In the Garden at Gethsemane

I am here, Jesus:

I am here tonight to continue my messages regarding the truths of the New Testament which is so sadly in need of a purge of the erroneous statements and beliefs found therein, and so I shall not write you on the subject of reincarnation tonight, although I have been listening to your conversation* and your statements showing the absurdities of this ancient superstition.

However, from the tenor and substance of the messages you have received from me thus far, you realize this superstition is not confined to the East but unfortunately appears in various ways in the writings of the New Testament, not precisely regarding reincarnation, although this is touched upon briefly in connection with the ministry of John, the Baptist, who was considered by some as a reincarnation of Elijah, the prophet, but in many other statements and interpretations of a tendentious character as well.

Tonight, I am going to write to you about one of these tendentious statements, and this deals with the occasion of my arrest by the hirelings of the high priest in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Now, the Gospels mention that a youth who was present at the time of my betrayal was seized and that he had to tear himself away from the clutches of the hirelings, and in the process he lost his outer garment of linen which left him stripped; and he subsequently escaped.

Now, originally, the apostle who wrote this statement, and he was Mark, had given the name of this youth, who was my younger brother James, known as "the lesser."

My brother loved me very much, and at this time had begun to believe in my message to the extent of his capabilities, and he also followed them when I was arrested, his heart breaking with grief and anxiety.

Now, the copyists of the original Gospel of Mark eliminated the name of my brother and inserted the words "and a certain youth" because they did not want to use the word "brother," for it denoted what is really a fact, as you know, and that is, that my mother was the mother of eight children in the flesh.

And also, the writer sought to enhance my prestige with readers of the New Testament by showing them to what a great degree I inspired the love and loyalty of strangers.

The reason why the hirelings of the high priest seized James was because he resembled me so much in face and figure that sometimes he was mistaken for me, and some of the group thought that he was really me and that I was really him, and they sought to arrest him also, to make certain that they had been able to apprehend the right man.

No, Peter nor any one of my followers ever cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest, for Peter did not wear a sword but simply a fishing knife -- that is, a blade used in cutting fish to remove their entrails.

And furthermore, a hostile blow might have meant that the hirelings and servants might retaliate and club our followers unmercifully as a consequence, a fact which Peter knew, as did we all at the time.

There is no truth to this supposed anecdote, but it was interpolated in order to have me remark, which is also not true, that God would come to my aid with many legions of Angels if it were required, to emphasize the belief that I was destined to be betrayed and that it was all a part of God's plan of salvation that included betrayal and death on the cross.

The next incident that I wish to refer to deals with my being sent by Pilate, after my arrest, to Herod, who was then in Jerusalem to observe the festivities of the Jewish Passover. Now, this incident is true, and the explanation is as follows.

Some time before, Pilate had ordered to be killed a number of Galileans, and this had caused enmity between him and Herod, who claimed that Pilate had no authority to execute the men since they, being Galileans, were under his (Herod's) jurisdiction.

This coolness was patched up on the occasion of my arrest, for Pilate used this opportunity to send me to Herod to ascertain whether I was under his jurisdiction as a Galilean; and when Herod, through inquiry, discovered that I was born in Bethlehem in Judea, and not Galilee, he returned me to Pilate and was pleased that Pilate had extended him the courtesy of consulting him to establish under whose jurisdiction my condemnation and punishment was to be meted out.

This is the explanation for the healing of the breach between Pilate and Herod and the reason for the latter's appearance on the scene at the time of my arrest.

I think I shall stop now, for I believe I have said enough for tonight. I shall continue to come and provide the truths necessary for you to write the true New Testament and shall suggest the ideas and help you locate the material that you need to obtain them.

So be encouraged in your work as the medium through whom I am revealing my messages of truth, and pray to the Father that He will bestow upon you and the Doctor wonderful portions of the Divine love. And I will sign myself as usual,

Your friend and elder brother,

Jesus of the Bible
and
Master of the Celestial Heavens
which will soon close, and mankind must have the truth
before they do.