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==PAPER 125: JESUS AT JERUSALEM==

==PAPER 125: JESUS AT JERUSALEM==

125:0.1 No incident in all Jesus' eventful earth career was more engaging, more humanly thrilling, than this, his first remembered visit to Jerusalem. He was especially stimulated by the experience of attending the temple discussions by himself, and it long stood out in his memory as the great event of his later childhood and early youth. This was his first opportunity to enjoy a few days of independent living, the exhilaration of going and coming without restraint and restrictions. This brief period of undirected living, during the week following the Passover, was the first complete freedom from responsibility he had ever enjoyed. And it was many years subsequent to this before he again had a like period of freedom from all sense of responsibility, even for a short time.

125:0.1 No [[incident]] in all [[Jesus]]' eventful [[earth]] [[career]] was more [[engaging]], more [[humanly]] thrilling, than this, his first remembered [[visit]] to [[Jerusalem]]. He was especially [[stimulated]] by the [[experience]] of attending the [[temple]] [[discussions]] by himself, and it long stood out in his [[memory]] as the great [[event]] of his later [[childhood]] and early [[youth]]. This was his first [[opportunity]] to enjoy a few days of [[independent]] living, the exhilaration of going and coming without [[restraint]] and restrictions. This brief period of undirected living, during the week following the [[Passover]], was the first complete [[freedom]] from [[responsibility]] he had ever [[enjoyed]]. And it was many years subsequent to this before he again had a like period of [[freedom]] from all sense of [[responsibility]], even for a short time.

125:0.2 Women seldom went to the Passover feast at Jerusalem; they were not required to be present. Jesus, however, virtually refused to go unless his mother would accompany them. And when his mother decided to go, many other Nazareth women were led to make the journey, so that the Passover company contained the largest number of women, in proportion to men, ever to go up to the Passover from Nazareth. Ever and anon, on the way to Jerusalem, they chanted the one hundred and thirtieth Psalm.

125:0.2 [[Women]] seldom went to the [[Passover]] feast at [[Jerusalem]]; they were not required to be present. [[Jesus]], however, [[virtually]] refused to go unless his [[mother]] would accompany them. And when his mother decided to go, many other [[Nazareth]] women were led to make the [[journey]], so that the [[Passover]] company contained the largest number of [[women]], in [[proportion]] to men, ever to go up to the [[Passover]] from [[Nazareth]]. Ever and anon, on the way to [[Jerusalem]], they chanted the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Psalms#Psalm_130 one hundred and thirtieth Psalm].

125:0.3 From the time they left Nazareth until they reached the summit of the Mount of Olives, Jesus experienced one long stress of expectant anticipation. All through a joyful childhood he had reverently heard of Jerusalem and its temple; now he was soon to behold them in reality. From the Mount of Olives and from the outside, on closer inspection, the temple had been all and more than Jesus had expected; but when he once entered its sacred portals, the great disillusionment began.

125:0.3 From the time they left [[Nazareth]] until they reached the [[summit]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives Mount of Olives], [[Jesus]] [[experienced]] one long [[stress]] of [[expectant]] [[anticipation]]. All through a [[joyful]] [[childhood]] he had [[reverently]] heard of [[Jerusalem]] and its [[temple]]; now he was soon to behold them in [[reality]]. From the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives Mount of Olives] and from the outside, on closer [[inspection]], the [[temple]] had been all and more than [[Jesus]] had expected; but when he once entered its [[sacred]] [[portals]], the great [[disillusionment]] began.

125:0.4 In company with his parents Jesus passed through the temple precincts on his way to join that group of new sons of the law who were about to be consecrated as citizens of Israel. He was a little disappointed by the general demeanor of the temple throngs, but the first great shock of the day came when his mother took leave of them on her way to the women's gallery. It had never occurred to Jesus that his mother was not to accompany him to the consecration ceremonies, and he was thoroughly indignant that she was made to suffer from such unjust discrimination. While he strongly resented this, aside from a few remarks of protest to his father, he said nothing. But he thought, and thought deeply, as his questions to the scribes and teachers a week later disclosed.

125:0.4 In company with his [[parents]] [[Jesus]] passed through the [[temple]] precincts on his way to join that [[group]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Mitzvah new sons of the law] who were about to be [[consecrated]] as [[citizens]] of [[Israel]]. He was a little disappointed by the general [[demeanor]] of the temple throngs, but the first great [[shock]] of the day came when his [[mother]] took leave of them on her way to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechitza women's gallery]. It had never occurred to [[Jesus]] that his [[mother]] was not to accompany him to the [[consecration]] [[ceremonies]], and he was thoroughly [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=2007-03-27-Self-Righteousness_and_Righteous_Indignation indignant] that she was made to [[suffer]] from such unjust [[discrimination]]. While he strongly resented this, aside from a few remarks of [[protest]] to his [[father]], he said nothing. But he [[thought]], and thought deeply, as his questions to the [[scribes]] and [[teachers]] a week later disclosed.

