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==147:4. THE RULE OF LIVING==

==147:4. THE RULE OF LIVING==

147:4.1 On the evening of this same Sabbath day, at Bethany, while Jesus, the twelve, and a group of believers were assembled about the fire in Lazarus's garden, Nathaniel asked Jesus this question: " Master, although you have taught us the positive version of the old rule of life, instructing us that we should do to others as we wish them to do to us, I do not fully discern how we can always abide by such an injunction. Let me illustrate my contention by citing the example of a lustful man who thus wickedly looks upon his intended consort in sin. How can we teach that this evil-intending man should do to others as he would they should do to him? "

147:4.1 On the evening of this same [[Sabbath]] day, at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany], while [[Jesus]], [[the twelve]], and a [[group]] of believers were assembled about the [[fire]] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus Lazarus]'s [[garden]], [[Nathaniel]] asked [[Jesus]] this question: " Master, although you have taught us the [[positive]] version of the old rule of life, instructing us that we should do to others as we [[wish]] them to do to us, I do not fully [[discern]] how we can always abide by such an injunction. Let me [[illustrate]] my contention by citing the example of a [[lustful]] man who thus [[wicked]]ly looks upon his intended consort in [[sin]]. How can we teach that this [[evil]]-intending man should do to others as he would they should do to him? "[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_matthew#Chapter_7]

147:4.2 When Jesus heard Nathaniel's question, he immediately stood upon his feet and, pointing his finger at the apostle, said: " Nathaniel, Nathaniel! What manner of thinking is going on in your heart? Do you not receive my teachings as one who has been born of the spirit? Do you not hear the truth as men of wisdom and spiritual understanding? When I admonished you to do to others as you would have them do to you, I spoke to men of high ideals, not to those who would be tempted to distort my teaching into a license for the encouragement of evil doing. "

147:4.2 When [[Jesus]] heard [[Nathaniel]]'s question, he [[immediately]] stood upon his feet and, pointing his finger at the [[apostle]], said: " Nathaniel, [[Nathaniel]]! What [[manner]] of [[thinking]] is going on in your [[heart]]? Do you not [[receive]] my teachings as one who has been [[born]] of the [[spirit]]? Do you not hear the [[truth]] as men of [[wisdom]] and [[spiritual]] [[understanding]]? When I admonished you to do to others as you would have them do to you, I [[spoke]] to men of high [[ideals]], not to those who would be [[tempted]] to distort my teaching into a [[license]] for the [[encouragement]] of [[evil]] doing. "

147:4.3 When the Master had spoken, Nathaniel stood up and said: " But, Master, you should not think that I approve of such an interpretation of your teaching. I asked the question because I conjectured that many such men might thus misjudge your admonition, and I hoped you would give us further instruction regarding these matters. " And then when Nathaniel had sat down, Jesus continued speaking: " I well know, Nathaniel, that no such idea of evil is approved in your mind, but I am disappointed in that you all so often fail to put a genuinely spiritual interpretation upon my commonplace teachings, instruction which must be given you in human language and as men must speak. Let me now teach you concerning the differing levels of meaning attached to the interpretation of this rule of living, this admonition to `do to others that which you desire others to do to you':

147:4.3 When [[the Master]] had spoken, [[Nathaniel]] stood up and said: " But, Master, you should not think that I approve of such an [[interpretation]] of your teaching. I asked the question because I [[conjecture]]d that many such men might thus misjudge your [[admonition]], and I [[hoped]] you would give us further instruction regarding these matters. " And then when [[Nathaniel]] had sat down, [[Jesus]] continued speaking: " I well know, [[Nathaniel]], that no such [[idea]] of [[evil]] is approved in your [[mind]], but I am [[disappointed]] in that you all so often fail to put a genuinely [[spiritual]] [[interpretation]] upon my commonplace teachings, instruction which must be given you in [[human]] [[language]] and as men must speak. Let me now teach you concerning the [[differing]] levels of [[meaning]] attached to the [[interpretation]] of this rule of living, this [[admonition]] to `do to others that which you desire others to do to you':[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_matthew#Chapter_7]

*1. 147:4.4 " The level of the flesh. Such a purely selfish and lustful interpretation would be well exemplified by the supposition of your question.

*1. 147:4.4 " ''The level of the flesh''. Such a [[purely]] [[selfish]] and [[lustful]] [[interpretation]] would be well exemplified by the [[supposition]] of your question.

