manifestation af begejstring, men han var blevet betydeligt mere nøgtern, da de vendte tilbage til Betania den aften. Peter kunne simpelthen ikke finde ud af, hvad Mesteren var ude på. Han var frygtelig skuffet over, at Jesus ikke fulgte denne bølge af folkelig gunst op med en eller anden form for udtalelse. Peter kunne ikke forstå, hvorfor Jesus ikke talte til folkemængden, da de ankom til templet, eller i det mindste tillod en af apostlene at tale til mængden. Peter var en stor prædikant, og han kunne ikke lide at se et så stort, modtageligt og entusiastisk publikum gå til spilde. Han ville så gerne have forkyndt evangeliet om riget for folkemængden lige der i templet, men Mesteren havde specifikt pålagt dem, at de ikke måtte undervise eller prædike, mens de var i Jerusalem i denne påskeuge. Reaktionen på den spektakulære procession ind i byen var katastrofal for Simon Peter; om natten var han ædru og usigeligt ked af det.		172:5.3 (1884.2) Simon Peter was at first almost swept off his feet by this popular manifestation of enthusiasm; but he was considerably sobered by the time they returned to Bethany that night. Peter simply could not figure out what the Master was about. He was terribly disappointed that Jesus did not follow up this wave of popular favor with some kind of a pronouncement. Peter could not understand why Jesus did not speak to the multitude when they arrived at the temple, or at least permit one of the apostles to address the crowd. Peter was a great preacher, and he disliked to see such a large, receptive, and enthusiastic audience go to waste. He would so much have liked to preach the gospel of the kingdom to that throng right there in the temple; but the Master had specifically charged them that they were to do no teaching or preaching while in Jerusalem this Passover week. The reaction from the spectacular procession into the city was disastrous to Simon Peter; by night he was sobered and inexpressibly saddened.
172:5.4 (1884.3) For James Zebedee var denne søndag en dag med rådvildhed og dyb forvirring; han kunne ikke fatte meningen med det, der foregik; han kunne ikke forstå Mesterens formål med at tillade denne vilde hyldest og derefter nægte at sige et ord til folket, da de ankom til templet. Da processionen bevægede sig ned ad Oliebjerget mod Jerusalem, og især da de blev mødt af de tusinder af pilgrimme, der strømmede ud for at byde Mesteren velkommen, blev James grusomt splittet af sine modstridende følelser af glæde og tilfredsstillelse over det, han så, og af sin dybe følelse af frygt for, hvad der ville ske, når de nåede frem til templet. Og så blev han nedtrykt og overvældet af skuffelse, da Jesus steg af æslet og fortsatte med at gå mageligt rundt i tempelgården. James kunne ikke forstå, hvorfor han havde forspildt en så storslået mulighed for at forkynde riget. Om natten blev hans sind holdt i et fast greb af en foruroligende og frygtelig usikkerhed.		172:5.4 (1884.3) To James Zebedee, this Sunday was a day of perplexity and profound confusion; he could not grasp the purport of what was going on; he could not comprehend the Master’s purpose in permitting this wild acclaim and then in refusing to say a word to the people when they arrived at the temple. As the procession moved down Olivet toward Jerusalem, more especially when they were met by the thousands of pilgrims who poured forth to welcome the Master, James was cruelly torn by his conflicting emotions of elation and gratification at what he saw and by his profound feeling of fear as to what would happen when they reached the temple. And then was he downcast and overcome by disappointment when Jesus climbed off the donkey and proceeded to walk leisurely about the temple courts. James could not understand the reason for throwing away such a magnificent opportunity to proclaim the kingdom. By night, his mind was held firmly in the grip of a distressing and dreadful uncertainty.
