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==189:2. THE MATERIAL BODY OF JESUS==

==189:2. THE MATERIAL BODY OF JESUS==

189:2.1 At ten minutes past three o'clock, as the resurrected Jesus fraternized with the assembled morontia personalities from the seven mansion worlds of Satania, the chief of archangels—the angels of the resurrection—approached Gabriel and asked for the mortal body of Jesus. Said the chief of the archangels: " We may not participate in the morontia resurrection of the bestowal experience of Michael our sovereign, but we would have his mortal remains put in our custody for immediate dissolution. We do not propose to employ our technique of dematerialization; we merely wish to invoke the process of accelerated time. It is enough that we have seen the Sovereign live and die on Urantia; the hosts of heaven would be spared the memory of enduring the sight of the slow decay of the human form of the Creator and Upholder of a universe. In the name of the celestial intelligences of all Nebadon, I ask for a mandate giving me the custody of the mortal body of Jesus of Nazareth and empowering us to proceed with its immediate dissolution. "

189:2.1 At ten minutes past three o'clock, as the [[resurrected]] [[Jesus]] fraternized with the assembled [[morontia]] [[personalities]] from the seven [[mansion worlds]] of [[Satania]], the [[chief]] of [[archangels]]—the [[angels]] of the [[resurrection]]—approached [[Gabriel]] and asked for the [[mortal]] [[body]] of [[Jesus]]. Said the chief of the [[archangels]]: " We may not [[participate]] in the [[morontia]] [[resurrection]] of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_21#21:4._THE_MICHAEL_BESTOWALS bestowal experience] of [[Michael]] our [[Master Son|sovereign]], but we would have his [[mortal]] remains put in our [[custody]] for [[immediate]] [[dissolution]]. We do not [[propose]] to employ our [[technique]] of dematerialization; we merely [[wish]] to invoke the [[process]] of [[accelerated]] [[time]]. It is enough that we have seen the [[Master Son|Sovereign]] live and die on [[Urantia]]; the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_39 hosts of heaven] would be spared the [[memory]] of [[enduring]] the [[sight]] of the slow decay of the [[human]] [[form]] of [[Creator Son|the Creator]] and Upholder of a [[universe]]. In the [[name]] of the [[celestial]] [[intelligences]] of all [[Nebadon]], I ask for a [[mandate]] giving me the [[custody]] of the [[mortal]] [[body]] of [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] and empowering us to [[proceed]] with its [[immediate]] [[dissolution]]. "

189:2.2 And when Gabriel had conferred with the senior Most High of Edentia, the archangel spokesman for the celestial hosts was given permission to make such disposition of the physical remains of Jesus as he might determine.

189:2.2 And when [[Gabriel]] had conferred with the senior [[Most High]] of [[Edentia]], the [[archangel]] [[spokesman]] for the [[celestial hosts]] was given [[permission]] to make such disposition of the [[physical]] remains of [[Jesus]] as he might determine.

189:2.3 After the chief of archangels had been granted this request, he summoned to his assistance many of his fellows, together with a numerous host of the representatives of all orders of celestial personalities, and then, with the aid of the Urantia midwayers, proceeded to take possession of Jesus' physical body. This body of death was a purely material creation; it was physical and literal; it could not be removed from the tomb as the morontia form of the resurrection had been able to escape the sealed sepulchre. By the aid of certain morontia auxiliary personalities, the morontia form can be made at one time as of the spirit so that it can become indifferent to ordinary matter, while at another time it can become discernible and contactable to material beings, such as the mortals of the realm.

189:2.3 After the [[chief]] of [[archangels]] had been granted this request, he [[summoned]] to his [[assistance]] many of his fellows, together with a numerous host of the [[representatives]] of all orders of [[celestial]] [[personalities]], and then, with the aid of the [[Urantia]] [[midwayers]], proceeded to take [[possession]] of [[Jesus]]' [[physical]] [[body]]. This [[body]] of [[death]] was a [[purely]] [[material]] [[creation]]; it was [[physical]] and [[literal]]; it could not be removed from the [[tomb]] as the [[morontia]] [[form]] of the [[resurrection]] had been able to escape the sealed [[sepulchre]]. By the aid of certain [[morontia]] auxiliary [[personalities]], the [[morontia]] [[form]] can be made at one time as of the [[spirit]] so that it can become indifferent to ordinary [[matter]], while at another time it can become [[discernible]] and contactable to [[material]] [[beings]], such as the [[mortals]] of the realm.

189:2.4 As they made ready to remove the body of Jesus from the tomb preparatory to according it the dignified and reverent disposal of near-instantaneous dissolution, it was assigned the secondary Urantia midwayers to roll away the stones from the entrance of the tomb. The larger of these two stones was a huge circular affair, much like a millstone, and it moved in a groove chiseled out of the rock, so that it could be rolled back and forth to open or close the tomb. When the watching Jewish guards and the Roman soldiers, in the dim light of the morning, saw this huge stone begin to roll away from the entrance of the tomb, apparently of its own accord—without any visible means to account for such motion—they were seized with fear and panic, and they fled in haste from the scene. The Jews fled to their homes, afterward going back to report these doings to their captain at the temple. The Romans fled to the fortress of Antonia and reported what they had seen to the centurion as soon as he arrived on duty.

