“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:1-3)

What does 'blessed' mean?

The word “blessed” - translated from the Greek word μακάριος (makarios), which means to be "blessed" or "happy" - imparts Jesus' confirmation that this is a state that brings joy.

While some versions of the Bible translate "Blessed are the poor in spirit" to simply “Blessed are the poor,” the Greek word πνεῦμα (pneuma) - which means according to Thayer's lexicon, "the spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated."

In other words, Jesus is not speaking of being financially poor. Being "poor in spirit" is distinctly different than being "poor" - or having a lack of material wealth.

What does 'poor in spirit' mean?

This phrase is describing a consciousness of humility.

To be "poor in spirit" means to have a general disregard for oneself. It means to have abandoned the consciousness that I am the most important person.

This means abandoning the consciousness of self-centeredness. That the world revolves around me and my family, my house, my region, my heritage, and so on.

This contrasts with what we see today throughout the physical world: We see practically everyone is in a consciousness that the world revolves around me. We think we know so much. We think we are so great. We consider ourselves the superstar, the boss, or the best at something. We think that the world is our 'oyster' and everything is meant for our enjoyment.

This consciousness can pervade if we become philosophical, should we try to speculate our way to knowing the Truth. We think we can figure it all out with our tiny brain.

This essentially boils down to pride: We think we are self-sufficient.

What about self-esteem?

Many today teach the importance of self-esteem. They teach that we should love ourselves, and cherish ourselves, and believe that we are the greatest. How does this help us?

Some promote pride as the solution to all sorts of psychological issues: They recommend "self-love" and feeling that we can do anything we want to do. They recommend we need a dose of "I am incredible" and we will be fine.

Such a doctrine sounds fluffy and nice. But the reality is that self-love only leads to self-centeredness. And this is contrary to Jesus' teachings.

The world is not our "oyster." The physical world is a place of learning. We are in a type of classroom, one that teaches us about love and consequences.

Here we have the freedom to express ourselves as we wish according to the culture and restrictions therein. But the world teaches us back with reactions, laws and consequences.

Some of the meanest consequences come as a result of harming others in some way. Often this is a result of our acting with pride and self-centeredness. 

When we are proud of ourselves, and we are focused on ourselves (self-centered) we become oblivious to how our actions may harm others. In our attempts to get what we want, we may remove an opportunity for someone else.

Developing humility as we live in this world will allow us to learn more and grow more.

Humility begins with understanding our limitations. Understanding, first that I don't know it all. Our mind is only a storage device for impulses coming from the senses and the nervous system. It is not all-knowing. Our mind is like a computer hard drive. It stores what is fed into it.

Thus the mind has no entrance into the spiritual realm because the spiritual realm is not perceived by the physical senses. Therefore the mind has no entrance into the spiritual realm.

Our physical lifetime is strung together with one lesson after another. We emerge from the womb in pain - crying and gasping. Throughout our childhood, we deal with life's frustrations, pains and struggles as we try to cope with other children, our parents, and the general demands of the world. We deal with the ‘growing pains’ of peer pressure, school, and the demands of our family, versus our inclinations for freedom and independence.

As our bodies rise to adulthood, we find ourselves having to cope with learning a way to survive on our own. We learn to maintain jobs, finances, spouses, family and everyday aches and pains. 

Life becomes serious in adulthood, and survival is tantamount. In the early adult years, we may work hard at jobs with little future, and take care of children who are themselves confused about the world. 

As our bodies grow older, they begin to become diseased. We are treated with aches and pains inherent in temporary bodies with limited lifespans. Bones, teeth, and muscles all age and weaken. Our eyesight weakens. Our hearing begins to fade. Our memory begins to falter. All of these elements make for a downslide towards the death of this body.

At the time of death, whatever wealth or assets we have accumulated - including our name, reputation and status - all disappear. In one instant - after a lifetime of struggles to accumulate them - everything we thought was ours is snatched away at the time of death.

Where does our self-esteem get us in this context?

The various hopes and dreams we might have about becoming happy in the physical world through the acquisition of fame, wealth, family, and so on are simply that: dreams. They are illusions. These things do not bring happiness. These things only bring more emptiness. They only bring more sorrow. Why?

Because we are not these physical bodies. These bodies are vehicles we drive temporarily. It is like a driver wanting to relieve his hunger by filling up the car with gas. Because the driver is not the car, filling the car with gas will not fulfill the driver.

In the same way, because we are spiritual in essence, physical things cannot fulfill us.

Rather, these physical bodies and this physical world facilitate learning.

Yes, this world and this temporary physical body were designed to teach us. But only if we are ready to learn.

How does humility help us enter the 'kingdom of heaven'?

Now consider what can be taught to a person who thinks they know it all, compared to someone who is humble. The know-it-all doesn't think they need to learn anything. They think they are just fine. So they learn little.

But the humble person is capable of greater learning because they are not so proud of what they might know already.

One might compare it to a cup. If the cup is full, nothing more can be poured in. But a cup that is empty can be filled easily.

In the same way, a humble state allows a person to learn about spiritual life.

Should we at some point realize the futility of thinking we are the center of the universe, we are ready to embrace our innate humble consciousness. This is not fake humility - acting humble. This is feeling humbled.

It is at this point that we become “poor in spirit.” We in effect, giving up on our consciousness that the universe revolves around me, and that I know it all.

At such a point, we are ready to begin our re-entry into the “kingdom of heaven.” 

The 'kingdom of heaven' Jesus is referring to is the place where love of God is the primary consciousness, leaving pride and self-centeredness with no place in our heart. It is a world where love replaces greed. It is the realm where our lust for 'mammon' (or materialism) is replaced by a thirst for pleasing God. 

That 'kingdom of heaven' is a world where we are truly happy because our care and concerns are about loving and serving our Best Friend and Soul Mate, the Supreme Being.

True humility is the realization that our self-centered nature has created our separation from God, and that we do not have the power to change this nature alone. We need His help.

Only in this condition can a person truly take refuge in the Supreme Being and allow Him to guide us. Once we understand that we have no strength of our own, and we need our relationship with Him in order to be happy, we become equipped to enter "the kingdom of heaven."

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

Is mourning the same as depression?

Some might consider mourning as depression. Is this the kind of mourning Jesus is talking about?

Depression is not what Jesus is referring to. Depression can be the result of mourning, but mourning is based on losing someone we care for.

The word "mourn" here is being translated from the Greek word πενθέω (pentheō). According to Thayer's lexicon, this means "to grieve" or "to lament" for someone.

Thus when Jesus says, "those who mourn," he is referring to those who have lost someone. They had a spouse, family member, or friend, and lost them. 

This occurs when the spirit of that person leaves the physical body at the time of death.

On the other hand, "blessed" is being translated from the Greek word μακάριος (makarios), which means "happy" according to the lexicon. 

How can a person be mourning and be joyful at the same time?

What is the source of 'mourning'?

The physical body is designed for distress - physical suffering in many forms. But this physical body is not who we are. We are the spirit-person within. We are a spirit-person temporarily living within and falsely identifying with this temporary physical body.

As we put our faith in our physical body, our physical family, and our physical relationships, we are met with distress. This is because each body and each material object, one by one, becomes destroyed or we otherwise become separated from them.

Mourning is different. As we lose our family members or the relationships of this world, we are left mourning for their loss. We are left with an emptiness. This is a natural feeling because we were designed for relationships.

Mourning comes from becoming attached to another physical form of this world. When that physical form dies, we are let down. (Every physical body dies, and the soul or spirit-person leaves.)

