PASSAGE: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:2-3 NRSV).
QUESTION: I can't get it out of my head we were being warned about a man who would say he was a God. He appeared good and kind, but really was a rebel at heart. Was God warning us of Jesus? I believe in one God. I believe God is a jealous lover. Couldn't he and Daniel be warning us of Jesus?
COMMENT: Your question also referenced Matthew 7:15—"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (NRSV). But since in that case it is Jesus who is speaking the words, I don't think we can assume the words were intended as a warning against the teacher who was speaking them.
Your question about the First Commandment, however, is intriguing. Jesus was, indeed, good and kind—and a rebel at heart. I emphatically don't assume that being good and kind requires that we be blindly obedient to every and all authority. Rebellion on behalf of a people who are downtrodden by negative choices or false beliefs can be very good and kind indeed!
The more basic question is whether Jesus was, indeed, a man who said he was a god. I don't believe he ever said, believed or taught that he himself was uniquely a god. He taught that we are all One with God, created in the image and likeness, and thus each a unique expression of all that God is. He doesn't call us to worship a divinity in him, but to discover, believe and express the divinity that is our own true nature. The world has been—and is today—filled with men (and women) who insist on being worshipped as gods by their followers, who teach that they have a unique relationship with God not available to the rest of us. That was never the message of Jesus Christ. It has been the message of some others in his name—but that's hardly his fault. The first commandment is about making God our only priority, and a warning against allowing anything or anyone else to distract us from our immediate, intimate relationship with God. Jesus always, always affirms that same truth. Others have tried to make Jesus himself a “false god” by misunderstanding his message and purpose. The litmus test must always be that anything and anyone that affirms our innate Oneness with God is helpful on our spiritual path. Anything or anyone claiming to speak for God is to be avoided. God speaks through our own intuitive guidance. No one is closer to God than others.
I'm also a bit bemused by your insistence that God is a "jealous lover." I believe in a God of unconditional love. And jealousy is all about imposing conditions, based on a fear that the love is insufficiently balanced. Jealousy is based on a fear of loss; but what could God lose? And what could God fear? If God is jealous, does that mean that jealousy is a divine quality we all should emulate? I don't think God is jealous when we love each other; I think, indeed, that there is great rejoicing in heaven when we do.
Blessings!
Rev. Ed
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Interpret This with Rev. Ed
Have you ever wondered how a specific Bible verse might be interpreted metaphysically? Interpret This provides greater insight into the hidden meanings of the Bible.
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To Request Scripture Interpretation:
1. Review the previous interpretations below for previous interpretations.
2. Please provide a specific chapter and verse(s). If chosen for interpretation, our Bible expert, Rev. Ed Townley, will provide his insight and the response will post on this site. Requests for entire books of the Bible are not possible.
3. Click the link below to complete the online request form. References are from the New Revised Standard Version unless otherwise indicated.
Request a Bible verse interpretation.
4. Check back often to see if your request has posted and to read what others have requested.
Aug
25
11:45 AM
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Posted By Rev. Ed Townley
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About the Blogger
Rev. Ed Townley was licensed and ordained as a Unity minister in 1991. He has served as senior minister in Beaverton OR , Chicago IL and Dallas TX. Author of The Secret According to Jesus, a metaphysical exploration of the Sermon on the Mount.
Rev. Ed is known as one of the top Bible teachers in the Unity movement.
In 1992 he founded Spirit Expressing, a non church ministry dedicated to the creative process. The Spirit Expressing ministry sponsors Higher Ground, a weekly Dallas group that explores spiritual principles through the challenges and adventures of life. Weekly talks and other materials are at www.spiritexpressing.org.
Rev. Ed is known as one of the top Bible teachers in the Unity movement.
In 1992 he founded Spirit Expressing, a non church ministry dedicated to the creative process. The Spirit Expressing ministry sponsors Higher Ground, a weekly Dallas group that explores spiritual principles through the challenges and adventures of life. Weekly talks and other materials are at www.spiritexpressing.org.
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