PAPER 190
MORONTIA APPEARANCES OF JESUS
190:0.1 THE resurrected Jesus now prepares to spend
a short period on Urantia for the purpose of experiencing the ascending
morontia career of a mortal of the realms. Although this time of the morontia
life is to be spent on the world of his mortal incarnation, it will, however,
be in all respects the counterpart of the experience of Satania mortals who
pass through the progressive morontia life of the seven mansion worlds of
Jerusem.
190:0.2 All this power which is inherent in Jesus --
the endowment of life -- and which enabled him to rise from the dead, is the
very gift of eternal life which he bestows upon kingdom believers, and which
even now makes certain their resurrection from the bonds of natural
death.
190:0.3 The mortals of the realms will arise in the
morning of the resurrection with the same type of transition or morontia body
that Jesus had when he arose from the tomb on this Sunday morning. These
bodies do not have circulating blood, and such beings do not partake of
ordinary material food; nevertheless, these morontia forms are real.
When the various believers saw Jesus after his resurrection, they really saw
him; they were not the self-deceived victims of visions or
hallucinations.
190:0.4 Abiding faith in the resurrection of Jesus
was the cardinal feature of the faith of all branches of the early gospel
teaching. In Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, and Philadelphia all the gospel
teachers united in this implicit faith in the Master's resurrection.
190:0.5 In viewing the prominent part which Mary
Magdalene took in proclaiming the Master's resurrection, it should be recorded
that Mary was the chief spokesman for the women's corps, as was Peter for the
apostles. Mary was not chief of the women workers, but she was their chief
teacher and public spokesman. Mary had become a woman of great circumspection,
so that her boldness in speaking to a man whom she considered to be the
caretaker of Joseph's garden only indicates how horrified she was to find the
tomb empty. It was the depth and agony of her love, the fullness of her
devotion, that caused her to forget, for a moment, the conventional restraints
of a Jewish woman's approach to a strange man.
1. HERALDS OF THE RESURRECTION
190:1.1 The apostles did not want Jesus to leave
them; therefore had they slighted all his statements about dying, along with
his promises to rise again. They were not expecting the resurrection as it
came, and they refused to believe until they were confronted with the
compulsion of unimpeachable evidence and the absolute proof of their own
experiences.
190:1.2 When the apostles refused to believe the
report of the five women who represented that they had seen Jesus and talked
with him, Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb, and the others went back to
Joseph's house, where they related their experiences to his daughter and the
other women. And the women believed their report. Shortly after six o'clock
the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea and the four women who had seen Jesus went
over to the home of Nicodemus, where they related all these happenings to
Joseph, Nicodemus, David Zebedee, and the other men there assembled. Nicodemus
and the others doubted their story, doubted that Jesus had risen from the
dead; they conjectured that the Jews had removed the body. Joseph and David
were disposed to believe the report, so much so that they hurried out to
inspect the tomb, and they found everything just as the women had described.
And they were the last to so view the sepulchre, for the high priest sent the
captain of the temple guards to the tomb at half past seven o'clock to remove
the grave cloths. The captain wrapped them all up in the linen sheet and threw
them over a near-by cliff.
190:1.3 From the tomb David and Joseph went
immediately to the home of Elijah Mark, where they held a conference with the
ten apostles in the upper chamber. Only John Zebedee was disposed to believe,
even faintly, that Jesus had risen from the dead. Peter had believed at first
but, when he failed to find the Master, fell into grave doubting. They were
all disposed to believe that the Jews had removed the body. David would not
argue with them, but when he left, he said: "You are the apostles, and you
ought to understand these things. I will not contend with you; nevertheless, I
now go back to the home of Nicodemus, where I have appointed with the
messengers to assemble this morning, and when they have gathered together, I
will send them forth on their last mission, as heralds of the Master's
resurrection. I heard the Master say that, after he should die, he would rise
on the third day, and I believe him." And thus speaking to the dejected and
forlorn ambassadors of the kingdom, this self-appointed chief of communication
and intelligence took leave of the apostles. On his way from the upper chamber
he dropped the bag of Judas, containing all the apostolic funds, in the lap of
Matthew Levi.
