JESUS BEFORE CHRIST
A Pilgrimage to the Teachings of Jesus Before Paul
Journeys of Discovery with
Gary Brewer and Stephen Brewer
Copyright © 2011 by Gary Brewer & Stephen Brewer
Licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Stephen Brewer (DMin) is a spiritual director and pastor, having served congregations in the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for the past 31 years. He and his wife, Chrissi, live in Santa Cruz,
California with their dogs Duke and Rosie.
Gary Brewer (MDiv) participated in the creation and writing of the Celebrate and Bible Discovery
curricula. Gary also wrote two youth novels: Servants of the Mist (1998) and Journey to the Spring at
Crystal Mountain (2000) published by Bridge Resources.
In 2006 and 2007 Stephen and Gary were part of a team that wrote adult studies on the parables
(The Kingdom of God in the Parables of Jesus) and the beatitudes (The Kingdom of God in the
Beatitudes of Jesus).
Jesus Before Christ explores the teachings of Jesus, not as doctrine, but as mysticism, wisdom and
practice.
You may contact the authors at [email protected].
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS .................................................................................................. 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... 5
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 15
Guidelines ........................................................................................................................................... 15
What did Jesus teach? ......................................................................................................................... 15
Packing for Pilgrimage ......................................................................................................................... 16
Levels of Learning or Understanding ................................................................................................... 16
Keeping a Journal ................................................................................................................................ 17
BEATITUDES .................................................................................................................. 21
Stories Level: Birth of Longing .................................................................................... 21
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 21
Introducing the Material ..................................................................................................................... 21
The Stories........................................................................................................................................... 22
Treasure to Bring Home: Joy ............................................................................................................... 23
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 23
Ideas Level: The Path Examined .................................................................................. 24
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 24
The Path Examined .............................................................................................................................. 24
Ideas Level: Beatitudes ........................................................................................................................ 24
Why Did Jesus Speak Aramaic and not Hebrew? ................................................................................ 24
Greek Thought vs. Hebrew/Aramaic Thought ..................................................................................... 25
What is Righteousness? ...................................................................................................................... 25
Right Relationship ............................................................................................................................... 26
The Road from Aramaic to English ...................................................................................................... 26
Challenges in Translation ......................................................................................................................27
Treasure to Bring Home: Humility ....................................................................................................... 28
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Puzzles Level : Walking the Labyrinth ......................................................................... 29
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 29
Walking the Labyrinth ......................................................................................................................... 29
Puzzles Level: Beatitudes .................................................................................................................... 29
The Puzzle of the Beatitudes ............................................................................................................... 30
Puzzle Pieces Identified ....................................................................................................................... 30
Kingdom on Earth as in Heaven .......................................................................................................... 32
An Aramaic Key-Word Lexicon ............................................................................................................ 32
Treasure to Bring Home: Inspiration ................................................................................................... 33
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 33
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call ................................................................................ 34
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 34
Awareness of Call ................................................................................................................................ 34
Dreams Level: Beatitudes .................................................................................................................... 34
General Themes .................................................................................................................................. 35
Interior Kingdom ................................................................................................................................. 35
The Dreams ......................................................................................................................................... 36
Treasure to Bring Home: Awareness ................................................................................................... 36
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 36
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey .................................................................... 37
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .....................................................................................................37
Awakening to the Journey ....................................................................................................................37
Models Level: Beatitudes .....................................................................................................................37
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Introduction to an Authentic Life ........................................................................................................ 38
Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness .................................................................................................. 38
The Models ......................................................................................................................................... 38
Treasure to Bring Home: Kindness ...................................................................................................... 39
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 39
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within .................................................................. 40
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 40
Wisdom of Arriving Within ................................................................................................................. 40
Spaces Level: Beatitudes ..................................................................................................................... 40
Creating Space for Attention ............................................................................................................... 40
Kingdom Within and/or Among You ................................................................................................... 41
Ponderables and Imponderables ........................................................................................................ 41
Mindfulness in Plain English ................................................................................................................ 41
The Courage to be a Pilgrim ................................................................................................................ 42
Treasure to Bring Home: Mindfulness ................................................................................................. 43
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 43
Images Level: Returning Enriched ............................................................................... 44
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 44
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched ......................................................................................... 44
Images Level: Beatitudes ..................................................................................................................... 45
Patterns ............................................................................................................................................... 45
One Last Thought ................................................................................................................................ 45
Treasure to Bring Home: Focus ........................................................................................................... 46
Journal Entry ........................................................................................................................................47
Bibliography and Additional Material .......................................................................... 48
Appendix: Introduction to Key-Word-In-Context Lexicon .......................................... 49
Aramaic Lexicon for the Beatitudes ............................................................................. 49
SAYINGS ......................................................................................................................... 57
Stories Level: Birth of Longing .................................................................................... 57
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .....................................................................................................57
Introducing the Material ......................................................................................................................57
The Stories............................................................................................................................................57
Treasure to Bring Home: Letting Go .................................................................................................... 58
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 58
Ideas Level: The Path Examined .................................................................................. 59
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 59
The Path Examined .............................................................................................................................. 59
Ideas Level: Sayings ............................................................................................................................. 59
What Constitutes a “Saying” of Jesus? ................................................................................................ 59
Sayings and Context ............................................................................................................................ 60
A Closer Look ....................................................................................................................................... 60
Sources of Authentic Sayings .............................................................................................................. 61
Treasure to Bring Home: Colors .......................................................................................................... 62
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 62
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth .......................................................................... 63
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 63
Walking the Labyrinth ......................................................................................................................... 64
Puzzles Level: Sayings .......................................................................................................................... 64
Settings and Audiences for Sayings ..................................................................................................... 64
Why Are There Four Gospels? ............................................................................................................. 65
Minding the Q’s and P’s....................................................................................................................... 65
Jesus and Paul ..................................................................................................................................... 65
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Breaking the Bonds ............................................................................................................................. 67
Treasure to Bring Home: Diversity ...................................................................................................... 67
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 67
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call ................................................................................ 68
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 68
Awareness of Call ................................................................................................................................ 68
Dreams Level: Sayings ......................................................................................................................... 68
Windows and Recipes ......................................................................................................................... 69
The Dreams ..........................................................................................................................................70
Treasure to Bring Home: Windows ..................................................................................................... 71
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 71
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey .................................................................... 72
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .....................................................................................................72
Awakening to the Journey ....................................................................................................................72
Models Level: Sayings ..........................................................................................................................72
Imperative vs. Indicative ..................................................................................................................... 73
Middle Way ......................................................................................................................................... 73
Creating Simple Models of Teachings .................................................................................................. 73
Treasure to Bring Home: Generosity ....................................................................................................74
Journal Entry ........................................................................................................................................74
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within .................................................................. 75
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 75
Wisdom of Arriving Within ................................................................................................................. 75
Spaces Level: Sayings .......................................................................................................................... 75
Mindfulness: Practicing the Presence of God ..................................................................................... 75
Creating Space for Attentiveness .........................................................................................................76
Sabbath Moments ................................................................................................................................76
Practicing Attentiveness ...................................................................................................................... 77
Chant ................................................................................................................................................... 77
Re-tuning ............................................................................................................................................. 77
Treasure to Bring Home: Resonance ................................................................................................... 78
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 78
Images Level: Returning Enriched ............................................................................... 80
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 80
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched ......................................................................................... 80
Images Level: Sayings .......................................................................................................................... 80
Harmonies ........................................................................................................................................... 81
One Last Thought: Creating a Life Rule ............................................................................................... 81
Treasure to Bring Home: Harmony ...................................................................................................... 82
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 82
Bibliography and Additional Material .......................................................................... 84
PARABLES ...................................................................................................................... 87
Stories Level: Birth of Longing .................................................................................... 87
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .....................................................................................................87
Introducing the Material ......................................................................................................................87
Working Definition of a Parable ...........................................................................................................87
Why does Jesus Teach with Parable? ...................................................................................................87
Questions for this Parable Story .......................................................................................................... 88
What can this Parable Experience Teach us about Jesus’ Parables? ................................................... 88
The Stories........................................................................................................................................... 88
Treasure to Bring Home: Essence ........................................................................................................ 89
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 90
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Ideas Level: The Path Examined .................................................................................. 91
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 91
The Path Examined .............................................................................................................................. 91
Ideas Level: Parables ........................................................................................................................... 91
Ideas about the Kingdom .....................................................................................................................92
Thomas Keating: Cedar Tree and Mustard Seed ..................................................................................92
What is the Kingdom of God Like? ...................................................................................................... 94
The Classroom of God ......................................................................................................................... 94
Treasure to Bring Home: Integrity ....................................................................................................... 95
Journal Entry ....................................................................................................................................... 95
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth .......................................................................... 96
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................... 96
Walking the Labyrinth ......................................................................................................................... 96
Puzzles Level: Parables ........................................................................................................................ 96
The Puzzle of the Parables ...................................................................................................................97
Wikipedia: Mystic Traditions ............................................................................................................... 98
Was Jesus a Mystic? ............................................................................................................................ 98
The Mirror ........................................................................................................................................... 98
Realms of Meaning/Purpose (Ken Wilber's Labyrinth) ....................................................................... 99
Realms of Meaning/Purpose (Kabbalah Labyrinth) ............................................................................ 99
The Sefirot in Jewish Kabbalah .......................................................................................................... 100
Mystic Union ..................................................................................................................................... 101
Treasure to Bring Home: Creativity ................................................................................................... 101
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 101
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call .............................................................................. 102
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 102
Awareness of Call .............................................................................................................................. 102
Dreams Level: Parables ..................................................................................................................... 103
General Themes ................................................................................................................................ 103
What does this Parable Mean? ......................................................................................................... 103
Questions for all Parables .................................................................................................................. 104
The Dreams ....................................................................................................................................... 104
Treasure to Bring Home: Service ....................................................................................................... 104
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 105
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey .................................................................. 106
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 106
Awakening to the Journey ................................................................................................................. 106
Models Level: Parables ...................................................................................................................... 106
Jock Brandis and the Full Belly Project ...............................................................................................107
The Models ........................................................................................................................................107
Treasure to Bring Home: Purpose ..................................................................................................... 108
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 108
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within ................................................................ 109
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 109
Wisdom of Arriving Within ............................................................................................................... 109
Spaces Level: Parables ....................................................................................................................... 109
Creating Space for Attention ............................................................................................................. 109
Walking Meditation ........................................................................................................................... 110
Creating Labyrinths ........................................................................................................................... 110
Kingdom Within and/or Among You ................................................................................................. 111
Treasure to Bring Home: Practice ...................................................................................................... 111
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 111
Images Level: Returning Enriched ............................................................................. 112
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Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 112
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched ....................................................................................... 112
Images Level: Parables ...................................................................................................................... 112
Stepping Gently and Gracefully ......................................................................................................... 114
One Last Thought .............................................................................................................................. 114
Treasure to Bring Home: Authenticity ............................................................................................... 115
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 115
Bibliography and Additional Material ........................................................................ 117
Appendix: A list of parables most scholars consider authentic to the time and person of
Jesus ............................................................................................................................ 118
MIRACLES .................................................................................................................... 127
Stories Level: Birth of Longing .................................................................................. 127
Primary Biblical/Historical Material ...................................................................................................127
Introducing the Material ....................................................................................................................127
The Stories......................................................................................................................................... 128
Treasure to Bring Home: Wonder ..................................................................................................... 128
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 128
Ideas Level: The Path Examined ................................................................................ 129
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 129
The Path Examined ............................................................................................................................ 129
Putting the Miracles in Perspective ................................................................................................... 129
Ideas Level: Miracles ......................................................................................................................... 129
Sheer Number of Incidents ............................................................................................................... 130
A Culture of Magic and Mythology ................................................................................................... 130
The Kingdom Revealed ...................................................................................................................... 131
Treasure to Bring Home: Openness ................................................................................................... 131
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 131
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth ........................................................................ 133
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 133
Walking the Labyrinth ....................................................................................................................... 133
Puzzles Level: Miracles ...................................................................................................................... 133
Paul's Understanding of Jesus' Acts ................................................................................................... 134
The Mystical Eye ................................................................................................................................ 134
The Puzzle of Christian Doctrine ....................................................................................................... 136
Treasure to Bring Home: Transformation ...........................................................................................137
Journal Entry ......................................................................................................................................137
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call .............................................................................. 138
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 138
Awareness of Call .............................................................................................................................. 138
Dreams Level: Miracles ..................................................................................................................... 138
General Themes ................................................................................................................................ 139
I Believe; Help My Unbelief! .............................................................................................................. 139
The Dreams ....................................................................................................................................... 140
Treasure to Bring Home: Faith........................................................................................................... 141
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 141
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey .................................................................. 142
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 142
Awakening to the Journey ................................................................................................................. 142
Models Level: Miracles ...................................................................................................................... 142
Feeding the Multitudes ..................................................................................................................... 143
You Give Them Something to Eat ...................................................................................................... 143
The Models ....................................................................................................................................... 143
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Treasure to Bring Home: Compassion ............................................................................................... 144
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 144
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within ................................................................ 145
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 145
Wisdom of Arriving Within ............................................................................................................... 145
Spaces Level: Miracles ....................................................................................................................... 145
Creating Space for Attention ............................................................................................................. 146
Open Mind, Open Heart .................................................................................................................... 146
Treasure to Bring Home: Turning .......................................................................................................147
Journal Entry ......................................................................................................................................147
Images Level: Returning Enriched ............................................................................. 148
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 148
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched ....................................................................................... 148
Images Level: Miracles ...................................................................................................................... 149
One Last Thought .............................................................................................................................. 149
Treasure to Bring Home: Attention ................................................................................................... 150
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 150
Bibliography and Additional Material ........................................................................ 152
PRAYERS....................................................................................................................... 155
Stories Level: Birth of Longing .................................................................................. 155
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 155
Introducing the Material ................................................................................................................... 155
The Stories......................................................................................................................................... 155
Thoughts to Ponder ........................................................................................................................... 158
Treasure to Bring Home: Unity .......................................................................................................... 158
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 158
Ideas Level: The Path Examined ................................................................................ 159
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 159
The Path Examined ............................................................................................................................ 159
Ideas Level: Prayers ........................................................................................................................... 159
A Choir of Teachings .......................................................................................................................... 159
Malkutah ........................................................................................................................................... 160
Healing .............................................................................................................................................. 160
Malkutah Dashmaya ......................................................................................................................... 161
Shalu.................................................................................................................................................. 161
Treasure to Bring Home: Persistence ................................................................................................ 161
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 161
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth ........................................................................ 162
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 162
Walking the Labyrinth ....................................................................................................................... 162
Puzzles Level: Prayers ........................................................................................................................ 162
The Practice of Prayer ....................................................................................................................... 162
Heaping Empty Phrases ..................................................................................................................... 163
Forgiveness and the Lord's Prayer ..................................................................................................... 163
A Midrash on the Lord's Prayer* ....................................................................................................... 163
Various Poetic Renditions of the Aramaic Lord's Prayer ................................................................... 166
Treasure to Bring Home: Wisdom ......................................................................................................170
Journal Entry ......................................................................................................................................170
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call .............................................................................. 171
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 171
Awareness of Call .............................................................................................................................. 171
Dreams Level: Prayers ....................................................................................................................... 171
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Beads and Seeds as Metaphors for Prayer ........................................................................................ 171
Beads as Seeds of Prayer ....................................................................................................................172
Praying the Beads ...............................................................................................................................172
Treasure to Bring Home: Acceptance ................................................................................................ 173
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 173
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey .................................................................. 174
Primary Biblical/Historical Material ...................................................................................................174
Awakening to the Journey ..................................................................................................................174
Models Level: Prayers ........................................................................................................................174
Saint Francis of Assisi ........................................................................................................................ 175
Teresa of Avila ................................................................................................................................... 175
Ignatius of Loyola .............................................................................................................................. 175
Henri Nouwen ....................................................................................................................................176
Thomas Merton ..................................................................................................................................176
Gifts of Darkness and Light................................................................................................................ 177
Making Meditation a Practice ........................................................................................................... 177
Treasure to Bring Home: Listening .................................................................................................... 177
Journal Entry ......................................................................................................................................178
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within ................................................................ 179
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 179
Wisdom of Arriving Within ............................................................................................................... 179
Spaces Level: Prayers......................................................................................................................... 179
Creating Space for Attention and Healing ......................................................................................... 179
Modes of Meditation or Prayer ......................................................................................................... 180
A Review of Past Mindfulness Guides ............................................................................................... 180
Making the Experience of Meditation Your Own .............................................................................. 181
Entering the Lord’s Prayer through Meditation................................................................................. 181
Treasure to Bring Home: Grace ......................................................................................................... 182
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 182
Images Level: Returning Enriched ............................................................................. 183
Primary Biblical/Historical Material .................................................................................................. 183
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched ....................................................................................... 183
Images Level: Prayers ........................................................................................................................ 184
Let Anyone with Ears Listen! ............................................................................................................. 184
One Last Thought .............................................................................................................................. 185
Treasure to Bring Home: Balance ...................................................................................................... 185
Journal Entry ..................................................................................................................................... 185
Bibliography and Additional Material ........................................................................ 187
ILLUSTRATIONS ......................................................................................................... 188
Cover ................................................................................................................................................. 188
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 188
Beatitudes ......................................................................................................................................... 188
Sayings............................................................................................................................................... 188
Parables ............................................................................................................................................. 188
Miracles ............................................................................................................................................. 188
Prayers ............................................................................................................................................... 188
END NOTES .................................................................................................................. 192
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INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
Guidelines
We use Jesus‘ own methods of teaching as much as possible
We begin with primary biblical/historical texts and look for meaning
We use the texts most scholars consider authentic to the time and person of Jesus
We focus on what Jesus taught, not on what the church teaches about Jesus
We start with levels of discovery that are short and relatively simple
We identify questions to consider, and share our personal reflections
We offer higher levels of study with more depth for those who want it
We bracket legends and questionable texts and focus on core teachings
We design the pilgrimage for individual or group discovery; no leader is required
What did Jesus teach?
Jesus lived a long time ago and most of the stories about him are pretty fuzzy as far as real history
goes. The gospels and other New Testament writings were not written as history. And for reasons
beyond the scope of our little adventure, all of the early Christian writers had their own agendas.
Fortunately the core of Jesus' spiritual teachings has been preserved, and that is where this journey will
take us. Our pilgrimage will be through these core teachings. When we say our ―pilgrimage‖ that is
exactly what we mean. This is not a curriculum where we set out to teach you something that we think
you ought to know. Instead, it is our personal journey of discovery. We invite you along, if you have a
spiritually curious soul and wish to journey with us. Along the way we will share our personal
reflections about the discoveries we make, as best we can. And, no doubt, each of you will make your
own discoveries, growing out of your own unique personal perspectives. We invite you to share those
discoveries with us, as they might, in turn, spark new ideas and new paths of discovery in us. For that
is the nature of this pilgrimage.
We begin with a word of caution and a reminder for all of us. Before we start on our pilgrimage it
is best to set aside any theological ideas we may have formed about Jesus. This is easier said than
done, but as anyone who has been on a pilgrimage will tell you, it is important to carry as little
baggage as possible. Even ideas about God are best suspended so that we can approach Jesus' core
teachings unburdened and with open minds. All that concerns us on this pilgrimage is the question:
What did Jesus teach? The scholars, as you might guess, are not in complete agreement – even about
Jesus' core teachings. So, to be on the safe side, we will journey only through the parts of the teachings
that most scholars believe authentic to Jesus.
Five distinctive methods of teaching bear the stamp of authenticity. We will approach each of these
separately on our pilgrimage. The written or spoken teachings fall into three categories: beatitudes,
sayings and parables. Miracles make up the fourth category. Miracles were performed rather than
spoken. Most scholars agree that Jesus performed some acts that people perceived as miracles.
Whether these acts can be explained scientifically, or whether they were genuine miracles, or whether
they represent some form of illusion is a separate question. Our only interest for this pilgrimage is the
question of how these acts or miracles were used as a part of the teachings. Prayers, Jesus' fifth method
of teaching, can be written, spoken, or sometimes, as part of a miracle story, acted out. Clearly, for
Jesus prayer meant something closer to meditation. Jesus regularly goes off by himself to pray. We can
learn much from Jesus' example of time alone for quiet reflection and prayer; and we will explore what
he teaches his disciples about prayer when they ask him, ―teach us to pray.‖
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Each of Jesus' five methods of teaching takes on a character of its own – descriptive, in some sense,
of what Jesus called the ―kingdom of God.‖

We see the beatitudes as ―the world of bliss‖ with Jesus representing ―the
Mystic Priest.‖

The sayings become ―the resonant chamber,‖ and Jesus here is ―the Maestro.‖

The parables, which are almost always stories about what the kingdom of God is
like, take on the character of ―the soul's realm.‖ In this realm Jesus is ―the
Teacher.‖

The miracles represent a view of the kingdom we call ―the enchanted kingdom,‖
with Jesus as ―the Revealer.‖

And finally, the prayers become ―the open doorway.‖ In Sufi lore it is the
dervish who sits in the doorway between worlds. So here Jesus becomes ―the
Dervish.‖
Packing for Pilgrimage
We offer only a few packing suggestions for those traveling with us before we set off on our
journey. First, we emphasize again, take as little baggage with you as possible. This is a journey of
ideas. If your pack is filled with opinions and prior assumptions, you will be carrying a heavy load and
will miss much of what is going to be offered to you for your consideration. Relax. Each time you set
out with us, journey only as far as feels comfortable to you. Don't cover any more ground than you
want to cover on any given exercise. Each day's journey begins with the first step, and wherever it ends
that day is where it is supposed to end. Only you will know your own optimum distance to travel on
any given day. There are no ―correct‖ starting or stopping points. Travel as little or as far as you want.
Some of the ideas you encounter along the way may stop you in your tracks – at least that has been our
experience. That's fine. Occasionally you may need to stop and take a breather to allow new ideas to
sink in. Some ideas may spark questions unique to your experience. You may need to abandon the
pilgrimage temporarily in order to pursue those questions on your own. Don't hesitate to do this.
Introducing you to the excitement of discovery is the primary purpose of this pilgrimage. Once you
become your own pathfinder you will have little need of us.
Levels of Learning or Understanding
As we explore each of Jesus' five distinct methods of teaching, we will find ourselves journeying
through seven levels of discovery or understanding (stories, ideas, puzzles, dreams, models, spaces and
images).
At level one, we learn through stories.
Stories are appropriate for any age and are always a good way to start. Stories correspond loosely
to Piaget's stage of magical thinking.
At level two we learn through ideas.
At about eight years of age, or Third Grade, most of us are ready to start learning through ideas.
The Ideas Level of discovery deals with facts that are on pretty solid ground. Most reasonable people
should be able to agree about these facts. The Ideas Level of discovery corresponds loosely to Piaget's
concrete thinking.
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At level three we learn through puzzles.
At some point, for most of us late high school or college age, it takes more than just ideas to hold
our interest. The Puzzles Level of discovery deals with mysteries that are open to various
interpretations. Reasonable people disagree about puzzles, and we never get bored with puzzles. Our
Puzzles Level of discovery corresponds loosely with Piaget's abstract reasoning.
At level four we learn through dreams.
Dreams come from the heart instead of the head. The Dreams Level of discovery deals with ideas
of the heart. When ideas migrate to the heart we start dreaming about how they might change us and
change the world.
At level five we learn through models.
Models can be people who serve as examples, or they can be ways of acting out dreams. The
Models Level of discovery deals with dreams made manifest. When we get to a level of learning that
models the teachings, we can‘t help but be changed personally. And often we change the world. Not
everyone is ready to embody Models Level thinking, but we can all try it on for size.
At level six we learn through spaces.
Spaces are what surround ideas and dreams and give them form. The Spaces Level of discovery
deals with mindful attention. Spaces Level learning is creative, intuitive and mystical. We approach it
through a committed practice of mindfulness and meditation. Not everyone is ready to commit to
Spaces Level thinking, but we can all experiment with some form of meditation.
At level seven we learn through images.
Images are packets of information that come to us all at once. The Images Level of discovery deals
with revealed truth. Usually images are what we are left with after we have moved through all the
other levels of learning. We differentiate, integrate, and then synthesize new structures out of the old. I
like to think of the Images Level as a kind of metaphorical bench to sit on and reflect as we sort
through our photographs. Revealed truth is rare for any of us, but almost all of us have experienced it.
The Images Level of discovery corresponds loosely with Piaget's ―gestalt.‖ For Piaget, ―gestalt‖ is
when the knowledge that has been gained at one stage of study and experience leads rapidly and
radically to a new higher stage of insight.
At first you may find all of this confusing, but as you journey with us it will become clear. There
are a number of reasons for recognizing seven levels of understanding. As we have suggested, these
levels correspond loosely to Piaget's stages of cognitive development. But we were also influenced by
J. Philip Newell's, One Foot in Eden: A Celtic View of the Stages of Life, and by Teresa of Avila's
mystic vision of the Interior Castle with its seven successive interior chambers of the contemplative
soul. There seems to be a natural progression in learning from head to heart to gut, each taking us
deeper and deeper into understanding.
Keeping a Journal
Keeping a journal is an essential part of any pilgrimage. Our abbreviated journal entries, at the end
of each session, are where we identify our own questions to consider, and where we share our personal
reflections with you. Sometimes we may summarize the ground we have covered together and make
suggestions for you to consider, but feel free to write anything you want in your own journal. As you
work your way through the material, keep a notepad close so that you may record questions or
thoughts that occur to you. You may want to record these directly into your journal or save them to
record later. Do what works best for you. Go at your own pace. Our hope, of course, is that you will
eventually journey through, and explore with us, Jesus' five methods of teaching through all seven
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INTRODUCTION
levels of learning, but even that is entirely up to you. If the path is not feeding you, or if you find your
own path, then end your journey with us and come back to it at a later time if it beckons.
We have chosen to present the biblical teachings through the lens of the New Revised Standard
Version of the Bible. If you have other translations of the Bible, it is often helpful to read the teachings
in several different versions. Translations range from literal (King James) to the interpretive edges of
meaning (Stephen Mitchell). As for the historical teachings, or those teachings outside of our bibles,
we try to provide you with what we feel is the best translation available. (A good website for a variety
of translations of the Gospel of Thomas is http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas.html.
Finally, the following Grand Canyon metaphor may seem a little strange coming from those who
spent 30 minutes staring at it from the canyon's south rim and then left for other adventures. But, if you
have ever been to the Grand Canyon in earnest, or can imagine such an endeavor, we are told that it
can look very different depending on where you stand to view it. It can also look different depending
on what time of day it is, or what season it is. What the casual viewer sees at first glance from the
canyon's south rim is part of the truth. But people who have spent their whole lives exploring the
Grand Canyon will find something new every time they visit. As we hope you will soon discover, the
same can be true of Jesus' authentic teachings. Most of us are casual viewers. But we know from years
of exploring the teachings that the larger, incomprehensible mystery revealing itself can only be
understood in bits and pieces. On every pilgrimage some astonishing new piece of the puzzle reveals
itself. There is nowhere one can stand in space or time to see and understand the totality of this Grand
Canyon. We're not attempting to do that with our little pilgrimage. But after we have seen each
teaching, we will make an effort to walk around it and explore it from different angles in an attempt to
come to grips with what it may mean at this time and from that vantage point. With that, we are ready
to begin our journey.
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BEATITUDES
BEATITUDES
World of Bliss: Jesus the Mystic Priest
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BEATITUDES Stories Level
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BEATITUDES
Stories Level: Birth of Longing
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
LUKE
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
MATTHEW
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew 5:3-4, 6 NRSV)
THOMAS
Jesus said, ―Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom."
(Thomas 54:1 Patterson/Meyer)
Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be filled.
(Thomas 69:2 Patterson/Meyer)
Introducing the Material
The beatitudes are a relatively short collection of declarations, which nearly all scholars include in
Jesus' core teachings. However, for reasons debated by scholars, parts of the beatitudes were probably
expanded or edited. There is even the possibility that some beatitudes were later added to the ones that
Jesus spoke. Most scholars consider at least three beatitudes from Luke and Matthew, and two from
Thomas to be authentic to Jesus. It is here we will begin our pilgrimage. This is our first look at Jesus'
authentic teachings and an important first step for us. What do these teachings mean? Why are they
recorded differently in Luke, Matthew and Thomas?
At the Stories Level of discovery we will concentrate on the beatitudes as they are recorded in
Luke's gospel. In this form they are probably as close as we can get to the earliest written remembrance
of what Jesus actually said. This remembrance, it is thought, was written down in an early document,
long since lost but used as a source by the writers of Matthew and Luke. Scholars call this hypothetical
lost source the Q document. Parts of Q can be reconstructed by comparing similar passages from
Matthew and Luke. As we slowly read these three beatitudes from Luke, we try to hear Jesus' voice in
them. Take a moment to think about what Jesus may have been teaching.
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
Certainly, no one would consider the poor and the hungry and those who weep to be blessed. What
Jesus declares seems contrary to our understanding of reality. And yet, believe it or not, Jesus is not
presenting new ideas. Blessings similar to these are relatively common in Psalms, Proverbs and
prophetic scripture. (Some examples that we found, if you are interested, are: 1 Samuel 2:8, Psalm
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5:12, Psalm 24, Psalm 37, Proverbs 22:4-14 and Proverbs 28:15-25.) Jesus' message in the beatitudes
is more than a reminder of past teachings, however. As we will discover, every stanza is carefully
constructed to tell a story about what kind of behavior is blessed in the blissful reality Jesus says is
present here and now, if only we could see it.
The Aramaic word that we usually translate as ―blessed‖ means (among other things) happy, ripe,
congratulations, enlightened, lucky and even blissful. Somehow ―blissful‖ seems a strange description
for those who suffer poverty, hunger and pain. Perhaps Jesus is saying that in this mysterious ―world of
bliss‖ that only he seems able to see, the poor, the hungry and those who grieve are, in ways we might
not understand, closer to a life of bliss than the rich, the well fed, and the smug and self-righteous. But
how can this be? What kind of ―world of bliss‖ is this? Jesus calls this world the ―kingdom of God.‖
And yet, as soon as the word ―kingdom‖ leaves Jesus' lips his listeners, who think they know what
kingdom means, misunderstand it. What kind of ―kingdom‖ is it that Jesus is talking about?
The Stories
The beatitudes teach us, among other things, where our pilgrimage begins. A common feature of
nearly all religious traditions is the forsaking of wealth, food and worldly happiness in order to gain a
deeper understanding of life's meaning. The idea was not unique to Jesus. The holiest of people, the
mystic priests from nearly all religious traditions, have accepted it as their starting point. It is central to
Buddhist teachings, can be found in the mystical Sufi teachings, and is present as well in Judaism,
which begins with forty years of wandering in the wilderness with only manna for food. It is this same
idea – the forsaking of wealth, food and worldly happiness – that Jesus expresses in the beatitudes.
Imagine someone (or perhaps there is someone in your life) who exemplifies what Jesus teaches in
the beatitudes. Perhaps you have known people who were poor or hungry or sad who considered
themselves fortunate. What does being poor teach us? What does being hungry teach us? What does
being sad teach us? If we look at the story from the other side, as Luke does later on in 6:24-25, it
might help us to understand. The rich and well fed should be happy by the world's standards, but for
some reason they are not always truly happy. Where does happiness come from? Is it a result of getting
what we want when we want it? Or can an overabundance of material things be a burden that holds us
back? Can too much to eat slow us down and make us lethargic? Can a state of easy laughter that
ignores or fails to recognize the pain of others be true happiness?
Read or watch the story How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l7aO6d-WSE) or (http://bloggingmis.blogspot.com/2010/03/howgrinch-stole-christmas.html)
After the Grinch has stolen Christmas, we get to the part where he is waiting to witness how the
Whos will react after he has taken away every crumb of their wealth, food and worldly happiness.
"Pooh-pooh to the Whos!" he was grinch-ish-ly humming.
"They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!
"They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
"Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
"Then all the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO!"
"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch,
"That I simply must hear!"
So he paused. And the Grinch put a hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
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It started in low. Then it started to grow...
But the sound wasn't sad!
Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn't be so!But it WAS merry!
VERY!
He stared down at Who-ville!
The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook!
What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
(Copyright 1957, Random House)
Discuss or consider how Dr. Seuss's story might relate to Jesus' teachings in these three beatitudes.
As long as we have material comforts and riches, it's easy for most of us to believe that finding joy
depends on material things. But if we are stripped of all things material, like the Whos in this story (by
the Grinch), or Job in another story (by Satan), or Jesus' peasant followers (by the Herodians), we may
find it easier to be empowered by the realization that the deepest joys in life have nothing to do with
material things. This ―empowering realization‖ can also come as a result of consciously and
purposefully forsaking wealth, food and worldly happiness – which is a common feature of nearly all
religious traditions.
Treasure to Bring Home: Joy
We begin our pilgrimage feeling poor and hungry and with an awareness that there is a profound
sadness in the world. We put on the robes of the pilgrim, set aside our distractions, and open ourselves
to finding the keys to this ―kingdom,‖ this ―state of utmost bliss,‖ along the way. We begin to
experience the birth of longing – a longing for something beyond the everyday material reality that
offers fleeting moments of happiness, but fails to deliver meaningful and lasting joy.
Journal Entry
[What you see below is an example of a journal entry. In this entry we show you our learning. Your
learning will, of course, be different. We invite you to look back at what you observed and felt and
learned at this level of our journey together. If something stands out for you as most meaningful, we
hope you will record this in your journal.]
Jesus' teachings in these three beatitudes open up the blissful nature of reality to us. Joy is
everywhere around us. Can we see it? Might it be easier to see if we didn't have as many distractions.
Life is blissful! Even the experience of poverty, hunger, sickness and death offer, for some who are
open to it, a kind of profound and unexpected bliss.
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Beatitudes
Ideas Level: The Path Examined
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
LUKE
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
MATTHEW
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew 5:3-4, 6 NRSV)
THOMAS
Jesus said, ―Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom."
(Thomas 54:1 Patterson/Meyer)
Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be filled.
(Thomas 69:2 Patterson/Meyer)
The Path Examined
By now we have developed more than just a casual interest in the teachings. We find that their
meanings run deeper than we first expected. Where did Jesus get the ideas that run through his
teachings? Did he pull them out of thin air, or did he reshape ideas that were already a part of his
culture? Why is it so difficult for us to understand ideas that seem bafflingly simple at first, yet
contrary to our understanding of reality? At the Stories Level, we listened to some of the teachings'
enigmas and found ways to make sense of them. Now we want to understand these teachings more
objectively. We want to scrutinize them and see what makes them tick. As we enter the Ideas Level,
the path examined, we pull back to get a broader view and to test some of our early assumptions.
Ideas Level: Beatitudes
Our Stories Level journey introduced us to a longing for the interior kingdom's blissfulness. Now
we enter the level of ideas. The Ideas Level represents a major shift in our angle of vision from
listening or watching to thinking. In this excursion and the one that follows we will attempt to view the
beatitudes objectively. We will look at such things as history, language, culture and challenges with
respect to translation; and we will see how all of these influences affect the meaning of the beatitudes
as we have them today.
Why Did Jesus Speak Aramaic and not Hebrew?
In the time of King David – around 1,000 BCE, Hebrew was the language of Israel. In Israel today,
Hebrew is spoken. Why, then, did the Jewish people in Palestine at the time of Jesus speak Aramaic?
For the answer, we have to look at their history. About 2,600 years ago the Hebrew people were
conquered, and thousands of them were forced to live in Babylon, where Aramaic was spoken.
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Aramaic had become the language of diplomacy and trade in the Middle East by around the seventh
century BCE, with the dominance of the Assyrian Empire. When the Southern Kingdom of Judah fell
to the Babylonians in 586 BCE many Hebrew leaders were taken into captivity in Babylon. They had
little choice but to learn Aramaic. When the Hebrews were allowed to return to their homeland some
50 years later, they brought Aramaic with them. The shift from Hebrew to Aramaic followed slowly –
first in matters of trade with other nations, then in the local marketplace, and eventually even in homes.
Hebrew remained the language of worship and study, however. It was another 200 years before
Alexander the Great conquered the Middle East. In 331 BCE Alexander overturned centuries of
Mesopotamian dominance, and Greek became the official language of the empire. However, in
Judapoeea Aramaic remained dominant. Aramaic began to be used alongside Hebrew, even in worship.
The books of Ezra (4th century BCE) and Daniel (2nd century BCE) were written not in Hebrew but in
Aramaic. By the second century BCE, the transition from Hebrew to Aramaic was complete. When
Jesus was born, Aramaic had been the language of the Jewish people in Palestine for almost 200 years.
Tubwayhun
We wanted to know more about Aramaic as it relates to the beatitudes, and so we took a jaunt into
the writings and audio teachings of Neil Douglas-Klotz (see bibliography). We discovered that the
Aramaic word that most of our Bibles translate ―blessed,‖ and the actual word that Jesus spoke would
sound, to our ears, something like ―too B'VAY hoon‖ (although it would be written in Aramaic script).
Aramaic, like Hebrew, is an ―earthy‖ language with relatively few words, which have very broad
meanings. Our Aramaic key-word-in-context lexicon shows the following range of definitions for
tubwayhun:
Tubwayhun: blessed, beatitude, ripe, happy, congratulations, consecrated, lucky, celebrate, good
fortune, healthy, healed, blissful, enlightened, good news.
Greek Thought vs. Hebrew/Aramaic Thought
Jeff A. Benner, in his excellent article ―Ancient Hebrew Thought‖ (see: http://www.ancienthebrew.org/12_thought.html copyright © 1999-2007) tells us that Greek thought views the world
through the mind. Greek, or abstract thinking, is capable of expressing concepts and ideas in ways that
cannot be expressed in terms of our senses. Ancient Hebrew/Aramaic thought, by contrast, views the
world through the senses. Concrete thinking expresses concepts and ideas in ways that can be seen,
touched, smelled, tasted and/or heard. All five of the senses are used when speaking and hearing and
writing and reading the Hebrew language. Hebrew never uses abstract thinking as Greek and English
do. For example, consider Psalm 103:8: ―The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and
abounding in steadfast love.‖ The word ―anger,‖ from this verse, is an abstract word. But it comes
from the Hebrew word awph, which literally means ―nose.‖ The word ―nose‖ is a concrete word.
Ancient Hebrew sees and describes anger as ―the flaring of the nose (nostrils).‖ People who are very
angry begin to breathe hard and their nostrils begin to flare. But if the translator literally translated the
above passage ―slow to nose,‖ it would make no sense to the English reader. So awph, ―nose,‖ is
translated ―anger‖ in this passage.
What is Righteousness?
We searched for ―righteous‖ or ―righteousness‖ in the Bible and found over five hundred results.
―Righteousness‖ appears two times just in the beatitudes in Matthew. ―Righteousness‖ is an abstract
word. We found out that the Hebrew word,“tsedaqah.” translates more literally as ―straightness.‖ We
also learned that the Aramaic word used in the beatitudes, ―khenuta,‖ has the literal sense of
―foundation‖ or ―a base upon which things can rest.‖ So what is meant by ―righteousness?‖ Study
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these examples of how ―righteous/righteousness‖ is used in the Bible to get a sense of its meaning:
I Samuel 24:16-17: Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, ‗You are more righteous than
I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.
Psalm 37:21: The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous are generous and keep
giving.
Proverbs 12:10: The righteous know the needs of their animals, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
Proverbs 20:7: The righteous walk in integrity – happy are the children who follow them!
Proverbs 21:21: Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and honor.
Proverbs 29:7: The righteous know the rights of the poor; the wicked have no such understanding.
Matthew 1:19: Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public
disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.
Matthew 23:28: So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of
hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 25:37: Then the righteous will answer him, ―Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and
gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
James 3:18: And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
2 Peter 3:13: But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where
righteousness is at home.
Right Relationship
The Interpreter‟s Dictionary of the Bible defines ―righteousness‖ as follows: ―Righteousness is the
fulfillment of the demands of a relationship.‖ Righteousness, then, might best be thought of as ―right
relationship,‖ and in that sense it could be another way to express the idea contained in the phrase
―kingdom of God.‖ Many of the passages in the Bible that speak about ―righteousness‖ are talking,
more concretely, about God‘s relationship with human beings or about our proper relationship with
God and with each other. Right relationship with other human beings means loving them, sharing with
them, caring for them, forgiving them – as the beatitudes teach us. Right relationship with the earth
means caring for it as good stewards, knowing that it does not belong to us, but has only been entrusted
to us for safe keeping.
The Road from Aramaic to English
Sometimes we forget that Jesus didn‘t speak English. Since our Bibles are in English, how do we
know exactly what Jesus said or meant? Because all of the original biblical books or scrolls have been
lost, the first thing to acknowledge is that translators are working from a myriad of copies and copies
of copies that have come down to us throughout the centuries. When we pick up a Bible to study or
read, we place a great deal of trust in the quality of the copies used and in the ability of the scholars
who did the work of translation. Fortunately, there are a few more or less intact ancient copies of entire
collections of biblical books. The most widely used ancient text for the Old Testament, by Jews and
Christians alike, comes from the 10th century. It is called the Masoretic Text and it is written in Hebrew
and Aramaic. The text judged to be most reliable for the New Testament was completed in about the
12th century. It is called Codex Sinaiticus and it is written primarily in Greek.
Think about the problems of translation. When an English translation of the Bible is undertaken,
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scholars must study the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts and decide which English words best reflect
the meaning. Some translators seek to put down in English exactly what the ancient language says.
This kind of translation is called a literal translation. The best-known literal translation is the King
James Version. Other translators feel that literal translations can be misleading at times. For example,
when Luke writes in Acts 7:60 that Stephen ―fell asleep‖ he really means that Stephen died. By far the
majority of modern Bible translations, including the NRSV, are free translations. A free translation is
more concerned with conveying the meaning of the ancient languages. A third type of translation,
paraphrase, is also primarily concerned with conveying the meaning of the ancient text, but it also
wants to make use of modern language and idioms. The Living Bible, The Message and the JB Phillips
Bible are paraphrases.
Challenges in Translation
An idiom is a group of words which, when used together, have an implied meaning that is different
from the meanings of the individual words. Someone calculated that the English language, for
example, contains more than 15,000 idioms. In our everyday speech we use idioms all the time.
Sometimes we don‘t even notice we are doing so. This means that someone from another culture, when
conversing with a native English speaker, can be quite confused. Confusion can also result when
translating sayings from one language to another. A literal translation of the words does not always
convey the true meaning of the words.
Jesus and his listeners spoke Aramaic – the conversational language of the common Jew in 1st
century Palestine. Like any language, Aramaic contains idioms and euphemisms. Perhaps examples of
idioms from two different languages can best illustrate the problem this presents:
Spanish: Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
Literal translation: The shrimp that falls asleep, the current carries it away.
English meaning: You snooze, you lose.
ASL:
Literal translation: Train gone
English meaning: Sorry, I'm not going to repeat it
Recent studies by native Aramaic speakers suggest that some of Jesus‘ sayings, including the
beatitudes, contain Aramaic idioms whose exact meanings may or may not have been understood by
translators who recorded the Aramaic oral tradition into the language of a foreign culture. One example
of an idiom in the beatitudes is ―poor in spirit‖ or l‟meskenaee b‟rukh. We discovered that this
particular idiom has an interesting history. It goes back at least as far as the writer of Isaiah 66:2, a
passage which the NRSV translates: ―But this is the one to whom I will look, to the humble and
contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word.‖ The KJV translates: ―But to this man will I look, even to
him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.‖ The idiom actually means
―humble‖ or ―meek‖ not ―poor‖ as it has been translated in the beatitudes. And it is almost always
paired with ―contrite‖ which means ―feeling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses.‖ A Dead Sea
Scroll passage (roughly contemporary with Jesus) also pairs these ideas. The Thanksgiving Scroll,
18.14-15 says: ―to proclaim to the meek the multitude of Your mercies, and to let them that are of
contrite spirit hear salvation . . ." This passage was very important to the Qumran community. Its
members identified so much with it that they referred to themselves as l‟meskenaee b‟rukh.
The language Jesus spoke was Aramaic. It is difficult to understand exactly what Jesus was saying
without looking directly at the Aramaic words he spoke. It would be nearly impossible to do this
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except for recent efforts by Neil Douglas-Klotz and others to reconstruct the Aramaic words of Jesus
and make them available to lay readers. A few churches in the Middle East have continued to use
Aramaic versions of the Bible (such as the Original Eastern Aramaic Peshitta New Testament) since at
least the early fourth century. And even though there is some dispute as to whether these scriptures
were written down directly in Aramaic or first translated into Greek and soon after translated back into
Aramaic, the language has been preserved.
Treasure to Bring Home: Humility
Once we see all of the stumbling blocks to understanding the beatitudes, we recognize our
limitations and feel a measure of regret and sorrow at our inability to completely conquer such a
daunting task. Our consolation is that by taking the beatitudes seriously instead of literally, we have a
chance to make some sense of the ideas Jesus expressed in them.
Journal Entry
A pilgrimage to Jesus' teachings has little meaning if we can't understand what he was teaching.
Without claiming to be experts, have we made every effort to ensure that we are staying on the path
that will lead us to those teachings? We have tried to use only teachings that are most likely authentic
and that date back to the time of Jesus. The problems that translations present are considerable. We
realize that even studying idioms and key words in the original Aramaic, although helpful, cannot
overcome all the barriers to understanding. We see as well that cultural differences present another gulf
between our world view and that of Jesus and his contemporaries, and we have tried to take these
challenges into account as well. Following a trail is never easy, and we may occasionally lose our way,
but that is part of the adventure.
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BEATITUDES Puzzles Level
Beatitudes
Puzzles Level : Walking the Labyrinth
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
LUKE
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
MATTHEW
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew 5:3-4, 6 NRSV)
THOMAS
Jesus said, ―Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom."
(Thomas 54:1 Patterson/Meyer)
Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be filled.
(Thomas 69:2 Patterson/Meyer)
Walking the Labyrinth
Walking a labyrinth requires concentration and attention. Every measured step we take, every idea
that enters our awareness, can be a turning point to inspire and awaken us to something new. Even as
our path seems to meander, and sometimes even turn back upon itself, we begin to collect puzzle
pieces that, if we can connect them, may give us a better picture of what it means to bring heaven to
earth – to find in our lives the Promised Land. The labyrinth we walk at this level, however, is a
labyrinth of the mind. The ethereal puzzle pieces we collect flicker and shimmer like film clips from a
virtual reality or fragments from a hologram. The images they conjure up form mysterious patterns that
follow us as we try to walk around them and find their boundaries. We know that the abstract path we
walk is but a symbol for the enchanted kingdom. Even a physical labyrinth is but a metaphorical
journey to our center, our core. And, after all, mind and spirit are close cousins. The teachings point us
toward and invite us into a reality we have not yet grasped. We trust inspiration to lead us closer to that
reality.
Puzzles Level: Beatitudes
Our earlier experience with the beatitudes through stories introduced us to a longing for the interior
kingdom‘s blissfulness. The Ideas Level represented a major shift in our angle of vision from listening
to thinking and introduced us to concepts and ideas that are more abstract. We found ourselves
attempting a more objective assessment of the beatitudes – objective in the sense of dealing with facts
instead of feelings. We were immediately confronted with barriers of language, culture, idioms and
translation – all imposing problems in their own ways, but manageable terrain, nonetheless, as far as
the path to discovery was concerned. The Puzzles Level of discovery, however, introduces us to a
more advanced and complex set of challenges with respect to understanding. Here hypotheses will be
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suggested and defended that may seem, at first, to follow a winding and intricate course – meandering
beyond the trails where most biblical pundits dare to tread. We may be forced to venture off the strictly
historical paths of Jesus' teachings as we attempt to examine the beatitudes from a more conjectural
point of view. Still, our arguments are soundly based on scholarship, even if they lead us into the
labyrinths of academia. Follow us into the realms of speculation if you dare.
