This document provides a spiritual and metaphysical interpretation of the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It delves into the deeper meanings and symbolic aspects of the Christ’s teachings and events in this chapter, emphasizing themes like faith, spiritual awakening, and the application of Christ’s teachings for personal growth and enlightenment.
Luke 4:1-2
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
S This is as we have spoken of before. In crossing that which is that frontier from the first searching point in the individual is that which is the crossing of the Jordan into that which must be the wilderness, or the facing of that which are the temptations. And what is the tempter? But selfishness. What is that which is the wilderness? Well, it should be called bewilderment, the more. For why? You begin to see, that which is the clash, the true clash, that so few ever see, between the spiritual, mental, physical. For even those that are raised so high that they have cast aside the physical necessities rarely, if ever, reach that point. You think you have been tempted? You do not realize what temptation is when the power and authority have finally come into full use within your limited realm of understanding. Then comes the temptation to expand the understanding of self, to use that which has come into being. But then there is that which is wisdom, which again calls for patience, patience. This is the truth of what Jesus faced at that time – the bewilderment of power, of knowledge, of the working of the cosmos, of the facts of creation, but limited, you see, in that which was the ability to know the use of same at the proper time and place – therefore, the temptation of self-judging the needs, the appropriateness of the use of the authority and power. Quite the great temptation, you see. For, as has been given before, He could still the waves, and wash away the wars, cleanse the sickness, rejuvenate the world and awaken all the souls. But was it proper?
Q When Jesus entered the wilderness, did He go alone?
S Well, you must remember that Jesus, like you, is never alone. And we realize what you mean here, but remember, when you are aware, you are never alone – and you know it! As for that which was human, physical- human following – no, Jesus was not alone, though he separated Himself by a ways. And yet He was alone from them. For at this time He was aware only of that which is the spiritual nature, not of the physical, human side of life at all. In part, this may help for you to understand that which are the temptations and those things which occurred to the Master at that time. And blessed be His name. For He then found the balance between the physical, the mental, and the spiritual at that time, having been more overbalanced towards that which was the spiritual and mental side, rather than the physical, as you might have thought. [10-105]
Q Did Mary of Bethany follow Jesus into the wilderness and attend Him during the forty days?
S Yes, but not attending as many might think. It was a spiritual and mental thing more than a physical thing. [10-107]
Q Will you distinguish between the Holy Ghost and the spirit for us?
S The spirit is that force that is given to each living thing, in degrees, from animal through vegetable through that which is mineral. All have a spirit quality. In mankind the spirit quality, of course, is much higher than that which is as the rest of nature. Touched by the Holy Ghost, the spirit then unites with the soul force (from which it emanates) and becomes a useable, serviceable quality that can be used in, or by the direction of the awakened will and mind power. No soul can exist without the spiritual nature, and yet no soul is complete without that which is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings forth the binding, cohesive which is the Christ or the Christ Force. It is as a barrel with staves and hoops that contains the inner fluid. Therefore, three used for one purpose: the containing or the contained force or life. The staves being that which is the containing force and the hoops which join together the contained, the container, to be one unit.
Q These are the spirit, the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Spirit?
S This is correct.
Q Can we equate the power of the Holy Spirit with the power in the atom, in material understanding?
S This is quite correct. As close as you may understand and remembering that one single atom in its place is as great as your sun.
Q Do we have a right to use the atom for power as we are doing?
S On the surface, yes; but in the depth, no. For rather than using the mind power, the will power that has conceived the steps in using that which is the nuclear – if they had been used to develop the inner man, the sea of energy, as needed by mankind, would have poured forth with nothing of the negative effects that mankind loves to find and use to trouble himself. For it is the man nature – feminist, we say man (for it is the man nature here) to bring forth the destructive elements, even as it is for the feminine nature in man to bring forth the calming influence. And until that time man does not use it for man’s sake, then that which is the nuclear effort will be a negative factor in the physical world.
Luke 4:3-4
And the devil said unto him, “If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.” And Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
S Replace, always, the tempter or the devil or what have you, in these passages, with self or selfishness, and then you have the truth of these passages. For even you, at your stages, with the limited abilities that you possess, find temptation in that which is the use of what you have at hand, daily, within selves, between others, and even that which you would consider your own daydreams.
Luke 4:5-8
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, “All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.” And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. “
S The very power that is created within you as you seek, as you come towards that which is the throne of God, is a tempting factor. Behold the many psychics that use their abilities for selfish ends. Behold those who have raised the forces within themselves of the kundalini who have gone astray or have destroyed themselves. This is the tempter. This is selfishness in its last fierce battle before the individual, or the groups, attain to that which is the peace and the wisdom, the patience, the love that is the apex within the individual, or the group, which is the Christ awareness.
