Essays

So Saith a Wayshower

A Spirituialist's Interpretation of John 14 from the Gideons Bible
By Tom Butler

The words attributed to Jesus were a revelation, of sorts, that has lead me to understand that what he taught, and what I believe, are much the same. Jesus did not ask his disciples to follow him as a personality, but rather, to follow him as a Wayshower of a path of knowledge that will take the seeker back to God.

You see, I believe Jesus spoke of himself as a person who embodied three aspects of spirituality. That is, he taught a path or way of knowledge that would lead to spiritual growth, he functioned as a role model demonstrating how a person who has successfully followed that path might behave; and, he embodied the Christ Consciousness, from which he brought these teachings into our world. His words support the concept that this Christ Consciousness is an emanation of spiritual energy that contains and promotes the path. In so far as these three aspects of the wayshower are concerned, Jesus was the physical embodiment of the creator of our realm.

The importance of this revelation to our experience is not so much that Jesus was a wayshower, but that the three aspects he represented are within our capability to achieve. It is reasonable and important for us to learn what Jesus taught because it does represent a path to spiritual maturity. It is important to have a role model who can demonstrate this achievement, and it is equally important for us to become a role model for others who may follow this path. It is also important to recognize that your growing spiritual maturity will bring greater energy to you, through you and into your environment. This energy may seem like simple etheric energy as you begin, but as you grow, this energy will assume the coherence of the Christ Consciousness. In this way, Humankind will experience a Second Coming of the Christ Consciousness.

Most seekers, myself included, are very much followers of the way of knowledge Jesus taught, and in this sense, we are in accord with our Christian friends. We deviate in the way we understand the words of Jesus. An example is Line 6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. We believe that this is not a call to worship Jesus, but to follow the path he taught.

What follows then, is my attempt to relate the words attributed to Jesus in John 14 to what I believe is the current metaphysical view. As in all things, it is for you to practice discernment. This understanding works for me. It may not work for you.

John 14

1.    Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Jesus is reminding his students that they may trust what he tells them as if his words were spoken by God. This is fundamental to all of Jesus' works, for had he not previously convinced his followers that he had been chosen by the Lord as a holy representative, then they might have discounted his words.

2.    In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.

If you gather a consensus of what is popularly believed about the structure of reality, what I like to refer to as the Standard Cosmology, you will see that there are many levels of consciousness between our Physical Plane and God. These planes are thought to exist, at least in part, so that we may have differing opportunities to learn. As such, it is necessary to progressively graduate through the planes as our Self gains increasing spiritual maturity. It is in this way that we work our way back to God. Following the concept of a Spiritual Hierarchy, our local group of planes, known as our realm, has been created at the direction of a group of entities led by a spiritually advanced entity sometimes known as Archangel Michael. It is Michael who is thought to be the Lord of our realm and it is he who is believed to have imbued Jesus with the Christ consciousness for his work on the Physical Plane.

I interpret the line to be a reference to the planes of this realm. Michael, as Lord, would naturally return to his place where he is thought to hold the image, and thus the existence, of our local reality in his awareness. God is the Infinite Intelligence, but Michael is Lord or the Father.

3.    And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Since Jesus is speaking to his disciples after the Last Supper and before he was arrested, I believe he is preparing to predict his arrest.

This is a pivotal line. When Jesus states that " I will come again, and receive you into myself," he is telling his disciples that he will receive them in spirit when they also pass from their physical life. He may also be speaking from the perspective of his aspect as the path or way to spiritual maturity when he suggesting that he will bring them into himself. I detect nothing in this line suggesting that Jesus will return in the flesh. (See the interpretation of Line 6 concerning the aspects of Jesus.)

4.    And whither I go ye know, and they way ye know.

I expect Jesus is reminding his disciples, his students, that he has told them all of this before. He was known to have studied under systems of belief that included well-defined cosmologies describing the formation and structure of reality, and how we must live in it to gain spiritual maturity. As a teacher, he would have taken every opportunity to reveal this knowledge to his students.

5.         Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6.    Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

This statement is the source of my first revelation about Jesus and central to what I wish to share with you now. In this line, Jesus has told his disciples that he personifies the path that they must follow to return to God. He is showing himself to his followers as the three aspects of the teacher: follow me that I am the path; follow me as the Spirit of Truth; and, follow me as I have lived.

