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When the Master had thus spoken, they cast their eyes upon the table and remained silent. And since no one spoke, Jesus continued: "Many of you Pharisees are here with me as friends, some are even my disciples, but the majority of the Pharisees are persistent in their refusal to see the light and acknowledge the truth, even when the work of the gospel is brought before them in great power. How carefully you cleanse the outside of the cups and the platters while the spiritual-food vessels are filthy and polluted! You make sure to present a pious and holy appearance to the people, but your inner souls are filled with self-righteousness, covetousness, extortion, and all manner of spiritual wickedness. Your leaders even dare to plot and plan the murder of the Son of Man.
Do not you foolish men understand that the God of heaven looks at the inner motives of the soul as well as on your outer pretenses and your pious professions? Think not that the giving of alms and the paying of tithes will cleanse you from unrighteousness and enable you to stand clean in the presence of the Judge of all men. Woe upon you Pharisees who have persisted in rejecting the light of life! You are meticulous in tithing and ostentatious in almsgiving, but you knowingly spurn the visitation of God and reject the revelation of his love. Though it is all right for you to give attention to these minor duties, you should not have left these weightier requirements undone. Woe upon all who shun justice, spurn mercy, and reject truth! Woe upon all those who despise the revelation of the Father while they seek the chief seats in the synagogue and crave flattering salutations in the market places!" (TUB:166:1.2)
Jesus was well aware that his intended Passover visit to Jerusalem was fraught with danger--and highly likely to climax with his death. Yet he fearlessly continued with his attacks upon the "dominant consciousness" while at the same time giving prominence to his alternative teaching, one dominated by compassion.
Why did he do so? Primarily because his life had one over-riding and unbreakable principal--he was totally dedicated to the doing of the Father's will and though at Gethsemane he prayed for release: "Father, I know it is possible to avoid this cup--all things are possible with you--but I have come to do your will, and while this is a bitter cup, I would drink it if it is your will." But release did not come and Jesus surrendered his life with these words: "O Father, if this cup may not pass, then would I drink it. Not my will, but yours, be done." (TUB 182:3)
What an incredible example Jesus set for those who would dare to be his followers! But what alternatives were available on that night at Gethsemane? Jesus and the apostles could have fled to the north and only mounted cavalry could have caught up with them. To do so, Jesus would have to abandon his mission of transforming the "dominant culture" based upon the Torah and its 613 laws. And the probability was that such a decision would have been irreversible.
Jesus knew, and apparently God also knew, that the path he took was the only one that could ever succeed. And succeed it will. Our revelation tells us so:
"The time is ripe to witness the figurative resurrection of the human Jesus from his burial tomb amidst the theological traditions and the religious dogmas of nineteen centuries. Jesus of Nazareth must not be longer sacrificed to even the splendid concept of the glorified Christ. What a transcendent service if, through this revelation, the Son of Man should be recovered from the tomb of traditional theology and be presented as the living Jesus to the church that bears his name, and to all other religions!" (196:1.2) and:
"Be not discouraged; human evolution is still in progress, and the revelation of God to the world, in and through Jesus, shall not fail." (196:3)
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