Metaphysical Bible Meditations - 8/22/17

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Hello again, dear readers! I hope you were able to enjoy yesterday's spectacular celestial event of the eclipse. For today's metaphysical meditation we'll pick up once more with chapter 10 of the Gospel of Luke, verses 25 - 37.

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"

The lawyer seeking to "tempt" Jesus represents the legalistic consciousness, who only understands the workings of Universal Law on the material level, and considers anything outside of his limited purview to be heretical or blasphemous. Not satisfied with Jesus' affirmation of the Two Great Commandments, in which love of God (who is "above all, through all, and in all" Ephesians 4:6) is equated with love of neighbor, the lawyer demands to know, being rooted in his sectarian preferences and inability to see beyond the letter of the law, "who is my neighbour?"

"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him."

Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus powerfully illustrates the inner meaning of the principle of "love thy neighbor". The priest and the Levite who go out of their way to avoid assisting the wounded traveler are personified aspects of the same self righteous state of mind as the lawyer who, while quick to preach and extol the virtues of obeying spiritual law to others, lack the conviction to abide by it themselves. 

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Matthew 15:8

It can also be inferred from the text that these "holy" men of the cloth, who as Jesus points out throughout the Gospels reveled in their sense of superiority, viewed the unfortunate traveler as a miserable sinner who got his just desserts from a vengeful, punitive God, for not obeying every last letter of the law. 

"Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers." Luke 11:46

It was a Samaritan, a member of a race whom the Jewish priestly caste viewed as ignorant and inferior, that stopped without reservation to bind and anoint the traveler's wounds and bring him to the inn, giving of his own substance to insure the traveler's speedy recovery, demonstrating his superior faith in God as healer and provider of all.  This illustrates that true charity is not and cannot be confined to the narrow confines of theological and sacerdotal dogma and theory. God, or Universal Spirit, is "no respector of persons", races, nations, and creeds, giving to all freely and lovingly.

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32

"Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."

The attitude personified by the lawyer, now illumined by Jesus (divine reason) realizes the error of its previous thinking, is commissioned to "go, and do likewise," in emulation of the unconditional compassion of the Samaritan.

That's it for today, my friends! Tomorrow we'll pick up with verses 38 through 42.

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