Sermon on the Mount Amplified

[Truthseeker]

This is a thread where I present each verse in the Sermon on the Mount and related verses in the Gospels, and quote the Baha'i Writings that pertain to that verse. This is for the benefit of both Baha'is and Christians.

Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(NKJV, Matthew 5:3)


And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [are ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

(NKJV, Luke 6:20)


But woe to you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

(NKJV, Luke 6:24)


Jesus at different times blessed the poor and the poor in spirit and the Baha'i writings endorse both.

O SON OF MY HANDMAID!

Be not troubled in poverty nor confident in riches, for poverty is followed by riches, and riches are followed by poverty. Yet to be poor in all save God is a wondrous gift, belittle not the value thereof, for in the end it will make thee rich in God, and thus thou shalt know the meaning of the utterance, "In truth ye are the poor," and the holy words, "God is the all-possessing," shall even as the true morn break forth gloriously resplendent upon the horizon of the lover's heart, and abide secure on the throne of wealth.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 51)

Although we all know of people that are poor all their lives on this plane of existence, or rich all of their lives, when a poor person dies they are born into a world where they have spiritual riches, and a rich person is cut off from his material wealth when he dies.

Say: I swear by God! No one is despised in the sight of the Almighty for being poor. Rather is he exalted, if he is found to be of them who are patient. (Baha'u'llah: Huququ'llah, page 496)

When Jesus Christ appeared, it was the poor who first accepted Him, not the rich. Therefore, you are the disciples of Jesus Christ; you are His comrades, for He outwardly was poor, not rich. Even this earth's happiness does not depend upon wealth. You will find many of the wealthy exposed to dangers and troubled by difficulties, and in their last moments upon the bed of death there remains the regret that they must be separated from that to which their hearts are so attached. They come into this world naked, and they must go from it naked. All they possess they must leave behind and pass away solitary, alone. Often at the time of death their souls are filled with remorse; and worst of all, their hope in the mercy of God is less than ours. Praise be to God! Our hope is in the mercy of God, and there is no doubt that the divine compassion is bestowed upon the poor. Jesus Christ said so; Baha'u'llah said so. While Baha'u'llah was in Baghdad, still in possession of great wealth, He left all He had and went alone from the city, living two years among the poor. They were His comrades. He ate with them, slept with them and gloried in being one of them. He chose for one of His names the title of The Poor One and often in His Writings refers to Himself as Darvish, which in Persian means poor; and of this title He was very proud. He admonished all that we must be the servants of the poor, helpers of the poor, remember the sorrows of the poor, associate with them; for thereby we may inherit the Kingdom of heaven. God has not said that there are mansions prepared for us if we pass our time associating with the rich, but He has said there are many mansions prepared for the servants of the poor, for the poor are very dear to God. The mercies and bounties of God are with them. The rich are mostly negligent, inattentive, steeped in worldliness, depending upon their means, whereas the poor are dependent upon God, and their reliance is upon Him, not upon themselves. Therefore, the poor are nearer the threshold of God and His throne.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 33)


O SON OF SPIRIT!

Vaunt not thyself over the poor, for I lead him on his way and behold thee in thy evil plight and confound thee for evermore.

(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, no. 25)

Lay not aside the fear of God, O kings of the earth, and beware that ye transgress not the bounds which the Almighty hath fixed... Know ye that the poor are the trust of God in your midst. Watch that ye betray not His trust, that ye deal not unjustly with them and that ye walk not in the ways of the treacherous. Ye will most certainly be called upon to answer for His trust on the day when the Balance of Justice shall be set, the day when unto every one shall be rendered his due, when the doings of all men, be they rich or poor, shall be weighed.

If ye pay no heed unto the counsels which, in peerless and unequivocal language, We have revealed in this Tablet, Divine chastisement shall assail you from every direction, and the sentence of His justice shall be pronounced against you.

(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, pages 250-252)


Most of the kings didn't listen and their royal line ceased to rule before long.


O CHILDREN OF DUST!

Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth. To give and to be generous are attributes of Mine; well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 49)

Through the manifestation of God's great equity the poor of the world will be rewarded and assisted fully, and there will be a readjustment in the economic conditions of mankind so that in the future there will not be the abnormally rich nor the abject poor. The rich will enjoy the privilege of this new economic condition as well as the poor, for owing to certain provisions and restrictions they will not be able to accumulate so much as to be burdened by its management, while the poor will be relieved from the stress of want and misery. The rich will enjoy his palace, and the poor will have his comfortable cottage.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 132)


But this does not endorse a poverty of fruits:


O MY SERVANTS!