The Spirit of Truth concerns one of the most difficult metaphysical concepts to comprehend. Most seekers know this as the Christ Consciousness, and believe that a person may achieve this exalted state of awareness by becoming spiritually mature. In the Standard Cosmology, as described in my upcoming book, Hypothetical Reality, spiritual maturity is expressed as a way of thinking, or worldview, that is in agreement with the operation of Natural Law. This perspective reinforces the idea that Jesus is a teacher of considerable spiritual maturity--just what one would expect in a person who has been imbued with the personality of the Lord of our realm.

Think of Jesus as a roll model that we can do well to emulate. Then consider his works. The commandments or spiritual principles he has given his followers constitute a system of knowledge and a path of learning which, if diligently followed, is certain to bring spiritual maturity leading to the return of the Self to God. When Jesus said that "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me," he is referring to himself as the path, not the person: "I am the way"

The reason I am so excited about this is that the path Jesus refers to is very much the path most seekers I know attempt to follow. In my travels and through my research, I have come to recognize that there is a commonly held system of belief amongst people who generally think of themselves as New Agers. These people are sometimes devout members of very orthodox churches, but most have struck out on their own or have joined a Spiritualist Church, Science of the Mind or some similarly structured church to find like minded seekers. This commonly held system of belief is nearly identical to the essence of the system of belief Jesus has given the world. New Ager

7.    If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus, the man, was imbued with the Christ Consciousness. We believe that the Lord of our realm, Archangel Michael, is the source of the Christ Consciousness. Jesus then, personified Michael and by knowing Jesus, his followers would also have known Michael.

Remember that Jesus was well educated in Judaism and is believed to have been taught in other systems of belief as well. The concepts of spiritual planes, a Lord of this realm and Spirit as a self-aware intelligence that can be impressed into the sphere of awareness of a seeker, were all well known long before his time. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect Jesus to be very specific in his choice of words.

8.    Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

I have had students like this.

9.         Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

10.  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

As suggested earlier, Jesus as the physical man, has been imbued with the presence of Archangel Michael so that Michael could perform the works necessary for the infusion of Spiritual principles into our plane. As such, it is important for all of us to realize that the words and actions of Jesus, in his later years, were actually those of probably the most spiritually mature entity in our realm.

11.  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works' sake.

Believe in Jesus as the Christ Consciousness or as the roll model, for either, if followed, will bring the seeker spiritual maturity.

12.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

There are two important points here. First, when Jesus said, 'he that believeth on me,' he is referring to himself as the path. As we follow the path he has shown, so will we come to be able to do the works he has done.

Second, he states that we would be able to do even greater works because he is returning to his place in the higher planes. Many people believe that we experienced a major infusion of spiritual energy into the Physical Plane during the time of Jesus. This energy is believed to have facilitated Michael's dispensation of spiritual teachings into our plane through Jesus, and thus have fueled much of our spiritual development since then. It is further believed that we are experiencing another infusion of energy today, which is preparing this plane for yet another dispensation of knowledge. This time, it is expected to be in the form of a general awakening of spiritual awareness in our population, moving the Physical Plane closer to the Astral Plane and heralding a new Golden Age of spiritual enlightenment.

It is this work that Michael directs from his place in the higher planes that I believe Jesus may be referring to here. In support of this idea, is the concept of Rapport. Having been in the flesh, by his return to the place of Archangel Michael, Jesus would carry with him greater rapport between Michael and Humankind. In effect, this is a strengthening of the bond between the Lord of our realm and Humankind, thus making it more likely that additional spiritual energy will be delivered into our midst. The more spiritual energy there is, the greater can be our works.

13.  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Line 13 through 15 should be read together. I submit to you that here, Jesus is speaking about Humankind as "the Son." "in my name," is a reference to Jesus as the path. He is not offering to answer our prayers here. He is saying that we can fulfill our purpose in this lifetime of gaining spiritual maturity by following the lessons he taught. Gaining spiritual maturity and returning with its associated understanding of this world to Michael is believed to be the fulfillment of Michael's goals as well. Thus our successful return would "glorify" the Father.

