Knjiga Urantije - POGLAVLJE 194
DARIVANJE DUHA ISTINE



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Knjiga Urantije   

DIO IV. Isusov život i učenja



   POGLAVLJE 194
DARIVANJE DUHA ISTINE

Paper 194
Bestowal of the Spirit of Truth

    OTPRILIKE oko jedan poslije podne, dok je stotinu dvadeset vjernika sudjelovalo u molitvi, svi su postali svjesni neke nove i čudne prisutnosti u sobi. U isto vrijeme ti svi učenici su postali svjesni novog i dubokog osjećaja duhovne radosti, sigurnosti i uvjerenja. Za ovom novom svijesti o duhovnoj snazi smještaje uslijedio snažan poriv da odu među narod i da se posvete javnom proglašavanju evanđelja kraljevstva i radosne vijesti daje Isus uskrsnuo od mrtvih.
194:0.1 (2059.1) ABOUT one o’clock, as the one hundred and twenty believers were engaged in prayer, they all became aware of a strange presence in the room. At the same time these disciples all became conscious of a new and profound sense of spiritual joy, security, and confidence. This new consciousness of spiritual strength was immediately followed by a strong urge to go out and publicly proclaim the gospel of the kingdom and the good news that Jesus had risen from the dead.
    Petar je ustao i objavio da im je to sigurno došao obećani Duh Istine, te je predložio da odu u hram i da svima počnu objavljivati radosnu vijest koja im je povjerena. I učinili su kako je Petar predložio.
194:0.2 (2059.2) Peter stood up and declared that this must be the coming of the Spirit of Truth which the Master had promised them and proposed that they go to the temple and begin the proclamation of the good news committed to their hands. And they did just what Peter suggested.
    Ti ljudi su bili obučeni i upućeni daje evanđelje koje su trebali propovijedati bilo ideja daje Bog čovjekov Otac i da su svi ljudi braća, ah u ovom času duhovne ekstaze i osobnog trijumfa, najbolja i najveća moguća vješt koju su ti ljudi mogli zamisliti je bila činjenica da se Učitelj podigao iz groba. I tako su ovi ljudi, obdareni snagom odozgor, počeli propovijedati radosnu vijest narodu - uključujući i samu ideju spasenja kroz Isusa - dok su nehotice učinili grešku stavljajući određene činjenice vezane uz evanđelje na mjesto izvorne poruke evanđelja. Petar je bio taj koji ih je nesvjesno poveo ovim pogrešnim putom, a drugi su ga slijedili uključujući i samog Pavla koji je stvorio cijelu novu religiju iz ove nove verzije radosne vijesti.
194:0.3 (2059.3) These men had been trained and instructed that the gospel which they should preach was the fatherhood of God and the sonship of man, but at just this moment of spiritual ecstasy and personal triumph, the best tidings, the greatest news, these men could think of was the fact of the risen Master. And so they went forth, endowed with power from on high, preaching glad tidings to the people—even salvation through Jesus—but they unintentionally stumbled into the error of substituting some of the facts associated with the gospel for the gospel message itself. Peter unwittingly led off in this mistake, and others followed after him on down to Paul, who created a new religion out of the new version of the good news.
    Evanđelje kraljevstva je činjenica Božjeg očinstva i njezina posljedica, istina da su svi ljudi sinovi i braća. Kršćanstvo, kako se ono od toga dana počelo razvijati, je činjenica daje Bog u isto vrijeme Otac Gospodina Isusa Krista i doživljaj zajedništva vjernika u njihovom odnosu s uskrslim i proslavljenim Kristom.
194:0.4 (2059.4) The gospel of the kingdom is: the fact of the fatherhood of God, coupled with the resultant truth of the sonship-brotherhood of men. Christianity, as it developed from that day, is: the fact of God as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, in association with the experience of believer-fellowship with the risen and glorified Christ.
    Nije čudno što su ovi duhom prožeti ljudi iskoristili ovaj događaj kao priliku da ispolje svoj osjećaj trijumfa nad silama koje su težile uništenju njihovog Učitelja i njegovih učenja. U ovom se času bilo lakše sjetiti njihovog osobnog odnosa s Isusom i prepustiti se radosti uvjerenja da je Učitelj još uvijek na životu, da njihovo prijateljstvo nije završeno i da su primili duh koji im je obećao poslati.
194:0.5 (2059.5) It is not strange that these spirit-infused men should have seized upon this opportunity to express their feelings of triumph over the forces which had sought to destroy their Master and end the influence of his teachings. At such a time as this it was easier to remember their personal association with Jesus and to be thrilled with the assurance that the Master still lived, that their friendship had not ended, and that the spirit had indeed come upon them even as he had promised.
    Ovi vjernici su iznenada imali osjećaj da ih je nešto prenijelo u neki drugi svijet, u novu egzistenciju radosti, moći i slave. Učitelj im je rekao da će kraljevstvo doći u velikoj snazi i neki su mislili da su ovom prilikom počeli otkrivati značenje ovih riječi.
194:0.6 (2059.6) These believers felt themselves suddenly translated into another world, a new existence of joy, power, and glory. The Master had told them the kingdom would come with power, and some of them thought they were beginning to discern what he meant.
    I kad se sve to uzme u obzir, nije teško razumjeti zašto su ovi ljudi počeli propovijedati novo evanđelje o Isusu umjesto njihove ranije poruke o Božjem očinstvu i bratstvu ljudi.
194:0.7 (2059.7) And when all of this is taken into consideration, it is not difficult to understand how these men came to preach a new gospel about Jesus in the place of their former message of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men.

1. PROPOVIJED NA DAN DUHOVA

1. The Pentecost Sermon

    Apostoli su proveli četrdeset dana u skrivanju. Ovaj danje bio židovski blagdan Šavuot i tisuće posjetitelja iz svih krajeva svijeta su bih u Jeruzalemu. Mnogi su stigli na ovaj blagdan, dok je većina ostala u gradu od Pashe.Sada su ti uplašeni apostoli izašli iz svojih skrovišta gdje su proveli više tjedana u skrivanju i hrabro se pokazali u hramu, gdje su počeli propovijedati novu poruku o uskrslom Mesiji. I svi učenici su jednako bih svjesni primitka nekog čudnog duhovnog obdarenja koje im je donijelo uvid i snagu.
194:1.1 (2060.1) The apostles had been in hiding for forty days. This day happened to be the Jewish festival of Pentecost, and thousands of visitors from all parts of the world were in Jerusalem. Many arrived for this feast, but a majority had tarried in the city since the Passover. Now these frightened apostles emerged from their weeks of seclusion to appear boldly in the temple, where they began to preach the new message of a risen Messiah. And all the disciples were likewise conscious of having received some new spiritual endowment of insight and power.
    Bilo je oko dva popodne kad je Petar zauzeo mjesto s kojeg je Učitelj održao svoju posljednju propovijed u ovom hramu; Petar je s ovog mjesta održao taj entuzijastični govor kojim je pridobio više od dvije tisuće duša. Premda Učitelj više nije bio s njima, iznenada su otkrili daje ova propovijed o njemu imala veliku moć nad ljudima. Nije ni čudo što ih je ovo navelo da se još ozbiljnije posvete proglašenju onoga što je opravdavalo njihovu raniju odanost Isusu, dok je u isto vrijeme navodilo ljude da vjemju u njega. U ovoj propovijedi je sudjelovalo šest apostola:Petar, Andrija, Jakov, Ivan, Filip i Matej. Govorili su nešto više od sat i pol na grčkom, hebrejskom i aramejskom, kao i nekoliko riječi na par dragih jezika koje su znah.
194:1.2 (2060.2) It was about two o’clock when Peter stood up in that very place where his Master had last taught in this temple, and delivered that impassioned appeal which resulted in the winning of more than two thousand souls. The Master had gone, but they suddenly discovered that this story about him had great power with the people. No wonder they were led on into the further proclamation of that which vindicated their former devotion to Jesus and at the same time so constrained men to believe in him. Six of the apostles participated in this meeting: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Matthew. They talked for more than an hour and a half and delivered messages in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, as well as a few words in even other tongues with which they had a speaking acquaintance.
    Židovske vođe su bile zaprepaštene apostolskom hrabrošću, ali se nisu usuđivale da ih maltretiraju zbog toga što je tako velik broj ljudi vjerovao njihovom kazivanju.
194:1.3 (2060.3) The leaders of the Jews were astounded at the boldness of the apostles, but they feared to molest them because of the large numbers who believed their story.
    Nešto iza pola pet, više od dvije tisuće novih vjernika je slijedilo apostole do bazena Siloam gdje su ih Petar, Andrija, Jakov i Ivan krstili u Učiteljevo ime. I već se bilo smrklo kad su završili s krštenjem okupljenog naroda.
194:1.4 (2060.4) By half past four o’clock more than two thousand new believers followed the apostles down to the pool of Siloam, where Peter, Andrew, James, and John baptized them in the Master’s name. And it was dark when they had finished with baptizing this multitude.
    Blagdan Duhova je bio veliki festival krštenja, dan kad su u kršćansku zajednicu uvedeni nežidovski obraćenici koji su htjeli služiti Jahvu. Velikom broju Židova i nežidovskih vjernika je stoga bilo lakše pristati na krštenje na dan Duhova. Na taj način nisu presjecali svoju vezu sa svojom židovskom vjerom. Još neko vrijeme nakon ovog događaja, vjernici u Isusa su bili sekta u sastavu Judazima. Svi oni, uključujući i apostole, su još uvijek bili vjerni osnovnim zahtjevima židovskog obrednog programa.
194:1.5 (2060.5) Pentecost was the great festival of baptism, the time for fellowshipping the proselytes of the gate, those gentiles who desired to serve Yahweh. It was, therefore, the more easy for large numbers of both the Jews and believing gentiles to submit to baptism on this day. In doing this, they were in no way disconnecting themselves from the Jewish faith. Even for some time after this the believers in Jesus were a sect within Judaism. All of them, including the apostles, were still loyal to the essential requirements of the Jewish ceremonial system.

