“Stretch out your hand.” (Matthew 12:13)

Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope." (Matthew 12:13-21)

Is this a quote from Isaiah?

Note first that Jesus did not speak this quote from Isaiah. It was added to the manuscript later.

While the quote is stated as originating with Isaiah, there are many differences between this statement in Matthew and Isaiah's. Let's compare the two carefully, with bold to point out differences both according to the New International Version:

According to the Book of Matthew:

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope." (Matt. 12:17-20)

The text from Isaiah that is being referred to here is different in many, revealing respects. Here is the text - communicated from God to Isaiah (This is what God the LORD says- Isaiah 42:5):

"Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put My Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope." (Isaiah 42:1-4)

Why is this quote in Matthew so different from Isaiah's?

If Jesus' act was "predicted" by Isaiah - as many interpret the meaning of "fulfilled" (Matthew 12:17) - then why is Isaiah's text not accurately quoted? We can see from the bolded areas the notable differences. Here are the more significant ones:

- to "proclaim" justice is significantly different than to "bring" justice. This relates directly to who is being discussed. If it is Jesus, we know that Jesus did not "bring" justice, because he was not given that sort of power during his time on earth. He was not a king or in another position of power - as was the person this verse is describing.

- "He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets." instead of "He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets."
There is a difference between "no one will hear" and not raising his voice. Are we saying that Isaiah predicted that no one will hear Jesus' teachings in the streets? Isaiah's text is describing someone else.

- "till he leads justice to victory" from Matthew is significantly different from "In faithfulness he will bring forth justice." The latter refers to someone who has the authority to impact society - "bring forth justice." Again it is obvious that this statement in Isaiah is not referring specifically to Jesus. And it does appear that whoever put these words into Matthew was bending Isaiah's verses just enough to make them seem to be about Jesus.

- This also becomes obvious when we notice that "he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth" is not included in the Matthew quote of Isaiah. This verse in Isaiah documents the persistence of the person that is being referred to - someone who fought on despite the challenges, to bring about justice.

This is not what happened in Jesus' life. There was no justice in the life of Jesus. Jesus was brought before the Chief Priest of the Temple and tried without justice. He was then brought before the Roman governor Pilate, and was charged and given a sentence without any justice at all. Then Jesus was killed on the cross - again without justice.

- "In His name the nations will put their hope" is dramatically different from "In his teaching the islands will put their hope." This is a significant change from Isaiah. Neither statement describes Jesus.

We might consider that during the first few centuries after Jesus left the planet, the Romans used their proxy in Christianity - the Roman Catholic Church - to maintain control over the different regions of Central Europe and the Middle East. Are these the "nations" that this text in Matthew is referring to?

Outside of that period, there is no history of Jesus' name allowing "nations" to "put their hope."

Thus we find this obviously manipulated text to Matthew has no current application, but it would during the time that the Romans were trying to utilize Christianity to maintain their power over the nations of Europe.

This contrasts with Jesus' teachings that the name of the Supreme Being is praised:

“Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9)

“I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth ...” (Matthew 11:25)

This teaching - to praise God - "fulfills" the teachings of the Prophets, because the Prophets also taught us to praise God.

Is Isaiah's quote about someone other than Jesus?

The differences noted above reveal stark contrasts between Jesus and who Isaiah referred to. Yet there are general ways that define how Jesus could "fulfill" what is being communicated in Isaiah. This points to another interpretation of the word "fulfill" - one of execution. 

In other words, commonalities between Isaiah's text and Matthew's illustrate four important aspects of the relationship between God and Jesus in the Matthew version of Isaiah's verses:

1) Jesus is being identified as God’s servant ("Here is my servant whom I have chosen")

2) Jesus was chosen by God to represent Him, and God empowered Him ("I will put My Spirit on him)

3) There is an intimate relationship of love between God and Jesus ("the one I love, in whom I delight")

4) Because this quote was applied to Jesus, the author of the Book of Matthew understood this was Jesus’ relationship with the Supreme Being.

Yet we can see the verses in Isaiah refer to someone besides Jesus as well.

Some historians have proposed that Isaiah was referring to King of Judah Hezekiah. Others have proposed that Isaiah was referring to King Josiah.

Some historians have proposed that Isaiah was referring to Cyrus the Great, who helped restore the nation of Israel from Babylonian captivity. Cyrus liberated the Jewish people from the exile of Nebuchadnezzar and ordered the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. This relates to the announcement by King Darius in Ezra 6.

Others propose that Isaiah was referring to multiple kings with his prophecies - those who would do righteous things that pleased the Supreme Being.

Is this missing the essence of Jesus' teachings?

With these interpretive portrayals, they not only miss the essence of who Jesus was - the confidential loving servant of God: But they also commit the greatest offense: They deny the existence of the Supreme Being. By identifying Jesus as the Supreme Being they are denying the very Person that Jesus was teaching about, representing, and serving. Consider this statement of Jesus:

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

Why would Jesus deny that his teaching is his own if he were the Supreme Being? And why would he say:

"I am not here on my own authority, but He who sent me is true. You do not know Him" (John 7:28)

This makes it clear that Jesus is representing the Supreme Being. And he was introducing others - who didn't know God - to the Supreme Being. Jesus is offended by those who identify him as the Supreme Being and thus ignore the Supreme Being Jesus was representing:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Furthermore, these institutions that claim Jesus is the Supreme Being also thus deny the loving relationship that existed between Jesus and the Supreme Being. This intimate relationship is the essence of Jesus' life and teachings. Jesus' purpose was to please the Supreme Being, and the Supreme Being was pleased with Jesus, as stated by the Supreme Being above: "in whom I delight."

Many focus on Jesus' persecution "saving" them. But it is the relationship of love between Jesus and the Supreme Being that has the ability to save us.

Jesus was not some sort of "lamb" for all of us to make suffer to remove our sins. Nor was his blood for us to bathe in: His sacrifice was the ultimate statement of his loving commitment to the Supreme Being. It was Jesus' sacrifice to please the One he loved that is to be cherished.

This is confirmed by Jesus' teachings, requesting each of us to come to know and love the Supreme Being:

" '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)

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man ...” (Matthew 12:43-45)

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45)

How does 'an evil spirit come out of a man'?

There are two justifiable interpretations that can be made from Jesus' statement here. One is utilizing metaphor. The other, more literal, is a little more unpleasant.

As far as the latter, Jesus would be referring to how unembodied spirits can occupy a physical body. The physical body is a vehicle, and the spirit-person is occupying this temporary vessel ("a man").

Thus each spirit-person is the rightful occupier of our physical body. We were assigned this physical body as a result of our consciousness and prior activities.

And we each leave our bodies at the time of death.

Jesus is explaining is what a harmful spirit-person without a physical body could do. An unembodied harmful spirit could attempt to occupy someone else's physical body.

In this sense, Jesus would be discussing the fate of such an "evil spirit" who is purged from the body (e.g., cleansed).

