Ch. 27, Training Evangelists at Bethsaida
“Son of Man: Urantia,” 2nd edition
Chapter 27
Training Evangelists at Bethsaida
Jesus and the apostles camped at Zebedee’s house in Bethsaida for the next five months, from May 3rd to October 3rd, which was the dry season in the area. Nearby on the shore of the Sea of Galilee they had built an enormous tent camp that continued to grow as more people arrived. Under David Zebedee’s supervision and with the Alpheus twins’ help, the camp housed between five and fifteen hundred people at any given time: they were separated into different types of illness and put under the care of a Syrian physician named Elman: the entire camp was a model of order and sanitation.
The apostles fished at least one day a week and sold their catch to David to feed the people in the camp. The money went into the general funds. Each of them also had one week off every month to visit with their family and friends. Andrew was still charge of the apostles, and Peter was made leader of the new school for the evangelists. The apostles taught the evangelists in the morning, and then in the afternoon the apostles and the evangelists taught the people. Five nights a week the apostles held question and answer sessions for the evangelists, and one night a week Jesus would show up to answer any unresolved questions from the week’s teachings.
Over these five months several thousand people moved through the camp. They hailed from every part of the Roman empire as well as the lands east of the Euphrates river. David Zebedee had arranged the camp to be self-sustaining, yet no one was ever turned away. This was the longest and best organized teaching period to take place while Jesus was on Earth. His immediate family spent most of this time in either Cana or Nazareth.
A New School of the Prophets
The students attending the new school of the evangelists, also called the new school of the prophets, came from across the Roman Empire; some from as far east as India. Peter, James, and Andrew were in charge of selecting the pupils. What these students learned in the morning they taught in the afternoon down on the shore; then after supper they would all get together to discuss the day’s events.
Each of the apostles taught in his own words. There was no dogma or attempt to standardize their teachings. They all taught the same truth, but according to their own understanding of it. Jesus in turn would help to harmonize these many different interpretations during his weekly question and answer sessions. Still, Simon Peter tended to dominate the theology of the group with James Zebedee also having a strong influence on the students. Over the five months that the school was in operation more than one hundred students attended. It was from this group, along with Aber and John’s apostles, that Jesus later selected the seventy evangelists. This larger group did not live together or share community property to the same degree as the apostles, and they were not allowed to baptize people until later when they were ordained by Jesus. Out of the hundreds of people that were healed during the earlier miracle at sundown, only seven of them were among the students at the school—and one of those was the nobleman’s son from Capernaum.
The Bethsaida Hospital
At the large seaside camp, Elman the Syrian physician along with twelve men and twenty-five young women built what was for all intents and purposes the kingdom’s first hospital. It was located a short way south of the main tent city, and over the time it was in operation they cared for over a thousand people. The sick were treated with prayer and whatever remedies they knew. Jesus visited the hospital at least three times a week and talked with every person there.
As far as is known, no miracles occurred at the hospital although most of the people healed never ceased to say it was Jesus who made them well. Many of the cures that did appear to be miracles were more the result of people’s expectations to be healed, and Jesus’ strong and inspirational personality. Almost everyone believed that illness, whether mental or physical, was caused by unclean spirits. Elman and his staff tried to convince the people otherwise, but with little success. And when Jesus treated people he had to remember the instructions from his Paradise brother, Immanuel, right before he incarnated on Earth. People learned much just by watching Jesus inspire hope and faith in those who suffered.
The Father’s Business
At the seaside camp Jesus let the apostles do most of the work. He preached to the people less than one dozen times and only once spoke at the Capernaum synagogue. This was the most time that Jesus was able to spend alone since his baptism, and when the apostles asked him where he had been all he would say was that he had been about his Father’s business. Jesus had relieved Peter, John, and James from their duties as his personal assistants for the time being, so now when Jesus went into the hills by himself he would randomly grab any two of the apostles that were not busy to accompany him. That way Peter, John, and James were able to help teach the over one hundred new evangelists, and each of the other apostles was able to spend personal time with Jesus.
