Changes

151:6.1 Although most of the near-by eastern shore of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Galilee lake] sloped up gently to the highlands beyond, at this particular spot there was a steep hillside, the shore in some places dropping sheer down into the [[lake]]. Pointing up to the side of the near-by hill, [[Jesus]] said: " Let us go up on this hillside for our breakfast and under some of the [[shelters]] [[rest]] and talk. "

151:6.1 Although most of the near-by eastern shore of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Galilee lake] sloped up gently to the highlands beyond, at this particular spot there was a steep hillside, the shore in some places dropping sheer down into the [[lake]]. Pointing up to the side of the near-by hill, [[Jesus]] said: " Let us go up on this hillside for our breakfast and under some of the [[shelters]] [[rest]] and talk. "

151:6.2 This entire hillside was covered with [[caverns]] which had been hewn out of the rock. Many of these niches were ancient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepulchres sepulchres]. About halfway up the hillside on a small, [[relatively]] level spot was the [[cemetery]] of the little village of [http://www.squarecircles.com/articles/joysastrip/joysastoryD3.htm Kheresa]. As [[Jesus]] and his associates passed near this [[burial]] ground, a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatic lunatic] who lived in these hillside [[caverns]] rushed up to them. This demented man was well known about these parts, having onetime been bound with fetters and chains and confined in one of the grottos. Long since he had broken his shackles and now roamed at will among the tombs and abandoned sepulchres.

151:6.2 This entire hillside was covered with [[caverns]] which had been hewn out of the rock. Many of these niches were ancient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepulchres sepulchres]. About halfway up the hillside on a small, [[relatively]] level spot was the [[cemetery]] of the little village of [http://www.squarecircles.com/articles/joysastrip/joysastoryD3.htm Kheresa]. As [[Jesus]] and his associates passed near this [[burial]] ground, a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatic lunatic] who lived in these hillside [[caverns]] rushed up to them. This demented man was well known about these parts, having onetime been bound with fetters and chains and confined in one of the grottos. Long since he had broken his shackles and now roamed at will among the [[tombs]] and abandoned sepulchres.

151:6.3 This man, whose name was Amos, was afflicted with a periodic form of insanity. There were considerable spells when he would find some clothing and deport himself fairly well among his fellows. During one of these lucid intervals he had gone over to Bethsaida, where he heard the preaching of Jesus and the apostles, and at that time had become a halfhearted believer in the gospel of the kingdom. But soon a stormy phase of his trouble appeared, and he fled to the tombs, where he moaned, cried out aloud, and so conducted himself as to terrorize all who chanced to meet him.

151:6.3 This man, whose name was Amos, was afflicted with a periodic form of [[insanity]]. There were considerable spells when he would find some clothing and deport himself fairly well among his fellows. During one of these [[lucid]] intervals he had gone over to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethsaida Bethsaida], where he heard the [[preaching]] of [[Jesus]] and [[the apostles]], and at that time had become a halfhearted [[believer]] in the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]]. But soon a stormy [[phase]] of his [[trouble]] appeared, and he fled to the [[tombs]], where he moaned, [[cried]] out aloud, and so [[conducted]] himself as to [[terrorize]] all who [[chanced]] to meet him.

151:6.4 When Amos recognized Jesus, he fell down at his feet and exclaimed: " I know you, Jesus, but I am possessed of many devils, and I beseech that you will not torment me. " This man truly believed that his periodic mental affliction was due to the fact that, at such times, evil or unclean spirits entered into him and dominated his mind and body. His troubles were mostly emotional—his brain was not grossly diseased.

151:6.4 When Amos [[recognized]] [[Jesus]], he fell down at his feet and exclaimed: " I [[know]] you, [[Jesus]], but I am [[possessed]] of many [[devils]], and I beseech that you will not torment me. " This man truly [[believed]] that his periodic [[mental]] [[affliction]] was due to the [[fact]] that, at such times, [[evil]] or unclean spirits entered into him and [[dominated]] his [[mind]] and [[body]]. His troubles were mostly [[emotional]]—his [[brain]] was not grossly [[diseased]].

151:6.5 Jesus, looking down upon the man crouching like an animal at his feet, reached down and, taking him by the hand, stood him up and said to him: " Amos, you are not possessed of a devil; you have already heard the good news that you are a son of God. I command you to come out of this spell. " And when Amos heard Jesus speak these words, there occurred such a transformation in his intellect that he was immediately restored to his right mind and the normal control of his emotions. By this time a considerable crowd had assembled from the near-by village, and these people, augmented by the swine herders from the highland above them, were astonished to see the lunatic sitting with Jesus and his followers, in possession of his right mind and freely conversing with them.

151:6.5 [[Jesus]], looking down upon the man crouching like an animal at his feet, reached down and, taking him by the hand, stood him up and said to him: " Amos, you are not [[possessed]] of a [[devil]]; you have already heard the good news that you are a [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_40#40:6._THE_FAITH_SONS_OF_GOD son of God]. I command you to come out of this [[spell]]. " And when Amos heard [[Jesus]] speak these [[words]], there occurred such a [[transformation]] in his [[intellect]] that he was [[immediately]] restored to his right [[mind]] and the [[normal]] [[control]] of his [[emotions]]. By this time a considerable crowd had assembled from the near-by village, and these people, augmented by the swine herders from the highland above them, were [[astonished]] to see the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatic lunatic] sitting with [[Jesus]] and his followers, in [[possession]] of his right mind and freely [[conversing]] with them.

