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Posts
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How isolated can this be?
Very! Unless she’s reading the UB at her cyber study group
Symbolic running into a LIGHT pole tho, eh?
Richard E Warren
Welcome to The OPAD Online Study Session
Today’s Presentation
Paper 193 – Final Appearances and Ascension
5. The Master’s Ascension
It was almost half past seven o’clock this Thursday morning, May 18, when Jesus arrived on the western slope of Mount Olivet with his eleven silent and somewhat bewildered apostles. From this location, about two thirds the way up the mountain, they could look out over Jerusalem and down upon Gethsemane. Jesus now prepared to say his last farewell to the apostles before he took leave of Urantia. As he stood there before them, without being directed they knelt about him in a circle, and the Master said:
(2057.4)193:5.2“I bade you tarry in Jerusalem until you were endowed with power from on high. I am now about to take leave of you; I am about to ascend to my Father, and soon, very soon, will we send into this world of my sojourn the Spirit of Truth; and when he has come, you shall begin the new proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom, first in Jerusalem and then to the uttermost parts of the world. Love men with the love wherewith I have loved you and serve your fellow mortals even as I have served you. By the spirit fruits of your lives impel souls to believe the truth that man is a son of God, and that all men are brethren. Remember all I have taught you and the life I have lived among you. My love overshadows you, my spirit will dwell with you, and my peace shall abide upon you. Farewell.”
(2057.5)193:5.3 When the morontia Master had thus spoken, he vanished from their sight. This so-called ascension of Jesus was in no way different from his other disappearances from mortal vision during the forty days of his morontia career on Urantia.
(2057.6)193:5.4 The Master went to Edentia by way of Jerusem, where the Most Highs, under the observation of the Paradise Son, released Jesus of Nazareth from the morontia state and, through the spirit channels of ascension, returned him to the status of Paradise sonship and supreme sovereignty on Salvington.
(2057.7)193:5.5 It was about seven forty-five this morning when the morontia Jesus disappeared from the observation of his eleven apostles to begin the ascent to the right hand of his Father, there to receive formal confirmation of his completed sovereignty of the universe of Nebadon.
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[Each OPAD presentation is copied from The Urantia Book published by Urantia Foundation. Questions and comments related to the Paper under discussion are welcome and encouraged. In-depth questions and related topics may be studied in branch threads in the OPAD, or other subforums, as you require. Thank you for studying with us
Richard E Warren
Good Day nelsong, Rick B, Keryn, Bonita, Bradly, Alina, Carolyn, Carola, Fellow Students, Forum Friends, Members and Guests,
There we have it, early in the morning of May 18, 30 AD, on the Mount of Olives just outside Jerusalem, the morontia Master left Urantia, ascended as his apostles watched from their circle around him.
I can hardly wait for the new generation of inspired art depicting these marvelous revelations. But there is already this rendering from prodigious artist and Bible illustrator Harold Copping, who lived just before and during the time the revelation was being formulated (1863-1932):
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The words he spoke in this final good-bye-for-now were so very perfect, weren’t they?! How does one cap a career like that in a few words? He did it, ending with this beautiful teaching by which we might all learn and live:
“…By the spirit fruits of your lives impel souls to believe the truth that man is a son of God, and that all men are brethren. Remember all I have taught you and the life I have lived among you. My love overshadows you, my spirit will dwell with you, and my peace shall abide upon you. Farewell.”
The New Testament record of the ascension is at the end of Luke 24:
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
…and in Mark 16:
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
…and in Acts 1:
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
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From today’s reading:
…The Master went to Edentia by way of Jerusem…. (2057.6)193:5.4
From Paper 15:
…Jerusem, the headquarters of your local system of Satania, has its seven worlds of transition culture, each of which is encircled by seven satellites, among which are the seven mansion worlds of morontia detention, man’s first postmortal residence. As the term heaven has been used on Urantia, it has sometimes meant these seven mansion worlds, the first mansion world being denominated the first heaven, and so on to the seventh.
Edentia, the headquarters of your constellation of Norlatiadek, has its seventy satellites of socializing culture and training, on which ascenders sojourn upon the completion of the Jerusem regime of personality mobilization, unification, and realization…. (174.5)15:7.5
This 2:40 minute Youtube video gives an idea of the space relations of the local universe of Nebadon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzgGK8QI11Q&feature=player_detailpage
And this new five minute clip is a tutorial about Urantia’s place in the universe, numerically:
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From the end of today’s reading:
…Jesus disappeared from the observation of his eleven apostles to begin the ascent to the right hand of his Father, there to receive formal confirmation of his completed sovereignty of the universe of Nebadon…. (2057.7)193:5.5
There is more about this confirmation and ascension to God’s right hand in Paper 21:
…After each of his bestowals a Creator Son proceeds to the “right hand of the Father,” there to gain the Father’s acceptance of the bestowal and to receive instruction preparatory to the next episode of universe service. Following the seventh and final bestowal a Creator Son receives from the Universal Father supreme authority and jurisdiction over his universe.
