Third Degree Lesson 7 11102014

© 2014 Supreme Heptad of the Traditional Martinist Order 1114

TRADITIONAL MARTINIST ORDER

ORATORY SECTION

THIRD DEGREE LESSON SEVEN

"It is not the head which is necessary to advance in Truth; it is the heart."


© 2014 Supreme Heptad of the Traditional Martinist Order 1 1114

CONCURRENCE

The author and content of the Gospels are, even today, shrouded in mystery. What we know about them is therefore likely to change as more and more historical, archaeological and other discoveries occur. In concurrence with what is said about them in this monograph and the next one, here is a quotation from a book entitled How the Bible was Written. The question that has become very sensitive, especially for two centuries, is that of the historical accuracy of the Gospels. If, according to the prologue of Luke, we cannot deny the evangelists their wish to have the facts proven by their testimony, we realize that history is not their only concern. Thus, ignoring the years of Jesus’ childhood and youth, and devoting a large part of their narrative to his last days, their account of his education, travels, actions, which must have spread over several years, is reduced to a little more than half of the text. In other words, if Jesus lived for about forty years, that which is narrated about him in the Gospels would hardly occupy a few weeks! It is therefore clear that despite the fact that the evangelists gave in to the established rules of their time when it came to historical accuracy, the development of history was not their main concern. It has to be concluded that because of their biased treatment of various events and the condensation of some of them, they considered themselves as saying neither more nor less than what was essential, and substantial enough; even if they were to excite until the end of times our curiosity by not revealing important parts of the life, or even the teachings of Jesus.

Pierre Gilbert



THE BIBLE II (New Testament)

Dear Martinist: I greet you before the Luminaries of the Traditional Martinist Order!

In the previous monograph, the study of the Bible was begun by considering the Old Testament, particularly the Pentateuch, which is the first five books contained in the Bible. Today, this study continues with the New Testament.

Even though its elaboration and redaction present numerous analogies with those of the Old Testament, the New Testament is radically different because of its originality. It essentially rests on the life and work of Jesus the Nazarene, presented as the incarnation of God on Earth. The New Testament opens with four books, the four Gospels, followed by the Acts of the Apostles, and then the twenty-one Epistles consisting of letters, most of which are attributed to Paul. Finally, the last book is the Apocalypse, attributed to John. We should make clear that these major divisions, the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles, and the Apocalypse do not correspond to a chronological order.

The New Testament was written in Greek, probably as early as the first century CE. The choice of this language was essentially for practical reasons. At the time when the message of Christ began to spread, Greek was the language used to communicate from one end of the Roman Empire to the other, somewhat as English is today. Whether in written form or orally, someone familiar with Greek had a greater chance of communicating than a Jew who only knew Aramaic, even within his or her own community. Furthermore, Christianity was a message destined for all people, transcending borders. If the New Testament had been written in Aramaic, it would not have had any chance of spreading beyond Palestine. It was therefore necessary to write it in Greek. Of course, it is possible that a few texts were written at the beginning in Aramaic or even in Hebrew, and were then translated very quickly into Greek.

These preliminary remarks having been made, we will now approach the study of the Gospels, more specifically, the first three, those attributed to Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In the next monograph, the study will focus on the Gospel according to John, considered to be the most esoteric of the Gospels. First, it should be clear that the term Gospel means Good News and designates the message of hope brought by the Christ to all peoples. In a general manner, the Gospel recounts the life of a man named Jesus, presented as the Messiah as well as the Son of God. Miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, he was born in Bethlehem, a small city of Judea,



occupied at that time by the Romans. The Gospels tell us very little about his childhood, only that he lived the first years of his life with his mother, Mary, and his father, Joseph. On the other hand, they describe almost in day-to-day detail what his ministry was, beginning with his baptism by John in the River Jordan, his preaching, his passion, his crucifixion, and finally his resurrection. It is precisely this resurrection that the Good News centers on because it makes Jesus a Human-God who conquered death to show humanity the road leading to salvation and eternal life. Even further, the Gospels consider Jesus as the Redeemer, the one who "takes away the sin of the world."