It was not revealed to the authors of this record what Jesus was doing when he was about his Father’s business, but they were led to believe that he was actually in contact with the many celestial beings administering his vast universe. Ever since his baptism Jesus increasingly involved himself in managing his domain. While none of the apostles who went with Jesus on these trips ever saw celestial beings contacting him, they did see Jesus’ face flash through many rapid changes when he was in meditation.
Evil, Sin, and Iniquity
Two nights a week in a secluded corner of Zebedee’s garden Jesus held private meetings. One evening Thomas asked “Why is it necessary for people to be born of the spirit to enter the kingdom? Is rebirth necessary to escape the control of the evil one? Master, what is evil?”
Jesus replied “Thomas, do not confuse evil with the evil one, who is better known as the iniquitous one. The iniquitous one is the son of self-love. He was a high administrator in the universe who deliberately rebelled against the rule of my Father and his loyal Sons, but I have already defeated these sinful rebels. It is important that you are clear on the following ideas about the Father and his will in the universe, and to never forget them.’
“Evil is whatever is still not perfect. It covers those times when we do something we do not know is against divine will, and it measures the imperfection of one’s obedience to divine will. Sin is when we know we are doing something that is against God’s will, and we do it anyway. Sin is a measure of our willingness to go against God’s laws and his guidance. Iniquity though, is when sin has become a persistent habit. Iniquity measures the degree that a person continually rejects our Father’s loving and merciful plan of personality survival.’
“Because of our human nature, before a person is reborn of the spirit they are obviously not perfect. They will do many things considered evil because those acts are not in absolute alignment with God’s will. But that is not sin or inequity. It is just people naturally beginning as imperfect beings on their long ascent to perfection. Evil is part of the natural course of events, and it does not make us sinful. Yes, people have the ability to be evil, but they are not in any way children of the iniquitous one unless they deliberately chose a life of continuously progressive sin.’
“Evil is inherent in the natural order: it is what is not yet perfect. But sin requires the specific intention to go against the divine order, and it was brought to the Earth by those who fell from spiritual light into gross darkness.’
“You are confused, Thomas, by the ideas of the Greeks and the mistakes of the Persians. You do not understand the relationship between sin and evil because you think that people began on Earth as a perfect Adam, and then fell through sin to humanity’s present deplorable state.’
“But why do you refuse to understand the meaning of the record that says how Cain, the son of Adam, went over into the land of Nod and there got himself a wife? And why do you refuse to interpret the meaning of the record that says the sons of God found themselves wives from among the daughters of men?’
“Yes, people are evil by nature but that does not force them to be sinful. Being born again, being baptized by the spirit, is necessary to escape evil and enter the kingdom of heaven but none of that takes away from the fact that people are the sons of God. And just because evil is inherent in people’s nature does not mean that it has in some way separated them from their Father in heaven: people are not like stepchildren that have to seek for adoption by God.’
“Those ideas came about because people did not understand God’s nature or the origin, nature, and destiny of humanity. The Greeks and others have taught that humanity is falling from godly perfection into oblivion. But I have come to show you that it is just the opposite: that people, by entering the kingdom of God, are ascending toward God and divine perfection. And while anyone who falls short of the divine and spiritual ideals of the Father’s will is potentially evil, they are in no way sinful much less iniquitous.’
“Thomas, have you not read about this in the scriptures where it is written, ‘You are the children of the Lord your God.’ ‘I will be his Father and he will be my son.’ ‘I have chosen him to be my son: I will be his Father.’ ‘Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the Earth; even everyone who is called by my name, for I have created them for my glory.’ ‘You are the sons of the living God.’ ‘They who have the spirit of God are indeed the sons of God.’ While there is a material part of the human father in the natural child, there is a spiritual part of the heavenly Father in every faith son of the kingdom.”
