Chapter 12 – Suffering, death and resurrection

Lifelong toil and suffering of Jesus

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1 I lived among the people and made my life a model, a textbook. I got to know all the suffering, the temptations and the struggles, the poverty, the work and the persecutions. I experienced the rejection by the relatives, the ingratitude and betrayal; the long daily tasks, the hunger and thirst, the mockery, the loneliness and death. I allowed the whole burden of human sin to fall upon me. I allowed man to explore my Spirit in my words and in my pierced body, where even the last of my ribs could be seen. Though God, I was made a mockery king, a bared king, and had to carry the cross of shame and climb up the hill where the robbers died. There my human life ended as a proof that I am not only the God of the Word, but the God of deeds. (217, 11)

2 When the hour was near and the supper was over, Jesus had given his disciples the last instructions. He set out for the olive garden, where he used to pray, and said to the Father, "Lord, if it is possible, take this cup from me. But not my will, but thy will be done. Then that one of my disciples who was to hand me over approached, accompanied by a crowd who would arrest me. When they asked, "Who is Jesus, the Nazarene?" Judas approached his Master and kissed him. There was fear and consternation in the hearts of those men when they saw the calm composure of Jesus, and they asked again, "Who is Jesus? Then I went up to them and told them, "Here I am, it is I". Then my passion began.

3 They brought Me before priests, judges, and rulers. They interrogated me, judged me and accused me of violating the law of Moses and of wanting to create a kingdom that would destroy that of the emperor. (152,6 – 7)

The betrayal of Judas

4 Do you not remember on how many occasions I revealed my love, not only to those who believed in me, but also to him who betrayed me, and to those who persecuted and judged me? Now you might ask me what was the reason that moved me to allow all those mockeries. And I answer you: It was necessary that I left them complete freedom of thought and action to create suitable opportunities to reveal myself and so that all would experience the mercy and love which I taught the world.

5 I did not move the heart of Judas to betray Me; he was the instrument of an evil thought when his heart was filled with darkness. But in the face of that disciple's unfaithfulness I showed him my forgiveness.

6 It would not have been necessary for one of mine to betray me to give you that example of humility. The master would have proved it at every opportunity that men would have offered him. It fell to that disciple to be the instrument through which the Master showed his Divine Humility to the world. Even if you thought that it was the weakness of that man that brought about the death of Jesus, I tell you that you are in error, for I came to give myself to you completely, and if it had not been in this way, you can be sure that it would have been done in another way. Therefore you have no right to curse or judge him who is your brother, who in a moment of darkness lacked the love and faithfulness he owed to his Master. If you blame him for my death - why do you not bless him, knowing that my blood was shed for the salvation of all men? It would be better for you to pray and ask that none of you fall into temptation, for the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees still exists in this world. (90,37 - 39)

Jesus Passion

7 When I was interrogated by the High Priest Caiaphas and he said to Me, "I beseech You to tell Me whether You are Christ the Messiah, the Son of God," I answered him, "You have told Me. (21, 30)

8 How many hearts, which a few days before had admired and blessed my works, forgot them, and showed themselves ungrateful and joined those who reviled me! But it was necessary that that sacrifice was very great, so that it would never be erased from the memory of men.

9 The world, and you as part of it, have seen Me blasphemed, mocked and humiliated as no man could have been. But patiently I emptied the cup which you gave Me to drink. Step by step I fulfilled my destiny of love among men and gave myself completely to my children.

