DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Love God Only
HTML https://lovegodonly.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Biblical Discussions
*****************************************************
#Post#: 10813--------------------------------------------------
The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 10, 2015, 7:02 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Barren Fig Tree
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10995<br
/>
Drawing in the Net
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10816
Growing Seed
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10886<br
/>
Hidden Treasure
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10815<br
/>
Lamp under a Bushel
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10838,<br
/>Leaven
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10880.<br
/>Lost Sheep
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10817,<br
/>Lost Coin
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10818<br
/>
Mustard Seed
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10859<br
/>
Pearl of Great Price
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10815<br
/>
Sower
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10850<br
/>
Tares
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10858,<br
/>Ten Virgins
HTML http://lovegodonly.createaforum.com/bible/the-parables-of-jesus/?message=10839<br
/>
-------------------------------------------
Remaining
Counting the Cost Luke 14:28–33
New Wine into Old Wineskins Matthew 9:17–17 Mark 2:21–22
Luke 5:37–39
Parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25–37
Parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15:11–32
Parable of the strong man Matthew 12:29–29 Mark 3:27–27
Luke 11:21–22
Parable of the Wedding Feast Luke 14:7–14
Pharisees and the Publican Luke 18:10–14
Rich man and Lazarus Luke 16:19–31
The Budding Fig Tree Matthew 24:32–35 Mark 13:28–31 Luke
21:29–33
The Faithful Servant Matthew 24:42–51 Mark 13:34–37 Luke
12:35–48
The Friend at Night Luke 11:5–8
The Great Banquet Matthew 22:1–14 Luke 14:15–24
The Master and Servant Luke 17:7–10
The Rich Fool Luke 12:16–21
The Sheep and the Goats Matthew 25:31–46
The Talents or Minas Matthew 25:14–30 Luke 19:12–27
The Two Debtors Luke 7:41–43
The Two Sons Matthew 21:28–32
The Unforgiving Servant Matthew 18:23–35
The Unjust Judge Luke 18:1–9
The Unjust Steward Luke 16:1–13
The Wicked Husbandmen Matthew 21:33–41 Mark 12:1–9 Luke
20:9–16
The Wise and the Foolish Builders Matthew 7:24–27 Luke
6:46–49
The Workers in the Vineyard Matthew 20:1–16
#Post#: 10814--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 10, 2015, 7:03 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
The Hidden Treasure
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto
treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he
hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath,
and buyeth that field.
The earth means the earth. "The man" was made out of the
earth: H'adam was made out of adamah. There is something of
great value hidden within the very atoms of the earth. Matter
is dark and dead, you say? Ah, but all things are possible
with God; and the Power of God can raise up sons of Abraham from
the rocks. And do we not also read:
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the
honour of kings is to search out a matter.
Do we also not read that God said He would dwell in the
darkness?
2 Chronicles 6:1 Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he
would dwell in the thick darkness.
But God is Light, you say? Yes, God is Light; but the Divine
Light can be concealed. At His Word, the Light that was once
concealed within the darkness appears. The Glory of God is
revealed. So we also read that the Glory of God filled the
Temple.
7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came
down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the
sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
Yes, there is something of wonderful value concealed in the dirt
-- in the "dark nature" of man. The glorified body God wishes
us to have is not created later out of nothing but rather the
corruptible is made incorruptible.
Isaiah 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew
not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will
make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.
These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until
the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and
then shall every man have praise of God.
Those who have received the Light and let it shine are praising
God for all to see.
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Note it: Changed. One thing is changed into another. The
spiritual body is not created out of nothing later.
1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It
is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
Yes, sown in the lowly dirt.
#Post#: 10815--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 10, 2015, 7:03 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure
hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and
for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth
that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man,
seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all that he had, and bought it.
We have dealt with the treasure of the earth. Here we learn
that there is also a treasure in the sea. The soul can be said
to be made of water; and you can even think of human souls as
fish in the sea. There is hidden Glory of God in this sea --
like there is salt in the ocean which can be made useful by
boiling off the excess water; but here the symbol given is the
pearl.
