Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
ON LOVE; PART CCVII
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GoodWill IS Love in Action
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“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren” (James 1:12-16).
We ended the last post with the Parable of the Mustard Seed that the Master offers as one of several of His sayings on the nature of the Kingdom of God and from the perspective of the man in form, some of these are not easy to understand insofar as the Master’s intent is concerned. His examples are not concerning topics that resonate with the man in the world today especially in the Western World of modern convenience where the mustard tree and even planting itself are not the norm. They are however examples for us of the reality of the Kingdom which He does tell us is within and to understand His words saying that “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-1) is to understand and to realize one of the foundations of Life in form in this world. Without KNOWING this Great Truth, it is not possible to properly discern the meaning of so much of what He says and in this is one of the fundamental failures of the doctrines of the churches which do not grasp, do not realize, this Truth. It may seem odd to claim that a doctrine has no realization of Truth but our intent here is to show that in the progression of doctrines over the centuries, many of the the men who promulgate them rely more upon past teachings and tradition that upon the simple words of the Master.
Looking again at the Parable of the Mustard Seed which for us today is clear as day but which may not have been so clear when we discussed it last, we find a simplicity in His words as they are reported to us by the three apostles in the synoptic gospels; there is little difference but we will post them all so that we have the fullest picture of the intent of the Master in giving us these words:
- From Matthew’s Gospel we read: “The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof” (Matthew 13:31-32).
- According to Mark as we posted yesterday: “Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it” (Mark 4:30-32).
- Luke tells this to us as: “Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it” (Luke 13:18-19).
The import of each is the same but the way of telling and the particulars are not. In the combination of the three there is the mustard seed which represents the Kingdom of God. In one version it is sowed intentionally, in another it is cast into the garden presumably without any intent and in the last, Mark’s version, the idea is that it does not matter how it gets planted and in this we should try to see a reality of Life. Some of us do, with great intent, choose to follow the Lord and the Kingdom is the goal and people of this ilk may carefully place the seed and care for it as it grows. Other’s, like those that Luke speaks of simply cast the seed into the garden with a more ‘let’s see what happens’ approach and in this they go about their lives. Most all of us can picture ourselves in one of these two classes and some may even see themselves in each for a time and we can liken one’s casting or his sowing of the mustard seed as one’s Repentance, one’s decision or choice to change. Mark takes a different approach, bypassing the how the mustard seed gets planted, he starts with the idea that it is in the Earth and emphasizes for us the idea that this seed “is less than all the seeds that be in the earth“; Matthew as well tells us of the nature of the mustard seed and we should understand in the use of the word least is the intent of small. We should try not to take this literally but try to see that the smallness of this seed in relation to the size of the mustard tree and we should remember most of all that this IS a parable.
Jesus is telling us that the mustard seed IS the representation of the Kingdom of God and we came upon this parable in the last post as we discussed the growing Transformation that we as aspirants must accomplish. Understanding that the Kingdom IS NOT a place, we can see this reality as ALL of these words, disciple, Soul, Transformed, Christ Within and God Within can each be interchanged with our conceptual understanding of the Kingdom. The Kingdom IS within us, Christ IS within us, God IS within us, and these can ALL be seen as the Soul and the state of being of the Soul. The idea of growing however in not in this state but rather in the state of the man in the world as is our understanding of Transformation which grows AS our expression in the world until such time as we are Transformed. And, at this point where we can be called Transformed, we can say as well that the Soul, the Christ Within, the God Within and the very Transformation that we have accomplished ARE being expressed through our form in our thoughts, or feelings and are the motivations to our actions. This IS what has grown from the spark of divinity that we have planted on our carnal lives and, as in the parable, it matters not how the spark, or the seed, came to be planted. In the end the Master tells us that this tree grows to be greater that all the other herbs and so with the man in whom the Transformation, the word of God as it flows from the Soul, has grown in his carnal Life. Can we see that it matters not what we call it, the Kingdom must grow in the consciousness of the man in form from the tiny seed that is sown by the prompting of the Soul and can likely better be understood in saying that it is our divinity that must grow in and through our Life in form. Then, in the greatness of this Kingdom as it grows within us, we can support and aid our brothers in the world of men.
By contrast, John Gill in his Exposition of the Bible tells us this of the parable as it is found in Matthew’s Gospel:
- The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: by “the kingdom of heaven” is meant, as before, the Gospel dispensation, or the Gospel church state, and the ministry of the word, and the administration of ordinances in it: by the grain of mustard seed, either the Gospel, or the people of God, or the grace of God in them; and by the man that took and sowed it, the Lord Jesus Christ; and by his field, in which he sowed it, the world, or his church throughout the world.
