The Meaning of the Suffering and Atonement
of “the Christ”
compiled and edited by Greg Kagira-Watson
(All underlines,
[brackets] and bold within the quotes are added by the editor, for
emphasis.
PowerPoint presentations linked here can be started by pressing F5 after
downloading.)
Table of Contents: (click on underlined portions to go to the internal sections and
external links)
Section 1: What is the meaning of "the
Christ"?
Also see "the Mediator"
(and see PowerPoint
)
Section 2: Baha’u’llah testifies to the principles of “atonement and
redemption” in the sacrifice of Jesus
Section 3: Definition of terms: "Atonement,"
"Redemption," "Salvation," and "Ransom."
Section 4: The
relationhip of Atonement, Ransom, and Salvation to the prosperity of humankind (also see sections 6&7)
Section 5: Sacrifice,
Oblation, Ransom
Section 6: His influence permeates all created things
Section 7: Universal mercy has
providentially recreated the world (Also see "death
pangs" / "birth
pangs")
Section 8: Redemption and sin
Section 9: Individual
and Collective Salvation
Section 10: The magnitude of Baha’u’llah’s
Revelation and His claim -- as understood through the Bible
The
Reality of "the Christ" is the "Word" of God --
The Holy Spirit ("made flesh") speaking to humanity
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”
(John 17:5)
“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own
self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
(John 17:5)
“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me:
for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the
world.”
(John 17:24)
“… Christ [Jesus] …Who verily was foreordained
before the foundation of the world,
but was manifest in these last times
for you.”
(Holy Bible, 1 Peter 1:20)
"...and the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us..."
(Holy Bible, the Gospel of John 1:14 )
"And I will pray the Father, and he
shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth
him. . . .
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the
Father,
he shall testify of me..."
(John 14:16-17 &
15:26)
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth;
It is expedient for you that I go away:
for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you;
but if I depart, I will send him unto you. "
(John 16:7)
"I have yet many things to say
unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you
into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that]
shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine,
and shall shew [it] unto you…”
(John 16:12-15)
Christ
describes his own condition as a "listener" to the Spirit of God
within Him in these
words:
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as
I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just;
because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent
me."
(John 5:30)
GOD SPEAKS to Jesus --
Then Jesus listens with His “EARS TO HEAR,” and then spoke.
Notice that soon after Jesus describes His
own condition, He describes the “Spirit of Truth” who would come to tell us
“more” that we “could not bear” at the time of His first coming --as one who "hears
:"
". . . He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak."
(John
16:12-13 )
He is describing the very same condition
for the “Spirit of Truth” as that which He describes for Himself --
with ears to hear and a
tongue to speak.
Now, one must ask, if this blessed verse
were not referring to a Man in the station, or condition, of a listener --
if this blessed verse were referring to the Holy Spirit not embodied in
a man --
then what need would He have to listen to anyone?
Does the Spirit of God need to listen to anyone?
The Spirit of God is the speaker.
The listener is “a Man
Who has individuality, Who has ears to hear and a tongue to speak. . .
It is clear
that the Spirit of Truth is embodied in a man.” (SAQ, p. 109)
In the same
verse, Christ declared that He had more to say to us through the
"coming of another,
“I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that
he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth . . .
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
(Holy Bible, John
The Bible explains that the
“Christ Spirit” was in the Prophets
both BEFORE and AFTER Jesus. . .
Each time testifying to the
one before and the one after.
“Of which salvation the prophets have
enquired and searched diligently,
who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in
them did signify,
when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ,
and the glory that should follow.”
(Holy Bible, 1 Peter 1:10-11)
“He had a name written, that no man knew,
but He himself. . . . and his name is called. . . The
Word of God.”
(Bible, Revelation 19:13)
Thus, Moses (for example) was also a
Manifestation
of “the
Word” because the Spirit was in Him.
Moses said:
“Ye shall not add unto the Word
which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it,
that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God
which I command you.” (Holy Bible, Deuteronomy 4:2)
“And there arose not a prophet since in
whom the LORD knew face to face…
And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face,
as a man speaketh
unto his friend.”
(Deuteronomy 34:10 and Exodus 33:11
)
“With him will I speak mouth to mouth…”
(Numbers 12:8)
God says Jesus will be just like
Moses and Jesus confirms it:
God speaks to us through Moses, saying:
"I will raise them up a Prophet from
among their brethren, like unto thee,
and will put my words in his mouth;
and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words
which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him."
(Deuteronomy
. 18:18-22)
Jesus confirms,
“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have
believed me;
for he wrote of me.”
(John 5:46)
Jesus Christ, speaking of John the
Baptist, declared that John was Elias. (Mark
9:13 & Matt. 11:14, 17, 13)
"Art thou Elias?" he said, "I
am not." (Bible:John
1:19-21)
“These two statements are apparently contradictory, but in reality
they do not contradict. The light is one light. The light which illumined
this lamp last night is illuminating it tonight. This does not mean that the
identical rays of light have reappeared but the virtues of illumination.” (Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 167 )
John the Baptist came in the “spirit and
power” of Elias. (see Bible: Luke
1:17)
“Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared:
‘I go away and come again unto you.’ Consider the sun.
Were it to say now, ‘I am the sun of yesterday,’ it would
speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind, claim to
be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth. In like manner, if it
be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is correct and true. And
if it be said, with respect to their particular names and designations, that
they differ, that again is true. For though they are the same, yet one doth
recognize in each a separate designation, a specific attribute, a particular
character. Conceive accordingly the distinction, variation, and unity
characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness, that thou mayest comprehend the allusions made by the
creator of all names and attributes to the mysteries of distinction
and unity, and discover the answer to thy question as to why
that everlasting Beauty should have, at sundry times, called Himself by
different names and titles.”
(Baha'u'llah, The Book of Certitude, p.
21)
“He had a name written, that no man knew,
but He himself. . . . and his name is called. . . The
Word of God.”
(Bible, Revelation 19:13)
“To Him that overcometh will I make a
pillar in the temple of my God… and I will write upon him My new name. .
. ”
(Rev. of St. John 3:12)
". . . in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." (Rev. 2:17)
The following verses show us that the word
"stone" or "rock" (in Rev. 2:17 above) is a reference to Christ -- the same symbol referring to Christ
at the time His "second coming" as well as His first.