Now the sea -- the astral plane -- can be a place of the most
unclean things. "From ghoulies and ghosties. And long-leggedy
beasties. And things that go bump in the night, Good Lord,
deliver us!" But there is something of value if it can be
changed.
Consider the oyster, an unclean creature, a bottom feeder that
consumes who knows what. Yet it can make pearls.
Pearls are extraordinary things. They do not emit light, and
they do not reflect it. Rather they refract light. Each
molecule of the pearl acts like a tiny prism, so if white light
is shone on it, it can send out all the colors of the rainbow.
The color you see in an area of a pearl depends on the angle of
refraction.
Pearls are also made layer upon layer, built up over time; and
so the soul also perfects itself by collecting what is of value
out of the astral plane and building up itself.
When everything of value has been removed from the astral plane,
it will serve no more purpose. Thus the sea will be no more as
John writes in Revelation.
#Post#: 10816--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 10, 2015, 7:05 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Matthew 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net,
that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down,
and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come
forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be
wailing and gnashing of teeth.
This process of casting the net is continual and will continue
until the end of the age. It is similar to the parable about
the pearl in being about retrieving what is of value from the
astral plane or sea. At present, the things of value are
retrieved and preserved and the bad is cast back into the sea to
be recycled. Virtues are preserved, vices tossed back into the
sea to be dissolved again so they can be recycled.
At the end of the age the process is slightly different. The
worthless will not be returned to the sea to be dissolved and
recycled but rather burned -- a different sort of recycling
reducing the worthless to dust and ashes.
Compare this passage to that from Revelation:
Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it;
and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and
they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is
the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was
cast into the lake of fire.
21:21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no
more sea.
What is called the upper waters and lower waters in Genesis will
be one. There will no further need for "the sea" below to exist
as it does now with the firmament separating the two. That
separation was temporary in order to restrain evil to the region
below.
Genesis 1: 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst
of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were
under the firmament from the waters which were above the
firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the
morning were the second day.
The careful reader will notice that God does not say this was
good. Nothing good was made on this day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered
together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was
so.
Here we see the beginning of the drawing of the net. The net
drew the earth out of the waters. This was good; and then on
day three we see also life in the form of plants emerging from
the earth. This was good; and God said it was.
This sea is the same sea Jesus spoke of here:
Mark 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones
that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were
hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
It is better for the person so inclined since he would be
prevented from committing continuing abuses. Yes, of course it
is better for the innocent children too; but it is better too
for the guilty to be thrown into the sea so their evil can be
recycled before it becomes a major problem. The soul is not
usually destroyed in hell; but if the defects are too many, it
is a possibility that there will not be enough of it left to
hold together after all its defects are removed. And if the
soul is destroyed, there will not be a correct body in the
resurrection. There will come a time when the sea is no more,
and the person can no longer work at perfecting the soul. Some
may survive the trial by fire but in an unfortunate condition.
Revelation 22: 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments,
that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in
through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
#Post#: 10817--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 10, 2015, 7:06 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Luke 15:3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of
them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and
go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders,
rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and
neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found
my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one
sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just
persons, which need no repentance.
It is easy to see that this parable portrays Jesus as the Good
Shepherd who wishes to save sinners. What may be missed however
is that the lost sheep is valued by the shepherd. It is
worth a great deal of effort. It is not a worthless creature.
We can say that the sheep is saved by the good grace of the
shepherd; but we should also see that the shepherd thinks it
worth the effort. Thus again we see that in this world where
things and people look worthless, there is something highly
valuable. Appearances are deceiving. We can call people
sinners and perhaps they are; but within them lies that image
and likeness of God, the potential for them to become sons of
God.
I think we should also see that the sheep is not entirely to
blame. Yes, we can say it was wrong to wander off. It should
have trusted the shepherd and stayed close to him; but I wonder
if that sheep really knew what dangers lay out there in the
world.