The Puzzle of the Beatitudes
If, as some scholars believe, there were originally only four beatitudes or blessings, they may have
looked something like what we find in Luke:
Blessed / you poor (or humble & contrite) / kingdom of God
Blessed / you hungry / you will be filled
Blessed / you who weep / you will laugh
Blessed / you faithful / reward in heaven
It seems probable the beatitudes took this form, or close to this form, as they were presented by Jesus.
(The fourth beatitude appears to have been expanded or edited by Luke or by a later scribe or translator
for reasons unknown to us.) When reduced to their essential and fundamental structure of blessing,
condition and promise, the beatitudes exhibit a poetic form. Could they originally have been presented
as poetry?
Studies of Old Testament scripture reveal the importance of poetry. Close to one third of the Old
Testament is written in Hebrew poetic form. Hebrew poetry does not necessarily use rhyming words,
but rather parallel ideas presented in poetic pairings. It has been said that ―the ideas rhyme.‖ Look, for
example, at Proverbs 31:20. Can you find the parallel ideas that ―rhyme‖ in this poetic pairing?
She stretches / out her hand / to the poor;
She reaches / forth her arms / to the needy
Some scholars suggest that the beatitudes in Matthew use the same kind of poetic structure. (See:
Hebrew New Testament Studies: ―The beatitudes unlocked by Hebrew parallelism,‖
http://www.biblicalhebrew.com/nt/beatitudes.htm.) For example, look at the structure of the first line
of the beatitudes:
Blessed / you poor (or humble & contrite) / kingdom of God
Blessing, condition and promise is a structure consistent throughout the beatitudes. Is it possible that
either Jesus himself or the author of the Gospel of Matthew may have wanted to add emphasis by
creating poetic pairings? The pairings were lost when the beatitudes were translated into Greek. But
can we reconstruct the pairings? Luke's four beatitudes match up with four of Matthew's beatitudes.
Can we find parallel ideas in the remaining four to reconstruct the poetic pairings?
Puzzle Pieces Identified
If Matthew's beatitudes were originally paired, they would represent an example of Jesus' sayings
in the Hebrew poetic style of prophetic utterance. Let's begin with Luke's first beatitude, ―you poor.‖
Matthew's equivalent is ―poor in spirit.‖ And so we have an obvious match:
Blessed / you poor (or humble & contrite) / kingdom of God
Blessed / poor (or humble & contrite) in spirit / kingdom of heaven
But now we need to find another beatitude with a parallel idea in Matthew – an idea that ―rhymes‖
with ―poor.‖ An important clue can be found in Luke's account describing the very beginning of Jesus'
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ministry. Luke tells us that Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah:
―The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the
oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord‘s favor.‖ (Luke 4:18-19 NRSV)
Biblical scholars study this entire passage (in Isaiah 61:1-2) for clues about Jesus‘ ministry and have
noted the parallels between this passage and the beatitudes. One of these parallels relates to the first
beatitude‘s treatment of ―good news‖ (or ―blessings‖) to the ―poor.‖ Going back to the Isaiah passage,
the New Revised Standard Version translates the Hebrew word from Isaiah as “oppressed”:
―The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to
bring good news to the oppressed…― (Isaiah 61:1a NRSV)
But the New International Version translates this Hebrew word as “poor”:
―The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach
good news to the poor…‖ (Isaiah 61:1a NIV)
The King James Version translates the same Hebrew word as “meek”:
―The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good
tidings unto the meek…‖ (Isaiah 61:1a KJV)
This same Hebrew word appears again in Psalm 37:11:
―But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.‖ (NIV)
―But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.‖
(KJV)
―But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight in abundant prosperity.‖ (NRSV)
And it appears again in Isaiah 66:2 where it is translated as “humble” (NIV), “poor” (KJV) and
“humble” (NRSV):
―But this is the one to whom I will look, to the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at
my word.‖ (NRSV)
In light of this biblical evidence, can you see why some scholars argue that ―poor‖ and ―meek‖ in
Matthew's first and third beatitudes seem to be parallel ideas, and that these two beatitudes may
originally have been paired in Hebrew poetic form?
The Latin Vulgate translation used by the Catholic Church puts the beatitudes in a slightly different
order. In the Latin Vulgate, the first two beatitudes from Matthew are:
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
The Catholic Encyclopedia defends this order as follows: ―The etymological connection, which in the
original is supposed to have existed between the ‗poor‘ and the ‗meek,‘ makes us prefer the order of
the Vulgate.‖ It appears, then, that we have found the beatitude with the idea that ―rhymes‖ with poor.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (NRSV)
Blessed / poor (or humble & contrite) in spirit / kingdom of heaven
Blessed / meek / inherit the earth
But, if this is truly Hebrew poetic form, then blessing, condition and promise should all be equivalent
in some way. You may be asking yourself, how are ―heaven‖ and ―earth‖ equivalent? Well, as it
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happens, there are over 200 passages of scripture that pair ―heaven‖ and ―earth.‖ A few examples
follow, if you wish to see for yourself:
Genesis 1:1
Exodus 20:4
Leviticus 26:19
Deuteronomy 30:19
I Chronicles 16:31
Job 20:27
Psalm 96:11
Proverbs 3:19
Isaiah 66:1
Joel 2:10
Matthew 6:10
I Corinthians 15:47
(Depending on the translation, sometimes ―heaven‖ is translated as ―sky‖ and ―earth‖ as ―ground.‖ or
―land.‖)
Kingdom on Earth as in Heaven
The pairing of ―heaven‖ and ―earth‖ in the beatitudes in Matthew (and 200 other places) leads us to
an interesting puzzle. Just how are ―heaven‖ and ―earth‖ equivalent? The ―Lord‘s Prayer,‖ also part of
the ―Sermon on the Mount,‖ follows shortly after the beatitudes. Listen carefully:
―Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.‖
We tend to think of the kingdom of heaven as a reward after we die for ―believing‖ or for a life well
lived. But Jesus' prayer illustrates the Hebrew understanding that the kingdom of heaven does not
involve the idea of taking us up to heaven, but rather it means bringing heaven down to earth. If we
are able to understand this idea, it changes our understanding of the meaning of ―inherit the earth.‖
And it changes our understanding of what Jesus may have meant by ―malkutah,‖ which is Aramaic for
―kingdom,‖ as in ―kingdom of heaven‖ or ―kingdom of God.‖ As you already know, Poetry usually
does not give direct answers or information. Instead, poetry ―suggests‖ through metaphor and
comparison. The same could be said about most of Jesus‘ teachings. Whether or not Jesus originally
presented his beatitudes in the form of poetry, his teachings, in all their various forms, are poetic in this
sense.
An Aramaic Key-Word Lexicon
It is difficult to understand exactly what Jesus was saying without looking directly at the Aramaic
words he spoke. The two beatitudes we paired are:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed / poor (or humble & contrite) in spirit / kingdom of heaven
Blessed / meek / inherit the earth
Just for fun we thought you might like to see what these two beatitudes look like transliterated into
Aramaic. We have also included the Aramaic definitions for all of the key words. Remember, Aramaic
is an ―earthy‖ language whose words have very broad meanings.
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Tubwayhun l’meskenaee b’rukh d’dilhounhie malkutah dashmaya
(Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.)
Tubwayhun l’makikhe d’hinnon nertun arha
(Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.)
Key words:
Tubwayhun: blessedness, beatitude, ripe, happy, congratulations, consecrated, lucky, celebrate,
good fortune, healthy, healed, blissful, enlightened, good news.
Meskenaee: humble, poor man, leprous, afflicted, empty handed, devotedly holding fast to
something – as if one were ―poor‖ for the lack of it, ―Poor in pride‖ or free from false pride or
racial pride. (In Jesus‘ time ―poor‖ had practically become a synonym for ―pious‖ or ―saintly.‖)
Rukh: wind, spirit, breath, blowing, soul or whatever moves, stirs, animates and links us to life.
(―Poor in spirit‖ is a traditional Aramaic idiom meaning ―humble‖ or ready to surrender to Alaha.)
D’dilyhuon own, possess
Malkutah: kingdom, reign, dynasty, royal majesty, government, realm of the ―Great Mother‖
(from malkatuh), royalty and power, potential that transforms, empowerment from within.
Dashmaya: (root shm: light, sound, vibration, name, word) that which rises and shines in space,
universe, heaven, roof, pride, the vibration or word by which one can recognize the Oneness –
Alaha. (The Aramaic concept of heaven is the vibration or word by which one can recognize the
Oneness – Alaha, God or Sacred Unity.)
L’makikhe: weak, humble, gentle, mild, lowly, meek, good character, resilient, patient; one who
has surrendered to Alaha, does not retaliate, practices nonresistance and nonviolence.
Nertun: inherit, heir, soak, moisten, dissolve, soak hides, receiving from the universal source of
strength, aware of the real source of power – Alaha acting through nature.
Arha: soil, earth, land, ground, country, field, etc.
Treasure to Bring Home: Inspiration
Labyrinths are a place we go for inspiration. Through attention and concentration and persistent
practice, we can find a way, metaphorically at least, into the core of our being. Unlike mazes, which
can trap and disorient us and lead us astray, labyrinths are trustworthy paths. They require only
patience and perseverance.
Journal Entry
We explored the pairing of two of Matthew's beatitudes: ―poor‖ and ―meek.‖ The arguments are so
strong for this pairing, and the likelihood of ―beatitude poetry‖ in Hebrew poetic form so great, that we
are tempted to seek parallel beatitudes among the remaining beatitudes in Matthew. Even though it is
tempting to enter these labyrinths as well, it is time now to return to the main path and get on with our
pilgrimage.
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BEATITUDES Dreams Level
Beatitudes
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
LUKE
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
MATTHEW
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew 5:3-4, 6 NRSV)
THOMAS
Jesus said, ―Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom."
(Thomas 54:1 Patterson/Meyer)
Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be filled.
(Thomas 69:2 Patterson/Meyer)
Awareness of Call
As we begin to get a glimpse of how Jesus teaches, we leave the Puzzles Level of our pilgrimage
and enter a level where more is required of us. Our journey through the first level was a journey of
story. We listened to the stories and considered, and perhaps discussed, what implications Jesus'
teachings might have for our lives. The Ideas and Puzzles Levels studied meaning and culture by
exploring concepts, facts and hypotheses. In the Dreams Level we are challenged to interact with the
teachings about this illusive interior kingdom in ways that are a little more engaging. The Dreams
Level gives us the opportunity to ―walk the walk‖ of pilgrimage through a series of dreams, activities,
games and challenges. Where appropriate, we will be introduced to new primary biblical/historical
material. In some instances we will look deeper at some of the teachings that have already become
familiar to us at the Stories, Ideas and Puzzles Levels. But most importantly, as we experience the
Dreams Level, the awareness of call, we will begin to explore ways the interior kingdom reaches into
the exterior world and affects our daily lives.
Dreams Level: Beatitudes
The Dreams Level of discovery gives us a different angle of vision for Jesus' beatitudes. The
Stories Level introduced us to a longing for the interior kingdom‘s blissfulness. The Ideas Level
shifted our angle of vision from listening to thinking, and introduced us to concepts and ideas. At the
Puzzles Level we were introduced to a more advanced and complex set of challenges with respect to
understanding. We ventured off the strictly historical paths of Jesus' teachings as we attempted to
examine the beatitudes from a more conjectural point of view. Now we begin to see the beatitudes as
more than just objective statements about a blissful life. They invite us into an interior kingdom, which
we are calling the world of bliss. ―Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.‖
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Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, in his book The Call & The Echo, explains:
―Those who travel along this path are known in the East as “dervishes”...a term which refers to
their holy poverty.” He quotes both Rumi (“Last night my teacher taught me the lesson of Poverty:
Having nothing and wanting nothing.”) and al-Hujwiri (“The poor man is not he whose hand is
empty of provisions, but he whose nature is empty of desires.”)
Jesus' words in this beatitude comfort and lift up the poor, affirming that even in the state they find
themselves Jesus, the mystic priest, declares them to be blessed. But at the same time, in some bizarre
way, the beatitudes challenge and inspire the rest of us as well. We want to buy tickets to this blissful,
interior kingdom. And yet, Jesus seems to be telling us that the only viable currency is poverty or a
humble and contrite spirit. What kind of game is Jesus playing with us? What are we being challenged
to do or to be?
General Themes
According to our introductory guidelines, we begin with a primary biblical/historical text and look
for meaning. We tried to do this in the Stories Level of our pilgrimage using the beatitudes text from
the Gospel of Luke. One theme that the three beatitudes at the core of Jesus' teachings seem to share
with the mystic teachings of nearly every religious tradition is the forsaking of wealth, food and
worldly happiness in order to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of life. Buddhist teachings as
well as the more mystical Sufi teachings make this theme their starting point. From Jesus' own
tradition, Judaism begins with forty years of wandering in the wilderness with only manna for food.
When we see this same idea expressed in the beatitudes, we begin to realize that we are being asked to
accept poverty, hunger and suffering as inevitable, not only for those unfortunate ―others,‖ but for
ourselves as well. We become aware that some kind of personal experience of poverty, hunger and
suffering is our calling. The Gospel of Matthew tries to express this by saying, ―Blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.‖ Whatever else this means, it means that we are being
personally invited into some kind of an experience of poverty that we will somehow find blissful. And
once we understand this, it is hard to look at the beatitudes closely without wanting to find a way to
step inside them.
Interior Kingdom
If we remember that the ―kingdom‖ we seek is an interior kingdom, another way of describing this
kingdom might be to say that it is the child within us. As we grow into adulthood, we sometimes lose
track of our inner child. We forget how important play is and how joyous life can be if we can forget
our distractions. For most of us, that child becomes so encrusted with the things of this world that we
can hardly find a way to reclaim or redeem it. What if by ―poor‖ (or humble & contrite) Jesus also
meant unencumbered by all the material goods and experiences of this life that have buried our inner
child so deeply within us that we can barely remember it is there? What if Jesus is calling us to an
awareness of this lost innocence as the defining image of who we truly are? ―Blessed are you who are
poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.‖ Blessed is the image, the lost innocence, when it is uninfected
by the madness of the world. Look there and you will find the kingdom of God.
Of course, the beatitudes are not just an expression of longing for the interior kingdom's
blissfulness; they are also a call to awareness. When we hear, ―Blessed are you who are poor,‖ we are
reminded that every person has value. As long as any human being suffers from want, we are all made
less by that fact. As long as any of us goes hungry, the shame is on us all. As long as we ignore the
deep sadness in the world and celebrate our good fortune with a sense of apathy, we are the ones who
are cursed. Once we are aware of the gross inequalities in the world, the lost innocence that defines us
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demands that we reach out to the exterior world with open hands and open hearts. Because we have
experienced this other, truer reality, the reality of the interior kingdom, we cannot be apathetic to the
pain we find in the world.
The Dreams
“Inner Child” Dream
Take a moment to reconnect with your inner child. Can you remember that child experiencing the
wonder and joyous nature of life? What was different then? How have you changed? Go to a park
by yourself and swing on a swing when no one is looking. How does it make you feel? If you can't
reclaim that feeling for yourself, watch children playing. What experiences and expectations have
you accumulated that they don't yet have? In what ways are you richer for having these
―barnacles?‖ In what ways are you poorer? Make time for your inner child. Let it sing and dance
and laugh in wonder and joy, even if you must create a private space to make this happen.
“Collage” Dream
One way to explore these two realities is to create a collage of images from old magazines that
represents experiences and material distractions that have encrusted and buried your inner child
and made you lose track of it. How does it feel to view this collage? After you have had time to
reflect on this experience, look for pictures that depict wonder and joy, and pictures that might
represent your lost innocence, as you understand it. Create a second collage with these pictures.
Both collages will have images that attract you in different ways. Can you feel the difference in the
nature of these attractions?
“Reaching Out” Dream
There are a number of ways to reach out to the exterior world with open hands and open hearts. For
example, you might find out if there is an organization in your town that collects coats, sleeping
bags, etc. for the homeless. Search your closet for a good coat that you are not using. Pass this on
to someone who has a real need for it. If your community or church has a food bank, you might
inquire about the kinds of food they need and make a commitment to regular meaningful
contributions. ―Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be
filled.‖ Find a way to reach out that ―fits‖ who you are and how much you can do to help at this
time in your life.
Treasure to Bring Home: Awareness
We began our pilgrimage feeling poor and hungry and with an awareness that there is a profound
sadness in the world. As we become more aware of the needs of others and how our own true
happiness is affected by those needs, we dream of a better world and discover the gift of open hands
and open hearts.
Journal Entry
Somehow, Jesus' teachings in these beatitudes open up the blissful nature of reality to me. But they
also open my eyes to the gross inequalities in the world. I may not be able to right every wrong, but I
can dream of a better world. When I hear, ―Blessed are the poor,‖ I am reminded that every person has
value, and that the needs and wants of others are my burden as well.
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BEATITUDES Models Level
Beatitudes
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
LUKE
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
MATTHEW
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew 5:3-4, 6 NRSV)
THOMAS
Jesus said, ―Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom."
(Thomas 54:1 Patterson/Meyer)
Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be filled.
(Thomas 69:2 Patterson/Meyer)
Awakening to the Journey
We've had a little taste of what can happen when we try to get an honest glimpse of the bold vision
that Jesus dreamed for humanity. We've experienced the power of story, the complications of meaning
and culture, the intellectual rush of following the winding course of a proposed hypothesis, and the
gratification that can come with actually daring to dream. Now we are ready to take the next step into
the teachings and look for a few simple ways to attempt to model ―kingdom thinking‖ about living
authentic lives. By now even the small sample of teachings we have wrestled with should be enough to
give us pause. The implied invitation that Jesus extends to us into this strange Promised Land ―within
and among us‖ seems an impossible invitation. But is it really impossible? The Models Level gives us
a chance to find out. It challenges us to discover simple ways to practice Jesus‘ teachings in our own
lives. In some instances we will revisit teachings to see if we can transform Dreams Level dreams into
everyday practice. We will also look at new examples of authentic teachings and try to imagine how
we might make a serious attempt to model the behaviors that these teachings exemplify. As we
experience the Models Level, awakening to the journey, we will be given the chance to try some of
these teachings on for size. At first they may seem an awkward fit. Most likely, each of us will need to
tailor pilgrimage suggestions to personal experience.
Models Level: Beatitudes
The Models Level of discovery gives us yet another angle of vision for Jesus' teachings. The
Stories Level introduced us to a longing for the interior kingdom's blissfulness. We saw that being rich
and well fed and getting what we want when we want it is not always a recipe for happiness. The Ideas
Level introduced us to concepts and ideas. At the Puzzles Level we were introduced to a more
advanced and complex set of challenges with respect to understanding. Hypotheses were suggested and
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defended that forced us to venture off the strictly historical paths of Jesus' teachings as we attempted to
examine the beatitudes from a more conjectural point of view. At the Dreams Level we looked at the
beatitudes as a calling to a personal experience of poverty, hunger and suffering. We dreamed of
reaching out to the exterior world with open hands and open hearts. At the same time we tried to dream
new dreams of innocence and wonder that would reconnect us with the blissful experience of the
unencumbered child within us. As we move from dreaming to modeling we see that our vision of the
kingdom to this point has been as through a looking glass. Dreaming is not enough to investigate the
kingdom's true terrain. In the introduction to this pilgrimage we used the vast and changeable nature of
the Grand Canyon as a metaphor for our pilgrimage through Jesus' authentic teachings. We have
peered into the canyon's mysteries through stories, ideas, puzzles and dreams. Now it is time to get on
a donkey.
Introduction to an Authentic Life
Jesus' teachings about the kingdom of God, as strange as they may seem to those of us whose lives
are grounded in the ―reality‖ of the material world, are really nothing more than an introduction to an
authentic life. An authentic life is a life lived true to one's spirit or character. If Jesus' message seems
unrealistic to us, it is only because we have lost a sense of who we are. The Gospel of Matthew
redirects and clarifies the message of the beatitudes. In Luke, it seems that Jesus, the mystic priest,
blesses and lifts up the poor (or humble & contrite), the hungry and those who weep – which, of
course, he does. In Matthew we see more clearly that Jesus' blessing is ―good news‖ that invites all of
us into this strangely unfamiliar world of bliss. We have already examined the subtle shift in our angle
of vision from ―you poor‖ to ―poor in spirit.‖ Now, we will look at the shift from Luke‘s ―you who are
hungry‖ to Matthew‘s ―those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.‖ Once again our angle of vision
is changed. Again Matthew makes it clear that we are all invited into the blessing. The image of
gnawing physical hunger is transformed into a metaphor for another kind of hunger. Now we see that a
hunger and a passion for right relationship characterize those who populate the world of bliss. If we are
going to discover ways to practice living an authentic life, surely each of us must find this passion.
Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Righteousness, as Jesus would have understood it, implies a person whose actions are justified – a
person who is in right relationship. We cannot model kingdom thinking unless we understand at least
this much about Hebrew and Aramaic ideas. The three beatitudes that we have explored and which
have become our starting point for this adventure represent poverty, hunger and suffering. As we have
seen, there is a depth of meaning associated with each of these beatitudes and all that they represent.
How then can we model the blessedness to be found in these beatitudes? How can we turn that
blessedness into practices that make the blissful world of the teachings an everyday reality? The
models suggested here are only suggestions to stimulate kingdom thinking. As you look at your own
lives, you may find other ways of modeling the blessedness of the beatitudes that are a better fit for
you.
The Models
It would be foolish to think that we can obliterate poverty, hunger and suffering in the world, but
we can let them become our teachers.
Practice Random Kindness
Peace activist Anne Herbert is given credit for creating the phrase, ―Practice random kindness and
senseless acts of beauty.‖ She wrote it on a napkin in Sausalito, California in 1982. Since then the
phrase has taken on a life of its own. Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro, in his book, Minyan: Ten Principles
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for Living a Life of Integrity, lists kindness as one of the ten principles. Because the practice of
kindness does not necessarily require money, it is a good choice for a practice that models the
blessedness to be found in poverty. Once you start to look for ways to practice random kindness,
you will be amazed at how it can change your attitude and your life.
Fast Food Night
Pick one day of the week, declare it a fast food night and explore the blessedness to be found in
hunger. Thomas 69 records Jesus as saying: ―Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the
stomach of the one in want may be filled.‖ Fast one night every week, or go ―minimalist‖ with a
simple meal of soup and salad, and use the money you saved out of your food budget to buy $5
coupons or gift certificates from a fast food restaurant. Give these to someone homeless or to
someone asking you for help on the street.
Lighting Candles
Lighting a candle for someone in need can be a meaningful way to explore the blessedness to be
found in suffering. The candle is a living reminder of a person's need, and of our close connection
with that need. In our house we have had multiple candles burning for days. And every time we
pass by one of them we are reminded of a particular person, and of our share in their pain, worry or
uncertainty. It may sound odd, but by sharing pain or worry we help to diminish it for the ones who
are hurting the most. It is as if we have siphoned off a small portion of that pain and, by accepting
our share of it, made it more bearable. Candle prayers can offer an unspoken commitment to
others. They are a kind of silent confession that we don't have the right words, and that the meaning
behind life may be beyond our understanding. And yet they confess for us that, on some level, we
feel our connection with others and our responsibility to them.
Treasure to Bring Home: Kindness
Perhaps ―kindness‖ best sums up the lesson of the beatitudes. Kindness shares joy and pain,
abundance and need. And kindness leads us to that illusive experience called happiness.
Journal Entry
Finding ways to model Jesus' teachings and to practice an authentic life helps me to find a sense of
who I am as a human being. The beatitudes call me to a personal experience of poverty, hunger and
suffering. They reconnect me with my fellow human beings and with the biblical understanding of
right relationship – breaking the material world's myth of the individual in the process.
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BEATITUDES Spaces Level
Beatitudes
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
LUKE
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
Wisdom of Arriving Within
The practice of being aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness.
Mindfulness has to do with observation and with creating the necessary space that makes attention
possible. At the Spaces Level of our pilgrimage we will learn some simple paths to mindfulness. We
will learn about the power of observation – how the very process of observation changes what we
observe. We will learn the importance of space – how space, more than anything else defines reality.
Every creative endeavor – music, art, sculpture and even creative writing – depends as much on space
as on the particular medium that shares the space and takes form within and around it. Mindfulness is
no exception. As we prepare to look within for new wisdom with respect to the beatitudes, sayings,
parables, miracles and prayers we must learn to create the space that will allow us to be observers.
Mindfulness is the opposite of thinking. Mindfulness just watches the endless string of thoughts and
desires and fears that bubble up from our depths. We begin to see for ourselves that we are not our
desires, and we are not our fears. We are not the pursuit of pleasure and security and comfort. The true
reality of life consists of nothing more than an awareness of what is happening every moment. Once
we learn to observe and appreciate what is happening, as it is happening, we can let go of our need to
control things. And only then do we experience peace.
Spaces Level: Beatitudes
The Spaces Level of discovery offers us the chance to view the beatitudes from a much more
intimate angle. At this level we learn simple ways to practice mindfulness by creating the space for
mindful attention to poverty, hunger and suffering. Becoming mindful of each reality changes the
reality by changing us. The beatitudes remind us that there are degrees of poverty, hunger and
suffering happening around and within us all the time. Mindfulness, which is an expression of
kingdom thinking, makes us aware that these experiences are not the true reality. The path to
mindfulness requires the self-discipline of a daily commitment to some form of meditation. Practicing
meditation teaches us concentration and focus, and leads ultimately to insight. It doesn't happen
overnight, but eventually the insight we gain helps us to develop a sense of right relationship and
guides us to participate in activities that benefit the world. In this way, the practice of mindfulness
leads us inevitably into the world of bliss or the kingdom of God.
Creating Space for Attention
Find a comfortable space where you can sit with your back straight. Take a couple of deep breaths.
Say the words, ―Blessed are you who are poor,‖ silently to yourself. Don‘t expect anything. Just wait
for a few moments and see what happens. As the words begin to fade, repeat them again silently.
Continue with this exercise for at least five minutes. Record any images that might come to you in
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your journal.
Now silently say the words, ―Blessed are you who are hungry,‖ and repeat the exercise as above.
Again give yourself at least five minutes and record any images in your journal.
Finally, silently say the words, ―Blessed are you who weep.‖ Give yourself another five minutes and
record any images in your journal.
You may find yourself wanting something to happen. It is easy to get distracted by expectations that
something is supposed to happen. If you notice yourself doing this, just be aware of it and let it go. All
we are trying to do is to create some space around these words. Just sit and watch what happens.
Kingdom Within and/or Among You
In Luke 17:20-21 we read:
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered,
“The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, „Look,
here it is!‟ or „There it is!‟ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (NRSV)
But a footnote explains that the word translated ―among‖ also means ―within.‖ The practice of being
aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness. Perhaps Jesus was saying that we
must first develop the practice of mindfulness before we can experience the kingdom of God.
Ponderables and Imponderables
Take a few minutes to sit with each of these quotes from Albert Einstein. Watch your own
reactions to them. Where do they lead you?
"The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the
path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind
faith, but through striving after rational knowledge."
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all
science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt
in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."
"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the
laughter of the gods."
"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."
“Reality as we generally understand it, is merely an illusion -- albeit a very persistent one.”
Mindfulness in Plain English
Sometimes, on any pilgrimage, it makes good sense to avail oneself of a professional guide. Our
mindfulness guide for the beatitudes Spaces Level journey is the Venerable Henepola Gunaratana, who
wrote a book entitled, Mindfulness in Plain English (copyright Henepola Gunaratana, 1991) – which
we highly recommend.
Gunaratana tells us that there are three characteristics of material existence: the impermanence of
life, the suffering nature of human existence, and the truth of no-self. We try to grasp at ―good‖
experiences. We try to reject ―bad‖ experiences. We try to ignore the 90% of experiences that we find
boring. This is called ―the desire/aversion syndrome.‖ Our surface goals are to grasp at the ―good‖ and
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reject the ―bad.‖ But Gunaratana tells us that this is not the way to happiness. We have overdeveloped
the material aspect of existence at the expense of the deeper emotional and spiritual aspect. Meditation
purifies the mind and helps us to look at the universe differently. Step one is to see ourselves exactly as
we are – without illusion. Meditation is a practice and cannot be understood through words; it is
understood only by doing it.
Every meditation session is an investigation, an experiment, an adventure. If we reach a feeling of
predictability, we have stopped meditating. Gunaratana gives us some rules for meditation:
Don't expect anything.
Don't cling to anything.
Don't reject anything.
Let go.
Investigate yourself.
See problems as challenges.
Don't ponder.
The Practice:
Begin by finding a way to share loving-kindness.
Sit motionless; don't change positions; begin with short predetermined periods.
Our mind is like a cup of muddy water; we want the mud to settle.
Keep quiet
Close your eyes
Don't move
Focus on your breath; notice the feeling of breath going in and out
Keep your mind in the present moment
Watch thoughts, feelings, emotions as they occur: then let them go
Don't verbalize or conceptualize anything
When the mind wanders, bring it back gently
(One way to do this is by remembering a sacred word you have chosen)
Notice every new moment (every present experience lives only for a moment):sounds, memories,
emotions, perceptions, consciousness, mental formations
Then return to the breath – which is our home base
Every time the mind returns to breath, it has a deeper insight into impermanence,
unsatisfactoriness, selflessness.
The Courage to be a Pilgrim
The kind of pilgrimage we are on takes a certain amount of courage, but not the kind of courage
that puts our physical lives at risk. Pilgrimage courage may not even seem like courage from the
outside. Paul Tillich in his book, The Courage To Be, speaks of this kind of courage when he says,
"There are no valid arguments for the existence of God, but there are acts of courage in which we
affirm the power of being, whether we know it or not."
John Shelby Spong puts it this way,
“As opposed to false religion that brings security and certainty, true religion is the opposite, not
acting as the security in place of fear, with the certainty of theism and religious hierarchy, but as
the enabler of the courage to be in spite of an acceptance of anxiety and fear.”
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In our context we might ask the questions:
Do we dare to listen to the stories?
Do we dare to consider the ideas?
Do we dare to enter the labyrinth exploring those ideas?
Do we dare to dream of personal experience and reaching out to the world?
Do we dare to model what we have dreamed?
Do we dare to make space in our lives for the practice?
Do we dare to imagine entering the world of bliss?
Treasure to Bring Home: Mindfulness
This may be the most important treasure of them all and the hardest to bring home. The path to
mindfulness requires the self-discipline of a daily commitment to some form of meditation. Practicing
meditation teaches us concentration and focus, and leads ultimately to insight. It doesn't happen
overnight, but eventually the insight we gain helps us to develop a sense of right relationship and
guides us to participate in activities that benefit the world.
Journal Entry
The kingdom within and among us remains invisible to all accept those people who learn to be
mindful. Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned. Like any other skill it requires instruction from a
good teacher and then a commitment to daily practice. Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect
practice makes perfect. One way to learn the practice of meditation is by studying Henepola
Gunaratana's book, Mindfulness in Plain English.
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Beatitudes
Images Level: Returning Enriched
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
LUKE
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Luke 6:20-21 NRSV)
MATTHEW
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew 5:3-4, 6 NRSV)
THOMAS
Jesus said, ―Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom."
(Thomas 54:1 Patterson/Meyer)
Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be filled.
(Thomas 69:2 Patterson/Meyer)
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched
What we have discovered, journeying through levels of discovery in the method of teaching called
The Beatitudes, has enriched us. We have uncovered and brought home treasures we may not have
expected. These treasures, of course, are not material treasures. They are bits and pieces of the
kingdom itself. They are transforming images – qualities of true humanness, or ruling principles to
guide our lives. One such quality is tubwayhun (too B'VAY hoon), which turned out to be the treasure
of joy pure and simple. Joy awaits us everywhere we look – as plentiful as dandelions in the grass – if
we are not too busy with material world needs and obligations to see and experience it. Another
treasure, another quality we may not have expected to find, is humility. How simple the message of
the beatitudes – a message of letting go, of voluntarily accepting and embracing poverty, hunger and
suffering. How simple the message; and yet the chasms of history, language and culture that separate
us from the teachings tempt us to turn them into what they are not to serve our own needs. If we make
an honest effort to understand those teachings, we find another treasure. We find that every idea can be
a turning point to inspire and awaken us to something new. The world of the beatitudes, as they have
come down to us, offers us the treasure of inspiration. The word ―inspiration‖ means literally ―filled
with spirit‖ or ―drawing breath into the lungs.‖ Sometimes what we discover through inspiration may
actually take our breath away. Another treasure we may not have expected, and another quality of true
humanness that the beatitudes lead us to, is a growing awareness of the needs of others. One cannot
travel through the world of the beatitudes without this awareness. But more important still is the
awareness that each of us is called to be in solidarity with those who experience poverty, hunger and
suffering. No sooner have we been given this treasure, and seeming burden of the awareness of our
call, than we discover another treasure – the treasure of kindness. Perhaps kindness best sums up the
lesson of the beatitudes; for kindness shares joy and pain, abundance and need. Of all the transforming
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images of the beatitudes, of all the qualities of true humanness, kindness may be the greatest treasure
to bring home. But all of these treasures – joy, humility, inspiration, awareness and kindness – depend
to a large degree on our making use of another treasure, which is at the very heart of the beatitudes, the
treasure of mindfulness. The practice of mindfulness means being aware of what is happening around
and within us. The kingdom is not a material kingdom, it is a kingdom imbued with qualities of true
humanness and of right relationship. With these words, the last treasure we bring home becomes clear.
It is the focus to ponder the imponderables of the beatitudes and to return home enriched.
Images Level: Beatitudes
The Images Level of discovery represents a kind of metaphorical bench to sit on and reflect. At this
point in our pilgrimage we have journeyed through the world of the beatitudes, and now it's time to
sort through our photographs and pick some of the best as reminders of our trip. At the Stories Level
an image that comes into focus is that of accepting poverty, hunger and an awareness of suffering in
the world as our starting point. An Ideas Level image might be how little we really understand about
what Jesus may have meant by the kingdom of God. History, language and culture separate us from his
teachings. And we so easily turn the concrete examples he used, like right relationship, into
abstractions such as righteousness. The Puzzles Level offers us imagery of poetry and ideas that
rhyme. Perhaps the inspiration of the prophetic word cannot be captured in common prose. From Jesus
himself and from his followers, the words and teachings he shared have become poetry. And poetry
does not give direct answers or information, but leads us through a labyrinth of metaphor and
comparison where every idea can be a turning point to inspire and awaken us to something new. A
Dreams Level image that comes into focus is the picture of the child within us unencumbered by all the
material goods and experiences of this life. How joyous life might be if we could forget our
distractions and reclaim our lost innocence and dream of a better world. The Models Level plays a
short video of an authentic life – a life lived true to one's spirit or character. If Jesus' message seems
unrealistic to us, it is only because we have lost the sense of who we are. Now we see that a hunger and
a passion for right relationship characterize those who populate the world of bliss. If we are going to
discover ways to model an authentic life, surely each of us must find this passion. The Spaces Level
offers us a clear picture of what is happening within and around us. We begin to pay attention to our
reactions to Jesus‘ teachings. We begin to become mindful of a world filled with poverty, hunger and
suffering.
Patterns
What does the kingdom of God look like in the beatitudes? The pattern that seems to be coming
into focus is that the kingdom of God is what is left after everything we think of as important is lost.
We start by accepting and embracing poverty, hunger and suffering. We learn that we can't hang onto
anything of this world, so we let go. Still, we are blessed; because we find the moral compass of right
relationship; because we find we have value as a part of the Sacred Unity; because we find the joy that
comes from our inner child. We discover that these simple things are all we need for an authentic life.
Even a symbolic ―letting go‖ of things material makes us brothers and sisters with all who are in want.
We feel a sense of solidarity with all who hunger and we feel a share of the pain of those who suffer.
We make time to become mindful of what happens moment to moment within us, among us, around
us. And we become aware that the kingdom of God is just this: all that is happening within us, among
us, around us. We just hadn't taken the time to notice that it was there.
One Last Thought
Gospel means ―good news.‖ The Aramaic word for ―good news‖ is our old friend tubwayhun (too
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B'VAY hoon). The beatitudes are a kind of gospel in miniature. We have looked at the beatitudes from
a number of angles. We have walked around them and tried to understand what Jesus may have meant
by them. And we have tried to comprehend just how they could be ―good news.‖ It is time to combine
all of our diverse conceptions into a coherent whole – a synthesis. For our purposes, we are most
interested in the three beatitudes that have been our focus. We are indebted to Pravrajika Baradaprana,
a senior nun of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, for bringing clarity to our ramblings. (See
http://www.vedanta.org/reading/monthly/articles/2001/12.beatitudes.html)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Poor in spirit is a traditional Aramaic idiom, which connotes humility. The root of the word for
spirit means the soul, or the cosmic breath of life. One of the connotations of the Aramaic root of
the word for poor is to devotedly hold on to something of great value in the sense that one would
be poorer for the lack of it.... The kingdom of heaven refers to the divinity within, for Jesus said
that the kingdom of heaven is within.... Humility is a characteristic that we find in truly great
persons in any field and it adds a charming dimension to their character.... Humility does not mean
to demean oneself in any way, but to be confident without egotism or pride.... [The humble] do not
push themselves forward, ahead of others. We can work on our pride by trying to see the best
qualities in others, sincerely giving them credit for all their achievements.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
The hunger and thirst which [Jesus] speaks of here is not only hunger for moral virtues, but a
hunger and thirst for God. The greater our hunger, the greater will be our fulfillment.
Righteousness, which includes all of the moral virtues, is the basis for spiritual life. Qualities such
as truthfulness, kindness, unselfishness, and integrity are the foundations of spirituality. We must
be established in those qualities first before real spiritual progress can be made.... Often the blows
we receive in life force us to go deeper into the meaning and purpose of life. We come to realize
that everything we see or experience in the world is of a transitory nature....
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
In Aramaic the word mourn also connotes deep longing for something. Those who truly yearn for
God (or Oneness or Sacred Unity) with all their hearts shall be comforted. The word comforted in
Aramaic has another connotation, which means seeing the arrival, or seeing the face of something
one longs for.... Most of us feel a lack of fulfillment in our lives, but we forget that the cause of this
lack is forgetfulness of our true nature. We cut ourselves off from our connection with God (or
Sacred Unity), which is our true Self and the source of all happiness. We continually try to fill the
void with transitory pleasures, objects or distractions.
Treasure to Bring Home: Focus
This treasure is an image of change – of seeing life more clearly as a new reality comes into focus.
In the Introduction we observed that five distinctive methods of teaching are authentic to Jesus. A sixth
way Jesus taught, of course, was by example. How was Jesus' life an example of focus – of putting
what really matters into perspective? How have I been changed by this study of the beatitudes of
Jesus? What have I learned about ―following my bliss‖ – the path I was born to walk? What truths
have been revealed to me? How might my life better reflect those truths? What will I do differently
from now on? Take a moment for personal reflection. Search back through all seven levels of learning,
if necessary, but find at least one concrete way you will commit to modeling beatitude behavior in your
life starting today.
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Journal Entry
I have learned much about what Jesus called the kingdom of God. I can see that it is not a material
kingdom, it is a kingdom of qualities of true humanness and of right relationship. Here is my personal
commitment.
First, I will write or type the seven qualities of true humanness (joy, humility, inspiration,
awareness, kindness, mindfulness, and focus) on small pieces of paper and then tape them to
pennies. I will keep these pennies in a dish in my bedroom. Every morning I will close my eyes
and pick a quality of true humanness to use as a sacred word during meditation, and to be
mindful of practicing for that day.
Second, I will go a little hungry one night every week to remind me to practice beatitude
behavior, and I will buy a $5 gift certificate from a local fast food restaurant to give to someone
on the street.
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BEATITUDES Bibliography
Bibliography and Additional Material
Baradaprana, Pravrajika. ―The Beatitudes‖ Vedanta Society of Southern California
www.vedanta.org/reading/monthly/articles/2001/12.beatitudes.html
Benner, Jeff A. ―Ancient Hebrew Thought‖ www.ancient-hebrew.org/12_thought.html copyright ©
1999-2007)
Buttrick, George A. (Editor). The Interpreter‟s Dictionary of the Bible. Nashville, Tennessee:
Abingdon Press, 1962
Douglas-Klotz, Neil. The Healing Breath. Boulder, Colorado: Sounds True Audio, 2004
Douglas-Klotz, Neil. The Hidden Gospel: decoding the spiritual message of the Aramaic Jesus.
Wheaton, Illinois: Quest Books, 1999
Douglas-Klotz, Neil. Prayers of the Cosmos: Meditations on the Aramaic Words of Jesus. New York:
HarperCollins, 1990
Geisel, Theodor Seuss. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. New York: Random House, 1957
Gunaratana, Venerable Henepola. Mindfulness in Plain English. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1991
Newell, J. Philip. One Foot in Eden: A Celtic View of the Stages of Life. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist
Press, 1999
Patterson, Stephen and Meyer, Marvin. The Gospel of Thomas. www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom
Shapiro, Rabbi Rami M. Minyan: Ten Principles for Living a Life of Integrity. New York: Bell Tower,
1997
Vaughan-Lee, Llewellyn. The Call & The Echo. Putney, Vermont: Threshold Books, 1992.
Went, Jonathan. Hebrew New Testament Studies: ―The beatitudes unlocked by Hebrew parallelism,‖
Matthew 5:3-10. www.biblicalhebrew.com/nt/beatitudes.html
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Appendix: Introduction to Key-Word-In-Context Lexicon
It is difficult to understand exactly what Jesus is saying without looking directly at the Aramaic
words he spoke. It would be nearly impossible for us to do this except for recent efforts to reconstruct
the Aramaic words of Jesus and to make them available to lay readers. Christian churches in the
Middle East have continued to use Aramaic instead of Greek versions of the Bible since at least the
early second century. And even though there is some dispute as to whether these scriptures were
written down directly in Aramaic or first translated into Greek and soon after translated back into
Aramaic, the language has been preserved. These Aramaic versions of the Bible give us a new depth of
meaning that is missing in both Greek and English versions.
The creation of the key-word-in-context lexicon that follows is indebted to Prayers of the Cosmos
by Neil Douglas-Klotz, The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon, A New Dictionary of the Aramaic
Language edited by Kaufman, Fitzmyer and Sokoloff, and The Aramaic Lexicon and Concordance.
We have also added some meanings and nuances from Rocco A. Errico and George M. Lamsa. The
Anglicized spellings of the Aramaic words are mostly from Douglas-Klotz.
Aramaic Lexicon for the Beatitudes
Alaha: Oneness, Sacred Unity, divine name, loving God.
Arha: soil, earth, land, ground, country, field, etc.
Bisha: wrong, unripe, evil, sickness, corrupt, immature, a diversion.
Dadkeyn: cleanse, pure, chaste, clean, sincere, set apart, healed, purified, ritually clean, consistent
in love or sympathy, having a fixed purpose, fulfilling one‘s nature.
Dagarkhun: reward for deeds, recompense, pay, profit, abundance.
Damhasdeen: reproach, upbraid, revile, deride, pity, insult, conspire against, humiliate, have one‘s
strength sucked out, contaminate, cover with blame.
Dashmaya: (root shm: light, sound, vibration, name, word) that which rises and shines in space,
universe, heaven, roof, pride, the vibration or word by which one can recognize the Oneness –
Alaha.
Dawnawhie: children, sons, member, disciple, any embodiment from a potential.
Detrdep: follow, persecute, thrust, expel, sought out, vexed, driven, dominated, dislocated,
alienated, disunited, moved by scandal or shame.
D’dilyhuon own, possess
D’kaphneen: hunger, ―the hungering,‖ hungry ones, famished, to turn the mouth toward
something, to long for that which strengthens the physical being.
Haydeyn: then
Khadaw: rejoice, gladden, glad.
Khenuta: righteousness, rectitude, uprightness, justice, inner and outer sense of justice, a base
upon which things can rest, foundation, fulcrum, a sense or voice of physical, inner rightness.
Lahwvday: act, do, make, subdue, subject, perform, prepare, cultivate, adhere, follow, press to,
joined to, committed to an action, laboring regularly to bring forth fruit.
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Lamrahmane & Rahme: compassionate, merciful, righteous ones, friend, Word of Alaha,
Scripture, womb, intestines, genitals, pity, love, favor, compassion, make beloved, show
compassion, charitable deeds, a long drawn breath extending grace, answer to prayer, birthing
mercy.
Lawile (lah-wee-ley): mourner, lament, wail, howl, implore, request urgently, beseech, entreat,
long deeply for something to occur, troubled, in emotional turmoil, weak and in want from longing.
Lebhon: heart, mind, center, of the heart, sincere, secretly, any center from which life radiates,
vitality, desire, affection, courage.
L’makikhe: weak, humble, gentle, mild, lowly, meek, good character, resilient, patient; one who
has surrendered to Alaha, does not retaliate, practices nonresistance and nonviolence.
Malkutah: kingdom, reign, dynasty, royal majesty, government, realm of the ―Great Mother‖
(from malkatuh), royalty and power, potential that transforms, empowerment from within.
Meskenaee: humble, poor man, leprous, afflicted, empty handed, devotedly holding fast to
something – as if one were ―poor‖ for the lack of it, ―Poor in pride‖ or free from false pride or
racial pride. (In Jesus‘ time ―poor‖ had practically become a synonym for ―pious‖ or ―saintly.‖)
Mrin: affirm, speak, say, announce, pronounce, litigate, clamor, exaggerated noise.
Nabiya: prophet, prophetess, predict, prophetic, comfort, encourage, speaking by inspiration,
acting with the spirit that fills one.
Nehzun: see, behold, study, examine, investigate, be defined, inner vision or contemplation,
insight.
Nertun: inherit, heir, soak, moisten, dissolve, soak hides, receiving from the universal source of
strength, aware of the real source of power – Alaha acting through nature.
Nethayun: comfort, returned from wandering, raised from the dead, rise again, consoled, unite
inside by love, feeling inner continuity, seeing the ―face‖ of what one longs for.
Nisbhun: full, satisfied, replenished, sated, have one‘s fill, surrounded by fruit, encircled by
birthing, embraced by generation.
Nitqarun: call, read, appeal to, shall be called, designated, presents the image of digging a channel
or well that allows water to flow.
Radpin: follow, persecute, expel, fight, disperse, dislocation.
Rukh: wind, spirit, breath, blowing, soul or whatever moves, stirs, animates and links us to life.
(―Poor in spirit‖ is a traditional Aramaic idiom meaning ―humble‖ or ready to surrender to Alaha.)
Rwazw: rejoice, be glad, conveys inner movement, becoming extremely thin, a ray of anything,
allowing the ego to become thin – a secret of the desert mystics.
Shlama: die, completed, deliver, follow, obey, agree, whole, entire, perfect, surrender, peace,
health, safety, welfare, whole, hand over, pay in full, salutation, breathe out, supplement, submit
oneself, be given over, compromise, anything that unites all parties in sympathy.
Tubwayhun: blessedness, beatitude, ripe, happy, congratulations, consecrated, lucky, celebrate,
good fortune, healthy, healed, blissful, enlightened, good news.
Tzheyn: thirsty, desire, parched inwardly, dried out, ―burnt out.‖
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Tubwayhun l’meskenaee b’rukh d’dilhounhie malkutha dashmaya
(Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.)
Key words:
Tubwayhun: blessedness, beatitude, ripe, happy, congratulations, consecrated, lucky, celebrate,
good fortune, healthy, healed, blissful, enlightened, good things.
