A record of eternal life
For the lesson titled "Probation After Death" from April 16-22, 2012
This declaration is repeated in the King James Version (cit. 2). Faith in the gospel, the “good news” that Jesus taught about His Father’s everlasting love, is the essential element.
In the Responsive Reading, the disciple Thomas asks the question, “How can we know the way?” Jesus responds, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:5, 6). In other words, no one can truly know the Father until he or she accepts the evidence of His ever-present love. And Science and Health says, “Jesus taught the way of Life by demonstration, that we may understand how this divine Principle heals the sick, casts out error, and triumphs over death” (p. 25, cit. 1).
In Section IV, we begin to see evidence of this promise of eternal life in the account in Mark’s Gospel of the transfiguration of Jesus (9:2–9, cit. 11). The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible says transfiguration “denotes the visible change in the personal appearance of Jesus, who at that moment had an unusual radiance and nonearthly appearance” (p. 957).
Mark tells us that Jesus’ disciples, his witnesses, “were sore afraid.” There are similarities to Moses’ transfiguration when he was given the Law on Mount Sinai: “And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him” (Exodus 34:30). In both cases, this radiant change in countenance was evidence of their communion with God and their unique relationship with Him. Moses was God’s lawgiver, and Jesus, His beloved Son.
In Mark’s account, the voice “out of the cloud” parallels God’s declaration of Jesus’ divine sonship when baptized by John (see Mark 1:11). In the transfiguration passage, God declares, “This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Mark 9:7). Peake’s Commentary on the
Bible explains: “Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets: their very presence is a sign that Jesus is Messiah, and this is probably the primary significance of the Marcan narrative” (p. 809).
In Mark, Jesus, as the Messiah, becomes our Way-shower. As we obey the divine demand to “hear him,” and follow his teaching and healing mission, we are enabled to begin to demonstrate eternal life in our present experience. Science and Health states, “God, Life, Truth, and Love make man undying” (p. 427, cit. 17). Jesus’ raising of Lazarus is evidence of this (see John 11:1–44, cit. 14).
In John 20:25, Thomas demands proof of the resurrection. Eight days later, Jesus responds, “Reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (cit. 19). Thomas, chastened, learns faith is required for the spiritual understanding that transcends the material beliefs of human existence. Science and Health says, “Man’s privilege at this supreme moment is to prove the words of our Master: ‘If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death’ ” (p. 428, cit. 29). And First John 5:11 confirms that “this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (cit. 22).
The way to experience this freedom from the limitations of time and space is found in the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus was the messenger. The Christ is the message. What is required is our trust in God’s message of life and love already present in His eternal creation.
