Kapitel 194		Paper 194
Overdragelsen Af Sandhedens Ånd		Bestowal of the Spirit of Truth
194:0.1 (2059.1) Omkring kl. 13, da de 120 troende var i gang med at bede, blev de alle opmærksomme på en mærkelig tilstedeværelse i rummet. På samme tid blev disse disciple alle bevidste om en ny og dyb følelse af åndelig glæde, sikkerhed og tillid. Denne nye bevidsthed om åndelig styrke blev straks efterfulgt af en stærk trang til at gå ud og offentligt forkynde evangeliet om riget og den gode nyhed om, at Jesus var opstået fra de døde.		194:0.1 (2059.1) ABOUT one o’clock, as the one hundred and twenty believers were engaged in prayer, they all became aware of a strange presence in the room. At the same time these disciples all became conscious of a new and profound sense of spiritual joy, security, and confidence. This new consciousness of spiritual strength was immediately followed by a strong urge to go out and publicly proclaim the gospel of the kingdom and the good news that Jesus had risen from the dead.
194:0.2 (2059.2) Peter rejste sig og erklærede, at dette måtte være Sandhedens Ånds komme, som Mesteren havde lovet dem, og foreslog, at de gik til templet og begyndte at forkynde de gode nyheder, som de havde fået i hænderne. Og de gjorde præcis, hvad Peter foreslog.		194:0.2 (2059.2) Peter stood up and declared that this must be the coming of the Spirit of Truth which the Master had promised them and proposed that they go to the temple and begin the proclamation of the good news committed to their hands. And they did just what Peter suggested.
194:0.3 (2059.3) Disse mænd var blevet oplært og instrueret i, at det evangelium, de skulle forkynde, var Guds faderskab og mennesket som Guds børn, men netop i dette øjeblik af åndelig ekstase og personlig triumf var det bedste budskab, den største nyhed, disse mænd kunne tænke på, var kendsgerningen om den opstandne Mester. Så de gik ud, udstyret med kraft fra det høje, og prædikede glade budskaber til folket—endda frelse gennem Jesus—men de snublede utilsigtet ind i den fejl at erstatte nogle af de fakta, der er forbundet med evangeliet, med selve evangeliets budskab. Peter førte ubevidst an i denne fejltagelse, og andre fulgte efter ham helt ned til Paulus, som skabte en ny religion ud af den nye version af de gode nyheder.		194:0.3 (2059.3) These men had been trained and instructed that the gospel which they should preach was the fatherhood of God and the sonship of man, but at just this moment of spiritual ecstasy and personal triumph, the best tidings, the greatest news, these men could think of was the fact of the risen Master. And so they went forth, endowed with power from on high, preaching glad tidings to the people—even salvation through Jesus—but they unintentionally stumbled into the error of substituting some of the facts associated with the gospel for the gospel message itself. Peter unwittingly led off in this mistake, and others followed after him on down to Paul, who created a new religion out of the new version of the good news.
194:0.4 (2059.4) Evangeliet om riget er: Guds faderskab kombineret med den deraf følgende sandhed om menneskers slægtskab som sønner og døtre. Kristendommen, som den udviklede sig fra den dag, er: Gud som Fader til Herren Jesus Kristus i forbindelse med oplevelsen af de troendes fællesskab med den opstandne og herliggjorte Kristus.		194:0.4 (2059.4) The gospel of the kingdom is: the fact of the fatherhood of God, coupled with the resultant truth of the sonship-brotherhood of men. Christianity, as it developed from that day, is: the fact of God as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, in association with the experience of believer-fellowship with the risen and glorified Christ.
194:0.5 (2059.5) Det er ikke mærkeligt, at disse åndsfyldte mænd benyttede denne lejlighed til at udtrykke deres følelse af triumf over de kræfter, der havde forsøgt at ødelægge deres Mester og sætte en stopper for indflydelsen fra hans lære. På et tidspunkt som dette var det lettere at huske deres personlige forbindelse med Jesus og blive begejstret over forsikringen om, at Mesteren stadig levede, at deres venskab ikke var slut, og at ånden virkelig var kommet over dem, som han havde lovet.		194:0.5 (2059.5) It is not strange that these spirit-infused men should have seized upon this opportunity to express their feelings of triumph over the forces which had sought to destroy their Master and end the influence of his teachings. At such a time as this it was easier to remember their personal association with Jesus and to be thrilled with the assurance that the Master still lived, that their friendship had not ended, and that the spirit had indeed come upon them even as he had promised.
194:0.6 (2059.6) Disse troende følte sig pludselig overført til en anden verden, en ny tilværelse med glæde, kraft og herlighed. Mesteren havde fortalt dem, at riget ville komme med magt, og nogle af dem troede, at de var begyndt at forstå, hvad han mente.		194:0.6 (2059.6) These believers felt themselves suddenly translated into another world, a new existence of joy, power, and glory. The Master had told them the kingdom would come with power, and some of them thought they were beginning to discern what he meant.
194:0.7 (2059.7) Og når alt dette tages i betragtning, er det ikke vanskelig at forstå hvordan disse mænd kom til at forkynde et nyt evangelium om Jesus i stedet for deres tidligere budskab om Guds faderskab og menneskers broder-søsterskab.		194:0.7 (2059.7) And when all of this is taken into consideration, it is not difficult to understand how these men came to preach a new gospel about Jesus in the place of their former message of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men.
1. Pinsedagsprædiken ^top		1. The Pentecost Sermon ^top
194:1.1 (2060.1) Apostlene havde gemt sig i fyrre dage. Denne dag var tilfældigvis den jødiske pinsefest, og tusindvis af besøgende fra alle dele af verden var i Jerusalem. Mange ankom til denne fest, men de fleste havde opholdt sig i byen siden påsken. Nu kom disse skræmte apostle ud af deres ugers afsondrethed og trådte frimodigt frem i templet, hvor de begyndte at forkynde det nye budskab om en opstanden Messias. Og alle disciplene var også bevidste om, at de havde modtaget en ny åndelig begavelse i form af indsigt og kraft.		194:1.1 (2060.1) The apostles had been in hiding for forty days. This day happened to be the Jewish festival of Pentecost, and thousands of visitors from all parts of the world were in Jerusalem. Many arrived for this feast, but a majority had tarried in the city since the Passover. Now these frightened apostles emerged from their weeks of seclusion to appear boldly in the temple, where they began to preach the new message of a risen Messiah. And all the disciples were likewise conscious of having received some new spiritual endowment of insight and power.
194:1.2 (2060.2) Klokken var omkring to, da Peter rejste sig på det sted, hvor hans Mester sidst havde undervist i dette tempel, og holdt den lidenskabelige appel, som resulterede i, at mere end to tusind sjæle blev vundet. Mesteren var borte, men de opdagede pludselig, at denne historie om ham havde stor magt hos folk. Intet under, at de blev ført videre til at forkynde det, som retfærdiggjorde deres tidligere hengivenhed over for Jesus og samtidig tvang mennesker til at tro på ham. Seks af apostlene deltog i dette møde: Peter, Andreas, James Johannes, Filip og Mattæus. De talte i mere end halvanden time og leverede budskaber på græsk, hebraisk og aramæisk, samt et par ord på andre sprog, som de havde et vist kendskab til.		194:1.2 (2060.2) It was about two o’clock when Peter stood up in that very place where his Master had last taught in this temple, and delivered that impassioned appeal which resulted in the winning of more than two thousand souls. The Master had gone, but they suddenly discovered that this story about him had great power with the people. No wonder they were led on into the further proclamation of that which vindicated their former devotion to Jesus and at the same time so constrained men to believe in him. Six of the apostles participated in this meeting: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Matthew. They talked for more than an hour and a half and delivered messages in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, as well as a few words in even other tongues with which they had a speaking acquaintance.