Mourning can be 'blessed' according to Jesus because it can bring us to a point where we experience an emptiness that allows us to sincerely reach out to God.

How can we be comforted?

The solution that Jesus provides is to realize this world is not our home. This is a temporary place, full of hostility and calamity - but also a place of learning.

This world is intended to teach us that we are empty without our innate relationship with the Supreme Being. We are nothing without God because we were created to be God's loving servant and friend.

And only when we begin to realize that this world is not our home and that we can be comforted if we seek refuge in our relationship with the Supreme Being will we be relieved of the mourning within this physical world.

Should we become humbled with the realization that this world is not our home and we need to return to God, we will be comforted.

This is Jesus' message. 

Jesus was not preaching the importance of family life. He did not preach that we should take comfort in the family of this temporary physical body. While families can certainly help comfort us during times of physical and emotional distress, they are not the key to being comforted spiritually.

Being “comforted” as spoken of here comes only by way of a loving relationship with God. In reality, we do have a home, and we do have a loving family and a loving Father we can turn to and rely upon.

We will find comfort when we put ourselves at the feet of the Supreme Being. We can take refuge in the Supreme Being, and we will find our solution. This is Jesus' message. As we put our love and care upon God, we are comforted:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

What does Jesus mean by 'inherit the earth'?

Did Jesus really promise his students that they, if they were meek, would "inherit the earth" as interpreted from this statement by Jesus?

Did Jesus really suggest that these folks will literally inherit the earth?

Actually, Jesus is quoting David's Psalms:

But the meek shall inherit the earth,

And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psalm 37:11)

This means that this concept of  "inheriting the earth" did not start with Jesus. It was something unrelated to Jesus. It was related to those who are not only humble, but devoted to God:

But those who wait on the LORD,

They shall inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:9)

The word "LORD" here is translated from the Hebrew word הֹוָה (Yĕhovah). This is the name of the Supreme Being, also called Jehovah. In other words, David is not referring to Jesus. He is referring to those who take refuge in God. 

What is the 'inherit the earth' doctrine?

Some sects teach that their members will be put on a list and after Jesus' return they will be spared while everyone else will be slaughtered. Then those on the list will "inherit the earth."

But what about those who have died before Jesus' "second coming?" How will they inherit the earth? Or how about those during David's time? Will their decomposed bodies - their bone fragments - come back to life to inherit the earth? Or perhaps the worms that ate their bodies will inherit the earth?

How could they inherit the earth if their bodies are completely decomposed and turned into soil and ash? And what if their bodies were burnt in a fire at the time of death? Will their ashes rise up to inherit the earth?

If that were true, why did Jesus also say:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21)

and

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18:3-4)

Why, in Jesus' teachings, would entering the kingdom be of any importance if his followers would "inherit the earth"?

The fact is, Jesus did not teach that his followers would inherit the earth. He promised them that if they followed his teachings, then they would become eligible to enter the "kingdom of heaven" and the "kingdom of God."

This ridiculous doctrine of inheriting the earth also denies the existence of a spiritual living being that lives on after the body dies, while even conventional medical science now accepts that a person can exist after death, evidenced by millions of clinical death cases.

Is 'inherit the earth' a mistranslation?

It is evident from the original Greek and its context that "inherit the earth" is a mistranslation* of what Jesus said. The phrase "inherit the earth" is taken from the Greek words κληρονομέω (klēronomeōto) and γῆ (gē). Yes, κληρονομέω (klēronomeōto) can certainly mean "to be an heir, to inherit" according to the lexicon. But it can also mean, "to receive" and "to receive a portion."

And γῆ (gē) can mean "arable land," but also "territory," "region," or "one's country."

In this context, an appropriate translation of γῆ (gē) in this context would be "oasis" or "paradise." Jesus is referring to a special place. Something that is a reward or benefit.

Why would "arable land" be translated to "oasis" or "paradise"? "Arable land" refers to land that is productive for growing food. It is special land - because much of the land that Jesus and those around him around Jerusalem were rocky, barren desert land. Arable land would be land that was not only adequate for growing crops but received adequate rain or other water supply.

In hot desert regions, that would be considered an oasis - which is often described as a paradise and metaphorically used to describe the spiritual realm.

Why? Because metaphorically, the spiritual realm is a paradise or an oasis apart from the distress of the physical world.

Therefore, a more appropriate translation of this statement (as found in the Lost Gospels of Jesus) would be:

“Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit paradise.”

Where is paradise?

Jesus is speaking metaphorically here. Why? Because we cannot see the spiritual realm with our physical eyes. It lies in another dimension. So as Jesus speaks about it, he has to speak in metaphorical terms.

Jesus is speaking about being humble. The word πραΰς (praÿs), being translated to "meek" can also mean "mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit." In other words, "humble," or "gentle" as well as "meek."

Jesus was talking about humility, stating that being humble had its own rewards in the long run. This is because only out of humility comes the ability to hear the word of God.

Why? Because the kingdom of heaven is where the Supreme Being dwells. Remember the beginning of the "Lord's prayer:"

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name" (Matt. 6:9)

and remember this statement:

"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." (Matt. 18:10)

Jesus certainly was teaching his students that if they followed his teachings - requiring humility - they would return to their relationship with Supreme Being, who dwells in the spiritual realm - "heaven" or "paradise."

Jesus was discussing the spiritual realm, where God lives, and where those who love and serve the Supreme Being dwell. Jesus confirmed this when he said:

"Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:35)

Doing God's will means serving God. It means being a loving servant. A loving servant is naturally humble. 

Those who teach the "inherit the earth" doctrine are missing the entire point of Jesus' discussion. One must develop humility in order to come to know and love God, and one must maintain the humility to enter into the spiritual realm of love for God:

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

What is the 'mercy' Jesus is referring to?

Jesus is discussing both God's mercy upon us, and the mercy that we may choose to extend to others.

We are each a child of the Supreme Being. We are His individual creations. Though He has imbued us with individuality and freedom of choice, we are still of the same nature as He. Being of that same nature, we have the same propensity for love, mercy, and compassion.

Though we do not maintain the perfection of these propensities as does the Supreme Being, we nevertheless have the ability to advance a portion of these propensities to those around us.

While requesting the Supreme Being's mercy and compassion, it is contradictory to not extend mercy and compassion to others. This was also expressed by Jesus in a statement referred to as the “golden rule:”

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12)

This concept prevails elsewhere among Jesus' teachings, with mercy coming in the form of forgiveness:

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15)

Does God have mercy on us?

Everything we are and have are products of God's mercy.

For example, through His mercy, He bestowed upon us the freedom of choice. Each of us can make so many choices for ourselves, independent of Him. Even though God could dictate, He doesn't. He gives us a myriad of choices in terms of our activities, goals, and decisions. He has even given us the choice to ignore Him if we want.

Certainly, these choices are required for love. No one can be forced to love. As such, God gave us the choice to love Him or not. And yes, God wants our love. But we can give it or not. That is our choice, and that choice is the product of His mercy.

These choices are reflected throughout our lives. We can choose to act in a way that hurts others or act in a way that is kind and merciful to others. It is our choice.

Inherent in our choices is another type of mercy. The ability to change. Not only does God allow us to act in a self-centered fashion. He also allows us to become better. He allows us to change, and learn to care about others. He also extends His personal assistance towards helping us make those changes in the long run.

The Supreme Being's mercy is reflected not only in allowing us to change, but also in setting up the situations that allow us to change. This world delivers so many consequences for our actions - which in turn teach us and encourage us to change for the better.

So God not only provides the mercy to forgive. He also provides the mercy and the space to change.