*2. 147:4.5 " The level of the feelings. This plane is one level higher than that of the flesh and implies that sympathy and pity would enhance one's interpretation of this rule of living.

*2. 147:4.5 " ''The level of the feelings''. This [[plane]] is one level higher than that of the [[flesh]] and implies that [[sympathy]] and pity would enhance one's [[interpretation]] of this rule of living.

*3. 147:4.6 " The level of mind. Now come into action the reason of mind and the intelligence of experience. Good judgment dictates that such a rule of living should be interpreted in consonance with the highest idealism embodied in the nobility of profound self-respect.

*3. 147:4.6 " ''The level of mind''. Now come into [[action]] the [[reason]] of [[mind]] and the [[intelligence]] of [[experience]]. Good [[judgment]] dictates that such a rule of living should be [[interpreted]] in consonance with the highest [[idealism]] embodied in the [[nobility]] of [[profound]] [[self]]-[[respect]].

*4. 147:4.7 " The level of brotherly love. Still higher is discovered the level of unselfish devotion to the welfare of one's fellows. On this higher plane of wholehearted social service growing out of the consciousness of the fatherhood of God and the consequent recognition of the brotherhood of man, there is discovered a new and far more beautiful interpretation of this basic rule of life.

*4. 147:4.7 " ''The level of brotherly love''. Still higher is [[discovered]] the level of [[unselfish]] [[devotion]] to the welfare of one's fellows. On this higher [[plane]] of wholehearted [[social]] [[service]] growing out of the [[consciousness]] of the fatherhood of [[God]] and the consequent [[recognition]] of the brotherhood of man, there is [[discovered]] a new and far more [[beautiful]] [[interpretation]] of this basic rule of life.

*5. 147:4.8 " The moral level. And then when you attain true philosophic levels of interpretation, when you have real insight into the rightness and wrongness of things, when you perceive the eternal fitness of human relationships, you will begin to view such a problem of interpretation as you would imagine a high-minded, idealistic, wise, and impartial third person would so view and interpret such an injunction as applied to your personal problems of adjustment to your life situations.

*5. 147:4.8 " ''The moral level''. And then when you [[attain]] true philosophic levels of [[interpretation]], when you have real [[insight]] into the rightness and wrongness of things, when you [[perceive]] the [[eternal]] fitness of [[human]] [[relationships]], you will begin to view such a [[problem]] of [[interpretation]] as you would [[imagine]] a high-minded, [[idealistic]], [[wise]], and impartial third [[person]] would so view and [[interpret]] such an injunction as applied to your [[personal]] [[problems]] of [[adjustment]] to your life situations.

*6. 147:4.9 " The spiritual lev el. And then last, but greatest of all, we attain the level of spirit insight and spiritual interpretation which impels us to recognize in this rule of life the divine command to treat all men as we conceive God would treat them. That is the universe ideal of human relationships. And this is your attitude toward all such problems when your supreme desire is ever to do the Father's will. I would, therefore, that you should do to all men that which you know I would do to them in like circumstances. "

*6. 147:4.9 " ''The spiritual level''. And then last, but greatest of all, we [[attain]] the level of [[spirit]] [[insight]] and spiritual [[interpretation]] which impels us to [[recognize]] in this rule of life the [[divine]] command to treat all men as we conceive [[God]] would treat them. That is the [[universe]] [[ideal]] of human [[relationships]]. And this is your [[attitude]] toward all such [[problems]] when your [[supreme]] [[desire]] is ever to [[do the Father's will]]. I would, therefore, that you should do to all men that which you know I would do to them in like circumstances. "

147:4.10 Nothing Jesus had said to the apostles up to this time had ever more astonished them. They continued to discuss the Master's words long after he had retired. While Nathaniel was slow to recover from his supposition that Jesus had misunderstood the spirit of his question, the others were more than thankful that their philosophic fellow apostle had had the courage to ask such a thought-provoking question.

147:4.10 Nothing [[Jesus]] had said to [[the apostles]] up to this [[time]] had ever more astonished them. They continued to [[discuss]] [[the Master]]'s [[words]] long after he had [[retired]]. While [[Nathaniel]] was slow to recover from his supposition that [[Jesus]] had misunderstood the [[spirit]] of his question, the others were more than [[thankful]] that their [[philosophic]] fellow [[apostle]] had had the [[courage]] to ask such a [[thought]]-provoking question.

==147:5. VISITING SIMON THE PHARISEE==

==147:5. VISITING SIMON THE PHARISEE==