Meeting of the sages, continued. The remaining postulates. The sages bless Jesus. Seven days’ silence.
Apollo wrote the fifth:
2 The soul is drawn to perfect light by four white steeds, and these are Will, and Faith, and Helpfulness and Love.
3 That which one wills to do, he has the power to do.
4 A knowledge of that power is faith; and when faith moves, the soul begins its flight.
5 A selfish faith leads not to light. There is no lonely pilgrim on the way to light. Men only gain the heights by helping others gain the heights.
6 The steed that leads the way to spirit life is Love; is pure unselfish Love.
7 Matheno wrote the sixth:
8 The universal Love of which Apollo speaks is child of Wisdom and of Will divine, and God has sent it forth to earth in flesh that man may know.
9 The universal Love of which the sages speak, is Christ.
10 The greatest mystery of all times lies in the way that Christ lives in the heart.
11 Christ cannot live in clammy dens of carnal things. The seven battles must be fought, the seven victories won before the carnal things, like fear, and self, emotions and desire, are put away.
12 When this is done the Christ will take possession of the soul; the work is done, and man and God are one.
13 And Philo wrote the seventh:
14 A perfect man! To bring before the Triune God a being such as this was nature made.
15 This consummation is the highest revelation of the mystery of life.
16 When all the essences of carnal things have been transmuted into soul, and all the essences of soul have been returned to Holy Breath, and man is made a perfect God, the drama of Creation will conclude. And this is all.
17 And all the sages said, Amen.
18 Then Meng-ste said, The Holy One has sent to us a man illumined by the efforts of unnumbered years, to lead the thoughts of men.
19 This man, approved by all the master minds of heaven and earth, this man from Galilee, this Jesus, chief of all the sages of the world, we gladly recognize.
20 In recognition of this wisdom that he brings to men, we crown him with the Lotus wreath.
21 We send him forth with all the blessing of the seven sages of the world.
22 Then all the sages laid their hands on Jesus’ head, and said with one accord, Praise God!
23 For wisdom, honor, glory, power, riches, blessing, strength, are yours, O Christ, forever more.
24 And every living creature said, Amen.
25 And then the sages sat in silence seven days.
Jesus addresses the seven sages. The address. Jesus goes to Galilee.
The seven days of silence passed and Jesus, sitting with the sages said:
2 The history of life is well condensed in these immortal postulates. These are the seven hills on which the holy city shall be built.
3 These are the seven sure foundation stones on which the Universal Church shall stand.
4 In taking up the work assigned for me to do I am full conscious of the perils of the way; the cup will be a bitter one to drink and human nature well might shrink.
5 But I have lost my will in that of Holy Breath, and so I go my way to speak and act as I am moved to speak and act by Holy Breath.
6 The words I speak are not my own; they are the words of him whose will I do.
7 Man is not far enough advanced in sacred thought to comprehend the Universal Church, and so the work that God has given me to do is not the building of that Church.
8 I am a model maker, sent to make a pattern of the Church that is to be—a pattern that the age may comprehend.
9 My task as model builder lies within my native land, and there, upon the postulate that Love is son of God, that I am come to manifest that Love, the Model Church will stand.
10 And from the men of low estate I will select twelve men, who represent the twelve immortal thoughts; and these will be the Model Church.
11 The house of Judah, my own kindred in the flesh, will comprehend but little of my mission to the world.
12 And they will spurn me, scorn my work, accuse me falsely, bind me, take me to the judgment seat of carnal men who will convict and slay me on the cross.
13 But men can never slay the truth; though banished it will come again in greater power; for truth will subjugate the world.
14 The Model Church will live. Though carnal man will prostitute its sacred laws, symbolic rites and forms, for selfish ends, and make it but an outward show, the few will find through it the kingdom of the soul.
15 And when the better age shall come the Universal Church will stand upon the seven postulates, and will be built according to the pattern given.
16 The time has come; I go my way unto Jerusalem, and by the power of living faith, and by the strength that you have given,
17 And in the name of God, our Father-God, the kingdom of the soul shall be established on the seven hills,
18 And all the peoples, tribes and tongues of earth shall enter in.
19 The Prince of Peace will take his seat upon the throne of power; the Triune God will then be All in All.
20 And all the sages said, Amen.
21 And Jesus went his way, and after many days, he reached Jerusalem; and then he sought his home in Galilee.
John, the harbinger, returns to Hebron. Lives as a hermit in the wilds. Visits Jerusalem and speaks to the people.
It came to pass when John, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, had finished all his studies in the Egyptian schools that he returned to Hebron, where he abode for certain days.
2 And then he sought the wilderness and made his home in David’s cave where many years before, he was instructed by the Egyptian sage.
3 Some people called him Hermit of Engedi; and others said, He is the Wild Man of the hills.
4 He clothed himself with skins of beasts; his food was carobs, honey, nuts and fruits.
5 When John was thirty years of age he went into Jerusalem, and in the market place he sat in silence seven days.
6 The common people and the priests, the scribes and Pharisees came out in multitudes to see the silent hermit of the hills; but none were bold enough to ask him who he was.