Thomas understood much of what Jesus said, but Jesus told Thomas to not repeat the lesson to the others until after he had returned to the Father. Thomas did as ordered and did not mention this conversation until after Jesus had been killed.
The Purpose of Affliction
On another evening in the garden Nathaniel said “Master, I am starting to understand why you refuse to go around healing everyone, but I still do not understand why our loving Father in heaven allows so many of his children on Earth to suffer so much.”
Jesus replied “Nathaniel, you and many others are puzzled by this because you do not realize just how badly the natural order of your world has been altered so many times by traitors rebelling against the Father’s will. It will take many ages to restore this part of the universe to its former order and to release humanity from the resulting pain of sin and rebellion. The presence of evil alone is enough to test humanity’s ascension to God—sin does not have to be part of the process.’
“But my son, you need to know that the Father does not hurt his children on purpose. People bring unnecessary pain on themselves because of their persistent refusal to live according to divine will. Suffering is potential in evil, but much of it results from sin and iniquity—people choosing to do what they know will hurt them. Many irrational events have occurred on this world and it is not strange that smart people are confused by the suffering they see.’
“But God does not send suffering to the Earth to indiscriminately punish everyone. Imperfection—evil—is inherent in creation. Punishment—paying the penalties of sin—is inevitable. The suicide that comes with iniquity is inescapable. People cannot blame God for suffering that they bring on themselves, neither should they complain about experiencing life as it is lived on this planet. Our Father’s will is that people continually work to better their lot in life. Much earthly misery could be avoided with just a bit of forethought.’
“Nathaniel, it is our mission to help people solve their spiritual problems, and to quicken their minds so they are better prepared to solve their many material problems. I know you are confused because I know you have read the scriptures. Too often the tendency in the past has been to blame God for everything that ignorant people do not comprehend. But the Father is not responsible for your inability to understand. Do not doubt the Father’s love for you because you have either deliberately or unknowingly broken divine law and are suffering the consequences.’
“But Nathaniel, there is also much in the scriptures that you could have learned from if you had only read them with more care. Do you remember that it is written, ‘My son, do not deride the Father’s reprimands or get tired of him correcting you? The people the Lord loves he corrects, just like a father corrects the son he loves. ‘The Lord does not punish willingly.’ ‘Before I suffered I went astray, but now I keep the law. Suffering was good for me so I could learn the divine law.’ ‘I know your sorrows. The eternal God is your refuge while underneath are the everlasting arms.’ ‘The Lord is also a refuge for the oppressed, a place of rest in times of trouble.’ ‘The Lord will strengthen people on the bed of suffering; the Lord will not forget the sick.’
“As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord is compassionate to those who love him. He knows your body; he remembers that you are dust.’ ‘He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.’ ‘He is the hope of the poor, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the devastating heat, and the strength of the needy in distress. ‘He gives power to the faint and to the weak he increases their strength.’ ‘He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering fire.’ ‘When you pass through the waters of suffering I will be with you, and when the rivers of adversity overflow you I will not leave you.’ ‘He has sent me to comfort all who mourn, to bind up the brokenhearted, and to proclaim liberty to the captives. There is growth in suffering—it does not just spring forth from the dust.’”
Misunderstanding Suffering: The Talk about Job
That same night at Bethsaida, John asked Jesus why so many innocent people suffered from disease and sickness. Among other things, Jesus said “My son you do not understand hardship, or the reason for suffering. Have you not read the wonderful story about Job and the hard times he endured. Do you remember how this mighty parable begins by telling us how blessed Job was with health and wealth and dignity and position and children and all of the other things that people value in the earthly life?’
“According to the children of Abraham in those times, all that Job possessed was evidence that he had God’s divine favor. But material possessions and earthly wealth do not mean a person is blessed by God. Our Father is no respecter of persons: he loves the poor as much as the rich.’
