Editorial April 12, 1913 Issue

BIBLE STUDY

Annie M. Knott

In the fifth chapter of John's gospel we find a lengthy discourse by Christ Jesus on the subject of life as spiritually understood, and this teaching follows the account of the remarkable healing of a man who had for thirty-eight years been a helpless sufferer. After the healing, when Jesus again met him, he bade him "sin no more," lest a worse thing come upon him. We are also told that so far from rejoicing over the healing of this man, those who heard of it persecuted Jesus, "and sought to slay him." This blind antagonism to Truth, however, only served as an opportunity for the Master to reveal the true meaning of life, and its entire separation from sin and death.

Jesus doubtless spoke to those who were familiar with the Old Testament, for he said to them: "Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life" (Rev. Ver.). Those who are today searching the Scriptures in the light of divine Science are seeking life as Jesus presented it, life which is not subject to sin, disease, or death, and what is more, they are finding it in the ratio of their spirituality. Respecting the Bible, our revered Leader says: "The Scriptures are very sacred. Our aim must be to have them understood spiritually," to which she adds: "Inspired thought relinquishes a material, sensual, and mortal theory of the universe, and adopts the spiritual and immortal" (Science and Health, p. 547).

In establishing the Lesson-Sermons, the purpose of our Leader was to enable all who were willing to accept the truth of being, as taught in Christian Science, to "lay hold on eternal life," and this can be done only as we rise above material belief and grasp the spiritual fact. It was therefore of the utmost importance that the word of Truth as therein set forth should be "uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses" (Quarterly, explanatory note). It should be readily seen that the less we depend upon any so-called "Bible helps" in the study of the Lesson-Sermon, the better will be the results in every case. It is safe to say that none of these books were prepared from the view-point of the allness of Spirit and spiritual law, consequently they cannot aid us in demonstrating the unreality of matter and mortal belief, and they may lead us to depend upon the letter, rather than upon the spirit which "giveth life."

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