194:1.3 (2060.3) Jødernes ledere var forbløffede over apostlenes dristighed, men de frygtede at forulempe dem på grund af det store antal, der troede på deres historie.		194:1.3 (2060.3) The leaders of the Jews were astounded at the boldness of the apostles, but they feared to molest them because of the large numbers who believed their story.
194:1.4 (2060.4) Klokken halv fem fulgte mere end to tusind nye troende apostlene ned til Siloadammen, hvor Peter, Andreas, James og Johannes døbte dem i Mesterens navn. Og det var mørkt, da de var færdige med at døbe denne skare.		194:1.4 (2060.4) By half past four o’clock more than two thousand new believers followed the apostles down to the pool of Siloam, where Peter, Andrew, James, and John baptized them in the Master’s name. And it was dark when they had finished with baptizing this multitude.
194:1.5 (2060.5) Pinsen var den store dåbsfest, tiden for fællesskabet med portens proselytter, de ikke-jøder, der ønskede at tjene Jahve. Derfor var det så meget desto lettere for et stort antal både jøder og troende ikke-jøder at lade sig døbe på denne dag. Ved at gøre dette afskar de sig på ingen måde fra den jødiske tro. Selv i nogen tid efter dette var de Jesus-troende en sekt inden for jødedommen. Alle, inklusive apostlene, var stadig loyale over for de væsentlige krav i det jødiske ceremonielle system.		194:1.5 (2060.5) Pentecost was the great festival of baptism, the time for fellowshipping the proselytes of the gate, those gentiles who desired to serve Yahweh. It was, therefore, the more easy for large numbers of both the Jews and believing gentiles to submit to baptism on this day. In doing this, they were in no way disconnecting themselves from the Jewish faith. Even for some time after this the believers in Jesus were a sect within Judaism. All of them, including the apostles, were still loyal to the essential requirements of the Jewish ceremonial system.
2. Pinsens betydning ^top		2. The Significance of Pentecost ^top
194:2.1 (2060.6) Jesus levede på jorden og lærte et evangelium, som forløste mennesket fra overtroen om, at det var et djævlebarn, og ophøjede det til værdigheden af et troende barn af Gud. Jesu budskab, som han prædikede det og levede det på sin tid, var en effektiv løsning på menneskets åndelige vanskeligheder på den tid, hvor det blev sagt. Og nu, hvor han personligt har forladt verden, sender han i stedet sin Sandhedens Ånd, som er designet til at leve i mennesket og for hver ny generation at omformulere Jesu budskab, så hver ny gruppe af dødelige, der dukker op på jordens overflade, skal have en ny og opdateret version af evangeliet, netop sådan personlig oplysning og gruppevejledning, som vil vise sig at være et effektivt middel til at løse menneskets stadigt nye og varierede åndelige vanskeligheder.		194:2.1 (2060.6) Jesus lived on earth and taught a gospel which redeemed man from the superstition that he was a child of the devil and elevated him to the dignity of a faith son of God. Jesus’ message, as he preached it and lived it in his day, was an effective solvent for man’s spiritual difficulties in that day of its statement. And now that he has personally left the world, he sends in his place his Spirit of Truth, who is designed to live in man and, for each new generation, to restate the Jesus message so that every new group of mortals to appear upon the face of the earth shall have a new and up-to-date version of the gospel, just such personal enlightenment and group guidance as will prove to be an effective solvent for man’s ever-new and varied spiritual difficulties.
194:2.2 (2060.7) Den første mission for denne ånd er naturligvis at fremme og personliggøre sandheden, for det er forståelsen af sandheden, der udgør den højeste form for menneskelig frihed. Dernæst er det denne ånds formål at ødelægge den troendes følelse af forældreløshed. Da Jesus var blandt mennesker, ville alle troende opleve en følelse af ensomhed, hvis ikke Sandhedens Ånd var kommet for at bo i menneskers hjerter.		194:2.2 (2060.7) The first mission of this spirit is, of course, to foster and personalize truth, for it is the comprehension of truth that constitutes the highest form of human liberty. Next, it is the purpose of this spirit to destroy the believer’s feeling of orphanhood. Jesus having been among men, all believers would experience a sense of loneliness had not the Spirit of Truth come to dwell in men’s hearts.
194:2.3 (2061.1) Denne skænkelse af Sønnens ånd forberedte effektivt alle normale menneskers sind til den efterfølgende universelle skænkelse af Faderens ånd (Retteren) til hele menneskeheden. I en vis forstand er denne Sandhedens Ånd både den Universelle Faders og Skabersønnens ånd.		194:2.3 (2061.1) This bestowal of the Son’s spirit effectively prepared all normal men’s minds for the subsequent universal bestowal of the Father’s spirit (the Adjuster) upon all mankind. In a certain sense, this Spirit of Truth is the spirit of both the Universal Father and the Creator Son.
194:2.4 (2061.2) Begå ikke den fejl at forvente at blive stærkt intellektuelt bevidst om den udgydte Sandhedens Ånd. Ånden skaber aldrig en bevidsthed om sig selv, kun en bevidsthed om Mikael, Sønnen. Fra begyndelsen lærte Jesus, at ånden ikke ville tale om sig selv. Beviset for dit fællesskab med Sandhedens Ånd skal derfor ikke findes i din bevidsthed om denne ånd, men snarere i din oplevelse af et forbedret fællesskab med Mikael.		194:2.4 (2061.2) Do not make the mistake of expecting to become strongly intellectually conscious of the outpoured Spirit of Truth. The spirit never creates a consciousness of himself, only a consciousness of Michael, the Son. From the beginning Jesus taught that the spirit would not speak of himself. The proof, therefore, of your fellowship with the Spirit of Truth is not to be found in your consciousness of this spirit but rather in your experience of enhanced fellowship with Michael.
194:2.5 (2061.3) Ånden kom også for at hjælpe mennesker med at huske og forstå Mesterens ord samt for at belyse og genfortolke hans liv på jorden.		194:2.5 (2061.3) The spirit also came to help men recall and understand the words of the Master as well as to illuminate and reinterpret his life on earth.
194:2.6 (2061.4) Dernæst kom Sandhedens Ånd for at hjælpe den troende med at vidne om realiteterne i Jesu lære og hans liv, som han levede det i kødet, og som han nu igen lever det på ny og forfriskende i den enkelte troende i hver efterfølgende generation af Guds åndsfyldte børn.		194:2.6 (2061.4) Next, the Spirit of Truth came to help the believer to witness to the realities of Jesus’ teachings and his life as he lived it in the flesh, and as he now again lives it anew and afresh in the individual believer of each passing generation of the spirit-filled sons of God.
194:2.7 (2061.5) Således ser det ud til, at Sandhedens Ånd virkelig kommer for at lede alle troende ind i al sandhed, ind i den voksende viden om oplevelsen af den levende og voksende åndelige bevidsthed om virkeligheden af det evige og opstigende slægtskab med Gud.		194:2.7 (2061.5) Thus it appears that the Spirit of Truth comes really to lead all believers into all truth, into the expanding knowledge of the experience of the living and growing spiritual consciousness of the reality of eternal and ascending sonship with God.
194:2.8 (2061.6) Jesus levede et liv, som er en åbenbaring af mennesket underlagt Faderens vilje, ikke et eksempel, som noget menneske bogstaveligt talt kan forsøge at følge. Dette liv i kødet blev sammen med hans død på korset og efterfølgende opstandelse til et nyt evangelium om den løsesum, der var blevet betalt for at købe mennesket tilbage fra den ondes greb—fra en fornærmet Guds fordømmelse. Men selv om evangeliet blev stærkt forvrænget, er det stadig en kendsgerning, at dette nye budskab om Jesus indeholdt mange af de grundlæggende sandheder og læresætninger fra hans tidligere evangelium om riget. Og før eller senere vil disse skjulte sandheder om Guds faderskab og menneskenes slægtskab komme frem og effektivt forandre hele menneskehedens civilisation.		194:2.8 (2061.6) Jesus lived a life which is a revelation of man submitted to the Father’s will, not an example for any man literally to attempt to follow. This life in the flesh, together with his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection, presently became a new gospel of the ransom which had thus been paid in order to purchase man back from the clutch of the evil one—from the condemnation of an offended God. Nevertheless, even though the gospel did become greatly distorted, it remains a fact that this new message about Jesus carried along with it many of the fundamental truths and teachings of his earlier gospel of the kingdom. And, sooner or later, these concealed truths of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men will emerge to effectually transform the civilization of all mankind.