172:5.5 (1884.4) Johannes Zebedæus var tæt på at forstå, hvorfor Jesus gjorde dette; i det mindste forstod han til dels den åndelige betydning af dette såkaldte triumftog ind i Jerusalem. Da folkemængden bevægede sig videre mod templet, og da Johannes så sin Mester sidde der overskrævs på føllet, huskede han, at han engang havde hørt Jesus citere skriftstedet, Zakarias’ udtalelse, som beskrev Messias’ komme som en fredens mand og ridende ind i Jerusalem på et æsel. Da Johannes vendte og drejede dette skriftsted i sit sind, begyndte han at forstå den symbolske betydning af dette søndagseftermiddagsskuespil. I det mindste forstod han nok af skriftens betydning til, at han kunne nyde episoden og forhindre, at han blev alt for deprimeret over triumftogets tilsyneladende formålsløse slutning. Johannes havde en sindstype, som naturligt havde tendens til at tænke og føle i symboler.		172:5.5 (1884.4) John Zebedee came somewhere near understanding why Jesus did this; at least he grasped in part the spiritual significance of this so-called triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As the multitude moved on toward the temple, and as John beheld his Master sitting there astride the colt, he recalled hearing Jesus onetime quote the passage of Scripture, the utterance of Zechariah, which described the coming of the Messiah as a man of peace and riding into Jerusalem on an ass. As John turned this Scripture over in his mind, he began to comprehend the symbolic significance of this Sunday-afternoon pageant. At least, he grasped enough of the meaning of this Scripture to enable him somewhat to enjoy the episode and to prevent his becoming overmuch depressed by the apparent purposeless ending of the triumphal procession. John had a type of mind which naturally tended to think and feel in symbols.
172:5.6 (1885.1) Philip var helt forvirret over det pludselige og spontane udbrud. På vejen ned ad Olivet kunne han ikke samle sine tanker tilstrækkeligt til at nå frem til en afklaret opfattelse af, hvad hele demonstrationen handlede om. På en måde nød han forestillingen, fordi hans Mester blev æret. Da de nåede frem til templet, blev han urolig ved tanken om, at Jesus måske ville bede ham om at bespise folkemængden, så Jesu opførsel, hvor han i ro og mag vendte sig bort fra folkemængden, hvilket skuffede de fleste af apostlene så meget, var en stor lettelse for Filip. Folkemængder havde nogle gange været en stor prøvelse for de tolvs forvalter. Efter at han var blevet befriet for sin personlige frygt for skarenes materielle behov, sluttede Filip sig til Peter og udtrykte sin skuffelse over, at der ikke blev gjort noget for at undervise skaren. Den aften kom Filip til at tænke over disse oplevelser og blev fristet til at tvivle på hele ideen om riget; han spekulerede ærligt på, hvad alle disse ting kunne betyde, men han udtrykte ikke sin tvivl over for nogen; han elskede Jesus for meget. Han havde stor personlig tro på Mesteren.		172:5.6 (1885.1) Philip was entirely unsettled by the suddenness and spontaneity of the outburst. He could not collect his thoughts sufficiently while on the way down Olivet to arrive at any settled notion as to what all the demonstration was about. In a way, he enjoyed the performance because his Master was being honored. By the time they reached the temple, he was perturbed by the thought that Jesus might possibly ask him to feed the multitude, so that the conduct of Jesus in turning leisurely away from the crowds, which so sorely disappointed the majority of the apostles, was a great relief to Philip. Multitudes had sometimes been a great trial to the steward of the twelve. After he was relieved of these personal fears regarding the material needs of the crowds, Philip joined with Peter in the expression of disappointment that nothing was done to teach the multitude. That night Philip got to thinking over these experiences and was tempted to doubt the whole idea of the kingdom; he honestly wondered what all these things could mean, but he expressed his doubts to no one; he loved Jesus too much. He had great personal faith in the Master.