(240.1)21:4.5 It is of record that the divine Son of last appearance on your planet was a Paradise Creator Son who had completed six phases of his bestowal career; consequently, when he gave up the conscious grasp of the incarnated life on Urantia, he could, and did, truly say, “It is finished” — it was literally finished. His death on Urantia completed his bestowal career; it was the last step in fulfilling the sacred oath of a Paradise Creator Son. And when this experience has been acquired, such Sons are supreme universe sovereigns; no longer do they rule as vicegerents of the Father but in their own right and name as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” With certain stated exceptions these sevenfold bestowal Sons are unqualifiedly supreme in the universes of their abode. Concerning his local universe, “all power in heaven and on earth” was relegated to this triumphant and enthroned Master Son.
(240.2)21:4.6 Creator Sons, subsequent to the completion of their bestowal careers, are reckoned as a separate order, sevenfold Master Sons. In person the Master Sons are identical with the Creator Sons, but they have undergone such a unique bestowal experience that they are commonly regarded as a different order. When a Creator deigns to effect a bestowal, a real and permanent change is destined to take place. True, the bestowal Son is still and none the less a Creator, but he has added to his nature the experience of a creature, which forever removes him from the divine level of a Creator Son and elevates him to the experiential plane of a Master Son, one who has fully earned the right to rule a universe and administer its worlds. Such beings embody all that can be secured from divine parentage and embrace everything to be derived from perfected-creature experience. Why should man bemoan his lowly origin and enforced evolutionary career when the very Gods must pass through an equivalent experience before they are accounted experientially worthy and competent finally and fully to rule over their universe domains!
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In tomorrow’s reading, Section 6. Peter Calls a Meeting, the Spirit of Truth manifests and functions on Urantia for the first time, right after Simon Peter gives his most “thrilling” speech ever to 120 believers. And Mathias, the 13th apostle, is chosen.
Overview of Paper 193: Final Appearances and Ascension
1. The Appearance at Sychar
2. The Phoenician Appearance
3. Last Appearance in Jerusalem
4. Causes of Judas’s Downfall
5. The Master’s Ascension
6. Peter Calls a MeetingThis group of papers [121-196] was sponsored by a commission of twelve Urantia midwayers acting under the supervision of a Melchizedek revelatory director. The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary midwayer who was onetime assigned to the superhuman watchcare of the Apostle Andrew.
Listen toPaper 193: (click the speaker icon at the top of the page)
Thanks for reading. Members’ thoughts, reflections, insights, observations, comments, corrections and questions about today’s OPAD presentation are invited.
Much love, Rick/OPAD host.
Richard E Warren
Welcome to The OPAD Online Study Session
Today’s Presentation
Paper 193 – Final Appearances and Ascension
6. Peter Calls a Meeting
…Acting upon the instruction of Peter, John Mark and others went forth to call the leading disciples together at the home of Mary Mark. By ten thirty, one hundred and twenty of the foremost disciples of Jesus living in Jerusalem had forgathered to hear the report of the farewell message of the Master and to learn of his ascension. Among this company was Mary the mother of Jesus. She had returned to Jerusalem with John Zebedee when the apostles came back from their recent sojourn in Galilee. Soon after Pentecost she returned to the home of Salome at Bethsaida. James the brother of Jesus was also present at this meeting, the first conference of the Master’s disciples to be called after the termination of his planetary career.
(2058.1) 193:6.2 Simon Peter took it upon himself to speak for his fellow apostles and made a thrilling report of the last meeting of the eleven with their Master and most touchingly portrayed the Master’s final farewell and his ascension disappearance. It was a meeting the like of which had never before occurred on this world. This part of the meeting lasted not quite one hour. Peter then explained that they had decided to choose a successor to Judas Iscariot, and that a recess would be granted to enable the apostles to decide between the two men who had been suggested for this position, Matthias and Justus.
(2058.2) 193:6.3 The eleven apostles then went downstairs, where they agreed to cast lots in order to determine which of these men should become an apostle to serve in Judas’s place. The lot fell on Matthias, and he was declared to be the new apostle. He was duly inducted into his office and then appointed treasurer. But Matthias had little part in the subsequent activities of the apostles.
(2058.3) 193:6.4 Soon after Pentecost the twins returned to their homes in Galilee. Simon Zelotes was in retirement for some time before he went forth preaching the gospel. Thomas worried for a shorter period and then resumed his teaching. Nathaniel differed increasingly with Peter regarding preaching about Jesus in the place of proclaiming the former gospel of the kingdom. This disagreement became so acute by the middle of the following month that Nathaniel withdrew, going to Philadelphia to visit Abner and Lazarus; and after tarrying there for more than a year, he went on into the lands beyond Mesopotamia preaching the gospel as he understood it.
(2058.4) 193:6.5 This left but six of the original twelve apostles to become actors on the stage of the early proclamation of the gospel in Jerusalem: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Matthew.
