Ministry of Jesus

Charting the Urantia Papers

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Compendia

The Seven Bestowals of Michael / Young Jesus at the Temple / Twofold Purpose of Michael's Bestowal / Lesson on Material Wealth / Journeys of Jesus Map / Two Ways of World Ministry for Jesus / The Kingdom of Heaven / Women's Evangelistic Corps / Jesus on Magic and Superstition / To Jesus prayer was...


The Seven Bestowals of Michael
Bestowal	Bestowed as: Subordinate to: ^[1]	At this place:	Timeframe (Duration)
First	Melchizedek Son The Father, Son, & Spirit	Salvington Melchizedek Sphere	~ 1 billion years ago ^[2] (lasted 100 y URA)
Second	Lanonandek Son The Father & Son	CON 37; SYS 11 (System of Palonia)	~ 750 million years ago (lasted 17+ y UNI) ^[3]
Third	Material Son The Father & Spirit	CON 61; SYS 87; WRL 217	~ 600 million years ago (one generation)
Fourth	Seraphim The Son & Spirit	CON 3; SYS 84; WRL 462; and 22 other worlds	~ 450 million years ago (lasted 40 y UNI) ^[4]
Fifth	Eventod Ascending mortal The Spirit	Uversa	~ 300 million years ago (not stated)
Sixth	Morontia mortal The Son	CON 5 Headquarters (Endantum)	~ 150 million years ago (not stated)
Seventh and final	Joshua ben Joseph Evolutionary mortal The Father	CON 70; SYS 24; WRL 606 (Norlatiadek; Satania; Urantia)	7 BC to 30 AD (lasted 35 y URA)

UNI = Local Universe Time URA = Urantia Time
^[1] "Accordingly, did Michael, during the experience of each of his universe bestowals, successfully and acceptably voluntarily subordinate himself to the variously constituted wills of the diverse associations of the persons of the Paradise Trinity." Paper 120 Intro
^[2] "Michael made ready for his first bestowal adventure about the time Urantia was taking on its present form, one billion years ago. His bestowals have occurred about one hundred and fifty million years apart, the last taking place on Urantia nineteen hundred years ago." Paper 119 Intro
^[3] About 85 years of Urantia time.
^[4] About 200 years of Urantia time.
"When the Eternal Son bestows a Creator Son upon a projected local universe, that Creator Son assumes full responsibility for the completion, control, and composure of that new universe, including the solemn oath to the eternal Trinity not to assume full sovereignty of the new creation until his seven creature bestowals shall have been successfully completed and certified by the Ancients of Days of the superuniverse of jurisdiction. This obligation is assumed by every Michael Son who volunteers to go out from Paradise to engage in universe organization and creation." 119:Intro
Reference Paper 119 The Bestowals of Christ Michael

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Young Jesus at the Temple
Five Questions Asked by Jesus
1.	What really exists in the holy of holies, behind the veil?
2.	Why should mothers in Israel be segregated from the male temple worshipers?
3.	If God is a father who loves his children, why all this slaughter of animals to gain divine favor - has the teaching of Moses been misunderstood?
4.	Since the temple is dedicated to the worship of the Father in heaven, is it consistent to permit the presence of those who engage in secular barter and trade?
5.	Is the expected Messiah to become a temporal prince to sit on the throne of David, or is he to function as the light of life in the establishment of a spiritual kingdom?
"And all the day through, those who listened marveled at these questions, and none was more astonished than Simon. For more than four hours this Nazareth youth plied these Jewish teachers with thought-provoking and heart-searching questions."
Reference Paper 125 Jesus at Jerusalem Section 5 The Third Day in the Temple

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Michael's Bestowal on Urantia
Twofold Purpose
1.	The mastering of the experience of living the full life of a human creature in mortal flesh, the completion of his sovereignty in Nebadon.
2.	The revelation of the Universal Father to the mortal dwellers on the worlds of time and space and the more effective leading of these same mortals to a better understanding of the Universal Father.