The metaphorical interpretation would be that Jesus is speaking of how people can become influenced by others who are trying to take advantage of those who are more vulnerable.

Say a person is abused as a child. That abuse takes form in a manner that creates long-term psychological injury for the person who was abused.

Such long-term psychological injury can be symptomized by self-harm, fear, anxiety, and even flashbacks of the abuse for many years. This can also affect that person's ability to live a normal life.

During Jesus' time, psychological injury was often characterized as an evil spirit. The person - the spirit within - was damaged by a harmful person. Such a harmful person can be considered evil in this respect.

Now that psychological injury may at some point be able to be cured. But this injury may end up coming back later in life or may express itself in other ways, further compounding the injury. This has often been characterized as evil.

That is the metaphorical interpretation of Jesus' statement, given that psychological injury - as well as ailments and diseases - were often seen as being demons.

What are 'arid' or 'dry places'?

Jesus said that such an evil spirit, "goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it."

Other Bible versions have translated this to "dry places," "the desert" or "waterless places." These words are being translated from the Greek word ἄνυδρος (anydros), which means "without water." It can also mean places that "promise rain but yield none" according to Thayer's lexicon.

This terminology is derived from the notion that demons often haunted desert places.

This would also refer to a place that is alone and without life because humans cannot survive long without water.

Metaphorically speaking, someone sent to a desert is being sent to a lonely place without comfort or life.

An unembodied spirit-person with unresolved issues is in a hellish situation because they cannot access the physical world the way they used to. They might see the physical world but cannot participate in it. If they cannot solve their issues in the spirit world they may seek to disturb the physical world.

This is why such harmful spirit-persons may seek to become involved in a physical body where they are not the rightful possessor. They might attempt to gain control or influence over a physical body occupied by an unaware spirit-person.

The metaphorical interpretation of Jesus' statement would make for a more esoteric view of psychological injury and how it can be healed with time and learning. Those who have been abused or otherwise harmed by others may be cured of their injury over time, but the injury will still be there. It is difficult to completely erase psychological trauma.

How does an 'evil spirit' gain access?

In the metaphorical interpretation, anyone with power may harm someone who is more vulnerable. Their vulnerability may be if they are a child or perhaps they are an employee or in some other kind of subservient position.

Otherwise, a person may be harmed by someone who is some kind of teacher or institutional official who may take advantage of the authority given to them by that institution.

In the literal interpretation, the reason a living being becomes unembodied in the first place is due to a continued attachment to their previous life after they left their physical body at the time of death.

Typically we move on after our body dies. We leave the body behind and continue on our journey of learning. This may include another physical lifetime in another body, with an interlude of learning in between.

But should a person not disconnect with their dead physical body, they may continue to hover within the environment of the physical time and place their body lived within. They may watch, and perhaps struggle to participate somehow.

Such an unembodied spirit-person may in some cases be able to force their influence onto another physical body. This can take place should the owner of that body become disengaged from their body - through intoxication or illness that weakens their nervous system control over the body.

This lack of control allows another unembodied spirit(s) to gain some influence over the body. They see the opportunity to move in because unembodied spirits are lonely and looking to engage in the physical world.

This may be the reason that some become uncharacteristically violent or otherwise different when they are drunk. Another spirit-person may have exerted undue influence over that body while its owner was disengaged.

What happens to the primary occupant during this time? They remain in the body, but in a partial state of limbo. When the body wakes up the next day, after the drugs and/or alcohol have been partly flushed out, they may again be in control over the body.

The possessing spirit that entered during drunkenness is still probably around, however, awaiting the next period of weakness - as Jesus is describing.

How can we discourage harmful influence?

Destructive spirits typically do not like to worship the Supreme Being - which is one reason they are away from Him in the first place. They do not like to witness prayer. They do not like to participate in loving service to the Supreme Being. They don't want anything to do with God.

This is our weapon against such harmful spirit-persons. To protect ourselves against harmful people and spirits, we should avoid joining fanatical organizations, or becoming intoxicated with drugs and alcohol. Secondly, we should regularly invoke the Supreme Being. We can bring the Supreme Being into our lives using prayer and praising of the Supreme Being.

This is the power and authority Jesus wielded as he was able to fend off destructive influences:

"By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me." (John 5:30)

Jesus is speaking of the Supreme Being's power and authority.

Meanwhile, demons are devoted and committed to themselves.

What about evil spirits around us?

There are also evil spirits who appropriately occupy bodies in this world. They live all around us and create mischief by harming others in one respect or another.

This sort of evil influence is like mud: A person who enters a mud-slinging contest might start out nice and clean, but then as the mud starts flying they will get covered in the mud.

But underneath all that mud - once they wash it off - is a clean person.

In the same way, each of us is a child of the Supreme Being - even the worst of evil spirits. But as self-centeredness progress into activities, that person's consciousness becomes increasingly covered up. The more it is covered up the worse it can get.

But contact with the Supreme Being - through praising God and worshiping Him - can clean and purify our consciousness, just as soap and water can clean the mud off.

This means there are also different shades of "exorcism." An evil spirit can be driven out of a body they don't belong in or an evil spirit can be purified while occupying their own physical body.

Was Jesus purifying the primary spirit-person within, or was he driving out a secondary spirit-person when he did exorcisms? In some cases, he was purifying the spirit-person within with his devotion to God. For example:

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. (Matthew 8:3)

In such cases, Jesus connects an illness with the cleanliness of the spirit-person within. This is because our physical ailments are often connected to self-centered things we have done in the past.

Jesus’ statement in Matt 12:43-45 also explains how human society will suffer a worsening of its enterprise of greed and violence as time goes on. This is because self-centeredness often produces increasing self-centeredness - which can give rise to greed and violence.

Greed leaves a person empty, because the forms and things of the physical world cannot feed the spirit-person, and self-centeredness is a very lonely existence. Only love for the Supreme Being can feed the spirit, and cure this emptiness. This is the foundation of 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." (Matthew 22:37-38)

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking ...” (Matthew 13:45-46)

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)

Jesus' continues his teachings regarding the spiritual realm and one's relationship with the Supreme Being. The word "again" - taken from the Greek πάλιν (palin) - means "again, i.e. further, moreover;" and "in turn, on the other hand" according to the lexicon. So Jesus is furthering this discussion to clarify the meaning of the "kingdom of heaven."

What does this parable mean?

"... the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant ..."

Remember that the "kingdom of heaven" is not a physical location. The word "kingdom" is translated from βασιλεία (basileia) - which refers to "royal power, kingship, dominion, rule; not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom."

This means it refers to the consciousness of accepting the dominion and superior nature of the Supreme Being. It means taking the refuge or sanctuary of the Supreme Being.

What does the 'merchant' symbolize?

A merchant in Jesus' times was a trader or a shopkeeper. A person who bought and sold stuff. So when a merchant is looking for fine pearls, he is looking for something exquisite: Something extraordinary.