". . . a stumblingstone and
rock of offense: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:33)
". . . that rock was
Christ." (1st Corinthians 10:4)
". . .To whom coming, as unto a living
stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. . ." (1st Peter 2:4)
(Also see Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Acts
4:11, which refer to Psalm 188:22-23 and Isaiah 28:16)
Likewise, the
"hidden manna (bread)" in the same prophesy (Rev. 2:17) is a direct
reference to the Word of God (Christ) at the time of His return. For
example, Christ's own words in the Book of John (6:31), refer to Himself as the
"manna" at the time of the "first" coming. In the
second coming, Rev. 2:17 says this spiritual food (the Word) will be
"hidden" except "to him who overcometh." Here is the
Biblical basis for the interpretation:
Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:31-35)
"From the ... the words of Christ,
as attested by the Gospel, every unprejudiced observer will readily
apprehend the magnitude of the Faith which Baha'u'llah has revealed, and recognize
the staggering weight of the claim He has advanced."
-- (Shoghi Effendi, WOB, p. 25)
Baha’u’llah tells
us, therefore, that Christ's own return and the coming of "another” refer
to the same event: “‘I go and another will come Who will
tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfill all that I have
said.’ Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder
upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.” (Baha’u’llah
in The Book of Certitude, p. 20)
The Revelation of
Christ Jesus was not fully disclosed in His first coming… and was to be
completed by His “return.” Christ is the “Word of God” – eternal in
the past, eternal in the present, eternal in the future.
It is not supposed to be easy to recognize
Him. God has always tested the hearts of His servants:
“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have
believed me;for he wrote of me.” (John 5:46)
Consider these Old Testament words of
Isaiah ( 29:11):
"When men give it to one who
can read, saying, 'read this,' he says, 'I cannot, for it is sealed.'"
Also, in Isaiah 6:9-10--
"...make the ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their
eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert,
and be healed." Similar statements can be found in
Daniel (12:4-10).
Jesus talked in riddles, just as the Old
Testament did.
Here is a similar statement of Jesus,
essentially saying the same thing as the prophet Isaiah:
“And he said unto them,
‘Unto you it is given to know the mystery
of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without,
all these things are done in parables:
That seeing they may see, and not
perceive;
and hearing they may hear,
and not understand;
lest at any time they should be converted,
and their sins should be forgiven
them.’”
(Holy Bible, Mark 4:11)
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to
them that are lost: In whom the ‘god’ of this world hath blinded the minds of
them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
(2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
Much of the meaning of the Holy Books was
“sealed” until Christ returned to “UNSEAL” them.
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words,
and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and
knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:4-9, also see Isaiah 6:10)
Even Daniel was told to “ask not” what the prophesy meant and was told that its
meaning was "sealed" until the "end time" -- meaning the
time of the "Return" when Christ (with His new name, which no one is
to know "except those who receive it").
“Who is worthy to open the
book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor
in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to
look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found
worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep
not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath
prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
(Revelation 5:1-5)
Many old and new testament prophesies
concerning the “end time” were sealed. Interpretation was prohibited,
and yet the leaders of religion have ventured forth mountains of interpretation
God, in His Book, expressly forbids interpretation of scripture, except by His
messengers:
“Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish
ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I
command you.” -- Moses
(Holy Bible, Deuteronomy 4:2)
“If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues
that are written in this book.”
(Holy Bible, Revelation : 22:19)
“Seal up those things which the seven
thunders uttered, and write them not.” (Revelation 10-4)
Only "the Lord" has the
authority to Interpret – and only WHEN the He “returns.”
“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden
things of darkness...”
(1st Corinthians 4:5)
The New Testament
itself prohibits anyone other than Christ from interpreting the hidden
meanings. He alone has the authority to unseal the books at the time of
His return.
Religious leaders are warned by Jesus
against interpreting verses and rejecting the Prophets
"But woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom
of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. . . Woe unto you, ye blind
guides…” (Matthew
23:13-16 )
“Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors
killed. So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors;
for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom
of God said, 'I will send
them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' so that this generation may be
charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the
world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished
between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged
against this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge;
you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” (Luke 11:47-52)
Jesus never tried
to 'unseal' the Books Himself. He left this for a future date. Rather, He spoke
in parables and hidden meanings. He even prophesied that while He (Jesus) spoke
in parables, there would be a time in the future, when the Christ would return
and would speak plainly to them. Jesus said:
"The time cometh, when I shall no more speak to you in figures, but I
shall show you plainly of the Father.”
(John 16:25)
This promise to
explain the hidden meanings is given by Jesus in the very same chapter in which
He speaks of the coming of the
Spirit of Truth who will guide His followers unto all truth. When this
'Comforter' comes, Christ promises:
'...he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.'
Jesus Christ, in
these words, seems to offer the clear promise that the new Messiah would, in
the day of His coming, 'unseal the books' and bring to light the 'hidden things
of darkness' (1st Corinthians 4:5)
Jesus referred to
the “coming of another” ("He") and His own “Return” ("I")
as the same event (like the return of Elias being John the Baptist) and in the
same statements (see John
Here is part
of Baha'u'llah's claim to be the continuation of the past Revelation of Christ:
(In his
writings, Baha'u'llah "unseals" the hidden meanings of those spiritual
teachings in the Holy Books that have long troubled and confused humanity.)
“This is the Word which the Son veiled when He said
to those around Him that at that time they could not bear it... Verily the
Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. He is the One Who
glorified the Son and exalted His Cause...” (Shoghi
Effendi quoting Baha’u’llah’s reference to the blessed Bible verse in John
16:12, in The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 104)
"The Comforter Whose advent all the scriptures have
promised is now come that He may reveal unto you all knowledge and wisdom. Seek
Him over the entire surface of the earth, haply ye may find Him." Baha’u’llah,
WOB, p104)
“If ye be intent on crucifying once again Jesus, the Spirit
of God, put Me to death, for He hath once more, in
My person, been made manifest unto you.” [emphasis
mine] (Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha'u'llah, p. 101)
Some prophesies are
just as useful to teach us of His "station"
as they are to predict His return:
The last quote
above is a statement about Baha'u'llah's station in addition to His fulfillment
of a prophesy. He has declared Himself as the
Word. What Word? What does the “Word” mean? Is it possible to
understand this concept without the context of the Bible? It is a
statement about His mission and His role.
“In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. The same was in the
beginning with God.”