Meskenaee: humble, poor man, leprous, afflicted, empty handed, devotedly holding fast to
something – as if one were ―poor‖ for the lack of it, ―Poor in pride‖ or free from false pride or
racial pride. (In Jesus‘ time ―poor‖ had practically become a synonym for ―pious‖ or ―saintly.‖)
Rukh: wind, spirit, breath, blowing, soul or whatever moves, stirs, animates and links us to life.
(―Poor in spirit‖ is a traditional Aramaic idiom meaning ―humble‖ or ready to surrender to Alaha.)
Malkutah: kingdom, reign, dynasty, royal majesty, government, realm of the ―Great Mother‖
(from malkatuh), royalty and power, potential that transforms, empowerment from within.
Dashmaya: (root shm: light, sound, vibration, name, word) that which rises and shines in space,
universe, heaven, roof, pride, the vibration or word by which one can recognize the Oneness –
Alaha.
Tubwayhun lawile d’hinnon netbayun
(Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.)
Key words:
Lawile (lah-wee-ley): mourner, lament, wail, howl, implore, request urgently, beseech, entreat,
long deeply for something to occur, troubled, in emotional turmoil, weak and in want from longing.
Nethayun: comfort, returned from wandering, raised from the dead, rise again, consoled, unite
inside by love, feeling inner continuity, seeing the ―face‖ of what one longs for.
Tubwayhun l’makikhe d’hinnon nertun arha
(Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.)
Key words:
L’makikhe: weak, humble, gentle, mild, lowly, meek, good character, resilient, patient; one who
has surrendered to Alaha, does not retaliate, practices nonresistance and nonviolence.
Nertun: inherit, heir, soak, moisten, dissolve, soak hides, receiving from the universal source of
strength, aware of the real source of power – Alaha acting through nature.
Arha: soil, earth, land, ground, country, field, etc.
Tubwayhun layleyn d’kaphneen watzheyn l’khenuta d’hinnon nisbhun
(Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.)
Key words:
D’kaphneen: hunger, ―the hungering,‖ hungry ones, famished, to turn the mouth toward
something, to long for that which strengthens the physical being.
Tzheyn: thirsty, desire, parched inwardly, dried out, ―burnt out.‖
Khenuta: righteousness, rectitude, uprightness, justice, inner and outer sense of justice, a base
upon which things can rest, foundation, fulcrum, a sense or voice of physical, inner rightness.
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Nisbhun: full, satisfied, replenished, sated, have one‘s fill, surrounded by fruit, encircled by
birthing, embraced by generation.
Tubwayhun lamrahmane dalayhun nehwun rahme
(Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.)
Key words:
Lamrahmane & Rahme: compassionate, merciful, righteous ones, friend, Word of Alaha,
Scripture, womb, intestines, genitals, pity, love, favor, compassion, make beloved, show
compassion, charitable deeds, a long drawn breath extending grace, answer to prayer, birthing
mercy.
Tubwayhun layleyn dadkeyn b’lebhon d’hinnon nehzun l’alaha
(Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.)
Key words:
Dadkeyn: cleanse, pure, chaste, clean, sincere, set apart, healed, purified, ritually clean, consistent
in love or sympathy, having a fixed purpose, fulfilling one‘s nature.
Lebhon: heart, mind, center, of the heart, sincere, secretly, any center from which life radiates,
vitality, desire, affection, courage.
Nehzun: see, behold, study, examine, investigate, be defined, inner vision or contemplation,
insight.
Alaha: Oneness, Sacred Unity, divine name, loving God.
Tubwayhun lahwvday shlama dawnaw(hie) d’alaha nitqarun
(Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.)
Key words:
Lahwvday: act, do, make, subdue, subject, perform, prepare, cultivate, adhere, follow, press to,
joined to, committed to an action, laboring regularly to bring forth fruit.
Shlama: die, completed, deliver, follow, obey, agree, whole, entire, perfect, surrender, peace,
health, safety, welfare, whole, hand over, pay in full, salutation, breathe out, supplement, submit
oneself, be given over, compromise, anything that unites all parties in sympathy.
Dawnawhie: children, sons, member, disciple, any embodiment from a potential.
Nitqarun: call, read, appeal to, shall be called, designated, presents the image of digging a channel
or well that allows water to flow.
Tubwayhun leyleyn detrdep metol khenuta dilhon(hie) malkutha dashmaya
(Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness‘ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.)
Key words:
Detrdep: follow, persecute, thrust, expel, sought out, vexed, driven, dominated, dislocated,
alienated, disunited, moved by scandal or shame.
Khenuta: righteousness, rectitude, uprightness, justice, inner and outer sense of justice, a base
upon which things can rest, foundation, fulcrum, a sense or voice of physical, inner rightness.
Malkutah: kingdom, reign, dynasty, royal majesty, government, realm of the ―Great Mother‖
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BEATITUDES Appendices
(from malkatuh), royalty and power, potential that transforms, empowerment from within.
Dashmaya: (root shm: light, sound, vibration, name, word) that which rises and shines in space,
universe, heaven, roof, pride, the vibration or word by which one can recognize the Oneness –
Alaha.
Tubwayhun immath damhasdeen l’khon waradpin l’khon wamrin eleykon kul milla bisha metolath
b’dagalutha. Haydeyn khadaw wa rwazw dagarkhun sgee bashmaya hakana geyr r’dapw l’nabiya
d’men q’damaykun
(Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you
falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way
they persecuted the prophets who were before you.)
Key words:
Damhasdeen: reproach, upbraid, revile, deride, pity, insult, conspire against, humiliate, have one‘s
strength sucked out, contaminate, cover with blame.
Radpin: follow, persecute, expel, fight, disperse, dislocation.
Mrin: affirm, speak, say, announce, pronounce, litigate, clamor, exaggerated noise.
Bisha: wrong, unripe, evil, sickness, corrupt, immature, a diversion.
Haydeyn: then
Khadaw: rejoice, gladden, glad.
Rwazw: rejoice, be glad, conveys inner movement, becoming extremely thin, a ray of anything,
allowing the ego to become thin – a secret of the desert mystics. (The combination says: when
outer dislocation and persecution occur, use them to expand the territory within.)
Dagarkhun: reward for deeds, recompense, pay, profit, abundance.
Nabiya: prophet, prophetess, predict, prophetic, comfort, encourage, speaking by inspiration,
acting with the spirit that fills one.
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SAYINGS
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SAYINGS
SAYINGS
Resonant Chamber: Jesus the Maestro
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SAYINGS Stories Level
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SAYINGS
Stories Level: Birth of Longing
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
(Mark 10:23 NRSV)
No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to
the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
(Matthew 6:24 NRSV)
Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
(Luke 13:24 NRSV)
Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it.
(Luke 17:33 NRSV)
Introducing the Material
We have barely begun our pilgrimage into the sayings and we seem to have encountered
roadblocks that threaten to push us off the path. With these sayings we get a look at the world Jesus
imagines for us and calls the kingdom of God. We begin to understand that Jesus‘ ―kingdom‖ is not
what we expected it to be. Ideas of wealth and security do not seem to resonate here. We get clues that
wealth can easily become an obstacle to being in tune with Jesus' teachings. But more questions are
raised than are answered. What makes wealth such a problem? What is so bad about trying to make our
lives secure? For those of us living in one of the richest countries in the world, this can hardly be good
news. What would Jesus think about bank accounts and insurance policies and college funds and
IRAs? Surely we have taken security and wealth beyond the limits of even Jesus‘ imagination. ―How
hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!‖ he says. It is impossible to
deny that this saying is fundamental to Jesus' teachings.
We may as well lay this on the table before we go any further. Nobody ever said that Jesus‘
teachings were easy to follow. The great hypocrisy of the church, one might argue, is in softening the
central and fundamental teachings of Jesus. We want to believe that we can have it both ways. We
want to keep our security, wealth, politics and limits of kinship and still, somehow, believe ourselves
to be faithful followers of Jesus. We have a thousand rationalizations ready and rehearsed. But the fact
remains that wealth and security do not strike a chord with Jesus' teachings. ―You cannot serve God
and wealth.‖
The Stories
The sayings of Jesus teach us, among other things, how to pack for our pilgrimage. As we have
already said, if we are to have any hope of making this pilgrimage, we must carry as little theological
baggage as possible. We must let go of everything we thought we knew. Consider the familiar story
about the little boy who was told he could have as many marbles as he could hold onto from his
grandfather's great jar of marbles. The problem, of course, was that once he filled his hand with
marbles he couldn't get it out of the jar. Our problem is the reverse. We want to get into this jar, which
represents a life in harmony with Jesus' teachings. “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many,
I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.” Unwilling to let go of our marbles, we kid ourselves
into thinking it will be different after we die. Surely then we will be able to enter the narrow door.
Henry David Thoreau, in Walden, described our problem this way.
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“How many a poor immortal soul have I met well-nigh crushed and smothered under its load,
creeping down the road of life, pushing before it a barn seventy-five feet by forty, its Augean
stables never cleansed, and one hundred acres of land, tillage, mowing, pasture, and wood-lot! The
portionless, who struggle with no such unnecessary inherited encumbrances, find it labor enough
to subdue and cultivate a few cubic feet of flesh.”
Discuss or consider the “serve two masters” problem – how wealth and an attachment to a
materialistic life might distract us and get in the way of following Jesus' teachings. Imagine setting out
on our little pilgrimage burdened with the baggage Thoreau described (and Thoreau's description
seems rather modest by today‘s standards).
Treasure to Bring Home: Letting Go
Wrapped up with these sayings is a gift for us to bring home. It is the gift of letting go of our
distractions so that we can focus on the life of joy that is all around us. But how do we unwrap this
gift?
Journal Entry
[What you see below is an example of a journal entry. In this entry we show you our learning. Your
learning will, of course, be different. We invite you to look back at what you observed and felt and
learned at this level of our journey together. If something stands out for you as most meaningful, we
hope you will record this in your journal.]
One of life‘s hard truths is that in order to gain anything of real importance we must first be willing
to lose everything. We must even be willing to lose what we thought we believed. We have been
conditioned to believe in a limited material reality. Now Jesus tells us that this everyday reality is a
distraction. The real life, the life that matters, is boundless, empowering and transformational. But in
order to find it, we must let go of all that limits and encumbers us.
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SAYINGS Ideas Level
Sayings
Ideas Level: The Path Examined
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Why do you call me ―Lord, Lord,‖ and do not do what I tell you?
(Luke 6:46 NRSV)
But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse
you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from
anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from
you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have
them do to you.‖
(Luke 6:27-31 NRSV)
Love your neighbor like your soul; guard your neighbor like the pupil of your eye.
(Gospel of Thomas; Logion 25)
On the same day he saw a man performing work on the Sabbath. Then [Jesus] said to him: ―Man! If
you know what you do, you are blessed. But if you know not, you are cursed and a transgressor of the
Law.‖
(Codex D)i
The Path Examined
By now we have developed more than just a casual interest in the teachings. We know that their
meanings run much deeper than we might first have expected. Where did Jesus get the ideas that run
through his teachings? Did he pull them out of thin air, or did he reshape ideas that were already a part
of his culture? Why is it so difficult for us to understand ideas that seem bafflingly simple at first, yet
contrary to our understanding of reality? We have listened to some of the teachings‘ enigmas and
found ways to make sense of them. Now we want to understand them more objectively. We want to
dissect them and see what makes them tick. As we enter the Ideas Level, the path examined, we pull
back to get a broader view and to test some of our early assumptions.
Ideas Level: Sayings
In the Stories Level we learned that the teachings of Jesus can be very challenging to those who
take them seriously. In part, this is because Jesus stood against the worldly wisdom of his day; what
made perfect sense in his culture did not make sense in the way of being which Jesus called the
kingdom of God. Likewise, the wisdom of the kingdom often seems absurd through the eyes of the
world. In the Ideas Level of discovery we will exercise our brains a little, examining Jesus‘ sayings
more closely. We have become familiar with the method of teaching that we know as beatitudes; here
we will begin to look at some of the other ways Jesus chose to present his message. We will have an
opportunity to look at some sayings of Jesus that may be authentic, but were not included in the
gospels. We will be reminded again that many of Jesus‘ teachings are hard, not because we do not
know what they mean, but because their meaning is all too clear.
What Constitutes a “Saying” of Jesus?
Any teaching of Jesus could be called a saying, of course, including beatitudes and parables. But
because parables and beatitudes are presented in such distinctive forms, we have set these apart for
special study. Other sayings have characteristic form as well. As we discovered in our journey through
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SAYINGS Ideas Level
the beatitudes, Jesus‘ sayings may display characteristics of poetry. We usually can‘t see this in our
English translations, but if certain sayings are rendered in Aramaic – the language Jesus spoke – the
careful structure of these teachings is revealed. Jesus did not invent these forms; parables, beatitudes
and poetry all are found in the Hebrew Bible. If we look closely, we may be able to discern other
distinctive forms. For example, some of the sayings of Jesus appear to be spontaneous responses or
observations. Others are in the form of responses to questions. A few sayings of Jesus seem to stand by
themselves; we call these ―detached.‖ Fortunately, most sayings come to us in some kind of story. We
call these ―pronouncement stories‖ because the context can tell us something important, and can help
us understand the meaning of the saying.ii
Sayings and Context
Jesus‘ teachings are presented in different ways: sometimes in more formal, distinctive ways as
with parables or beatitudes, and sometimes in more casual or spontaneous ways, such as a response to
a question. But whether formal or informal, one thing that is always important is the context of the
saying. Open your Bible and find each saying from Luke listed above. Can you determine anything
about the context of the saying? For example, do we know to whom Jesus is addressing each of these
teachings? Does the teaching come in the synagogue on the Sabbath? In a private setting with the inner
circle of disciples? As part of a public forum? As part of a healing? Discuss or reflect how the context
might tell us more about the meaning of the saying, then record your thoughts in your journal.
A Closer Look
Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46, NRSV)
This is one of the saddest sayings of Jesus, for here he reveals his own deep pain and
disappointment. When we look at the church today we see many people who attend worship
regularly, perhaps serve on church committees and maybe even pledge a good portion of their
income. Yet when it comes to the heart of Jesus‘ teachings – the challenge to set aside our need for
wealth and security; the challenge to love God with all our heart and mind and strength and our
neighbor as our self – there are few, indeed, who are ready to embrace such a level of discipleship.
But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who
curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also;
and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone
who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to
others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:27-31, NRSV)
This is Jesus at his most radical, on the subject of love. Who would disagree that this kind of love
would transform the world immediately? But Jesus‘ teaching here describes a reality so different
from the world we know that it is hard for our minds even to engage his commandments in earnest.
Apart from the summary, which has become known as the Golden Rule, there are nine
commandments here defining what Jesus means by love. In your journal, list them separately. After
each commandment identify who, for you, might require this kind of love. For example, whom do
you consider an ―enemy?‖ Has anyone ever cursed you or abused you? Has anyone ever struck you
or stolen from you? Perhaps Jesus does not mean these commandments to be general
commandments to be applied to the world at large, but personal ones for each of us to consider
individually, in the context of our own lives.
Love your neighbor like your soul; guard your neighbor like the pupil of your eye. (Gospel of
Thomas; Logion 25)
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This saying from the Gospel of Thomas is not so different in meaning from Jesus‘ teachings on
love, which we just looked at. But here Jesus chooses two things that are most precious to us: our
eyesight and our soul. One looks outward to the world, the other looks inward to the deepest part of
our being.
On the same day he saw a man performing work on the Sabbath. Then [Jesus] said to him:
“Man! If you know what you do, you are blessed. But if you know not, you are cursed and a
transgressor of the Law.” (Codex D)
This saying seems like a puzzle to be solved, yet it reveals how Jesus feels about the laws
concerning the Sabbath. When we read how many times Jesus is accused of breaking the Sabbath
we may be tempted to conclude that he had little regard for this law. When we look closer,
however, we see that Jesus only broke the Sabbath when human need required it. He had said that
human beings were not made to serve the Sabbath; rather, the Sabbath was created to serve human
beings. (Mark 2:27 NRSV) The man to whom this saying is addressed no doubt was doing work
that helped another person. Only then does the teaching make sense. If the man is breaking the
Sabbath because he knows human need is a higher priority, then he is blessed. But if he is breaking
the Sabbath because he has no regard for the Sabbath, Jesus calls him cursed.
Sources of Authentic Sayings
To be sure, virtually all the authentic sayings of Jesus that we know about are found in the four
gospels. But there are a few sayings, believed by many scholars to be authentic, which are not
mentioned in the gospels. One source of such sayings is the New Testament itself, which offers at least
one saying of Jesus not recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. We find this saying in the Book of
Acts. In his farewell sermon to the Ephesian elders, Paul quotes a saying of Jesus familiar to most of
us, though we may not realize that it is not in the gospels:
In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering
the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts
20:35, NRSV)
The two extra-biblical sayings under the heading Primary Biblical/Historical Material above, come
from two separate sources. The Gospel of Thomas was part of a discovery of ancient texts near Nag
Hamadi, Egypt, in 1945. Some of the sayings in The Gospel of Thomas are thought to be authentic
sayings of Jesus. The source of Codex D is unknown. See footnote 1 above, for more details.
Some ancient manuscripts of the New Testament contain sayings attributed to Jesus that are not
found in the majority of NT manuscripts. One such saying which may have authenticity is the
following:
On the same day he saw a man performing work on the Sabbath. Then [Jesus] said to him: “Man!
If you know what you do, you are blessed. But if you know not, you are cursed and a transgressor
of the Law.” (Codex D)
Most scholars agree that the saying found in John 7:53-8:11 is not an original part of the Gospel of
John. Nevertheless, the saying is almost universally accepted as authentic, so in John‘s gospel it
remains in nearly every modern translation of the Bible:
Then each of them went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he
came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her
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SAYINGS Ideas Level
stand before all of them, they said to him, „Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of
committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you
say?‟ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus
bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he
straightened up and said to them, „Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a
stone at her.‟ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they
went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman
standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, „Woman, where are they? Has no one
condemned you?‟ She said, „No one, sir.‟ And Jesus said, „Neither do I condemn you. Go your way,
and from now on do not sin again.‟ (John 7:53–8:11, NRSV)
Treasure to Bring Home: Colors
As we begin to consider the many ways Jesus brings his sayings to us, it is as if a spectrum of
colors to our eyes or of timbres to our ears has appeared. Debate, intimate dialog, question and answer
and even poetry are some of the hues or overtones from which we may choose as we listen to the
distinctive tones of the Sayings' resonant chamber.
Journal Entry
I wonder, as the man Jesus encountered on the Sabbath must have wondered, do I know what I am
doing in following Jesus? Are my attempts at being a faithful disciple merely intellectual pursuits? Is
my heart open to hearing the deep challenges of these teachings to the point that I am willing to be
transformed? Can I leave behind the things that are not true wealth to leave room for that which
represented treasure to Jesus? Am I merely calling Jesus ―Lord, Lord‖ with my mouth and not with my
actions? How grateful I am for God's patience and forgiveness!
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SAYINGS Puzzles Level
Sayings
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Polemic Setting:
Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?‖ But Jesus, aware of
their malice, said, ―Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for
the tax.‖ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ―Whose head is this, and whose
title?‖ They answered, ―The emperor‘s.‖ Then he said to them, ―Give therefore to the emperor the
things that are the emperor‘s, and to God the things that are God‘s.‖
(Matthew 22:17-21 NRSV)
Pronouncement Setting:
As you go, proclaim the good news, ‗The kingdom of heaven has come near.‘ Cure the sick, raise
the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without
payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or
sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food.
(Matthew 10:7-10 NRSV)
Private Setting:
When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the
parables. And he said to them, ―To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for
those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that ‗they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.‘‖
(Mark 4:10-12 NRSV)
Public Setting:
―Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or
about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a
single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the
field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was
not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and
tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith?
(Matthew 6:25-30 NRSV)
Question and Answer Setting:
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to
him, along with the Herodians, saying, ―Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way
of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with
partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?‖ But Jesus,
aware of their malice, said, ―Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin
used for the tax.‖ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ―Whose head is this, and
whose title?‖ They answered, ―The emperor‘s.‖ Then he said to them, ―Give therefore to the
emperor the things that are the emperor‘s, and to God the things that are God‘s.‖ When they heard
this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
(Matthew 22:15-22 NRSV)
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Detached Setting:
Jesus said, ―He who is near me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the
kingdom.‖
(Gospel of Thomas, Logion 82)
Walking the Labyrinth
Walking a labyrinth requires concentration and attention. Every measured step we take, every idea
that enters our awareness, can be a turning point to inspire and awaken us to something new. Even as
our path seems to meander, and sometimes even turn back upon itself, we begin to collect puzzle
pieces that, if we can connect them, may give us a better picture of what it means to bring heaven to
earth – to find in our lives the Promised Land. The labyrinth we walk at this level, however, is a
labyrinth of the mind. The ethereal puzzle pieces we collect flicker and shimmer like film clips from a
virtual reality or fragments from a hologram. The images they conjure up form mysterious patterns that
follow us as we try to walk around them and find their boundaries. We know that the abstract path we
walk is but a symbol for the enchanted kingdom. Even a physical labyrinth is but a metaphorical
journey to our center, our core. And, after all, mind and spirit are close cousins. The teachings point us
toward and invite us into a reality we have not yet grasped. We trust inspiration to lead us closer to that
reality.
Puzzles Level: Sayings
In the Ideas Level we examined the sayings of Jesus more closely. We took a look at what makes a
saying a saying; we saw that there are many different ways Jesus presents his teachings and that the
context of each saying is important as we seek to discover the meaning Jesus intended. It is becoming
more and more clear that if we intend to be followers of Jesus a great deal will be asked of us. At the
Puzzles Level of discovery we will uncover another nuance of Jesus‘ mastery of teaching as we notice
some of the different conditions and contexts under which he presented his teachings. Sometimes Jesus
was among friends and followers; sometimes he was under fire from those who considered him a
dangerous heretic. When we understand these different settings, we may find that the depth and power
of Jesus‘ teachings emerge for us. In this level of discovery we will learn that there were many
challenges for the writers of the four gospels in deciding which sayings of Jesus to include in their
accounts of Jesus‘ ministry. And we will consider possible reasons the four gospels differ in the
sayings they include. Finally, we will explore why Jesus‘ teachings were so dangerous that ultimately
they led to his death. This level is designed to tax your brain because, in his summary of the Law,
Jesus calls us to love God completely – including loving God with ―all our mind.‖
Settings and Audiences for Sayings
We saw in the Ideas Level that Jesus‘ teachings are presented in different ways: sometimes in
distinctive forms and sometimes in more casual or spontaneous ways. These distinctions can be
clarified even further. T. W. Manson has identified several unique, distinguishable settings for Jesus‘
sayings, including: polemic sayings, pronouncement stories, private teachings, public teachings,
question-and-answer dialog and detached sayings. Within these settings a further distinction can be
made between carefully-considered and more spontaneous sayings.iii In the Primary Biblical/Historical
Material above we have given an example of each of these six settings.
Polemic sayings take place in the context of discussions or arguments over a particular point of
view. With Jesus‘ teachings this usually means refuting interpretations of the Torah (Law) held by
Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and other religious authorities. Jesus‘ polemic sayings can be direct
and harsh; or they may be more subtle (as in parables). Polemic sayings tend to be spontaneous
rather than carefully considered, since usually they occur in the heat of argument.
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Pronouncement stories are brief stories which culminate in a saying. Such stories can be more
valuable than isolated sayings because they tell us more about Jesus and the situation of the
teaching. Of the thirty-two such pronouncement sayings, nineteen are polemical.
Private teachings tend to be carefully considered, and are almost exclusively reserved for the
benefit of the inner circle of disciples.
Public teaching, as we might suspect, is offered to the crowds who followed Jesus, seeking his
wisdom. This type of teaching also tends to be carefully considered, rather than spontaneous.
Question-and-answer dialog is typically spontaneous, and may occur with disciples or friendly
outsiders, in addition to opponents of Jesus.iv
Detached Sayings, as mentioned above, are sayings that come down to us without a story or
identifiable context. Interpretation of these sayings can be more difficult, and their historical
reliability can be harder to confirm.
Why Are There Four Gospels?
We might first ask why we have gospels at all. For those of us who are curious about the historical
Jesus, it might be nice if the gospels were historical biographies of Jesus. This was not their purpose.
Neither were they designed to be entertaining or simply to provide us with information. The writers of
the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wanted to change those who read their accounts in a particular
way. The gospels were written so that those who read them would be moved to follow Jesus and
become disciples. Consequently, the gospels were not written from a neutral perspective, but by
devoted believers. Further, each gospel writer had a particular point of view and wrote with a particular
audience in mind. Mark, the earliest gospel, may have been put down in print some forty years after
Jesus‘ death because the expected ―End Times‖ had not as yet come. Roman persecutions of Christians
had increased, and with the death of the apostle Peter at the hands of Nero in 67 CE, there may have
been fear that the events surrounding the life, death and resurrection of Jesus might be forgotten.
Matthew‘s gospel, written after Mark‘s, seems to be written primarily with a Jewish audience in mind.
Matthew makes use of many prophecies from the Old Testament, and endeavors to show how Jesus
fulfilled these prophecies as a way of proving that Jesus was the long-expected Jewish Messiah. In
Luke, Jesus‘ humanity and compassion are emphasized, and in Luke we see a Jesus with a more
universal mission; not just to the people of Israel, but to all the world. The writer of the Gospel of
John, more than any other gospel writer, presents the mystery and majesty of Jesus. He shows us a
Jesus that existed from the beginning of time; a divine Jesus; a cosmic Christ. Not so concerned with
relating stories about Jesus in their original forms, John makes free use of metaphor, in an effort to
show his readers the Christ in all his power and glory.
Minding the Q’s and P’s
―Q‖ stands for quelle, German for ―source.‖ As a written document, this collection of teachings
(proposed by scholars, but as yet undiscovered) most likely predates the gospels. It is 90% teachings,
parables and sayings, but contains very little polemic. The ―Q‖ material offers a more positive view of
Gentiles. Mark did not have this source, but Matthew and Luke did. One puzzle for scholars has been
that there are many differences in translation between Matthew and Luke. One possibility is that ―Q‖
was originally written in Aramaic, and that Matthew and Luke had two different translations of ―Q‖
from Aramaic to Greek. Another possibility is that, for reasons of their own, Matthew and Luke
recorded certain sayings from ―Q‖ in their own words.
Jesus and Paul
―P‖ represents Paul. We might expect to find many sayings of Jesus in Paul‘s writings, but that is
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not the case. It is astonishing, in fact, how infrequently Paul quotes Jesus; four or five times only, in all
of his letters, although there are other times when he expresses views consistent with those of Jesus
without necessarily naming Jesus as his source. Paul‘s apparently radical views on inclusiveness, for
example, in Galatians 3:28 (There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is
no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus) certainly are not consistent with the
teaching he would have received from Pharisees and other religious leaders, but they are in line with
Jesus‘ characteristic inclusion of those considered unacceptable, unclean and unwelcome both by
society and religious authorities. Although it has been argued that Galatians 3:28 refers only to access
to salvation and not to social status in general, it is our view that Galatians 3:28 announces an equality
that has broad social implications, including the setting aside of gender distinctions – of all kinds – in
church life as well as family life. Rebecca Groothuis makes the point in Good News for Women,
“…the clear teaching in Galatians 3:26-28 and elsewhere [is] that women and men relate to God and
participate in the worship of God in the same way, with no difference in spiritual status or role.‖ Borg
and Crossan, in The First Paul, support this view. Paul regards women as equals in ministry, promotes
the freedom of slaves, and proclaims a gospel that confronts the present order with a community of
equals empowered by the Spirit of the risen Christ.v
Three references to sayings of Jesus in 1 Corinthians have gospel parallels:
1 Corinthians 7:10-13:
To the married I give this command – not I but the Lord – that the wife should not separate from
her husband (but if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her
husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. To the rest I say – I and not the Lord –
that if any believer has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should
not divorce her. And if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live
with her, she should not divorce him.
Parallel in Mark 10:11 – He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another,
commits adultery against her…”
1 Corinthians 9:14:
In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living
by the gospel.
Parallel in Matthew 10:7-10 – As you go, proclaim the good news, „The kingdom of heaven has
come near.‟ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received
without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for
your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food.
1 Corinthians 11:24-25:
And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‗This is my body that is for you. Do this in
remembrance of me.‘ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‗This cup is the
new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.‘
Parallel in Mark 14:22-24 – While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he
broke it, gave it to them, and said, „Take; this is my body.‟ Then he took a cup, and after giving
thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, „This is my blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many.‟
Remember, however, that the gospels were written after Paul wrote his letters. In places, the
gospels appear to have been influenced by Paul's teachings and the teachings of the early church. The
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writers of Mark and Matthew may be using Paul to reconstruct sayings of Jesus instead of the other
way around.
Breaking the Bonds
As we listen closer to Jesus‘ sayings we hear that any form of social order that is not based on
compassion can be oppressive. For Jesus, this included not only the imposed social order of the
Romans, but also the order imposed by Jesus‘ own religion through the various Jewish groups of his
day: Scribes, Chief Priests, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots and Pharisees. “No one can serve two
masters,” Jesus tells us. When we invest too much of ourselves in any system or set of rules or beliefs
that separate us, we lose sight of the primary attribute of God: compassion. Again and again we hear
through the sayings and other teachings of Jesus that ―family‖ or ―tribe‖ or ―community‖ is to be
defined much more broadly than we could ever have imagined. ―Who is my family?‖ Jesus asks.
―Those who seek God‘s kingdom are my family‖ is his answer. How difficult it is for us to accept that
our loyalty, protection and kinship is to be extended not only to our immediate family, but also to
foreigners, those who are unclean, sinners and even those who would do us harm. Jesus shows us that
there are no limits to those whom God loves and includes. Jesus' Aramaic word for God, Alaha, means
―One Being,‖ or ―Sacred Unity‖ and implies that we are all connected – with no exceptions – within
this unity.
Treasure to Bring Home: Diversity
We have seen how Jesus' sayings come to us from a diversity of settings. We are even blessed with
a diversity of gospels. Through all of this, Jesus the Maestro conducts his symphony of sayings. Most
important, of course, within this diverse symphony, are themes of compassion and inclusiveness. Jesus
shows us that there are no limits to those whom God loves and includes. Within our diversity, we are
all part of the One Being.
Journal Entry
Take a few minutes to ponder each of the passages above, under the heading ―Primary
Biblical/Historical Material.‖ Discuss or think about ways that wealth or desire for security might keep
you from closeness to God. Have you seen this happen in someone else‘s life? In your own life?
Record your thoughts and feelings in your journal.
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Sayings
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the
kingdom of God.
(Mark 10:25 NRSV)
So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
(Matthew 20:16 NRSV)
If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do
not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you.
(Luke 6:29-30a NRSV)
[Jesus said], "If you have money, don't lend it at interest. Rather, give [it] to someone from whom you
won't get it back."
(Thomas 95:1-2)
Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of
God belongs.
(Luke 18:16 NRSV)
Awareness of Call
As we begin to get a glimpse of how Jesus teaches, we leave the Puzzles Level of our pilgrimage
and enter a level where more is required of us. Our journey through the first level was a journey of
story. We listened to the stories and considered, and perhaps discussed, what implications Jesus'
teachings might have for our lives. The Ideas and Puzzles Levels studied meaning and culture by
exploring concepts, facts and hypotheses. In the Dreams Level we are challenged to interact with the
teachings about this illusive interior kingdom in ways that are a little more engaging. The Dreams
Level gives us the opportunity to ―walk the walk‖ of pilgrimage through a series of dreams, activities,
games and challenges. Where appropriate, we will be introduced to new primary biblical/historical
material. In some instances we will look deeper at some of the teachings that have already become
familiar to us at the Stories, Ideas and Puzzles Levels. But most importantly, as we experience the
Dreams Level, the awareness of call, we will begin to explore ways the interior kingdom reaches into
the exterior world and affects our daily lives.
Dreams Level: Sayings
The Dreams Level of discovery gives us a different angle of vision for Jesus‘ sayings. At the
Stories Level we looked at the sayings from the angle of what Jesus was teaching. We saw how wealth
and security can become obstacles to entering what Jesus calls the kingdom of God. ―You cannot serve
God and wealth.‖ Viewed from that angle the sayings are perplexing. What is Jesus talking about?
What is he asking me to do? At the Ideas and Puzzles levels we were introduced to some of the
different ways that Jesus presented his teachings. We saw that the truth of his sayings can be better
understood when we know something about the context – to whom the saying was directed, and in
what situation. We learned that some authentic sayings of Jesus may exist outside of the four gospel
accounts. But now we begin to see the sayings as more than just statements of fact. They become
windows into a boundless and transformational interior reality, and recipes for practicing this new way
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of seeing. Every saying is a sort of dream for the world that challenges us to step into Jesus‘ teachings.
We ask ourselves, how can this saying be possible? How can I find a way to make sense of it, to make
the dream my own?
Windows and Recipes
If the sayings become windows into Jesus' boundless and transformational interior reality, and
recipes for practicing this new way of seeing, what can we learn from this selection of sayings? “It is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom
of God.” This saying reminds us of the story of the little boy with his hand in his grandfather's great jar
of marbles, who has filled his hand so full of marbles that he can‘t pull it out of the jar. The way into
Jesus' vision of reality is narrow. We can‘t get there with our hands full of marbles. At this point we‘re
not sure exactly how we can get there, but we can certainly see the problem that distractions such as
wealth and security present.
The next saying requires a little more of us. “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
How can this be possible? It certainly makes no sense in the context of our limited everyday reality.
But it doesn‘t seem to make any sense in Jesus' boundless interior reality either. When we look at this
saying in its scriptural context, however, it begins to make more sense. This saying comes at the end of
the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. All through the day the owner of the vineyard kept hiring
new laborers. The last he hired just an hour before the end of the workday. The first were hired early in
the morning and agreed to work for the usual daily wage. When the owner pays everyone the same
wage, those who were hired first and worked the longest grumble that the landowner is being unfair.
What seems fair in our everyday reality does not resonate with what Jesus calls the kingdom of God.
Perhaps the saying means that some of us will have to work harder to see and accept Jesus' dream for
us – a vision that is boundless, empowering and transformational. But once we see it, the rewards for
all are the same. Perhaps it means that following the conventions of the material world only serve to
delay our enlightenment. Our window into Jesus' vision of an interior reality shows us that the idea of
first and last is a creation of the material world. “If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other
also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone
who begs from you.”
Everyone knows that what Jesus suggests in this saying makes no sense in the material world. If we
practiced this in our daily lives no one would have any respect for us, and we would soon have no
respect for ourselves. Is Jesus asking us to allow every bully and charlatan to walk all over us? How
can this saying be possible? Well, what does our window into Jesus' vision of an interior,
transformational reality show us? There would seem to be a kind of inner strength and confidence that
comes from living with one foot in this interior world. We begin to see, as we experience the
awareness of call, that there are overtones from the interior kingdom that resonate within the exterior
world and affect our daily lives. Living with a foot in the interior world does not erase our
responsibilities in the exterior one. Instead, it heightens our awareness and makes us more willing to
serve the material needs of others.
[Jesus said], "If you have money, don't lend it at interest. Rather, give [it] to someone from whom
you won't get it back." This saying, from The Gospel of Thomas, would seem almost ridiculous if we
hadn't already tried the waters of the Jesus' transformational reality with one foot (or at least a big toe).
In a perfect world, as the adage goes, this kind of behavior might be possible. But it is certainly not
appropriate behavior in our material world as we understand it. Or is it? We will revisit this saying
when we get to the Models Level where we will be asked to find ways to model what Jesus is teaching.
For now, it is enough to look through our window into the interior world and ask ourselves, how can
this saying be possible? In Jesus' time his listeners would have been prepared to hear the first part of
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the saying: “If you have money, don't lend it at interest.” According to rabbinic law, it was illegal to
charge interest to other Jews. But Jesus completely parts company with the material world when he
says, “Rather, give it to someone from whom you won't get it back.” Again we see a heightened
awareness of responsibility to serve the material needs of others. Couple this with an awareness that
wealth and security are but sour notes in the resonant chamber, and the saying starts to make some
kind of sense to us.
Finally, we come to the saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is
to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” In the everyday material world, this saying makes
no sense at all. The material kingdom that Jesus' listeners expected him to bring about would certainly
not belong to children. It would take an army of strong men to protect and defend it once it had been
torn away from the Romans and Herodians, even if that were possible. But through our window into
the interior world we can see that what Jesus says makes perfect sense. It is only by looking through
the eyes of the child within us that our transformation is visible. One might even say that another way
of describing this ―kingdom‖ would be to say that it is the child within us. It is that part of us that, in its
innocence, sees the world as a joyous and delightful place and sees every other human being as a
friend and playmate. As children we are not yet bound or encumbered by the tangled web and shackles
of the material world. Jesus is trying to free us from those chains and give us back the garden in
―Eden‖ which in Hebrew means ―delight.‖
The Dreams
“Eye of the Needle” Dream
If you are exploring the teachings as part of a group:
In an open space form two lines of people opposite each other. The couple at the end of the two
lines joins hands and raises them to form an arch. Everyone goes through the arch first alone, then
as couples with both hands joined, then as threesomes with all hands joined, then as foursomes, etc.
until it is impossible to make it through the arch without breaking it.
“The Last First” Dream
Just for fun plan tonight's dinner with all the elements: soup to nuts to dessert. Only, instead of
eating it in the traditional way, serve the meal backwards. Start with dessert and work your way
back to the soup course. Begin the meal with the prayer: “So the last will be first, and the first will
be last.” Amen.
“Give To Everyone Who Begs From You” Dream
Get a roll of quarters to keep in your car. Every time you encounter a person asking for help, give
them a quarter. Don't worry about whether or not you are being scammed. Consider it a begging
toll. Of course you can do more if you wish, but even this small gesture can make a difference to
those who truly need help, and it can also make a difference to you.
“Reverse Monopoly” Dream
With your study group or family play a game of Monopoly with a twist. As the game progresses
and someone lands on a property without the means to pay the rent, the owner of the property
forgives the rent and gives the entire property to the person who cannot pay. Consider or discuss
how this makes you feel to be on the giving or receiving end of this deal.
“To Such As These” Dream
Practice childlike acts of kindness. Hug someone. Tell someone you love them. Smile. Say ―Hi!‖ to
a stranger. Pick dandelions or other little ―weed‖ flowers and give them to a friend. Try looking at
the world through the eyes of a child – your inner child.
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Treasure to Bring Home: Windows
Jesus' teachings in these sayings give us a window into the interior world that Jesus called the
kingdom of God – a boundless reality that empowers and transforms. They also give us recipes for
practicing this new way of seeing or dreaming about the world. Each saying is a sort of dream that
challenges us to step into Jesus' teachings. All we have to do is ask ourselves, how can these sayings be
possible? How can we find ways to make sense of them?
Journal Entry
The dreams level brings to us an awareness of our calling. With these sayings we begin to see ways
that the interior reality reaches into the exterior world and affects our daily lives. We dream of a better
world and we begin to see that our genuine happiness is inextricably affected by the needs of others.
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Sayings
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to
the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
(Matthew 6:24 NRSV)
But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
(Matthew 6:3 NRSV)
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
(Mark 12:30 from Deuteronomy 6:5 NRSV)
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
(Mark 12:31from Leviticus 19:18b NRSV)
If you have money, don't lend it at interest. Rather, give it to someone from whom you won't get it
back.
(Thomas 95:1-2)
Awakening to the Journey
We've had a little taste of what can happen when we try to get an honest glimpse of the bold vision
that Jesus dreamed for humanity. We've experienced the power of story, the complications of meaning
and culture, the intellectual rush of following the winding course of a proposed hypothesis, and the
gratification that can come with actually daring to dream. Now we are ready to take the next step into
the teachings and look for a few simple ways to attempt to model ―kingdom thinking‖ about living
authentic lives. By now even the small sample of teachings we have wrestled with should be enough to
give us pause. The implied invitation that Jesus extends to us into this strange Promised Land ―within
and among us‖ seems an impossible invitation. But is it really impossible? The Models Level gives us
a chance to find out. It challenges us to discover simple ways to practice Jesus‘ teachings in our own
lives. In some instances we will revisit teachings to see if we can transform Dreams Level dreams into
everyday practice. We will also look at new examples of authentic teachings and try to imagine how
we might make a serious attempt to model the behaviors that these teachings exemplify. As we
experience the Models Level, awakening to the journey, we will be given the chance to try some of
these teachings on for size. At first they may seem an awkward fit. Most likely, each of us will need to
tailor pilgrimage suggestions to personal experience.
Models Level: Sayings
The Models Level of discovery gives us yet another angle of vision for Jesus' sayings. At the
Stories Level, in the sayings we explored, Jesus declares the desire for wealth and security to be a
dissonance – a clash between one's actions and one's beliefs – that cannot be tolerated in the resonant
chamber. He may as well have proclaimed the comfortable world we inhabit to be taboo for those who
follow his teachings. At the Ideas and Puzzles levels we saw the diverse ways that Jesus presented his
teachings. We saw that the truth of his sayings can be better understood when we know something
about the context – to whom the saying was directed, and in what situation. We learned that some
authentic sayings of Jesus may exist outside of the four gospel accounts. In struggling to understand all
of this, we began to suspect that the kingdom and the God that Jesus talks about are not at all what we
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expected. The Dreams Level showed us that Jesus' sayings are more than just statements of fact. They
become windows into an boundless interior world of transformation, and recipes for practicing this
new way of seeing. We discovered that every saying expresses a dream for the world that challenges us
to step into Jesus' teachings. Well now, at the Models Level, we find that the window into the interior
world of transformation has been left open. If we dare to climb through it, we just might be able to find
ways to transform those dreams for the world into everyday realities.
Imperative vs. Indicative
A teaching that is not unique to Jesus and yet central to Jesus' message comes to us via Mark 12:30
from Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your might.” It is usually paired with Leviticus 19:18b: “You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.” These are what Jesus calls the two great commandments. Jesus rarely, if ever, uses his
teachings to make commandments. Yet, when we look at these two great commandments in the
context of Jesus' teachings about wealth, some important questions present themselves. Jesus also
cautions, “You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Matthew 6:24) Notice that Jesus does not tell us what
to do. He simply makes a statement and then leaves it up to us to make a choice. The statement, “You
cannot serve God and wealth,” is a warning. Also implied, but not directly stated, is the idea that one
cannot be wealthy and at the same time truly love one's neighbor as oneself. If we truly loved our
neighbor as ourselves, we would share our wealth. One remedy to the “you cannot serve God and
wealth” dilemma was to sell all of one's belongings and give the money to the poor. Jesus even comes
right out and makes the suggestion to a young lawyer. But, is this what Jesus asks of us in these
teachings?
Middle Way
Our hearts may want to say yes to a commitment to let go of all material things. But there is
another more ―rational‖ part of us that probably finds such a thought horrifying. Is it impossible to find
an acceptable middle way between an affluence leading to apathy on the one hand, and a total spiritual
commitment leading to poverty on the other? As it happens, the prophetic tradition of which Jesus was
a part offers a way out of this dilemma. In his book, Minyan, Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro speaks of
tzedakah, justice, as a legal obligation. According to the prophetic tradition, Shapiro tells us, ―You are
obligated to be generous to those in need whether or not you feel like it. One who does not give
tzedakah to the needy is not simply uncharitable of heart, but in violation of the law.‖ Today we might
want to add the environment to the list of those in need. If we are willing to adopt the generosity of
tzedakah as a welcome obligation and steadfast principle in our lives, we can make a real choice to
honor our obligation to serve the earth and our neighbor. It may be a difficult choice to make and a
hard principle to live up to, but at least it is a way to make the ―impossible‖ possible by making a
portion of what wealth we have serve justice.
Creating Simple Models of Teachings
Tzedakah Bank Account
Rabbi Shapiro suggests that we set up a separate tzedakah bank account for good works. In Jesus'
day the Torah required Jews to give 10% of their net earnings to the poor every third year. After
the Temple was destroyed and the need was greater, this amount was raised to 10% every year.
Look at your personal financial situation and decide just how much you can afford to help. One
possible way to determine the amount of your personal obligation is to figure 10% of your
―adjusted gross income‖ at the bottom of the first page of your 1040. Or you could figure 10% of
your ―taxable income‖ on the second page. Can you afford to be responsible for this amount every
year? How about every third year? Shapiro says ―It is the sense of obligation that maintains
tzedakah's connection to justice.‖ Once this tzedakah money is in the account for good works, it is
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no longer your money. It belongs to the poor and to the earth. It is your responsibility to distribute
it to the best of your ability as you see fit and as opportunities present themselves. Think of it as
your own little foundation. According to Rabbi Shapiro, ―The larger goal of tzedakah is the
creation of an economically just and compassionate society where everyone has an opportunity to
sustain him- or herself and where help is available for those who cannot do so.‖
Tzedakah Jar
Keep part of your tzedakah money in a jar in your house. That way it is immediately available for
smaller needs that present themselves unexpectedly.
Treasure to Bring Home: Generosity
Some secrets can be told without being revealed. One of these is the secret that God is love. It has
been told to everyone, but it is only the mystics who seem to understand what this means. And with
true love comes the justice of right relationship. Tzedakah, as a practice, can be a treasure both for
those in need and for those who act as its stewards.
Journal Entry
As we find ways to transform some of our dreams for the world into everyday realities, we are
given the chance to accept Jesus' seemingly impossible invitation into the teachings. We discover that,
even though we cannot create a just world, we can model the principle of justice in our lives and make
a small difference. We do this, not because we are ―good,‖ but because it is required of us as human
beings.
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Sayings
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Then he said to them, ‗The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so
the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.‘
(Mark 2:27-28 NRSV)
Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.
(Luke 12:2 NRSV)
Jesus said, "Seek and you will find.‖
(Gospel of Thomas 92:1)
Wisdom of Arriving Within
The practice of being aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness.
Mindfulness has to do with observation and with creating the necessary space that makes attention
possible. At the Spaces Level of our pilgrimage we will learn some simple paths to mindfulness. We
will learn about the power of observation – how the very process of observation changes what we
observe. We will learn the importance of space – how space, more than anything else defines reality.
Every creative endeavor – music, art, sculpture and even creative writing – depends as much on space
as on the particular medium that shares the space and takes form within and around it. Mindfulness is
no exception. As we prepare to look within for new wisdom with respect to the beatitudes, sayings,
parables, miracles and prayers we must learn to create the space that will allow us to be observers.
Mindfulness is the opposite of thinking. Mindfulness just watches the endless string of thoughts and
desires and fears that bubble up from our depths. We begin to see for ourselves that we are not our
desires, and we are not our fears. We are not the pursuit of pleasure and security and comfort. The true
reality of life consists of nothing more than an awareness of what is happening every moment. Once
we learn to observe and appreciate what is happening, as it is happening, we can let go of our need to
control things. And only then do we experience peace.
Spaces Level: Sayings
At the Spaces Level of discovery we sense that we are entering a new depth of understanding.
Here, we look at Jesus' sayings with new eyes and hear them with new ears. This is the level where
secrets become known, where what is covered up will be uncovered. When we hear Jesus' words,
"Seek and you will find,‖ from Thomas we are reminded of Matthew 7:7, ―Ask, and it will be given
you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.‖ Like code words to open a
secret door, the practice of mindfulness through prayer and meditation has the potential to lead us into
the sabbath reality that Jesus called the kingdom of God. When we meditate, we create the space
necessary for attention to what is happening within us. With practice we can learn to keep that
attention all the time. We learn to be aware of what is happening around us every moment. Practiced
without judgment, and strictly as an observer, this attention is called mindfulness. Mindfulness, which
is an expression of kingdom thinking, makes us aware that material world experiences are not the true
reality. The path to mindfulness requires the self-discipline of a daily commitment to some form of
meditation. Practicing meditation teaches us concentration and focus, and leads ultimately to insight.
