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through Beelzebub," and is the "friend of publicans and
sinners." The latter accusation was true, but not in their
meaning. Jesus was no ascetic. He did not fast as did
the Baptist's disciples; yet there never lived a man so far
removed from appetites and passions as the Nazarene.
He rebuked sinners pointedly and unflinchingly, because
he was their friend; hence the cup he drank.
(Reputation and character)
The reputation of Jesus was the very opposite of his
character. Why? Because the divine Principle and
practice of Jesus were misunderstood. He
was at work in divine Science. His words
and works were unknown to the world because above
and contrary to the world's religious sense. Mortals believed
in God as humanly mighty, rather than as divine,
infinite Love.
(Inspiring discontent)
The world could not interpret aright the discomfort
which Jesus inspired and the spiritual blessings which
might flow from such discomfort. Science
shows the cause of the shock so often produced
by the truth, - namely, that this shock arises from
the great distance between the individual and Truth.
Like Peter, we should weep over the warning, instead of
denying the truth or mocking the lifelong sacrifice which
goodness makes for the destruction of evil.
(Bearing our sins)
Jesus bore our sins in his body. He knew the
mortal errors which constitute the material body, and
could destroy those errors; but at the time
when Jesus felt our infirmities, he had not
conquered all the beliefs of the flesh or his sense of material
life, nor had he risen to his final demonstration of
spiritual power.
Had he shared the sinful beliefs of others, he would
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