(John 17:5)
The words of
Christ and the context of the Bible provide us a powerful way to “readily
apprehend” and “recognize” who Baha’u’llah is and what His claim is. In
other words, by studying the words of Christ and His mission (His sacrifice)
one can readily appreciate the greatness of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation and His
claim to be the continuation of that same principle of "sacrifice"
God makes on behalf of humanity. It is a principle, or "God's
method," (see quotes below) that may only be understood fully through
understanding the manner, under different circumstances, of how God has
expressed this method of giving one’s life as sacrifice, atonement and
redemption. Most likely this supreme sacrifice is a mystery beyond our
comprehension, or at least our ability to put into words, even if we feebly
perceive it. Thus, prophesies of His suffering can likewise be
instructional concerning the purpose of this sacrifice or suffering. Here
is one found in the Old Testament, commonly regarded by Christian as a
reference to Jesus alone—though it may easily refer to the divine principle of
atonement and redemption that is repeated whenever the Prophets are sent to
humanity.
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was
despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was
upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah
53:3 -- also 1st Peter 2:24)
But as a
principle, consider the following Words of Jesus Christ:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the
prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered
your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you
would not!"
(Matthew
Also, we see
these words of Stephen, the Apostle, in the seventh chapter of the book of Acts
(verse 51--59), as He was being stoned. He exclaimed the principle
expressed in the verses above in these words: "You are just like your
fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" It is important
to realize that the Prophets and their followers have always been rejected and
condemned on the basis of a misinterpretation of prophesies and figurative
language of the earlier revelation.
“By figurative interpretation is meant only the original meanings intended, which God veiled in the inner depths of the verses and hid behind a curtain of metaphors. Such interpretation is not something for mere mortals, nor should every ignorant one plunge haphazardly into it, nor every obscure scholar interpret verses according to his opinion. Some of the ignorant have done this in their pride, and have gone astray and led many others astray with their interpretations. They have thus kept people from the well-spring of life, the path of salvation. Rather, this is a matter for the Manifestations of God [“the Christ”], the Vindicators of His promise. Therefore one cannot depend on the outward meaning.” (Mirza Abu’l Fadl “Miracles and Metaphors”, p. 11)
Man-made interpretations must be abandoned
if we are to seek Him
“The heart must
needs therefore be cleansed from the idle sayings of men, and sanctified from every earthly
affection, so that it may discover the hidden meaning of divine inspiration, and become the treasury of the mysteries of
divine knowledge.”
(Baha'u'llah, The Book of Certitude, p. 69)
Only "the Lord" has the
authority to Interpret – and only WHEN the He “returns.”
“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden
things of darkness...”
(1st Corinthians 4:5)
In fact, it is
interpretations (abandoning this one principle that only "the Christ"
has the authority to interpret -- Revelation 5:1-5) that have caused all the
division and disunity WITHIN Christianity:
“Christians, in the course of their intestine dissensions, have inflicted far more greater severities on each other than they had experienced from the zeal of infidels. In 1318, Pope John XXII adopted a policy…a systematic campaign was initiated to suppress and exterminate these humble and devoted followers of St. Francis. They were brought before the Inquisition and many of them were burned at the stake. …Even the great Augustine gave the policy of persecution his personal approval and supplied a theological justification for it, though his concern was rather with heresy and schism than with paganism. Both Luther and Calvin favored the killing of heretics and Protestant and Catholic alike killed each other for the sake of truth.” ( Taken from an early history of the church )
“Early in the fifth century a dispute . . .
A Council of the entire Church, held at Chalcedon in A.D. 451, adopted a compromise formula which neither emphasized the Humanity of Christ . . . nor subordinated it to His Divinity . . . . The result was a violent . . . reaction: the Patriarch of Alexandria was murdered on Good Friday in his own cathedral and his body dragged through the streets by the mob.”
G. E. Kirk, A Short History of the Middle East
(London: Methuen and Co. Ltd., 1957)
"It is recorded that at the time of the reinstatement of the Arian Bishop Macedonius, in Constantinople, three thousand people lost their lives in the fighting . . Probably more Christians were slaughtered by Christians in these two years, than by all the persecutions of Christians by pagans in the history of Rome.”
G. E. Kirk, A Short History of the Middle East
(London: Methuen and Co. Ltd., 1957)
"We find all the Christian communities so agitated and exasperated by tortuous and elusive arguments about the nature of God [Christ and His relationship to God] as to be largely negligent of the simpler teachings of charity, service and brotherhood that Jesus had inculcated."
(History of the World-- by H.G. Wells)
Many are guilty of this same misplaced emphasis today! So there is a great danger in relying on man-man interpretations.“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come,
who both will bring to light the hidden things [meanings]...”
(1st Corinthians 4:5)
Again (although we have already mentioned it above) Jesus, the Christ, said, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." (Bible, Luke 8:10) So we have to really pray to understand the inner meanings of the Holy Scriptures. The Bible even states that the truth is hidden from them so that they will not be healed and so that their sins will not be forgiven them. Consider these Old Testament words of Isaiah ( 29:11) and the sermon by Martin Luther below:
"When men give it to one who can read, saying, 'read this,' he says, 'I cannot, for it is sealed.'" Also, in Isaiah 6:9-10-- "...make the ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." Similar statements can be found in Daniel (12:4-10).
Esoteric or symbolic teaching separated believers from unbelievers.
Different levels of interpretation -- and insistence that one is better than another -- is what has led to the 23,000 sects of Christianity (World Christian Encyclopedia, D. Barrrett).
""Then, know thou that the power of the Word of God is effective, both in the spirit and the body, and the influence of the Spirit of God is predominant over the material as well as the essential and spiritual. And that, verily, God is powerful in all things, and that the signs (or verses) have exoteric and esoteric meaning, and neither their outward preventeth their inward, nor doth their inward prevent their outward meaning." (Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v3, p. 608 -- Also, Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 464) [emphasis added]
Some sacred writings have both literal and symbolic meanings -- through "equivocal" language. By equivocal it means that some verses are intended to be interpreted literally to persuade person's of that outlook, while also written so as to be interpreted symbolically, to instruct and illumine minds of that capacity. That way, out of love for every soul (Iqan 175, 237), "whether high or low" they "may obtain, according to his measure and capacity" their "share and portion thereof" and "That all sorts of men may know where to quench their thirst." "...Christ, Who is the Word of God, sacrificed Himself. This has two meanings, an apparent and an esoteric meaning." [SAQ 120]
At the same time it also seems true that some texts are meant to be understood more or only through symbolism or higher spiritual discernment -- and not their literal meaning, the latter not making any sense at all.
“Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Holy Bible, Matthew 16:17)
“…the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 2:14)
In other words, it does seem obvious that the symbolism within the language often hides the higher truth that simply cannot be expressed directly. Abdu'l-Baha has explained this fully in Some Answered Questions (p.92) see http://www.ibiblio.org/Bahai/Texts/English/SAQ/SAQ-16.html [for more on this see: http://watsongregory.homestead.com/files/Crucifixion_Trinity.html ]
The greater truths are often hidden behind of the veil of metaphors, parables and epiphany stories, etc. Perhaps believers are not even "true" believers if they don't gain the higher spiritual insight in this case, but of course we humans are in no position to judge. (God help us all!) For this perspective I am relying on that verse of Christ: "And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." (Bible, Luke 8:10)
It is indeed ironic, and I cannot fully understand why God should have chosen to create scriptures in this genre, that the "believers" themselves (both Muslims and Christians) have often understood various verses in a literal and superficial manner. Perhaps it is to truly separate believers from unbelievers.
Martin Luther, in a sermon, says this:
But what does it mean when Jesus says: "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God," etc.? What are the mysteries?
… A "mystery" is a hidden secret, that is not known: And it is called a mystery because it is spiritual and secret,. . . . where the spirit does not reveal it. For although there are many who see and hear it, yet they do not understand it. . . . just as there are many who hear how Christ offered himself for us; but all that is only upon their tongue and not in their heart; for they themselves do not believe it, they do not experience it.
(Sermons of Martin Luther, The Parable of the Sower)
“And he said unto them, ‘Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”(Holy Bible, Mark 4:11)
See PowerPoint presentation: The Proof of the Divine authority of Baha'u'llah is the same as Christ (<< click here) for more on this.
“The mysteries of the Holy Books have become explained in the manifestation of Bahá'u'lláh. Before He appeared, these mysteries were not understood. Bahá'u'lláh opened and unsealed these mysteries. . . ” (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 196)
Baha’u’llah
testifies to the principles of “atonement and redemption” in the sacrifice of
Jesus:
“Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole
creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a
fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences,
as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest
before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have
uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath
unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced,
the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are
but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His
all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit.
We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of
His glory upon all created things. . . .We bear witness that
through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness
was healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it is Who
purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light,
hath turned towards Him.” -- Baha’u’llah
(This is one of Baha'u'llah’s testimonies
on the greatness of Jesus, the Christ
– found in “Gleanings from the
Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 85)
He (“the Christ”) suffered for our sakes
once again, in the person of Baha’u’llah.
He suffered a living martyrdom:
“The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be
bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner
within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true
liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow,
that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and
be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the
Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted
to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that
ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might
prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to
build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God
have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!”
(Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha'u'llah, Pages: 99-100)
“This is my
commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love
hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends.”
(Jesus, in the Gospel of
“This is the true sacrifice: the offering of
oneself, even as did Christ, as a ransom for the life of the world.”
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha,
p. 64)
Just as the other Messengers from God were persecuted, and just as Jesus died on the cross for
us, Bahá'u'lláh was willingly imprisoned for twenty-four
years in Akka, Palestine, then a Turkish penal
colony. This period of His incarceration
began in 1868. In 1868 Sultán `Abdu'-l`Azíz had Bahá'u'lláh sent to
the fortress of St. Jean d'Acre (`Akká)
in Ottoman Syria to live out the rest of his life there as a prisoner. By
then, He had already been a prisoner for fifteen years — an imprisonment which began in the "Black Pit" dungeon, outside
Three times He
was poisoned. He was beaten with the
bastinado so severely that He could not walk.
The two torture chains that He
was forced to wear when He was in the Siyyih Chal dungeon in Tihran were so
famous throughout the land that they had their own special names—each weighing
over 50 pounds. He bore the scares that cut all the way into His collar
bones all the days of His life. These chains kept Him on His hands and
knees. The filth of the human excrement from the scores of prisoners kept
with Him in that dark hole was so deep on the floor of the dungeon that it came
above His wrists. He was kept in that condition for more than four
months.
“By God! Though weariness lay Me low, and
hunger consume Me, and the bare rock be My bed, and My fellows the beasts of
the field, I will not complain, but will endure patiently as those endued with
constancy and firmness have endured patiently, through the power of God, the
Eternal King and Creator of the nations, and will render thanks unto God under
all conditions. We pray that, out of His bounty -- exalted be He -- He may
release, through this imprisonment, the necks of men from chains and fetters,
and cause them to turn, with sincere faces, towards His face, Who is the Mighty, the Bounteous. Ready is He to
answer whosoever calleth upon Him, and nigh is He
unto such as commune with Him. We further beseech Him to make of this darksome
tribulation a shield for the
And like Christ,
“By sacrificing Himself ... a fresh capacity was infused into all created
things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth,
are now manifest before thee.”
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 85)
“Atonement,” “Redemption,” “Salvation,”
and “Ransom.”
Atonement: reparation for an offense or injury; making up for something in
the past. The reconciliation of God and man through the
sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, according to Christian theology.
Redemption: To buy back or “redeem” (trade,
transfer, exchange) one thing for another, or retrieve something that was lost
– as in something already spent.
Salvation: Deliverance from ignorance, sin, destruction (death). Being
“saved” from this ignorance and destruction.
Oblation: Making an “offering.” Christ and Baha'u'llah "offered"
Themselves as a Ransom (exchange) for our redemption
or salvation.
The terms
redemption and salvation are often used interchangeably. We are talking
about a spiritual paradigm here – that is to say, the way these principles of
atonement, ransom, sacrifice, salvation and redemption work:
“Such hath been God's method continued from
everlasting to everlasting…” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 68)
“Give heed to My warning, ye people of
"He, in
truth, liveth in the most desolate of abodes for your
sakes..." (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, page 12, in the
tablet referred to as the Tablet to the Christians.)
Whenever
He comes, His influence permeates all created things:
“By
sacrificing Himself . . . a fresh capacity was infused into
all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of
the earth, are now manifest before thee.”