This represents someone who is looking for spiritual happiness. The word "fine" is being translated from the Greek word καλός (kalos), which means "beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable; beautiful to look at, shapely, magnificent" according to the lexicon.

Jesus is teaching that we are all looking for happiness, but we are looking in the wrong place. We think that the temporary forms and things of the physical world will bring us happiness, but they don't. They simply bring emptiness. Why don't they?

Because we are not of this world. We are not these physical bodies. We are each spiritual beings that occupy a physical body. We are eternal spirit-persons falsely identifying with a temporary physical body.

This becomes apparent as the body ages. When we look back at the body we see that it is changing, yet we feel like the same person. And science confirms that the physical body changes. 

It is estimated that within five years every molecule of the physical body will be recycled and replaced by new molecules. It is like looking at a waterfall. We might think it is the same waterfall but the water keeps changing. There is new water flowing all the time.

What is our constant?

So who is the constant person who occupied both the younger body and the body we have on now? This is who we are: Each of us is an individual spiritual being - originally created by the Supreme Being to love and serve Him.

But He also gave us the freedom to love Him or not. This is why some of us are here in this physical world - because we decided we didn't want to love and serve the Supreme Being. We decided we wanted to love and serve ourselves. We became self-centered, in other words.

So the Supreme Being gave us these temporary physical bodies and allowed us to forget Him - so that we could escape Him. This is the ultimate in love and kindness. The Supreme Being doesn't force us - He allows those who want to be away from Him that opportunity.

But because He is always around, He had to create a virtual reality - to hide Himself from us. This is the physical world.

This only means that as soon as we truly decide we want to return to our loving relationship with Him, we can return to Him in the form of renewing our relationship with Him.

This is what Jesus is speaking about with this parable. The merchant represents each of us - as we are 'trading' the goods of the physical world - but always looking for happiness.

What does 'great value' mean?

Finding a pearl "of great value" represents rediscovering our eternal relationship with the Supreme Being. This relation is always there, but currently it is covered up because of our self-centeredness.

Imagine seeing a new car completely covered in mud. Does it look new? Hardly. But the new car is still there under the mud. Once the mud is taken off the car looks new again.

Why did the merchant 'sell everything'?

The fine pears of Jesus' parable represent one's relationship with the Supreme Being. Once a person truly rediscovers this relationship, they become willing to sacrifice everything to grow that relationship and maintain that relationship.

This is the reason we find so much sacrifice by devoted saints and apostles through the centuries. Those who rediscovered their loving relationship with the Supreme Being (the kingdom of heaven) are willing to give up everything in order to pursue that relationship.

This is also the meaning of Jesus' own sacrifices. Jesus gave up everything to teach about God. He made the ultimate sacrifice and allowed his body to be killed on behalf of his teachings.

Some see the crucifixion of Jesus as a vehicle for our salvation - a self-centered proposition. This allows us to miss the real meaning of Jesus' sacrifice.

The misrepresentation of Jesus' sacrifice is quite obvious in some cases. For example, some have given the day that Jesus was tortured and persecuted the name "Good Friday." What is so "good" about the murder of the physical body of the Supreme Being's most beloved messenger?

A true follower of Jesus would be saddened on this day.

Easter has become a secular holiday that reflects on a history of spring celebrations. The Easter "holiday" is primarily based on a springtime holiday of a Teutonic goddess of fertility known as Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur and similar names. These names were derived from the word for springtime, "Eastre." 

The celebration of Easter is thus comingled and derived from this pagan holiday. Yes, the crucifixion verses about Jesus do appear to occur during a period known as the Jewish Passover. So there is evidence that the approximate timing is there.

Interestingly, the math may be confused regarding Jesus having "risen from the dead" on the third day. If Jesus was crucified on Friday, then Sunday would be the second day, not "the third day." 

Saturday is one day away from Friday and Sunday is two days from Friday. Sure, we can assume that Friday is the first day, but that is not typically how days are counted. With such a counting system, there would be eight days in a seven-day week.

Besides the date being at large, the typical Easter celebration is offensive. Easter egg hunts, chocolate Easter bunnies, and so many other materialistic rituals create a forgetfulness regarding Jesus' sacrifice.

Surely Jesus is offended with such celebrations, including his reappearance to his disciples.

The meaning of Jesus' allowing his physical body to be tortured is being described in this parable. Such a sacrifice is part of Jesus' loving service relationship with the Supreme Being. As such, His loving messenger will sacrifice everything to please Him. Consider how Jesus wanted to please the Supreme Being:

"By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me." (John 5:30)

Jesus illustrates how pleasing the Supreme Being was his life and soul. This is because Jesus was in love with the Supreme Being. Isn't this what motivated Jesus to teach, and motivated him to suffer due to those teachings.

This is because a loving relationship with the Supreme Being is so satisfying, so blissful, and so fulfilling, that a person becomes willing to give everything up to maintain that relationship once it is discovered.

“Out of my sight satan! You are a stumbling block ...” (Matthew 16:22)

“Out of my sight satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:22)

Why did Jesus call Peter 'satan'?

Jesus said this directly to Peter, one of his disciples. Had Peter suddenly become satan?

Peter had heard Jesus explaining that he would go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised. Peter was upset to hear this, and said to Jesus, “Never, Lord, this shall never happen to you!” (Matthew 16:22)

Why did this make Jesus so upset with Peter that he called him satan, and told him to get away?

The answer lies in understanding the position of Jesus. Jesus identified himself as the servant of God. His intention was to do the will of the Supreme Being. He knew what was going to happen to his body. He knew that he would be making a sacrifice for the Supreme Being: A very painful and tough sacrifice.

There was certainly a great temptation - especially since he knew it would happen - for Jesus to avoid Jerusalem completely and thus avoid naking this sacrifice and service to the Supreme Being. He could have easily thought of his own comfort and avoided the entire ordeal.

But this was not Jesus’ choice. He understood this was part of his mission. This was part of his service to the Supreme Being. To avoid doing it would be to avoid serving the God that he loved and cared for.

Let's break down what Jesus said more carefully:

“Out of my sight satan!"

With this, we can understand how Jesus is defining “satan.” Peter wasn't literally satan. Jesus is using this word metaphorically. Otherwise, he would be saying that his closest disciple was literally the enemy of God.

“Satan” is not a mythological person with a pitchfork who lives in a cave of fire according to Jesus. Jesus is defining “satan” as a particular consciousness. A consciousness of materialism and self-centeredness.

As such, “satan” is the consciousness that rejects or ignores God's will in lieu of our own will - also referred to as "evil".

This is why, when Jesus was tempted in the desert, he said:

"Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" (Matthew 4:10)

This means that Jesus was rejecting the consciousness of self-centeredness and materialism. He was rejecting what the physical world offers each of us as we travel through these lifetimes, as we are tempted by fame, fortune and the sense objects of this world. 

"You are a stumbling block to me"

Because Peter was presenting to Jesus the prospect of going against the will of God, Jesus called him satan. Why?