“Yes, breaking God’s divine law will sooner or later bring hardship: what people sow they will reap. But that does not mean that all human suffering is the result of past sin. Neither Job nor his friends could find the answers to their confusion, but with the knowledge you now have you would not put either God or Satan into the roles that they play in this story.’
“While Job did not resolve his questions by suffering, he still accomplished much. Even when all that he thought he knew about God fell apart, he still rose to the point where he could sincerely say ‘I abhor myself,’ which brought to him a vision of God. So even though Job misunderstood the reason for his suffering, he ascended to the superhuman level of moral and spiritual insight. When those who are suffering receive a vision of God it results in a soul felt peace beyond human understanding.’
“The first of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, wanted the suffering Job to now live up to the same inner strength he had told others to show when he was rich. He said ‘Trust in your religion, Job; remember that it is the wicked and not the righteous who suffer. You must deserve this punishment or else it would not be happening to you. You well know that no one can be righteous in God’s sight. You know that the wicked never prosper. Anyway, it seems that people are predestined to get into trouble so maybe the Lord is only punishing you for your own good.’
“It is no wonder that poor Job was not comforted much from that explanation of why people suffer.’
“But what his second friend, Bildad, said to him was worse, even though it was correct according to what people knew about God at that time. Bildad said ‘God cannot be unjust. Your children must have been sinners since they all died. You are doing something wrong, otherwise you would not be suffering so much. If you were righteous, God would ease your troubles. You should know that in our history of people dealing with God that the Almighty only destroys the wicked.’
“And then remember how Job replied to his friends, saying ‘I am well aware that God does not hear my cry for help. How can God be just and at the same time so utterly ignore my innocence?’
“I am learning that I can get no satisfaction from appealing to the Almighty. Can you not see that God tolerates the persecution of the good by the wicked? And since people are so weak, what chance do they have for consideration at the hands of a powerful God? God made me like I am so when he turns on me I am defenseless. Why did God ever create me just to suffer in this miserable fashion?’
“And who can challenge Job’s attitude given the advice of his friends and the wrong ideas of God that were in his mind? Do you not see that Job longed for a human God: that he hungered to be at one with a divine being who knows people’s lives on Earth, and understands that just people must often suffer even when they are innocent as a part of this first life of the Paradise ascent?’
“It is for that reason that the Son of Man has come forth from the Father to live as a mortal on Earth—so that in the future he will be able to comfort and support all those who have to endure the same suffering as Job. Job’s third friend, Zophar, was even less help when he said ‘You are foolish to say that you are righteous seeing that you are suffering so much. But I admit that it is impossible to understand God’s ways. Maybe there is some hidden purpose in all of your miseries.’
“And after Job had listened to all three of his friends he went straight to God for help declaring the fact that ‘people, born of women, are few of days and full of trouble.’ Then Job went and talked again with his friends. This time Eliphaz grew more stern, accusing, and sarcastic; Bildad became offended at Job’s contempt for his friends, and Zophar just repeated his gloomy advice.’
“By this time Job had become disgusted with his friends. He appealed to God again, but this time he sent his words to a just God rather than the unjust God represented by his friends and his own religious beliefs.’
“Next, Job relaxed knowing that in a future life the inequalities of this life will be more than repaid. Not getting help from people drove Job to God. Then he went through the huge struggle in his heart between his faith and doubt finally seeing the light. He reached new levels of hope and courage knowing that that he may suffer and even die, but that he lives on in God.’
“Job was correct when he challenged the belief that God makes children suffer to punish their parents. Job was always ready to admit that God is righteous, but he wanted some type of soul satisfying knowledge of the personality of the Eternal. And that is our mission on Earth. No more will suffering mortals be denied the comfort of knowing God’s love and mercy. While the idea of God speaking from a mighty whirlwind was okay in its day, you now know that the Father does not show himself to us through miracles but instead speaks to us as a still small voice, saying ‘This is the way; walk like this.’
