The Beatitudes Page 2
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Jesus knew that thousands of his followers would travel on this difficult and narrow path. He also knew that many men and women would choose hunger, thirst, and even death rather than depart from his teachings. He also knew that eventually his faithful followers would succeed in transforming the kingdom of this world into the kingdom of God, that is now known as the Celestial Kingdom. The seed for a new order first had to be sown with faith, then watered and cultivated until the world was ready for it. Jesus knew that this New Gospel, proclaiming freedom and equality, was not good news to Roman and Persian imperialists, dictators, and those who enslaved and exploited the weak. He knew that it would be opposed by all those who were loyal to the old order, and that he would be misunderstood even by the wise men who would come centuries after him.
Most of the oppressed people in Galilee that were groping in darkness welcomed the warm rays of this New Light, as they were ideal soil for a new seed. The gospel of deliverance would be welcomed by the poor, the outcast, the oppressed, the hated, and the heavy-laden, for Jesus' burden, as he promised, was light, and his yoke was easy.
All that Jesus asked of the people was that they followed him, believe in him, and leave the rest to God. He had come to save the sinners and to seek those who were lost; he had come to defend women's rights and proclaim their equality; he had come to exhort the meek and the humble.
Only now the dreams of the prophets, conquerors and philosophers who had envisioned a universal state were soon to become a reality. What the wisdom of men and the might of the sword had failed to accomplish was to be wrought by means of love, meekness, and a willing death on the cross. That sinister cross which destroyed physical life was to become the symbol of salvation and life-giving.
Isaiah had envisioned years before that a new teaching based on justice and love would unite the races and the peoples of the world, not by means of the sword, but by means of peace and understanding. Then war would cease and the Jews and the Gentiles, likened to lions and sheep, would live peacefully together.
Most of the oppressed people in Galilee that were groping in darkness welcomed the warm rays of this New Light, as they were ideal soil for a new seed. The gospel of deliverance would be welcomed by the poor, the outcast, the oppressed, the hated, and the heavy-laden, for Jesus' burden, as he promised, was light, and his yoke was easy.
All that Jesus asked of the people was that they followed him, believe in him, and leave the rest to God. He had come to save the sinners and to seek those who were lost; he had come to defend women's rights and proclaim their equality; he had come to exhort the meek and the humble.
Only now the dreams of the prophets, conquerors and philosophers who had envisioned a universal state were soon to become a reality. What the wisdom of men and the might of the sword had failed to accomplish was to be wrought by means of love, meekness, and a willing death on the cross. That sinister cross which destroyed physical life was to become the symbol of salvation and life-giving.
Isaiah had envisioned years before that a new teaching based on justice and love would unite the races and the peoples of the world, not by means of the sword, but by means of peace and understanding. Then war would cease and the Jews and the Gentiles, likened to lions and sheep, would live peacefully together.