|
Mysteries of John
Chapter 1
[<- Go back to Foreword]
[Mysteries of John]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
John: Chapter 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with
God. 3 All things were made through him; and without him
was not anything made that hath been made. 4 In him was
life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light
shineth in the darkness, and the darkness apprehended it
not.
IN PURE METAPHYSICS there is but one word, the Word of God.
This is the original creative Word or thought of Being. It
is the "God said" of Genesis. The Greek original refers to
it in the 1st chapter of John as the logos. The Greek word
cannot be adequately translated into English. In the
original it denotes wisdom, judgment, power, and in fact
all the inherent potentialities of Being. This divine Logos
was and always is in God; in fact it is God as creative
power. Divine Mind creates under law; that is, spiritual
law. Man may get a comprehension of the creative process of
Being by analyzing the action of his own mind. First is
mind, then the idea in mind of what the act is to be, then
the act itself. Thus the Word and the divine process of
creating are identical.
Apart from mind nothing can be made. Even man, in his
forming and bringing anything into manifestation, uses the
same creative process that God used; to the degree that the
qualities of the one Mind enter into man's thought in the
process his work will be enduring.
The divine idea--the Christ or Word of God--is always
everywhere present.
Page 12
Among the four Gospels that of John is readily discerned by
metaphysicians as a symbolical life of Jesus and should
appear first in the New Testament, corresponding to the
first chapters of Genesis. Quite a few Bible critics so
consider it, among them Ferrar Fenton, who gives it first
place in his "Complete Bible in Modern English."
John explains that all existence is spiritual, that it
comes to man as a gift, and that Christ is its fulfillment.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God."
"The Word" is the English translation of the Greek logos,
which means a thought or concept and also the word that is
an expression or utterance of the same. It also involves
the logical relation between idea and expression; hence our
word logic, which also derives from logos.
Our attention is called to the 1st chapter of Genesis: "And
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And
God said, Let there be light: and there was light."
Here in detail, day by day, or period by period, creation
is ideated.
The parallel between Genesis and John is shown by the
manifestation of the ideal man. In Genesis Adam appears
first. In John it is John the Baptist, who is said to "bear
witness" to the coming man, Jesus. In Genesis man was given
dominion over all things; in John "all things were made
through him."
John the Baptist represents the natural man, the physical
man, who is the nucleus around which the spiritual man
builds. Man may be compared to a
Page 13
house, the foundation being rock, the superstructure
lighter material. The rock upon which Jesus built was not
material: it was mental; its symbol, Peter, was a mind
receptive to spiritual Truth and spiritual substance.
The first Adam was formed of the "dust of the ground,"
representing radiant substance instead of gross earth.
So John the Baptist was more than the perfect physical man.
He was the illumined natural man. He preached and baptized
his disciples and with spiritual vision saw the unfoldment
of the natural man into the Christ man.
Spiritual man is the true light "which lighteth every man,
coming into the world." The world was made by him and yet
"knew him not."
There is a creative force constantly at work in man and all
creation, but it is not recognized. It is Spirit-mind
shining consciously in the minds and hearts of those who
recognize it. Those who ignore this light do not
"apprehend" it, and to them it is nonexistent.
"But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to
become children of God, even to them that believe on his
name."
6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7
The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of
the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not
the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
Man in his darkened, ignorant state dwells in a realm of
material thoughts and perceives nothing
Page 14
higher until he arrives at the point in his unfoldment
where he is ready to receive understanding of the Christ
Truth. Then he enters into the John the Baptist or
intellectual perception of Truth. The intellectual
perception of Truth by the natural man (John the Baptist)
is not the true light (the Christ) but bears witness to the
light and prepares the way for its dawning in consciousness.
9 There was the true light, even the light which lighteth
every man, coming into the world. 10 He was in the world,
and the world was made through him, and the world knew him
not. 11 He came unto his own, and they that were his own
received him not.
The true light (the Christ or Word) that lights every man
coming into the world is and ever has been in man. Even the
outer man was formed and came into existence through it. Up
to a certain stage in his unfolding man does not recognize
this truth; now however this mystery, which is "Christ in
you, the hope of glory," is being revealed to the race with
more and more clarity and with greatly increased power.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right
to become children of God, even to them that believe on his
name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
According to the 12th and 13th verses, the same truth that
held good for Jesus will hold good for as
Page 15
many as receive Him (the Christ) and believe in His
resurrecting power as Jesus believed in it.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we
beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the
Father), full of grace and truth.
