This parable told by Jesus in Luke 10:25-37 seems straight forward in its literal content, until, of course, we drill down and study its deeper ramifications. Cursory reading of this vital scripture is not sufficient for its intended outcome. For manifestation of this scripture into consciousness, there is much more inner involvement required. The reality is, this message has profound implications on how we interpret heaven and eternal life in our daily life and beyond. This article, using some pivotal scriptures in the second half, may help bring clarity in these matters in more practical ways.
As we can gather from the article’s title, it has two main themes: ‘love thy neighbor’ AND ‘the Good Samaritan’. Esoterically speaking, Luke 10:25-37 is presenting a wide range of codified life-growth ingredients for our journey unto finding Christ within, or, eternal life. On the surface level, yes, Luke 10:25-37 offers the very obvious lessons, of loving our neighbor, of being kind, moral and generous, but particularly with our love. No one would disagree with this in the slightest. But did we really need two vital commandments to remind us of what should be the natural expression for us humans? Surly deep down, as intelligent beings, the highest known of God’s creation, we would figure this to be obligatory human behavior? But Luke is not referring to the obvious obligatory standard of human behavior, but to something much more profound.
Something not Working
When we look at the state of global consciousness today, and the many conflicts raging throughout the world, from the aspect of peace and ‘love they neighbor,’ it becomes clear that something within the human species’ consciousness is not working. Some basic scriptural translations and understandings have not been grasped, not presented in cognizable detail. It further becomes obvious, that, preaching and generally talking to others about certain scriptures, without having first demonstrated such ourselves, is not compatible with the Bible’s Risen Christ within. In other words, ‘thinking about’ and ‘talking about’ — of sermonizing on love and peace, though well-intentioned — would seem not to be working in the greater global and societal consciousness.
In this context — notwithstanding the massive family of spirit-empowered souls generating peace-consciousness into the world, for which we’re all grateful — passive participation of literal scriptures generally can amount to merely storing popular scriptures for intellectual regurgitation, thereby, to ignore the undeniable imperative of direct Christ experiencing inherent within all of scripture’s deeper message.
According to Luke, in order to be living the above scripture in an automatic way, away from just memory referencing its content, activation of direct Christ-nature into consciousness should be a now-happening-priority. This is when vital scriptures really take form, begin crystallizing as ‘alive within’ for each of us, both in the material world and as eternity experiencing within consciousness.
Moving Beyond Belief Systems
In the beginning of our spiritual journey — while spiritual ignorance prevails — we adept and adhere to a set of common sense values based on moral standards, and this is fine. It’s how most of us, more or less, start out on our spiritual journey. But, when spiritual awakening actually begins — when all the inner mechanisms responsible for development of alive soul-based consciousness, are functioning as a Whole — then progress beyond literal conditioning, even our own, beyond religious dogma, commences. A broader range of insightful understanding begins surfacing into conscious awareness previously blocked due to subconscious programming. Spring-like activity begins clarifying perceptions of the relative and eternal realms. Newer insights sprout signifying the inner Teacher, the Holy spirit, has begun initiating consciousness in authentic spiritual-eternal matters. A state of unbounded awareness gradually replaces the previous soul-limiting belief systems, leading to an unshackled capacity of universal divine love.
This soul-freeing experience is consequent of the mind’s release from the clutches of generational subconscious conditioning. The inherited institutional, corporate, societal and early peer-pressure programming, incurred over many life-times (more on this further down). This conditioning-dynamic, maintained unwittingly by personal stress and by the mountain of imposed fear-ridden misunderstandings, are directly responsible for holding the soul in bondage, in spiritual hibernation.
Bringing conscious awareness to this soul-stifling condition is our number one job in life. The truth is, direct revelation of inner Christ awareness requires no outsider or institutional doctrine. Repetition of any message into the mind, from wherever or from whomever, can result in programmed patterns of belief behavior. This is how the advertising industry operates and survives. They’re masters at planting a subliminal message for their direct benefit in our brain. Beware! The truth is, divine nature is available to every soul freely and directly — when that soul ‘presents’ consciously within mind — without referencing previously installed programmed systems. In this way, Self-revelation, or, Holy Spirit in-tuition, ensues, and is the way of gaining direct Christ-nature without outsider interference. This inward approach reveals the how-why of our particular life situation or personal struggle. The practice disarms the automated subconscious response programming responsible for all personal and global suffering. This periodic release from mental tension and physical stress, caused by inner conflict, confusion, by contradicting belief systems, provides the clarity of mind from which we can develop inwardly, spiritually, on our journey of integration unto Resurrection and Redemption in Christ consciousness and eternal life.
Against this background, of the need of inner awakening as priority…
Let us now examine the importance of Jesus’ two commandments in Luke
Luke 10:25 puts it: A teacher of the law asked Jesus: “What must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus answered him: “what do the scriptures say? How do you interpret them? The man answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind”; and love your neighbor as you love yourself”. Jesus replied, Luke 10:28, “You are right, do this and you will live”. Then the teacher of the law asked Jesus, Luke 10:29, “who is my neighbor?”