The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called Synoptic, because these narratives of the life of Jesus are very similar and can be arranged in parallel to one another. As a comparative study shows, this similarity exists not only in the chronology and the contents of the events related; it also exists in the words used. That being said, each Gospel contains narratives that are absent from the others, and each one presents particularities in style. In other words, the basis of each Gospel is almost identical, however the form varies slightly from one to another, taking a slightly different approach to the same story, that of Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of Humanity. We generally consider that there are three great phases in the story of the Gospels. The first begins with the public life of Jesus, in Galilee and its surroundings, where he preached and healed. This period covers about thirty-three years, until his crucifixion. The second segment speaks about the preaching following the death and resurrection of the Christ. This stage continues until about year 65 CE. The third segment corresponds to the writings of the Gospels as we know them today. From this perspective, the Gospel according to Mark dates from about the year 70, Matthew and Luke between the years 80 and 90 and John's Gospel in the 90s, with a margin of error of plus or minus ten years. It should also be noted that only Matthew and John were Jesus' Apostles; Mark and Luke were indirect disciples. That being said, it is probable that none of them wrote the Gospels attributed to them.

The Synoptic Gospels, whoever their true authors are, were probably edited by one or more persons in the last third of the first century CE, for the goal of evangelization. That is why the Gospels should not be considered as historical books; rather, they are narratives intended to carry a religious message. Notwithstanding that, they describe with great power the amazing personality and the spiritual greatness of the Master Jesus. Regarding this, Rudolph Steiner has said: "A critical study of the Gospels only enlightens us about the exterior and material side of these documents. It teaches us nothing about their essence. A personality as vast as the Christ's could not be embraced by only one of his disciples. It must have been revealed to each of them, according to their faculties, by a different side of his nature." Thus, the three Synoptic Gospels have in common stories about the life of the Christ, yet each of



them describes a particular aspect of his personality. Matthew and Luke portray the human nature of the Master Jesus, whereas Mark and John primarily present his spiritual and divine nature.

Matthew was from Capernaum, a city of Galilee. When Jesus asked Matthew to follow him, Matthew was a tax collector. A tax was imposed on the Jews by the Roman occupation, which explains the animosity that Matthew was subjected to by his fellow citizens. His Gospel primarily shows the Jewish people that Jesus is the Messiah announced by the prophets of the past and that the conditions of his coming correspond to what they had predicted. Throughout the entire text, he insists that the Christ incarnated to seal the New Covenant between God and all those who will follow his way. The Gospel according to Matthew also emphasizes the roots of the Christian message in Jewish tradition, encouraging all Christians to be interested in the Old Testament. Thus, it is addressed to a Judeo-Christian audience.

In the Gospel according to Matthew, a particular importance is given to the rise of Jesus and his ancient relationship with the people of Israel. Giving his genealogy back to Abraham, and going through David, this Gospel portrays Jesus as the Chosen One of the Jewish people. According to the text of the Genealogy, three-times-fourteen generations separate Jesus from the Patriarch, which can also be translated into six-times-seven generations. According to this numeration, more symbolic than historic, Jesus inaugurates the seventh septenary and enters the stage of our world to fulfill the ancient prophecies. Therefore, with Jesus, a new phase in the fulfillment of the Covenant sealed with the Jews begins, which must lead to the Kingdom of God on Earth.

It is most likely that Mark did not know Jesus, yet evidence indicates that he lived in Rome with Peter. It is also thought that after Peter's death in around 64 or 67, Mark wrote his Gospel, intended initially for the Christian community in Rome. This community was made up of some non-Jewish individuals. The explanations of Jewish customs that he provided throughout his text were intended for them. It should also be noted that the Gospel according to Mark is a work that was intended to remain anonymous, never using the pronoun, "I." Its objective is first to give a living portrait of Jesus, whether as a wonderworker or as the Son of God. It surprises by the intensity of the testimony, and it gives a description of the Master that is profoundly human, and quite moving.

At the beginning of his Gospel, Mark makes his intention clear. In fact, we can read as a prelude: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God." This beginning indicates well that the text that will follow has for its objective to show Christians as well as Pagans that Jesus is the incarnation of the Divine Word and that he is therefore "truly the Son of God." These are, indeed, the words that the Roman centurion pronounced at the foot of the cross where Jesus died. It is therefore the divine origin and nature of Jesus that are put forth in



this Gospel, as well as the numerous miracles that He performed during his ministry. He is presented as an exceptional being through whom the Divinity manifests Divine greatness and glory. Luke is the only one of the four Gospel writers without a Jewish background. Indeed, tradition reports that he was Greek. This doctor, a friend of Paul, therefore had a Hellenistic cultural background. The Gospel attributed to him seems to have been written around 80-85 for the Christians of Antioch in Syria. The author of this Gospel writes as an historian and has a great mastery of the Bible through the Greek translation of the Septuagint. Thus we can read in the preface of his Gospel: "Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught" (Luke 1:4).