- Which indeed is the least of all seeds: So mustard with the Jews, is called (Myerz Nym), “a kind of seeds”; and being very small, hence (ldrxk), “as a grain of mustard”, is often used, proverbially, for the least thing, as it is by Christ. Not but there are seeds lesser than this; but the meaning is, that this is one of the least of all seeds; or was the least of seeds, which were commonly known in Judea; or the very least which grew to the size this sometimes did, and as here related. Now this is designed to express the small beginnings of the Gospel dispensation, of the ministry of the word, of the grace of God in the hearts of his people, and of the small number of them at first. The Gospel, and the ministry of it were like a grain of mustard seed, little, mean, and contemptible; the author of it, Christ, was so to the Jews, in his birth, parentage, education, and outward appearance; the subject of it a crucified Christ, and salvation by him; and the doctrines out of the reach, and contrary to carnal reason; the preachers of it, were persons of very mean and low life, few in number, weak, illiterate, and despicable, and the whole world against them; the circumstances which attended the Gospel were very discouraging; it was charged with novelty, represented as contrary to common sense, and the reason of mankind, and as opening a door to licentiousness; and was followed with violent opposition and persecution, wherever it went. The grace of God, which under the ministry of the word is implanted in the hearts of the Lord’s people, is at first very small, like a grain of mustard seed; it is a day of small things; faith in Christ is very weak and low, spiritual strength small, comfort little, experience of the love of God not large, light and knowledge in the doctrines of grace but very obscure and glimmering: the church of God, which sprung up under the ministry of the word, and through the work of grace, upon the hearts of particular persons, was like the small grain of mustard seed; the persons of which it consisted were but few in number in Christ’s time, and at his ascension into heaven, and when the Gospel was first preached among the Gentiles; and those persons which laid the foundation, and were at the beginning of the Gospel church state, made a very contemptible figure, by reason of their outward poverty, and mean circumstances in the world; and on account of the severe persecutions which every where attended them; and also through the errors and heresies introduced by evil men, that crept in among them.
- But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree: Luke says, “a great tree”, for to such a size did the mustard tree grow in the land of Judea, of which take the following instances. `At Shichin there was a mustard stalk, which had three branches, and one of them was cut down, and they covered a potter’s booth with it; and found in it (ldrx lv Nybq tvlv) , “three kabs of mustard seed” (elsewhere it is said, nine kabs). Says R. Simeon ben Chelphetha, I have one stalk of mustard seed in my field, and I go up to it, (hnath varb) (hlwek) , “as one goes up to the top of a fig tree”.” And though the mustard tree grew to this height and size, it was reckoned among herbs, as here by Christ; for they say, they do not put mustard in a field of fruits, but in a field of herbs.” All which serve to illustrate and confirm the account here given by Christ, and alluded to; and which expresses the very large growth and increase of the Gospel, and the ministry of it; of the grace of God in the heart, and of the church of Christ, and his interest in the world: of the Gospel, and the ministry of it, as to its large spread in the world; which at first was confined to the Jews, but was afterwards published to the Gentiles, and carried through the whole world; and, in ages since, has made a considerable progress, particularly at the Reformation; and will make a much greater one, towards the end of time: and of the grace of God in the heart, which gradually increases to a full assurance of understanding of hope, and of faith, and to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: and of the church of Christ, and his interest in the world; both as to the large numbers it did consist of in the times of the apostles, and since, and will more especially hereafter; for the church will fill the earth, and the kingdoms of the world will become the church, and all nations of the earth will flock unto it; the people of the Jews in general will be converted, and the fulness of the Gentiles will be brought in: as also with respect to the figure it will make through the great personages, the kings and princes of the earth, that will be in it; the great power and authority the saints will then have; the peace and prosperity that will be enjoyed by them; the spirituality, holiness, righteousness, love, and unity, there will be among them; as also the presence of God and of the Lamb, they will be favoured with; all which glory and happiness will be brought about by a plentiful effusion of the Spirit, and by the glorious appearance of Christ.
- So that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof: by “the birds of the air”, some think angels are meant, compared to “birds” for their harmlessness and innocence; for their readiness and swiftness to do the will of God; and for their warbling notes and tuneful songs of praise; and who may be called birds “of the air”, or heaven, because of their habitation: now these delight to be in the church, to be under the shadow of the Gospel ministry, and to look into the mysteries of it. Though rather, the saints and people of God are intended, who, in Scripture, are sometimes compared to particular birds; as to the eagle, the dove, and sparrow; and to birds in general, because timorous, weak, and defenceless, are exposed to danger, and wonderfully delivered, and are very subject to wander and go astray; and because of their chirpings, and singing songs of praise to their God and Redeemer; and to birds of the air or heaven, because they are heaven born souls, are partakers of the heavenly calling, and are pressing for, and soaring aloft towards the high calling of God in Christ: now the Gospel ministry, and the Gospel church state, are very useful to these; they “come” thereunto willingly, and cheerfully, deliberately, and with dependence on the grace and strength of Christ; humbly, under a sense of their own unworthiness, and yet with joy and thankfulness; heartily, and with their faces thitherwards, and they also “lodge” therein. This is what they desire, and their hearts are set upon; here they determine to be, and it is their happiness to be here; the shadow of Gospel ordinances is very delightful, very refreshing, and very fruitful to them, and under which saints dwell with great safety; and what a coming of these birds will there be hither, and a tabernacling of them herein, at the latter day! which are greatly designed in this part of the parable 8.