Mindfulness: Practicing the Presence of God
The mindfulness guide who will take us down this Sayings Level path is a simple man who lived a
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cloistered life in a Carmelite monastery in Paris, more than four hundred years ago. His name is
Brother Lawrence. Although his education was limited and the tasks he performed as a lay monk were
humble, Brother Lawrence experienced a deep peace as he walked an inner path of devotion. His quiet
presence resonated with such peace and grace that those around him could not help but feel that peace
themselves. Whether he was working leather to make sandals or peeling potatoes to help the cook,
Brother Lawrence always knew how to experience closeness to God. He saw God in common objects;
he felt God in menial tasks; he recognized God in the faces and actions of his fellow monks. He called
this mindfulness ―practicing the presence of God.‖ For Lawrence, being aware of the presence of God
was as simple as offering every action – even common daily business – ―wholly for the love of God.‖
It was his habit to offer himself and his work to God daily with this prayer:
―My God, since in your grace you are ever with me I apply my mind to these outward things in
obedience to your commands. Grant me the grace to continue in your presence so that with
your help my efforts might prove useful in your sight. I offer you with joy all my work and all
my affections.‖
What is our ―common daily business?‖ How can we provide room to practice God's presence?
Creating Space for Attentiveness
Space can mean many things. We may think of ―outer space‖ in the sense of a limitless expanse.
Or, in a smaller sense, we may ―space‖ our cabbage plants six inches apart. We speak of an object as
―just taking up space‖ when it crowds an area without providing a use. Space is essential in language
because without space between words itwouldbeverydifficulttomakesenseofwhatiswritten. For the
same reason space is essential in music, in mathematics and in most disciplines and endeavors. In the
same way when our lives are too full it is difficult to make room for listening or observing or
pondering. Most of us will have to create space for this intentionally.
How do we create space? When we ―create space‖ this means removing something that is there
now to provide room for something that has a higher priority. The Hebrew word kadosh, which is
usually translated ―holy,‖ means open to the Spirit of Sacred Unity. We cannot be open to Sacred
Unity if we are full of ourselves. To ―center ourselves‖ and remember our place in creation, we
actually remove ourselves from the center to provide room for an experience of ―Oneness.‖ That is
how we create space for attentiveness.
We will need a place, a time and an attitude of openness. A suitable place is one without
overbearing distractions, like phones, televisions or people nearby who may interrupt. It should be a
reasonably quiet place where we can sit comfortably with our backs straight and our feet on the
ground. The time may be as short as 15 minutes or as long as an hour or two. The important thing is
that we are not likely to be interrupted. We may not experience an attitude of ―openness‖ at first, but
this will come with time and practice.
Sabbath Moments
Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the
sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
In our 21st century western culture we have all but lost the meaning of sabbath. We are so
accustomed to ―week days‖ and ―weekends‖ created by the five-day work week that it‘s difficult for us
even to imagine what it would be like to work every day of the week, 365 days a year. But a day of rest
was a radical concept in ancient times. Sabbath (shabbat, in Hebrew), the weekly day of rest, has no
parallel in any other ancient civilization. In other cultures leisure was for the wealthy and the ruling
classes only; those who served or labored did not receive days of rest for any reason.
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Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan speaks of God ―resting‖ not in the sense of being tired and taking a break, but
in the sense of ceasing to continue creating. During the six days of creation, God asserted divine
mastery over the universe by actively changing it. On the sabbath, God ―rested‖ by no longer asserting
this mastery. In the same way our sabbath rest has to do with setting aside the normal busy-ness of our
lives. We stop exercising our own version of ―mastery over the world‖ on the sabbath. We take time
for higher pursuits, like developing and nurturing relationships. We rest from our usual routines in
order to center ourselves and remember our place in creation.
Some of us have not yet reached a point in our lives where we can set aside 24 hours for sabbath
rest all in one chunk. But we can still claim moments in our daily routines as sabbath moments. Below
are seven common experiences. Most of them happen every day. Usually, they pass unnoticed, but
they can be occasions for attentiveness; occasions for practicing the presence of God; occasions for
rest. How might we claim the everyday experiences below as sabbath moments?
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Approaching a stop sign
Feeling the wind blow
Experiencing hunger
Encountering a stranger
Looking in a mirror
Looking at a watch or clock
Passing through a doorway
Practicing Attentiveness
Usually when we think of prayer we think of communicating with God. But typically this
communication is rather one-sided: we talk and expect God to listen. Or we ask for something and
have faith that God, like the genie in the Aladdin's lamp, will grant our desire. The Aramaic word for
prayer, shalu, means something closer to meditation. It contains within the meaning a sense of
listening, of being still, of being open to God‘s presence. This is very much like what we have been
calling attentiveness. There are many ways to pray or meditate in an attitude of attentiveness.
Chant
Chant is the repeating of a word or phrase that keeps our attention on God. For example we may
simply sit quietly and repeat the word ―Amen.‖ The sense of prayerfulness is enhanced if we close our
eyes and incorporate our breathing into the experience. Just for fun, let‘s use the Aramaic word for
Amen for this exercise, which is Ameyn (pronounced Ah-MAIN). This is an ancient and beautiful
word, which literally means something like ―This is the ground of connection with Sacred Unity from
which my actions will come.‖
Take a few moments to quiet yourself. Close your eyes and notice your breath coming in and going
out. Remember that breath and spirit are the same word in the language of Jesus; breath and spirit are
one. Place your hand on your chest. Try not to change the way you breathe; just notice the rhythm, feel
the rise and fall, the movement spirit. As you inhale, invite God‘s Spirit of healing and grace; as you
exhale, intone Ameyn, extending the long ―A‖ as in singing. Inhale, inviting God‘s Spirit; exhale
chanting Ameyn (Ah-MAIN). Do this six or seven times, then allow yourself simply to enjoy the
presence of God in quiet for a few minutes.
In your journal, record any feelings you may have about this experience of practicing attentiveness
through chant.
Re-tuning
Most of us are familiar with stringed instruments, like guitars or violins. We know that the sound
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produced by these instruments comes from the vibrations of the strings. Of course, if we were to install
a set of guitar strings on a length of 2x4 it wouldn‘t produce much music. The strings need a chamber
to receive the sounds produced by the vibration of the strings and to resonate that sound. But the
chamber – shall we say the body of an acoustic guitar – does more than just receive the sound; in
resonating it sends the sound out from itself into the air around it.
Sound, like light, is made of waves. And though we can‘t see sound waves, we can feel them when
they resonate. If you have access to a guitar, place your fingers next to the sound hole on the top of the
instrument, and strum the strings. You will feel the vibration of the strings. But guitars can be out of
tune. They still make sound, but maybe not what we would call music. Out of tune instruments can be
annoying. Instruments like guitars are ―out of tune‖ when one or more string is not playing true to its
pitch. Why should this matter? Why does an out of tune string cause what could be music to be noise?
It matters because the vibration of any one string affects all the adjacent strings. One string plucked
sets all the strings vibrating just a little bit. And when all the strings are plucked the sound they make
together is harmony – but only if every string is true to its pitch. Jesus knew that this is true of human
lives, as well. We can be ―out of tune‖ when we are living in ways that are not true to our authentic
selves.
In the language that Jesus spoke, ―name‖ meant far more than what we are called. Neil DouglasKlotz reminds us that our name (shm, in Aramaic) means literally, a personal, unique utterance from
the mouth of God. As God spoke creation into existence (God said, ―let there be light‖ and there was
light) so God spoke each of us as persons into existence. And through God‘s spoken Word our own
unique ―vibration‖ or ―melody‖ was created. This is the way ―name‖ (shm) would have been
understood by Jesus. Our name is not only our true, authentic self (when our lives are in tune) but also
our purpose for being, our calling. Jesus‘ teachings were not just wise sayings; they were offered to
help each one who received his words with openness to be ―re-tuned.‖ When this happens to us it feels
as if a great weight has been lifted from us; it feels like a prison door has been opened and we are free
from whatever had been keeping us in bondage. It feels as if we are home, and comfortable with
ourselves in our own skin; we are no longer lost or alone or without value.
Have you ever met a person whom you feel was truly ―in tune?‖ How did it feel to be near that
person or to work with them? Was there a sense in which you felt more relaxed and free to be yourself
when you were around that person? Imagine being in the presence of Jesus. Imagine him speaking
your name, looking into your eyes and saying, ―What do you want me to do for you?‖ Take time for
quiet reflection. Record your thoughts, feelings and experiences in your journal.
Treasure to Bring Home: Resonance
Like code words to open a secret door, the practice of mindfulness through prayer and meditation
has the potential to lead us into the sabbath reality that Jesus called the kingdom of God. To ―center
ourselves‖ and remember our place in creation, we actually remove ourselves from the center to
provide room for an experience of ―Oneness.‖ We stop exercising our own version of ―mastery over
the world.‖ We receive Jesus' words with openness in order to allow ourselves to be re-tuned to our
authentic selves, and we rest in the resonance of Sacred Unity, which is the treasure we bring home
from this level of discovery.
Journal Entry
Sitting quietly is a peaceful experience for me because I am a contemplative by nature. Chanting is
different, though. Chanting ―Ameyn‖ with my fingertips on my chest made me aware of the vibrations
I was making with my own voice. And thinking about breath being the same as spirit was very
powerful for me because the thought that God's Spirit was all around me and that I was actually
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breathing in Holy Spirit, not just air gave me a great sense of peace and groundedness in God. When
the time for chanting was over, I remained quite awhile in the silence, feeling very close to God.
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Sayings
Images Level: Returning Enriched
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
No one patches new cloth onto an old garment; no one pours new wine into an old wineskin.
(Matthew 9:16-17 NRSV)
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched
In the Stories Level we learned the importance of letting go; that when we are full of ourselves and
burdened with possessions and a desire for security or other worldly concerns, we leave no room to
breathe in the Spirit; we lose track of our own identity, our true self. When we looked a little deeper at
the teachings of Jesus in the Ideas Level we began to notice the many different ways he presents his
sayings. Almost like a spectrum of colors in their uniqueness of approach, we see public and private
teachings, skilled debate with adversaries, one-on-one dialog and interpretation of the law. In the
Puzzles Level we observed how Jesus respected the uniqueness and diversity of those persons who
sought guidance from his wisdom. We also noticed the diversity in the way the gospel writers reported
the ministry and life of Jesus, and the challenges the writers faced in deciding which sayings of Jesus
to include. And briefly we explored why Jesus‘ teachings were considered to be dangerous by those in
power. We saw in the Dreams Level how the sayings become windows into the interior world and
recipes for practicing a new way of seeing. Sometimes the sayings make no sense in our everyday
material world. We began to see that there are overtones from the boundless interior reality that
resonate within the exterior world and affect our daily lives. Every saying expresses a dream for the
world that challenges us to step into Jesus' teachings. Then we discovered, at the Models Level, that
the window into the interior world of transformation had been left open. If we dare to climb through it,
we just might be able to find ways to transform those dreams for the world into everyday realities.
Jesus invites us to model the behaviors that these teachings exemplify in our daily lives. But Jesus'
teachings are so radical that this seems impossible. Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro helped us find a middle
way. If we are willing to adopt the generosity of tzedakah as a welcome obligation and steadfast
principle in our lives, we can make a real choice to honor our obligation to serve the earth and our
neighbor. In the Spaces Level we experienced what it is like to meditate or pray in an attitude of
attentiveness, sitting quietly in resonance with God. We used chant, allowing our voices to intone the
word ―Ameyn,‖ reminding us that breath and spirit are not two separate things, but one. Finally, in this
final level we look back on our learnings and experiences to see how the sayings of Jesus, though
diverse in color and timbre, bring us into harmony with the values of God. This place of harmony is
what Jesus means by the kingdom of God.
Images Level: Sayings
We have looked at the sayings of Jesus in many ways: as stories; as new concepts to grasp; as
puzzles to solve or dreams to dream. We have imagined what it would be like to embrace the radical
teachings of Jesus in our lives, our values and our actions. We have tried to be still, so that we might be
attentive to God's presence among us. Along the way we have made discoveries and observations; we
have perhaps been moved by the power of Jesus' words; we have written in our journals about all of
these experiences and more. On this level we will gather up those experiences that have been most
meaningful for us. Like a remembered melody that visits us during the busyness of our day, or a
fragrance that lingers in our minds reminding us of one we love, we will invite the moments that
resonated most for us as we have opened our hearts and minds to the teachings of Jesus.
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Harmonies
I and the Father are one. (John 10:30) In this rather mystical saying from the Gospel of John we
get a glimpse of an important truth that Jesus tries to teach us. If we can set aside the many things that
ordinarily fill our lives – such as material belongings, the striving for power and security and approval
in the eyes of others – and instead open ourselves to the presence and movement of God in our lives,
then our spirit and our very being shares the Spirit and Being of God. Some Sufi mystics have
described the Spirit of God, the creative energy of the Holy One, as a divine melody. Continuing this
metaphor, the teachings of Jesus can bring us a kind of healing that returns our lives from a state of
being ―out of tune‖ to a state of being perfectly in tune with the values and grace and power of God.
According to Aramaic scholar Neil Douglas-Klotz, the word Jesus uses for this experience of unity is
inana in Aramaic. It doesn't translate very well into English because we don't have a word for it, but it
describes our individual sense of self as being included as part of God's ―I Am.‖ To return to our
musical metaphor, it is tuning our lives to God's melody so that we are in harmony with God in all that
we are and do.
One Last Thought: Creating a Life Rule
Sisters and brothers of monastic orders create a "Life Rule" to remind them of their purpose and to
give them identity. If we truly have been called by name (shm), and given a unique "melody" that is all
our own, then perhaps part of our "work" here on earth is to learn to recognize that melody – our
essence – and to try to live in tune with it. One of the ways we can do this is by discovering our core
values, creating a statement of purpose, and identifying the important elements of our life. These
"elements" – work, relationships, etc. – provide our lives with balance, helping us to face the parts of
ourselves that we tend to keep in shadows. Every element should harmonize or resonate with the
person we were created to be. Even though the promises we make to ourselves for each of these
elements – the "I wills" – may change over time, taking our intentions seriously will help us to be more
aware of, and more faithful to, our unique essence.
Imagine our "Life Rule" as a kind of sheet music for our unique melody. Sheet music lays a
foundation and charts a recognizable pattern for a piece of music. It leaves room for the personality of
the musician who plays the music. And it leaves room for growth on the part of that musician. Yet,
even allowing for the flexibility of personality and growth, sheet music preserves the unique and
recognizable character of the music. That's what we are trying to accomplish with our Life Rule.
Chords: Guiding Scripture
We might begin by selecting a few chords (by this we mean ideas or quotes that strike a chord with
us) that will become a foundation to our defining melody. One of my favorite chords is:
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly
with your God? (Micah 6:8)
If you have any favorites that have helped to shape and define who you are, write them down in a
section of your journal devoted to ―Creating a Life Rule‖ on a page entitled "Chords for my Life
Rule."
Tuning: Core Values
Over the years, I have discovered 12 core values that define who I am and what is most important
to me. Take a good honest look at your life and choose core values for each string of your
instrument. You don't have to be writing music for a 12-string guitar. Maybe your instrument is a
5-string banjo. The important thing is to identify the core values that are important to you. One of
my core values, which resonates in my life through the Micah passage above, is "kindness." Make
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a page in your journal for ―Core Values‖ and list the ones that you have discovered in your life.
Leave room for other values that you may discover later. One way to recognize our core values is
that we feel "out of tune" when we fail to live up to them.
Themes: Statement of Purpose
Now use the core values that you have identified to create a personal statement of purpose. Like
recognizable themes that keep popping up in a symphony, these ―themes‖ of purpose keep popping
up in your life. Devote a page in your journal for a ―Statement of Purpose.‖ Write: It is my deepest
desire: and then list what those desires are as you discover them. "Kindness" was one of my core
values. So I might want to list something like: To strive always to be a kind person. Keep your
―Statement of Purpose‖ as short and as honest as possible.
Verses: Elements of My Life
By now you are beginning to learn your unique melody. Maybe you are ready to write some lyrics.
When you are ready, write a number of "I will" lyrics for each element of your life. Some of my
elements are: work, relationships, mind, body, etc. Under ―relationships,‖ using the "kindness"
example again, I might write something as general as:
I will try to remember always to be kind to my family, my friends and the people I meet – even
when something upsets me.
And I might write something else as personal as:
I will plan “dates” with my spouse at least once a week and make a conscious effort to
continually improve our relationship.
Use your imagination. But try to limit yourself to promises in each area of your life – each
―element‖ – that you are willing to make every effort to keep.
Treasure to Bring Home: Harmony
This treasure, harmony, implies an image of change. How have I been changed by this study of the
sayings of Jesus? How does what I have learned resonate with what I know about myself? What truth
has been revealed? How might my life better reflect that truth? What will I do differently from now
on? Can I name just one way I might pledge to integrate what I have learned into my life?
Journal Entry
I have learned much about what Jesus called the kingdom of God. The sayings are windows into
that boundless interior reality, and recipes for practicing a new way of seeing. Here is my personal
commitment to what I have learned.
First, I will write or type the seven qualities of true humanness (letting go, colors, diversity,
windows, generosity, resonance and harmony) on small pieces of paper and then tape them to
pennies. I will add these pennies to the dish in my bedroom. Every morning I will close my
eyes and pick a quality of true humanness to use as a sacred word during meditation, and to be
mindful of practicing for that day.
Second, I will create a separate tzedakah bank account for good works. I will determine a
percentage of my income that I can afford to be responsible for depositing into this account
each year. Once this tzedakah money is in the account for good works, it is no longer my
money. It belongs to the poor and to the earth. It becomes my responsibility to distribute it to
the best of my ability as I see fit and as opportunities present themselves – as if it were my own
little foundation.
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Third, I will begin the task of creating a Life Rule and of taking seriously the ―I wills‖ – the
promises – that I make that help me remember to be more aware of, and more faithful to, my
unique essence.
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SAYINGS Bibliography
Bibliography and Additional Material
Borg, Marcus J. Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time. New York: Harper Collins, 1995
Brother Lawrence (Hermanc, Nicholas), The Practice of the Presence of God: The Original 17th
Century Letters and Conversations of Brother Lawrence, Xulon Press, 2007
Burney, C.F. The Poetry of Our Lord. Clarendon Press, 1925; Eugene, Oregon: WIPF & Stock, 2008
Crossen, John Dominic. The Essential Jesus. Edison, New Jersey: Castle Books, 1998
Crossen, John Dominic. The Historical Jesus: a life of a Mediterranean Jewish peasant. San
Francisco: Harper Collins, 1992
Douglas-Klotz, Neil. The Healing Breath. Boulder, Colorado: Sounds True Audio, 2004
Douglas-Klotz, Neil. The Hidden Gospel: decoding the spiritual message of the Aramaic Jesus.
Wheaton, Illinois: Quest Books, 1999
Ehrman, Bart D. Misquoting Jesus. New York: Harper & Row, 2005
Funk, Hoover and the Jesus Seminar. The Five Gospels: the search for the authentic words of Jesus.
New York: Macmillan, 1993
Jeremias, Joachim. New Testament Theology. London: SMC Press, 1971; London: Trowbridge and
Esher, 1978.
Jeremias, Joachim. Unknown Sayings of Jesus. Eugene, Oregon: WIPF & Stock, 2nd ed., 1957
Manson, T.W. The Sayings of Jesus. London: Billing & Sons, 1937
Meier, John P. A Marginal Jew: rethinking the historical Jesus. New York: Doubleday, 1994
Mitchell, Stephen. The Gospel According to Jesus: a new translation and guide to his essential
teachings for believers and unbelievers. New York: Harper Collins, 1993
Nolan, Albert. Jesus Before Christianity. Cape Province, South Africa: David Philip, Publisher, 1976;
Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 1992
Perrin, Norman. Rediscovering the Teaching of Jesus. New York: Harper and Row, 1976
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PARABLES
PARABLES
Soul’s Realm: Jesus the Teacher
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PARABLES
Stories Level: Birth of Longing
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Woman with the Broken Jar
Jesus said, The [Father's] kingdom is like a woman who was carrying a [jar] full of meal. While she
was walking along [a] distant road, the handle of the jar broke and the meal spilled behind her
[along] the road. She didn't know it; she hadn't noticed a problem. When she reached her house,
she put the jar down and discovered that it was empty.
(Thomas 97:1-4 Patterson/Meyer)
Yeshua says: The Sovereignty of the [Father] is like a woman who is carrying a jar full of grain.
(While) she was walking [on a] distant road, the handle of the jar broke, the grain streamed out
behind her onto the road. She did not observe (it), she had noticed no accident. (When) she arrived
in her house, she set the jar down – she found it empty.
(Thomas 97:1-4 Ecumenical Coptic Project)
Introducing the Material
This perplexing parable from the Gospel of Thomas, even though it does not appear in our Bibles,
is considered by many scholars to be authentic to Jesus. We've chosen it to begin our parables
pilgrimage because it is unfamiliar to most of us. Read it again carefully and thoughtfully. What kind
of a story is it? How does it make us feel to hear this parable for the first time? It reminds us that Jesus'
listeners were hearing all of his parables for the first time and probably were left feeling pretty much
the way we feel after hearing this one. Before we say anything more about the story, it might be
helpful to spend a few minutes exploring just what makes a parable a parable.
Working Definition of a Parable
A figurative story that makes a comparison by laying side by side:
What is commonly understood to be truth
With Jesus‘ understanding of God‘s Truth.
Jesus‘ parables usually include a reversal
A commonly held assumption
Turned upside down in light of God‘s Truth.
Why does Jesus Teach with Parable?
Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered. . .
The reason I speak to them in parables is that „seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not
listen, nor do they understand.‟” (Matthew 13:10,13)
Jesus uses parable to suggest new ways of looking at what his listeners‘ (including us) thought they
knew about the kingdom of God. If the parables seem to turn our world upside down, remember that,
from Jesus' perspective, it is the material world that is twisted and not the stories he tells. The first
thing Jesus usually says before telling a parable is: ―The kingdom of God is like this.‖ Then he makes a
comparison that we usually can‘t make heads or tails of – such as ―it‘s like a broken jar.‖ Because the
reality, which in this case Jesus compares to the broken jar, does not belong to the material world (―My
kingdom is not from this world,‖) we have trouble seeing it. We are looking through ―material‖ eyes
when we need to be looking through ―spiritual‖ or ―mystical‖ eyes. This mysterious reality, which
Jesus calls the kingdom of God, and which might also be called ―the soul's realm,‖ is difficult to
describe to those of us who have not yet experienced it, and are looking for it in the wrong place. And
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so, Jesus creates playful and imaginative comparisons in his parables to give us glimpses of his vision
and to help us perceive this most important reality, in new ways and with new eyes.
Questions for this Parable Story
Does the story in this parable end as we might expect it to end? How do we expect the story to
end? According to what we think we know about the kingdom of God, would the jar be empty or full?
How might an empty jar, or the unexpected loss of material possessions, affect the reality we are
calling ―the soul's realm‖ as Jesus sees it? How might Jesus' vision of this reality cause us to look at
the woman's journey differently? What might the grain or meal represent in this interior realm? What
might ―emptying‖ have to do with entering the reality that Jesus helps us to see?
What can this Parable Experience Teach us about Jesus’ Parables?
Even though the meaning of this parable and the reality it holds up to us are far from clear, it has
already taught us much about Jesus' parables. We have learned that:
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Not all of Jesus‘ parables are in our Bible
Parables are very puzzling to hear for the first time
Parables force us to think about reality in new ways
Parables require listeners to pay attention and to think for themselves
Parables are hard to understand
Parables are relatively easy to remember and to retell
Parables keep working on us even if we don‘t understand them
Parables shock us into paying attention
Parables begin with what we thought we knew
Parables turn what we thought we knew upside down
Parables reflect human qualities and images
Can you think of other things that this parable has taught us?
The Stories
The parables hold up vivid pictures of what Jesus taught. They present new realities to explore that
transcend the mundane concerns of everyday life. Even as we live out our daily lives – seeking
fulfillment and approval and success – there is a part of us that knows that the reality we truly long for
is not to be found in the material world. We know that there is something more – even if we can‘t put it
into words. Jesus used the phrase ―kingdom of God‖ or ―kingdom of heaven‖ to describe this longing
and the reality it represents. The stories he tells in the parables give us hints about its nature and clues
to solve the mystery of how our yearning for this seemingly unattainable ―something more‖ might be
realized.
Let‘s look, again, at the simple story that is to be found within this parable. A woman is carrying a
jar full of grain. Somehow, the handle breaks and the grain empties out behind her on the road through
the crack in the jar. She doesn't realize anything has happened until she gets home and sets the jar
down. The jar is empty. In a sense, this woman with the broken jar is every woman. She is every
person. We can imagine her bursting into tears. Everything is lost. Or is it? The story of the little boy
who reaches into his grandfather's great jar of shiny glass marbles might have something to teach us
about this woman and her empty jar. When the boy's hand is full of marbles he can't get his hand or the
marbles out of the jar. What truly fills us and gives us meaning? Is it some shiny material reality? Or
could it be something more profound?
Two stories from two very different books may help us to understand and come to terms with the
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truth that Jesus chose to illustrate in this parable. The first story comes to us rather unintentionally
from James Hillman's, The Soul's Code: On Character and Calling (1996). In this book Hillman
outlines what he calls the 'acorn theory' of the soul, which states that every individual is born with the
potential for their unique possibilities, much as an acorn holds the pattern for an oak tree. ―I believe we
have been robbed of our true biography – that destiny written into the acorn – and we go to therapy to
recover it.‖ (Page 5)
“Consider this event. Amateur Night at the Harlem Opera House. A skinny, awkward sixteen-yearold goes fearfully onstage. She is announced to the crowd: 'The next contestant is a young lady
named Ella Fitzgerald.... Miss Fitzgerald here is gonna dance for us.... Hold it hold it. Now what's
your problem, honey? Correction folks, Miss Fitzgerald has changed her mind. She's not gonna
dance, she's gonna sing...' Ella Fitzgerald gave three encores and won first prize. However, 'she
had meant to dance.'” (Page 10)
Hillman explains, ―The acorn theory proposes and I will bring evidence for the claim that you and I
and every single person is born with a defining image.... And this form, this idea, this image does not
tolerate too much straying.‖ (Page 11-12)
How might Hillman's story help us to understand the parable of the woman with the broken jar?
Take a moment to reflect and consider its implications for our parable. Imagine the grain or meal in the
parable as the woman's ―acorn meal‖ or destiny, and imagine the jar as representing the material reality
that has contained it. How does this change our understanding of the parable?
Christan Amundsen in his book, Insights from the Secret Teachings of Jesus: The Gospel of
Thomas (1998), looks more intentionally at our particular parable story:
“Like people who are unaware that they are leaking the stuff of their being, they walk along a road
mindless until they find themselves empty. . . . Our lives, Jesus is saying, are lived by accident. We
become „broken jars,‟ with nothing inside. Finding ourselves empty is a devastating affair…. This
story, like any good parable, leads us up to a question. What does the woman do when she finds
her jar broken and empty? It is like seeing that one‟s life is meaningless and without true
substance. What now? This is where the true drama unfolds, and so we are left to fill in the blank.
The meal that was contained in the jar is the important thing. Perhaps the spirit cannot escape its
bondage until the jar is broken, until all our avenues of material reality are discovered to be simply
a „broken jar.‟ Many responses and interpretations are possible and necessary.” (pp. 229-230)
Living in the reality that Jesus envisions for us and calls the kingdom of God requires us to find
that part of ourselves that James Hillman in his book, The Soul's Code, calls the ―acorn,‖ and
Amundsen, in the quote above, refers to as ―spirit.‖ As long as our lives are reasonably comfortable,
we don't think much about this core of our being – ―the soul's realm.‖ It doesn't take much wealth or
security for us to ignore its existence. Only when the jar is broken, when all our material resources are
exhausted, when all seems lost, do we come face to face with what is truly important. James Hillman
suggests that each of us has a ―defining image,‖ and that our true destiny is written into our ―acorn‖ or
soul. Jesus‘ parables suggest something similar. The material world cannot feed our real needs and
cannot give us the security we long for, because what we seek is the ―true‖ reality, which has nothing
to do with the material world. Only there, in this unseen reality at the very core of our being, do true
joy and bliss await us. For many of us it takes a ―broken jar‖ experience to come, finally, to this
realization.
Treasure to Bring Home: Essence
What is my acorn, my essence? Can I recognize it? Can I recognize it in my friends or children or
grandchildren? Sometimes it is easier for us to see a defining image in others than it is to see it in
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ourselves. Part of our job as parents, grandparents, teachers and friends is to recognize and then nudge
people toward their unique image, their acorn.
Journal Entry
[What you see below is an example of a journal entry. In this entry we show you our learning. Your
learning will, of course, be different. We invite you to look back at what you observed and felt and
learned at this level of our journey together. If something stands out for you as most meaningful, we
hope you will record this in your journal.]
What have my personal ―broken jar‖ experiences taught me? Certainly I have had glimpses of the
joy and bliss that Jesus sees for us in ―the soul‘s realm‖ – that core of our being that he calls the
―kingdom of God.‖ Why am I so easily distracted by the lures and seeming security of the material
world?
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Parables
Ideas Level: The Path Examined
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Mustard Seed
―With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a
mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet
when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.‖
(Mark 4:30-32 NRSV)
―The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the
smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so
that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.‖
(Matthew 13:31-32 NRSV)
―What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that
someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made
nests in its branches.‖
(Luke 13:18-19 NRSV)
―It's like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it falls on prepared soil, it produces a
large plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky.‖
(Thomas 20:2-3)
The Path Examined
By now we have developed more than just a casual interest in the teachings. We know that their
meanings run much deeper than we might first have expected. Where did Jesus get the ideas that run
through his teachings? Did he pull them out of thin air, or did he reshape ideas that were already a part
of his culture? Why is it so difficult for us to understand ideas that seem bafflingly simple at first, yet
contrary to our understanding of reality? We have listened to some of the teachings' enigmas and found
ways to make sense of them. Now we want to understand these teachings more objectively. We want
to scrutinize them and see what makes them tick. As we enter the Ideas Level, the path examined, we
pull back to get a broader view and to test some of our early assumptions.
Ideas Level: Parables
At the Stories Level of discovery, the broken jar parable introduced us to ―the soul's realm.‖ Only
there, it seems, in this unseen reality at the very core of our being, do true joy and bliss await us. The
broken jar parable suggests that the material world cannot feed our real needs. It cannot give us the
security for which we long. For many of us it takes a ―broken jar‖ experience to come, finally, to this
realization. Jesus compares the kingdom of God to this unseen reality made manifest by the ―broken
jar‖ experience. This is an idea that needs further examination. We begin this journey of discovery
with ―ideas about the kingdom.‖ We will see how Jesus used parable to make his listeners take a
second look at what they thought they knew about the kingdom of God. In the process we will dissect a
parable to see how it speaks to us from four frames of reference. Finally, we will examine the broader
meanings of malkutah, the Aramaic word for ―kingdom.‖
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Ideas about the Kingdom
What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? Jesus carefully selects a
mustard seed – the smallest of seeds that grows into the greatest of all shrubs. Okay, we say to
ourselves, that seems to make sense. And we are finished thinking. But Jesus‘ contemporary listeners
would have been astounded and shocked by this parable. In order to understand their outrage and the
power of this little parable, let's begin by looking again at our definition of a parable:
A figurative story that makes a comparison by laying side by side:
What is commonly understood to be truth
With Jesus‘ understanding of God‘s Truth.
Jesus‘ parables usually include a reversal
A commonly held assumption
Turned upside down in light of God‘s Truth.
While this definition is a good starting point, a more probative examination reveals the fact that
parables speak to us from four frames of reference:
personal (how I feel) – subjective, inspirational look at teachings
psychological (how I act/might act) – observable, individual behavior reflected in teachings
cultural (how we feel) – inter-subjective, moral look at teachings
social (how we act/might act) – observable, group behavior reflected in teachings
From a personal or intentional frame of reference, our mustard seed parable teaches us that the
important reality Jesus would have us understand grows out of what seems, at first, to be something
insignificant. From a psychological frame of reference, we insert ourselves in the parable and observe
what it teaches us about our individual behavior. How might Jesus be teaching about my actions or my
behavior in this parable? From a cultural frame of reference, the parable teaches a moral lesson. But
we need to know more about the culture of Jesus contemporaries before this will make any sense to us.
Finally, from a social frame of reference, we insert our society (or Jesus' society) into the parable and
observe what it teaches about our behavior as a group. How might Jesus be teaching about society's
actions or behavior in this parable? If this sounds like an impossible burden for such a small little
parable, listen to what Thomas Keating has to say about the parable.
Thomas Keating: Cedar Tree and Mustard Seed
In Thomas Keating‘s book, The Kingdom of God is Like This, Keating paints a vivid picture of the
cultural and social understandings behind the kind of ―kingdom‖ Jesus‘ contemporary listeners were
expecting.
For the Israelites of Jesus‟ time, the tension between everyday reality and a mythical vision of
Israel as God‟s chosen people was felt with particular urgency. From the heyday of national power
and prestige during the reigns of King David and King Solomon, Israel had been on a downhill
slide for several centuries, its kingdom conquered and divided several times over. If one lives in
occupied territories, as the Israelites of Jesus‟ time did, the question naturally arises, “is this
ghastly oppression by the Romans a punishment from God, or is our suffering just part of the
human condition?” In the particular myth in which the people of first-century Israel were living,
the kingdom of God had specific connotations of power, triumph, holiness and goodness. The
kingdom, when it came, would introduce a glorious new age of universal peace, with God‟s chosen
people at the head of the nations.
Cedar of Lebanon The cultural symbol for this myth was the great cedar of Lebanon. Cedars of
Lebanon were comparable to the huge redwood trees of California. They grew straight up for two
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or three hundred feet or more. Every kind of bird could enjoy their shade. This image was deeply
embedded in the cultural conditioning of the Jewish people. The kingdom of God as a nation would
be the greatest of all nations just as the great cedar of Lebanon was the greatest of all trees.”
Order and Holiness Instead, Jesus proposed this parable, “What is the kingdom of God really
like? It is like a mustard seed” – proverbially the smallest and most insignificant of all seeds –
“that someone took and sowed in his garden.”
Now, just so you don‘t think Keating is making all of this up, read the following passages of
scripture:
Psalm 104:16-17
The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has its home in the fir trees.
Ezekiel 17:22-24
Thus says the Lord God:
I myself will take a sprig
from the lofty top of a cedar;
I will set it out.
I will break off a tender one
from the topmost of its young twigs;
I myself will plant it
on a high and lofty mountain.
On the mountain height of Israel
I will plant it,
in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,
and become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird will live;
in the shade of its branches will nest
winged creatures of every kind.
All the trees of the field shall know
that I am the Lord.
Daniel 4:20-22
The tree that you saw,
which grew great and strong,
so that its top reached to heaven
and was visible to the end of the whole earth,
whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant,
and which provided food for all,
under which animals of the field lived,
and in whose branches the birds of the air had nests—
it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong.
Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven,
and your sovereignty to the ends of the earth.
Now, read the Parable again:
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“What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that
someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made
nests in its branches.”
What is Jesus trying to do here? Let‘s read more of what Keating has to say.
For an alert hearer of Jesus‟ day, the detail about the garden would be a tip-off. In the Jewish view
of the world, order was identified with holiness and disorder with uncleanness. Hence there were
very strict rules about what could be planted in a household garden. The rabbinical law of diverse
kinds ruled that one could not mix certain plants in the same garden. A mustard plant was
forbidden in a household garden because it was fast spreading and would tend to invade the
veggies. In stating that [someone]planted a mustard seed in [a] garden, the hearers are alerted to
the fact that [that person] was doing something illegal. An unclean image thus becomes the
starting point for Jesus‟ vision of the kingdom of God in this parable.
If the starting point is an unclean image, the rest of the parable becomes even more perplexing.
What do we know about a mustard seed, botanically speaking: it is a common, fast-spreading
plant, which grows to about four feet in height. It puts out a few branches, and with some stretch of
the imagination, birds might build a few down-at-the-heel nests in its shade.”
Not a Cedar But a Weed: Steeped in their cultural images of the great cedar of Lebanon, the
hearers would be expecting the mustard seed, Jesus‟ symbol of the kingdom, to grow into a mighty
apocalyptic tree. Jesus‟ point is exactly the opposite. It just becomes a bush. Thus the image of the
kingdom of God as a towering cedar of Lebanon is explicitly ridiculed.
What is the Kingdom of God Like?
Hebrew and Aramaic are languages with relatively few words. The Aramaic lexicon tells us that
the primary meaning of malkutah is earthly kingdom. The Greek word, basileia, also means earthly
kingdom. When the translators were trying to capture what Jesus meant by ―malkutah,‖ they chose the
Greek word that captured the primary meaning. But, according to Neil Douglas-Klotz, malkutah has
broader meanings in Aramaic. It can also mean:
ruling principles that guide our lives
coiled spring of potential (soul?) = God-given potential
what says ―I can‖ within us and steps in a new direction
The Jewish mystical understanding (Kabbalah) adds to this:
realm of the ―Great Mother‖ or feminine aspect of Sacred Unity
opening to the divine
―womb‖ that transforms us, or the ―birth canal‖ into the New Jerusalem
So what did Jesus mean by malkutah? Well, he tells us what he does not mean. ―My kingdom
(malkutah) is not from this world.‖ (John 18:36 NRSV) He does not mean earthly kingdom. He spends
a good portion of his teachings trying to help people understand what he does mean by malkutah. He
uses the parables to paint concrete pictures of what he means. To find malkutah, we must journey to
―the soul‘s realm‖ – the realm of potential. Our defining image, malkutah, opens us to the divine and
transforms us – if we let it. The parables are filled with ―transforming images – qualities of true
humanness, or ruling principles to guide our lives.
The Classroom of God
A modern day rabbi, Rabbi Shimon Leiberman, explains ―malkut‖ (―kingdom‖ in Hebrew) as
follows:
A teacher who allows students to "do as they wish" is not a teacher at all. On the other hand, a
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teacher who forces students to (comply) has merely imposed external shackles on them and has not
really affected them in any way. The real teacher is the one who inspires students, so that they
realize that their own real feelings and values are those espoused by their teacher. This is malkut
in the true sense. It is God's actions and attributes – not as expressed by God, but rather as human
beings express them. It is as if God‟s actions have struck a resonant chord in us, and we thereby
act in a similar manner. It is only when we hear the voice of God echoing from within us – which is
malkut – that we are truly transformed.
(See www.aish.com/sp/k/48971776.html)
Treasure to Bring Home: Integrity
What is the voice that echoes from within me? What are the ruling principles that guide my life?
What is the image and potential planted within me that can transform me and open me to an
understanding of what it means to live with meaning and purpose? We have been calling it ―the soul's
realm.‖ Jesus called it malkutah. He created parables and other imaginative ways of teaching to help
people see it. Because it is a mystical understanding, malkutah can only be seen and understood if we
find the eyes and heart of a mystic.
Journal Entry
I wonder how the mustard seed parable might speak to our culture and society. What do Christians
expect when they hear Jesus' words ―my kingdom?‖ Do they expect Jesus as Lord and Savior? This
seems like a cedar tree understanding of ―kingdom‖ to me. It is not Jesus' understanding. The mustard
seed understanding reminds us that the malkutah reality that Jesus wants us to understand is infectious,
invasive and tenacious – if we let it into our gardens it will take over our lives. But we should not
expect to bathe luxuriously in Jesus' shade. We should not expect Jesus' death to absolve us of our guilt
or to remove from us the responsibility to live up to the image and potential of Sacred Unity planted
within us.
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Parables
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-28 NRSV)
―For it* is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to
them; to one he gave five talents,** to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.
Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with
them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two
more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground
and hid his master‘s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts
with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more
talents, saying, ‗Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.‘
His master said to him, ‗Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a
few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.‘ And the one
with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‗Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I
have made two more talents.‘ His master said to him, ‗Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you
have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of
your master.‘ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‗Master, I
knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not
scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.*** Here you have what
is yours.‘ But his master replied, ‗You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where
I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with
the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the
talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.'‖
* refers to the kingdom of heaven: see Matthew 25:1
** a talent is worth 6,000 drachma or 15 years wages for a laborer
*** according to rabbinical law, this would absolve him from any liability (Schweizer)
Walking the Labyrinth
Walking a labyrinth requires concentration and attention. Every measured step we take, every idea
that enters our awareness, can be a turning point to inspire and awaken us to something new. Even as
our path seems to meander, and sometimes even turn back upon itself, we begin to collect puzzle
pieces that, if we can connect them, may give us a better picture of what it means to bring heaven to
earth – to find in our lives the Promised Land. The labyrinth we walk at this level, however, is a
labyrinth of the mind. The ethereal puzzle pieces we collect flicker and shimmer like film clips from a
virtual reality or fragments from a hologram. The images they conjure up form mysterious patterns that
follow us as we try to walk around them and find their boundaries. We know that the abstract path we
walk is but a symbol for the enchanted kingdom. Even a physical labyrinth is but a metaphorical
journey to our center, our core. And, after all, mind and spirit are close cousins. The teachings point us
toward and invite us into a reality we have not yet grasped. We trust inspiration to lead us closer to that
reality.
Puzzles Level: Parables
The broken jar parable introduced us to an unseen reality we are calling ―the soul's realm.‖ The
woman in the parable is every woman, every person. She awakens one day to her emptiness.
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Everything about her life seems meaningless and without substance. She discovers that her visible,
material reality, what she once thought was important, cannot feed her real needs. A voice within her
cries out. It is an existential moment. The universe seems unfathomable and uncertain. Yet it is only in
such moments that transformation is possible. Jesus compares the kingdom of God, malkutah, to this
unseen reality made manifest by the ―broken jar‖ experience. Angst transubstantiates into joy and bliss.
How can this be? This is not the ―kingdom‖ we expected. We re-examine the whole idea of kingdom,
of malkutah. We discover that ―kingdom‖ does not mean earthly kingdom at all – ―My kingdom
(malkutah) is not from this world.‖ To find malkutah, we must journey away from the material world
and into ―the soul‘s realm.‖ We learn that malkutah can only be seen and understood if we find the
eyes and heart of a mystic. Malkutah is the ―still small voice‖ echoing from within us, the ruling
principles guiding our lives, the image and potential planted within us transforming us and opening us
to an understanding of what it means to live with meaning and purpose. Jesus uses the parables to paint
concrete pictures of what he means by malkutah. He makes his listeners take a second look at what
they thought they knew about this ―kingdom‖ from personal, psychological, cultural and social frames
of reference.
As if ideas about the meaning of malkutah were not difficult enough, we journey now into a more
advanced and complex set of challenges with respect to understanding. First we will use the Parable of
the Talents as a measure of what to look for as we seek to understand the puzzle of the parables. We
have created a series of questions that can be asked of any parable. As we consider each question, a
new image of the kingdom of God should begin to emerge. Next we will explore the idea of
―transforming images‖ through the eyes of a mystic. We will journey briefly into realms of mysticism,
poetry, philosophy and even Kabbalah to help us understand what makes these images so important.
The Puzzle of the Parables
Think of a parable as a kind of jigsaw puzzle where the pieces of the puzzle are answers to
questions we need to ask of the parable in order to understand it. We're proposing the following
questions. Take each question one at a time, very slowly, and ask it of the Parable of the Talents. Most
of these questions should apply to any parable. (We include a list of the parables most scholars
consider authentic to the time and person of Jesus in the Appendix at the end of the Images Level of
discovery.)
Does the parable refer to or imply a comparison with the kingdom of God or heaven?
What do we need to know about the culture and society of Jesus‘ listeners?
Do you think Jesus would have used this parable to say what his listeners expected to hear?
What change in behavior is Jesus asking of his listeners?
How is Jesus attempting to change us?
What ―transforming images‖ can you see in the parable?
Do the ―transforming images‖ in the parable describe: gifts, talents, potential?
In what ways do the ―transforming images‖ represent images of meaning and purpose?
Where are these qualities or images located in this parable? In us?
Does the broader definition for malkutah make sense?
Ruling principles that guide our lives
Coiled spring of potential?
―I can‖ within us?
Opening to meaning and purpose?
How does this change the meaning of the parable?
How is Jesus using this parable to point within the soul's realm?
How does this parable make Jesus' idea of ―salvation‖ possible for us?
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What matters most for ―salvation‖ in this parable?
What is the impossible invitation?
What does Jesus seem to be inviting his listeners to do?
How might we respond to Jesus‘ challenge and invitation?
What might happen if we tried to act out the message of this parable in our lives?
How do we feel about what Jesus is asking of us?
Can we apply most of our study questions to the Parable of the Talents?
Do these questions help us get at the underlying message of this parable?
Wikipedia: Mystic Traditions
“Mystic traditions generally form sub-currents within larger religious traditions – such as
Kabbalah within Judaism, Sufism within Islam, Vedanta within Hinduism and Christian mysticism
within Christianity – but are often treated skeptically and held separate, due to their emphasis on
personal experience over doctrine.”
“Often mysticisms center on the teachings of individuals who are considered to have special
insight, and in some cases – Christianity, Buddhism, Mosaic law... – entire non-mystical (doctrinebased) faiths have arisen around these leaders and their teachings, with few or no mystical
practitioners remaining.”
Was Jesus a Mystic?
"As a Jewish Mystic, what did Jesus know? He knew how to heal. He knew how to create
memorable sayings and stories; he had a metaphoric mind. He knew that God was accessible to the
marginalized because he was from the marginalized himself. He knew that tradition and convention
were not sacred in themselves but, at best, pointers to and mediators of the sacred and, at worst, a
snare. He knew an oppressive and exploitative social order that legitimated itself in the name of God,
and he knew this was not God's will. And he knew all of this most foundationally because he knew
God...." Marcus Borg (from The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions by Borg and Wright, pp. 75-76)
The Mirror
from The Secret Rose Garden by Mahmud Shabistari
(Translated by Florence Lederer)
Your eye has not strength enough
to gaze at the burning sun,
but you can see its burning light
by watching its reflection
mirrored in the water.
So the reflection of Absolute Being
can be viewed in the mirror of Not-Being,
for nonexistence, being opposite Reality,
instantly catches its reflection.
Know the world from end to end is a mirror;
in each atom a hundred suns are concealed.
If you pierce the heart of a single drop of water,
from it will flow a hundred clear oceans;
if you look intently at each speck of dust,
in it you will see a thousand beings.
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Realms of Meaning/Purpose (Ken Wilber's Labyrinth)
Ken Wilber's ―map‖ of the ―I‖ (personal) and the ―we‖ (cultural) frames of reference is a labyrinth
all its own. The ―I‖ (upper leg) of the map shows the kind of evolutionary progress we might expect to
make in how we, as individuals, understand or feel about our place in the universe. Presently, most
people accept external rules/subordinate roles and personify meaning/purpose as an external ―God.‖
The ―we‖ (lower leg) of the map describes cultural understandings. The corresponding cultural
understanding of the universe is mythic. (Which is a step up from the level 6 cultural understanding,
which is magic.) For the most part, ―pre-modern‖ human beings view the world mythically, which
means they accept external rules/subordinate roles, and fear an external ―God.‖ Some have ―graduated‖
to level 8. Level 8 individuals are capable of thinking ―logically‖ and understand meaning/purpose
internally. The idea of an external ―God‖ (or any kind of personified God, really) is dead. Level 8
culture would be ―rational‖ if there were enough ―logical‖ people to form a functioning majority –
which there aren't, as yet. Every level is convinced that their view of the universe is the ―right‖ view
and the ―last word.‖ But, as you can see from the ―map,‖ we still have a long way to go to get to the
―mystical‖ level, which is how folks like Jesus and Buddha understood their place in the universe.
