The Aquarian Age Gospel of Jesus, the Christ of the Piscean Age: Chapters 151 - 182

Chapter 151

Jesus teaches in the synagogue. Makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The multitudes, with the children, sing his praises, and say, Hosanna to the king! The Christines return to Bethany.

IT was the day before the Sabbath day, the eighth day of the Jewish Nasan month, that Jesus came to Bethany. 2 And on the Sabbath day he went up to the synagogue and taught. 3 And on the morning of the first day of the week, the Sunday of the week, he called his twelve apostles unto him and said, 4 This day we go up to Jerusalem; be not afraid; my time has not yet come. 5 Now, two of you may go unto the village of Bethphage, and you will find an ass tied to a tree, and you will see a little colt near by. 6 Untie the ass and bring her here to me. If any one inquires why you take the ass, just say, The master has a need of her; and then the owner will come on with you. 7 And the disciples went as Jesus bade them go; they found the ass and colt a-near an open door; and when they would untie the ass the owner said Why would you take the ass away? 8 And the disciples said, The master has a need of her, and then the owner said, 'Tis well. 9 And then they brought the animal, and on her put their coats, and Jesus sat upon the ass and rode into Jerusalem. 10 And multitudes of people came and filled the way, and his disciples praised the Lord and said, 11 Thrice blessed is the king who in the name of God is come! All glory be to God, and peace on earth; good will to men! 12 And many spread their garments in the way, and some tore branches from the trees and cast them in the way. 13 And many children came with garlands of sweet flowers and placed them on the Lord, or strewed them in the way, and said, All hail the king! Long live the king! 14 The throne of David shall be built again. Hosanna to the Lord of hosts! 15 Among the throng were Pharisees, who said to Jesus as he passed, Rebuke this noisy throng; it is a shame for them to cry thus in the street. 16 The Lord replied, I tell you, men, if these should hold their peace the very stones would cry aloud. 17 And then the Pharisees conferred among themselves; they said, Our threats are idle words. Behold, for all the world is following him. 18 As Jesus drew a-near Jerusalem he paused and wept, and said, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the holy city of the Jews! yours was the glory of the Lord; but you have cast the Lord away. 19 Your eyes are closed, you cannot see the King; the kingdom of the Lord of heaven and earth has come; you comprehend it not. 20 Behold, the day will come when armies from afar will cast a bank about your way; will compass you about, and hem you in on every side; 21 Will dash you to the ground and slay you and your children in the streets. 22 And of your holy temple, and of your palaces and walls, they will not leave a stone upon a stone, because to-day you spurn the offers of the God of heaven. 23 When Jesus and the multitude had come into Jerusalem, excitement reigned, and people asked, Who is this man? 24 The multitudes replied, This is the king, the prophet, priest of God; this is the man from Galilee. 25 But Jesus tarried not; he went directly to the temple porch, and it was filled with people pressing hard to see the king. 26 The sick, the halt, the lame, the blind were there, and Jesus paused, and laid his hands on them and healed them by the sacred Word. 27 The temple and the temple courts were filled with children praising God. They said, Hosanna to the king! The son of David is the king! All hail the king! Praise God! 28 The Pharisees were filled with anger when they heard the children sing. They said to Jesus, Hear you what the children say? 29 And Jesus said, I hear, but have you never read the words of our own bard who said, 30 Out of the mouths of babes and suckings thou hast perfected praise! 31 And when the evening came the Lord and his disciples went again to Bethany.

Chapter 152

Jesus rebukes a barren fig tree. Drives the merchants out of the temple. Teaches the people. Returns to Bethany.

NEXT day, the Monday of the week, the master with the twelve, went to Jerusalem. 2 And as they passed along the way they saw a fig tree full of leaves without a sign of fruit. 3 And Jesus spoke unto the tree; he said, You useless cumberer of the ground; you fig tree fair to look upon, but a delusive thing. 4 You take from the earth and air the food that fruitful trees should have. 5 Go back to earth and be yourself the food for other trees to eat. 6 When Jesus had thus spoken to the tree he went his way. 7 And when he reached the temple, lo, the rooms were filled with petty merchants selling doves and animals, and other things, for sacrifice; the temple was a mart of trade. 8 And Jesus was indignant at the sight, and said, You men of Israel, for shame! This is supposed to be the house of prayer; but it is now a den of thieves. Remove this plunder from this holy place. 9 The merchants only laughed and said, We are protected in our trade by those who bear the rule; we will not go. 10 Then Jesus made a scourge of cords, as he did once before, and rushed among the merchantmen, threw all their money on the floor; 11 Threw wide the cages of the doves, and cut the cords that held the bleating lambs and set them free. 12 And then he drove the merchants from the place, and with a clean, new broom he swept the floors. 13 Chief priests and scribes were filled with wrath, but feared to touch or even to rebuke the Lord, for all the people stood in his defence. 14 And Jesus taught the people all day long and healed a multitude of those diseased, 15 And when the evening came he went again to Bethany.

Chapter 153

The Christines go to Jerusalem. They note the withered fig tree; its symbolic meaning. Jesus teaches in the temple. Is censured by the priests. Relates a parable of a rich man's feast.

ON Tuesday, early in the day, the master and the twelve went to Jerusalem. 2 And as they went the twelve observed the tree to which the Lord had talked the day before, and lo, the leaves were withered, just as if they had been scorched with fire. 3 And Peter said, Lord, see the tree! Its leaves are withered and the tree seems dead. 4 And Jesus said, So shall it be with those who bear no fruit. When God shall call them up to give account, lo, he will breathe upon them, and their leaves, their empty words, will wither and decay. 5 God will not let the fruitless trees of life encumber ground, and he will pluck them up and cast them all away. 6 Now, you can demonstrate the power of God. Have faith in God, and you can bid the mountains to depart, and they will crumble at your feet; 7 And you may talk to wind and wave, and they will hear, and will obey what you command. 8 God hears the prayer of faith and when you ask in faith you shall receive. 9 You may not ask amiss; God will not hear the prayer of any man who comes to him with blood of other men upon his hands. 10 And he who harbours envious thoughts, and does not love his fellow men, may pray for ever unto God, and he will hear him not. 11 God can do nothing more for men than they would do for other men. 12 And Jesus walked again within the temple courts. 13 The priests and scribes were much emboldened by the council of Caiaphas and the other men in power, and so they came to Jesus and they said, 14 Who gave you the authority to do as you have done? Why did you drive the merchants from the temple yesterday? 15 And Jesus answered them and said, If you will answer what I ask, then I will answer you; Was John, the harbinger, a man of God, or was he a seditious man? 16 The scribes and Pharisees were loath to answer him; they reasoned thus among themselves: 17 If we shall say, John was a prophet sent from God, then he will say, 18 John testified for me, that I am son of God, why do you not believe his words? 19 If we should say, John was a bold, seditious man, the people will be angered, for they think he was a prophet of the living God. 20 And so they answered Jesus and they said, We do not know; we cannot tell. 21 Then Jesus said, If you will tell me not, then I will tell you not who gave me power to drive the robbers from the house of God. 22 And then he spoke a parable to them; he said, A man once made a feast inviting all the rich and honoured people of the land. 23 But when they came, they found the door into the banquet hall was low, and they could enter not except they bowed their heads and fell down on their knees. 24 These people would not bow their heads and fall down on their knees, and so they went away; they went not to the feast. 25 And then the man sent forth his messengers to bid the common folks, and those of low estate, to come and feast with him. 26 These people gladly came; they bowed their heads and fell down on their knees, and came into the banquet hall and it was full, and every one rejoiced. 27 And then the master said, Behold, you priests and scribes, and Pharisees the Lord of heaven and earth has spread a sumptuous feast, and you were bidden first of all; 28 But you have found the door into the banquet hall so low that you must bow your heads and fall down on your knees to enter in, and you have scorned the king who made the feast, refused to bow your heads and fall down on your knees, and you have gone your way; 29 But now God calls again; the common folks and those of low estate have come in multitudes, have entered in unto the feast and all rejoice. 30 I tell you, men, that publicans and courtesans go through the gates into the kingdom of the God of heaven, and you are left without. 31 John came to you in righteousness; he brought the truth, but you believed him not. 32 But publicans and courtesans believed, and were baptised and now have entered in unto the feast. 33 I tell you now, as I have told you many times, The many have been called, but chosen are the few.

Chapter 154

Jesus teaches in the temple court. The parable of the householder and wicked husbandmen. Parable of the marriage feast and the guest without a wedding robe.

The multitudes would hear what Jesus had to say, and so they built a platform in the temple court, and Jesus stood upon the place and taught. He spoke in parables; he said, 2 A man possessed a vast estate; he planted out a vineyard, placed a hedge about it, built a tower, installed the press for making wine. 3 He placed his vineyard in the hands of husbandmen and then he journeyed to a distant land. 4 Now, in the vintage time the man sent forth a servant to receive and bring to him his portion of the fruitage of the vines. 5 The husbandmen came forth and beat the man; laid forty lashes on his back and cast him out beyond the vineyard gate. 6 And then the owner sent another man to bring to him his own. The husbandmen laid hold of him and sorely wounded him and cast him from the vienyard, leaving him half dead beside the way. 7 The owner sent another man to bring to him his own. The husbandmen seized hold of him and with a javelin they pierced his heart; then buried him beyond the hedge. 8 The owner was aggrieved. He thought within himself, What shall I do? and then he said, This will I do. My only son is here, and I will send him to the husbandmen, 9 They surely will respect my son and send me what is mine. 10 He sent his son; the husbandmen took counsel with themselves; they said, This is the only heir to all this wealth, and if we take his life the vast inheritance is ours. 11 They took his life and cast him out beyond the vineyard hedge. 12 The days will come; the owner will return to reckon with the husbandmen, and he will seize them every one, and cast them into scorching fires where they shall stay until they pay the debts they owe. 13 And he will place his vineyard in the care of honest men. 14 Then turning to the priests and scibes he said, Did not your prophets say, 15 The stone the builders cast away became the capstone of the arch? 16 You men who pose as men of God, as husbandmen, lo, you have stoned and killed the messengers of God, his prophets and his seers, and now you seek to slay his son. 17 I tell you men, the kingdom shall be snatched away from you, and shall be given unto people who are not a people now, and to a nation that is not a nation now. 18 And men whose speech you cannot understand, will stand between the living and the dead, and show the way to life. 19 The chief priests and the Pharisees were deeply moved with anger when they heard this parable and would have seized the Lord and done him harm, but they were sore afraid; they feared the multitude. 20 And Jesus spoke another parable; he said, The kingdom is a-like a ceratin king who made a feast in honour of the marriage of his son. 21 He sent his servants forth to call the people who had been invited to the feast. 22 The servants called; but then the people would not come. 23 And then the king sent other messengers abroad to say, Behold, my tables now are spread; my oxne and my fatlings are prepared. 24 The choicest viands and the richest wines are on my boards; come to the marriage feast. 25 The people laughed and treated with disdain hsi call, and went their way, one to his farm, another to his merchandise; 26 And others seized the servants of the king; abused them shamefully; and some of them they killed. 27 And then the king sent forth his soldiery who slew the murderers and burned their towns. 28 And then the king sent other servants forth; to them he said, Go to the corners of the streets, the partings of the ways, and to the marts of trade and say, 29 Whoever will may come up to the marriage feast. 30 The servants went their way and called; and lo, the banquet hall was filled with guests. 31 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man who had not on a wedding robe; he called to him and said, 32 Friend, why are you here without a wedding robe? Would you dishonour thus my son? 33 The man was dumb; he answered not. 34 And then the king said to his guards, Take you this man and bind him hand and foot and cast him out into the darkness of the night. 35 The many have been called, but none are chosen to be guests who have not clad themselves in wedding robes.

Chapter 155

Jesus recognises the justice of paying secular taxes. He teaches a lesson on family relationships in the life beyond. The greatest of the commandments is comprised in love. He warns his disciples against the hypocrisy of scribes and Pharisees.

AS Jesus spoke, the Pharisees came up to question him; they thought to criminate him by what he said, 2 A strict Herodian spoke and said, My Lord, you are a man of truth; you show the way to God, and you do not regard the personality of men; 3 Tell us, what do you think; should we, who are the seed of Abraham, pay tribute unto Caesar? or should we not? 4 And Jesus knew his wickedness of heart and said, Why do you come to tempt me thus? Show me the tribute money that you speak about. 5 The man brought forth a piece of coin on which an image was engraved. 6 And Jesus said, Whose image and whose name is on this coin? 7 The man replied, 'Tis Caesar's image and his name. 8 And Jesus said, Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's own; but give to God the things of God. 9 And they who heard him said, He answers well. 10 And then a Sadducee, who thinks there is no resurrection of the dead, came up and said, Rabboni, Moses wrote that if a married man shall die, and have no child, his widow shall become his brother's wife. 11 Now, there were seven brothers and the eldest had a wife; he died and had no child; a brother took his widow for his wife, and then he died; 12 And every brother had this woman for his wife; in course of time the woman died; 13 Now which will have this woman for a wife in the resurrection day? 14 And Jesus said, Here in this plane of life men marry just to gratify their selfish selfs, or to perpetuate the race; but in the world to come, and in the resurrection day, men do not take upon themselves the marriage vows. 15 But, like the angels and the other sons of God, they form not unions for the pleasure of the self, nor to perpetuate the race. 16 Death does not mean the end of life. The grave is not the goal of men, no more than is the earth the goal of seeds. 17 Life is the consequence of death. The seed may seem to die, but from its grave the tree arises into life. 18 So man may seem to die, but he lives on, and from the grave he springs up into life. 19 If you could comprehend the word that Moses spoke about the burning bush that burned and still was not consumed, then you would know that death cannot destroy the life. 20 And Moses said that God is God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Isael. 21 God is not God of dead men's bones, but the living man. 22 I tell you, men, man goes down to the grave, but he will rise again and manifest the life; 23 For every life is hid with Christ in God, and man shall live while God shall live. 24 The Pharisees and scribes who heard the Lord, exclaimed, He speaks the truth; and they were glad to have the Sadducees discomfited. 25 And then an honest scribe came forth and said to Jesus, Lord, you speak as one whom God has sent, and may I ask, 26 Which is the greatest and the first of the Commandments of the Law? 27 And Jesus said, The first is Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, with all your strength; 28 And you shall love your neighbour as yourself. 29 These are the greatest of the ten, and on them hang the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. 30 The scribe replied, My soul gives witness that you speak the truth, for love fulfils the law, and far transcends burnt offerings and sacrifice. 31 And Jesus said to him, Lo, you have solved a mystery; you are within the kingdom and the kingdom is in you. 32 To his disciples Jesus spoke, and all the people heard; he said, Beware you of the scribes and Pharisees who pride themselves in wearing long and richly decorated robes, 33 And Love to be saluted in the market place, and seek the highest seats st feasts, and take the hardearned wages of the poor to satisfy their carnal selves, and pray in public, long and loud. 34 These are the wolves who clothe themselves to look like sheep. 35 And then he said to all, The scribes and Pharisees are placed by law in Moses' seat, and by the law they interpret law; 36 So what they bid you do, that do; but do not imitate their deeds. 37 They say the things that Moses taught; they do the things of Beelzebul. 38 They talk of mercy, yet they bind on human shoulders burdens grievous to bear. 39 They talk of helpfulness, and yet they put not forth the slightest helpful efforts for their brother man. 40 They make a show of doing things, and yet they do not anything but show their gaudy robes, and broad phylacteries, and smile when people call them honoured masters of the law. 41 They strut about and show their pride when people call them father, so and so. 42 Hear, now, you men, Call no man father here. The God of heaven and earth, and he alone, is Father of the race of men. 43 Christ is the hierarch, the high, exalted master of the sons of men. 44 If you would be exalted, sit down at the master's feet and serve. He is the greatest man who serves the best.

