Ch. 11, While in Rome
"Son of Man: Urantia—The Life and Teachings of Jesus from The Urantia Book"
Gonod bore letters of introduction from Indian royalty for Tiberius, the Roman emperor. On their third day in Rome, Jesus, Gonod, and Ganid presented greetings to the emperor. Tiberius, struck by Jesus’ presence, confided to an aide that he would be a true emperor with Jesus’ grace and noble bearing.
Gonod began taking Ganid with him during the day to learn the family business. Indian associates in Rome translated for him, freeing Jesus for deeper contemplation. During their sojourn in Rome, Jesus engaged deeply with the vibrant city of two million souls.
The Roman Empire then encompassed Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, northwest Africa, and southern Europe. This diversity enriched Jesus’ understanding of mortal nature during his six-month visit in Rome. Most valuable were his engaging and inspiring conversations with the religious leaders from diverse faiths residing there. These conversations paved the way for the later preachers of the gospel of the Kingdom.
Jesus soon selected five leaders from the Stoics, eleven from the Cynics, and sixteen from the mystery cults with whom to meet. These were intimate dialogues with one, two, or three people at a time. As Jesus listened to their concepts of God, he illuminated their truths to unveil God more fully. This way the truth eventually crowded out the error in their previous beliefs, allowing them to quickly accept the coming gospel of the Kingdom. These meetings were one of the reasons for the rapid spread of Christianity across the Roman Empire.
Of these thirty-two men, only two were unfruitful in the future. The rest became pivotal figures in establishing Christianity, and a few of them transformed the Mithraic temple into Rome’s first Christian church. Three reasons fueled the rapid spread of Christianity: Jesus’ choice of Simon Peter as an apostle; his conversation with Stephen, leading to Stephen’s martyrdom, witnessed by Saul of Tarsus, who embraced the gospel and founded the Christian church; and his preparation of thirty religious leaders for the coming preachers of the gospel. Yet none of these men ever discerned that the one who opened their hearts to God was the Savior they would later worship. In later years Paul, Peter, and the other Christian teachers in Rome heard tales about this scribe of Damascus who had prepared their way, but they never knew that it was Jesus. Paul did figure out that the tentmaker of Antioch and the scribe of Damascus was the same person, but the apostles were all sure—they believed—that Jesus had never gone to Rome.
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The Life & Teachings of Jesus from The Urantia Book
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True Values
Angamon, who later became a good friend of Paul, led the Stoics. Early in Jesus’ Roman sojourn, they engaged in a profound dialogue about enduring values. Jesus elucidated that the standard for true values must be taken from the spiritual world: from the divine level of eternal reality. On Earth, all values remain partial, fleeting, and imperfect. The scientist is limited to how material facts relate to one another and must stay true to the scientific method, eschewing claims of idealism or materialism, since both attitudes represent the essence of philosophy.
A materialistic culture unchecked by moral and spiritual growth can become a menace to civilization. Pure materialism holds the potential seed of its own destruction. The extremes of idealism and materialism will always be in conflict. But that is not the case for those idealists and scientists who possess a common standard of moral values. Serving humanity, they must transcend disputes fostering a nobler science and religion devoted to mortal upliftment.
Good and Evil
The Cynic leader in Rome was Mardus, and he and Jesus became good friends. Mardus had probing inquiries into good and evil. Jesus taught that good and evil reflect our understanding of the universe. He said social standards of good and evil exist for the ethically lazy, and religious standards of good and evil are morally unprogressive and bound to tradition. Yet the eternal soul, destined for divine union, follows the spirit within, choosing goodness over evil.
Truth and goodness are relative and contrasted against that which is not perfect, evil. Being able to perceive these qualities of truth and goodness is essential to our eternal survival. Blindly adhering to religious dogma, scientific facts, or social customs constrains our moral and spiritual freedom, rendering us intellectual parrots, social automatons, and slaves to religious authority. For mortals, goodness is more of a desire than an achievement. Goodness is the progressive ascent toward higher levels of spiritual personality in our journey toward oneness with God. A good experience heightens our sense of beauty, fortifies our will, refines our perception of truth, and deepens our love and service to humanity. Our ability to discern truth and goodness is directly related to our personal progress. Error and evil remain part of our experience until we finally meld with our Thought Adjuster and become one with God. Our ability to know what is true or good and then choose to act on it is proof of humankind’s moral capacity. Though we need not experience evil in our journey to God, we do have to experience the possibility of choosing evil to strengthen our moral will and faith in God.
Truth and Faith
The leader of the mystery cults in Rome was Nabon, a Greek Jew. He and Jesus engaged in deep conversation on diverse topics. Nabon was impressed with Jesus’ illumination of truth and faith. Jesus taught that truth extends the knowledge we gain from observing the material world by fusing it with our spiritual experience. Knowledge is science, facts; truth is the religious experience of spiritual living. At their highest level, truth and knowledge become one. Until then, knowledge may clash with human fears and biases. Discerning truth requires faith—trust in ascending to greater wisdom. Faith is what allows our Thought Adjuster to identify with our mortal personality so it can carry the essence of our human personality into our next level of existence. After death, our next existence begins an eternal progression of lives. Our personalities will manifest in increasingly refined spiritual forms until we reach ultimate perfection of oneness with God. This is our divine purpose, and once we start we are destined to attain eternal life.
