Knjiga Urantije
DIO IV. Isusov život i učenja
POGLAVLJE 128 : ISUS KAO MLADI ČOVJEK
Sekcije
- Uvod
- § 1. DVADESET I PRVA GODINA (15. GODINA PO. KR.)
- § 2. DVADESET I DRUGA GODINA (16. GODINA PO. KR.)
- § 3. DVADESET I TREĆA GODINA (17. GODINA PO. KR.)
- § 4. DOGAĐAJ U DAMASKU
- § 5. DVADESET I ČETVRTA GODINA (18. GODINA PO. KR.)
- § 6. DVADESET I PETA GODINA (19 GODINA PO. KR.)
- § 7. DVADESET I ŠESTA GODINA (20. GODINA PO. KR.)
Paper 128
Jesus’ Early Manhood
Jesus’ Early Manhood
KAKO je Isus iz Nazareta zakoračio u rane godine svoje zrele dobi, živio je i nastavio živjeti normalnim i prosječnim ljudskim životom na zemlji. Isus je došao na svijet kao sva druga djeca; nije sudjelovao u odabiru svojih roditelja. Istina, odabrao je ovaj svijet kao mjesto svoga sedmog i posljednjeg darivanja, svoga utjelovljenja u obličju smrtnoga tijela, ali je inače na prirodan način došao na svijet, odrastao kao dijete ovoga svijeta, noseći se s promjenjivim okolnostima svoje sredine, baš kao i drugi smrtnici na ovom i sličnim svjetovima.
128:0.1 (1407.1)
AS JESUS of Nazareth entered upon the early years of his adult life, he had lived, and continued to live, a normal and average human life on earth. Jesus came into this world just as other children come; he had nothing to do with selecting his parents. He did choose this particular world as the planet whereon to carry out his seventh and final bestowal, his incarnation in the likeness of mortal flesh, but otherwise he entered the world in a natural manner, growing up as a child of the realm and wrestling with the vicissitudes of his environment just as do other mortals on this and on similar worlds.
Ulaskom u zrelu dob, Isus se ozbiljno i s punom samosviješću prihvatio zadaće da ovlada iskustvom potpunog upoznavanja života najnižeg reda svojih inteligentnih bića, čime je konačno i potpuno stekao pravo na bezuvjetnu vlast nad svemirom koji je sam stvorio. Prihvatio se tog golemog zadatka potpuno svjestan svoje dvojne prirode. No, te je dvije prirode već bio djelotvorno sjedinio u jednu — Isusa iz Nazareta.
128:1.1 (1407.4)
With the attainment of adult years Jesus began in earnest and with full self-consciousness the task of completing the experience of mastering the knowledge of the life of his lowest form of intelligent creatures, thereby finally and fully earning the right of unqualified rulership of his self-created universe. He entered upon this stupendous task fully realizing his dual nature. But he had already effectively combined these two natures into one—Jesus of Nazareth.
Jošua ben Josip dobro je znao da je čovjek, smrtni čovjek rođen od žene. To se očitovalo već u prvom naslovu koji je odabrao — Sinu Čovječjem. Bio je istinski dionik tijela i krvi i čak i danas, dok kao suvereni vladar upravlja sudbinama jednog svemira, među svojim brojnim zasluženo stečenim naslovima još uvijek nosi i naslov Sina Čovječjeg. Doslovna je istina da je stvaralačka Riječ — Sin Stvoritelj Oca Svih — „postala tijelom i nastanila se kao čovjek na svijetu Urantiji.” Radio je, umarao se, odmarao i spavao. Gladovao je i utaživao glad hranom; žeđao je i gasio žeđ vodom. Iskusio je čitav raspon ljudskih osjećaja i emocija; bio je „u svemu iskušan, kao i vi”, te je patio i umro.
128:1.2 (1407.5)
Joshua ben Joseph knew full well that he was a man, a mortal man, born of woman. This is shown in the selection of his first title, the Son of Man. He was truly a partaker of flesh and blood, and even now, as he presides in sovereign authority over the destinies of a universe, he still bears among his numerous well-earned titles that of Son of Man. It is literally true that the creative Word—the Creator Son—of the Universal Father was “made flesh and dwelt as a man of the realm on Urantia.” He labored, grew weary, rested, and slept. He hungered and satisfied such cravings with food; he thirsted and quenched his thirst with water. He experienced the full gamut of human feelings and emotions; he was “in all things tested, even as you are,” and he suffered and died.
Zauvijek ostaje veličanstvena istina: „Imamo velikog vladara koji može suosjećati s našim slabostima. Imamo Suverenog Vladara koji je u svemu bio iskušan kao i mi, a ipak bez grijeha.” Budući da je i sam patio, prolazeći kušnje i iskušenja, u izobilju je kadar razumjeti i služiti onima koji su zbunjeni i ojađeni.
128:1.5 (1408.2)
It is forever and gloriously true: “We have a high ruler who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. We have a Sovereign who was in all points tested and tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” And since he himself has suffered, being tested and tried, he is abundantly able to understand and minister to those who are confused and distressed.
Nazaretski tesar sada je u potpunosti shvaćao narav poslanja koje je bilo pred njim, ali je odlučio da njegov ljudski život teče svojim prirodnim tijekom. I u nekim je od tih stvari doista primjer svojim smrtnim stvorenjima, kao što je zapisano: „Neka u vama bude isti um koji je bio i u Kristu Isusu, koji, premda božanske naravi, nije smatrao da se jednakosti s Bogom treba grčevito držati. Ali je sam sebe učinio neznatnim i, uzevši obličje stvorenja, rodio se na priliku ljudima. I budući da se našao u obličju čovjeka, ponizio se i postao poslušan do smrti, i to smrti na križu.”
128:1.6 (1408.3)
The Nazareth carpenter now fully understood the work before him, but he chose to live his human life in the channel of its natural flowing. And in some of these matters he is indeed an example to his mortal creatures, even as it is recorded: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being of the nature of God, thought it not strange to be equal with God. But he made himself to be of little import and, taking upon himself the form of a creature, was born in the likeness of mankind. And being thus fashioned as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.”
On je živio svoj smrtni život kao što ga mogu živjeti i svi drugi pripadnici ljudske obitelji, kao onaj „koji je za života tako često uznosio molitve i prošnje, čak i sa snažnim osjećajima i suzama, Onomu koji je mogao izbaviti od svakoga zla, a njegove su molitve bile uslišane jer je vjerovao.” Zato je u svakom pogledu morao postati sličan svojoj braći kako bi mogao biti njihov milosrdan i suosjećajan vladar.
128:1.7 (1408.4)
He lived his mortal life just as all others of the human family may live theirs, “who in the days of the flesh so frequently offered up prayers and supplications, even with strong feelings and tears, to Him who is able to save from all evil, and his prayers were effective because he believed.” Wherefore it behooved him in every respect to be made like his brethren that he might become a merciful and understanding sovereign ruler over them.
On nikada nije sumnjao u svoju ljudsku prirodu; ona je bila samorazumljiva i uvijek prisutna u njegovoj svijesti. No kad je riječ o njegovoj božanskoj prirodi, uvijek je bilo mjesta sumnji i nagađanjima; barem je tako bilo sve do njegova krštenja. Spoznaja vlastite božanskosti bila je spora i, s ljudskog gledišta, predstavljala je prirodno evolucijsko otkrivenje. To otkrivenje i spoznaja vlastite božanske prirode započeli su u Jeruzalemu, kad još nije bio navršio trinaest godina, prvim nadnaravnim događajem njegova ljudskog života. A taj proces spoznaje vlastite božanske prirode dovršen je tijekom njegova drugog nadnaravnog iskustva u tijelu, prigodom njegova krštenja od Ivana na Jordanu, događaja koji je označio početak njegove javne službe i učiteljskog rada.
128:1.8 (1408.5)
Of his human nature he was never in doubt; it was self-evident and always present in his consciousness. But of his divine nature there was always room for doubt and conjecture, at least this was true right up to the event of his baptism. The self-realization of divinity was a slow and, from the human standpoint, a natural evolutionary revelation. This revelation and self-realization of divinity began in Jerusalem when he was not quite thirteen years old with the first supernatural occurrence of his human existence; and this experience of effecting the self-realization of his divine nature was completed at the time of his second supernatural experience while in the flesh, the episode attendant upon his baptism by John in the Jordan, which event marked the beginning of his public career of ministry and teaching.
Između ova dva nebeska posjeta — jednoga u njegovoj trinaestoj godini, a drugoga prilikom njegova krštenja — u životu ovog utjelovljenog Sina Stvoritelja nije se dogodilo ništa nadnaravno ni nadljudsko. Pa ipak, betlehemsko djetešce, nazaretski dječak, mladić i naposljetku čovjek bio je uistinu utjelovljeni Stvoritelj jednog svemira; ali nikada nije upotrijebio ni djelić te moći niti se, osim vodstvom svog serafina čuvara, služio smjernicama nebeskih ličnosti u življenju svog ljudskog života sve do dana kada ga je Ivan krstio. A mi koji tako svjedočimo znamo o čemu govorimo.