194:2.9 (2061.7) Men disse intellektuelle fejl stod på ingen måde i vejen for den troendes store fremskridt i åndelig vækst. På mindre end en måned efter, at Sandhedens Ånd var blevet skænket, gjorde apostlene større individuelle åndelige fremskridt end i løbet af de næsten fire år, de havde været i personlig og kærlig forbindelse med Mesteren. Ej heller kom denne forbytning af kendsgerningen om Jesu opstandelse med evangeliets frelsende sandhed om det at være Guds børn, ikke på nogen måde til at hæmme den hurtige spredning af deres lære; tværtimod så det ud til at den nye lære om Jesu person og opstandelse, som overskyggede hans budskab, gjorte forkyndelse af de gode nyheder svært meget lettere.		194:2.9 (2061.7) But these mistakes of the intellect in no way interfered with the believer’s great progress in growth in spirit. In less than a month after the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth, the apostles made more individual spiritual progress than during their almost four years of personal and loving association with the Master. Neither did this substitution of the fact of the resurrection of Jesus for the saving gospel truth of sonship with God in any way interfere with the rapid spread of their teachings; on the contrary, this overshadowing of Jesus’ message by the new teachings about his person and resurrection seemed greatly to facilitate the preaching of the good news.
194:2.10 (2061.8) Udtrykket “åndsdåb,” som blev så almindeligt brugt omkring denne tid, betød blot den bevidste modtagelse af denne gave fra Sandhedens Ånd og den personlige anerkendelse af denne nye åndelige kraft som en forøgelse af alle de åndelige påvirkninger, som gudbevidste sjæle tidligere havde oplevet.		194:2.10 (2061.8) The term “baptism of the spirit,” which came into such general use about this time, merely signified the conscious reception of this gift of the Spirit of Truth and the personal acknowledgment of this new spiritual power as an augmentation of all spiritual influences previously experienced by God-knowing souls.
194:2.11 (2061.9) Siden Sandhedens Ånd blev skænket, har mennesket været underlagt undervisning og vejledning fra en trefoldig åndsbegavelse: Faderens ånd, Tankeretteren; Sønnens ånd, Sandhedens Ånd; Åndens ånd, Helligånden.		194:2.11 (2061.9) Since the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth, man is subject to the teaching and guidance of a threefold spirit endowment: the spirit of the Father, the Thought Adjuster; the spirit of the Son, the Spirit of Truth; the spirit of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
194:2.12 (2062.1) På en måde er menneskeheden underlagt den dobbelte indflydelse fra den syvfoldige appel af universets åndelige påvirkninger. De tidlige evolutionære racer af dødelige er udsat for den gradvise kontakt med de syv hjælpesindsånder fra lokaluniversets Moderånd. Efterhånden som mennesket bevæger sig opad på skalaen for intelligens og åndelig opfattelse, kommer de syv højere åndelige indflydelser til sidst til at svæve over det og bo i det. Og disse syv ånder fra de fremskredne verdener er:		194:2.12 (2062.1) In a way, mankind is subject to the double influence of the sevenfold appeal of the universe spirit influences. The early evolutionary races of mortals are subject to the progressive contact of the seven adjutant mind-spirits of the local universe Mother Spirit. As man progresses upward in the scale of intelligence and spiritual perception, there eventually come to hover over him and dwell within him the seven higher spirit influences. And these seven spirits of the advancing worlds are:
194:2.13 (2062.2) 1. Den Universelle Faders skænkede ånd—Tankeretteren.		194:2.13 (2062.2) 1. The bestowed spirit of the Universal Father—the Thought Adjusters.
194:2.14 (2062.3) 2. Den Evige Søns åndetilstedeværelse—den åndelige tyngdekraft i universernes univers og den sikre kanal for al åndeligt fællesskab.		194:2.14 (2062.3) 2. The spirit presence of the Eternal Son—the spirit gravity of the universe of universes and the certain channel of all spirit communion.
194:2.15 (2062.4) 3. Den Uendelige Ånds åndetilstedeværelse—hele skabelsens universelle åndesind, den åndelige kilde til intellektuelt slægtskab mellem alle fremadskridende tænkende intelligenser.		194:2.15 (2062.4) 3. The spirit presence of the Infinite Spirit—the universal spirit-mind of all creation, the spiritual source of the intellectual kinship of all progressive intelligences.
194:2.16 (2062.5) 4. Den Universelle Faders og Skabersønnens ånd—Sandhedens Ånd, almindeligvis betragtet som Universsønnens ånd.		194:2.16 (2062.5) 4. The spirit of the Universal Father and the Creator Son—the Spirit of Truth, generally regarded as the spirit of the Universe Son.
194:2.17 (2062.6) 5. Den Uendelige Ånds og Universets Moderånds ånd—den Hellige Ånd, bliver almindeligvis betragtet som Universåndens ånd.		194:2.17 (2062.6) 5. The spirit of the Infinite Spirit and the Universe Mother Spirit—the Holy Spirit, generally regarded as the spirit of the Universe Spirit.
194:2.18 (2062.7) 6. Universets Moderånds Sindsånd—lokaluniversets syv hjælpende sindsånder.		194:2.18 (2062.7) 6. The mind-spirit of the Universe Mother Spirit—the seven adjutant mind-spirits of the local universe.
194:2.19 (2062.8) 7. Faderens, Sønnernes og Åndernes ånd—det nyt navns ånd som de opadstigende dødelige fra verdenerne har efter fusionen mellem den dødeliges åndsfødte sjæl med Paradisets Tankeretter og efter den senere opnåelse af guddommelighed og forherligelse af status i Paradisets Finalitetskorps.		194:2.19 (2062.8) 7. The spirit of the Father, Sons, and Spirits—the new-name spirit of the ascending mortals of the realms after the fusion of the mortal spirit-born soul with the Paradise Thought Adjuster and after the subsequent attainment of the divinity and glorification of the status of the Paradise Corps of the Finality.
194:2.20 (2062.9) Og således bragte tildelingen af Sandhedens Ånd verden og dens folk det sidste af den åndelige begavelse, der er designet til at hjælpe i den opadgående søgen efter Gud.		194:2.20 (2062.9) And so did the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth bring to the world and its peoples the last of the spirit endowment designed to aid in the ascending search for God.