Does self-centeredness oppose mercy?

Actions that hurt others simply reflect our choice not to recognize the Supreme Being. They reflect self-centeredness.

This is because self-centeredness is the polar opposite of mercy.

Thus when we choose to be merciful to others by caring about others, we are choosing to align ourselves with the merciful nature of the Supreme Being. This is part of the merciful nature we inherited from Him.

Such a merciful nature towards others attracts the Supreme Being. The Supreme Being is attracted by activities that are merciful to others because He Himself is merciful.

Therefore, when we care about others and are merciful to others, we naturally become closer to the Supreme Being.

But being merciful to others includes understanding who we are. In other words, we should understand who we are and who others are.

What if a starving man came to us and asked us for food. Would we give him a can of gasoline to fill his car with? How would that help the man's hunger?

In the same way, realizing that our identity is spiritual is an important aspect of mercy. Certainly helping others with their physical needs is being merciful. But seeing each other as spiritual means understanding that we need spiritual food.

Spiritual food means re-establishing our lost relationship with the Supreme Being. We can help each other achieve this by praising God and reminding each other that we can only be happy if we re-establish our loving relationship with Him. This is confirmed in Jesus' teachings:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

”Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law of the Prophets...." (Matthew 5:17-20)

”Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law of the Prophets; "I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of thew, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20)

Was Jesus a rebel or a fanatic?

With the statement above, Jesus is dispelling questions relating to those who considered him a radical, or heretical.

Yes, Jesus preached against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees. But Jesus was by no means rebelling against the spiritual injunctions set forth by the lineage of prophets before him - including his own teacher, John the Baptist.

Central to Jesus' teachings were Moses’ instructions. Jesus' central tenet, to love God with all our hearts, comes from the teachings of Moses. Jesus' quoted Moses word for word, from Deuteronomy in this teaching:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deut. 6:5)

How were the Prophets' teachings fulfilled?

Yes, Jesus fulfilled the Prophets' teachings because he brought them to life. He taught them and lived them.

Some sectarian institutions propose that Jesus was fulfilling the Prophets' teachings because they were predicting his eventual life and teachings. Yes, some foretold the future of a coming teacher. But the purpose of the Prophets' lives and teachings was not to specifically predict Jesus' life. Their purpose was the same as Jesus - to help others achieve love for God.

To "fulfill" those teachings according to Jesus was to practice them. Jesus was practicing the "laws" (instructions) of the prophets. He was loving God, and He was doing God’s will. This is the essential element of Jesus' life and teachings.

In no way was Jesus trying to deny or reduce the importance of the teachings of the prophets in his teachings. Those of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, John the Baptist, and others were all supported by Jesus' teachings.

And as evidenced here, Jesus' purpose was to bring those teachings to life: To provide clear and practical applications of the teachings of the prophets to the people of his culture, time, and circumstance.

Such a mission empowered Jesus' life and teachings. Jesus understood the Prophets' teachings to encourage us to love God and serve God.

Why is loving God important?

In the spiritual realm, loving God and God's children is the ultimate focus. And for God, He is loving each of us. This means the spiritual realm is about a loving relationship between God and His children.

This was Jesus' goal: To help us re-establish our loving relationship with God. This was his service to God. This is why, when his disciples were concerned about Jesus not getting enough to eat, he said:

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work." (John 4:34)

Jesus was focused on pleasing the Supreme Being - who sent Jesus. This is love.

Love is not just a word - it is a relationship. And loving God is having a relationship with the Supreme Being.

This is what Jesus was trying to teach others. This is evidenced by his most important instruction, which was quoted directly from the prophet Moses:

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38 and Deut. 6:5)

“If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matthew 5:38-41)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-41)

Where does 'eye for an eye' come from?

Here Jesus is referencing a misinterpreted teaching that has been referenced in at least three verses of the Bible:

But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. (Exodus 21:24)

Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. (Lev. 24:20)

Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. (Deut. 19:21)

These instructions from Moses are said to reflect a crucial law that has resulted in so many acts of violence over the centuries, including stonings and other brutal acts.

Were they necessary to produce the intended result of having a civilized society? One might argue they were not necessary to the extent imagined, and created more acts of violence among uncivil people.

But there is also the question of whether Moses spoke these words as has been translated above - insinuating that humans should commit acts of violence in an eye-for-eye method as punishment against perpetrators. 

The question that Jesus' statement bears is whether Jesus is clarifying the meaning of Moses' instructions, or whether he is conflicting with them. If he is defining what Moses intended to teach, then we can know that Moses' instructions were either misinterpreted, mistranslated or both.

Biblical scholars have shown clearly that before being translated into Latin by appointed scribes of the early Roman church, much of these texts were written in the Eighth Century BC - many centuries after Moses. Did those texts accurately describe Moses' teachings in this regard?

Is there a conflict between the teachings of Moses and Jesus?

One might conclude that the primary difference between Moses' and Jesus' teachings is the time, circumstance, and society. Certainly, Moses was trying to establish the rule of law among a tribe of people trying to survive in the harsh conditions of the desert. As a result of these conditions, Mosaic law had to be stern in order to keep the tribe safe.

That is a significant difference between the time, circumstance, and society that Jesus was teaching to. In Jesus' time, Judea had already established the rule of law. The society of Jesus' time was organized and there were legal institutions in place to deal with criminals. Thus there was no need for people of the society to take the law into their own hands.

In addition, we can establish that the writing and transliteration of Moses' teachings since the 8th Century B.C. could have serious inaccuracies. Before being written down, these were oral traditions passed on from teacher to student and family to family for at least a thousand years. 

When they were finally written down, these oral teachings were combined together and adapted by scribes - and mixed with modern commentary to establish an interpreted version of the texts.

This is why Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said..." If Jesus accepted that God told Moses this, then Jesus - God's representative - would have said, "Moses said" or "God said..." instead of “You have heard that it was said..."

We find that Jesus, like Moses, taught his followers to be merciful and forgiving:

"Blessed are the merciful..." (Matt. 5:7)

Why would Moses take such a hard line then? Yes, there is the necessity of establishing a system of justice to policy a society. But did those after Moses take the law far beyond its intended purpose?

What about 'as you sow so shall you reap'?

The reality is that the physical world was designed by the Supreme Being to enable consequence learning. This system - also termed "as you sow, so shall you reap" - is also part of Jesus' teachings, as he said to someone he healed:

"See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." (John 5:14)

But it is not as though Jesus is teaching that we should take it upon ourselves to make sure that others sow what they reap. Certainly - as evidenced from Moses' teachings - there should be laws that help protect people from those who hurt others. But it is not as if we need to take it upon ourselves to accomplish an "eye for an eye" reality. This is already part of the design of the physical world.

The physical world, along with most of our legal systems, is designed to do this automatically, evidenced by Jesus' statement in John 5:14. We can understand from this that "eye for an eye" is not to be construed violently by those who seek authority over others.

Jesus was advising his followers about how to conduct their personal lives. His message was based upon a personal approach of humility towards others.

Why does Jesus advise to turn the other cheek?

In this statement, we find that Jesus was not teaching others to take the law into their own hands and serve people up with the "eye for an eye" - as wrongly interpreted by some. By the design of the Supreme Being, everyone will automatically face the consequences of their actions - without our involvement.

Rather, Jesus is instructing his followers to approach others with humility.

Humility does not mean pretending to be humble. True humility means recognizing that we are all God's children and God owns everything — even us. Everything comes from God. This means any wealth, reputation or position within society. Anything we have is not ours but rightfully His. We are in effect borrowing whatever we have within our possession.