7 But when his silent fast was done he stood forth in the midst of all and said,
8 Behold, the king has come; the prophets told of him; the wise men long have looked for him.
9 Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
10 And that was all he said, and then he disappeared, and no one knew where he had gone.
11 And there was great unrest through all Jerusalem. The rulers heard the story of the hermit of the hills,
12 And they sent couriers forth to talk with him that they might know about the coming king; but they could find him not.
13 And after certain days he came again into the market place, and all the city came to hear him speak; he said,
14 Be not disturbed, you rulers of the state; the coming king is no antagonist; he seeks no place on any earthly throne.
15 He comes the Prince of Peace, the king of righteousness and love; his kingdom is within the soul.
16 The eyes of men shall see it not and none can enter but the pure in heart.
17 Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
18 Again the hermit disappeared; the people strove to follow him, but he had drawn a veil about his form and men could see him not.
19 A Jewish feast day came; Jerusalem was filled with Jews and proselytes from every part of Palestine, and John stood in the temple court and said,
20 Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
21 Lo, you have lived in sin; the poor cry in your streets, and you regard them not.
22 Your neighbors, who are they? You have defrauded friend and foe alike.
23 You worship God with voice and lip; your hearts are far away, and set on gold.
24 Your priests have bound upon the people burdens far too great to bear; they live in ease upon the hard earned wages of the poor.
25 Your lawyers, doctors, scribes are useless cumberers of the ground; they are but tumors on the body of the state;
26 They toil not neither do they spin, yet they consume the profits of your marts of trade.
27 Your rulers are adulterers, extortioners and thieves, regarding not the rights of any man;
28 And robbers ply their calling in the sacred halls; the holy temple you have sold to thieves; their dens are in the sacred places set apart for prayer.
29 Hear! hear! you people of Jerusalem! Reform; turn from your evil ways or God will turn from you, and heathen from afar will come, and what is left of all your honor and your fame will pass in one short hour.
30 Prepare, Jerusalem, prepare to meet your king.
31 He said no more; he left the court and no one saw him go.
32 The priests, the doctors and the scribes were all in rage. They sought for John intent to do him harm. They found him not.
33 The common people stood in his defense; they said, The hermit speaks the truth.
34 And then the priests, the doctors and the scribes were sore afraid; they said no more; they hid themselves away.
John, the harbinger, again visits Jerusalem. Speaks to the people. Promises to meet them at Gilgal in seven days. Goes to Bethany and attends a feast.
Next day John went again into the temple courts and said,
2 Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
3 The chief priests and the scribes would know the meaning of his words; they said,
4 Bold man, what is the purport of this message that you bring to Israel? If you be seer and prophet, tell us plainly who has sent you here?
5 And John replied, I am the voice of one who cries out in the wilderness, Prepare the way, make straight the paths, for, lo, the Prince of Peace will come to rule in love.
6 Your prophet Malachi wrote down the words of God:
7 And I will send Elijah unto you before the retribution day shall come, to turn again the hearts of men to God and if they will not turn, lo, I will smite them with a curse.
8 You men of Israel; you know your sins. As I passed by I saw a wounded bird prone in your streets, and men of every class were beating it with clubs; and then I saw that Justice was its name.
9 I looked again and saw that its companion had been killed; the pure white wings of Righteousness were trampled in the dust.
10 I tell you men, your awfulness of guilt has made a cesspool of iniquity that sends a fearful stench to heaven.
11 Reform, O Israel, reform; prepare to meet your king.
12 And then John turned away and as he went he said,
13 In seven days, lo, I will stand at Gilgal, by the Jordan ford, where Israel first crossed into the promised land.
14 And then he left the temple court to enter it no more; but many people followed him as far as Bethany, and there he tarried at the home of Lazarus, his kin.
15 The anxious people gathered all about the home and would not go; then John came forth and said,
16 Reform, O Israel, reform; prepare to meet your king.
17 The sins of Israel do not all lie at the door of priest and scribe. O think you not that all the sinners of Judea are found among the rulers and the men of wealth.
18 It is no sign that man is good and pure because he lives in want.
19 The listless, shiftless vagabonds of earth are mostly poor and have to beg for bread.
20 I saw the very men that cheered because I told the priests and scribes of their injustice unto man, throw stones and beat poor Justice in the streets.
21 I saw them trample on the poor dead bird of Righteousness;
22 And you who follow after me, you commoners, are not one whit behind the scribes and priests in crime.
23 Reform, you men of Israel; the king has come; prepare to meet your king.
24 With Lazarus and his sisters, John remained for certain days.
25 In honor of the Nazarite a feast was spread, and all the people stood about the board.
26 And when the chief men of the town poured out the sparkling wine and offered John a cup, he took it, held it high in air, and said,
27 Wine makes glad the carnal heart, and it makes sad the human soul; it plunges deep in bitterness and gall the deathless spirit of the man.