Ye are the trees of My garden; ye must give forth goodly and wondrous fruits, that ye yourselves and others may profit therefrom. Thus it is incumbent on every one to engage in crafts and professions, for therein lies the secret of wealth, O men of understanding! For results depend upon means, and the grace of God shall be all-sufficient unto you. Trees that yield no fruit have been and will ever be for the fire.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 80)

O OFFSPRING OF DUST! Be not content with the ease of a passing day, and deprive not thyself of everlasting rest. Barter not the garden of eternal delight for the dust-heap of a mortal world. Up from thy prison ascend unto the glorious meads above, and from thy mortal cage wing thy flight unto the paradise of the Placeless.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 39)

 

[Brickjectivity]

This is a thread where I present each verse in the Sermon on the Mount and related verses in the Gospels, and quote the Baha'i Writings that pertain to that verse. This is for the benefit of both Baha'is and Christians.

Thanks.

The concept of riches is a complex one in the gospels. It refers not only to ownership but to education and being a righteous person. I have heard this from more than one person, and I am prepared to illustrate it a little. Notice that in the sermon Jesus refers to the poor in spirit. It is a lot like saying blessed are the uneducated. The sermon is very difficult to accept and is ironic. Normally you'd think that an educated person would have a blessed name, would have a strong family line, would bring peace to the world and so forth. You'd expect someone with talent to do great things. You'd expect someone with ability to accomplish things. You'd expect good people to do good things. Instead this sermon says blessed are they who hunger for righteousness. This is ironic. Logically being righteous is blessed, not merely wishing you were.

At the same time he says to be peacemakers in a situation in which their country has been swallowed by evil predator nations, nations which swallow others, enslave their talent, brain drain them and tax them heavily he says to be a peacemaker. Wouldn't logic indicate the opposite that it would be blessed to bust out, to escape, to resist? I would grab my children and run. To me logic would have me stab every soldier who got in my way and hope I could find a place where I could rear my children in the righteous way. by logic I would take back my country like those kids on the movie Red Dawn. It would have me drive out those filthy, murderous, bloodthirsty, backward animals the Romans. Those damned Romans full of talk about virtue and completely absent of it. By logic I should hate them forever and plan vengeance and the prevention of their kind ever again. Jesus though speaks against sense.

He says this is the kingdom of God. These Romans, these children, these poor in spirit are the kingdom of God he says. What a heavy sermon to bear.

 

[Fool]

This is a thread where I present each verse in the Sermon on the Mount and related verses in the Gospels, and quote the Baha'i Writings that pertain to that verse. This is for the benefit of both Baha'is and Christians.

Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(NKJV, Matthew 5:3)


And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [are ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

(NKJV, Luke 6:20)


But woe to you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

(NKJV, Luke 6:24)


Jesus at different times blessed the poor and the poor in spirit and the Baha'i writings endorse both.

O SON OF MY HANDMAID!

Be not troubled in poverty nor confident in riches, for poverty is followed by riches, and riches are followed by poverty. Yet to be poor in all save God is a wondrous gift, belittle not the value thereof, for in the end it will make thee rich in God, and thus thou shalt know the meaning of the utterance, "In truth ye are the poor," and the holy words, "God is the all-possessing," shall even as the true morn break forth gloriously resplendent upon the horizon of the lover's heart, and abide secure on the throne of wealth.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 51)

Although we all know of people that are poor all their lives on this plane of existence, or rich all of their lives, when a poor person dies they are born into a world where they have spiritual riches, and a rich person is cut off from his material wealth when he dies.

Say: I swear by God! No one is despised in the sight of the Almighty for being poor. Rather is he exalted, if he is found to be of them who are patient. (Baha'u'llah: Huququ'llah, page 496)

When Jesus Christ appeared, it was the poor who first accepted Him, not the rich. Therefore, you are the disciples of Jesus Christ; you are His comrades, for He outwardly was poor, not rich. Even this earth's happiness does not depend upon wealth. You will find many of the wealthy exposed to dangers and troubled by difficulties, and in their last moments upon the bed of death there remains the regret that they must be separated from that to which their hearts are so attached. They come into this world naked, and they must go from it naked. All they possess they must leave behind and pass away solitary, alone. Often at the time of death their souls are filled with remorse; and worst of all, their hope in the mercy of God is less than ours. Praise be to God! Our hope is in the mercy of God, and there is no doubt that the divine compassion is bestowed upon the poor. Jesus Christ said so; Baha'u'llah said so. While Baha'u'llah was in Baghdad, still in possession of great wealth, He left all He had and went alone from the city, living two years among the poor. They were His comrades. He ate with them, slept with them and gloried in being one of them. He chose for one of His names the title of The Poor One and often in His Writings refers to Himself as Darvish, which in Persian means poor; and of this title He was very proud. He admonished all that we must be the servants of the poor, helpers of the poor, remember the sorrows of the poor, associate with them; for thereby we may inherit the Kingdom of heaven. God has not said that there are mansions prepared for us if we pass our time associating with the rich, but He has said there are many mansions prepared for the servants of the poor, for the poor are very dear to God. The mercies and bounties of God are with them. The rich are mostly negligent, inattentive, steeped in worldliness, depending upon their means, whereas the poor are dependent upon God, and their reliance is upon Him, not upon themselves. Therefore, the poor are nearer the threshold of God and His throne.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 33)


O SON OF SPIRIT!