“Do you understand that God dwells in you—that he has become what you are so he can make you what he is!” Jesus ended by saying “The Father in heaven does not willingly bring hardship to his children. First, people suffer from the accidents of time and the imperfections of the evil that comes with an immature physical existence. Next, they suffer the unavoidable consequences of sin: breaking the laws of life and light. And finally, people reap the harvest of their own rebellion, their own level of iniquity against God’s rule on Earth. But these hardships are not the result of a personal slap from God. People can and will do much to lessen their suffering on Earth, but once and for all get rid of the superstition that God punishes people at the request of the evil one.’
“Study the Book of Job to see just how many wrong ideas of God even good people believe, and then note how even Job when in pain found the God of comfort and salvation in spite of all of the wrong teachings. At last his faith pierced through his suffering to see the light of life pouring forth from the Father as healing mercy and everlasting righteousness.”
John thought about what Jesus said for many days. This conversation transformed his life from that point on, and in the years to come he did much to help the other apostles improve their ideas of the nature and purpose of normal human suffering. John never spoke of this conference to anyone until after Jesus had been killed.
The Man with the Withered Hand
The second Saturday before the apostles and the new group of evangelists left on the second preaching tour of Galilee, Jesus spoke in the Capernaum synagogue on the “Joys of Righteous Living.” After Jesus had finished speaking, a large group of people with many different illness crowded around him asking to be healed. Also present were the apostles, many of the new evangelists, and the six spies from Jerusalem who were following him everywhere he went.
As Jesus stood talking to the people, the leader of the spying Pharisees convinced a man with a withered hand to ask Jesus if it would be lawful to be healed on the Sabbath, or if he should ask for help on another day. After Jesus realized that the man had been sent by the Pharisees, he said “Come here and let me ask you a question.’
“If you had a sheep and it fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would you reach down and lift it out?
Is it lawful to do that on the Sabbath?”
The man replied “Yes, Master, it would be lawful to do well like that on the Sabbath.”
Speaking to all of them, Jesus said “I know why you have sent this man to me. Because if you could tempt me to show mercy on the Sabbath it would give you a reason to charge me with an offence. But in silence you all agreed that it was lawful to lift the poor sheep out of the pit on the Sabbath. And now I want you to see that it is okay under the law to show loving kindness on the Sabbath to not only animals, but also to people. How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! I am now telling you that it is not against the law to do good to people on the Sabbath.”
As they all stood before Jesus in silence, he looked at the man with the withered hand and said “Stand up here by my side so that everyone can see you. And now so you can all know it is my Father’s will that you do good on the Sabbath, if you have the faith to be healed I ask you to stretch out your hand,” and as the man stretched out his withered hand it was healed and made whole.
The people became angry and turned on the Pharisees, but Jesus urged them to be calm saying “I have just told you that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath—to save life—but I did not tell you to hurt people or to give into the desire to kill.”
The Pharisees were furious and left. Even though it was the Sabbath they ran straight to Tiberias and told Herod what had happened, doing everything in their power to make Herod angry and secure the Herodians as allies against Jesus. But Herod refused to take any action against Jesus telling the spies they should take their complaints to Jerusalem.
This was the first case of Jesus performing a miracle when he was challenged to do so by his enemies. The Master did this so-called miracle not as a demonstration of his healing power, but to protest the idea of turning the Sabbath into meaningless rules designed to control people. This man returned to his trade as a stone mason and was one of those who, after their healing, went on to live a life of gratitude and righteousness.
The Last Week at Bethsaida
During their last week at Bethsaida the Jerusalem spies had a disagreement about Jesus: three of them were much impressed by what they had seen and heard. In Jerusalem, a young and influential member of the Sanhedrin, Abraham, publicly confessed his belief in Jesus and was baptized by Abner in the pool at Siloam. All of Jerusalem was in an uproar over this event and messengers were immediately sent to Bethsaida to tell the six Pharisee spies to return to Jerusalem. Also at this time the Greek philosopher who had before entered the kingdom during Jesus’ last tour of Galilee returned with some wealthy Jews from Alexandria; once again they invited Jesus to their city to build a small hospital for the sick and a joint school of religion and philosophy. As before, Jesus declined the invitation.