125:0.5 He passed through the consecration rituals but was disappointed by their perfunctory and routine natures. He missed that personal interest which characterized the ceremonies of the synagogue at Nazareth. He then returned to greet his mother and prepared to accompany his father on his first trip about the temple and its various courts, galleries, and corridors. The temple precincts could accommodate over two hundred thousand worshipers at one time, and while the vastness of these buildings—in comparison with any he had ever seen—greatly impressed his mind, he was more intrigued by the contemplation of the spiritual significance of the temple ceremonies and their associated worship.

125:0.5 He passed through the [[consecration]] [[rituals]] but was [[disappointed]] by their perfunctory and [[routine]] natures. He missed that [[personal]] interest which characterized the [[ceremonies]] of the [[synagogue]] at [[Nazareth]]. He then returned to greet his [[mother]] and prepared to accompany his [[father]] on his first trip about the [[temple]] and its various [[courts]], [[galleries]], and corridors. The [[temple]] precincts could accommodate over two hundred thousand [[worshipers]] at one time, and while the vastness of these buildings—in comparison with any he had ever seen—greatly impressed his [[mind]], he was more [[intrigued]] by the [[contemplation]] of the [[spiritual]] significance of the [[temple]] [[ceremonies]] and their associated [[worship]].

125:0.6 Though many of the temple rituals very touchingly impressed his sense of the beautiful and the symbolic, he was always disappointed by the explanation of the real meanings of these ceremonies which his parents would offer in answer to his many searching inquiries. Jesus simply would not accept explanations of worship and religious devotion which involved belief in the wrath of God or the anger of the Almighty. In further discussion of these questions, after the conclusion of the temple visit, when his father became mildly insistent that he acknowledge acceptance of the orthodox Jewish beliefs, Jesus turned suddenly upon his parents and, looking appealingly into the eyes of his father, said: " My father, it cannot be true—the Father in heaven cannot so regard his erring children on earth. The heavenly Father cannot love his children less than you love me. And I well know, no matter what unwise thing I might do, you would never pour out wrath upon me nor vent anger against me. If you, my earthly father, possess such human reflections of the Divine, how much more must the heavenly Father be filled with goodness and overflowing with mercy. I refuse to believe that my Father in heaven loves me less than my father on earth. "

125:0.6 Though many of the [[temple]] [[rituals]] very touchingly impressed his sense of the [[beautiful]] and the [[symbolic]], he was always disappointed by the [[explanation]] of the real [[meanings]] of these [[ceremonies]] which his [[parents]] would offer in answer to his many searching [[inquiries]]. [[Jesus]] simply would not accept [[explanations]] of [[worship]] and religious [[devotion]] which involved [[belief]] in the [[wrath]] of [[God]] or the anger of [[the Almighty]]. In further [[discussion]] of these questions, after the conclusion of the [[temple]] visit, when his [[father]] became mildly insistent that he acknowledge [[acceptance]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Judaism orthodox Jewish beliefs], [[Jesus]] turned suddenly upon his [[parents]] and, looking appealingly into the eyes of his father, said: " [[Universal Father|My father]], it cannot be true—[[the Father]] in [[heaven]] cannot so regard his erring [[children]] on [[earth]]. The heavenly Father cannot [[love]] his [[children]] less than you [[love]] me. And I well know, no matter what unwise thing I might do, you would never pour out wrath upon me nor vent [[anger]] against me. If you, my earthly father, [[possess]] such [[human]] [[reflections]] of the [[Divine]], how much more must the [[heavenly Father]] be filled with [[goodness]] and overflowing with [[mercy]]. I refuse to believe that [[Universal Father|my Father]] in heaven [[loves]] me less than my [[father]] on [[earth]]. "

125:0.7 When Joseph and Mary heard these words of their first-born son, they held their peace. And never again did they seek to change his mind about the love of God and the mercifulness of the Father in heaven.

125:0.7 When [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_122#122:1._JOSEPH_AND_MARY Joseph and Mary] heard these [[words]] of their first-born son, they held their [[peace]]. And never again did they seek to [[change]] his [[mind]] about the [[love]] of [[God]] and the [[mercifulness]] of [[the Father]] in [[heaven]].

==125:1. JESUS VIEWS THE TEMPLE==

==125:1. JESUS VIEWS THE TEMPLE==