Vaunt not thyself over the poor, for I lead him on his way and behold thee in thy evil plight and confound thee for evermore.

(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, no. 25)

Lay not aside the fear of God, O kings of the earth, and beware that ye transgress not the bounds which the Almighty hath fixed... Know ye that the poor are the trust of God in your midst. Watch that ye betray not His trust, that ye deal not unjustly with them and that ye walk not in the ways of the treacherous. Ye will most certainly be called upon to answer for His trust on the day when the Balance of Justice shall be set, the day when unto every one shall be rendered his due, when the doings of all men, be they rich or poor, shall be weighed.

If ye pay no heed unto the counsels which, in peerless and unequivocal language, We have revealed in this Tablet, Divine chastisement shall assail you from every direction, and the sentence of His justice shall be pronounced against you.

(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, pages 250-252)


Most of the kings didn't listen and their royal line ceased to rule before long.


O CHILDREN OF DUST!

Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth. To give and to be generous are attributes of Mine; well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 49)

Through the manifestation of God's great equity the poor of the world will be rewarded and assisted fully, and there will be a readjustment in the economic conditions of mankind so that in the future there will not be the abnormally rich nor the abject poor. The rich will enjoy the privilege of this new economic condition as well as the poor, for owing to certain provisions and restrictions they will not be able to accumulate so much as to be burdened by its management, while the poor will be relieved from the stress of want and misery. The rich will enjoy his palace, and the poor will have his comfortable cottage.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 132)


But this does not endorse a poverty of fruits:


O MY SERVANTS!

Ye are the trees of My garden; ye must give forth goodly and wondrous fruits, that ye yourselves and others may profit therefrom. Thus it is incumbent on every one to engage in crafts and professions, for therein lies the secret of wealth, O men of understanding! For results depend upon means, and the grace of God shall be all-sufficient unto you. Trees that yield no fruit have been and will ever be for the fire.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 80)

O OFFSPRING OF DUST! Be not content with the ease of a passing day, and deprive not thyself of everlasting rest. Barter not the garden of eternal delight for the dust-heap of a mortal world. Up from thy prison ascend unto the glorious meads above, and from thy mortal cage wing thy flight unto the paradise of the Placeless.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 39)

some carry their richness within them. these things can never be robbed from them. a good education, learning from life experience, is better than material things that can be taken from you. the valleys and mountains are both to the rich in spirit. the journey is not a destination but a kaleidoscope of being.

taste the rainbow

 

[Truthseeker]

The concept of riches is a complex one in the gospels. It refers not only to ownership but to education and being a righteous person. I have heard this from more than one person, and I am prepared to illustrate it a little. Notice that in the sermon Jesus refers to the poor in spirit. It is a lot like saying blessed are the uneducated. The sermon is very difficult to accept and is ironic. Normally you'd think that an educated person would have a blessed name, would have a strong family line, would bring peace to the world and so forth. You'd expect someone with talent to do great things. You'd expect someone with ability to accomplish things.

Being rich does signify righteousness as one of the meanings for me, and also rich with the Holy Spirit . Being rich in the attributes of God. Poor in spirit to me mean poor in all save God's attributes and spirit.

After scaling the high summits of wonderment, the wayfarer cometh to the Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness. This station is that of dying to the self and living in God, of being poor in self and rich in the Desired One. Poverty, as here referred to, signifieth being poor in that which pertaineth to the world of creation and rich in what belongeth to the realms of God. For when the true lover and devoted friend reacheth the presence of the Beloved, the radiant beauty of the Loved One and the fire of the lover’s heart will kindle a blaze and burn away all veils and wrappings. Yea, all that he hath, from marrow to skin, will be set aflame, so that nothing will remain save the Friend.

Bahá’u’lláh, “The Call of the Divine Beloved” , 2.76

To me poor in spirit does not connote poor in education, to me it means setting aside your current understanding, to reach true understanding. This is hard to do.

