Changes

149:2.1 [[Jesus]] [[understood]] the [[minds]] of men. He knew what was in the [[heart]] of man, and had his [[teachings]] been left as he presented them, the only [[commentary]] being the [[inspired]] [[interpretation]] afforded by his [[earth]] life, all [[nations]] and all [[religions]] of the world would speedily have [[embraced]] the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]]. The well-meant [[efforts]] of [[Jesus]]' early followers to restate his teachings so as to make them the more [[acceptable]] to certain [[nations]], [[races]], and [[religions]], only resulted in making such teachings the less acceptable to all [[other]] nations, races, and religions.

149:2.1 [[Jesus]] [[understood]] the [[minds]] of men. He knew what was in the [[heart]] of man, and had his [[teachings]] been left as he presented them, the only [[commentary]] being the [[inspired]] [[interpretation]] afforded by his [[earth]] life, all [[nations]] and all [[religions]] of the world would speedily have [[embraced]] the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]]. The well-meant [[efforts]] of [[Jesus]]' early followers to restate his teachings so as to make them the more [[acceptable]] to certain [[nations]], [[races]], and [[religions]], only resulted in making such teachings the less acceptable to all [[other]] nations, races, and religions.

149:2.2 [[The Apostle Paul]], in his [[efforts]] to bring the teachings of [[Jesus]] to the favorable notice of certain [[groups]] in his day, wrote many [[letters]] of instruction and [[admonition]]. Other teachers of [[Jesus]]' [[gospel]] did likewise, but none of them [[realized]] that some of these [[writings]] would subsequently be brought [[together]] by those who would set them forth as the [[embodiment]] of the teachings of [[Jesus]]. And so, while so-called [[Christianity]] does contain more of [[the Master]]'s [[gospel]] than any other [[religion]], it does also contain much that [[Jesus]] did not teach. Aside from the incorporation of many teachings from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_religions#Antiquity Persian mysteries] and much of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_philosophy Greek philosophy] into early [[Christianity]], two great [[mistakes]] were made:

149:2.2 [[The Apostle Paul]], in his [[efforts]] to bring the teachings of [[Jesus]] to the favorable notice of certain [[groups]] in his day, wrote many [[letters]] of instruction and [[admonition]]. Other teachers of [[Jesus]]' [[gospel]] did likewise, but none of them [[realized]] that some of these [[writings]] would subsequently be brought [[together]] by those who would set them forth as the [[embodiment]] of the teachings of [[Jesus]]. And so, while so-called [[Christianity]] does contain more of [[the Master]]'s [[gospel]] than any other [[religion]], it does also contain much that [[Jesus]] did not teach. Aside from the incorporation of many teachings from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_religions#Antiquity Persian mysteries] and much of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_philosophy Greek philosophy] into early [[Christianity]], two great [[mistakes]] were made:

*1. 149:2.3 The [[effort]] to [[connect]] the [[gospel]] teaching directly onto the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_philosophy#Ancient_Jewish_philosophy Jewish theology], as [[illustrated]] by the [[Christian]] [[doctrines]] of the [[atonement]]—the teaching that [[Jesus]] was the [[sacrificed]] Son who would satisfy [[the Father]]'s stern [[justice]] and appease the [[divine]] [[wrath]]. These teachings originated in a praiseworthy [[effort]] to make the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]] more [[acceptable]] to disbelieving [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews Jews]. Though these [[efforts]] failed as far as winning the Jews was concerned, they did not fail to [[confuse]] and [[alienate]] many [[honest]] [[souls]] in all subsequent [[generations]].

*1. 149:2.3 The [[effort]] to [[connect]] the [[gospel]] teaching directly onto the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_philosophy#Ancient_Jewish_philosophy Jewish theology], as [[illustrated]] by the [[Christian]] [[doctrines]] of the [[atonement]]—the teaching that [[Jesus]] was the [[sacrificed]] Son who would satisfy [[the Father]]'s stern [[justice]] and appease the [[divine]] [[wrath]]. These teachings originated in a praiseworthy [[effort]] to make the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]] more [[acceptable]] to disbelieving [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews Jews]. Though these [[efforts]] failed as far as winning the Jews was concerned, they did not fail to [[confuse]] and [[alienate]] many [[honest]] [[souls]] in all subsequent [[generations]].

*2. 149:2.4 The second great blunder of [[the Master]]'s early followers, and one which all subsequent [[generations]] have [[persisted]] in perpetuating, was to [[organize]] the Christian teaching so completely about the [[person]] of [[Jesus]]. This [[overemphasis]] of the [[personality]] of [[Jesus]] in the [[theology]] of [[Christianity]] has worked to [[obscure]] his teachings, and all of this has made it increasingly [[difficult]] for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews Jews], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslims Mohammedans], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindus Hindus], and other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_religion Eastern religionists] to [[accept]] the teachings of [[Jesus]]. We would not belittle the place of the [[person]] of [[Jesus]] in a [[religion]] which might bear his name, but we would not [[permit]] such [[consideration]] to [[eclipse]] his [[inspired]] life or to supplant his saving [[message]]: the [[fatherhood]] of [[God]] and the brotherhood of man.