Chapter 156

The scribes and Pharisees are angered. Jesus rebukes them for their hypocrisy. He laments over Jerusalem. The widows's mite. Jesus delivers his farewell address to the people in the temple.

THE scribes and Pharisees were wild with rage; and Jesus said, 2 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you stand within the way; you block the door; you will not go into the kingdom and you turn aside the pure in heart who are about to enter in. 3 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he has been made he is a son of hell, just like yourselves. 4 Woe unto you who call yourselves the guides of men! and you are guides, blind guides; 5 For you pay tithes of cummin, mint and dill, and leave undone the weightier mattersof the law; of judgment, justice, faith. 6 You filter out the gnats before you drink; but then you swallow camels and the like. 7 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you clean and scour the outside of the cup, while it is full of filth, extortion and excess. 8 Go to and clean the inside of the cup, and then the poisonous fumes will not defile the outside of the cup. 9 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you are yourselves like whitewashed sepulchres; your outer garbs are beautiful, but you are full of dead men's bones. 10 You seem to men to be divine; but in your hearts you nourish lust, hypocrisies and vile iniquities. 11 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you build and then adorn the tombs of holy men of old and say, 12 If we had lived when these men lived, we would have guarded them, would not have acted as our fathers did, when they maltreated them and put them to the sword. 13 But you are sons of them who slew the holy men, and you are not a whit more just than they. 14 Go forth and fill the measure of your father who were steeped in crime. 15 You are offsprings of the vipers, and how can you be but serpents of the dust? 16 God now has sent again to you his prophets and his seers, his wise men and his holy men, and you will scourge them in your synagogues, and stone them in the streets, and nail them to the cross. 17 Woe unto you! for on your heads will come the blood of all the holy men who have been slain upon the earth. 18 From righteous Abel down to Zacharias, son of Barachias, who was slain within the Holy Place before the altar of the Lord. 19 Behold, I say that these things all shall come upon this nation and the people of Jerusalem. 20 And Jesus looked about and said, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou cruel city of Jerusalem, that slays the prophets in the streets and kills the holy men whom God has sent to you! 21 Lo, I would oft have gathered you as children to the fold of God; but you would not. 22 You have rejected God, and now your house is desolate, and you shall see me not again till you can say, 23 Thrice blessed is the son of man who comes as son of God. 24 Then Jesus went and sat beside the treasury and watched the people as they paid their tithes. 25 The rich men came and gave of their abundance; and then he saw a poor but loyal widow come and put a farthing in the treasure box. 26 And then he said to his disciples who were standing by, Behold, for this poor widow who has put a farthing in the treasury has done more than they all; 27 For she has given all she had; the rich have given just a little share of what they have. 28 A company of Grecian Jews were at the feast, and they met Philip, who could talk with them, and said, Sir, we would see the Lord, this Jesus, who is called the Christ. 29 And Philip led the way, and brought them to the Christ. 30 And Jesus said, The hour has come; the son of man is ready to be glorified, and it cannot be otherwise. 31 Except a grain of wheat fall into earth and die it can be nothing but a grain of wheat; but if it die it lives again, and from its grave a hundred grains of wheat arise. 32 My soul is troubled now; What shall I say? And then he cast his eyes to heaven and said, 33 My Father-God, I would not ask to be relieved of all the burdens I must bear; I only ask for grace and strength to bear the burdens whatsoe'er they be, 34 This is the hour for which I came to earth. O Father, glorify thy name! 35 And then the place was lighted with a light more brilliant than the noonday sun; the people stood a-back; they were afraid. 36 And then a voice that seemed to come from heaven said, 37 I have both glorified my name and yours, and I will honour them again. 38 The people heard the voice, and some exclaimed, Behold, a distant thunder! Others said, An angel spoke to him. 39 But Jesus said, This voice was not for me; it was for you, that you might know that I am come from God. 40 Now is the judgment of the world at hand; the prince of darkness shall be manifest and go unto his own. 41 The son of man will now be lifted up from earth, and he will draw all men unto himself. 42 The people said, The law declares that Christ abides for evermore. How can you say, The son of man will now be lifted up? Who is the son of man? 43 And Jesus said to them, The light is shining now; walk in the light while you still have the light. 44 The darkness comes; but he who walks in darkness cannot find the way. 45 Again I say, Walk in the light while you still have the light, that men may know that you are sons of light. 46 And Jesus stood out in the temple porch, and made his last appeal unto the multitudes; he said, 47 He who believes in me, believes in God who sent me forth to do his will, and he who sees me now beholds my Father-God. 48 Behold, I came a light unto the world; he who believes in me shall walk in light, the light of life. 49 You men who hear me now, If you believe me not, I judge you not. 50 I am not come to judge the world, but I am come to save the world. 51 God is only judge of men; but what I speak will stand against you in the day when God will judge the world; 52 For from myself I do not speak; I speak the words that God has given me to speak. 53 And then he said, Jerusalem, with all your glory and your crimes, Farewell.

Chapter 157

The Christines upon Mount Olives. Jesus prophesys the destruction of Jerusalem, and of terrible disasters that will mark the conclusion of the age. He exhorts his disciples to faithfulness.

WHEN Jesus with the twelve went forth and sat upon Mount Olives, just beyond the city's gate. 2 And his disciples said, Behold the wondrous city of Jerusalem! its homes are all so beautiful! its temples and its shrines are clothed in such magnificence! 3 And Jesus said, The city is the glory of my people, Israel, but, lo, the time will come when every stone will be cast down, and it will be a hiss and byword for the nations of the earth. 4 And the disciples asked, When will this desolation come? 5 And Jesus said, This round of human life will not be full until the armies of the conqueror will thunder at her gates, and they will enter in, and blood will flow like water through the streets. 6 And all the precious furnishings of temple, court and palaces will be destroyed, or carried off to deck the palaces and courts of kings. 7 Behold, these days are not at hand. Before they come, lo, you shall be maltreated by the scribes and Pharisees, the high priests and the doctors of the law. 8 Without a cause you will be haled into courts; you will be stoned; you will be beaten in the synagogues; will stand condemned before the rulers of this world, and governors and kings will sentence you to death. 9 But you will falter not, and you will testify for truth and righteousness. 10 And in these hours be anxious not about your speech; you need not think of what to say; 11 For, lo, the Holy Breath will overshadow you and give you words to say. 12 But then the carnage will go on, and men will think that they are pleasing God by killing you, and nations far and near will hate you for the sake of Christ. 13 And men will stir up evil thought among your kin, and they will hate you and will give you up to die. 14 And brothers will be false to brothers; fathers will stand forth and testify against their own, and children will drive parents to the funeral pile. 15 When you shall hear the Roman eagle screaming in the air, and see his legions streaming o'er the plain, then know the desolation of Jerusalem is near. 16 Then let the wise wait not, but flee. Let him who is upon his house wait not to enter in the house to gather up his wealth, but let him flee. 17 And he who labours in the field must not return, but leave his all to save his life. 18 And woe to mothers with their little children in that day; none shall escape the sword. 19 The tribulation of these days cannot be told in words, for such has never been since God created man upon the earth. 20 The conqueror will carry many of the sons of Abraham away as captives into foreign lands, and they who know not Israel's God will tread the highways of Jerusalem until the antiJewish times have been fulfilled. 21 But when the people have been punished for their crimes, the tribulation days will end; but lo, the time will come when all the world will rise, like gladiators in a ring, and fight just for the skae of shadding blood. 22 And men will reason not; they will not see, nor care to see a cause for carnage, desolation, thefts; for they will war with friend or foe. 23 The very air will seem surcharged with smoke of death; and pestilence will follow close upon the sword. 24 And signs that men have never seen will appear in heaven and earth; in sun, and moon, and stars. 25 The seas will roar, and sounds will come from heaven that men can never comprehend, and these will bring distress of nations with perplexity. 26 Hearts of the strongest men will faint in fear, in expectation of the coming of more frightful things upon the earth. 27 But while the conflicts rage on land and sea, the Prince of PEace will stand above the clouds of heaven and say again: 28 Peace, peace on earth; good will to men; and every man will throw away his sword, and nations will learn war no more. 29 And then the man who bears the pitcher will walk forth across an arc of heaven; the sign and signet of the son of man will stand forth in the eastern sky. 30 The wise will then lift up their heads and know that the redemption of the earth is near. 31 Before these days shall come, behold, false Christs and poor deluded prophets will arise in many lands. 32 And they will show forth signs, and do a multitude of mighty works; and they will lead astray the many who are not wise; and many of the wise will be deceived. 33 And now I tell you once again, When men shall say, The Christ is in the wilderness, go you not forth. 34 And if they say, THe Christ is in the secret place, believe it not; for when he comes the world will know that he has come. 35 For as the morning light comes from the east and shines unto the west; so shall be the coming of the age and son of man. 36 The wicked of the earth will weep when they shall see the son of man come down upon the clouds of heaven, in power. 37 Take heed you, O take hedd, for you know not the hour nor the day when comes the son of man. 38 Let not your hearts be overcharged with sensuous things, nor with the cares of life, lest that day come and find you unprepared. 39 Keep watch at every season of the year; and pray that you may meet the Lord with joy and not with grief. 40 Before those days shall come our Father-God will send his messengers abroad, yea, to the corners of the earth, and they will say. 41 Prepare you, O prepare; the Prince of Peace shall come, and now is coming on the clouds of heaven. 42 When JEsus had thus said, he went with his disciples back to Bethany.

Chapter 158

Jesus and the twelve at prayer in Olivet. Jesus reveals to his disciples the deeper meanings of secret doctrines. He tells them what to teach the people. Relates a number of parables. They return to Bethany.

THE morning of the Wednesday of the week was come, and Jesus with the twelve went out to Olivet to pray; and they were lost in prayer for seven hours. 2 Then Jeus called the twelve close to his side and said, This day the curtain parts and we will step beyond the veil into the secret courts of God. 3 And Jesus opened up to them the meaning of the hidden way, and of the Holy Breath, and of the light that cannot fail. 4 He told them all about the Book of Life, the Rolls of Graphael, the Book of God's Remembrance where all the thoughts and words of men are written down. 5 He did not speak aloud to them; he told the secrets of the masters in an undertone, and when he spoke the name of God there was a silence inthe courts of heaven for half an hour, for angels spoke with bated breath. 6 And Jesus said, These things may not be spoken out aloud; they never may be written down; they are the messages of Silenceland; they are the Breathings of the inner heart of God. 7 And then the master taught the twelve the lessons they should teach to other men. He sometimes taught in parables; he said, 8 You call to mind the words of yesterday about the coming of the son of man. Now, you shall teach to other men what I have spoken and am speaking unto you; 9 Teach them to pray and not to faint; to be prepared at every moment of the day, for when they least expect him, then the Lord will come. 10 A man went to a distant land and left his house and all his wealth in care of servants; five to guard his house and five to guard his barns and herds. 11 The servants waited long for his return, but he came not, and they grew careless in their work; some spent their time in revellings and drunkenness, and some slept at their posts. 12 And night by night the robbers came and carried off the wealth from house and barn, and drove away the choicest of the herds. 13 And when they knew that much of all the wealth that they were left to guard had been purloined, they said, 14 We cannot be to blame; if we had known the day and hour when our lord would come again we would have guarded well his wealth, and suffered not the thieves to carry it away; he surely is at fault because he told us not. 15 But after many days the lord returned, and when he knew that thieves had robbed him of his wealth, he called his servants and he said to them, 16 Because you have neglected what was given you to do, have spent your time in revellings and sleep, behold you all are debtors unto me. 17 What I have lost by your neglect, you owe to me. And then he gave them heavy tasks to do, and bound them to their posts with chains, where they remained till they had paid for all the goods their lord had lost through their neglect. 18 Another man locked up his wealth and went to sleep, and in the night time robbers came, unlocked his doors, and when they saw no guard, they entered in and carried off his wealth. 19 And when the man awoke and found his doors ajar and all his treasures gone, he said, If I had known the hour when the thieves would come I would have been on guard. 20 Beware, my friends, beware! and be prepared at every hour, and if your Lord shall come at midnight or at dawn, it matters not, for he will find you ready to receive. 21 And then, behold, a marraige was announced, and virgins, ten of them, were set apart to meet the bridegroom when he came. 22 The virgins clothed themselves in proper garbs, and took their lamps and sat in waiting for the watch to say, Behold, the bridegroom comes! 23 Now, five were wise; they filled their lamps with oil; and five were foolish, for they carried empty lamps. 24 The groom came not at the expected time; the virgins were a-weary with their watch and slept. 25 At midnight came the cry, Behold, the bridegroom comes! 26 The virgins rose; the wise ones quickly trimmed their lamps and went forth ready to receive the groom. 27 The foolish virgins said, We have no oil, our lamps burn not. 28 They sought to borrow from the wise, who said, We have no oil to spare; Go to the merchant men and buy and fill your lamps and then come forth to meet the groom. 29 But while they went to purchase oil, the bridegroom came; the virgins who were ready with their lamps all trimmed went with him to the marraige feast. 30 And when the foolish virgins came the door was shut, and though they knocked and called aloud, the door was opened not. 31 The master of the feast exclaimed, I know you not! and in disgrace the virgins went their way. 32 Again I say to you, and you shall say to them who follow you, 33 Be ready every moment of the day and night, because when you expect him not, the Lord will come. 34 Behold, when he will come with all his messengers of light, the Book of Life, and that of Records, shall be opened up-- the books in which the thought and words and deeds are written down. 35 And every one can read the records he has written for himself, and he will know his doom before the judge shall speak, and this will be the sifting time. 36 According to their records men will find their own. 37 The judge is Righteousness, the king of all the earth, and he will separate the multitudes as shepherds separate the sheep and goats. 38 The sheep will find their places on the right, the goats upon the left, and every man will know his place. 39 And then the judge will say, to those upon the right, You blessed of the Father- God, come unto your inheritance, which was prepared for you from times of old. 40 You have been servants of the race; and I was hungry and you gave me bread; was thirsty and you gave me drink; was naked and you gave me clothes; 41 Was sick, you ministered to me; and was in prison and you came to me with words of cheer; I was a stranger and in your homes I found a home. 42 Then will the righteous say, When did we see you hungry, thirsty, sick, imprisoned or a stranger at our gates and ministered to you? 43 And then the judge will say, You served the sons of men, and whatsoever you have done for these, that you have done for me. 44 The judge will say to those upon the left, Depart from me; you have not served the sons of men. 45 I was hungry and you gave me naught to eat; was thirsty and you gave me naught to drink; I was a stranger and you drove me from your door; I was imprisoned and was sick, you did not minister to me. 46 Then these will say, When did we thus neglect to care for you? When did we see you hungry, thirsty, sick, a stranger or in prison and did not minister to you? 47 And then the judge will say, Your life is full of self; you served the self and not your fellow man, and when you slighted one of these, you slighted and neglected me. 48 Then will the righteous have the kingdom and theb power, and they who are unrighteous shall go forth to pay their debts, to suffer all that men have suffered at their hands. 49 They who have ears to hear and hearts to understand will comprehend these parables. 50 When he had finished all these parables he said, You know that in two days the great passover feast will come, and lo, the son of man will be betrayed into the hands of wicked men. 51 And he will give his life upon the cross, and men will know that he, the son of man, is son of God. 52 Then Jesus and the twelve returned to Bethany.