128:1.9 (1408.6)
Between these two celestial visitations, one in his thirteenth year and the other at his baptism, there occurred nothing supernatural or superhuman in the life of this incarnated Creator Son. Notwithstanding this, the babe of Bethlehem, the lad, youth, and man of Nazareth, was in reality the incarnated Creator of a universe; but he never once used aught of this power, nor did he utilize the guidance of celestial personalities, aside from that of his guardian seraphim, in the living of his human life up to the day of his baptism by John. And we who thus testify know whereof we speak.
Pa ipak, tijekom svih tih godina života u tijelu, on je doista bio božanski. Uistinu je bio Sin Stvoritelj Rajskog Oca. Nakon što je započeo svoju javnu službu, po tehničkom dovršenju svog čisto smrtnog iskustva stjecanja suverenosti, nije oklijevao javno priznati da je Sin Božji. Nije oklijevao izjaviti: „Ja sam Alfa i Omega, Početak i Svršetak, Prvi i Posljednji.” U kasnijim godinama nije se protivio kada su ga nazivali Gospodinom Slave, Vladarom Svemira, Gospodinom Bogom svega stvorenja, Svecem Izraelovim, Gospodom sviju, našim Gospodom i našim Bogom, Bogom s nama, Onim čije je ime iznad svakoga imena i na svim svjetovima, Svemogućnošću jednog svemira, Umom Svemira ovog stvaranja, Onim u kojem su skrivena sva blaga mudrosti i znanja, Puninom Onoga koji ispunja sve, vječnom Riječju vječnoga Boga, Onim koji bijaše prije svega i u kojem sve ima svoje postojanje, Stvoriteljem neba i zemlje, Održavateljem jednog svemira, Sucem cijele zemlje, Darovateljem vječnog života, Istinskim Pastirom, Izbaviteljem svjetova i Predvodnikom našega spasenja.
128:1.10 (1408.7)
And yet, throughout all these years of his life in the flesh he was truly divine. He was actually a Creator Son of the Paradise Father. When once he had espoused his public career, subsequent to the technical completion of his purely mortal experience of sovereignty acquirement, he did not hesitate publicly to admit that he was the Son of God. He did not hesitate to declare, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” He made no protest in later years when he was called Lord of Glory, Ruler of a Universe, the Lord God of all creation, the Holy One of Israel, the Lord of all, our Lord and our God, God with us, having a name above every name and on all worlds, the Omnipotence of a universe, the Universe Mind of this creation, the One in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, the fullness of Him who fills all things, the eternal Word of the eternal God, the One who was before all things and in whom all things consist, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Upholder of a universe, the Judge of all the earth, the Giver of life eternal, the True Shepherd, the Deliverer of the worlds, and the Captain of our salvation.
Nikada nije prigovorio nijednom od ovih naslova nakon što su mu bili pripisani poslije izlaska iz njegova čisto ljudskog života i tijekom kasnijih godina njegove samosvjesne službe božanstva u čovječanstvu, radi čovječanstva i za čovječanstvo, na ovom i svim drugim svjetovima. Isus se usprotivio samo jednom naslovu. Kada su ga jednom nazvali Emanuelom, jednostavno je odgovorio: „Ne ja, to je moj stariji brat.”
128:1.11 (1409.1)
He never objected to any of these titles as they were applied to him subsequent to the emergence from his purely human life into the later years of his self-consciousness of the ministry of divinity in humanity, and for humanity, and to humanity on this world and for all other worlds. Jesus objected to but one title as applied to him: When he was once called Immanuel, he merely replied, “Not I, that is my elder brother.”
Nakon krštenja nije nimalo oklijevao dopustiti svojim iskrenim vjernicima i zahvalnim sljedbenicima da mu iskazuju štovanje. Čak i dok se borio sa siromaštvom i vlastitim rukama pribavljao sredstva za uzdržavanje svoje obitelji, sve je više postajao svjestan da je Sin Božji; znao je da je Stvoritelj nebesa i upravo ove zemlje na kojoj je živio svoj ljudski život. A mnoštva nebeskih bića diljem velikog i budnog svemira također su znala da je ovaj čovjek iz Nazareta njihov ljubljeni Vladar i Otac Stvoritelj. Tijekom tih godina duboka je napetost prožimala cijeli Nebadon; sve su nebeske oči bile neprestano uprte u Urantiju — u Palestinu.
128:1.13 (1409.3)
After his baptism he thought nothing of permitting his sincere believers and grateful followers to worship him. Even while he wrestled with poverty and toiled with his hands to provide the necessities of life for his family, his awareness that he was a Son of God was growing; he knew that he was the maker of the heavens and this very earth whereon he was now living out his human existence. And the hosts of celestial beings throughout the great and onlooking universe likewise knew that this man of Nazareth was their beloved Sovereign and Creator-father. A profound suspense pervaded the universe of Nebadon throughout these years; all celestial eyes were continuously focused on Urantia—on Palestine.
Ove je godine Isus sa svojim bratom Josipom otišao u Jeruzalem na proslavu Pashe. Kako je već bio poveo Jakova u Hram na posvećenje, smatrao je svojom dužnošću učiniti isto i s Josipom. Isus nikada nije pokazivao ni najmanju pristranost prema članovima svoje obitelji. S Josipom je otišao u Jeruzalem uobičajenim putem kroz dolinu Jordana, ali se u Nazaret vratio istočnom stranom Jordana preko Amatusa. Putujući dolinom Jordana, pripovijedao je Josipu židovsku povijest, a na povratku mu je govorio o predajama vezanim uz plemena Rubena, Gada i Gileada, za koja se vjerovalo da su nekoć živjela u tim krajevima istočno od rijeke.
128:1.14 (1409.4)
This year Jesus went up to Jerusalem with Joseph to celebrate the Passover. Having taken James to the temple for consecration, he deemed it his duty to take Joseph. Jesus never exhibited any degree of partiality in dealing with his family. He went with Joseph to Jerusalem by the usual Jordan valley route, but he returned to Nazareth by the east Jordan way, which led through Amathus. Going down the Jordan, Jesus narrated Jewish history to Joseph and on the return trip told him about the experiences of the reputed tribes of Ruben, Gad, and Gilead that traditionally had dwelt in these regions east of the river.
Josip je Isusu postavio mnoga pitanja o njegovu životnom poslanju, ali je na većinu njih Isus samo odgovorio: „Moj čas još nije došao.” Ipak, tijekom tih prisnih razgovora Isus je izrekao mnoge misli kojih se Josip prisjećao tijekom burnih događaja kasnijih godina. Isus je ovu Pashu proveo s Josipom i svoja tri prijatelja u Betaniji, kao što je imao običaj činiti kada bi dolazio u Jeruzalem na ove blagdanske svečanosti.
128:1.15 (1409.5)
Joseph asked Jesus many leading questions concerning his life mission, but to most of these inquiries Jesus would only reply, “My hour has not yet come.” However, in these intimate discussions many words were dropped which Joseph remembered during the stirring events of subsequent years. Jesus, with Joseph, spent this Passover with his three friends at Bethany, as was his custom when in Jerusalem attending these festival commemorations.
Bila je to još jedna od godina tijekom kojih su se Isusova braća i sestre suočavali s kušnjama i nevoljama svojstvenima problemima i prilagodbama adolescencije. Isus je sada imao braću i sestre u dobi od sedam do osamnaest godina i bio je stalno zaokupljen pomažući im da se prilagode novim buđenjima njihova intelektualnog i emocionalnog života. Tako se i sam morao nositi s problemima adolescencije kako su se oni očitovali u životima njegove mlađe braće i sestara.
128:2.1 (1409.6)
This was one of several years during which Jesus’ brothers and sisters were facing the trials and tribulations peculiar to the problems and readjustments of adolescence. Jesus now had brothers and sisters ranging in ages from seven to eighteen, and he was kept busy helping them to adjust themselves to the new awakenings of their intellectual and emotional lives. He had thus to grapple with the problems of adolescence as they became manifest in the lives of his younger brothers and sisters.
Ove je godine Šimun završio školovanje i počeo raditi s Jakovom, klesarom, Isusovim prijateljem iz dječačkih dana i uvijek spremnim zaštitnikom. Nakon nekoliko obiteljskih vijećanja odlučeno je da ne bi bilo mudro da se sva braća posvete tesarskom zanatu. Smatralo se da će, budu li se bavili različitim obrtima, biti u prilici preuzimati poslove izgradnje čitavih zgrada. Uostalom, nisu svi ni bili potpuno zaposleni, budući da su trojica već radila kao tesari s punim radnim vremenom.