2. ZNAČAJ DUHOVA

2. The Significance of Pentecost

    Isus je živio na zemlji i učio evanđelje koje je otkupilo čovjeka od praznovjeija daje dijete đavla i povisilo ga na dostojanstvo sina Božjeg po vjeri. Ova je poruka, koju je Isus propovijedao i živio u svoje doba, učinkovito ublažavala čovjekove duhovne teškoće u vrijeme svoje objave. A nakon što je osobno napustio ovaj svijet, Isus je na svoje mjesto poslao svoj Duh Istine koji je osmišljen kao utjecaj koji će živjeti u ljudima i koji će iz generacije u generaciju nuditi novu i svježu formulaciju Isusove poruke, tako da svaka nova skupina smrtnika koja se pojavi na zemlji može primiti novu i aktuelnu verziju evanđelja, upravo takvo osobno prosvjetljenje i grupno vodstvo koje učinkovito ublažava čovjekove nove i višestruke duhovne poteškoće.
194:2.1 (2060.6) Jesus lived on earth and taught a gospel which redeemed man from the superstition that he was a child of the devil and elevated him to the dignity of a faith son of God. Jesus’ message, as he preached it and lived it in his day, was an effective solvent for man’s spiritual difficulties in that day of its statement. And now that he has personally left the world, he sends in his place his Spirit of Truth, who is designed to live in man and, for each new generation, to restate the Jesus message so that every new group of mortals to appear upon the face of the earth shall have a new and up-to-date version of the gospel, just such personal enlightenment and group guidance as will prove to be an effective solvent for man’s ever-new and varied spiritual difficulties.
    Prva misija ovog duha je, naravno, potaknuti i personalizirati istinu, jer je razumijevanje istine najviši oblik ljudske slobode. Ovaj duh pored toga nastoji uništiti vjemikov osjećaj sirotanstva. Nakon što je Isus živio među ljudima, svi vjernici bi doživjeli osjećaj usamljenosti da Duh Istine nije došao živjeti u ljudskim srcima.
194:2.2 (2060.7) The first mission of this spirit is, of course, to foster and personalize truth, for it is the comprehension of truth that constitutes the highest form of human liberty. Next, it is the purpose of this spirit to destroy the believer’s feeling of orphanhood. Jesus having been among men, all believers would experience a sense of loneliness had not the Spirit of Truth come to dwell in men’s hearts.
    Ovo darivanje Sinova duha je učinkovito pripremilo sve mentalno zdrave ljude za univerzalno darivanje Očeva duha (Ispravljača) cijelom čovječanstvu. U određenom smislu, ovaj Duh Istine je duh Oca Svih kao i duh Sina Stvoritelja.
194:2.3 (2061.1) This bestowal of the Son’s spirit effectively prepared all normal men’s minds for the subsequent universal bestowal of the Father’s spirit (the Adjuster) upon all mankind. In a certain sense, this Spirit of Truth is the spirit of both the Universal Father and the Creator Son.
    Nemojte napraviti grešku očekujući da postanete duboko intelektualno svjesni izlivenog Duha Istine. Duh nikada ne stvara svijest o samom sebi, već jedino svijest o Mihaelu, Sinu. Isus je od samog početka tvrdio kako duh neće govoriti o sebi. Stoga dokaz vašeg odnosa s Duhom Istine ne počiva u vašoj svijesti tog duha, nego u vašem doživljaju sve dubljeg prijateljstva s Mihaelom.
194:2.4 (2061.2) Do not make the mistake of expecting to become strongly intellectually conscious of the outpoured Spirit of Truth. The spirit never creates a consciousness of himself, only a consciousness of Michael, the Son. From the beginning Jesus taught that the spirit would not speak of himself. The proof, therefore, of your fellowship with the Spirit of Truth is not to be found in your consciousness of this spirit but rather in your experience of enhanced fellowship with Michael.
    Duh je došao da pomogne ljudima da se sjete Učiteljevih riječi i da ih bolje razumiju, te da iluminira i nanovo protumači njegov zemaljski život.
194:2.5 (2061.3) The spirit also came to help men recall and understand the words of the Master as well as to illuminate and reinterpret his life on earth.
    Pored toga, Duh Istine je došao pomoći vjernicima da posvjedoče stvarnosti Isusovih učenja i njegova života u ljudskom obličju, koji on nanovo i iznova živi u individualnim vjernicima svake nove generacije Božjih sinova koji su ispunjeni duhom.
194:2.6 (2061.4) Next, the Spirit of Truth came to help the believer to witness to the realities of Jesus’ teachings and his life as he lived it in the flesh, and as he now again lives it anew and afresh in the individual believer of each passing generation of the spirit-filled sons of God.
    Tako izgleda daje Duh Istine došao da povede sve vjernike u svu istinu, u rastuće poznavanje iskustva življenja i porasta duhovne svijesti stvarnosti vječnog i sve naprednijeg statusa Božjeg sina.
194:2.7 (2061.5) Thus it appears that the Spirit of Truth comes really to lead all believers into all truth, into the expanding knowledge of the experience of the living and growing spiritual consciousness of the reality of eternal and ascending sonship with God.
    Isus je živio život otkrivenja čovjekovog pokoravanja Božjoj volji, a ne primjer koji ljudi doslovce trebaju pokušah slijediti. Taj zemaljski život, smrt na križu i prateće uskrsnuće, su s vremenom postali novo evanđelje o cijeni otkupnine koju su ljudi morali platiti za iskupljenje od kobnog stiska zla - od osude uvrijeđenog Boga. Ipak, iako je to evanđelje postalo jako iskrivljeno, ostaje činjenica daje ova nova poruka o Isusu u sebi nosila mnoge temeljne istine i učenja njegovog ranijeg evanđelja kraljevstva. I ove se skrivene istine o Božjem očinstvu i bratstvu ljudi prije ili kasnije moraju podići i djelotvorno preobraziti civilizaciju cijelog čovječanstva.
194:2.8 (2061.6) Jesus lived a life which is a revelation of man submitted to the Father’s will, not an example for any man literally to attempt to follow. This life in the flesh, together with his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection, presently became a new gospel of the ransom which had thus been paid in order to purchase man back from the clutch of the evil one—from the condemnation of an offended God. Nevertheless, even though the gospel did become greatly distorted, it remains a fact that this new message about Jesus carried along with it many of the fundamental truths and teachings of his earlier gospel of the kingdom. And, sooner or later, these concealed truths of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men will emerge to effectually transform the civilization of all mankind.