28 I took the vow of Nazar when a child, and not a drop has ever passed my lips.
29 And if you would make glad the coming king, then shun the cup as you would shun a deadly thing.
30 And then he threw the sparkling wine out in the street.
John, the harbinger, visits Jericho. Meets the people at Gilgal. Announces his mission. Introduces the rite of baptism. Baptizes many people. Returns to Bethany and teaches. Returns to the Jordan.
And John went down to Jericho; there he abode with Alpheus.
2 And when the people heard that he was there they came in throngs to hear him speak.
3 He spoke to none; but when the time was due he went down to the Jordan ford, and to the multitudes he said,
4 Reform and in the fount of purity wash all your sins away; the kingdom is at hand.
5 Come unto me and in the waters of this stream be washed, symbolic of the inner cleansing of the soul.
6 And, lo, the multitudes came down and in the Jordan they were washed, and every man confessed his sins.
7 For many months, in all the regions round about, John plead for purity and righteousness; and after many days he went again to Bethany; and there he taught.
8 At first few but the honest seekers came; but, by and by, the selfish and the vicious came with no contrition; came because the many came.
9 And when John saw the unrepentant Pharisees and Sadducees come unto him, he said,
10 You children of the vipers, stay; are you disturbed by news of coming wrath?
11 Go to, and do the things that prove repentance genuine.
12 Is it enough for you to say that you are heirs of Abraham? I tell you, no.
13 The heirs of Abraham are just as wicked in the sight of God when they do wrong as any heathen man.
14 Behold the ax! and every tree that bears not wholesome fruit is cut down at the roots and cast into the fire.
15 And then the people asked, What must we do?
16 And John replied, Accept the ministry of helpfulness for all mankind; spend not upon your selfish selves all that you have.
17 Let him who has two coats give one to him who has no coat; give part of all the food you have to those in need.
18 And when the publicans came up and asked, What must we do? John answered them,
19 Be honest in your work; do not increase for selfish gain the tribute you collect; take nothing more than what your king demands.
20 And when the soldiers came and asked, What must we do? The harbinger replied,
21 Do violence to none; exact no wrongful thing, and be contented with the wages you receive.
22 Among the Jews were many who had been waiting for the Christ to come, and they regarded John as Christ.
23 But to their questions John replied, In water I do cleanse, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul; but when he comes who is to come, lo, he will cleanse in Holy Breath and purify in fire.
24 His fan is in his hand, and he will separate the wheat and chaff; will throw the chaff away, but garner every grain of wheat. This is the Christ.
25 Behold he comes! and he will walk with you, and you will know him not.
26 He is the king; the latchet of his shoes I am not worthy to unloose.
27 And John left Bethany and went again unto the Jordan ford.
Jesus comes from Galilee, and is baptized by John. The Holy Breath testifies of his messiahship.
The news reached Galilee, and Jesus with the multitude went down to where the harbinger was preaching at the ford.
2 When Jesus saw the harbinger he said, Behold the man of God! Behold the greatest of the seers! Behold, Elijah has returned!
3 Behold the messenger whom God has sent to open up the way! The kingdom is at hand.
4 When John saw Jesus standing with the throng he said, Behold the king who cometh in the name of God!
5 And Jesus said to John, I would be washed in water as a symbol of the cleansing of the soul.
6 And John replied, You do not need to wash, for you are pure in thought, and word, and deed. And if you need to wash I am not worthy to perform the rite.
7 And Jesus said, I come to be a pattern for the sons of men, and what I bid them do, that I must do; and all men must be washed, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul.
8 This washing we establish as a rite—baptism rite we call it now, and so it shall be called.
9 Your work, prophetic harbinger, is to prepare the way, and to reveal the hidden things.
10 The multitudes are ready for the words of life, and I have come to be made known by you to all the world, as prophet of the Triune God, and as the chosen one to manifest the Christ to men.
11 Then John led Jesus down into the river at the ford and he baptized him in the sacred name of him who sent him forth to manifest the Christ to men.
12 And as they came out of the stream, the Holy Breath, in form of dove, came down and sat on Jesus’ head.
13 A voice from heaven said, This is the well-beloved son of God, the Christ, the love of God made manifest.
14 John heard the voice, and understood the message of the voice.
15 Now Jesus went his way, and John preached to the multitude.
16 As many as confessed their sins, and turned from evil ways to ways of right, the harbinger baptized, symbolic of the blotting out of sins by righteousness.
Jesus goes to the wilderness for self-examination, where he remains forty days. Is subjected to three temptations. He overcomes. Returns to the camps of John and begins teaching.
The harbinger had paved the way; the Logos had been introduced to men as love made manifest, and he must now begin his Christine ministry.
2 And he went forth into the wilderness to be alone with God that he might look into his inner heart, and note its strength and worthiness.
3 And with himself he talked; he said, My lower self is strong; by many ties I am bound down to carnal life.
4 Have I the strength to overcome and give my life a willing sacrifice for men?
5 When I shall stand before the face of men, and they demand a proof of my messiahship, what will I say?
6 And then the tempter came and said, If you be son of God, command these stones to turn to bread.
7 And Jesus said, Who is it that demands a test? It is no sign that one is son of God because he does a miracle; the devils can do mighty things.