10 Blessed are those who believed in their God, although they experienced Him covered with blood and wheezing.

11 But something more difficult awaited me: to die nailed to a wood between two robbers. But it was written, and therefore it had to come true so that I would be recognized as the true Messiah. (152, 8 -11)

12 For this teaching I am giving you now, I gave you an example already in the "Second Time". Jesus hung on the cross, the Redeemer struggled with death in the face of the multitudes he had loved so much. Every heart was a door that he had knocked on. Among the crowd of spectators was the man who ruled the crowds, the prince of the church, the publican, the Pharisee, the rich, the poor, the depraved, and the one of simple mind. But while some knew who He was who died in that hour, because they had seen His works and received His benefits, others, thirsting for innocent blood and greedy for revenge, hastened the death of Him whom they scornfully called "King of the Jews," not knowing that He was not only King of one people, but that He was so of all the peoples of the earth and of all the worlds of the universe. As Jesus turned one of his last glances at those crowds of people, he raised his plea to the Father, full of merciful love and compassion, and said, "My Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

13 That look embraced both those who wept for him and those who feasted on his torment, for the love of the Master, which was the love of the Father, was for all alike. (103, 26 - 27)

14 When the day came that the crowd, stirred up by those who were troubled by the presence of Jesus, wounded and scourged him, and saw him bleeding like an ordinary mortal as a result of the blows, and later wrestling with death and dying like any other man, the Pharisees, the rulers of the people, and the priests, cried out with satisfaction, saying, "Look at him who calls himself the Son of God, who thought himself a king and pretended to be the Messiah!

15 It was precisely for them, more than for others, that Jesus asked his Father to forgive them - them who, though they knew the Scriptures, now denied him and presented him to the crowd as a deceiver. It was they who, despite their claim to be teachers of the law, did not really know what they were doing when Jesus was condemned, while there were hearts torn apart by pain in the face of the injustice they witnessed, and faces streaming with tears in the face of the sacrificial death of the righteous man. It was the men and women of simple mind and humble and generous Spirit who knew who had been with men in the world and who understood what they had lost in the Master's passing away. (150,24 - 25)

16 He saith unto you, He that striveth at the cross with death, and is maltreated and tormented by the hangmen's servants, and lifteth up his eyes unto infinity, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

17 In that Divine Forgiveness I included all men of all times, for I could see the past, the present and the future of mankind. I can tell you in truth and in Spirit that I have also seen you in that blessed hour, which you hear my new word in this time. (268, 38 -39)

18 When I looked down from the height of the Cross at the crowd of people, I saw Mary and told her with reference to John, "Woman, this one is your Son" and to John, "Son, this is your Mother"; I said to her, "Woman, this one is your Son

19 John was the only one at that hour who could understand the meaning of the following sentence, for the crowd was so blind that when I said, "I am thirsty", she thought it was physical thirst, and she handed me bile and vinegar, while it was thirst for love, which my Spirit felt

20 The two evildoers also wrestled with death beside Me; but while the one blasphemed and plunged into ruin, the other let himself be enlightened by the light of faith; and although he saw his God nailed to the shameful crossbeam and close to death, he believed in his divinity and said to him, "When you are in the kingdom of heaven, remember Me," to which I, moved by so much faith, replied, "Verily I say to you, to this day you shall be with Me in Paradise.

21 No one knows the storms that raged in the heart of Jesus at this hour. The forces of nature unleashed were but a faint reflection of what was going on in the solitude of that man, and the pain of the Divine Spirit was so great and so real that the flesh, feeling weak for a moment, cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

22 As I taught men to live, I also taught them to die, forgiving and blessing even those who reviled and tormented Me, when I said to the Father, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do.

23 And when the Spirit left this world, he said, "Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit. The perfect teaching example was accomplished when I had spoken as God and as man. (152, 12 - 17)

24 A moment was enough for Dimas to find salvation, and this was the last of his life. He spoke to Me from the cross, and although he saw that Jesus, whom they called the Son of God, was in agony, he felt that He was the Messiah, the Savior; and he surrendered himself to Him with all the repentance of his heart and all the humility of his Spirit. Therefore, I promised him Paradise for that very day.

25 I tell you, I will make everyone who sins unconsciously but speaks to Me with a heart full of humility and faith at the end of his life, feel the tenderness of My merciful love that lifts him up from the troubles of the earth to let him know the bliss of a noble and elevated life. (94, 71 - 72)

26 Yes, dear Dimas, you were with Me in the Paradise of Light and spiritual peace, where I carried your Spirit as a reward for your faith Who could have told those who doubted that in Jesus - dying and bleeding as he was - there was a God dwelling, that in the robber who was at his right hand in the agony of death, there was a spirit of light hiding?