Peter wanted Jesus to avoid being persecuted. In Jesus' perspective, this made Peter the representative of the temptation to consider the comforts of the body first and avoid the service to God.

Jesus confirmed this as he said clearly:

“You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

"The things of men" refers to the consciousness of materialism, of fame, fortune and sense objects within the physical world. This is the world of the physical body and the various issues related to the physical body. 

Jesus, however, taught that we are not these physical bodies:

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

In other words, Peter's focus was identifying Jesus as his physical body - and not seeing Jesus' loving service relationship with God. Jesus saw this as being a "stumbling block" to his service to God.

“This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matthew 17:1-5)

What does 'This is my son, whom I love' mean?

The English translators have used "son", but the translation of the Greek word translated to “son” here is υἱός (huios). This could indicate a relationship of offspring in the physical sense but only within "a restricted" context according to the lexicon.

In this context, we must use the more appropriate meaning from the lexicon: "used to describe one who depends on another or is his follower." 

This thus would be more appropriately translated to: "devoted follower" or “loving servant.” If devotion and love are assumed, "servant" can be used singly.

And in the context of Jesus, we can add an additional possible translation of υἱός (huios) - utilized for the loving servant who is introducing us to the Supreme Being: The representative of God. This is also discussed in Thayer's lexicon.

One who is representing God is also serving God. But one who is representing God is providing an important and valuable service to God and to all of us. This was Jesus' role - he is representing the Supreme Being.

Why 'servants' and not 'sons'?

This translation of the Greek word υἱός (huios) to "servants" is supported by numerous statements in the Bible. In fact, practically the entire Bible is a narration of the activities of God's various servants. 

Ironically, those teachers and institutions who claim to be servants of Jesus have mistranslated this very key word to "sons." Is not service to God the mainstay and pillar of Jesus' teachings?

There is clear evidence of this, including three statements by Jesus himself:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons [servants] of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

and

"For they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons [servants] of God, being sons of the resurrection." (Luke 20:36 RSV)

Jesus also uses the word υἱὸς to refer to "servant" or "follower" elsewhere:

"But the subjects [servants] of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 8:12)

and

“How can the guests [servants] 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." (Matthew 9:15 ASV)

In all of these statements, we find the Greek word υἱός being used, yet none are referring to physical offspring. They all refer to people who are servants in some way, to either God and the resurrection, "the kingdom," or to the bridegroom.

Evidencing the latter, Matthew 9:15 has also been translated to "attendants of the bridegroom" (NAV). And clearly, an attendant should be considered - at least at the time of Jesus - a servant.

Other statements provide clear references to "sons of God" among Bible translations:

When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. (Genesis 6:1-2)

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4)

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. (Job 1:6)

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. (Job 2:1)

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:7)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matt. 6:9)

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19)

In the Old Testament verses above, "sons" or "children" are being translated from the Hebrew word בֵּן (ben). This word refers not just to "son" or "male child," but also, according to the lexicon, to "a member of a guild, order, class." As such, it refers to a subject - or devoted servant.

Likewise, in all the above New Testament verses, the word "sons" is being translated from the Greek word υἱὸς - used also to describe Jesus as the "son of God." All are also translated to "sons" in most Biblical translations, except for Luke 20:36, for which most Biblical translations use the English word "children." Nevertheless, Jesus is using the same Greek word (υἱὸς) in all three statements, the same word used to Jesus as a "son of God."

How did Jesus please God?

If God says that Jesus pleases Him, then it means that Jesus is giving God pleasure. What kind of person gives pleasure to another person? Certainly, a person who is devoted to pleasing that person - a loving servant.

Certainly, if someone is pleased with someone’s activities, then those activities are being done within the context of service. By God saying that He was pleased with Jesus, we know that Jesus must have been working for the pleasure of God. In other words, Jesus was trying to please God. 

Thus we can say without any doubt that Jesus’ role was one of a loving servant of God who was trying to please God with his activities. This reveals a relationship - one of reciprocal love: God is exchanging a loving relationship with Jesus.

Thus we can offer two possible translations of God's statement:

“This is my beloved Servant, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!”

Either would be correctly describing the relationship between Jesus and God. The fact that there is a loving relationship between God and Jesus is very clear, not only from this statement but the many statements by Jesus as well. Consider this statement, made by Jesus:

"Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but He who sent me is true. You do not know Him, but I know Him because I am from Him and He sent me." (John 7:28-29)

This makes the relationship between God and Jesus very clear. It is obvious that Jesus is not God, but rather, God's servant. God has sent Jesus as His messenger.

Is there a loving relationship between God and Jesus?

Since Jesus was there, speaking with Moses and Elijah, and the cloud enveloped all of them, and because the voice was speaking of Jesus in the third person, we have to concede that the voice was God’s voice. Who else would be speaking of Jesus in this context?

From the above statement by the Supreme Being we can see that God is an individual Who is separate from Jesus. For someone to be pleased with someone else’s activities, there must be two individuals, with two separate roles. The one who is pleased must have a separate identity from the one who is trying to please them. Otherwise, there would be no expectation or need to please that person.

In other words, the fact that Jesus is pleasing to the Supreme Being means Jesus is not the Supreme Being.

Furthermore, it means there is an intimate relationship between Jesus and God. Jesus is working to please the Supreme Being and the Supreme Being is pleased with Jesus. The fact that Jesus is working to please the Supreme Being is confirmed by some of Jesus' statements, such as:

"By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me." (John 7:16)

In addition, the one who pleases the other must have a choice to do things that are pleasing or not. Otherwise, there would be no possibility of pleasure, because the actions would be expected.

Here we can see the affection between God and Jesus. We see that God is pleased with Jesus. This illustrates the loving relationship between God and Jesus. A loving relationship requires individuality and some measure of the freedom to choose whether to please the other person or not.

God then goes on to comment about Jesus' teachings: “Listen to him!” God says. What does this tell us? Notice that God didn't say, "Wait until Jesus dies on the cross and then you will be saved." He tells us to listen to Jesus' teachings:

Why did God say, 'listen to him'?

Yes, the Supreme Being is instructing those around Jesus to carefully hear and follow Jesus' teachings. Why? Because it is Jesus' teachings that can save us, should we decide to listen to those teachings, and follow them.

It is not as if we simply have to go to church and "bathe in the blood" of Jesus and we are saved. This is ludicrous.

Furthermore, we can also see from God's statement what we can do to please the Supreme Being: We can carefully study Jesus’ teachings, and we can follow his instructions.

And what was Jesus' most important 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.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed ...” (Matthew 20:18-19)

“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Matthew 20:18-19)

Did Jesus really say 'betrayed'?

The Greek word being translated to "betrayed" is παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi). This word primarily means, according to the lexicon, "to give into the hands of another." This could also mean, "to deliver up one to custody, to be judged, condemned, punished, scourged, tormented, put to death."

