17 Oct 2016
[Questions on Bible] Shri Anil asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, Kindly give Your explanations to following verses/parables taken from New Testaments of Bible written by St. Mathew. Some of the verses are stand alone verses giving enough understanding still Your commentaries on those are highly appreciated for the benefit of all devotees.
i) The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast [Matthew 13:31-34]
[31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.]
Swami replied: Parables are elaborated similes presented as independent stories in the beginning and the concepts to be compared to them run below it. The points of concept are already covered in the simile and hence the points of concepts are also easily understood. Instead of giving the concept in beginning and parable later on, the reverse is followed because the reader is already familiar with the simile and easily understands the points of parable. Then, the concept is heard so that the points of the concept are also easily grasped through the similar points of the parable already heard. This is the best way of preaching the spiritual knowledge to a common man. The parables are selected from daily observed items of the world to which the common man is often exposed. Small mustard seed growing in to a big tree is common item of observation for the farmers in the fields. For the ladies of the farmers, yeast and flour are common items observed in kitchens of that region. Hence, the parable should be an item frequently observed by the receivers of the knowledge. In the time of Jesus, such common people were preached because only such people existed there. The way of preaching should be congenial to the minds of receivers through the parables about which those receivers are in constant awareness. Today, I have to preach the spiritual knowledge to educated people. Many of them studied science in depth. The dual nature of human incarnation behaving like God by saying “I am truth. I am light” and the same behaving like human being by saying “Let Thy will be done” can be easily understood by giving the parable of dual nature of electron. Any one understands in his own language only and language means the knowledge of frequently observed or studied items of the world.
The beginning should be always humble so that the end will be great like the shadow in the evening. If the beginning is great, the end will be small like the shadow in the morning. This is said by the scholar Bhartruhari (aarambha gurvii...). In this verse also, the simile is projected first and then only the concept. The first type generates happiness in the end though sorrow in the beginning. The second type generates happiness in the beginning and sorrow in the end. This point is told in the Gita comparing sorrow to poison and happiness to nectar (Yattadagre...). When a devotee sees the human form of God, the devotion should grow gradually step by step and such devotion is sacrificial. The devotion appearing very high in the beginning and totally disappearing in the end is selfish. The devotee tries to catch God for solving his problem and hence the devotion in the beginning is like ocean. When the purpose is served (work is over) or not served, in both cases, the devotion disappears becoming a desert. The above parable speaks about the real sacrificial devotion to God.
ii) The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl [Matthew 13:44-52]
[44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied.
52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”]
Swami replied: The treasure hidden in the field is the unimaginable God in human form called human incarnation like Jesus. The farmer sold everything he had and purchased the field containing the hidden treasure. This means that the devotee has sacrificed all the worldly bonds for the sake of human incarnation and got It (human incarnation) for him. The farmer can enjoy the treasure in hidden way (separate hiding is not necessary) since he owns the field. This means that surrendering to the human form of God is surrender to God only. The second parable is just repetition of the same concept and repetition is done to stress the point. The net catching all types of fish indicates the approach of all types of devotees to God. Good fish represent the selfless devotees and bad fish represent selfish devotees. Service to God without aspiration of any fruit in return is the only path to please the God.
Similarity of Medium & Constant Nearness Responsible For Repulsion
iii) A Prophet Without Honor [Matthew 13:53-58]
[53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.]
Swami replied: This is the general human psychology by which the human incarnation is always missing here. All the human beings miss the human incarnation due to the repulsion between common media. This repulsion is more when the human incarnation is to be accepted by the human beings of His native place. This repulsion is most when the human incarnation is to be accepted by the human beings of His home. Similarity of the medium and constant nearness are responsible for this repulsion. The similar functions of the medium (thirst, hunger, sleep, illness etc.,) bring repulsion. This repulsion is intensified as the medium is very near because a constant perception of the similar functions of the similar medium is done. I like to add one more clause to this statement, by which, it becomes “a Divine Preacher is not recognized in His native place, in His home and as long as He lives”! Life of human body is again a similarity and the life makes the human being to appear before the eyes of humanity. If this life leaves the human body, the human incarnation disappears and the basic problem is solved because the repulsion can exist between two living human bodies only. The Veda says “even angels hate that which is before eyes and like that which is not seen (Paroksha priyaa iva hi devaah pratyaksha dvishah)”.
iv) The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees [Matthew 16:5-12]
[5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.]
Swami replied: Jesus warns about the rigid conservatives of blind tradition without analyzing the scripture with open mind in open atmosphere to find out its true interpretation. These conservatives are like little mushrooms without any growth in the spiritual knowledge. By chance, if these lilliput’s catch good traditions they are like white mushrooms, acceptable as food. There are other black mushrooms, which cannot be accepted as food since they are poisonous and these are conservatives of bad traditions. You must analyze the correct interpretation of the scripture, which is applicable at every level and grow like a huge tree helping the passengers by giving shadow and food as fruits. When the mushroom is eaten, it disappears totally. The tree stands independently maintaining its identity and at the same time gives asylum for rest and supply food through fruits every year. You should grow like a tree by the expansion of the spiritual knowledge and live forever helping all the human beings. You should not die like petty mushroom and at any cost you should not be a black mushroom.
v) Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah[Matthew 16:13-20]
[13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.]
Swami replied: Son of man means a normal human being with whom God did not merge. Yet, such a human being is helping the society by preaching the divine laws and hence is called as son of man. If a human being preaches sinful concepts, he is the son of demon. Son of God means the human incarnation, which is a human devotee in whom God exists merged. The word ‘living’ indicates the life of the human body of father and the life of the human body of his son. It means only an alive human form in which God exists. Peter recognized Jesus as son of God, who is the resulting issue of the unimaginable God (in the form of divine father or holy spirit) merging with a devoted human being or son of man. This merger is referred as the wedding ceremony as a parable. Peter is assured about every type of protection because he identified the human incarnation overcoming the repulsion between common media by defeating his ego and jealousy to co-human forms. Jesus asked Peter not to reveal Jesus as human incarnation to others since almost all the human beings are always defeated by their ego and jealousy.
vi) Jesus Predicts His Death [Matthew 16:21-28]
[21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”]
Swami replied: Jesus is addressing Himself as son of Man. Even though God is merged with this son of man, the son of man is aware of his separate identity without getting a trace of ego that He is God. Jesus also says that the son of man (Himself) is glorified by the Divine Father. Jesus also says that the son of man will reward his devotees. The son of man separated from human incarnation becomes a very great devotee for sacrificing his life for the sake of the programme of God. God becomes servant of such dedicated servant and this stage he is even above the human incarnation. God will reward the devotees as per the wish of such devoted son of man or human being. This is indirectly said as that the son of man will reward his devotees. The dualism here is not lower than monism and in fact higher than monism. In monism (human incarnation) God and Son of Man merge with each other and the son of man becomes God (or son of God). The deservingness of the son of man in sacrificing his life for the sake of God’s programme is so high that God becomes the servant of this son of man and acts as per his wish in rewarding devotees. One need not crave to become human incarnation, but, can become the master of God by remaining as devotee forever. The stage of human incarnation is lower than that highest state of devotion.
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