Editorial February 9, 1952 Issue

SELF-IMMOLATION

Robert Ellis Key

When Jesus prayed the great prayer recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John's Gospel, it is noticeable that he began by glorifying the Christ, the Son of God. We read, "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee."

This prayer was the prelude to a great spiritual experience. Jesus was shortly to be unjustly accused, unlawfully tried, and cruelly crucified. The attempts of his enemies to destroy him were rendered void by his understanding of God, the Father, to whom his prayer before the crucifixion was addressed.

Mary Baker Eddy defines the word Father in the Glossary of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 586), as follows: "Eternal Life; the one Mind; the divine Principle, commonly called God." The God to whom Jesus addressed his prayer was the God who is Life, and surely no better approach to God could have been made at that time when death threatened him. Jesus' selfless approach to his problems is noticeable. His opening words of prayer come to us all with inspired meaning. He did not commence by glorifying himself as a mortal or by asking deliverance for his material selfhood. He commenced in deep humility by glorifying the Christ and recognizing that the Christ would glorify him as he prayed in true humility and spiritual sincerity.

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