(Baha'u'llah referring to Jesus. Taken from Gleanings from the
Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 85)
Baha'u'llah
". . . prophesied that His sufferings will be followed by the 'outpourings
of a supreme mercy...' and by an "overflowing prosperity.’..." (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 173)
Regarding Baha'u'llah's
impact on the the new age of the twentieth century --
of scientific and social advancement we read the following:
“Unbeknownst to the great majority, His influence permeates
all living beings. Indeed, no domain of life remains unaffected. In the
burgeoning energy, the magnified perspectives, the heightened global
consciousness; in the social and political turbulence, the fall of kingdoms,
the emancipation of nations, the intermixture of cultures, the clamour for development; in the agitation over the extremes
of wealth and poverty, the acute concern over the abuse of the environment, the
leap of consciousness regarding the rights of women; in the
growing tendency towards ecumenism, the increasing call for a new world order;
in the astounding advances in the realms of science, technology, literature and
the arts -- in all this tumult, with its paradoxical manifestations of
chaos and order, integration and disintegration, are the signs of His
[Baha’u’llah’s] power as World Reformer, the proof of His claim as Divine
Physician, the truth of His Word as the All-Knowing Counsellor.”
(The Universal House of Justice, 1992 May 29, Centenary Tribute
to Baha'u'llah)
Abdu'l-Baha has written,
"The Call of God when raised, breathed a new life into the
body of mankind, and infused a new spirit into the whole creation.
It is for this reason that the world hath been moved to its depths,
and the hearts and consciences of men been quickened. Erelong the
evidences of this regeneration will be revealed, and the fast asleep will
be awakened.” (Shoghi Effendi, The
World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 169)
And Baha’u’llah
Himself wrote:
“Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We
have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed
a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word
a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this
world-wide regeneration.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah,
p. 92)
“The world's equilibrium hath been
upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World
Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the
agency of this unique, this wondrous System -- the like of which mortal
eyes have never witnessed.”
"A new life is, in this
age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet none hath
discovered its cause or perceived its motive.”
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 136 & 197)
“Verily, We have caused every soul
to expire by virtue of Our irresistible and all-subduing sovereignty.
We have, then, called into being a new creation, as a token of Our grace unto men. I am, verily, the All-Bountiful, the
Ancient of Days.”
(Adib Taherzadeh,
The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, v 2, p. 252 )
Again, in the
words of Abdu’l-Baha:
“The banner of the Holy Spirit is uplifted, and men see it,
and are assured with the knowledge that this is a new day.
This is a new cycle of human power.
… The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the
oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease
between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the
world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers.” (Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 19
)
And Baha’u’llah echoes
the words from the Bible, wherein it is stated that the world is “remade” whenever “the Christ” is on earth:
“I testify that no sooner had the First
Word proceeded, through the potency of Thy will and purpose, out of His mouth,
and the First Call gone forth from His lips than the whole creation was
revolutionized, and all that are in the heavens and all that are on
earth were stirred to the depths. Through that Word the realities of all
created things were shaken, were divided, separated, scattered,
combined and reunited, disclosing, in both the contingent
world and the heavenly kingdom, entities of a new creation, and
revealing, in the unseen realms, the signs and tokens of Thy unity and
oneness.”
(Prayers and Meditations of Baha'u'llah,
p. 295 )
“He was in the world,
and the world was made by him,
and the world knew him not.”
(Holy Bible, John
All this was
caused by the mysterious “method” of atonement, sacrifice, ransom, and
redemption. Again, we are talking about a spiritual paradigm here – that
is to say, the way these principles of atonement, ransom, sacrifice, salvation
and redemption work:
-- He may release, through this imprisonment, the necks of
men from chains and fetters, and cause them to turn, with sincere
faces, towards His face, Who is the Mighty, the
Bounteous…. Such hath been God's method carried into effect in centuries
and ages past.” (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts,
p. 133)
“Know ye that trials and tribulations have, from time immemorial,
been the lot of the chosen Ones of God and His beloved, and such of His
servants as are detached from all else but Him… Such is God's
method carried into effect of old, and such will it remain in the
future.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 129)
“It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a
source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind.
Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon
Him Who is the
(Baha'i World
Faith, p. 137) – This is obviously a reference to Baha’u’llah.
"In this
Charter of the future world civilization its Author --
at once the Judge, the Lawgiver, the Unifier and Redeemer of mankind..."
(A description of Baha'u'llah by Shoghi Effendi, in
The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 13)
These two terms
“salvation” and “redemption” seem to be used interchangeably in both the Bible
and the Bahá’í Writings. Indeed, on occasion
the same word is given both translations in the Baha’i Writings.
*******************
“Know ye that trials and tribulations have, from time immemorial,
been the lot of the chosen Ones of God and His beloved, and such of His
servants as are detached from all else but Him… Such is God's
method carried into effect of old, and such will it remain in the
future.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 129)
“Give heed to My warning, ye people of
“…and have
endured the galling of chains for Thy sake, to grant that all Thy
people may be graciously aided to recognize Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine own Self, Who, because He summoned mankind
unto Thee, hath been exiled and cast into prison.”
(Baha'u'llah:
Prayers and Meditations, Pages: 136-138)
“I sorrow not for the burden of My imprisonment.
Neither do I grieve over My abasement, or the
tribulation I suffer at the hands of Mine enemies. By My life! They are
My glory, a glory wherewith God hath adorned His own Self. Would that
ye know it!
The shame I was made to bear hath uncovered the glory with which the
whole of creation had been invested, and through the cruelties I have
endured, the Day Star of Justice hath manifested itself, and shed its splendor
upon men.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 99
)
“The Cause of
Baha'u'llah is the same
as the Cause of Christ. It is the same
The sun
of today is the sun of yesterday. In the coming of Christ, the divine teachings were given in
accordance with the infancy of the human race.
The teachings
of Baha'u'llah have the same basic principles, but are according
to the stage of the maturity of the world and the requirements of this
illumined age.”
(Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha
Section, p. 400)
The
relationship of Atonement, Ransom and Salvation to the prosperity of humankind:
"We have
accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered
manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper...” (GL
99)
“O Thou Who art the Lord of Lords! I testify that Thou art the Lord of all
creation, and the Educator of all beings, visible and invisible. I bear witness that Thy power hath encompassed the entire
universe, and that the hosts of the earth can never dismay Thee, nor can the
dominion of all peoples and nations deter Thee from executing Thy purpose. I
confess that Thou hast no desire except the regeneration of the whole world,
and the establishment of the unity of its peoples, and the salvation
of all them that dwell therein.”