Neither of these definitions indicate betrayal. They indicate being arrested or turned over to be arrested. But betrayal is another thing altogether.

In other words, Jesus' real statement says something different, something like:

“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be arrested ...”

or perhaps:

“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be persecuted...”

This is important because Jesus was not forced under arrest. He knew in advance of going to Jerusalem that he would be arrested, as this statement indicates.

Why did he go to Jerusalem then, if he knew he'd be arrested, and then persecuted?

And why did he instruct Judas to go ahead and inform the high priest of his whereabouts?

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” (John 13:27)

Then Jesus waited to be arrested, he greeted the guards positively and chastized Peter when he tried to fight off the guards who arrested him.

These points - including the fact that Jesus could have simply not gone to Jerusalem, or he could have not waited on Mount Olive to be arrested, or he could have run off into the woods when he knew they were coming to arrest him - all indicate that Jesus was not betrayed so much as he was prepared to meet with his fate at the hands of the high priest.

Given that, Jesus also knew Judas would arrange to receive a ransom in return for arranging for Jesus' arrest. This was the betrayal of Judas. Jesus did instruct Judas to do what he was going to do. But he didn't instruct him to receive a ransom. That was an act of betrayal, and Jesus knew he would do this.

Jesus is the loving representative of God. In such a relationship, God can make certain facts about the future available to His loving servant. This is because it pertains to Jesus’ service to the Supreme Being:

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

Why is Jesus speaking of himself in the third person?

Why doesn't he say, "We are going up to Jerusalem and I will be betrayed ...?"

And what is a Son of Man? Isn't every male born in the physical world a son of a man - and therefore "Son of Man"?

The Greek phrase translated to “Son of Man” is υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. The Greek word τοῦ means "of". The Greek word υἱός (huios) might indicate a relationship of offspring in another context, but in this context, we have to draw from the secondary meaning of υἱός (huios). This is, as taken from the Greek lexicon, "used to describe one who depends on another or is his follower."

In this context, this relates to working for the welfare of another, or service. Furthermore, the Greek word ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpos) means "generically, to include all human individuals" according to Thayer's lexicon. This would mean that Jesus is putting himself at the service (or "following") of humankind, or better, humanity.

In other words, instead of "Son of Man," υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου should be translated more accurately to "Servant of humanity."

Furthermore, Jesus is referring to "Servant of humanity" in the third person because "Servant of humanity" is a role. This might be compared to the use of the word "General" in the military. Yes, there are specific people who hold this rank, but the rank is a role, not one particular person.

As such, there have been multiple people who have been called this role. David referred to himself as the "Son of Man" [servant of humanity]:

"O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the Son of Man that You think of him?" (Psalm 144:3)

David is obviously using this reference to himself from a position of humility. David is considering himself a lowly servant of humanity, and why should God consider him?

We also find that the Supreme Being addressed Ezekiel as "Son of Man" at least 60 times in the Book of Ezekiel, such as:

“Son of Man [servant of humanity], I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me." (Ezekiel 3:17)

In the same way, Jesus addressed himself humbly, as the servant of humanity. Yes, he was truly God's loving servant, but he was serving humankind as he taught God's message and tried to save people.

The reality is, all of the activities of Jesus were intended to please God and serve humanity. Even though Jesus knew he would be betrayed, mocked, and tortured, he still kept traveling to Jerusalem. He could have easily stayed away and kept his body safe. But he continued out of his love for God and his desire to please God (see also "thy will be done" in the Lord's prayer).

Did Jesus' murder cleanse our sins?

Some teachings suggest that Jesus' murder was so our sins would be forgiven. They claim that Jesus suffered on the cross so that we would be cleansed of the responsibility of our selfish actions ("sins"). That all we need to do is ceremoniously drink Jesus' "blood" and we don't have to worry about the consequences of our selfish activities, even if those activities include maiming or even murdering people.

Certainly, Jesus’ sacrifice has the ability to relieve our sins. But only to the extent that we have a change of heart. Only to the extent that we realize that Jesus' sacrifice exhibited Jesus' loving relationship with God and his commitment to pleasing Him.

In other words, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in his service to God. This is why, before his arrest, Jesus prayed:

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matt. 26:39)

Jesus' suffering was about his relationship with the Supreme Being. This is the message of this event. It is not about our sins.

This has the ability to purify our consciousness - and thus can relieve us from self-centeredness.

How does this work? Let’s say that a man was put in jail for stealing. The man is sitting in jail because of what he did. But in many places, including the U.S., a man can be pardoned by a president or governor.

Such a pardon does not come easily. The jailed man can't just imagine he is pardoned. There is a process that includes the Governor's careful review of the situation. It also must come with some confidence that if the man is let out of jail he won't just go out and commit the crime again.

In a bonafide pardon, the person being pardoned should show evidence of being rehabilitated. If the man simply gets out of jail and commits the same crime, the Governor will be at least partly responsible. Therefore, pardons are typically not taken lightly.

What about the consequences of our activities?

The physical world was designed as a place of consequences. Self-centered acts that harm others will have consequences. These consequences range, and depend upon the harmful activity and whether it was done with an awareness of the harm it would do.

In other words, a conscious act that harms the body of someone else creates consequential harm against our body in the future.

Such consequences are not punitive. It is not that God is up there wanting to see us suffer.

Rather, this physical world is designed as a place of consequence in order to teach us. Consequences help teach us to love others. They help teach us to care about others and empathize with others.

Consequences are like walking a mile in someone else's shoes. They allow us to understand how it feels to be treated the way we treated someone else in the past. This allows us to grow.

This is also why there is so much suffering in the world. Many ask, "if God exists, why is there so much suffering?". There is so much suffering because we commit activities that cause the suffering of others, and suffer the consequences as a result.

Our bodies are bound to suffer the same fate we have inflicted upon others. This may take place during our current physical body, or it may take place in the next physical body (which is why some children are born into tough situations).

The bottom line is that the world is conditional: Where we go is dependent upon what we do. How we treat others. It is not as if we can harm people all week and then go to some ceremony and drink some wine and stare at a cross and be relieved of the consequences, only to go back and keep doing those things.

To use the sacrifice of Jesus in such a way offends Jesus and God. 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. Many will come to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matt. 7:21-23)

Jesus calls them "evildoers" even though they were calling his name and even healing and teaching in Jesus' name.

Jesus' suffering can be purifying if we see the extent of Jesus' love for God and his commitment to God within this activity.

But this will not have much value if the person simply returns to their self-centered consciousness. Jesus' sacrifice was intended to show us that our relationship with the Supreme Being is more valuable than the life of the physical body.

Who or what will 'rise'?

Jesus' sacrifice and his appearance before his disciples after the death of his physical body was also meant to illustrate that we are not these physical bodies. We are the spirit-person within the physical body and we leave it at the time of death.

This is why Jesus uses the word "raised" here - translated from the Greek word ἐγείρω (egeirō) - meaning to "arouse" and "cause to rise."