128:2.2 (1410.1)
This year Simon graduated from school and began work with Jesus’ old boyhood playmate and ever-ready defender, Jacob the stone mason. As a result of several family conferences it was decided that it was unwise for all the boys to take up carpentry. It was thought that by diversifying their trades they would be prepared to take contracts for putting up entire buildings. Again, they had not all kept busy since three of them had been working as full-time carpenters.
Isus je ove godine nastavio raditi na dovršavanju kuća i izradi stolarije, ali je najveći dio vremena provodio u radionici na karavanskoj postaji. Jakov se počeo smjenjivati s njim u radu u radionici. Pred kraj godine, kada je u Nazaretu opala potražnja za tesarskim radom, Isus je ostavio Jakova u radionici na karavanskoj postaji, a Josipa za kućnim stolarskim stolom te otišao u Seforis raditi s jednim kovačem. Šest je mjeseci radio s metalom i stekao znatnu vještinu za nakovnjem.
128:2.3 (1410.2)
Jesus continued this year at house finishing and cabinetwork but spent most of his time at the caravan repair shop. James was beginning to alternate with him in attendance at the shop. The latter part of this year, when carpenter work was slack about Nazareth, Jesus left James in charge of the repair shop and Joseph at the home bench while he went over to Sepphoris to work with a smith. He worked six months with metals and acquired considerable skill at the anvil.
Prije nego što je prihvatio novi posao u Seforisu, Isus je održao jedan od svojih redovitih obiteljskih sastanaka i svečano postavio Jakova, koji je upravo navršio osamnaest godina, za glavu obitelji. Obećao mu je svoju srdačnu potporu i punu suradnju te je od svakog člana obitelji ishodio svečano obećanje poslušnosti Jakovu. Od toga je dana Jakov preuzeo punu financijsku odgovornost za obitelj, a Isus mu je iz tjedna u tjedan predavao dio svoje zarade. Isus nikada više nije preuzeo uzde iz Jakovljevih ruku. Dok je radio u Seforisu, po potrebi se mogao svake večeri vraćati kući pješice, ali je namjerno ostajao ondje, navodeći vremenske prilike i druge razloge, dok mu je pravi cilj bio pružiti Jakovu i Josipu priliku da nauče nositi teret obiteljske odgovornosti. Tako je započeo polagani proces odvajanja svoje obitelji od sebe. Svake se subote vraćao u Nazaret, a ponekad i tijekom tjedna, kada je to bilo potrebno, kako bi se uvjerio da novi plan dobro funkcionira te da bi ponudio svoje savjete i korisne prijedloge.
128:2.4 (1410.3)
Before taking up his new employment at Sepphoris, Jesus held one of his periodic family conferences and solemnly installed James, then just past eighteen years old, as acting head of the family. He promised his brother hearty support and full co-operation and exacted formal promises of obedience to James from each member of the family. From this day James assumed full financial responsibility for the family, Jesus making his weekly payments to his brother. Never again did Jesus take the reins out of James’s hands. While working at Sepphoris he could have walked home every night if necessary, but he purposely remained away, assigning weather and other reasons, but his true motive was to train James and Joseph in the bearing of the family responsibility. He had begun the slow process of weaning his family. Each Sabbath Jesus returned to Nazareth, and sometimes during the week when occasion required, to observe the working of the new plan, to give advice and offer helpful suggestions.
128:2.5 (1410.4)
Living much of the time in Sepphoris for six months afforded Jesus a new opportunity to become better acquainted with the gentile viewpoint of life. He worked with gentiles, lived with gentiles, and in every possible manner did he make a close and painstaking study of their habits of living and of the gentile mind.
Moralna mjerila ovog grada Heroda Antipe bila su toliko niža čak i od onih u karavanskom gradu Nazaretu da Isusu, nakon šestomjesečnog boravka u Seforisu, nije dugo trebalo da nađe razlog za povratak u Nazaret. Skupina s kojom je radio upravo se spremala preuzeti javne radove u Seforisu i u novom gradu Tiberijadi, a Isus nije bio sklon imati ikakve veze s poslovima koji su se obavljali pod nadzorom Heroda Antipe. Bilo je i drugih razloga zbog kojih je, prema Isusovu mišljenju, bilo mudro vratiti se u Nazaret. Po povratku u radionicu na karavanskoj postaji više nije preuzeo osobno upravljanje obiteljskim poslovima. Radio je zajedno s Jakovom i, koliko god je to bilo moguće, dopuštao mu da i dalje nadzire kućanstvo. Jakovljevo upravljanje obiteljskim izdacima i vođenje kućnog proračuna ostali su nepromijenjeni.
128:2.6 (1410.5)
The moral standards of this home city of Herod Antipas were so far below those of even the caravan city of Nazareth that after six months’ sojourn at Sepphoris Jesus was not averse to finding an excuse for returning to Nazareth. The group he worked for were to become engaged on public work in both Sepphoris and the new city of Tiberias, and Jesus was disinclined to have anything to do with any sort of employment under the supervision of Herod Antipas. And there were still other reasons which made it wise, in the opinion of Jesus, for him to go back to Nazareth. When he returned to the repair shop, he did not again assume the personal direction of family affairs. He worked in association with James at the shop and as far as possible permitted him to continue oversight of the home. James’s management of family expenditures and his administration of the home budget were undisturbed.
Upravo je takvim mudrim i pomnim planiranjem Isus stvarao preduvjete za svoje konačno povlačenje iz aktivnog sudjelovanja u obiteljskim poslovima. Nakon što je Jakov dvije godine vodio obitelj — i pune dvije godine prije nego što će se oženiti — Josipu je povjereno raspolaganje obiteljskim sredstvima i opće upravljanje kućanstvom.
128:2.7 (1410.6)
It was by just such wise and thoughtful planning that Jesus prepared the way for his eventual withdrawal from active participation in the affairs of his family. When James had had two years’ experience as acting head of the family—and two full years before he (James) was to be married—Joseph was placed in charge of the household funds and intrusted with the general management of the home.
Financijski je pritisak ove godine donekle popustio jer su sada radila četvorica mladića. Marijam je dobro zarađivala prodajom mlijeka i maslaca, a Marta je postala vrsna tkalja. Već su otplatili više od trećine kupovne cijene karavanske radnje. Prilike su se toliko popravile da je Isus mogao uzeti tri tjedna odmora i povesti Šimuna u Jeruzalem na Pashu, što je bilo najdulje izbivanje od svakodnevnog rada koje si je mogao priuštiti od očeve smrti.
128:3.1 (1411.1)
This year the financial pressure was slightly relaxed as four were at work. Miriam earned considerable by the sale of milk and butter; Martha had become an expert weaver. The purchase price of the repair shop was over one third paid. The situation was such that Jesus stopped work for three weeks to take Simon to Jerusalem for the Passover, and this was the longest period away from daily toil he had enjoyed since the death of his father.
U Jeruzalem su putovali preko Dekapolisa, prolazeći kroz Pelu, Gerasu, Filadelfiju, Hešbon i Jerihon. U Nazaret su se vratili obalnim putem, preko Lide, Jope i Cezareje, a zatim oko gore Karmela preko Ptolemaide do Nazareta. Isus je ovom prilikom prilično dobro upoznao cijelu Palestinu sjeverno od šireg područja Jeruzalema.
128:3.2 (1411.2)
They journeyed to Jerusalem by way of the Decapolis and through Pella, Gerasa, Philadelphia, Heshbon, and Jericho. They returned to Nazareth by the coast route, touching Lydda, Joppa, Caesarea, thence around Mount Carmel to Ptolemais and Nazareth. This trip fairly well acquainted Jesus with the whole of Palestine north of the Jerusalem district.
Isus i Šimun su se u Filadelfiji upoznali s jednim trgovcem iz Damaska kojem su se dvojica nazaretskih mladića toliko svidjela da ih je pozvao da odsjednu kod njega u njegovu jeruzalemskom svratištu. Dok je Šimun prisustvovao hramskim obredima, Isus je velik dio vremena proveo u razgovoru s tim dobro obrazovanim i mnogo proputovanim čovjekom, upućenim u svjetska zbivanja. Ovaj je trgovac posjedovao više od četiri tisuće karavanskih deva i imao trgovačke interese diljem Rimskog svijeta; upravo se spremao na put u Rim. Predložio je Isusu da pođe s njim u Damask i uključi se u njegov posao uvoza istočnjačke robe, ali mu je Isus objasnio da se u to vrijeme nije osjećao slobodnim otići tako daleko od svoje obitelji. No na povratku u Nazaret mnogo je razmišljao o tim dalekim gradovima i još udaljenijim zemljama Dalekog zapada i Dalekog istoka, o kojima je toliko često slušao od putnika i vodiča karavana.
