The Sunday Mail
There are two levels of perceiving truth – by faith and through knowledge.
Faith is accepting the certainty and exactitude of something without evidence or accepting it unquestionably and without examination. This denotes an unthinking or child-like acceptance of something.
Knowledge is the deep awareness acquired through experience, discovery and learning. That which is known is capable of being imagined or grasped mentally.
Figuratively, faith is when one enters the gate into the outer courtyard, after which many will remain in the courtyard, outside of the house, because they do not have the “keys” (knowledge) into the house (the “Kingdom of the Divine”).
There are others who will remain in the outer court while few will enter deep inside house (“Sanctum Sanctorum”).
Therefore, “faith” provides the entry point or gate in discovering what is vital beyond the surface of appearances. In faith, there is no attempt to think, comprehend or reason.
It is the first step towards the possibility of attaining knowledge.
From this perspective, faith is “the expectant attitude of the individual mind, which renders it receptive” to the deeper insights if the person is eager.
Knowledge is not a hindrance or the opposite of faith as according to the view of many religious literalists.
Knowledge is a natural progression from faith.
Firstly, faith is the natural principle of life as children.
Secondly, as we mature, faith is the natural driving energy as a quest for knowledge. The journey towards knowledge is full of painful experiences, pitfalls and uphills.
Thirdly, faith is a seed of life and should be evolve into discernment. As energy, childlike faith can make one move mountains but only if knowledge is present as it drives causative will.
To enter a house, one has to use a key to open a locked door.
So, who has the key into the house?
Religious scribes and Pharisees knew about and possessed the “keys.” They did not use the “keys” to the house and they also did not allow those who wanted to enter the Kingdom of the Divine by refusing with the “keys” to the locked door.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13, read with Luke 11:52).
“Woe to the Pharisees, for they are like a dog sleeping in the manger of oxen, for neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen eat. Yahoshua said, The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of gnosis and hidden them away. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed those who wish to enter to do so.
“You, however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.” – Gnostic Gospel of Thomas Saying #102 and the Gnostic Gospel of Judas 5:3-4.
One has to be a seeker for the “keys” into the house.
There is scriptural evidence that Yahoshua the Nazarene knew of the “keys” and his closest disciples and “others” knew.
In Luke 8:9-10 (read with Matthew 13:10-11 and Mark 4:10-11), Yahoshua said: “I speak in parables (ie allegorically and figuratively) so that those who are NOT my disciples will not understand what I am teaching.” The message is clear and direct: “Interpret scriptures allegorically if you are one of my disciples and literally if you are NOT one of my disciples.”
“Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you” (Luke 8:46) by interpreting the scriptures allegorically?
Why did Yahoshua not speak truth openly to everyone? It was because “give not that which is sacred unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and then turn and attack you” (Matthew 7:6). Cross reference with the Gita, chapter 18 verses 67 and 68.
There are those who are incapable of learning and understanding the knowledge of the Kingdom of the Divine who will receive the scriptures allegorically and figuratively (Mark 4:11-12).
“The Crusades and the Inquisition were conducted to rid the world of anyone who questioned a literal interpretation of the (Scriptures).
“Little wonder that so many literalists remain and are so vocal while so few allegorists persist, and for the most part quite privately . . . ” says Archbishop Paula Gott of the Essene Nazarean Church of Mount Carmel.
◆ For feedback you can get in touch with the writer at [email protected]. You can read more of his writings on www.shingaindoro.blogspot.com
