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© Agnieszka Gaul/iStock/Thinkstock . . . the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. —II Corinthians 4:18 Bible Lens Reality September 21–27, 2015 Exploring Bible Verses Reality—September 21–27, 2015 from the Responsive Reading Matthew 13:13, 14 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. The Old Testament uses the ears, eyes, and heart many times as images for ways to discern truth. The New Testament embraces this concept as well. For centuries the Israelites’ religion depended on oral tradition for transmission to the next generation, as did Jesus’ ministry during his time and for some time after. Therefore, great emphasis was figuratively placed upon the ear to represent hearing, understanding, and obeying God. The Israelites were told many times over, “Hear, O Israel . . . .” Today people consider the eye an organ that lets outside light into the body in order to understand what is external. But in most biblical thought, the eye actively transmits light inwardly, enlightening the whole individual — thus “the light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light” (see Matthew 6:22). In the verses above, Jesus reiterates these spiritual concepts when he quotes Isaiah 6:9, 10 to explain his use of parables. The people have physical eyes and ears but do not see or hear God. So he uses everyday illustrations to help them understand what is real and true about God and His creation. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their 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. —Isaiah 6:9, 10 In Acts 28:26, 27, Paul quotes the same verses. Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. —Acts 28:26, 27 from Section 1 6 | Psalms 145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The concept of a heavenly kingdom, or the universe ruled by a divine monarch, derives from the cultures of ancient oriental monarchies. These peoples imagined their gods had fought with and defeated other gods and therefore not only reigned supreme in the heavens but also cared for the earthly nation which worshipped them. The actual phrases “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” do not appear in the Old Testament. However, the idea of God’s kingdom is widespread throughout the From the Christian Science Quarterly® Bible Lessons “. . . a lesson on which the prosperity of Christian Science largely depends.” —Mary Baker Eddy Hebrew Scriptures. The many references to God as “King” or as “reigning” indicate that God was understood as King not only over Israel, but over all peoples and all creation. Israel, in contrast to pagan monarchies, accepted God’s existence prior to the world without question or proof. God’s nature was expressed through His universal acts and His demands on mankind. In the New Testament, “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” appear well over one hundred times. Their frequent use in Matthew, Mark, and Luke shows that this heavenly kingdom stands at the very center of Jesus’ message. As Jesus points out in Luke 17:20, 21 (cit. 12), it is not a geographical or political entity. It is the power of God that can be understood and experienced on earth. Watch for good Did you know? Because of the way the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible was translated, many New Testament citations of Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) verses don’t match exactly. The authors of the New Testament wrote in Greek and used the Greek translation (the LXX or Septuagint) of the Hebrew Bible. The KJV Old Testament was translated directly from copies of the original Hebrew. Sometimes these different groups made mistakes in, and even personal changes to, the texts. Scholars who compare the many hand copies of the different writings can often tell what was mistaken, added, or changed. But they cannot always identify the precise original, as the first copies no longer exist. Their sources are copies of copies of copies. Interest is growing in examining the oldest Latin manuscripts, since some of those copies predate some surviving Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. But every translation involves interpretation and subjective analysis, highlighting the need to rely on the inspired Word rather than on literal interpretations of the Bible. LOOK and LISTEN! Hear and see All God’s good for you and me. God will tell it, God will show it. We, God’s children, all can know it. By Lesley E. Gort From the April 17, 1978, issue of the Christian Science Sentinel For Further Study: Resources Used in This Issue RR: Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, InterVarsity; Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, Wm. B. Eerdmans Cit. 6: The Anchor Bible, Doubleday; The JPS Torah Commentary, Jewish Publication Society For more information, go to jsh.christianscience.com/bible-lens. © 2015 The Christian Science Publishing Society. The Cross and Crown seal is a trademark of the Christian Science Board of Directors, registered in the US, the EU, and other countries, and is used by permission. Bible Lens is a trademark of The Christian Science Publishing Society. A religion of the heart By DeWitt John From the October 1982 issue of The Christian Science Journal C hristian Science is a religion of the heart. Its meaning really cannot be grasped just in the head, as a theory. To understand it in the heart is to understand it with love. And to understand it with love is to grasp its true meaning because it is the religion of Love. There is no other way to fathom it. In the words of its Discoverer and Founder, Mary Baker Eddy, “The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 113). It was the warmth and radiance of divine Love, manifested in works as well as words, that gave Christ Jesus’ mission its transcendent luminous power. Our Saviour was a living transparency for divine Love. His marvelous humanity and compassion brought convincing evidence to sinners and sufferers of the healing efficacy of Love. His selfless affection and sacrifice have continued to touch human hearts throughout the centuries. He himself said his teachings must be understood in the heart and with the heart. Speaking of the stolidity of those around him, he said, “This people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (emphasis added) (Matthew 13:15). The Master’s life-example makes clear that our efforts to worship God alone as good, never should lead us to be unappreciative of ourselves or others, for God is Love including all and appreciating all. We should never be cold or uncaring toward other people. If the Christ-spirit of meekness and affection takes the lead in our hearts, we’ll never let an “impersonal” lack of concern for others chill our outlook. On the contrary we’ll seek to find and appreciate in others, and in ourselves, the spark of divinity that bears testimony to our real spiritual identity in the image of God. People sometimes speak of Christian Science as “an intellectual religion”—but in the ordinary meaning of the phrase this is a misnomer. True, Christian Science gives no weight to pomp, ceremony, or ritual, nor does it depend on charismatic appeal; and it is a religion of ideas, calling for thinkers and challenging the beliefs of mankind. But it is also the pure, practical, healing truth that Jesus taught and proved. It is the genuine Science of Christ, described by its inspired Discoverer, Mrs. Eddy, as “aflame with divine Love” (Science and Health, p. 367). There is nothing abstract about the Christ, Truth. It is evident from the gospel accounts that the great Teacher, ever attentive to the Father’s guidance and also to the human need, lovingly and patiently shared the Christ, Truth, with all who would listen. Through his works the Word was made flesh in lives redeemed—men, women, and children profoundly blessed and healed. His ministry illustrated the coincidence of the divine with the human: the redeeming power of divine Love meeting the truehearted human cry for help. As Christ Jesus made plain, the healing touch of this Love is felt not only in exalted words and stirring healings, but also in the inspired humility and affection that prompted him to say, in referring to Christian deeds of mercy, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). To read the complete article, go to jsh.christianscience.com/religion-of-the-heart.