What is rising? It is the life force - the living being who rises from the body at the time of death. This is what Jesus is referring to. (The Greek does not indicate the words "to live" in this verse - only "raised.")

And it is clear from the scriptures Jesus' physical body did not rise - rather, the spirit-person of Jesus rose out of the body that had been murdered. This is evidenced by the fact that Mary, Martha, and other close disciples of Jesus did not recognize him when he first appeared to them - on multiple occasions. If he had risen in his physical body, he would have been immediately recognized, especially by those who had been so close to him. Instead, we several verses indicating they didn't recognize him, such as this one regarding Mary:

... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (John 20:14)

Jesus confirmed this reality that he - nor we - are these physical bodies in his teachings:

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

Jesus devoted his life to teaching about the spiritual value of the living being within and the need for us to dedicate ourselves to the Supreme Being. This is because Jesus had a spiritual relationship with God - a relationship that existed beyond the physical dimension.

He loved God, and his sacrifice illustrated the extent of his love for God and his commitment to their relationship.

Jesus also instructed each of us to re-establish our loving relationship with the Supreme Being:

“ ‘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." (Matthew 22:37-38)

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them ...” (Matthew 20:25-28)

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)

What does this have to do with the mother of the Zebedees?

This statement by Jesus followed his discussion with the mother of the Zebedees - James and John - asked Jesus to take her sons into heaven. Jesus responded that they will follow him ("drink from my cup") but their entrance into heaven is up to God ("have been prepared by my Father"). 

That led to a reaction by Jesus' other apostles:

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said Jesus called them together and said ... (Matt. 20:24-25)

This means that Jesus' statements are specific to his disciples being "indignant" about Zebedees' mother asking Jesus to give preferential treatment to her sons.

What does Jesus mean by 'the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them'?

The word "Gentiles" is being translated from the Greek word ἔθνος (ethnos), which means, according to the lexicon, "a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together - a company, troop, swarm;" and "a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus - the human family - a tribe, nation, people group." 

More importantly, the lexicon also says this Greek word can mean, "foreign nations not worshipping the true God" and "pagans."

Jesus was referring to atheists. He was not speaking of the Gentiles as a particular race of people. Jesus was not referring to those who were by race not Jewish.

In other words, Jesus was not a racist.

Rather, Jesus is referring to those who do not accept the existence of the Supreme Being. Jesus is referring to those who reject the existence of God - atheists. This is what pagan means from a historical and practical perspective.

At the time, Judea was occupied by the Romans. And most Romans and many others from the Middle East at that time were not believers. They believed primarily in the pantheon - either the Greek pantheon or the Roman pantheon. In other words, they were polytheistic.

Jesus referred to such people not as a race but rather, according to their religious leanings. Therefore, the most appropriate word to translate ἔθνος in this context would be "atheists."

So what is the importance of atheists being ruled over? Jesus is referring to the Roman hierarchy and others that have ruled over Judea. We are speaking of people like Herod, who murdered John the Baptist, and Pontius Pilate, who ordered Jesus' persecution, and others.

Jesus is speaking of an atheistic governing body that was ruling over a primarily atheistic society. Jesus is contrasting this with the system prevailing in God's realm.

How is that system different?

In the Roman Empire and within many other hierarchical systems within the physical world, people are forced to accept the authority of the rulers of the society. And those who are in the ruling class struggle amongst each other for their positions of authority.

Thus, the hierarchy system of the physical world is based upon greed, violence, and self-centeredness, as those who seize power must battle with others who seek it in order to achieve their power.

This is not the structure of what Jesus was teaching. Jesus stated that "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant ..." This is an entirely different system.

This is not the first time that Jesus has stressed the importance of spiritual humility.

In spiritual life, there is no struggle for authority. Everyone in the spiritual realm accepts the Supreme Being as the ultimate authority and ruler. And they seek the most humble position for themselves.

This is the system of love. When a person truly loves someone, they put themselves in an inferior position - seeking to please the one they love.

This is the position the citizens of the spiritual realm put themselves in relation to the Supreme Being. They want to please Him and thus they serve Him.

And because the Supreme Being loves each of His children, pleasing God also includes service to His children.

Why did Jesus talk about being a slave?

This is not precisely slavery as we consider it in the physical world. In the physical world, some people have forced others to become slaves. This is not what Jesus is referring to. The word "slave" here is being translated from the Greek word δοῦλος (doulos). When used metaphorically, the word means "one who gives himself up to another's will" according to the lexicon.

It is not as if the Supreme Being wants slaves. And those who love and serve Him aren't being forced to become His or other people's slaves.

What Jesus is referring to is voluntary service given out of love. The Supreme Being wants our love - and He gives us each the freedom to love Him and serve Him or not. Thus each of us has the freedom to choose to love and serve God and His children - or not.

But if we choose not to love and serve the Supreme Being and His children then we are left with emptiness, which produces self-centeredness. This eventually leads us to become a slave of the physical world as we seek our happiness away from the Supreme Being.

But one who seeks to please the Supreme Being will find humility as their foundation. This is because the spiritual realm is full of love and everyone seeks the position of loving servant. The phrase, "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" renders the concept of service as the measure of advancement, rather than having authority over others - as it is within the physical world.

Why did Jesus say that he 'did not come to be served, but to serve'?

This clarifies how Jesus sees himself. He is not seeing himself as God - as many will attribute to him. Rather, Jesus sees himself as a servant. A servant of the Supreme Being, and a servant of humanity.

This is precisely why "servant of humanity" is the more appropriate translation for the Greek phrase being translated to "Son of man" - υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

The Greek word that has been translated to “son” is υἱός. While this can indicate a relationship of offspring in the context of a physical family, in this context, as defined in the Greek lexicon, is "one who depends on another or is his follower."

And how would one properly describe someone who depends upon another and/or is his follower? We would call such a person a devoted follower or a loving servant. We know that Jesus is not speaking of becoming a follower of others. Rather, Jesus is speaking of service to others. And Jesus confirms this very meaning when he says he, "did not come to be served, but to serve."

Now if someone says they came to serve, are they not a servant?

Who did Jesus come to serve?

Jesus' teachings indicate that he is God's devoted loving servant: the loving servant (υἱός) of God (mistranslated as "son of God").

But Jesus is also referring to himself in this statement and elsewhere as, υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

The Greek word, ἀνθρώπου, can either mean "man" or more broadly "mankind," "humankind" or (in context here) "humanity," and τοῦ means "of."

In other words, the Greek phrase υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (used in the statement above), is more appropriately translated to: "Servant of humanity."

Jesus clearly states that he and his followers are to be considered servants, not masters. Their position is to serve, and not be served.

What is a disciple?

The New Testament mentions the word "disciple" or "disciples" 297 times. Obviously, this is an important topic. What does it mean?

The Greek word being translated to "disciple" is μαθητής (mathētēs). According to the lexicon, the word means "a learner, pupil, disciple." It also means "adherents." That means in this context, a dedicated follower.