―I‖ (personal) frame of reference
(12) Causal (Absolute)
(11) Subtle (Intuitive Mind)
(10) Soul (Psychic Mind)
(9) Creative Reason (Vision)
(8) Logic (Internal Voice)
(7) Rule/Role (External God)
(6) Image/Symbol/Concept
(6) Magic (Representational Mind)
(7) Mythic (Rule/Role)
(8) Rational (Formal/Reflexive)
(9) Centauric (Trans-personal)
(10) Psychic
(11) Mystical
(12) Nondual
―we‖ (cultural) frame of reference
(Collected and adapted from the writings of Ken Wilber by Gary Brewer)
Causal (Absolute) understands the world as Nondual
Subtle (Intuitive Mind) understands the world as Mystical
Soul (Psychic Mind) understands the world as Psychic
Creative Reason (Vision) understands the world as Trans-personal
Logic (Internal Voice) understands the world as Rational
Rule/Role (External God) understands the world as Mythic
Image (Symbol) understands the world as Magic
Realms of Meaning/Purpose (Kabbalah Labyrinth)
Kabbalah grew out of 1st century Jewish mysticism and became a full blown theosophical system
by about the 12th century. It has nothing in particular to do with Jesus' teachings; but, of interest to us is
malkut. Note in the diagram below that malkut is the opening to all higher levels of ultimate meaning
or purpose. It is the realm of the ―Great Mother‖ or feminine aspect of Sacred Unity. Only at the level
of malkut do the spheres of human and divine intersect. Malkut is God's actions and attributes as
reflected through human beings. Our Buddhist friends understand this better than we do. They teach
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that, since ―God‖ is beyond our understanding, we should dismiss the idea and deal instead with the
ruling principles that guide our lives. In other words, we should focus on malkut.
The Sefirot in Jewish Kabbalah
Keter – Crown: Divine Plan / Infinite light / I AM THAT I AM
Chochma – Wisdom: First Revelation / Creation from Nothingness
Bina – Understanding: Gives Birth to the Emotions, Reason, Understanding / Return to God
Da'at – Knowledge: Bridge between the Intellect and Emotion
Chesed – Kindness: Loving Grace of Free Giving / Love of God / Inspiring Vision
Din – Severity: Judgment / Strength / Intention
Tiferet – Beauty: Symmetry / Balance between Chesed and Gevurah / Compassion
Necach – Eternity: Contemplation/ Initiative/ Persistence / Eternal Now
Hod – Splendor: Withdrawal / Surrender / Sincerity / Steadfastness
Jesod – Foundation: Wholly Remembering/ Coherent Knowledge
Malchut – Kingdom: Female Vessel of Creation / Accomplishment / Realization of Divine Plan
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Mystic Union
The words "mysticism" and "mystic" derive from the Greek root myein, meaning "to shut the
eyes." The eyes of the mystic are ―shut‖ to the everyday material world in order to experience other
realities. A classic component of mysticism is communion or union with the divine. Philo of
Alexandria (20 BCE – 50 CE), a Jewish philosopher and contemporary of Jesus, describes the soul's
union with the divine as something that usually happens after death, but can happen during the lifetime
of certain chosen individuals. Only very special individuals achieve the goal of uniting their souls with
the divine. He says that this is what human beings are supposed to do, but very few attain the goal.
Treasure to Bring Home: Creativity
What talents have we been entrusted with? In what ways have we been inspired? What is the voice
that echoes from within us? How can we live creatively with meaning and purpose? Walking the
labyrinth always takes us to our center – the core of our being.
Journal Entry
Jesus, like Buddha, teaches that it is a distraction to see only the transcendent, mythic God of the
external realm. The way to understanding our true meaning and purpose leads us to a more personal
experience of a more immanent, mystical nature. That path leads us into malkutah – where we find the
ruling principles that guide our lives. The absolutely unapproachable external ―God‖ of the law,
becomes the utterly approachable Spirit of internal experience. ―Inspired‖ or inspirited, the soul
vibrates at our very core and connects us with Spirit and with each other. This ―inner door‖ is our only
opening to the divine. ―One who enters must enter through this gate.‖
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Parables
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Prodigal Son
―There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‗Father, give me the
share of the property that will belong to me.‘ So he divided his property between them. A few days
later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered
his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place
throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the
citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled
himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came
to himself he said, ‗How many of my father‘s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here
I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ―Father, I have
sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like
one of your hired hands.‖‘ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his
father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed
him. Then the son said to him, ‗Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.‘ But the father said to his slaves, ‗Quickly, bring out a robe –
the best one – and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted
calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found!‘ And they began to celebrate. ―Now his elder son was in the field; and when he
came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked
what was going on. He replied, ‗Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf,
because he has got him back safe and sound.‘ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His
father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‗Listen! For all these
years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you
have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this
son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf
for him!‘ Then the father said to him, ‗Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he
was lost and has been found.‘‖
(Luke 15:11-32 NRSV)
Awareness of Call
As we begin to get a glimpse of how Jesus teaches, we leave the Puzzles Level of our pilgrimage
and enter a level where more is required of us. Our journey through the first level was a journey of
story. We listened to the stories and considered, and perhaps discussed, what implications Jesus'
teachings might have for our lives. The Ideas and Puzzles Levels studied meaning and culture by
exploring concepts, facts and hypotheses. In the Dreams Level we are challenged to interact with the
teachings about this illusive interior kingdom in ways that are a little more engaging. The Dreams
Level gives us the opportunity to ―walk the walk‖ of pilgrimage through a series of dreams, activities,
games and challenges. Where appropriate, we will be introduced to new primary biblical/historical
material. In some instances we will look deeper at some of the teachings that have already become
familiar to us at the Stories, Ideas and Puzzles Levels. But most importantly, as we experience the
Dreams Level, the awareness of call, we will begin to explore ways the interior kingdom reaches into
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the exterior world and affects our daily lives.
Dreams Level: Parables
In the broken jar parable we were introduced to an unseen reality, which we have called ―the soul's
realm.‖ Jesus compares the kingdom of God, malkutah, to this unseen reality made manifest by the
―broken jar‖ experience. The mustard seed parable helped us re-examine the whole idea of kingdom or
malkutah. We discovered that ―kingdom‖ does not mean earthly kingdom at all – ―My kingdom
(malkutah) is not from this world.‖ Malkutah is the ―still small voice‖ echoing from within us, the
ruling principles guiding our lives, the image and potential planted within us transforming us and
opening us to an understanding of what it means to live with meaning and purpose. The parable of the
talents became a labyrinth where we could trace the meandering path and puzzling nature of parable.
We created a series of questions to help us find and consider ―transforming images‖ and journeyed
briefly into realms of mysticism, poetry, philosophy and even Kabbalah to help us understand what
makes these images so important.
At the Dreams Level of discovery we look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The story in this
parable is about a father of considerable wealth and two sons. The elder son, in respect of wealth and
security and the rules of the exterior material world, stays home and works to preserve and extend his
part of the inheritance. The younger son asks for his inheritance and soon squanders it in dissolute
living. He has a ―broken jar‖ experience, comes face to face with who he really is and what is truly
important to him, and returns home. He comes home to this realization and finds true bliss in the arms
of his father. By way of contrast, the elder son's ―jar‖ remains unbroken. His wealth and security intact,
he can still ignore the core of his being. He has not found his soul, and consequently he has not found
his bliss. He does not go to the party. From the Stories Level, then, these two parables have much in
common. The Dreams Level challenges us to step into Jesus' teachings. We are invited into the dream
world of ―the soul‘s realm‖ or the core of our being. We are confronted with the opportunity to seek
our own soul. From this angle the parable asks of us, ―Who are you? What are your dreams? What is
your defining image? We are challenged to pay attention to our calling.
General Themes
The Dreams Level's different angle of vision does more than just make us pay attention to our
calling. It calls us, at the same time, to awareness. Like the father in the parable, we are filled with
compassion. We hurt for the father when his younger son leaves on a fool's errand and makes a fool of
his father in the process. We hurt for the younger son when his dreams fall apart and he loses
everything. We feel the father's joy and celebrate with the father when his younger son returns. We
hurt for both the elder son and the father when the elder son, in his bitterness and jealousy, refuses to
celebrate his brother's rebirth. This is a parable that calls us to compassion and forgiveness. From the
story's point of view in the parable it is easy to get caught up in a game of judging what is right and
what is wrong and what is fair. When we do this, the elder brother seems to be right. Because, from the
exterior, material world point of view, he is right. He did what was expected of him. He never
disobeyed his father. He was the perfect son. And yet, the celebration is not for him. It takes Dreams
Level awareness to understand why. The celebration is about finding soul. It is about coming home to
―the soul‘s realm,‖ the core of our being.
What does this Parable Mean?
Jesus rarely, if ever, explained what the parables meant after he told them. He left it up to his
listeners to think for themselves and decide what was meant. It is not often easy to do this today: first,
because Jesus' understanding of true reality is so difficult for us to grasp; and second, because the
parables have been ―explained‖ to us through sermon. We can be sure that Jesus intended each parable
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to illustrate some truth. The first step in understanding is to set aside what we think we know about a
parable and to try to look at it through new eyes.
Questions for all Parables
Is there a transforming image in the parable? Does the parable reflect a life lived in right
relationship? Are qualities of true humanness reflected in the parable? Does the parable imply some
kind of a requirement to enter Jesus' new reality? Does there seem to be an impossible invitation? How
might this parable comfort us? How might it challenge us? In what ways might this parable teach us to
change our behavior? Does it offer hope that what seems impossible may be possible in a just world?
The Dreams
Awareness of Call
Ill-advised or not, the younger son sets out on a pilgrimage of discovery. He loses everything, but
in the process comes face to face with who he is and what is truly important. He has discovered
what he was searching for on his pilgrimage and where he might find it. The elder son, his wealth
and security still intact, continues to ignore the core of his being. Which son do you identify with?
“Awareness of Call” Dreams
Imagine that it is the end of your life and that you are writing your own obituary. List three
important things that you would like to be able to say about your life. Would they be material
accomplishments? Would they be ways you had made a difference in the world? Would they be
qualities you had endeavored to reflect in your daily life? How would you want to be remembered?
Imagine that you died completely broke. Under these circumstances, what kind of ―inheritance‖
would you leave to friends or family? Would it be a list of important books that helped to shape
you? Would it be a lesson or lessons learned that you want to pass on? Would you leave your sense
of humor or pearls of wisdom? Could you leave the example of a life well lived? Make a short will
explaining what gifts you wish to pass on.
Write, in a word or phrase, your defining image, your true biography – your ―acorn.‖ If you have
not discovered it as yet, ask close friends or family to help you to see it.
Call to Awareness
If we look closely, one of the things Jesus teaches in this parable is that following the rules of the
exterior, material world may not be the best recipe for enlightenment. One of Jesus' sayings from
Luke 17:33 could have been a footnote to this parable, “Those who try to make their life secure
will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it.” Dream of some ways you might ―lose your
life‖ in order to keep it. The ideas below are just a way to get you thinking. Look at your life and
you will probably discover better ideas. We have said that this is a parable about compassion.
Webster defines compassion as ―a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a
desire to alleviate it.‖
“Call to Awareness” Dreams
 Sign up to be an organ donor.
 Offer to give blood at the next Red Cross blood drive.
 Take time out of your life to ―be there‖ for friends and family when they need
you. Find ways to ―be there‖ for others in need, even if you don't know them.
Treasure to Bring Home: Service
What is true service? We know that it includes both an ―awareness of call‖ and a ―call to
awareness.‖ We are confronted with the opportunity to follow our dream, to seek our own soul – that
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unique ―acorn‖ planted deep within us that awaits our discovery. We see, from the Parable of the
Prodigal Son, that resentful obedience in denial of our own essence cannot be true service. At the same
time, even if we have not yet been able to discover and express our defining image, we can respond, in
ways appropriate to us, to the needs of the world.
Journal Entry
We are given the example of two sons, one who recklessly squanders all of his material belongings
and one who, from the point of view of the exterior, material world, does what is expected of him. He
never disobeys his father (until he refuses to celebrate the return of his brother), and is the perfect son.
Yet, in Jesus' vision of ―the soul‘s realm,‖ it is the prodigal son who is celebrated. I find this idea
frightening. I feel comfortable in the material world. I feel secure in my house, my job, my marriage. I
don‘t want a ―broken jar‖ experience. I want things to stay the way they are. And yet, a part of me
knows that they can‘t. Sooner or later, we all discover that our lives have become a broken jar. Either
through misfortune, disease or old age, we discover that our ―jar‖ – our illusion of security – has
broken.
I keep a replica of a skull in my bedroom to remind me that this fragile illusion will eventually be
shattered. We have two choices, really. We can ignore the skull‘s reality until it is impossible to deny
it. Or, we can begin to look for a reality that will transcend that of the skull. Eternal life is such a
transcendent reality. But it seems to me that the Parable of the Prodigal Son is saying that we should be
careful not to understand eternal life with an ―elder brother‖ or ―cedar tree‖ mentality. Such an
understanding, which some have called ―pie in the sky when you die, by and by,‖ only allows us to
extend the illusion of security all the way through the death experience so that we never have to
confront the ―broken jar.‖ I think the celebration in the Parable of the Prodigal Son is about finding
soul – that image and potential planted within us that transforms us and opens us to an understanding
of what it means to live with meaning and purpose. Jesus taught about ―finding soul‖ – recognizing the
true kingdom of God, and then living it – through a variety of teaching methods: beatitudes, sayings,
parables, miracles, prayers and, of course, the example of his own life. Our old friend malkutah
captures the idea of ―eternal life.‖ I have to keep reminding myself that Jesus chose the ―mustard seed‖
and not the ―cedar tree‖ as an image of that reality.
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Parables
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Hidden treasure
―The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in
his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.‖
(Matthew 13:44 NRSV)
Treasure in the field
―The (Father's) kingdom is like a person who had a treasure hidden in his field but did not know it.
And [when] he died he left it to his [son]. The son [did] not know about it either. He took over the
field and sold it. The buyer went plowing, [discovered] the treasure, and began to lend money at
interest to whomever he wished.‖
(Thomas 109:1-3)
Awakening to the Journey
We've had a little taste of what can happen when we try to get an honest glimpse of the bold vision
that Jesus dreamed for humanity. We've experienced the power of story, the complications of meaning
and culture, the intellectual rush of following the winding course of a proposed hypothesis, and the
gratification that can come with actually daring to dream. Now we are ready to take the next step into
the teachings and look for a few simple ways to attempt to model ―kingdom thinking‖ about living
authentic lives. By now even the small sample of teachings we have wrestled with should be enough to
give us pause. The implied invitation that Jesus extends to us into this strange Promised Land ―within
and among us‖ seems an impossible invitation. But is it really impossible? The Models Level gives us
a chance to find out. It challenges us to discover simple ways to practice Jesus‘ teachings in our own
lives. In some instances we will revisit teachings to see if we can transform Dreams Level dreams into
everyday practice. We will also look at new examples of authentic teachings and try to imagine how
we might make a serious attempt to model the behaviors that these teachings exemplify. As we
experience the Models Level, awakening to the journey, we will be given the chance to try some of
these teachings on for size. At first they may seem an awkward fit. Most likely, each of us will need to
tailor pilgrimage suggestions to personal experience.
Models Level: Parables
The Stories Level taught us that, in the end, the material world and its distractions leave us empty
and unfulfilled. We cannot find a lasting and meaningful sense of success without first finding our true
identity. And to find that identity, which oftentimes takes a ―broken jar‖ experience, we must look
within. The Ideas Level taught us that Jesus' idea of ―kingdom‖ does not mean earthly kingdom at all.
Malkutah is, instead, the ―still small voice‖ echoing from within us, the ruling principles guiding our
lives, the image and potential planted within us transforming us and opening us to an understanding of
what it means to live with meaning and purpose – and empowering us to do so. The Puzzles Level
created a labyrinth where we could trace the meandering path of the puzzling nature of parable. Then,
in the Dreams Level, we were invited into the dream world of the soul‘s realm and confronted with the
questions, ―Who are you? What are your dreams? What is your defining image? We may feel like
fledglings, unready and unable to answer these most personal questions, but the Models Level of
discovery offers us the chance to try our wings. Consider the young Buckminster Fuller – one of the
key innovators of the 20th century. We're going to use him as an example for how to model kingdom
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thinking. Bucky, as his friends called him, was expelled from Harvard twice: first for spending all his
money partying with a vaudeville troupe, and then, after having been readmitted, he was expelled a
second time for his "irresponsibility and lack of interest.‖ Reflecting about what turned him around, he
wrote, ―Something hit me very hard once, thinking about what one little man could do.‖ Each of us has
a hidden treasure buried within us. Our task is to discover it and take responsibility for doing
something useful with it.
Jock Brandis and the Full Belly Project
Another person who will serve as a model for us in this session is Jock Brandis. On a trip to West
Africa, Brandis came across the need for a simple, cost-effective peanut sheller to help poor women
prepare tough groundnuts for sale. Brandis promised to find a peanut sheller back home and send it to
them. He discovered that such a thing didn't exist. Brandis refused to let this fact defeat him. He did
not want to renege on his promise, and so he decided he would invent a peanut sheller. In collaboration
with Amy Smith's Engineering research group at MIT, Jock Brandis developed an innovative and open
source design to shell peanuts quickly and effectively. His Universal Nut Sheller, built for $28, is now
revolutionizing vital cash crops in developing countries by cutting down on labor hours and keeping
more money with farmers, who no longer have to take their crops miles away to be shelled by an
outside source. Out of that collaboration, the Full Belly Project was born in 2005 – a growing
movement with the mission of bringing sustainable and affordable technology to people in great need.
Half-a-billion people on earth rely on the peanut as their primary source of protein. Most of these
people are small land-holding farmers in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. The Universal
Nut Sheller can shell peanuts almost 40 times faster than they can than be shelled by hand. The designs
for the machine are in the public domain and the organization hopes to create additional appropriate
technology for sustainable development in the future. Since 2009, their research has been focused on
designing the Rocker Water Pump.
The Models
Journey to Awakening
All of us have our own unique gifts. Chances are we will not be able to do the kinds of things that
Buckminster Fuller or Jock Brandis did. What these innovators model for us has little to do with
the specifics of their accomplishments. They model the process of finding our own personal genius.
Once we discover it, we begin to look out from its center. In his poem ―The Secret Sits,‖ Robert
Frost wrote, “We dance round in a ring and suppose, / But the Secret sits in the middle and
knows.” What is your secret, your genius? Can you connect with it, and through it connect with
humanity? Try on the following quotes from Buckminster Fuller. Let them help you find your
defining image.
Geniuses are just people who had good mothers.
Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-geniuses them.
How often I found where I should be going only by setting out for somewhere else.
I look for what needs to be done. After all, that's how the universe designs itself.
You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly.
We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims.
I'm not trying to counsel any of you to do anything really special except dare to think. And to
dare to go with the truth. And to dare to really love completely.
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Awakening to the Journey
What is it on this planet:
that needs doing and
that I know something about,
that probably won't happen unless I take responsibility for it?
Treasure to Bring Home: Purpose
Who are you, deep inside? Are you an inventor? A writer? A builder? An entertainer? A teacher? A
healer? A bridge builder? A counselor? An inspirer? A storyteller? You may not discover who you are
today or tomorrow or next year, but keep on searching. Discovering who you are and what you are
here on earth to do is the most important job you have. It is your primary responsibility. Don't get so
caught up in ―making a living‖ that you get distracted from your real purpose.
Journal Entry
A hidden treasure, a gift or calling, even one that we have discovered, is of little use to the world
until we find the strength to take responsibility for it. The potential is always there. The potential is the
treasure we have been given, our purpose. But until we ―own‖ that treasure and find a way to ―lend it
at interest‖ the potential goes unrealized. What is it on this planet: that needs doing and that I know
something about, that probably won't happen unless I take responsibility for it?
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Parables
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Parable of Leaven or Yeast
―The Father's kingdom is like [a] woman. She took a little leaven, [hid] it in dough, and made it
into large loaves of bread.‖
(Thomas 96:1-2)
―The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour
until all of it was leavened.‖
(Matthew 13:33 NRSV)
―To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in
with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.‖
(Luke 13:20-21 NRSV)
Wisdom of Arriving Within
The practice of being aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness.
Mindfulness has to do with observation and with creating the necessary space that makes attention
possible. At the Spaces Level of our pilgrimage we will learn some simple paths to mindfulness. We
will learn about the power of observation – how the very process of observation changes what we
observe. We will learn the importance of space – how space, more than anything else defines reality.
Every creative endeavor – music, art, sculpture and even creative writing – depends as much on space
as on the particular medium that shares the space and takes form within and around it. Mindfulness is
no exception. As we prepare to look within for new wisdom with respect to the beatitudes, sayings,
parables, miracles and prayers we must learn to create the space that will allow us to be observers.
Mindfulness is the opposite of thinking. Mindfulness just watches the endless string of thoughts and
desires and fears that bubble up from our depths. We begin to see for ourselves that we are not our
desires, and we are not our fears. We are not the pursuit of pleasure and security and comfort. The true
reality of life consists of nothing more than an awareness of what is happening every moment. Once
we learn to observe and appreciate what is happening, as it is happening, we can let go of our need to
control things. And only then do we experience peace.
Spaces Level: Parables
We have journeyed through the parables – through stories, ideas, puzzles, dreams and models. We
have tried to understand them objectively and we have tried to find small ways to live what they teach
in our daily lives. The Spaces Level of discovery gives us the opportunity to add a little yeast to our
lives and to see what happens. Yeast creates space in the dough. In this session, we will learn some
new methods of creating space in our lives – space to help us become aware of our thoughts and
actions, and space to make it possible for us to have an experience of the kingdom of God.
Creating Space for Attention
Find a comfortable place where you can sit with your back straight. Take a couple of deep breaths.
Say the words, ―The kingdom of heaven is like yeast,‖ silently to yourself. Don‘t expect anything. Just
wait and see what happens. As the words begin to fade, repeat them again silently. Continue with this
exercise for at least five minutes. Record any images that might come to you in your journal.
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Walking Meditation
Sometimes, on any pilgrimage, it makes good sense to avail oneself of a professional guide. Our
guide for this Spaces Level journey is Thich Nhat Hanh. If you are not familiar with Thich Nhat Hanh,
he has written many wonderful books about mindfulness. The book we will be using for this exercise is
A Guide to Walking Meditation. Certainly, I cannot improve upon Thich Nhat Hanh‘s own words, so I
will let his words guide and inspire you. If you want to learn more about walking meditation, we
suggest that you add this little book to your library.
Walking meditation is practicing meditation while walking. It can bring you joy and peace while
you practice it. Take short steps in complete relaxation; go slowly with a smile on your lips, with
your heart open to an experience of peace.
In our daily lives we usually feel pressured to move ahead. We have to hurry....When you practice
walking meditation, you go for a stroll. You have no purpose or direction in space or time. The
purpose of walking meditation is walking itself.
I am sure that I would not offend Buddha or God by telling you a secret: if you could take those
peaceful and anxiety-free steps while walking on earth, there would be no need for you to go to the
Pure Land or to the Kingdom of God.
There are so many people who have passed exams, who have bought cars and houses, who have
gotten promotions, but still find themselves without peace of mind, without joy, and without
happiness. The most important thing in life is to find this treasure, and then to share it with other
people and with all beings. In order to have peace and joy, you must succeed in having peace
within each of your steps. Your steps are the most important thing. They decide everything.
Breathing consciously is different from breathing unconsciously. When you breathe mindfully, you
know that you are breathing. If you take a long breath, you know that you are taking a long breath;
when you take a short breath, you know that you are taking a short breath....Count how many steps
you take when you breathe out, and how many steps you take when you breathe in....In this way,
your attention includes both breath and steps. You are mindful of both.
Walking with ease and with peace of mind on the earth is a wonderful miracle. Some people say
that only walking on burning coals or walking on spikes or on water are miracles, but I find that
simply walking on the earth is a miracle.
You can substitute a phrase for the numbers you use in maintaining awareness of your breathing.
For example, if the rhythm of your breathing is 3-3...you can silently say to yourself, “Lotus
flowers bloom, lotus flowers bloom.” If your breathing rhythm is 2-3, then you can say, “Lotus
flowers, lotus flowers bloom.”
At first, when walking slowly, you might feel unbalanced, like a baby when it first learns to walk.
Follow your breathing, dwell mindfully on your steps, and you will soon find your balance. Notice
the cow or the tiger as it walks slowly. The cow takes very neat and dignified steps. The tiger
moves gently and gracefully.
When you practice regularly, your life will gradually be transformed. Your movements will become
easygoing, not precipitous, and you will be more aware of what you are doing. In your social
relationships, and in making decisions, you will find yourself acting calmly and incisively, with
better insight and more compassion.
Creating Labyrinths
Another form of walking meditation is walking a labyrinth. Dr. Lauren Artress has written a
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wonderful book entitled Walking a Sacred Path, which is about the sacred pattern of the labyrinth.
Again, we recommend this book – especially if you have access to a labyrinth that you can walk. In her
introduction, however, she makes it clear that labyrinths are not the only sacred paths:
One summer day I waded knee-deep through the rapids across the river. I climbed the ravine and
wound my way up the trail to the top of a two-hundred-foot cliff, majestically wooded and silent. As
I walked along the cliff's edge, something caught my eye. Flashes of light – like mirrors reflecting
sunlight – came from the river far below. When I focused my long-distance sight into the water, I
realized that the flashes were the sun reflecting off the sides of fish swimming in a school. These
forty to fifty small fish, called “shiners,” were swimming in formation. First they were a rectangle,
swimming in one direction for several yards. Then, in a flash, they turned and swam back in the
opposite direction. In another flash, they formed a circle rotating around an invisible center. Then,
flash, they broke that formation to form themselves anew.
Dusk surprised me and forced me to descend the trail and cross the river to home. I knew that I
had stumbled onto something that held great mystery. But I had no name for it, no way of
understanding it. Years later I learned that the Native Americans call what I witnessed the “dance
of the fishes.” I had stumbled onto a dance, a sacred ritual, a divine secret: there are invisible
patterns throughout all of nature and these patterns are imprinted within each species. The
migration patterns of whales, the hibernation of bears, the mating dance of birds are all woven into
the web of creation. So, too, is the longing within the human heart to love and nurture, to create,
and to discover the mystery we live within and that lives within us.
Little did I know that this would be the first of many encounters with sacred pattern in my life.
If you have access to a labyrinth, or if you have the space to create one where you live, the
labyrinth can be a wonderful way to experience walking meditation. A great resource for locating
labyrinths in your area or for creating your own labyrinths can be found at The Labyrinth Society's
website, http://labyrinthsociety.org/home.
Kingdom Within and/or Among You
In Luke 17:20-21 we read:
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered,
“The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, „Look,
here it is!‟ or „There it is!‟ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (NRSV)
But a footnote explains that the word translated ―among‖ also means ―within.‖ The practice of being
aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness. Perhaps Jesus was saying that we
must first develop the practice of mindfulness before we can experience the kingdom of God.
Treasure to Bring Home: Practice
Find as many ways as you can to practice being mindful. Let the practice of mindfulness become as
natural to you as breathing itself.
Journal Entry
Meditation, I am discovering, is not just a practice to be followed for 15 minutes a day, sitting in
the lotus position. Mindfulness is a skill, and like any other skill it must be learned. Once it is
mastered, it becomes a part of our everyday lives. In much the same way that an education cannot be
pigeonholed for use only during those moments when we need to think, the mastery of mindfulness
reshapes us and, like the yeast in the parable, invades every part of our lives.
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Parables
Images Level: Returning Enriched
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Sower
―A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on,
and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of
moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good
soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.‖
(Luke 8:5-8 NRSV)
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched
What we have discovered in the method of teaching called parables has enriched us. We have
uncovered and brought home treasures we may not have expected. These treasures, of course, are not
material treasures. They are bits and pieces of the kingdom itself. They are transforming images –
qualities of true humanness, or ruling principles to guide our lives. Our essence is one such quality.
Can we recognize it? Can we recognize it in our friends or children or grandchildren? Sometimes we
don't recognize it in our own lives until we have a ―broken jar‖ experience where all seems lost and the
essence of who we are is all that is left for us to hold onto. Another treasure, another quality we may
not have expected to find, is integrity. A mustard plant is just a mustard plant. It is not a cedar tree.
Pretending to be a cedar tree does not make it so. Yet the integrity of a mustard plant is something to
be celebrated in its own right. It has qualities that reflect malkutah, God's image expressed through
human beings, in ways the cedar tree cannot. A third treasure, creativity, allows us to share the vision
of poets and mystics like Jesus who have seen God face to face. Without creativity we are doomed to
live in the mythic realm where God is distant and ―other,‖ or to live in the realm of logic where God is
non-existent. Creative reason allows us a vision of the higher realms of Spirit. Another treasure we
bring home is the treasure of service. True service can only grow out of that unique ―acorn‖ planted
deep within us that awaits our discovery. We know that it includes both an ―awareness of call‖ and a
―call to awareness.‖ At the same time, even if we have not yet been able to discover and express our
defining image, we can respond, in ways appropriate to us, to the needs of the world. The discovery of
our next treasure, purpose, makes us anxious to get started. We want to take action even if we don't
know what kind of action our unique gifts give us the skills to perform successfully. First we need the
patience to answer the question, ―What is it on this planet: that needs doing and that I know something
about, that probably won't happen unless I take responsibility for it?‖ We find that our next discovered
treasure, practice, will help us find that patience and eventually, through insight, answer that question.
The skill that must first be developed is mindfulness. An awareness of what is within and around us,
mindfulness is a skill that can take years to perfect. Once it is mastered, it becomes a part of our every
day lives. These treasures we bring home, these bits and pieces of malkutah, lead inevitably to the last
treasure in the world of the parables. That treasure is the treasure of authenticity.
Images Level: Parables
At the Images Level of discovery we look back at what we have experienced on our journey
through the parables. As poetry evokes images, so do the parables. At the Stories Level the image that
is nearly impossible to get out of our minds is the image of a broken jar as a symbol of a squandered or
wasted life. Broken jars allow all our material treasures to spill out and be lost. But life is fragile and
broken jars are inevitable for all of us. Unbroken jars contain and define us and give us the illusion of
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security. But they also keep our spirits trapped. A broken jar can also be a symbol of escape or release.
As long as our lives are reasonably comfortable, we don't think much about the core of our being –
―the soul's realm.‖ It doesn't take much wealth or security for us to ignore its existence. Only when the
jar is broken, when all our material resources are exhausted, when all seems lost, do we come face to
face with what is truly important.
At the Ideas Level our little mustard seed fable is shattered. This is not a ―rags to riches‖ story after
all. The mustard plant is a just a weed; it's never going to become a tree. No self-respecting bird would
ever build a nest in it. We've been had. There is no substance to the story. It is only an illusion. That's
the point. Our idea of the ―kingdom‖ supporting us and giving us shade is a similar illusion. We learn
that for Jesus' contemporaries, malkutah meant the re-emergence of Israel as a national power. The
culturally correct comparison for this kind of material world kingdom (the comparison his
contemporaries were expecting Jesus to use) was the kingdom as a mighty cedar tree. Instead, Jesus
compares their ―kingdom‖ to an invasive weed. They've been had, too. Jesus knows that we're all
looking in the wrong place for the kind of malkutah he is talking about. It is not an earthly kingdom at
all. And it is not ―pie in the sky when we die‖ either. So what does Jesus mean by malkutah? To find
malkutah, we must journey to ―the soul‘s realm‖ – the realm of potential. Our defining image,
malkutah, opens us to the divine and transforms us – if we let it. The parables are filled with
―transforming images – qualities of true humanness, or ruling principles to guide our lives.
At the Puzzles Level the Parable of the Talents asks us what we are doing with that image and
potential – the talent that has been entrusted to us. Are we investing it wisely and putting it to good
use? Or have we buried it in the ground? Malkutah is the very image of God expressed through human
beings. The mystics understand that we are not asked to express this image as God would express it.
We are mirrors or puddles of water reflecting it. Malkutah, the reflection, is where the spheres of
human and divine intersect. We may not have evolved to a mystical level of understanding, but we can
see that malkutah is the way into realization, the opening to all higher levels of understanding life‘s
ultimate meaning or purpose.
At the Dreams Level the Prodigal Son parable tells the story of a father of considerable wealth and
two sons. The elder son, in respect of wealth and security and the rules of the material world, stays
home and works to preserve and extend his part of the inheritance. The younger son asks for his
inheritance and soon squanders it in dissolute living. He has a ―broken jar‖ experience, comes face to
face with who he really is and what is truly important to him, and returns home. By way of contrast,
the elder son's ―jar‖ remains unbroken. His wealth and security intact, he can still ignore the core of his
being. He has not found his soul and consequently he has not found his bliss. It is the prodigal son who
is celebrated, because the celebration is about finding soul. The elder son represents ―cedar tree‖
thinking. He refuses to come to the party, because he doesn‘t yet understand the importance of finding
soul.
At the Models Level the Parable of the Hidden Treasure challenges us to ask ourselves us if there is
hope for hidden treasures like ours? We are confronted again by the questions: ―Who are you? What
are your dreams? What is your defining image? What Buckminster Fuller and Jock Brandis model for
us has little to do with the specifics of their accomplishments. They model the process of finding our
own personal genius. The potential is the treasure we have been given. But until we ―own‖ that
treasure and find a way to ―lend it at interest‖ the potential goes unrealized. What is it on this planet:
that needs doing and that I know something about, that probably won't happen unless I take
responsibility for it?
The Spaces Level image is of adding yeast to flour. Yeast creates space in the dough. Space, more
than anything else defines reality. We must learn to create the space that will allow us to be mindful of
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what is within and around us. If the Models Level left us impatient to take action, the practices we
learn in the Spaces Level slow us down and bring us into focus. Thich Nhat Hanh, through walking
meditation, helps us learn to make space for peace of mind. “The most important thing in life is to find
this treasure, and then to share it with other people and with all beings. In order to have peace and
joy, you must succeed in having peace within each of your steps. Your steps are the most important
thing. They decide everything.”
Stepping Gently and Gracefully
The Parable of the Sower has much to teach us. In a sense, it is a synthesis of all we have learned in
the world of the parables. Let's listen to it again:
“A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on,
and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of
moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good
soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.”
The seed in this parable might be understood as the same grain or meal that spilled from the woman's
broken jar. In that sense, it is a metaphor for the essence in each of us that awaits discovery when it
finds its true purpose. Like the mustard seed in the second parable, it symbolizes the fruitlessness of
misplaced understandings and the unexpected potential in each of us. It is the ―seed‖ of investment
from the Parable of the Talents. Carelessly sown, it promises little return. But that should not keep us
from making an effort to find the ―good soil‖ that produces a hundredfold. The sower, like the younger
brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, first squanders his ―seeds‖ of inheritance. Only after all
seems lost does he find the ―good soil‖ – the fertile ground of his own soul, the core of his being. We
don't see the image of the elder brother unless we look very closely. He is the one standing by in
disapproval, and in the process not sowing his seed at all. The field with the hidden treasure is the very
field where the ―good soil‖ of our own fertility is found. The potential of the field was always there,
waiting to be discovered. Once we recognize it, and find the strength and courage to take responsibility
for cultivating it, it will produce a hundredfold. Cultivation is the key. Our seed won't grow on
trampled ground. Cultivation does for soil what yeast does for bread. It adds the space that is necessary
for growth. Planting in cultivated soil requires us to step gently and gracefully.
One Last Thought
We are going to close the section on Jesus' parables with one last parable that illustrates a theme we
have run into repeatedly – the kingdom within and among us. As you will see, this new illustration
allows us to view that theme from a different angle.
“Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say
to those who had been invited, „Come; for everything is ready now.‟ But they all alike began to
make excuses. The first said to him, „I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it;
please accept my regrets.‟ Another said, „I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try
them out; please accept my regrets.‟ Another said, „I have just been married, and therefore I
cannot come.‟ So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house
became angry and said to his slave, „Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and
bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.‟ And the slave said, „Sir, what you ordered
has been done, and there is still room.” Then the master said to the slave, „Go out into the roads
and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of
those who were invited will taste my dinner.‟”
(Luke 14:16-23 NRSV)
At first it may appear that the parable has little to do with the kingdom within and among us. It
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seems to have more to do with an invitation extended to us, and how we find excuses rather than make
a commitment to accept the invitation. But parables are seldom what they seem to be the first time we
hear them. Perhaps we might be able to see the kingdom among us illustrated. After all, the person
giving the dinner eventually opens the table to everyone. And Jesus uses the image of an open table,
both in the parables and in his own life, as one illustration of what the kingdom among us is like. But if
you are having trouble seeing how this parable illustrates the kingdom within, it might help to know
where Jesus got the idea for the Parable of the Great Dinner. Neil Douglas-Klotz, in his The Healing
Breath audio, suggests that the idea came from Proverbs:
Wisdom has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
from the highest places in the town,
“You that are simple, turn in here!”
To those without sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
(Proverbs 9:1-6 NRSV)
Here we have Holy Wisdom (Sofia) as the one who is giving the dinner. The bread and wine that
are being offered are the food of ―insight.‖ Holy Wisdom invites all of the parts of ourselves to the
dinner table, so to speak. Most of us only want to recognize the ―good‖ parts of ourselves – the parts
we think others would find acceptable. These parts are symbolized in the parable by the ―respectable‖
people who first get the invitation. In Jesus' day these would have been the people who followed all the
laws and who were welcome in the Temple. But Jesus invites even those who would not have been
welcome in the Temple – the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Jesus' message of healing is
both social and psychological. In order to be whole (in the sense of Shalom) we have to welcome all
parts of ourselves to the table – the parts of ourselves we show to others, certainly; but for real healing
we must invite our ―shadow‖ side as well.
Treasure to Bring Home: Authenticity
Authenticity insists on rooting out what is false or insincere or shallow and replacing it with what
is real. How have I been changed by this study of the parables of Jesus? How does what I have learned
ring true with what I know about my true soul or character? What truth has been revealed by the
example of authenticity in Jesus' life? How might my life better reflect that truth? What will I do
differently from now on? Take a moment for personal reflection. Search back through all seven levels
of learning, if necessary, but find at least one concrete way you will commit to modeling parable
behavior in your life starting today.
Journal Entry
I have learned much about what Jesus called the kingdom of God. The parables are filled with bits
and pieces of that kingdom – of malkutah. If we look closely we will find principles to live by and
qualities of true humanness to pattern our lives after. I can see that it is not a material kingdom, nor is
it ―pie in the sky when we die.‖ It is ―God's actions and attributes – not as expressed by God, but rather
as human beings express them.‖ Here is my personal commitment to what I have learned.
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First, I will write or type the seven qualities of true humanness (essence, integrity, creativity,
service, purpose, practice and authenticity) on small pieces of paper and then tape them to
pennies. I will add these pennies to the dish in my bedroom. Every morning I will close my
eyes and pick a quality of true humanness to use as a sacred word during meditation, and to be
mindful of practicing for the day.
Second, I will seek to understand my hidden treasure. I will search deep within myself to see if
I can discern my gifts, and I will ask friends and family to help me discover what those gifts
might be. Perhaps, like Ella Fitzgerald, I'm preparing to dance when my gift is to sing.
Third, I will consider the question posed by Buckminster Fuller: “What is it on this planet: that
needs doing and that I know something about, that probably won't happen unless I take
responsibility for it?”
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Bibliography and Additional Material
Amundsen, Christan. Insights from the Secret Teachings of Jesus: The Gospel of Thomas. Fairfield,
Iowa: Sunstar Publishing,1998
Artress, Lauren. Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool. New York:
Riverhead Books, 1995
Borg, Marcus and Wright, N. T. The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions. New York: HaperCollins,1999
Douglas-Klotz, Neil. The Healing Breath. Boulder, Colorado: Sounds True Audio, 2004
Hahh, Thich Nhat. A Guide to Walking Meditation. New Haven, Connecticut: Eastern Press, 1985
Hillman, James. The Soul's Code: On Character and Calling. New York: Random House, 1996
Keating, Thomas. The Kingdom of God is Like This. New York: Crossroad Publishing, 1993
Leiberman, Rabbi Shimon. ―Malchut: The Kingdom Within‖ www.aish.com/sp/k/48971776.html
Patterson, Stephen and Meyer, Marvin. The Gospel of Thomas. www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom
Schafer, Peter. The Origins of Jewish Mysticism. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press,
2011
Shabistari, Mahmud. The Secret Rose Garden (Translated by Florence Lederer). Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Phanes Press, 2002
Wikipedia. ―Sefirot‖ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephirot
Wikipedia. ―Buckminster Fuller‖ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckminster_Fuller
Wikipedia. ThinkExist.com. http://thinkexist.com/quotes/richard_buckminster_fuller/
Wikipedia. ―Jock Brandis‖ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jock_Brandis
Wilber, Ken. The Marriage of Sense and Soul: Integrating Science and Religion. New York: Random
House, 1998
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Appendix: A list of parables most scholars consider authentic to the time and person of Jesus
Mark
4:3-8
―Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came
and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up
quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root,
it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no
grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding
thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.‖
4:26-29
―The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise
night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of
itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he
goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.‖
4:30-32
―With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a
mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it
is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the
birds of the air can make nests in its shade.‖
Matthew
13:3-8
―Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds
came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they
sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and
since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and
choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty,
some thirty.‖
13:31-32
―The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the
smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that
the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.‖
13:33
―The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour
until all of it was leavened.‖
13:44-46
―The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in
his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ―Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had
and bought it.‖
18:12-13
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―What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he
not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds
it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.‖
18:23-34
―For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts
with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to
him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and
all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‗Have
patience with me, and I will pay you everything.‘ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave
released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his
fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‗Pay what you
owe.‘ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‗Have patience with me, and I will pay
you.‘ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his
fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their
lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‗You wicked slave! I
forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow
slave, as I had mercy on you?‘ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay
his entire debt.‖
20:1-15
―For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers
for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his
vineyard. When he went out about nine o‖clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he
said to them, ‗You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.‘ So they went. When
he went out again about noon and about three o‖clock, he did the same. And about five o‖clock he
went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‗Why are you standing here idle all
day?‘ They said to him, ‗Because no one has hired us.‘ He said to them, ‗You also go into the
vineyard.‘ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‗Call the laborers and
give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.‘ When those hired about five
o‖clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they
would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it,
they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‗These last worked only one hour, and you have made
them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.‘ But he replied to one
of them, ‗Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take
what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to
do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?'‖
25:14-28
―For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them;
to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he
went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made
five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one
who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master‘s money.
After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who
had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‗Master, you handed
over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.‘ His master said to him, ‗Well done, good
and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many
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things; enter into the joy of your master.‘ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying,
‗Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.‘ His master said to
him, ‗Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you
in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.‘ Then the one who had received the one
talent also came forward, saying, ‗Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did
not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent
in the ground. Here you have what is yours.‘ But his master replied, ‗You wicked and lazy slave! You
knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to
have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own
with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.'‖
Luke
8:5-8
―A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on,
and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of
moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil,
and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.‖ As he said this, he called out, ―Let anyone with ears to
hear listen!‖
10:30-35
―A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who
stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down
that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to
the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him;
and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having
poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care
of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‗Take care of him;
and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.‘‖
11:5-8
―Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‗Friend, lend me
three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.‘ And he
answers from within, ‗Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with
me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.‘ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give
him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him
whatever he needs.‖
12:16-20
―The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‗What should I do, for I
have no place to store my crops?‘ Then he said, ‗I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build
larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‗Soul, you
have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.‘ But God said to him, ‗You fool!
This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they
be?‘‖
13:6-9
―A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
So he said to the gardener, ‗See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and
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still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?‘ He replied, ‗Sir, let it alone for one
more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if
not, you can cut it down.‘‖
13:18-19
―What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that
someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests
in its branches.‖
13:20-21
―To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in
with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.‖
14:16-23
―Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say
to those who had been invited, ‗Come; for everything is ready now.‘ But they all alike began to make
excuses. The first said to him, ‗I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please
accept my regrets.‘ Another said, ‗I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out;
please accept my regrets.‘ Another said, ‗I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.‘ So the
slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to
his slave, ‗Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the
blind, and the lame.‘ And the slave said, ‗Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.‖
Then the master said to the slave, ‗Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so
that my house may be filled.'‖
15:4-6
―Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine
in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on
his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors,
saying to them, ‗Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.‘‖
15:8-9
―Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the
house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and
neighbors, saying, ‗Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.‘‖
15:11-32
―There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‗Father, give me the
share of the property that will belong to me.‘ So he divided his property between them. A few days
later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his
property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that
country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that
country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods
that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‗How
many of my father‘s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will
get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ―Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.‖‘ So he set off and
went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he
ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‗Father, I have sinned
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against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.‘ But the father said to his
slaves, ‗Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and
sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine
was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!‘ And they began to celebrate. ―Now his elder
son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He
called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‗Your brother has come, and your
father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.‘ Then he became angry
and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father,
‗Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your
command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the
fatted calf for him!‘ Then the father said to him, ‗Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is
yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to
life; he was lost and has been found.‘‖
16:1-8
―There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was
squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, ‗What is this that I hear about you?
Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.‘ Then the
manager said to himself, ‗What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I
am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am
dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.‘ So, summoning his master‘s debtors
one by one, he asked the first, ‗How much do you owe my master?‘ He answered, ‗A hundred jugs of
olive oil.‘ He said to him, ‗Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.‘ Then he asked another,
‗And how much do you owe?‘ He replied, ‗A hundred containers of wheat.‘ He said to him, ‗Take
your bill and make it eighty.‘ And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted
shrewdly.‖
18:2-5
―In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city
there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‗Grant me justice against my opponent.‘ For a
while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‗Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone,
yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by
continually coming.‘‖
18:10-14
―Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee,
standing by himself, was praying thus, ‗God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves,
rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.‘
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and
saying, ‗God, be merciful to me, a sinner!‘ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather
than the other.‖
19:12-24
―A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. He
summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‗Do business with these until
I come back.‘ But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‗We do
not want this man to rule over us.‘ When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these
slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had
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gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‗Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.‘ He
said to him, ‗Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take
charge of ten cities.‘ Then the second came, saying, ‗Lord, your pound has made five pounds.‘ He said
to him, ‗And you, rule over five cities.‘ Then the other came, saying, ‗Lord, here is your pound. I
wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what
you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.‘ He said to him, ‗I will judge you by your own
words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and
reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned,
I could have collected it with interest.‘ He said to the bystanders, ‗Take the pound from him and give it
to the one who has ten pounds.‘‖
John
John's gospel does not contain ―parables‖ as such. It is, however, filled with metaphor, wise
sayings and riddles.
Thomas
9:1-5
―Look, the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered (them). Some fell on the road,
and the birds came and gathered them. Others fell on rock, and they didn't take root in the soil and
didn't produce heads of grain. Others fell on thorns, and they choked the seeds and worms ate them.
And others fell on good soil, and it produced a good crop: it yielded sixty per measure and one hundred
twenty per measure.‖
20:2-3
―It's like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it falls on prepared soil, it produces a
large plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky.‖
63:1-3
―There was a rich person who had a great deal of money. He said, 'I shall invest my money so that I
may sow, reap, plant, and fill my storehouses with produce, that I may lack nothing.' These were the
things he was thinking in his heart, but that very night he died.‖
64:1-11
―A person was receiving guests. When he had prepared the dinner, he sent his slave to invite the
guests. The slave went to the first and said to that one, 'My master invites you.' That one said, 'Some
merchants owe me money; they are coming to me tonight. I have to go and give them instructions.