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

Chapter 159

The Christines attend a feast in Simon's house. Mary anoints the master with a costly balm, and Judas and others rebuke her for profligacy. Jesus defends her. The rulers of the Jews employ Ananias to arrest Jesus. Ananias bribes Judas to aid him.

BAR-SIMON, who was once a leper and was cleansed by Jesus by the sacred Word, abode in Bethany. 2 In honour of the Christine Lord he gave a feast, and Lazarus was among the guests, and Ruth and Martha served. 3 And as the guests reclined about the table, Mary took a cruse of rich perfume and poured it out on Jesus' head and feet. 4 And then she knelt and with her hair she wiped his feet; the odour of the rich perfume filled all the room. 5 Now, Judas, always looking at the selfish side of life, exclaimed, For shamed, why did you waste that costly perfume thus? 6 We might have sold it for three hundred pence, and had the money to supply our wants and feed the poor. 7 (Now, Judas was the treasurer, and carried all the money of the Christine band.) 8 And others said, Why, Mary, what a profligate you are! You should not throw such wealth away. 9 But Jesus said, You men, be still; let her alone; you know not what you say. 10 The poor are with you constantly; at any time you can administer to them; but I will not be with you long. 11 And Mary knows the sadness of the coming days; she has anointed me beforehand for my burial. 12 The gospel of the Christ will everywhere be preached, and he who tells the story of the Christ will tell about this day; and what was done by Mary at this hour will be a sweet memorial to her wherever men abide. 13 And when the feast was over Jesus went with Lazarus to his home. 14 Now, in Jerusalem the priests and Pharisees were busy with their plans to seize the Lord and take his life. 15 The high priest called a counsel all the wisest men and said, This deed must be accomplished in a secret way. 16 He must be taken when the multitudes are not a-near, else we may cause a war; the common people may stand forth in his defence and thus pollute this sacred place with human blood. 17 And what we do, that we must do before the great day of the feast. 18 And Ananias said, I have a plan that will succeed. The twelve with Jesus every day go forth alone to pray; 19 And we will find their trysting place; then we can seize the man and bring him here without the knowledge of the multitudes. 20 I know one of the twelve, a man who worships wealth, and for a sum I think that he will lead the way to where the man is wont to pray. 21 And then Caiaphas said, If you will lead the way and bribe the man of whom you speak, to aid in seizing Jesus in a secret place, then we will give to you a hundred silver pieces for your hire. 22 And Ananias said, 'Tis well. 23 And then he went to Bethany and found the twelve at Simon's house and, calling Judas to the side he said, 24 If you would care to make a sum of money for yourself hear me: 25 The high priest and other rulers in Jerusalem would like to talk with Jesus when alone, that they may know about his claims; 26 And if he proves himself to be the Christ, lo, they will stand in his defence. 27 Now, if you will but lead the way to where your master is tomorrow night that they may send a priest to talk with him alone, there is a sum of silver, thirty pieces, that the priests will give to you: 28 And Judas reasoned with himself; he said, It surely may be well to give the Lord a chance to tell the priests about his claims when he is all alone. 29 And if the priests would do him harm he has the power to disappear and go his way as he has done before; and thirty pieces is a goodly sum. 30 And so he said to Ananias, I will lead the way, and by a kiss make known which person is the Lord.

Chapter 160

Jesus and the twelve eat the passover alone in Nicodemus' house. Jesus washes the disciples' feet. Judas leaves the table and goes forth to betray the Lord. Jesus teaches the eleven. He institutes the Lord's supper.

ON Thursday morning Jesus called to him the twelve disciples, and he said to them, This is God's remembrance day, and we will eat the pascal supper all alone. 2 And then he said to Peter, James and John, Go now into Jerusalem and there prepare the pasch. 3 And the disciples said, Where would you have us go to find the place where we may have the feast prepared? 4 And Jesus said, Go by the fountain gate and you will see a man who has a pitcher in his hand. Speak unto him and say: This is the first day of unleavened bread; 5 The Lord would have you set apart your banquet hall where he may eat his last passover with the twelve, 6 Fear not to speak; the man whom you will see is Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews, and yet a man of God. 7 And the disciples went and found the man as Jesus said, and Nicodemus hastened to his home; the banquet hall, an upper room, was set apart, the supper was prepared. 8 Now, in the afternoon the Lord and his disciples went up to Jerusalem and found the feast in readiness. 9 And when the hour had come to eat the feast, the twelve began to strive among themselves, each anxious to secure the honoured seats. 10 And Jesus said, My friends, would you contend for self just as the shadows of this night of gloom comes on? 11 There is no honoured seat at heaven's feast except for him who humbly takes the lowest seat. 12 And then the Lord arose and took a basin full of water and a towel, and bowing down, he washed the feet of all the twelve and dried them with the towel. 13 He breathed upon them and he said, And may these feet walk in the ways of righteousness for evermore. 14 He came to Peter and was about to wash his feet, and Peter said, would you wash my feet? 15 And Jesus said, You do not comprehend the meaning of the thing I do, but you will comprehend. 16 And Peter said, My master, no, you shall not stoop to wash my feet. 17 And Jesus said, My friend, if I wash not your feet you have no part with me. 18 And Peter said, Then, O my Lord, wash both my feet, my hands, my head. 19 And Jesus said to him, He who has taken first his bath is clean, and has no need to wash, except his feet. 20 The feet are truly symbols of the understanding of the man, and he who would be clean must, in the living stream of life, wash well his understanding every day. 21 Then Jesus sat with his disciples at the table of the feast and said, Behold the lesson of the hour: 22 You call me master; such I am. If, then, your Lord and master kneel and wash your feet, should you not wash each other's feet and thus show forth your willingness to serve? 23 You know these things, and if you do them, blessed thrice are you. 24 And then he said, This is an hour when I can truly praise the name of God, for I have greatly wished to eat with you this feast before I pass the veil; 25 For I will eat it not again until anew I eat it with you in the kingdom of our Father- God. 26 And then they sung the Hebrew song of praise that Jews were wont to sing before the feast. 27 And then they ate the pasch and as they ate, the master said, Behold, for one of you will turn away this night and will betray me into wicked hands. 28 And the disciples were amazed at what he said; they looked into each other's face in wonderment; they all exclaimed, Lord, is it I? 29 And Peter said to John, who sat beside the Lord, To whom does he refer? 30 And John put forth his hand and touched the master's hand and said, Which one of us is so depraved as to betray his Lord? 31 And Judas said, Lord, is it I? 32 And Jesus said, He is the one who now has put his hand with mine into the dish. They looked, and Judas' hand was with the hand of Jesus in the dish. 33 And Jesus said, The Prophets cannot fail; the son of man must be betrayed, but woe to him who shall betray his Lord. 34 And from the table Judas rose at once; his hour had come. 35 And Jesus said to him, Do quickly what you are to do. And Judas went his way. 36 And when the pasch was done the Lord with the eleven sat a while in silent thought. 37 Then Jesus took a loaf of bread that had been broken not and said, This loaf is symbol of my body, and the bread is symbol of the bread of life; 38 And as I break this loaf, so shall my flesh be broken as a pattern for the sons of men; for men must freely give their bodies up in willing sacrifice for other men. 39 And as you eat this bread, so shall you eat the bread of life, and never die. And then he gave to each a piece of bread to eat. 40 And then he took a cup of wine and said, Blood is the life, this is the life-blood of the grape; it is the symbol of the life of him who gives his life for men. 41 And as you drink this wine, if you shall drink in faith, you drink the life of Christ. 42 And then he supped and passed the cup, and the disciples supped; and Jesus said, This is the feast of life, the great passover of the son of man, the Supper of the Lord, and you shall often eat the bread and drink the wine. 43 From henceforth shall this bread be called Remembrance bread; this wine shall be Remembrance wine; and when you eat this bread and drink this wine remember me.

Chapter 161

Jesus teaches the eleven. Tells them that they will all be estranged from him, and that Peter will deny him thrice before the morning. He speaks final words of encouragement. Promises the Comforter.

NOW, after Judas had gone forth to meet the emissaries of the priests and to betray his Lord, 2 The master said, The hour has come, the son of man will now be glorified. 3 My little children, I am with you yet a little while; soon you will seek me and will find me not, for where I go you cannot come. 4 I give to you a new command: As I love you and give my life for you, so shall you love the world, and give your life to save the world. 5 Love one another as you love yourselves, and then the world will know that you are sons of God, disciples of the son of man whom God has glorified. 6 And Peter said, Lord, where you go there I will go, for I would lay my life down for my Lord. 7 And Jesus said, Boast not of bravery, my friend; you are not strong enough to-night to follow me. 8 Now, Peter, hear! you will deny me thrice before the cock shall crow to-morrow morn. 9 And then he looked upon the eleven and said, You all will be estranged from me this night. 10 The prophet said, Lo, he will smite the shepherd of the sheep; the sheep will flee and hide away. 11 But after I am risen from the dead, lo, you will come again, and I will go before you into Galilee. 12 And Peter said, My Lord, though every other man forsake you I will not. 13 And Jesus said, O Simon Peter, lo, your zeal is greater than your fortitude! Behold, for Satan cometh up to sift you as a pan of wheat, but I have prayed that in your faith you shall not fail; that after trial you may stand a tower of strength. 14 And the disciples all exclaimed, There is no power on earth that can estrange, or cause us to deny our Lord. 15 And Jesus said, Let not your hearts be sad; you all believe in God; believe in me. 16 Behold, for there are many mansions in my Fatherland. If there were not I would have told you so. 17 I will go unto my Fatherland, and I will prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be. But now you do not know the way unto my Fatherland. 18 And Thomas said, We do not know where you intend to go; how could we know the way? 19 And Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, the life; I manifest the Christ of God. No man can reach my Fatherland except he comes with me through Christ. 20 If you had known and comprehended me, then you would know my Father-God. 21 And Philip said, Show us the Father and we will be satisfied. 22 And Jesus said, Have I been with you all these years and still you know me not? 23 He who has seen the son has seen the Father has revealed himself. 24 Lo, I have told you many times that what I speak and what I do are not the words and works of man; 25 They are the words of God, who lives in me and I in him. 26 Hear me, you faithful men: He who believes in me and in my Father-God shall say and do what I have said and done. 27 Yea, more, he shall do greater works than I have ever done, because I go to him whose works we do, and then I can reach forth my hand in helpfulness. 28 And in my name, through Christ, you may petition God and he will grant you your request. 29 Do you believe what I have said? Yes, you believe, and if you love the Christ and follow me then you will keep my words. 30 I am the vine; you are the branches of the vine; my Father is the husbandmen. 31 The branches that are worthless, bearing naught but leaves, the husbandmen will cut away and cast into the fire to be burned. 32 And he will prune the branches that bear fruit that they may yield abundantly. 33 The branch cannot bear fruit if separated from the vine; and you cannot bear fruit when separate from me. 34 Abide in me, and do the works that God, through me, has taught you how to do, and you will bear much fruit, and God will honour you as he has honoured me. 35 And now I go my way, but I will pray my Father-God and he will send another Comforter to you, who will abide with you. 36 Behold, this Comforter of God, the Holy Breath, is one with God, but she is one the world cannot receive because it sees her not; it knows her not. 37 But you know her, and will know her, because she will abide within your soul. 38 I will not leave you desolate, but in the Christ, which is the love of God made manifest to men, I will be with you all the way.

Chapter 162

Jesus reveals more fully the mission of the Holy Breath. Tells his disciples plainly that he is about to die, and they are sad. He prays for them and all the world of believers. They leave the banquet hall.

