Lesson 8

Lesson 8

Lesson Outline

I. MAJOR POINTS

1. Jesus' strange sounding statements concerning Himself, His origin, and His place in the world.
2. Jesus' demonstration that analysis of sin is not necessary in bringing forth healing.
3. Metaphysical meaning of a more abundant life.
4. Metaphysical reason for "rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
5. The need for a new type of religious thinking.
6. Metaphysical meaning of the good Samaritan.

II. READINGS

1. Luke 10; John 8-10
2. Your Hope of Glory 154-167

III. QUESTIONS

1. Which of these two points did Jesus illustrate in the incident
2. of the adulterous woman: (a) She was not guilty (b) No person has a right to condemn another. Comment on your choice.
3. What is the metaphysical reason Jesus did not really answer the question as to whether the man born blind had sinned or his parents had sinned?
4. What does spiritual awareness (Jesus) save us from, and what does knowing the Truth free us from?
5. What is the metaphysical meaning of "Rejoice that your names are written in heaven?"
6. What kind of religious thinking is most appropriate for the new age'
7. What is the one great metaphysical point of the parable of the good Samaritan?

Lesson Text

John 8:1-11 NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU

In this incident Jesus speaks one of the most potent utterances of spiritual awareness in all literature: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." Jesus was adamant about the wrongness and futility of condemnation of human beings by other human beings.

In this particular incident, it was not a matter of the woman merely being accused of adultery, she was caught in the very act. This gives a certain significance to the fact that nowhere does it say that the woman is pardoned or declared innocent. Not at all. It was just that she is not condemned. Notice Jesus' parting words to her: "... go, and do not SIN AGAIN."

John 8:12 "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." This is one of Jesus' most condensed statements that help us understand His metaphysical meaning for our world. We can understand that Jesus was fulfilling a particular role in the evolutionary pathway of humanity on Earth. He symbolizes spiritual awareness awakened in man. Here the word "light" is used to identify this meaning. Light has two important metaphysical meanings: living intelligence and spiritual awareness. Jesus utilizes both these meanings in this statement of self-identification:

1. "light of life"--living intelligence
2. "light of the world"--spiritual awareness in earthly man

John 8:23,24 "He said to them, 'You are from below, I am from above, you are of this world, I am not of this world.'" Here is a further statement concerning the source of the I Am identity. The "I Am" is "from above," the perfect pattern for humanity in God-mind, which is perceived in higher levels of consciousness. Only metaphysical understanding can make sense of this. The relationship of the I Am consciousness to human consciousness is a vertical one. "... and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all MEN to myself." (John 12:32)

John 8:31-32 "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Jesus' ministry has had two major roles in the world. The first was for the people of His time and place, and it was a ministry of works. The second was for posterity, for people of the future, and it was the ministry of His words. The words of Jesus all have metaphysical meaning for PEOPLE OF TODAY. It is only in recent times that the metaphysical meaning.of Jesus' WORDS have taken hold in people's understanding. The words of Jesus teach Truth, and Truth is the only thing that will "save" people; that is, set people free from repetition of useless, unnecessary suffering (hell).

John 8:56-59 "'Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it, and was glad.' The Jews then said to him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?' Jesus said to them, 'Truly, Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.'" Here again Jesus makes a reference about Himself which only metaphysical understanding can comprehend. The reference is again to the eternal nature and source of the "I Am", the Christ identity of all persons as it exists outside time in God-mind.

John 9:1-8 HEALING OF A MAN BORN BLIND

The metaphysical significance of this incident begins with the question asked by the disciples: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" This is the question of human judgment. Jesus' reply is the reply of spiritual understanding.

"Sin" is a strange, but important word. Sin does not name a "thing." Sin refers to any human effort to negate any divine ideas. Sin refers to the basic cause of all human unnecessary suffering. It is a "generic" word.