Luke 4:9-12
And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” And Jesus answering said unto him, “It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
S Amen and amen! For, you see, that which we have spoken of is duly transcribed here. For, you see, selfishness was telling Jesus the man, the mental man, to use that which was the angelic host that was at His beck and call. One more stage of selfishness which will fight and fight till the last bit of its strength is used. Then Jesus, even as self, became free.
Q You referred to angels. Is it correct to say they work through the spirit of an individual, and not through material ways?
S First: angels, as given, are the lights, the messengers of the Lord thy God. There are many positions and errands, many uses of the angelic host. There are those that serve in one capacity or another. There are those who are limited to one field alone. There are those that act as messengers, or go-betweens, between the angelic host. For remember, even the angels fall short of the glory of God; and even Michael must kneel before that which is the throne of God. For if God were to touch an angelic host, not in prescribed order, the angelic host would be overloaded (even as the circuit) and be cut off. You as an individual, cannot commune directly with God, for you cannot absorb the power of the Lord. You may only glean that which comes to you. Each and every individual has that which is their own angelic host – guardian angels, if you would call them so. Angels do not do the bidding of mankind. They do the bidding of God but will assist and carry out mankind’s needs when they are in line with that prescribed by God. But the prescription must be of God, not of mankind. If you would pray, then know that it is carried by the angelic host. As to that, it is not serving you but serving God.
Q Does each human being have the same number of guardian angels, or does this vary from one individual to another?
S This is variable. Each entity that is born has at least one. You may accrue many, or lose many – all to the needs, all to the purposes. You may summon angels by that which is the karmic order of your life, or that which is the bypassing of karma, as you understand karma to be, then the struggle with self. There is the angel of light that guides a group such as this. There is the angel of death which is the loving and merciful angel. There are angels that precede the Word. There are angels that follow you when you leave the body in sleep. There are angels that hasten the repair and rejuvenation of the body. And yet, the angelic host is not important to man, to woman, to child. God is important to man, woman and child. Christ is important. The Holy Spirit is important. Knowledge of angels is essential, is correct, but is misleading. Therefore, turn to God. Be not as some who are overwhelmed by the angelic host. For they, just as the signposts of the psychic, of the phenomena, numerology, astrology, phrenology, palmistry, can be that which leads astray. Know them for what they are – servants of God. Then be not less yourselves lest ye fall into the trap that is idolizing the wrong things.
Luke 4:13
And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
S Ah, the season. What is meant here to that third time in the life, the time of the cross, the temptation to do away with it, using that which is the power to establish the glory of the personality rather than the glory of God.
Source
And now we give that which is the love, the blessing upon you, upon the host, and upon all that would be and do and are, the service, the hands. the feet, and the light.
RAM Reading 10-67
Prayer – Channel
Beloved Father-Mother God, we seek Thy love, Thy mercy, for we believe, in truth, that Jesus is the Shepherd and we are His flock. Lord, use us now that others may benefit, that others might find the way, the path and the light, the love – that we all may glorify Thy Name, oh Lord.
Source
Behold the Light that cometh through the dark. Behold the music that silences the chaos. Behold Love that drives away fear. Awaken! Sleep not, for the Lord thy God is here. Behold the Truth, the Light and the Way.
Luke 4:14-15
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
S Jesus came before the masses, even as you must come before the masses (the opinions of same) and deal in the truth, even as He, the Master of Love, dealt with that which is the truth, that which are the needs of mankind. For within yourselves there are needs that can only be met through the truth, through the awakening of that which is the Christ within. For that which is as of disease is born of fear. Fear is that which is born of doubt. All may be erased by that which is the light of love in the search for that which is the truth.
Luke 4:16
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
S Even as Jerusalem is that place of meeting of the God Force, even then is that which is as Nazareth the place of growth, that of your own past and present fusing and becoming one, when self must get up before the spiritual community of self and present that which is the search, the knocking upon the door. This is the true awakening.
Luke 4:17-19
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
S Isaiah is that which represents the dawning of the spirit, the awakening within the individual, or even that which is as mankind. For Isaiah, a great prophet, came to the peoples, you see, to preach the doctrine of the Lord. It then was for Jesus to open the door, to give to those who were prepared, through the preparation of the peoples, that which is the Light. For the year of the Lord is the awakening or the appointed time for an individual to receive that which is the opportunity, by selection of the entity, and by those forces that are of the Light, to receive the Light.
Luke 4:20-21
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
S The shock to those who knew the meaning of His words: that He was to be the Word, that which came to awaken the land, or even as the anointed of God. So shall it come to you as a shock within that which is the ego body, the mental-ego body, the physical-mental-ego body, that the spirit has awakened, that the new day has dawned, that the night has fled, and the Son is.
