Events at Caesarea 

Jesus and his companions, Gonod and Ganid, prolonged their stay in Caesarea beyond their initial plans due to a serious issue with one of the large steering paddles of their intended vessel. It was in danger of splitting and the captain chose to remain docked until a replacement for the paddle was crafted. Given the scarcity of skilled woodworkers available, Jesus volunteered to lend a hand in the boat’s repair during the next few days. During their evenings, Jesus and his friends leisurely walked along the striking wall encircling the port, Jesus captivating Ganid with his detailed explanation of the city's water system and the ingenious use of tides to cleanse the streets and sewers. Ganid also greatly admired the grand temple of Augustus, positioned on an elevated site, topped with an imposing statue of the Roman emperor.

On the afternoon of the second day, the trio attended a performance at the expansive amphitheater which could seat up to twenty thousand spectators. Later that night, they enjoyed a Greek play at the theater. These events marked Ganid's first exposure to such displays, and he asked Jesus many questions about them.

On the third morning, they made a formal visit to the governor's palace; Caesarea was the capital of Palestine and the seat of the Roman procurator.

A Mongolian merchant was lodging at the same inn as Jesus. He was proficient in Greek, and he engaged in several lengthy conversations with Jesus. He was deeply moved by Jesus' philosophy of life, particularly his teachings on embracing a heavenly existence through daily surrender to the will of the divine Father. Being a Taoist, the merchant possessed a strong belief in the concept of a universal Deity.

Upon returning to Mongolia, he imparted these enlightened truths to his community and business associates. His eldest son was so impressed by his father’s newly-found spirituality that he was inspired to pursue a path as a Taoist priest, and his subsequent dedication to these advanced spiritual principles left a lasting impact. His influence was carried forward by his son and grandson, both of whom remained fervently loyal to the belief in the One God as the Supreme Ruler of the heavens.

It was unfortunate that there were no ambassadors of the kingdom who traveled to China or India during this time. The teachings of Jesus would have been well-received and would have taken root in the lives of the peoples of Asia who were spiritually hungry for these truths of the kingdom.

While he was working on the ship repair, Jesus worked side by side with a young man named Anaxand who heard Jesus talk about how God was interested in his children on earth. In light of this principle, Anaxand challenged Jesus to explain why he had to deal with a cruel foreman of the workshop who was unjust to him. Jesus counseled Anaxand to think about it differently. He told him that God might have placed this troublesome foreman in his life so that Anaxand might be able to show him a better way to live. Jesus said: "Maybe you are the salt which is to make this brother more agreeable to all other men; that is, if you have not lost your savor. As it is, this man is your master in that his evil ways unfavorably influence you. Why not assert your mastery of evil by virtue of the power of goodness and thus become the master of all relations between the two of you?" He went on to say that Anaxand could gain the upper hand by bringing his light of goodness to this man who seemed to sit in spiritual darkness. He suggested to Anaxand that he could view this foreman as a soul in dire need – a need that Anaxand might be able to meet by introducing goodness and kindness into their relationship. This could prove to be a life-changing adventure for both of them.

Anaxand was deeply affected by this conversation with Jesus. Soon after, he informed his superior about it, and that very night, they both sought Jesus' guidance concerning the salvation of their souls. Subsequently, following the spread of the Christian message in Caesarea, both Anaxand, a Greek, and his superior, a Roman, embraced Philip's preaching and emerged as influential figures within the church that Philip established. Later, Anaxand was appointed as the steward of Cornelius, a Roman centurion who also became a believer through the ministry of Peter. Anaxand continued to bring enlightenment to those living in spiritual darkness until the time of Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea. He met his death by accident in the massive massacre of twenty thousand Jews while tending to the afflicted and the dying.

Ganid observed that Jesus spent quite a bit of time ministering to perfect strangers like the Mongolian merchant and Anaxand, and it perplexed him. So he asked Jesus what motivated him to persist in this constant personal ministry. Jesus answered: "Ganid, no man is a stranger to one who knows God. In the experience of finding the Father in heaven, you discover that all men are your brothers, and does it seem strange that one should enjoy the exhilaration of meeting a newly discovered brother? To become acquainted with one’s brothers and sisters, to know their problems and to learn to love them, is the supreme experience of living."

Later that night, they continued their discussion when Ganid asked the Master to explain the difference between the will of God and the will of man. Jesus explained that God's will represents his path, and fulfilling God's will involves an evolving journey of assimilating more and more of God's attributes, considering that God is the origin and culmination of all things good, beautiful, and true. On the other hand, human will signifies the path of humanity, comprising the entirety of what mortals opt to be and undertake.

In modern terms, Jesus was saying: "Will is that manifestation of the human mind which enables the subjective consciousness to express itself objectively and to experience the phenomenon of aspiring to be Godlike." And it is in this same sense that every reflective and spiritually-minded human being can become creative.

One afternoon, Ganid and Jesus were playing with an intelligent shepherd dog when Ganid asked Jesus whether the dog had a soul and a will. Jesus replied that the dog possesses a mind capable of comprehending its human master, a material being, but it lacks the capacity to grasp God, who exists as spirit. So, the dog can’t enjoy a spiritual experience and cannot partake in spiritual encounters. While the dog may exhibit a will by nature, a will refined through training, this mental ability does not constitute a spiritual force nor does it resemble the human will, since it is non-reflective. It cannot discern higher moral significance or select spiritual and everlasting values. It is the possession of these abilities for spiritual discernment and truth-seeking that renders mortal man a moral being, endowed with the attributes of spiritual accountability and the potential for eternal survival.

Jesus further clarified that the absence of such mental capabilities in animals renders it impossible for the animal kingdom to ever develop language over time or undergo anything akin to personality survival in eternity. Following this lesson, Ganid never again entertained the notion of the reincarnation of human souls into the bodies of animals.