190:1.4 It was about half past nine o'clock when the
last of David's twenty-six messengers arrived at the home of Nicodemus. David
promptly assembled them in the spacious courtyard and addressed them:
190:1.5 "Men and brethren, all this time you have
served me in accordance with your oath to me and to one another, and I call
you to witness that I have never yet sent out false information at your hands.
I am about to send you on your last mission as volunteer messengers of the
kingdom, and in so doing I release you from your oaths and thereby disband the
messenger corps. Men, I declare to you that we have finished our work. No more
does the Master have need of mortal messengers; he has risen from the dead. He
told us before they arrested him that he would die and rise again on the third
day. I have seen the tomb -- it is empty. I have talked with Mary Magdalene
and four other women, who have talked with Jesus. I now disband you, bid you
farewell, and send you on your respective assignments, and the message which
you shall bear to the believers is: `Jesus has risen from the dead; the tomb
is empty.'"
190:1.6 The majority of those present endeavored to
persuade David not to do this. But they could not influence him. They then
sought to dissuade the messengers, but they would not heed the words of doubt.
And so, shortly before ten o'clock this Sunday morning, these twenty-six
runners went forth as the first heralds of the mighty truth-fact of the
resurrected Jesus. And they started out on this mission as they had on so many
others, in fulfillment of their oath to David Zebedee and to one another.
These men had great confidence in David. They departed on this assignment
without even tarrying to talk with those who had seen Jesus; they took David
at his word. The majority of them believed what David had told them, and even
those who somewhat doubted, carried the message just as certainly and just as
swiftly.
190:1.7 The apostles, the spiritual corps of the
kingdom, are this day assembled in the upper chamber, where they manifest fear
and express doubts, while these laymen, representing the first attempt at the
socialization of the Master's gospel of the brotherhood of man, under the
orders of their fearless and efficient leader, go forth to proclaim the risen
Savior of a world and a universe. And they engage in this eventful service ere
his chosen representatives are willing to believe his word or to accept the
evidence of eyewitnesses.
190:1.8 These twenty-six were dispatched to the home
of Lazarus in Bethany and to all of the believer centers, from Beersheba in
the south to Damascus and Sidon in the north; and from Philadelphia in the
east to Alexandria in the west.
190:1.9 When David had taken leave of his brethren,
he went over to the home of Joseph for his mother, and they then went out to
Bethany to join the waiting family of Jesus. David abode there in Bethany with
Martha and Mary until after they had disposed of their earthly possessions,
and he accompanied them on their journey to join their brother, Lazarus, at
Philadelphia.
190:1.10 In about one week from this time John
Zebedee took Mary the mother of Jesus to his home in Bethsaida. James, Jesus'
eldest brother, remained with his family in Jerusalem. Ruth remained at
Bethany with Lazarus's sisters. The rest of Jesus' family returned to Galilee.
David Zebedee left Bethany with Martha and Mary, for Philadelphia, early in
June, the day after his marriage to Ruth, Jesus' youngest sister.
2. JESUS' APPEARANCE AT
BETHANY
190:2.1 From the time of the morontia resurrection
until the hour of his spirit ascension on high, Jesus made nineteen separate
appearances in visible form to his believers on earth. He did not appear to
his enemies nor to those who could not make spiritual use of his manifestation
in visible form. His first appearance was to the five women at the tomb; his
second, to Mary Magdalene, also at the tomb.
190:2.2 The third appearance occurred about noon of
this Sunday at Bethany. Shortly after noontide, Jesus' oldest brother, James,
was standing in the garden of Lazarus before the empty tomb of the resurrected
brother of Martha and Mary, turning over in his mind the news brought to them
about one hour previously by the messenger of David. James had always inclined
to believe in his eldest brother's mission on earth, but he had long since
lost contact with Jesus' work and had drifted into grave doubting regarding
the later claims of the apostles that Jesus was the Messiah. The whole family
was startled and well-nigh confounded by the news brought by the messenger.
Even as James stood before Lazarus's empty tomb, Mary Magdalene arrived on the
scene and was excitedly relating to the family her experiences of the early
morning hours at the tomb of Joseph. Before she had finished, David Zebedee
and his mother arrived. Ruth, of course, believed the report, and so did Jude
after he had talked with David and Salome.
