Editorial January 14, 1939 Issue

The Power of Truth

Duncan Sinclair

In the fourth verse of the fourth chapter of Luke's Gospel is recorded Jesus' reply to the tempter: "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." In the thirty-second verse is a reference to the people of Capernaum who had heard the Master speak and had seen the marvels he performed: "And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power." And in the thirty-sixth verse further mention is made of the wonderment caused by the obvious authority with which Jesus spoke and healed the sick: "And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out."

Wherein lay the strength of the appeal of Jesus' doctrine? The teaching of Christian Science makes plain that both his doctrine and the power of its appeal resulted from his understanding of spiritual truth. He knew the truth, the absolute truth, and this knowledge gave him the ability to destroy all manner of evil belief. God did not speak to him in human language; God revealed to him His spiritual ideas; and it was these ideas which he utilized in meeting the difficulties of mankind, difficulties which arose from mankind's acceptance of the suggestions of material sense. Christ Jesus was the Saviour of mankind in that he saved humanity from its erroneous beliefs through his understanding of the spiritual idea, the Christ-idea, of God.

Christian Science shows that the spiritual truth which was understood and demonstrated by Jesus is as available today to meet the problems of mankind as it was when he taught by the sunlit waters of the Galilean Sea. For spiritual truth is as changeless as God Himself. Jesus knew the changelessness of Truth, and his constant effort was directed to proving its power over the inharmonious beliefs of men, thus bringing home to them Truth's availability. God was his Father and their Father. The Father's love and care for His children were ever uppermost in his thought; and his constant desire was that his followers should know of this love, and be able to avail themselves of it at all times.

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