Part 20 (2/2)

Doubting disciples

The disciples apprehended their Master better than 136:30 did others; but they did not comprehend all that he said and did, or they would not have questioned him so often. Jesus patiently persisted in 137:1 teaching and demonstrating the truth of being. His stu- dents saw this power of Truth heal the sick, cast out evil, 137:3 raise the dead; but the ultimate of this wonderful work was not spiritually discerned, even by them, until after the crucifixion, when their immaculate Teacher stood before 137:6 them, the victor over sickness, sin, disease, death, and the grave.

Yearning to be understood, the Master repeated, 137:9 ”But whom say _ye_ that I am?” This renewed inquiry meant: Who or what is it that is able to do the work, so mysterious to the popular mind? In his rejection of the 137:12 answer already given and his renewal of the question, it is plain that Jesus completely eschewed the narrow opinion implied in their citation of the common report 137:15 about him.

A divine response

With his usual impetuosity, Simon replied for his brethren, and his reply set forth a great fact: ”Thou 137:18 art the Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d!”

That is: The Messiah is what thou hast de- clared, - Christ, the spirit of G.o.d, of Truth, Life, and 137:21 Love, which heals mentally. This a.s.sertion elicited from Jesus the benediction, ”Blessed art thou, Simon Bar- jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, 137:24 but my Father which is in heaven;” that is, Love hath shown thee the way of Life!

The true and living rock

Before this the impetuous disciple had been called 137:27 only by his common names, Simon Bar-jona, or son of Jona; but now the Master gave him a spir- itual name in these words: ”And I say also 137:30 unto thee, That thou art Peter; and upon this rock [the meaning of the Greek word _petros_, or _stone_] I will build my church; and the gates of h.e.l.l [_hades_, the _under_- 138:1 _world_, or the _grave_] shall not prevail against it.” In other words, Jesus purposed founding his society, not 138:3 on the personal Peter as a mortal, but on the G.o.d- power which lay behind Peter's confession of the true Messiah.

Sublime summary

138:6 It was now evident to Peter that divine Life, Truth, and Love, and not a human personality, was the healer of the sick and a rock, a firm foundation in the realm 138:9 of harmony. On this spiritually scientific basis Jesus explained his cures, which appeared miraculous to outsiders. He showed that diseases were cast out neither 138:12 by corporeality, by _materia medica_, nor by hygiene, but by the divine Spirit, casting out the errors of mortal mind.

The supremacy of Spirit was the foundation on which 138:15 Jesus built. His sublime summary points to the religion of Love.

New era in Jesus

Jesus established in the Christian era the precedent for 138:18 all Christianity, theology, and healing. Christians are under as direct orders now, as they were then, to be Christlike, to possess the Christ-spirit, to 138:21 follow the Christ-example, and to heal the sick as well as the sinning. It is easier for Christianity to cast out sick- ness than sin, for the sick are more willing to part with 138:24 pain than are sinners to give up the sinful, so-called pleas- ure of the senses. The Christian can prove this to-day as readily is it was proved centuries ago.

Healthful theology

138:27 Our Master said to every follower: ”Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature! ...

Heal the sick! ... Love thy neighbor as 138:30 thyself!” It was this theology of Jesus which healed the sick and the sinning. It is his theology in this book and the spiritual meaning of this theology, which 139:1 heals the sick and causes the wicked to ”forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.” It was our Mas- 139:3 ter's theology which the impious sought to destroy.

Marvels and reformations

From beginning to end, the Scriptures are full of accounts of the triumph of Spirit, Mind, over matter.

139:6 Moses proved the power of Mind by what men called miracles; so did Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha. The Christian era was ushered in with signs and 139:9 wonders. Reforms have commonly been attended with bloodshed and persecution, even when the end has been brightness and peace; but the present new, yet old, re- 139:12 form in religious faith will teach men patiently and wisely to stem the tide of sectarian bitterness, whenever it flows inward.

Science obscured

139:15 The decisions by vote of Church Councils as to what should and should not be considered Holy Writ; the man- ifest mistakes in the ancient versions; the 139:18 thirty thousand different readings in the Old Testament, and the three hundred thousand in the New, - these facts show how a mortal and material sense stole 139:21 into the divine record, with its own hue darkening to some extent the inspired pages. But mistakes could neither wholly obscure the divine Science of the Scriptures seen 139:24 from Genesis to Revelation, mar the demonstration of Jesus, nor annul the healing by the prophets, who foresaw that ”the stone which the builders rejected” would be- 139:27 come ”the head of the corner.”

Opponents benefited

Atheism, pantheism, theosophy, and agnosticism are opposed to Christian Science, as they are to ordinary re- 139:30 ligion; but it does not follow that the profane or atheistic invalid cannot be healed by Chris- tian Science. The moral condition of such a man de- 140:1 mands the remedy of Truth more than it is needed in most cases; and Science is more than usually effectual in the 140:3 treatment of moral ailments.

G.o.d invisible to the senses

That G.o.d is a corporeal being, n.o.body can truly affirm.

The Bible represents Him as saying: ”Thou canst not 140:6 see My face; for there shall no man see Me and live.” Not materially but spiritually we know Him as divine Mind, as Life, Truth, and Love. We 140:9 shall obey and adore in proportion as we apprehend the divine nature and love Him understandingly, warring no more over the corporeality, but rejoicing in the affluence 140:12 of our G.o.d. Religion will then be of the heart and not of the head. Mankind will no longer be tyrannical and pro- scriptive from lack of love, - straining out gnats and 140:15 swallowing camels.

The true wors.h.i.+p

We wors.h.i.+p spiritually, only as we cease to wors.h.i.+p materially. Spiritual devoutness is the soul of Chris- 140:18 tianity. Wors.h.i.+pping through the medium of matter is paganism. Judaic and other rituals are but types and shadows of true wors.h.i.+p. ”The true 140:21 wors.h.i.+ppers shall wors.h.i.+p the Father in spirit and in truth.”

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