Gospel of John

[FaXin]

I'd like to start a thread exploring the Gospel of John, as there are many deep teachings, I've found.

 

Please feel free to share any verses or thoughts.

[FaXin]

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. - John 1:9-13 NIV

 

"He came to that which was his own" !

Not even the first chapter, and it's already telling us a huge point - we are the same light as Jesus, but of course we don't see that.

Most people think they meant the Jews in that verse...

Edited March 16, 2020 by FaXin

[rideforever]

[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

[9] That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

[11] He came unto his own, and his own received him not. [12] But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name. [13] Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

"He came unto his own" could mean his family or the jews ? (I just checked in some translations of the bible it is translated as his own people). 

Could it mean ... all people - are all people ready?  I don't think so, they have a different purpose and destiny.

Perhaps they will be recycled like acorns; and each of us, if we are in the Light, how many times have we been dismantled and recycled, poured in different combinations in different bodies ... failed... recycled and then reconstructed to try again?

Probably every enlightened being reaches the light after having been in many failed attempts, in many failed beings who were liquidated and then recycled.

Not many vehicles will reach God.
Then he says that those who received him ... he gave them power to be made sons of God ... those that believe in his name.  Therefore to become a son of God you must be willing and then receive transmission.

Edited March 16, 2020 by rideforever

[FaXin]

“He came into his own” -

 

Could also mean that Jesus was not consciously enlightened when he was born. This would be represented by him being born in a manger, among the animals. You could interpret this two ways - literal, or symbolically - that he struggled, like we all do, and for a time did not realize who he really was. 

[rideforever]

I believe (8) is speaking of John "he was not the light", but at (9) it shifts to meaning Jesus "that was the true light"

 

Another translation "Aramaic Bible in Plain English":

8 He was not The Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 For That One was The Light of Truth, which enlightens every person that comes into the world.

 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by rideforever

[FaXin]

1 hour ago, rideforever said:

I believe (8) is speaking of John "he was not the light", but at (9) it shifts to meaning Jesus "that was the true light"

 

Another translation "Aramaic Bible in Plain English":

8 He was not The Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 For That One was The Light of Truth, which enlightens every person that comes into the world.

 

 

I agree.  With that being said, I wonder why Jesus asked John to baptize him?

 

I think John had a more important role than the books give him credit for.  Perhaps being Jesus' teacher, but more so energetically opening the way... Below are the next verses.  I have a feeling he is speaking about more than just a guy yelling in the woods

 

¹⁹ Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders^[c] in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

²² Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

Edited March 16, 2020 by FaXin

[FaXin]

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

³² Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. ³³ And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

 

These verses to me show that Jesus brought something totally new to the world... Access to the Holy Spirit...

[rideforever]

10 hours ago, FaXin said:

Holy Spirit.

 

Hmm ... well profound spirituality has been in India China and Egypt for thousands of years before Jesus.
Holy spirit ... what is it ? In my opinion, it might be :
(1) as well as external senses we have internal senses that can feel God, or our soul ... probably for many people this is a strange mysteries and wonderful feeling and they call it Holy Spirit

(2) we also have an intuitive sense which is accessing a part of the subconscious realm ... that could also be Holy Spirit

Basically you feel something going on inside that you don't normally feel, it is either feeling your true self God or intuition ... and you can call it Holy Spirit.

I don't think there is anything else to be felt.

 

Jesus had the power to raise the dead, and his Apostles to heal the sick, they were people from a different world.  The goal is very high, much higher and further than people think.  John recognized Jesus on sight (in 2 gospels) ... these people were not ordinary people, they were from the Holy land a long time ago.  In the garden of Gethsemene Jesus asks God to take away his poison chalice from him if possible; in other passages Jesus was asked point blank if he was the Messiah and he seems to pause to reflect before answering.
It would seem that Jesus was a man coming to terms with himself and what was in him, and perhaps playing a role on Earth.  Because humans are fully insane and corrupting, it is impossible to openly as a spiritual being ... you either conceal yourself, or you can play a role ... the role of a "guru" in India, or perhaps a role predicted in the scriptures in Judaism.
Humanity will not allow you to be yourself, they force you to take a position in their waking dream.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2020 by rideforever

[FaXin]

The Holy Spirit is a fun topic. John mentions it a few times:

 

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

There’s some others, but the term “Comforter” is a great description for me.

 

[rideforever]

3 hours ago, FaXin said:

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

I have just read all of John 14, which was interesting : https://www.biblehub.com/aramaic-plain-english/john/14.htm

 

14:26 seems to refer to another Messiah who will come to Earth in the future, so Jesus promises.