(Gleanings
from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 243)
“That which thou
hast heard concerning Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful, is the truth,
and no doubt is there about it. The Voice of God commanded Him to offer up
Ishmael as a sacrifice, so that His steadfastness in the Faith of God and His
detachment from all else but Him may be demonstrated unto men. The purpose of
God, moreover, was to sacrifice him as a ransom for the sins and
iniquities of all the peoples of the earth. This same honor, Jesus, the
Son of Mary, besought the one true God, exalted be His name and glory, to
confer upon Him. For the same reason was Husayn
offered up as a sacrifice by Muhammad, the Apostle of God.” (Gleanings from
the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 75)
Abdu'l-Baha refers to it in Some Answered
Questions:
“. . . which came to an end with the ascension of Christ, when by
His martyrdom the sacrifice and oblation ceased.” (SAQ,
p. 41)
And again:
“This is the true sacrifice: the offering of
oneself, even as did Christ, as a ransom for the life of the world.”
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha,
p. 64)
“This is my
commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love
hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends.” (Jesus, in the Gospel of
In the dictionary
the meaning of oblation, simply, is “an offering or charitable
deed” (from kindness, for the love of mankind) – more specifically, made to a
deity as an act of worship. It also has taken on the meaning of
purification, as an act that purifies, especially with respect to sacrifice of
the "Manifestation of God."
With respect to
Christ, Baha’u’llah states that this is so: "He it is Who purified the world. . .” (Gleanings from
the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 85)
Indeed,
Baha’u’llah makes the same offering by laying down His own life, and the
Guardian tells us by also offering His own son, Mirza
Midi: “I have, O my Lord, offered up that which Thou hast given
Me, that Thy servants may be quickened, and all that dwell on earth be
united." (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By,
p. 188) Mirza Midi asked to die to become this
offering, this rather than be healed of his mortal injuries by
Baha'u'llah. He begged his Father to accept his life as a ransom for the Bahá'ís who were not allowed to come into the Most Great
Prison to meet their Lord. His wish was granted by a Father heavily
weighed down by the sorrows of this world. (H.M. Balyuzi,
Abdu'l-Baha - The Centre of the Covenant, p. 28)
New, old, and mysterious meanings of “Oblation” and “Ransom”:
Christians
symbolically offer the bread and the wine of the Eucharist as a reminder of
Christ offering His body and blood on the cross. This symbolic offering
is also called an oblation. In this ritual, the oblation has come to mean
a human action (rather than an action by God or His
Manifestation), symbolically recapitulating the original action
of Jesus Christ offering his own life (as an oblation or ransom) for the sake
of humanity, which is also interpreted as God offering Jesus, “His Son,” as a
sacrifice for our sakes. The true recapitulation, however, is not
symbolic. It's real. This happens when we (His followers) become
"ransomed ones" also:
"Likewise,
when the souls are released from the fetters of the world, the
imperfections of mankind and the animalistic darkness, and have stepped into
the Realm of Abstraction, have partaken a share from the outpouring of the
Placeless and have acquired lordly perfections, they are the ‘ransomed ones’
of the Sun of Truth, who are hastening to the altar of heart and soul.” (Tablets
of Abdu'l-Baha v2, p. 353)
This is the sacrifice of "self," the giving up of self to the higher
things of God:
"...Were ye
to taste of the sweetness of the sayings of the All-Merciful, ye would
unhesitatingly forsake your selves, and would lay down your lives
for the Well-Beloved.” (Gleanings, p. 85)
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose
his life for my sake, the same shall save it." (Holy Bible, Luke
9:24 & 17:33, Mark 8:35, Matthew 16:25)
"I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die
daily." (Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 15:31)
"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: Which were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (Holy Bible,
John 1:12)
"Look at me and be as I am; ye must die to yourselves and to the
world, so ye shall be born again and enter the kingdom of
heaven. Behold the candle, how it gives light. It weeps its life
away drop by drop in order to give forth its flame of
light." (Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 503)
"Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew
him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God... we shall be
like him...." (Holy Bible, 1 John 3:1-2)
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
(Holy Bible, Romans 8:14)
Oblation
linked to Matthew 24 prophesy:
In the actual
(original) sacrifice, the “oblation” was the means of cleansing the
sanctuary, referred to in Daniel – this refers to (prophesies) the “second
coming.” This prophesy is referred to by Jesus in Matthew 24 as one of
the three major prophesies of the “second coming,” or Return of
Christ. The cleansing of the sanctuary seems to refer to this “purification
of the world” that comes with the oblation of Baha'u'llah -- His sacrifice
(i.e., the sacrifice of the Beloved in His new attire).
(You may wish to
see http://www.homestead.com/watsongregory/files/station.htm
for Christ’s prophesies concerning this oblation at the time of His return.)
The
magnitude of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation and His claim –
as understood through the Bible:
"From
the ... the words of Christ, as attested by the Gospel, every
unprejudiced observer will readily apprehend the magnitude
of the Faith which Baha'u'llah has revealed, and recognize
the staggering weight of the claim He has advanced."
--
(Shoghi Effendi, WOB, p. 25)
If this claim
includes the fulfillment of the Messianic promise, then it follows we should
understand the promise if we are to understand the fulfillment.
Perhaps it is not possible to understand "the magnitude of the Faith which
Baha'u'llah has revealed" without understanding the Messianic expectations
(that is, what, how and Who Christians expect Him to be)—perhaps. Understanding part of Baha'u'llah's claim as to Who
He is, is to understand Him as the continuation of the past Revelation of
Christ:
“This is the Word which the Son veiled when He said
to those around Him that at that time they could not bear it... Verily the
Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth...” (Shoghi Effendi quoting Baha’u’llah’s reference to the
blessed Bible verse in John 16:12, in The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p.
104)
Three times
Baha’u’llah was poisoned. He was beaten so
severely that He could not walk and wore 100 pound chains around
His neck. The two torture chains that He was forced to wear were so famous
throughout the land that they had their own special names. He bore the
scares that cut all the way into His collar bones all the days of His
life. These chains kept Him on His hands and knees. The filth of
the human excrement from the scores of prisoners kept with Him in that dark
hole was so deep on the floor of that “Black Pit” (the “Siyyih
Chal” dungeon) in Tihran
that it came above His wrists. He was kept in that condition for more
than two months. When he came out, His hair had turned white – but it was
there, that that pestilential dungeon that God spoke to Him and promised Him
the victory of His Cause. Here are some of His own words describing the
condition He was in during those times:
“. . .they apprehended Us, and from Niyavaran, which was then the residence of His Majesty,
conducted Us, on foot and in chains, with bared head and bare feet, to the
dungeon [known as the Siyah-Chal] of Tihran. A brutal man, accompanying Us
on horseback, snatched off Our hat, whilst We were being hurried along by a
troop of executioners and officials. We were consigned for four months to
a place foul beyond comparison. As to the dungeon in which this Wronged
One and others similarly wronged were confined, a dark and
narrow pit were preferable. Upon Our arrival We
were first conducted along a pitch-black corridor, from whence We descended
three steep flights of stairs to the place of confinement assigned to Us.
The dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness, and Our
fellow-prisoners numbered nearly a hundred and fifty souls: thieves,
assassins and highwaymen. Though crowded, it had no other outlet than the
passage by which We entered. No pen can depict
that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome
smell. Most of these men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on.
God alone knoweth what befell Us
in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place!” (Baha'u'llah: Epistle to
the Son of the Wolf, Pages: 20-22)
He endured
successive imprisonments in Baghdad, Constantinople, Adrianople and finally in Akka,Palestine – across the bay from the modern-day city of
Haifa, Israel, where the Baha’i World Center is now established as a direct
consequence of this banishment. This path and His final destination
fulfilled prophesies of both the Old and New
Testaments, by the will of God. He was taken there in chains, as a
prisoner, but upon His arrival He designated it as “The Most Great Prison”
because he saw the victory coming and He knew that His revelation to mankind
would come from there. I will share only one prophesy
concerning
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of
the LORD's house shall be established in the top of
the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow
unto it.
“And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to
the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach
us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth
the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
And he shall
judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat
their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall
not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Holy Bible, Isaiah 2:2-4)
Universal
mercy providentially recreates the world:
“It is evident
then that the manifestation of the Messiah was synonymous with universal mercy.
His providence was universal and his teachings were for all. His lights were
not restricted to a few. Every ‘Christ’ came to the world of mankind.”
(Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 106 also found on page 444 of Promulgation of Universal
Peace)
“The Cause of
Baha'u'llah is the same
as the Cause of Christ. It is the same
(Baha'i World
Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 400)
The idea of
redemption seems one of the most difficult of these principles to fathom.
Consider the quote from Baha’u’llah about Jesus, the Christ: “He it is Who purified the world. . .” (Gleanings from
the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 85)
The Baha'i
teachings are replete with the concept of redemption; so what does this
mean? It would seem that the most general meaning of redemption is the “redemption
of life” (spiritual life) from material existence – the regaining of
spiritual life from the material life. (Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha
v3, p. 653)
If redemption means to “buy back” or regain that which was once lost, then the
concept of redemption could imply that the purification is a
re-purification. This concept is made more difficult because it is
wrapped up with Christian concept of the “the fall” from grace, which is
characterized as “original sin.” Baha’is interpret
this “fall” differently than common Christian doctrine. The Baha’i
teachings do not accept the idea of original sin in the sense that every child
born is tainted by it, and therefore “born into sin.”
“In every
religion and community the children are considered innocent, nor
does the Pen of Divine Command hold them responsible, yet the reign of thy
tyranny and despotism has surrounded them. If thou art the follower of any
religion or sect, read thou the Heavenly Books, the inspired epistles and the
divine writings, so that thou mayest realize the
irresponsibility of children.” (Baha’u’llah in “Compilations, Baha'i
Scriptures,” p. 81)
The image of God is not sinful:
“Though the Bible never modifies its original statement that man is made in the
image of God, yet almost every book contains the record of sin and utters
laments over its prevalence.” (George Townshend, The Heart of the Gospel,
p. 19) If he is made in the image of God, how then can he be inherently evil.
“Man is said to
be the greatest representative of God, and he is the Book of Creation because
all the mysteries of beings exist in him. If he comes under the shadow of
the True Educator and is rightly trained, he becomes the essence of
essences, the light of lights, the spirit of spirits; he becomes the center of
the divine appearances, the source of spiritual qualities, the rising-place of
heavenly lights, and the receptacle of divine inspirations. If he is deprived
of this education he becomes the manifestation of satanic qualities,
the sum of animal vices, and the source of all dark conditions.” (Baha'i
World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 332)
Children are not
inherently evil: “Every child is potentially the light of the world
-- and at the same time its darkness; wherefore must the question
of education be accounted as of primary importance.” (Selections
from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 130)
“Every child is
potentially the light of the world -- and at the same time
its triple darkness; wherefore must the question of education be
accounted as of primary importance. From his infancy, the child must be nursed
at the breast of God's love, and nurtured in the embrace of His knowledge, that
he may radiate light, grow in spirituality, be filled with wisdom and learning,
and take on the characteristics of the angelic host.” (The
Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 271)
Redemption,
therefore, is the result of spiritual education: “. . . the purpose of the Manifestation
of God and the dawning of the limitless lights of the Invisible is to
educate the souls of men, and refine the character of every living man
-- so that blessed individuals, who have freed themselves from the murk of the
animal world, shall rise up with those qualities which are the adornings of the reality of man. The purpose is that
earthlings should turn into the people of Heaven, and those who walk in darkness
should come into the light, and those who are excluded should
join the inner circle of the Kingdom, and those who are as nothing should
become intimates of the everlasting Glory.” (Selections from the Writings
of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 10)
“The prophets of
God are the first educators. They bestow universal education upon man and cause
him to rise from lowest levels of savagery to the highest pinnacles of
spiritual development.” (Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha
Section, p. 249)
“Were there no
educator, all souls would remain savage, and were it not for the teacher, the children would be ignorant creatures.”
(BWF - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 398)
“His Holiness Jesus Christ was an educator of humanity.
His teachings were altruistic; his bestowal universal. He taught mankind by the
power of the Holy Spirit and not through human agency, for the human power is
limited whereas the divine power is illimitable and infinite. The influence and
accomplishment of Christ will attest this. Galen, the Greek physician and
philosopher, who lived in the second century A.D., wrote a treatise upon the
civilization of nations. He was not a Christian but he has borne testimony that
religious beliefs exercise an extraordinary effect upon the problems of
civilization. In substance he says, "There are certain people among us,
followers of Jesus the Nazarene who was killed in
The purpose of this is to show that the holy Manifestations of God, the divine
prophets, are the first teachers of the human race. They are universal
educators and the fundamental principles they have laid down are the
causes and factors of the advancement of nations.” (Abdu'l-Baha,
Foundations of World Unity, p. 56)
“. . . they Who
are the Luminaries of truth and the Mirrors reflecting the light of divine
Unity, in whatever age and cycle they are sent down from their invisible
habitations of ancient glory unto this world, to educate the souls of men
and endue with grace all created things, are invariably endowed with an
all-compelling power, and invested with invincible sovereignty.”