NOW, John was deeply grieved because the master said, I go away, and where I go you cannot come. 2 He wept and said, Lord, I would go with you through every trial and to death. 3 And Jesus said, And you shall follow me through trials and through death; but now you cannot go where I will go; but you shall come. 4 And Jesus spoke again unto the eleven and said, Grieve not because I go away, for it is best that I should go away. If I go not the Comforter will not come to you. 5 These things I speak while with you in the flesh, but when the Holy Breath shall come in power, lo, she will teach you more and more, and bring to your remembrance all the words that I have said to you. 6 There are a multitude of things yet to be said; things that this age cannot receive, because it cannot comprehend. 7 But, lo, I say, Before the great day of the Lord shall come, the Holy Breath will make all mysteries known-- 8 The mysteries of the soul, of life, of death, of immortality; the oneness of a man with every other man and with his God. 9 Then will the world be led to truth, and man will be the truth. 10 When she has come, the Comforter, she will convince the world of sin, and of the truth of what I speak, and of the judgement of the just; and then the prince of carnal life will be cast out. 11 And when the Comforter shall come I need not intercede for you; for you will stand approved, and God will know you then as he knows me. 12 The hour has come when you will weep; the wicked will rejoice, because I go away; but I will come again, and all your sorrows shall be turned to joy; 13 Yea, verily, you will rejoice as one who welcomes back a brother from the dead. 14 And the disciples said, Our Lord, speak not in proverbs any more; speak plainly unto us; we know that you are wise and know all things. 15 What is the meaning of your words, I go away, but I will come again? 16 And Jesus said, The hour is come when you will all be scattered forth, and every man will be afraid; 17 Will flee to save his life and leave me alone; yet I will not be all alone; my Father- God is with me all the way. 18 And wicked men will take me to the judgment seat of wicked men and in the presence of the multitudes I will give up my life, a pattern for the sons of men. 19 But I will rise again and come to you. 20 These things I speak that you may be established in the faith when they shall come to pass. 21 And you shall bear the buffetings of men, and follow in the thorny path I tread. 22 Be not dismayed; be of good cheer, Lo, I have overcome the world, and you shall overcome the world. 23 Then Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, My Father-God, the hour has come; 24 The son of man must now be lifted from the earth, and may he falter not, that all the world may know the power of sacrifice; 25 For as I give my life for men, lo, men must give their lives for other men. 26 I came to do thy will, O God, and in the sacred name, the Christ is glorified, that men may see the Christ as life, as light, as truth. 27 And through the Christ become themselves the life, the light, the love, the truth. 28 I praise thy name because of these whom thou hast given me, for they have honoured thee and they will honour thee; 29 And none of them are lost, and none are gone away, except the blinded son of carnal life, who hath gone forth to sell his Lord. 30 O God, forgive this man because he knows not what he does. 31 And now, O God, I come to thee, and am no more in mortal life; keep thou these men to whom I have made known thy wisdom and thy love. 32 As they believe in me, and in the words I speak, may all the worlds believe in them and in the words they speak. 33 As thou hast sent me forth into the world, so I have sent them forth. I pray that thou wouldst honour them as thou hast honoured me. 34 I do not pray that thou wouldst take them from the world, but that they may be guarded from the evil of the world, and not be subject to temptations that are too great for them to bear. 35 They once were of the world, but now are of the world no more, as I am of the world no more. 36 Thy word is truth, O God, and by thy word let them be sanctified. 37 I do not pray for these alone, O God; I also pray for all who will believe on me, and will accept the Christ because of what they do and say, that they may all be one. 38 As I am one with thee, and thou art one with me, may they be one with us, 39 That all the world may know that htou hast sent me forth to do thy will, and that thou lovest them as thou hast ever loved me. 40 When Jesus had thus said, they sung the Jewish song of praise, and then arose and went their way.

Chapter 163

Jesus visits Pilate, who urges him to flee from the country to save his life. Jesus refuses to do so. He meets his disciples in Massalian's orchard. The scene in Gethsemane. The Jewish mob led by Judas appears.

AS Jesus and the eleven went out, a Roman guard approached and said, All hail! Is one of you the man from Galilee? 2 And Peter said, We all are men from Galilee; whom do you seek? 3 The guard replied, I seek for Jesus, who is called the Christ. 4 And Jesus answered, Here am I. 5 The guard spoke out and said, I do not come in an official way; I bear to you a message from the governor. 6 Jerusalem is all alive with vengeful Jews who swear that they will take your life, and Pilate would confer with you, and he would have you come to him without delay. 7 And Jesus said to Peter and the rest, Go to the vale, and by the Kidron wait for me, and I will go alone and see the governor. 8 And Jesus went up with the guard, and when he reached the palace, Pilate met him at the gate and said, 9 Young man, I have a word to say that may be well for you. I have observed your works and words three years and more; 10 And I have often stood in your defence when your own countrymen would fain have stoned you as a criminal. 11 But now the priests, the scribes and Pharisees have stirred the common people to a stage of frenzied wantonness and cruelty, and they intend to take your life. 12 Because, they say, that you have sworn to etar their temple down; to chage the laws that Moses gave; to exile Pharisee and priest and seat yourself upon a throne. 13 And they aver that you are fully in league with Rome. 14 The streets of all Jerusalem are filled this moment with a horde of madmen all intent to shed your blood. 15 There is no safety for you but in flight; wait not until the morning sun. You know the way to reach the border of this cursed land. 16 I have a little band of guards, well horsed and armed, and they will take you out beyond the reach of harm. 17 You must not tarry here, young man, you must arise and go. 18 And Jesus said, A noble prince has Caesar in his Pilate Pontius, and from the point of carnal man your words are seasoned with the wise man's salt; but from the point of Christ your words are follishness. 19 The coward flees when danger comes; but he who comes to seek and save the lost must give his life in willing sacrifice for those he comes to seek and save. 20 Before the pasch has been consumed, lo, all this nation will be cursed by shedding blood of innocence; and even now the murderers are at the door. 21 and Pilate said, It shall not be; the sword of Rome will be unsheathed to save your life. 22 And Jesus said, Nay, Pilate, nay; there are no armies large enough in all the world to save my life. 23 And Jesus bade the governor farewell, and went his way; but Pilate sent a double guard with him lest he should fall into the hands of those who were alert to take his life. 24 But in a moment Jesus disappeared; the guards saw him no more, and in a little while he reached the brook of Kidron where the eleven were. 25 Now, just beyond the brook there was an orchard and a home where one, Massalian, lived, where Jesus oft had been. 26 Massalian was his friend, and he believed that Jesus was the Christ that Jewish prophets long ago had said would come. 27 Now, in the orchard was a sacred knoll; Massalian called the place Gethsemane. 28 The night was dark, but in the orchard it was doubly dark and Jesus bade the eight disciples tarry by the brook, 29 While he, with Peter, James and John went to Gethsemane to pray. 30 They sat beneath an olive tree, and Jesus opened up the mysteries of life to Peter, James and John. He said, 31 The Spirit of eternity is One unmanifest; and this is God the Father, God the Mother, God the Son in One. 32 In life of manifests the One became the Three, and God the Father is the God of might; and God the Mother is omniscient God, and God the Son is love. 33 And God the Father is the power of heaven and earth; and God the Mother is the Holy Breath, the thought of heaven and earth; and God the Son, the only son, is Christ, and Christ is love. 34 I came as man to manifest this love to men, 35 As man I have been subject unto all the trials and temptations of the human race; but I have overcome the flesh, with all its passions and its appetites. 36 What I have done all men can do. 37 And I am now about to demonstrate the power of man to conquer death; for every man is God made flesh. 38 I will lay down my life, and I will take it up again, that you may know the mysteries of life, of death, and of the resurrection of the dead. 39 I lay me down in flesh, but I will rise in spirit form with power to manifest myself so mortal eyes can see. 40 So in a trinity of days I will show forth the all of life, the all of death, the meaning of the resurrection of the dead. 41 And what I do all men can do. 42 And you, my three, who constitute the inner circle of the Church of Christ, will show to men the attributes of all the Gods. 43 And Peter shall make known the Power of God; and James shall show Thought of God; and John shall deomonstrate the Love of God. 44 Be not afraid of men, for you have been sent forth to do the mighty works of God the Father, God the Mother, God the Son. 45 And all the powers of carnal life cannot destroy your life until your work is done. 46 I leave you now, and I will go out in the darkness all alone and talk with God. 47 By sorrow I am overwhelmed I leave you here to watch with me. 48 Then Jesus went three hundred cubits toward the east, and fell upon his face and prayed; he said, 49 My God! my God! is there a way by which I may escape the horrors of the coming hours? My human flesh shrinks back; my soul is firm; so not my will, but thine, O God, be done. 50 In agony he prayed; the strain upon the human form was great; his veins were burst asunder, and his brow was bathed in blood. 51 And then he went back to the three, and found them all asleep; he said, 52 O Simon, Simon, do you sleep! Could you not watch with me a single hour? Be vigilant, and watch and pray that your temptations be not too great for you to bear. 53 I know the spirit is alert and willing; but the flesh is weak. 54 And then he went again and prayed, O Father, God! if I must drink this bitter cup, give me the strength of soul; for not my will, but thine be done. 55 And then he went again to his disciples; lo, he found them still asleep. He wakened them and said to James. 56 Have you been sleeping while your master has been wrestling with the greatest foe of men? Could you not watch with me a single hour? 57 And then he went again and prayed. O God, I yield to thee; thy will be done. 58 And then again he went back to the three, and still they slept. he said to John. 59 With all the love you have for me, could you not watch with me a single hour? 60 And then he said, It is enough; the hour has come, and my betrayer is at hand; arise and let us go. 61 And when they came again to Kidron, lo, the eight disciples were asleep, and Jesus said, You men, awake; behold, for the betrayer of the son of man is come.

Chapter 164

Judas betrays his Lord with a kiss. Jesus is seized by the mob and the disciples flee to save their lives. Jesus is taken unto Jerusalem, Peter and John follow the mob.

THE Lord with the eleven were in the orchard of Massalian, and as they talked they saw a band of men with lanterns and with swords and clubs approaching them. 2 And Jesus said, Behold the emissaries of the evil one! and Judas leads the way. 3 And the disciples said, Lord, let us flee to save our lives. 4 But Jesus said, Why should we flee to save our lives when this is the fulfilment of the words of prophets and of seers? 5 And Jesus went alone to meet the men; and as they came he said, Why are you here, you men? whom do you seek? 6 And they replied, We seek the man from Galilee. We seek for Jesus, one who calls himself the Christ. 7 And Jesus answered, Here am I. 8 And then he raised his hands and with a mighty thought he brought the ethers to the state of light; and all the orchard was aglow with light. 9 The frenzied men were driven back and many fled and tarried not until they reached Jerusalem; and others fell upon their faces on the ground. 10 The bravest men, and they with hardest hearts, remained, and when the light had paled, the Lord again inquired, Whom do you seek? 11 And Ananias said, We seek the man from Galilee; we seek for Jesus, he who calls himself the Christ. 12 And Jesus answered him and said, I told you once before; but now I tell you once again that I am he. 13 By Ananias, Judas stood; but in a moment he had gone and coming up behind the Lord he said, My Lord; and then he kissed him as a sign that he was Jesus whom they sought. 14 And Jesus said, Do you, Iscariot, come and thus betray your master with a kiss? 15 This thing must need be done; but woe to him who does betray his Lord. 16 Your carnal greed has seared your conscience and you know not what you do; but in a little time your conscience will assert itself, and in remorse, lo, you will close your span and take your life. 17 Then the eleven came, laid hold of Judas and would have done him harm; but Jesus said, 18 You must not harm this man; you have no right to judge this man; his conscience is his judge, will sentence him and he will execute himself. 19 And then the mob led on by Malchus, servant of Caiaphas, laid hold of Jesus, and was binding him with chains. 20 And Jesus said, Why do you come in dead of night with swords and clubs to take me in this sacred place? 21 Have I not spoken in the public places of Jerusalem? Have I not healed you sick, and opened up your blinded eyes, and made your lame to walk, your deaf to hear? You could have found me any day. 22 And now you try to bind me down with chains, what are these chains but links of reeds? And then he raised his hands; the chains were broken and they fell to earth. 23 And Malchus thought the Lord would flee to save his life, and with a club he fain would smite him in the face. 24 But Peter had a sword, and rushing up he smote the man and wounded him. 25 But Jesus said, Stay, Peter, stay; put up your sword; you are not called to fight with swords and clubs. Whoever wields the sword shall perish by the sword. 26 I do not need protection by the sons of men, for I could call this moment and a legion, yea, twelve legions of the messengers of God, would come and stand in my defence; but then it is not well. 27 And then he said to Malchus, Man, I would not have you harmed. And then he laid his hand upon the wound that Peter made, and it was healed. 28 Then Jesus said, Be not concerned lest I should tear myself away from you and flee to save my life. I have no wish to save my life; do with me as you wish. 29 And then the mob rushed up to seize the eleven to take them back to stand for trial as the aids of Jesus in his crimes. 30 But the disciples, every one of them, deserted Jesus, and they fled to save their lives. 31 Now, John was last to flee; the mob laid hold of him and tore his garments all to shreds; but he escaped in nakedness. 32 Massalian saw the man, and took him to his home and gave him other clothes; and then he followed after them who led the Lord away. 33 And Peter was ashamed because of his weak cowardice, and when he was himself again he joined with John and followed close behind the mob, and came into Jerusalem.

The Trial and Execution of Jesus

Chapter 165

Jesus before Caiaphas. Peter denies his Lord thrice. The indictment, signed by seven ruling Jews. A hundred perjured witnesses testify to the truth of the charges.

CAIAPHAS was the high priest of the Jews; the mob led Jesus to his palace hall. 2 The court had been convened, and all the galleries were packed with scribes and Pharisees already sworn as witnesses against the Lord. 3 The maid who kept the palace door knew John and this disciple asked that he and Peter be admitted to the hall. 4 The maid permitted them to enter in, and John went in; but Peter was afraid and tarried in the outer court. 5 The woman said to Peter, as he stood beside the door, Are you a follower of this man from Galilee? 6 And Peter said, No, I am not. 7 The men who had brought Jesus to the hall sat by a fire in the outer court, because the night was cool, and Peter sat with them. 8 Another maid who waited in the place saw Peter and she said to him, You surely are from Galilee; your speech is that of Galilee; you are a follower of this man. 9 And Peter said, I know not what you mean; I do not even know this man. 10 And then a servant of Caiaphas, one of those who seized the Lord and brought him to the court, saw Peter and he said to him, 11 Did I not see you in the orchard of Massalian with this seditious Nazarene? I'm sure I did, and you are one of those who followed him. 12 Then Peter rose and stamped upon the floor, and swore by every sacred thing, that he knew not the criminal. 13 Now, John was standing near and when he heard the words and knew that Peter had denied his Lord, he looked at him in sheer astonishment. 14 Just then a cock crew loud beneath the court, and Peter called to mind the words the Lord had said, 15 Before the cock shall crow to-morrow morn you will deny me thrice. 16 And Peter's conscience smote him heavily, and he went out into the night and wept. 17 Caiaphas sat in state; before him stood the man from Galilee. 18 Caiaphas said, You people of Jerusalem, who is the man that you accuse? 19 They answered: In the name of every loyal Jew we do accuse this man from Galilee, this Jesus, who assumes to be our king, as enemy of God and man. 20 Caiaphas said to Jesus, Man, you are permitted now to speak and tell about your doctrines and your claims. 21 And Jesus said, You priest of carnal man, why do you ask about my words and works? 22 Lo, I have taught the multitudes in every public place; I have restored your sick to health; have caused your deaf to hear, your lame to walk, and I have brought yourdead to life again. 23 My works have not been done in secret place but in your public halls and thoroughfares. 24 Go ask the people, who have not been bought with gold or glittering promises, to tell about my words and works. 25 When Jesus had thus said a Jewish guard came up and smote him in the face and said, How dare you speak thus unto him, the high priest of the Jews? 26 And Jesus said, If I have spoken falsely bear witness unto what I say; If I have told the truth why did you smite me thus? 27 And then Caiaphas said, What'er you, do in a legal way, for we must answer to a higher court for everything we do or say. 28 Let the accusers of this man present their charges in a legal form. 29 And then Caiaphas' scribe stood forth and said, I have the accusations here in legal form; the charges made and signed by scribes and priests and Pharisees. 30 Caiaphas said, Be still, you men, and hear the charges read. The scribe took up a roll and read: 31 To the Sanhedrim of the Jews and to Caiaphas the high priest, most honoured men: 32 The highest duty man can render is to his nation and his own is to protect them from their foes. 33 The people of Jerusalem are conscious that a mighty foe is in their very midst. 34 A man named Jesus has come forth and claims to be heir to David's throne. 35 As an imposter he is foe, and in the name of every loyal Jew we here submit these charges which we are competent to prove; 36 At first, he blasphemes God; he says he is son of God; that he and God are one; 37 And he profanes our holy days by healing, and doing other work upon the Sabbath days; 38 And he proclaims himself the king, successor of our David and our Solomon; 39 And he declares that he will tear our temple down and build it up again in form more glorious in three days; 40 And he declares that he will drive the people from Jerusalem, as he drove out the merchants from the temple court; and bring to occupy our sacred hills a tribe of men that know not God; 41 And he aver that every doctor, scribe and Pharisee and Sadducee, shall go in exile, and shall never more return; 42 And to these charges we do set our hands and seals. Annas. Simon. Abinadab. Annanias. Joash. Azaniah. Hezekiah. 43 Now, when the scibe had read the charges, all the people called for blood; they said, Let such a wretch be stoned; let him be crucified. 44 Caiaphas said, You men of Israel, do you sustain the charges of these men? 45 A hundred men who had been bribed, stood forth to testify; they swore that every charge was true. 46 Caiaphas said to Jesus, Man, have you a word to say? are you the son of God? 47 And Jesus said, So you have said; and then he said no more.