Please excuse me from dinner.' The slave went to another and said to that one, 'My master has invited
you.' That one said to the slave, 'I have bought a house, and I have been called away for a day. I shall
have no time.' The slave went to another and said to that one, 'My master invites you.' That one said to
the slave, 'My friend is to be married, and I am to arrange the banquet. I shall not be able to come.
Please excuse me from dinner.' The slave went to another and said to that one, 'My master invites you.'
That one said to the slave, 'I have bought an estate, and I am going to collect the rent. I shall not be
able to come. Please excuse me.' The slave returned and said to his master, 'Those whom you invited to
dinner have asked to be excused.' The master said to his slave, 'Go out on the streets and bring back
whomever you find to have dinner.'‖
65:1-7
―A [...] person owned a vineyard and rented it to some farmers, so they could work it and he could
collect its crop from them. He sent his slave so the farmers would give him the vineyard's crop. They
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grabbed him, beat him, and almost killed him, and the slave returned and told his master. His master
said, 'Perhaps he didn't know them.' He sent another slave, and the farmers beat that one as well. Then
the master sent his son and said, 'Perhaps they'll show my son some respect.' Because the farmers knew
that he was the heir to the vineyard, they grabbed him and killed him.
76:1-2
―The Father's kingdom is like a merchant who had a supply of merchandise and found a pearl. That
merchant was prudent; he sold the merchandise and bought the single pearl for himself.‖
96:1-2
―The Father's kingdom is like [a] woman. She took a little leaven, [hid] it in dough, and made it
into large loaves of bread.‖
97:1-4
―The [Father's] kingdom is like a woman who was carrying a [jar] full of meal. While she was
walking along [a] distant road, the handle of the jar broke and the meal spilled behind her [along] the
road. She didn't know it; she hadn't noticed a problem. When she reached her house, she put the jar
down and discovered that it was empty.‖
98:1-3
―The Father's kingdom is like a person who wanted to kill someone powerful. While still at home
he drew his sword and thrust it into the wall to find out whether his hand would go in. Then he killed
the powerful one.‖
109:1-3
―The (Father's) kingdom is like a person who had a treasure hidden in his field but did not know it.
And [when] he died he left it to his [son]. The son [did] not know about it either. He took over the field
and sold it. The buyer went plowing, [discovered] the treasure, and began to lend money at interest to
whomever he wished.‖
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MIRACLES
Enchanted Kingdom: Jesus the Revealer
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MIRACLES
Stories Level: Birth of Longing
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Blind Man of Bethsaida
They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on
his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ―Can you see anything?‖ And the man looked up
and said, ―I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.‖ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes
again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he
sent him away to his home, saying, ―Do not even go into the village.‖
(Mark 8:22-26 NRSV)
Introducing the Material
Child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim has written extensively on the subject of fairy tales and their
importance in the emotional and moral development of children. In his book, The Uses of
Enchantment, he makes the claim that fairy tales provide a unique way for children to come to terms
with many of the conflicts in their young lives. Fairy tales, he says, allow children to work through
fears such as death, deprivation and abandonment. The stories are able to do this because they push
back the boundaries and restrictions of reality. They let us look at life in a totally different way. In
―Sleeping Beauty,‖ ―Cinderella,‖ ―Hansel and Gretel‖ and ―Little Red Riding Hood‖ children confront
and conquer either poverty or danger or oppression. They are transformed. What seems impossible in
the story becomes possible after all.
Jesus, you may recall, preached and taught almost exclusively on this subject. He didn't use fairy
tales, but he did use parables, sayings, beatitudes and miracles to make his point, and he did make
statements and perform acts so boldly provocative that they had a way of rolling back reality just for a
moment.
One of the amazing things about fairy tales, and more importantly Bible stories, is that if children
hear them over and over again they can come to believe that, even in the midst of pain and misfortune
and a frightening world, transformation and miracles are indeed possible. Growing up in the harsh
world we are likely to acquire a very different set of beliefs and assumptions. Our personal life
experience teaches us that those who die do not come back to life; that evil too often triumphs and is
not cast out; that the weak and unlovely more often than not are victims of those with power and
privilege; that injustice is the rule more than the exception. But in the gospels, in the life and teachings
of Jesus, these reversals and wonders and miracles do happen.
Maybe fairy tales capture us as children because they enchant. But that, in a way, was the charisma
of Jesus, who spoke in ways people had never heard before, who asked people to see in ways they had
never seen before. Clearly, Jesus is speaking to the child in all of us. As adults it is easy to discard
what we feel is childish. What once enchanted us, what once seemed extraordinary, we lay to rest. Like
children who have outgrown their fairy tales, we are in danger of outgrowing the source of wonder and
possibility and new life offered to us through the teachings of Jesus in all their forms. And so, perhaps,
it is not such a mystery that Jesus said we must become as children if we are to enter what he called the
kingdom of God. That enchanted kingdom, that just community, is only available to those who, on
some level, are willing to believe that miracles can indeed happen, and that with God nothing is
impossible.
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The Stories
The miracles of Jesus teach us to see through eyes of enchantment. As children we see a world of
wonder and possibility. But as adults it is easy to become blind to that world.
The miracle we chose for the stories level of our pilgrimage is about a blind person regaining his
sight. What is Jesus teaching by performing this act or ―extraordinary deed?‖ If Jesus‘ miracles are
about revealing the kingdom, just how is the kingdom revealed through this act of healing blindness
and what kind of kingdom is it? The writer of the Gospel of Mark understands the act as a metaphor
for having our eyes opened to the kingdom that is all around us, but invisible to us. Right after the
miracle is performed, Peter‘s eyes are partially opened to the enchanted kingdom that Jesus has been
proclaiming.
Perhaps it takes a fairy tale for us to see the enchantment of this miracle story. In the Brothers
Grimm version of ―Cinderella,‖ the characters have their feet in two different worlds. First, there is the
harsh world of deprivation, pain and death. But they are not condemned to live in that world. The
promise, put into words by Cinderella‘s dying mother, is that if a person is good and pious the Lord
will always assist that person. There is another world, the enchanted kingdom, which beckons to the
person with a good and pious heart who can see it. Almost immediately, Cinderella‘s stepsisters, who
have nasty and wicked hearts, make fun of her by calling her the ―proud princess.‖ On some level they
intuitively understand that she belongs to the enchanted kingdom. However, they and their mother do
everything they can to keep her in the harsh world. Everything is stripped from Cinderella. She lives in
poverty and deprivation even though her father is rich. Like the subjects of Luke‘s beatitudes, she is
poor, hungry and sad; and yet, she is blessed in ways she does not yet understand. She has every
excuse to lose her way and be blind to the enchanted kingdom. Yet she never loses sight of it. With the
help of the enchantment of a Hazel tree twig and two white pigeons, Cinderella overcomes all
obstacles and finds herself dancing with the prince of the enchanted kingdom at the three-day festival
where the prince will choose his bride. Her good and pious heart wins out over the nasty and wicked
hearts of her rich stepsisters and the enchanted kingdom is opened to her. In contrast to Cinderella‘s
eyes that can see the enchanted kingdom, the stepsisters‘ eyes are blinded to it forever.
Treasure to Bring Home: Wonder
We live with our feet in two different worlds: worlds of walking shoes and glass slippers. We are
not being asked to abandon the world of walking shoes. That would be impossible even if we wanted
to abandon it. As we have discovered, the interior kingdom reaches into the exterior world as well. All
that is asked of us is that we don't blind ourselves to the source of wonder and possibility and new life
that is offered to us when we look through the eyes of enchantment.
Journal Entry
[What you see below is an example of a journal entry. In this entry we show you our learning. Your
learning will, of course, be different. We invite you to look back at what you observed and felt and
learned at this level of our journey together. If something stands out for you as most meaningful, we
hope you will record this in your journal.]
Is my blindness the kind that can be healed? How inextricably entwined am I in the exterior world,
the harsh world? Which world calls to me with greater intensity and appeal? It is time to move beyond
the level of stories and find a way to interact with the kingdom Jesus speaks of, this enchanted
kingdom. We have moved beyond longing to the need to examine the path of miracle more objectively.
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Miracles
Ideas Level: The Path Examined
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Blind Bartimaeus
They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus
son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of
Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ―Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!‖ Many sternly
ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ―Son of David, have mercy on me!‖
Jesus stood still and said, ―Call him here.‖ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ―Take
heart; get up, he is calling you.‖ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then
Jesus said to him, ―What do you want me to do for you?‖ The blind man said to him, ―My teacher,
let me see again.‖ Jesus said to him, ―Go; your faith has made you well.‖ Immediately he regained
his sight and followed him on the way.
(Mark 10:46-52; parallels: Matt. 20:29-34; Luke 18:35-43)
The Path Examined
By now we have developed more than just a casual interest in the teachings. We know that their
meanings run much deeper than we might first have expected. Where did Jesus get the ideas that run
through his teachings? Did he pull them out of thin air, or did he reshape ideas that were already a part
of his culture? Why is it so difficult for us to understand ideas that seem bafflingly simple at first, yet
contrary to our understanding of reality? We have listened to some of the teachings' enigmas and found
ways to make sense of them. Now we want to understand these teachings more objectively. We want
to scrutinize them and see what makes them tick. As we enter the Ideas Level, the path examined, we
pull back to get a broader view and to test some of our early assumptions.
Putting the Miracles in Perspective
It is no secret that the mere idea of ―miracles‖ in the 21st century is enough to raise eyebrows. The
easy path to follow on our pilgrimage would be to avoid them. After all, we have more than enough
material to keep us occupied with the beatitudes, sayings and parables. But, for reasons that will soon
become clear, avoiding the miracle stories would be disingenuous. They are a significant part of Jesus'
teachings. John P. Meier, author of the multi volume A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus,
reports that it has been estimated by Alan Richardson that nearly a third of the verses of the Gospel of
Mark deal either directly or indirectly with miracle stories. Meier suggests that the question we should
ask of the miracle stories is this, “Did the historical Jesus perform extraordinary deeds deemed by his
contemporaries as well as himself to be miracles?” After weighing the stories about these deeds using
his own carefully constructed criteria, Meier concludes: ―...if the miracle tradition from Jesus' public
ministry were to be rejected in toto as unhistorical, so should every other gospel tradition about him.
For if the criteria of historicity do not work in the case of the miracle tradition, where multiple
attestation is so massive and coherence so impressive, there is no reason to expect them to work
elsewhere. The quest would simply have to be abandoned. Needless to say, that is not the conclusion
we have reached here.‖
Ideas Level: Miracles
In the Stories Level we looked at a miracle story and saw how, like a fairy tale, it helped us to see
reality with new eyes. Jesus spoke in ways people had never heard before, and asked people to see in
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ways they had never seen before. He offered and still offers a source of wonder and possibility and
new life to those of us who are willing to suspend our disbelief. He said that we must become as
children if we are to enter what he called the kingdom of God. That works okay at the Stories Level.
But, at the Ideas Level we find it much more difficult to accept the premise that Jesus ―performed
extraordinary deeds.‖ How are we to understand these stories through 21st century eyes?
Sheer Number of Incidents
It has been estimated that there are thirty-one separate accounts of miracles, many of them repeated
in more than one gospel and some, it seems, repeated even in the same gospel. Altogether the accounts
total seventy-five when they are counted in all four gospels. There are accounts of exorcisms, accounts
of healings (including accounts of raising the dead) and there are accounts of so-called nature miracles,
a category which includes everything else. Following our guidelines, we will be using a pared down
list, which uses only stories of deeds or acts considered most likely authentic to the historical Jesus and
least likely to have been added later, for whatever reason, by the gospel writers. Even after Meier
rigorously applies his own carefully constructed criteria, we are left with thirteen separate accounts.
A Culture of Magic and Mythology
If Jesus had lived and taught in the 21st century, would he have used ―extraordinary deeds‖ to
illustrate the idea that our idea of reality is limited? Perhaps a better way to phrase the question would
be to ask, how would 21st century listeners understand the glimpses of the new reality that Jesus made
manifest? Let's take another look at Ken Wilber's personal and cultural frames of reference:
―I‖ (personal) frame of reference
(12) Causal (Absolute)
(11) Subtle (Intuitive Mind)
(10) Soul (Psychic Mind)
(9) Creative Reason (Vision)
(8) Logic (Internal Voice)
(7) Rule/Role (External God)
(6) Image/Symbol/Concept
(6) Magic (Representational Mind)
(7) Mythic (Rule/Role)
(8) Rational (Formal/Reflexive)
(9) Centauric (Trans-personal)
(10) Psychic
(11) Mystical
(12) Nondual
―we‖ (cultural) frame of reference
(Collected and adapted from the writings of Ken Wilber by Gary Brewer)
Causal (Absolute) understands the world as Nondual
Subtle (Intuitive Mind) understands the world as Mystical
Soul (Psychic Mind) understands the world as Psychic
Creative Reason (Vision) understands the world as Trans-personal
Logic (Internal Voice) understands the world as Rational
Rule/Role (External God) understands the world as Mythic
Image (Symbol) understands the world as Magic
In the 1st century, many of Jesus' listeners had not progressed beyond a magical understanding of
reality. Much of what Jesus was teaching would have seemed, to them, like magic. The stories they
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told others about Jesus would have used magic as a way to explain what they had seen. Jesus would
have been seen as a magician. Some of Jesus' more sophisticated listeners, those who identified with
the Roman state or empire, would have progressed to a mythical understanding of reality. Instead of
seeing Jesus as a magician, they would have seen him as a god or a son of God. They would have
created a mythology to understand the stories about Jesus. Instead of magic, Jesus' deeds would have
been understood as miracle. When the gospel stories about healing and casting out demons and feeding
the multitudes are analyzed by scholars, both of these elements appear to be present in them – both
magic and miracle.
But what do we see when we read the stories? Well, it's difficult to say what we might see if we
could actually experience the new reality that Jesus made manifest – from our frame of reference. All
we have to work with are the stories as they have come down to us through the eyes of those whose
everyday reality was understood from a magic or mythic frame of reference.
The Kingdom Revealed
The story of the healing of Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, is arguably one of the most likely of all the
―miracle‖ stories to be authentic to the time and person of Jesus. Both Meier and the Jesus Seminar
scholars give it high marks for authenticity. Not only do we have a name for the person healed, but a
location and a lineage. And, the account appears in three separate sources: Mark, Matthew and Luke.
According to the story that comes down to us, Bartimaeus takes the initiative in the healing. He calls
out to Jesus. When those around him order him to be quiet, he calls out more loudly still. Jesus
acknowledges him and, ―throwing off his cloak,‖ Bartimaeus makes his way to Jesus. ―My teacher, let
me see again,‖ he pleads, and ―Immediately he regained his sight and followed him.‖ What are we to
make of this story? Both Meier and the Jesus Seminar scholars tell us that our first clue might be in
how Bartimaeus addresses Jesus. He calls him ―Son of David.‖ Does Bartimaeus mean by this that he
understands Jesus to be the Messiah? Possibly. But the other possibility is just as likely. The most
famous son of David was Solomon, and Solomon was known as a healer. Perhaps Bartimaeus is
acknowledging his belief that healing is possible through this person, Jesus.
How might we, as children of the 21st century, understand this account of healing? I am reminded
of the many stories of healing made famous by Norman Cousins. In one of these stories, the doctor
remarks to a nurse that the patient's heart has a ―strong third beat.‖ This is actually a bad thing, but the
patient believes it to be a reason for hope. Miraculously, a full recovery follows. What the Norman
Cousins story has in common with the story of Bartimaeus is that, in both cases, the patient believed,
in spite of all of the evidence to the contrary, that healing was possible – that there was a reason for
hope. Jesus teaches that the reality he understands and makes manifest includes wonder and
possibilities beyond our understanding of everyday reality. Healing is possible if we believe it is
possible. It is not ―miracle‖ so much as a willingness to believe in the unseen and unknown.
Treasure to Bring Home: Openness
Perhaps Jesus never wanted us to understand his deeds as ―miracles.‖ Perhaps he just wanted us to
learn to be open to wonder and possibilities beyond our present ability to imagine. Or perhaps that
world invisible to the rest of us, the enchanted world reflected in him, caused those around him,
somehow, to see their own potential for perfection and let go of the distorted misunderstandings that
plagued their lives.
Journal Entry
Did Jesus ―perform extraordinary deeds.‖ Perhaps it was more a matter of perception and culture.
How would 21st century listeners, given the chance, perceive these glimpses of the new reality that
Jesus made manifest? If we look through ―mythic‖ eyes we can, perhaps, still see the miracle in the
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stories that have come down to us. But most of us, today, look through ―rational‖ eyes.
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Miracles
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Paralyzed Man Let Down Through the Roof
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he [Jesus] was at home. So
many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he
was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried
by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed
the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic
lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ―Son, your sins are forgiven.‖ Now some
of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ―Why does this fellow speak in this
way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?‖ At once Jesus perceived in his spirit
that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, ―Why do you
raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‗Your sins are
forgiven,‘ or to say, ‗Stand up and take your mat and walk‘? But so that you may know that the
Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins‖ – he said to the paralytic – ―I say to you, stand
up, take your mat and go to your home.‖ And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went
out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ―We have never
seen anything like this!‖
(Mark 2:1-12; parallels: Matt. 9:1-8; Luke 5:17-26)
Walking the Labyrinth
Walking a labyrinth requires concentration and attention. Every measured step we take, every idea
that enters our awareness, can be a turning point to inspire and awaken us to something new. Even as
our path seems to meander, and sometimes even turn back upon itself, we begin to collect puzzle
pieces that, if we can connect them, may give us a better picture of what it means to bring heaven to
earth – to find in our lives the Promised Land. The labyrinth we walk at this level, however, is a
labyrinth of the mind. The ethereal puzzle pieces we collect flicker and shimmer like film clips from a
virtual reality or fragments from a hologram. The images they conjure up form mysterious patterns that
follow us as we try to walk around them and find their boundaries. We know that the abstract path we
walk is but a symbol for the enchanted kingdom. Even a physical labyrinth is but a metaphorical
journey to our center, our core. And, after all, mind and spirit are close cousins. The teachings point us
toward and invite us into a reality we have not yet grasped. We trust inspiration to lead us closer to that
reality.
Puzzles Level: Miracles
At the Stories Level we saw that the miracle story was like a fairy tale in that it helped us to see
reality with new eyes. Jesus spoke in ways people had never heard, and asked people to see in ways
they had never seen. He offered a world of wonder and possibility and new life to those willing to
suspend their disbelief. He said that if we were going to enter what he called the kingdom of God we
would have to become as children. At the Stories Level it is relatively easy to see the world through the
eyes of a child. We accept the world of enchantment, if only for the time it takes to read the story or
listen to the fairy tale. But, at the Ideas Level we find it much more difficult to accept the premise that
Jesus ―performed extraordinary deeds.‖ How are we to understand these stories through 21 st century
eyes? What kind of effect did Jesus have on those around him? When we view the story of the
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paralyzed man from the Puzzles Level we find it even more difficult to suspend our disbelief.
Paralyzed people don't just get up and walk. We do not belong to a culture that sees reality through
―magic‖ or ―mythic‖ eyes. We see through ―rational‖ eyes. If we are being rational, we have to reject
―Jesus the magician‖ and ―Jesus the miracle worker.‖ For some of us this means rejecting Jesus all
together. Gods and sons of gods belong to the ―mythic‖ understanding. Jesus' healing of the paralytic,
understood in this light, has no place in a ―rational‖ world. To be sure there are hoards of believers
more willing to sacrifice the ―rational‖ world than they are to reject the ―mythic‖ Jesus of the miracle
stories. But is this necessary?
Paul's Understanding of Jesus' Acts
Jesus never asked to be understood as Paul later portrayed him. Paul rejected ―Jesus the magician‖
and went to great lengths to convince his followers that Jesus was not casting spells and performing
magic. This took more courage than we might imagine. Paul saw himself as a Roman citizen. He
identified with the Roman state or empire. Most of Jesus' followers rejected this kind of thinking. Of
course, Paul was right to reject ―magic‖ as an explanation for Jesus' acts. What Paul failed to
understand was that Jesus didn't fit into the ―mythic‖ view any better than he fit the ―magic‖ frame of
reference. Today we tend to make Paul's mistake all over again. Only this time we insist on seeing
Jesus' acts through ―rational‖ eyes. Our first inclination is to reject the ―miracle‖ stories outright. They
are not ―rational‖ and they do not make ―logical‖ sense. But if we are to reject everything about Jesus
and Jesus' acts that isn't ―rational‖ we soon have little left. Jesus' deeds were perceived to be
extraordinary acts by his contemporaries. If those acts cannot be understood as ―magic‖ or ―mythic‖ or
even ―rational,‖ then perhaps we need to try a different approach.
The Mystical Eye
Jesus, like every other human being, was a product of his culture. He probably saw the world
around him in much the same way that his contemporaries saw it. His family and his followers rejected
the Roman state and especially Rome's appointed rulers, the Herodians. They traced their lineage
tribally. Jesus' family was from the line of Jesse and David. There can be little doubt that Jesus and his
followers had one foot in the harsh world of deprivation, pain and death. Theirs was a world occupied
by demons and manipulated by magic. The difference between Jesus and his contemporaries was that
Jesus was able to see another world – a world he called the kingdom of God.
In his book The Marriage of Sense and Soul, Ken Wilber acknowledges irreconcilable differences
in mythologies among the world‘s major religions. However, Wilber, Huston Smith, Aurobindo and
others have identified a common core of belief which they call the ―Great Chain of Being‖ – a doctrine
taught by all of the world‘s major religions. An abbreviated version of this idea from our own Christian
tradition is ―spirit, mind, body.‖ There are more complicated systems with twelve levels instead of
three, but the idea is the same. The primary purpose of religion, then, is to seek to know the Chain‘s
higher levels: soul and spirit.
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Great Chain of Being (Ken Wilber's Upper Left Quadrant)
(12) Causal (Absolute)
(11) Subtle (Intuitive Mind)
(10) Soul (Psychic Mind)
(9) Creative Reason (Vision)
(8) Logic (Internal Voice)
(7) Rule/Role (External God)
(6) Image/Symbol/Concept
(5) Impulse/Emotion
(4) Perception
(3) Sensation
(2) Prehension
(1) Matter
Religion
In the past, science has dismissed religion because religion is part of the subjective interior.
Objective scientific standards, it was argued, could not be applied to the interior realm. However,
recent events have forced scientists to admit that this has become an untenable position. Logic,
imaginary numbers, and other tools of modern science can only be defined as belonging to the
subjective interior – and science doesn‘t reject them. The scientific method (once held to be purely
objective) has been redefined as a three-step process: injunction (do this), apprehension (see this) and
verification (confirm or deny by sharing results with others who have performed the same experiment).
Science claims that logic and other tools of modern science pass this test. Wilber admits that the
various mythologies and dogmas of the world‘s religions will not pass this test of modernity, but the
serious practice of meditation and centering prayer are held to this scientific standard in all of the
world‘s major religions. The only difference is that the ―eye‖ that beholds in the second step of the
process (apprehension) is the ―mystical eye‖ rather than the ―rational eye‖ or ―empirical eye‖ of
modern science.
This brings us to the ―other world‖ that Jesus saw. If, through practices such as fasting, meditation
and centering prayer, Jesus was able to experience the Chain's higher levels of soul and spirit, then he
beheld them through the ―mystical eye.‖ How does the ―mystical eye‖ view healing? Healing viewed
from the ―eye of magic‖ sees demon caused illnesses requiring chants or other formulas to break the
spells. Healing viewed from the ―mythic eye‖ is seen as coming directly and miraculously from God or
from God's messengers. Healing viewed from the ―rational eye‖ believes that it is only science-based
medicine that effects cures. We don't really know how the ―mystical eye‖ views healing.
In Mark's account of the healing of the paralytic, Jesus seems to be linking healing with
forgiveness. When Jesus intuitively senses that his method of healing is being questioned, he says:
―Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‗Your sins
are forgiven,‘ or to say, ‗Stand up and take your mat and walk?'‖ But it is really the faith of the
paralyzed man and his friends that seems to effect the cure. Like a strong magnet, there seems to be
something about Jesus that bends or twists the perception of reality for those who are near him. We
seem to experience something like a warp in the space/time continuum. Through the lens of his
presence, to use a different metaphor, we get a glimpse of the kingdom of God. The mystical reality
reveals the distortions present in our everyday reality, and once these distortions are revealed, they no
longer have power over us. We are told, ―When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son,
your sins are forgiven.'‖ All that Jesus has to do is to pronounce the words that the paralyzed man
needs to hear – for in Jesus' culture illness was thought to be the result of sin. As we will discover in
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the story about the exorcism of the spirit of the possessed boy (Dreams Level), ―all things can be done
for the one who believes.‖ Jesus seems to be using the words ―believe‖ and ―faith‖ in these stories (and
others) more in the sense of ―having confidence in the outcome.‖ It is not so much a belief in Jesus as
it is a belief that, if one knocks, the door to the mystical reality will be opened. In the story of the
paralytic, the cure was effected the moment the paralyzed man and his friends came up with their idea
to remove the roof and let him down on his mat. They would not have done this if they were not
confident of the outcome. It is the act of seeing through our distortions and imperfections with this
confidence – this belief in the outcome – that seems to effect cures in the mystical view of healing.
The Puzzle of Christian Doctrine
Jesus‘ ministry and teaching probably took place somewhere around 25-35 CE. After his death, his
followers collected and preserved his teachings in various forms. Certainly there was an oral tradition
that repeated his parables and sayings. Almost as certainly, there were a variety of written documents
where different followers wrote down what they remembered. One such assemblage of parables and
sayings that has been most famously suggested is ―Q‖ (from German, Quelle or ―source‖). ―Q‖ has not
been discovered, but it explains common material found in Matthew and Luke that is missing from
Mark. Not all of Jesus‘ sayings and parables were remembered and saved in this way. The second
century writer, Papias of Hieropolis, estimated that less than a third of the stories and parables of Jesus
were recorded in the synoptic Gospels.
The authentic letters of Paul are in fact the earliest works in the New Testament canon, and were
written in the following order: 1 and 2 Thessalonians (ca. 50), Galatians (54-55), 1 and 2 Corinthians
(54-56), Romans (ca. 57), Philippians (58-59), Colossians and Philemon (58). But Paul tells us little
about the historical Jesus. Gregory C. Jenks makes an astounding observation in his article ―What Did
Paul Know About Jesus?‖ Of the early Jesus traditions that have been identified by scholars, Paul is
mysteriously silent on the following:
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No reference to women among Jesus‘ disciples
No mention of Mary Magdalene
No mention of Mary, the mother of Jesus
No mention of anything other than a normal birth
Virtually no reference to Jesus as a teacher with authority
No use of the tradition of Jesus as healer & exorcist
No mention of John the Baptist
No hint of the tradition that Jesus taught in parables
No use of the tradition preserved in the beatitudes (blessed poor, etc.)
Replaces Jesus‘ calls for personal discipleship with requirement to ―have faith‖
Never speaks of Jesus as a miracle worker
No mention of Jesus‘ struggle with Jerusalem authorities
Paul believes in an ―open table‖ but never cites Jesus to prove his point
No details of the circumstances of Jesus‘ death
No mention of an empty tomb
Sometime after 67AD Ignatius of Antioch (3rd Bishop of Antioch) wrote the following in a letter to
the Trallians:
“Stop your ears, therefore, when any one speaks to you at variance with Jesus Christ, who was
descended from David, and was also of Mary; who was truly born, and did eat and drink. He was
truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate. He was truly crucified and died, in the sight of beings in
heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. He was also truly raised from the dead, his Father
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having raised him up, as in the same manner his Father will raise up us who believe in him by
Christ Jesus, apart from whom we do not possess the true life.”
Ignatius wrote this, and other letters, to contest the teachings of the Gnostics who claimed that Jesus
was a spiritual being and not really human. Ignatius is given credit for pointing out the need for an
account of Jesus that would put Jesus in a historical context and emphasize his humanness.
Mark‘s Gospel was written a few years after Ignatius' letter. Mark built his account of Jesus‘ life
with ―bricks and mortar‖ so to speak. The ―bricks‖ were the saying and parables and other traditions
about Jesus, available to Mark, that Jesus' followers had collected and preserved. The ―mortar‖ was the
stories that were formulated by Mark to surround these teachings and traditions. These stories came
partly from Jewish prophetic scripture that spoke of the coming of the Messiah. Mark appears to have
built his account on Ignatius‘ bare bones outline using oral tradition, a dose of Paul‘s theology, his own
creative inspiration and, of course, his faith. Matthew‘s Gospel, which followed later, was a creation of
the Syrian church. Luke‘s Gospel, composed still later, was written from a ―Greek‖ perspective. What
the two have in common is the mysterious ―Q‖ material.
Treasure to Bring Home: Transformation
We have come a long way. We should be proud of our achievements thus far. Our pilgrimage has
led us into labyrinths before, but nothing like this labyrinth – the Chain of Being. As human beings, we
have evolved through four levels of ―body‖ and four levels of ―mind.‖ We have cause to celebrate, but
not a reason to think that we have reached our ultimate destination. The paradigm shift from ―mind‖ to
―spirit‖ will not be an easy adjustment. Just as we have had to develop institutes of learning requiring
years of study to reach the fourth level of ―mind,‖ entering even the first level of ―spirit‖ will demand
new commitments and new practices.
Journal Entry
If Jesus saw reality through the eyes of a ―mystic,‖ then we may be no closer to understanding the
reality he was pointing toward than were his contemporaries. In some ways we could be even further
from his ―mystical‖ truth. We are at that point on the Great Chain where religion seems unnecessary
and superstitious. We imperiously reject religion because of its ―magical‖ and ―mythical‖ views of
reality, making the mistake of assuming that we have settled the matter and arrived at the truth. But our
―truth‖ is flat and one dimensional. If the reality Jesus called the kingdom of God is likened to a cube,
then we have mapped only the square at its base. We have more work to do if we are to know the
Chain's higher levels.
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Miracles
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Possessed Boy
When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing
with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they
ran forward to greet him. He asked them, ―What are you arguing about with them?‖ Someone from
the crowd answered him, ―Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to
speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and
becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.‖ He answered
them, ―You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I
put up with you? Bring him to me.‖ And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him,
immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the
mouth. Jesus asked the father, ―How long has this been happening to him?‖ And he said, ―From
childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able
to do anything, have pity on us and help us.‖ Jesus said to him, ―If you are able! – All things can be
done for the one who believes.‖ Immediately the father of the child cried out, ―I believe; help my
unbelief!‖ When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit,
saying to it, ―You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out
of him, and never enter him again!‖ After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and
the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ―He is dead.‖ But Jesus took him by the hand
and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him
privately, ―Why could we not cast it out?‖ He said to them, ―This kind can come out only through
prayer.‖
(Mark 9:14-29; parallels: Matthew 17:14-20; Luke 9:37-43 NRSV)
Awareness of Call
As we begin to get a glimpse of how Jesus teaches, we leave the Puzzles Level of our pilgrimage
and enter a level where more is required of us. Our journey through the first level was a journey of
story. We listened to the stories and considered, and perhaps discussed, what implications Jesus'
teachings might have for our lives. The Ideas and Puzzles Levels studied meaning and culture by
exploring concepts, facts and hypotheses. In the Dreams Level we are challenged to interact with the
teachings about this illusive interior kingdom in ways that are a little more engaging. The Dreams
Level gives us the opportunity to ―walk the walk‖ of pilgrimage through a series of dreams, activities,
games and challenges. Where appropriate, we will be introduced to new primary biblical/historical
material. In some instances we will look deeper at some of the teachings that have already become
familiar to us at the Stories, Ideas and Puzzles Levels. But most importantly, as we experience the
Dreams Level, the awareness of call, we will begin to explore ways the interior kingdom reaches into
the exterior world and affects our daily lives.
Dreams Level: Miracles
The Dreams Level of discovery gives us a different angle of vision for Jesus' miracles. At the
Stories Level it was relatively easy to see the world through the eyes of a child. We accepted the world
of enchantment, if only for the time it took to read the story or listen to the fairy tale. At the Ideas
Level we found it much more difficult to accept the premise that Jesus actually ―performed
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extraordinary deeds.‖ When we viewed the story of the paralytic from the Puzzles Level we found it
even more difficult to suspend our disbelief. Paralyzed people don't just get up and walk. If we are
being rational, we have to reject both ―Jesus the magician‖ and ―Jesus the miracle worker.‖ The
Dreams Level helps us to see the miracles as acts that reveal the enchanted kingdom that Jesus calls the
kingdom of God. We see that in the performance of these unexplainable and extraordinary deeds, Jesus
becomes the Revealer. For all who were unwilling or unable to open their hearts and minds to his
teachings through beatitudes, sayings and parables, Jesus pulls back the curtain and reveals the
kingdom in action. It is as if Jesus asks us, ―For what do you dare to dream in this material world, here
and now?‖ We cannot answer that question without an awareness of our calling. Again, Jesus is asking
us to step into the teachings.
General Themes
John P. Meier, author of the multi volume A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus,
suggests that the question we should ask of the miracle stories is this, “Did the historical Jesus
perform extraordinary deeds deemed by his contemporaries as well as himself to be miracles?” Meier
concludes that the evidence is overwhelming that the historical Jesus performed acts or deeds that
people, probably including Jesus himself, perceived as miracles. Jesus lived and taught two thousand
years ago. We may have a different idea of what might pass for a miracle today. But that's not the
point. What we are interested in is how and why Jesus may have used these ―extraordinary deeds‖ as a
form of teaching. Through the rigorous application of his criteria, Meier discovered that all of the
―extraordinary acts‖ considered most historical have this in common: They begin with a person or
persons in genuine need; and, once Jesus recognizes this need, he does his best to help. This should
come as no surprise to us. Webster's definition of compassion is ―a sympathetic consciousness of
others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.‖ The great lesson of the miracle stories, then, is
that they illustrate Jesus' compassion. Jesus was conscious of people's needs and did everything in his
power to make their suffering more bearable. Dare we dream to attempt to do as much today?
I Believe; Help My Unbelief!
There are many elements to belief. Even in the miracle stories it is not always clear what form is
most important. There is, of course, the belief in God and the proverb that with God all things are
possible. But there are other kinds of belief. One is the willingness to believe that miracles are
possible, even in spite of the odds against them. Miracles are like dreams in the sense that they give us
very little to hold onto. And yet, we continue to dream. There is a difference, though, between not
giving up hope and actually believing that something will happen. When we truly believe that
something will happen we are willing to take steps to help make it happen. First we dream. And then
we take steps to make it happen. First we believe. And then we ask for all the available help we can
find. Sometimes we are the ones needing help. We must believe that help will come in ways that we
cannot even imagine. Other times we may need to believe that we can help others. This is the hardest
kind of belief to summon. It necessitates looking past our limitations and finding an inner strength. At
the end of the biblical passage for this session the disciples ask Jesus privately, ―Why could we not
cast it out?‖ Why weren't we able to perform this extraordinary act? Jesus' reply gives us insight into
how we might find our inner strength, ―This kind can come out only through prayer.‖ As we will
discover when we journey into the prayers method of teaching, the word for ―prayer‖ in Aramaic
(shalu) means ―attuning to, becoming one with and moved by, what is greater than our fears, doubts,
and confusions.‖ Later, in Luke 11:1, the disciples will ask Jesus to teach them how to shalu.
For 21st century minds, prayer, like miracle is something many of us are tempted to dismiss. We
run the gamut from atheist to fundamentalist believer. But, regardless of how we define ourselves
religiously, we live in a scientific age. Most of us are unwilling to suspend rational thought for the sake
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of religious belief. Scientifically performed hospital studies on the effects of prayer on a patient's
recovery have had mixed results. Dr. Richard Sloan, a professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia
and author of the book, Blind Faith: The Unholy Alliance of Religion and Medicine, puts it this way:
"The problem with studying religion scientifically is that you do violence to the phenomenon by
reducing it to basic elements that can be quantified, and that makes for bad science and bad religion."
Perhaps the effectiveness of prayer has more to do with whether or not we believe it will work, in
other words with psychology, than it does with religion. If we learn anything at all from the miracle
stories, it is that a successful outcome is impossible without a total belief in the process on the part of
the person or persons involved. Jesus insists on this. Twice in the story about the possessed boy he
clearly displays this insistence. First, he speaks of faithlessness, and by this he seems to mean a
reluctance to believe in the possibility of what his disciples have been attempting to accomplish. And
then, when the boy's father asks him to help, if he is able, Jesus replies, ―If you are able! – All things
can be done for the one who believes.‖ Again, it seems clear that Jesus is talking about believing in a
successful outcome.
The whole question of ―Do I believe in God?‖ is a separate question. It does not have to be dealt
with in the context of prayer or of the miracle stories. However, since the subject invariably comes up
with respect to miracles, the most meaningful way to deal with the question is to break it down into
two more relevant questions. When people say that they believe in God, the statement is meaningless
and ambiguous unless we ask for clarification. ―What kind of God do you believe in?‖ When people
say they don't believe in God, the same clarification is necessary. ―What kind of God don't you believe
in?‖ We may find that whether we see ourselves as ―believers‖ or ―non-believers,‖ we have more to
agree about than we think.
By performing extraordinary deeds Jesus reveals the enchanting nature of this interior realm he
called the kingdom of God. What acts can we perform today that might be perceived as miracles? For
what outcomes do we dare to dream in this material world, here and now? Remember, at the dreams
level we are merely trying to put a toe in the water.
The Dreams
Here are two ideas of possible dreams that you might dream for our world today. Perhaps in these
dreams you will see how extraordinary deeds, ―miracles‖ if you will, are being performed in the 21st
century. These are just a small sample of the many ways that you can be involved in the process. You
will, no doubt, think of other ideas that are more appropriate for you.
Kiva Loans
I found out about Kiva when my son and daughter-in-law donated a loan to Kiva in my name.
Lending through Kiva gives us a chance to believe that miracles are possible, even in spite of the
odds against them. Here is a chance to believe in people who need help and to believe that we can
take steps to help them. Kiva collects money in the form of loans from lenders who want to help
others make something of their lives. Lenders read profiles about entrepreneurs from all over the
world who are asking for small loans to get businesses started; and from these profiles lenders can
choose where their money goes. Money is lent in $25 increments up to the entire amount needed
for any particular profile. Lenders' money goes to Field Partners who have local knowledge of
entrepreneurs and make sure the entrepreneurs profiled are good credit risks. As entrepreneurs pay
back their loans, the money goes back into the lenders' accounts. Lenders can then re-lend or
withdraw their money or donate it to Kiva. To find out more, or to make a loan, visit
http://www.kiva.org/ and start believing.
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Heifer Project
Another way to perform the extraordinary deed of helping to alleviate someone's distress is to
become a contributor to the Heifer Project. You can choose a meaningful animal gift to donate in
your name or someone else's name by downloading the Heifer Project gift catalog. The Heifer
Project is dedicated to helping families help themselves. An old Chinese proverb says: ―Give a man
a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.‖ That's not
exactly how Heifer Project operates, but it's close. They refer to the animals as ―living loans‖
because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of their animal‘s
offspring to another family in need. It‘s called Passing on the Gift. Here is another way to believe
that you can make a difference. The Heifer Project has been performing miracles since 1944. Visit
http://www.heifer.org/ to find out more.
Treasure to Bring Home: Faith
Dare to dream dreams for a better world. Believe in yourself and believe that miracles are possible
even in the 21st century. Have faith! Don't give up hope. Take some actual steps to create successful
outcomes for yourself and for others.
Journal Entry
The enchanted world of dreams, like the enchanted world of fairy tale, reveals possibilities that
may have gone unnoticed. By taking action, we can change the world. By daring to dream, by daring to
believe that something is possible, we can help to create a successful outcome for ourselves; and we
can show compassion for others by recognizing needs and doing our best to help.
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Miracles
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Feeding the Multitudes
When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, ―This is a deserted place, and the hour is
now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and
buy something for themselves to eat.‖ But he answered them, ―You give them something to eat.‖
They said to him, ―Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to
eat?‖ And he said to them, ―How many loaves have you? Go and see.‖ When they had found out,
they said, ―Five, and two fish.‖ Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on
the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and
the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his
disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were
filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten
the loaves numbered five thousand men.
(Mark 6:35-44; parallels: Matthew 14:15-21; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:1-15 NRSV)
Awakening to the Journey
We've had a little taste of what can happen when we try to get an honest glimpse of the bold vision
that Jesus dreamed for humanity. We've experienced the power of story, the complications of meaning
and culture, the intellectual rush of following the winding course of a proposed hypothesis, and the
gratification that can come with actually daring to dream. Now we are ready to take the next step into
the teachings and look for a few simple ways to attempt to model ―kingdom thinking‖ about living
authentic lives. By now even the small sample of teachings we have wrestled with should be enough to
give us pause. The implied invitation that Jesus extends to us into this strange Promised Land ―within
and among us‖ seems an impossible invitation. But is it really impossible? The Models Level gives us
a chance to find out. It challenges us to discover simple ways to practice Jesus‘ teachings in our own
lives. In some instances we will revisit teachings to see if we can transform Dreams Level dreams into
everyday practice. We will also look at new examples of authentic teachings and try to imagine how
we might make a serious attempt to model the behaviors that these teachings exemplify. As we
experience the Models Level, awakening to the journey, we will be given the chance to try some of
these teachings on for size. At first they may seem an awkward fit. Most likely, each of us will need to
tailor pilgrimage suggestions to personal experience.
Models Level: Miracles
The Models Level of discovery gives us yet another angle of vision for Jesus' miracles. The miracle
stories, like fairy tales, take us into a land of enchantment where it seems that, with help, we can
survive our worst nightmares. Miracle ideas open our eyes to cultures of magic and mythology.
Miracle puzzles lead us into the labyrinth of the Chain of Being. Miracle dreams begin to reveal the
enchanted kingdom that Jesus calls the kingdom of God. In the performance of unexplainable and
extraordinary deeds, Jesus becomes the Revealer. He pulls back the curtain and reveals the kingdom in
action. He models for us what is possible if we understand who we are and what we are put on this
earth to do. Now it is time for us to perform our own miracles. We cannot do this without an awareness
of our calling. Again, Jesus is asking us to step into the teachings. Only now he is asking us to model
them. In what ways can we feed the multitudes? It's time to try our hand at something, even if our
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experiment leads us into a cul-de-sac. To paraphrase Buckminster Fuller, oftentimes the only way to
find out where we should be going is to set out for somewhere else.
Feeding the Multitudes
Jesus' miracle was to feed the multitudes with loaves and fishes. But there are all kinds of ways to
―feed‖ people. The first thing Jesus had his disciples do was to take inventory. ―How many loaves have
you? Go and see.‖ What are our gifts? What are we good at? What do we enjoy doing? By performing
extraordinary deeds Jesus reveals the enchanting nature of this mystical interior realm he called the
kingdom of God. What acts can we perform today that might be perceived as miracles? For each of us
the answers will be different, but the questions are the same. We model kingdom thinking by refusing
to accept ―impossible‖ as an answer. Jesus' teachings are chock-full of impossible invitations. The
beatitudes invite us to find blessedness in poverty, hunger and suffering. The sayings become windows
into a boundless and transformational interior reality, and recipes for practicing a new way of seeing.
The parables reflect qualities of true humanness, lives lived in right relationship, and they challenge us
to enter Jesus' new reality. They offer hope that what seems impossible may be possible after all. Now
we are invited into a world of enchantment where miracles are not only possible, but expected of us.
You Give Them Something to Eat
Pay attention to what you can do to feed the multitudes. Every day we are called to perform
―miracles‖ if only we have eyes to see and ears to hear. We are surrounded by needs of all kinds.
Sometimes these needs are as simple as taking the time to listen to someone. Often they require
nothing more from us than a little of our time. Occasionally we come face to face with a greater need
and a greater opportunity to model kingdom thinking. If we are willing to slow down and take
inventory of ourselves and the situation, chances are we can find a creative way to help. What are our
gifts? What are we good at? How can we help in this particular situation? If the opportunity is great
enough, we may also want to ask our friends and families if they are willing to get involved. You
might be amazed at what we can accomplish if we set our minds and hearts to it.
The Models
Journey to Awakening
In the introduction to his book, Callings, Gregg Levoy speaks of a revelation:
I saw, in the light lancing through a row of trees, great screams of yellow pollen sweeping by
on the wind, every speck filled with information – blueprints for making perfect blue flowers,
the dark musculature of trees, meadow grasses.
I saw in that moment that the whole sky is filled with furtive transmissions – pollen and seeds,
radio waves and subatomic particles, the songs of birds, satellite broadcasts of the six o'clock
news and the Home Shopping Network. And I saw that what is necessary to make substance or
meaning out of any of it is a receiver, somebody to receive.
Years later, struggling to make sense of a stunning aggregate of symptoms and synchronicities
in my own life that appeared to cluster around the question of whether or not I should leave a
job, I realized that my own life was similarly flooded with signals of which I was only dimly
aware but that seemed to indicate the necessary steps I should take to make my life literally
“come true.” Until then, unfortunately, the receiver had usually been turned off, so these
incoming calls fell lemming-like into silence.
Part of the journey to awakening requires a receiver with an alertness to wonder. Our word,
―miracle,‖ comes to us from the Latin miraculum for wonder. The idea of miracles may seem
untenable to 21st century minds, or even to 19th century minds. Nevertheless, Walt Whitman argues
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eloquently on their behalf, ―I know of nothing else but miracles.‖ Indeed, to deny a world filled
with wonder implies a certain arrogance with respect to the created order – whether or not one
believes in the supernatural. Listen, then, to Walt Whitman as he feeds the multitudes in his own
way.
Miracles from Leaves of Grass Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
WHY! who makes much of a miracle?
As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach, just in the edge of the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love – or sleep in the bed at night with any one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with my mother,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive, of a summer forenoon,
What stranger miracles are there?
Awakening to the Journey
In his book, Minyan, Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro lists kavvanah or attention as one of the ten principles
for living a life of integrity. He says that kavvanah ―refers to shifting your attention away from self
to focus on the task at hand.‖ Our task is to pay attention to what we can do to make the world a
better place. Part of this task is to remember to be receivers, so that, like Walt Whitman, we ―know
of nothing else but miracles.‖ But more than this, we are called to step into the teachings and
perform small miracles of our own in ways that only we can perform them. Attention can help us
accomplish our task because, as Shapiro says, it slows us down enough to maintain our humanity.
“When we eat, when we work, when we converse with others, there is always this subtle
amnesia: we forget the wonder of what is happening. We get so caught up in the soap opera of
our own selfish thoughts and feelings that we never really connect with what is going on.
Kavvanah, slowing down to redirect your attention from doer to doing, acts as a corrective to
all this.”
Slow down. Remember to be receivers. And be alert to those small miracles that only you can
perform.
Treasure to Bring Home: Compassion
If you had a magic mirror that you could look into and see your true self, what do you think you
would see? If you could pause long enough and look past that harried individual staring back at you,
beset by problems and laden with duties all of no great or lasting significance, you might find a prince
or princess from the Enchanted Kingdom.
Journal Entry
Opening ourselves to being receivers of wonder and to impossible possibilities requires focus,
attention and compassion. As members of the human race we are called every day to feed the
multitudes in one way or another. We are being asked to step into the teachings and to model kingdom
behavior. Surprisingly, enchanted behavior such as this can transform not only the people we confront
face to face, but ourselves as well.
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Miracles
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Reference to Mary Magdalene
Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of
the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of
evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and
Joanna, the wife of Herod‘s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them
out of their resources.
(Luke 8:1-3)
Wisdom of Arriving Within
The practice of being aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness.
Mindfulness has to do with observation and with creating the necessary space that makes attention
possible. At the Spaces Level of our pilgrimage we will learn some simple paths to mindfulness. We
will learn about the power of observation – how the very process of observation changes what we
observe. We will learn the importance of space – how space, more than anything else defines reality.