27 Time passed, and when peace of mind returned, many of those who rejected and mocked me entered the light of my truth, so their repentance was great and their love indestructible in my following (320, 67)

28 When the body that served Me in the Second Time as a covering entered the agony, and I spoke the last words from the Cross, there was among my last sentences one that was not understood either in those moments or for a long time afterwards: "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?

29 Because of those words many doubted; others were confused, thinking that it was faint-heartedness, a wavering, a moment of weakness. But they did not consider that this was not the last sentence, but that I spoke others after it, which revealed full strength and clarity: "Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit"; and: "All things are accomplished".

30 Now that I have returned to bring light into your errors and illuminate what you have called mysteries, I tell you When I hung on the cross, the agony was long and bloody, and the body of Jesus, infinitely more sensitive than that of any other man, endured a long agony, and death did not come. Jesus had fulfilled his mission in the world, had already spoken the last word and given the last teaching. Then that martyred body, that torn flesh, when it felt the separation from the Spirit, painfully asked the Lord: "Father, Father, why hast Thou forsaken me? - It was the gentle and suffering lamentation of the wounded lamb for his shepherd. It was the proof that Christ, the "Word", had truly become man in Jesus, and that his suffering was real.

31 Can you attribute these words to Christ, who is eternally one with the Father? - Now you know that it was a whimpering of the body of Jesus, which was defiled by the blindness of men. But when the caress of the Lord descended upon that martyred flesh, Jesus continued to speak, and his words were: "Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit. - "All is accomplished". (34, 27 -30)

32 When Jesus hung on the cross, there was not a Spirit who did not feel shaken at the voice of the love and righteousness of him who died, naked as the truth itself, which he brought in his word. Those who studied the life of Jesus realized that there was no one before or after Him who did a work like His, for it was a divine work that will save mankind by His example.

33 Meekly I came for sacrifice, for I knew that my blood would transform and save you. Until the last moments I spoke with love and I forgave you because I came to bring you sublime teaching and to show you the way to eternity with perfect examples.

34 Mankind wanted to turn me away from my purpose by seeking the weakness of the flesh; but I did not desist. Men wanted to tempt me to blaspheme; but I did not blaspheme. The more the crowd insulted me, the more pity and love I had for them, and the more they hurt my body, the more blood poured out of it to give life to those who were dead for faith.

35 That blood is the symbol of the love with which I have marked out the way for the human Spirit. I left my word of faith and hope to those who hungered for justice, and the treasure of my revelations to the spiritual poor.

36 Only after this time did mankind become aware of who had been in the world. Thereupon the work of Jesus was perceived as perfect and divine, as superhuman--how many tears of repentance! How many pangs of conscience in the spirit beings (29:37-41)

37 When Jesus, who was "The Way, the Truth and the Life," finished his mission with that prayer of the seven words, and in the end said to his Father, "Into your hands I commend my Spirit," consider whether you, who are disciples and disciples of that Master, can leave this life without offering it to the Father as a tribute of obedience and humility; and whether you can close your eyes to this world without asking the Lord for His protection, since you will only open them again in other regions.

38 The whole life of Jesus was an offering of love to the Father. The hours of his agony on the cross were a prayer of love, intercession and forgiveness.

39 This is the way I showed you, mankind. Live in the following of your Master and I promise to lead you to my bosom, which is the origin of all bliss. (94, 78 - 80)

40 I, Christ, revealed through the man Jesus the glory of the Father, his wisdom and his power. The power was used to perform miracles for the benefit of those who needed faith in their Spirit, light in their minds and peace in their hearts. That power, which is the power of love itself, was poured out on the needy to give themselves to them completely, which went so far that I did not use it for my own body, which likewise needed it in the hour of death.