128:3.3 (1411.3)
At Philadelphia Jesus and Simon became acquainted with a merchant from Damascus who developed such a great liking for the Nazareth couple that he insisted they stop with him at his Jerusalem headquarters. While Simon gave attendance at the temple, Jesus spent much of his time talking with this well-educated and much-traveled man of world affairs. This merchant owned over four thousand caravan camels; he had interests all over the Roman world and was now on his way to Rome. He proposed that Jesus come to Damascus to enter his Oriental import business, but Jesus explained that he did not feel justified in going so far away from his family just then. But on the way back home he thought much about these distant cities and the even more remote countries of the Far West and the Far East, countries he had so frequently heard spoken of by the caravan passengers and conductors.
Šimun je silno uživao u svom posjetu Jeruzalemu. Tijekom pashalnog obreda posvećenja novih sinova zapovijedi bio je propisno primljen u zajednicu Izraela. Dok je Šimun sudjelovao u pashalnim svečanostima, Isus se kretao među mnoštvom posjetitelja i vodio mnoge zanimljive osobne razgovore s brojnim nežidovskim obraćenicima.
128:3.4 (1411.4)
Simon greatly enjoyed his visit to Jerusalem. He was duly received into the commonwealth of Israel at the Passover consecration of the new sons of the commandment. While Simon attended the Passover ceremonies, Jesus mingled with the throngs of visitors and engaged in many interesting personal conferences with numerous gentile proselytes.
Od svih tih susreta možda se najviše ističe onaj s mladim Helenistom po imenu Stjepan. Ovaj je mladić prvi put došao u Jeruzalem i slučajno se susreo s Isusom u četvrtak poslijepodne tijekom pashalnog tjedna. Dok su zajedno šetali i razgledavali Hasmonejsku palaču, Isus je započeo ležeran razgovor koji je pobudio njihovo uzajamno zanimanje, te su proveli četiri sata razgovarajući o načinu života, istinskom Bogu i njegovu štovanju. Stjepana su Isusove riječi duboko dojmile i nikada ih nije zaboravio.
128:3.5 (1411.5)
Perhaps the most notable of all these contacts was the one with a young Hellenist named Stephen. This young man was on his first visit to Jerusalem and chanced to meet Jesus on Thursday afternoon of Passover week. While they both strolled about viewing the Asmonean palace, Jesus began the casual conversation that resulted in their becoming interested in each other, and which led to a four-hour discussion of the way of life and the true God and his worship. Stephen was tremendously impressed with what Jesus said; he never forgot his words.
A bio je to isti onaj Stjepan koji je kasnije povjerovao u Isusova učenja i čija je smjelost u propovijedanju ovog ranog evanđelja navela razjarene Židove da ga kamenuju. Dio Stjepanove izvanredne odvažnosti u naviještanju njegova viđenja novog evanđelja bio je izravna posljedica ovog ranijeg razgovora s Isusom. Ali Stjepan nikada nije ni slutio da je onaj Galilejac s kojim je razgovarao prije nekih petnaest godina ista osoba koju je kasnije proglasio Spasiteljem svijeta i za koju će uskoro položiti svoj život, postavši tako prvi mučenik novonastajuće kršćanske vjere. Kad je Stjepan položio svoj život kao cijenu svojih napada na židovski hram i njegove tradicionalne običaje, u blizini je stajao čovjek po imenu Savao, građanin Tarza. Kad je Savao vidio kako je ovaj Grk spreman umrijeti za svoju vjeru, u njegovu su se srcu probudili osjećaji koji su ga naposljetku naveli da prigrli nauk za koji je Stjepan umro; kasnije je postao agresivni i neustrašivi Pavao, filozof i, ako ne jedini, onda svakako glavni utemeljitelj kršćanske religije.
128:3.6 (1411.6)
And this was the same Stephen who subsequently became a believer in the teachings of Jesus, and whose boldness in preaching this early gospel resulted in his being stoned to death by irate Jews. Some of Stephen’s extraordinary boldness in proclaiming his view of the new gospel was the direct result of this earlier interview with Jesus. But Stephen never even faintly surmised that the Galilean he had talked with some fifteen years previously was the very same person whom he later proclaimed the world’s Savior, and for whom he was so soon to die, thus becoming the first martyr of the newly evolving Christian faith. When Stephen yielded up his life as the price of his attack upon the Jewish temple and its traditional practices, there stood by one named Saul, a citizen of Tarsus. And when Saul saw how this Greek could die for his faith, there were aroused in his heart those emotions which eventually led him to espouse the cause for which Stephen died; later on he became the aggressive and indomitable Paul, the philosopher, if not the sole founder, of the Christian religion.
U nedjelju nakon pashalnog tjedna, Šimun i Isus krenuli su natrag u Nazaret. Šimun nikada nije zaboravio ono što ga je Isus poučio tijekom ovog putovanja. Oduvijek je volio Isusa, ali je sada osjećao da je počeo upoznavati svoga oca i brata. Dok su putovali kroz zemlju i pripremali obroke uz put, vodili su mnoge prisne razgovore. Kući su stigli u četvrtak u podne, a Šimun je te večeri do kasno u noć svojoj obitelji prepričavao njihove doživljaje.
128:3.7 (1412.1)
On the Sunday after Passover week Simon and Jesus started on their way back to Nazareth. Simon never forgot what Jesus taught him on this trip. He had always loved Jesus, but now he felt that he had begun to know his father-brother. They had many heart-to-heart talks as they journeyed through the country and prepared their meals by the wayside. They arrived home Thursday noon, and Simon kept the family up late that night relating his experiences.
Mariju je silno uznemirilo Šimunovo izvješće da je Isus većinu vremena u Jeruzalemu provodio „družeći se sa strancima, osobito onima iz dalekih zemalja.” Isusova obitelj nikada nije mogla shvatiti njegovo veliko zanimanje za ljude, njegovu potrebu da s njima razgovara, da upozna njihov način života i da sazna o čemu razmišljaju.
128:3.8 (1412.2)
Mary was much upset by Simon’s report that Jesus spent most of the time when in Jerusalem “visiting with the strangers, especially those from the far countries.” Jesus’ family never could comprehend his great interest in people, his urge to visit with them, to learn about their way of living, and to find out what they were thinking about.
Sve se više nazaretska obitelj zaokupljala svojim neposrednim ljudskim problemima; Isusovo se buduće poslanje rijetko spominjalo, a još je rjeđe on sam govorio o svojoj budućoj ulozi. Njegova je majka sve rjeđe mislila o njemu kao o obećanom djetetu. Polako je odustajala od pomisli da Isus treba ispuniti neku božansku misiju na zemlji, premda bi joj se s vremena na vrijeme vjera ponovno budila kad bi se sjetila Gabrijelova ukazanja prije njegova rođenja.
128:3.9 (1412.3)
More and more the Nazareth family became engrossed with their immediate and human problems; not often was mention made of the future mission of Jesus, and very seldom did he himself speak of his future career. His mother rarely thought about his being a child of promise. She was slowly giving up the idea that Jesus was to fulfill any divine mission on earth, yet at times her faith was revived when she paused to recall the Gabriel visitation before the child was born.
Posljednja četiri mjeseca ove godine Isus je proveo u Damasku kao gost trgovca kojeg je upoznao u Filadelfiji na putu u Jeruzalem. Predstavnik ovog trgovca potražio je Isusa prolazeći kroz Nazaret i dopratio ga u Damask. Ovaj je trgovac, djelomice Židov, namjeravao izdvojiti iznimno veliku svotu novca za osnivanje škole religijske filozofije u Damasku. Planirao je stvoriti središte učenosti koje bi moglo nadmašiti Aleksandriju. Predlagao je da Isus odmah krene na dugo putovanje po svjetskim obrazovnim središtima kako bi se pripremio za vodstvo ovog novog pothvata. Bilo je to jedno od najvećih iskušenja s kojima se Isus suočio tijekom svoje čisto ljudske karijere.
128:4.1 (1412.4)
The last four months of this year Jesus spent in Damascus as the guest of the merchant whom he first met at Philadelphia when on his way to Jerusalem. A representative of this merchant had sought out Jesus when passing through Nazareth and escorted him to Damascus. This part-Jewish merchant proposed to devote an extraordinary sum of money to the establishment of a school of religious philosophy at Damascus. He planned to create a center of learning which would out-rival Alexandria. And he proposed that Jesus should immediately begin a long tour of the world’s educational centers preparatory to becoming the head of this new project. This was one of the greatest temptations that Jesus ever faced in the course of his purely human career.
Ovaj je trgovac nedugo zatim upoznao Isusa sa skupinom od dvanaest trgovaca i bankara koji su bili spremni financirati ovo planirano središte učenosti. Isus je pokazao veliko zanimanje za predloženu ustanovu i pomagao im u planiranju njezina ustroja, ali je uvijek izražavao bojazan da bi ga druge, neizrečene, ali preče obveze mogle spriječiti da prihvati vodstvo tako ambicioznog pothvata. Njegov budući dobročinitelj bio je uporan te je unosno zaposlio Isusa u svom domu na prevođenju nekih spisa, dok su on, njegova žena i njihovi sinovi i kćeri nastojali nagovoriti Isusa da prihvati ponuđenu čast. Ali Isus nije pristao. Dobro je znao da njegova misija na zemlji ne može biti poduprta ustanovama učenosti; znao je da se ni u najmanjoj mjeri ne smije obvezati da će ga voditi „vijeća ljudi”, ma kako dobronamjerna.