 

[Truthseeker]

Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

(NKJV, Matthew 5:4)


..Blessed [are ye] that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

(NKJV, Luke 6:21)


..Woe to you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

(NKJV, Luke 6:25)


Adversity is followed by success and rejoicings follow woe.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, page 138)


As to the subject of babes and infants and weak ones who are afflicted by the hands of oppressors: This contains great wisdom and this subject is of paramount importance. In brief, for those souls there is a recompense in another world and many details are connected with this matter. For those souls that suffering is the greatest mercy of God. Verily that mercy of the Lord is far better and preferable to all the comfort of this world and the growth and development of this place of mortality.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Baha'i World Faith*, page 372)

Caiaphas lived a comfortable and happy life while Peter's life was full of sorrow and trial; which of these two is the more enviable? Assuredly we should choose the present state of Peter, for he possesses immortal life whilst Caiaphas has won eternal shame. The trials of Peter tested his fidelity. Tests are benefits from God, for which we should thank Him. Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance, they are sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our own perfecting.

While a man is happy he may forget his God; but when grief comes and sorrows overwhelm him, then will he remember his Father who is in Heaven, and who is able to deliver him from his humiliations.

Men who suffer not, attain no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, pages 50-51)

`Does the soul progress more through sorrow or through the joy in this world?'



Abdu'l-Baha. - `The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifying it of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulation free man from the petty affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at a state of

complete detachment. His attitude in this world will be that of divine happiness. Man is, so to speak, unripe: the heat of the fire of suffering will mature him. Look backto the times past and you will find that the greatest men have suffered most.'

`He who through suffering has attained development, should he fear happiness?'

Abdu'l-Baha. - `Through suffering he will attain to an eternal happiness which nothing can take from him. The apostles of Christ suffered: they attained eternal happiness.'

`Then it is impossible to attain happiness without suffering?'

Abdu'l-Baha. - `To attain eternal happiness one must suffer. He who has reached the state of self-sacrifice has true joy. Temporal joy will vanish.' (`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, pages 178-179)

O SON OF MAN!

The true lover yearneth for tribulation even as doth the rebel for forgiveness and the sinful for mercy.

(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, no. 49)

O SON OF MAN!

If adversity befall thee not in My path, how canst thou walk in the ways of them that are content with My pleasure? If trials afflict thee not in thy longing to meet Me, how wilt thou attain the light in thy love for My beauty? (Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, no. 50)

O SON OF MAN!

My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it.(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, no. 51)



...the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness. A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy. The ills all flesh is heir to do not pass him by, but they only touch the surface of his life, the depths are calm and serene.

Today, humanity is bowed down with trouble, sorrow and grief, no one escapes; the world is wet with tears; but, thank God, the remedy is at our doors. Let us turn our hearts away from the world of matter and live in the spiritual world! It alone can give us freedom! If we are hemmed in by difficulties we have only to call upon God, and by His great Mercy we shall be helped.

If sorrow and adversity visit us, let us turn our faces to the Kingdom and heavenly consolation will be outpoured.

If we are sick and in distress let us implore God's healing, and He will answer our prayer.

When our thoughts are filled with the bitterness of this world, let us turn our eyes to the sweetness of God's compassion and He will send us heavenly calm! If we are imprisoned in the material world, our spirit can soar into the Heavens and we shall be free indeed!

When our days are drawing to a close let us think of the eternal worlds, and we shall be full of joy!

I, myself was in prison forty years - one year alone would have been impossible to bear - nobody survived that imprisonment more than a year! But, thank God, during all those forty years I was supremely happy! Every day, on waking, it was like hearing good tidings, and every night infinite joy was mine. Spirituality was my comfort, and turning to God was my greatest joy. If this had not been so, do you think it possible that I could have lived through those forty years in prison?

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, pages 110-112)


O SON OF MAN!

Sorrow not save that thou art far from Us. Rejoice not save that thou art drawing near and returning unto Us.

(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, no. 35)

 

[Truthseeker]

Adversity is followed by success and rejoicings follow woe.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, page 138)

Adversity and woe makes us suffer and if this suffering is in the path of God, this will lead to success for our own spiritual growth and show others our sincerity and lead to outward success. This success leads to rejoicing.

Tests are benefits from God, for which we should thank Him.

When we are tested and fail the test, then we can learn from that, which is good. If we pass the test, we show others by our example the way to lead a righteous life, which is also good.

`To attain eternal happiness one must suffer. He who has reached the state of self-sacrifice has true joy. Temporal joy will vanish.'

Suffering doesn't always lead to self-sacrifice and true joy and eternal life. If the suffering is in the path of God, this is true self-sacrifice. Eternal life doesn't mean you live forever, it means you live in the eternal spiritual world, not the temporal world. Living forever is connoted as immortal life. Everybody has immortal life.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Jesus gave humanity a very simple formula to be able to see God.