Jesus recognized this truth that the Christ, the
divine-idea man or Word of God, was His true self and that
He was consequently the Son of God. Because Jesus held to
this perfect image of the divine man, the Christ or Word
entered consciously into every atom of His being, even to
the very cells of His outer organism, and transformed all
His body into pure, immortal, spiritual substance and life.
Thus "the Word became flesh." The resurrecting of His whole
being included His body. Jesus entered alive and entire
into the spiritual realm.
15 John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This
was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become
before me: for he was before me. 16 For of his fulness we
all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given
through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
"The law was given through Moses." Moses represents a phase
of the evolutionary process in man. "The law"--the outer
commandments--cannot redeem. "Grace and truth came through
Jesus Christ"; that is, the real saving, redeeming,
transforming
Page 16
power came to man through the work that Jesus did in
establishing for the race a new and higher consciousness in
the earth. We can enter into that consciousness by faith in
Him and by means of the inner spirit of the law that He
taught and practiced.
The 18th verse teaches that through the Christ in us we
come into an understanding of the Father, since the Son
(the Word) ever exists in God, and Father and Son are one
and are omnipresent in man and in the universe. Spirit
Truth is discerned through Spirit only; not in outer ways
or through intellectual perception do we come to know God.
19 And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto
him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art
thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; and he
confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What
then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the
prophet? And he answered, No. 22 They said therefore unto
him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that
sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I am the
voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the
way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. 24 And they
had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him,
and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not
the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet? 26 John
answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of
you standeth one whom we know not, 27 even he that cometh
after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to
unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethany beyond the
Jordan, where John was baptizing.
In the regeneration two states of mind are constantly
Page 17
at work. First comes the cleansing or denial state, in
which all the error thoughts are eliminated. This includes
forgiveness for sins committed and a general clearing up of
the whole consciousness. The idea is to get back into the
pure, natural consciousness of Spirit. This state of mind
is typified by John the Baptist, who came out of the
wilderness a child of nature whose mission it was to make
straight the way for One who was to follow.
This putting away of sin from the consciousness (baptism
through denial, plus forgiveness) is very closely allied to
the deeper work that is to follow; so much so that to the
observer it seems the same. Hence the followers of John,
when they saw the works he did, asked if he was the
Messiah. His answer was that the One who followed him was
to baptize with Holy Spirit.
From this we discern that mental cleansing and the reforms
that put the conscious mind in order are designed to
prepare the way for that larger and more permanent
consciousness which is to follow. This is the denial of
"self" or personality. Jesus said, "If any man would come
after me, let him deny himself." We are all guilty in a way
of undue devotion to personal aims, which are always narrow
and selfish. So long as these exist and take the place of
the rightful One there is no room for the higher self, the
Christ of God.
The recorded "This is the Son of God" is a reference to a
matter of first importance in the regeneration. The
recognition of man as the Son of God and the establishment
in the mind of the
Page 18
new relations between the divine Father and the Son are
essential to the process. If we do not affirm our sonship,
with all its privileges and powers, we are sure to belittle
ourselves and make limitations that prevent us from
entering into the fullness of the Godhead. "Be perfect, as
your heavenly Father is perfect."
29 On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the
world! 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man
who is become before me: for he was before me. 31 And I
knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to
Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water. 32 And
John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit
descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize in
water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the
Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he
that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. 34 And I have seen, and
have borne witness that this is the Son of God.
text
Metaphysically interpreted, John the Baptist symbolizes in
each individual the natural man, but with an illumined
intellect. His face is turned toward the light in the
measure that he recognizes and pays homage to the higher
self within the individual. John baptized with water all
those who believed that Jesus was soon to make His
appearance. This is a cleansing, purifying process,
preparing the individual to see spiritually and to discern
spiritually.
The Father-Mind is the living principle, the
Page 19
absolute, the unlimited. The Son is the living Word. "Word"
is used to designate man's I AM identity. The Holy Spirit
is the action or outpouring or activity of the living Word.
This activity produces what may be termed the light of
Spirit, the breath of God, the "personality" of Being. The
outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the sign by which the
natural man recognizes the divine. Jesus, who became the
"Lamb of God" or perfect expression of God, baptized in the
Holy Spirit.
35 Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his
disciples; 36 and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and
saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!