This is a lengthy analysis of these few words by the Master and, as you can see, Mr. Gill approaches this from a very different perspective and one that frankly we do not see. If fact, we do not see the reality of the Master’s words in this interpretation at all but rather Mr. Gill’s definitions of the specific terms from the perspective of a church that had not yet even been conceived. We post this only as an example of the thinking of the commentators and expositors of scripture and to further highlight the sometimes stark differences between what we have to say and the existing doctrines. It is our understanding that these ideas in this parable are to be seen as the Kingdom and as an example of how the Kingdom grows and, since the Kingdom IS within us, then this is where it is to be sowed and where it is to grow.
Another commentator, John Darby, in his Synopsis of the New Testament takes a different approach saying: That which had been sown as a grain of mustard-seed becomes a great tree; a symbol that represents a great power in the earth. The Assyrian, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, are set before us in the word as great trees. Such would be the form of the kingdom, which began in littleness through the word sown by the Lord, and afterwards by His disciples. That which this seed produced would gradually assume the form of a great power, making itself prominent on the earth, so that others would shelter themselves under it, as birds under the branches of a tree. This has, indeed, been the case 8.
Again we should see that the whole of our approach is missing and, in our view, this is because the reality that “the kingdom of God is within you” is totally missed. This brings us back to our opening points which are that without a fundamental understanding of this Truth that is left for us by the Master clearly and succinctly….”the kingdom of God is within you“, we CAN NOT discern so much of what else He says. The Master makes it a point to tell us that it is not here nor is it there and that it does not come by watching for it; it IS within and it is within NOW. There is no place to go, no wait until death, the Kingdom simply IS and it IS within each of of as the dwelling place of our own Souls and from our unique perspective we could say that the Kingdom of God IS the totality of the Souls as they LIVE as part and parcel of the Great Soul of God which we call Christ. Some, according to doctrine see Jesus as speaking only to the Pharisees and interpret His words in such a way that the Kingdom could not be within the Pharisee. Here we have two fundamental problems; first is that this ignores the fact that the Master understood the Pharisees even better than they understood themselves, He understood their ways and their motivations. Second is that the reality that the body nature with the personality and the Soul are not the same and that ALL men ARE Souls living a Life through a form and thereby the issue is not the presence of the Soul but rather the realization of the presence of the Soul by the man in form.
We did not intend to come this far down this road in today’s essay but here we are; we should take from this the importance of rightly discerning the Master’s words and especially those that are offered in a straightforward way. We leave here with another parable on the nature of the Kingdom of God and we will pick up with this in the next post. This one is commonly called the Parable of the Growing Seed and in this are additional lessons for our journey:
“So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come” (Mark 4;26-29)
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
- “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).
- “Herein is my Father glorified , that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8).
| Aspect of God |
Potency |
Aspect of Man |
In Relation to the Great Invocation |
In relation to the Christ |
|
GOD, The Father |
Will or Power |
Spirit or Life |
Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN |
Life |
|
Son, The Christ |
Love and Wisdom |
Soul or Christ Within |
Heart of God |
Truth |
|
Holy Spirit |
Light or Activity |
Life Within |
Mind of God |
Way |
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:
Leaving again the Great Invocation, we encourage ALL to read and reread it and our comments as in these words can be found the keys to our spiritual reality.
From the point of Light within the Mind of God
Let light stream forth into the minds of men.
Let Light descend on Earth.
From the point of Love within the Heart of God
Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.
May Christ return to Earth.
From the centre where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men–
The purpose which the Masters know and serve.
From the centre which we call the race of men
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out
And may it seal the door where evil dwells.
Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.
This prayer is a part of our Prayers and Meditations section and there is much information about it there and in our discussion of it in the Quote of the Day section of In the Words of Jesus parts 128-132
The above Invocation or Prayer does not belong to any person or group but to all Humanity. The beauty and the strength of this Invocation lies in its simplicity, and in its expression of certain central truths which all men, innately and normally, accept—the truth of the existence of a basic Intelligence to Whom we vaguely give the name of God; the truth that behind all outer seeming, the motivating power of the universe is Love; the truth that a great Individuality came to earth, called by Christians, the Christ, and embodied that love so that we could understand; the truth that both love and intelligence are effects of what is called the Will of God; and finally the self-evident truth that only through humanity itself can the Divine Plan work out.
Like the Lord’s Prayer, this invocation is a World Prayer which is as all that a prayer is intended to be. It is a prayer for the uplifting of the Human Family out of the mire of materialism and selfishness. The Lord’s Prayer asks nothing for the individual praying it but asks that its benefits be for US and for WE which is why it was given by the Christ as a prayer and as a model over 2000 years ago. This invocation is also attributed to the Christ who, as He promised, has never left us; He, through channels that we do not readily understand, has Himself instructed His disciples to distribute this prayer and to encourage its use as a world prayer and as an aid in preparing the world for His return.
The first three stanzas of this prayer should be understood as reflecting the effective potencies of the Trinity which is God and which, when brought down to an individual level, the Trinity which is Man. His Will, His Love and His Light we should see them as the Potent Powers of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit albeit on a much smaller, microcosmic, scale.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
