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Christ
Jesus
Study
Topics
For
more information on the teachings of Christian
Science, explore the following study
topics:
Angels
Animal
Magnetism
Baptism
The
Bible
CS
vs. Evolution and
Creationism
Christ
Jesus
Death
Devil
God
Heaven
Hell
Holy
Ghost
Marriage
Mortals
and Immortals
The
New Tongue
Purity
Salvation
The
Term "Science"
"Science
and Health"
Stages
of Advancement
The
Tenets of Christian
Science
The
Trinity
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An Introduction to Christian
Science
CHRIST
JESUS
Extracts from a
lecture by Rev. Irving C. Tomlinson, CSB
Quoted in
Christian Science History, by Judge Septimus
J. Hanna, CSD, p. 14
Christian
Scientists regard Christ Jesus as the crown and
glory of God's creation. In him all that is worthy
among men finds complete fulfilment. He is the
great physician, who, through the understanding of
infinite Mind, healed all manner of diseases. He is
the high-priest, who, through the knowledge of the
power of Spirit, first scientifically destroyed sin
in all its forms. He is the good Samaritan, who,
realizing the infinite resources of omnipotent
Good, with scientific certainty, first bound up the
gaping wounds of humanity.
What to the
building is its foundation, what to the ripening
clusters is the parent vine, what to the temple is
its fair entrance, that Christ Jesus is to
Christian Science. He is the corner-stone of the
godlike structure that in his name we are striving
to rear aloft. He is the vine, we are the branches,
which, with their ripening fruit, draw their
strength and life from him. He is the door through
which we would enter and abide with the holy of
holies. Wherefore we each and all say with our
Leader, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian
Science, the Reverend Mary Baker Eddy, "All
Christian Scientists deeply recognize the oneness
of Jesus."
"What think ye
of Christ?" by Annie M. Knott, CSD
Christian
Science Sentinel, December 22, 1928
For long centuries
mortals have been asking their fellowmen what they
thought concerning Christ, whether they accepted
the dogmas of some particular church or denied
them. As we read in the twenty-second chapter of
Matthew, it was Jesus himself who asked of the
Pharisees the question "What think ye of Christ?"
...
With tireless
patience Mrs. Eddy strove to teach her followers
the distinction between the eternal Christ and the
human Jesus; yet she also declared that Jesus "was
inseparable from Christ, the Messiah,—the
divine idea of God outside the flesh" (Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 482). It is
possible that in some instances those who had
experienced the healing power of Truth spoke with
undue familiarity of Christ Jesus; and this, not
from lack of reverence, but from inability to
estimate the grandeur of that Godlike character. It
took much spiritual growth to gain the vision
vouchsafed to the disciples on the mount of
transfiguration, yet even after that experience
they had much to learn; and so have we, even after
we have had many proofs of Truth's power.
...
References
for Study
The following passages are from the Christian
Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to
the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
Science and
Health, p. 333:16-30
The advent of Jesus of Nazareth marked the
first century of the Christian era, but the Christ
is without beginning of years or end of days.
Throughout all generations both before and after
the Christian era, the Christ, as the spiritual
idea,--the reflection of God,--has come with some
measure of power and grace to all prepared to
receive Christ, Truth. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and
the prophets caught glorious glimpses of the
Messiah, or Christ, which baptized these seers in
the divine nature, the essence of Love. The divine
image, idea, or Christ was, is, and ever will be
inseparable from the divine Principle, God. Jesus
referred to this unity of his spiritual identity
thus: "Before Abraham was, I am;" "I and my Father
are one;" "My Father is greater than I."
Science and
Health, p. 362:12
...Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself
declared, but is the Son of God. This declaration
of Jesus, understood, conflicts not at all with
another of his sayings: "I and my Father are one,"
— that is, one in quality, not in quantity. As
a drop of water is one with the ocean, a ray of
light one with the sun, even so God and man, Father
and son, are one in being. The Scripture reads:
"For in Him we live, and move, and have our being."
Science and
Health, p. 38:21-26
Jesus experienced few of the pleasures of the
physical senses, but his sufferings were the fruits
of other people's sins, not of his own. The eternal
Christ, his spiritual selfhood, never suffered.
Jesus mapped out the path for others. He unveiled
the Christ, the spiritual idea of divine
Love.
Science and
Health, p. 583:10
CHRIST. The divine manifestation of God, which
comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate
error.
Science and
Health, p. 333:3
The word Christ is not properly a
synonym for Jesus, though it is commonly so used.
Jesus was a human name, which belonged to him in
common with other Hebrew boys and men, for it is
identical with the name Joshua, the renowned Hebrew
leader. On the other hand, Christ is not a name so
much as the divine title of Jesus. Christ expresses
God's spiritual, eternal nature. The name is
synonymous with Messiah, and alludes to the
spirituality which is taught, illustrated, and
demonstrated in the life of which Christ Jesus was
the embodiment. The proper name of our Master in
the Greek was Jesus the Christ; but Christ Jesus
better signifies the Godlike.
Science and
Health, p. 565:13-22
The impersonation of the spiritual idea had a
brief history in the earthly life of our Master;
but "of his kingdom there shall be no end," for
Christ, God's idea, will eventually rule all
nations and peoples--imperatively, absolutely,
finally--with divine Science. This immaculate idea,
represented first by man and, according to the
Revelator, last by woman, will baptize with fire;
and the fiery baptism will burn up the chaff of
error with the fervent heat of Truth and Love,
melting and purifying even the gold of human
character.
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