Paper 167 Overview: The Visit to Philadelphia

Jesus and the ten apostles arrived at Philadelphia on February 22, where Abner and his associates were teaching the gospel with remarkable success. This period of the Perean ministry was notable because the gospel was being effectively proclaimed without the accompaniment of frequent miracles, demonstrating that people were responding to the spiritual message itself rather than depending on miraculous demonstrations. The mission was flourishing even when Jesus and the apostles were not personally present.

During their stay in Philadelphia, Jesus performed healing works, taught significant parables, and responded to the urgent message about Lazarus's illness from Bethany. Their brief sojourn was marked by fruitful teachings in the synagogue, which had never been closed to Jesus since it was not under Jerusalem's Sanhedrin control. Jesus's interactions with various groups at Philadelphia illustrated his masterful ability to teach spiritual truths through everyday situations, while also preparing for the climactic events that would unfold in Jerusalem.

When Jesus and the apostles visited locations where the seventy were working, typically only ten apostles accompanied him since two were always left behind at Pella to instruct the multitudes. When Jesus departed from the Pella camp, anywhere from three to five hundred followers would typically join him on his journey. Upon his arrival in Philadelphia, he was accompanied by more than six hundred devoted followers, indicating the growing influence of his ministry.

This period of ministry was distinctive because no miracles had attended the recent preaching tour through the Decapolis, and apart from healing the ten lepers, there had been no miracles during this Perean mission. This phase demonstrated that the gospel was being proclaimed effectively through its message alone, without supernatural demonstrations, and often without even the physical presence of Jesus or his apostles. After arriving in Philadelphia on Wednesday, February 22, Jesus and the apostles spent two days resting before engaging in further ministry activities, while receiving encouraging reports about the advancement of the kingdom throughout Palestine and in cities like Alexandria and Damascus.

A wealthy and influential Pharisee in Philadelphia who had accepted Abner's teachings invited Jesus to his home for breakfast on the Sabbath morning. Many visitors, including numerous Pharisees from Jerusalem and elsewhere, had come to Philadelphia anticipating Jesus's arrival, and about forty of these leading men along with several lawyers were invited to this special breakfast in honor of Jesus. While Jesus spoke with Abner by the door, a prominent Jerusalem Pharisee and Sanhedrin member entered and automatically headed for the seat of honor, but was redirected by the host since these places had been reserved for Jesus and Abner.

During the meal, a man with dropsy, who had recently been baptized by Abner's associates, entered the house hoping to engage Jesus's attention without making any direct request for healing. Jesus noticed him, smiled compassionately, and beckoned him to sit on the floor nearby. As the meal concluded, Jesus asked whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, and when no one answered, he healed the man and delivered a profound teaching about humility, advising his listeners not to seek the highest places at feasts or to invite only friends and wealthy neighbors to their meals. Instead, he encouraged them to occasionally invite the poor and disabled, who could not repay them, demonstrating true generosity rather than self-serving hospitality.

After Jesus finished speaking at the breakfast table, one of the lawyers present made a casual remark: "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." In response, Jesus shared a parable about a certain ruler who prepared an elaborate supper and invited many guests, but when the time came, they all made excuses about being too busy with their lands, possessions, or personal matters. The angry host then sent servants to bring in the poor, blind, and outcast from the streets, highways, and countryside to fill his house, declaring that none of those originally invited would taste his supper.

Following this parable, the guests departed to their homes, contemplating its meaning. At least one of the Pharisees who had previously sneered at Jesus comprehended the parable's message and was baptized that day, publicly acknowledging his faith in the gospel. Abner later used this parable during the evening council meeting with the believers. The next day, all the apostles engaged in philosophical discussions trying to interpret the parable's meaning, but despite their interest, Jesus steadfastly refused to offer further explanation, encouraging each person to discover its personal significance for themselves rather than providing an authoritative interpretation that might limit its application.

Abner had arranged for Jesus to teach in the Philadelphia synagogue on the Sabbath, which was possible because this synagogue had never been subject to the Sanhedrin's ban on Jesus's teachings. After the service concluded, Jesus noticed an elderly woman in the congregation who appeared downcast and physically bent over. This woman had suffered from depression and fear for eighteen years, robbing her of all joy. Jesus approached her, touched her shoulder, and said, "Woman, if you would only believe, you could be wholly loosed from your spirit of infirmity." Immediately, through faith, the woman straightened up and began glorifying God for her healing.

The chief ruler of the synagogue, an unfriendly Pharisee, became indignant because Jesus had performed this healing on the Sabbath. He addressed the congregation, saying they should come for healing on the six working days, not on the Sabbath. Jesus responded by pointing out their hypocrisy, asking whether they themselves wouldn't loose an ox from its stall for watering on the Sabbath, and arguing that this "daughter of Abraham" deserved to be freed from her long bondage even on the sacred day. The woman continued praising God, the critic was humiliated, and the congregation rejoiced at her healing. As a result of his public criticism of Jesus, the chief ruler was removed from his position and replaced by one of Jesus's followers, demonstrating the growing influence of Jesus's teachings even among traditional religious institutions.