Chapter 166

Jesus before the Sanhedrim. Nicodemus pleads for justice; he shows the incompetency of the witnesses. The council fail to declare Jesus guilty, but Caiaphas, the presiding judge, declares him guilty. The mob maltreat Jesus. He is taken to Pilate's court.

WHEN Jesus would not speak, Caiaphas stood before the Jewish mob and said, 2 Bind fast the prisoner, for he must go before the great Sanhedrim of the Jews to answer for his life. 3 We cannot execute a criminal until our findings have been verified by this, the highest council of the Jews. 4 As soon as it was day the highest council of the people met; the Lord and his accusers stood before the bar. 5 Caiaphas was the chief; he rose and said, Let the accusers of this man from Galilee bring forth their charges and their evidence. 6 Caiaphas' scribe stood forth and read the charges and the names of those who had accused the man from Galilee. 7 And all the witnesses were made to stand and testify before the council of the Jews. 8 And then the lawyers weighed the evidence, and Nicodemus stood among the men who plead. 9 He raised his hands and said, Let justice now be done, though every scribe and Pharisee and priest and Sadducee, as well as Jesus, the accused, be judged a liar. 10 If we can prove this Jesus to be foe and traitor to our laws and lnad, let him be judged acriminal and suffer for his crimes. 11 If it be proved that these who testify are perjurers in the sight of God and man, then let the man from Galilee go free. 12 And then he brought the testimonies of the witnesses before the judges of the law; no two of them agreed; In heat of passion, or for gain, the men had testified. 13 The council would have gladly judged that Jesus was a criminal and sentence him to death; but in the face of all the evidence they were afraid. 14 And then Caiaphas said, You man from Galilee, Before the living God, I now command that you shall answer me, Are you the Christ, the son of God? 15 And Jesus said, If I would answer, Yes, you would not hear, nor yet believe, 16 If I would answer, No, I would be like your witnesses, and stand a liar in the sight of man and God. But this I say, 17 The time will come when you will see the son of man upon the throne of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. 18 And then Caiaphas rent his clothes and said, Have you not heard enough? Did you not hear his vile blasphemous words? What further need have we of witnesses? What shall we do with him? 19 The people said, Put him to death. And then the mob rushed up and spit into his face, and struck him with their hands. 20 And then they bound a cloth about his eyes and smote him in the face and said, You are a prophet; tell us who it was who smote you in the face. 21 And Jesus answered not and like a lamb before his shearer he, the man from Galilee, resisted not. 22 Caiaphas said, We cannot put a man to death until the Roman ruler shall confirm the sentence of this court; 23 So take this criminal away and Pilate will endorse what we have done. 24 And then was Jesus dragged along the way up to the palace of the Roman governor.

Chapter 167

Jesus before Pilate. Is pronounced not guilty. Jesus before Herod and is tortured and returned to Pilate, who again declares him innocent. The Jews demand his death. Pilate's wife urges her husband to have nothing to do with the punishment of Jesus. Pilate weeps.

INTO the palace of the Roman governor the Jews would enter not lest they become defiled and be unworthy to attend the feast; but they led Jesus to the palace court, abd Pilate met them there. 2 And Pilate said, Why this commotion in the early day? What is your prayer? 3 The Jews replied, We bring before you one, an evil and seditious man. 4 He has been tried before the highest council of the Jews and has been proven traitor to our laws, our state and to the government of Rome. 5 We pray that you will sentence him to death upon the cross. 6 And Pilate said, Why do you bring him unto ? Go to, and judge him yourselves. 7 You have a law, and by the sanction of the Roman law, you have a right to judge and right to execute. 8 The Jews replied, We have no right to execute a man upon the cross, and since this man is traitor to Tiberius, our counsellors believe that he should meet the most humiliating death--the death upon the cross. 9 But Pilate said, No man can be found guilty of a crime by Roman law until the testimony all is in, and the accused has been permitted to defend himself; 10 So I will take your bill of charges, with the evidence you have, and judge by Roman law. 11 The Jews had made a copy of the accusations in the language of the Roman court, and they had added to the bill: 12 We charge that Jesus is an enemy of Rome; that he demands that men shall pay no tribute to Tiberius. 13 And Pilate took the bill; his guards led Jesus up the steps into the palace hall. 14 And Jesus stood before the Roman governor, and Pilate read to him the charges of the Jews, and said, 15 What is your answer to this bill? These charges, are they true or false? 16 And Jesus said, Why should I plead before an earthly court? The charges have been verified by perjured men; what need I say? 17 Yes, I am king; but carnal men cannot behold the king, nor see the kingdom of the God; it is within. 18 If I had been king as carnal man is king, my servants would have stood in my defence, and I would not have willingly surrendered to the minions of the Jewish law. 19 I have no testimony from the sons of men. God is my witness, and my words and deeds bear witness to the truth; 20 And every man who comprehends the truth will hearken to my words, and in his soul give witness unto me. 21 And Pilate said, What is the truth? 22 And Jesus said, Truth is the God who knows. It is the changeless one. The Holy Breath is truth; she changes not and cannot pass away. 23 And Pilate went again unto the Jews and said, This man is guilty of no crime; I cannot sentence him to death. 24 And then the Jews grew boisterous; they cried aloud and said, Our council surely knows. The wisest men of all the land have found him guilty of a score of crimes. 25 He would pervert the nation of the Jews; would overthrow the Roman rule and make himself the king. He is a culprit come from Galilee; he must be crucified. 26 And Pilate said, If Jesus is from Galilee he is a subject of the governor of Galilee, who should be judge. 27 Now, Herod had come down from Galilee and with his suite was in Jerusalem. 28 And Pilate sent to him the Lord in chains; he also sent a copy of the charges, and of the testimonies of the Jews and asked that he would pass in judgment on the case. 29 And Herod said, I have heard much about this man and I am pleased to see him in my court. 30 And then he asked the Lord about his claims, about his doctrines and his aims. 31 And Jesus answered not a word; and Herod was enraged; he said, Do you insult the ruler of the land by answering not? 32 and then he called his guards and said, Take you this man and torture him until he answers me. 33 The guards took Jesus and they smote him; mocked him; wrapped him in a royal robe; they made a crown of thorns and put it on his head; they put a broken reed into his hands; 34 And then they said deridingly, All hail, thou royal king! Where are your subjects and your friends? 35 But Jesus answered not a word. Then Herod sent him back to Pilate with this note of courtesy: 36 Most worthy counsellor of Rome, I have examined all the charges and the testimonies that you sent to me regarding this seditious man from Galilee, and while I might adjudge him guilty of the crimes as charged, 37 I yield to you my rights as judge, because you are superior to me in power. I will approve of any judgment you may render in this case. 38 Now, Pilate and the tetrarch had been foes, but the experience of this hour destroyed their enmity and they were friends in after days. 39 When Jesus had been brought again to Pilate's court, the Roman Governor stood forth before the accusers of the Lord and said, 40 I cannot find this Nazarene to be a criminal as charged; there is no evidence that he should suffer death; so I will scourge him well and let him go. 41 The Jews cried angrily, It is not meet that such a dangerous man should live; he must be crucified. 42 Then Pilate said, I bid you wait a little time. And then he went into an inner room and sat in silent thought. 43 And as he mused his wife, a godly woman, chosen from among the Gauls, came in and said, 44 I pray you, Pilate, hearken unto me: Beware of what you do this hour. Touch not this man from Galilee; he is a holy man. 45 If you should scourge this man you scourge the son of God. Last night I saw it all in vision far too vivid to be set aside as idle dream. 46 I saw this man walk on the waters of the sea; I heard him speak and calm an angry storm; I saw him flying with the wings of light; 47 I saw Jerusalem in blood; I saw the statues of the Caesars fall; I aw a veil before the sun, and day was dark as night. 48 The earth on which I stood was shaken like a reed before the wind. I tell you, Pilate, if you bathe your hands in this man's blood then you may dread the frowns of great Tiberius, and the curses of the senators of Rome. 49 And then she left, and Pilate wept.

Chapter 168

Pilate's final effort to release Jesus fails. He washes his hands in feigned innocence. Delivers Jesus to the Jews for execution. The Jewish soldiers drive him to Calvary.

A SUPERSTITIOUS people are the Jews. They have a faith that they have borrowed from the idol worshippers of other lands, that at the end of every year, 2 They may heap all their sins upon the head of some man set apart to bear their sins. 3 The man becomes a scrpegoat for the multitudes; and they believe that when they drive him forth into the wilds, or into foreign lands, they are released from sin. 4 So every spring before the feast they chose a prisoner from the prisons of the land, and by a form their own, they fain would make him bear their sins away. 5 Among the Jewish prisoners in Jerusalem were three who were the leaders of a vile, seditious band, who had engages in thefts and murders and rapine, and had been sentenced to be crucified. 6 Barabbas bar Jezia was among the men who were to die; but he was rich and he had bought of priests the boon to be scapegoat for the people at the coming feast, and he was anxiously in waiting for his hour to come. 7 Now, Pilate thought to turn this superstition to account to save the Lord, and so he went again before the Jews and said, 8 You men of Israel, according to my custom I will release to you to-day a prisoner who shall bear you sins away. 9 This man you drive into the wilds or into foreign lands, and you have asked me to release Barabbas, who has been proven guilty of the murder of a score of men. 10 Now, hear me men, Let Jesus be released and let Barabbas pay his debt upon the cross; then you can send this Jesus to the wilds and hear no more of him. 11 At what the ruler said the people were enraged, and they began to plot to tear the Roman palace down and drive in exile Pilate, and his household and his guards. 12 When Pilate was assured that civil war would follow if he heeded not the wishes of the mob, he took a bowl of water and in the presence of the multitude he washed hid hands and said, 13 This man whom you accuse is son of the most holy Gods, and I proclaim my innocence. 14 If you would shed his blood, his blood is on your hands and not on mine. 15 And then the Jews exclaimed, And let his blood be on our hands and on our children's hands. 16 And Pilate trembled like a leaf, in fear. Barabbas he released and as the Lord stood forth before the mob the ruler said, Behold your king! And would you put to death your king? 17 The Jews replied, He is no king; we have no king but great Tiberius. 18 Now, Pilate would not give consent that Roman soldiers should imbue their hands in blood of innocence, and so the chief priests and the Pharisees took counsel what to do with Jesus, who was called the Christ. 19 Caiaphas said, We cannot crucify this man; he must be stoned to death and nothing more. 20 And then the rabble said, Make haste! let him be stoned. And then they led him forth toward the hill beyond the city's gates, where criminals were put to death. 21 The rabble could not wait until they reached the place of skulls. As soon as they had passed the city's gate, they rushed upon him, smote him with their hands, they spit upon him, stoned and he fell upon the ground. 22 And one, a man of God, stood forth and said, Isaiah said, He shall be bruised for our transgressions and by his stripes we shall be healed. 23 As Jesus lay all bruised and mangled on the ground a Pharisee called out, Stay, stay you men! behold, the guards of Herod come and they will crucify this man. 24 And there beside the city's gate they found Barabbas's cross; and then the frenzied mob cried out, Let him be crucified. 25 Caiaphas and the other ruling Jews came forth and gave consent. 26 And then they lifted Jesus from the ground, and at the point of swords they drove him on. 27 A man named Simon, a friend of Jesus, was a-near the scene and since the bruised and wounded Jesus could not bear his cross, they laid it on the shoulders of this man and made him bear it on to Calvary.

Chapter 169

Judas is filled with remorse. Hurries to the temple and throws the thirty pieces of silver at the feet of the priests who take it and buy a potter's field. Judas hangs himself. His body is buried in the potter's field.

NOW, Judas who betrayed his Lord, was with the mob; but all the time he thought that Jesus would assert his power and demonstrate the strength of God that he possessed, and strike to earth the fiendish multitudes and free himself; 2 But when he saw his master on the ground and bleeding from a score of wounds, he said, 3 O God, what have I done? I have betrayed the son of God; the curse of God will rest upon my soul. 4 And then he turned and ran with haste until he reached the temple door; he found the priests, who gave to him the thirty silver pieces to betray the Lord, and said, 5 Take back your bribe; it is the cost price of my soul; I have betrayed the son of God. 6 The priests replied, That matters not to us. 7 Then Judas threw the silver on the floor, and, bowed with grief, he went away, and on a ledge beyond the city's walls he hanged himself and died. 8 In time the fastenings gave way, his body fell into the Hinnon vale and after many days they found it there a shapeless mass. 9 The rulers could not put the price of blood into the treasury, and so they took the thirty silver pieces with which they bought a potter's field, 10 Where they might bury those who had no rights to lie within their sacred grounds. 11 And there they put the body of the man who sold his Lord.

Chapter 170

The crucifixion. Jesus prays for his murderers. Pilate puts an inscription above the cross. Jesus speaks words of encouragement to the penitent thief. Commits to John the care of his mother and Miriam. The soldiers divide his garments among themselves.