What we can say is that it knows after being rescued. It knows
then that safety lies in staying close to the shepherd and
taking his instructions which are meant for his good. The
shepherd understands some things better than the sheep and is
able to protect the sheep better than the sheep can protect
itself. So there is rejoicing that the lost sheep was found but
I think there is rejoicing too that the sheep is less likely to
wander off again and now trusts the shepherd more.
Note too that this parable hints that there are many sheep, and
only a few are lost. In this treacherous world however, where
the lost sheep are wandering about lost, it can look as if all
the sheep are lost. Perhaps all the sheep in this world were
lost at one time.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned
every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all.
The sheep can't rescue themselves; so if they're going to be
rescued, the shepherd has to be willing to do some hard things
himself to find them.
#Post#: 10818--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 10, 2015, 7:08 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
In Luke, the passage goes on with the parable of the lost coin
following the one about the lost sheep. They are connected by
their theme but slightly different in application.
Luke 15:8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she
lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house,
and seek diligently till she find it?
9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her
neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found
the piece which I had lost.
10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the
angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
First let's ask why a woman? Did Jesus make the character a
woman at random, or does it mean something? I believe every
detail in the parables of Jesus mean something. So why a
woman?
This goes back to Eve and how Light left the world. Jewish
women still light the Sabbath candles, for they say that light
left this world through a woman and must return through a woman.
It goes back to the conflict between the seed of the woman and
the seed of the woman. If we missed this lesson in Genesis,
here Jesus reminds of it again.
We may be able to see how Mary can be said to have become a
Light-bearer and helped light a light when she agreed with
Gabriel, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word." What was that word? Why, "Let there
be Light!" Jesus was to enter this world as the Light of the
world.
There is a type of faith or trust found much more commonly in
women than in men. They know what is good and they also know
they don't have it or they lost it. They may not know much
else, but they know that. In this profound ignorance, they
accept their ignorance and ask for light. It is this faith in
God to send Light when it is needed that the virtue of the
Woman is found.
Consider Mary also at the Cross. Did she lose faith despite
how things looked? I say no. She had many things hidden in
her heart as treasures and did not doubt them; and further she
had faith in God too that no matter how things looked at
Calvary, everything would turn out right. Note that we are
told it became dark that day. The sun grew dark.
The virtue of women is also shown by how they ventured forth on
the first day of the week while the men did not. The men were
sensible and logical. Jesus was dead, why bother? But we see
that Mary Magdalene was rewarded for her foolish but trusting
kind of faith. Not only had the physical sun risen, she was
about to see a new Spiritual Light appearing.
This principle of the feminine and light can apply to everyone.
Yes, some people are men; but we all had mothers and we all
have the ability to adopt the feminine posture with respect to
Heaven. If we are like women stumbling around in the darkness
looking for something, we can choose to have the masculine
Light. Thus men may be men in this world; but in the church,
they are part of the Bride of Christ and behave as women do with
their husbands.
Note too that the woman can see something is missing. She has
lost something of value. She doesn't try to blame someone
else for its being missing. Somehow she must have lost it
herself and she's hoping she can find it if only she can have
Light.
Is this not exactly how the penitent sinner is? Does he not
realize he's lost something? If he can remember his youth as an
innocent and loving child, he must wonder where that child
went? There was once something very good and fine about him,
but now it seems to be lost. Surely he may still have his good
points and he may even do many good deeds; but he lost
something. What happened?
If he adopts the masculine mind to solve this, he won't be able
to find the solution. By masculine mind I mean trying to use
reason and logic instead of using the feminine mind which craves
goodness. Reason and logic won't work. That poor woman could
sit and think all day and all night about where her lost coin
could be and wonder if she lost it or if someone stole it.
There is no solution to be found by thinking about it; and there
is no hope of finding it in the darkness without some light.