He said ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God’.

Neither earthly knowledge nor even scriptural expertise enabled the high priests to understand Who Jesus really was.

In the Baha’i Writings Baha’u’llah says ‘Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart...’

Caiaphas, despite his intricate knowledge of the scriptures failed to recognise Christ which stands as an eternal warning and lesson to humanity to focus on purifying our hearts.

 

[Truthseeker]

To see God to me means seeing God in a Prophet or Manifestation of God and also in human beings and the whole world around us.

 

[Truthseeker]

Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

(NKJV, Matthew 5:5)


Humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation.

(Baha'u'llah: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, page 30)

Humility before God allows one to get close to God, while pride before is a barrier to having access to God. Real glory is being close to God, real degradation is being far from God. Humility helps in recognizing the truth in what a Prophet says, you realize that your own limited understanding can be wrong. Seeing what a Prophet says as wrong leads one to behave badly and degrade yourself that way.

Grieve thou not over those that have busied themselves with the things of this world, and have forgotten the remembrance of God, the Most Great. By Him Who is the Eternal Truth! The day is approaching when the wrathful anger of the Almighty will have taken hold of them. He, verily, is the Omnipotent, the All-Subduing, the Most Powerful. He shall cleanse the earth from the defilement of their corruption, and shall give it for an heritage unto such of His servants as are nigh unto Him.

(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, page 208)

Baha'u'llah could mean that at death those who busy themselves with this world and forget God and their call from God to help their fellow man will be punished. Is there a collective sense also for such people?

What caught my attention here was the promise to give the earth as a heritage to such as are nigh to God. It seems so much like the above verse. How this is manifested in the future is unknown, and in what sense they will receive it.

A second meaning is that humility will lead one to recognizing the Revelation of God and inherit the earth of knowledge and understanding:

..by the term "earth" is meant the earth of understanding and knowledge.

(Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 48)

Take heed lest pride deter you from recognizing the Source of Revelation, lest the things of this world shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is the Creator of heaven.

(Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, page 49)

The source of all learning is the knowledge of God, exalted be His Glory, and this cannot be attained save through the knowledge of His Divine Manifestation.

(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, page 156)

I reason here that pride causes one to not recognize the Manifestation or Prophet of God, which blocks one off from true knowledge.

The essence of understanding is to testify to one's poverty, and submit to the Will of the Lord, the Sovereign, the Gracious, the All-Powerful.

(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pages 155-156)

Poverty here means to me our poverty of spirit and understanding compared to God.

An humble man without learning, but filled with the Holy Spirit, is more powerful than the most nobly-born profound scholar without that inspiration. He who is educated by the Divine Spirit can, in his time, lead others to receive the same Spirit.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, page 165)

A man without human learning and is humble can understand more than a scholar. This was demonstrated by some Baha'is at the time of Baha'u'llah that amazed a highly learned scholar called Mirza Abu'l Fadl despite their lack of schooling.

Caiaphas, despite his intricate knowledge of the scriptures failed to recognise Christ which stands as an eternal warning and lesson to humanity to focus on purifying our hearts.

Good point. Purity of heart as well as being humble leads us to recognize a Prophet like Christ.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

What would you like to discuss in this thread.

Regards Tony

 

[Truthseeker]

What would you like to discuss in this thread.

Whatever you want to that is in each post. I'm interpreting the passages now, what is your interpretation of any passage?

It's lonely in here, isn't it? Only Baha'is since early on. I may be wasting my time trying to have a dialogue between Baha'is and Christians.

 

[Riders]

This is a thread where I present each verse in the Sermon on the Mount and related verses in the Gospels, and quote the Baha'i Writings that pertain to that verse. This is for the benefit of both Baha'is and Christians.

Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(NKJV, Matthew 5:3)


And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [are ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

(NKJV, Luke 6:20)


But woe to you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

(NKJV, Luke 6:24)


Jesus at different times blessed the poor and the poor in spirit and the Baha'i writings endorse both.

O SON OF MY HANDMAID!

Be not troubled in poverty nor confident in riches, for poverty is followed by riches, and riches are followed by poverty. Yet to be poor in all save God is a wondrous gift, belittle not the value thereof, for in the end it will make thee rich in God, and thus thou shalt know the meaning of the utterance, "In truth ye are the poor," and the holy words, "God is the all-possessing," shall even as the true morn break forth gloriously resplendent upon the horizon of the lover's heart, and abide secure on the throne of wealth.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 51)

Although we all know of people that are poor all their lives on this plane of existence, or rich all of their lives, when a poor person dies they are born into a world where they have spiritual riches, and a rich person is cut off from his material wealth when he dies.

