Paper 167 Overview: The Visit to Philadelphia

Jesus and ten apostles visited Philadelphia, where many people followed the teachings of Abner. When they arrived at Philadelphia, over six hundred followers came with them. This time period was special because the message of the kingdom was being shared without many miracles, showing that people were accepting the message because of its truth.

Jesus stayed at Philadelphia for a short time, resting from his travels. James spoke at the synagogue, and a general meeting was planned for the next evening. Everyone was happy about how well the gospel was spreading in Philadelphia and nearby villages. Messengers also brought good news about the kingdom's progress in other places like Palestine, Alexandria, and Damascus.

When Jesus and the apostles visited the cities where the seventy teachers were working, usually only ten apostles traveled with him. This was because they left two apostles at Pella to teach the crowds there. When Jesus left Pella, hundreds of followers often went with him. On his way to Philadelphia, more than six hundred people came along.

No miracles happened during Jesus' recent trip through the Decapolis, and except for healing the ten lepers, there had been no miracles on this Perean mission. This was a time when the gospel was preached with power, without miracles, and most of the time without Jesus or his apostles being there in person. They arrived at Philadelphia on Wednesday, February 22, and spent Thursday and Friday resting after their travels.

A rich and influential Pharisee who believed Abner's teachings invited Jesus to his house for breakfast on Sabbath morning. Many people knew Jesus would be in Philadelphia, so about forty leading men and some lawyers were invited to honor Jesus. As Jesus talked with Abner at the door, a leading Pharisee from Jerusalem came in and tried to sit in the place of honor, but the host had saved that spot for Jesus.

During the meal, a sick man with dropsy came in. He was a believer who had been baptized by Abner's helpers. Jesus smiled at him kindly, so the man sat on the floor. At the end of the meal, Jesus asked if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. No one answered because they knew Jesus too well. Jesus took the sick man's hand, healed him, and taught everyone about not seeking the highest places at feasts but instead choosing the lowest seats in humility.

After Jesus finished speaking at the Pharisee's breakfast table, one of the lawyers said, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." Jesus then told a parable about a ruler who prepared a great supper. When everything was ready, the invited guests made excuses not to come, so the ruler sent his servants to bring in the poor, the blind, and the lame instead.

After Jesus told this parable, the guests left. At least one Pharisee who had been making fun of Jesus understood the meaning of the parable and was baptized that day. Abner preached about this parable that night at the believers' meeting. The next day the apostles tried to figure out what the parable meant, but Jesus would not explain it further and only said, "Let every man find out the meaning for himself."

Abner arranged for Jesus to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath. At the end of the service, Jesus noticed an elderly woman who looked sad and was bent over. Jesus touched her shoulder and said, "Woman, if you would only believe, you could be wholly loosed from your spirit of infirmity." The woman believed Jesus, and she immediately stood up straight. She praised God loudly for being healed.

The chief ruler of the synagogue was angry that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. He told the people to come on other days to be healed, not on the Sabbath. Jesus responded by asking if they wouldn't help their animals on the Sabbath, so why not help this woman? The critic was embarrassed, and the crowd rejoiced with the woman. Because of his complaint about Jesus, the synagogue ruler lost his position, and one of Jesus' followers took his place.

Late on Sunday night, a messenger from Bethany brought a message from Martha and Mary saying, "Lord, he whom you love is very sick." This was about their brother Lazarus. Jesus said, "This sickness is really not to the death. It may be used to glorify God and make the Son greater." Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus very much.

Jesus decided to use Lazarus's situation as a chance to make one last appeal to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Though he refused to perform miracles just to show power, he asked his Father for permission to show his power over life and death. Jesus waited two days before leaving for Bethany because Jews believed the spirit stayed near the body for three days but left by the fourth day. This timing would prove that Lazarus was truly dead when Jesus arrived to raise him.

Jesus was followed by about fifty friends and enemies on his way to Judea. During lunch on Wednesday, he taught them about salvation. He told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee bragged about how good he was, while the tax collector humbly asked for mercy. Jesus said the tax collector went home right with God, but the proud Pharisee did not.

In Jericho that night, the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus by asking about marriage and divorce. Jesus avoided their trick but still taught high ideals about marriage. He clearly disapproved of the Jewish divorce practices that allowed men to divorce their wives for silly reasons. Jesus always supported women's equality in marriage. Later that evening, the apostles asked Jesus more questions about marriage, and he taught them about its honorable nature.

Jesus' message about marriage and children spread through Jericho. The next morning, many mothers brought their children to Jesus for his blessing. The apostles tried to send them away, but Jesus was angry about this. He said, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children."

Jesus emphasized the importance of guiding children in early spiritual worship, encouraging both home and community involvement. He taught that beauty should always enhance the worship experience. Jesus preferred to pray to the Father surrounded by nature, but when that was not possible, he encouraged the creation of simple, inspiring sanctuaries. He taught that children should first experience worship outdoors and then in attractive religious buildings.

As they walked from Jericho to Bethany, Nathaniel asked Jesus about angels because the high priest was a Sadducee who didn't believe in them. Jesus explained that angels are a separate order of beings, different from humans and from the "Sons of God." Angels are directly created and don't reproduce. They never die unless they sin, like some did with Lucifer.

Jesus said that angels help connect different worlds in the universe. He explained that many angels work in God's government but are also assigned to serve humans. These guardian angels rejoice when someone turns away from sin and begins searching for God. Angels also help guide the souls of humans after death as they travel to their new spirit homes. Jesus would have said more about angels, but Martha came to greet him as they approached Bethany.