3. Hvad skete på pinsedagen ^top		3. What Happened at Pentecost ^top
194:3.1 (2062.10) Mange sære og mærkelige læresætninger blev forbundet med de tidlige beretninger om pinsedagen. I senere tider er begivenhederne på denne dag, hvor Sandhedens Ånd, den nye lærer, kom for at bo hos menneskeheden, blevet forvekslet med de tåbelige udbrud af voldsom emotionalisme. Den vigtigste mission for denne Faderens og Sønnens udgydte ånd er at undervise mennesker om sandhederne om Faderens kærlighed og Sønnens barmhjertighed. Det er de sandheder om guddommelighed, som mennesker kan forstå mere fuldstændigt end alle de andre guddommelige karaktertræk. Sandhedens Ånd beskæftiger sig primært med åbenbaringen af Faderens åndelige natur og Sønnens moralske karakter. Skabersønnen, i kødet, åbenbarede Gud for mennesker; Sandhedens Ånd, i hjertet, åbenbarer Skabersønnen for mennesker. Når mennesket bærer “åndens frugter” i sit liv, viser det blot de træk, som Mesteren manifesterede i sit eget jordiske liv. Da Jesus var på jorden, levede han sit liv som én personlighed—Jesus af Nazaret. Som den “nye lærers,” iboende ånd har Mesteren siden pinse været i stand til at leve sit liv på ny i enhver sandhedsundervist troendes erfaring.		194:3.1 (2062.10) Many queer and strange teachings became associated with the early narratives of the day of Pentecost. In subsequent times the events of this day, on which the Spirit of Truth, the new teacher, came to dwell with mankind, have become confused with the foolish outbreaks of rampant emotionalism. The chief mission of this outpoured spirit of the Father and the Son is to teach men about the truths of the Father’s love and the Son’s mercy. These are the truths of divinity which men can comprehend more fully than all the other divine traits of character. The Spirit of Truth is concerned primarily with the revelation of the Father’s spirit nature and the Son’s moral character. The Creator Son, in the flesh, revealed God to men; the Spirit of Truth, in the heart, reveals the Creator Son to men. When man yields the “fruits of the spirit” in his life, he is simply showing forth the traits which the Master manifested in his own earthly life. When Jesus was on earth, he lived his life as one personality—Jesus of Nazareth. As the indwelling spirit of the “new teacher,” the Master has, since Pentecost, been able to live his life anew in the experience of every truth-taught believer.
194:3.2 (2062.11) Mange ting, der sker i løbet af et menneskeliv, er svære at forstå, svære at forene med tanken om, at dette er et univers, hvor sandheden råder, og hvor retfærdigheden triumferer. Det ser så ofte ud til, at bagtalelse, løgne, uærlighed og uretfærdighed—synd—sejrer. Triumferer troen trods alt over ondskab, synd og uretfærdighed? Ja, det gør den. Og Jesu liv og død er det evige bevis på, at sandheden om godhed og troen hos den åndsledede skabning altid vil blive retfærdiggjort. De hånede Jesus på korset og sagde: “Lad os se, om Gud vil komme og udfri ham.” Det så mørkt ud på korsfæstelsens dag, men det var strålende lyst på opstandelsens morgen; det var endnu lysere og mere glædeligt på pinsens dag. De pessimistiske fortvivlelsesreligioner søger at opnå befrielse fra livets byrder; de higer efter udslettelse i endeløs søvn og hvile. Det er religioner af primitiv frygt og rædsel. Jesu religion er et nyt evangelium om tro, som skal forkyndes for den kæmpende menneskehed. Denne nye religion er baseret på tro, håb og kærlighed.		194:3.2 (2062.11) Many things which happen in the course of a human life are hard to understand, difficult to reconcile with the idea that this is a universe in which truth prevails and in which righteousness triumphs. It so often appears that slander, lies, dishonesty, and unrighteousness—sin—prevail. Does faith, after all, triumph over evil, sin, and iniquity? It does. And the life and death of Jesus are the eternal proof that the truth of goodness and the faith of the spirit-led creature will always be vindicated. They taunted Jesus on the cross, saying, “Let us see if God will come and deliver him.” It looked dark on that day of the crucifixion, but it was gloriously bright on the resurrection morning; it was still brighter and more joyous on the day of Pentecost. The religions of pessimistic despair seek to obtain release from the burdens of life; they crave extinction in endless slumber and rest. These are the religions of primitive fear and dread. The religion of Jesus is a new gospel of faith to be proclaimed to struggling humanity. This new religion is founded on faith, hope, and love.
194:3.3 (2063.1) For Jesus havde det dødelige liv uddelt sine hårdeste, grusomste og bitreste slag; og denne mand mødte disse fortvivlelsens slag med tro, mod og en urokkelig beslutsomhed om at gøre sin Faders vilje. Jesus mødte livet i al dets frygtelige virkelighed og mestrede det—selv i døden. Han brugte ikke religion som en befrielse fra livet. Jesu religion søger ikke at undslippe dette liv for at nyde den ventende lyksalighed i en anden eksistens. Jesu religion giver glæden og freden i en anden og åndelig eksistens til at forbedre og forædle det liv, som mennesker nu lever i kødet.		194:3.3 (2063.1) To Jesus, mortal life had dealt its hardest, cruelest, and bitterest blows; and this man met these ministrations of despair with faith, courage, and the unswerving determination to do his Father’s will. Jesus met life in all its terrible reality and mastered it—even in death. He did not use religion as a release from life. The religion of Jesus does not seek to escape this life in order to enjoy the waiting bliss of another existence. The religion of Jesus provides the joy and peace of another and spiritual existence to enhance and ennoble the life which men now live in the flesh.
194:3.4 (2063.2) Hvis religion er et opium for folket, er det ikke Jesu religion. På korset nægtede han at drikke det bedøvende drik, og hans ånd, udgydt over alt kød, er en mægtig verdensindflydelse, som fører mennesket opad og driver det fremad. Den åndelige trang til at gå fremad er den stærkeste drivkraft, der findes i denne verden; den sandhedslærende troende er den eneste progressive og aggressive sjæl på jorden.		194:3.4 (2063.2) If religion is an opiate to the people, it is not the religion of Jesus. On the cross he refused to drink the deadening drug, and his spirit, poured out upon all flesh, is a mighty world influence which leads man upward and urges him onward. The spiritual forward urge is the most powerful driving force present in this world; the truth-learning believer is the one progressive and aggressive soul on earth.
194:3.5 (2063.3) På pinsedagen brød Jesu religion alle nationale restriktioner og racemæssige lænker. Det er for evigt sandt: “Hvor Herrens ånd er, er der frihed.” På denne dag blev Sandhedens Ånd en personlig gave fra Mesteren til alle dødelige. Denne ånd blev skænket med det formål at kvalificere de troende mere effektivt til at forkynde evangeliet om riget, men de forvekslede oplevelsen af at modtage den udgydte ånd med en del af det nye evangelium, som de ubevidst var i færd med at formulere.		194:3.5 (2063.3) On the day of Pentecost the religion of Jesus broke all national restrictions and racial fetters. It is forever true, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” On this day the Spirit of Truth became the personal gift from the Master to every mortal. This spirit was bestowed for the purpose of qualifying believers more effectively to preach the gospel of the kingdom, but they mistook the experience of receiving the outpoured spirit for a part of the new gospel which they were unconsciously formulating.
194:3.6 (2063.4) Overse ikke det faktum, at Sandhedens Ånd blev skænket til alle oprigtige troende; denne åndens gave kom ikke kun til apostlene. De hundrede og tyve mænd og kvinder, der var samlet i det øverste kammer, modtog alle den nye lærer, ligesom alle de ærlige hjerter i hele verden gjorde det. Denne nye lærer blev skænket til menneskeheden, og hver sjæl modtog ham i overensstemmelse med kærligheden til sandheden og evnen til at fatte og forstå åndelige realiteter. Endelig er den sande religion befriet fra præsternes og alle de hellige klassers varetægt og finder sin virkelige manifestation i menneskenes individuelle sjæle.		194:3.6 (2063.4) Do not overlook the fact that the Spirit of Truth was bestowed upon all sincere believers; this gift of the spirit did not come only to the apostles. The one hundred and twenty men and women assembled in the upper chamber all received the new teacher, as did all the honest of heart throughout the whole world. This new teacher was bestowed upon mankind, and every soul received him in accordance with the love for truth and the capacity to grasp and comprehend spiritual realities. At last, true religion is delivered from the custody of priests and all sacred classes and finds its real manifestation in the individual souls of men.