151:6.6 As the swine herders rushed into the village to spread the news of the taming of the lunatic, the dogs charged upon a small and untended herd of about thirty swine and drove most of them over a precipice into the sea. And it was this incidental occurrence, in connection with the presence of Jesus and the supposed miraculous curing of the lunatic, that gave origin to the legend that Jesus had cured Amos by casting a legion of devils out of him, and that these devils had entered into the herd of swine, causing them forthwith to rush headlong to their destruction in the sea below. Before the day was over, this episode was published abroad by the swine tenders, and the whole village believed it. Amos most certainly believed this story; he saw the swine tumbling over the brow of the hill shortly after his troubled mind had quieted down, and he always believed that they carried with them the very evil spirits which had so long tormented and afflicted him. And this had a good deal to do with the permanency of his cure. It is equally true that all of Jesus' apostles (save Thomas) believed that the episode of the swine was directly connected with the cure of Amos.

151:6.6 As the swine [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herder herders] rushed into the village to spread the news of the taming of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatic lunatic], the dogs charged upon a small and untended herd of about thirty swine and drove most of them over a precipice into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Galilee sea]. And it was this [[Event|incidental occurrence]], in [[connection]] with the [[presence]] of [[Jesus]] and the supposed [[miraculous]] [[curing]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatic lunatic], that gave [[origin]] to the [[legend]] that [[Jesus]] had cured Amos by casting a legion of [[devils]] out of him, and that these devils had entered into the herd of swine, causing them forthwith to rush headlong to their [[Death|destruction]] in the sea below. Before the day was over, this [[episode]] was published abroad by the swine tenders, and the whole village believed it. Amos most certainly [[believed]] this [[story]]; he saw the swine tumbling over the brow of the hill shortly after his [[troubled]] [[mind]] had [[quieted]] down, and he always believed that they carried with them the very [[evil]] spirits which had so long tormented and [[afflicted]] him. And this had a good deal to do with the permanency of his [[cure]]. It is equally true that all of [[Jesus]]' [[apostles]] (save [[Thomas, the Apostle|Thomas]]) believed that the [[episode]] of the swine was directly [[connected]] with the [[cure]] of Amos.

151:6.7 Jesus did not obtain the rest he was looking for. Most of that day he was thronged by those who came in response to the word that Amos had been cured, and who were attracted by the story that the demons had gone out of the lunatic into the herd of swine. And so, after only one night of rest, early Tuesday morning Jesus and his friends were awakened by a delegation of these swine-raising gentiles who had come to urge that he depart from their midst. Said their spokesman to Peter and Andrew: " Fishermen of Galilee, depart from us and take your prophet with you. We know he is a holy man, but the gods of our country do not know him, and we stand in danger of losing many swine. The fear of you has descended upon us, so that we pray you to go hence. " And when Jesus heard them, he said to Andrew, " Let us return to our place. "

151:6.7 [[Jesus]] did not obtain the [[rest]] he was looking for. Most of that day he was thronged by those who came in [[response]] to the [[word]] that Amos had been [[cured]], and who were [[attracted]] by the [[story]] that the [[demons]] had gone out of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatic lunatic] into the herd of swine. And so, after only one night of [[rest]], early Tuesday morning [[Jesus]] and his [[friends]] were [[awakened]] by a [[delegation]] of these swine-raising [[gentiles]] who had come to urge that he depart from their midst. Said their spokesman to [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] and [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]]: " [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisherman Fishermen] of [[Galilee]], depart from us and take your [[prophet]] with you. We [[know]] he is a [[holy]] man, but the gods of our country do not know him, and we stand in [[danger]] of losing many swine. The [[fear]] of you has descended upon us, so that we [[pray]] you to go hence. "[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_Luke#Chapter_8] And when [[Jesus]] heard them, he said to [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]], " Let us return to our place. "

151:6.8 As they were about to depart, Amos besought Jesus to permit him to go back with them, but the Master would not consent. Said Jesus to Amos: " Forget not that you are a son of God. Return to your own people and show them what great things God has done for you. " And Amos went about publishing that Jesus had cast a legion of devils out of his troubled soul, and that these evil spirits had entered into a herd of swine, driving them to quick destruction. And he did not stop until he had gone into all the cities of the Decapolis, declaring what great things Jesus had done for him.

151:6.8 As they were about to depart, Amos besought [[Jesus]] to permit him to go back with them, but [[the Master]] would not [[consent]]. Said [[Jesus]] to Amos: " Forget not that you are a [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_40#40:6._THE_FAITH_SONS_OF_GOD son of God]. Return to your own people and show them what great [[things]] [[God]] has done for you. "[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_Luke#Chapter_8] And Amos went about publishing that [[Jesus]] had cast a legion of [[devils]] out of his troubled [[soul]], and that these evil spirits had entered into a herd of swine, driving them to quick [[Death|destruction]]. And he did not stop until he had gone into all the [[cities]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decapolis Decapolis], declaring what great things [[Jesus]] had done for him.

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

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