Reference Paper 128 Jesus' Early Manhood Intro

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Methods of Amassing Material Wealth
Ten Grand Divisions
1.	Inherited wealth	riches derived from parents and other ancestors.
2.	Discovered wealth	riches derived from the uncultivated resources of mother earth.
3.	Trade wealth	riches obtained as a fair profit in the exchange and barter of material goods.
4.	Unfair wealth	riches derived from the unfair exploitation or the enslavement of one's fellows.
5.	Interest wealth	income derived from the fair and just earning possibilities of invested capital.
6.	Genius wealth	riches accruing from the rewards of the creative and inventive endowments of the human mind
7.	Accidental wealth	riches derived from the generosity of one's fellows or taking origin in the circumstances of life.
8.	Stolen wealth	riches secured by unfairness, dishonesty, theft, or fraud.
9.	Trust funds	wealth lodged in your hands by your fellows for some specific use, now or in the future.
10.	Earned wealth	riches derived directly from your own personal labor, the fair and just reward of your own daily efforts of mind and body.

Jesus advised a seeker of wisdom and lover of truth,

"And so, my friend, if you would be a faithful and just steward of your large fortune, before God and in service to men, you must approximately divide your wealth into these ten grand divisions, and then proceed to administer each portion in accordance with the wise and honest interpretation of the laws of justice, equity, fairness, and true efficiency; albeit, the God of heaven would not condemn you if sometimes you erred, in doubtful situations, on the side of merciful and unselfish regard for the distress of the suffering victims of the unfortunate circumstances of mortal life. When in honest doubt about the equity and justice of material situations, let your decisions favor those who are in need, favor those who suffer the misfortune of undeserved hardships."

Reference
Paper 132 The Sojourn at Rome
Section 5 Counseling the Rich Man

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The Journeys of Jesus

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References
Paper 130 On the Way to Rome
Paper 131 The World’s Religions
Paper 132 The Sojourn at Rome
Paper 133 The Return from Rome
Paper 134 The Transition Years

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Two Ways of World Ministry for Jesus
Modes of Conduct
1.	His own way	the way that might seem most pleasant and profitable from the standpoint of the immediate needs of this world and the present edification of his own universe.
2.	The Father's way	the exemplification of a farseeing ideal of creature life visualized by the high personalities of the Paradise administration of the universe of universes.
"On the third day of this isolation Jesus promised himself he would go back to the world to finish his earth career, and that in a situation involving any two ways he would always choose the Father's will."
Reference Paper 136 Baptism and the Forty Days Section 4 Plans for Public Work

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The Kingdom of Heaven
Three Essentials
1.	"recognition of the fact of the sovereignty of God"
2.	"belief in the truth of sonship with God"
3.	"faith in the effectiveness of the supreme human desire to do the will of God — to be like God"
"And this is the good news of the gospel: that by faith every mortal may have all these essentials of salvation.” - Jesus
Reference Paper 140 The Ordination of the Twelve Section 10 The Evening after the Consecration

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The Women's Evangelistic Corps ^[1]
	Name	Relationship
1.	Susanna	"the daughter of the former chazan of the Nazareth synagogue" (Chief)
2.	Joanna	"the wife of Chuza, the steward of Herod Antipas"
3.	Elizabeth	"the daughter of a wealthy Jew of Tiberias and Sepphoris"
4.	Martha	"the elder sister of Andrew and Peter"
5.	Rachel	"the sister-in-law of Jude, the Master's brother in the flesh"
6.	Nasanta	"the daughter of Elman, the Syrian physician"
7.	Milcha	"a cousin of the Apostle Thomas"
8.	Ruth	"the eldest daughter of Matthew Levi"
9.	Celta	"the daughter of a Roman centurion"
10.	Agaman	"a widow of Damascus"
	^[2]
11.	Mary Magdalene	a woman of Magdala
12.	Rebecca	"the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea."
^[1] On January 17, A.D. 29, Jesus "set apart ten women for the ministering work of the kingdom.” ^[2] Jesus added Mary Magdalene and Rebecca subsequently.
"It was most astounding in that day, when women were not even allowed on the main floor of the synagogue (being confined to the women’s gallery), to behold them being recognized as authorized teachers of the new gospel of the kingdom. The charge which Jesus gave these ten women as he set them apart for gospel teaching and ministry was the emancipation proclamation which set free all women and for all time; no more was man to look upon woman as his spiritual inferior."
Reference Paper 150 The Third Preaching Tour Section 1 The Women's Evangelistic Corps