194:3.7 (2063.5) Jesu religion fremmer den højeste form for menneskelig civilisation, idet den skaber den højeste form for åndelig personlighed og proklamerer denne persons hellighed.		194:3.7 (2063.5) The religion of Jesus fosters the highest type of human civilization in that it creates the highest type of spiritual personality and proclaims the sacredness of that person.
194:3.8 (2063.6) Sandhedens Ånds ankomst i pinsen muliggjorde en religion, som hverken er radikal eller konservativ; den er hverken den gamle eller den nye; den skal hverken domineres af de gamle eller de unge. Jesu jordiske liv er et fast punkt for tidens anker, mens skænkningen af Sandhedens Ånd sørger for en evig udvidelse og endeløs vækst af den religion, han levede i, og det evangelium, han forkyndte. Ånden vejleder i alle sandheder; han er lærer for en ekspanderende og altid voksende religion med endeløse fremskridt og guddommelig udfoldelse. Denne nye lærer vil for evigt udfolde det for den sandhedssøgende troende, som var så guddommeligt foldet sammen i Menneskesønnens person og natur.		194:3.8 (2063.6) The coming of the Spirit of Truth on Pentecost made possible a religion which is neither radical nor conservative; it is neither the old nor the new; it is to be dominated neither by the old nor the young. The fact of Jesus’ earthly life provides a fixed point for the anchor of time, while the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth provides for the everlasting expansion and endless growth of the religion which he lived and the gospel which he proclaimed. The spirit guides into all truth; he is the teacher of an expanding and always-growing religion of endless progress and divine unfolding. This new teacher will be forever unfolding to the truth-seeking believer that which was so divinely folded up in the person and nature of the Son of Man.
194:3.9 (2064.1) Manifestationerne i forbindelse med tildelingen af den “nye lærer,” og modtagelsen af apostlenes forkyndelse blandt mennesker af forskellige racer og nationer, som var samlet i Jerusalem, viser, at Jesu religion var universel. Evangeliet om riget skulle ikke identificeres med nogen bestemt race, kultur eller sprog. Denne pinsedag var vidne til åndens store indsats for at befri Jesu religion fra dens nedarvede jødiske lænker. Selv efter denne demonstration, hvor ånden blev udgydt over alt kød, forsøgte apostlene først at påtvinge deres konvertitter jødedommens krav. Selv Paulus havde problemer med sine brødre i Jerusalem, fordi han nægtede at underkaste ikke-jøderne disse jødiske skikke. Ingen åbenbaret religion kan sprede sig til hele verden, hvis den begår den alvorlige fejl at blive gennemsyret af en national kultur eller forbundet med etablerede racemæssige, sociale eller økonomiske praksisser.		194:3.9 (2064.1) The manifestations associated with the bestowal of the “new teacher,” and the reception of the apostles’ preaching by the men of various races and nations gathered together at Jerusalem, indicate the universality of the religion of Jesus. The gospel of the kingdom was to be identified with no particular race, culture, or language. This day of Pentecost witnessed the great effort of the spirit to liberate the religion of Jesus from its inherited Jewish fetters. Even after this demonstration of pouring out the spirit upon all flesh, the apostles at first endeavored to impose the requirements of Judaism upon their converts. Even Paul had trouble with his Jerusalem brethren because he refused to subject the gentiles to these Jewish practices. No revealed religion can spread to all the world when it makes the serious mistake of becoming permeated with some national culture or associated with established racial, social, or economic practices.
194:3.10 (2064.2) Uddelingen af Sandhedens Ånd var uafhængig af alle former, ceremonier, hellige steder og særlig opførsel hos dem, der modtog dens fulde manifestation. Da ånden kom til dem, der var forsamlet i det øverste kammer, sad de der bare og havde lige været i stille bøn. Ånden blev skænket på landet såvel som i byen. Det var ikke nødvendigt for apostlene at trække sig tilbage til et ensomt sted for at meditere i årevis for at modtage ånden. Pinsen adskiller for altid tanken om åndelig erfaring fra tanken om særligt gunstige omgivelser.		194:3.10 (2064.2) The bestowal of the Spirit of Truth was independent of all forms, ceremonies, sacred places, and special behavior by those who received the fullness of its manifestation. When the spirit came upon those assembled in the upper chamber, they were simply sitting there, having just been engaged in silent prayer. The spirit was bestowed in the country as well as in the city. It was not necessary for the apostles to go apart to a lonely place for years of solitary meditation in order to receive the spirit. For all time, Pentecost disassociates the idea of spiritual experience from the notion of especially favorable environments.
194:3.11 (2064.3) Pinsen var med sin åndelige gave designet til for altid at frigøre Mesterens religion fra al afhængighed af fysisk kraft; lærerne i denne nye religion er nu udstyret med åndelige våben. De skal gå ud og erobre verden med ufejlbarlig tilgivelse, uforlignelig god vilje og overstrømmende kærlighed. De er udrustet til at overvinde det onde med det gode, til at besejre hadet med kærlighed, til at ødelægge frygten med en modig og levende tro på sandheden. Jesus havde allerede lært sine tilhængere, at hans religion aldrig var passiv; hans disciple skulle altid være aktive og positive i deres barmhjertighedstjeneste og i deres kærlighedsmanifestationer. Disse troende så ikke længere på Jahve som “Hærskarernes Herre.” De betragtede nu den evige guddom som “Herren Jesu Kristi Gud og Fader.” De gjorde i det mindste dette fremskridt, selv om de til en vis grad ikke helt forstod sandheden om, at Gud også er ethvert individs åndelige Far.		194:3.11 (2064.3) Pentecost, with its spiritual endowment, was designed forever to loose the religion of the Master from all dependence upon physical force; the teachers of this new religion are now equipped with spiritual weapons. They are to go out to conquer the world with unfailing forgiveness, matchless good will, and abounding love. They are equipped to overcome evil with good, to vanquish hate by love, to destroy fear with a courageous and living faith in truth. Jesus had already taught his followers that his religion was never passive; always were his disciples to be active and positive in their ministry of mercy and in their manifestations of love. No longer did these believers look upon Yahweh as “the Lord of Hosts.” They now regarded the eternal Deity as the “God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.” They made that progress, at least, even if they did in some measure fail fully to grasp the truth that God is also the spiritual Father of every individual.
194:3.12 (2064.4) Pinsen gav det dødelige menneske evnen til at tilgive personlige krænkelser, til at være sød midt i den største uretfærdighed, til at forblive uberørt over for en frygtelig fare og til at udfordre hadets og vredens ondskab med kærlighedens og overbærenhedens frygtløse handlinger. Urantia har gennemlevet store og ødelæggende krige i sin historie. Alle deltagere i disse frygtelige kampe led nederlag. Der var kun én sejrherre; der var kun én, der kom ud af disse forbitrede kampe med et forbedret omdømme—det var Jesus af Nazareth og hans evangelium om at overvinde det onde med det gode. Hemmeligheden bag en bedre civilisation er bundet op på Mesterens lære om menneskets fællesskab, kærlighedens gode vilje og gensidig tillid.		194:3.12 (2064.4) Pentecost endowed mortal man with the power to forgive personal injuries, to keep sweet in the midst of the gravest injustice, to remain unmoved in the face of appalling danger, and to challenge the evils of hate and anger by the fearless acts of love and forbearance. Urantia has passed through the ravages of great and destructive wars in its history. All participants in these terrible struggles met with defeat. There was but one victor; there was only one who came out of these embittered struggles with an enhanced reputation—that was Jesus of Nazareth and his gospel of overcoming evil with good. The secret of a better civilization is bound up in the Master’s teachings of the brotherhood of man, the good will of love and mutual trust.
194:3.13 (2065.1) Indtil pinse havde religionen kun afsløret mennesket, der søgte Gud; siden pinse søger mennesket stadig Gud, men ud over verden skinner synet af Gud, der også søger mennesket og sender sin ånd for at bo i ham, når han har fundet ham.		194:3.13 (2065.1) Up to Pentecost, religion had revealed only man seeking for God; since Pentecost, man is still searching for God, but there shines out over the world the spectacle of God also seeking for man and sending his spirit to dwell within him when he has found him.