Say: I swear by God! No one is despised in the sight of the Almighty for being poor. Rather is he exalted, if he is found to be of them who are patient. (Baha'u'llah: Huququ'llah, page 496)

When Jesus Christ appeared, it was the poor who first accepted Him, not the rich. Therefore, you are the disciples of Jesus Christ; you are His comrades, for He outwardly was poor, not rich. Even this earth's happiness does not depend upon wealth. You will find many of the wealthy exposed to dangers and troubled by difficulties, and in their last moments upon the bed of death there remains the regret that they must be separated from that to which their hearts are so attached. They come into this world naked, and they must go from it naked. All they possess they must leave behind and pass away solitary, alone. Often at the time of death their souls are filled with remorse; and worst of all, their hope in the mercy of God is less than ours. Praise be to God! Our hope is in the mercy of God, and there is no doubt that the divine compassion is bestowed upon the poor. Jesus Christ said so; Baha'u'llah said so. While Baha'u'llah was in Baghdad, still in possession of great wealth, He left all He had and went alone from the city, living two years among the poor. They were His comrades. He ate with them, slept with them and gloried in being one of them. He chose for one of His names the title of The Poor One and often in His Writings refers to Himself as Darvish, which in Persian means poor; and of this title He was very proud. He admonished all that we must be the servants of the poor, helpers of the poor, remember the sorrows of the poor, associate with them; for thereby we may inherit the Kingdom of heaven. God has not said that there are mansions prepared for us if we pass our time associating with the rich, but He has said there are many mansions prepared for the servants of the poor, for the poor are very dear to God. The mercies and bounties of God are with them. The rich are mostly negligent, inattentive, steeped in worldliness, depending upon their means, whereas the poor are dependent upon God, and their reliance is upon Him, not upon themselves. Therefore, the poor are nearer the threshold of God and His throne.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 33)


O SON OF SPIRIT!

Vaunt not thyself over the poor, for I lead him on his way and behold thee in thy evil plight and confound thee for evermore.

(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, no. 25)

Lay not aside the fear of God, O kings of the earth, and beware that ye transgress not the bounds which the Almighty hath fixed... Know ye that the poor are the trust of God in your midst. Watch that ye betray not His trust, that ye deal not unjustly with them and that ye walk not in the ways of the treacherous. Ye will most certainly be called upon to answer for His trust on the day when the Balance of Justice shall be set, the day when unto every one shall be rendered his due, when the doings of all men, be they rich or poor, shall be weighed.

If ye pay no heed unto the counsels which, in peerless and unequivocal language, We have revealed in this Tablet, Divine chastisement shall assail you from every direction, and the sentence of His justice shall be pronounced against you.

(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, pages 250-252)


Most of the kings didn't listen and their royal line ceased to rule before long.


O CHILDREN OF DUST!

Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth. To give and to be generous are attributes of Mine; well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 49)

Through the manifestation of God's great equity the poor of the world will be rewarded and assisted fully, and there will be a readjustment in the economic conditions of mankind so that in the future there will not be the abnormally rich nor the abject poor. The rich will enjoy the privilege of this new economic condition as well as the poor, for owing to certain provisions and restrictions they will not be able to accumulate so much as to be burdened by its management, while the poor will be relieved from the stress of want and misery. The rich will enjoy his palace, and the poor will have his comfortable cottage.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 132)


But this does not endorse a poverty of fruits:


O MY SERVANTS!

Ye are the trees of My garden; ye must give forth goodly and wondrous fruits, that ye yourselves and others may profit therefrom. Thus it is incumbent on every one to engage in crafts and professions, for therein lies the secret of wealth, O men of understanding! For results depend upon means, and the grace of God shall be all-sufficient unto you. Trees that yield no fruit have been and will ever be for the fire.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 80)

O OFFSPRING OF DUST! Be not content with the ease of a passing day, and deprive not thyself of everlasting rest. Barter not the garden of eternal delight for the dust-heap of a mortal world. Up from thy prison ascend unto the glorious meads above, and from thy mortal cage wing thy flight unto the paradise of the Placeless.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 39)

When did Baha'u'llah live? Was he around the same time as Jesus?

 

[Valjean]

When did Baha'u'llah live? Was he around the same time as Jesus?

Yes -- around the same time as Jesus Gonzales of San Francisco.

Nah, just being a wiseacre today. Sometime in the1800s

 

[Riders]

Yes -- around the same time as Jesus Gonzales of San Francisco.

Nah, just being a wiseacre today. Sometime in the1800s

Oh ok thanks.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Whatever you want to that is in each post. I'm interpreting the passages now, what is your interpretation of any passage?