8 Did not the black magicians do great things before the Pharaohs?
9 My words and deeds in all the walks of life shall be the proof of my messiahship.
10 And then the tempter said, If you will go into Jerusalem, and from the temple pinnacle cast down yourself to earth, the people will believe that you are the Messiah sent from God.
11 This you can surely do; for did not David say, He gives his angels charge concerning you, and with their hands will they uphold lest you should fall?
12 And Jesus said, I may not tempt the Lord, my God.
13 And then the tempter said, Look forth upon the world; behold its honors and its fame! Behold its pleasures and its wealth!
14 If you will give your life for these they shall be yours.
15 But Jesus said, Away from me all tempting thoughts. My heart is fixed; I spurn this carnal self with all its vain ambition and its pride.
16 For forty days did Jesus wrestle with his carnal self; his higher self prevailed. He then was hungry, but his friends had found him and they ministered to him.
17 Then Jesus left the wilderness, and in the consciousness of Holy Breath, he came unto the camps of John and taught.
Six of John’s disciples follow Jesus and become his disciples. He teaches them. They sit in the Silence.
Among the followers of John were many men from Galilee. The most devout were Andrew, Simon, James, and John, with Philip and his brother of Bethsaida.
2 One day as Andrew, Philip and a son of Zebedee, were talking with the harbinger, the Logos came, and John exclaimed, Behold the Christ!
3 And then the three disciples followed Jesus, and he asked, What do you seek?
4 And the disciples asked, Where do you live? And Jesus answered, Come and see.
5 And Andrew called his brother Simon, saying, Come with me, for I have found the Christ.
6 When Jesus looked in Simon’s face he said, Behold a rock! and Peter is your name.
7 And Philip found Nathaniel sitting by a tree, and said, My brother, come with me, for I have found the Christ! In Nazareth he abides.
8 Nathaniel said, Can anything of good come out of Nazareth? And Philip answered, Come and see.
9 When Jesus saw Nathaniel come he said, Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile!
10 Nathaniel said, How can you speak about me thus?
11 And Jesus said, I saw you as you sat beneath the fig tree over there, before your brother called.
12 Nathaniel lifted up his hands and said, This surely is the Christ, the king, for whom the harbinger has often testified.
13 And John went forth and found his brother James, and brought him to the Christ.
14 The six disciples went with Jesus to the place where he abode.
15 And Peter said, We long have sought for Christ. We came from Galilee to John; we thought that he was Christ, but he confessed to us that he was not;
16 That he was but the harbinger sent forth to clear the way, and make the pathway easy for the coming king; and when you came he said, Behold the Christ!
17 And we would gladly follow where you go. Lord, tell us what to do.
18 And Jesus said, The foxes of the earth have homes, the birds have nests; I have no place to lay my head.
19 He who would follow me must give up all the cravings of the self and lose his life in saving life.
20 I come to save the lost, and man is saved when he is rescued from himself. But men are slow to comprehend this doctrine of the Christ.
21 And Peter said, I cannot speak for any other man, but for myself I speak: I will leave all and follow where you lead.
22 And then the others spoke and said, You have the words of truth; you came from God, and if we follow in your footsteps we cannot miss the way.
23 Then Jesus and the six disciples sat a long, long time in silent thought.
Jesus visits John at the Jordan. Delivers his first Christine address to the people. The address. He goes with his disciples to Bethany.
Now, on the morrow Jesus came again and stood with John beside the ford; and John prevailed on him to speak, and standing forth he said,
2 You men of Israel, hear! The kingdom is at hand.
3 Behold the great key-keeper of the age stands in your midst; and with the spirit of Elijah he has come.
4 Behold, for he has turned the key; the mighty gates fly wide and all who will may greet the king.
5 Behold these multitudes of women, children, men! they throng the avenues, they crowd the outer courts; each seems to be intent to be the first to meet the king.
6 Behold, the censor comes and calls, Whoever will may come; but he who comes must will to prune himself of every evil thought;
7 Must overcome desire to gratify the lower self; must give his life to save the lost.
8 The nearer to the kingdom gate you come, more spacious is the room; the multitudes have gone.
9 If men could come unto the kingdom with their carnal thoughts, their passions and desires, there scarcely would be room for all.
10 But when they cannot take these through the narrow gate they turn away; the few are ready to go in and see the king.
11 Behold, John is a mighty fisher, fishing for the souls of men. He throws his great net out into the sea of human life; he draws it in and it is full.
12 But what a medley catch! a catch of crabs, and lobsters, sharks and creeping things, with now and then a fish of better kind.
13 Behold, the thousands come to hear the Wild Man of the hills; they come in crowds that he may wash them in the crystal flood, and with their lips they do confess their sins.
14 But when the morrow comes we find them in their haunts of vice again, reviling John, and cursing God, and heaping insults on the king.
