When we say that there is to be a “demystification of Jesus Christ” we mean that we are to separate the facts from the fiction of Christ’s life on earth.
Jesus Christ is arguably the greatest healer the world has ever known. Descriptions abound in the gospels of the Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), about the healing prowess of Christ. Because of His healing powers, (which can only be described as being miraculous) hundreds of persons habitually surrounded Him whenever he went about preaching.
But, through His imposing healings, and because of the gracious words that emanated from His mouth, there gathered around Christ a litany of the simple folk.
Christ’s habit of associating Himself with the common people did not go down well with the haughty Scribes and Pharisees. These took Him to task for this his particular habit. This is illustrated in the following Biblical verse:
“And it came to pass as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold , many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto His disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them, “They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick … I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
(Matt 9: 10-13, excerpted)
Christ’s utilised everyday people and situations to illustrate his Teachings:
Christ spoke:
“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.“And likewise a Levite,when he was at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, “pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendeth more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell amongst the thieves?
( Luke 10 : 30 – 35).
Let us reveal further examples to show how Christ identified with the common persons, and how He utilised common- sense to outwit his numerous enemies. For example Christ showed His ingenuity when he was confronted by some mischievous Pharisees who wished to “entangle Him in His own talk!” The Bible states:
“Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, “What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith “he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
(Matt 21: 16–22).
The whole aim of the Scribes and Pharisees, (as well as the other deeply secular groups) was to plot against the most royal, and the most regal Personality of Christ, whose demeanour rendered them spellbound! And they sought for any opportunity to unsettle him with their insidious mischief! We read in the Holy Bible the following account:
“And the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his fingers wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
( John 8: 3-11).
In His interaction with men, Christ canvassed that all men should respect constit-uted authority. Christ respected all persons, their lesser or greater estate notwithstanding. But Christ was a realist. He himself had to adapt to the realities of the world. As an example it is known that warfare is a constant thread in the history of nations. At one time or another all nations have gone to war. It can be stated that war is for upliftment, and war is for downfall! There is a maxim that states: “if you wish for peace, prepare for war.” War is engaged in for a variety of reasons: for self- defence, for the extension of borders. People also embark on wars for sport and pleasure, even for mischief! But the merits and demerits of war notwithstanding, Christ healed the servant of a certain centurion (soldier). Christ did not hold it against the centurion that he was a man of war, so He healed his servant none the less. And Christ did not discriminate against the persons He was to heal. He attempted to heal every person he came across. And His healings were all spectacular. His healing of the centurion’s servant was spectacular in that it was effected from a far distance.
The Holy Bible explains:
“And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say unto this man, Go, and “he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, do this, and he doeth it.
When Jesus heard it he marvelled, and said to them that followed. Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou has hast believed, so it be done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
( Matt 8: 5-13, excerpted).
Christ utilised several examples from warfare to illustrate His many proverbs. For instance He warned:
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father,and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For what king going to make war against another king, sitteth not “down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand men to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that foresaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14 :26-33)
Because of the endless multitudes that encircled Christ, it is seen that He was a most controversial figure. One either hated Him, or loved him! Christ’s enemies were not pleased that he stated He could rebuild in three days the Temple in Jerusalem were it to be destroyed! The Jews took offence because of the statement of Christ, that He was “The Son of God.” The Jews did not favour Christ when he had used derogatory language against the Scribes and Pharisees, by calling them hypocrites. The Jews could not have been enamoured by a Christ who, with a whip of thongs, had thrashed out those sold doves, and who were “money-changers” in the Temple of the Lord. Therefore the entire life of Christ was mired in controversy. After all, was it not the same Christ that stated:
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I come not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”
(Matt 10: 34 – 35).
Because of all the spectacular acts of Jesus Christ, many stories are woven about His Personality. Many of these stories are true. But unfortunately very many are false. But who is capable of deciding what is true, and what is false? It is the process of separating the true from the false that constitutes the demystification” of Jesus Christ.