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Points Jesus Made About Magic and Superstition
Summary in modern phraseology
1.	The courses of the stars in the heavens have nothing whatever to do with the events of human life on earth. Astronomy is a proper pursuit of science, but astrology is a mass of superstitious error which has no place in the gospel of the kingdom.
2.	The examination of the internal organs of an animal recently killed can reveal nothing about weather, future events, or the outcome of human affairs.
3.	The spirits of the dead do not come back to communicate with their families or their onetime friends among the living.
4.	Charms and relics are impotent to heal disease, ward off disaster, or influence evil spirits; the belief in all such material means of influencing the spiritual world is nothing but gross superstition.
5.	Casting lots, while it may be a convenient way of settling many minor difficulties, is not a method designed to disclose the divine will. Such outcomes are purely matters of material chance. The only means of communion with the spiritual world is embraced in the spirit endowment of mankind, the indwelling spirit of the Father, together with the outpoured spirit of the Son and the omnipresent influence of the Infinite Spirit.
6.	Divination, sorcery, and witchcraft are superstitions of ignorant minds, as also are the delusions of magic. The belief in magic numbers, omens of good luck, and harbingers of bad luck, is pure and unfounded superstition.
7.	The interpretation of dreams is largely a superstitious and groundless system of ignorant and fantastic speculation. The gospel of the kingdom must have nothing in common with the soothsayer priests of primitive religion.
8.	The spirits of good or evil cannot dwell within material symbols of clay, wood, or metal; idols are nothing more than the material of which they are made.
9.	The practices of the enchanters, the wizards, the magicians, and the sorcerers, were derived from the superstitions of the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and the ancient Canaanites. Amulets and all sorts of incantations are futile either to win the protection of good spirits or to ward off supposed evil spirits.
10.	He exposed and denounced their belief in spells, ordeals, bewitching, cursing, signs, mandrakes, knotted cords, and all other forms of ignorant and enslaving superstition.

"Late that evening Jesus gave the united group a memorable talk on “Magic and Superstition.” In those days the appearance of a bright and supposedly new star was regarded as a token indicating that a great man had been born on earth. Such a star having then recently been observed, Andrew asked Jesus if these beliefs were well founded. In the long answer to Andrew’s question the Master entered upon a thoroughgoing discussion of the whole subject of human superstition."
Reference Paper 150 The Third Preaching Tour Section 3 Sabbath at Tiberias

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To Jesus prayer was...

· a sincere expression of spiritual attitude

· a declaration of soul loyalty

· a recital of personal devotion

· an expression of thanksgiving

· an avoidance of emotional tension

· a prevention of conflict

· an exaltation of intellection

· an ennoblement of desire

· a vindication of moral decision

· an enrichment of thought

· an invigoration of higher inclinations

· a consecration of impulse

· a clarification of viewpoint

· a declaration of faith

· a transcendental surrender of will

· a sublime assertion of confidence

· a revelation of courage

· the proclamation of discovery

· a confession of supreme devotion

· the validation of consecration

· a technique for the adjustment of difficulties

· the mighty mobilization of the combined soul
powers to withstand all human tendencies
toward selfishness, evil, and sin

"Jesus brought to God, as a man of the realm, the greatest of all offerings: the consecration and dedication of his own will to the majestic service of doing the divine will. Jesus always and consistently interpreted religion wholly in terms of the Father’s will. When you study the career of the Master, as concerns prayer or any other feature of the religious life, look not so much for what he taught as for what he did. Jesus never prayed as a religious duty.”

Reference
Paper 196 Intro The Faith of Jesus

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Sea of Galilee
(looking west from Tiberias)