What did HE say? (continued)
IF I BE LIFTED UP
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).
We ended yesterday in the midst of a discussion between the Master and the people who had gathered to see Him and our commentary on the meaning of His words “if I be lifted up” as to what they mean. Jesus eschewed idle words and we know this because He cautions us saying: “but I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof“. So knowing that every word had a purpose, we now go on with our discussion of His words. Because of the context in which the Master says “if I be lifted up“, we said that its purpose was to tell them, if they could but understand, and to tell us also that we are bound to follow Him as a people eventually once He had set His plan in motion by His crucifixion, His resurrection and His ascension. We are bound to follow Him and to turn away from the influences of the the “prince of this world”; these influences will “be cast out” by us ourselves as He draws us closer to Himself. Generation after generation, group after group all people will come to His realization of Love and Brotherhood and the Universality of God……eventually. Ponder on this.
◊ In the crucifixion is displayed the Earthly Love that He had for all; remember His saying “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:13-14). Here is the depth of the Love that Jesus taught; He gave His life for us that follow Him. Although He knew the mysteries of Life, there is a great sacrifice in putting down the flesh and enduring the pain and the suffering willingly and meekly.
◊ In the resurrection is displayed the overcoming of the world and the Earthly life. The message to us that this life is here and then gone but the reality of our spiritual selves goes on. He showed us the reality and the power of life as Spirit. He appeared to many in different forms; appeared among them from nowhere and vanished and could be as solid as we are and even to eat with them. Let us look:
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He appeared to them in different forms: “After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country” (Mark 16:12) and “…she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener” (John 20:14-15) and “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord” (John 21:12).
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He appeared from no where and vanished: “and their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight” (Luke 24:31) and “and after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said , Peace be unto you” (John 20:26).
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He appeared in solid human form as Himself and did eat: “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him” and “Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise” (John 21:13).
Now this is all remarkable. It is little addressed in sermons but it is a reality of the Resurrected Jesus. He shows us here, if we want to see it, that the body is just that a body. It is not our identification, the disciples and Mary know it is Him even when it does not look like Him. He shows us here the power of the Spirit in its ability to appear and disappear at will and to take on different forms and densities. He has power over all the elements; they are at His command and at ours when we are as Jesus and at one with God. He told us that “the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 12:12).
◊ In His ascension is displayed His oneness with the Father. A oneness that He knew and understood and one that we need to discover and then understand. This is the whole message of the Kingdom of God that Jesus teaches us. Remember that in leaving we know not where He went. Appearances being what they are we should know that heaven is not in the sky nor are the like the imaginings of the church fathers; if Jesus tells us it is within us, that should suffice. Only Luke gives the idea that Jesus went up as he says that “while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9) and “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51); perhaps this was better that just disappearing. The more important part is in His saying “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). This is our key; and this is the reality in His ascension. He never really left us.
By these three means of being lifted up the Master began the fulfill the process that will “draw all men unto” Him. Two thousand plus years later this is still working out in the world and with the advent of this New Age that we are entering into the process will continue. The theme for the Age of Aquarius is Love, Brotherhood and Harmony, Peace, Understanding; all qualities that will help to assure that the world will eventually be drawn to the power of the Living Christ. If you search the scriptures you will find that all this is exactly what the Master taught.
There is one more place where Jesus makes mention of this saying of lifted up and it is in the way of a prediction of what is to happen as well. In the previous verse the prediction is that all men will be drawn to Him and in this He means His teaching and His character more that He means Himself as a person although this has been the common interpretation; this is a discussion for another day. This other prediction is more immediate to Jesus’ time but has equal meaning for us today. He says: “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (John 8:28).
Hanged on the cross, resurrected and ascended are the visible signs to all at that time that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. While many did believe in what and who He was the rulers and the Pharisees for the most part did not. He tells them here that they will believe when all is done; that they may not accept it but that they will know by what happens that He is. We today know as well. All who hear the story of the Master with an open heart and an open mind will believe that He is who He said He is and, so, there are millions upon millions of believers. But what is gained by believing that He is the Son if this belief has no effect on our lives. James says it this way: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” which he says in regard to works and he continues with “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead” (James 2:19-20). What is James saying? That if by all the things that are presented to you, you come to believe but do nothing to use that belief according to His teachings it is rather worthless, for even the vilest of people can believe and not do.
We will close this discussion on if I be lifted up by going back in the verse where Jesus says that all men will be drawn to Him. There is a response by the people asking “We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou , The Son of man must be lifted up ? who is this Son of man?” (John 12:34). We should see from this that the people, we don’t know who but Pharisees were among them, did not have any spiritual discernment regarding the nature of Christ but that they did understand that He was speaking of His death. I mention this only as a note; regardless of what or how they thought, Jesus does not answer their question but tells them the spiritual fact that: “….Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light….” (John 12:35-36). The same is true for us today. However, we need to see that it is our lives that are short and whenever we come into the Light we should take opportunity to walk in it and to not wander back into the darkness that is life in this world without God.
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” is a promise and a commitment from the Master that will not happen for each individual that we know today or has it from history. In the great mystery of life we need to look beyond what we have learned of Earthly things to understand this statement. Eventually all will come home to the Father’s House.
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
I leave the Quote of the Day from yesterday again.
Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate.
Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted.
Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled.
Live in joy, without possessions.
Like the shining ones.
The winner sows hatred because the loser suffers.
Let go of winning and losing and find joy.
There is no fire like passion, no crime like hatred,
No sorrow like separation, no sickness like hunger,
And no joy like the joy of freedom.
Today’s Quote of the Day is from the Dhammapada (on JOY)*◊; a collection of the saying of the Buddha. Much the same as what we discuss In the Words of Jesus. And what is freedom but the release of our hearts and minds loving this life in this world and being in His Presence.
*◊ The Dhammapada Translated by Thomas Byrom