128:4.2 (1412.5)
Presently this merchant brought before Jesus a group of twelve merchants and bankers who agreed to support this newly projected school. Jesus manifested deep interest in the proposed school, helped them plan for its organization, but always expressed the fear that his other and unstated but prior obligations would prevent his accepting the direction of such a pretentious enterprise. His would-be benefactor was persistent, and he profitably employed Jesus at his home doing some translating while he, his wife, and their sons and daughters sought to prevail upon Jesus to accept the proffered honor. But he would not consent. He well knew that his mission on earth was not to be supported by institutions of learning; he knew that he must not obligate himself in the least to be directed by the “councils of men,” no matter how well-intentioned.
Nikada nije govorio o ovoj ponudi svojoj obitelji i kraj ove godine dočekao je u Nazaretu obavljajući svoje svakodnevne dužnosti, kao da nikada nije bio izložen iskušenju laskavih ponuda svojih prijatelja iz Damaska. Ni ljudi iz Damaska nikada nisu povezali kasnijeg stanovnika Kafarnauma, koji je uzdrmao cijelo židovstvo, s nekadašnjim tesarom iz Nazareta koji se usudio odbiti čast koju mu je moglo osigurati njihovo združeno bogatstvo.
128:4.4 (1412.7)
He never spoke about this offer to his family, and the end of this year found him back in Nazareth going about his daily duties just as if he had never been tempted by the flattering propositions of his Damascus friends. Neither did these men of Damascus ever associate the later citizen of Capernaum who turned all Jewry upside down with the former carpenter of Nazareth who had dared to refuse the honor which their combined wealth might have procured.
Isus je vrlo svjesno i domišljato nastojao razdvojiti različite epizode svoga života, tako da se u očima svijeta nikada ne bi povezale kao djela jedne te iste osobe. U kasnijim je godinama mnogo puta slušao priču o neobičnom Galilejcu koji je odbio priliku da u Damasku osnuje školu koja bi se mogla natjecati s Aleksandrijom.
128:4.5 (1413.1)
Jesus most cleverly and intentionally contrived to detach various episodes of his life so that they never became, in the eyes of the world, associated together as the doings of a single individual. Many times in subsequent years he listened to the recital of this very story of the strange Galilean who declined the opportunity of founding a school in Damascus to compete with Alexandria.
Jedan od razloga zbog kojih je Isus nastojao razdvojiti različite događaje svog zemaljskog života bio je spriječiti stvaranje tako mnogostrane i spektakularne životne karijere koja bi buduće naraštaje mogla navesti da više štuju učitelja nego da slijede istinu koju je živio i naučavao. Isus nije želio iza sebe ostaviti takav zapis ljudskih postignuća koji bi pozornost odvraćao od njegovih učenja. Vrlo je rano uvidio da će njegovi sljedbenici biti skloni stvoriti religiju o njemu koja bi mogla postati suparnicom evanđelja kraljevstva koje je namjeravao naviještati svijetu. Zato je tijekom cijele svoje znamenite životne karijere dosljedno nastojao potisnuti sve ono za što je mislio da bi moglo poslužiti ovoj prirodnoj ljudskoj sklonosti da se uzdiže učitelja umjesto da se naviješta njegovo učenje.
128:4.6 (1413.2)
One purpose which Jesus had in mind, when he sought to segregate certain features of his earthly experience, was to prevent the building up of such a versatile and spectacular career as would cause subsequent generations to venerate the teacher in place of obeying the truth which he had lived and taught. Jesus did not want to build up such a human record of achievement as would attract attention from his teaching. Very early he recognized that his followers would be tempted to formulate a religion about him which might become a competitor of the gospel of the kingdom that he intended to proclaim to the world. Accordingly, he consistently sought to suppress everything during his eventful career which he thought might be made to serve this natural human tendency to exalt the teacher in place of proclaiming his teachings.
Isti taj motiv objašnjava i zašto je dopuštao da ga tijekom različitih razdoblja njegova zemaljskog života poznaju pod različitim imenima. Također nije želio vršiti nikakav pretjeran utjecaj na svoju obitelj ili druge ljude koji bi ih naveo da povjeruju u njega protivno vlastitim iskrenim uvjerenjima. Uvijek je odbijao nepošteno ili nepravedno iskorištavati ljudski um. Nije želio da ljudi vjeruju u njega ako njihova srca nisu bila otvorena duhovnim stvarnostima koje je objavio svojim učenjima.
128:4.7 (1413.3)
This same motive also explains why he permitted himself to be known by different titles during various epochs of his diversified life on earth. Again, he did not want to bring any undue influence to bear upon his family or others which would lead them to believe in him against their honest convictions. He always refused to take undue or unfair advantage of the human mind. He did not want men to believe in him unless their hearts were responsive to the spiritual realities revealed in his teachings.
128:4.8 (1413.4)
By the end of this year the Nazareth home was running fairly smoothly. The children were growing up, and Mary was becoming accustomed to Jesus’ being away from home. He continued to turn over his earnings to James for the support of the family, retaining only a small portion for his immediate personal expenses.
Tjedan dana nakon Pashe ove godine u Nazaret je došao jedan mladić iz Aleksandrije kako bi dogovorio susret između Isusa i skupine aleksandrijskih Židova kasnije tijekom godine na palestinskoj obali. Susret je bio zakazan za sredinu lipnja, pa je Isus otišao u Cezareju kako bi se sastao s petoricom uglednih aleksandrijskih Židova koji su ga usrdno molili da se nastani u njihovu gradu kao vjerski učitelj, nudeći mu za početak mjesto pomoćnika hazana u njihovoj glavnoj sinagogi.
128:5.2 (1413.7)
The week following the Passover of this year a young man from Alexandria came down to Nazareth to arrange for a meeting, later in the year, between Jesus and a group of Alexandrian Jews at some point on the Palestinian coast. This conference was set for the middle of June, and Jesus went over to Caesarea to meet with five prominent Jews of Alexandria, who besought him to establish himself in their city as a religious teacher, offering as an inducement to begin with, the position of assistant to the chazan in their chief synagogue.
Predstavnici ovog odbora objasnili su Isusu da je Aleksandriji bilo suđeno postati svjetskim središtem židovske kulture; da je helenistički smjer razvoja židovstva već uvelike nadmašio babilonsku školu mišljenja. Podsjetili su ga na zlokobne nagovještaje pobune u Jeruzalemu i diljem Palestine te ga uvjeravali da bi svaki ustanak palestinskih Židova bio ravan nacionalnom samoubojstvu; da bi željezna ruka Rima ugušila pobunu za tri mjeseca; da bi Jeruzalem bio razoren, a hram srušen, tako da ne bi ostao ni kamen na kamenu.
128:5.3 (1414.1)
The spokesmen for this committee explained to Jesus that Alexandria was destined to become the headquarters of Jewish culture for the entire world; that the Hellenistic trend of Jewish affairs had virtually outdistanced the Babylonian school of thought. They reminded Jesus of the ominous rumblings of rebellion in Jerusalem and throughout Palestine and assured him that any uprising of the Palestinian Jews would be equivalent to national suicide, that the iron hand of Rome would crush the rebellion in three months, and that Jerusalem would be destroyed and the temple demolished, that not one stone would be left upon another.
Isus je saslušao sve što su mu imali reći, zahvalio im na ukazanom povjerenju i, odbijajući otići u Aleksandriju, u biti rekao: „Moj čas još nije došao.” Bili su zatečeni njegovom prividnom ravnodušnošću prema časti koju su mu željeli iskazati. Prije rastanka uručili su mu kesu s novcem kao znak poštovanja njegovih aleksandrijskih prijatelja i kao naknadu za vrijeme i trošak njegova dolaska u Cezareju radi razgovora s njima. Ali i taj je novac odbio, rekavši: „Kuća Josipova nikada nije primala milostinju i ne možemo jesti tuđi kruh dok ja imam snažne ruke, a moja braća mogu raditi.”
128:5.4 (1414.2)
Jesus listened to all they had to say, thanked them for their confidence, and, in declining to go to Alexandria, in substance said, “My hour has not yet come.” They were nonplused by his apparent indifference to the honor they had sought to confer upon him. Before taking leave of Jesus, they presented him with a purse in token of the esteem of his Alexandrian friends and in compensation for the time and expense of coming over to Caesarea to confer with them. But he likewise refused the money, saying: “The house of Joseph has never received alms, and we cannot eat another’s bread as long as I have strong arms and my brothers can labor.”