15 But blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see the king.
16 And blessed are the strong in heart, for they shall not be cast about by every wind that blows;
17 But while the fickle and the thoughtless have gone back to Egypt land for leeks and carnal herbs to satisfy their appetites, the pure in heart have found the king.
18 But even those whose faith is weak, and who are naught but carnal manifests, will some day come again, and enter in with joy to see the king.
19 O men of Israel, take heed to what this prophet has to say! Be strong in mind; be pure in heart; be vigilant in helpfulness; the kingdom is at hand.
20 When Jesus had thus said he went his way, and with his six disciples came to Bethany; and they abode with Lazarus many days.
Jesus speaks to the people in Bethany. Tells them how to become pure in heart. Goes to Jerusalem and in the temple reads from a prophetic book. Goes to Nazareth.
The news soon spread abroad that Jesus, king of Israel, had come to Bethany, and all the people of the town came forth to greet the king.
2 And Jesus, standing in the midst of them exclaimed, Behold, indeed, the king has come, but Jesus is not king.
3 The kingdom truly is at hand; but men can see it not with carnal eyes; they cannot see the king upon the throne.
4 This is the kingdom of the soul; its throne is not an earthly throne; its king is not a man.
5 When human kings found kingdoms here, they conquer other kings by force of arms; one kingdom rises on the ruins of another one.
6 But when our Father-God sets up the kingdom of the soul, he pours his blessings forth, like rain, upon the thrones of earthly kings who rule in righteousness.
7 It is not rule that God would overthrow; his sword is raised against injustice, wantonness and crime.
8 Now, while the kings of Rome do justice, and love mercy and walk humbly with their God, the benediction of the Triune God will rest upon them all.
9 They need not fear a messenger whom God sends forth to earth.
10 I am not sent to sit upon a throne to rule as Cæsar rules; and you may tell the ruler of the Jews that I am not a claimant for his throne.
11 Men call me Christ, and God has recognized the name; but Christ is not a man. The Christ is universal love, and Love is king.
12 This Jesus is but man who has been fitted by temptations overcome, by trials multiform, to be the temple through which Christ can manifest to men.
13 Then hear, you men of Israel, hear! Look not upon the flesh; it is not king. Look to the Christ within, who shall be formed in every one of you, as he is formed in me.
14 When you have purified your hearts by faith, the king will enter in, and you will see his face.
15 And then the people asked, What must we do that we may make our bodies fit abiding places for the king?
16 And Jesus said, Whatever tends to purity in thought, and word, and deed will cleanse the temple of the flesh.
17 There are no rules that can apply to all, for men are specialists in sin; each has his own besetting sin,
18 And each must study for himself how he can best transmute his tendency to evil things to that of righteousness and love.
19 Until men reach the higher plane, and get away from selfishness, this rule will give the best results:
20 Do unto other men what you would have them do to you.
21 And many of the people said, We know that Jesus is the Christ, the king who was to come, and blessed be his name.
22 Now, Jesus and his six disciples turned their faces toward Jerusalem, and many people followed them.
23 But Mathew, son of Alpheus, ran on before, and when he reached Jerusalem, he said, Behold the Christines come! The multitudes came forth to see the king.
24 But Jesus did not speak to any one until he reached the temple court, and then he opened up a book and read:
25 Behold, I send my messenger, and he will pave the way, and Christ, for whom you wait, will come unto his temple unannounced. Behold, for he will come, says God, the Lord of hosts.
26 And then he closed the book; he said no more; he left the temple halls, and with his six disciples, went his way to Nazareth,
27 And they abode with Mary, Jesus’ mother, and her sister, Miriam.
Jesus and the ruler of the synagogue of Nazareth. Jesus teaches not in public, and the people are amazed.
Next day as Peter walked about in Nazareth, he met the ruler of the synagogue who asked, Who is this Jesus lately come to Nazareth?
2 And Peter said, This Jesus is the Christ of whom our prophets wrote; he is the king of Israel. His mother, Mary, lives on Marmion Way.
3 The ruler said, Tell him to come up to the synagogue, for I would hear his plea.
4 And Peter ran and told to Jesus what the ruler said; but Jesus answered not; he went not to the synagogue.
5 Then in the evening time the ruler came up Marmion Way, and in the home of Mary found he Jesus and his mother all alone.
6 And when the ruler asked for proof of his messiahship, and why he went not to the synagogue when he was bidden, Jesus said,
7 I am not slave to any man; I am not called unto this ministry by priest. It is not mine to answer when men call. I come the Christ of God; I answer unto God alone.
8 Who gave you right to ask for proof of my messiahship? My proof lies in my words and works, and so if you will follow me you will not lack for proof.
9 And then the ruler went his way; he asked himself, What manner of a man is this to disregard the ruler of the synagogue?
10 The people of the town came out in throngs to see the Christ, and hear him speak; but Jesus said,
11 A prophet has no honor in his native town, among his kin.
12 I will not speak in Nazareth until the words I speak, and works I do in other towns have won the faith of men,
13 Until men know that God has christed me to manifest eternal love.
14 Good will to you, my kin; I bless you with a boundless love, and I bespeak for you abundant joy and happiness.
15 He said no more, and all the people marveled much because he would not speak in Nazareth.
Jesus and his disciples at a marriage feast in Cana. Jesus speaks on marriage. He turns water into wine. The people are amazed.