Personal Ministry
Jesus connected with nearly five hundred individuals during his six months in Rome. The only places he avoided were the public bathhouses due to the casual sex. Jesus deemed his Roman sojourn among his most transformative experiences on Earth. He was an attentive listener, initiating conversations with questions, and hearing people share their burdens. Dialogues often ended with the person questioning Jesus, who, before departing, delighted in offering a gentle act of kindness. As ever, he proclaimed the love and mercy of God: that all are His children, bound personally to Him, for He dwells within their hearts and minds.
Jesus’ conversations often had long-lasting effects. After a discussion with a Roman senator, the man dedicated his life to reforming the Roman government from state-supported to citizen-supported governance. Having taught Claudius, a slaveholder, that all are children of God, the next day he freed one hundred seventeen of his slaves. In another talk, Jesus inspired a Greek physician to recognize that minds and souls, like bodies, needed healing, and this exchange led the doctor to search for even more important ways to serve humanity. When talking with a Roman soldier as they walked along the Tiber River, Jesus told him to exhibit courage yet uphold justice and show mercy, to obey truth as he did his commander, and to love people and seek God with a whole heart.
When Jesus met a poor man who had been falsely found guilty of a crime, he went with him to speak to the judge. Jesus told the judge that the greater the nation, the more it ensures justice for all, even its humblest citizens. He said that any nation suffered disgrace when only those with money could receive justice. Jesus explained that a country’s survival depended on the fairness of its courts, and that it was a sacred duty to let innocent people go and to punish the ones who were guilty. As religion rests on mercy, governance rests on justice. After hearing Jesus speak, the judge reopened the case, reviewed the evidence, and found the poor man innocent.
Counseling the Rich Man
A wealthy Roman Stoic sought Jesus’ counsel on how he would manage wealth if he were rich. Jesus replied that as he imparted wisdom and service, he would wisely administer his wealth to enhance material well-being in this and future generations. But the rich man was not satisfied with that answer. So he asked Jesus what he, the rich man, should do with his wealth: whether to keep it or give it away. Jesus discerned the man’s earnest heart and zeal to serve humanity. Jesus agreed to answer his question, but only because the man had asked for his advice. Furthermore, Jesus said that the advice was only for him, the rich man, and that he was not to force what he learned onto anyone else.
Jesus revealed that wealth flows from ten sources, demanding honest discernment to steward it wisely. The first is inherited wealth: money handed down from our parents. Second, discovered wealth: money derived from Earth’s resources. Third, trade wealth: money earned from honest business. Fourth, unfair wealth: gains from deceit and oppression. Fifth, interest wealth: the profit from investing our capital. Sixth, genius wealth: earnings from creative efforts. Seventh, accidental wealth: money by luck. Eighth, stolen wealth: money gained from stealing and dishonesty. Ninth, trust fund wealth: money received that is meant for a specific purpose. Tenth, earned wealth: the fair return for our daily efforts. Jesus said that once the rich man had divided his wealth into these categories, he should be fair in deciding how to spend each portion, and if ever uncertain, prioritize the needy.
The rich man, still not satisfied with Jesus’ answer, wanted to know more. Jesus consented, reiterating that the man should use this advice only for managing his own wealth and not to control others with Jesus’ suggestions. Jesus then told the rich man that if he became a steward of inherited wealth, to discern its origins. If it came from honest sources, then he had both the right to take some of the money for his own use and an obligation to guard some of the money for his children. If the money he inherited came from unfair or dishonest means, he was not bound to continue earning money that way. If he did end up acquiring money that had been gained from fraud or illegal acts, he was free to give it away based on his ideas of justice, generosity, and restitution. Exercise wisdom and sound judgment when leaving your wealth to your children.
Discovered wealth from the Earth’s resources should be shared in ways to benefit the broadest community. The Earth is here forever, and it is for all people now and in the future, but each of us is only here for one short life. It is right to reward a person for their efforts in taking wealth from the Earth, yet claiming all such wealth from resources hoarded by the Earth for everyone’s use is selfish. Wealth earned by trade or barter is fair and legitimate profit, and you have much say in how to use it. There are many types of trade, and with each one you should first judge the honesty and fairness it holds before proceeding. Wealth wrought through oppression or exploitation bears a moral curse and spiritual disgrace. Money earned this way should be returned to those who were robbed, or to their children or their children’s children. Fair interest on wealth that was earned correctly is legitimate. Never use your money to take advantage of others in distress, or to charge excessive interest on money lent to those in need. Wealth inspired by genius and creativity is both due to the person, and to the society in which they live. No person is an isolated entity. Everyone achieves what they accomplish today because of the efforts of others on Earth now, and the efforts of those in the past. Each case is different and each should be handled according to the person’s highest understanding of fairness. Ever mindful, if you regard others as brethren, let your desire be to serve them as you would be served.