Why? Because we will ultimately lose whatever we have. We have no permanent grip on the things of the physical world. Our bodies get old and die, and we leave everything behind at the time of death.

Since we own nothing, and everything we have is given to us on loan from God, there is no gain by struggling to be superior to others. There is no gain by demanding that we have a right to something. There is no gain by seeking more than we need to keep our physical body alive.

A realistic view of our possessions or knowledge would be to give thanks for anything we have been given to use, and if our neighbor or brother requires something we currently possess, be willing to share. This is Jesus' point.

This was often illustrated by Jesus. He was extremely humble about his position in relation to the Supreme Being, saying things like:

“My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

Often we see those who adopt the view of “turning the other cheek” as something to be proud of. That acting with humility makes a person better than others. This is hypocritical.

To be proud to be humble is simply a contradiction.

Is this about acting humbly?

Acting humble is not the same as feeling humble. In fact, feeling one's true position as God’s humble servant sometimes requires not acting humbly.

While Jesus did not try to act humble, he was humble in that he depended on the Supreme Being as the Source of his teachings. This is true humility.

Yet when Jesus went into the temple and found peddlers on the grounds of God’s House, he angrily turned over their tables. This does not appear to be an act of humility, but it is because Jesus saw that these peddlers were offending his Beloved God by turning God's place of worship into a marketplace.

This was an illustration of Jesus' intent to serve and please God: An act of true humility: Service done on behalf of God. Jesus confirmed this when he said:

"‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” (Luke 4:8)

and also when he said:

"For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matt. 12:50)

“Do not give dogs what is sacred, do not throw your pearls to pigs..." (Matthew 7:6)

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6)

What does Jesus mean by not giving 'dogs what is sacred'?

This often quoted metaphorical statement by Jesus was not only instructive regarding how Jesus' disciples and students were to teach - but also renders clarity on why many of Jesus’ public teachings utilized parables and metaphors.

The word "sacred" here - taken from the Greek word ἅγιος (hagios) meaning "most holy thing" according to the lexicon - refers to the confidential teachings relating to the spiritual realm and the Supreme Being.

These were the primary elements of Jesus' most valuable teachings - which were coming from the Supreme Being, as Jesus stated elsewhere:

“My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

In other words, Jesus was guarding the confidential teachings coming from the Supreme Being.

And because Jesus was giving this instruction to his disciples, Jesus' point relates also to this confidential nature of his teachings, as well as the teachings of the prophets before him:

Yes, these teachings have been carefully guarded over the centuries.

Were some of Jesus' teachings confidential?

Some of Jesus' teachings - especially those directed at his disciples in private - were confidential.

Jesus confirmed the confidential ("secret") nature of these teachings elsewhere:

"The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables...." (Mark 4:11-12)

Jesus sometimes spoke in parables so that only those who were humble enough to be able to receive spiritual understanding could receive the message. Others -- those with their own agendas -- were left puzzled about the message of the particular message.

Jesus is indicating that God communicates His lessons and truths to those who are ready and receptive to hear them. His communications can come directly through our heart ("Holy Spirit") or through His confidential representatives. 

Who are the 'pigs' according to Jesus?

From Abraham to Moses to David to John the Baptist and Jesus, and many in between and from other cultures and times we find God communicating to those who are ready to hear. 

But we also find the Truth passed down by God's prophets has been in many cases misinterpreted by those who have sought to utilize them for their own purposes of gaining power and authority.

For this reason, we find many of God's communications have often been neglected or ignored over the centuries.

These are the "pigs" that Jesus is warning us about.

How do we know if we are ready to hear it?

A sincere desire to come to know the Supreme Being is the signal that one is ready to hear Jesus' confidential teachings.

This is confirmed by Jesus' next statement.

For this reason, Jesus was teaching his disciples to carefully present the Truth to those who are ready to hear it. He wanted them to carefully lay out the right amount of wisdom to meet the situation and the depth of the listener, to avoid the Truth being trampled upon and misused.

In terms of students of Jesus' teachings, there is another message: The teachings of God's representative are best received with humility and reverence.

This point was confirmed by another statement by Jesus:

“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." (Matthew 11:25)

“... the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20)

Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:19-20)

Why does Jesus say he has 'no place to lay his head'?

Jesus is answering this after a Temple priest ("teacher of the law") has stated that he will become Jesus' follower. He also indicates that he will "follow" Jesus "wherever" he goes.

The phrase, "no place to lay his head" comes primarily from the two Greek terms, κλίνω (klinō) and κεφαλή (kephalē). The latter means "head" but the former word means "to recline" or "a place for repose." In other words, a place to rest.

Jesus is speaking of the fact that he has no home to rest at. He has no place of rest, so to speak. He is traveling the countryside preaching to people, and sleeping wherever he can.

Jesus is essentially stating that the "teacher of the law" who wanted to follow him "wherever you go" should realize that there is no rest for the "Son of Man." It is a life of service - a life that not all people could adjust to.

This is especially important for someone who was part of the Temple institution - where its members were given accommodation at or near the Temple.

What does 'Son of Man' mean?

Why did Jesus refer to himself as the “Son of Man?” Why would someone who was teaching others about God call himself a “Son of Man?”

Many have been confused by Jesus' use of “Son of Man.” Some have referred to this as some kind of kingship over mankind. This would be akin to claiming that either God is man and/or man is God. This interpretation is not accurate given Jesus' other statements and other verses in the Bible.

Furthermore, why would being a "Son of Man" - a son of a man - be a distinctive title? By definition, any male is a son of a man. There is no meaning to this phrase. Thus either Jesus described himself without distinction - which is a contradiction in itself - or "Son of Man" is a mistranslation.

Here the Greek word that has been translated to “son” is υἱός (huios). According to the lexicon, this may indicate a relationship of offspring, but only "in a restricted sense, the male offspring." The lexicon also explains that υἱός (huios) can also be "used to describe one who depends on another or is his follower." And what is a "follower" and "one who depends upon another?" A devoted follower, or a dedicated, loving servant.

This is confirmed by the lexicon, which says it only means son, "in a restricted sense, the male offspring (one born by a father and of a mother)," and also, "used to describe one who depends on another or is his follower - a pupil."

We can also see that this Greek word υἱός (huios) was also used in this way by Jesus in other verses:

-In Matthew 8:12, υἱός (huios) is translated to "subjects":

"But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

-In Matthew 9:15 and Luke 5:32, υἱός (huios) is translated to "guests" (or "attendants" in other versions):

"How can the guests (or attendants) of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast."

-In Matthew 12:27, υἱός (huios) is translated to "your people":

"And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges."

-In Luke 20:34, υἱός (huios) is translated to "people":

"The people of this age marry and are given in marriage."

We can see from these uses and others that υἱός (huios) can also be used to describe someone who is subservient to another, or follows another, as in "the subjects of the kingdom," the "attendants of the bridegroom," or "the people of this age."

In John 12:36 it is used in the phrase "Sons of light":

"Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become Sons of light."

Since light does not give birth to anyone, we can see again that the word υἱός (huios) was frequently used to describe someone who is deferential or subservient to something or someone.

Thus we find, in this context, "servant" is a more appropriate translation of the word υἱός (huios).

Is this only about men?

Because the Greek ἄνθρωπος means "mankind" or "humanity" the correct interpretation of υἱός τοῦ ἄνθρωπος would therefore be that Jesus is calling himself a servant of mankind. But since human society is composed of both men and women, the more appropriate translation would be "servant of humanity." 

In other words, Jesus is putting himself in the position of a servant of humanity because he is desiring to deliver God's message to humankind.