190:2.3 In the meantime, as they looked for James
and before they found him, while he stood there in the garden near the tomb,
he became aware of a near-by presence, as if someone had touched him on the
shoulder; and when he turned to look, he beheld the gradual appearance of a
strange form by his side. He was too much amazed to speak and too frightened
to flee. And then the strange form spoke, saying: "James, I come to call you
to the service of the kingdom. Join earnest hands with your brethren and
follow after me." When James heard his name spoken, he knew that it was his
eldest brother, Jesus, who had addressed him. They all had more or less
difficulty in recognizing the morontia form of the Master, but few of them had
any trouble recognizing his voice or otherwise identifying his charming
personality when he once began to communicate with them.
190:2.4 When James perceived that Jesus was
addressing him, he started to fall to his knees, exclaiming, "My father and my
brother," but Jesus bade him stand while he spoke with him. And they walked
through the garden and talked for almost three minutes; talked over
experiences of former days and forecast the events of the near future. As they
neared the house, Jesus said, "Farewell, James, until I greet you all
together."
190:2.5 James rushed into the house, even while they
looked for him at Bethpage, exclaiming: "I have just seen Jesus and talked
with him, visited with him. He is not dead; he has risen! He vanished before
me, saying, `Farewell until I greet you all together.'" He had scarcely
finished speaking when Jude returned, and he retold the experience of meeting
Jesus in the garden for the benefit of Jude. And they all began to believe in
the resurrection of Jesus. James now announced that he would not return to
Galilee, and David exclaimed: "He is seen not only by excited women; even
stronghearted men have begun to see him. I expect to see him myself."
190:2.6 And David did not long wait, for the fourth
appearance of Jesus to mortal recognition occurred shortly before two o'clock
in this very home of Martha and Mary, when he appeared visibly before his
earthly family and their friends, twenty in all. The Master appeared in the
open back door, saying: "Peace be upon you. Greetings to those once near me in
the flesh and fellowship for my brothers and sisters in the kingdom of heaven.
How could you doubt? Why have you lingered so long before choosing to follow
the light of truth with a whole heart? Come, therefore, all of you into the
fellowship of the Spirit of Truth in the Father's kingdom." As they began to
recover from the first shock of their amazement and to move toward him as if
to embrace him, he vanished from their sight.
190:2.7 They all wanted to rush off to the city to
tell the doubting apostles about what had happened, but James restrained them.
Mary Magdalene, only, was permitted to return to Joseph's house. James forbade
their publishing abroad the fact of this morontia visit because of certain
things which Jesus had said to him as they conversed in the garden. But James
never revealed more of his visit with the risen Master on this day at the
Lazarus home in Bethany.
3. AT THE HOME OF JOSEPH
190:3.1 The fifth morontia manifestation of Jesus to
the recognition of mortal eyes occurred in the presence of some twenty-five
women believers assembled at the home of Joseph of Arimathea, at about fifteen
minutes past four o'clock on this same Sunday afternoon. Mary Magdalene had
returned to Joseph's house just a few minutes before this appearance. James,
Jesus' brother, had requested that nothing be said to the apostles concerning
the Master's appearance at Bethany. He had not asked Mary to refrain from
reporting the occurrence to her sister believers. Accordingly, after Mary had
pledged all the women to secrecy, she proceeded to relate what had so recently
happened while she was with Jesus' family at Bethany. And she was in the very
midst of this thrilling recital when a sudden and solemn hush fell over them;
they beheld in their very midst the fully visible form of the risen Jesus. He
greeted them, saying: "Peace be upon you. In the fellowship of the kingdom
there shall be neither Jew nor gentile, rich nor poor, free nor bond, man nor
woman. You also are called to publish the good news of the liberty of mankind
through the gospel of sonship with God in the kingdom of heaven. Go to all the
world proclaiming this gospel and confirming believers in the faith thereof.
And while you do this, forget not to minister to the sick and strengthen those
who are fainthearted and fear-ridden. And I will be with you always, even to
the ends of the earth." And when he had thus spoken, he vanished from their
sight, while the women fell on their faces and worshiped in silence.