A German citizen named Oscar Ernst Benhardt was born in the year 1875. He had a harmonious youth, and in his early adulthood, he engaged himself in commercial activities. At the age of 30 years Bernhardt, ur4ged by strong inner promptings, turned his attention to the profession of writing. And it was in the pursuit of this profession that he was able to travel to so many countries around the globe. From these journeys he was able to obtain an insight into the variegated nature of men. From his multifaceted experiences, he learnt about the inner workings of the mind of men, from the good, the bad, and the ugly! Bernhardt then began to address his mind to deeper issues of life, such as the purpose of man on earth.
At this time Bernhardt then received “His Call from God” and between the years 1923 to 1941 he wrote a compendium (book) of 168 lectures which book titled “The Grail Message, In the Light of Truth.”
At this stage he signed all his writings under his pen name, which pen-name is “Abd ru shin.”Abd ru shin, when translated from the Arabic means “Son of the Light.” Abd ru shin’s Grail Message has been translated into over 20 of the worlds most influential languages. The Grail Message answers all the questions that can be asked by a seeking human being. It elucidates in an admirable manner, and in breathless prose, the true notions about “God,””Jesus Christ,” “Mohammed,” Buddha,””Fate,””Destiny,””Man,””Man and His Free-Will,” “Prayer,””The Inner Voice,””Sex,” “Nature,””The Fairies,” ”Birth,””Death,”” The World Beyond the Grave,””Astrology,” etc. Just to mention a few. And it is Abd ru shin who is the capable Teacher of the present time who is capable of the de-mystification of Jesus Christ.
Abd ru shin states that Jesus is the Son of God. However the coming “Comforter” whom the Christians now expect, is not Jesus Christ, but an entirely different Personality.
Abd ru shin states that Christ was not sent to the earth for the purpose of being crucified, but rather, He was sent to bring a life saving Message of Salvation to mankind. The life-saving Message of Christ was in His “Word,” and not in the blood that was shed on the cross at Calvary.
Abd ru shin claims that the crucifixion of Christ,(contrary to widespread belief) cannot be interpreted to be redemption for mankind.
Abd ru shin states that the crucifixion was a crime, a dastardly murder! Yes, it must be repeated in an objective light, His crucifixion must count as the most foul of murders. In addition, the veil in the “Holy of Holies” in the Temple split in two from top to bottom. The “Holy of Holies” is that part of the Temple which is cordoned off from the general Temple space. And it is in the Holy of Holies that the most sacred of spiritual acts take place. It is where the most sacred of the relics are kept. The curtain was rent in two because the crucifixion of Christ, in all its vulgarity, had rendered this inner sanctuary superfluous, and there was therefore no further need to screen this chamber from the careless gaze of the most casual passer- by.
The earthquakes and Thunder, as well as the Darkness that surrounded Golgotha were ample evidence that this cruel crucifixion was abhorrent to Nature. And these signals of Nature and its elements were the ample signals of Nature’s displeasure!
But any reader could ask:” Who is Abd ru shin?” Why should I believe in him?” “What qualifications does he possess?”” Where did he go to school?”
The answer to these justifiable questions can be gleaned from the words of Abd ru shin himself.
For when Jesus states:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
(Matt 5: 17)
Abd ru shin states:
“What is new is not always equivalent to a negation of what is past, but it can also swing in the old, and lead onward in the upbuilding, in such a manner as it unites the actual Message of Jesus with mine. The Message of Jesus and my Message are in reality one!”
Abd ru shin continues:
“Jesus shall not be given up as the Son of God through my Message! He must be recognised as such all the more. But not as the servant and slave of a decayed humanity in order to carry their burden of guilt, or to redeem it so that they may have it easier.”
Abd ru shin reiterates:
“The meaning and purpose of the Message from the Light through me in the fulfillment of God’s All- Holy Will is the necessary extension of the knowledge for mankind.”
Abd ru shin concludes:
“With my words I lead to God and also to Jesus! However, in a more vital way than has been known in the past, and not as people have trimmed it through their propensity for spiritual comfort.”
(Believers Merely out of Habit. pgs 913 & 918 excerpted. The Grail Message of Abd ru shin).