Then a trance prophet from Bagdad named Kirmeth arrived at the Bethsaida camp. This supposed prophet had strange visions when he was in trance and fantastic dreams when he was asleep. He created a disturbance at the camp, and Simon Zelotes wanted to deal roughly with the self-deceived pretender. But Jesus intervened and allowed Kirmeth all the freedom he wanted for a few days.
Soon everyone who heard Kirmeth’s preaching realized it was not sound as judged by the gospel of the kingdom. He soon returned to Bagdad taking with him only a half dozen erratic and unstable people. But before Jesus spoke up for the Bagdad prophet, David Zebedee with the help of a self-appointed committee had taken Kirmeth out into the lake and after repeatedly plunging him into the water they had advised him to leave right away and go and build his own camp somewhere else.
On this same day, Beth-Marion, a Phoenician woman went out of her mind and into a frenzy, and then after almost drowning from trying to walk on the water she was sent away by her friends. Also, the new Jerusalem convert, Abraham the Pharisee, gave everything he owned to the apostles’ treasury. This contribution did much to help them immediately send out the one hundred newly trained evangelists. Andrew had already announced the camp was going to close, and everyone prepared to either go home or to follow the evangelists into Galilee.
Healing the Paralytic
On the afternoon of Friday, October 1st one of the strangest events in Jesus’ life took place. He was holding his last meeting with the apostles, evangelists, and other leaders of the camp in the large open front room in Zebedee’s house that had been built for holding meetings during the rainy season. The six Pharisees from Jerusalem were also there, seated in the front row of people. Outside a huge crowd had surrounded the house, all of them straining their ears to hear what Jesus was saying.
Among the crowd was a man who had been paralyzed for many years. His friends had carried him to the camp from Capernaum on a small couch. This man had recently talked with Aaron, the stone mason, who had himself been healed. When the paralyzed man learned that Jesus was about to leave town, he decided to go and ask him to be made well. But when they got to Zebedee’s house his friends could not find a way in through the mass of people.
This man was determined to see Jesus, and he was not going to give up. He told his friends to find some ladders, hoist him up onto the roof of the house, make a hole in the tiles, and then lower him on his couch down into the living room. They did this and the man, sitting on his couch, landed directly in front of Jesus. Jesus quit speaking and looked at the man; everyone in the room was shocked at his perseverance. Addressing Jesus, the paralyzed man said “Master, I do not want to disturb your teaching, but I am determined to be healed. I am not like those other people who were healed and immediately forgot your lessons. I want to be made whole so I can serve in the kingdom of heaven.”
Even though this man had brought his disease on himself by his own misspent life, Jesus on seeing his faith said “Son, fear not; your sins are forgiven. Your faith will save you.”
When the scribes, lawyers, and Pharisees who sat with them heard Jesus they whispered to one another, “How dare this man say that? Does not he understand that is blasphemy? Who can forgive sin but God?”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said “Why do you think that way in your hearts? Who are you to sit in judgment over me? What is the difference whether I tell this paralytic your sins are forgiven, or arise and take up your bed and walk? Just so that all of you who are witnessing this can finally know that the Son of Man has authority and power on Earth to forgive sins, I now say to this sick man ‘Arise, take up your bed and go to your own house.” And the paralytic stood up and the people parted as he walked out of the house in front of them all. Peter then dismissed everyone, and many people prayed and glorified God confessing that they had never before seen such strange things.
During these events the messengers from the Sanhedrin arrived and told the six spies to return to Jerusalem. After a short discussion, the leader and two of the spies returned to Jerusalem while the other three confessed faith in Jesus and immediately went to the lake were they were baptized by Peter and taken into the kingdom.