It is recorded in the Bible that after Christ Jesus had delivered what has since been called the Sermon on the Mount, "the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."Matt. 7:28, 29; It is enlightening to compare the methods of the scribes with those of Christ Jesus, our great Wayshower whose teachings revolutionized religion, philosophy, and the healing arts and showed mankind how to enlarge their expectations and capabilities.
What was the authority which the people recognized in Jesus? It was certainly not legal or social supremacy and position. As a matter of fact, the scribes were the ones who had that. They were a class of men under the Judaic system who taught and explained the Mosaic laws governing the lives and religious behavior of the Hebrew people. The scribes received special training for their work, and this had always seemed the proper preparation for advanced teaching. An important aspect of this training was the accurate memorization of the Mosaic laws plus their personal interpretations made during many generations. These traditions of the elders represented human opinion, not divine law.
Notwithstanding the respected position and training of the scribes, the people realized that the Master's teaching represented something far superior. John's Gospel records: "The Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. ... He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him."John 7:15-18;
Jesus correctly identified the source of all wisdom, life, and health as God, the only cause, the One who had sent him. He made it clear to his disciples that he had to do the will of the Father and express the Christ, and that they must do the same. In speaking of the Christ, Mrs. Eddy says: "This Christ, or divinity of the man Jesus, was his divine nature, the godliness which animated him. Divine Truth, Life, and Love gave Jesus authority over sin, sickness, and death."Science and Health, p. 26;
Truth, Life, and Love are synonyms for God, the only power and presence. What God bestows cannot be ignored, overturned, or dissipated. Jesus manifested an irresistible influence for good that carried with it inseparably the weight of testimony in countless demonstrations and healings. The teachings of the scribes tended to restrict human opportunities and activities. Jesus' teachings, the expression of divine law, showed his followers how to experience a more abundant, healthful, harmonious life. Those hungering to have a higher sense of law appear in their lives recognized the divine power that impelled Jesus and that gave him authority and dominion.
The Christ was not unique to that period in history. Christ, Truth, comes to all of us when we open our consciousness to welcome it. And it enables each of us to express divine authority in all our activities. This authority has nothing to do with human willpower, domination, or influence, and it can be exercised only for good.
Mrs. Eddy states: "The pride of priesthood is the prince of this world. It has nothing in Christ. Meekness and charity have divine authority."p. 270; Meekness and charity! These are the standards for a Christian Scientist's demonstrations of authority over ignorance, malicious thought, disease, and all inharmony.
Personal pride and position are no part of true authority, but the scribes failed to grasp this point. They were obsessed with the material accouterments of their position, greatly preoccupied over their seating arrangements, salutations, fancy garments, rituals, and training. The Master strongly denounced the materialism of the scribes and told them, "Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."Matt. 23:12;
Each of us needs to remember what is really the power behind scientific healing and teaching. It certainly isn't personal ability or human intellect. Perhaps we become impressed by the fact that we have had class instruction from a well-known teacher or have been asked to fill an important position in our branch Church of Christ, Scientist. Personal accomplishment and achievement may seem very real. The tragedy is that the more real personal sense becomes to us, the less effective is our healing work. Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." We should be transparencies for divine Mind and without interjecting personal sense or opinion let unlimited spiritual thoughts be expressed through us.
This approach may include an examination not only of our own personal opinions but also of such remarks as, "My practitioner said," or "My teacher said." When we wish to express a point in Christian Science, the proper authorities to be quoted are those which represent the inspired Word, the Bible and the writings of our Leader, Mrs. Eddy. There is no danger of misstating or misinterpreting Christian Science when one quotes directly from these authorized sources. And there is no danger of being trapped by unwary remarks. Jesus was always alert when his enemies tried to entangle him.
Those who express the Christ, Truth, always have a loving welcome for the thought searching for righteousness. All who are ready to receive the truth can be blessed by it. The Master said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."John 7:37; And he went about the country, preaching to multitudes of ordinary people, turning away no one in whom he discerned a receptive consciousness, including little children, the dreaded lepers, sinners, and a woman who was a Samaritan, a people with whom the Jews normally had no dealings.
One who expresses the Christ today not only denies personal sense for himself but also impersonalizes all error that others seem to be presenting to him. Let us not prejudge others by deciding when they are ready to hear of Truth. By detaching material labels we can see each one's true spiritual identity in God's likeness. This identity is totally unrelated to material conditions and is the only reality of being. A loving awareness of this reality confers authority over the seeming human pictures, and it heals.
Love, compassion, charity, go with meekness in demonstrating authority. Divine Love is the only real motive power. Mrs. Eddy says, "Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching."Science and Health, p. 454. Jesus' great love for the Father and his compassion for all mankind permeated his teaching and works. An accumulation of knowledge about the Scriptures, law, and history is admirable, but Jesus' teachings went much farther in bringing healing and a comprehension of one's real being as the beloved idea of the infinite all-knowing Father-Mother God.
The scribes were expert at presenting the letter of the law, but the people marveled when Jesus taught them the spiritual significance that underlies all true law. The scribes, for instance, in their limited, restrictive interpretation of the law, declared that because of the fourth commandment it was not lawful for Jesus to heal on the Sabbath. They also warned a lame man, whom Jesus had healed and told to take up his bed and walk, that it was not lawful for him to carry away his bedding on the Sabbath.
The Master was every bit as firm as the scribes in insisting on complete obedience to the Ten Commandments, but by interpreting them from a sense of Love, the Master brought healing into every situation. He was not dishonoring God or the commandment by healing a cripple on the Sabbath. Instead he was glorifying God by the demonstration of ever-present Life and Love. Could there possibly be a greater human manifestation of our love for God than to love our neighbor by restoring to him his right sense of being?
Jesus' complete selflessness and his love for mankind never left his students unchanged. Jesus assured his listeners that they were not miserable pawns in a game of chance and subject to disease, lack, or human frailties. And he proved the authority of his teaching was divine by overcoming beliefs of heredity, healing chronic invalidism and contagious disease, proving sufficient supply, and raising the dead.
Those of us who humbly and lovingly accept the Word of God will find innumerable opportunities wherever we go to demonstrate the divine authority, the Christliness, that Jesus lived. This will attract more and more of our neighbors to Christian Science and convince them of the truth which frees its followers from material limitations.