Jesus seems to think that when he goes to Heaven he will talk to the Father and send help.

in 14:31 Jesus says that he is going to his death so the world will know that he loved his Father ... therefore his willing complicity to his crucifixion is an example for all people to trust God even if it means death in the carnal world.

"31  But that the world may know that I love my Father, and just as my Father has taught me, so I have done. Rise up, let us depart from here."

 

14:6   "I Am the Living God".   All enlightened beings are the living God ... nobody comes to the Father but through me, meaning that if you reach the Light it is the same Light as the Light that is in me.

 

His students were confused because they did not see the Father, and asked Jesus to show them the Father repeatedly.   This is very similar to the students of many gurus in India who asked for the Light ... and the guru said that the Light is in you ... can't you feel it?  And they said they cannot feel it?

Why is this so?

The truth that I know is that human beings need a subtle kind of inner development and inner transmission.  Only then can they feel it.  Until that time the Father is not feel-able, no matter how hard the guru or the student try it will not happen.

That inner development is very subtle.  Human beings are of very different types; the human body is a vehicle that houses many kind of souls.

 

The whole problem lies in the false-self.   It seems that as the intelligence of the human being reaches a certain point, it creates a fictitious sense of itself as part of its development.  This creates many insincerities in human society.  Although it is a false-self, it is also a phase of development.   Later this false-self needs to be replaced by the true-self.  The false-self is required as a stage of development, without it mankind cannot progress.

 

So ... looking at the unhappy species ... God indeed is overlooking us, and has a plan.  If you are lucky and find a teacher you will slice straight through this road and not waste time.   If not the pain and suffering will eventually teach you.   And for those that are lost in the progress, and there will be many, that collateral damage is necessary because life is real.  A path exists for us, but this is also not Disney World.

 

 

[FaXin]

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

[FaXin]

John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

[rideforever]

1 hour ago, FaXin said:

 

Are you a Christian?  How do you come to be so?  What kind of Christian are you and how to you practice?

[FaXin]

3 hours ago, rideforever said:

Are you a Christian?  How do you come to be so?  What kind of Christian are you and how to you practice?

I would consider myself a Christian yes.  I was raised Catholic, but I would consider myself a Christian mystic now.  The bulk of my practice is reading the Bible, reading gnostic scriptures and various meditation techniques. I’ve been lucky enough to meet a few mystical Christians who have guided me on my path. 
 

How about you my friend? I’d love to hear your practices and how you came to know Jesus. 

[rideforever]

1 hour ago, FaXin said:

 

 

My grandparents in Germany were Catholic and there was a nun in that family, I was there just a few times but that was the beginning.  On the other side I am Hindu.  I am a friend of the Catholic, of Theotokos, of Mary Magdalene and of God.  Of Jesus, I feel some resistance although I do pray to him mostly for protection.  But I am a friend.  I am a friend to all traditions, and I take them all individually according to their precepts as individual channels.  A Christian is a human being in the state of reality, more or less, that is what it means.

My two teachers, are an adept monastic who studied Zen and Indian traditions, he is very technical and gifted.  The other is Gurdjieff, who is very complex to understand.  These two men have a comprehension of spirituality that is orders of magnitude above what is generally known.  But I also do simpler work, and simply love God.  It was never a problem for me.  Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, The Catholic ... each one is a beautiful path ... I don't mix them, but I know them.
But that's just me, I am old it would appear.  And probably a bit stupid, or have some disharmony inside me, which is why I have returned.

I believe I was a devotee of Mary Magdalene in a previous life, but I don't know anything about it ... I just saw her face once when I didn't know who she was.  I suppose that I must come from the lineage of being an emotional mess then !!
Anyway, the path is the path, it is full of fire, it is unbelievable, but true.

[FaXin]

12 minutes ago, rideforever said:

 

My grandparents in Germany were Catholic and there was a nun in that family, I was there just a few times but that was the beginning.  On the other side I am Hindu.  I am a friend of the Catholic, of Theotokos, of Mary Magdalene and of God.  Of Jesus, I feel some resistance although I do pray to him mostly for protection.  But I am a friend.  I am a friend to all traditions, and I take them all individually according to their precepts as individual channels.  A Christian is a human being in the state of reality, more or less, that is what it means.

My two teachers, are an adept monastic who studied Zen and Indian traditions, he is very technical and gifted.  The other is Gurdjieff, who is very complex to understand.  These two men have a comprehension of spirituality that is orders of magnitude above what is generally known.  But I also do simpler work, and simply love God.  It was never a problem for me.  Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, The Catholic ... each one is a beautiful path ... I don't mix them, but I know them.
But that's just me, I am old it would appear.  And probably a bit stupid, or have some disharmony inside me, which is why I have returned.