We must remember that Jesus is speaking to those who have taken the position of becoming Jesus’ disciples: They were his students, in other words. The word "disciple" is derived from the word "to discipline". 

This process of becoming the student and follower of the spiritual teacher had been handed down through the ages among the great teachers such as Moses, Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, and so on (consider for example Eli and Samuel, or Moses and Joshua). Jesus also illustrated this process as well, when he became the disciple of John the Baptist by accepting baptism from John.

This ancient process of accepting an enlightened spiritual teacher, who has himself accepted a spiritual teacher, was heralded and exalted throughout the ancient world of Judaism. This is also the reason why many considered Jesus the υἱὸς (mistranslated as "son") or follower of David (such as in Matt. 20:30). Certainly, Jesus could not physically be David's son, as David had lived about (according to some scholars) a thousand years before Jesus.

Now Jesus is telling his students that in order for others to become eligible for entry into the spiritual realm, they must become loving servants of God. This also means becoming a student of God's messenger in order to come to know God.

This is also the path empowered by God. It is only God who can ultimately empower one of His servants to become His messenger. But first, they must be introduced to God. This is the true initiation process into the kingdom of God. It is about having a relationship.

This system has been all but forgotten among many institutions, which today select their teachers through elections by councils of people. Such political processes ignore the personal relationships that exist between the Supreme Being and His messengers.

What did Jesus mean when he said, 'to give his life as a ransom for many'?

This is one of the key phrases that some teachers cite to claim that Jesus died for everyone’s sins.

But if this were true, no one would face any consequences for their actions. We know this by simply looking around and looking at our own lives: Every self-centered activity produces a reaction.

The physical world is the world of consequences. "As you sow, so shall you reap" is the scriptural phrase used. We can see this cause and effect everywhere in the form of suffering as well as achievement. People are suffering in the world, not because of some cruel joke by God. There is suffering in the world because suffering is a consequence of previously causing the suffering of others - either in this life or the previous one.

This consequence learning system was accepted by Jesus as he stated:

"Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." (John 5:14)

This was spoken to a person Jesus had healed. He was clearly indicating that sinning (self-centered activities) produces consequences.

So how did Jesus "give his life as a ransom for many" then?

Notice Jesus does not say "all" here. He is not speaking of granting a free pass for everyone just because he suffered on the cross.

Rather, Jesus is speaking of his accepting the persecution and murder of his physical body in order to teach us the importance of loving and serving the Supreme Being. Such a lesson - if we choose to learn it - has the ability to truly save us and purify our consciousness.

Just consider the importance of something that someone is willing to give up their physical life for.

When our consciousness is purified by the understanding of the importance of love for God, we have the ability to transcend the physical world and its various consequences and return to the spiritual realm.

Jesus confirmed that his act was an act of loving service to the Supreme Being (and all of humanity) when he prayed just before his arrest:

“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)

"... the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2)

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, "As you know, the Passover is two days away - and the son of man will be handed over to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2)

Why is Jesus saying that he will be 'handed over'?

Is it important that we know that Jesus knew in advance what his future would bear? This may be important to those who need some kind of sign in order to believe that Jesus had power and authority.

But the deeper meaning of why this is important is that Jesus was in full knowledge of the tremendous suffering he was about to experience, yet he did nothing to avoid it. He did nothing to escape. He not only knew his physical body was going to be killed, but he knew how his body would be killed - in the most gruesome and painful manner.

Yet Jesus did not try to escape or avoid being captured. Why? Because he understood this was part of his service to God. His focus was to do God's will. He knew there were others who were trying to stop him.

Why was this part of Jesus' service to God? Did God want Jesus to suffer? Certainly not. Jesus understood that he was not the physical body, and the spiritual person does not necessarily suffer when the physical body is experiencing pain.

In Jesus' case, Jesus actually experienced the greatest spiritual pleasure even through the suffering of his body - that of serving his beloved, the Supreme Being. The pain of his body was nothing compared to the joy of pleasing the One he loved.

This doesn't mean those involved in the murder of Jesus are excused. The torture and subsequent murder of God's loving messenger is the height of insanity and abuse. And those who seek to take advantage of this event for their own purposes are also implicated.

Did Jesus die for our sins?

Many teach that Jesus had to die in order to sacrifice for our sins. Many even refer to him as a "sacrificial lamb." As if it were ordained that someone has to suffer for our sins, and because God loved us, Jesus suffered for us so we do not have to suffer the consequences of our own actions.

This is a ridiculous notion. If it were true, we would have no responsibility for our actions. Jesus' crucifixion did not remove the law of consequences from the physical world. If it were true, a person could commit a crime and not go to jail as long as the person believed in Jesus. But this is simply not the case. There are consequences to every act - good and bad.

If Jesus' death on the cross cleansed our sins, there would be no need to obey any commandments nor any rules or regulations provided by scripture. All we would have to do is believe in Jesus and we can do whatever we want.

If this were true, why did Jesus teach? Why did he teach his disciples and students to obey Moses' commandments, and why did he teach love of God? Why didn't he just say, "don't worry, I will die for your sins so you can do what you want, as long as you believe in me."

No, he did not say that. He was trying to teach his followers, and all of us, to dedicate our lives to God. He was trying to teach us to learn to love God, not just sentimentally, but with our actions and lives. He was trying to get us to change our consciousness from being self-centered to being God-centered. He was trying to teach us to devote our lives to God.

And this was what he practiced as well. Jesus did not have a professional rabbi position. He did not hold a title at the temple. He walked through the countrysides, teaching love of God. This was because he was dedicated to God. He devoted his entire life to God. He was showing us how to love God and give our lives to God.

And therein lies the reason that Jesus allowed his temporary physical body to be crucified. Jesus accepted being crucified because he had given himself to God, and that's what God wanted.

Why did Jesus allow himself to be killed?

In the U.S. and in many other countries, it is considered a great act when a person goes to war and dies for their country. It is held in the highest esteem to sacrifice oneself for one's country. Why is this? Because dying for one's country shows that a person loves their country more than they care about their own well-being.

Now consider this in the light of Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus loved God so much that he was willing to allow his body to be tortured and killed in his service to God. This is the ultimate sacrifice of love - to give one's life in their service to God.

Now consider the connection: Why was Jesus killed? Because of his teachings. He was killed because he taught what the Supreme Being wanted him to teach:

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

This is why it was so important that he not escape his execution - because he was standing up for his teachings, which are coming from God. By Jesus standing up for his teachings. Allowing his body to be gruesomely murdered illustrated his commitment and love for God. But he was also showing each of us - for generations to come - how important his teachings were, and what it means to devote one's life to God.

And it is understanding this - understanding the deep love that Jesus had for God to do this - that has the power to change a person. It is understanding this act of devotion - done in love for God - that has the power to save us.

Why does it have the power to save us? Because it can change our consciousness. It can change our consciousness from loving ourselves above all, to trying to re-develop our love for God. Because it is loving God that ultimately saves us.