Late on Sunday night, February 26, a messenger arrived in Philadelphia from Bethany with an urgent message from Martha and Mary stating, "Lord, he whom you love is very sick." This referred to their brother Lazarus, who was dear to Jesus. Upon receiving this news, Jesus appeared to communicate with something beyond himself before responding, "This sickness is really not to the death. Doubt not that it may be used to glorify God and exalt the Son." Jesus held Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in deep affection, and his initial human impulse was to go to them immediately, but another thought emerged in his mind.

Jesus had nearly abandoned hope that the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem would accept the kingdom, yet he still loved his people and conceived a plan for one final appeal to them. Though Jesus had consistently refused to perform spectacular miracles or displays of power merely to attract followers, he asked his Father's consent to demonstrate his previously unexhibited power over life and death. Understanding that Jews typically buried their dead on the day of death, and believing that the spirit remained near the body for three days before departing, Jesus deliberately delayed his journey to Bethany for two days. When he finally announced to his apostles that they should return to Judea, they protested due to the recent threats against his life there, but Jesus explained that Lazarus had died and that this event would provide an opportunity to strengthen their faith.

As Jesus journeyed toward Judea, about fifty followers and opponents accompanied him. During their noon meal on Wednesday, he taught them about the "Terms of Salvation" and concluded with the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Jesus emphasized that salvation is a free gift from the Father to all who have faith to receive sonship in the divine family, not something earned through righteous works. In his parable, the proud Pharisee stood praying about his own righteousness and how much better he was than others, while the humble tax collector simply asked for God's mercy as a sinner. Jesus concluded that the tax collector went home justified rather than the self-righteous Pharisee, teaching that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted.

That evening in Jericho, some unfriendly Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus in a discussion about marriage and divorce, as their colleagues had previously tried in Galilee. Jesus skillfully avoided their trap while still upholding high ideals for marriage and expressing disapproval of the lax divorce practices permitted by Jerusalem's Jewish interpretation of Mosaic law. He particularly condemned the practice that allowed men to divorce their wives for trivial reasons, always advocating for women's equality in his teachings about marriage. Later that evening, when the apostles privately asked further questions about marriage, Jesus explained its honorable nature and divine purpose, though his own mission required him to remain unmarried. He taught that marriage was designed by God for the creation and raising of children, where parents become "copartners with the Makers of heaven and earth."

Jesus's teachings about marriage and children quickly spread throughout Jericho, and by the next morning, scores of mothers had brought their children to receive Jesus's blessing. When the apostles attempted to send these mothers away, Jesus heard the commotion and came out, indignantly rebuking his disciples. He declared, "Suffer little children to come to me; forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Jesus further taught that unless a person receives the kingdom as a child would, they would hardly enter into the full spiritual maturity of the kingdom. He then welcomed all the children, laying his hands on them and speaking words of encouragement to their mothers.

Jesus often taught his apostles about the "celestial mansions" where God's children grow spiritually just as children grow physically on earth. This seemingly ordinary event—children playing with Jesus—was actually witnessed by "onlooking intelligences of Nebadon" who observed these children interacting with the Creator of the universe without recognizing his divinity. Jesus's teachings significantly improved women's status in Palestine and could have transformed women's position worldwide if his followers had remained true to his original teachings. In Jericho, Jesus also emphasized the importance of beauty in worship, especially for children. He preferred communing with the Father in natural settings and taught that when worship couldn't occur in nature, people should create beautiful, simple sanctuaries that inspire worship rather than cold, barren rooms devoid of aesthetic appeal.

As they journeyed from Jericho to Bethany, Nathaniel walked beside Jesus and their discussion about children and the kingdom led to questions about angels. Nathaniel asked what they should teach about heavenly ministers since the high priest was a Sadducee who denied the existence of angels. Jesus explained that angels are a separate order of created beings, entirely different from material creatures like humans, and they function as a distinct group of universe intelligences. Angels are not the "Sons of God" mentioned in Scripture nor are they the glorified spirits of humans who have progressed through the heavenly mansions; rather, they are direct creations who do not reproduce themselves.

Jesus further taught that angels are immortal unless they become involved in sin, as some did with Lucifer. He reminded Nathaniel that he had previously spoken of angels ascending and descending between worlds, explaining that angels help maintain communication between different parts of the universe. While many angels serve in God's government and the universes of the Sons, others are assigned specifically to serve humankind. These ministering spirits rejoice when even one sinner turns toward God, and they help guide souls after death during their transition to the spirit worlds. Jesus emphasized that angels are genuinely concerned with human spiritual welfare and divine progress, serving as "sure and heavenly guides" during the period between physical death and the new life in spirit abodes. His teachings about angels were interrupted by Martha's approach as they neared Bethany.