In Cana, Galilee, there was a marriage feast, and Mary and her sister Miriam, and Jesus and his six disciples were among the guests.
2 The ruler of the feast had heard that Jesus was a master sent from God, and he requested him to speak.
3 And Jesus said, There is no tie more sacred than the marriage tie.
4 The chain that binds two souls in love is made in heaven, and man can never sever it in twain,
5 The lower passions of the twain may cause a union of the twain, a union as when oil and water meet.
6 And then a priest may forge a chain, and bind the twain. This is not marriage genuine; it is a counterfeit.
7 The twain are guilty of adultery; the priest is party to the crime. And that was all that Jesus said.
8 As Jesus stood apart in silent thought his mother came and said to him, The wine has failed; what shall we do?
9 And Jesus said, Pray what is wine? It is but water with the flavoring of grapes.
10 And what are grapes? They are but certain kinds of thought made manifest, and I can manifest that thought, and water will be wine.
11 He called the servants, and he said to them, Bring in six water pots of stone, a pot for each of these, my followers, and fill them up with water to the brims,
12 The servants brought the water pots, and filled them to their brims.
13 And Jesus with a mighty thought stirred up the ethers till they reached the manifest, and, lo, the water blushed, and turned to wine.
14 The servants took the wine and gave it to the ruler of the feast who called the bridegroom in and said to him,
15 This wine is best of all; most people when they give a feast bring in the best wine at the first; but, lo, you have reserved the best until the last.
16 And when the ruler and the guests were told that Jesus, by the power of thought, had turned the water into wine, they were amazed;
17 They said, This man is more than man; he surely is the christed one who prophets of the olden times declared would come.
18 And many of the guests believed on him, and gladly would have followed him.
Jesus, his six disciples and his mother, go to Capernaum. Jesus teaches the people, revealing the difference between the kings of earth and the kings of heaven.
The city of Capernaum was by the sea of Galilee, and Peter’s home was there. The homes of Andrew, John and James were near,
2 These men were fishermen, and must return to tend their nets, and they prevailed on Jesus and his mother to accompany them, and soon with Philip and Nathaniel they were resting by the sea in Peter’s home.
3 The news spread through the city and along the shore that Judah’s king had come, and multitudes drew near to press his hand.
4 And Jesus said, I cannot show the king, unless you see with eyes of soul, because the kingdom of the king is in the soul.
5 And every soul a kingdom is. There is a king for every man.
6 This king is love, and when this love becomes the greatest power in life, it is the Christ; so Christ is king.
7 And every one may have this Christ dwell in his soul, as Christ dwells in my soul.
8 The body is the temple of the king, and men may call a holy man a king.
9 He who will cleanse his mortal form and make it pure, so pure that love and righteousness may dwell unsullied side by side within its walls, is king.
10 The kings of earth are clothed in royal robes, and sit in state that men may stand in awe of them.
11 A king of heaven may wear a fisher’s garb; may sit in mart of trade; may till the soil, or be a gleaner in the field; may be a slave in mortal chains;
12 May be adjudged a criminal by men; may languish in a prison cell; may die upon a cross.
13 Men seldom see what others truly are. The human senses sense what seems to be, and that which seems to be and that which is, may be diverse in every way.
14 The carnal man beholds the outer man, which is the temple of the king, and worships at his shrine.
15 The man of God is pure in heart; he sees the king; he sees with eyes of soul;
16 And when he rises to the plane of Christine consciousness, he knows that he himself is king, is love, is Christ, and so is son of God.
17 You men of Galilee, prepare to meet your king.
18 And Jesus taught the people many lessons as he walked with them beside the sea.
Jesus in Jerusalem. Drives the merchants out of the temple. The priests resent, and he defends himself from the standpoint of a loyal Jew. He speaks to the people.
The Jewish paschal feast time came and Jesus left his mother in Capernaum and journeyed to Jerusalem.
2 And he abode with one a Sadducee, whose name was Jude.
3 And when he reached the temple courts the multitudes were there to see the prophet whom the people thought had come to break the yoke of Rome, restore the kingdom of the Jews, and rule on David’s throne.
4 And when the people saw him come they said, All hail! behold the king!
5 But Jesus answered not; he saw the money changers in the house of God, and he was grieved.
6 The courts had been converted into marts of trade, and men were selling lambs and doves for offerings in sacrifice.
7 And Jesus called the priests and said, Behold, for paltry gain you have sold out the temple of the Lord.
8 This house ordained for prayer is now a den of thieves. Can good and evil dwell together in the courts of God? I tell you, no.
9 And then he made a scourge of cords and drove the merchants out; he overturned their boards, and threw their money on the floor.
10 He opened up the cages of the captive birds, and cut the cords that bound the lambs, and set them free.
11 The priests and scribes rushed out, and would have done him harm, but they were driven back; the common people stood in his defense.