(2058.5) 193:6.6 Just about noon the apostles returned to their brethren in the upper chamber and announced that Matthias had been chosen as the new apostle. And then Peter called all of the believers to engage in prayer, prayer that they might be prepared to receive the gift of the spirit which the Master had promised to send.
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[Each OPAD presentation is copied from The Urantia Book published by Urantia Foundation. Questions and comments related to the Paper under discussion are welcome and encouraged. In-depth questions and related topics may be studied in branch threads in the OPAD, or other subforums, as you require. Thank you for studying with us.]
Richard E Warren
Greetings nelsong, Rick B, Keryn, Bradly, Bonita, Alina, Carolyn, Carola, Fellow Students, Forum Friends, Members and Visitors,
From the first paragraph of today’s reading, about Jesus’ mother:
…Soon after Pentecost she returned to the home of Salome at Bethsaida.… (2057.8) 193:6.1
Salome is the mother of the Zebedee clan. From Paper 187:
…After the Passover Mary returned to Bethsaida, where she lived at John’s home for the rest of her natural life. Mary did not live quite one year after the death of Jesus…. (2009.6)187:4.7
The Midwayers never said how big the upper chamber was, and it’s not a crucial matter, but it must have been a very large room to hold 120! From today’s reading:
…The eleven apostles then went downstairs, where they agreed to cast lots in order to determine which of these men should become an apostle to serve in Judas’s place…. (2058.2) 193:6.3
The Midwayers and history agree that Matthias faded from view. From today’s reading:
…But Matthias had little part in the subsequent activities of the apostles…. (2058.2) 193:6.3
From Wikipedia:
There is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of disciples or followers of Jesus in the three synoptic gospels. According to Acts, Matthias was one of the seventy disciples of Jesus, and had been with Him from His baptism by John to the Ascension. In the days following, Peter proposed that the assembled disciples, who numbered about one hundred and twenty, nominate two men to replace Judas. They chose Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. Matthias was present with the other apostles at Pentecost.
No further information about Matthias is to be found in the canonical New Testament. Even his name is variable: the Syriac version of Eusebius calls him throughout not Matthias but “Tolmai”, not to be confused with Bartholomew (which means Son of Tolmai) who was originally one of the twelve Apostles; Clement of Alexandria says some identified him with Zacchaeus; the Clementine Recognitions identify him with Barnabas; Hilgenfeld thinks he is the same as Nathanael in the Gospel of John.
The Catholic church sainted him.
Saint Matthias from the workshop of Simone MartiniThe New Testament record of this meeting and the choosing of Mathias is in the book of Acts of the Apostles, chapter 1:
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.***
Looks like honest, sincere Nathaniel was the only one who realized and fought against Peter’s error in supplanting the Gospel message with a preachment about the risen Jesus. From today’s reading:
…This disagreement became so acute by the middle of the following month that Nathaniel withdrew, going to Philadelphia to visit Abner and Lazarus…. (2058.3) 193:6.4
There is much more about Nathaniel in Paper 139:
…Jesus did not himself give Nathaniel a nickname, but the twelve soon began to speak of him in terms that signified honesty, sincerity. He was “without guile….” (1558.4)139:6.3
…In many respects Nathaniel was the odd genius of the twelve. He was the apostolic philosopher and dreamer, but he was a very practical sort of dreamer…. (1558.5)139:6.4
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The Alpheas twins, Simon Z, Thomas, Matthew, Nathaniel and Judas were all chosen by the other apostles. It should be noted the others, cited in today’s reading:
…This left but six of the original twelve apostles to become actors on the stage of the early proclamation of the gospel in Jerusalem: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Matthew…. (2058.4) 193:6.5
…were all chosen by Jesus, except Matthew Levi. John was the only one to live long (101). The other five died martyr’s deaths.
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This ends the presentation of Paper 193. Tomorrow’s OPAD reading is the introduction to Paper 194: Bestowal Of The Spirit of Truth, in which Peter’s prayer is answered. The Midwayers tell us how the Master’s bestowal spirit was received by the 120 believers, and how the Gospel message was immediately sublimated by the irresistible enthusiasm to proclaim the risen Jesus.
Overview of Paper 193: Final Appearances and Ascension
1. The Appearance at Sychar
2. The Phoenician Appearance
3. Last Appearance in Jerusalem
4. Causes of Judas’s Downfall
5. The Master’s Ascension
6. Peter Calls a MeetingThis group of papers [121-196] was sponsored by a commission of twelve Urantia midwayers acting under the supervision of a Melchizedek revelatory director. The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary midwayer who was onetime assigned to the superhuman watchcare of the Apostle Andrew.
Listen toPaper 193: (click the speaker icon at the top of the page)
Thanks for reading. Members’ thoughts, reflections, insights, observations, comments, corrections and questions about today’s OPAD presentation are invited.
Much love, Rick/OPAD host.
Richard E Warren
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