Njegovi prijatelji iz Egipta otplovili su kući i u kasnijim godinama, kada su slušali glasine o kafarnaumskom brodograditelju koji je izazivao toliku pometnju u Palestini, malo je njih naslućivalo da je riječ o odraslom djetetu iz Betlehema i istom onom neobičnom Galilejcu koji je bez mnogo pompe odbio poziv da postane veliki učitelj u Aleksandriji.
128:5.5 (1414.3)
His friends from Egypt set sail for home, and in subsequent years, when they heard rumors of the Capernaum boatbuilder who was creating such a commotion in Palestine, few of them surmised that he was the babe of Bethlehem grown up and the same strange-acting Galilean who had so unceremoniously declined the invitation to become a great teacher in Alexandria.
Isus se vratio u Nazaret. Preostalih šest mjeseci ove godine bilo je najmirnije razdoblje cijele njegove karijere. Uživao je u ovom privremenom predahu od uobičajenog niza problema koje je trebalo rješavati i teškoća koje je trebalo svladavati. Mnogo je razgovarao sa svojim Ocem na nebu i postigao velik napredak u ovladavanju svojim ljudskim umom.
128:5.6 (1414.4)
Jesus returned to Nazareth. The remainder of this year was the most uneventful six months of his whole career. He enjoyed this temporary respite from the usual program of problems to solve and difficulties to surmount. He communed much with his Father in heaven and made tremendous progress in the mastery of his human mind.
Ali ljudski poslovi na svjetovima vremena i prostora ne teku dugo bez poteškoća. U prosincu je Jakov nasamo razgovarao s Isusom i povjerio mu da je duboko zaljubljen u Estu, mladu djevojku iz Nazareta, te da bi se jednoga dana željeli vjenčati ako se to bude moglo urediti. Napomenuo je da će Josip uskoro navršiti osamnaest godina i da bi mu dobro došlo iskustvo privremenog preuzimanja dužnosti glave obitelji. Isus je pristao na Jakovljev brak dvije godine kasnije, pod uvjetom da tijekom tog vremena primjereno pripremi Josipa da preuzme upravljanje kućanstvom.
128:5.7 (1414.5)
But human affairs on the worlds of time and space do not run smoothly for long. In December James had a private talk with Jesus, explaining that he was much in love with Esta, a young woman of Nazareth, and that they would sometime like to be married if it could be arranged. He called attention to the fact that Joseph would soon be eighteen years old, and that it would be a good experience for him to have a chance to serve as the acting head of the family. Jesus gave consent for James’s marriage two years later, provided he had, during the intervening time, properly trained Joseph to assume direction of the home.
I tako su se počeli nizati novi događaji — ženidba je bila u zraku. Nakon što je Jakov dobio Isusovu suglasnost za sklapanje braka, Marijam je smogla hrabrosti da iznese vlastite planove svome bratu-ocu. Mladi klesar Jakov, nekadašnji Isusov samozvani zaštitnik, a sada poslovni suradnik Jakova i Josipa, već je dugo nastojao osvojiti Marijaminu ruku. Nakon što je Marijam iznijela svoje želje, Isus je zatražio da Jakov dođe k njemu sa službenom prošnjom i obećao svoj blagoslov njihovu braku čim se Marijam uvjeri da je Marta sposobna preuzeti dužnosti najstarije kćeri.
128:5.8 (1414.6)
And now things began to happen—marriage was in the air. James’s success in gaining Jesus’ assent to his marriage emboldened Miriam to approach her brother-father with her plans. Jacob, the younger stone mason, onetime self-appointed champion of Jesus, now business associate of James and Joseph, had long sought to gain Miriam’s hand in marriage. After Miriam had laid her plans before Jesus, he directed that Jacob should come to him making formal request for her and promised his blessing for the marriage just as soon as she felt that Martha was competent to assume her duties as eldest daughter.
128:5.9 (1414.7)
When at home, he continued to teach the evening school three times a week, read the Scriptures often in the synagogue on the Sabbath, visited with his mother, taught the children, and in general conducted himself as a worthy and respected citizen of Nazareth in the commonwealth of Israel.
Isus je bio jedan od najkršnijih i najotmjenijih primjera muževnosti koji su se pojavili na zemlji još od Adamovih dana. Njegov tjelesni razvoj bio je izvanredan. Um mu je bio živahan, oštar i pronicav — u usporedbi s prosječnim umnim sposobnostima njegovih suvremenika dosegao je goleme razmjere — a njegov je duh doista bio ljudskobožanski.
128:6.2 (1415.2)
Jesus was one of the most robust and refined specimens of manhood to appear on earth since the days of Adam. His physical development was superb. His mind was active, keen, and penetrating—compared with the average mentality of his contemporaries, it had developed gigantic proportions—and his spirit was indeed humanly divine.
Obiteljske su financije bile u najboljem stanju od gubitka Josipova imanja. Konačno su otplatili karavansku radnju; nikome više ništa nisu dugovali i prvi put nakon mnogo godina imali su nešto ušteđevine. Budući da je već poveo svu svoju drugu braću u Jeruzalem na njihovu prvu proslavu Pashe, Isus je odlučio povesti i Judu, koji je upravo završio sinagošku školu, na njegov prvi posjet hramu.
128:6.3 (1415.3)
The family finances were in the best condition since the disappearance of Joseph’s estate. The final payments had been made on the caravan repair shop; they owed no man and for the first time in years had some funds ahead. This being true, and since he had taken his other brothers to Jerusalem for their first Passover ceremonies, Jesus decided to accompany Jude (who had just graduated from the synagogue school) on his first visit to the temple.
128:6.4 (1415.4)
They went up to Jerusalem and returned by the same route, the Jordan valley, as Jesus feared trouble if he took his young brother through Samaria. Already at Nazareth Jude had got into slight trouble several times because of his hasty disposition, coupled with his strong patriotic sentiments.
Stigli su u Jeruzalem i krenuli u svoj prvi posjet hramu — a sam prizor hrama ushitio je i dirnuo Judu do dubine duše — kad su slučajno naišli na Lazara iz Betanije. Dok je Isus razgovarao s Lazarom i dogovarao njihovu zajedničku proslavu Pashe, Juda je već svima počeo stvarati ozbiljne nevolje. U blizini je stajao rimski stražar koji je dobacio nekoliko neumjesnih primjedbi na račun jedne Židovke u prolazu. Juda je planuo od ogorčenja i nije dugo oklijevao glasno izraziti svoje negodovanje zbog takve nepristojnosti, tako da ga je vojnik mogao čuti. Rimski su legionari bili vrlo osjetljivi na sve što je imalo prizvuk židovskog nepoštovanja, pa je stražar smjesta uhitio Judu. To je za mladog rodoljuba bilo previše i prije nego što ga je Isus uspio opomenuti pogledom, Juda je već izlio bujicu dugo potiskivanih proturimskih osjećaja, čime je samo još više pogoršao ionako nezgodnu situaciju. Tako su Juda i Isus, koji je ostao uz njega, odmah bili odvedeni u vojni zatvor.
128:6.5 (1415.5)
They arrived at Jerusalem in due time and were on their way for a first visit to the temple, the very sight of which had stirred and thrilled Jude to the very depths of his soul, when they chanced to meet Lazarus of Bethany. While Jesus talked with Lazarus and sought to arrange for their joint celebration of the Passover, Jude started up real trouble for them all. Close at hand stood a Roman guard who made some improper remarks regarding a Jewish girl who was passing. Jude flushed with fiery indignation and was not slow in expressing his resentment of such an impropriety directly to and within hearing of the soldier. Now the Roman legionnaires were very sensitive to anything bordering on Jewish disrespect; so the guard promptly placed Jude under arrest. This was too much for the young patriot, and before Jesus could caution him by a warning glance, he had delivered himself of a voluble denunciation of pent-up anti-Roman feelings, all of which only made a bad matter worse. Jude, with Jesus by his side, was taken at once to the military prison.
Isus je nastojao ishoditi da Juda bude ili odmah saslušan ili pušten na slobodu na vrijeme za večernju proslavu Pashe, ali bez uspjeha. Budući da je sljedeći dan u Jeruzalemu bio „sveti sabor”, čak se ni Rimljani nisu usuđivali podići optužbu protiv nekog Židova. Stoga je Juda ostao u pritvoru do jutra drugog dana nakon uhićenja, a Isus je ostao uz njega. Tako nisu bili prisutni u hramu na svečanosti primanja novih sinova zakona u puno građanstvo Izraela. Juda nije prošao kroz ovaj službeni obred još nekoliko godina, sve dok ponovno nije došao u Jeruzalem na Pashu u vezi sa svojim propagandnim radom u ime Revnitelja, domoljubne organizacije kojoj je pripadao i u kojoj je bio vrlo aktivan.