194:3.14 (2065.2) Før Jesu lære, som kulminerede i pinsen, havde kvinder ringe eller ingen åndelig status i de ældre religioner. Efter pinse stod kvinden i rigets fællesskab foran Gud på lige fod med manden. Blandt de 120, der modtog dette særlige besøg af ånden, var mange af de kvindelige disciple, og de delte disse velsignelser på lige fod med de troende mænd. Mennesket kan ikke længere tillade sig at monopolisere den religiøse tjeneste. Farisæeren kunne blive ved med at takke Gud for, at han “ikke var født som kvinde, spedalsk eller hedning,” men blandt Jesu efterfølgere er kvinden for evigt sat fri fra al religiøs diskrimination baseret på køn. Pinsen udslettede al religiøs diskrimination baseret på raceforskelle, kulturelle forskelle, social kaste eller kønsfordomme. Intet under, at disse troende i den nye religion råbte: “Hvor Herrens ånd er, der er frihed.”		194:3.14 (2065.2) Before the teachings of Jesus which culminated in Pentecost, women had little or no spiritual standing in the tenets of the older religions. After Pentecost, in the brotherhood of the kingdom woman stood before God on an equality with man. Among the one hundred and twenty who received this special visitation of the spirit were many of the women disciples, and they shared these blessings equally with the men believers. No longer can man presume to monopolize the ministry of religious service. The Pharisee might go on thanking God that he was “not born a woman, a leper, or a gentile,” but among the followers of Jesus woman has been forever set free from all religious discriminations based on sex. Pentecost obliterated all religious discrimination founded on racial distinction, cultural differences, social caste, or sex prejudice. No wonder these believers in the new religion would cry out, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
194:3.15 (2065.3) Både Jesu mor og bror var til stede blandt de hundrede og tyve troende, og som medlemmer af denne fælles gruppe af disciple modtog de også den udgydte ånd. De modtog ikke mere af den gode gave end deres kammerater. Medlemmerne af Jesu jordiske familie blev ikke skænket nogen særlig gave. Pinsen markerede afslutningen på særlige præsteembeder og al tro på hellige familier.		194:3.15 (2065.3) Both the mother and brother of Jesus were present among the one hundred and twenty believers, and as members of this common group of disciples, they also received the outpoured spirit. They received no more of the good gift than did their fellows. No special gift was bestowed upon the members of Jesus’ earthly family. Pentecost marked the end of special priesthoods and all belief in sacred families.
194:3.16 (2065.4) Før pinsen havde apostlene givet afkald på meget for Jesu skyld. De havde ofret deres hjem, familier, venner, jordiske goder og positioner. På pinsedagen gav de sig selv til Gud, og Faderen og Sønnen svarede med at give sig selv til mennesket—begge sendte de deres ånd til at leve i menneskene. Denne oplevelse af at miste selvet og finde ånden var ikke nogen følelsesladet oplevelse; det var en handling af intelligent selvovergivelse og uforbeholden indvielse.		194:3.16 (2065.4) Before Pentecost the apostles had given up much for Jesus. They had sacrificed their homes, families, friends, worldly goods, and positions. At Pentecost they gave themselves to God, and the Father and the Son responded by giving themselves to man—sending their spirits to live within men. This experience of losing self and finding the spirit was not one of emotion; it was an act of intelligent self-surrender and unreserved consecration.
194:3.17 (2065.5) Pinsen var et kald til åndelig enhed blandt evangeliets troende. Da ånden dalede ned over disciplene i Jerusalem, skete det samme i Filadelfia, Alexandria og alle andre steder, hvor sande troende boede. Det var bogstaveligt talt sandt, at “der var kun ét hjerte og én sjæl blandt de mange troende.” Jesu religion er den stærkeste forenende indflydelse, verden nogensinde har kendt.		194:3.17 (2065.5) Pentecost was the call to spiritual unity among gospel believers. When the spirit descended on the disciples at Jerusalem, the same thing happened in Philadelphia, Alexandria, and at all other places where true believers dwelt. It was literally true that “there was but one heart and soul among the multitude of the believers.” The religion of Jesus is the most powerful unifying influence the world has ever known.
194:3.18 (2065.6) Pinsen var designet til at mindske selvhævdelsen hos individer, grupper, nationer og racer. Det er denne selvhævdende ånd, der øger spændingen så meget, at den med jævne mellemrum bryder løs i destruktive krige. Menneskeheden kan kun forenes af den åndelige tilgang, og Sandhedens Ånd er en verdensindflydelse, som er universel.		194:3.18 (2065.6) Pentecost was designed to lessen the self-assertiveness of individuals, groups, nations, and races. It is this spirit of self-assertiveness which so increases in tension that it periodically breaks loose in destructive wars. Mankind can be unified only by the spiritual approach, and the Spirit of Truth is a world influence which is universal.
194:3.19 (2065.7) Sandhedens Ånd renser menneskehjertet og får modtageren til at formulere et livsformål, der kun er rettet mod Guds vilje og menneskers velfærd. Egoismens materielle ånd er blevet opslugt af denne nye åndelige skænken af uselviskhed. Pinsen, dengang og nu, betyder, at historiens Jesus er blevet den levende erfarings guddommelige Søn. Glæden ved denne udgydte ånd, når den opleves bevidst i menneskelivet, er en tonic for helbredet, en stimulans for sindet og en ufejlbarlig energi for sjælen.		194:3.19 (2065.7) The coming of the Spirit of Truth purifies the human heart and leads the recipient to formulate a life purpose single to the will of God and the welfare of men. The material spirit of selfishness has been swallowed up in this new spiritual bestowal of selflessness. Pentecost, then and now, signifies that the Jesus of history has become the divine Son of living experience. The joy of this outpoured spirit, when it is consciously experienced in human life, is a tonic for health, a stimulus for mind, and an unfailing energy for the soul.
194:3.20 (2065.8) Bøn bragte ikke ånden på pinsedagen, men den havde meget at gøre med at bestemme den modtagelighed, som kendetegnede de enkelte troende. Bøn bevæger ikke det guddommelige hjerte til at være gavmildt, men den graver så ofte større og dybere kanaler, hvor de guddommelige gaver kan strømme til hjerterne og sjælene hos dem, der husker at opretholde et ubrudt fællesskab med deres Skaber gennem oprigtig bøn og sand tilbedelse.		194:3.20 (2065.8) Prayer did not bring the spirit on the day of Pentecost, but it did have much to do with determining the capacity of receptivity which characterized the individual believers. Prayer does not move the divine heart to liberality of bestowal, but it does so often dig out larger and deeper channels wherein the divine bestowals may flow to the hearts and souls of those who thus remember to maintain unbroken communion with their Maker through sincere prayer and true worship.
4. Den kristne kirkes begyndelse ^top		4. Beginnings of the Christian Church ^top
194:4.1 (2066.1) Da Jesus så pludseligt blev grebet af sine fjender og så hurtigt korsfæstet mellem to tyve, blev hans apostle og disciple fuldstændig demoraliserede. Tanken om Mesteren, der blev arresteret, bundet, pisket og korsfæstet, var for meget for selv apostlene. De glemte hans lære og hans advarsler. Han havde måske nok været “en profet, der var mægtig i gerning og ord over for Gud og hele folket,” men han kunne næppe være den Messias, de havde håbet ville genoprette Israels rige.		194:4.1 (2066.1) When Jesus was so suddenly seized by his enemies and so quickly crucified between two thieves, his apostles and disciples were completely demoralized. The thought of the Master, arrested, bound, scourged, and crucified, was too much for even the apostles. They forgot his teachings and his warnings. He might, indeed, have been “a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,” but he could hardly be the Messiah they had hoped would restore the kingdom of Israel.
