Changes

==130:8. ON THE WAY TO NAPLES AND ROME==

==130:8. ON THE WAY TO NAPLES AND ROME==

130:8.1 The first stop on the way to Italy was at the island of Malta. Here Jesus had a long talk with a downhearted and discouraged young man named Claudus. This fellow had contemplated taking his life, but when he had finished talking with the scribe of Damascus, he said: " I will face life like a man; I am through playing the coward. I will go back to my people and begin all over again. " Shortly he became an enthusiastic preacher of the Cynics, and still later on he joined hands with Peter in proclaiming Christianity in Rome and Naples, and after the death of Peter he went on to Spain preaching the gospel. But he never knew that the man who inspired him in Malta was the Jesus whom he subsequently proclaimed the world's Deliverer.

130:8.1 The first stop on the way to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy Italy] was at the island of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta Malta]. Here [[Jesus]] had a long [[talk]] with a downhearted and discouraged young man named Claudus. This fellow had contemplated [[Suicide|taking his life], but when he had finished talking with the [[scribe]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus Damascus], he said: " I will face life like a man; I am through [[playing]] the coward. I will go back to my people and begin all over again. " Shortly he became an enthusiastic preacher of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynics Cynics], and still later on he joined hands with [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] in proclaiming [[Christianity]] in [[Rome]] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naples Naples], and after the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter#Martyrdom death of Peter] he went on to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain Spain] preaching the [[gospel]]. But he never knew that the man who [[inspired]] him in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta Malta] was the [[Jesus]] whom he subsequently [[proclaimed]] the world's Deliverer.

130:8.2 At Syracuse they spent a full week. The notable event of their stop here was the rehabilitation of Ezra, the backslidden Jew, who kept the tavern where Jesus and his companions stopped. Ezra was charmed by Jesus' approach and asked him to help him come back to the faith of Israel. He expressed his hopelessness by saying, " I want to be a true son of Abraham, but I cannot find God. " Said Jesus: " If you truly want to find God, that desire is in itself evidence that you have already found him. Your trouble is not that you cannot find God, for the Father has already found you; your trouble is simply that you do not know God. Have you not read in the Prophet Jeremiah, `You shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart'? And again, does not this same prophet say: `And I will give you a heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and you shall belong to my people, and I will be your God'? And have you not also read in the Scriptures where it says: `He looks down upon men, and if any will say: I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, then will God deliver that man's soul from darkness, and he shall see the light'? " And Ezra found God and to the satisfaction of his soul. Later, this Jew, in association with a well-to-do Greek proselyte, built the first Christian church in Syracuse.

130:8.2 At [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse,_Sicily Syracuse] they spent a full week. The notable [[event]] of their stop here was the rehabilitation of Ezra, the backslidden [[Jew]], who kept the tavern where [[Jesus]] and his companions stopped. Ezra was [[charmed]] by [[Jesus]]' approach and asked him to help him come back to the [[faith]] of [[Israel]]. He [[expressed]] his hopelessness by saying, " I want to be a true son of [[Abraham]], but I cannot find [[God]]. " Said Jesus: " If you truly want to find God, that [[desire]] is in itself [[evidence]] that you have already found him. Your trouble is not that you cannot find [[God]], for [[the Father]] has already found you; your [[trouble]] is simply that you do not know [[God]]. Have you not read in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah Prophet Jeremiah], `You shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart'?[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Jeremiah#Chapter_.29] And again, does not this same prophet say: `And I will give you a heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and you shall belong to my people, and I will be your God'?[[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Jeremiah#Chapter_.24]] And have you not also read in the [[Scriptures]] where it says: `He looks down upon men, and if any will say: I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, then will God deliver that man's soul from darkness, and he shall see the light'? "[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Job#Chapter_.33] And Ezra found [[God]] and to the [[satisfaction]] of his [[soul]]. Later, this [[Jew]], in [[association]] with a well-to-do [[Greek]] [[proselyte]], built the first Christian church in Syracuse.