*2. 149:2.4 The second great blunder of [[the Master]]'s early followers, and one which all subsequent [[generations]] have [[persisted]] in perpetuating, was to [[organize]] the Christian teaching so completely about the [[person]] of [[Jesus]]. This [[overemphasis]] of the [[personality]] of [[Jesus]] in the [[theology]] of [[Christianity]] has worked to [[obscure]] his teachings, and all of this has made it increasingly [[difficult]] for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews Jews], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslims Mohammedans], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindus Hindus], and other [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_religion Eastern religionists] to [[accept]] the teachings of [[Jesus]]. We would not belittle the place of the [[person]] of [[Jesus]] in a [[religion]] which might bear his name, but we would not [[permit]] such [[consideration]] to [[eclipse]] his [[inspired]] life or to supplant his saving [[message]]: the [[fatherhood]] of [[God]] and the brotherhood of man.

149:2.5 The [[teachers]] of the [[religion]] of [[Jesus]] should approach other [[religions]] with the [[recognition]] of the [[truths]] which are held in common (many of which come directly or indirectly from [[Jesus]]' [[message]]) while they refrain from placing so much [[emphasis]] on the [[differences]].

149:2.5 The [[teachers]] of the [[religion]] of [[Jesus]] should approach other [[religions]] with the [[recognition]] of the [[truths]] which are held in common (many of which come directly or indirectly from [[Jesus]]' [[message]]) while they refrain from placing so much [[emphasis]] on the [[differences]].

149:2.7 When the [[Creator Son|Creator]] himself was on [[earth]], [[incarnated]] in the likeness of [[mortal]] flesh, it was [[inevitable]] that some [[extraordinary]] [[things]] should happen. But you should never approach [[Jesus]] through these so-called [[miraculous]] occurrences. [[Learn]] to approach the [[miracle]] through [[Jesus]], but do not make the mistake of approaching [[Jesus]] through the [[miracle]]. And this [[admonition]] is warranted, notwithstanding that [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] is the only founder of a [[religion]] who performed supermaterial [[acts]] on [[earth]].

149:2.7 When the [[Creator Son|Creator]] himself was on [[earth]], [[incarnated]] in the likeness of [[mortal]] flesh, it was [[inevitable]] that some [[extraordinary]] [[things]] should happen. But you should never approach [[Jesus]] through these so-called [[miraculous]] occurrences. [[Learn]] to approach the [[miracle]] through [[Jesus]], but do not make the mistake of approaching [[Jesus]] through the [[miracle]]. And this [[admonition]] is warranted, notwithstanding that [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] is the only founder of a [[religion]] who performed supermaterial [[acts]] on [[earth]].

149:2.8 The most astonishing and the most [[revolutionary]] feature of [[Michael]]'s [[mission]] on [[earth]] was his [[attitude]] toward [[women]]. In a day and [[generation]] when a man was not supposed to [[salute]] even his own [[wife]] in a [[public]] place, [[Jesus]] [[dared]] to take [[women]] along as [[teachers]] of the [[gospel]] in [[connection]] with his [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_150 third tour of Galilee]. And he had the consummate [[courage]] to do this in the face of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbinic_Judaism rabbinic] teaching which declared that it was " better that the [[words]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah the law] should be burned than delivered to [[women]]. "

149:2.8 The most astonishing and the most [[revolutionary]] feature of [[Michael]]'s [[mission]] on [[earth]] was his [[attitude]] toward [[women]]. In a day and [[generation]] when a man was not supposed to [[salute]] even his own [[wife]] in a [[public]] place, [[Jesus]] [[dared]] to take [[women]] along as [[teachers]] of the [[gospel]] in [[connection]] with his [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_150 third tour of Galilee]. And he had the consummate [[courage]] to do this in the face of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbinic_Judaism rabbinic] teaching which declared that it was " better that the [[words]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah the law] should be burned than delivered to [[women]]. "

149:2.9 In one [[generation]] [[Jesus]] lifted [[women]] out of the disrespectful [[oblivion]] and the [[slavish]] drudgery of the ages. And it is the one [[shame]]ful thing about the [[religion]] that presumed to take [[Jesus]]' [[name]] that it lacked the [[moral]] [[courage]] to follow this [[noble]] example in its subsequent [[attitude]] toward [[women]].

149:2.9 In one [[generation]] [[Jesus]] lifted [[women]] out of the disrespectful [[oblivion]] and the [[slavish]] drudgery of the ages. And it is the one [[shame]]ful thing about the [[religion]] that presumed to take [[Jesus]]' [[name]] that it lacked the [[moral]] [[courage]] to follow this [[noble]] example in its subsequent [[attitude]] toward [[women]].