194:4.2 (2066.2) Så kommer opstandelsen med dens befrielse fra fortvivlelse og deres tilbagevenden til troen på Mesterens guddommelighed. Igen og igen ser de ham og taler med ham, og han tager dem med ud på Oliebjerget, hvor han tager afsked med dem og fortæller dem, at han går tilbage til Faderen. Han har sagt til dem, at de skal blive i Jerusalem, indtil de får kraft—indtil Sandhedens Ånd kommer. Og på pinsedagen kommer denne nye lærer, og de går straks ud for at forkynde deres evangelium med ny kraft. De er de dristige og modige tilhængere af en levende Herre, ikke en død og besejret leder. Mesteren lever i disse evangelisters hjerter; Gud er ikke en doktrin i deres sind; han er blevet en levende tilstedeværelse i deres sjæle.		194:4.2 (2066.2) Then comes the resurrection, with its deliverance from despair and the return of their faith in the Master’s divinity. Again and again they see him and talk with him, and he takes them out on Olivet, where he bids them farewell and tells them he is going back to the Father. He has told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they are endowed with power—until the Spirit of Truth shall come. And on the day of Pentecost this new teacher comes, and they go out at once to preach their gospel with new power. They are the bold and courageous followers of a living Lord, not a dead and defeated leader. The Master lives in the hearts of these evangelists; God is not a doctrine in their minds; he has become a living presence in their souls.
194:4.3 (2066.3) “Dag efter dag fortsatte de standhaftigt og enigt i templet og med at bryde brødet derhjemme. De indtog deres mad med glæde og af et rent hjerte, og de priste Gud og var vellidte af hele folket. De blev alle fyldt af ånden, og de talte Guds ord med frimodighed. Og mængden af dem, der troede, var af et hjerte og en sjæl, og ingen af dem sagde, at noget af det, han ejede, var hans eget, og de havde alle ting til fælles.”		194:4.3 (2066.3) “Day by day they continued steadfastly and with one accord in the temple and breaking bread at home. They took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. They were all filled with the spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. And the multitudes of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, and they had all things in common.”
194:4.4 (2066.4) Hvad er der sket med disse mænd, som Jesus havde ordineret til at gå ud og forkynde evangeliet om riget, Guds faderskab og menneskets broderskab? De har fået et nyt evangelium; de er optændt af en ny oplevelse; de er fyldt med en ny åndelig energi. Deres budskab er pludselig skiftet til proklamationen af den opstandne Kristus: “Jesus fra Nazaret, et menneske, som Gud har godkendt ved mægtige gerninger og undere; ham, der blev udleveret efter Guds bestemte råd og forudviden, korsfæstede og dræbt. Det, som Gud forudså ved alle profeternes mund, opfyldte han således. Denne Jesus har Gud oprejst. Gud har gjort ham til både Herre og Kristus. Da han ved Guds højre hånd er ophøjet og har modtaget åndens løfte fra Faderen, har han udgydt dette, som du ser og hører. Omvend jer, så jeres synder kan blive udslettet, så Faderen kan sende den Kristus, som er bestemt for jer, Jesus, som himlen skal tage imod, indtil alle ting bliver genoprettet.”		194:4.4 (2066.4) What has happened to these men whom Jesus had ordained to go forth preaching the gospel of the kingdom, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man? They have a new gospel; they are on fire with a new experience; they are filled with a new spiritual energy. Their message has suddenly shifted to the proclamation of the risen Christ: “Jesus of Nazareth, a man God approved by mighty works and wonders; him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you did crucify and slay. The things which God foreshadowed by the mouth of all the prophets, he thus fulfilled. This Jesus did God raise up. God has made him both Lord and Christ. Being, by the right hand of God, exalted and having received from the Father the promise of the spirit, he has poured forth this which you see and hear. Repent, that your sins may be blotted out; that the Father may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you, even Jesus, whom the heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things.”
194:4.5 (2066.5) Evangeliet om riget, budskabet om Jesus, var pludselig blevet ændret til evangeliet om Herren Jesus Kristus. De forkyndte nu fakta om hans liv, død og opstandelse og håbet om hans snarlige tilbagevenden til denne verden for at afslutte det arbejde, han havde påbegyndt. De første troendes budskab handlede således om at forkynde fakta om hans første komme og om at undervise i håbet om hans andet komme, en begivenhed, som de anså for at være meget nær forestående.		194:4.5 (2066.5) The gospel of the kingdom, the message of Jesus, had been suddenly changed into the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They now proclaimed the facts of his life, death, and resurrection and preached the hope of his speedy return to this world to finish the work he began. Thus the message of the early believers had to do with preaching about the facts of his first coming and with teaching the hope of his second coming, an event which they deemed to be very near at hand.
194:4.6 (2067.1) Kristus var ved at blive trosbekendelsen for den hastigt voksende kirke. Jesus lever; han døde for mennesker; han gav ånden; han kommer igen. Jesus fyldte alle deres tanker og bestemte alle deres nye opfattelser af Gud og alt andet. De var for begejstrede for den nye doktrin om, at “Gud er Faderen til Herren Jesus” til at bekymre sig om det gamle budskab om, at “Gud er alle menneskers kærlige Fader,” selv for hvert enkelt individ. Det er sandt, at en vidunderlig manifestation af broderlig kærlighed og uovertruffen god vilje opstod i disse tidlige fællesskaber af troende. Men det var et fællesskab af troende på Jesus, ikke et fællesskab af brødre i den himmelske Faders familierige. Deres gode vilje udsprang af den kærlighed, der var født af tanken om Jesu overdragelse, og ikke af anerkendelsen af det dødelige menneskes broderskab. Ikke desto mindre var de fyldt med glæde, og de levede så nye og unikke liv, at alle mennesker blev tiltrukket af deres lære om Jesus. De begik den store fejl at bruge den levende og illustrative kommentar til evangeliet om riget til dette evangelium, men selv det repræsenterede den største religion, menneskeheden nogensinde havde kendt.		194:4.6 (2067.1) Christ was about to become the creed of the rapidly forming church. Jesus lives; he died for men; he gave the spirit; he is coming again. Jesus filled all their thoughts and determined all their new concepts of God and everything else. They were too much enthused over the new doctrine that “God is the Father of the Lord Jesus” to be concerned with the old message that “God is the loving Father of all men,” even of every single individual. True, a marvelous manifestation of brotherly love and unexampled good will did spring up in these early communities of believers. But it was a fellowship of believers in Jesus, not a fellowship of brothers in the family kingdom of the Father in heaven. Their good will arose from the love born of the concept of Jesus’ bestowal and not from the recognition of the brotherhood of mortal man. Nevertheless, they were filled with joy, and they lived such new and unique lives that all men were attracted to their teachings about Jesus. They made the great mistake of using the living and illustrative commentary on the gospel of the kingdom for that gospel, but even that represented the greatest religion mankind had ever known.