    Ali ove greške intelekta ni na koji način nisu stale ne put velikom napretku vjernika u njihovom rastu u duhu.U nešto manje od mjesec dana nakon darivanja Duha Istine, apostoli su ostvarili veći osobni duhovni napredak nego tijekom gotovo četiri godine osobnog i prisnog odnosa s Učiteljem. A to što je ova činjenica Isusovog uskrsnuća postavljena na mjesto istine evanđelja koja kaže daje čovjek sin Boga, ni na koji način nije omelo brzo širenje njegovih učenja; naprotiv, čini se daje naglašavanje ovog novog učenja o Isusovoj osobi i smrti nauštrb njegove poruke značajno olakšalo širenje i prihvaćanje radosne vijesti.
194:2.9 (2061.7) But these mistakes of the intellect in no way interfered with the believer’s great progress in growth in spirit. In less than a month after the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth, the apostles made more individual spiritual progress than during their almost four years of personal and loving association with the Master. Neither did this substitution of the fact of the resurrection of Jesus for the saving gospel truth of sonship with God in any way interfere with the rapid spread of their teachings; on the contrary, this overshadowing of Jesus’ message by the new teachings about his person and resurrection seemed greatly to facilitate the preaching of the good news.
    Izraz "krštenje duhom" koji je u ovo doba ušao u takvu opću upotrebu, samo govori o svjesnom prihvaćanju tog darovanog Duha Istine i osobnom priznanju ove nove duhovne snage kao pozitivnog dodatka svim dragim duhovnim utjecajima već dobro poznatim u iskustvu ljudskih duša koje poznaju Boga.
194:2.10 (2061.8) The term “baptism of the spirit,” which came into such general use about this time, merely signified the conscious reception of this gift of the Spirit of Truth and the personal acknowledgment of this new spiritual power as an augmentation of all spiritual influences previously experienced by God-knowing souls.
    Od darivanja Duha Istine, čovjek ima na raspolaganju pouku i utjecaj trostrukog obdarenja duha: Očevog duha (Misaonog Ispravljača), Sinovog duha (Duha Istine) i Duhova duha (Svetog Duha).
194:2.11 (2061.9) Since the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth, man is subject to the teaching and guidance of a threefold spirit endowment: the spirit of the Father, the Thought Adjuster; the spirit of the Son, the Spirit of Truth; the spirit of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
    Na određeni način, čovječanstvo se nalazi pod dvostrukim dodirom sedmostrukog djelovanja kozmičkih utjecaja duha. Rane evolucijske smrtne rase su bile izložene progresivnom kontaktu sa sedam pomoćnih duhova uma Majčinskog Duha lokalnog svemira. Kako čovjek napreduje ljestvicom inteligencije i duhovne spoznaje, nad njim s vremenom počinje djelovati i u njemu boraviti utjecaj ovih sedam duhova progresivnih svjetova:
194:2.12 (2062.1) In a way, mankind is subject to the double influence of the sevenfold appeal of the universe spirit influences. The early evolutionary races of mortals are subject to the progressive contact of the seven adjutant mind-spirits of the local universe Mother Spirit. As man progresses upward in the scale of intelligence and spiritual perception, there eventually come to hover over him and dwell within him the seven higher spirit influences. And these seven spirits of the advancing worlds are:
    1. Darovani duh Oca Svih - Misaoni Ispravljač.
194:2.13 (2062.2) 1. The bestowed spirit of the Universal Father—the Thought Adjusters.
    2. Prisutnost duha Vječnog Sina - gravitacija duha u svemiru nad svemirima i određeni kanal cjelokupne komunikacije duha.
194:2.14 (2062.3) 2. The spirit presence of the Eternal Son—the spirit gravity of the universe of universes and the certain channel of all spirit communion.
    3. Prisutnost duha Beskonačnog Duha - univerzalni duh-um cijele tvorevine, duhovni izvor intelektualnog srodstva svih progresivnih inteligencija.
194:2.15 (2062.4) 3. The spirit presence of the Infinite Spirit—the universal spirit-mind of all creation, the spiritual source of the intellectual kinship of all progressive intelligences.
    4. Duh Oca Svih i Sina Stvoritelja - Duh Istine koji se uopćeno naziva duhom Kozmičkog Sina.
194:2.16 (2062.5) 4. The spirit of the Universal Father and the Creator Son—the Spirit of Truth, generally regarded as the spirit of the Universe Son.
    5. Duh Beskonačnog Duha i Kozmičkog Majčinskog Duha - Sveti Duh koji se uopćeno naziva duhom Kozmičkog Duha.
194:2.17 (2062.6) 5. The spirit of the Infinite Spirit and the Universe Mother Spirit—the Holy Spirit, generally regarded as the spirit of the Universe Spirit.
    6. Um-duh Kozmičkog Majčinskog Duha - sedam pomoćnih duhova uma lokalnog svemira.
194:2.18 (2062.7) 6. The mind-spirit of the Universe Mother Spirit—the seven adjutant mind-spirits of the local universe.
    7. Duh Oca, Sinova i Duhova - novoimenovani duh uspinjućih zemaljskih smrtnika nakon spajanja smrtne duhom-začete duše s Rajskim Misaonim Ispravljačem i naknadnog postizanja božanstvenosti i proslavljenog statusa u Rajskom Korpusu Finalista.
194:2.19 (2062.8) 7. The spirit of the Father, Sons, and Spirits—the new-name spirit of the ascending mortals of the realms after the fusion of the mortal spirit-born soul with the Paradise Thought Adjuster and after the subsequent attainment of the divinity and glorification of the status of the Paradise Corps of the Finality.
    I tako je darivanje Duha Istine donijelo svijetu i njegovim narodima posljednje obdarenje duha osmišljeno da pomogne čovjeku u njegovoj uzlaznoj potrazi za Bogom.
194:2.20 (2062.9) And so did the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth bring to the world and its peoples the last of the spirit endowment designed to aid in the ascending search for God.