172:5.7 (1885.2) Bortset fra de symbolske og profetiske aspekter var Nathaniel den, der kom tættest på at forstå Mesterens grund til at få folkelig støtte fra påskepilgrimmene. Før de nåede frem til templet, ræsonnerede han sig frem til, at uden en sådan demonstrativ indtræden i Jerusalem ville Jesus være blevet arresteret af Sanhedrinets embedsmænd og smidt i fængsel i samme øjeblik, han formastede sig til at gå ind i byen. Han var derfor ikke det mindste overrasket over, at Mesteren ikke gjorde yderligere brug af de jublende folkemængder, da han først var kommet inden for byens mure og dermed havde gjort så stort indtryk på de jødiske ledere, at de ville afstå fra at arrestere ham med det samme. Da Nathaniel forstod den egentlige grund til, at Mesteren gik ind i byen på denne måde, fulgte han naturligvis med med større selvsikkerhed og var mindre foruroliget og skuffet over Jesu efterfølgende opførsel end de andre apostle. Nathaniel havde stor tillid til Jesu forståelse af mennesker og til hans klogskab og dygtighed til at håndtere vanskelige situationer.		172:5.7 (1885.2) Nathaniel, aside from the symbolic and prophetic aspects, came the nearest to understanding the Master’s reason for enlisting the popular support of the Passover pilgrims. He reasoned it out, before they reached the temple, that without such a demonstrative entry into Jerusalem Jesus would have been arrested by the Sanhedrin officials and cast into prison the moment he presumed to enter the city. He was not, therefore, in the least surprised that the Master made no further use of the cheering crowds when he had once got inside the walls of the city and had thus so forcibly impressed the Jewish leaders that they would refrain from placing him under immediate arrest. Understanding the real reason for the Master’s entering the city in this manner, Nathaniel naturally followed along with more poise and was less perturbed and disappointed by Jesus’ subsequent conduct than were the other apostles. Nathaniel had great confidence in Jesus’ understanding of men as well as in his sagacity and cleverness in handling difficult situations.
172:5.8 (1885.3) Mattæus var i første omgang ikke overrasket over denne forestilling. Han fattede ikke meningen med det, hans øjne så, før han også huskede skriftstedet i Zakarias, hvor profeten havde hentydet til Jerusalems jubel, fordi hendes konge var kommet med frelse og red på et æselføl. Da processionen bevægede sig i retning af byen og derefter nærmede sig templet, blev Mattæus ekstatisk; han var sikker på, at der ville ske noget ekstraordinært, når Mesteren ankom til templet i spidsen for denne råbende folkemængde. Da en af farisæerne hånede Jesus og sagde: “Se, alle sammen, se hvem der kommer her, jødernes konge ridende på et æsel!” Mattæus holdt kun sine hænder væk fra ham ved at udvise stor tilbageholdenhed. Ingen af de tolv var mere deprimerede på vej tilbage til Betania den aften. Næst efter Simon Peter og Simon Zelotes oplevede han den største nervøse spænding og var i en tilstand af udmattelse om natten. Men om morgenen var Mattæus meget opmuntret; han var trods alt en munter taber.		172:5.8 (1885.3) Matthew was at first nonplused by this pageant performance. He did not grasp the meaning of what his eyes were seeing until he also recalled the Scripture in Zechariah where the prophet had alluded to the rejoicing of Jerusalem because her king had come bringing salvation and riding upon the colt of an ass. As the procession moved in the direction of the city and then drew on toward the temple, Matthew became ecstatic; he was certain that something extraordinary would happen when the Master arrived at the temple at the head of this shouting multitude. When one of the Pharisees mocked Jesus, saying, “Look, everybody, see who comes here, the king of the Jews riding on an ass!” Matthew kept his hands off of him only by exercising great restraint. None of the twelve was more depressed on the way back to Bethany that evening. Next to Simon Peter and Simon Zelotes, he experienced the highest nervous tension and was in a state of exhaustion by night. But by morning Matthew was much cheered; he was, after all, a cheerful loser.
172:5.9 (1886.1) Thomas var den mest forvirrede og forundrede mand af alle de tolv. Det meste af tiden fulgte han bare med, stirrede på skuespillet og undrede sig ærligt over, hvad der kunne være Mesterens motiv til at deltage i en så besynderlig demonstration. Inderst inde betragtede han hele forestillingen som en smule barnlig, hvis ikke ligefrem tåbelig. Han havde aldrig set Jesus gøre noget lignende og kunne ikke forklare hans mærkelige opførsel denne søndag eftermiddag. Da de nåede frem til templet, havde Thomas udledt, at formålet med denne folkelige demonstration var at skræmme Sanhedrinet, så de ikke turde arrestere Mesteren med det samme. På vejen tilbage til Betania tænkte Thomas meget, men sagde ikke noget. Ved sengetid var Mesterens snilde med at iscenesætte det tumultariske indtog i Jerusalem begyndt at virke lidt humoristisk, og han blev meget opmuntret af denne reaktion.		172:5.9 (1886.1) Thomas was the most bewildered and puzzled man of all the twelve. Most of the time he just followed along, gazing at the spectacle and honestly wondering what could be the Master’s motive for participating in such a peculiar demonstration. Down deep in his heart he regarded the whole performance as a little childish, if not downright foolish. He had never seen Jesus do anything like this and was at a loss to account for his strange conduct on this Sunday afternoon. By the time they reached the temple, Thomas had deduced that the purpose of this popular demonstration was so to frighten the Sanhedrin that they would not dare immediately to arrest the Master. On the way back to Bethany Thomas thought much but said nothing. By bedtime the Master’s cleverness in staging the tumultuous entry into Jerusalem had begun to make a somewhat humorous appeal, and he was much cheered up by this reaction.