41 I did not want to make use of my power to avoid the piercing pain of my body. For when I became man, it happened with the intention to suffer for your sake and to give you a tangible divine and human proof of my infinite love and compassion for the immature, the needy, the sinners.

42 All power which I revealed to others - whether it was that I healed a leper, restored sight to a blind man and mobility to a lame, or that I converted sinners and raised the dead - all power which I revealed before the multitudes to give them proofs of my truth, proving to them my power over the kingdoms of nature and my power over life and death, I would not apply to myself, allowing my body to live through that passion and suffer that pain.

43 Though my power could have spared my body any pain, but what merit would I then have had in your eyes? What example, understandable to man, would I have left behind if I had made use of my power to spare myself pain? It was necessary, in those moments of my power, to disown Me, to reject the Divine Power, in order to feel and experience the pain of the flesh, the grief in the face of ingratitude, the loneliness, the agony, and death.

44 Therefore the lips of Jesus asked for help at the hour of death, because his pain was real. But it was not only the physical pain that overwhelmed the feverish and exhausted body of Jesus - it was also the spiritual sensation of a God who was maltreated and made a mockery by his blind, ungrateful and haughty children by means of that body, for whom he shed that blood.

45 Jesus was strong by the Spirit that animated him, which was the Divine Spirit, and could have been insensitive to pain and invincible to the attacks of his persecutors; but it was necessary that he shed tears, that he felt that he kept falling to the ground before the eyes of the crowd, that the powers of his body were exhausted, and that he should die after his body had lost the last drop of blood.

46 And so my mission on earth was fulfilled; thus ended the existence in the world of him whom the people had proclaimed king a few days before, when he entered Jerusalem. (320,56 - 61)

Jesus' act of redemption in worlds beyond

47 In the first times of mankind, their spiritual development was so low that their (lack of) inner knowledge about the life of the Spirit after physical death and the (lack of) knowledge of their final destiny caused the Spirit, when leaving the flesh cover, to fall into a deep sleep from which it only slowly awoke. But when Christ became man in Jesus to give his teaching to all spirit beings, as soon as he had completed his task among men, he sent his light to great multitudes of beings who had been waiting for his arrival since the beginning of the world to be freed from their confusion and to be able to rise to the Creator.

48 Only Christ could illuminate that darkness; only his voice could awaken those spirit beings who were sleeping to their development. When Christ died as a man, the Divine Spirit brought light into the spiritual worlds and even into the graves from which the spirit beings emerged, those spirit beings who held the death sleep in their bodies. These beings roamed the world that night, making themselves visible to human eyes as a testimony that the Savior was life for all beings, and that the Spirit is immortal. (41,5 - 6)

49 Men and women received signs and cries from the other world. The elderly and the children were likewise witnesses of these apparitions, and in the days preceding the Redeemer's death on the cross the heavenly light penetrated into the hearts of men; the beings of the spiritual valley called the hearts of men; and on the day when the Master breathed his last breath as man and his light penetrated all caves and all corners, the material and spiritual homes, longing for the beings who had long awaited Him - materialized, confused and sick beings who had strayed from the path, bound with chains of remorse, carrying the burdens of injustice, and other spirit beings who believed to be dead and were bound to their bodies - then all awoke from their deep sleep and rose to life.

50 But before they left this earth, they gave to those who had been their kinsmen a testimony of their resurrection and their being. Through all this the world experienced these rallies on that night of sorrow and pain.

51 The hearts of men trembled, and the children wept in the face of those who had been dead for a long time, and who on that day returned only for a moment to bear witness to that Master who came down to earth to scatter his seed of love, and who at the same time tilled the spiritual fields inhabited by an infinite number of spirit beings who were also his children, and whom he healed and delivered from their ignorance. (339, 22)

52 When I left my body, my Spirit entered the world of spirit beings to speak to them with the word of truth. As with you, I spoke to them of Divine Love, for this is the true knowledge of life.