By cultivation the spiritual mind becomes an active factor
in consciousness. It has to be desired and sought before it
becomes a part of one's conscious life. John the Baptist
(the natural conscious mind) is expecting, looking for, and
earnestly desiring a greater realization of Spirit. He
knows that he is not fulfilling the Christ ideal of
manhood; hence his prophecy of One who is to come, "the
latchet of whose shoe" he is not worthy to loose.
This willingness to give up the natural man to the divine
is a most propitious sign in one who is in the regenerative
process. Many persons are ambitious to put on Christ, but
are not willing to give up the present man in order to do
so. John the Baptist had a following, yet he was willing
that his disciples should go to Jesus. He openly
acknowledged Him as the "Lamb of God." This was his
acknowledgment of the Christ Mind. That mind has no
personal ambition;
Page 20
it is innocent, loving, and obedient to the call of God.
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed
Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and
saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him,
Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where
abidest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall
see. They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they
abode with him that day: it was about the tenth hour. 40
One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He findeth first his own
brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the
Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ). 42 He
brought him unto Jesus. Jesus looked upon him, and said,
Thou art Simon the son of John: thou shalt be called Cephas
(which is by interpretation, Peter).
When the conscious mind recognizes the Christ Mind, the
various faculties gradually awaken and attach themselves to
it. Andrew is the first apostle mentioned, and with him was
one whose name is not given here but who is supposed to
have been John (love). Love is modest and retiring,
"seeketh not its own." Andrew represents the strength of
the mind, which, greatly rejoiced when it finds the
inexhaustible source of all strength, exclaims, "We have
found the Messiah."
Strength is clearly related to substance (Simon), which in
spirit we call faith. "Faith is the substance of things
hoped for" (A.V.). What we hope for and mentally see as a
possibility in our life comes into visibility, and we call
it substantial.
Page 21
43 On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee,
and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and
Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We
have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets,
wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And
Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of
Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw
Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith
unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said
unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under
the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered him, Rabbi,
thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel. 50 Jesus
answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw
thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt
see greater things than these. 51 And he saith unto him,
Verily, verly, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven
opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon
the Son of man.
The name Philip means "lover of horses," and Philip is
symbolic of the vigor, power, vitality, and energy of the
mind. Philip, Andrew, and Peter are of the same "city,"
Bethsaida. The name Bethsaida means "house of fishing," and
Bethsaida signifies a group of thoughts in consciousness
that have as their central idea a belief in the increase of
ideas and their expression and manifestation in outer form.
Nathanael (representing the imagination) is also called
Bartholomew. In the realm of the real (Israel) the imaging
power of the mind is guileless, innocent of error images.
It is open and receptive to the beauty
Page 22
and perfection of Being. It is the faculty of imagination
that makes the great artist and the great poet. It is the
guileless innocence of the Nathanael state of mind that
causes the religious enthusiast to believe all things about
Spirit and the world invisible. Exercised without Christ
understanding, the imagination becomes delusory. It is the
image maker in the psychic; the clairvoyant may be deceived
by its conjuring power. In itself it is not error, but it
may, like all the other faculties, be used in erroneous
ways. When the Mind of Spirit uses it, as in the case of
Jesus' discerning Nathanael when he was under the fig tree,
it is without guile; and in God's communication with man
this faculty plays an important part.
Among the apostles, Bartholomew represents the imagination.
He is called Nathanael in the 1st chapter of John, where it
is recorded that Jesus saw him under the fig tree, the
inference being that He discerned Nathanael's presence
before the latter came into visibility. This would indicate
that images of people and things are projected into the
imaging chamber of the mind and that by giving them
attention one can understand their relation to outer
things. Mind readers, clairvoyants, and dreamers have
developed this capacity to varying degree. Consciousness is
what is concerned with soul unfoldment both primarily, and
secondarily and all the way! Forms are always
manifestations of ideas. Whoever understands this can
interpret the symbols shown him in dreams and visions, but
lack of understanding of this law makes one a psychic
without discernment.
Page 23
With this spiritual faculty it is possible for man to
penetrate into the "fourth dimension" or what is usually
called the "kingdom of the heavens" and to discern the
trend of the spiritual forces. The angels of God are
spiritual forces active in the Sons of God, the spiritually
quickened.
The open and receptive and believing mind can see the
things that take place in the Christ Mind, thus
transcending the capacity of the unillumined natural man.
Page 24
[Go forward to Chapter 2 ->]
[Mysteries of John]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
|
|