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 97)
“In brief, Bahá'u'lláh hath become manifest to educate
all the peoples of the world.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 195)
As stated, it would seem that the most
general meaning of redemption is the “redemption of life” (spiritual
life) from material existence – the regaining of spiritual life from the
material life. This is personal, internal, salvation or spiritual
awakening.
Salvation
also pertains to peace and order in the world – a kind of collective
salvation:
Baha'u'llah is the "World's Redeemer."
"In this
Charter of the future world civilization its Author --
at once the Judge, the Lawgiver, the Unifier and Redeemer of mankind..."
(A description of Baha'u'llah by Shoghi Effendi, in
The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 13)
"In all the
revealed world religions the coming of the Kingdom is identified with the
appearance of the Supreme world Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, the returned
Christ, the Qá'im, the new Buddha.
'One fold and one shepherd' is to replace the many conflicting and
separated groups of men." -- George Townshend (Anglican Archdeacon of Clonfert), "Christ and Baha'u'llah," p. 9.
“It is certain
that the greatest of instrumentalities for achieving the advancement and the
glory of man, the supreme agency for the enlightenment and the redemption
of the world, is love and fellowship and unity among all the members of
the human race.”
(The Secret
of Divine Civilization, p. 73)
“It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a
source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind.
Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon
Him Who is the
(Baha'i World
Faith, p. 137) – This "Temple" is a reference to Baha’u’llah.
"The gross
materialism that engulfs the entire nation at the present hour; the attachment
to worldly things that enshrouds the souls of men; the fear and anxieties that
distract their minds; the pleasure and dissipations that fill their time, the
prejudices and animosities that darken their outlook, the apathy and lethargy
that paralyze their spiritual faculties -- these are among the formidable
obstacles that stand in the path of ... service ... for the redemption
of his own countrymen." (Shoghi Effendi:
Citadel of Faith, p. 149 -- Lights of Guidance, p. 137)
“.
. . beloved Cause to worthily play its part in the redemption of
mankind.”
(Letter from the
Universal House of Justice, dated Ridvan, 1987, to
the Bahá'ís of the World -- Developing Distinctive
Baha'i Communities)
“. . . Not ours
to speculate, or dwell upon the immediate workings of an inscrutable
“. . . A process,
God-impelled, endowed with measureless potentialities, mysterious in its
workings, awful in the retribution meted out to every one seeking to resist its
operation, infinitely rich in its promise for the regeneration and redemption
of human kind, had been set in motion in Shiraz, had gained momentum
successively in Tihran, Baghdad, Adrianople and 'Akká, had projected itself across the seas, poured its
generative influences into the West, and manifested the initial evidences of
its marvelous, world-energizing force in the midst of the North American
continent.”
(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 402)
“Now is the time,
as all human endeavours to repair the old order only
result in deeper and deeper confusion, to proclaim constantly and openly the
claims of the Faith and the redemptive power of Bahá'u'lláh.” (The Universal House of Justice,
Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 446)
"The Ancient Beauty hath consented to
be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath
accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the
whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup
of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and
be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate,
the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of
God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye
might prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world,
behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell
within the most desolate of cities!"
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 99)
The Cause of Baha’u’llah is the Cause of
Christ:
"The teachings of Baha'u'llah have
the same basic principles,
but are according to the stage of the maturity of the world
and the requirements of this illumined age.”
(Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 400)
"I am come to you, O people, from the Throne of glory, and
bear you an announcement from God, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the
Most Great. In mine hand I carry the testimony of God, your Lord and the Lord
of your sires of old. Weigh it with the just Balance that ye possess, the
Balance of the testimony of the Prophets and Messengers of God. If ye find it
to be established in truth, if ye believe it to be of God, beware, then, lest
ye cavil at it, and render your works vain, and be numbered with the infidels.
It is indeed the sign of God that hath been sent down through the power of
truth, through which the validity of His Cause hath been demonstrated unto His
creatures, and the ensigns of purity lifted up betwixt earth and heaven.
Say: This is the sealed and mystic Scroll, the repository of God's irrevocable
Decree, bearing the words which the Finger of Holiness hath traced, that lay
wrapt within the veil of impenetrable mystery, and hath now been sent down as a
token of the grace of Him Who is the Almighty, the Ancient of Days. In it have
We decreed the destinies of all the dwellers of the earth and the denizens of
heaven, and written down the knowledge of all things from first to last.
Nothing whatsoever can escape or frustrate Him, whether created in the past or
to be created in the future, could ye but perceive it.
Say: The Revelation sent down by God hath most surely been repeated, and the
outstretched Hand of Our power hath overshadowed all that are in the heavens
and all that are on the earth. We have, through the power of truth, the very
truth, manifested an infinitesimal glimmer of Our impenetrable Mystery, and lo,
they that have recognized the radiance of the Sinaic splendor expired, as they
caught a lightening glimpse of this Crimson Light enveloping the Sinai of Our
Revelation. Thus hath He Who is the Beauty of the All-Merciful come down in the
clouds of His testimony, and the decree accomplished by virtue of the Will of
God, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise."
(Gleanings from the
Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 281)
"God is My witness, O people! I am come to you with a Revelation from the
Lord, your God, the Lord of your fathers of old. Look
not, O people, at the things ye possess. Look rather at the things God hath
sent down unto you. This, surely, will be better for you than the whole of
creation, could ye but perceive it. Repeat the gaze, O people, and consider the testimony of God and
His proof which are in your possession, and compare them unto the Revelation sent down unto you in
this Day, that the truth, the infallible truth, may be indubitably manifested
unto you. Follow not, O people, the steps of the Evil One;
follow ye the Faith of the All-Merciful, and be ye of them that truly believe.
What would it profit man, if he were to fail to recognize the Revelation of
God? Nothing whatever. To this Mine own Self, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, the All-Wise, will
testify...
If thou deniest Me, by what proof canst thou vindicate
the truth of that which thou dost possess?” – Baha’u’llah
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