One might not understand how an exalted person like Jesus could humble himself to be a servant of humanity. This is the position a loving servant of God takes. God's loving servants often take the humble position of serving those who have fallen by helping them reclaim their lost love for the Supreme Being. In the spiritual realm, this is an exalted activity.

It should be noted that the “Son” in "Son of God" is also derived from υἱός (huios) (υἱός τοῦ θεοῦ). The same translation of υἱός is appropriate here: This means that υἱός τοῦ θεοῦto is better translated to "loving servant of God" or "devoted follower of God."

This has been confirmed elsewhere:

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. (Acts 3:13)

This reference to Jesus as God's servant or devoted follower is repeated elsewhere, such as in Acts 3:26 and Acts 20:12. In these verses, "Son" is being translated from the Greek word παῖς (pais). The Greek παῖς (pais) is also understood to refer to an intimate servant - a closely held servant, in other words.

Why does Jesus refer to himself in the third person?

Assuming Jesus is referring to himself here, it is quite odd that Jesus doesn't say, "I have no place to lay my head." Rather, he speaks of the "Son of Man" [servant of humanity] in the third person, and also says "his head" - again a third-person reference.

The answer is that Jesus is referring to the "servant of humanity" as a role, not a single person. This is why Ezekiel and Daniel were also referred to as "Son of Man" [servant of humanity], and why David also referred to himself in that way:

Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the Son of Man you have raised up for yourself. (Psalm 80:17)

As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of Man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” (Daniel 8:17)

He asked me, “Son of Man, do you see this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. (Ezekiel 47:6)

What will save us?

We must consider this issue carefully, and not be swayed by organizations who blindly accept a particular dogma without knowledge. Consider this statement by the Supreme Being in Isaiah:

“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, and the Lord, and apart from Me there is no Savior.” (Isaiah 43:10-11)

This very clear statement made by the Supreme Being, referring to Isaiah has His servant, also applies to Jesus: Jesus is the Supreme Being's servant, and the Supreme Being is our ultimate Savior.

This means that Jesus is God's representative, and God is ultimately doing the saving.

For example, a government will send an ambassador to another country, or a business will send one of their key people or even their lawyer to a business meeting to represent the business owner.

Jesus clarifies elsewhere that the Supreme Being is directing his service:

"For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it." (John 12:49)

Thus when Jesus says that he has "no place to lay his head," he is saying that as a servant of humanity, he has no ownership or physical place to offer those that are following him. He considers himself a humble servant and not a proprietor.

Notice also that Jesus speaks of himself in the third person. Why is this?

It is because Jesus sees that this is his role: the servant of humanity.

Did Jesus teach that we have to join a church?

In Matthew 8:20, Jesus is presenting to the teacher of the law that he has no physical temple or monastery to offer the man. 'Teachers of the law' during the time of Jesus usually were given quarters to live along with their ecclesiastical duties on behalf of the organized temples. This tradition persists to this day among various institutions.

Jesus was illustrating that he could not offer the teacher of the law such accommodation, nor did he consider accommodation as important as the service he was doing for the benefit of others. Jesus only had the Truth to give to others, and that Truth had nothing to do with accommodation or joining an organization for that matter.

This is an important point about Jesus’ methodology of teaching. He certainly had the opportunity to organize the crowds that were following him into a big institution, complete with buildings, temples and living quarters. But this was not important to Jesus. He wanted people to pray to God personally, embrace God personally, and come to know and love God from whatever situation they were in. This did not require a joining of a particular group or sect.

Note that Jesus could have said to the teacher of the law something like "yes, come join my organization and quit your current one." Rather, he warned the person that he could offer no such institutional organization or those accommodations they supply. He was delivering God's Truth, not a place to stay. His core teaching was not joining a religion, but loving the Supreme Being. This is why Jesus said:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)

“To what can I compare this generation? ...’” (Matthew 11:16-17)

“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’” (Matt. 11:16-17)

Why is Jesus comparing 'this generation'?

This statement by Jesus may be found by some to be quite mysterious. But when it is read in context with the surrounding statements, its meaning becomes apparent.

Jesus was speaking to his followers and to John's disciples about John the Baptist, whom Jesus indicated they did not know. Jesus praised John. Why?

Because he honored and respected John. He took baptism from John which means he accepted John as his teacher.

Jesus here comments about the people of his time - the people in the society surrounding Jesus at that moment: “To what can I compare this generation?"

Those people, Jesus is saying, expected things to come to them easily - relative to the previous generation. They saw themselves as the "chosen ones" - because they were Jewish - and they were expecting to receive the privileges of their ancestry.

Is this a sense of entitlement?

This is sometimes called a sense of entitlement. As though they were owed something.

Such a sense of entitlement could be compared to those among our current generation. As modern society has become increasingly technological, we are feeling as though we are the best generation ever.

Unless of course, you consider that modern society is seriously endangering the future of this planet.

For many, the thinking is that Jesus' crucifixion saved us from the responsibility of our activities. And all we have to do is ask for stuff and we will get it.

When we want money, we ask God or Jesus to give us money. When we want health, we ask Jesus to make us healthy. When we want to win a contest, we ask Jesus to let us win. When we want to be famous, we ask Jesus to make us famous.

Then of course when we don't get what we want, we get upset and begin doubting God's existence.

This is not what Jesus came to teach us. Jesus came to teach us that we are God’s servants: We should do His will. Not that He should do our will. This is an important point in terms of understanding our position and understanding the Supreme Being, and understanding the purpose for the world around us. It is also important as we understand Jesus' life and his ultimate sacrifice: He was the ultimate loving servant of the Supreme Being.

Having a sense of entitlement is not consistent with loving service: They two are polar opposites. The citizens of the spiritual realm are committed to the pleasure of the Supreme Being. They don't have a sense of entitlement because they see the Supreme Being as the Owner and Controller of everything.

So the example Jesus gives: "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn," illustrates Jesus saw those around as feeling entitled. They saw themselves as the "chosen people" because of their birth into a Jewish family.

Did Jesus teach that a particular race is the chosen people?

Certainly, Jesus was not a racist. Jesus taught that we aren't these physical bodies. He taught that we are spiritual beings. These bodies are temporary vehicles we occupy for a few decades. Jesus communicated this several times, including with this statement:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul." (Matt. 10:28)

as well as:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear." (Matt. 6:25)

Jesus was teaching that we are not these physical bodies. We are each the spirit-person within this body. Therefore, we are not entitled to anything with respect to these temporary physical bodies - our race or family we were born into or even what sect we may belong to. We are the children of the Supreme Being - His servants. Therefore, we have no rights of entitlement.

Our primary entitlement is love. We are always loved by the Supreme Being and we can love others. Love is our heritage and our spiritual entitlement.

“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! ...” (Matthew 12:39-42)

“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now One greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:39-42)

Why is Jesus talking about a 'generation'?

Jesus is responding to some Pharisees who asked him:

“Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” (Matthew 12:38)

The translation of Jesus' answer utilizes the word "generation," translated from the Greek word γενεά (genea). Yes, this can refer to a genealogy, but it can also mean "the whole multitude of men living at the same time," and "a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character."

In this context, Jesus is speaking about a certain culture of people. A particular society and culture that existed around him at that time - one that insisted upon miracles and signs to indicate who should be followed.

In this case, Jesus is referring to the people or society around him at the time who were not interested in having a change of heart. They were more interested in materialism.

So they were seeking to see amazing miracles in order to prove that Jesus was the "messiah" they were waiting for.