Jesus did not generally speak in riddles, however, the scribes may have obscured the meaning of some of his words. These lines address the heart of our relationship with life beyond the veil and it is important that we understand their implications to our spiritual growth.

Many of us believe that we have entities beyond the veil who hold themselves available to guide us and to help us in ways that will further our spiritual development. I, for instance, often ask certain entities to join me in my meditation or to assist me in a particular situation. In more orthodox terms, you could say that I pray for the assistance of those whom I sense have a special relationship with God, such as a Saint. We have been told so many times that we need to ask for help. Our spirit friends cannot help us unless we ask them, thus giving them permission to intercede in our behalf.

Jesus appears to be telling his disciples that they should invoke his name in their prayers to God. You should also feel free to ask Jesus to help and guide you, not for petty things, but to assist you in your spiritual growth. It is a New Age belief that you may also ask Michael, the Earth Mother, or any other entity with whom you have a special relationship and whom you know to have a closer relationship with the Spiritual Hierarchy.

14.  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Keep in mind that Jesus is preparing to tell his disciples that he will soon leave. He is addressing them as if he is saying good-bye.

15.     If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The commandments Jesus is speaking of here are the elements of the lessons he taught. Many of these elements are expressed in more general terms as the Principle of Natural Law. Whomever you may ask for assistance, do so knowing of what you are asking. Remember to stand in your spiritual center of balance and moderation, knowing that what you are asking is for the higher good of everyone and everything concerned. If you ask for help that is consistent with Natural Law, then you may expect an answer. If not, you may be better off not having your prayers answered. If you love the tree-fold aspects of Jesus, then you will learn to understand and operate the principles he taught.

I will close my comments on this line with an apology. I have repeatedly mentioned Natural Law without explaining what it is. In brief, Natural Law is the body of principles by which we believe God's created reality operates. In effect, they embody the nature of God. Examples include, the Principle of Balance, the principle of Vibration, The Principle of Continuity and the Principle of Rhythm. The Principle of Balance, for instance, concerns many aspects of reality, but a few close to home are consumption and growth.

16.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.

Remember that Jesus consistently refers to a particular form of Spirit as a self-aware intelligence that can be impressed into the sphere of awareness of a seeker--what we have been referring to as the Christ Consciousness. As is revealed in line 17, the Comforter is just this sort of spiritual energy.

You could argue that this line promises a Second Coming of the Christ Consciousness. It seems clear that Jesus is saying that another Comforter would come soon, however, it is possible that this is the same infusion of spiritual energy that we are beginning to experience today.

17.  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Spirit of Truth, as a self-aware intelligence, is manifest in our personal knowledge. This is the Comforter and the Christ Consciousness, and it will come to you as you seek spiritual understanding. Personal knowledge comes when you test this understanding by first experiencing its principles in life and then accepting it into your worldview. Perhaps you can sense an underlying process here that is involved in aligning your worldview with Natural Law. As you expand your area of personal knowledge, so do you learn to live in accord with Natural Law, and thus, with the teaching of Jesus and other Wayshowers.

Many people have stepped onto the path to spiritual maturity, but Jesus' comment remains mostly true, in that relatively few people in the world have received the Spirit of Truth.

18.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

I believe Jesus is assuring his disciples that he will remain available in spirit to assist them in their work. As we understand it, you and I will rather quickly move on to other business after we leave the physical, and we would not be expected to remain available to help people in the flesh for over two thousand years of Earth time. Jesus, though, has set forth to be a Wayshower and it seems reasonable to believe that we can still ask him to come to our assistance. This should be true of other Wayshowers, as well.

19.     Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

Here Jesus is predicting his imminent demise. He is also telling his followers that he will survive physical death, that they will also survive, and that they will know this because of their his teachings.

20.  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

I believe Jesus is predicting that he will demonstrate his survival, and that his students will experience this demonstration by experiencing an inner awareness of Jesus' presence as Spirit.

21.  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

It is here that Jesus reveals that he is speaking from the perspective of the Christ Consciousness. As the Christ Consciousness, he is the path and his works are the outward manifestation of the principles embodied in the path. He is the emissary of the Lord, from which the Christ Consciousness has emanated. Those who follow the path by learning its principles, will also be imbued with the Christ Consciousness, which is referred to in line 16 and 26 as the Comforter.