The Jewish mob pushed on toward Calvary and as they went the Marys, Miriam, and other women not a few, were close beside the Lord. 2 They wept aloud. When Jesus saw them weeping and lamenting thus he said, 3 Weep not for me, for though I go away, go through the gateway of the cross, yet on the next day of the sun, lift up your hearts, for I will meet you at the sepulchre. 4 The great procession came to Calvary. The Roman soldiers had already bound the two state prisoners to the cross. 5 (They were not nailed, but simply bound.) 6 Four soldiers of the Roman guard that Herod brought from Galilee were called to execute the orders of the court. 7 These were the men who had been set apart to torture Jesus and secure from him confession of his guilt. 8 These were the men who scourged him, put a crown of thorns upon his head, a broken reed into his hands, and wrapped him in a royal robe, and bowed in mockery, before him as a king. 9 These soldiers took the Lord and stripped him, laid him on the cross and would have bound him there with cords; but this would not suffice. 10 The cruel Jews were near with hammer and with nails; they cried, Not cords, but nails; drive fast the nails and hold him to the cross. 11 And then the soldiers took the nails and drove them through his feet and hands. 12 They offered him a sedative to drink, a draught of vinegar and myrrh; but he refused to drink the draught. 13 The souldiers had prepared a place inwhich to plant Barabbas' cross between the other criminals; and here they raised the cross of Jesus, who was called the Christ; 14 And then the soldiers and the mob sat down to watch him die. 15 And Jesus said, My Father-God, forgive these men; they know not what they do. 16 Now, Pilate had prepared a tablet to be placed upon the cross on which was written in the tongues of Hebrew, Latin and Greek these words of truth: JESUS THE CHRIST, KING OF THE JEWS. 17 And this was placed upon the cross. The priests were angered when they read these words upon the tablet of the cross. 18 And then they prayed that Pilate would not say, He is the Christ, king of the Jews; but say, He claims to be the Christ, king of the Jews. 19 But Pilate said, What I have written, I have written; let it stand. 20 The Jewish multitudes who saw the LOrd upon the cross were wild with joy; they said, All hail, fake king! 21 You who would tear the temple down and in three days would build it up again, why don't you save yourself? 22 If you are Christ, the son of God, come from the cross; then all men will believe. 23 The priests and scribes and Pharisees looked on the scene and scoffed; they said, He rescued others from the grave; why doesn't he save himself? 24 The Jewish soldiers and the Roman guards who came from Galilee were loud in mocking and deriding him. 25 One of the other men upon the cross joined in the mockery; he said, If you are Christ, you have the power; just speak the Word, and save yourself and me. 26 The other man upon the cross rebuked the man; he said, You wretch! have you no fear of God? 27 This man is innocent of any crime while you and I are guilty and are paying up the debts we owe. 28 And then he said to Jesus, Lord, I know thy kingdom comes, the kingdom that the world can never comprehend; 29 And when thou comest on the clouds of heaven, remember me. 30 And Jesus said, Behold, for I will meet you in the realm of souls this day. 31 Now, standing near unto the cross were many women from Judea and from Galilee. Among them were the mother of the Lord and Miriam, 32 And Mary, mother of the two apostles, James and John, and Mary Magdalene, and Martha, Ruth and Mary, and Salome. 33 When Jesus saw his mother and the singer Miriam standing close beside the cross and John a-near, he said to John, 34 In your most tender care I leave my mother and my sister Miriam. 35 And John replied, While they shall live my home shall be the home of your thrice blessed mother and your sister Miriam. 36 According to a custom of the Jews, to those who were the executioners of law and took the lives of criminals, belonged the garments of the criminals. 37 So when the Lord was crucified, the Roman guards divided up among themselves the garments of the Lord. 38 But when they found his coat it was a seamless coat and highly prized. 39 For it the guards cast lots, and thus determined who should have the prize. 40 And thus the scripture was fulfilled, which said, And they divided all my robes among themselves, and for my vesture they cast lots.

Chapter 171

Concluding scenes of the crucifixion. Joseph and Nicodemus, by consent of Pilate, take the body of Jesus from the cross and lay it in Joseph's tomb. A guard of one hundred Jewish soldiers are placed about the sepulchre.

NOW, at the sixth hour of the day, although the sun was at its height, the day became as dark as night; 2 And men sought lanterns and they builded fires upon the hills that they might see. 3 And when the sun refused to shine and darkness came, the Lord exclaimed, Heloi! Heloi! lama sabachthani (Thou sun! thou sun! why hast thou forsaken me?) 4 The people did not understand the words he spoke; they thought he spoke the name Elijah and they said, 5 He calls upon Elijah in his hour of need; now we will see if he will come. 6 And Jesus said, I thirst. A Roman soldier dipped a sponge in vinegar and myrrh, and placed it to his lips. 7 Now, at the ninth hour of the day the earth began to quake, and in the darkness of that sunless day, a flood of golden light appeared above the cross; 8 And from the light a voice was heard which said, Lo, it is done. 9 And Jesus said, My Father-God, into thy hands I give my soul. 10 A Roman soldier in compassion said, This agony is all too great; relief shall come. And with a spear he pierced his heart and it was done; the son of man was dead. 11 And then the earth was shocked again; the city of Jerusalem rocked to and fro; the hills were rent and tombs were opened up; 12 And people thought they saw the dead arise and walk the streets. 13 The temple quivered and the veil between the santuary and the Holy Place was rent in twain, and consternation reigned through all the place. 14 The Roman guard who watched the body on the cross exclaimed, This surely was the son of God who died. 15 And then the people hurried down from Calvary. The priests, the Pharisees and scribes were filled with fear. 16 They sought the cover of their synagogues and homes and said, Behold, the wrath of God! 17 The great day of the Jewish pasch was near, and Jews could not by law permit a criminal to hang upon the cross upon the Sabbath day. 18 And so they prayed that Pilate would remove the bodies of the men that had been crucified. 19 And Pilate sent his guards to Calvary to note if all the men were dead. 20 And when the guards were gone, two aged Jews came to the palace door to see the governor, and they were members of the highest council of the Jews; 21 Yet they believed that Jesus was a prophet sent from God. 22 The one was Rabbi Joseph, the Arimathean counsellor, and he was just and loved the law of God. 23 And Nicodemus was the other one who came. 24 These men fell down at Pilate's feet and prayed that they might take the body of the Nazarene and lay it in a tomb. 25 And Pilate gave consent. 26 Now, Joseph had prepared a costly mixture to embalm the body of the Lord, about a hundred pounds of aloes and of myrrh, and this they took and hastened out to Calvary. 27 And when the guards returned they said, The Nazarene is dead; the malefactors are alive. 28 And Pilate told the guards to go and smite the living men so they would die, and then to give their bodies to the flames; but give the body of the Nazarene to rabbis who would call for it. 29 The soldiers did as Pilate said. 30 The rabbis came and took away the body of the Lord and when they had prepared it with the spices they had bought, 31 They laid it in the new-made tomb that had been made for Joseph in a solid rock. 32 And then they rolled a stone up to the sepulchre. 33 The priests were fearful lest the friends of Jesus would go forth at night and take away the body of the Nazarene, and then report that he had risen from the dead, as he had said; 34 And they requested that the governor would send his soldiers to the tomb to guard the body of the dead. 35 But Pilate said, I will not send a Roman guard; but you have Jewish soldiers and may send a hundred men with a centurion to guard the tomb. 36 And then they sent a hundred soldiers out to guard the tomb.

The Resurrection of Jesus

Chapter 172

Pilate places the Roman seal upon the stone door of the tomb. At mid-night a company of the silent brothers march about the tomb. The soldiers are alarmed. Jesus preaches to the spirits in prison. Early Sunday morning he rises from the tomb. The soldiers are bribed by the priests to say that the disciples had stolen the body.

THE tomb in which they laid the body of the Lord was in a garden, rich with flowers, the garden of Siloam, and Joseph's home was near. 2 Before the watch began Caiaphas sent a company of priests out to the garden of Siloam that they might be assured that Jesus' body was within the tomb. 3 They rolled away the stone; they saw the body there, and then they placed the stone again before the door. 4 And Pilate sent his scribe who placed upon the stone the seal of Rome, in such a way that he who moved the stone would break the seal. 5 To break this Roman seal meant death to him who broke the seal. 6 The Jewish soldiers all were sworn to faithfulness; and then the watch began. 7 At midnight all was well, but suddenly the tomb became a blaze of light, and down the garden walk a troupe of white-clad soldiers marched in single file. 8 They came up to the tomb and marched and countermarched before the door. 9 The Jewish soldiers were alert; they thought the friends had come to steal the body of the Nazarene. The captain of the guard cried out to charge. 10 They charged; but not a white-clad soldier fell. They did not even stop; they marched and countermarched among the frightened men. 11 They stood upon the Roman seal; they did not speak ; they unsheathed not their swords; it was the Silent Brotherhood. 12 The Jewish soldiers fled in fear; they fell upon the ground. 13 THey stood apart until the white-clad soldiers marched away, and then the light about the tomb grew dim. 14 Then they returned; the stone was in its place; the seal was not disturbed, and they resumed their watch. 15 Now,Jesus did not sleep within the tomb. The body is the manifest of soul; but soul is soul without its manifest. 16 And in the realm of souls, unmanifest, the Lord went forth and taught. 17 He opened up the prison doors and set the prisoners free; 18 He broke the chains of captive souls, and led the captives to the light; 19 He sat in council with the patriarchs and prophets of the olden times; 20 The masters of all times and climes he met, and in the great assemblies he stood forth and told the story of his life on earth, and of his death in sacrifice for man, 21 And of his promises to clothe himself again in garb of flesh and walk with his disciples, just to prove the possibilities of man; 22 To give to them the key of life, of death, and of the resurrection of the dead. 23 In council all the masters sat and talked about the revelations of the coming age, 24 When she, the Holy Breath, shall fill the earth and air with holy breath, and open up the way of man to perfectness and endless life. 25 The garden of Siloam was silent on the Sabbath day; the Jewish soldiers watched and no one else approached the tomb; but on the following night the scene was changed. 26 At midnight every Jewish soldier heard a voice which said, Adon Mashich Cumi, which meant, Lord Christ arise. 27 And they supposed again that friends of Jesus were alert, were coming up to take the body of their Lord away. 28 The soldiers were alert with swords unsheathed and drawn, and then they heard the words again. 29 It seemed as though the voice was everywhere, and yet they saw no man. 30 The soldiers blanched with fear, and still to flee meant death for cowardice, and so they stood and watched. 31 Again, and this was just before the sun arose, the heavens blazed with light, a distant thunder seemed to herald forth a coming storm; 32 and then the earth began to quake and in the rays of light they saw a form descend from heaven. They said, Behold an angel comes. 33 And then they heard again, Adon Mashich Cumi. 34 And then the white-robed form tramped on the Roman seal and then he tore it into shreds; he took the mighty stone in hand as though it were a pebble from the brook, and cast it to the side. 35 And Jesus opened up his eyes and said, All hail the rising sun; the coming of the day of righteousness! 36 And then he folded up his burial gown, his head bands and his coverings and laid them all aside. 37 He rose, and for a moment stood beside the white-robed form. 38 The weaker soldiers fell upon the ground, and hid their faces in their hands; the stronger stood and watched. 39 They saw the body of the Nazarene transmute; they saw it chage from mortal to immortal form, and then it disappeared. 40 The soldiers heard a voice from somewhere; yea, from everywhere, it said, 41 Peace, peace on earth; good will to men. 42 They looked, the tomb was empty and the Lord had risen as he said. 43 The soldiers hastened to Jerusalem, and to the priests, and said, 44 Behold, the Nazarene has risen as he said; the tomb is empty and the body of the man is gone; we know not where it is. And then they told about the wonders of the night. 45 Caiaphas called a council of the Jews; he said, the news must not go forth that Jesus has arisen from the dead; 46 For if it does all men will say, He is the son of God, and all our testimonies will be proven false. 47 And then they called the hundred soldiers in and said to them, 48 You know not where the body of the Nazarene is resting now, so if you will go forth and say that his disciples came and stole the body while you slept, 49 Each one of you shall have a silver piece, and we will make it right with Pilate for breaking of the Roman seal. 50 The soldiers did as they were paid to do.

Materialisation of the Spiritual Body of Jesus

Chapter 173

Jesus appears, fully materialised, to his mother, Miriam, Mary of Magdala and to Peter, James and John.

NOW, when the rabbis took the body of the Lord and laid it in the tomb. The mother of the Lord, and Mary Magdalene, and Miriam were there. 2 And when the body was entombed they went to Joseph's home and there abode. 3 They did not know that Jewish soldiers had been sent to guard the tomb, nor that Roman seal was placed upon the stone; 4 So in the morning of the first day of the week they hastened to the tomb with spices to embalm the Lord. 5 But when they reached the tomb they found the terror-stricken soldiers running frantically about. 6 The women did not know the cause; but when they found an empty tomb they were excited and aggrieved. 7 The soldiers did not know what had transpired; they could not tell who took the body of the Lord away. 8 And Mary Magdalene ran with haste toward Jerusalem to tell the news to Peter and the rest. 9 She met, just by the gateway, Peter, James and John; she said, Some one has rolled away the stone and carried off the body of the Lord. 10 And then the three disciples ran toward the tomb; but John was fleet of foot and was the first to reach the tomb; he found it empty; the body of his Lord was gone. 11 When Peter came he went into the tomb, and found the grave clothes neatly folded up and laid aside. 12 Now, the disciples did not comprehend the scene. They did not know the meaning of their Lord when he informed them just before his death that he would rise from death upon the first day of the week. 13 The three disciples went back to Jerusalem; the mother of the Lord and Miriam went not away. 14 And Mary looked within the tomb, and saw two masters sitting there; they said, Why do you weep? 15 And Mary said, Because my Lord is gone; some one has carried off the body of my Lord; I know not where it is. 16 Then she arose and looked around; a man stood near and said, Why do you weep? whom do you seek? 17 And Mary thought it was the gardener and said, If you have borne away the body of my Lord, O tell me where it is that I may lay it in a sacred tomb. 18 And then the man came near and said, My Mother! and Mary said, My Lord! 19 The eyes of Miriam were opened up and she beheld the Lord. 20 And Jesus said, Behold, I told you as we walked along the way up to the cross that I would meet you at the sepulchre upon the first day of the week. 21 Now, Mary Magdalene was sitting not a great way off, and Jesus went to her and said, 22 Why seek the living 'mong the dead? Your Lord has risen as he said, Now, Mary, look! Behold my face! 23 Then Mary knew it was the Lord; that he had risen from the dead. 24 And then Salome, and Mary, mother of the two disciples, James and John, Joanna, and the other women who had come out to the tomb, saw Jesus, and they talked with him. 25 And Mary Magdalene was filled with joy. She sought again for Peter, James and John; she found them and she said, 26 Lo, I have seen the Lord; and Miriam has seen the Lord; the mother of the Lord has seen the Lord; and many more have seen his face; for he has risen from the dead. 27 But the disciples thought that she had simply seen a vision of the Lord. They did not think that he had risen from the dead. 28 Then Mary found the other members of the company and told them all about the risen Lord; but none of them believed. 29 Now, Peter, James and John were in the garden of Siloam; were talking with the gardener about the happenings of the day when John beheld a stranger coming up the walk. 30 THe stranger lifted up his hands and said, I am. Then the disciples knew it was the Lord. 31 And Jesus said, Behold, for human flesh can be transmuted into higher form, and then that higher form is master of things manifest, and can, at will, take any form. 32 And so I come to you in form familiar unto you. 33 Go speak to Thomas, and the other men whom I have called to be apostles unto men, and say to them, 34 That he whom Jews and Romans thought was dead is walking in the garden of Siloam; 35 Will stand again before the priests and Pharisees within the temple in Jerusalem; 36 And will appear unto the sages of the world. 37 Tell them that I will go before them into Galilee. 38 Then Peter, James and John went forth and found their brethren and said, Behold, the Lord is risen from the dead, and we have seen him face to face. 39 The brethren were amazed at what the three disciples said; but still they looked upon their words as idle talk and they believed them not.