It's lonely in here, isn't it? Only Baha'is since early on. I may be wasting my time trying to have a dialogue between Baha'is and Christians.

Yes, life has been quite lonely in Faith. This will change as the world sees the need to change.

On RF there are many closed to the possibilities, there are many open to the possibilities and there are many that have not yet contemplated the possibilities.

On RF it is good to keep the quotes to a minimum if possible and add ones commentary that is to be discussed.

I will look at the Sermon on the Mount and see what I think it is offering, in relation to what Baha'u'llah has offered and get back to this OP.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

When did Baha'u'llah live? Was he around the same time as Jesus?

Hi Riders, I hope you are well, I have been away from RF for a while. Baha'u'llah was born 12 November 1817 and Passed on 29 May 1892.

Regards Tony

 

[Truthseeker]

I will show more directly how the Christ quotes and thr Baha'i quotes are related in this post.

Blessed [are] they who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled.

(NKJV, Matthew 5:6)


Blessed [are ye] that hunger now: for ye shall befilled...

(NKJV, Luke 6:21)


Woe to you that are full! for ye shall hunger...

(NKJV, Luke 6:25)


The righteous, inmates of the Kingdom on high, shall drink deep from the Wine of Holiness, in My name, the all-glorious. None other besides them will share such benefits.

(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, page 108)


This doesn't seem to put any restrictions based on religion. There is some difference between those who believe in the latest Manifestation in other Writings, but the all of the righteous fare well. In the Beatitude above, those who hunger and thirst to be righteous will be filled with the spirit of life presumably. I'm surprised by how truncated the Luke version is. It doesn't explain what this hunger is about, or what it means about being full and being hungry later. The first could mean hungering for spiritual sustenance. Th second could refer to false security, thinking that you're full of righteousness and spirituality, whereas you should always be moving forward, and if you don't and think yourself okay, that pride will bring you down and make you hungry again.

The bestowals of the Almighty are descending from the heaven of grace, but capacity to receive them is essential. The fountain of divine generosity is gushing forth, but we must have thirst for the living waters. Unless there be thirst, the salutary water will not assuage. Unless the soul hungers, the delicious foods of the heavenly table will not give sustenance.

(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 195)

This selection addresses more directly the need for hunger and thirst for spirituality before you can become spiritual, which is not quite the same as thirst of hunger for righteousness, but if you are righteous, Baha'u'llah indicates you will receive spiritual bounties.

The first thing to do is to acquire a thirst for Spirituality, then Live the Life! Live the Life! Live the Life! The way to acquire this thirst is to meditate upon the future life. Study the Holy Words, read your Bible, read the Holy Books, especially study the Holy Utterances of Baha'u'llah; Prayer and Meditation, take much time for these two. Then will you know this Great Thirst, and then only can you begin to Live the Life!

(`Abdu'l-Baha: The Importance of Deepening, page 204)

This relates the thirst for being spiritual with becoming righteous. He even tells us how acquire this thirst.

O SON OF SPIRIT!

The bird seeketh its nest; the nightingale the charm of the rose; whilst those birds, the hearts of men, content with transient dust, have strayed far from their eternal nest, and with eyes turned towards the slough of heedlessness are bereft of the glory of the divine presence. Alas! How strange and pitiful; for a mere cupful, they have turned away from the billowing seas of the Most High, and remained far from the most effulgent horizon.

(Baha'u'llah: Persian Hidden Words, no. 2)


This shows how being content with material benefits, and being heedless of spiritual actions, causes us not to thirst for spirituality and righteousness and be bereft of what is actually to out benefit.

 

[Truthseeker]

When did Baha'u'llah live? Was he around the same time as Jesus?

I think you also should know that Baha'u'llah lived in what was then called Persia, and is now Iran. He grew up in a Muslim world.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Part of the sermon on the Mount has become what is known as the Beatitudes.

I will post the Biblical passages, followed by what I see is the response of Baha'u'llah given in the Lawh-i-Aqdas (Tablet to the Christians)