3. DOGAĐAJI NA DAN DUHOVA

3. What Happened at Pentecost

    Mnoge čudne i nesvakidašnje pojave su postale povezane s ranim kazivanjima o danu Duhova. U kasnijim vremenima mnogi budalasti izljevi bujnih i nekontroliranih emocija su postali povezani s ovim danom kada je novi učitelj - Duh Istine - došao živjeti u ljudima. Glavna misija ovog izlivenog duha Oca i Sina je nastojanje da upozna ljude s istinama Očeve ljubavi i Sinove milosti. To su istine božanstvenosti koje ljudi mogu shvatiti potpunije od svih ostalih božanskih osobina karaktera. Duh Istine prije svega nastoji postići otkrivenje Očeve naravi duha i Sinovog moralnog karaktera. Sin Stvoritelj je u svom zemaljskom životu obznanio Boga ljudima; Duh Istine, u dubini srca, čovjeku obznanjuje Sina Stvoritelja. Kad čovjekov život rodi "plodovima duha," čovjek jednostavno ispoljava osobine koje je Učitelj ispoljio za svog zemaljskog života. Dok je Isus bio na zemlji, on je živio svoj život kao jedna ličnost - Isus iz Nazareta. Kao unutarnji duh "novog učitelja," Učitelj je nakon Duhova primio novu sposobnost življenja svog života u iskustvu svakog vjernika koji traga za istinom.
194:3.1 (2062.10) Many queer and strange teachings became associated with the early narratives of the day of Pentecost. In subsequent times the events of this day, on which the Spirit of Truth, the new teacher, came to dwell with mankind, have become confused with the foolish outbreaks of rampant emotionalism. The chief mission of this outpoured spirit of the Father and the Son is to teach men about the truths of the Father’s love and the Son’s mercy. These are the truths of divinity which men can comprehend more fully than all the other divine traits of character. The Spirit of Truth is concerned primarily with the revelation of the Father’s spirit nature and the Son’s moral character. The Creator Son, in the flesh, revealed God to men; the Spirit of Truth, in the heart, reveals the Creator Son to men. When man yields the “fruits of the spirit” in his life, he is simply showing forth the traits which the Master manifested in his own earthly life. When Jesus was on earth, he lived his life as one personality—Jesus of Nazareth. As the indwelling spirit of the “new teacher,” the Master has, since Pentecost, been able to live his life anew in the experience of every truth-taught believer.
    Mnogi događaji ljudskog života se teško mogu objasniti i pomiriti s idejom da živimo u svemira u kojem prevladava istina i pobjeđuje ispravnost. Tu tako često prevladavaju kleveta, laži, neiskrenost i neispravnost - jednom riječju, grijeh. Može li vjera, naposljetku, pobijediti zlo, grijeh i nepravdu? Može. A Isusov život i smrt zauvijek svjedoče o neminovnom trijumfu istine dobrote i vjere stvorenog bića koje slijedi usmjerivački utjecaj duha. Isusa su vrijeđali i ismijavali na križu, govoreći, "Da vidimo hoće li Bog doći da ga oslobodi." Na svijet se spustila tama na dan raspeća, ali sutradan je osvanulo jutro u punom sjaju; a dan Duhova je bio još vedriji. Religije pesimističkog očaja traže oslobođenje od životnih tereta; one traže prestanak postojanja u vidu vječnog sna i odmora. To su religije primitivnog straha i bojazni. Isusova religija je novo evanđelje vjere koje je proglašeno napaćenom čovječanstvu. Ova nova religija počiva na temeljima vjere, nade i ljubavi.
194:3.2 (2062.11) Many things which happen in the course of a human life are hard to understand, difficult to reconcile with the idea that this is a universe in which truth prevails and in which righteousness triumphs. It so often appears that slander, lies, dishonesty, and unrighteousness—sin—prevail. Does faith, after all, triumph over evil, sin, and iniquity? It does. And the life and death of Jesus are the eternal proof that the truth of goodness and the faith of the spirit-led creature will always be vindicated. They taunted Jesus on the cross, saying, “Let us see if God will come and deliver him.” It looked dark on that day of the crucifixion, but it was gloriously bright on the resurrection morning; it was still brighter and more joyous on the day of Pentecost. The religions of pessimistic despair seek to obtain release from the burdens of life; they crave extinction in endless slumber and rest. These are the religions of primitive fear and dread. The religion of Jesus is a new gospel of faith to be proclaimed to struggling humanity. This new religion is founded on faith, hope, and love.
    Smrtni život je Isusu zadao najteže, najokrutnije i najžešće udarce; a taj je čovjek dočekao sve ove udarce očaja u vjeri, hrabrosti i nepokolebljivoj odlučnosti da nastavi činiti Očevu volju. Isus je upoznao životu u punini njegove užasne stvarnosti i svladao ga - čak i samu smrt.On nije koristio religiju kao utočište od života. Isusova religija ne pokušava pobjeći od života i tražiti utočište u blaženstvu neke buduće egzistencije. Isusova religija donosi radost i mir jedne nove i duhovne egzistencije i koristi ih za obogaćenje i oplemenjenje čovjekovog današnjeg života u tijelu.
194:3.3 (2063.1) To Jesus, mortal life had dealt its hardest, cruelest, and bitterest blows; and this man met these ministrations of despair with faith, courage, and the unswerving determination to do his Father’s will. Jesus met life in all its terrible reality and mastered it—even in death. He did not use religion as a release from life. The religion of Jesus does not seek to escape this life in order to enjoy the waiting bliss of another existence. The religion of Jesus provides the joy and peace of another and spiritual existence to enhance and ennoble the life which men now live in the flesh.
    Ako je religija doista "opijum za narod," to nije Isusova religija. Viseći na križu, Isus je odbio narkozu i njegov duh koji je izliven na sve ljude nudi moćan svjetski utjecaj koji usmjerava čovjeka naprijed i naviše. Duhovni poriv koji čovjeka nagoni naprijed je najmoćniji pokretački utjecaj na ovom svijetu; vjernik koji uči istinu je jedna progresivna i agresivna duša na zemlji.
194:3.4 (2063.2) If religion is an opiate to the people, it is not the religion of Jesus. On the cross he refused to drink the deadening drug, and his spirit, poured out upon all flesh, is a mighty world influence which leads man upward and urges him onward. The spiritual forward urge is the most powerful driving force present in this world; the truth-learning believer is the one progressive and aggressive soul on earth.
    Na dan Duhova, Isusova religija je ukinula sve nacionalne podjele i rasne okove. Zauvijek je istina, "Gdje je duh Gospodnji, ondje je sloboda." Na ovaj dan, Duh Istine je postao Učiteljev osobni dar svakom smrtniku. Ovaj duh je darovan kako bi dao moć vjernicima da propovijedaju evanđelje kraljevstva, dok su oni greškom protumačili iskustvo primanja ovog duha kao dio novog evanđelja koje su upravo nesvjesno formulirah.
194:3.5 (2063.3) On the day of Pentecost the religion of Jesus broke all national restrictions and racial fetters. It is forever true, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” On this day the Spirit of Truth became the personal gift from the Master to every mortal. This spirit was bestowed for the purpose of qualifying believers more effectively to preach the gospel of the kingdom, but they mistook the experience of receiving the outpoured spirit for a part of the new gospel which they were unconsciously formulating.
    Nemojte previdjeti činjenicu daje Duh Istine darovan svim iskrenim vjernicima; taj dar duha nije došao samo apostolima. Svih sto dvadeset muškaraca i žena koji su se okupili u gornjim odajama je primilo ovog novog učitelja, kao i svi časni ljudi širom cijelog svijeta. Ovaj novi učitelj je došao kao dar cijelom čovječanstvu i svaka duša je primila ovaj dar u skladu sa svojom ljubavi prema istini i sposobnosti shvaćanja i razumijevanja duhovnih stvarnosti. Naposljetku, istinska religija nalazi slobodu od svećenika i svetih klasa i postiže svoju pravu manifestaciju u individualnim ljudskim dušama.