And this specifically is why Jesus referred to himself here as not "son of man", as is being mistranslated here, but rather, the "servant of humanity."

The interpretation that sectarian institutions make is that 'God became man and died on the cross for our sins.'

So they are saying that God died? What a ridiculous notion. Furthermore, they are saying that God has to provide some form of sacrifice in order to cleanse sins. As if God must oblige Himself to the rules of sacrifice and cleansing? This is simply ludicrous.

God never has to sacrifice Himself. God never becomes a man and dies. God is the Supreme Being and remains the Supreme Being. God can forgive sins simply by willing it so. God doesn't need to make some kind of sacrifice. He is the Supreme Being.

What about John 3:16?

Many try to use John 3:16 to support this interpretation. Let's consider this carefully. Here is the verse:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only [some translations say "only begotten"] son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

This verse has been mistranslated and misinterpreted. Yes, it is true that God so loved the world. And it is true that He sent Jesus to the world as His messenger.

But the type of giving ("gave") being referred to here is not as though God sent Jesus as our doormat to suffer for our sins. The type of giving (from the Greek word δίδωμι (didōmi)) being discussed here is that God sent Jesus as a gift to us, to teach us about Him. There is nothing within the word δίδωμι (didōmi) to construe that it has anything to do with a person being sacrificed. It is speaking of saving others - through the teaching of love for God.

And Jesus was not God's "one and only" son or "only begotten" son. The Greek word being translated here is μονογενής (monogenēs), which can mean "only one of its kind," but in context and everyday usage, the meaning of μονογενής (monogenēs) relates to being special. In other Greek works, we find confirmation that μονογενής means not the only one, but someone who is special, or singled out. This is the case with Jesus. He was special to God. Why?

Because Jesus was utterly devoted to God. He was committed to God. There was an intimate loving relationship existing between Jesus and God. This made Jesus special, and it meant that God's sending Jesus was unique, because Jesus has such an intimate loving relationship with God.

In other words, rather than "only begotten son", the phrase μονογενής υἱός is best translated as "special devoted servant" or "intimate loving servant" - as υἱός means, in this context, "follower" or "dedicated servant."

Furthermore, the Greek phrase, πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν, being translated to "believes in him" is mistranslated. The Greek word πιστεύων refers to having "confidence in" or "trust." It is not simply the kind of "belief" relating to knowing a person existed, or knowing a person was great. We are talking about trusting in what Jesus was teaching. And what did Jesus teach?

“‘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)

Following this instruction is what will save us. And Jesus not only taught us this. He showed us as well. By his accepting the murder of his physical body at the hands of the Romans and institutional temple high priests, Jesus showed us what loving God "with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" means.

"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." (Matthew 26:38)

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." (Matthew 26:37-38)

Why did Jesus become 'sorrowful and troubled'?

Why did Jesus become "sorrowful and troubled" and "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death"?

The word "sorrow" here is being translated from the Greek word περίλυπος (perilypos) which means, "very sad" and "exceedingly sorrowful" according to the lexicon, and "so much as to cause one's death."

Some would have us believe that Jesus' sorrow was related either to Judas' betrayal, Peter's denial, or both. If this were true, why did he ask Peter with the other two disciples to come with him?

And why did he only just begin to feel sorrowful and troubled? The word "began" comes from the Greek ἄρχω (archō), which means to "be first" or "to begin." It is clear this was the first indication of Jesus' being sorrowful and troubled.

If Jesus felt sorrowful and troubled about Judas betraying him or about Peter denying him, or even about his disciples abandoning him, this would have become evident when he pointed out these forthcoming events in the previous conversations.

Rather, the reason for his sorrow was reflected by his prayer to the Supreme Being.

What were Jesus' prayers of sorrow?

"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)

and then a few minutes later,

"My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done." (Matthew 26:42)

What is troubling Jesus is being expressed in his prayer, since 1) he became troubled just before his prayers; and 2) he was so troubled about it that he prayed about it three times (yes, he made the same prayer a third time). It is also logical that Jesus or anyone else would pray about something that was troubling him.

The secret to his sorrow, then, lies within his prayers. And these prayers also unfold the very nature and essence of who Jesus was.

It is evident that what is causing Jesus tremendous sorrow has to do with his knowledge of his coming ordeal, which he knows will be his forthcoming arrest and execution - as he indicated previously his foreknowledge of these events in his previous conversation with his disciples.

Why was Jesus struggling with what would happen?

So we can see by Jesus' two prayers that he is struggling with what he wants versus doing God's will - what God wants.

Why is this important at this moment? Because Jesus knows that he will be arrested in a few minutes, and he could easily escape at that very moment. He could walk away, and avoid his arrest and execution.

In other words, Jesus could have run off into the night, changed his clothes and looks, and escaped to another part of the country.

Yes. Jesus could have completely avoided his arrest and persecution. He could have escaped into the wilderness.

Jesus was struggling with this. He asked three of his disciples to join him as he went off to pray. Why?

So they could keep watch, and allow him to pray without being arrested in the middle of his prayer. They would be able to warn him if someone was approaching.

This is because at that moment he was not resolved. He needed to pray about whether he should escape arrest or not.

Jesus' struggle, his prayer, and eventual resolve are at the heart of who Jesus was.

How does this define Jesus?

First, it indicates that Jesus was not the Supreme Being. Because he had desires separate from God and struggled with doing God's will in this situation, we know that Jesus was not God.

Second, it indicates that Jesus had free will. He could have chosen not to do God's will. He could have run off and lived out the remainder of his life on the sea as a fisherman or a carpenter. The Romans and High Priests would have certainly left him alone, because he would no longer threaten their authority with his teachings.

Jesus could have altogether avoided being whipped and crucified. He could have evaded arrest.

Third, this indicates that Jesus wrestled with his choice. He was "troubled" and even "sorrowful" that he was thinking of being persecuted physically. He first prayed to God to prevent the whole thing from happening. He didn't want to be arrested and crucified. He preferred that God take it all away.

Fourth, Jesus ultimately sees that this is what God wants, and decides he will do what God wants. He will stand his ground and stand behind his teachings. He will remain at Gethsemane, where he knows that Judas will bring the Roman guards and high priest to have him arrested.

This indicates clearly that while Jesus was an individual with choice, he chose to be God's loving, devoted servant. He chose to do what the Supreme Being wanted him to do even though his body would suffer. This fact is confirmed by another statement by Jesus:

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

This means that while Jesus was sent by God, God still granted Jesus the freedom of choice to serve Him or not. As such, Jesus did struggle with his upcoming arrest and persecution because he knew his physical body would suffer. But Jesus ultimately did what God wanted, because he loved God, and wanted to please God:

"... for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me." (John 5:30)

This is the meaning of loving God: Wanting to please the Supreme Being with our lives. Caring more about what He wants than what we want.

This is what Jesus did, and this is what Jesus taught:

"'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." (Matthew 23:37-38)