CHAPTER 73.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Levi
Jesus again visits the temple, and is favorably received by the people. Tells the parable of a king and his sons. Defines messiahship.
Next day the multitudes were surging through the temple courts, intent on hearing Jesus speak.
2 And when he came the people said, All hail! behold the king!
3 And Jesus spoke a parable; he said, A king had vast domains; his people all were kin, and lived in peace.
4 Now, after many years the king said to his people, Take these lands and all I have; enhance their values; rule yourselves, and live in peace.
5 And then the people formed their states; selected governors and petty kings.
6 But pride, ambition, selfish greed, and base ingratitude grew fast, and kings began to war.
7 They wrote in all their statute books that might is right; and then the strong destroyed the weak, and chaos reigned through all the vast domain.
8 A long time passed, and then the king looked out on his domain. He saw his people in their cruel wars; he saw them sick and sore distressed; he saw the strong enslave the weak,
9 And then he said, What shall I do? Shall I send forth a scourge? shall I destroy my people all?
10 And then his heart was stirred with pity and he said, I will not send a scourge; I will send forth my only son, heir to the throne, to teach the people love, and peace, and righteousness.
11 He sent his son; the people scorned him and maltreated him, and nailed him to a cross.
12 He was entombed; but death was far too weak to hold the prince, and he arose.
13 He took a form man could not kill; and then he went again to teach the people love, and peace and righteousness.
14 And thus God deals with men.
15 A lawyer came and asked, What does messiah mean? and who has right to make messiah of a man?
16 And Jesus said, Messiah is one sent from God to seek and save the lost. Messiahs are not made by men.
17 In first of every age Messiah comes to light the way; to heal up broken hearts; to set the prisoners free. Messiah and the Christ are one.
18 Because a man claims to be Christ is not a sign that he is Christ.
19 A man may cause the streams to flow from flinty rocks; may bring on storms at will; may stay tempestuous winds; may heal the sick and raise the dead, and not be sent from God.
20 All nature is subservient to the will of man, and evil men, as well as good, have all the powers of mind, and may control the elements.
21 The head gives not the proof of true messiahship, for man by means of intellect, can never know of God, nor bring himself to walk in light.
22 Messiah lives not in the head, but in the heart, the seat of mercy and of love.
23 Messiah never works for selfish gains; he stands above the carnal self; his words and deeds are for the universal good.
24 Messiah never tries to be a king, to wear a crown and sit upon an earthly throne.
25 The king is earthy, of the earth; Messiah is the man from heaven.
26 And then the lawyer asked, Why do you pose as king?
27 And Jesus said, No man has ever heard me say that I am king. I could not sit in Cæsar’s place and be the Christ.
28 Give unto Cæsar what belongs to him; give unto God the treasures of your heart.