This applies to today as well. We find so many are focused in finding "signs" such as images of Jesus' face, or miracle healing waters, or appearances. They seem to need these "miraculous signs" in order to believe in God's existence - or believe in Jesus.

As a result, there have been some pretty crazy "miraculous signs" - like facial images on slices of bread and shadows that look like Mother Mary and so forth.

Has this 'generation' continued?

Such a culture and society (looking for 'signs') has remained in many parts through the centuries. Yet as they have sought miraculous signs, the Supreme Being has been sending His messengers to teach sincere seekers who truly want to find Him. This is Jesus' message.

While many await thunderous voices from the sky or amazing miracles, the Supreme Being has continued to send His humble devoted loving servants who speak simply and clearly. Much of the time they are unnoticed by society at large.

There have been so many of these messengers sent by God throughout history. Before Jesus, consider John the Baptist and John's many disciples. John also had a teacher, his father Zechariah, who also was a devoted servant of God and a priest.

This succession of teachers extends all the way back to Solomon, David, Samuel, Eli, Jonah, Joshua, Moses, Jacob, Abraham and Noah and all their various followers who all were teaching and passing on the same message of the Supreme Being.

Consider also the disciples of Jesus. Most of them went on to pass on to others the teachings of Jesus. James, Peter, Thomas, Matthew, John, Bartholomew and many others (at least 70 according to Luke 10).

Then there were the disciples of Jesus' disciples, such as Cornelius the Centurion and Saint Evodius, both disciples of Peter, and Ignatius, a disciple of the Apostle John.

Many of these messengers were persecuted and murdered for their preaching activities. Yet their lives and teachings went virtually unnoticed by society and history at large.

Why does Jesus talk about the 'men of Nineveh' and 'the Queen'?

Jesus compares the situation to the men of Nineveh - from the Book of Jonah - and the Queen of Sheba to make a point about the wickedness of the society around him.

Jesus is saying that even they - who were fallen until they each respectively had a change of heart - would condemn the society around Jesus.

The people of Nineveh, for example, heard Jonah's message about God and began to repent their ways and worship the Supreme Being. This was not due to some big miraculous sign but rather, simple preaching of Jonah as the Supreme Being had instructed Jonah to do:

[God speaking to Jonah] "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me." (Jonah 1:2)

Jesus is detailing in his statement that the people of Nineveh - who had been called "wicked" by God - repented their ways because Jonah's preaching convinced them to fast and pray to the Supreme Being:

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)

Jesus is also saying that those people around Jesus would be judged as "wicked" even by the "wicked" people of Nineveh. In other words, they were very wicked.

In the same way, the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon to "test him." She was not devoted to God but instead wanted to embarrass him (after all, Solomon was known as the wisest person). Parts of the Talmud indicate that the Queen also wanted to seduce Solomon.

When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. (1 Kings 10:1)

Instead of getting the better of Solomon with these tests Solomon converted her. She ended up glorifying God (See Chronicles 2 chapter 9) and essentially becoming Solomon's student.

In other words, both the men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba were converted by these two great Prophets and servants of God. They each had a change of heart.

Yet each would have "condemned" the people surrounding Jesus - because those people were unwilling to have a change of heart even though they were hearing Jesus' teachings.

What did Solomon and Jonah have in common?

Both Solomon and Jonah were humble and devoted confidential loving servants of the Supreme Being. This means the Supreme Being was present in their teachings as well, as evidenced by God's instruction to Jonah quoted above.

None of them would claim they were better or greater than each other, however. This is not the character of a humble surrendered servant of the Supreme Being. They would, however, make the claim that the Supreme Being is greater than others, as Jesus did. This is an oft-repeating proclamation of every bonafide prophet and spiritual teacher, as evidenced throughout the scriptures.

Now those people surrounding Jesus were also in a position to receive the teachings of the Supreme Being through Jesus - just as the Nineveh people received Jonah's teachings. Yet as Jesus states, they were not listening to him. They were only looking for miraculous signs instead of simply hearing Jesus' teachings.

Who is 'the One greater'?

Many have interpreted part of Jesus' statement to mean that Jesus is claiming that he is greater than Jonah and Solomon ("and now One greater than Jonah is here... [and later] One greater than Solomon is here"). Does this make sense?

Is this the same Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples and said:

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)

Jesus also said:

"Blessed are the meek" (Matthew 5:5)

It would be completely out of character for Jesus to then be referring to himself as the "One greater..." It is obvious he is referring to the Supreme Being as being "One grater..."

And the reason why Jesus is referring to the "One greater" in the third person is that Jesus is not the Supreme Being. Jesus is teaching about and representing the Supreme Being, just as Jonah and Soloman did before him. This is confirmed in other statements by Jesus:

“My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

Here again Jesus is referring to the "One" - but in this case, we can easily tell that Jesus is not referring to himself, as he specifically says: “My teaching is not my own."

But we know from this that because Jesus is delivering the teachings of the Supreme Being, that the Supreme Being is thus present in Jesus' teachings. This is why Jesus can refer to the Supreme Being as being present ("One greater than Jonah/Solomon is here").

And the reason why Jesus is speaking of the Supreme Being as greater than Solomon and Jonah is that the people he was speaking to (the Pharisees and their followers) revered Solomon and Jonah as prophets. So Jesus is illustrating that Solomon and Jonah worshiped the same Supreme Being that Jesus is teaching about.

What is the "sign of Jonah"?

This is that Jonah trusted the Supreme Being when he was swallowed by the fish, and the Supreme Being protected Jonah. Jesus compares this to his own sacrifice because it will also illustrate the trust Jesus has in the Supreme Being.

Jesus showed that the Supreme Being had saved him as he displayed his illuminated appearance three days after his body was killed. The body that Jesus showed after three days was not his physical body. It was an illuminated appearance, as evidenced in Mark 16:12: Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.

Thus, while people are mesmerized by this seemingly 'miraculous sign' of Jesus "rising from the dead," in reality Jesus illustrated that we do not die when the body dies. Otherwise, why wouldn't the two Marys have recognized him when they saw him? Also, the disciples did not recognize him, and he even came to their dinner table without them recognizing him.

Rather than focusing on Jesus' teachings and the message of his life, many institutions and their teachers want us to "believe" because of Jesus' 'miraculous signs.' Meanwhile, they overlook Jesus' most fundamental teaching:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew. 14:31)

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" (Matt. 14:28-31)

What does 'you of little faith' mean?

The phrase "you of little faith" in Jesus' statement is being translated from the Greek word ὀλιγόπιστος (oligopistos). This word means "of little faith, trusting too little" according to the lexicon.

Thus Jesus' use of the word "faith" is not the kind of faith that implies confidence in someone's existence. Peter already had that kind of faith. He accepted God's existence and accepted Jesus' existence.

The kind of faith that Jesus is asking of Peter is trust. He's asking Peter to trust that God loves him, and trust that God is in full control, and trust that the Supreme Being will have mercy upon him and protect him.

Since Jesus was right in front of Peter, there was no sense asking Peter to have faith in Jesus.

Why did Jesus walk on water?

Was Jesus trying to prove that he was great? Was he trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records? No. Jesus walked on water in order to teach something to some of his closest followers.

Jesus walked on water because he wanted his disciples to trust him and trust in the Supreme Being - someone who they couldn't see with their physical eyes.

Jesus' lesson regards trusting the Supreme Being. Jesus confirms that his miracles come from the Supreme Being:

"I have shown you many great miracles from the Father." (John 10:32)

Jesus also was focused upon glorifying God, and not himself:

"If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the One who glorifies me." (John 8:54)

Jesus is asking Peter to trust his Father, the Supreme Being. He wants Peter to understand, as Jesus did, that the Supreme Being is in full control, and we can completely rely upon the Supreme Being. This takes not just faith, but humility.

