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==154:4. SATURDAY NIGHT IN CAPERNAUM==

==154:4. SATURDAY NIGHT IN CAPERNAUM==

154:4.1 On this same Saturday night, in Capernaum a group of fifty leading citizens met at the synagogue to discuss the momentous question: " What shall we do with Jesus? " They talked and debated until after midnight, but they could not find any common ground for agreement. Aside from a few persons who inclined to the belief that Jesus might be the Messiah, at least a holy man, or perhaps a prophet, the meeting was divided into four nearly equal groups who held, respectively, the following views of Jesus:

154:4.1 On this same Saturday night, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capernaum Capernaum] a [[group]] of fifty [[leading]] [[citizens]] met at the [[synagogue]] to [[discuss]] the momentous question: " What shall we do with [[Jesus]]? " They talked and [[debated]] until after midnight, but they could not find any common ground for [[agreement]]. Aside from a few [[persons]] who inclined to the [[belief]] that [[Jesus]] might be the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Messianism Messiah], at least a [[holy]] man, or perhaps a [[prophet]], the meeting was divided into four nearly [[equal]] groups who held, respectively, the following [[views]] of [[Jesus]]:

*1. That he was a deluded and harmless religious fanatic.

*1. That he was a [[deluded]] and harmless [[religious]] [[fanatic]].

*2. That he was a dangerous and designing agitator who might stir up rebellion.

*2. That he was a [[dangerous]] and designing [[agitator]] who might stir up [[rebellion]].

*3. That he was in league with devils, that he might even be a prince of devils.

*3. That he was in league with [[devils]], that he might even be a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beelzebub prince of devils].

*4. That he was beside himself, that he was mad, mentally unbalanced.

*4. That he was [[Sanity|beside himself]], that he was mad, mentally unbalanced.

154:4.2 There was much talk about Jesus' preaching doctrines which were upsetting for the common people; his enemies maintained that his teachings were impractical, that everything would go to pieces if everybody made an honest effort to live in accordance with his ideas. And the men of many subsequent generations have said the same things. Many intelligent and well-meaning men, even in the more enlightened age of these revelations, maintain that modern civilization could not have been built upon the teachings of Jesus—and they are partially right. But all such doubters forget that a much better civilization could have been built upon his teachings, and sometime will be. This world has never seriously tried to carry out the teachings of Jesus on a large scale, notwithstanding that halfhearted attempts have often been made to follow the doctrines of so-called Christianity.

154:4.2 There was much talk about [[Jesus]]' [[preaching]] [[doctrines]] which were upsetting for the common people; his [[enemies]] maintained that his [[teachings]] were impractical, that everything would go to pieces if everybody made an [[honest]] [[effort]] to live in [[accordance]] with his [[ideas]]. And the men of many subsequent [[generations]] have said the same [[things]]. Many [[intelligent]] and well-meaning men, even in the more [[enlightened]] age of [[Urantia Papers|these revelations]], maintain that [[modern]] [[civilization]] could not have been built upon the teachings of [[Jesus]]—and they are partially right. But all such doubters [[forget]] that a much better [[civilization]] could have been built upon his teachings, and sometime will be. This world has never seriously tried to carry out the teachings of [[Jesus]] on a large scale, notwithstanding that halfhearted attempts have often been made to follow the [[doctrines]] of so-called [[Christianity]].

==154:5. THE EVENTFUL SUNDAY MORNING==

==154:5. THE EVENTFUL SUNDAY MORNING==