190:3.2 Of the five morontia appearances of Jesus
occurring up to this time, Mary Magdalene had witnessed four.
190:3.3 As a result of sending out the messengers
during the midforenoon and from the unconscious leakage of intimations
concerning this appearance of Jesus at Joseph's house, word began to come to
the rulers of the Jews during the early evening that it was being reported
about the city that Jesus had risen, and that many persons were claiming to
have seen him. The Sanhedrists were thoroughly aroused by these rumors. After
a hasty consultation with Annas, Caiaphas called a meeting of the Sanhedrin to
convene at eight o'clock that evening. It was at this meeting that action was
taken to throw out of the synagogues any person who made mention of Jesus'
resurrection. It was even suggested that any one claiming to have seen him
should be put to death; this proposal, however, did not come to a vote since
the meeting broke up in confusion bordering on actual panic. They had dared to
think they were through with Jesus. They were about to discover that their
real trouble with the man of Nazareth had just begun.
4. APPEARANCE TO THE GREEKS
190:4.1 About half past four o'clock, at the home of
one Flavius, the Master made his sixth morontia appearance to some forty Greek
believers there assembled. While they were engaged in discussing the reports
of the Master's resurrection, he manifested himself in their midst,
notwithstanding that the doors were securely fastened, and speaking to them,
said: "Peace be upon you. While the Son of Man appeared on earth among the
Jews, he came to minister to all men. In the kingdom of my Father there shall
be neither Jew nor gentile; you will all be brethren -- the sons of God. Go
you, therefore, to all the world, proclaiming this gospel of salvation as you
have received it from the ambassadors of the kingdom, and I will fellowship
you in the brotherhood of the Father's sons of faith and truth." And when he
had thus charged them, he took leave, and they saw him no more. They remained
within the house all evening; they were too much overcome with awe and fear to
venture forth. Neither did any of these Greeks sleep that night; they stayed
awake discussing these things and hoping that the Master might again visit
them. Among this group were many of the Greeks who were at Gethsemane when the
soldiers arrested Jesus and Judas betrayed him with a kiss.
190:4.2 Rumors of Jesus' resurrection and reports
concerning the many appearances to his followers are spreading rapidly, and
the whole city is being wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. Already the
Master has appeared to his family, to the women, and to the Greeks, and
presently he manifests himself in the midst of the apostles. The Sanhedrin is
soon to begin the consideration of these new problems which have been so
suddenly thrust upon the Jewish rulers. Jesus thinks much about his apostles
but desires that they be left alone for a few more hours of solemn reflection
and thoughtful consideration before he visits them.
5. THE WALK WITH TWO BROTHERS
190:5.1 At Emmaus, about seven miles west of
Jerusalem, there lived two brothers, shepherds, who had spent the Passover
week in Jerusalem attending upon the sacrifices, ceremonials, and feasts.
Cleopas, the elder, was a partial believer in Jesus; at least he had been cast
out of the synagogue. His brother, Jacob, was not a believer, although he was
much intrigued by what he had heard about the Master's teachings and
works.
190:5.2 On this Sunday afternoon, about three miles
out of Jerusalem and a few minutes before five o'clock, as these two brothers
trudged along the road to Emmaus, they talked in great earnestness about
Jesus, his teachings, work, and more especially concerning the rumors that his
tomb was empty, and that certain of the women had talked with him. Cleopas was
half a mind to believe these reports, but Jacob was insistent that the whole
affair was probably a fraud. While they thus argued and debated as they made
their way toward home, the morontia manifestation of Jesus, his seventh
appearance, came alongside them as they journeyed on. Cleopas had often heard
Jesus teach and had eaten with him at the homes of Jerusalem believers on
several occasions. But he did not recognize the Master even when he spoke
freely with them.
