The Scriptures are indeed rich in simple metaphors that are well designed to illustrate to every grade of human consciousness the right way out of the bondage of material sense into heaven,—into "the glorious liberty of the children of God" which Mrs. Eddy has taught us is the spiritual sense of life or being. This way of salvation is frequently symbolized in the New Testament as a door, which Jesus declared to be his own true individuality, or the spiritual idea of God. He taught his disciples that no man could come into an understanding of the Father but through a conscientious acceptance and understanding of the true idea of Life, or Spirit (which was presented through the man Jesus), the spiritual manifestation of the one and only Mind, of God.
Mortals of the time of the Master were accustomed to think, as they do today, of God as a humanly circumscribed yet far-off God. Jesus taught that God is ever-present Spirit, or Mind; therefore it was scientific and natural that the great Teacher should declare that this Mind could only be understood by humankind through knowing and loving the true idea of Mind, even as in some measure his disciples did learn to understand this idea as represented in him. This knowledge is faintly simulated in human estimates of character, by which we learn in some degree to know the architect's mental caliber and ability by his idea as expressed in some building which he has designed, the inventor by his idea expressed in some useful invention, the author by his book, the business man by bis goods and service, the lawyer by his idea of law and justice proven in or out of court, and so on. Even so in a larger and more accurate sense we become better acquainted with God as Mind through knowing the truth about the highest and purest idea of Mind ever expressed among men, the God-anointed man, Christ Jesus.
The great Master could easily discern that mortals were groping in material darkness outside of the true fold in which his Christly nature dwelt continuously. He could and did scientifically unsee the error of this belief in man's separation from the real and only creator, infinite Spirit. Otherwise Jesus the Christ could never have presented "the way, the truth, and the life" to those who would be delivered from "the bondage of corruption;" consequently his statement recorded by John, that he is "the door" is indeed an apt and simple illustration of the entrance-way to the harmony of perfect Mind, whereby mankind may become purified and finally reach this heaven which is the goal of hope for all the dwellers of earth. It is also significant that in his parable of the shepherd, the true fold and the door thereto, Jesus said that there were "other sheep"— besides those of his own country and time—which must hear his voice, find that he is the true door (or way-opener) and that ultimately "there shall be one fold, and one shepherd Thus he declared for the absolute unity of God's kingdom, and that there is but one Wayshower or shepherd to feed and lead His sheep, even the one Christ whose theology without rent or seam is presented in Christian Science.