Accidental wealth should not be hoarded by the people fortunate to receive it. These riches should be regarded as a stewardship for the welfare of one’s community. Those receiving the wealth have the right to be paid for their administration of it and should have the first say in how it is used, but they should not view it as their personal money.Illegal wealth must be returned to its rightful owners. Make full amends, and make sure your wealth contains no money from unfair or dishonest acts. Wealth entrusted to you for others carries a sacred obligation. Take only from the trust for yourself what other honest people would consider fair. Wealth earned from your own work, if fair and legal, is your own money. You have the right to use it as you see fit, provided that doing so does not harm others.
Social Ministry
One day when Jesus and Ganid were walking to the library, they encountered a distressed young boy who had wandered away from home; he was scared and crying because he could not find his mother. His house was not far away, so they took him home. Afterwards Jesus told Ganid that most people are like that little boy—they spend most of their time weeping in fear and despair when in reality they are only a short way from safety and security, just like the little boy was just a short way from his mother. We who know the radiant light of God embrace the privilege—not the duty—of guiding the lost to the divine sanctuary of their Universal Father. That is our greatest joy. Henceforth, Ganid vowed to ever seek lost souls, guiding them home to their Universal Father.
Another day, Jesus and Ganid befriended a widow with five children whose husband had been killed in an accident at work, just as had occurred with Joseph, Jesus’ father, years before. They frequently visited to console this woman, and Ganid asked his father for money to support her until they secured employment for her eldest son, enabling him to support the family.
Trips about Rome
Jesus, Gonod, and Ganid took five trips to places outside of Rome itself. On one of these trips to a lake in northern Italy, Jesus and Ganid discussed the challenge of teaching people about God if they do not want to know God. Earlier in the day on their way up the mountain trail, they had met a pagan, and Ganid wanted to know why Jesus did not stop and speak to him about God like he did with everyone else. Jesus explained that the man was unready for truth or to seek divine aid. He was satisfied with who he was and he was not yet ripe enough to hear God’s message. First the man needed more time meeting life’s trials. Or, he could live with us, and perhaps through our lives, we could show him the Father and inspire his quest for God. But you cannot show God to people who are not looking for him, or lead people to salvation if they do not want to go. Mortals hunger for truth through life’s trials or through fellowship with those who know the Universal Father. We who know God have the duty to reveal him to others through our lives, and in doing so encourage them to ask for help finding God.
When the three of them were in the mountains in Switzerland, they engaged in a daylong dialogue about Buddhism. Gonod began the discussion with a direct question, asking Jesus his view of Buddha. Jesus declared that Buddha surpassed the legacy of Buddhism: a remarkable prophet to his people, yet an orphan prophet, estranged from the Father, rendering his tale tragic. Jesus explained that Buddha wanted to live and teach like a messenger of God, yet without God. He sailed all the way to the entrance of mortal salvation, and then ran his boat aground because he did not know the way forward without God. And there his ship has remained stranded and filled with many generations of people refusing to enter the Kingdom of Heaven because they had followed Buddha’s philosophical teachings instead of remaining true to his noble spirit. Jesus went on to say that Buddha knew God in spirit but not in mind, and the Jews had found God in mind but failed to know him in spirit. Now Buddhists languish in philosophical error because they have a philosophy but no God, while other faiths are enslaved to the fear of God because they do not have a philosophy of life and liberty. By failing to give his followers the vision of God as a spirit and Father, Buddha’s teachings lacked the moral energy needed to change people and nations.
Ganid told Jesus that the two of them should forge a new faith: one good enough for India and big enough for Rome. But Jesus said no, that religions are not made. He explained that religions developed by people have come about over long periods of time, but that divine revelations of God flash forth in the lives of the people who show God to others. Jesus’ words were prophetic, foretelling His divine mission, though Gonod and Ganid grasped not their meaning.
Ganid believed that Jesus was a prophet, and for the rest of his life he continued to develop his own spiritual path. But little did Ganid know that the entire universe of Nebadon had observed his bold proposal to the Creator of our universe that they should build a new religion. Neither did this young man realize that they were in fact right then and there making an eternal gospel: the new way to salvation by revealing God to humanity in and through Jesus. And this is how it was then, and how it is now. When mortals align with God, divine outcomes unfold, reflecting their devotion to His eternal will.
“Son of Man: Urantia” — OUT NOW! 🔥
The Life & Teachings of Jesus from The Urantia Book
Kindle → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLWSX67S
Paperback → https://www.amazon.com/dp/0996358080
One cosmic revelation at a time.
SUBSCRIBE + bell for daily fire.
#Urantia #JesusLife #SpiritualBiography #JesusTeachings #SpiritualGrowth