"As far as to Bethany"

George Shaw Cook

The Gospels tell us that after the resurrection Jesus was seen first by Mary Magdalene, later by the two on their way to Emmaus, and afterwards by the disciples at different places where they were gathered. Finally, when he was with the disciples in Jerusalem, just before the ascension, Luke's Gospel records that "he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."

It is interesting to note that Jesus chose for the scene of his departure from his friends "the town of Mary and her sister Martha," where previously he had raised their brother, Lazarus, from the dead. Jesus was not accustomed to act impulsively. His acts were the result of his demonstration of divine intelligence, and were always in harmony with and in obedience to the will of God. As he himself said at one time, "I do always those things that please him." Therefore it may be assumed that in choosing Bethany as the place for his ascension, he did so deliberately and as the result of divine leading.

Through his constantly growing understanding of the allness of Mind, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter, Jesus could, without doubt, have made the demonstration of ascension while yet in Jerusalem. However, he led his friends forth from Jerusalem, where he had been misunderstood, hated, tried, and crucified, to the place where he had been loved and appreciated, and where he had made his most wonderful demonstration for others, namely, the restoration to life and action of his friend, Lazarus, after he had been in the tomb four days. May not Jesus' choice of Bethany, then, have been due to the fact that there he was sure to find a friendly and sympathetic mental atmosphere? Conversely, it is written of him (Matthew 13:58) that in a certain other place "he did not many mighty works ... because of their unbelief." Viewed in this light, it seems quite natural that Jesus should have sought out Bethany for what Mary Baker Eddy has referred to on page 117 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" as "his mighty, crowning, unparalleled, and triumphant exit from the flesh."

The ministry of Jesus exemplified progress in all that he said and did, from the turning of water into wine to his ascension above matter and his disappearance from human sight. Figuratively, the journey from Cana of Galilee to Bethany was a long one, but the way was marked by milestones of glorious achievement. During his marvelous career he healed the sick and the sinning, walked on the water, raised the daughter of Jairus who had just died, raised the widow's son who was being carried out to burial, called Lazarus forth from the tomb, and later, himself "stepped forth from his gloomy resting-place, crowned with the glory of a sublime success, an everlasting victory," as Mrs. Eddy says on page 45 of Science and Health, referring to his resurrection.

The resurrection of Jesus may be said to have been a demonstration of Mind over matter, in which so called material laws were annulled through the enforcement of divine or spiritual law. In the ascension he rose in thought entirely above the belief that he lived in or because of matter, and fully discerned his true selfhood to be the invisible, spiritual expression of that Life which is without beginning and without end. He proved, in this demonstration, his preexistence as the forever reflection of Spirit, Mind, God. And thus he disappeared from the material and limited perception of his friends. As our Leader puts it on page 46 of Science and Health, "In his final demonstration, called the ascension, which closed the earthly record of Jesus, he rose above the physical knowledge of his disciples, and the material senses saw him no more."

Christian Scientists, understanding, in a degree, the teachings of Jesus, and having, in a measure, demonstrated this understanding, grasp to some extent the metaphysical meaning of the resurrection and ascension of the Master. They see in it absolute proof, not only of the powerlessness of envy and hate, but of the transcendent power of Christ, Truth, to overcome and annul the claims of matter and mortality. Through this understanding they are being resurrected, day by day, from belief in materiality. They are proving the unreality of sin, disease, suffering, and sorrow. As the result of ever increasing understanding and of greater proofs, they expect that eventually Christ, the spiritual idea of God, will lead them out as far as to Bethany" and enable them, as it enabled Jesus, to demonstrate their divine sonship. Thus they expect to prove, sooner or later, their indestructible unity and oneness with God, divine Principle in whom the spiritual individuality and identity of His children is found to be forever intact.

George Shaw Cook

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