128:6.6 (1415.6)
Jesus endeavored to obtain either an immediate hearing for Jude or else his release in time for the Passover celebration that evening, but he failed in these attempts. Since the next day was a “holy convocation” in Jerusalem, even the Romans would not presume to hear charges against a Jew. Accordingly, Jude remained in confinement until the morning of the second day after his arrest, and Jesus stayed at the prison with him. They were not present in the temple at the ceremony of receiving the sons of the law into the full citizenship of Israel. Jude did not pass through this formal ceremony for several years, until he was next in Jerusalem at a Passover and in connection with his propaganda work in behalf of the Zealots, the patriotic organization to which he belonged and in which he was very active.
Jutro nakon njihova drugog dana u pritvoru Isus je izašao pred vojnog upravitelja da bi se zauzeo za Judu. Ispričavajući bratovu mladost i razborito se osvrćući na provokativnu narav događaja koji su doveli do njegova uhićenja, Isus je tako vješto iznio cijeli slučaj da je upravitelj na kraju izrazio mišljenje kako je mladi Židov možda ipak imao stanovito opravdanje za svoj nasilni ispad. Nakon što je upozorio Judu da se više ne upušta u takve nepromišljenosti, rekao je Isusu pri njihovu otpustu: „Bolje pripazite na tog mladića; mogao bi svima vama zadati mnogo nevolja.” I rimski je sudac govorio istinu. Juda je doista zadavao mnogo briga Isusu, i uvijek iste naravi — sukobi s građanskim vlastima izazvani njegovim nepromišljenim i nerazboritim domoljubnim ispadima.
128:6.7 (1415.7)
The morning following their second day in prison Jesus appeared before the military magistrate in behalf of Jude. By making apologies for his brother’s youth and by a further explanatory but judicious statement with reference to the provocative nature of the episode which had led up to the arrest of his brother, Jesus so handled the case that the magistrate expressed the opinion that the young Jew might have had some possible excuse for his violent outburst. After warning Jude not to allow himself again to be guilty of such rashness, he said to Jesus in dismissing them: “You had better keep your eye on the lad; he’s liable to make a lot of trouble for all of you.” And the Roman judge spoke the truth. Jude did make considerable trouble for Jesus, and always was the trouble of this same nature—clashes with the civil authorities because of his thoughtless and unwise patriotic outbursts.
Isus i Juda proveli su noć u Betaniji, objašnjavajući zašto nisu mogli doći na pashalnu večeru, a sljedećeg su dana krenuli prema Nazaretu. Isus nije rekao obitelji ništa o bratovu uhićenju u Jeruzalemu, ali je otprilike tri tjedna nakon povratka nadugo razgovarao s Judom o cijelom događaju. Nakon tog razgovora Juda je sam ispričao obitelji što se dogodilo. Nikada nije zaboravio strpljenje i obzirnost koje je njegov brat-otac pokazao tijekom cijelog tog teškog iskušenja.
128:6.8 (1416.1)
Jesus and Jude walked over to Bethany for the night, explaining why they had failed to keep their appointment for the Passover supper, and set out for Nazareth the following day. Jesus did not tell the family about his young brother’s arrest at Jerusalem, but he had a long talk with Jude about this episode some three weeks after their return. After this talk with Jesus Jude himself told the family. He never forgot the patience and forbearance his brother-father manifested throughout the whole of this trying experience.
Ove su godine Ruta i njezine prijateljice svojim nestašlucima često prekidale njegova razdoblja duboke meditacije. Isus je uvijek bio spreman odgoditi razmišljanje o svojoj budućoj službi svijetu i svemiru kako bi sudjelovao u dječjoj radosti i mladenačkom veselju ovih mališana, koji se nikada nisu umarali slušajući njegove pripovijesti o putovanjima u Jeruzalem. Jednako su tako uživali u njegovim pričama o životinjama i prirodi.
128:6.10 (1416.3)
This year his seasons of deep meditation were often broken into by Ruth and her playmates. And always was Jesus ready to postpone the contemplation of his future work for the world and the universe that he might share in the childish joy and youthful gladness of these youngsters, who never tired of listening to Jesus relate the experiences of his various trips to Jerusalem. They also greatly enjoyed his stories about animals and nature.
Djeca su uvijek bila dobrodošla u karavanskoj radnji. Isus je pokraj radnje držao pijesak, drvene kocke i kamenčiće, pa su se ondje okupljale čitave družine djece da se igraju. Kad bi se zasitili igre, oni smjeliji među njima provirili bi u radnju i, ako Isus nije bio zauzet, odvažili se ući i reći: „Striče Jošua, izađi i ispričaj nam jednu dugu priču.” Tada bi ga vukli za ruke sve dok ne bi sjeo na svoju omiljenu stijenu pokraj radnje, dok bi djeca sjedila na tlu u polukrugu oko njega. A kako su samo mališani uživali u pričama svoga strica Jošue! Od njega su se naučili smijati, i to od srca. Obično bi se jedno ili dvoje najmanje djece popelo na njegova koljena i ondje sjedilo, zadivljeno promatrajući izražajne crte njegova lica dok im je pripovijedao svoje priče. Djeca su voljela Isusa, a i Isus je volio djecu.
128:6.11 (1416.4)
The children were always welcome at the repair shop. Jesus provided sand, blocks, and stones by the side of the shop, and bevies of youngsters flocked there to amuse themselves. When they tired of their play, the more intrepid ones would peek into the shop, and if its keeper were not busy, they would make bold to go in and say, “Uncle Joshua, come out and tell us a big story.” Then they would lead him out by tugging at his hands until he was seated on the favorite rock by the corner of the shop, with the children on the ground in a semicircle before him. And how the little folks did enjoy their Uncle Joshua. They were learning to laugh, and to laugh heartily. It was customary for one or two of the smallest of the children to climb upon his knees and sit there, looking up in wonderment at his expressive features as he told his stories. The children loved Jesus, and Jesus loved the children.
Njegovim je prijateljima bilo teško shvatiti širinu njegovih intelektualnih zanimanja i kako je mogao tako naglo i potpuno prijeći s dubokih rasprava o politici, filozofiji ili religiji na bezbrižnu i radosnu razigranost s ovim mališanima od pet do deset godina. Kako su njegova braća i sestre odrastali, a prije nego što su došli unuci, i kako je dobivao sve više slobodnog vremena, posvećivao je mnogo pažnje toj maloj djeci. Ali nije živio dovoljno dugo da bi se mnogo radovao unucima.
128:6.12 (1416.5)
It was difficult for his friends to comprehend the range of his intellectual activities, how he could so suddenly and so completely swing from the profound discussion of politics, philosophy, or religion to the lighthearted and joyous playfulness of these tots of from five to ten years of age. As his own brothers and sisters grew up, as he gained more leisure, and before the grandchildren arrived, he paid a great deal of attention to these little ones. But he did not live on earth long enough to enjoy the grandchildren very much.
U to je vrijeme mnogo razmišljao o svom odnosu prema Ocu na nebu, ali je malo govorio. Zaključak svih tih razmišljanja jednom je izrazio u svojoj molitvi na brežuljku: „Bez obzira na to tko sam i kakvim moćima raspolažem, uvijek sam bio i uvijek ću biti podložan volji svoga Rajskog Oca.” Pa ipak, dok je ovaj čovjek svakodnevno odlazio na posao i vraćao se s njega ulicama Nazareta, bilo je doslovno istina — sa stajališta golemog svemira — da su „u njemu bila skrivena sva blaga mudrosti i znanja.”
128:7.2 (1417.1)
At this time he thought much but said little about the relation of himself to his Father in heaven. And the conclusion of all this thinking was expressed once in his prayer on the hilltop, when he said: “Regardless of who I am and what power I may or may not wield, I always have been, and always will be, subject to the will of my Paradise Father.” And yet, as this man walked about Nazareth to and from his work, it was literally true—as concerned a vast universe—that “in him were hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Tijekom cijele ove godine obiteljski su poslovi tekli skladno, osim kad je riječ o Judi. Jakov je godinama imao problema sa svojim najmlađim bratom, koji se nije mogao skrasiti uz posao niti se na njega moglo računati da će pridonositi obiteljskim troškovima. Premda je živio kod kuće, nije previše mario za to da podmiri svoj dio troškova uzdržavanja obitelji.
128:7.3 (1417.2)
All this year the family affairs ran smoothly except for Jude. For years James had trouble with his youngest brother, who was not inclined to settle down to work nor was he to be depended upon for his share of the home expenses. While he would live at home, he was not conscientious about earning his share of the family upkeep.
Isus je bio čovjek mira i često se nalazio u neugodnim prilikama zbog Judinih ratobornih ispada i brojnih domoljubnih izlijeva. Jakov i Josip bili su za to da ga izbace iz kuće, ali Isus na to nije pristajao. Kad bi njihovo strpljenje bilo na izmaku, Isus bi im samo govorio: „Budite strpljivi. Budite mudri u svojim savjetima i rječiti svojim životima, da vaš mlađi brat najprije upozna bolji put, a zatim bude potaknut da vas njime slijedi.” Isusov mudar i blag savjet spriječio je raskol u obitelji; ostali su zajedno. Ali Juda nije došao k pameti sve do nakon ženidbe.
