Esoteric Christianity, or The Lesser MysteriesBesant, Annie
Religion
Esoteric Christianity, or The Lesser Mysteries
Besant, Annie
Christianity -- Miscellanea; Mysticism; Theosophy
Origen then relates the history of the Tower of Babel, and continues:
"But on these subjects much, and that of a mystical kind, might be said;
in keeping with which is the following: 'It is good to keep close the
secret of a king,' Tobit xii. 7, in order that the doctrine of the
entrance of souls into bodies (not, however, that of the transmigration
from one body into another) may not be thrown before the common
understanding, nor what is holy given to the dogs, nor pearls be cast
before swine. For such a procedure would be impious, being equivalent to
a betrayal of the mysterious declarations of God's wisdom.... It is
sufficient, however, to represent in the style of a historic narrative
what is intended to convey a secret meaning in the garb of history, that
those who have the capacity may work out for themselves all that relates
to the subject."[135] He then expounds more fully the Tower of Babel
story, and writes: "Now, in the next place, if any one has the capacity
let him understand that in what assumes the form of history, and which
contains some things that are literally true, while yet it conveys a
deeper meaning...."[136]
After endeavouring to show that the "Lord" was more powerful than the
other superintending Spirits of the different quarters of the earth, and
that he sent his people forth to be punished by living under the
dominion of the other powers, and afterwards reclaimed them with all of
the less favoured nations who could be drawn in, Origen concludes by
saying: "As we have previously observed, these remarks are to be
understood as being made by us with a concealed meaning, by way of
pointing out the mistakes of those who assert ..."[137] as did Celsus.
After remarking that "the object of Christianity is that we should
become wise,"[138] Origen proceeds: "If you come to the books written
after the time of Jesus, you will find that those multitudes of
believers who hear the parables are, as it were, 'without,' and worthy
only of exoteric doctrines, while the disciples learn in private the
explanation of the parables. For, privately, to His own disciples did
Jesus open up all things, esteeming above the multitudes those who
desired to know His wisdom. And He promises to those who believe on Him
to send them wise men and scribes.... And Paul also in the catalogue of
'Charismata' bestowed by God, placed first 'the Word of wisdom,' and
second, as being inferior to it, 'the word of knowledge,' but third, and
lower down, 'faith.' And because he regarded 'the Word' as higher than
miraculous powers, he for that reason places 'workings of miracles' and
'gifts of healings' in a lower place than gifts of the Word."[139]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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