Luke 4:22
And all bare witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
S For within you, just as within Jesus, is the fountain of truth, of light, of good – is all knowledge. And this knowledge overwhelmed those of the day that placed Him only as a human, did not believe, you see, in that which was given to them from prior times as to the might and action of God. For, in truth, even as doubt lies within mankind, doubt lies within the individual. You, too, will face this situation where you doubt that which comes from within yourself. And, as given, doubt is the father of fear.
Luke 4:23
And he said unto them, “Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.”
S This is a two-fold meaning. For Jesus was pointing out that doubters demand the sign, demand that which is termed the miracle, do not believe by faith but by that which is for the five sense or the lower understanding. It also means, you see, within yourselves you have the doubt. It also means, you see, as the second meaning that there are those who seek the proof to benefit by the proof, being the egotistical “save me first,” “heal me first,” even as the words, “physician, heal thyself,” in this context, means “me first,” “self first,” which is not the way of the Christ.
Luke 4:24
And he said, “Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.”
S And true it is that those closest to a prophet, those closest to those that are touched by the hand of God, are the hardest to convince. And even deeper, who has more doubts than the prophet or the one touched by God? For they must overcome that which is the understanding of their own humanness, their own error, their own foolishness, and must then realize that until they get beyond that stage and realize it is God (not hampered or helped by the individual physical-mental) they are the doubters also.
Luke 4:25-27
“But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.”
S You have first, you see, that which is Elijah, or the truth, fiery, powerful, overriding, overbearing truth – not the tender, quiet, thorough truth of Elisha. And yet, the truth found that which would receive the truth, and awakened the truth. And even as Elisha was that for which was the quiet, walking way, Elijah in that which was the fierce and powerful way proved by the sacrifice of the widow that the power of God feeds and benefits mankind for ever and ever when tapped for the perfect, correct reasons.
Q What is the meaning of the symbology, “the heaven was shut up three years and six months?”
S This was that which was the treasury of God, as man would understand it. Three, the symbol of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; six, the learning; and together, nine coming to an end, you see, or the fulfillment number. For that which were the treasures of the land were held back. Crops failed, rain did not fall, the domestic animals did not multiply. In short, there was famine in the land. This is why Elijah went to a widow with nothing, who gave the last, you see, of her possession, food, to the prophet as her gift to God for recognizing Him as what He was. And Elijah, giving back God’s gift of plenteousness, for then the food was multiplied and always replenished day by day.
Q Was Elisha one of the past lives of Jesus?
S Yes. It is beneficial to know this at this time. Ours not to reason why, but to give that which is to be given.
Luke 4:28-30
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way.
S Even as you must face your own self, others (that) would rise up against your teachings, your understandings, your way. Yet, even as he walked through the multitude, they, that would devour Him, destroy Him, they, that would cast Him over the hill upon His head (the symbol of destruction of that which is the spiritual outcoming), could not touch Him – not because He moved invisibly among them, not because He forced them back, not because the angels of the Lord protected Him, but because their spirit bore witness to His spirit and prevented them from raising hand out of time against Him that must fulfill that which is the opening of the true world to the people of this world. Ye have asked about Elisha and we would comment further. Even as Elija became John and preceded that which was Elisha, so Jesus followed John, to take the mantle, once again in a higher order, a higher understanding of things.
Q There is a question of how angels operate. Is it correct to say that they work through the spirit of an individual only and not through material ways?
S First: angels, as given, are the lights, the messengers of the Lord thy God. There are many positions and errands, many uses of the angelic host. There are those that serve in one capacity or another. There are those who are limited to one field alone. There are those that act as messengers or go-between, between the angelic host. For remember, even the angels fall short of the glory of God; and even Michael must kneel before that which is the throne of God. For if God were to touch an angelic host not in the prescribed order, the angelic host would be overloaded (even as the circuit) and be cut off. You, as an individual, cannot commune directly with God, for ye cannot absorb the power of the Lord. You may only glean that which comes to you. Each and every individual has that which is his own angelic host – guardian angels, if you would call them so. Angels do not do the bidding of mankind. They do the bidding of God but will assist and carry out mankind’s needs when they are in line with that prescribed by God. But the prescription must be of God, not of mankind. If you would pray, then know that it is carried by the angelic host. As to that, it is not serving you but serving God.
Q Does each human being have the same number of guardian angels or does this vary from one individual to another?
S This is variable. Each entity that is born has at least one. You may accrue many, or lose many – all to the needs, all to the purposes. You may summon angels by that which is the karmic order of your life, or that which is the bypassing of karma, as you understand karma to be, the struggle with self. There is the angel of light that guides a group such as this. There is the angel of death which is the loving and merciful angel. There are angels that precede the Word. There are angels that follow you when you leave the body in sleep. There are angels that hasten the repair and rejuvenation of the body. And yet, the angelic host is not important to man, to woman, to child. God is important to man, woman, and child. Christ is important. The Holy Spirit is important. Knowledge of angels is essential, is correct, but is misleading. Therefore, turn to God. Be not as some who are overwhelmed by the entailed host. For they, just as the signposts of the psychic of the phenomena, numerology, astrology, phrenology, palmistry, can be that which leads astray. Know them for what they are – servants of God. Then be not less yourselves, lest ye fall into the trap that is idolizing the wrong things.