128:7.4 (1417.3)
Jesus was a man of peace, and ever and anon was he embarrassed by Jude’s belligerent exploits and numerous patriotic outbursts. James and Joseph were in favor of casting him out, but Jesus would not consent. When their patience would be severely tried, Jesus would only counsel: “Be patient. Be wise in your counsel and eloquent in your lives, that your young brother may first know the better way and then be constrained to follow you in it.” The wise and loving counsel of Jesus prevented a break in the family; they remained together. But Jude never was brought to his sober senses until after his marriage.
Marija je rijetko govorila o Isusovoj budućoj misiji. Kad god bi se povela riječ o toj temi, Isus bi samo odgovorio: „Moj čas još nije došao.” Isus je gotovo dovršio teški proces odvikavanja svoje obitelji od ovisnosti o njegovoj neposrednoj prisutnosti. Ubrzano se pripremao za dan kad će moći napustiti nazaretski dom i započeti aktivnije pripreme za svoju stvarnu službu ljudima.
128:7.5 (1417.4)
Mary seldom spoke of Jesus’ future mission. Whenever this subject was referred to, Jesus only replied, “My hour has not yet come.” Jesus had about completed the difficult task of weaning his family from dependence on the immediate presence of his personality. He was rapidly preparing for the day when he could consistently leave this Nazareth home to begin the more active prelude to his real ministry for men.
Nikada ne gubite iz vida činjenicu da je osnovna svrha Isusova sedmog darivanja bila stjecanje iskustva stvorenja i postizanje suverene vlasti nad Nebadonom. I upravo tijekom stjecanja tog iskustva dao je najviše otkrivenje Rajskog Oca Urantiji i cijelom svom lokalnom svemiru. U sklopu tih ciljeva, preuzeo je na sebe i raspetljavanje zamršenih pitanja ovog planeta povezanih s Luciferovom pobunom.
128:7.6 (1417.5)
Never lose sight of the fact that the prime mission of Jesus in his seventh bestowal was the acquirement of creature experience, the achievement of the sovereignty of Nebadon. And in the gathering of this very experience he made the supreme revelation of the Paradise Father to Urantia and to his entire local universe. Incidental to these purposes he also undertook to untangle the complicated affairs of this planet as they were related to the Lucifer rebellion.
Isus je ove godine imao više slobodnog vremena nego obično i mnogo ga je posvetio podučavanju Jakova upravljanju karavanskom radnjom i Josipa vođenju kućanstva. Marija je osjećala da se sprema napustiti ih. Napustiti ih da bi otišao kamo? Da bi radio što? Gotovo je posve odustala od pomisli da je Isus Mesija. Nije ga mogla razumjeti; jednostavno nije mogla dokučiti um svoga prvorođenca.
128:7.7 (1417.6)
This year Jesus enjoyed more than usual leisure, and he devoted much time to training James in the management of the repair shop and Joseph in the direction of home affairs. Mary sensed that he was making ready to leave them. Leave them to go where? To do what? She had about given up the thought that Jesus was the Messiah. She could not understand him; she simply could not fathom her first-born son.
Isus je ove godine mnogo vremena provodio sa svakim pojedinim članom svoje obitelji. Često ih je vodio u duge šetnje po brežuljcima i okolici. Prije žetve odveo je Judu ujaku zemljoradniku južno od Nazareta, ali Juda nije ostao dugo nakon žetve. Pobjegao je, a Šimun ga je kasnije pronašao među ribarima na jezeru. Kad ga je Šimun vratio kući, Isus je porazgovarao s odbjeglim mladićem i, budući da je želio postati ribar, poveo ga u Magdalu i povjerio brizi jednog rođaka ribara. Od tada pa sve do ženidbe Juda je radio prilično redovito i savjesno, a i nakon ženidbe nastavio se baviti ribarstvom.
128:7.8 (1417.7)
Jesus spent a great deal of time this year with the individual members of his family. He would take them for long and frequent strolls up the hill and through the countryside. Before harvest he took Jude to the farmer uncle south of Nazareth, but Jude did not remain long after the harvest. He ran away, and Simon later found him with the fishermen at the lake. When Simon brought him back home, Jesus talked things over with the runaway lad and, since he wanted to be a fisherman, went over to Magdala with him and put him in the care of a relative, a fisherman; and Jude worked fairly well and regularly from that time on until his marriage, and he continued as a fisherman after his marriage.
U studenom je održano dvostruko vjenčanje. Jakov je oženio Estu, a Marijam se udala za Jakova. Bila je to doista radosna prigoda. Čak je i Marija ponovno bila sretna, osim što bi je s vremena na vrijeme obuzela tjeskoba pri pomisli da se Isus spremao otići. Mučio ju je veliki osjećaj neizvjesnosti. Kad bi samo Isus sjeo s njom i otvoreno porazgovarao o svemu, kao što je to činio dok je bio dječak; ali on je uporno ostajao suzdržan i o budućnosti gotovo ništa nije govorio.
128:7.10 (1418.2)
In November a double wedding occurred. James and Esta, and Miriam and Jacob were married. It was truly a joyous occasion. Even Mary was once more happy except every now and then when she realized that Jesus was preparing to go away. She suffered under the burden of a great uncertainty: If Jesus would only sit down and talk it all over freely with her as he had done when he was a boy, but he was consistently uncommunicative; he was profoundly silent about the future.
Jakov i njegova supruga Esta preselili su se u urednu kućicu u zapadnom dijelu grada, dar njezina oca. Iako je Jakov i dalje financijski pomagao majčin dom, njegov je doprinos zbog ženidbe bio prepolovljen, a Isus je službeno postavio Josipa za glavu obitelji. Juda je sada svakog mjeseca vjerno slao kući svoj dio zarade. Vjenčanja Jakova i Marijam vrlo su povoljno djelovala na Judu i kad je dan nakon dvostrukog vjenčanja krenuo na ribarenje, rekao je Josipu: „Možeš računati na mene da ću izvršiti svoju punu dužnost, pa i više ako bude potrebno.” I održao je svoje obećanje.
128:7.11 (1418.3)
James and his bride, Esta, moved into a neat little home on the west side of town, the gift of her father. While James continued his support of his mother’s home, his quota was cut in half because of his marriage, and Joseph was formally installed by Jesus as head of the family. Jude was now very faithfully sending his share of funds home each month. The weddings of James and Miriam had a very beneficial influence on Jude, and when he left for the fishing grounds, the day after the double wedding, he assured Joseph that he could depend on him “to do my full duty, and more if it is needed.” And he kept his promise.
Dan nakon ovog dvostrukog vjenčanja Isus je imao važan razgovor s Jakovom. U povjerenju mu je rekao da se sprema napustiti obiteljski dom. Prenio je puno vlasništvo nad karavanskom radnjom na Jakova te se službeno i svečano odrekao položaja glave Josipove kuće, dok je na dirljiv način postavio svoga brata Jakova za „glavu i zaštitnika kuće moga oca.” Sastavio je tajni sporazum, koji su obojica potpisali, a kojim je Jakov, zauzvrat za darovanu karavansku radnju, preuzeo punu financijsku odgovornost za obitelj, čime je Isus bio oslobođen svih daljnjih obveza u tim pitanjima. Nakon što su potpisali sporazum i uredili obiteljski proračun tako da se svi troškovi mogu podmirivati i bez Isusova doprinosa, Isus je rekao Jakovu: „Ali, sine moj, i dalje ću ti svakog mjeseca slati ponešto, sve dok ne dođe moj čas, a ti koristi ta sredstva kako prilike budu zahtijevale. Upotrijebi moje priloge bilo za potrebe bilo za radosti obitelji, kako sam prosudiš. Neka budu pri ruci u slučaju bolesti ili za nepredviđene nevolje koje mogu zadesiti bilo kojeg člana obitelji.”
128:7.13 (1418.5)
The day after this double wedding Jesus held an important conference with James. He told James, confidentially, that he was preparing to leave home. He presented full title to the repair shop to James, formally and solemnly abdicated as head of Joseph’s house, and most touchingly established his brother James as “head and protector of my father’s house.” He drew up, and they both signed, a secret compact in which it was stipulated that, in return for the gift of the repair shop, James would henceforth assume full financial responsibility for the family, thus releasing Jesus from all further obligations in these matters. After the contract was signed, after the budget was so arranged that the actual expenses of the family would be met without any contribution from Jesus, Jesus said to James: “But, my son, I will continue to send you something each month until my hour shall have come, but what I send shall be used by you as the occasion demands. Apply my funds to the family necessities or pleasures as you see fit. Use them in case of sickness or apply them to meet the unexpected emergencies which may befall any individual member of the family.”