194:3.6 (2063.4) Do not overlook the fact that the Spirit of Truth was bestowed upon all sincere believers; this gift of the spirit did not come only to the apostles. The one hundred and twenty men and women assembled in the upper chamber all received the new teacher, as did all the honest of heart throughout the whole world. This new teacher was bestowed upon mankind, and every soul received him in accordance with the love for truth and the capacity to grasp and comprehend spiritual realities. At last, true religion is delivered from the custody of priests and all sacred classes and finds its real manifestation in the individual souls of men.
    Isusova religija potiče razvoj najvišeg oblika ljudske civilizacije tako što stvara najviši oblik duhovne ličnosti i proglašava njezinu svetost.
194:3.7 (2063.5) The religion of Jesus fosters the highest type of human civilization in that it creates the highest type of spiritual personality and proclaims the sacredness of that person.
    Zahvaljujući dolasku Duha Istine na dan Duhova, religija nije postala ni radikalna ni konzervativna; ona nije postala ni stara ni nova; njom ne dominiraju ni mladi ni stari. Činjenica Isusovog zemaljskog života daje fiksno uporište za sidro vremena, dok darivanje Duha Istine omogućuje vječno širenje i beskrajan rast religije koju je Isus živio i evanđelja koje je proglašavao. Duh vodi u svu istinu; on je učitelj šireće i rastuće religije beskrajnog napretka i božanskog razvoja. Iz dana u dan ovaj učitelj obznanjuje svakom vjerniku i tragatelju za istinom sve ono što je tako božanstveno obuhvaćeno u osobi i naravi Sina Čovječjeg.
194:3.8 (2063.6) The coming of the Spirit of Truth on Pentecost made possible a religion which is neither radical nor conservative; it is neither the old nor the new; it is to be dominated neither by the old nor the young. The fact of Jesus’ earthly life provides a fixed point for the anchor of time, while the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth provides for the everlasting expansion and endless growth of the religion which he lived and the gospel which he proclaimed. The spirit guides into all truth; he is the teacher of an expanding and always-growing religion of endless progress and divine unfolding. This new teacher will be forever unfolding to the truth-seeking believer that which was so divinely folded up in the person and nature of the Son of Man.
    Manifestacije povezane s darivanjem "novog učitelja" i činjenica da su pripadnici različitih rasa i nacija koji su se okupili u Jeruzalemu prihvatili apostolske propovijedi svjedoče o univerzalnosti Isusove religije. Evanđelje kraljevstva se ne može poistovijetiti s bilo kojom pojedinom rasom, kulturom ili jezikom. Ovaj dan Duhova svjedoči o velikom trudu duha da oslobodi Isusovu religiju od naslijeđenih židovskih okova. Čak i nakon ove demonstracije izlijevanja duha na sve ljude, apostoli su isprva nastojali nametnuti židovske zahtjeve na svoje nove obraćenike. Čak je i Pavao imao problema sa svojom braćom u Jeruzalemu jer se protivio nametanju ovih židovskih običaja na nežidove. Nijedna obznanjena religija se ne može proširiti po cijelom svijetu ako učini ozbiljnu grešku dopuštajući sebi da postane prožeta nekom pojedinom nacionalnom kulturom ili povezana s nekim utemeljenim rasnim, društvenim ili ekonomskim običajima.
194:3.9 (2064.1) The manifestations associated with the bestowal of the “new teacher,” and the reception of the apostles’ preaching by the men of various races and nations gathered together at Jerusalem, indicate the universality of the religion of Jesus. The gospel of the kingdom was to be identified with no particular race, culture, or language. This day of Pentecost witnessed the great effort of the spirit to liberate the religion of Jesus from its inherited Jewish fetters. Even after this demonstration of pouring out the spirit upon all flesh, the apostles at first endeavored to impose the requirements of Judaism upon their converts. Even Paul had trouble with his Jerusalem brethren because he refused to subject the gentiles to these Jewish practices. No revealed religion can spread to all the world when it makes the serious mistake of becoming permeated with some national culture or associated with established racial, social, or economic practices.
    Darivanje Duha Istine je bilo neovisno o svim formalnostima, ceremonijama, svetim mjestima i posebnim postupcima u ponašanju onih koji su primili njegovu punu manifestaciju. Kad se duh nadvio nad okupljenima u gornjim odajama, oni su jednostavno sjedili duboko zaokupljeni tihom molitvom. Duh je izliven na sela kao i na gradove. Od apostola se nije tražilo da provedu više godina u samotnoj meditaciji da prime duh. Za sva vremena, Duhovi razdvajaju ideju duhovnog iskustva od nekih posebno povoljnih uvjeta.
194:3.10 (2064.2) The bestowal of the Spirit of Truth was independent of all forms, ceremonies, sacred places, and special behavior by those who received the fullness of its manifestation. When the spirit came upon those assembled in the upper chamber, they were simply sitting there, having just been engaged in silent prayer. The spirit was bestowed in the country as well as in the city. It was not necessary for the apostles to go apart to a lonely place for years of solitary meditation in order to receive the spirit. For all time, Pentecost disassociates the idea of spiritual experience from the notion of especially favorable environments.
    Duhovi, s duhovnim darovima koje ljudi primaju ovom prilikom, su osmišljeni da zauvijek oslobode Učiteljevu religiju od ovisnosti o bilo kakvoj fizičkoj sili; učitelji ove nove religije su bih naoružani duhovnim oružjem. Išli su u osvajanje svijeta metodama neumoljivog oprosta, neusopredive dobre volje i neiscrpne ljubavi. Bili su spremni nadvaladati zlo dobrim, uništiti mržnju ljubavlju i suzbiti strah hrabrom i živućom vjerom u istinu. Isus je već pokazao svojim sljedbenicima da njegova religija nije bila pasivna; njegovi su učenici uvijek bili aktivni i pozitivni u svojoj službi milosti i u svojim ispoljenjima ljubavi. Oni više nisu gledali Jahvu kao "Gospodina vojski." Počeli su promatrati vječno Božanstvo kao "Boga i Oca Gospodina Isusa Krista." Ako ništa dmgo, uznapredovali su u ovom pogledu, čak i ako su u nekoj mjeri u potpunosti podbacili u shvaćanju istine daje Bog također duhovi Otac svakog pojedinca.
194:3.11 (2064.3) Pentecost, with its spiritual endowment, was designed forever to loose the religion of the Master from all dependence upon physical force; the teachers of this new religion are now equipped with spiritual weapons. They are to go out to conquer the world with unfailing forgiveness, matchless good will, and abounding love. They are equipped to overcome evil with good, to vanquish hate by love, to destroy fear with a courageous and living faith in truth. Jesus had already taught his followers that his religion was never passive; always were his disciples to be active and positive in their ministry of mercy and in their manifestations of love. No longer did these believers look upon Yahweh as “the Lord of Hosts.” They now regarded the eternal Deity as the “God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.” They made that progress, at least, even if they did in some measure fail fully to grasp the truth that God is also the spiritual Father of every individual.
    Duhovi su svakom smrtniku dali moć da oprosti osobne povede koje su mu nanesene, da ostane dobar pred najtežom nepravdom, da ne izgubi glavu pred najozbiljnijim opasnostima i da odgovori na zla mržnje i bijesa neustrašivim djelima ljubavi i strpljenja. Urantija je u svojoj povijesti prošla kroz pustošenja stravičnih i razornih ratova. Svi sudionici tih užasnih borbi su doživjeli poraz. Bio je samo jedan pobjednik; samo jedan čovjek je izišao iz ovih ogorčenih borbi s većim ugledom - Isus iz Nazareta i njegovo evanđelje o trijumfu dobra nad zlom. Tajna izgradnje bolje civilizacije počiva u Učiteljevom nauku o bratstvu ljudi, o dobroj volji ljubavi i uzajamnom povjerenju.