Luke's Gospel primarily focuses on the universality of the Christian message, showing in Jesus not only the Messiah of Israel, but also the Light of the World. This Gospel emphasizes the tenderness of the Master toward the most humble and poorest people, as well as his mercifulness toward sinners. In a poetic style, it tells of the private life of the Son of God and emotionally describes the power of His love and the depth of His sacrifice. Regarding this, Dante Alighieri described this author of the third Gospel as "the writer of God's kindness." In this Gospel we also note that the mystery of the Christ is discretely removed from its initial Jewish origin, and that its teachings are for all people who "are the object of divine benevolence." More than Matthew and Mark, Luke advocates the extraordinary presence of the Divine among us through the intermediary of Jesus.

Before closing the study of this monograph, it seems important to briefly consider the Epistles that are in the New Testament. As their epistolary style indicates, they are intended for individuals or communities. In a general manner, they consist of letters of varying lengths to explain the daily life of the Christ and his particular teachings. Even though most are attributed to Paul, many were written by Peter, James, and John, and reflect another way of approaching the events connected with Jesus' ministry. We should also note that the Epistle to the Hebrews is quite particular. Contrary to what its name implies, it is not solely intended for Jewish people. It is actually a theological treatise explaining the role of the Christ in the salvation of all humanity. If you have the opportunity, we recommend that you become familiar with this Epistle.

As was the case for the Old Testament, it is suggested, if you have not done so already, that you read the major texts of the New Testament, especially the four Gospels. Each, in a different style, is a testimony to the exceptional personality of Jesus and the greatness of



the mission that he accomplished in the service of humanity, especially through the Redemption of the world. As Martinists, we are linked to this great Initiate, because it is both from his life and his work that Martinism finds its essence and its justification. Apart from the place that Jesus occupies in the Christian religion, he remains an exceptional guide and a source of privileged inspiration for all those interested in Christianity in its most esoteric and traditional aspects.

In conclusion, it can be said that the three Synoptic Gospels follow a common thread

while expressing different visions of Christ and his mission among us: Matthew always tried to show Jesus as the Messiah; Mark favored the concrete facts connected with his ministry; and Luke advocated the universal aspect of his message. As will be seen in the next discourse, these first three Gospels are complementary to each other; this highlights the exceptional quality of the fourth Gospel of John, which shines even more brightly. May you ever dwell in the Eternal Light of Divine Wisdom!



PRACTICAL APPLICATION

As explained in this monograph, the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and Mark report an almost identical description of the life of Jesus, from his birth until he appeared to the Apostles after his resurrection. However, their style and the perspective from which they present the personality of the Master are different. We recommend that you read all of them and note what makes them unique. It is possible that you will prefer one to the others as you may feel more in tune with the way in which the author recounts the Ministry of Christ.


SUMMARY After carefully studying this monograph, read the following summary. It contains the

major points that you may want to reflect and meditate on during the coming days. If you have trouble understanding one of the points, return to the explanations given in the monograph. Immerse yourself in learning the points covered in this summary before proceeding with the study of the next monograph. • Even though its elaboration and redaction present numerous analogies with those of the

Old Testament, the New Testament is essentially based on the life and work of Jesus the Nazarene, presented as the incarnation of God on Earth.

• The New Testament was written in Greek, probably as early as the first century CE. The

choice of this language was essentially for practical reasons. • The word Gospel means Good News, and designates the message of hope brought by the

Christ to all. The Gospel generally recounts the life of a man named Jesus, presented as the Messiah as well as the Son of God.

• The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called Synoptic, because these

narratives of the life of Jesus are quite similar and can be seen to be parallel in form. • Whoever the true authors of the Synoptic Gospels were, in order to evangelize, the

Gospels were probably edited by one or more persons in the last third of the first century CE.

• The Gospel according to Matthew is primarily intended to illustrate for Jewish people that

Jesus is the Messiah announced by the prophets of the past and that the conditions of his coming correspond to what they had predicted.

• In the Gospel according to Mark, it is the divine origin and nature of Jesus that are put

forth, as well as the numerous miracles that he performed during his ministry. He is presented as an exceptional being through whom the Divinity manifests Divine greatness and glory.

• Luke's Gospel insists on the universality of the Christ's message, revealing in Jesus not

only the Messiah of Israel; but also the Light of the World. • Even though most Epistles are attributed to Paul, many were written by Peter, James, and

John, and reflect another way of approaching the events connected with Jesus' ministry. • Apart from the place that he occupies in the Christian religion, Jesus remains an

exceptional guide and a source of privileged inspiration for all those interested in Christianity in its most esoteric and traditional aspects.

Issued by the Grand Heptad of the English Speaking Jurisdiction of the Traditional Martinist Order

1342 Naglee Avenue, San Jose, California 95191

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Third Degree Lesson 7 11102014