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121:0.1 Acting under the supervision of a commission of twelve members of the United Brotherhood of Urantia Midwayers, conjointly sponsored by the presiding head of our order and the Melchizedek of record, I am the secondary midwayer of onetime attachment to the Apostle Andrew, and I am authorized to place on record the narrative of the life transactions of Jesus of Nazareth as they were observed by my order of earth creatures, and as they were subsequently partially recorded by the human subject of my temporal guardianship. Knowing how his Master so scrupulously avoided leaving written records behind him, Andrew steadfastly refused to multiply copies of his written narrative. A similar attitude on the part of the other apostles of Jesus greatly delayed the writing of the Gospels.

121:0.1 [[Acting]] under the [[supervision]] of a commission of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_%28number%29 twelve] members of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_77#77:8._THE_UNITED_MIDWAYERS United Brotherhood of Urantia Midwayers], conjointly sponsored by the presiding head of our order and the [[Melchizedek]] of [[record]], I am the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_77#77:6._THE_SECONDARY_MIDWAYERS secondary midwayer] of onetime attachment to the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_139#139:1._ANDREW.2C_THE_FIRST_CHOSEN Apostle Andrew], and I am authorized to place on record the [[narrative]] of the life [[transactions]] of [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] as they were [[observed]] by my order of [[earth]] [[creatures]], and as they were subsequently partially recorded by the [[human]] subject of my [[temporal]] guardianship. Knowing how his [[the Master|Master]] so scrupulously avoided leaving [[written]] records behind him, [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_139#139:1._ANDREW.2C_THE_FIRST_CHOSEN Andrew] [[steadfastly]] refused to multiply [[copies]] of his written [[narrative]]. A similar [[attitude]] on the part of the other [[apostles]] of [[Jesus]] greatly [[delayed]] the writing of the [[Gospels]].

==121:1. THE OCCIDENT OF THE FIRST CENTURY AFTER CHRIST==

==121:1. THE OCCIDENT OF THE FIRST CENTURY AFTER CHRIST==

121:1.1 Jesus did not come to this world during an age of spiritual decadence; at the time of his birth Urantia was experiencing such a revival of spiritual thinking and religious living as it had not known in all its previous post-Adamic history nor has experienced in any era since. When Michael incarnated on Urantia, the world presented the most favorable condition for the Creator Son's bestowal that had ever previously prevailed or has since obtained. In the centuries just prior to these times Greek culture and the Greek language had spread over Occident and near Orient, and the Jews, being a Levantine race, in nature part Occidental and part Oriental, were eminently fitted to utilize such cultural and linguistic settings for the effective spread of a new religion to both East and West. These most favorable circumstances were further enhanced by the tolerant political rule of the Mediterranean world by the Romans.

121:1.1 [[Jesus]] did not come to this world during an age of [[spiritual]] [[decadence]]; at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Century the time] of his [[birth]] [[Urantia]] was experiencing such a [[revival]] of spiritual [[thinking]] and religious living as it had not known in all its previous [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_52#52:3._POST-ADAMIC_MAN post-Adamic history] nor has experienced in any era since. When [[Michael]] [[incarnated]] on [[Urantia]], the world presented the most favorable condition for the [[Creator Son]]'s [[bestowal]] that had ever previously prevailed or has since obtained. In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_history#Timeline_of_ancient_history centuries] just prior to these times [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece Greek culture] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language Greek language] had spread over [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece#Hellenistic_Greece Occident and near Orient], and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews Jews], being a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levant Levantine race], in nature part [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident Occidental] and part [[Oriental]], were eminently fitted to utilize such [[cultural]] and [[linguistic]] settings for the effective spread of a new [[religion]] to both East and West. These most favorable circumstances were further enhanced by the [[tolerant]] [[political]] rule of the [[Mediterranean]] world by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident#The_Roman_Empire Romans].

121:1.2 This entire combination of world influences is well illustrated by the activities of Paul, who, being in religious culture a Hebrew of the Hebrews, proclaimed the gospel of a Jewish Messiah in the Greek tongue, while he himself was a Roman citizen.

121:1.2 This entire combination of world [[influences]] is well [[illustrated]] by the [[activities]] of []Paul, the Apostle|Paul]], who, being in [[religious]] culture a [[Hebrew]] of the Hebrews, proclaimed the [[gospel]] of a Jewish [[Messiah]] in the [[Greek]] tongue, while he himself was a [[Roman]] [[citizen]].

121:1.3 Nothing like the civilization of the times of Jesus has been seen in the Occident before or since those days. European civilization was unified and co-ordinated under an extraordinary threefold influence:

121:1.3 Nothing like the [[civilization]] of the times of [[Jesus]] has been seen in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident Occident] before or since those days. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe European civilization] was unified and [[co-ordinated]] under an extraordinary threefold [[influence]]:

*1. The Roman political and social systems.

*1. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident#The_Roman_Empire Roman political and social systems].

*2. The Grecian language and culture—and philosophy to a certain extent.

*2. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece#Hellenistic_Greece Grecian language and culture]—and [[philosophy]] to a certain extent.

*3. The rapidly spreading influence of Jewish religious and moral teachings.

*3. The rapidly spreading [[influence]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews Jewish] religious and [[moral]] teachings.

121:1.4 When Jesus was born, the entire Mediterranean world was a unified empire. Good roads, for the first time in the world's history, interconnected many major centers. The seas were cleared of pirates, and a great era of trade and travel was rapidly advancing. Europe did not again enjoy another such period of travel and trade until the nineteenth century after Christ.

121:1.4 When [[Jesus]] was [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_122#122:8._THE_BIRTH_OF_JESUS born], the entire [[Mediterranean]] world was a unified [[empire]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_roads Good roads], for the first time in the world's history, interconnected many major centers. The [[seas]] were cleared of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates pirates], and a great era of [[trade]] and [[travel]] was rapidly advancing. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe] did not again enjoy another such period of travel and trade until the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century nineteenth century] after [[Christ]].

121:1.5 Notwithstanding the internal peace and superficial prosperity of the Greco-Roman world, a majority of the inhabitants of the empire languished in squalor and poverty. The small upper class was rich; a miserable and impoverished lower class embraced the rank and file of humanity. There was no happy and prosperous middle class in those days; it had just begun to make its appearance in Roman society.

121:1.5 Notwithstanding the internal [[peace]] and [[superficial]] [[prosperity]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Roman_world Greco-Roman world], a [[majority]] of the [[inhabitants]] of the [[empire]] languished in squalor and [[poverty]]. The small upper class was rich; a miserable and impoverished lower class embraced the rank and file of [[humanity]]. There was no [[happy]] and prosperous [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_class middle class] in those days; it had just begun to make its [[appearance]] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_citizenship Roman society].

121:1.6 The first struggles between the expanding Roman and Parthian states had been concluded in the then recent past, leaving Syria in the hands of the Romans. In the times of Jesus, Palestine and Syria were enjoying a period of prosperity, relative peace, and extensive commercial intercourse with the lands to both the East and the West.

121:1.6 The first [[struggles]] between the expanding [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic Roman] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthia Parthian] states had been concluded in the then recent past, leaving [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria Syria] in the hands of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome#Empire Romans]. In the times of [[Jesus]], [[Palestine]] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria Syria] were enjoying a period of [[prosperity]], relative [[peace]], and extensive [[commercial]] [[intercourse]] with the lands to both the East and the West.

==121:2. THE JEWISH PEOPLE==

==121:2. THE JEWISH PEOPLE==