189:2.4 As they made ready to remove the [[body]] of [[Jesus]] from the [[tomb]] [[preparatory]] to according it the [[dignified]] and [[reverent]] disposal of near-instantaneous [[dissolution]], it was assigned the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_77#77:6._THE_SECONDARY_MIDWAYERS secondary Urantia midwayers] to roll away the stones from the entrance of the [[tomb]]. The larger of these two stones was a huge [[circular]] affair, much like a millstone, and it moved in a groove chiseled out of the rock, so that it could be rolled back and forth to open or close the [[tomb]]. When the watching Jewish guards and the Roman soldiers, in the dim light of the [[morning]], saw this huge stone begin to roll away from the entrance of the [[tomb]], apparently of its own accord—without any visible means to account for such [[motion]]—they were seized with [[fear]] and panic, and they fled in haste from the scene. The [[Jews]] fled to their [[homes]], afterward going back to report these doings to their captain at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_temple the temple]. The [[Romans]] fled to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonia_Fortress fortress of Antonia] and reported what they had seen to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion centurion] as soon as he arrived on [[duty]].[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_matthew#Chapter_28]

189:2.5 The Jewish leaders began the sordid business of supposedly getting rid of Jesus by offering bribes to the traitorous Judas, and now, when confronted with this embarrassing situation, instead of thinking of punishing the guards who deserted their post, they resorted to bribing these guards and the Roman soldiers. They paid each of these twenty men a sum of money and instructed them to say to all: " While we slept during the nighttime, his disciples came upon us and took away the body. " And the Jewish leaders made solemn promises to the soldiers to defend them before Pilate in case it should ever come to the governor's knowledge that they had accepted a bribe.

189:2.5 The [[Jewish]] [[leaders]] began the sordid [[business]] of supposedly getting rid of [[Jesus]] by offering [[bribes]] to the [[traitorous]] [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]], and now, when confronted with this [[embarrassing]] situation, instead of [[thinking]] of [[punishing]] the guards who [[deserted]] their post, they resorted to bribing these guards and the [[Roman]] [[soldiers]]. They paid each of these twenty men a sum of [[money]] and instructed them to say to all: " While we [[slept]] during the nighttime, his [[disciples]] came upon us and took away the [[body]]. " And the [[Jewish]] [[leaders]] made solemn [[promises]] to the [[soldiers]] to defend them before [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] in case it should ever come to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor]'s [[knowledge]] that they had [[accepted]] a [[bribe]].[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_matthew#Chapter_28]

189:2.6 The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus has been based on the fact of the " empty tomb. " It was indeed a fact that the tomb was empty, but this is not the truth of the resurrection. The tomb was truly empty when the first believers arrived, and this fact, associated with that of the undoubted resurrection of the Master, led to the formulation of a belief which was not true: the teaching that the material and mortal body of Jesus was raised from the grave. Truth having to do with spiritual realities and eternal values cannot always be built up by a combination of apparent facts. Although individual facts may be materially true, it does not follow that the association of a group of facts must necessarily lead to truthful spiritual conclusions.

189:2.6 The [[Christian]] [[belief]] in the [[resurrection]] of [[Jesus]] has been based on the [[fact]] of the " empty tomb. "[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_John#Chapter_20] It was indeed a [[fact]] that the [[tomb]] was empty, but this is not the [[truth]] of the [[resurrection]]. The [[tomb]] was truly empty when the first believers arrived, and this [[fact]], [[associated]] with that of the undoubted [[resurrection]] of [[the Master]], led to the [[formulation]] of a [[belief]] which was not true: the teaching that the [[material]] and [[mortal]] [[body]] of [[Jesus]] was raised from the [[grave]]. [[Truth]] having to do with [[spiritual]] [[realities]] and [[eternal]] [[values]] cannot always be built up by a combination of [[apparent]] [[facts]]. Although [[individual]] [[facts]] may be [[materially]] true, it does not follow that the [[association]] of a [[group]] of [[facts]] must necessarily lead to [[truthful]] [[spiritual]] conclusions.

189:2.7 The tomb of Joseph was empty, not because the body of Jesus had been rehabilitated or resurrected, but because the celestial hosts had been granted their request to afford it a special and unique dissolution, a return of the " dust to dust, " without the intervention of the delays of time and without the operation of the ordinary and visible processes of mortal decay and material corruption.

189:2.7 The [[tomb]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_of_Arimathea Joseph] was empty, not because the [[body]] of [[Jesus]] had been [[rehabilitated]] or [[resurrected]], but because the [[celestial hosts]] had been granted their request to afford it a special and [[unique]] [[dissolution]], a return of the " dust to dust, "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Common_Prayer#Literary_influence] without the [[intervention]] of the [[delays]] of [[time]] and without the operation of the [[ordinary]] and visible [[processes]] of [[mortal]] [[decay]] and [[material]] [[corruption]].

189:2.8 The mortal remains of Jesus underwent the same natural process of elemental disintegration as characterizes all human bodies on earth except that, in point of time, this natural mode of dissolution was greatly accelerated, hastened to that point where it became well-nigh instantaneous.

189:2.8 The [[mortal]] remains of [[Jesus]] underwent the same [[natural]] [[process]] of elemental disintegration as characterizes all [[human]] [[bodies]] on [[earth]] except that, in point of [[time]], this natural mode of [[dissolution]] was greatly [[accelerated]], hastened to that point where it became well-nigh [[instantaneous]].

189:2.9 The true evidences of the resurrection of Michael are spiritual in nature, albeit this teaching is corroborated by the testimony of many mortals of the realm who met, recognized, and communed with the resurrected morontia Master. He became a part of the personal experience of almost one thousand human beings before he finally took leave of Urantia.

189:2.9 The true [[evidences]] of the [[resurrection]] of [[Michael]] are [[spiritual]] in [[nature]], albeit this teaching is [[corroborated]] by the [[testimony]] of many [[mortals]] of the realm who met, [[recognized]], and [[communed]] with the [[resurrected]] [[morontia]] [[Master Son|Master]]. He became a part of the [[personal]] experience of almost one thousand [[human being]]s before he finally took leave of [[Urantia]].

==189:3. THE DISPENSATIONAL RESURRECTION==

==189:3. THE DISPENSATIONAL RESURRECTION==