Why did Peter start to sink?

As Peter is sinking, Jesus takes hold of his hand. This is precisely what takes place for the individual who calls upon God for help. Instead of sinking into the stormy seas of the material world, the Supreme Being will come to our rescue.

Peter began to sink because he needed - just as all of us need - to be lifted up and saved by the Supreme Being. This is Jesus' lesson to Peter.

Sometimes God will send us His messenger as was Jesus sent, and sometimes He will come personally to pull us out of the dangerous waters of the physical world. Either way, the Supreme Being is still the One who ultimately can save us from the depths of this hellish world.

The Supreme Being is our perfect Savior and Protector. He is our ultimate Messiah. We simply need to trust in the Supreme Being.

“It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” (Matthew 15:26)

A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:22-27)

What do the 'children's bread' and 'dogs' symbolize?

Jesus is responding to his disciples’ remarks about sending the woman away. Why is he talking about taking children’s bread and tossing it to the dogs then?

We should note that Jesus is chastising his disciples for their lack of compassion on the woman. He is attempting to teach them a lesson about his mission and his objectives, using a metaphor or analogy.

What does this analogy mean?

The "bread" is referring to his teachings - God's mercy. Jesus is introducing the Supreme Being. This is God's mercy, because through Jesus' teachings we are able to better come to know and love the Supreme Being.

And the "children" are those who receive his teachings. Those who take Jesus' teachings into their hearts. Some might interpret this as those who were Jewish, but through this conversation and others, we find that Jesus was perfectly willing to teach those who were not Jewish in ancestry or faith.

The "dogs" symbolize those who are not ready or unwilling to receive his teachings. (During those times, people did not feed dogs their dinners as they do today.)

To Jesus’ statement above about the dogs, the humble woman says:

"Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." (Matt 15:27)

This is stating that even those who are not that interested in receiving Jesus' teachings - symbolized by the "dogs" - also will benefit because they will receive small portions of wisdom by being in proximity to his teachings.

Is Jesus being compassionate?

The woman has submitted herself with humility and faith to Jesus. She also did not feel offended by being compared to a dog - which Jesus was only doing to illustrate how his disciples were treating the woman.

We find that Jesus praises her humility and faith, and heals her daughter without any hesitation (see Matthew 15:28).

As the loving servant and messenger of God, Jesus is compassionate. He cares about everyone. This is illustrated with this exchange.

Jesus also did not identify the woman with her physical body. Jewish tradition restricted a rabbi's contact with those of the opposite sex. 

But Jesus saw the person within her body. He knew her identity as the spirit-person within a temporary physical body. Jesus indicated this concept elsewhere:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of one who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

The physical body will live for a few decades at the most and then die. It is the spirit-person within that Jesus was considering, and who he was teaching this to.

Furthermore, being a Canaanite woman made her even more of a challenge in terms of Jewish tradition, as rabbis were also restricted from mixing with women of other cultures.

But the position or family of one's body was not an issue for Jesus. The condition of the person's heart was. Do they have faith in the Supreme Being? Are they prepared to listen to the teachings about God and follow them?

This is the ultimate in mercy and compassion. Caring about someone and working to help that person, as long as they will accept the help. (As opposed to those who thought they were just fine and didn't need Jesus' help.)  

These are the issues Jesus was focused upon, rather than the issues of the temporary physical body - the body that will die and decompose in the ground.

Jesus wants us to focus on spiritual matters. Specifically, he wants us to learn to love God and love others:

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Matthew 22:37-39)

“Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” (Matthew 15:28)

A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” (Matthew 15:22-28)

Why did he heal the woman's daughter even if she was a Cananite?

Even though Jesus had said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel" he still healed the woman's daughter. Why?

The woman displayed great sincerity of heart. She also responded humbly and with wisdom after Jesus chastised his disciples for wanting to send her away. 

She pleaded with Jesus to save her daughter. Jesus was pleased with her trust in the Supreme Being and in Jesus' authorization to represent God. As is stated in the Book of Matthew following Jesus’ statement, the daughter was healed within the hour.

This illustrates again that Jesus had little concern over the physical body of those he taught: He had no concern over nationality, race or gender (remember, she was a Canaanite woman, one that even Jesus' disciples were trying to send away). He had come to save anyone and everyone ready and willing to learn the Truth that Jesus was delivering from the Supreme Being.

As he had stated, the healing Jesus displayed was coming from the Supreme Being, as a tool to beckon people back home into God's embrace - back to their original relationship with the Supreme Being. Jesus' intent was to give people the wisdom coming from the Supreme Being.

The word “faith” is being translated from the Greek word πίστις (pistis), which means, "the character of one who can be relied on" according to the lexicon.

This refers to trust: Trusting in not only the Supreme Being's existence. But trusting that the Supreme Being cares about us and loves each of us unconditionally.

Those with a lack of trust in the Supreme Being will define "faith" as confidence in God's existence. This is actually a shallow form of faith. The deeper form is trusting God.

Why do we not see God?

Perhaps the question should be: Do we want to see God?

The answer to the second question is the answer to the first question.

We do not see God because we do not want to see God. We have come here to the physical universe and taken on physical bodies ("garments of skin") so that we wouldn’t have to see God:

The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

We are in the physical world, away from the Supreme Being because we decided to we were more important to us than the Supreme Being. We ate the forbidden fruit - the fruit of self-centeredness - which is "forbidden" in the spiritual realm because the spiritual realm is a place of love and devotion for the Supreme Being - not a place of self-centeredness.

However, as our loving Best Friend, the Supreme Being does impose Himself upon us. He gives us the freedom to love Him or not because love requires freedom. If we don't want to maintain our loving relationship with Him, He sends us away to the physical world and stays hidden from our view.

Why is our faith tested?

Not seeing the Supreme Being renders a test of faith while we are in the physical world. Do we want to trust that He exists despite us not seeing Him with the physical eyes?

Better yet: Do we want to trust those who have sacrificed their lives to please Him?

This is the ultimate meaning of Jesus' sacrifice. It was not some kind of a magical process of saving everyone who accepts that he died for our sins. We still are responsible for our own sins - unless our activities are centered around loving and serving the Supreme Being and others.

But what Jesus did was commit his entire life to the Supreme Being - to help us understand not only that the Supreme Being exists, but that a relationship with the Supreme Being is worth sacrificing for.

What can save us then?

Consider a person who goes to war and dies for his country. Why do people do that? They are making a sacrifice because they feel the country is important enough to die for. In other words, their sacrifice illustrates the importance of their country.

While the Supreme Being is not like an impersonal country (He is a Person), the analogy illustrates the element of sacrifice: Why Jesus would be ready to make such a sacrifice on behalf of the Supreme Being? 

His sacrifice is a symptom of devotion. And by understanding such devotion, we have the opportunity to have a glimpse of the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Supreme Being.

This is what can save us.

Today, however, sectarian institutions and their teachers teach that we simply need to come to church (and give them money) and proclaim that we are saved by Jesus' dying on the cross. This is not at all the message he came to teach. This is why Jesus said:

“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

It is not about our own salvation. It's about love. It is about re-developing our relationship with the Supreme Being and then working to please the Supreme Being out of love. This loving service to the Supreme Being is precisely what Jesus taught by his example and by his words.

This was illustrated by his last prayer before being arrested:

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39)

“... unless you change and become like little children ..." (Matthew 18:3-4)

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18:1-4)

What does Jesus mean by, 'become like little children'?