194:3.12 (2064.4) Pentecost endowed mortal man with the power to forgive personal injuries, to keep sweet in the midst of the gravest injustice, to remain unmoved in the face of appalling danger, and to challenge the evils of hate and anger by the fearless acts of love and forbearance. Urantia has passed through the ravages of great and destructive wars in its history. All participants in these terrible struggles met with defeat. There was but one victor; there was only one who came out of these embittered struggles with an enhanced reputation—that was Jesus of Nazareth and his gospel of overcoming evil with good. The secret of a better civilization is bound up in the Master’s teachings of the brotherhood of man, the good will of love and mutual trust.
    Do Duhova, religija je otkrila samo čovjeka koji traži Boga; od Duhova, čovjek još uvijek traga za Bogom, ah nad svijetom sada sjaji prizor Boga u potrazi za čovjekom, Boga koji šalje svoj duh da nađe čovjeka i da u njemu živi.
194:3.13 (2065.1) Up to Pentecost, religion had revealed only man seeking for God; since Pentecost, man is still searching for God, but there shines out over the world the spectacle of God also seeking for man and sending his spirit to dwell within him when he has found him.
    Prije Isusovih učenja koja su kulminirala u Duhovima, žene su imale vrlo malo ih ni malo duhovnog statusa u doktrinama starijih religija. Nakon Duhova, žene su stajale pred Bogom u bratstvu kraljevstva ravnopravno s muškarcima. Među sto dvadeset osoba koje su primile ovaj specijalni dar duha bilo je mnogo žena, učenica koje su jednako dijelile ove blažene darove s muškarcima. Muškarci više nisu mogli monopolizirati religioznu službu. Farizej je mogao zahvaljivati Bogu što nije rođen kao "žene, gubavci ili pogani," ah među Isusovim sljedbenicima žene su zauvijek oslobođene svakog oblika religiozne diskriminacije na temelju spola. Duhovi su izbrisali svaku religioznu diskriminaciju utemeljenu na rasnim i kulturnim razlikama, društvenom staležu ili spolnim predrasudama. Nije čudo što su ti vjernici nove religije glasno govorili, "Gdje je duh Gospodnji, ondje je sloboda."
194:3.14 (2065.2) Before the teachings of Jesus which culminated in Pentecost, women had little or no spiritual standing in the tenets of the older religions. After Pentecost, in the brotherhood of the kingdom woman stood before God on an equality with man. Among the one hundred and twenty who received this special visitation of the spirit were many of the women disciples, and they shared these blessings equally with the men believers. No longer can man presume to monopolize the ministry of religious service. The Pharisee might go on thanking God that he was “not born a woman, a leper, or a gentile,” but among the followers of Jesus woman has been forever set free from all religious discriminations based on sex. Pentecost obliterated all religious discrimination founded on racial distinction, cultural differences, social caste, or sex prejudice. No wonder these believers in the new religion would cry out, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
    Isusova majka i brat su bih prisutni među sto dvadeset vjernika i primili su izliveni duh jednako kao i svi drugi okupljeni učenici. Oni nisu primili ništa više ovog dobrog dara nego drugi ljudi. Isusova zemaljska obitelj nije primila nikakvih posebnih darova. Duhovi obilježavaju kraj bilo kakvog specijalnog svećenstva i vjerovanja u svete obitelji.
194:3.15 (2065.3) Both the mother and brother of Jesus were present among the one hundred and twenty believers, and as members of this common group of disciples, they also received the outpoured spirit. They received no more of the good gift than did their fellows. No special gift was bestowed upon the members of Jesus’ earthly family. Pentecost marked the end of special priesthoods and all belief in sacred families.
    Prije Duhova, apostoli su mnogo žrtvovali za Isusa. Odrekli su se svojih domova, obitelji, prijatelja, materijalnih dobara i pozicija. Na dan Duhova, prepustih su se Bogu, i Otac i Sin su uzvratili dajući sebe ljudima - šaljući svoje duhove da žive u ljudima. To iskustvo gubitka sebe i pronalaženja duha nije bilo emocionalni doživljaj; to je bio čin inteligentne samopredaje i bezrezervnog posvećenja.
194:3.16 (2065.4) Before Pentecost the apostles had given up much for Jesus. They had sacrificed their homes, families, friends, worldly goods, and positions. At Pentecost they gave themselves to God, and the Father and the Son responded by giving themselves to man—sending their spirits to live within men. This experience of losing self and finding the spirit was not one of emotion; it was an act of intelligent self-surrender and unreserved consecration.
    Duhovi su bih poziv na duhovno jedinstvo među vjernicima u evanđelje. Kad se duh spustio na učenike u Jeruzalemu, isto se dogodilo u Filadelfiji, Aleksandriji i dragim mjestima gdje su živjeli istinski vjernici. Doslovce je istina daje "mnošvo vjernika bilo jedno srce ijedna duša." Isusova religija je najmoćniji ujedinjujući utjecaj koji je svijet ikada upoznao.
194:3.17 (2065.5) Pentecost was the call to spiritual unity among gospel believers. When the spirit descended on the disciples at Jerusalem, the same thing happened in Philadelphia, Alexandria, and at all other places where true believers dwelt. It was literally true that “there was but one heart and soul among the multitude of the believers.” The religion of Jesus is the most powerful unifying influence the world has ever known.
    Duhovi su osmišljeni da umanje pojedinačno, grupno, nacionalno i rasno pozivanje na vlastita prava. Upravo taj duh pozivanja na svoja prava uvećava napetost koja se povremeno oslobađa u destruktivnim ratovima. Čovječanstvo može biti ujedinjeno samo duhovnim pristupom, a Duh Istine je svjetski utjecaj koji je univerzalan.
194:3.18 (2065.6) Pentecost was designed to lessen the self-assertiveness of individuals, groups, nations, and races. It is this spirit of self-assertiveness which so increases in tension that it periodically breaks loose in destructive wars. Mankind can be unified only by the spiritual approach, and the Spirit of Truth is a world influence which is universal.
    Dolazak Duha Istine čisti ljudsko srce i vodi primatelja da formulira životni naum u skladu s Božjom voljom i ljudskom dobrobiti. Ovo novo duhovno darivanje nesebičnosti u sebi apsorbira materijalni duh sebičnosti. Onda kao i danas, Duhovi svjedoče daje Isus iz povijesti postao božanski Sin živućeg iskustva. Radost ovog izlivenog duha, kad se svjesno doživi u ljudskom životu, djeluje kao tonik za zdravlje, poticaj za um i neiscrpni izvor energije za dušu.
194:3.19 (2065.7) The coming of the Spirit of Truth purifies the human heart and leads the recipient to formulate a life purpose single to the will of God and the welfare of men. The material spirit of selfishness has been swallowed up in this new spiritual bestowal of selflessness. Pentecost, then and now, signifies that the Jesus of history has become the divine Son of living experience. The joy of this outpoured spirit, when it is consciously experienced in human life, is a tonic for health, a stimulus for mind, and an unfailing energy for the soul.
    Molitva nije donijela duh na dan Duhova, ah je igrala značajnu ulogu u povećanju individualne sposobnosti za prijemčivost u pojedinačnim vjernicima. Molitva nije to što navodi božansko srce na velikodušno darivanje, ah ona često produbljuje kanale kojima božanska darivanja ulaze u srca i duše onih koji iskrenim molitvama i istinskim obožavanjem održavaju neprekinuto duhovno zajedništvo sa svojim Stvoriteljem.
194:3.20 (2065.8) Prayer did not bring the spirit on the day of Pentecost, but it did have much to do with determining the capacity of receptivity which characterized the individual believers. Prayer does not move the divine heart to liberality of bestowal, but it does so often dig out larger and deeper channels wherein the divine bestowals may flow to the hearts and souls of those who thus remember to maintain unbroken communion with their Maker through sincere prayer and true worship.

