Gonod 

Gonod was a wealthy businessman from India who hired Jesus as an interpreter to assist with his business meetings and social interactions in the Mediterranean region, and for Jesus to be a tutor for his son, Ganid. Jesus was fluent in three languages of the region and learned Gonod’s language as they journeyed. The three traveled around the Mediterranean Sea for almost two years, from April, 22 CE until December, 23 CE. During that time, Jesus taught Gonod’s brilliant son many lessons in philosophy, religion, and spiritual service. Gonod’s purpose in making this trip was to meet with his employees and trading partners, but it became a beautiful and life-altering experience for both father and son thanks to the actions and teachings of Jesus. It was also an opportunity for Jesus to come to know and converse with many people living outside of Palestine.

Gonod and his seventeen-year-old son, Ganid, traveled from India to Jerusalem early in 22 CE. Gonod planned this trip to arrive during Passover, hoping to find an interpreter and a teacher from among the educated Jews who converged on the city during this annual gathering. Before the end of Passover week, and by apparent chance, Gonod met and was deeply impressed by Jesus. Gonod told him about his intention to tour the Mediterranean region on business and that it would be a two-year venture. He was insistent that Jesus consent to travel with them. Jesus told him about his large family and that he was reluctant to go away for that long and leave his motherMary ~ mother of Jesus] and [siblings/Group/]Jesus' Siblings] without support. Gonod then offered to advance Jesus one year’s wages to entrust to his friends for distribution when there was a need. Under that condition, Jesus agreed to make the trip.

Gonod, Ganid, and Jesus left Jerusalem on a Sunday morning, April 26, 22 CE. From Jerusalem, they went to Caesarea by way of Joppa. At Caesarea, they took a boat for Alexandria. From Alexandria, they sailed for Lasea in Crete. From Crete, they sailed for Carthage, touching at Cyrene. At Carthage, they took a boat for Naples, stopping at Malta, Syracuse, and Messina. From Naples, they went to Capua, where they traveled by the Appian Way to Rome.

After their stay in Rome, they went overland to Tarentum, where they set sail for Athens in Greece, stopping at Nicopolis and Corinth. From Athens, they went to Ephesus by way of Troas. From Ephesus, they sailed for Cyprus, putting in at Rhodes on the way.

They spent considerable time visiting and resting on Cyprus and then sailed for Antioch in Syria. From Antioch, they journeyed south to Sidon and then went over to Damascus. They traveled by caravan to Mesopotamia, passing through Thapsacus and Larissa. They spent some time in Babylon, visited Ur, and then went to Susa. From Susa, they journeyed to Charax, and this was the end of the journey where Gonod and Ganid left for India.

Gonod the businessman and Jesus the interpreter and teacher learned much from each other. Prior to their meeting, Gonod had been on three tours of India and China. He told Jesus about the culture and civilization of the people living east of Mesopotamia. Gonod and Ganid taught Jesus the rudiments of their language during a four-month stay in Damascus. During their stay, Jesus spent about half of each day teaching Ganid and acting as interpreter for Gonod’s business conferences and social meetings. The other half was his to do as he pleased, usually meeting and talking with local residents and officials.

During their first stop at Alexandria, they visited its immense libraryLibrary of Alexandria. Gonod indulged his son’s wish to make a collection of the teachings of the world’s religions, hiring more than sixty translators. With Jesus’ help, a manuscript was created and taken back to India where it was preserved for hundreds of years.

Gonod did not hire Jesus to learn about spiritual matters, but he and Ganid soon discovered Jesus was a remarkable teacher of philosophy and religion. While on the island of Crete, Jesus had his first long talk with Gonod regarding religion. Afterward, he said to Jesus: “…I never knew they had such a religion in Jerusalem, much less in Damascus.” It was during this sojourn on Crete that Gonod first proposed to Jesus that he go back to India with them. Gonod would have gladly employed Jesus permanently if he had only consented. But he declined all such offers, saying he wished to return to Palestine and his family after their Mediterranean tour was finished.

On the way to Carthage, Jesus talked with Gonod and Ganid about things social, political, and commercial; hardly a word was said about religion. It was on this leg of their voyage that they discovered Jesus was a good storyteller, and they kept him busy telling tales about his early life in Galilee. Gonod and his son became enamored with Jesus, more so with each day that they worked and traveled together.

