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====THE PASSOVER AT JERUSALEM====

====THE PASSOVER AT JERUSALEM====

   

   

THE month of April Jesus and the apostles worked in Jerusalem, going out of the city each evening to spend the night at Bethany. The first day in Jerusalem Jesus called upon his friend of former years, Annas, the onetime high priest and relative of Salome, Zebedee's wife. Annas had been hearing about Jesus and his teachings, and when Jesus called at the high priest's home, he was received with much reserve. When Jesus perceived Annas's coldness, he took immediate leave, saying as he departed:  

THE month of April Jesus and the apostles worked in Jerusalem, going out of the city each evening to spend the night at Bethany.  

 

The first day in Jerusalem Jesus called upon his friend of former years, Annas, the onetime high priest and relative of Salome, Zebedee's wife. Annas had been hearing about Jesus and his teachings, and when Jesus called at the high priest's home, he was received with much reserve.  

 

When Jesus perceived Annas's coldness, he took immediate leave, saying as he departed:  

*"Fear is man's chief enslaver and pride his great weakness. Will you betray yourself into bondage to both of these destroyers of joy and liberty?"

*"Fear is man's chief enslaver and pride his great weakness. Will you betray yourself into bondage to both of these destroyers of joy and liberty?"

Flavius, the Greek Jew, was a proselyte of the gate, having been neither circumcised nor baptized. Since he was a great lover of the beautiful in art and sculpture, the house that he occupied when sojourning in Jerusalem was a beautiful edifice. This home was exquisitely adorned with priceless treasures that he had gathered up here and there on his world travels. The Master saw that his host was bewildered at his friendly attitude toward art. Therefore, when they had finished the survey of the entire collection, Jesus said:

Flavius, the Greek Jew, was a proselyte of the gate, having been neither circumcised nor baptized. Since he was a great lover of the beautiful in art and sculpture, the house that he occupied when sojourning in Jerusalem was a beautiful edifice. This home was exquisitely adorned with priceless treasures that he had gathered up here and there on his world travels. The Master saw that his host was bewildered at his friendly attitude toward art.  

 

Therefore, when they had finished the survey of the entire collection, Jesus said:

*"Because you appreciate the beauty of things created by my Father and fashioned by the artistic hands of man, why should you expect to be rebuked? Because Moses onetime sought to combat idolatry and the worship of false gods, why should all men frown upon the reproduction of grace and beauty? I say to you, Flavius, Moses' children have misunderstood him. Now do they make false gods of even his prohibitions of images, and the likeness of things in heaven and on earth. But even if Moses taught such restrictions to the darkened minds of those days, what has that to do with this day when the Father in heaven is revealed as the universal Spirit Ruler over all? Flavius, I declare that in the coming kingdom they shall no longer teach `do not worship this and do not worship that'. No longer shall they concern themselves with commands to refrain from this and take care not to do that, but rather shall all be concerned with one supreme duty. This duty of man is expressed in two great privileges, sincere worship of the infinite Creator, the Paradise Father, and loving service bestowed upon one's fellow men. If you love your neighbor as you love yourself, you really know that you are a son of God.

*"Because you appreciate the beauty of things created by my Father and fashioned by the artistic hands of man, why should you expect to be rebuked? Because Moses onetime sought to combat idolatry and the worship of false gods, why should all men frown upon the reproduction of grace and beauty? I say to you, Flavius, Moses' children have misunderstood him. Now do they make false gods of even his prohibitions of images, and the likeness of things in heaven and on earth. But even if Moses taught such restrictions to the darkened minds of those days, what has that to do with this day when the Father in heaven is revealed as the universal Spirit Ruler over all? Flavius, I declare that in the coming kingdom they shall no longer teach `do not worship this and do not worship that'. No longer shall they concern themselves with commands to refrain from this and take care not to do that, but rather shall all be concerned with one supreme duty. This duty of man is expressed in two great privileges, sincere worship of the infinite Creator, the Paradise Father, and loving service bestowed upon one's fellow men. If you love your neighbor as you love yourself, you really know that you are a son of God.

====The Visit With Nicodemus====  

====The Visit With Nicodemus====  

   

   

One evening at the home of Flavius there came to see Jesus one Nicodemus, a wealthy and elderly member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Upon being presented by Flavius, Nicodemus said:  

One evening at the home of Flavius there came to see Jesus one Nicodemus, a wealthy and elderly member of the Jewish Sanhedrin.  

 

Upon being presented by Flavius, Nicodemus said:  

*"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God, for no mere man could so teach unless God were with him. And I am desirous of knowing more about your teachings regarding the coming kingdom."

*"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God, for no mere man could so teach unless God were with him. And I am desirous of knowing more about your teachings regarding the coming kingdom."