22.     Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

23.     Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

We will know the truth of his lessons as we experience the Christ Consciousness.

24.  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

Lines 22 through 24 contain a message to people of all faiths. Any person who finds and follows the path taught by Jesus will come to know the Christ Consciousness. Again, if you study the principles of this path, you will see that this is a universal way of knowledge that can be followed by anyone without violating their chosen religious beliefs. This is a fine point few recognize. The pursuit of spiritual maturity, our ultimate return to Soul and to God, is separate from the practice of religion. Natural Law is neither Christian nor Moslem, not even Hindu. It is imbedded in the structure of reality. As we study this path taught by Jesus, so are we studying the structure of God's created reality, just as we would be if we were studying the spiritual tenants of Buddhism. Granted, each of these religious beliefs have tenants which are unique to them, but the fundamental system of knowledge remains much the same.

By the way, Line 24 makes the slightly ominous suggestion that people who do not follow the path, thereby violating Natural Law, will experience discomfort that is beyond the control of Jesus. The operation of Natural Law is inviolate; however, the repercussions of such violation may take some time to manifest. When they do, they will be the result of the operation of Natural Law, which is set by Michael as the Lord of this Plane, not the result of a vengeful Jesus or Father.

25.     These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26.  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Let us say that the Comforter is the spirit of the path of which we have been speaking. Jesus personified the path, however, in his absence, the path remains. As a system of knowledge, it is a self-aware, intelligent thought form, which contains its own revelation to the seeker who dwells on its principles. In other words, if you seek knowledge from this thought form, it will come to you as a source of wisdom and great understanding, much as Jesus has demonstrated.

27.     Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28.  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you.  If ye love me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

By "Come again unto you," Jesus is saying that he will be with them in spirit, much as he said in line 21. Jesus is stating what is fundamental to most New Age belief. That is, passing out of the physical into the higher realms of awareness, what some call dying, is more of a graduation into a greater life, than it is something to dread.

"If you love me, ye would rejoice" is another reference to Jesus, the path. I would paraphrase this to say: if you understood this way of knowledge, then you would understand that death is not something to fear and you would be glad for me.

29.  And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

Jesus is pointing out to his disciples that he has made a prediction of a coming event, and that his accuracy should be taken as yet another demonstration of his spiritual authority.

30.  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

This line provides an interesting insight into the concept of Spirit as a self-aware intelligence. Just as there is the Spirit of Truth, so is there the spirit . . . of what, the spirit of ignorance and fear? We still sometimes refer to this form of organized spiritual energy as the Prince of Darkness. I believe Jesus is referring to this negative energy as "The prince of this world."

31.  But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.  Arise, let us go hence.

Well, there you have it, my understanding of Jesus' message in John 14. It is not my intention to put words in the mouth of Jesus. You can help me out in this regard by taking time to think this out for yourselves. Do not take my word for it. At the same time, though, look at some of the other things Jesus had to say and see if you cannot find similar parallels to New Age thinking.

What seems obvious to me is that Jesus was a man who was deeply immersed in spiritual life. As a role model, he showed us that everything is Spirit, sometimes in the form of thought forms that offer the potential for spiritual revelation to anyone who cares to pay attention, and sometimes in the form of our emanation of hope, love and trust. He showed us that reality is multi-layered and well organized. There is a Spiritual Hierarchy with a local Lord who is charged with our spiritual education, and there is a host of entities in the form of self-aware, intelligent systems of spiritual energy. He showed us that we are responsible for our actions and that it is our choice to seek truth--or not. He also showed us that we will be very much as alive and self-aware beyond the physical as we are in the flesh.

As a role model, one of the more subtle things Jesus has shown us is where our attention should be placed for spiritual growth. Jesus did not seem like the kind of person who would have been overly concerned about how big his house was or how many cars he had in the garage. He lived in the world, but was not defined by the world. This is a fine illustration of the Principle of Balance, in which, Jesus dwelled in the consciousness of his Lord--his attention was on Spirit-- even as he lived in the physical world. He showed that there is a balance to be found between simply living our lives, and seeking spiritual maturity. After all, finding that balance is one of the milestones along the path back to God.

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