The disciples represent the human tendency to use sin as a justification for human misfortune. In other words, they believed that if the sin could be explained to them it would justify the fact of the man's blindness. (NOTE: Is it not interesting that they included his parents' sins as a reason, as well as his own sins as a reason for his being born blind!!)

Jesus does not think on the same level as the question. Jesus never thinks on the level of any negative question. He thinks on the level of spiritual Truth, and His replies are always coming from that level. He indicates that the "sinful" reason for the man's affliction is not their business. Their business is how to help the afflicted one. Since Jesus has a transcendent healing consciousness, then that was the channel of help for the man, and the blindness was healed.

John 10:10 "... I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.1 In this statement Jesus is making reference to something we are now beginning to comprehend - the more abundant life which results from keeping the words of Jesus by making the effort to live them in daily existence. We are discovering that this enables us to draw upon a higher and finer kind of vital energy. Life "increases" in a subtle but unmistakable way. Sincere religious thinking generates a unique kind of energy in consciousness. The highest type of religious thinking is exemplified by Jesus Christ. His religion is found within His words, and today we are just beginning to discern the real meaning of His words, and we are making an effort to conduct our lives upon those meanings. This is New Testament religion, this is the Aquarian Age level of evolution. This is also called, by Jesus Himself, "the kingdom of heaven."

John 10:17-18 "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father." This statement should once and for all cause us to toss aside any further thought about Jesus (spiritual awareness) being a "victim" of anyone or anything. Jesus is here describing the power over manifestation which occurs in the regeneration--even to the physicality of the body. It is difficult for one not on that level of consciousness to even conceive of such power of control. But physicality is simply an arrangement of molecules and a certain atomic vibratory rate. Modern science is proving that man's mind can directly control such factors. Jesus was simply far ahead of the historical time He had incarnated into.

Luke 10:17-20 THE RETURN OF THE SEVENTY AND JESUS' REPLY TO THEM

"The seventy returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!' And he said to them. ... 'Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but REJOICE THAT YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN.'"

Jesus is here saying something of great significance to those who have dedicated themselves to a life of spiritual Truth. He says that those who make a serious commitment to Spirit become known as INDIVIDUALS to the "heavenly hosts." Up to a certain level of consciousness, most persons are part of group consciousness (race consciousness.) They have individuality, but they do not really function entirely as individuals, so are not "known" (in a sense) as individuals on the higher levels of being.

This changes when one reaches a certain level of superconscious awareness. We are then "known" as individuals, and our worth to the universal plan of God (evolution of man) is recognized as our INDIVIDUAL worth (your name is written in heaven--rejoice!).

Luke 10:21-24 JESUS' REFERENCE TO NEW AGE RELIGIOUS THINKING AND NEW SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

"In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will' ... Then turning to the disciples he said privately, 'Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.'"

Jesus is here speaking about the new understanding of spiritual Truth which was just then dawning into the consciousness of mankind. Jesus' teachings were concerned with this new level of thinking. But there were many on the old level who were entrenched "know-it-alls" (the wise and understanding on that old level). These persons are not teachable. Metaphysical truths do not take hold in their minds. These persons would not benefit from Jesus' teachings.

The "babes" symbolize those who are willing to think in a new way. These are the teachable persons. These would be able to receive the revelations shared by Jesus. Foremost among these were the disciples. Two thousand years have passed since Jesus spoke these things, and today we have verification of so much of what Jesus said. Only today are there emerging more and more persons who are able to discern the true (metaphysical) import of Jesus' words. The time really has come for New Thought, and soon this will manifest as the New Age (kingdom of heaven on Earth).

Luke 10:25-37 PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN

One of the outstanding lessons in this parable is the absolute, need for COMPASSION as an ingredient of consciousness if one is to evolve into the new age and the eventual regeneration. Love, forgiveness, and compassion were all presented on an equal basis by Jesus over and over again. Yet, even today, with our much clearer perception of the validity of Jesus' teachings, we seem to forget this most essential of ingredients. Compassion is one of the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and without it, one will not enter.