It is also worth noting that the woman rejoices when she finds
the lost coin. We saw she didn't blame others before it but
merely thought it might be in her house; and when she finds it,
she doesn't beat herself over the head blaming herself and being
unhappy for her previous carelessness. No, she's happy she
found it and she wants to tell her neighbors.
Why tell her neighbors? What would it be to them? This shows
her kind nature. Perhaps they too have lost things and haven't
yet found them. If they can rejoice with her for her success,
maybe they too will be inspired to look for the things they have
lost.
This parable also shows the Jewish attitude towards repentance.
If someone comes to his senses and sees how he's sinned in the
past and created problems for himself and for others, this is a
wonderful thing. It caused problems in the past which we may
regret; but the future promises to be much better. If he really
understands, he won't repeat the same mistakes. That is good
news!
Indeed the Hebrew for "comfort" and "repent" is the same word.
The trials and problems of doing wrong in the past can be
replaced by the benefits of doing right in the future. The
sinner can become a saint! The potential to be a "saint"
already is there, hidden within; and if we want to encourage
that good and innocent nature to grow and mature, we can count
on God to help us. We can find that lost coin.
We were all made in the image and likeness of God. It remains
that we admit it and seek to find it if we feel lost it or lost
bits of it.
The following passage is true in more than one way, I think:
Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again:
and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they
might obtain a better resurrection:
Yes, yes, we see that most cases of people being raised from the
dead in the Bible are the result of women asking or wanting it
to be so. I think it's also true that our "inner child" is
brought back to life by God when we are like women who wish to
see it restored. We say along with Mary, "Behold the handmaid
of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."
Does anyone doubt it? How can we received the "engrafted Word"
in ourselves if we cannot say that? We see Mary receiving the
Word within her -- and that is one way the Word appeared. Can
we accept then that we are also expected to receive the Word
within but in a different manner?
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which
is able to save your souls.
The first step is to realize something is missing, that
something of value is missing in us, and then finding the
Light. This I call repentance. We seek something of value
that we lost. Beating ourselves up over our past mistakes
won't work. Feeling guilty won't. Blaming others won't. We
can keep on feeling bad about the past, or we can try to take
action to make the future better.
#Post#: 10821--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: HOLLAND Date: May 10, 2015, 8:21 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
You have given us a lot to think about, Kerry. I will have to
think on these things.
One thing to speak of, though, about parables, especially those
of Jesus: Is it not the case that we interpret the parables,
but rather, find that the parables interpret us, calling the
person hearing them into judgement? If this is so, then there
cannot be a detached hearing of the parables, and that the
parables will encompass meaning that stretches far beyond what a
single listener may have of them.
The existential plentitude of their meaning would extend beyond
the 'conventional' meanings that have been put in scripture to
explain them, to guard their meaning on behalf of the church in
the time that the Gospels were written. What you have stated
and the line of inquiry you have started is a natural result and
use of the parables. It would be the Spirit that would
illuminate the meaning of what you are saying. How the Spirit
relates to the imagery of light and of gender seems important in
your inquiry.
Peace be with you!
#Post#: 10823--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 10, 2015, 9:18 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=HOLLAND link=topic=1017.msg10821#msg10821
date=1431307281]
You have given us a lot to think about, Kerry. I will have to
think on these things.
One thing to speak of, though, about parables, especially those
of Jesus: Is it not the case that we interpret the parables,
but rather, find that the parables interpret us, calling the
person hearing them into judgement? If this is so, then there
cannot be a detached hearing of the parables, and that the
parables will encompass meaning that stretches far beyond what a
single listener may have of them. [/quote]
I would replace the word "judgment" with "participation."
While perhaps I can say a lot about them, the real meaning will
unfold for each person as he absorbs the imagery, ponders it and
then perhaps experiences it.
[quote]The existential plentitude of their meaning would extend
beyond the 'conventional' meanings that have been put in
scripture to explain them, to guard their meaning on behalf of
the church in the time that the Gospels were written. What you
have stated and the line of inquiry you have started is a
natural result and use of the parables. It would be the Spirit
that would illuminate the meaning of what you are saying. How
the Spirit relates to the imagery of light and of gender seems
important in your inquiry.[/quote]
Yes.
