By the author of Yeshûa, a Personal Memoir of the Missing Years of Jesus

There is a tremendous disparity between Yeshûa (Jesus) portrayed in the Gnostic Gospels, and the man/God presented by various Christian sects to their faithful. We have no way of knowing, not with absolute certainty, which is closer to the truth.

There are only two approaches that are likely to shed any light on the scant knowledge that percolated through the sieve of various religions to the present day. One is the historical Yeshûa; the second is His teaching. When we discuss the Theory of Relativity we are not concerned with the personal characteristics and idiosyncrasies of Albert Einstein. The same is true of all the great masters of art, philosophy and science. Should we treat Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tsu or Yeshûa differently? Would any of their teachings be any less if they failed to practice, on occasion, what they preached? How faithful must a man be to the dictum ‘love thy neighbour’ for it to be true ?

It is a question of the Message versus the Messenger. In our small ways, we are all messengers of God. We manifest the life force, we exhibit the talents, exemplify our beliefs to the best of our ability. The rest is only a question of degree. Admittedly, the degree is all important, but would Michelangelo’s Pieta resting in a small apse in St. Peter’s Basilica be any less, had Michelangelo been an insubordinate child, or a man who indulged in excesses of wine, women and song? For a few instants of eternity a divine current, imbued with harmony, order and beauty poured through Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni; through his eyes, hands, perhaps his heart, and became embodied in a slab of marble. The same is true of all the artists. The great and the small alike. Or as Thomas Aquinas once said, "Whatever is received, is received according to the nature of the recipient." Must a man be perfect for God to manifest through him?

So what of the Gnostic Gospels?

For the most part, Gnostic gospels do not recognize us as men and women imbued with an immortal soul, but as an immortal soul having a fleeting experience in the dualistic, material reality. Nothing that happens on earth is real. Or, it is real only to our physical senses. There is one particular phrase in the Gospel of Thomas, probably best preserved gospel compiled under the heading Nag Hammadi Library. The statement is quite staggering. Yeshûa is speaking to his beloved disciple, probably to cheer him up. It is recorded in the First Apocalypse of James, "James, do not be concerned for me... I am he who was within me. Never have I suffered in any way, nor have I been distressed".

Presumably this is Yeshûa speaking after the crucifixion. It could be that James had a vision. But then, this is not all. In the Acts of John we are told: "I have suffered none of the things which they will say of me; even that suffering which I showed to you and to the rest of my dance, I will that it be called a mystery."

I am reminded of the words, "How is it that ye do not understand?" Such words are repeated in all the gospels – to no avail. It seems that Christians who assign divine powers to the Lord, to Christ, imagine that He could not or would not have dismissed all mental, emotional, not to mention physical, pain or anguish. They measure Him by their own limitations. In the introduction to the Gospel of Truth, Attridge and MacRae point out that the revelation of the gospel results in a state of wakefulness "...a condition of joy and delight graphically contrasted with the nightmarish existence of those in ignorance."

Finally, in the Acts of John we are told: "Learn how to suffer and you shall be able not to suffer."

Perhaps I should conclude with retreating even further back in history. The Hindus believe in the teaching that Krishna is the Reservoir of All Pleasure. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all think of Yeshûa as one who offers all pleasure? Wait… Didn’t he say, "I bring you tidings of great joy?" Perhaps we should have listened.

To read about another mystery unveiled, click below