Every creative endeavor – music, art, sculpture and even creative writing – depends as much on space
as on the particular medium that shares the space and takes form within and around it. Mindfulness is
no exception. As we prepare to look within for new wisdom with respect to the beatitudes, sayings,
parables, miracles and prayers we must learn to create the space that will allow us to be observers.
Mindfulness is the opposite of thinking. Mindfulness just watches the endless string of thoughts and
desires and fears that bubble up from our depths. We begin to see for ourselves that we are not our
desires, and we are not our fears. We are not the pursuit of pleasure and security and comfort. The true
reality of life consists of nothing more than an awareness of what is happening every moment. Once
we learn to observe and appreciate what is happening, as it is happening, we can let go of our need to
control things. And only then do we experience peace.
Spaces Level: Miracles
We have listened to the miracle stories and tried to understand them objectively in light of John P.
Meier's question: “Did the historical Jesus perform extraordinary deeds deemed by his contemporaries
as well as himself to be miracles?” Through stories, ideas, puzzles, dreams and models we have
wrestled with these accounts of miracles and tried to make sense of something, that to be honest,
makes little sense to 21st century minds. Norman Cousins has given us modern accounts of unexpected
healing, which seem less like ―miracles‖ and more like a willingness to believe that healing, even
against all odds, is possible. Some of the miracle stories, if we read them carefully, reflect this same
view. What is happening in these narratives of healing? Is Jesus performing miracles? Or is he
enabling people to believe that healing is possible? Then as now, we see people struggling to believe
that healing, for them or for their loved ones, is possible. Theologians have confused this necessary
belief in healing with the idea that a belief in God is somehow required. But that is a separate question.
The question posed in the miracle stories is this: by daring to dream, by daring to believe that
something is possible, can we help to create a successful outcome for ourselves and others? Jesus asks
us to believe, not just that we can be helped, but that we can help others. The Spaces Level scripture
that we have chosen is nothing more than a reference to Mary, called Magdalene. Mary and some other
women, we are told, experienced healing and became disciples who helped provide for Jesus and his
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followers out of their resources. More of the story is missing than explained. Space is created for our
attention.
Creating Space for Attention
Find a comfortable space where you can sit with your back straight. Take a couple of deep breaths.
Then see what picture forms in your mind of Mary Magdalene. Don‘t expect anything. Just wait for a
few moments and see what happens. If the image begins to fade, repeat her name silently in your mind.
Continue with this exercise for at least five minutes. Record any images that might come to you in
your journal.
Open Mind, Open Heart
Our mindfulness guide for this Spaces adventure is Father Thomas Keating, who wrote a book
entitled, Open Mind, Open Heart – which we highly recommend. Father Keating uses a method of
attentiveness that he calls centering prayer.
Centering Prayer
“Many people are so identified with the ordinary flow of their thoughts and feelings that they
are not aware of the source from which these mental objects are emerging. Like boats or debris
floating along the surface of a river, our thoughts and feelings must be resting on something.
They are resting on the inner stream of consciousness, which is our participation in God‟s
being. That level is not immediately evident to ordinary consciousness. Since we are not in
immediate contact with that level, we have to do something to develop our awareness of it. It is
the level of our being that makes us most human. The values that we find there are more
delightful than the values that float along the surface of the psyche. We need to refresh
ourselves at this deep level every day. Just as we need exercise, food, rest, and sleep, so also
we need moments of interior silence because they bring the deepest kind of refreshment.
“We are like someone sitting on the bank of a river and watching the boats go by. If we stay on
the bank, with our attention on the river rather than on the boats, the capacity to disregard
thoughts as they go by will develop, and a deeper kind of attention will emerge.
“A thought in the context of this method is any perception that appears on the inner screen of
consciousness. This could be an emotion, an image, a memory, a plan, a noise from outside, a
feeling of peace, or even a spiritual communication. In other words, anything whatsoever that
registers on the inner screen of consciousness is a “thought.” The method consists of letting go
of every thought during the time of prayer, even the most devout thoughts.
To facilitate letting go, take a relatively comfortable position so that you won‟t be thinking
about your body. Avoid positions that might cut off the circulation because then you will think
of your discomfort. Choose a place that is relatively quiet in order not to be disturbed by
excessive or unexpected noise. If there is no such place in your household, try to find a quiet
time when you are least likely to be disturbed. It is a good idea to close your eyes because you
tend to think of what you see. By withdrawing the senses from their ordinary activity, you may
reach deep rest.
Choose a time for prayer when you are most awake and alert. Early in the morning before the
ordinary business of the day begins is a good time.
Once you have picked a suitable time and place and a chair or a posture that is relatively
comfortable, and closed your eyes, choose a sacred word that expresses your intention of
opening and surrendering to God and introduce it on the level of your imagination. Do not
form it with your lips or vocal cords. Let it be a single word of one or two syllables with which
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you feel at ease, Gently place it in your awareness each time you recognize you are thinking
about some other thought.
The sacred word is not a means of going where you want to go. It only directs your intention
toward God and thus fosters a favorable atmosphere for the development of the deeper
awareness to which your spiritual nature is attracted. Your purpose is not to suppress all
thoughts because that is impossible. You will normally have a thought after half a minute of
inner silence unless the action of grace is so powerful that you are absorbed in God. Centering
prayer is not a way of turning on the presence of God. Rather, it is a way of saying, “Here I
am.” The next step is up to God.
Twenty to thirty minutes is the minimum amount of time necessary for most people to establish
interior silence and to get beyond their superficial thoughts. You may be inclined to remain
longer. Experience will teach you what the right time is. (from Open Mind, Open Heart, 34-37)
Treasure to Bring Home: Turning
Turning is an important treasure to bring home. It is the key to mental and physical health and
wholeness, allowing us to turn away from what is unhealthy and unhelpful and return to the path we
were called to walk. Meditation and centering prayer help us hear and see that inner beacon that calls
us back to our true nature.
Journal Entry
Mary Magdalene understands something about healing, because she has experienced it in her own
life. All of us have had moments of healing. Usually we need help in some form before our bodies can
fight off a disease. But sometimes all that is required for healing to take place is for us to let go. We
have to learn to let go of what is making us sick. When we turn away from whatever it is that holds us
hostage, we can return to wholeness. Learning a practice of attentiveness can teach us how to do this
kind of ―letting go.‖
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Miracles
Images Level: Returning Enriched
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Raising of the Daughter of Jairus
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and
he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw
him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ―My little daughter is at the point of death. Come
and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.‖ So he went with him. And a
large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering
from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent
all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came
up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ―If I but touch his clothes, I will be
made well.‖ Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of
her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the
crowd and said, ―Who touched my clothes?‖ And his disciples said to him, ―You see the crowd
pressing in on you; how can you say, ‗Who touched me?‘‖ He looked all around to see who had
done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down
before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ―Daughter, your faith has made you well;
go in peace, and be healed of your disease.‖
While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader‘s house to say, ―Your daughter is
dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?‖ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the
leader of the synagogue, ―Do not fear, only believe.‖ He allowed no one to follow him except
Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the
synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said
to them, ―Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.‖ And they
laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child‘s father and mother and those who
were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ―Talitha
cum,‖ which means, ―Little girl, get up!‖ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about
(she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered
them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
(Mark 5:21-43; parallels: Matt 9:18-26; Luke 8:40-56)
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched
The story of the raising of the daughter of Jairus is a fitting way to end this leg of our pilgrimage
because it illustrates so much of what we have experienced on our journey through the method of
teaching called miracles. Wonder abounds. It can be seen almost anywhere we look. Openness is
illustrated by Jesus' willingness to change his plans, and to stop in the middle of what he is doing to
take time for the woman suffering from hemorrhages. Transformation can be found in the woman
touching Jesus' clothes, in the little girl, in the attitudes of those convinced that all hope was lost. Faith
exudes from the woman who touches Jesus' clothes, and finds its way, we must assume, into the heart
of Jairus. Compassion certainly fills Jesus' heart, but it fills Jairus's heart as well, at least with respect
to his daughter. Turning – the crowd turns to watch and wait as Jesus attends to the woman suffering
from hemorrhages; Jairus turns away from fear and despair and clings to a belief in a positive outcome.
Attention is illustrated most profoundly by Jesus when he stops what he is doing to give his full
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attention to the woman who has reached out to him and touched his clothes, and again when he
overhears the message brought to Jairus.
Images Level: Miracles
The Images Level is a warm place to contemplate our pilgrimage and check our digital cameras for
the photographs most meaningful to us. At the Stories Level we might choose the image of
enchantment. Like children who have outgrown their fairy tales, we are in danger of outgrowing the
source of wonder and possibility and new life offered to us through the teachings of Jesus in all their
forms. And so, perhaps, it is not such a mystery that Jesus said we must become as children if we are to
enter what he called the kingdom of God. The Ideas Level image is the image of perception and
culture. From the cultural perspective of the 1st century, the reality Jesus presented seemed like magic
or miracle. Today, from our rational frame of reference, both magic and miracle seem suspect as
explanations of the events; and the temptation is to discard not only magic and miracle, but the
narratives as well. The most memorable Puzzles Level image might be the Great Chain of Being:
abbreviated as Spirit, Mind and Body. Through practices such as fasting, meditation and centering
prayer, Jesus was able to experience the Chain's higher levels of soul and spirit. Like a strong magnet,
there seems to be something about Jesus that bends or twists the perception of reality for those who are
near him. At the Dreams Level we begin to get a moving picture of the kingdom of God. Jesus
becomes the Revealer. For all who are willing to open their hearts and minds Jesus pulls back the
curtain and reveals the kingdom in action. The Models Level image is a self-portrait. The camera is
pointed at us. We model kingdom thinking by refusing to accept ―impossible‖ as an answer. We are
invited into a world of enchantment where miracles are not only possible, but expected of us. The
Spaces Level image reveals what is behind the curtain. Jesus redirects our attention from the ―boats
and debris‖ floating along the surface of the river to the river itself. This river is the secret to the inner
strength required of us to find the kind of faith that refuses to accept the impossible. Nothing can be
accomplished until we find that inner strength.
One Last Thought
Practices such as fasting, meditation and centering prayer make us more receptive to that part of
ourselves which is connected to the spiritual realm. Ken Wilber, Huston Smith, Aurobindo and others
have identified a common core of belief, which they call the ―Great Chain of Being.‖ The primary
purpose of religion is to seek to know the Chain‘s higher levels: soul and spirit. Sri Aurobindo (18721950) synthesized Eastern and Western philosophy, religion, literature, and psychology in his writings.
He believed that the very highest level of being (which he called ―Supermind‖) had created ―an
involution of consciousness‖ which then began the process of unfolding through the multiple levels of
body, mind and spirit. According to Aurobindo, humans are transitional beings. We are not final. The
process of unfolding will not be complete until life has evolved completely into the spiritual realm.
If all of this sounds a little too metaphysical, a more ―rational‖ explanation suggests that DNA –
present in the most primitive life forms – began a process of evolution, which has, thus far, produced
rational human beings. The question of whether rational human beings represent the ―end product‖
remains to be seen. Francis Crick, the Nobel winning biologist (and devout atheist) who discovered the
structure of DNA, remained convinced until his death in 2004 that DNA, common to every living thing
on earth, could not possibly have evolved on earth. Something as complicated as DNA would have
needed more time to evolve than the mere half billion years it took for it to appear – fully formed.
Crick suggested that DNA was an alien life form that had the time to evolve somewhere else and made
its way to earth – already fully formed – within simple bacteria. Crick even went so far as to suggest
that it was sent here in spaceships by an alien civilization.
The other possibility, that DNA (and thus life) was created by a supernatural being, Crick
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dismissed out of hand. Such a possibility leaves us tantalizingly close to Aurobindo's ―involution of
consciousness.‖ Genes hold the information to build and maintain an organism's cells and to pass
genetic traits to offspring. But genes represent only a small fraction (3% to 5%) of the information
DNA contains. The other 95% – which has been called ―junk DNA‖ – we do not presently understand.
We know only that ―junk DNA‖ contains immense amounts of information. What is odd about this
information is that, unlike the 5% that is coded for reproduction, this so-called ―junk DNA‖ behaves in
a different way. It behaves like language. Every known language follows Zipf's law, which states that
―the frequency of any word is inversely proportional to its rank in the frequency table. Thus the most
frequent word will occur approximately twice as often as the second most frequent word, three times
as often as the third most frequent word, etc. DNA should not follow the rules of language according to
Zipf's law – and the ―coded‖ part, the part we call genes, does not. But for reasons not yet understood,
―junk DNA‖ has been shown to follow Zipf's law of languages.
As we said earlier the primary purpose of religion is to seek to know the Chain‘s higher levels: soul
and spirit. Cave art (at places like Chauvet, Lascaux and Pech Merle in France and Altamira in Spain)
suggests that human beings have been attempting to find ways to know and understand these higher
levels for over 40,000 years. Practices such as fasting, meditation and centering prayer are ways we
have explored on our pilgrimage. Of course, other more extreme methods have been tried for millennia
and should, at least briefly, be acknowledged.
It appears that a connection may exist between the origins of religious experience and the ingestion
of certain edible plants with psychedelic qualities. It is no secret that shamans all over the world have
used these plants – reportedly to boost their religious experience and to gain guidance. The fact that
peyote and mescaline are connected with the practice of Native American shamans is common
knowledge. The discovery that the ―Soma‖ described in the Vedas and used by Hindu shamans is
derived from psychedelic mushrooms may be more of a surprise. Our own brains produce DMT, a
derivative of many psychedelic plants. The fact that our brains have evolved to use psychedelics in this
manner, and the fact that a small percentage of human beings produce enough DMT to perceive
different realities without ingesting psychedelics, should give one pause. What possible evolutionary
purpose or advantage does this ability to ―re-tune‖ our brains represent if these ―different realities‖ are
imaginary?
Jesus experienced a mystical reality that was transformational and empowering and tried every
legitimate means to make others receptive to it. Through teachings such as beatitudes, sayings,
parables and miracles, and practices such as fasting, meditation and centering prayer, he tried to help
us perceive this reality that he called malkutah so that we might discover what it means to be truly
human.
Treasure to Bring Home: Attention
How have I been changed by this study of the miracles of Jesus? How has my attention been
shifted from the ―boats and debris‖ floating along the surface of the river to the river itself? What truth
has been revealed? How might my life better reflect that truth? What will I do differently from now
on? Can I name just one way I might pledge to integrate what I have learned into my life?
Journal Entry
I have learned much about what Jesus called the kingdom of God. Kingdom attention should not be
on magic or miracle, but on the deeper experience they represent, on the source from which they
emerge. This ―inner stream of consciousness‖ should be the focus of our attention. Here is my personal
commitment to what I have learned.
First, I will write or type the seven qualities of true humanness (wonder, openness,
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transformation, faith, compassion, turning and attention) on small pieces of paper and then tape
them to pennies. I will add these pennies to the dish in my bedroom. Every morning I will close
my eyes and pick a quality of true humanness to use as a sacred word during meditation, and to
be mindful of practicing for that day.
Second, through Kiva, I will continue to believe in people who need help, and to believe that I
can take steps to help them. I will dare to dream dreams for a better world and to believe that
miracles are possible even in the 21st century.
Third, I will seek to be a receiver of wonder. Like Walt Whitman, I will ―know nothing else but
miracles.‖ I will be alert for those small miracles than only I can perform.
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Bibliography and Additional Material
Aurobindo. The Future Evolution of Man: The Divine Life upon Earth. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus
Light Publications, 2001
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. New
York: Albert Knopf, Inc., 1976
Borg, Marcus J. Meeting Jesus Again for t
he First Time. New York: Harper Collins, 1995
Campbell, Joseph. The Inner Reaches of Outer Space: Metaphor as Myth and as Religion. New York:
Harper & Row, 1986
Funk, Robert W. and the Jesus Seminar. The Acts of Jesus: The Search for the Authentic Deeds of
Jesus. New York: HarberCollins, 1998
Hancock, Graham. Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind. New York: The
Disinformation Company Ltd., 2007
Jenks, Gregory C. ―What did Paul know about Jesus?‖ From The Fourth R (Magazine of the Westar
Institute and the Jesus Seminar) Jan-Feb. 1999
Keating, Thomas. Open Mind, Open Heart. New York: Continuum Publishing, 1998
Levoy, Gregg. Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life. New York: Harmony Books, 1997
Meier, John P. A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus: Volume Two: Mentor, Message and
Miracles. New York: Doubleday, 1994
Meyer, Marvin & Smith, Richard. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. New York:
HarperCollins, 1994
Mitchell, Stephen. The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry. New York: Harper & Row,
1989
Shapiro, Rabbi Rami M. Minyan: Ten Principles for Living a Life of Integrity. New York: Bell Tower,
1997
Sloan, Richard. Blind Faith: The Unholy Alliance of Religion and Medicine. New York: St. Martin's
Press, 2006
Smith, Morton. Jesus the Magician. New York: HarperCollins, 1978
Strassman, Rick. DMT: The Spirit Molecule. Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press, 2001
Whitman, Walt. ―Miracles‖ from Leaves of Grass. http://www.bartleby.com/142/226.html
Wilber, Ken. The Marriage of Sense and Soul: Integrating Science and Religion. New York: Random
House, 1998
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PRAYERS
PRAYERS
Doorway Between Worlds: Jesus the Dervish
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PRAYERS
Stories Level: Birth of Longing
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
―Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee,
standing by himself, was praying thus, ‗God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves,
rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.‘
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and
saying, ‗God, be merciful to me, a sinner!‘ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather
than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be
exalted.‖
(Luke 18:10-14 NRSV)
Introducing the Material
Our passage of scripture for this session illustrates perfectly two of the problems that a study of
prayer can present. The Pharisee embodies the first problem. He is a caricature of the smug and the
self-righteous. His perceived presence hovering around the very idea of Jesus and his modern day
followers is enough to keep many people away. Even the picture of the tax collector beating his breast
has all too often become a picture associated with self-righteous behavior. How many times have we
seen this second behavior played out after events have come to light that break apart phony images of
―holier than thou?‖ How then can any thinking person take a study of prayer seriously? We are
offering prayer as the fifth and final teaching method that Jesus employed. If you have gotten this far
with us you know by now that Jesus almost never does what we expect he will do, and seldom fits the
picture painted by the western church. So it may not surprise you too much to learn that he probably
didn't pray in the manner we imagine for him either. We'll make a study of how he probably did pray
later. For now it is enough to listen to a couple of stories that, we hope, offer a new perspective.
The Stories
Prologue from Journey to the Spring at Crystal Mountain
A cold wind blew silently over the face of the mystical waters. Gushing from the base of a sheer
wall of rock, a crystal-clear spring fed a series of transparent pools and gave rise to a
shimmering mist. The mist surrounded the waters, illuminated by the morning sun.
Kneeling at the edge of one of the pools, an old man in a gray cloak waited, his back to the
wind. He straightened his long, white hair with crooked fingers and stroked his ash-white
beard.
A voice descended and settled on the waters. Silent and invisible, it filled the old man with its
presence.
Through the mist, the morning sun sparkled and danced on the surface of the waters. The old
man dipped his cupped hands reverently in the pool and drank. Then he got to his feet and
turned to face the cold wind.
After the old man had made his way out of the mist, he sat on a large rock and put on his
sandals. Then he picked up his walking stick and lantern, and started down the path of sacred
silence.
How might the story in this prologue be a description of prayer? Consider the images of wind,
water, mist, silence, etc. How are these images connected with prayer? A voice silent and
invisible fills the old man with its presence. How is this an image of prayer?
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Gurion's Dream from Fellowship of Kindred Spirits
From his hiding place, the boy in Gurion‟s dream watched three robed figures working
zealously before a great circle of fire. Gurion could see nothing inside the great circle –
nothing but mound after endless mound of the dense clay the boy‟s mother worked to make pots
and jars. The boy had come here to dig clay for his mother many times. Now the elders said
there could be no more digging from this place because it was enchanted.
The fire burned coldly on the barren ground. The strange, robed figures walked indifferently
across its purple flames, as if the flames were something to be ignored. It would soon be light.
Already the eastern sky glowed in faint pastels of morning. The boy watched silently as the
figures finished their work and then crossed the great circle, disappearing into the trees beyond
the clearing. For a long time he waited, afraid they might return and catch him in the forbidden
area. But they did not return. Finally he climbed down from his hiding place and walked
toward the great circle of fire.
When he reached the flames, the boy stopped. He stood cautiously at the edge of the circle
afraid to cross the perimeter of fire that danced hauntingly before him like ghosts of his
ancestors. By the time he had gathered his courage, the sun was just breaking through the
horizon. Holding his breath, he pushed his way into the circle. He knelt quickly and dug his
fingers into the moist ground. When he had filled his animal skin with clay, he tied its corners
and hurried back through the cold flames to his hiding place. Again he waited for the robed
figures to return, afraid that somehow he would be discovered and punished. But as the sun
rose in the sky, the area remained deserted.
What did it mean that this area was enchanted? the boy wondered. He knew he could not take
the clay to his mother. She would know immediately what he had done. The dense clay from
these mounds was dark and sticky, unlike the clay from the area near the river. He untied his
bundle and looked at the strangely familiar treasure it contained. Nothing about the clay
seemed to have changed. The boy knew little of making pots and jars. What was he to do with
the enchanted clay now that he had gone into the forbidden area and retrieved it? If the clay
were truly enchanted, the boy reasoned, it would not matter very much what he did with it. He
was sure he would be given a sign. But he had to get away from the enchanted area before he
was discovered.
He started down the path that led to the sea. It was a long walk to the sea, and he was not likely
to be discovered there by his people – or by the robed figures. When he finally reached the
shore, the boy opened his animal skin and began to work the clay on a large rock that
overlooked the coast. He tried to shape the clay into a jar, as he had seen his mother do so
many times, but his hands were clumsy. He settled on the idea of making two flat tablets, which
he smoothed with as much care as his young hands could manage. When the tablets were
finished, he wrapped them carefully in his animal skin and buried them in the sand next to the
large rock.
The boy had nearly grown into a young man before he saw the tablets again. He did not believe
the stories of enchantment anymore, although he stayed out of the forbidden area. The robed
figures had long since left, and the purple flames had eventually burned themselves out. No one
spoke of the area of enchantment, but everyone stayed away. Then one day the elders called the
people together. Before the first word was spoken the boy knew he was in trouble, for in the
hands of the elders were the two clay tablets.
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The boy stepped forward. He cleared his throat and with a husky voice told the elders and the
people of the village what he had done. Afraid to look the elders in the eye, he looked down at
the ground as he spoke. He was explaining how the tablets had come out of the fire with no
signs of enchantment, when he heard sighs of wonder from the people of the village standing
behind him. He looked up to see the elders holding the tablets high above their heads for the
people to see. On the face of the tablets were strange symbols arranged in circular patterns.
They passed him the tablets that he had formed with his own hands. The strange symbols cried
out to him in a language he could not yet understand. But somehow he knew that if he sought
humbly and honestly to understand their message, it would eventually become clear to him.
The elders began to gather the jars and pots they had made from the dark clay. Symbols had
appeared on a few of them, and these they brought to the boy. One elegant jar caught the boy‟s
eye. Its five large symbols had been integrated into a magnificent pattern. How beautiful, the
boy thought. Then he noticed the same five symbols in a space about the size of his thumbnail
on one of the tablets. When he looked back at the jar, the meaning of the five symbols suddenly
became clear to him. He smiled quietly to himself. One moment unbroken contains the
universe.
*****
“It is a beautiful story,” Grandfather said, after Gurion had shared his dream about the boy
from an ancient time. “But it is not a dream.” Billy Whitehorse‟s grandfather was the closest
thing to a real grandfather that Gurion had ever known. Gurion‟s family lived across the street
from him, and since Billy was almost always at his grandfather‟s house, the two boys had
grown up together.
Gurion stared at the Old Nez Perce chief, unsure how to respond. Of course it was a dream.
That had not been his question at all.
Grandfather had a different way of seeing things that he called the Indian way. “You have been
chosen to walk a path that my people call the fellowship of kindred spirits. It is a path invisible
to most people, one that leads beyond this earthly reality.” He paused, giving his words time to
sink in. “The voice that calls you is the Great Spirit.”
“What do you mean it leads beyond this earthly reality?” Gurion asked.
Grandfather smiled. “Some paths lead within. That is where your pilgrimage of vision and
dream always takes you. That is where the Great Spirit continues to call you. Most people do
not even know that there is such a place, but there is. In your heart you know I speak the truth,
for you have journeyed there before. When you are there you can see beyond the veil of earthly
reality to the realm of the eternal. All things are possible there, for this is the place where
everything is connected and where creation begins.”
How might the circle of enchantment be an image of prayer or an image of the unconscious? The
boy digs clay from the circle and eventually the clay is covered with strange symbols. He realizes
that the forbidden area inside the great circle of fire holds unimaginable secrets. Grandfather gives
us some clues about how this story might describe the experience of prayer. We have characterized
prayer as ―the doorway between worlds.‖ How might prayer be a doorway?
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Thoughts to Ponder
Gott is gut
The origins of our English word ―God‖ are difficult to trace. As a name for what Jesus called
―Sacred Unity‖ or (Alaha) it was, of course, unknown to Jesus. The earliest example I can find
comes from Wulfila's translation of the Bible (circa 348) where it appears as ―guda.‖
ni manna mag twaim fraujam skalkinon; unte jabai fijaiþ ainana, jah anþarana frijoþ; aiþþau
ainamma ufhauseiþ, iþ anþaramma frakann. ni maguþ guda skalkinon jah mammonin.
(No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he
will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.)
(Matthew 6:24)
“Silence is the starting point for understanding.” – Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault
The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault, who has worked closely with Father Thomas Keating, says that
silence is the starting point for understanding. She says, ―It is the matrix out of which the Word
comes and to which it ultimately returns.‖ Prayer, for Jesus, meant going off by himself. The word
for ―prayer‖ in Aramaic (shalu) means ―attuning to, becoming one with and moved by, what is
greater than our fears, doubts, and confusions.‖ Shalu is closer to meditation than it is to what we
normally think of as prayer.
“Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”
“Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation.”
“The wailing of broken hearts is the doorway to God.” – Rumi.
Jalal ad-Din Rumi was a 13th-century Persian Muslim poet and Sufi mystic, known as the Poet of
Love. He was born on September 30, 1207, in the village of Wakhsh in what is now Tajikistan. He
died on December 17, 1273.
“To the center of one‟s being, the path is steep,
To the soul, the way is long,
For there is but one center of creation;
We are all one soul.”
Legends of the Forest Folk (From Journey to the Spring at Crystal Mountain)
Treasure to Bring Home: Unity
Silence seems like a perfect metaphor for unity. There is only one silence and we are all adrift in its
formlessness – a formlessness that gives form to everything. There is One Being which gives form to
everything and in which we all participate, but it is our diversity that makes things interesting.
Diversity is essential to unity. Unity is different from uniformity which is threatened by diversity.
Journal Entry
[What you see below is an example of a journal entry. In this entry we show you our learning. Your
learning will, of course, be different. We invite you to look back at what you observed and felt and
learned at this level of our journey together. If something stands out for you as most meaningful, we
hope you will record this in your journal.]
It seems like I‘ve traveled a long way from the Pharisee and the tax collector and their prayers, to
the ―place where everything is connected‖ in Gurion's dream. I can imagine Jesus walking the path –
―To the center of one‘s being,‖ to the ―center of creation.‖ If this is what Jesus meant by prayer, then I
want to know more about it. There is no room here for the smug and self-righteous. Entering the
silence requires great humility.
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Prayers
Ideas Level: The Path Examined
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ―Lord,
teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.‖ He said to them, ―When you pray, say: Father, hallowed
be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we
ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.‖ And he said to
them, ―Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‗Friend, lend
me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.‘ And
he answers from within, ‗Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are
with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.‘ I tell you, even though he will not get up and
give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give
him whatever he needs. ―So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find;
knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who
searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
(Luke 11:1-10 NRSV)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:3 NRSV)
The Path Examined
By now we have developed more than just a casual interest in the teachings. We know that their
meanings run much deeper than we might first have expected. Where did Jesus get the ideas that run
through his teachings? Did he pull them out of thin air, or did he reshape ideas that were already a part
of his culture? Why is it so difficult for us to understand ideas that seem bafflingly simple at first, yet
contrary to our understanding of reality? We have listened to some of the teachings' enigmas and found
ways to make sense of them. Now we want to understand these teachings more objectively. We want
to scrutinize them and see what makes them tick. As we enter the Ideas Level, the path examined, we
pull back to get a broader view and to test some of our early assumptions.
Ideas Level: Prayers
At the Stories Level, in our exploration of this fifth teaching method employed by Jesus, we made
a rather radical suggestion. We suggested that Jesus probably didn't pray in the manner that we might
imagine. Even if we don't pray much ourselves, chances are we have a pretty good idea in our minds of
Jesus praying, and of what prayer looks like. But we are beginning to learn that Jesus rarely cooperates
with any of the pictures created by the western church to represent him. As it turns out, the Aramaic
word (shalu) that has been translated into English as ―prayer‖ is closer to meditation than it is to what
we normally think of as prayer. In this session we will begin our study of what we know (or can
reasonably infer) about how Jesus probably did pray, and about what he was teaching his disciples, his
contemporaries, and us through his example of prayer.
A Choir of Teachings
It may seem, at first, that each of Jesus' teachings presents a single voice. But soon we discover that
the teachings are in reality a choir of voices resonating together and each informing the other. We
learned a little about what Jesus called the kingdom of God in the beatitudes and parables. Now this
Aramaic word for ―kingdom‖ (malkutah) appears again in Luke's version of what we have come to
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know as ―The Lord's Prayer.‖ In the beatitudes section we learned that this prayer follows shortly after
the beatitudes and illustrates the Hebrew understanding that the kingdom of God (or heaven) does not
involve the idea of taking us up to heaven, but rather it means bringing heaven down to earth. In the
parables Jesus compares ―kingdom‖ (malkutah) to a number of different realities in order to break
down cultural connotations and expectations. The Parable of the Mustard Seed ridicules the cultural
idea of a powerful political kingdom, which was symbolized in Hebrew poetry by the cedar tree. Jesus
makes it clear that the ―kingdom‖ he speaks of is not a political kingdom. ―My kingdom (malkutah) is
not from this world.‖ (John 18:36). We learned that malkutah has broader meanings in Aramaic. So
what did Jesus mean by malkutah?
Malkutah
What kind of reality is malkutah, and how is it different from the ordinary reality of the material
world?It is not a place. It is not a political reality. It is not separate from our everyday reality. Malkutah
is, rather, a boundless mystical reality or dimension that includes ordinary reality just as a cube
includes a square, but it can only be seen and understood if we find the eyes and heart of a mystic.
Empowers from within. Malkutah empowers us from within. It is what says ―I can‖ within us and
moves us to inspired action.
Transforms self. Malkutah is the image and potential planted within us that transforms and opens
us to an understanding of what it means to live with meaning and purpose. Malkutah is
―God's actions and attributes – not as expressed by God, but rather as human beings express them.‖
Unconditional love, kindness, forgiveness, generosity, authenticity, compassion, joy, openness,
persistence, wisdom – these are the transforming qualities of malkutah.
Solidarity. Malkutah is solidarity or right relationship, with those who experience poverty, hunger
and suffering. An authentic life is a life lived true to one's spirit or character. A hunger and a
passion for right relationship characterize citizens of malkutah's comprehensive reality.
Source of wonder. Malkutah is a source of wonder, possibility and new life to those willing to
suspend ideas about what is ―possible‖ and ―impossible.‖ Malkutah includes: wonder and
possibilities beyond what we can expect of ordinary reality; a willingness to believe in the unseen
and unknown and in the potential for perfection; a belief that even in the midst of pain and
misfortune and a frightening world, transformation is possible.
Sabbath reality. Malkutah is a Sabbath reality because it creates the space for attention and
awareness when we stop, look and listen. It only comes to us if we persist in asking for it – in
―listening‖ for the ―still small voice‖ echoing from within us through the practice of meditation.
Healing
Despite his myriad of approaches and methods of teaching, healing is always the primary, divine
force beneath the good news that Jesus brings. Beatitudes, for instance, are not just wise teachings;
they are expressions of healing. Jesus tells us that to live in the blessed state of being, which he calls
the kingdom of God, is to be whole. For Jesus, healing is not a suspension of the laws of nature,
requiring a miracle; healing is available to anyone. The first beatitude from Matthew is a recipe for
healing. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” It helps to know that
―poor in spirit‖ (l‟meskenaee b‟rukh) is a colloquialism for living humbly. First, Jesus calls us to clear
out all the ―junk‖ in our lives that prevents us from living authentically. Jesus asks us not to attach
importance to wealth, to seeking earthly security, and to being sure we know all the answers. An
authentic state of humility creates space – only then are we open to receiving God. Then, healing
happens when we open ourselves to be who we are meant to be: whole human beings, reflecting the
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image of God. Embracing these two acts – creating space through humility and opening ourselves to
who we are meant to be – Jesus tells us, can be transformative. We might call it healing; we might call
it ―salvation.‖ Jesus called it ―blessedness.‖
Malkutah Dashmaya
Malkutah dashmaya is usually translated ―kingdom of heaven.‖ We have already seen what Jesus
meant by malkutah. The other Aramaic word in this very important phrase, dashmaya, contains the
root shm, which means ―name‖ or ―vibration.‖ It means literally something like ―of the name
everlasting or of the name all encompassing.‖ It may help to remember that in the story where Moses
tries to pin God down to a name, God answers ―I am whoever I will be!‖ (That's what the name
YHWH means.) ―Name‖ is the essence of who you are and what is possible for you, as defined by
your malkutah. Far too often we endure the ―name‖ placed upon us by others with no hope for
freedom and healing. But Jesus says in this beatitude, this recipe for healing, that if we create space
through humility and open ourselves to who we are meant to be we can reject the ―name‖ placed on us
by others and use God's name: ―I am whoever I will be!‖
Shalu
When Jesus' disciples ask him to ―teach us to shalu‖ Jesus tells them that God's kingdom
(malkutah) will be given to them if they persist in asking for it. Malkutah (empowerment from within)
doesn't come easily. Meditation (shalu) requires a commitment to practice. But if we persist, even the
name of God (―I am whoever I will be!‖) will be made available to us.
Treasure to Bring Home: Persistence
―I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least
because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. So I say to you, Ask, and it
will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone
who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be
opened.‖ It's not enough to ask, we have to keep asking. It's not enough to knock, we have to keep
knocking. It's not enough to search, we have to keep searching.
Journal Entry
A dervish is someone who sits in the doorway between worlds. Prayer, understood properly, is
such a doorway. As I learn more about Jesus' concept of prayer – going off by himself to open himself
to what he called Alaha or Sacred Unity – and how he used shalu as a form of teaching, Luke's version
of the ―Lord's Prayer‖ looks more like a lesson in persistence than words to be memorized. I want to
know more about this prayer and what it may have to teach me.
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PRAYERS Puzzles Level
Prayers
Puzzles Level: Walking the Labyrinth
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
―And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the
synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have
received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your
Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you are praying, do
not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their
many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then
in this way:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.‖
(Matthew 6:5-15 NRSV)
Walking the Labyrinth
Walking a labyrinth requires concentration and attention. Every measured step we take, every idea
that enters our awareness, can be a turning point to inspire and awaken us to something new. Even as
our path seems to meander, and sometimes even turn back upon itself, we begin to collect puzzle
pieces that, if we can connect them, may give us a better picture of what it means to bring heaven to
earth – to find in our lives the Promised Land. The labyrinth we walk at this level, however, is a
labyrinth of the mind. The ethereal puzzle pieces we collect flicker and shimmer like film clips from a
virtual reality or fragments from a hologram. The images they conjure up form mysterious patterns that
follow us as we try to walk around them and find their boundaries. We know that the abstract path we
walk is but a symbol for the enchanted kingdom. Even a physical labyrinth is but a metaphorical
journey to our center, our core. And, after all, mind and spirit are close cousins. The teachings point us
toward and invite us into a reality we have not yet grasped. We trust inspiration to lead us closer to that
reality.
Puzzles Level: Prayers
We suggested in the Stories Level that Jesus probably didn't pray in the manner we picture him
praying. We discovered that the Aramaic word for prayer (shalu) is actually closer in meaning to
meditation than it is to prayer. In the Ideas Level we began to look at what we know (or can reasonably
infer) about how Jesus probably did pray, and about what he was teaching his contemporaries and us
through his examples of prayer. We learned that persistence, or a commitment to practice, was
emphasized by Jesus as a key component to shalu or meditation. Now, in the Puzzles Level, we will
enter more fully into the world of the Aramaic language and try to understand what Jesus may have
been teaching through the words of what we know as the ―Lord's Prayer.‖
The Practice of Prayer
Chapters five through seven in Matthew's gospel have been called the Sermon on the Mount. The
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section on prayer (and meditation) comes in Matthew 6:5-15. When we look at the ―Lord's Prayer‖ in
context, we see that these puzzling words are included in the passage: But whenever you pray, go into
your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you. These instructions on the practice of prayer are oftentimes overlooked.
Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz tells us, "Each word in Aramaic can be interpreted several different ways.
This is particularly true of the words of a mystic or prophet. In the Jewish tradition, this...is called
midrash." He offers possible interpretive translations of the Aramaic nuances to the phrase we have
italicized. He is not suggesting these words as a better translation of the original Aramaic. Rather, he
offers these words as a kind of modern day ―midrash‖ or exposition designed to convey information
about the passage or explain what is difficult to understand. One Aramaic nuance for the word shalu is
to ―lay yourself open for the divine.‖ This is a different picture and understanding for what has been
translated as ―prayer.‖
Heaping Empty Phrases
Right before the ―Lord's Prayer‖ Jesus says: “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases
as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” What do you suppose he means by
this? Many of us have said the words to the ―Lord's Prayer‖ so many times that these words are in
danger of becoming ―empty phrases‖ to us. If through the ―Lord's Prayer‖ Jesus was teaching us the
practice of meditation and empowering us in the process, as it now seems very possible that he was,
then his words, as beautiful and powerful as they are – especially in King James English – have, in one
sense, become ―empty phrases.‖ To reclaim the wisdom behind the words we need to return to Jesus'
original language and do our best to understand what he was teaching.
Forgiveness and the Lord's Prayer
We know from the scriptures that Jesus oftentimes went off by himself to pray or meditate – or to
“lay himself open for the divine.” Here in this section on prayer, we see the importance of forgiveness.
What did Jesus mean by forgiveness? Again, Neil Douglas-Klotz suggests possible Aramaic nuances
of the passage:
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Untangle the knots within
so that we can mend our hearts' simple ties to each other.
This passage is so important that it is repeated and explained for emphasis:
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you
do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
For if you do not release others from their past entanglements,
neither will the parent of creation release you from yours.
A Midrash on the Lord's Prayer*
Abwoon d'bwashmaya (Our Father in heaven)
As we have emphasized so many times before, the Aramaic language offers many possibilities for
translation – including, of course, the NRSV translation above. What the translation ―Our Father in
heaven‖ may not convey is the idea of creation that may be present in the phrase. The Aramaic bw
or bv sound, which occurs twice in the passage, usually suggests ―giving birth.‖ However, Abwoon
can also be seen as ab, a common Semitic root for "father," with the won corresponding to the
Hebrew nu meaning ―our.‖ It would be disingenuous to suggest that a better translation might
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come from separating the A from the bw, which gives an entirely different meaning. ―Our Father‖
is without doubt the most obvious choice. But Aramaic allows us to consider the possibility of a
poetic rendering of A, which can mean Alaha or ―Sacred Unity‖ combined with bw, ―giving birth.‖
When we put these ideas together we get an image closer to ―Creator‖ or ―Parent‖ breathing life
(the Aramaic oo suggests breath or spirit) into the world. It is perfectly rational to come to either
conclusion – rational people can disagree. D'bwashmaya, which is usually translated ―heaven‖
offers similar opportunities of midrash. The root shm can mean ―name‖ or ―light‖ or ―vibration
(sound).‖ The bw sound, as we already said, usually suggests ―giving birth‖ and the aya sound in
Aramaic suggests something like ―all pervading.‖ Put those ideas together and you get a pretty
good description of heaven – a place giving birth to all-pervading light. But, poetically, much more
is offered in depth of meaning. Remember that a midrash is an exposition designed to convey
information about the passage or explain what is difficult to understand. We are not suggesting a
change in translation. We are only trying to help explain what is difficult to understand about the
nuances that may be lost in any translation – no matter how good it might be. Even a rudimentary
look at the Aramaic roots challenges us to be open to new ways of understanding the text.
Nethqadash shmakh (Hallowed be your name)
Shmakh is derived from the same root as the Aramaic word for heaven. You can see the shm root –
meaning ―name‖ or ―light‖ or ―vibration;‖ and ―name‖ is the obvious translation. But it carries with
it connotations of the importance of the spoken name – or the name that cannot be spoken. The
word qadash means ―holy.‖ In Aramaic something is made holy by setting it apart or creating a
space for it. Also present in the root is the idea of planting – perhaps because one must clear a
space and prepare it before planting the seeds. All of this teaches us about meditation or
mindfulness where one creates space and prepares the soul for the practice of mindfulness. The fact
that the gardener must continue to keep the space clear of weeds, and water and nourish the seeds
regularly and with perseverance is implied in the idea of planting. Again, this teaches us about
meditation where we hallow a space for the planting of Alaha's presence. As we learned in the
Ideas Level, Jesus is calling us to clear out all the ―junk‖ in our lives that prevents us from living
authentically. An authentic state of humility creates space – only then are we open to reflecting on
the image or ―name‖ of Alaha.
Teytey malkutah (Your kingdom come)
We have studied the word malkutah before. It conveys the idea of guiding principles and the
empowerment from within to go forward in the face of all difficulties, and of a creative potential
ready to be realized. In the parables Jesus compares ―kingdom‖ (malkutah) to a number of different
realities in order to break down cultural connotations and expectations. Jesus makes it clear that the
―kingdom‖ he speaks of is not a political kingdom. What Jesus meant by malkutah was closer to
―that part of yourself that reigns over what is possible for you to do and to be.‖ Teytey means
―come‖ but in the intimate sense of coming into us personally. There is a sense of being
empowered to bear fruit – as if seeds were being planted in us so that we might take part in the
never-ending process of creation.
Nehwey tzevyanach aykanna d'bwashmaya aph b'arha (Your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven)
We recognize the Aramaic word d'bwashmaya usually translated ―heaven.‖ The word arha,
translated ―earth,‖ may be the original source of that word. Tzevyanach, here translated as ―will‖
but not in the sense of willfulness, is closer in meaning to ―heart‘s desire‖ with the sense that a goal
or purpose is implied. A poetic rendition might be ―Your heart‘s desire is to bring heaven down to
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earth.‖ And also implied is that we affirm that goal or purpose with our whole being. In parallel
meaning with the phrase above, the seeds planted in us yearn to take part in the never-ending
process of creation. C. F. Burney in his book The Poetry of Our Lord, shows the careful structure
of the ―Lord‘s Prayer‖ in Aramaic. The prayer is constructed in perfect four-beat rhythm with a
parallel structure:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,
As in the heavens, so on earth.
To help bring about our shared ―heart‘s desire,‖ we are living as though God‘s vision were already
a reality.
Hawvlan lachma d'sunqanan yaomana (Give us this day our daily bread)
The Aramaic word lachma means both ―bread‖ and ―understanding.‖ The root is hma. It is directly
related to hochma, which is the word meaning ―wisdom,‖ or in Proverbs ―Holy Wisdom‖ which we
know better by her Greek name, ―Sofia.‖ The ―Lord‘s Prayer‖ in many ways is a call for wisdom or
even the embodiment of wisdom. When we pray or meditate on it we are asking God to grant us
wisdom: both the wisdom to produce and share what we need to survive, and the wisdom to persist
in shalu, which is, as we learned I n the Ideas Level, what the disciples ask Jesus to teach them.
Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn) aykanna daph khnan shbwoqan l'khayyabayn (And
forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.)
We spoke of this passage in an earlier section and gave you Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz‘s possible
Aramaic nuances:
Untangle the knots within
so that we can mend our hearts' simple ties to each other.
The Aramaic word khaubayn, translated by the NRSV as ―debts‖ is a good example of the range of
meaning in Aramaic. Most of us have heard this prayer said a number of different ways with this
word translated variously as ―debts,‖ ―sins,‖ ―trespasses,‖ etc. Perhaps you moved from one
congregation where ―debts‖ was said to another where they used ―trespasses.‖ It probably took you
a long time to become comfortable with "trespasses‖ – if, indeed, you ever did! The ―Lord‘s
Prayer‖ tends to be held sacrosanct – most holy and immune from criticism or violation. We don‘t
like people messing with it or changing it in any way! And here we are seemingly tearing it apart
and offering whole new ways of looking at it. Just remember that Jesus was not known for teaching
lessons that were ―comfortable.‖ And the ―Lord‘s Prayer‖ is no exception. If it has become
comfortable to us, then it has lost its power. The hypocrites may have been comfortable showing
off. The Gentiles may have been comfortable with their empty phrases. Jesus came to shake them
up! He came to turn our thinking upside down. No matter what version of the ―Lord‘s Prayer‖ you
like, don‘t ever get comfortable with it. Read the words and think about what we are asking for,
and think about what these words really mean. The word for ―forgiveness‖ is central to this line of
the prayer. We are literally being asked to forgive debts in an economic sense, but we are also
being asked to forgive those who have sinned against us. Both of those are tall orders. And, just in
case we missed the importance of forgiveness, Jesus explains after the prayer, “For if you forgive
others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” I don‘t know about you, but that doesn‘t make
me feel very comfortable – no matter how you translate it!
Wela tahlan l'nesyuna, ela patzan min bisha (And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue
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us from the evil one)
Here is a case where the Greek has led to some confusion. In the Aramaic wela tahlan the meaning
is clearly ―don‘t let us enter‖ or ―don‘t let us be seduced by.‖ There is no sense of God leading us
astray. Nesyuna could be translated ―temptation‖ but it is in the sense of being diverted from our
true purpose by superficiality and materialism. In the last half of the line, ela patzan min bisha,
bisha means ―evil‖ in the sense of being ―unripe.‖ It is the opposite of the Aramaic word for
―blessed,‖ which can also mean ―ripe.‖ Evil, then, is being unprepared to do what is required of us
– unprepared to do the right thing at the right time.
Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l'ahlam almin, ameyn (For yours is the
kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, amen.)
The final line does not actually appear in the prayer as it is recorded in Matthew (or Luke, for that
matter). But it is added by some ancient texts and has become a traditional part of the prayer. Hayla
(traditionally translated as "power") is the energy that gives and sustains all life. Teshbukhta
("glory") evokes the image of things returned to a state of harmony and equilibrium.
*Based on a course given by Neil Douglas-Klotz. See also Prayers of the Cosmos by Neil DouglasKlotz (Harper and Row, 1990) and http://www.co-intelligence.org/lordsprayer2.html.
Various Poetic Renditions of the Aramaic Lord's Prayer
Several contemporary explorations of the Lord's Prayer from the original Aramaic follow.
Remember that these are poetic renditions only and not intended to be translations. Read each
midrash slowly, allowing time for each word and phrase to enter your consciousness. What do you
think Jesus might have been teaching through these words?
Mark Hathaway's Poetic Renditions
O Cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration.
Soften the ground of our being and carve out a space within us where your Presence can abide.
Fill us with your creativity so that we may be empowered to bear the fruit of your mission.
Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with our desire.
Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.
Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us,
as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.
Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose,
but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.
For you are the ground and the fruitful vision,
the birth, power and fulfillment,
as all is gathered and made whole once again.