12 And then the rulers said, Who is this Jesus you call king?
13 The people said, He is the Christ of whom our prophets wrote; he is the king who will deliver Israel.
14 The rulers said to Jesus, Man, if you be king, or Christ, then show us signs. Who gave you right to drive these merchants out?
15 And Jesus said, There is no loyal Jew who would not give his life to save this temple from disgrace; in this I acted simply as a loyal Jew, and you yourselves will bear me witness to this truth.
16 The signs of my messiahship will follow me in words and deeds.
17 And you may tear the temple down (and you will tear it down) and in three days it will be built again more glorious than before.
18 Now Jesus meant that they might take his life; tear down his body, temple of the Holy Breath, and he would rise again.
19 The Jews knew not the meaning of his words; they laughed his claims to scorn. They said,
20 A multitude of men were forty and six years in building up this house, and this young stranger claims that he will build it up in three score hours; his words are idle, and his claims are naught.
21 And then they took the scourge with which he drove the merchants out, and would have driven him away; but Philo, who had come from Egypt to attend the feast, stood forth and said,
22 You men of Israel, hear! This man is more than man; take heed to what you do. I have, myself, heard Jesus speak, and all the winds were still.
23 And I have seen him touch the sick, and they were healed. He stands a sage above the sages of the world;
24 And you will see his star arise, and it will grow until it is the full-orbed Sun of Righteousness.
25 Do not be hasty, men; just wait and you will have the proofs of his messiahship.
26 And then the priests laid down the scourge, and Jesus said,
27 Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king! But you can never see the king while you press sin as such a precious idol to your hearts.
28 The king is God; the pure in heart alone can see the face of God and live.
29 And then the priests cried out, This fellow claims to be the God. Is not this sacrilege! away with him!
30 But Jesus said, No man has ever heard me say, I am a king. Our Father-God is king. With every loyal Jew I worship God.
31 I am the candle of the Lord aflame to light the way; and while you have the light walk in the light.
Jesus again visits the temple, and is favorably received by the people. Tells the parable of a king and his sons. Defines messiahship.
Next day the multitudes were surging through the temple courts, intent on hearing Jesus speak.
2 And when he came the people said, All hail! behold the king!
3 And Jesus spoke a parable; he said, A king had vast domains; his people all were kin, and lived in peace.
4 Now, after many years the king said to his people, Take these lands and all I have; enhance their values; rule yourselves, and live in peace.
5 And then the people formed their states; selected governors and petty kings.
6 But pride, ambition, selfish greed, and base ingratitude grew fast, and kings began to war.
7 They wrote in all their statute books that might is right; and then the strong destroyed the weak, and chaos reigned through all the vast domain.
8 A long time passed, and then the king looked out on his domain. He saw his people in their cruel wars; he saw them sick and sore distressed; he saw the strong enslave the weak,
9 And then he said, What shall I do? Shall I send forth a scourge? shall I destroy my people all?
10 And then his heart was stirred with pity and he said, I will not send a scourge; I will send forth my only son, heir to the throne, to teach the people love, and peace, and righteousness.
11 He sent his son; the people scorned him and maltreated him, and nailed him to a cross.
12 He was entombed; but death was far too weak to hold the prince, and he arose.
13 He took a form man could not kill; and then he went again to teach the people love, and peace and righteousness.
14 And thus God deals with men.
15 A lawyer came and asked, What does messiah mean? and who has right to make messiah of a man?
16 And Jesus said, Messiah is one sent from God to seek and save the lost. Messiahs are not made by men.
17 In first of every age Messiah comes to light the way; to heal up broken hearts; to set the prisoners free. Messiah and the Christ are one.
18 Because a man claims to be Christ is not a sign that he is Christ.
19 A man may cause the streams to flow from flinty rocks; may bring on storms at will; may stay tempestuous winds; may heal the sick and raise the dead, and not be sent from God.
20 All nature is subservient to the will of man, and evil men, as well as good, have all the powers of mind, and may control the elements.
21 The head gives not the proof of true messiahship, for man by means of intellect, can never know of God, nor bring himself to walk in light.
22 Messiah lives not in the head, but in the heart, the seat of mercy and of love.
23 Messiah never works for selfish gains; he stands above the carnal self; his words and deeds are for the universal good.
24 Messiah never tries to be a king, to wear a crown and sit upon an earthly throne.
25 The king is earthy, of the earth; Messiah is the man from heaven.
26 And then the lawyer asked, Why do you pose as king?
27 And Jesus said, No man has ever heard me say that I am king. I could not sit in Cæsar’s place and be the Christ.
28 Give unto Cæsar what belongs to him; give unto God the treasures of your heart.
Jesus heals on the Sabbath, and is censured by the Pharisees. Restores a drowned child. Rescues a wounded dog. Cares for a homeless child. Speaks on the law of kindness.
It was the Sabbath day, and Jesus stood among the surging masses of the people in the temple courts and sacred halls.