130:8.3 At Messina they stopped for only one day, but that was long enough to change the life of a small boy, a fruit vendor, of whom Jesus bought fruit and in turn fed with the bread of life. The lad never forgot the words of Jesus and the kindly look which went with them when, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder, he said: " Farewell, my lad, be of good courage as you grow up to manhood and after you have fed the body learn how also to feed the soul. And my Father in heaven will be with you and go before you. " The lad became a devotee of the Mithraic religion and later on turned to the Christian faith.

130:8.3 At [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messina Messina] they stopped for only one day, but that was long enough to [[change]] the life of a small boy, a fruit vendor, of whom [[Jesus]] bought fruit and in turn fed with the bread of life. The lad never forgot the [[words]] of [[Jesus]] and the kindly look which went with them when, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder, he said: " [[Farewell]], my lad, be of good [[courage]] as you grow up to manhood and after you have fed the [[body]] learn how also to feed the [[soul]]. And [[Universal Father|my Father in heaven]] will be with you and go before you. " The lad became a [[devotee]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism Mithraic religion] and later on turned to the [[Christian]] [[faith]].

130:8.4 At last they reached Naples and felt they were not far from their destination, Rome. Gonod had much business to transact in Naples, and aside from the time Jesus was required as interpreter, he and Ganid spent their leisure visiting and exploring the city. Ganid was becoming adept at sighting those who appeared to be in need. They found much poverty in this city and distributed many alms. But Ganid never understood the meaning of Jesus' words when, after he had given a coin to a street beggar, he refused to pause and speak comfortingly to the man. Said Jesus: " Why waste words upon one who cannot perceive the meaning of what you say? The spirit of the Father cannot teach and save one who has no capacity for sonship. " What Jesus meant was that the man was not of normal mind; that he lacked the ability to respond to spirit leading.

130:8.4 At last they reached [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naples Naples] and felt they were not far from their destination, [[Rome]]. Gonod had much [[business]] to [[transact]] in Naples, and aside from the time [[Jesus]] was required as [[interpreter]], he and Ganid spent their [[leisure]] visiting and exploring the [[city]]. Ganid was becoming adept at sighting those who appeared to be in need. They found much [[poverty]] in this city and distributed many [[alms]]. But Ganid never [[understood]] the [[meaning]] of [[Jesus]]' [[words]] when, after he had given a coin to a street beggar, he refused to pause and speak comfortingly to the man. Said Jesus: " Why waste [[words]] upon one who cannot [[perceive]] the [[meaning]] of what you say? The [[spirit]] of [[the Father]] cannot teach and save one who has no [[capacity]] for sonship. " What Jesus meant was that the man was not of [[normal]] [[mind]]; that he lacked the [[ability]] to [[respond]] to [[spirit]] [[leading]].

130:8.5 There was no outstanding experience in Naples; Jesus and the young man thoroughly canvassed the city and spread good cheer with many smiles upon hundreds of men, women, and children.

130:8.5 There was no outstanding [[experience]] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naples Naples]; [[Jesus]] and the young man thoroughly canvassed the [[city]] and spread good [[cheer]] with many smiles upon hundreds of [[men]], [[women]], and [[children]].

130:8.6 From here they went by way of Capua to Rome, making a stop of three days at Capua. By the Appian Way they journeyed on beside their pack animals toward Rome, all three being anxious to see this mistress of empire and the greatest city in all the world.

130:8.6 From here they went by way of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capua Capua] to [[Rome]], making a stop of three days at Capua. By the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appian_Way Appian Way] they [[journeyed]] on beside their pack animals toward [[Rome]], all three being anxious to see this mistress of [[empire]] and the greatest city in all the world.

<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Urantia_Text_-_Contents Go to Table of Contents]</center>

<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Urantia_Text_-_Contents Go to Table of Contents]</center>

[[Category: PART IV: The Life and Teachings of Jesus]]

[[Category: PART IV: The Life and Teachings of Jesus]]