194:4.7 (2067.2) Et nyt fællesskab var umiskendeligt ved at opstå i verden. “Den troende skare fortsatte ufortrødent i apostlenes lære og fællesskab, i brødsbrydelsen og i bønnen.” De kaldte hinanden bror og søster, de hilste på hinanden med et helligt kys, de tog sig af de fattige. Det var et fællesskab om livet såvel som om tilbedelse. De var ikke fælles ved dekret, men ved ønsket om at dele deres goder med deres trosfæller. De forventede trygt, at Jesus ville vende tilbage for at fuldføre etableringen af Faderens rige i løbet af deres generation. Denne spontane deling af jordiske ejendele var ikke en direkte del af Jesu undervisning; den opstod, fordi disse mænd og kvinder så oprigtigt og så trygt troede på, at han ville vende tilbage hver dag for at afslutte sit arbejde og fuldbyrde riget. Men de endelige resultater af dette velmenende eksperiment i tankeløs broderkærlighed var katastrofale og sorgfremkaldende. Tusindvis af oprigtigt troende solgte deres ejendom og skilte sig af med alle deres kapitalgoder og andre produktive aktiver. Med tiden kom der en ende på de svindende ressourcer i den kristne “ligedeling” men det gjorde verden ikke. Meget snart begyndte de troende i Antiokia at samle ind for at forhindre deres trosfæller i Jerusalem i at sulte.		194:4.7 (2067.2) Unmistakably, a new fellowship was arising in the world. “The multitude who believed continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” They called each other brother and sister; they greeted one another with a holy kiss; they ministered to the poor. It was a fellowship of living as well as of worship. They were not communal by decree but by the desire to share their goods with their fellow believers. They confidently expected that Jesus would return to complete the establishment of the Father’s kingdom during their generation. This spontaneous sharing of earthly possessions was not a direct feature of Jesus’ teaching; it came about because these men and women so sincerely and so confidently believed that he was to return any day to finish his work and to consummate the kingdom. But the final results of this well-meant experiment in thoughtless brotherly love were disastrous and sorrow-breeding. Thousands of earnest believers sold their property and disposed of all their capital goods and other productive assets. With the passing of time, the dwindling resources of Christian “equal-sharing” came to an end—but the world did not. Very soon the believers at Antioch were taking up a collection to keep their fellow believers at Jerusalem from starving.
194:4.8 (2067.3) I disse dage fejrede de nadveren på samme måde, som den var blevet indstiftet, dvs. de samledes til et socialt måltid med godt kammeratskab og deltog i nadveren i slutningen af måltidet.		194:4.8 (2067.3) In these days they celebrated the Lord’s Supper after the manner of its establishment; that is, they assembled for a social meal of good fellowship and partook of the sacrament at the end of the meal.
194:4.9 (2067.4) Først døbte de i Jesu navn, men der gik næsten tyve år, før de begyndte at døbe i “Faderens, Sønnens og Helligåndens navn.” Dåben var alt, hvad der krævedes for at blive optaget i de troendes fællesskab. De havde endnu ingen organisation; det var simpelthen Jesu broderskab.		194:4.9 (2067.4) At first they baptized in the name of Jesus; it was almost twenty years before they began to baptize in “the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Baptism was all that was required for admission into the fellowship of believers. They had no organization as yet; it was simply the Jesus brotherhood.
194:4.10 (2067.5) Denne Jesus-sekt voksede hurtigt, og saddukæerne lagde endnu en gang mærke til dem. Farisæerne var ikke synderligt bekymrede over situationen, da ingen af lærdommene på nogen måde forstyrrede overholdelsen af de jødiske love. Men saddukæerne begyndte at sætte lederne af Jesus-sekten i fængsel, indtil de blev overtalt til at acceptere rådet fra en af de førende rabbinere, Gamaliel, som rådede dem: “Hold jer fra disse mænd og lad dem være i fred, for hvis dette råd eller dette værk er af mennesker, vil det blive omstyrtet; men hvis det er af Gud, vil I ikke være i stand til at omstyrte dem, for at I ikke skal blive afsløret i at kæmpe mod Gud.” De besluttede at følge Gamaliels råd, og der fulgte en tid med fred og ro i Jerusalem, hvor det nye evangelium om Jesus spredte sig hurtigt.		194:4.10 (2067.5) This Jesus sect was growing rapidly, and once more the Sadducees took notice of them. The Pharisees were little bothered about the situation, seeing that none of the teachings in any way interfered with the observance of the Jewish laws. But the Sadducees began to put the leaders of the Jesus sect in jail until they were prevailed upon to accept the counsel of one of the leading rabbis, Gamaliel, who advised them: “Refrain from these men and let them alone, for if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them, lest haply you be found even to be fighting against God.” They decided to follow Gamaliel’s counsel, and there ensued a time of peace and quiet in Jerusalem, during which the new gospel about Jesus spread rapidly.
194:4.11 (2068.1) Og sådan gik alt godt i Jerusalem indtil den tid, hvor grækerne kom i stort antal fra Alexandria. To af Rodans elever ankom til Jerusalem og fik mange til at omvende sig blandt hellenisterne. Blandt deres tidlige konvertitter var Stefanus og Barnabas. Disse dygtige grækere havde ikke så meget jødisk udsyn, og de var ikke så gode til at overholde den jødiske tilbedelsesform og andre ceremonielle skikke. Og det var disse græske troendes handlinger, der afsluttede det fredelige forhold mellem Jesu broderskab og farisæerne og saddukæerne. Stefanus og hans græske kollega begyndte at prædike mere, som Jesus havde lært, og det bragte dem i umiddelbar konflikt med de jødiske magthavere. I en af Stefanus’ offentlige prædikener, da han nåede til den anstødelige del af talen, undlod de alle formaliteter i forbindelse med retssagen og stenede ham til døde på stedet.		194:4.11 (2068.1) And so all went well in Jerusalem until the time of the coming of the Greeks in large numbers from Alexandria. Two of the pupils of Rodan arrived in Jerusalem and made many converts from among the Hellenists. Among their early converts were Stephen and Barnabas. These able Greeks did not so much have the Jewish viewpoint, and they did not so well conform to the Jewish mode of worship and other ceremonial practices. And it was the doings of these Greek believers that terminated the peaceful relations between the Jesus brotherhood and the Pharisees and Sadducees. Stephen and his Greek associate began to preach more as Jesus taught, and this brought them into immediate conflict with the Jewish rulers. In one of Stephen’s public sermons, when he reached the objectionable part of the discourse, they dispensed with all formalities of trial and proceeded to stone him to death on the spot.
194:4.12 (2068.2) Stefanus, lederen af den græske koloni af Jesus-troende i Jerusalem, blev således den første martyr for den nye tro og den specifikke årsag til den formelle organisering af den tidlige kristne kirke. Denne nye krise blev mødt med erkendelsen af, at de troende ikke længere kunne fortsætte som en sekt inden for den jødiske tro. De blev alle enige om, at de måtte adskille sig fra de vantro, og inden for en måned efter Stefanus’ død var kirken i Jerusalem blevet organiseret under ledelse af Peter, og James, Jesu bror, var blevet indsat som dens titulære overhoved.		194:4.12 (2068.2) Stephen, the leader of the Greek colony of Jesus’ believers in Jerusalem, thus became the first martyr to the new faith and the specific cause for the formal organization of the early Christian church. This new crisis was met by the recognition that believers could not longer go on as a sect within the Jewish faith. They all agreed that they must separate themselves from unbelievers; and within one month from the death of Stephen the church at Jerusalem had been organized under the leadership of Peter, and James the brother of Jesus had been installed as its titular head.
194:4.13 (2068.3) Og så brød de nye og ubarmhjertige jødeforfølgelser ud, så de aktive lærere af den nye religion om Jesus, som senere i Antiokia blev kaldt kristendom, drog ud til imperiets ender og forkyndte Jesus. Da de bragte dette budskab, var lederskabet i græske hænder før Paulus tid; og disse første missionærer, som også de senere, fulgte vejen for Alexanders march i gamle dage, og gik via Gaza og Tyrus til Antiokia og derefter over Lilleasien til Makedonien, så videre til Rom og til de yderste dele af imperiet.		194:4.13 (2068.3) And then broke out the new and relentless persecutions by the Jews, so that the active teachers of the new religion about Jesus, which subsequently at Antioch was called Christianity, went forth to the ends of the empire proclaiming Jesus. In carrying this message, before the time of Paul the leadership was in Greek hands; and these first missionaries, as also the later ones, followed the path of Alexander’s march of former days, going by way of Gaza and Tyre to Antioch and then over Asia Minor to Macedonia, then on to Rome and to the uttermost parts of the empire.