Metaphysical Bible Meditations - 9/12/17

The Pharisees question Jesus. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Welcome back, readers! In today's post we will be examining verses 37-52 of Luke Chapter 11, which as we will see serve to expound on some of the points explored in our last post. 

"And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?"

Jesus, or illumined reason, enters the house (mental dwelling place or atmosphere) of the Pharisee (belief in the supremacy of outward conformity to creed or dogma), to elucidate further on the discourse he began in previous verses regarding the importance of internal belief in and conviction of Divine principle over slavish performance of hollow, man-made ritualism. The Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers present are all personifications of the various concepts comprising the holier than thou attitude of religious dogmatism which, despite its incessant confessions of belief in the power of God, places emphasis on secondary material effects, theoretical philosophies and sectarian theologies. They foolishly champion adherence to the letter of the law (outside of the cup or physical effects) while neglecting the animating spirit of the law (inside of cup or internal I AM shaping all physical circumstance and experience). 

"But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them."

We are called to "give alms of such things" as we have, i.e. giving up those prejudices, predilections, and proclivities of thought and belief, which lead us to criticize and condemn as "unclean" the ideas and actions of others with whom we disagree, as well as placing ourselves in limitation of expression, for of fear of engaging in an "unclean" act. Once this log of ignorance is removed from our mind's eye we will see with St. Paul that "there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that regardeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean." (Romans 14:14) And as Shakespeare said through Hamlet, "For there is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

Once more Jesus refers to the Pharisaical mind's misguided emphasis on external conditions and rituals (illustrated in the form of the sacrificial herbs) over the judgment and love of God (knowledge and application of psycho - spiritual principles and the vitalizing constructive element of love and respect toward God in all forms) demonstrated by their egoistic pleasure in receiving the perks of their religious office, while neglecting the finer points of the Law of God. Through their assumed air and appearance of being holy, wise, and pious on the surface, the Pharisee thoughts and beliefs are "as graves which appear not", leading unsuspecting seekers down into the pit of soul killing superstition, fear, shame, guilt, etc. 

"Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

And he said, 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.

Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.

Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:

That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered."

The lawyers, which represent the unyielding legalistic attitude, give utmost primacy to obeying the exact letter of the law, lay heavy burdens by forcing all to meet every one of their narrow edicts. In laying too much stress on the oppressive mechanistic power of the law they eschew the guiding principle of which the law is the medium, i.e. mercy, equity, justice, and harmony. "For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Cor. 3:6) In elevating the isolated operation of their part over the integrated function of the whole, they sow the seeds of disharmony, confusion, and ultimately chaos, individually and collectively.

"Hear, O Israel (awakened and illumined consciousness): The LORD our God (Universal Spirit) is one LORD (in nature, essence, and function)." (Deuteronomy 6:4)

It is adherence to this attitude which results in the killing (through denial and neglect) of the prophets (Divine archetypes and ideas of God's inherent Goodness and Wholeness, looking to bring the spiritual system back into balance).  The "lawyer" consciousness has reared its head countless times through the ages whether in the collective form of inquisitions, dictatorships, oligarchies, tyrannical households, and in the minds of individuals as various complexes and neuroses, persecuting those who dare to speak out and dissent from their superstitious, limiting beliefs. "The blood of the prophets" (the effects of the misapplied and abused Divine Power/Energy) is required of "this generation", who continue to dwell in the same state of ignorant cruelty  as their fathers (destructive concepts and beliefs). Unwilling to transcend the bounds of their own prejudiced limitations, they seek to deny others the knowledge to do likewise, in the collective forms of religious edict, civil oppression, familial tyranny as well as individual psychological complexes, neuroses, and phobias.

I hope you enjoyed today's post! Until next time, keep on keeping onward, upward, and God-ward.