O Divine Womb,
birthing forth the river of blessing which runs through all,
Soften the ground of our being,
and hallow in us a space for the planting of thy presence.
In our depths,
sow thy seed with its greening-power
that we might be midwives to thy Reign.
Then, let each of our actions
bear fruit in accordance with thy desire.
Impart to us the wisdom to bring forth the gifts of the earth
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and share them daily according to the needs of each being,
And restore that which has been usurped
by injustice to its rightful owners,
as we restore to others that which is not our own.
Do not let us be seduced
by that which would divert us from our purpose,
but make us sensitive to the moment at hand.
For from thy fertile soil is born the creativity,
the life-energy, and the dance,
from birthing to birthing. Ameyn.
O Source of the Wave,
which envelops and embraces the cosmos,
sustaining and renewing it at each moment,
Penetrate the deepest recesses of our hearts,
and there create a space for thy holy shrine.
In this nuptial chamber,
conceive the creative potency of thy Reign,
So that we may give birth to the embodiment of thy desire:
As from the emanation, so too in form.
With passion and soul let us generate
that which is needed to sustain life this day.
Release us from the bondage of our karma,
as we free others from the captivity of their guilt.
And do not let superficiality cause us to vacillate,
but rather free us from all that impedes growth.
For from thee bursts forth all that
dignifies, gives life, and astonishes,
from cycle to cycle, restoring wholeness. Ameyn.
O Creative Breath,
ebbing and flowing through all forms,
Free us from all constrictions,
so that the current of thy life
may move in us without hindrance.
Empower us with thy creativity,
and clothe us with royal dignity,
So that,fully at one with the vortex of thy desire,
sacred actions pour forth from us
with each breath we release.
Renew in us this day
our lifebreath, vigour, and passion,
And untie the tangled threads of destiny which bind us,
as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.
Do not let us lose ourselves in distraction,
but by the way of the breath,
lead us into mindfulness.
For from thy depths pour forth
the Way, the Life, and the Splendour,
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from age to age, it is so. Ameyn.
O Source of the Radiance,
dancing in and about all-that-is,
Shine forth into the depths of our beings,
and enkindle there the flame of thy essence.
Grant that it may blaze forth
and fill us with its searing creativity,
Until, fully united with thy fiery desire,
light pours out from us, taking form.
May we be revitalised each day
with nourishment for body and spirit,
And be liberated from all that oppresses us,
as we struggle to mend the fabric of our world.
Let us not be enmeshed in the nets of illusion,
but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.
For from thee shine forth
the precepts, the sustenance, and the generative fire,
from centring to centring. Ameyn.
O Silent Sound,
whose shimmering music pulsates
at the heart of each and all,
Clear a space in us where thy melody
may be perceived in its purity.
Let the rhythm of thy counsel reverberate through our lives,
so that we move to the beat of justice, love, and peace.
Then, our whole being at one with thy song,
grant that the earth may be filled
with the beauty of thy voice.
Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share
what each being needs to grow and flourish,
And give us courage to embrace our shadow with emptiness,
as we embrace others in their darkness.
But let us not be captive to uncertainty,
nor cling to fruitless pursuits.
For from thee springs forth
the rhythm, the melody, and the harmony,
which restores all to balance, again and again. Ameyn.
O Parent of the Universe,
manifesting thyself as generative energy,
Bend over us and remove
all that clutters our being
and set apart a place
where thy sacredness may dwell.
Fill us with thy creativity,
so that we may be empowered to bear
the fruit of thy vision.
Then, moving to the heartbeat of thy desire,
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make us the embodiment of thy compassion.
Drawing from the ground of our humanity
grant that we may renew each other
with love, understanding, and sustenance.
Empty us of frustrated hopes and despair,
as we restore others to a renewal of vision.
And let us not fall into agitation,
but save us from precipitous actions.
For thou art the ground
of the fruitful vision, the birthing-power, and the fulfillment,
as all is gathered and made whole once again. Ameyn.
Neil Douglas-Klotz in Prayers of the Cosmos
O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos
Focus your light within us - make it useful.
Create your reign of unity nowthrough our fiery hearts and willing hands
Help us love beyond our ideals
and sprout acts of compassion for all creatures.
Animate the earth within us: we then
feel the Wisdom underneath supporting all.
Untangle the knots within
so that we can mend our hearts' simple ties to each other.
Don't let surface things delude us,
But free us from what holds us back from our true purpose.
Out of you, the astonishing fire,
Returning light and sound to the cosmos.
Amen.
Another Neil Douglas-Klotz Interpretive Rendition
O, Birther of the Cosmos,
Focus your light within us -- make it useful
Create your reign of unity now
Your one desire then acts with ours,
As in all light,
So in all forms,
Grant us what we need each day in bread and insight:
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
As we release the strands we hold of other's guilt.
Don't let surface things delude us,
But free us from what holds us back.
From you is born all ruling will,
The power and the life to do,
The song that beautifies all,
From age to age it renews.
I affirm this with my whole being.
How are these contemporary poetic renditions different? How are they similar? Much of what
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appears in them is anachronistic – that is, they make use of language and ideas that do not belong to
Jesus' time or culture. What can we learn from the practice of midrash? What do we find here that
seems to be missing in the Aramaic to Greek to English translations of the ―Lord's Prayer‖ to which we
are accustomed? Do you think Jesus intended the words of the shalu he gave his disciples to be
memorized and repeated as a rote prayer? Or might they have been intended to be remembered as
instructions for living?
Treasure to Bring Home: Wisdom
With the ―Lord‘s Prayer‖ Jesus says, in effect, “Don‟t show off or pray empty words. Shalu –
practice meditation. Attune yourselves, become one with and moved by, what is greater than your
fears, doubts, and confusions. I have written a poem for you that I want you to use as a puzzle to
meditate on. Clear a space for it in your hearts and commit yourselves to a lifetime of uncovering its
wisdom.”
Journal Entry
There is an obvious problem trying to translate words from a different culture and a different time.
It would be silly to think that we can somehow produce an authentic Aramaic ―translation‖ of the
―Lord's Prayer‖ that would capture in English what Jesus actually said in Aramaic. But even in these
various attempts to render the prayer poetically, we feel a deepening of our understanding. We sense a
larger purpose and wisdom in what Jesus was trying to teach his disciples through prayer. And we
begin to see how prayer can be a doorway between worlds.
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Prayers
Dreams Level: Awareness of Call
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ―In a
certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was
a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‗Grant me justice against my opponent.‘ For a while he
refused; but later he said to himself, ‗Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet
because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by
continually coming.‘‖
(Luke 18:1-6 NRSV)
Awareness of Call
As we begin to get a glimpse of how Jesus teaches, we leave the Puzzles Level of our pilgrimage
and enter a level where more is required of us. Our journey through the first level was a journey of
story. We listened to the stories and considered, and perhaps discussed, what implications Jesus'
teachings might have for our lives. The Ideas and Puzzles Levels studied meaning and culture by
exploring concepts, facts and hypotheses. In the Dreams Level we are challenged to interact with the
teachings about this illusive interior kingdom in ways that are a little more engaging. The Dreams
Level gives us the opportunity to ―walk the walk‖ of pilgrimage through a series of dreams, activities,
games and challenges. Where appropriate, we will be introduced to new primary biblical/historical
material. In some instances we will look deeper at some of the teachings that have already become
familiar to us at the Stories, Ideas and Puzzles Levels. But most importantly, as we experience the
Dreams Level, the awareness of call, we will begin to explore ways the interior kingdom reaches into
the exterior world and affects our daily lives.
Dreams Level: Prayers
We discovered in the Stories Level that the Aramaic word for prayer (shalu) means ―attuning to,
becoming one with and moved by, what is greater than our fears, doubts, and confusions.‖ Shalu is
actually closer in meaning to meditation than it is to prayer. In the Ideas Level we began to look at
what we know (or can reasonably infer) about how Jesus probably did pray, and about what he was
teaching his contemporaries (and us) through his examples of prayer. We learned that persistence, or a
commitment to practice, was emphasized by Jesus as a key component to shalu or meditation. In the
Puzzles Level we tried to understand what Jesus may have been teaching through the words we know
as the ―Lord's Prayer.‖ We were introduced to midrash – an exercise in exposition designed to convey
information about a passage or explain what is difficult to understand. Midrash does not suggest
changes in translation. But it can help us understand nuances that may be lost in any translation – no
matter how good that translation might be. Our rudimentary look at Aramaic words and roots
challenged us to be open to new ways of understanding the text. Now, in the Dreams Level, it is time
to shift gears from intellectual puzzles of nuance to dreams of the heart. We will be exploring a way of
praying that has ancient roots, but may help us practice prayer in new ways.
Beads and Seeds as Metaphors for Prayer
The idea for prayer beads is VERY old. Over 5,000 years at least. The idea came from Egyptian
sources (or earlier) and moved out from there to India and later to the Mediterranean. The Egyptians
believed an invisible strand connects us to the divine, and that prayers were sent along this strand. The
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prayer, like a seed, had to be covered with a vital force (from which it was nourished) and then buried
or entombed before it could be sent along the strand. The strand was also thought of as a "thread" and
the idea of wearing a thread around one's neck as a reminder of this "strand connection" to the divine
came from India where a sacred thread was worn as a symbol around the neck of a Brahmin. The beads
represented prayers that moved along the thread.
The Egyptians saw these prayer beads as metaphorical "seeds" which would germinate and then
grow into reality. The potential for something very small and virtually dead to grow into a future
reality explains much about Egyptian religious practices. They prepared their dead and ―planted‖ them
to send them as prayers to the divine. Bowls overflowing with seeds were entombed with the bodies of
the dead symbolizing the many prayers sending them on their way to the divine. Food was left to
nourish them. The most sacred of animals to Egyptians was the scarab beetle (dung beetle) because it
entombed its "seed" or egg in a ball of mud (made with its own saliva) and the seed later hatched in the
sun. Even the sun was drawn as a circle with a dot in the middle. The Egyptians believed the Roller,
the deity who created all life, rolled the sun across the sky like a scarab beetle rolled its ball of mud.
Jesus used some of this same symbolism with respect to seeds (the mustard seed, etc.) and may
have gotten the idea by way of the Egyptians. His advice about prayer (go into a closet), the way he
healed the blind (wrapping his prayer in mud made with saliva and covering, or entombing the eyes),
his resurrection from the tomb – all suggest a form of Egyptian symbolism. All of this is no great
surprise, of course, since the Hebrew connection with Egypt goes all the way back to Moses and
Joseph.
Beads as Seeds of Prayer
Prayer beads can prove useful even today in the practice of prayer. Instead of beads to count
prayers (as, for example, with a rosary), individual beads of different shapes, colors and textures
representing particular prayers help to call those prayers to mind whenever we touch the beads that
correspond to the prayers. In the scripture for this session, Jesus emphasizes the need to ―pray always
and not to lose heart.‖ Wearing a strand of beads or keeping it in a pocket, becomes a constant
reminder to keep those prayers always with us.
Use your imagination and create whatever experience works best for you. You can buy the beads
or make them yourself. Start with an empty string or cord. (I like Spiderwire fishing line, but use
whatever you like.) For the first week, wear just the ―sacred thread‖ as a reminder of our close
connection with Sacred Unity. After a week, begin adding beads of different shapes, colors and
textures to the strand as prayers occur to you. Every bead should be as different as the prayer it
represents so that touching it, even with our eyes closed, will call that particular prayer to mind. The
bead chosen to mark the beginning of the cord, becomes a prayer for guidance from the higher self
(soul). Each subsequent bead can stand for any "seed of prayer" we wish to plant. Once planted, the
―seeds‖ need only to be ―watered‖ daily by our being mindful of them. Just touching the bead in
recognition will eventually be enough.
Praying the Beads
Create beads and prayers out of your own personal situation, using language that feels right to you.
Remember what we learned from our study of the ―Lord's Prayer.‖ As much as possible try to pray
secretly, silently and persistently, remembering that the One Being knows what we need before we ask
for it. Try to keep the language of your prayers positive. (For example, ―fearlessness‖ instead of ―not
being afraid.‖) I have beads for guidance, health, inner peace, justice and peace for the world, as well
as beads remembering family members and friends, victims of disasters, and people on our church's
prayer chain. Start with just a few beads and then add more as needed. The prayers don't have to be
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long or complicated. For instance:
Guidance: Guided in all ways by higher self, everything I ask has already been accomplished.
Thank you God for helping me realize it. Send this prayer to higher self – Holy Spirit residing
within and among us all. Amen.
Health, Long Life, Keen Mind: I am strong and healthy and free of disease. My body can fight off
any disease. It is already accomplished. Thank you God for helping me realize it. Send this prayer
to higher self – Holy Spirit residing within and among us all. Amen.
Inner Peace: I have inner peace to share with the world. It is already accomplished. Thank you
God for helping me realize it. Send this prayer to higher self – Holy Spirit residing within and
among us all. Amen.
Justice and Peace for the world: The world is moving inevitably toward justice and peace. It is
already accomplished. Thank you God for helping us realize it. Send this prayer to higher self –
Holy Spirit residing within and among us all. Amen.
Extra Bead Prayers of Healing:
Here you can add beads for extra prayers of healing for members of your immediate family; other
families you want to remember; victims & their families; prayer chain; etc.
Beads can be a way into prayer and meditation, and a way to keep track of all the people and
situations we want to remember. We can pray them out loud, when are alone, or silently and secretly
almost anytime or anywhere. They can travel with us when we are away from home. Once a bead takes
on the personality of a particular prayer, just fingering each bead brings that prayer to mind.
Treasure to Bring Home: Acceptance
It‘s hard to do, but sometimes we must let go of old ideas that we were sure were right, and open
our hearts to the acceptance of something new. Accepting God's first language as silence and trying to
communicate through silence may seem almost like learning a foreign language. But it's a language
worth learning. Using beads to represent prayers may seem silly at first, but it can become a practice
that leads easily into a daily habit of meditation.
Journal Entry
Jesus says ―to pray always and not to lose heart.‖ I wonder what he means by that? He also uses a
word for ―prayer‖ that means something closer to meditation. He goes off by himself to pray, and tells
his disciples not to use ―empty phrases‖ or to pray in public. He says that Alaha already knows what is
in our hearts before we say it, so we don‘t need words. ―Silence is the language of God, all else is poor
translation‖ wrote Rumi. Silence is the language of meditation, but not the language of prayer as we
usually think of it. Our lives seem to be filled with noise. We have to make space for silence. How do I
make sense of Jesus‘ teachings with my 21st century mind? I like the image of prayers being like seeds
to plant. The prayers get planted silently inside of us and grow into something we might not expect.
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Prayers
Models Level: Awakening to the Journey
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Jesus answered them, ―Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‗Be taken up
and thrown into the sea,‘ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come
to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have
received it, and it will be yours.
(Mark 11:22-24 NRSV)
Awakening to the Journey
We've had a little taste of what can happen when we try to get an honest glimpse of the bold vision
that Jesus dreamed for humanity. We've experienced the power of story, the complications of meaning
and culture, the intellectual rush of following the winding course of a proposed hypothesis, and the
gratification that can come with actually daring to dream. Now we are ready to take the next step into
the teachings and look for a few simple ways to attempt to model ―kingdom thinking‖ about living
authentic lives. By now even the small sample of teachings we have wrestled with should be enough to
give us pause. The implied invitation that Jesus extends to us into this strange Promised Land ―within
and among us‖ seems an impossible invitation. But is it really impossible? The Models Level gives us
a chance to find out. It challenges us to discover simple ways to practice Jesus‘ teachings in our own
lives. In some instances we will revisit teachings to see if we can transform Dreams Level dreams into
everyday practice. We will also look at new examples of authentic teachings and try to imagine how
we might make a serious attempt to model the behaviors that these teachings exemplify. As we
experience the Models Level, awakening to the journey, we will be given the chance to try some of
these teachings on for size. At first they may seem an awkward fit. Most likely, each of us will need to
tailor pilgrimage suggestions to personal experience.
Models Level: Prayers
In the four preceding levels we have been struggling to understand and accept a different notion of
prayer – one that is, perhaps, closer to what Jesus might have meant by the word that he used for
prayer: shalu. There are very few examples in the synoptic gospels of Jesus praying in what we might
think of as a conventional sense. We know that he said blessings over food. We know that he asked
God for strength. But I can't think of a single example of anything resembling, for instance, a ―pastoral
prayer.‖ (We have such an example in John 17 with the so-called ―high priestly prayer,‖ but it is so
characteristic of John's theology that it is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine it coming from the lips
of Jesus.) Jesus' practice of prayer, on the other hand, pervades the gospels. He regularly withdrew
from people to be with Alaha. When his disciples ask him in Luke, ―teach us to pray (shalu),‖ they
mean teach us the practice of prayer. Jesus gives them some very carefully constructed words to say,
words C. F. Burney identifies as poetry (see The Poetry of Our Lord). But then, in Luke, Jesus
immediately tells them a story about the value of persistence. In Matthew he tells them, ―Beware of
practicing your piety before others.‖ For Jesus, prayer was a very private act of attuning to Alaha, of
becoming one with and moved by Sacred Unity. Prayer was a practice. Jesus says in Luke 18 to ―pray
always.‖ In other words, make it your practice. Henri Nouwen defines solitude as "time alone with
God." He defines silence as "listening to God." In the Models Level we introduce some people who are
examples of making this kind of "listening to God" a practice.
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Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi (1181/1182 – October 3, 1226) founded the Franciscan Order. Francis chose
never to be ordained a priest and his community lived as "lesser brothers." Francis' preaching to
ordinary people was unusual since he had no license to do so. In 1209 he composed a simple rule for
his followers, ―To follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and to walk in his footsteps.‖ Francis
was a believer in actions as prayer.
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”
“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the
impossible.”
“While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your
heart.”
“It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”
“It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.”
Teresa of Avila
Saint Teresa of Ávila (March 28, 1515 – October 4, 1582) was a prominent Spanish mystic and
theologian of contemplative life. She wrote The Interior Castle near the end of her life and it is,
perhaps, the greatest of all her writings. Her ―interior castle‖ is an image of the soul.
“He showed her a most beautiful crystal globe, made in the shape of a castle, and containing
seven mansions, in the seventh and innermost of which was the King of Glory, in the greatest
splendor, illumining and beautifying them all. The nearer one got to the center, the stronger
was the light; outside the palace limits everything was foul, dark and infested with toads, vipers
and other venomous creatures.” – Teresa of Avila, reported by Fray Diego, from a letter
written after Teresa explained her vision of the soul as the Interior Castle.
“Now let us return to our beautiful and delightful castle and see how we can enter it....As far as
I can understand, the door of entry into this castle is prayer and meditation: I do not say
mental prayer rather than vocal, for, if it is prayer at all, it must be accompanied by
meditation....
Let us rather think of certain other souls, who do eventually enter the castle. These are very
much absorbed in worldly affairs; but their desires are good; sometimes, though infrequently,
they commend themselves to Our Lord; and they think about the state of their souls, though not
very carefully. Full of a thousand preoccupations as they are, they pray only a few times a
month, and as a rule they are thinking all the time of their preoccupations, for they are very
much attached to them, and, where their treasure is, there is their heart also.
From time to time, however, they shake their minds free of them and it is a great thing that they
should know themselves well enough to realize that they are not going the right way to reach
the castle door. Eventually they enter the first rooms on the lowest floor, but so many reptiles
get in with them that they are unable to appreciate the beauty of the castle or to find any peace
within it. Still, they have done a good deal by entering at all.” – Teresa of Avila (from The
Interior Castle, First Mansion, Chapter One)
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola (1491? – July 31, 1556) fought as a knight before undergoing a spiritual
conversion at age 30, which led him eventually to a serious study of theology. From 1522 to 1524 he
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wrote Spiritual Exercises, a 200 page set of meditations, prayers and various other mental exercises.
The exercises often involve imagery in which one imagines oneself entering a biblical scene. For
example, the practitioner is encouraged to visualize and meditate upon scenes from the life of Jesus.
The following account is a personal example of how this works in actual practice:
Ignatian prayer comes naturally to me. In my time of prayer seldom do I use words to communicate
with God; I use images. Sometimes my experience is so compelling and vivid that it feels more like a
vision than a prayer. Some years ago I remember encountering Jesus in a prayer where I entered into a
passage of Scripture. It was the passage in Mark 10:51 where Jesus asked Bartimaeus, who was blind,
―What do you want me to do for you?” As I entered this passage Jesus asked me what I wanted him to
do for me. When I said I wanted to be allowed to follow him Jesus said, ―Yes, you may follow me. Just
leave that package you are carrying behind.” I hadn‘t even realized I was carrying anything, so this
was a surprise. The second surprise was that I was unwilling to leave the package. This caused me
great distress and made me very sad. Jesus said, ―Then at least open the package so you will know
what is in it; then you may follow me even if you must bring it with you.” But I was unwilling to open
it. Somehow I knew I did not want Jesus to see what was in it, even though I did not know the contents
myself. In my vision/prayer I was paralyzed with fear.
I have continued to struggle with this very difficult issue. Of course I know that there is no part of
me that is unknown to God. As I have studied the teachings of Jesus I am learning how deeply this
metaphor of ―the package‖ I carry relates, for me, to Jesus‘ teaching that we must let go of anything
that keeps us from being open to God with hearts and minds and hands that are open and unburdened.
Henri Nouwen
Henri Nouwen (January 24, 1932 – September 21, 1996) taught at the University of Notre Dame,
and the Divinity Schools of Yale and Harvard, lived and worked with the Trappist monks in the Abbey
of the Genesee, and with the poor in Peru. In 1986 Nouwen accepted the position of pastor for a
L'Arche community called "Daybreak" near Toronto, Canada, where people with developmental
disabilities live with assistants.
“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with
us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not
curing... that is a friend who cares.”
“For as long as you can remember, you have been a pleaser, depending on others to give you
an identity. You need not look at that only in a negative way. You wanted to give your heart to
others, and you did so quickly and easily. But now you are being asked to let go of all these
self-made props and trust that God is enough for you. You must stop being a pleaser and
reclaim your identity as a free self.”
“Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening
speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure”
“When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find
that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share
our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.”
Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) wrote more than 70 books, mostly on
spirituality, social justice and pacifism. A Trappist monk, he was also a poet and student of
comparative religion.
“Solitude is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the
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present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it.”
“At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusion,
a point of pure truth, a point or spark which belongs entirely to God, which is never at our
disposal, from which God disposes of our lives, which is inaccessible to the fantasies of our
own mind or the brutalities of our own will.”
“I suppose what makes me most glad is that we all recognize each other in this metaphysical
space of silence and happening, and get some sense, for a moment, that we are full of paradise
without knowing it”
“Life is this simple: We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and God is shining
through it all the time. This is not just a fable or a nice story. It is true. If we abandon ourselves
to God and forget ourselves, we see it sometimes...”
Gifts of Darkness and Light
When Teresa describes people who ―enter the first rooms on the lowest floor,‖ I can't help but think
that she is talking about me! If I have entered the interior castle at all, it is through the door into the
first room on the first floor. There are seven ―mansions‖ (or floors of rooms) – each floor filled with a
brighter light than the one beneath (or outside) it. I am reminded of the creation story and the seven
―days‖ of creation. The Hebrew word translated as ―day‖ means ―period of illumination.‖ The writers
of the creation story never intended us to think of this ―day‖ as a 24-hour period. These seven ―days‖
were just seven ―periods of illumination‖ followed by seven periods of relative darkness. Teresa's
castle has seven levels of illumination.
Teresa's close friend and fellow mystic, John of the Cross, speaks of the ―dark night of the soul.‖
He says, ―The Word is always spoken in external silence, and in silence must it be heard by the soul.
Thus we see that genuine prayer without stillness and sincerity of spirit is not authentic prayer.‖ His
poem, ―The Dark Night Of The Soul‖ narrates the journey of the soul from its bodily home to its union
with God. The journey occurs during the night, which represents the hardships and difficulties the soul
meets in detachment from the world and reaching the light of the union with the Creator. I can't help
but think that Teresa's seven levels of illumination in the interior castle must be followed by periods of
darkness of the soul – giving us the space and time to assimilate what we learn on each level.
Making Meditation a Practice
Commitment to a short daily practice of prayer will not be easy. I am continually surprised at how
creative I can be in finding ways to resist both the practice and the commitment – even of something as
simple as praying my beads. Once I made a commitment to the daily practice of bead prayer, it was a
small step from praying my beads to adding 15 additional minutes of daily meditation. Nothing needs
to ―happen‖ in those 15 minutes of meditation. All that is required is that we create the space, the
silence – both exterior silence and, eventually, interior silence – for listening. We will talk more about
ways to do this in the Spaces Level that follows. Like the people stumbling into the first rooms on the
lowest floor of Teresa's interior castle, we are full of a thousand preoccupations, and we may be lucky,
at first, to pray only a few times a month. Still, we will have done a good deal by entering at all.
Treasure to Bring Home: Listening
All of our ―models‖ in this section devoted their lives to learning how to listen. On many occasions
Jesus said, ―Let anyone with ears listen!‖ His word for prayer, shalu, meant ―attune to or become one
with.‖ We can‘t do either of these without careful listening.
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Journal Entry
Teresa of Avila says, “As far as I can understand, the door of entry into this castle (the soul) is
prayer and meditation.” Henri Nouwen defines silence as “listening to God.” According to Thomas
Merton, “We all recognize each other in this metaphysical space of silence.” Could prayer, then, when
truly understood, be the doorway into the soul? And is it in the silence of the soul where we commune
with each other and with Alaha – the One who is Sacred Unity? Merton warns that “remaining quietly
in the presence of God...requires a lot of courage and know-how.” Silence – listening to God – is not
something that comes easy for us. It takes a willingness to commit (and to recommit again and again, if
necessary) to years of practice.
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Prayers
Spaces Level: Wisdom of Arriving Within
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ―The
kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‗Look, here it is!‘ or
‗There it is!‘ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among* you.‖
(Luke 17:20-21 NRSV)
*But a footnote explains that the word translated “among” also means “within.” The practice of being
aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness. Perhaps Jesus was saying that we
must first develop the practice of mindfulness before we can experience the kingdom of God.
Wisdom of Arriving Within
The practice of being aware of what is happening around and within us is mindfulness.
Mindfulness has to do with observation and with creating the necessary space that makes attention
possible. At the Spaces Level of our pilgrimage we will learn some simple paths to mindfulness. We
will learn about the power of observation – how the very process of observation changes what we
observe. We will learn the importance of space – how space, more than anything else defines reality.
Every creative endeavor – music, art, sculpture and even creative writing – depends as much on space
as on the particular medium that shares the space and takes form within and around it. Mindfulness is
no exception. As we prepare to look within for new wisdom with respect to the beatitudes, sayings,
parables, miracles and prayers we must learn to create the space that will allow us to be observers.
Mindfulness is the opposite of thinking. Mindfulness just watches the endless string of thoughts and
desires and fears that bubble up from our depths. We begin to see for ourselves that we are not our
desires, and we are not our fears. We are not the pursuit of pleasure and security and comfort. The true
reality of life consists of nothing more than an awareness of what is happening every moment. Once
we learn to observe and appreciate what is happening, as it is happening, we can let go of our need to
control things. And only then do we experience peace.
Spaces Level: Prayers
For Jesus, prayer (or meditation) was a very private act of attuning to Alaha, of becoming one with
and moved by Sacred Unity. Prayer, for Jesus, was a practice. Jesus says in Luke 18:1 to ―pray
always.‖ In other words, make prayer a practice. In the Models Level we introduced you to several
people who, in diverse ways, found a home in meditation. Prayer and meditation become very personal
matters, reflecting, sometimes, unique ways of listening. All who commit to a practice of prayer or
meditation eventually find what works best for them, and your way, once you find it, will bear your
personal stamp. But there is a common element in all practices of meditation and that is a commitment
to the practice. There's no getting around it. A minimum of 15 minutes a day, everyday, must be set
aside for ―listening.‖ To be sure, there will be days when we fail to keep our appointments. Here we
must treat ourselves to a little grace. We are full of a thousand preoccupations, and we may be lucky, at
first, to pray only a few times a month. Don't let this stop you from choosing a time and a place for
meditation, and making a daily commitment to it.
Creating Space for Attention and Healing
Find a comfortable space to designate as your place of meditation. It should be a place that offers
privacy and relative quiet. Consider your daily routine. Is there a time, everyday, or almost everyday,
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where you can retreat from your normal duties and take 15 minutes alone without interruption? At first
this may seem impossible – but make it possible. You will need a chair or kneeling bench or sitting
position where you can sit with your back straight. Take a couple of deep breaths. Look around you.
Smile. We hereby proclaim in the name of Alaha that this humble spot and time that you have selected
is a doorway between worlds and a meeting place with Sacred Unity. Congratulations! You have done
the hardest part. You have made a meaningful commitment. This is not just a place for meditation, it is
also a place for healing. Come here anytime you feel a need for healing. Record this place and time for
meditation in your journal.
Modes of Meditation or Prayer
Francis' mode of prayer was action: “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use
words.” Teresa's mode included vision and illumination: “As far as I can understand, the door of entry
into this castle is prayer and meditation.... The nearer one got to the center, the stronger was the
light.” Ignatius imagined himself entering biblical scenes. His mode of prayer used images. Henri
Nouwen defined silence as “listening to God.” His mode of prayer was listening. Thomas Merton
combined listening and vision. “We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and God is
shining through it all the time.... What makes me most glad is that we all recognize each other in this
metaphysical space of silence.” John of the Cross looked for God in the ―Dark Night of the Soul.‖ His
mode was detachment from the world.
Action, illumination, darkness and detachment, images, listening, vision – these are but a few
examples of modes of meditation. As you begin your journey of meditation, be open to all realms of
possibility. Sit quietly and watch. Acknowledge your preoccupations one by one, with grace, and then
let them float away. Father Keating's mode of meditation watches these thoughts like boats floating by
on a river. It's fine to watch, just don't get on the boats. Remember to expect nothing. Nothing needs to
―happen‖ in those 15 minutes of meditation. All that is required is that we create the space, the silence
– both exterior silence and, eventually, interior silence – for listening. Like a dervish, we are sitting in
a doorway between worlds. This is the doorway to the soul, the doorway to what Jesus called
malkutah. Here we can grasp the robe of Sacred Unity. It is the meeting place of the One Being. Just to
sit here in the presence of all this is more than enough.
A Review of Past Mindfulness Guides
Beatitudes Guide: The Venerable Henepola Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English
Gunaratana tells us that we have overdeveloped the material aspect of existence at the expense of
the deeper emotional and spiritual aspect. (See: Beatitudes: Spaces Level) Meditation purifies the
mind and helps us look at the universe differently. Every meditation session is an investigation, an
experiment, an adventure. If we reach a feeling of predictability, we have stopped meditating.
Gunaratana gives us some rules for meditation: Don't expect anything. Don't cling to anything.
Don't reject anything. Let go. Investigate yourself. See problems as challenges. Don't ponder. Our
mind is like a cup of muddy water. Meditation helps the mud to settle. To practice meditation:
Keep quiet. Close your eyes. Don't move. Focus on your breath; notice the feeling of breath going
in and out. Keep your mind in the present moment. When the mind wanders from breath, bring it
back gently. Notice every new moment. Then return to the breath – which is our home base. Every
time the mind returns to breath, it has a deeper insight into impermanence, unsatisfactoriness,
selflessness.
Sayings Guide: Brother Lawrence, “Practicing the Presence of God”
Although his education was limited and the tasks he performed as a lay monk were humble,
Brother Lawrence experienced a deep peace as he walked an inner path of devotion. (See: Sayings:
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Spaces Level) His quiet presence resonated with such peace and grace that those around him could
not help but feel that peace themselves. Whether he was working leather to make sandals or
peeling potatoes to help the cook, Brother Lawrence always knew how to experience closeness to
God. He saw God in common objects; he felt God in menial tasks; he recognized God in the faces
and actions of his fellow monks. He called this mindfulness ―practicing the presence of God.‖
Parables Guide: Thich Nhat Hanh, A Guide to Walking Meditation
Thich Nhat Hanh tells us that practicing meditation while walking can bring joy and peace. (See:
Parables: Spaces Level) He says to relax and take short steps – to move slowly with an open heart
and a smile on our lips. Life's greatest treasure is to find peace of mind, and then to share it with
others. But in order to have peace and joy, we must find it with each step we take in our lives. Our
steps decide everything. As we breathe out, we count how many steps we take. As we breathe in,
again we count our steps. By paying attention to both breath and steps, we are mindful of both.
When we practice regularly, our lives will gradually be transformed. Our movements will become,
graceful, easygoing, and not precipitous; and we will be more aware of what we are doing. This
will carry over into our social relationships, and decision making. We will find ourselves acting
calmly and incisively, with better insight and more compassion.
Miracles Guide: Father Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart
Father Keating teaches a method of meditation called ―Centering Prayer.‖ (See: Miracles: Spaces
Level) He suggests that we take a comfortable position in a quiet place and then choose a sacred
word, which will be used to quietly call us back to interior silence when we are distracted by
thoughts. Keating describes the experience of centering prayer as watching thoughts float by like
boats ―on the inner stream of consciousness, which is our participation in God‘s being.‖ He
suggests that, for most people, it will take 20 to 30 minutes to establish interior silence and to get
beyond our superficial thoughts.
Making the Experience of Meditation Your Own
This session contains a wealth of information about different methods or modes of meditation. You
may want to do a little experimenting before you settle on a particular method. From my own
experience I‘ve found myself in “that place” (the doorway between the worlds) even when I wasn't
aware that I was praying or meditating. These are called ―moments of grace." Once you‘ve been there,
you will know what it feels like, and you will be able to recognize unexpected ―moments of grace.‖
Sometimes music takes me there. Sometimes when I‘m involved in creative endeavors such as writing,
I find myself suddenly in the company of the dervish. Sometimes when I listen to CDs by spiritual
teachers, just the sound of a particular voice quiets me and I know a part of me is listening and
watching for a meeting with Alaha, or Sacred Unity. We say all of this so that you might recognize
these moments and allow yourself to count them when you begin to feel remiss, as you surely will at
times, for missing so many appointments – for failing to keep your commitment to daily meditation.
Making the commitment and attempting to keep it is more important than being faithful to it all the
time. Once the One Being senses your desire to meet, Alaha‟s creativity about meeting with you is
much greater than anything you might be able to imagine.
Entering the Lord’s Prayer through Meditation
Imagine the ―Lord‘s Prayer‖ as a poem. Imagine Jesus giving it to his disciples with these
instructions: ―I have written a poem for you that I want you to use as a puzzle to meditate on. Clear a
space for it in your hearts and commit yourselves to a lifetime of uncovering its wisdom.‖
You can meditate on the individual words, or on particular key-word lines of the poem. Don‘t
worry so much about what the words or lines mean, or what Jesus may have meant by those words (we
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covered this in the Puzzles Level). Just allow yourself to enter the word or key-word line and live there
so to speak. As you notice yourself being pulled away by preoccupations, gently bring yourself back to
the word or line. Don‘t expect anything to happen. But record any thoughts or feelings you might have
in your journal after the period of meditation.
Treasure to Bring Home: Grace
A commitment to meditation is a lot to ask of anyone. It's much harder than you might think, and
we find ourselves making excuses or ―forgetting‖ to keep our appointments. Allow yourself a measure
of grace. Be earnest about your daily commitment and do your best to keep it. But here, as in all other
aspects of life, we will fall short and need to be called back.
Journal Entry
Making a daily appointment to meet with Alaha – with the One Being – is a giant step forward in
spiritual growth. On a material level there would seem to be billions of individual beings. But at the
spiritual aspect of existence we are all one. There is only One Being. That's a difficult idea for me to
grasp. Meeting with Alaha is like coming home. Thomas Merton saw the world as “absolutely
transparent” with “God shining through it all the time.” To meet with Alaha I must create a space
where that transparency manifests itself. That's what meditation is all about. It creates a “metaphysical
space of silence” where we can recognize our participation in Oneness.
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Prayers
Images Level: Returning Enriched
Primary Biblical/Historical Material
The Sower
―Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds
came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and
they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched;
and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew
up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold,
some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!‖ Then the disciples came and asked him,
―Why do you speak to them in parables?‖ He answered, ―To you it has been given to know the
secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more
will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they
have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‗seeing they do not
perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.‘ With them indeed is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‗You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed
look, but never perceive. For this people‘s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.‘ But blessed are your eyes, for
they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed
to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.
(Matthew 13:3b-17; NRSV; parallels: Mark 4:3-8; Luke 8:5-8a; Thomas 9:1-5
What We Bring Home: Returning Enriched
What we have discovered in the method of teaching called prayers has enriched us. We have
uncovered and brought home treasures we may not have expected. These treasures, of course, are not
material treasures. They are transforming images – qualities of true humanness, or ruling principles to
guide our lives. Unity is one such quality. Unity is not the same thing as uniformity. Uniformity is
threatened by diversity, but diversity is essential to unity. There is One Being in which we all
participate, but it is our diversity that makes things interesting. Another quality, another treasure is
persistence. Jesus tells his disciples that Alaha's kingdom (malkutah) will be given to them if they
persist in asking for it. It's not enough just to ask, we have to keep asking. It's not enough just to knock,
we have to keep knocking. It's not enough just to search, we have to keep searching. Another valuable
treasure to bring home is wisdom. The ―Lord's Prayer‖ and the stories Jesus told to explain its power
are filled with wisdom. The prayer itself is like a beautiful poem given as a puzzle on which to
meditate. It is as if Jesus says, ―Clear a space in your hearts and commit yourselves to a lifetime of
uncovering its wisdom.‖ Another quality to reflect upon is acceptance. It‘s hard to do, but sometimes
we must let go of old ideas that we were sure about, and open our hearts to the acceptance of
something new. Perhaps the most important treasure to bring home is listening. All of our ―models‖
for prayer devoted their lives to learning how to listen. On many occasions Jesus said, ―Let anyone
with ears listen!‖ His word for prayer, shalu, meant ―attune to or become one with.‖ We can‘t do either
of these without careful listening. A treasure we might not have expected is grace. A daily
commitment to meditation is a lot to ask of anyone. It's much harder than we might think, and we find
ourselves making excuses or ―forgetting‖ to keep our appointments. It's important to allow ourselves a
measure of grace. We should be earnest about our daily commitment and do our best to keep it. But
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here, as in all other aspects of life, we will fall short and need to be called back. The final treasure we
bring home is balance. It is an important quality of true humanness and a valuable treasure. It keeps us
true to our guidelines for this journey and helps us tune out too much ―treble‖ or too much ―bass.‖
Images Level: Prayers
Perhaps the best place to sit and reflect at the Images Level of Prayers would be our personal
―doorway between the worlds‖ – the physical place we have chosen for the practice of prayer and
meditation. This is not ordinarily a place of reflection, but for today it seems an appropriate place to
reflect on what we have learned about prayer. Jesus cautions that the practice of prayer he teaches is
not the prayer of the Pharisee. Just having the right words to say to God in public may be prayer, but it
is not the kind of prayer that Jesus teaches. Memorizing words and repeating them mindlessly doesn‘t
qualify either. Jesus calls these ―empty phrases.‖ His disciples watch as time and time again Jesus goes
off by himself to pray – returning energized and renewed. They wonder I suppose, if Jesus knows
some kind of secret practice that gives him the power that he so obviously possesses. Teach us to pray
(shalu) they ask. Whatever it is you are doing, we want to know how we can do it, too. Jesus gives
them the words of the beautiful poem that we know as the ―Lord‘s Prayer.‖ And with it he tells a
couple of stories that give us some insight into what the practice of prayer means to him. I suppose it is
human nature to want to find shortcuts. There is no record of what the disciples do with this prayer that
they are given. But we know what we have done with it. We have memorized it and repeated it so
often that the words, as beautiful and powerful as they are, have become ―empty phrases.‖ If we want
to learn how to pray (shalu), as Jesus did, we have to give up the idea of finding shortcuts. It‘s not
enough just to say words. We have to go back and look at the ―how‖ in how to pray as Jesus describes
it. One of the stories Jesus tells in this regard is about persistence. He is telling us, ―Don‘t just pray,
pray always!‖ In other words, make it a practice. We know that for Jesus prayer was a practice. The
gospels are full of examples of Jesus going off by himself to shalu. In addition to this, he tells us,
―Don‘t just ask, keep asking! Don‘t just knock, keep knocking!‖ Finally, he tells us ―Go into your
room and shut the door!‖ Find a place that is quiet and private where you won‘t be interrupted. And
when you get there, shalu – become one with what is greater than your fears, doubts, and confusions.
Jesus was never one for explaining things. The parables* are a case in point. These stories surrounding
the ―Lord's Prayer‖ are about as close as he comes to explaining anything. But if we are paying
attention, we begin to understand that Jesus is not just giving his disciples the words of a prayer to say,
he is teaching them how to pray.
*Many scholars think the explanation for the Parable of the Sower does not go back to Jesus and
was added later.
Let Anyone with Ears Listen!
Jesus taught with stories. Even when his disciples ask him, ―Teach us to pray,‖ he can't resist the
use of a good story or two to make his point. Aphorisms, parables and sage retorts are what
characterize his teachings. The Parable of the Sower is the first part of a block of teachings in Mark.
Strangely, Matthew and Luke follow Mark's order at some points, but not at others. Many of these
teachings appear in Thomas as well, but randomly. There is good evidence for the authenticity of many
of these teachings – they certainly go back to the time of Jesus – but they don't appear to be in any
particular order with respect to events. The Parable of the Sower does not appear in the context of the
―Lord's Prayer.‖ In Matthew it appears long after the prayer and in Luke well before it. The
explanation of the parable, uncharacteristic of Jesus, describes the sower as sowing the message, and
how different groups of people receive it.
But certain clues in the parable and what follows have convinced me that it is, on one level at least,
a teaching about how to pray. The parable begins with the word ―Listen!‖ How do we listen? At the
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Models Level we learned that we listen through silence – in other words, through meditation. The
parable ends with the words ―Let anyone with ears listen!‖ Our ―models‖ in the Models Level devoted
their lives to learning how to listen – to meditate. Immediately following the parable most translations
indicate that when Jesus was alone or had gone off by himself the disciples would come to him and ask
him questions about things they did not understand. (The NRSV says only ― Then the disciples came
and asked him.‖) It was during these periods when Jesus was alone that he meditated. Even the
explanation given for the parable is concerned with ―hearing.‖ Jesus quotes Isaiah: ―You will indeed
listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive.‖ Looking at the parable in
this light, what is sown is Alaha's message coming to us through prayer or meditation. When it falls
along the path (those who take the easy way or shortcut to prayer) the birds come and eat the message
up. When it falls on rocky ground (those who try meditating but don't stick with it) it springs up
quickly, but then the message soon withers away. When it falls among thorns (those who meditate but
soon get distracted by the preoccupations of the world) the message gets choked off. When it falls on
good soil (those who commit themselves to cultivating a daily practice of meditation) the message
ripens and bears fruit in our lives. This is true listening, and listening is what this parable – and many
others I think – is about.
One Last Thought
As we have said many times before, Jesus taught with stories. Even though, for the purposes of this
journey, we have separated his teachings into five distinctive methods: beatitudes, sayings, parables,
miracles and prayers, these were not separated in his life as a teacher and model of malkutah or
empowerment. In John 10:10 Jesus says ―I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.‖ He
came to empower us. The teachings always seek to do just this. Sometimes they seem very
complicated and hard to understand. But the essence of what Jesus teaches is very simple. Don't be
afraid. We are all part of the One Being – Alaha. That makes us all brothers and sisters. Love everyone
as you would your own brothers and sisters. Open your hearts and hands and tables to them. Forgive
them again and again for any wrongs they do to you. And lay yourself open to becoming one with
Alaha – who is Sacred Unity. Do this by making shalu (meditation) a daily practice. Go off by
yourself, as you have seen me do, and listen in silence and love with all of your heart and soul and
mind. If you do all this, you will experience malkutah (empowerment) and you will know peace.
Treasure to Bring Home: Balance
When we look at this treasure as an image of change we are reminded of the tuning knob for treble
and bass. How have I been changed by this study of the prayers of Jesus? What doorway has been
opened? What truth has been revealed? How might my life better reflect that truth? What will I do
differently from now on? Can I name just one way I might pledge to integrate what I have learned into
my life?
Journal Entry
I have learned much about what Jesus called the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches us that prayer is
more than words, because it is too easy for words to become empty phrases or to be used in ways that
are not an appropriate means of opening ourselves to God. Sitting and listening, when it becomes a
practice and a commitment, allows us to connect with the Spirit that resides within and among us all.
Here is my personal commitment to what I have learned.
First, I will write or type the seven qualities of true humanness (unity, persistence, wisdom,
acceptance, listening, grace and balance) on small pieces of paper and then tape them to
pennies. I will add these pennies to the dish in my bedroom. Every morning I will close my
eyes and pick a quality of true humanness to use as a sacred word during meditation, and to be
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mindful of practicing for that day.
Second, I will make a commitment to pray my beads and to make shalu (meditation) a daily
practice. I will create a time and a place for attention and healing and designate this as my place
of meditation.
Third, I will allow myself a measure of grace. My commitment to daily prayer and meditation
is real, but the distractions of the world are great. Yet, even though I know I will fall short, I
will recommit myself again and again.
Thank you for traveling with us on our pilgrimage through the prayers. If you have traveled
through Jesus' five modes of teaching in order, this may be the end of your journey with us –
beatitudes, sayings, parables, miracles and prayers. We hope you have enjoyed your time with us, and
that you have found inspiration along the way. Of course, the pilgrimage is never really over. There are
so many places we did not have time to travel – so much unfinished business for all of us to revisit.
God bless you. And may you embody and practice in your lives all the qualities of true humanness that
we have discovered together. May you reflect the divine image and always keep one foot in Eden
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Bibliography and Additional Material
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Brewer, Gary. Fellowship of Kindred Spirits. Unpublished manuscript
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Douglas-Klotz, Neil. Prayers of the Cosmos: Meditations on the Aramaic Words of
Jesus. New York: HarperCollins, 1990
Douglas-Klotz, Neil. Based on one of his courses http://www.cointelligence.org/lordsprayer2.html.
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Cover
Christ Pantocrator, detail of the 12th century Deesis mosaic at Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
This image is in the public domain.
Introduction
Christ Between Peter and Paul, 4th century. In the Catacomb of Saints Marcellinus and
Peter on the Via Labicana in Rome.
This image is in the public domain.
Beatitudes
Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator), a 6th century encaustic icon from Saint Catherine's
Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt.
This image is in the public domain.
Sayings
Late 4th century mural painting from the catacomb of Commodilla. The symbols on
either side are Alpha and Omega signifying "I am the beginning and the end.‖
This image is in the public domain.
Parables
Mid-3rd century painting of Jesus as the Good Shepherd from the ceiling of the San
Callisto catacomb in Rome.
This image is in the public domain.
Miracles
The healing of the paralytic from a wall painting in the baptistery of the house church in
Dura- Europos near the village of Salhiyé, in today's Syria.
This image is in the public domain.
Prayers
A 6th-century mosaic in the Archbishop's Chapel on the first floor of the bishops' palace
in Ravenna, Italy.
(Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of
the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the
Free Software Foundation; This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. This licensing tag was added to this file as part of the
GFDL licensing update.)
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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END NOTES
END NOTES
i
Codex D dates from the 5th century or earlier. Written on vellum, the document contains most of the four
Gospels and Acts, with a small fragment of 3 John. The text is written in both Greek and Latin. The place
of origin and exact date of the codex is still disputed
ii
T.W. Manson, The Sayings of Jesus, p.28
iii
The Sayings of Jesus, T. W. Manson, p. 28
iv
Manson, p. 30
v
We paraphrase here. See The First Paul, Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan, p. 196f.
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