|
The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies |
The Transfiguration of Christ is the culminating point of his epic life, just as his Baptism is its starting point, and his Ascension is its end. Moreover, this glorious event has been related in detail by the appearance of Moses, to hand over as it were, the Law and the Dispensation to Jesus. This throws a light on the reason for the Transfiguration which is lost in the accepted versions of the Gospels. Elias also appears, so as to make with Moses, the "two witnesses" required by the Law. They recognize Jesus as the Christ, and witness to him as the great Prophet whom God should raise to succeed and take the place of Moses as the Legislator of the New Dispensation.
Transfiguration
Transfiguration is a changing of appearance or form.
The Transfiguration is a miraculous event in the Synoptic Gospel accounts of Jesus Christ (Matt. 17:1-6, Mark 9:1-8, Luke 9:28-36 and The Gospel of the Holy Twelve; Lection 46): Jesus led his apostles to pray at the top of a mountain, where he became transfigured, with his face shining like the sun, and with brilliant white clothes; Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus, and talked with him, and then a bright cloud appeared overhead, and a voice from the cloud proclaimed, "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him."
Moses and Elijah have been interpreted to represent the Law and the Prophets, respectively, recognizing and adoring Jesus. Peter and John briefly allude to the event in their writings (II Peter 1:16-18, John 1:14).
According to tradition, the event took place on Mount Tabor.
About a week after his sojourn, Jesus takes the apostles to a high mountain, where he was transfigured before their ravished eyes. The Gospels express this phenomenon by the word metemorphothe, which the Vulgate renders as transfiguratus est. The Synoptics explain the true meaning of the word by adding "his face did shine as the sun and his garments became white as snow."
This dazzling brightness emanated from his entire body and was produced by an interior reflection of Holy Divinity. The Law once given through Moses "by the ministry of angels," was now given through Jesus as the more perfect Law -the Law of Christ.
~ The Transfiguration on the Mount ~
The Gospel of the Holy Twelve; Lection 461. AFTER six days, when the Feast of Tabernacles was nigh at hand, Jesus taketh the twelve and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and as he was praying the fashion of his countenance was changed, and he was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
2. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him and spake of the Law, and of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
3.. And Moses spake, saying, This is he of whom I foretold, saying, A prophet from the midst of thy brethren, like unto me shall the Eternal send unto you, and that which the Eternal speaketh unto him, shall he speak unto you, and unto him shall ye hearken, and whoso will not obey shall bring upon themselves their own destruction.
4. Then Peter said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if thou wilt let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5. While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and twelve rays as of the sun issued from behind the cloud, and a voice came out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
6. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were sore amazed, and Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And the six glories were seen upon him.~ The Giving of the Law ~
7. AND Jesus said unto them, Behold a new law I give unto you, which is not new but old. Even as Moses gave the Ten Commandments to Israel after the flesh, so also I give unto you the Twelve for the Kingdom of Israel after the Spirit.
8. For who are the Israel of God ? Even they of every nation and tribe who work righteousness, love mercy and keep my commandments, these are the true Israel of God. And standing upon his feet, Jesus spake, saying:
9. Hear O Israel, JOVA, thy God is One; many are My seers, and My prophets. In Me all live and move, and have subsistence.
10. Ye shall not take away the life of any creature for your pleasure, nor for your profit. nor yet torment it.
11. Ye shall not steal the goods of any, nor gather lands and riches to yourselves, beyond your need or use.
12. Ye shall not eat the flesh, nor drink the blood of any slaughtered creature, nor yet any thing which bringeth disorder to your health or senses.
13. Ye shall not make impure marriages, where love and health are not, nor yet corrupt yourselves, or any creature made pure by the Holy.
14. Ye shall not bear false witness against any, nor wilfully deceive any by a lie to hurt them.
15. Ye shall not do unto others, as ye would not that others should do unto you.
16. Ye shall worship One Eternal, the Father-Mother in Heaven, of Whom are all things, and reverence the holy Name.
17. Ye shall revere your fathers and your mothers on earth, whose care is for you, and all the Teachers of Righteousness.
18. Ye shall cherish and protect the weak, and those who are oppressed, and all creatures that suffer wrong.
19. Ye shall work with your hands the things that are good and seemly; so shalt ye eat the fruits Of the earth, and live long in the land.
20. Ye shall purify yourselves daily and rest the Seventh Day from labour, keeping holy the Sabbaths and the Festival of your God.
21. Ye shall do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you.
22. And when the disciples heard these words, they smote upon their breasts, saying: Wherein we have offended. O God forgive us: and may thy wisdom, love and truth within us incline our hearts to love and keen this Holy Law.
23. And Jesus said unto them, My yoke is equal and my burden light, if ye will to bear it, to you it will be easy. Lay no other burden on those that enter into the kingdom, but only these necessary things.
24. This is the new Law unto the Israel of God, and the Law is within, for it is the Law of Love, and it is not new but old. Take heed that ye add nothing to this law, neither take anything from it. Verily I say unto you, they who believe and obey this law shall be saved, and they who know and obey it not, shall be lost.
25. But as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive. And the disobedient shall be purged through many fires; and they who persist shall descend and shall perish eternally.
26. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
27. His disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come and restore all things.
28. But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
The law as given through Moses "by the ministry of angels," and as the Church of Israel (the typical nation,) and as received through Interpreters and Scribes, had no precept forbidding cruelty, oppression, flesh eating, drunkenness, the worship of mammon, impure marriages, or other vices and crimes which are the cause of nearly all the misery which now afflicts mankind, nor did it include that mutual consideration for each other (positively and negatively) which is summed up in the one commandment of Christ "Love ye one another," which includes all creatures which God hath given to be our earth mates and companions.
But now, by the same Spirit, is given through the ministry of angels, a more perfect Law -the Law of Christ- which they knew not, those who sacrificed innocent animals (which "God commanded not," as said by Jeremiah the prophet), in place of the passions and lusts within their carnal minds. And to this end is this Law now given anew after a more perfect way that the multitudes in the Outer Court may have it written in their hearts, and enter through the Middle Courts of the Soul, into the realm of the divine Spirit where no tables of the Law are seen, for there the Law is written from WITHIN.
The "six glories" are reference to the six precepts in each table of the law as now given, or more accurately, to the six attributes of each of the two aspects of the Christ, six feminine and six masculine, as inherent in the Two in One -the "Father-Mother of the age to come."
Compare this with the Law as given by Moses in the "Book of the Going Forth of Israel," all are chiefly negative precepts. In the law given by Christ there are six negative and six positive. The negative is the external Way, in which certain actions are forbidden. The positive is the interior way, in which certain duties are enjoined. As the prohibitions are given in the negative, so also are they given in the positive.
The moral obligations of Mankind have thus been revealed in two ways; the first and earliest is the negative and external way in which certain actions are forbidden; the second and later is the positive and interior way in which certain duties are commanded. As the prohibitions are summed up in the negative form, so the commands are summed up in the positive form, and both in the one command of Christ; "Love ye one another."
Had this law been faithfully observed, there would have been no suffering, divisions or war as now, and this earth would have been a paradise for all living things. It is the spirit of selfishness and of perversity, in direct opposition to the Law of Christ which has been the root of all evils and sin and could have been avoided by simple adherence to the twelve precepts given by Jesus on the Mount.
Return to The Nazarene Way main menu
The
Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies
Email us at: Comments@TheNazareneWay.com
Join our Essene
Holy Communions mail list
Sign
our Guest Book!
The Transfiguration on the Mount and The Giving of the Law