172:5.10 (1886.2) Denne søndag startede som en stor dag for Simon Zelotes. Han så syner om vidunderlige ting i Jerusalem de næste par dage, og det havde han ret i, men Simon drømte om etableringen af jødernes nye nationale styre med Jesus på Davids trone. Simon så nationalisterne springe i aktion, så snart riget blev annonceret, og sig selv i den øverste kommando over det nye riges samlede militære styrker. På vej ned ad Oliebjerget forestillede han sig endda, at Sjødernes råd og alle deres sympatisører var døde inden solnedgang den dag. Han troede virkelig på, at der ville ske noget stort. Han var den mest larmende mand i hele flokken. Klokken fem den eftermiddag var han en tavs, knust og desillusioneret apostel. Han kom sig aldrig helt over den depression, der havde lagt sig over ham som følge af denne dags chok; i hvert fald ikke før længe efter Mesterens opstandelse.		172:5.10 (1886.2) This Sunday started off as a great day for Simon Zelotes. He saw visions of wonderful doings in Jerusalem the next few days, and in that he was right, but Simon dreamed of the establishment of the new national rule of the Jews, with Jesus on the throne of David. Simon saw the nationalists springing into action as soon as the kingdom was announced, and himself in supreme command of the assembling military forces of the new kingdom. On the way down Olivet he even envisaged the Sanhedrin and all of their sympathizers dead before sunset of that day. He really believed something great was going to happen. He was the noisiest man in the whole multitude. By five o’clock that afternoon he was a silent, crushed, and disillusioned apostle. He never fully recovered from the depression which settled down on him as a result of this day’s shock; at least not until long after the Master’s resurrection.
172:5.11 (1886.3) For Alfeus-tvillingerne var det en perfekt dag. De nød den virkelig hele vejen igennem, og da de ikke var til stede i den stille besøgstid omkring templet, slap de for meget af antiklimakset ved den folkelige omvæltning. De kunne umuligt forstå apostlenes nedtrykte opførsel, da de kom tilbage til Betania den aften. I tvillingernes erindring var dette altid den dag, hvor de var tættest på himlen på jorden. Denne dag var det tilfredsstillende klimaks i hele deres karriere som apostle. Og mindet om glæden denne søndag eftermiddag bar dem gennem alle tragedierne i denne begivenhedsrige uge, helt frem til korsfæstelsens time. Det var den mest passende indtræden af kongen, tvillingerne kunne forestille sig; de nød hvert øjeblik af hele skuespillet. De var helt enige i alt, hvad de så, og mindedes det længe.		172:5.11 (1886.3) To the Alpheus twins this was a perfect day. They really enjoyed it all the way through, and not being present during the time of quiet visitation about the temple, they escaped much of the anticlimax of the popular upheaval. They could not possibly understand the downcast behavior of the apostles when they came back to Bethany that evening. In the memory of the twins this was always their day of being nearest heaven on earth. This day was the satisfying climax of their whole career as apostles. And the memory of the elation of this Sunday afternoon carried them on through all of the tragedy of this eventful week, right up to the hour of the crucifixion. It was the most befitting entry of the king the twins could conceive; they enjoyed every moment of the whole pageant. They fully approved of all they saw and long cherished the memory.
