Part 7 (1/2)

They who earliest saw Jesus after the resurrection and beheld the final proof of all that he had taught, 45:24 misconstrued that event. Even his disciples at first called him a spirit, ghost, or spectre, for they believed his body to be dead. His reply was: 45:27 ”Spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

The reappearing of Jesus was not the return of a spirit.

He presented the same body that he had before his cru- 45:30 cifixion, and so glorified the supremacy of Mind over matter.

Jesus' students, not sufficiently advanced fully to un- 46:1 derstand their Master's triumph, did not perform many wonderful works, until they saw him after his crucifixion 46:3 and learned that he had not died. This convinced them of the truthfulness of all that he had taught.

Spiritual interpretation

In the walk to Emmaus, Jesus was known to his friends 46:6 by the words, which made their hearts burn within them, and by the breaking of bread. The divine Spirit, which identified Jesus thus centuries 46:9 ago, has spoken through the inspired Word and will speak through it in every age and clime. It is revealed to the receptive heart, and is again seen casting out evil and 46:12 healing the sick.

Corporeality and Spirit

The Master said plainly that physique was not Spirit, and after his resurrection he proved to the physical senses 46:15 that his body was not changed until he himself ascended, - or, in other words, rose even higher in the understanding of Spirit, G.o.d. To convince 46:18 Thomas of this, Jesus caused him to examine the nail- prints and the spear-wound.

Spiritual ascension

Jesus' unchanged physical condition after what seemed 46:21 to be death was followed by his exaltation above all ma- terial conditions; and this exaltation explained his ascension, and revealed unmistakably a 46:24 probationary and progressive state beyond the grave.

Jesus was ”the way;” that is, he marked the way for all men. In his final demonstration, called the ascen- 46:27 sion, which closed the earthly record of Jesus, he rose above the physical knowledge of his disciples, and the material senses saw him no more.

Pentecostal power

46:30 His students then received the Holy Ghost. By this is meant, that by all they had witnessed and suffered, they were roused to an enlarged understanding of divine Sci- 47:1 ence, even to the spiritual interpretation and discernment of Jesus' teachings and demonstrations, which gave them 47:3 a faint conception of the Life which is G.o.d.

They no longer measured man by material sense. After gaining the true idea of their glorified Master, 47:6 they became better healers, leaning no longer on matter, but on the divine Principle of their work. The influx of light was sudden. It was sometimes an overwhelming 47:9 power as on the Day of Pentecost.

The traitor's conspiracy

Judas conspired against Jesus. The world's ingrat.i.tude and hatred towards that just man effected his betrayal.

47:12 The traitor's price was thirty pieces of silver and the smiles of the Pharisees. He chose his time, when the people were in doubt concerning Jesus'

47:15 teachings.

A period was approaching which would reveal the in- finite distance between Judas and his Master. Judas 47:18 Iscariot knew this. He knew that the great goodness of that Master placed a gulf between Jesus and his betrayer, and this spiritual distance inflamed Judas' envy. The 47:21 greed for gold strengthened his ingrat.i.tude, and for a time quieted his remorse. He knew that the world generally loves a lie better than Truth; and so he plotted the be- 47:24 trayal of Jesus in order to raise himself in popular esti- mation. His dark plot fell to the ground, and the traitor fell with it.

47:27 The disciples' desertion of their Master in his last earthly struggle was punished; each one came to a vio- lent death except St. John, of whose death we have no 47:30 record.

Gethsemane glorified

During his night of gloom and glory in the garden, Jesus realized the utter error of a belief in any possi- 48:1 ble material intelligence. The pangs of neglect and the staves of bigoted ignorance smote him sorely. His stu- 48:3 dents slept. He said unto them: ”Could ye not watch with me one hour?” Could they not watch with him who, waiting and struggling in voice- 48:6 less agony, held uncomplaining guard over a world?

There was no response to that human yearning, and so Jesus turned forever away from earth to heaven, from 48:9 sense to Soul.

Remembering the sweat of agony which fell in holy benediction on the gra.s.s of Gethsemane, shall the hum- 48:12 blest or mightiest disciple murmur when he drinks from the same cup, and think, or even wish, to escape the exalt- ing ordeal of sin's revenge on its destroyer? Truth and 48:15 Love bestow few palms until the consummation of a life-work.

Defensive weapons

Judas had the world's weapons. Jesus had not one 48:18 of them, and chose not the world's means of defence.

”He opened not his mouth.” The great dem- onstrator of Truth and Love was silent before 48:21 envy and hate. Peter would have smitten the enemies of his Master, but Jesus forbade him, thus rebuking re- sentment or animal courage. He said: ”Put up thy 48:24 sword.”

Pilate's question

Pale in the presence of his own momentous question, ”What is Truth,” Pilate was drawn into acquiescence 48:27 with the demands of Jesus' enemies. Pilate was ignorant of the consequences of his awful decision against human rights and divine Love, knowing 48:30 not that he was hastening the final demonstration of what life is and of what the true knowledge of G.o.d can do for man.