Chapter 174

Jesus appears, fully materialised, to Zachus and Cleophas as they journey to Emmaus, but they know him not. He tells them many things about Christ. He eats the evening meal with them, and reveals himself to them. They go to Jerusalem and tell the news.

TOWARDS the evening of the resurrection day, two friends of Jesus, Zachus and Cleophas of Emmaus, seven miles away, were going to their home. 2 And as they walked and talked about the things that had occured a stranger jined their company. 3 He said, My friends, you seem discouraged and are sad. Has some great grief upon you come? 4 Cleophas said, Are you a stranger in Judea, and know not of the thrilling thing that have transpired here? 5 The stranger said, What things? To what do you refer? 6 Cleophas said, Have you not heard about the man from Galilee who was a prophet mighty in both word and deed? 7 A man whom many thought had come to found again the kingdom of the Jews, and drive the Romans from the city of Jerusalem and be himself the king? 8 The stranger said, Tell me about this man. 9 Cleophas said, His name was Jesus; he was born in Bethlehem; his home was up in Galilee. He loved the people as he loved himself. 10 He was , in truth, a master sent from God, for he had matchless power. He healed the sick and made the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk, and even raised the dead. 11 The Jewish scribes and Pharisees were jealous of his fame and power, and they arrested him; by perjured witnesses they proved him guilty of a score of crimes, 12 And on last Friday he was taken to the place of skulls and crucified. 13 He died and he was buried in a rich man's tomb, out in the garden of Soloam. 14 This very morning when his friends went to the tomb they found it empty; the body of the Lord was gone. 15 And now the news has spread abroad that he has risen from the dead. 16 The stranger said, Yes, I have heard about this man; but it seems strange that after all the things that Jewish prophets long ago foretold concerning him that when he came men knew him not. 17 This man was born to demonstrate the Christ to men, and it is just to say that Jesus is the Christ. 18 According to the word, this Jesus came to suffer at the hands of men, to give his life as pattern for the sons of men; 19 To rise from death that men might know the way to rise from death. 20 And then the stranger told the two disciples all about the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms, and read to them a multitude of things that had been written of this man from Galilee. 21 And now the men had reached their home, and as the night was near they importuned the stranger to abide with them. 22 and he went in with them and as they sat about the table at the evening meal, he took a piece of bread, and blessed it in the name of Christ. 23 And instantly their eyes were opened up, and they perceived that he, the stranger, was the Lord, the man from Galilee; that he had risen from the dead; and then the form of Jesus disappeared. 24 When he had gone, the two disciples were amazed. They said, Did not our hearts burn with delight while he was talking to us by the way and opening up the testimonies of the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms? 25 Then Zachus and Cleophas went back to Jerusalem, and everywhere they wnet they said, Lo, we have seen the Lord; 26 He walked with us to Emmaus; he ate with us the evening meal, and broke for us the bread of life.

Chapter 175

Jesus appears, fully materialised to the ten apostles in Simon's house, and to Lazarus and his sisters.

The evening of the resurrection day had come; the ten apostles were in Simon's house in Bethany. The lawyer, Thomas, was not there. 2 The doors were closed and barred, because the Jews had said that they would drive the Galileans from the land. 3 And as they talked, lo, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said, Peace! peace! 4 And the disciples shrank in fear; they thought it was a phantom that they saw. 5 And Jesus said,Why are you troubled thus? Why do you fear? I am no phantom form. I am your Lord, and I have risen from the dead. 6 I often said, I will arise; but you believed me not; and now come here and see. A phantom has not flesh and bones and brawn, like I possess. 7 Come now, and clasp my hands, and touch my feet, and lay your hands upon my head. 8 And every one came up and clasped his hands, and touched his feet, and laid his hands upon his head. 9 And jesus said, Have you here anything to eat. 10 And they brought out a fragment of a fish; he ate it in the presence of them all and then the ten believed. 11 Nathaniel said, And now we know that he has risen from the dead; he stands a surety of the resurrection of the dead. And Jesus disappeared. 12 Now, Mary, Martha, Ruth and Lazarus were in their home, and they had heard the rumour that their Lord had risen from the dead, and Martha said, 13 It cannot be, for such a thing has never happened since the world began. 14 But Mary said, Did not the Lord bring back our brother from the dead? and he could surely bring himself to life again. 15 And as they talked, the Lord stood in their midst and said, 16 All hail! For I am risen from the dead, first fruitage of the grave! 17 And Martha ran and brought the chair in which the Lord had ever loved to sit, and Jesus sat down on the chair. 18 And for a long, long time they talked about the trial, and the scenes of Calvary and of the garden of Siloam. 19 Then Jesus said, Fear not, for I will be your boon companion all the way; and then he disappeared.

Chapter 176

Jesus appears, fully materialised, to the eastern sages in the palace of Prince Ravanna in India. To the magian priests in Persia. The three wise men speak in praise of the personality of the Nazarene.

RAVANNA, prince of India, gave a feast. His palace in Orissa was the place where men of thought from all the farther East were wont to meet. 2 Ravanna was the prince with whom child Jesus went to India many years ago. 3 The feast was made in honour of the wise men of the East. 4 Among the guests were Meng-ste, Vidyapati and Lamaas. 5 The wise men sat about the table talking of the needs of India and the world. 6 The door unot the banquet hall was in the east; a vacant chair was at the table to the east. 7 And as the wise men talked a stranger entered, unannouced, and raising up his hands in benediction said, All hail! 8 A halo rested on his head, and light, unlike the light of sun, filled all the room. 9 The wise men rose and bowed their heads and said, All hail! 10 and Jesus sat down in the vacant chair; and then the wise men knew it was the Hebrew prophet who had come. 11 And Jesus said, Behold, for I am risen from the dead. Look at my hands, my feet, my side. 12 The Roman soldiers pierced my hands and feet with nails; and then one pierced my heart. 13 They put me in a tomb, and then I wrestled with the conqueror of men. I conquered death, I stamped upon him and arose; 14 Brought immortality to light and painted on the walls of time a rainbow for the sons of men; and what I did all men shall do. 15 This gospel of the resurrection of the dead is not confined to Jew and Greek; it is the heritage of every man of every time and clime; and I am here a demonstration of the power of man. 16 Then he arose and pressed the hand of every man and of the royal host, and said, 17 Behold, I am not myth made of the fleeting winds, for I am flesh and bone and brawn; but I can cross the borderland at will. 18 And then they talked together there a long, long time. The Jesus said, 19 I go my way, but you shall go to all the world and preach the gospel of the omnipotence of men, the power of truth, the resurrection of the dead; 20 He who believes this gospel of the son of man shall never die; the dead shall live again. 21 Then Jesus disappeared, but he had sown the seed. The words of life were spoken in Orissa, and all of India heard. 22 The magian priests were in the silence in Persepolis, and Kaspar, and the magian masters who were first to greet the child of promise in the shepherd's home in Bethlehem, were with the priests. 23 And Jesus came and sat with them; a crown of light was on his head. 24 And when the silence ended Kaspar said, A master from the royal council of the Silent Brotherhood is here; let us give praise. 25 And all the priests and masters stood and said, All hail! What messgae from the royal council do you bring? 26 And Jesus said, My brothers of the Silent Brotherhood, peace, peace on earth; goodwill to men! 27 The problem of the ages has risen from the dead; has shown that human flesh can be transmuted into flesh divine. 28 Before the eyes of men this flesh in which I come to you was changed with speed of light from human flesh. And so I am the message that I bring to you. 29 To you I come, the first of all the race to be transmuted to the image of the AM. 30 What I ahve done, all men will do; and what I am, all men will be. 31 But Jesus said no more. In one short breath he told the story of his mission to the sons of men, and then he disappeared. 32 The magi said, Some time ago we read this promise, now fulfilled, upon the dial plate of heaven. 33 And then we saw this man who has just deonstrated unto us the power of man to rise from carnal flesh and blood to flesh of God, a babe in Bethlehem. 34 and after many years he came and sat with us in these same groves; 35 He told the story of his human life, of trials, sore temptaions, buffetings and woes. 36 He pressed along the thorny way of life he had risen and over thrown the strongest foes of God and man; and he is now the only master of the human race whose flesh has been transmuted into flesh divine. 37 He is the God-man of to-day; but every one of earth overcome and be like him, a son of God.

Chapter 177

Jesus appears, fully materialised, in the temple in Jerusalem. Rebukes the rulers of the Jews for their hypocrisy. Reveals himself to them and they fall back in fear. He appears to the apotles in Simon's house. Thomas is convinced.

IT was the Sabbath day and many priests and scribes and Pharisees were in the temple in Jerusalem. Caiaphas, Annas and some other ruling Jews were there. 2 A stranger came in garb of fisherman and asked, What has become of Jesus who is called the Christ? Is he not teaching in the temple now? 3 The Jews replied, That man from Galilee was crucified a week ago, because he was a dangerous man, a vile, seditious man. 4 The stranger asked,Where did you put the body of this man from Galilee? Where is his tomb? 5 The Jews replied, We do not know. His followers came at night and stole the body from the tomb in which it lay and carried it away, and the declared that he had risen from the dead. 6 The stranger asked, How do you know that his disciples stole the body from the tomb? was any one a witness of the theft? 7 The Jews replied, We had a hundred soldiers at the place, and evry one of them declares that his disciples stole the body from the tomb. 8 The stranger asked, Will any one of all your hundred men stand forth and say, I saw the body stolen from the tomb? 9 The Jews replied, We do not know; these men are men of truth; we cannot doubt their word. 10 The stranger said, You priests and scribes and Pharisees hear me: I was a witness of the facts, was in the garden of Siloam, and stood among your hundred men. 11 And this I know that not a man among your hundred men will say, I saw the body stolen from the tomb. 12 And I will testify before the God of heaven and earth, The body was not stolen from the tomb; the man from Galilee is risen from the dead. 13 And then the priests and scribes and Pharisees rushed up to seize the man and cast him out. 14 But instantly the fisherman became a radiant form of light, and priests and scribes and Pharisees fell back in deadly fear; they saw the man from Galilee. 15 And Jesus looked upon the frightened men and said, This is the body that you stoned beyond the city's gates and crucified on Calvary. 16 Behold my hands, my feet, my side and see the wounds the soldiers made. 17 If you believe that I am phantom made of air, come forth and handle me; ghosts do not carry flesh and bones. 18 I came to earth to demonstrate the resurrection of the dead, the transmutation of the flesh of carnal man to flesh of man divine. 19 Then Jesus raised his hands and said, Peace be to every one of you; goodwill to all mankind. And then he disappeared. 20 Now, Thomas, had not seen the Lord since he had risen from the dead, and when the ten averred that they had seen and talked with him he said, 21 Until I see the nail prints in his hands and feet, the spear wound in his side, and talk with him as I have talked with him before, I cannot have a reason to believe that he is risen from the dead. 22 At Simon's house in Bethany the men from Galilee had met. It was the evening of the first day of the week, and on the morrow all would turn their faces toward their homes. 23 THe eleven apostles all were there: the doors were closed and barred, and Jesus came and said, Peace be to all! 24 And then he said to Thomas, Friend, you do not know that I have risen from the dead; the time has come for you to know. 25 Come here and see the nail prints in my hands, the spear wound in my side, and talk with me as you have often talked with me. 26 And Thomas came and saw and then exclaimed, My master, and my Lord! I do not now believe, I know that you are risen from the dead. 27 And Jesus said, Because you see me you believe, and blessed are your eyes; 28 But blessed thrice are they who see me not and yet believe. 29 Then Jesus vanished from their sight, but the disciples were established in their faith.

Chapter 178

Jesus appears, fully materialised, before Apollo and the Silent Brotherhood in Greece. Appears to Claudia and Juliet on the Tiber near Rome. Appears to the priest in the Egyptian temple at Heliopolis.