2 The blind, the deaf, the dumb, and those obsessed were there, and Jesus spoke the Word, and they were healed.
3 On some he laid his hands, and they were healed; to others he just spoke the Word, and they were full restored to health; but others had to go and wash in certain pools; and others he anointed with a holy oil.
4 A doctor asked him why he healed in divers ways, and he replied,
5 Disease is discord in the human form, and discords are produced in many ways.
6 The body is a harpsichord; sometimes the strings are too relaxed, and then inharmony results.
7 Sometimes we find the strings too tense, and then another form of discord is induced.
8 Disease is many-formed, and there are many ways to cure, to tune anew the mystic harpsichord.
9 Now when the Pharisees were told that Jesus healed the people on the Sabbath day they were enraged, and they commanded him to quit the place.
10 But Jesus said, Was man designed to fit the Sabbath day, or was the Sabbath day designed to fit the man?
11 If you had fallen in a pit and, lo, the Sabbath day had come, and I should pass your way, would you cry out,
12 Let me alone; it is a sin to help me on the Sabbath day; I’ll swelter in this filth until another day?
13 You Pharisees, you hypocrites! you know you would be glad to have my help upon the Sabbath day, or any other day.
14 These people all have fallen into pits, and they are calling loud for me to help them out, and man and God would curse me should I pass along and heed them not.
15 And then the Pharisees returned to say their prayers, and curse the man of God because he heeded not their words.
16 Now, in the evening Jesus stood beside a pool; a playful child had fallen in, and it was drowned, and friends were bearing it away.
17 But Jesus called the carriers to stop; and then he stretched himself upon the lifeless form, and breathed into its mouth the breath of life.
18 And then he called aloud unto the soul that had gone out, and it returned; the child revived and lived.
19 And Jesus saw a wounded dog; it could not move; it lay beside the way and groaned with pain. He took it in his arms and bore it to the home where he abode.
20 He poured the healing oil into the wounds; he cared for it as though it were a child till it was strong and well.
21 And Jesus saw a little boy who had no home, and he was hungry; when he called for bread the people turned away.
22 And Jesus took the child and gave him bread; he wrapped him in his own warm coat, and found for him a home.
23 To those who followed him the master said, If man would gain again his lost estate he must respect the brotherhood of life.
24 Whoever is not kind to every form of life—to man, to beast, to bird, and creeping thing—cannot expect the blessings of the Holy One; for as we give, so God will give to us.
Nicodemus visits Jesus in the night. Jesus reveals to him the meaning of the new birth and the kingdom of heaven.
Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews, and he was earnest, learned and devout.
2 He saw the master’s signet in the face of Jesus as he talked, but was not brave enough to publicly confess his faith in him;
3 So in the night he went to talk with Jesus at the home of Jude.
4 When Jesus saw him come he said, Full blessed are the pure in heart;
5 Twice blessed are the fearless, pure in heart;
6 Thrice blessed are the fearless, pure in heart who dare to make confession of their faith before the highest courts.
7 And Nicodemus said, Hail, master, hail! I know you are a teacher come from God, for man alone could never teach as you have taught; could never do the works that you have done.
8 And Jesus said, Except a man be born again he cannot see the king; he cannot comprehend the words I speak.
9 And Nicodemus said, How can a man be born again? Can he go back into the womb and come again to life?
10 And Jesus said, The birth of which I speak is not the birth of flesh.
11 Except a man be born of water and the Holy Breath, he cannot come into the kingdom of the Holy One.
12 That which is born of flesh is child of man; that which is born of Holy Breath is child of God.
13 The winds blow where they please; men hear their voices, and may note results; but they know not from whence they come, nor where they go; and so is every one that is born of Holy Breath.
14 The ruler said, I do not understand; pray tell me plainly what you mean.
15 And Jesus said, The kingdom of the Holy One is in the soul; men cannot see it with their carnal eyes; with all their reasoning powers they comprehend it not.
16 It is a life deep hid in God; its recognition is the work of inner consciousness.
17 The kingdoms of the world are kingdoms of the sight; the kingdom of the Holy One is that of faith; its king is love.
18 Men cannot see the love of God unmanifest, and so our Father-God has clothed this love with flesh—flesh of a son of man.
19 And that the world may see and know this love made manifest, the son of man must needs be lifted up.
20 As Moses in the wilderness raised up the serpent for the healing of the flesh, the son of man must be raised up.
21 That all men bitten by the serpent of the dust, the serpent of this carnal life, may live.
22 He who believes in him shall have eternal life.
23 For God so loved the world that he sent forth his only son to be raised up that men may see the love of God.
24 God did not send his son to judge the world; he sent him forth to save the world; to bring men to the light.
25 But men love not the light, for light reveals their wickedness; men love the dark.
26 Now, every one who loves the truth comes to the light; he does not fear to have his works made manifest.
27 The light had come, and Nicodemus went his way; he knew the meaning of the birth of Holy Breath; he felt the presence of the Spirit in his soul.
28 And Jesus tarried in Jerusalem for many days and taught and healed the sick.
29 The common people gladly listened to his words, and many left their all of carnal things and followed him.