#Post#: 10829--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: HOLLAND Date: May 12, 2015, 7:02 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I would agree, Kerry, that the listener participates in a
parable in the act of seeking to encompass its meaning. I would
think judgement would exist because there is the demand to
understand its meaning, and if there is a failure to understand,
that failure may have spiritual consequences.
In a sense, when we listen to an interpretation of a parable,
such as the ones that you are offering, we cannot be, as readers
of your thread, idle observers. We are called into question as
to the meaning of the parables. We have to make a stand in
respect to them. We must grow or spiritual perish.
We bring a content of meaning of who we are when we confront the
parables, but we find that the parables disclose who we are and
so we must seek to discover that spiritual meaning of the
particular moment we are in. The thread offers that particular
moment. At this point, I seek to understand your meaning to
respond.
Peace be with you!
#Post#: 10830--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Parables of Jesus
By: Kerry Date: May 12, 2015, 8:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=HOLLAND link=topic=1017.msg10829#msg10829
date=1431432170]
I would agree, Kerry, that the listener participates in a
parable in the act of seeking to encompass its meaning. I would
think judgement would exist because there is the demand to
understand its meaning, and if there is a failure to understand,
that failure may have spiritual consequences. [/quote]
Understanding a truth and then rejecting it may have more
serious consequences than failing to understand. The person who
lacks understanding may be excused in large part since his
failings are sins of ignorance. It is a much graver thing to
understand and then reject the truth.
I believe Jesus taught in parables to protect some people from
themselves. If their hearts were not ready to receive, they
would reject. They would be worse off than before. They might
come to the Light temporarily but then fall back. One might
even say they were "saved" but consequently rejected their
salvation to return to the darkness.
Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why
speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it
is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have
more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing
see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing
ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are
dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any
time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
and should understand with their heart, and should be converted,
and I should heal them.
The text does not give his reason for not wanting people to
understand and for his not wanting to heal them; but surely it
is because if they knew the truth and were healed only to return
to the darkness, their state would be far worse than before.
I think Jesus was using parables to teach people who were ready
to understand while protecting others from judgment had they
understood. Spiritual blindness and deafness can be good
things.
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the
world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put
him to an open shame.
We should not be dismayed if we conclude, after surveying the
confusion within Christianity, that all is lost. I don't think
so. I think God is working with people. Some people may be
ready for some truths and not for others; while others are ready
for other truths.
[quote]In a sense, when we listen to an interpretation of a
parable, such as the ones that you are offering, we cannot be,
as readers of your thread, idle observers. We are called into
question as to the meaning of the parables. We have to make a
stand in respect to them. We must grow or spiritual
perish.[/quote]
My hope is to get people's mind to open up -- not to adopt my
words in human language as true just because I say them, but to
open the mind to Heaven to inquire. I am a man with human
failings and a man using human speech which are not adequate;
and I do not place complete confidence that I have all the truth
myself. I may even say things which contain errors.
The Gospel is said to have preached by men, and we see them
doing that using human words; but I say the True Gospel is
preached by the mighty angel in Heaven. The words of the man
preaching below are saying, "Look up, look up, can you hear the
Heavenly Voice?" The person not ready to receive the Gospel
will think the man preaching it mad. He will not benefit from
it; but then again, he won't fall into the worst judgment of
rejecting it. The judgment he faces is minor, I think; but
records are kept of such things.
[quote]We bring a content of meaning of who we are when we
confront the parables, but we find that the parables disclose
who we are and so we must seek to discover that spiritual
meaning of the particular moment we are in. The thread offers
that particular moment. At this point, I seek to understand
your meaning to respond.[/quote]
I will try to show that different parables apply to different
stages in spiritual growth. Thus I believe some parables
will fall flat with some people but others won't. I think how
much someone benefits will depend on where he is and what he is
ready for.
*****************************************************
DIR Next Page