53 Verily I say to you, the Spirit of Jesus was not for a moment in the tomb; He had many benefactions to perform in other worlds of life. My infinite Spirit had many revelations to make known to them, as it had done to you before.

54 There are also worlds where spirit beings do not know how to love; they live in darkness and long for light. Today people know that where unkindness and selfishness reign, darkness reigns, that war and passions are the keys that close the gate to the way that leads to the kingdom of God.

55 Love, on the other hand, is the key with which the kingdom of light, which is the truth, opens up.

56 Here (on earth) I have made myself known through material means; in the hereafter I have communicated myself directly to the high spirit beings, so that they would teach those who are not able to receive my inspiration directly. Those high, luminous beings are - as here for you - the voice carriers. (213, 6 - 11)

The appearance of Jesus after His resurrection

57 A few days after my crucifixion, when my disciples were gathered around Mary, I made them feel my presence, symbolized in the spiritual vision of a dove. In that blessed hour, no one dared to move or speak a word. There was a real rapture in the contemplation of that spiritual image, and hearts beat with power and confidence because they knew that the Master, who had apparently gone from them, would always be present with them in Spirit. (8, 15)

58 Why should you think that my coming in the Spirit has no meaning? Remember that after my death as a man I continued to speak to my disciples and showed myself to them in the Spirit.

59 What would have become of them without those manifestations which I granted them, which strengthened their faith and instilled in them new courage for their missionary task?

60 Sad was the image they offered after my parting: tears were constantly flowing over their faces, every moment a sob escaped from their breast, they prayed a lot, and fear and remorse oppressed them. They knew: one had sold Me, another had denied Me, and almost all had left Me at the hour of death.

61 How could they be the witnesses of that Master of all perfection? How could they have the courage and strength to think and live against men of such different beliefs and ways?

62 Just then my Spirit appeared among them to ease their pain, to inflame their faith, to inflame their hearts with the ideal of my teaching.

63 I gave my Spirit human form to make it visible and palpable to the disciples, but my presence was nevertheless spiritual, and see what influence and meaning that appearance had among my apostles. (279, 47 - 52)

64 My sacrifice was done; but knowing that those hearts needed me more than ever, because a storm of doubts, sufferings, confusions and fears had risen in their interior, I approached them immediately to give them another proof of my infinite mercy In my love and compassion for those children of my word, I humanized myself by taking the form or likeness of that body I had had in the world, and allowed myself to be seen and made myself audible, and with my words I rekindled faith in those downcast spirit beings. It was a new lesson, a new way of communicating me to those who had accompanied me on earth; and they felt strengthened, inspired, transformed by the faith and knowledge of my truth.

65 Despite those proofs of which they all were witnesses, there was one who stubbornly denied the testimonies and proofs which I gave spiritually to my disciples, and so it was necessary to allow him to touch my spiritual presence even with his bodily senses so that he might believe.

66 But it was not only among the disciples who were closer to me that this doubt arose - no, also among the followers, in the towns, in cities and villages, among those who had received proofs of my power and followed me for the sake of these works, confusion arose, an anxious questioning, consternation; one could not explain why everything had ended in this way.

67 I had compassion for all, and therefore I gave them proofs, as I did to my nearest disciples, that I had not departed from them, even though I no longer stood by them as man on earth. In every home, every family and in every people, I manifested myself to the hearts that believed in me by making my spiritual presence palpable to them in many ways. Then began the struggle of that people of Christians who had to lose their Master on earth to rise up and proclaim the truth that He had revealed to them. You all know their great works. (333,38-41)

68 When I made Myself visible to my disciples for the last time in the "second time" between clouds, there was sadness in them when I vanished from their sight, because they felt left alone at that moment; but after that they heard the voice of the angel messenger of the Lord, who said to them, "You men of Galilee, what are you looking for? This Jesus, whom you have seen ascending into heaven today, you will see descending in the same manner.

69 Then they understood that if the Master would return to the people, he would do so spiritually. (8, l3 - 14)