A young child is not in control and tends to be humbled as a result. An innocent child will typically be completely dependent upon his or her parents. Theoretically, they have yet to be able to truly exercise their desires for control because their bodies are too small. So they are typically somewhat humble, innocent and trusting. Jesus is comparing this to the attitude one must have to become dedicated to God.

The phrase, 'kingdom of heaven' is not describing entering a location. He is describing entering a consciousness. The word "kingdom" is being translated from the Greek word βασιλεία (basileia), which means, according to the lexicon, "royal power, kingship, dominion, rule - not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom."

The word "heaven" is being translated from the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos), which means, according to the lexicon, "where God dwells."

In other words, Jesus is speaking of a person becoming devoted to the Supreme Being.

This is confirmed by the major teaching of Jesus - also taught by John and Jesus told his followers to also teach it:

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. (Matthew 4:17)

As defined with that teaching, Jesus (and John before him) is explaining that God is readily available. It is not a location that we have to wait until our bodies are dead to enter. We can approach the Supreme Being at any time.

This contrasts with the teachings of many institutions that teach that we have to join their sect in order to be saved. Remember that Jesus walked around preaching to people on the streets or hillsides. And John taught from the wilderness. Neither promoted the concept that we have to join a group in order to gain God's mercy.

Many imagine God to be a burning bush, a thunderous voice, or even a void. These are not accurate. Jesus and Moses taught that God is lovable. They taught that the Supreme Being is wonderful and beautiful. 

God is loveable because He is the most loving. He is the most giving. He is the most fun. He is courteous and gracious. He is perfectly worthy of everyone’s praise and attention, because He is in fact, the Supreme Person. He is, in fact, the Greatest.

Therefore, in our pure state of consciousness, our lives become focused on loving and serving the Supreme Being. In the spiritual world, each person is focused upon their specific relationships with God and with God’s other children. These relationships are not void or boring. They are complex and fun, and always blissful. About the closest we can come to in comparison within the physical world would be watching very young children play.

We can enter such a state of consciousness at any time - because as Jesus taught, God is readily available.

What does Jesus mean by 'unless you change'?

It is not surprising that Jesus was asked who was the greatest in heaven. This was a concern among Jesus' disciples, and likewise is a typical concern among those of us in the physical world. 

We all want to be the greatest. We all want to be king. We all want to dominate and rule over others. We all want to be loved by everyone and praised. This, precisely, is our disease: We want to be like God.

Most of us living within temporary physical bodies are doing so because we have this disease. We have the disease of wanting to be God. At some point, each of us became self-centered. This resulted in us desiring what God has.

In other words, we saw God getting all the attention. We saw God in control. We saw that God has the admiration and praise of others. We wanted to have those things.

This is precisely the symbolism of the apple and the tree of knowledge discussed in Genesis. Because we wanted to become like God, we sought God's position. We wanted to be in control. To be master instead of our natural position of loving servant. As stated by the serpent in Genesis:

"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5)

And later, after Adam ate the fruit, God said:

"The man has now become like one of Us, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:22)

What is 'knowing good and evil'?

This may not be the best translation. The two Hebrew words are טוב (towb) and רע (ra`) - which have a closer meaning of "pleasure" and "pain."

The concept of self-centeredness leads to pleasure and pain because these are related to seeking our own satisfaction - rather than the satisfaction of the Supreme Being - our innate position.

The Supreme Being and His expansions ("Us" above) innately experience pleasure and pain - but those who love and serve Him do not experience this separately because their pleasure is based upon the Supreme Being's pleasure.

Once we became self-centered, we were no longer suitable for the humble loving relationships of the spiritual world. Those relationships belong to those who are, as Jesus describes, "like little children".

Thus we have an apt comparison. There are those who want to be, "like little children," and then there are those of us who want to be, "like God." This is the essence of the contrast between these two types of souls.

For those in the latter type, God gave us this physical body and this physical dimension where we could seek out our self-centered happiness:

The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

Did the Supreme Being go out and make fur coats for Adam and Eve or something? Don't be ridiculous. This is a symbolic story of how we all fell into the physical world. These "garments of skin" are the physical bodies each of us occupies.

Why can we forget God here?

Some will challenge God's existence (those who are not like little children) suggesting that God cannot exist because we can't see Him with our eyes.

Here in this physical dimension, within these physical bodies, we cannot see God because these physical bodies were designed not to be able to see into the spiritual realm. Why?

So that we can forget the Supreme Being exists. We can go about trying to get pleasure for ourselves. We can try to dominate and rule over others. Here we can find our own little niche and have others praise us as being great.

Here, we can assemble our own little "kingdom" where we rule the roost. This might be our house and family members, or perhaps we are the boss of a little office of people. And if nothing else, we can get a pet or two and be their king.

Or perhaps we even become famous as an actor or politician, and we can rule over many others or have many fans.

In some way, we get to develop our little kingdom where we try to rule over and/or be respected and praised by others. Even unsuccessful people get to find some kind of group we can have the illusion of control over, even if it is simply a couple of pets or some children.

We can go pretty far here pretending that we are the greatest. This, in fact, is what most of the self-help gurus teach us: They want us to think: "I am the greatest. The world revolves around me. I can do whatever I want."

These are all the illusions of someone who is jealous of God’s control. These are the desires of someone that wants to be in God’s position.

The only problem is that we are not in control. We are not in God's position. We do not really rule over others. We might think we are ruling over others or someone, but we can never really control others.

This is because those we are trying to control also want control. They might pretend they respect us, but really they are thinking they are in control, as they manipulate us with their feigned expressions of respect. In other words, we are all in a mutual illusion that we are somehow in control of something.

Aren't we in control?

None of us really has any control. We cannot control the weather. We cannot control our environment. While we try to manipulate others, we cannot really control them, because they will always have the freedom to at least think as they wish. Even oppressive governments cannot totally control their people, though they may try pretty hard. At some point, people begin to get out of hand.

And even if the dictator or emperor remains in power throughout his lifetime of 60-75 years, the dictator will still be subject to disease, old age, and finally death. So even a great ruler such as Caesar or Napoleon never achieved complete control, despite their thirst for it. They could not control time. They could not prevent their own demise.

In other words, they only had a temporary illusion of control.

The only control we have is the freedom to choose our direction in life. We can choose where to focus our attention. We can choose what we aim for. We can choose whether we want to serve God or serve ourselves.

If we choose to serve ourselves, we end up serving the physical body and the forms of the physical world.

Can we humble ourselves like children?

We can not enter into the consciousness that Jesus is teaching with an attitude that we are the greatest. We cannot enter into the world of loving God with an attitude of self-centeredness. Such an attitude is like being a bull in a china shop.

We might compare this to an adult trying to enter into a game that a group of small children is playing. The adult just would not fit in. The adult would be not only too big physically, but they likely could not relate well with the game or the children. The adult would probably over-emphasize the rules and the scoring system to enable someone to win, while the children would likely not care who scored the most points. The children want to just ‘play.’

Jesus' analogy is not perfect. Children often attempt to manipulate their parents to get what they want. Children can be very self-centered. We can also assume that children were probably better mannered during Jesus' day compared to modern children with regards to respecting elders. Therefore, it is safe to say that the child Jesus had stood before the group as he talked was better behaved and humbled than many children in modern society.

While we have this disease of wanting control, each of us is, deep within, naturally meek. This is evidenced by the respect we tend to give to those who act humbly, and the disdain we give those who act proudly. This is because within, we relate with being humble.

The ultimate act of humility is love. This is actually Jesus' primary instruction:

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)