190:5.3 After walking a short way with them, Jesus
said: "What were the words you exchanged so earnestly as I came upon you?" And
when Jesus had spoken, they stood still and viewed him with sad surprise. Said
Cleopas: "Can it be that you sojourn in Jerusalem and know not the things
which have recently happened?" Then asked the Master, "What things?" Cleopas
replied: "If you do not know about these matters, you are the only one in
Jerusalem who has not heard these rumors concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was
a prophet mighty in word and in deed before God and all the people. The chief
priests and our rulers delivered him up to the Romans and demanded that they
crucify him. Now many of us had hoped that it was he who would deliver Israel
from the yoke of the gentiles. But that is not all. It is now the third day
since he was crucified, and certain women have this day amazed us by declaring
that very early this morning they went to his tomb and found it empty. And
these same women insist that they talked with this man; they maintain that he
has risen from the dead. And when the women reported this to the men, two of
his apostles ran to the tomb and likewise found it empty" -- and here Jacob
interrupted his brother to say, "but they did not see Jesus."
190:5.4 As they walked along, Jesus said to them:
"How slow you are to comprehend the truth! When you tell me that it is about
the teachings and work of this man that you have your discussions, then may I
enlighten you since I am more than familiar with these teachings. Do you not
remember that this Jesus always taught that his kingdom was not of this world,
and that all men, being the sons of God, should find liberty and freedom in
the spiritual joy of the fellowship of the brotherhood of loving service in
this new kingdom of the truth of the heavenly Father's love? Do you not recall
how this Son of Man proclaimed the salvation of God for all men, ministering
to the sick and afflicted and setting free those who were bound by fear and
enslaved by evil? Do you not know that this man of Nazareth told his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem, be delivered up to his enemies, who would put
him to death, and that he would arise on the third day? Have you not been told
all this? And have you never read in the Scriptures concerning this day of
salvation for Jew and gentile, where it says that in him shall all the
families of the earth be blessed; that he will hear the cry of the needy and
save the souls of the poor who seek him; that all nations shall call him
blessed? That such a Deliverer shall be as the shadow of a great rock in a
weary land. That he will feed the flock like a true shepherd, gathering the
lambs in his arms and tenderly carrying them in his bosom. That he will open
the eyes of the spiritually blind and bring the prisoners of despair out into
full liberty and light; that all who sit in darkness shall see the great light
of eternal salvation. That he will bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty
to the captives of sin, and open up the prison to those who are enslaved by
fear and bound by evil. That he will comfort those who mourn and bestow upon
them the joy of salvation in the place of sorrow and heaviness.
That he shall be the desire of all nations and the
everlasting joy of those who seek righteousness. That this Son of truth and
righteousness shall rise upon the world with healing light and saving power;
even that he will save his people from their sins; that he will really seek
and save those who are lost. That he will not destroy the weak but minister
salvation to all who hunger and thirst for righteousness. That those who
believe in him shall have eternal life. That he will pour out his spirit upon
all flesh, and that this Spirit of Truth shall be in each believer a well of
water, springing up into everlasting life. Did you not understand how great
was the gospel of the kingdom which this man delivered to you? Do you not
perceive how great a salvation has come upon you?"
190:5.5 By this time they had come near to the
village where these brothers dwelt. Not a word had these two men spoken since
Jesus began to teach them as they walked along the way. Soon they drew up in
front of their humble dwelling place, and Jesus was about to take leave of
them, going on down the road, but they constrained him to come in and abide
with them. They insisted that it was near nightfall, and that he tarry with
them. Finally Jesus consented, and very soon after they went into the house,
they sat down to eat. They gave him the bread to bless, and as he began to
break and hand to them, their eyes were opened, and Cleopas recognized that
their guest was the Master himself. And when he said, "It is the Master -- ,"
the morontia Jesus vanished from their sight.
190:5.6 And then they said, the one to the other,
"No wonder our hearts burned within us as he spoke to us while we walked along
the road! and while he opened up to our understanding the teachings of the
Scriptures!"
190:5.7 They would not stop to eat. They had seen
the morontia Master, and they rushed from the house, hastening back to
Jerusalem to spread the good news of the risen Savior.
190:5.8 About nine o'clock that evening and just
before the Master appeared to the ten, these two excited brothers broke in
upon the apostles in the upper chamber, declaring that they had seen Jesus and
talked with him. And they told all that Jesus had said to them and how they
had not discerned who he was until the time of the breaking of the bread.