4. RANA KRŠĆANSKA CRKVA

4. Beginnings of the Christian Church

    Kad su Isusovi neprijatelji tako iznenadno uhitili i razapeli Isusa između dvojice razbojnika, u potpunosti je demoralizirao njegove apostole i sljedbenike. Pomisao na uhićenje, vezivanje, bičevanje i raspeće njihova Učitelja je bila previše čak i za apostole. Zaboravili su njegova učenja i upozorenja. On je doista mogao biti "silan prorok riječju i djelom pred Bogom i pred cijelim narodom," ali je teško mogao biti Mesija koji će obnoviti kraljevstvo Izraela.
194:4.1 (2066.1) When Jesus was so suddenly seized by his enemies and so quickly crucified between two thieves, his apostles and disciples were completely demoralized. The thought of the Master, arrested, bound, scourged, and crucified, was too much for even the apostles. They forgot his teachings and his warnings. He might, indeed, have been “a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,” but he could hardly be the Messiah they had hoped would restore the kingdom of Israel.
    Za tim je uslijedilo uskrsnuće koje ih je oslobodilo očaja i povratilo njihovu vjeru u Učiteljevu božanstvenost. Opet su ga mogli vidjeti i s njim razgovarati; poveo ih je na Maslinsku goru gdje im je uručio oproštajni govor i rekao da se vraća k svome Ocu. Rekao im je da ostanu u Jeruzalemu dok se ne opasaju snagom odozgor - dok ne dođe Duh Istine. A kad je na Duhove došao ovaj novi učitelj, smjesta su otišli propovijedati svoje evanđelje s novom snagom. Postali su hrabri i odvažni sljedbenici živućeg Gospodina, a ne mrtvi i poraženi lideri. Učitelj živi u srcima svih tih evangelista; Bog nije doktrina u njihovim umovima; on je postao živuća prisutnost u njihovim dušama.
194:4.2 (2066.2) Then comes the resurrection, with its deliverance from despair and the return of their faith in the Master’s divinity. Again and again they see him and talk with him, and he takes them out on Olivet, where he bids them farewell and tells them he is going back to the Father. He has told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they are endowed with power—until the Spirit of Truth shall come. And on the day of Pentecost this new teacher comes, and they go out at once to preach their gospel with new power. They are the bold and courageous followers of a living Lord, not a dead and defeated leader. The Master lives in the hearts of these evangelists; God is not a doctrine in their minds; he has become a living presence in their souls.
    "Tako su svaki dan postojano i kao po dogovora bili u hramu i po kućama lomili krah. I zajedno su uzimali hranu vesela i priprosta srca. Hvalili su Boga i zato uživali naklonost svega naroda. Svi se napuniše duha te neustrašivo počeše navješćivati riječ Boga. I mnoštvo je vjernika bilo jedno srce ijedna duša; i nitko nije nazivao svojim ono što mu je pripadalo, već je među njima sve bilo zajedničko."
194:4.3 (2066.3) “Day by day they continued steadfastly and with one accord in the temple and breaking bread at home. They took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. They were all filled with the spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. And the multitudes of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, and they had all things in common.”
    Što se dogodilo s tim ljudima koje je Isus uputio da idu propovijedati evanđelje kraljevstva, Božje očinstvo i bratstvo ljudi? Oni sada imaju novo učenje; užareni su ovim novim iskustvom; ispunjeni su novom duhovnom energijom. Njihova poruka je iznenada izmijenjena i oni govore samo o uskrslom Kristu: "Bog je pred vama potvrdio Isusa iz Nazareta moćnim djelima i čudesnim znacima; njega koji je predan po nepromjenljivoj odluci i predznanju Božjem, vi ste bezbožničkom rukom razapeli i ubili. Ali što je Bog tako unaprijed navijestio riječima proroka, tako se ispuni. Bog je podigao ovog Isusa. Bog gaje učinio Gospodinom i Kristom. Budući daje zdesna Bogu, postao je uzveličan i nakon što je primio od Oca obećanje Duha, on je izlio ovo što vidite i čujete. Obratite se da vam se izbrišu grijesi; da vam Otac pošalje predodređenog vam Krista, samog Isusa, onoga koga nebo treba da pridrži do vremena sveopće obnove."
194:4.4 (2066.4) What has happened to these men whom Jesus had ordained to go forth preaching the gospel of the kingdom, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man? They have a new gospel; they are on fire with a new experience; they are filled with a new spiritual energy. Their message has suddenly shifted to the proclamation of the risen Christ: “Jesus of Nazareth, a man God approved by mighty works and wonders; him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you did crucify and slay. The things which God foreshadowed by the mouth of all the prophets, he thus fulfilled. This Jesus did God raise up. God has made him both Lord and Christ. Being, by the right hand of God, exalted and having received from the Father the promise of the spirit, he has poured forth this which you see and hear. Repent, that your sins may be blotted out; that the Father may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you, even Jesus, whom the heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things.”
    Evanđelje kraljevstva - Isusova poruka - je iznenada izmijenjeno u evanđelje Gospodina Isusa Krista. Oni su sada proglašavali činjenice njegova života, smrti i uskrsnuća i propovijedali nadu u njegov skori povratak na ovaj svijet i dovršenje započetog rada. Tako poruka ovih ranih vjernika ima veze s propovijedanjem o činjenicama njegovog prvog dolaska i učenjem o nadi u njegov drugi dolazak, događaj za koji su se nadali da se uskoro bližio.
194:4.5 (2066.5) The gospel of the kingdom, the message of Jesus, had been suddenly changed into the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They now proclaimed the facts of his life, death, and resurrection and preached the hope of his speedy return to this world to finish the work he began. Thus the message of the early believers had to do with preaching about the facts of his first coming and with teaching the hope of his second coming, an event which they deemed to be very near at hand.
    Krist je tako postajao predmetom vjerovanja ove brzo oformljujuće crkve. Isus je živ; umro je zbog ljudi; dao je svoj duh; ponovo će doći. Isus je bio jedino što je zaokupljalo njihove misli i određivalo ovaj novi koncept Boga i sve ostalo. Bili su toliko oduševljeni ovom novom doktrinom daje "Bog Otac Gospodina Isusa," da su zaboravih svoju staru poruku koja kaže, "Bog je Otac koji voli sve ljude," svakog čovjeka bez izuzetka. Istina, čudesno očitovanje bratske ljubavi i neviđene dobre volje je niklo u tim ranim zajednicama vjernika. No, bilo je to zajedištvo ljudi koji su vjerovali u Isusa, a ne zajedištvo braće u obitelji Očevog kraljevstva nebeskog. Njihova dobra volja je bila plod ljubavi prema ideji Isusovog darivanja, a ne rezultat spoznaje da su svi ljudi braća. Ipak, bih su tako ispunjeni radošću i živjeli su tako nove i jedinstvene živote da su svi ljudi bili privučeni njihovim učenjima o Isusu. Napravili su veliku grešku poučavajući živući i slikoviti komentar evanđelja kraljevstva umjesto evanđelja kraljevstva, ah čak i ovo je bilo najveća religija koju je čovječanstvo ikada imalo prilike upoznati.
194:4.6 (2067.1) Christ was about to become the creed of the rapidly forming church. Jesus lives; he died for men; he gave the spirit; he is coming again. Jesus filled all their thoughts and determined all their new concepts of God and everything else. They were too much enthused over the new doctrine that “God is the Father of the Lord Jesus” to be concerned with the old message that “God is the loving Father of all men,” even of every single individual. True, a marvelous manifestation of brotherly love and unexampled good will did spring up in these early communities of believers. But it was a fellowship of believers in Jesus, not a fellowship of brothers in the family kingdom of the Father in heaven. Their good will arose from the love born of the concept of Jesus’ bestowal and not from the recognition of the brotherhood of mortal man. Nevertheless, they were filled with joy, and they lived such new and unique lives that all men were attracted to their teachings about Jesus. They made the great mistake of using the living and illustrative commentary on the gospel of the kingdom for that gospel, but even that represented the greatest religion mankind had ever known.
