YES, HE is Talking to YOU! (continued)
Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
We look today at the last line of The Great Invocation, a line that sums up the whole of the prayer by asking again that the three Potencies of God emanating from the three Aspects of God and of Spiritual Man will have their respective effects in restoring the Plan of God on Earth. What is the Plan and the Purpose and the Will of God? We can only get a glimpse of the magnitude and the meaning of this Glorious Creation. Limited by our finite minds we see so little; even the revelations that we gain of the Spirit when we are ready pale in comparison to the awesomeness of it all. According to the words of this invocation we should see that it is in Light and in Love that we are able to see any of the Plan; we should see also that a part of the Plan is that men be guided by the Will of God and in this Guidance, begun by the sensing of and use of the Love and the Light, the human family will demand more Light and more Love so to make the Plan work out on Earth. Simply, the Light and the Love of our own Souls prompts us to the Guidance of the Soul and in this Guidance we demand more and more Light and Love in a upward reaching spiral than culminates in the working out of His Plan and His Purpose and His Will which we can only see as His Presence on a universal scale. This is our prayer which ends with:
Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.
In using the word restore in this last line we should get the sense that the Plan once was and perhaps this is the meaning behind the story of the Garden of Eden and like stories in other religions. Of the aeon since the creation of the Earth so much is unknown and what we do know is mostly clever deduction and guesswork; even a good deal of our post Abraham bible history is uncertain and much of what we have come to believe is based in this uncertainty.
Before we leave off of our discussion of The Great Invocation let us go trough some of the ideas presented again so as to relate this new world prayer to the Christian scriptures that are the mainstay of this blog. This prayer is essentially about the Light, the Love and the Power of God and in the word Power we should see His Will, His Purpose and His Plan.
On Light:
- The Master says: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12)
- And He tells us of ourselves that: “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14)
- The Apostle John tells us that: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5)
- And speaking of Jesus John also says: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4)
On Love:
- John tells us that: “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16)
- On the duration of His Love the Apostle Paul says: “…..that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present , nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God…..” (Romans 8:38-39)
- On the importance of Love the Master says: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39)
- On the spiritual meaning of Love the Master says: “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12)
On Power:
- From the Lord’s Prayer: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever” (Matthew 6:13)
- On the fact of His Power He says: “Do ye not therefore err , because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God” (Mark 12:24)
- On the place of Christ He says: “Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God” (Luke 22:69)
- and again it is said of the Master that He: “and upholding all things by the word of his power…..sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3)
This is the Light, the Love and the Power that is God and Christ and this is what we invoke for this world today, both from our God and from our spiritual selves. It is in the Power of God that we find His Will and through His Will we can see His Plan and His Purpose; whatever small part of it we can grasp. This is The Great Invocation; a prayer that many around the world use every day and as more join in uttering this invocation daily, more of its positive effect can and will be seen. This Great Invocation has been posted in the Prayers and Meditations section of this blogsite with a condensed version of our interpretative discussion so that it will be available to all ongoing.
Next we will take up several very short parables from the Gospels of Mathew and Luke. Reviewing these against the commentaries written about them will show a strikingly different perspective in the teaching value of a parable and the different meanings seen testifying to what the Master says about His speaking in parables. Jesus tells us that “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand” (Matthew 13:13); according to this saying we have seen, at least from our perspective, that many interpretations of His parables by those who claim to understand are off the mark. Now our interpretations may be considered a bit off the mark by many in the church as well but if we believe that the idea of a parable is to divulge some hidden meaning of redemptive quality that will help us and guide us in our journey to the Kingdom, then we are at least hitting the larger part of the target. These short parables are rather straightforward to any who see them as a lesson on what the Kingdom of God should mean to us; they are not overly complicated. The commentaries however seem to be looking for a thing in these that they cannot find and hence they are of little redeeming value to us at all. We begin with the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price which goes thus:
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had , and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46)
We should note that this parable comes after a long series of parables including the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Tares which we have covered (In the Words of Jesus parts 97 and 100) and which the Master speaks to the multitudes. These next few that we will look now are given after the multitudes are dismissed however; these were for the disciples ears alone as was the Master’s explanation to them of the Parable of the Tares. It is generally hard to visualize the scene there with Jesus speaking at times to all and at times to the disciples alone but in these few parables we do know the scene because it is specifically stated. “Then Jesus sent the multitude away , and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying , Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field” (Matthew 13:36). We should remember here that although this is the disciples alone that the Master is likely speaking to them in what He called proverbs, which He did until near the end of His teaching when He tells His disciples “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father” (John 16:25). Let’s look at some commentaries:
- John Gill says in part that: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man This parable may be understood of Christ’s seeking, finding, and purchasing his elect: for, certain it is, that he has sought after them; which implies, that they were lost and going astray; expresses his great love to them, value for them, and desire after them; in doing which, he took much pains, and used much diligence: and certain it also is, that he finds them in redemption, and in effectual calling; and that they are to him a pearl of great price; as very precious to God, so highly esteemed of by Christ, as his portion, his inheritance, and his jewels……seeking goodly pearls; any pearls that were so: nor is Christ’s finding his elect a chance business; nor have they any intrinsic excellency in them, to denominate them pearls, but by his grace. The more common interpretation of it is, that it designs a sensible sinner, seeking after the true way of salvation, and finding Christ, and parting with all for him: such a man is a spiritual merchant, who trades in foreign parts, and in things of worth and value; and such an one seeks after a variety of things, which at first sight seem “goodly”, in order to obtain salvation by; as civility, morality, a legal righteousness, fasting, watchings, prayer, a profession of religion, and a submission to external ordinances; but at length finds Christ, the pearl of great price: who is of an unspeakable brightness and glory, of intrinsic worth and value; who is enriching to those that possess him, and precious to them that believe; and of such a price, that no valuable consideration can be given for him: wherefore such a soul is willing to part with all for him; with sinful self, and righteous self; and with the honours, riches, and profits of this world; and buy him, his grace and righteousness, without money, and without price…..Who when he had found one pearl of great price: for such who seek after wisdom and knowledge in the use of proper means, are like merchant men, that trade abroad, and for things of value; and these, under divine direction, find in the Scriptures, and through the ministry of the word, and by prayer and study, the truths of the everlasting Gospel, respecting Christ, his person, office, grace and righteousness; which are equal to, yea transcend a pearl of the highest price; for their original, coming from a far country, from heaven; for their brightness, clearness, and perspicuity; for their ornament and glory; for their firmness and solidity; for their virtue and value, to them that know the worth of them; and such will buy, but not sell them; reckon all things but loss and dung, in comparison of them; and will contend for them, and stand fast in them (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible)8.
- John Darby contributes this: In the parable of the pearl of great price we have again the same idea, but it is modified by others. A man was seeking goodly pearls. He knew what he was about. He had taste, discernment, knowledge, as to that which he sought. It was the well-known beauty of the thing that caused his research. He knows when he has found one corresponding to his ideas, that it is worth while to sell all that he may acquire it. It is worth this in the eyes of one who can estimate its value. And he buys nothing else along with it. Thus Christ has found in the church by itself a beauty and (because of this beauty) a value, which made Him give up all to obtain it. It is just so with regard to the kingdom. Considering the state of man, of the Jews even, the glory of God required that all should be given up in order to have this new thing; for there was nothing in man that He could take to Himself. Not only He was content to give up all for the possession of this new thing, but that which His heart seeks for, that which He finds nowhere else, He finds in that which God has given Him in the kingdom. He bought no other pearls. Until He found this pearl, He had no inducement to sell all that He had. As soon as He sees it, His mind is made up; He forsakes all for it. Its value decides Him, for He knows how to judge, and He seeks with discernment. I do not say that the children of the kingdom are not actuated by the same principle. When we have learnt what it is to be a child of the kingdom, we forsake all that we may enjoy it, that we may be of the pearl of great price. But we do not buy that which is not the treasure, in order to obtain it; and we are very far from seeking goodly pearls before we have found the one of great price. In their full force these parables only apply to Christ. The intention in these parables is to bring out that which was then doing, in contrast with all that had taken place before-with the Lord’s relations to the Jews (The John Darby Synopsis of the New Testament)8.
- From The Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible8 46. Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it–The one pearl of great price, instead of being found by accident, as in the former case, is found by one whose business it is to seek for such, and who finds it just in the way of searching for such treasures. But in both cases the surpassing value of the treasure is alike recognized, and in both all is parted with for it. The object of this brief parable is the same as that of the Tares and Wheat. But as its details are fewer, so its teaching is less rich and varied.
From our perspective and from our understanding of the Kingdom of God, all of these commentaries miss the point that the Master was making to His disciples. We need not understand any thing about the merchant except that the man was one and he sought the best. For us who seek the Kingdom, we are to understand the same; he was seeking pearls, his treasure, while we are seeking the Kingdom which is our treasure and which the Master tells us that we should be seeking. The merchant finds his prize and sells all to get it and likewise when we find the Kingdom we give up all to attain it. We should not look at this as the Kingdom is like the merchant himself but as the Kingdom is like the merchant who is looking and has found and has sold and has bought; the Kingdom is likened to the whole of the story. That we are looking for the Kingdom and we have found it within us and we willingly forfeit all we have to attain this Kingdom is like a merchant who, seeking goodly pearls, found one and sold all he had to possess it. This is a parable that tells us how we should view the Kingdom; and what we should do to attain it.
We should see here the simplicity of this parable and its clear message to His disciples which is all but missed in the many words of the commentaries. We should also see the complexity that the Master left for us to unravel in simple messages that we have made more complex and complex ones that we have oversimplified.
This post ran a bit long with the commentaries and we will not post the commentaries on the other short parables that we will cover in the next posts if hey reflect these same type of ideas. We will just seek out the redeeming value for each of these things or events that the Master likens the Kingdom of God to.
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. If you have not seen this before, this should be viewed as, like John and Jesus to the Jews, something new and different.
The Quote of the Day for today is called The Great Invocation. It is a world prayer given to us by The Christ. We will leave this up and go through it in parts over the coming days. This prayer should be to us today what the Lord’s Prayer was yesterday.
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.
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