172:5.12 (1886.4) Af alle apostlene var Judas Iskariot den, der blev påvirket mest negativt af dette processionelle indtog i Jerusalem. Hans sind var i en ubehagelig gæring på grund af Mesterens irettesættelse den foregående dag i forbindelse med Marias salvelse ved festen i Simons hus. Judas væmmedes ved hele spektaklet. For ham virkede det barnligt, hvis ikke ligefrem latterligt. Da denne hævngerrige apostel så på begivenhederne denne søndag eftermiddag, syntes han, at Jesus mere lignede en klovn end en konge. Han var inderligt vred over hele forestillingen. Han delte grækernes og romernes synspunkter, som så ned på enhver, der ville indvillige i at ride på et æsel eller et æselføl. Da triumftoget var kommet ind i byen, havde Judas næsten besluttet sig for at opgive hele ideen om et sådant kongerige; han var næsten fast besluttet på at opgive alle sådanne farceagtige forsøg på at etablere himmelriget. Men så tænkte han på Lazarus’ opstandelse og mange andre ting og besluttede sig for at blive hos de tolv, i det mindste en dag til. Desuden bar han tasken, og han ville ikke desertere med de apostoliske midler i sin besiddelse. På vej tilbage til Betania den aften virkede hans opførsel ikke mærkelig, for alle apostlene var lige nedslåede og tavse.		172:5.12 (1886.4) Of all the apostles, Judas Iscariot was the most adversely affected by this processional entry into Jerusalem. His mind was in a disagreeable ferment because of the Master’s rebuke the preceding day in connection with Mary’s anointing at the feast in Simon’s house. Judas was disgusted with the whole spectacle. To him it seemed childish, if not indeed ridiculous. As this vengeful apostle looked upon the proceedings of this Sunday afternoon, Jesus seemed to him more to resemble a clown than a king. He heartily resented the whole performance. He shared the views of the Greeks and Romans, who looked down upon anyone who would consent to ride upon an ass or the colt of an ass. By the time the triumphal procession had entered the city, Judas had about made up his mind to abandon the whole idea of such a kingdom; he was almost resolved to forsake all such farcical attempts to establish the kingdom of heaven. And then he thought of the resurrection of Lazarus, and many other things, and decided to stay on with the twelve, at least for another day. Besides, he carried the bag, and he would not desert with the apostolic funds in his possession. On the way back to Bethany that night his conduct did not seem strange since all of the apostles were equally downcast and silent.
172:5.13 (1887.1) Judas var enormt påvirket af sine saddukæiske venners latterliggørelse. Ingen anden enkelt faktor havde så stor indflydelse på ham i hans endelige beslutning om at svigte Jesus og sine medapostle, som en bestemt episode, der fandt sted, netop som Jesus nåede frem til byporten: En fremtrædende saddukæer (en ven af Judas’ familie) skyndte sig hen til ham i en ånd af glad latterliggørelse og klappede ham på ryggen og sagde: “Hvorfor så bekymret, min gode ven; op med humøret og vær med, når vi hylder denne Jesus fra Nazaret, jødernes konge, mens han rider gennem Jerusalems porte siddende på et æsel.” Judas havde aldrig været bange for forfølgelse, men han kunne ikke tåle denne form for latterliggørelse. Sammen med den længe nærede hævnfølelse blandede der sig nu denne fatale frygt for latterliggørelse, den frygtelige og skræmmende følelse af at skamme sig over sin Mester og sine medapostle. Inderst inde var denne ordinerede ambassadør for riget allerede en desertør; det var kun op til ham at finde en plausibel undskyldning for et åbent brud med Mesteren.		172:5.13 (1887.1) Judas was tremendously influenced by the ridicule of his Sadducean friends. No other single factor exerted such a powerful influence on him, in his final determination to forsake Jesus and his fellow apostles, as a certain episode which occurred just as Jesus reached the gate of the city: A prominent Sadducee (a friend of Judas’s family) rushed up to him in a spirit of gleeful ridicule and, slapping him on the back, said: “Why so troubled of countenance, my good friend; cheer up and join us all while we acclaim this Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews as he rides through the gates of Jerusalem seated on an ass.” Judas had never shrunk from persecution, but he could not stand this sort of ridicule. With the long-nourished emotion of revenge there was now blended this fatal fear of ridicule, that terrible and fearful feeling of being ashamed of his Master and his fellow apostles. At heart, this ordained ambassador of the kingdom was already a deserter; it only remained for him to find some plausible excuse for an open break with the Master.