I believe I was a devotee of Mary Magdalene in a previous life, but I don't know anything about it ... I just saw her face once when I didn't know who she was.  I suppose that I must come from the lineage of being an emotional mess then !!
Anyway, the path is the path, it is full of fire, it is unbelievable, but true.

Thank you very much for sharing your story. I think it’s great that you feel connected with Mary Magdalene - she is a bright light, and I feel a part of my path also. That’s cool about your awareness of resistance to Jesus- and also understandable.

[rideforever]

3 hours ago, FaXin said:

resistance to Jesus- and also understandable.

Why do you think its understandable ?

Anyway, why don't you write something about your personal interpretation of those quotes of John ... it's more of an exploration that way.  Which country are you in?

Edited March 18, 2020 by rideforever

[FaXin]

3 hours ago, rideforever said:

Why do you think its understandable ?

Energetically speaking, Jesus has a very strong male/yang energy, I’ve found that it can cause some waves and discomfort. Could also be a lineage thing. 
 

But speaking from my own experience, I had trouble with Jesus due to growing up in Catholicism and seeing how some people acted and used him. Which has been happening for a long time, as you know. 
 

Edited March 18, 2020 by FaXin

[FaXin]

4 hours ago, rideforever said:

Why do you think its understandable ?

Anyway, why don't you write something about your personal interpretation of those quotes of John ... it's more of an exploration that way.  Which country are you in?

sure, I’d be happy to write a bit more on the quotes. I’m outside of Boston, US. 

[FaXin]

 

20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 

21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 

22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 

24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” John 4:20

 

The first part of these verses is about gnosis - in verse 22 "We worship what we do know."  Experiencing the kingdom and knowing the Father, so there is no more belief, there's a knowing.  The Pharisees worshiped blind, with belief - a God that was separate from them.  Jesus, throughout his time talked a lot about being one with the Father.  A special location or statue is not needed, it's experienced in every moment.

 

The second part of the verses is a good one for discussion.  It's important to remember that every time Jesus speaks "I, me" -- he is speaking from the light presence inside of him, and flows through us all.  He's not referring to the man from Galilee - it's not like Jesus is an ego-maniac trying to win over converts and believers! There has to be a deeper meaning to it.  Therefor, in my view, the Messiah is that Light that has come to "save us" (the eternal life, the water that quenches the thirst that he speaks of earlier in this chapter, and which Jesus speaks of so often.)  The "second coming" is the moment the Light awakens in us, saving us from sin and death.  For if we are speaking of things that have past- and things to come in the future- it is a dead faith; a belief, and holds no power to transform the practitioner.

 

My view is the "light" was not accessible until Jesus came and brought it to us. He was the bridge - a Master so accomplished that he changed the rules of the game (a new Covenant between God and Man, through Christ.) 

Edited March 19, 2020 by FaXin

[rideforever]

"Woman, believe me a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem" .. yup.

 

It is interesting to contemplate what Jesus really represents, if we remove the baggage. 

Was Gautama not enlightened ?  What about Krsna and everyone else ?  They were, and it was a long time earlier.  What about the Pharaohs of Egypt ?

 

Every tradition says ... our man is the only  man ... everyone else is fake, ... everyone else is worshipping through belief.  But this is not true, but given the low level of human beings ... they need this emotional pressure ... it helps them.  And whichever path you are on ... for sure you think that your man is the only man.  You need that pressure, you need help.

 

I think Jesus is misunderstood, I am afraid my views might not be popular.  He had 12 students only.  He gave them his own blood because it allowed communication after death, which is the new covenant (lower case).

You see the think is that due to the lack of sensitivity to God, people have to imagine it's a great thing.  A messiah is coming, he has opened the light to everyone, you are the chosen people.  Etc...

But this is not correct.  For example what occurs to mankind is only the reaping of what he sows.  You see there are rules, and stages, and ladders of consciousness.  Nobody is cheating anyone.  You get what you are.  If you are low you get low.  Every teacher guru and messiah is part of the whole picture of the universe, they are part of the rule based system.

So Jesus is likely simply another teacher ... but he also had advanced gifts of a particular type I will mention later.

He was also a teacher coming from a holy family in the holy land.  He was a gift to Mary.  This makes him a natural child of God ... something from the days before the fall. 

It is different to a yogi, a yogi is an abstract man.

But Jesus comes from the family structure of the earth, from family, and his holiness comes from that.

I don't know the full importance of this ... but it is different to a pauper yogi who goes to a cave and reaches consciousness.

 

Given that Europa comes from Rome, and Christianity was adopted by Rome then Jesus is vastly important.

But as a man what does he really offer that is different ?

Some very important things.

