Chapter II - Atonement And Eucharist
The real pillory
51:1
lips the plaintive cry, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" It
lips the plaintive cry, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" It
was the possible loss of something more important than
human life which moved him, – the possible misappre-
hension of the sublimest influence of his career. This
dread added the drop of gall to his cup.
Life-power indestructible
51:6
Jesus could have withdrawn himself from his enemies.
Jesus could have withdrawn himself from his enemies.
He had power to lay down a human sense of life for his
spiritual identity in the likeness of the divine;
but he allowed men to attempt the destruc-
tion of the mortal body in order that he might furnish
the proof of immortal life. Nothing could kill this Life
of man. Jesus could give his temporal life into his
enemies' hands; but when his earth-mission was accom-
plished, his spiritual life, indestructible and eternal,
was found forever the same. He knew that matter had
no life and that real Life is God; therefore he could no
more be separated from his spiritual Life than God could
be extinguished.
Example for our salvation
51:19
His consummate example was for the salvation of us
His consummate example was for the salvation of us
all, but only through doing the works which he did and
taught others to do. His purpose in healing
was not alone to restore health, but to demon-
strate his divine Principle. He was inspired by God, by
Truth and Love, in all that he said and did. The motives
of his persecutors were pride, envy, cruelty, and vengeance,
inflicted on the physical Jesus, but aimed at the divine Prin-
ciple, Love, which rebuked their sensuality.
51:28
Jesus was unselfish. His spirituality separated him
Jesus was unselfish. His spirituality separated him
from sensuousness, and caused the selfish materialist
to hate him; but it was this spirituality which enabled
Jesus to heal the sick, cast out evil, and raise the
dead.
Master's business
52:1
From early boyhood he was about his "Father's busi-
From early boyhood he was about his "Father's busi-
ness." His pursuits lay far apart from theirs. His mas-
ter was Spirit; their master was matter. He
served God; they served mammon. His affec-
tions were pure; theirs were carnal. His senses drank in
the spiritual evidence of health, holiness, and life; their
senses testified oppositely, and absorbed the material evi-
dence of sin, sickness, and death.
Purity's rebuke
52:9
Their imperfections and impurity felt the ever-present
Their imperfections and impurity felt the ever-present
rebuke of his perfection and purity. Hence the world's
hatred of the just and perfect Jesus, and the
prophet's foresight of the reception error would
give him. "Despised and rejected of men," was Isaiah's
graphic word concerning the coming Prince of Peace.
Herod and Pilate laid aside old feuds in order to unite
in putting to shame and death the best man that ever
trod the globe. To-day, as of old, error and evil again
make common cause against the exponents of truth.
Saviour's prediction
52:19
The "man of sorrows" best understood the nothing-
The "man of sorrows" best understood the nothing-
ness of material life and intelligence and the mighty ac-
tuality of all-inclusive God, good. These were
the two cardinal points of Mind-healing, or
Christian Science, which armed him with Love. The high-
est earthly representative of God, speaking of human
ability to reflect divine power, prophetically said to his
disciples, speaking not for their day only but for all time:
"He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do
also;" and "These signs shall follow them that believe."
Defamatory accusations
52:29
The accusations of the Pharisees were as self-contra-
The accusations of the Pharisees were as self-contra-
dictory as their religion. The bigot, the deb-
auchee, the hypocrite, called Jesus a glutton
and a wine-bibber. They said: "He casteth out devils