Re: Messages from Christ -- KRIYA YOGA DISCUSSION BOARD

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Date Posted: 10:29
Author: Eponymous - 23 Nov 2001
Subject: Re: Messages from Christ
In reply to: ketch - 22 Nov 2001 's message, "Re: Messages from Christ" on 10:28

Well, I SUPPOSE you could be right: the nobleman's order in the parable to "bring those mine enemies...and slay them before me" language COULD mean something about lower instincts and desires and actual contact with God and higher consciousness.

Or it could be about a nobleman's order to gather his enemies and slay them before him.

The former take seems more like creative, new age spin than it does principled hermeneutic. Jesus is telling the story to a rich publican, and Jesus' ostensibly positive recounting of the story seems more like a straightforward directive to the interlocutor about how to deal with the problem of recalcitrant plebes. (As Jesus did after the parable of the good Samaritan (also in Luke), he might have added, "Go, and do thou likewise." Luke 10:37).)

I'm afraid a principled exegesis clearly supports that Jesus is merely giving a lesson to his disciples about disobeying one's Lord. Here is the entire (tiresome) passage from Luke, for those who care to parse it for themselves:

19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
19:2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
19:3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
19:6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
19:7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
19:9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
19:11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
19:12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
19:15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
19:16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
19:17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
19:18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19:19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
19:20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin.
19:21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
19:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
19:24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
19:25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
19:26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
19:28 And when he [Jesus] had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

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