Chapter 12
This chapter talks about Jesus attending the Passover feast. This chapter is also a beautiful collection of Jesus messages about what his mission is by being amongst the Jews; his relationship with the Father; how to attain everlasting life; the fact that he is not here to judge but to be the guiding light; and the fact that he is the Light of the world (the guide) only until he is in the physical, after that he can only guide those who he has initiated in the physical.
“Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?”
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
This part very clearly speaks to me of the difference between service given out of pure devotion and service provided as a good deed. I often see in the world that we wish to please God and we try to show our devotion by offering so-called good deeds in the world such as feeding the poor, helping our fellows or similar. These acts often stem from fear (of losing God’s love or else) rather than pure love and true devotion. Mary’s act of kindness towards Jesus – and later Jesus’ response – shows her care towards the one her salvation depends upon. Mary’s act of kindness displayed her endless devotion to her saviour whereas Judas speaks in terms of service in the world which tends to be about ’saving the world and its suffering inhabitants’. However, it is a misconception. The world does not need saving or changing. Every single person lives a life in the World that he/she attracts to him/herself. Whether they do that knowingly or unknowingly depends on their level of self-awareness. We all lead a life that serves our soul the best to find the way home, whether it is apparent to others or not. Therefore, nobody needs to be saved by another. Obviously, it does not mean that we should be ruthless or heartless towards the less fortunate or those in need. However, our primary focus should be on saving ourselves by following divine guidance. Then we can learn to expand our kindness to others, too.
“The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.”
I found this part particularly interesting because I often hear voices coming from within and it has taken me for a long time not to discard them in disbelief. In my understanding, the voice is ‘for me’ (for us followers) not for him (Jesus or the teacher), he already knows the truth and what it is about to come as he says so. The voice is for the ones who are still in disbelief, like myself.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
Regarding the above Beas explains that ” … a seed cannot bring forth fruit unless it dies … until we have completely subdued our ego we can never be spiritually fruitful and realize the Lord.”… “The opposite of ego is humility … when we develop the quality of humility within ourselves” will the Ego leave us.”
These days, I contemplate a lot on the qualities a minister may have in order to ‘represent’ God in an honourable manner. In my view, humility is the key element – apart from vulnerability. These qualities are not only essential for our own journey towards God realization, but they are also important for God in order for Him to be able to work through us ministers. I somehow understand now that it does not matter what kind of a character you have, if you are a kind person or you are a harsh talker. What matters is that you allow God to work through you. And one can only attain that by becoming humble; a humble servant of God’s will. Jesus did not seem to be a sweet talker to me but he was God’s humble servant in every sense of the word, an egoless man who served the Divine with unquestionable faith and humility.
”He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
Beas here explains that by ‘hating’ one’s life, Jesus does not mean that one should take one’s life or refuse to participate in life but to be detached from it. Being in the world but not of it. One must refocus on God and Spirit instead of pursuing worldly pleasures.
“Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. ”
Bear reminds us “how compassionate the Saints are and how they look after their disciples with loving care.” Jesus is concerned about what his disciples would do without his physical guidance after he is gone. Beas shares ”… that longing (after Jesus has descended) to be with me will automatically take you to my Radiant Form within yourself. I will then merge you into myself and take you to the Father, and we will both merge in Him.”
It is important to remember, however, that though it is comforting to have a teacher in the physical to talk to but the most important connection of ours with the teacher is inside of us, on the inner planes, since our journey home is on the inner not in the outer.
“Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. ”
Beas similarly explains that “What use should you make of my physical presence? (asks Jesus) Get initiation and lift up your consciousness to the eye centre so that you can see that Light, that Radiant Form within you. That is the real guiding Light. … Even if the Master leaves the body, the inner guidance is always there.”
”…Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.”
Without the Teacher’s guidance one walks in darkness and until the teacher is in the physical, the disciple should take advantage of the teacher’s physical presence. Jesus, however, also reminds us that we have to make sure we connect with a living teacher in order to gain initiation without which we cannot connect with the Stream or the Radiant Form.
“And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.”
Beas explains that “whosoever will see my (Jesus’) Radiant Form within himself is actually not seeing me but the One who sent me, because I and the Father are one.”
I think it is a lovely reminder for us disciples that the Teacher in the physical is ‘only’ the messenger, God’s servant and we are not to be attached to the physical form of the teacher but allow his presence to guide us to the Father.
Later Jesus, once again, explains his mission in the World by saying “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. ” Beas explains that “Saints come to save not the whole world but those souls who follow the teachings.”
Finally, Jesus affirms that he is one with the Father and that all the teachers who have ever been before him were also one with the Father, too. He reminds people that he is the way ‘home’ and soon he will leave the body behind. He also warns his audience that they won’t be able to attain initiation and spiritual liberty without the support of a teacher present in the physical at the time.