APOLLO, with the Silent Brotherhood of Greece, was sitting in a Delphian grove. The Oracle had spoken loud and long. 2 The priests were in the sanctuary and as they looked the Oracle became a blaze of light; it seemed to be on fire, and all consumed. 3 The priests were filled with fear. They said, A great disaster is to come; our gods are mad; they have destroyed our Oracle. 4 But when the flames had spent themselves, a man stood on the orac pedestal and said, 5 God speaks to man, not by an oracle of wood and gold, but by the voice of man. 6 The gods have spoken to the Greeks, and kindred tongues, through images made by man, but God, the One, now speaks to man through Christ the only son, who was, and is and evermore will be. 7 This Oracle shall fail; the Living Oracle of God, the One, will never fail. 8 Apollo knew the man who spoke ; he knew it was the Nazarene who once had taught the wise men in the Acropolis and had rebuked the idol worshippers upon the Athen's beach; 9 And in a moment Jesus stood before Apollo and the Silent Brotherhood, and said, 10 Behold, for I have risen from the dead with gifts for men. I bring to you the title of your vast estate. 11 All power in heaven and earth is mine; to you I give all power in heaven and earth. 12 Go forth and teach the nations of the earth the gospel of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal life through Christ, the love of God made manifest to men. 13 And then he clasped Apollo's hand and said, My human flesh was changed to higher form by love divine and I can manifest in flesh, or in the higher planes of life, at will. 14 What I can do all men can do. Go preach the gospel of the omnipotence of man. 15 Then Jesus disappeared; but Greece and Crete and all the nations heard. 16 Claudas and Juliet, his wife, lived on the Palatine in Rome and they were servants of Tiberius; but they had been in Galilee; 17 Had walked with Jesus by the sea, had heard his words and seen his power; and they believed that he was Christ made manifest. 18 Now Claudas and his wife were on the Tiber in a little boat; a storm swept from the sea, the boat was wrecked and Claudas and his wife were sinking down to death. 19 And Jesus came and took them by the hands and said, Claudas and Juiet, arise and walk with me upon the waves. 20 And they arose and walked with him upon the waves. 21 A thousand people saw the three walk on the waves, and saw them reach the land, and they were all amazed. 22 And Jesus said, You men of Rome, I am the resurrection and the life. They that are dead shall live, and many that shall live will never die. 23 By mouth of gods and demi-gods God spoke unto your fathers long ago; but now he speaks to you through perfect man. 24 He sent his son, the Christ, in human flesh, to save the world, and as I lifted from the watery grave and saved these servants of Tiberius, 25 So Christ will lift the sons and daughters of the human race,yea, every one of them, from darkness and from graves of carnal things, to light and everlasting life. 26 I am the manifest of love raised from the dead; Behold my hands, my feet, my side which carnal men have pierced. 27 Claudas and Juliet whom I have saved from death, are my ambassadors to Rome. 28 And they will point the way and preach the gospel of the Holy Breath and of the resurrection of the dead. 29 And that was all he said, but Rome and all of Italy heard. 30 The priests of Heliopolis were in their temple met to celebrate the resurrection of their brother Nazarite; they knew that he had risen from the dead. 31 The Nazarite appeared and stood upon a sacred pedestal on which no man had ever stood. 32 This was an honour that had been reserved for him who first would demonstrate the resurrection of the dead. 33 And Jesus was the first of all the human race to demonstrate the resurrection of the dead. 34 When Jesus stood upon the sacred pedestal the masters stood and said, All hail! The great bells of the temple rang and all the temple was ablaze with light. 35 And Jesus said, All honour to the masters of this Temple of the Sun. 36 In flesh of man there is the essence of the resurrection of the dead. This essence, quickened by the Holy Breath, will raise the substance of the body to a higher tone, 37 And make it like the substance of the bodies of the planes above, which human eyes cannot behold. 38 There is a holy ministry in death. The essence of the body cannot be quickened by the Holy Breath until the fixed is solved; the body must disintegrate, and this is death. 39 And then upon these pliant substances God breathes, just as he breathed upon the chaos of the deep when worlds were formed, 40 And life springs forth from death; the carnal form is changed to form divine. 41 The will of man makes possible the action of the Holy Breath. When will of man and will of God are one, the resurrection is a fact. 42 In this we have the chemistry of mortal life, the ministry of death, the mystery of deific life. 43 My human life was wholly given to bring my will to tune with the deific will; when this was doen my earth-tasks all were done. 44 And you, my brother, know full well the foes I had to meet; you know about my victories in Gethsemane; my trials in the courts of men; my death upon the cross. 45 You know that all my life was one great drama for the sons of men; a pattern for the sons of men. I lived to show the possibilities of man. 46 What I have done all men can do, and what I am all men shall be. 47 The masters looked; the form upon the sacred pedestal had gone, but every temple priest, and every living creature said, Praise God.

Chapter 179

Jesus appears, fully materialised, to the apostles at the sea of Galilee. Appears to a multitude of people. Tells his apostles to go again to Jerusalem and he would meet them there.

NOW, the apostles were at home in Galilee; the women tarried in Judea until the Pentecost. 2 And Peter, James and John, and Andrew, Philip and Nathaniel were in Capernaum. They joined with Jonah and with Zebedee, and in their boats went out to fish, 3 They toiled all night and when the morning came they had no fish. 4 And as they neared the shore a man stood on the shore and said, How many fish have you? 5 And Peter answered, None. 6 Again the man called out and said, A school of fish is passing now upon the right side of your boat; cast out your net. 7 They cast their net, and it was filled; and John exclaimed, It is the Lord who stands upon the shore. 8 And Peter plunged into the sea and swam to shore. The other men brought in the net, and it contained a hundred fifty and three fish and yet it did not break. 9 And Jesus said, My children, ley us break our fast together here. 10 They found some living coals upon the beach and Peter brought and dressed the fish; they had some bread. 11 And when the meal had been prepared they broke their fast, and Jesus ate of both the fish and bread. 12 Now, after breakfast all the men were sitting on the beach, and Jesus said to Peter, Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and do you love your neighbour as you love yourself? 13 And Peter said, Yea, Lord, I love the Lord my God with all my heart; I love my neighbour as I love myself. 14 And Jesus said, Then feed my sheep. 15 And then he said to James, Do you love her, the Holy Breath, with all your heart, and do you love your neighbour as you love yourself? 16 And James replied, Yea, Lord, I love the Holy Breath with all my heart; I love my neighbour as I love myself. 17 Then Jesus said, Protect my sheep. 18 and then he said to John, Do you love Christ, the love divine made manifest, with all your heart, and do you love your neighbour as you love yourself? 19 And John replied, Yea, Lord, I love the Christ with all my heart; I love my neighbour as I love myself. 20 And Jesus said, Then feed my lambs. 21 Then Jesus rose and said to Peter, Follow me. And Peter followed him. 22 When Peter saw that John was following him he said to Jesus, LOrd, behold, John follows you! What shall he do? 23 Now Peter did not hear the master when he said to John, Then feed my lambs. 24 And Jesus spoke to Peter and he said, It matters not to you what John shall do; not even though I will that he remain until I come again. 25 Just do your duty; follow me. 26 And Jesus passed, they knew not where he went. 27 The news soon spread through all Capernaum that Jesus had risen from the dead, that he had walked with his disciples by the sea and ate with them the morning meal. The multitudes came forth to see. 28 Now Peter, James and John, together with the other men who had been called to be apostles of the Lord, went to the mountains near Capernaum to pray. 29 And as they prayed the master came; they saw him and they talked with him. 30 He said to them, The Pentecost is near at hand; go to Jerusalem and I will meet you there. 31 And as he talked, a multitude of people came; they saw the Lord; they said, 32 Behold, for now we know that he, the Nazarene, has risen from the dead for we have seen him face to face.

Chapter 180

Jesus appears, fully materialised, to the apostles in Jerusalem. Gives them his instructions. Promises them a special endowment for their work on Pentecost. Goes to Mount Olives and in full view of many disciples ascends to heaven. The disciples return to Jerusalem.

THE eleven apostles of the Lord were in Jerusalem and in a spacious room that they had chosen by the Lord's command. 2 And as they prayed the Lord appeared to them and said, 3 Peace be to all; good will to every living thing. And then he talked with them a long, long time. 4 And the disciples asked, Will you restore the kingdom unto Israel now? 5 And Jesus said, Be not concerned about the governments of men; the masters will direct. 6 Do that which has been given you to do, and wait and murmur not. 7 All power in heaven and earth is given unto me, and now I bid you go to all the world and preach the gospel of the Christ, the unity of God and man, the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal life. 8 And as you go and preach, baptise the people in the name of Christ. 9 They who believe and are baptised shall rise up in the newness of the life of Christ, and they who disbelieve shall rise not in the newness of the life of Christ. 10 And you shall give to men the power I give to you. 11 They who believe and are baptised shall heal the sick; shall cause the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk; 12 Shall cast the unclean spirits out of those obsessed; shall tread on deadly serpents and be not harmed; shall pass through flames and not be burned; and if they drink a poisonous draught it shall not kill. 13 You know the sacred Word, which is the word of power. 14 The secret things that I have told to you that may not now be told to all the world, you shall make known to faithful men who shall in turn reveal them unto other faithful men. 15 Until the time shall come when all the world may hear and comprehend the words of truth and power. 16 And now I will ascend to God, as you and all the world will rise to God. 17 Behold, upon the day of Pentecost you all shall be endowed with power from on high. 18 But here you shall remain till then in holy thought and prayer. 19 Then Jesus went to Olivet, and his disciples followed him, and in a place not far removed from Bethany, he met the Marys and Salome; 20 Met Martha, Ruth and Miriam; met Lazarus and a host of others who had come from Galilee. 21 And Jesus stood apart and raised his hands and said, 22 The benedictions of the Holy Ones, of the Almighty God, and of the Holy Breath, of Christ the love of God made manifest. 23 Will rest upon you all the way till you shall rise and sit with me upon the throne of power. 24 And then they saw him rise upon the wings of light; a wreath encircled him about; and then they saw his form no more. 25 But as they gazed up into heaven two men, in robes of white, appeared and said, 26 You men of Galilee, why gaze you htus so anxiously upon the ascending Lord? Lo, he will come again from heaven as you have seen him go to heaven. 27 Then the eleven and Lazarus, and other men from Galilee together with the faithful women, not a few, returned unto Jerusalem and there abode. 28 And they were constantly in prayer and Holy thought. They waited for the Holy Breath, and for the coming of the promised power from on high.

Establishment of the Christine Church

Chapter 181

The eleven apostles make choice of Matthias to fill the place made vacant by the deflection of Judas. The Christines are glad. Miriam sings a song of praise. Apostolic roster.

The fact that Jesus had arisen from the dead was not denied by many of the rulers of the Jews. 2 And Pilate gave an order that the followers of the Nazarene be not molested in their worship any place in his domain. 3 The day of Pentecost was near at hand and every one was looking for a manifest of Spirit power. 4 Now, in Jerusalem the eleven had met to choose a man to fill the place of Judas who betrayed his Lord. 5 And Peter said, the Lord called to this ministry twelve men as twelve foundation stones on which the Christine temple should be built. 6 This Judas who betrayed his Lord, has gone to his own place beyond the veil. 7 Of him the prophet wrote: His habitation shall be desolate; no man shall dwell therein; his office let another take. 8 From those who have accompanied us from Gigal, where the harbinger baptised, until this day, shall one be chosen to complete the number twelve, to fill the place from which our brother by transgression fell. 9 And then the eleven spent a long, long time in prayer, and when they cast their lots, Matthias, from the valley of the Nile, was chosen for the place. 10 Matthias was an Israelite indeed; but he was learned in all the wisdom of Egyptian schools, and he had taught the mysteries of Mizraim in Jericho. 11 He was among the first to greet the harbinger; among the first to recognise the Nazarene as Christ, the son of God; 12 He had been with the Christine band in all their journeys in the land of Galilee, Judea and Samaria. 13 A messenger was sent who found Matthias, and he came and joined the eleven, and for a time the twelve were lost in silent prayer. 14 The Christines who had come from Galilee and places in Judea, about six score, were there, and Peter told them of Matthias, and how, by lot, he had been chosen an apostle of the Lord. 15 The Christines all were glad and praised the name of God; and Miriam sung a song of praise. 16 These are the names of the apostles of the Lord; Peter, john and James; Philip, Andrew and Nathaniel; 17 Thomas, James the son of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes; Matthew, Jude, the son of Alpheus and Matthias.

Chapter 182

Events of the day of Pentecost. Endowment of the apostles. The Christine Church is established. Peter preaches the introductory sermon. The sermon. Three thousand people are baptised and become members of the church.

NOW, when the day of Pentecost had come Jerusalem was filled with pious Jews and proselytes from many lands. 2 The Christines all were met and were in perfect harmony. 3 And as they sat in silent prayer they heard a sound a-like the distant murmur of a coming storm. 4 The sound grew louder still, until, like thunder peals, it filled the room where the apostles sat. 5 A brilliant light appeared, and many thought, The building is afire. 6 Twelve balls, that seemed like balls of fire, fell from heaven-- a ball from every sign of all the circle of the heavens, and on the head of each apostle there appeared a flaming ball of fire. 7 And every ball seven tongues of fire toward heaven, and each apostle spoke in seven dialects of earth. 8 The ignorant rabble treated lightly what they heard and saw; they said, These men are drunk, and know not what they say. 9 But men of learning were amazed; they said, Are not these men who speak all Jews? how is it that they speak in all the languages of earth? 10 And Peter said, You people of Jerusalem, and you live beyond the city's gates; Peace be to you, and all namkind. 11 This is time that holy men of old desired to see, by faith they saw this hour, and now they stand with us in ecstasy. 12 The prophet Joel in olden times told of the things you see and hear. The Holy Breath spoke with his tongue and said, 13 And it shall come to pass in latter days, that I will breathe upon the sons of men, and fill them with the blessedness of holiness. 14 Your sons and daughters will stand forth and prophesy; your young men will be seers; your old men will dream dreams. 15 And I will show wonders in the heavens above, and marvellous signs in earth. 16 Sounds will proceed from heaven and voices will be heard that men will fail to comprehend. 17 The sun will fail to shine, the moon will wade in blood before the coming of the great day of the Lord. 18 And it will come to pass that they who call upon the name of God in faith shall be redeemed. 19 This is the day of Christine power; the day that he, the man from Galilee, is glorified. 20 He came as a babe in Bethlehem and from his day of birth the kings of earth went forth intent to take his life. 21 God held him in the hollow of his hand. 22 Men called him Jesus, and they called him well, for he was sent to seek and save the lost. 23 And Jesus grew to manhood and was subject unto all trials and temptations of the sons of men, that he might know the loads that men must bear, and know the way to succour them. 24 In distant lands he lived and by the sacred Word he healed the sick, threw prison doors ajar, and set the prisoners free, and everywhere he was proclaimed, Immanuel. 25 But wicked men despised him and rejected him, and by bribed men they proved him guilty of a score of crimes; 26 And inthe presence of a multitude of men who hear me now, they nailed him to a cross; 27 They sealed him with the seal of death; but death was all too weak to hold him in the tomb and when immortal master said, Adon mashich cumi, he burst the bands of death, and rose again to life. 28 He showed himself alive, not only to the rulers in Jerusalem, but to the many in the distant parts of earth; 29 And then, before the wondering eyes of many who now hear me speak, attended by a retinue of courtiers of the angel world, he ascended to the throne of God. 30 and being now exalted high, and having breathed to full the Holy Breath, he breathes again on us, and thus sheds forth what you now see and hear. 31 You men of Israel, Know that God has made this man from Galilee would you abused and crucified, both Lord and Christ. 32 And then the people said, What shall we do? 33 And Peter said, This Christine Lord has sent us forth to open up the gates of dawn. Through Christ all men may enter into light and life. 34 The Christine Church stands on the postulates that Jesus is the love of God made manifest; that love is saviour of the sons of men. 35 This Christine Church is but the kingdom of the Holy One within the soul, made manifest. 36 This day the Christine Church is opened up, and whosoever will may enter in, and, by the boundless grace of Christ, be saved. 37 again the people said, How may we enter in that we may share the boundless grace of Christ? 38 And Peter said, Reform and be baptised, and turn away from sin and lead the life deep hid with Christ in God, and you shall enter in and be redeemed. 39 Three thousand people turned away from sin and were baptised and sought to lead the life deep hid with Christ in God. 40 And in one day the Christine Church became a mighty power; and Christ became a mighty word that thrilled the multitudes in many lands.

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