Q Please clarify the use of the article “the” preceding “loving and merciful angel.” Are we to infer that this angel is the only loving and merciful angel?
S “The” here, is as a group title. For all are loving and merciful (even Michael) and therefore realize that it is only meant to express the replacing of a name for your benefit.
Q This actually referred to the Angel of Death.
S Oh, yes.
Q What are the duties are of the Angel of Death?
S Well, first of all this is an angel that is given–remember now–oh how to explain to you. First there is the Archangel of Death who presides and is ever present, and all angels of death take on his visage, the power that is given through him from God. The job is loving, helping, rehabilitating, reassuring, correcting, guiding, transporting, repairing, refurbishing, reassuring, but above all–being realistic. For reality to those that cross over can be shattering without that which is the love, the help of the merciful, loving angels of death, or the Angel of Death. And each of you have met these, or that one, many times before and been the better for it. This is why those who have attuned and attained, who have the ability to see and remember have no fear of that which is considered death or passing over. For, in fact, it is a lovely, wondrous experience to those who are prepared and ready.
Q Is there an angel of death present at and every death as it occurs–even in battles when thousands are being killed, like at Hiroshima?
S Oh, yes. [10-105]
Luke 4:31-34
And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. And in the synagogue, there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, “Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.”
S How an individual soul and the forces built up around the soul writhe, even as the spirits within man at that time were forced, you see, to look in upon themselves and upon the deeds. For even as Jesus was the awakened, so the spirit of mankind was awakened, even dimly, within many. And those possessed by themselves, of themselves, oft by others, recognized (even as the individual here did) that here is the Holy One that wipes away the illusion, that makes clean the slate, that opens the door, that leads the way upon the path. Yes, they cried out – some for mercy, some for pity, others for joy.
Luke 4:35-37
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Hold thy peace, and come out of him.” And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, “What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And the fame of him went out into ever place of the country round about.
S Even though Jesus did not wish to be known for other than the preacher that He was, He could not sidestep the duty, He could not flinch from that which He knew to be incorrect – His fame as a person, His name glorified, when, in truth, Jesus, more than anyone, wished it to be otherwise, that the fame, the glory would go to the true source, to God. You, too, must, first through the personality of self, begin the cleansing of the body until that time that the mind, the body, may be cleansed and recognize the truth that the spirit awakened has done these things.
Q What is the meaning of “and when the devil had thrown him in the midst?”
S This is a descriptive term of the time used to show the man was writhing, having epileptic seizures among the peoples.
Luke 4:38-39
And he arose out of the synagogue and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
S Even as the name `Simon’ is an indicator in this case of one who is on the threshold of becoming faith, it is faith awakened to a degree, it is hope more than faith, you see. Hope, brought on by love and need, even as those in need or in crises pray deeply, pray sincerely, to God for help. So, Simon, not yet arisen to truth of faith, but through need, through hope, through love, turns to the Christ Force to overcome that which is the detrimental to that which is loved, in this case Simon for the wife, the helpmeet.
Luke 4:40-41
Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many crying out, and saying, “Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.”
S Even as you in the last hopes, even as people turn, so often only in that time that the darkness approaches, to God in the hopes to be saved, to be cleansed from the sins, the misdeeds, the misworks, so in this case those people turned to Him. Therefore, in yourselves, learn before the last hour, or before those times of trial and tribulation. In the morning, in the sunrise, turn, thank, open, that you may give God that which is His due, rather than always turning only in those times, and in the good times having naught to do with God. There were many then, even as now, and even within yourselves, that will be cleansed. And the cry will be heard by the spiritual nature, and by some, even through that which is the physical ear, the recognition of the Christ. And (for) at that time, since it was Jesus’ time not arrived, He bade them not cry out, that His true nature would not be known as yet.
Luke 4:42
And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
S For Jesus then began to suffer, even as individuals begin to suffer, that they must put themselves aside. They cannot find the quiet place for themselves, but must become as the help to those that seek, to the sick, the lonely, the misguided, the fearful, all of these things, and must face them within themselves. You cannot serve the Lord by becoming that which is a recluse or hermit. You cannot sever yourself from the family of mankind. You cannot sever your religious self from your everyday self that cries out. For if you do, you create rebellion, and rebellion is that which is the destructive force which destroys mankind.
Luke 4:43-44
And he said unto them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.” And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
S Even as Jesus realized that His self must come last, therefore the meaning here is: go out, do the deeds, be the help to others. For, in truth, this is but saying, “others first, others first, Father.”