Jesus Preaches at Archelais 

During the first half of August of 27 CE, Jesus’ apostles preached at Archelais and Phasaelis in Samaria. This was their first experience preaching and teaching non-Jews; Samaria was primarily populated by Greeks, Romans, and Syrians. Here, they encountered new problems proclaiming the message of the coming kingdom, and they met with new objections to the teachings of Jesus. At one of the many evening conferences with his apostles, Jesus listened attentively to the twelve as they related their difficulties.

They all faced the same seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Philip stated the problem this way: "Master, these Greeks and Romans make light of our message, saying that such teachings are fit for only weaklings and slaves. They assert that the religion of the heathen is superior to our teaching because it inspires to the acquirement of a strong, robust, and aggressive character. They affirm that we would convert all men into enfeebled specimens of passive non-resisters who would soon perish from the face of the earth. They like you, Master, and freely admit that your teaching is heavenly and ideal, but they will not take us seriously. They assert that your religion is not for this world, that men cannot live as you teach. And now, Master, what shall we say to these gentiles?"

Jesus said, in part: "I have come into this world to do the will of my Father and to reveal his loving character to all mankind. And this one thing I will do, regardless of the misunderstanding of my teachings by Jews or gentiles of this day or of another generation. But you should not overlook the fact that even divine love has its severe disciplines. The child does not always comprehend the wise and loving motives of the father’s restraining discipline. But I declare to you that my Father in Paradise does rule a universe of universes by the compelling power of his love. Love is the greatest of all spirit realities. Truth is a liberating revelation, but love is the supreme relationship.

"But who told you that my gospel was intended only for slaves and weaklings? Do you, my chosen apostles, resemble weaklings? Did John look like a weakling? Do you observe that I am enslaved by fear? True, the poor and oppressed of this generation have the gospel preached to them. The gospel of the kingdom is to be preached to all men—Jew and gentile, Greek and Roman, rich and poor, free and bond—and equally to young and old, male and female.

"The service of the kingdom on earth will call for all the courageous manhood that you and your coworkers can muster. Many of you will be put to death for your loyalty to the gospel of this kingdom. It is easy to die in the line of physical battle when your courage is strengthened by the presence of your fighting comrades, but it requires a higher and more profound form of human courage and devotion calmly and all alone to lay down your life for the love of a truth enshrined in your mortal heart.

"Today, the unbelievers may taunt you with preaching a gospel of nonresistance and with living lives of nonviolence, but you are the first volunteers of a long line of sincere believers in the gospel of this kingdom who will astonish all mankind by their heroic devotion to these teachings. No armies of the world have ever displayed more courage and bravery than will be portrayed by you and your loyal successors who shall go forth to all the world proclaiming the good news—the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men. And such courage constitutes the heroism of the God-knowing man. And you are all God-knowing men; you are in very truth the personal associates of the Son of Man."

This was not all that Jesus said on that occasion; he went on at great length in amplification of his pronouncements. This was one of the most impassioned addresses Jesus ever delivered to the twelve. Seldom did the Master speak to his apostles with such strong feelings (one of the other times was his discourse on true religion), but this was one of those few occasions when he spoke with unmistakable earnestness, accompanied by marked emotion.

The effect on the apostles’ public preaching and personal ministry was immediate. After their conference with the Master, their message took on a note of courageous dominance; preaching took on a new tone of courage, confidence, and assurance. As the days, weeks, and months passed, they continued acquiring the spirit of positive preaching of the gospel of the kingdom.

Jesus and the twelve remained in Samaria until the end of August. The work that they did in these Samaritan cities yielded many souls for the kingdom and did much to prepare the way for the marvelous work of Philip in these regions after Jesus’ death and resurrection.