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==140:5. FATHERLY AND BROTHERLY LOVE==

==140:5. FATHERLY AND BROTHERLY LOVE==

140:5.1 From the Sermon on the Mount to the discourse of the Last Supper, Jesus taught his followers to manifest fatherly love rather than brotherly love. Brotherly love would love your neighbor as you love yourself, and that would be adequate fulfillment of the " golden rule. " But fatherly affection would require that you should love your fellow mortals as Jesus loves you.

140:5.1 From the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sermon_on_the_Mount Sermon on the Mount] to [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_180 the discourse] of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_179 Last Supper], [[Jesus]] taught his followers to [[manifest]] [[fatherly]] [[love]] rather than brotherly love. Brotherly love would love your [[neighbor]] as you [[love]] yourself, and that would be adequate fulfillment of the " [[golden rule]]. " But fatherly [[affection]] would require that you should love your fellow [[mortals]] as [[Jesus]] loves you.

140:5.2 Jesus loves mankind with a dual affection. He lived on earth as a twofold personality—human and divine. As the Son of God he loves man with a fatherly love—he is man's Creator, his universe Father. As the Son of Man, Jesus loves mortals as a brother—he was truly a man among men.

140:5.2 [[Jesus]] loves [[mankind]] with a [[dual]] [[affection]]. He lived on [[earth]] as a twofold [[personality]]—[[human]] and [[divine]]. As the [[Creator Son|Son of God]] he [[loves]] man with a [[fatherly]] love—he is man's [[Creator]], his [[Local Universe|universe Father]]. As the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_Man Son of Man], [[Jesus]] loves [[mortals]] as a [[brother]]—he was truly a man among men.

140:5.3 Jesus did not expect his followers to achieve an impossible manifestation of brotherly love, but he did expect them to so strive to be like God—to be perfect even as the Father in heaven is perfect—that they could begin to look upon man as God looks upon his creatures and therefore could begin to love men as God loves them—to show forth the beginnings of a fatherly affection. In the course of these exhortations to the twelve apostles, Jesus sought to reveal this new concept of fatherly love as it is related to certain emotional attitudes concerned in making numerous environmental social adjustments.

140:5.3 [[Jesus]] did not [[expect]] his followers to [[achieve]] an impossible [[manifestation]] of brotherly [[love]], but he did [[expect]] them to so strive to be like [[God]]—to be [[perfect]] even as [[the Father]] in [[heaven]] is [[perfect]]—that they could begin to look upon man as [[God]] looks upon his [[creatures]] and therefore could begin to [[love]] men as God loves them—to show forth the beginnings of a [[fatherly]] [[affection]]. In the [[course]] of these exhortations to the [[twelve apostles]], Jesus sought to [[reveal]] this new [[concept]] of [[fatherly]] [[love]] as it is related to certain [[emotional]] [[attitudes]] concerned in making numerous [[environmental]] [[social]] [[adjustments]].

140:5.4 The Master introduced this momentous discourse by calling attention to four faith attitudes as the prelude to the subsequent portrayal of his four transcendent and supreme reactions of fatherly love in contrast to the limitations of mere brotherly love.

140:5.4 [[The Master]] introduced this momentous [[discourse]] by calling [[attention]] to four [[faith]] [[attitudes]] as the prelude to the subsequent portrayal of his four [[transcendent]] and [[supreme]] [[reactions]] of [[fatherly]] [[love]] in [[contrast]] to the [[limitations]] of mere [[brother]]ly love.

140:5.5 He first talked about those who were poor in spirit, hungered after righteousness, endured meekness, and who were pure in heart. Such spirit-discerning mortals could be expected to attain such levels of divine selflessness as to be able to attempt the amazing exercise of fatherly affection; that even as mourners they would be empowered to show mercy, promote peace, and endure persecutions, and throughout all of these trying situations to love even unlovely mankind with a fatherly love. A father's affection can attain levels of devotion that immeasurably transcend a brother's affection.

140:5.5 He first talked about those who were [[poor]] in [[spirit]], hungered after [[righteousness]], [[endured]] [[meekness]], and who were [[pure]] in [[heart]]. Such spirit-[[discerning]] [[mortals]] could be expected to [[attain]] such levels of [[divine]] selflessness as to be able to attempt the amazing [[exercise]] of [[fatherly]] [[affection]]; that even as [[mourn]]ers they would be empowered to show [[mercy]], promote [[peace]], and endure [[persecutions]], and throughout all of these trying situations to [[love]] even unlovely [[mankind]] with a [[fatherly]] [[love]]. A father's [[affection]] can [[attain]] levels of [[devotion]] that immeasurably [[transcend]] a [[brother]]'s affection.

140:5.6 The faith and the love of these beatitudes strengthen moral character and create happiness. Fear and anger weaken character and destroy happiness. This momentous sermon started out upon the note of happiness.

140:5.6 The [[faith]] and the [[love]] of these beatitudes strengthen [[moral]] [[character]] and create [[happiness]]. [[Fear]] and [[anger]] weaken [[character]] and destroy [[happiness]]. This momentous [[sermon]] started out upon the note of [[happiness]].

140:5.7 1. " Happy are the poor in spirit—the humble. " To a child, happiness is the satisfaction of immediate pleasure craving. The adult is willing to sow seeds of self-denial in order to reap subsequent harvests of augmented happiness. In Jesus' times and since, happiness has all too often been associated with the idea of the possession of wealth. In the story of the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple, the one felt rich in spirit—egotistical; the other felt " poor in spirit "—humble. One was self-sufficient; the other was teachable and truth-seeking. The poor in spirit seek for goals of spiritual wealth—for God. And such seekers after truth do not have to wait for rewards in a distant future; they are rewarded now. They find the kingdom of heaven within their own hearts, and they experience such happiness now.

140:5.7 1. " Happy are the poor in spirit—the humble. "[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_Luke#Chapter_6] To a child, happiness is the satisfaction of immediate pleasure craving. The adult is willing to sow seeds of self-denial in order to reap subsequent harvests of augmented happiness. In Jesus' times and since, happiness has all too often been associated with the idea of the possession of wealth. In the story of the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple, the one felt rich in spirit—egotistical; the other felt " poor in spirit "—humble. One was self-sufficient; the other was teachable and truth-seeking. The poor in spirit seek for goals of spiritual wealth—for God. And such seekers after truth do not have to wait for rewards in a distant future; they are rewarded now. They find the kingdom of heaven within their own hearts, and they experience such happiness now.

140:5.8 2. " Happy are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. " Only those who feel poor in spirit will ever hunger for righteousness. Only the humble seek for divine strength and crave spiritual power. But it is most dangerous to knowingly engage in spiritual fasting in order to improve one's appetite for spiritual endowments. Physical fasting becomes dangerous after four or five days; one is apt to lose all desire for food. Prolonged fasting, either physical or spiritual, tends to destroy hunger.

140:5.8 2. " Happy are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. " Only those who feel poor in spirit will ever hunger for righteousness. Only the humble seek for divine strength and crave spiritual power. But it is most dangerous to knowingly engage in spiritual fasting in order to improve one's appetite for spiritual endowments. Physical fasting becomes dangerous after four or five days; one is apt to lose all desire for food. Prolonged fasting, either physical or spiritual, tends to destroy hunger.