Bible -

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Baha'u'llah

Blessed the slumberer who is awakened by My Breeze.
Blessed the lifeless one who is quickened through My reviving breaths.
Blessed the eye that is solaced by gazing at My beauty.
Blessed the wayfarer who directeth his steps towards the Tabernacle of My glory and majesty.
Blessed the distressed one who seeketh refuge beneath the shadow of My canopy.
Blessed the sore athirst who hasteneth to the soft-flowing waters of My loving-kindness.
Blessed the insatiate soul who casteth away his selfish desires for love of Me and taketh his place at
the banquet table which I have sent down from the heaven of divine bounty for My chosen ones.
Blessed the abased one who layeth fast hold on the cord of My glory; and the needy one who entereth beneath the shadow of the Tabernacle of My wealth.
Blessed the ignorant one who seeketh the fountain of My knowledge; and the heedless one who
cleaveth to the cord of My remembrance.
Blessed the soul that hath been raised to life through My quickening breath and hath gained admittance into My heavenly Kingdom.
Blessed the man whom the sweet savours of reunion with Me have stirred and caused to draw nigh unto the Dayspring of My Revelation.
Blessed the ear that hath heard and the tongue that hath borne witness and the eye that hath seen and recognized the Lord Himself, in His great glory and majesty, invested with grandeur and dominion.
Blessed are they that have attained His presence.
Blessed the man who hath sought enlightenment from the Day-Star of My Word.
Blessed he who hath attired his head with the diadem of My love.
Blessed is he who hath heard of My grief and hath arisen to aid Me among My people.
Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold hardships for the sake of My Name.
Blessed the man who, assured of My Word, hath arisen from among the dead to celebrate My praise.
Blessed is he that hath been enraptured by My wondrous melodies and hath rent the veils asunder through the potency of My might.
Blessed is he who hath remained faithful to My Covenant, and whom the things of the world have not kept back from attaining My Court of holiness.
Blessed is the man who hath detached himself from all else but Me, hath soared in the atmosphere of My love, hath gained admittance into My Kingdom, gazed upon My realms of glory, quaffed the living waters of My bounty, hath drunk his fill from the heavenly river of My loving providence, acquainted himself with My Cause, apprehended that which I concealed within the treasury of My Words, and hath shone forth from the horizon of divine knowledge engaged in My praise and glorification. "Verily, he is of Me. Upon him rest My mercy, My loving-kindness, My bounty and My glory."

In the next post I will attempt to answer the Beatitudes of Christ, with a response from Baha'u'llah.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

The Beatitudes of Christ are in Blue, I have arranged the ones from Baha'u'llah, which are in Green under what I see fulfills what Christ offered.I see they could be arranged in many ways.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed the slumberer who is awakened by My Breeze.
Blessed the lifeless one who is quickened through My reviving breaths.
Blessed the wayfarer who directeth his steps towards the Tabernacle of My glory and majesty.
Blessed the ignorant one who seeketh the fountain of My knowledge; and the heedless one who cleaveth to the cord of My remembrance.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed the eye that is solaced by gazing at My beauty.
Blessed the distressed one who seeketh refuge beneath the shadow of My canopy.
Blessed the sore athirst who hasteneth to the soft-flowing waters of My loving-kindness.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed the insatiate soul who casteth away his selfish desires for love of Me and taketh his place at
the banquet table which I have sent down from the heaven of divine bounty for My chosen ones.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed the soul that hath been raised to life through My quickening breath and hath gained admittance into My heavenly Kingdom.
Blessed the man who hath sought enlightenment from the Day-Star of My Word.
Blessed he who hath attired his head with the diadem of My love.
Blessed is he that hath been enraptured by My wondrous melodies and hath rent the veils asunder through the potency of My might.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed is he who hath remained faithful to My Covenant, and whom the things of the world have not kept back from attaining My Court of holiness.
Blessed the man whom the sweet savours of reunion with Me have stirred and caused to draw nigh unto the Dayspring of My Revelation.
Blessed the ear that hath heard and the tongue that hath borne witness and the eye that hath seen and recognized the Lord Himself, in His great glory and majesty, invested with grandeur and dominion.
Blessed are they that have attained His presence.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Blessed the abased one who layeth fast hold on the cord of My glory; and the needy one who entereth beneath the shadow of the Tabernacle of My wealth.
Blessed is he who hath heard of My grief and hath arisen to aid Me among My people.
Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold hardships for the sake of My Name.
Blessed the man who, assured of My Word, hath arisen from among the dead to celebrate My praise.

Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Blessed is the man who hath detached himself from all else but Me, hath soared in the atmosphere of My love, hath gained admittance into My Kingdom, gazed upon My realms of glory, quaffed the living waters of My bounty, hath drunk his fill from the heavenly river of My loving providence, acquainted himself with My Cause, apprehended that which I concealed within the treasury of My Words, and hath shone forth from the horizon of divine knowledge engaged in My praise and glorification. "Verily, he is of Me. Upon him rest My mercy, My loving-kindness, My bounty and My glory."

I see that Christ the Son offers a future vision of the Glory of God, the Father. Baha'u'llah in the Tablet to the Christians shows that all Christ promised is now revealed. We have received Guidance unto all truth.

Regards Tony