    Bez sumnje, u svijetu se rađalo novo bratska zajedništvo. "Mnoštvo koje prihvati vjeru ostade postojano u apostolskoj nauci, zajedničkom životu, lomljenju kruha i umolitvama." Nazivali su jedni druge braćom i sestrama; pozdravljali su jedni druge svetim cjelovom; pomagali su sirotinji. Bili su zajednica življenja kao i obožavanja. Na zajednički život ih nisu navodila vjerovanja, već njihova želja da dijele svoja dobra s dragim vjernicima. Čvrsto su vjerovali da se Isus trebao vratiti da dovrši rad na upostavi Očevog kraljevstva u njihovoj generaciji. Ovaj spontani nagon da dijele svoju imovinu nije bio izravan dio Isusova učenja; proizlazio je iz iskrene i čvrste vjere ovih muškaraca i žena da se Isus svakog časa trebao vratiti da završi svoj rad na uspostavi kraljevstva. Ali ovaj je bratski i dobronamjerni eksperiment u nepromišljenoj bratskoj ljubavi imao tragične i žalosne posljedice. Tisuće iskrenih vjernika su prodale svoju imovinu, imobilije i draga proizvodna sredstva. S vremenom su iscrpljeni svi tanji resursi kršćanske "ravnopravne podjele" - ali nije došlo do kraja svijeta. Nije dugo trebalo da vjernici u Antiohiji počnu prikupljati sredstva da pomognu vjernicima u Jeruzalemu koji su bili na rubu gladi.
194:4.7 (2067.2) Unmistakably, a new fellowship was arising in the world. “The multitude who believed continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” They called each other brother and sister; they greeted one another with a holy kiss; they ministered to the poor. It was a fellowship of living as well as of worship. They were not communal by decree but by the desire to share their goods with their fellow believers. They confidently expected that Jesus would return to complete the establishment of the Father’s kingdom during their generation. This spontaneous sharing of earthly possessions was not a direct feature of Jesus’ teaching; it came about because these men and women so sincerely and so confidently believed that he was to return any day to finish his work and to consummate the kingdom. But the final results of this well-meant experiment in thoughtless brotherly love were disastrous and sorrow-breeding. Thousands of earnest believers sold their property and disposed of all their capital goods and other productive assets. With the passing of time, the dwindling resources of Christian “equal-sharing” came to an end—but the world did not. Very soon the believers at Antioch were taking up a collection to keep their fellow believers at Jerusalem from starving.
    U to su vrijeme obilježavali Posljednju večera po načinu njezina osnivanja; okupljah su se radi zajedničkog obroka i dobrog društva i jeli pričest na kraju obroka.
194:4.8 (2067.3) In these days they celebrated the Lord’s Supper after the manner of its establishment; that is, they assembled for a social meal of good fellowship and partook of the sacrament at the end of the meal.
    Isprva su krstili u Isusovo ime; prošlo je gotovo dvadeset godina prije nego što su počeli krstiti "u ime Oca, Sina i Duha Svetoga." Krštenje je bilo jedini zahtjev za ulazak u društvenu zajednicu vjernika. Još nisu imali organizaciju; bih su jednostavno Isusovo bratstvo.
194:4.9 (2067.4) At first they baptized in the name of Jesus; it was almost twenty years before they began to baptize in “the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Baptism was all that was required for admission into the fellowship of believers. They had no organization as yet; it was simply the Jesus brotherhood.
    Ova Isusovska sekta je brzo rasla i još jednom zadobila pažnju saduceja. Farizeje nije jako zabrinjavala ova situacija, kako se učenja Isusovske sekte ni na koji način nisu protivila židovskom zakonskom sustavu. Ah saduceji su počeli hvatati vođe ove Isusovske sekte i bacati ih u tamnicu, dok konačno nisu prihvatili savjet jednog od vodećih rabina, Gamaliela, koji ih je savjetovao: "Prođite se tih ljudi i pustite ih na mira, jer ako njihov pothvat ih njihovo djelo potječe od ljudi, propast će; ako, međutim, potječe od Boga, nećete ga moći uništiti već ćete još doći u sukob s Bogom." Kako su odlučili poslušati Gamalielov savjet i Jeruzalemom je zavladalo razdoblje mira i spokoja za kojeg se brzo proširilo ovo novo evanđelje o Isusu.
194:4.10 (2067.5) This Jesus sect was growing rapidly, and once more the Sadducees took notice of them. The Pharisees were little bothered about the situation, seeing that none of the teachings in any way interfered with the observance of the Jewish laws. But the Sadducees began to put the leaders of the Jesus sect in jail until they were prevailed upon to accept the counsel of one of the leading rabbis, Gamaliel, who advised them: “Refrain from these men and let them alone, for if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them, lest haply you be found even to be fighting against God.” They decided to follow Gamaliel’s counsel, and there ensued a time of peace and quiet in Jerusalem, during which the new gospel about Jesus spread rapidly.
    Stvari su tako dobro stajale u Jeruzalemu sve dok iz Aleksandrije nije počeo stizati veliki broj Grka. U Jeruzalem su došla dva Rodanova učenika koja su učinila mnogo obraćenika među helenistima. Stjepan i Bamaba su bili među njihovim ranim obraćenicima. Ovi sposobni Grci nisu toliko dijelili židovska gledišta i nisu u cijelosti slijedili bilo židovsko iskazanje obožavanja ili druge ceremonijalne prakse. I upravo je rad ovih grčkih vjernika poremetio miroljubive odnose Isusovog bratstva s farizejima i saducejima. Stjepan i njegov grčki suradnik su propovijedah na način koji je bio bliže Isusovim učenjima, što ih je dovelo u izravan sukob s židovskim vladarima.Kad je Stjepan u jednoj propovijedi dirnuo određenu spornu točku, odbacili su sve formalnosti suđenja i na licu mjesta ga kamenovah na smrt.
194:4.11 (2068.1) And so all went well in Jerusalem until the time of the coming of the Greeks in large numbers from Alexandria. Two of the pupils of Rodan arrived in Jerusalem and made many converts from among the Hellenists. Among their early converts were Stephen and Barnabas. These able Greeks did not so much have the Jewish viewpoint, and they did not so well conform to the Jewish mode of worship and other ceremonial practices. And it was the doings of these Greek believers that terminated the peaceful relations between the Jesus brotherhood and the Pharisees and Sadducees. Stephen and his Greek associate began to preach more as Jesus taught, and this brought them into immediate conflict with the Jewish rulers. In one of Stephen’s public sermons, when he reached the objectionable part of the discourse, they dispensed with all formalities of trial and proceeded to stone him to death on the spot.
    Tako je Stjepan, vođa grčke kolonije jeruzalemskih vjernika u Isusa, postao prvi mučenik za novu vjeru i specifični razlog za formalnu organizaciju ranokršćanske crkve. Ova nova kriza je vodila spoznaji da vjernici više nisu mogli biti samo sekta u sastavu židovske vjere. Svi su se složili da se trebaju ovdojiti od nevjernika; i nije prošlo više od mjesec dana od Stjepanove smrti kad je pod Petrovim vodstvom organizirana prva crkva u Jeruzalemu, a Isusov brat Jakov je postavljan za njezinog stariješinu.
194:4.12 (2068.2) Stephen, the leader of the Greek colony of Jesus’ believers in Jerusalem, thus became the first martyr to the new faith and the specific cause for the formal organization of the early Christian church. This new crisis was met by the recognition that believers could not longer go on as a sect within the Jewish faith. They all agreed that they must separate themselves from unbelievers; and within one month from the death of Stephen the church at Jerusalem had been organized under the leadership of Peter, and James the brother of Jesus had been installed as its titular head.
    A onda su izbili novi i nemilosrdni progoni od strane Židova, tako da su se aktivni učitelji nove religije o Isusu koji su u Antiohiji prvi put nazvani kršćanima, razišli na sve četiri kraja carstva navješćujući Isusa. U objavi njihove poruke prije vremena Pavla, crkveno vodstvo je bilo u grčkim rukama; a ovi prvi misionari, kao i oni kasniji, su slijedili negdašnji put Aleksandra, idući iz Gaze i Tire do Antiohije i preko Male Azije do Makedonije, a zatim u Rim i do najudaljenijih dijelova carstva.
194:4.13 (2068.3) And then broke out the new and relentless persecutions by the Jews, so that the active teachers of the new religion about Jesus, which subsequently at Antioch was called Christianity, went forth to the ends of the empire proclaiming Jesus. In carrying this message, before the time of Paul the leadership was in Greek hands; and these first missionaries, as also the later ones, followed the path of Alexander’s march of former days, going by way of Gaza and Tyre to Antioch and then over Asia Minor to Macedonia, then on to Rome and to the uttermost parts of the empire.



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