After leaving Sicily, the trio went to Naples, then on to Rome along the Appian Way. Gonod carried greetings from the princes of India to Tiberius, the Roman ruler. On the third day after their arrival in Rome, the two Indians and Jesus appeared before him. Later, Jesus, Gonod, and Ganid made five trips away from Rome to points of interest in the surrounding territory.

One night, after Gonod had listened to Ganid talk about certain enlightening experiences with Jesus, he said good-naturedly to him, “I propose to make a scholar or a businessman of my son, and now you start out to make a philosopher or philanthropist of him.” And Jesus smilingly replied: “Perhaps we will make him all four; then can he enjoy a fourfold satisfaction in life as his ear for the recognition of human melody will be able to recognize four tones instead of one.” Then said Gonod: “I perceive that you really are a philosopher. You must write a book for future generations.” And Jesus replied: “Not a book – my mission is to live a life in this generation and for all generations…”

They left Rome and traveled north to the Alps. It was on a Swiss mountain, during an all-day discussion about Buddhism, that Gonod asked Jesus what he thought of Buddha. Jesus gave a detailed response with Ganid listening. That night when the two were about to retire, Ganid said: “You know, father, I sometimes think Joshua is a prophet.” And Gonod sleepily replied, “My son, there are others —” The next day, they began a trek down the spine of Italy to Tarentum.

There was an incident in Tarentum where Jesus stopped a man from mistreating his wife. Jesus discussed the matter with the man who then thanked him and promised to change his ways. Gonod heard much of what Jesus said to the man and, after they had set sail for Corinth, he meditated on it the rest of the day. Gonod was so moved that he resolved to reorganize his home when he returned to India.

Gonod had many business interests in Corinth. It was the most important city in Greece at the time and they stayed for two months. All three benefited from their sojourn there and it afforded an opportunity for them to gain much valuable experience. Their visit to this city was one of the most interesting of all their stops on the way back from Rome.

At Athens, there was little business to transact, so Gonod spent most of his time with Jesus and Ganid, visiting many sites and listening to the interesting discussions of the lad and his versatile teacher. The trio made frequent visits to Athen’s university. They all appreciated the art of Greece. And Gonod and Ganid very much enjoyed a discussion on scienceJesus Delivers a Discourse on Science which Jesus had with a Greek philosopher at their inn one evening.

Gonod decided they would take a vacation from business in the mountains of Cyprus. After landing, the trio greatly enjoyed themselves for two weeks. Then, without warning, Ganid suddenly became seriously ill. The following two weeks he suffered from a raging fever, oftentimes becoming delirious; both Jesus and Gonod were kept busy attending to the sick boy. They were far from human habitations and the boy was too ill to be moved, so they did the best they could to nurse him back to health in the mountains. Jesus skillfully and tenderly cared for the lad, and Gonod was amazed by both the gentleness and adeptness manifested in all his ministry to the afflicted youth. During Ganid’s illness of three weeks, Jesus told him many interesting things about nature. As they traversed the mountains, the boy asked questions, Jesus answered them, and Gonod marveled at the performance.

From Cyprus, they sailed to Antioch then overland by caravan to Mesopotamia where they visited Babylon, Ur, and Susa. Then came the day for their separation upon arriving at Charax. All were brave, especially the lad, but it was a trying ordeal; they were tearful but courageous. After Ganid bid Jesus goodbye, Gonod said this to his now beloved friend: “Farewell to a great teacher, one who has made us better and helped us to know God.” Jesus replied, “Peace be upon you, and may the blessing of the Father in heaven ever abide with you.” Jesus stood on the shore and watched as the small boat carried them out to their anchored ship in the Persian Gulf. Gonod lamented that he could not persuade Jesus to return with them to India and continue teaching his son – or even the people of his homeland. Gonod and Ganid parted with Jesus, never to see him again in this world; nor did they ever know that the famous man who later appeared as Jesus of Nazareth was this same friend, Joshua, their teacher.

For Jesus, the real purpose of his trip around the Mediterranean basin was to know men. He came very close to hundreds of humans on this journey. Thus ended that chapter in Jesus’ life which might be termed: The mission of Joshua the teacher. A chance meeting of Gonod and Jesus in Jerusalem became one of the greatest, most fascinating, and until now unknown, stories in world history. This story appears nowhere else except in The Urantia Book. One of the last statements in the book about the father and son from India is this: Ganid grew up to become an influential man, a worthy successor of his eminent father.