 

Firstly, his journey meeting every fool that the Levant could offer.  Fools, charlatans, frauds, the greedy stupid and unjust.  And .. he meets the faithful, the humble, the earnest.   His journey was the journey of a man in the man's world.

There is no abstract "Tao" nor Cosmic Consciousness of Siva.

No ... he is a man.  So this represents the humanising of religion.  Mankind sees himself for the first time, encountering fools encountering charlatans. 
He does not give you Disney World and promises of handouts of joy in this world.
He gives you the truth of this world ... you are surrounded by darkness ... take up your cross and be brave.

And he says .. plant your seeds, and invest your talents ... he says "Can you not see that from the beginning God made man and woman".   

He did not give license to live whatever way, he taught the rules.

He represented the Laws of the universe at the level of mankind.  The Law of 3, of Yin+Yang => Creation.

He also recognized that there is no evil except ignorance, that there is nobody to fight except ignorance.

In fact his religion comprehends the laws of the universe, it might come originally from egypt and be related to Hermeticism.   

Hence his knowledge of connection after death ... using the mechanism of drinking blood and eating part of the body.

Otherwise they would not hear him.

And this kind of insight and knowledge was easy for him: he knew a lot of it, either highly trained, or God taught him.

 

He is not just offering salvation ... he offers technical understanding of the rules of existence that are operating.

And he sacrificed his life because he had tremendous courage to destroy the physical body.

Because "I Am" is the real body, and the real life, and this body is of small import.

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by rideforever

[FaXin]

Very cool views, thank you for sharing.

 

So you think the apostles ate the actual flesh and drank the actual blood of Jesus? Or did I misunderstand. Some sort of magic to carry on the communication after death? I have never heard that one, interesting theory. Where did you hear it, if you recall?

 

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by FaXin

[FaXin]

John 11:1-10

1. Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4. When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7. and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8. “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

9. Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

 

I do like this one.  If a man is guided by the light, he will be safe.

Edited March 21, 2020 by FaXin

[Tuesday]

Oh... Nice verse

 

[rideforever]

In the Jewish scriptures consumption of blood is forbidden because you take on the aspects of the animals.

So they had an esoteric comprehension of blood at that time, they knew many things.

 

This is from "In Search of the Miraculous" by Ouspensky, here he it is Gurdjieff who is talking.

 

 But,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  nobody 
understands what this was precisely, or what was done by Christ and his disciples that 
evening.  There  exists  no  explanation  that  even  approximately  resembles  the  truth, 
because what is written in the Gospels has been, in the first place, much distorted in 
being  copied  and  translated;  and  secondly,  it  was  written  for  those  who  know.  To 
those who do not know it can explain nothing, but the more they try to understand it, 
the deeper they are led into error. 
"To  understand  what  took  place  at  the  Last  Supper it is first  of all necessary to 
know certain laws. 
"You remember what I said about the 'astral body'? Let us go over it briefly. People 
who have an 'astral body' can communicate with one another at a distance without 
having  recourse  to  ordinary  physical  means.  But  for  such  communication  to  be 
possible they must establish some 'connection' between them. For this purpose when 
going  to  different  places  or  different  countries  people  sometimes  take  with  them 
something belonging to another, especially things that have been in contact with his 
body and are permeated with his emanations, and so on. In the same way, in order to 
maintain a connection with a dead person, his friends used to keep objects which had 
belonged to him. These things leave, as it were, a trace behind them, something like 
invisible wires or threads which remain stretched out through space. These threads 
connect a given object with the person, living or in certain cases dead, to whom the 
object belonged.  Men  have known  this from the remotest antiquity and have made 
various uses of this knowledge. 
"Traces of it may be found among the customs of many peoples. You know, for 
instance,  that  several  nations  have the custom of blood-brotherhood.  Two men, or 
several men, mix their blood together in the same cup and then drink from this cup. 
After that they are regarded as brothers by blood. But the origin of this custom lies 
deeper. In its origin it was a magical ceremony for establishing a connection between 
'astral bodies.' Blood has special qualities. And certain peoples, for instance the Jews, 
ascribed  a  special  significance  of  magical  properties  to  blood.  Now,  you  see,  if  a 
connection between 'astral bodies' had been established, then again according to the 
beliefs of certain nations it is not broken by death. 
"Christ knew that he must die. It had been decided thus beforehand. He knew it and 
his disciples knew it. And each one knew what part he had to play. But at the same 
time they wanted to establish a permanent link with Christ. And for this purpose he 
gave them his blood to drink and his flesh to eat. It was not bread and wine at all, but 
real flesh and real blood. 
"The  Last  Supper  was  a  magical  ceremony  similar  to  'blood-brotherhood'  for 
establishing a connection between 'astral bodies.'