Finally, the law of ancient Israel made it clear that false prophesy was not to be uttered and that false prophets were not to be followed (indeed, that they were to be executed – see Deuteronomy 18:20). That having been said, Jesus seemed to openly flaunt this edict – not only proclaiming himself to be a prophet who denounced the traditionally accepted interpretations of the Law¹ (see Matthew 10:26-27, Matthew 13:57-58, Mark 4:22, Mark 6:1-6, Luke 4:15-30, Luke 12:2-3, John 4:44, John 5:36-38, John 6:36-42, John 7:3-15, John 8:12, John 12:35-37, John 10:34-35, John 12:46, & John 15:1-7 et al), but also proclaiming that there was essentially nothing special about that status – essentially stating that every Jewish layman should have the courage to live his or her life as a “prophet” as well² (see Matthew 5:14-16‘s “You are the light of the world … Let your light shine before others, so that they might see your good works and thereafter give glory to your Father in Heaven” and Luke 11:28‘s “Blessed rather are all those who hear the Word of God and abide in it” – along with Matthew 6:22-23, Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 4:21-23, Mark 9:38-41, Mark 16:14-18, Luke 8:16-18, Luke 9:49-50, Luke 11:33-36, Luke 24:44-49, John 1:5, John 3:19-21, John 15:16-17, & John 20:19-23 et al). Consider …

*Whereas the Law clearly defined blasphemy as the unforgivable usurping of God’s celestial authority³ (&/or an unforgivable lack of respect or homage paid to God – see Exodus 20:6, Exodus 22:28, Leviticus 22:32, Deuteronomy 11:1, & Deuteronomy 13:1-4), Jesus openly amended this demand for reverence – stating that “people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy” except for “blasphemy against the [selfless will of the internal] Spirit” (see Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-30, & Luke 12:10 – alongside John 14:12-26).

*Whereas the Law’s conventional interpreters believed that true prophets could provide proof thereof via the performance of miraculous “signs & wonders” (a la Moses bringing water forth from a stone in Numbers 20:7-11 or the miraculous deeds of Elijah read in 1 Kings 17-18), Jesus made it clear that he would not offer the same as proof of the same⁴ (see Matthew 12:38-40, Matthew 16:1-4, Mark 8:11-13, Luke 11:29-32, Luke 12:54-56, Luke 23:8-9, John 2:18-21, & John 6:30-35).

*Whereas the Law demanded that its “true adherents” strictly abide by the conservative interpretations of its regulations as provided by its priestly authorities (including the “scribes and Pharisees” in Jesus’ day – see Deuteronomy 11:18-28, Deuteronomy 12:32, Deuteronomy 13:4-5, & Deuteronomy 17:8-12 et al), Jesus made it clear that people were to in essence interpret the Law for themselves – to test various interpretations of the regulations found in the Scriptures, to do the best they could to “do good” therewith, and then to evaluate the truth by looking at the end results; to personally “know them by their fruits” as it were (see Matthew 7:15-20 – also Matthew 3:10, Matthew 11:16-18, Matthew 12:33-35, Luke 3:9, Luke 6:43-45, Luke 7:24-35, Luke 13:6-9, & John 15:4-5 et al).

*Whereas the Law had its priests, scribes, and Pharisees directly and specifically order the common folk to follow their own strictly conservative interpretations of the Law, Jesus spoke to his listeners cryptically & metaphorically in parables – thereby encouraging them to decipher & rediscover the Law’s deeper Truths for themselves (see Matthew 13:10-17, Mark 4:10-12, Mark 4:24-25, Luke 8:9-10, Luke 8:17-18, Luke 10:23-24, Luke 12:47-48, Luke 19:26, John 12:39-40, & John 16:25 et al).

*Whereas the Law’s representatives shied away from allowing their fellow humans to transcend their still-primitive stations of superficiality & subservience (calling them instead to merely worship appropriately via hollow ritual and mere mental belief), Jesus repeatedly encouraged his listeners to actualize their innate inner divinity (what he frequently called “the Son of God” and sometimes, “the Son of Man”) by making their spiritual belief meaningful – by acting accordingly in their day to day dealings with others (see John 3:16-18, John 5:22-24, John 6:29, John 6:47-51, John 6:61-64, John 7:16-18, John 10:32-38, John 11:25-26, John 14:1-7, John 14:12-14, John 15:8-17, John 17:1-4, & John 20:26-29 et al).

  “For God so loved the world that he gave every being His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but might know eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but rather that the world might be saved through His Way. Indeed, those who believe in Him are not condemned; even as those who do not believe in Him are condemned already — because they have not actualized the name of the only Son of God … Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but instantly passes instead from death to life … For this is the work of God: that you believe in Him whom He has sent … Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether a teaching is from God … After all, is it not written in the Law: ‘I said, you are gods’? As such, if those to whom the Word of God came were rightly called ‘gods’ – and the Scripture cannot rightly be annulled – can you say those who the Father has sanctified and sent into the world are blaspheming because they say, ‘I am God’s Son’? … You already know the way to the place I am going … for I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, and no one can rediscover the Father except by enlivening the same … Very truly, I tell you, those who believe in me will do the works I do, and in fact will do even greater works than these … And on that day you will know that I am in my Father, and that you are in me, and that I am in you … For my Father is glorified by this and this alone: that you bear much fruit and thereby become my disciples … If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my Love … And this is my most important commandment: that you Love one another as I have Loved you. No one has greater Love than this, to lay down one’s life for another. I have appointed you to go and bear fruit … and am giving you these commands so that you might truly Love one another.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18, John 5:24, John 6:29, John 7:17, John 10:34-36, John 14:4-6, John 14:12-20, & John 15:8-17)

    “The purely indiscriminate and utterly selfless nature of compassion within Christ’s Kingdom of Heaven is by far the dominant perspective of Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels. And yet what is a compassion that is both abjectly indiscriminate and perfectly selfless? Well, look at a rose, for instance. Is it possible for the rose to offer its fragrance to the good people and withhold it from the bad? To do so would to no longer be a rose. Or think about a glowing lamp – can it withhold its warming rays from a wicked person who seeks to pause and bask in its light? To do so would to no longer be a lamp. Or how about a majestic tree that offers shade only to the worthy while allowing those more sinful to burn and shrivel under a noonday’s glare? To do so would to no longer be a tree … No, the rose gives its soothing aroma to all – and the lamp its enervating warmth – and the tree its saving shade. This is the primary quality of Christlike compassion: a character that is given to all both indiscriminately and selflessly. And this is precisely what makes God’s Kingdom arrive on Earth as it is in Heaven – exactly what allows for our entry into the state of perfect bliss that Jesus quite affectionately called ‘the Kingdom of God.‘ It is a way of compassion that allows for no exceptions, it is a way of forgiveness that allows for no limitation, it is a way of tenderness that allows for no hesitation, and it is way of kindness that allows for no labels, no demands, no regulations, and no divisions.” ~ via Anthony DeMello & Brennan Manning

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Filed under: Jesus Christ, a most Holy Heretic by Scaughdt