Now, this truly is a most pivotal and poignant question.
I provide the scripture and embodied my paraphrasing.
Jesus answered with this Parable: Luke 10:30–35:
30, “A certain man (Adam, asleep soul in divine nature, living through spiritual ignorance) was going down (fall of man) from Jerusalem (higher self) to Jericho (lower-self: spiritual fall of man) when robbers (inner demons, wrong thinking, conditioning, addictions) attacked him, striped him, (a soul functioning without conscious Christ awareness and inner Truth) and beat him up, leaving him half dead (alive only to his lower carnal mind, and dead to his higher spiritual nature, similar to Lazarus, whom Christ raised from the spiritually dead state).
31, “It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by, on the other side” (the priest was still functioning out of left brain and lower ego).
32, “In the same way a Levite also came along, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by, on the other side” (the Levite had not attained a capacity of true compassionate love).
33, “But a Samaritan (Christ within) who was travelling that way, (Christ remains always with us, either consciously or unconsciously) came upon the man (soul in need of healing), and when he saw him his heart was filled with pity.” (direct experiencing through compassionate love).
34, “He went over to him (inner Christ is always available to each of us at our time of need, or, in response to intuitive seeking), poured oil (unconditional love) and wine on his wounds (that which separated soul from direct inner Christ) and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal (aligning the soul with Higher Self) and took him to an inn, (place of peace / love within leading to further spiritual advancement through inner awakening) where he took care of him” (commencement of journey unto Christ).
35, “The next day, (period of spiritual growth) he took out two silver coins (silver symbolizing medium of redemption, in this case the mediums being mind and body, our means of gaining conscious contact with Higher Self) and gave them to the innkeeper (instructed the conscious mind spiritually). ‘Take care of him’ he told the innkeeper, ‘and when I come back this way, (symbolizing second coming of Christ; Christ Realized within consciousness). I will pay you whatever else you spent on him” (soul gaining eternal life through Christ within).
Tangible Consciousness Transformation
“Love thy neighbor as thy self” is here referencing the requirement of ‘loving thy inner neighbor’, meaning, the integratory process of merging lower-self neighbor into becoming One neighbor in higher self – or, Jerusalem — without the ignorance nature of Jericho.
Esoterically, Luke 10:25-37 is proclaiming a need of tangible consciousness transformation out of the Adam / lower ego Jericho state into direct awareness experience of our own inner Christ, depicted here as the Good Samaritan – they are one and the same. When Christ / Good Samaritan consciousness is Mature within, then this will automatically be loving our lower neighbor, Jericho, UNCONDITIONALLY on a Higher level within.
Unconditional love is the big one. It’s not based on belief systems, religious dogma or creeds. Rather, Unconditional love is the pure ingredient of Good Samaritan status. Unconditional love is the awakened soul’s out-flowing of true compassionate love, not just for selected ones such as family members, but a universal state of Heart. Unconditional love is when the dominant lower ego is absent naturally, which was not the case with the Levi and the Priest.
Life’s Purpose
In qualifying the previous section, let us remind ourselves of Isaiah. When Isaiah 11:6 stated ‘the Lion (lower self / lower ego) shall lay down with the Lamb’ (higher self or indwelling Christ), this is referring to inner merging, this inner unifying process. ‘The Lion’ would be seen as King (of the jungle), hence the title, King Herod, representing the lower human ego. This unifying of higher and lower self, mentioned in scripture, is our individual life-purpose on earth. In this context, according to Luke 10:25—37 no matter what status in material or religious /spiritual life we’ve achieved, without the healing presence of compassionate Christ-Love, then the Good Samaritan connection within mind, body, soul, remains at ‘fall of man’ level.
The term ‘Good’, of course, does not mean the opposite of bad. Rather, Good is similar to the ‘Good’ News Bible, meaning, Off God, off Good nature, or, teachings of awakening Christ within.
Steps of Contacting Good Samaritan and Pure Silence
The question arises: how do we carry-out the integratory steps necessary for coming upon conscious Presence, conscious Wholeness, conscious Higher Self, conscious Christ, conscious Eternity? How do we love lower neighbor AS our higher-self neighbor?
Well, thankfully, WE don’t do it. Rather, the integratory process is carried on Transcendentally.But, there is a practicality involvement on our part.
Mental stillness, or, meditation, creates a ‘contact point’ of Now in the brain, which Now contact, over time, expands into conscious infinity, into Mature Christ or eternity consciousness — the Promised Land. The first step in this process of integration, is, establishing this ‘contact point’ in mind, this is brought about initially by mental stillness. This ‘contact point’ — say, a point between the eyebrows — then merges and expands the awareness into Pure Now Silence. Repeated practice establishes this ‘contact point’ in the brain, which, over time, expands into infinity, into Mature Christ consciousness. In this way, ‘contact point’ acts as a trigger for the asleep soul’s alarm clock to vibrate, thereby awakening the individual soul out of spiritual slumber – think Lazarus again — unto our core nature of eternal life. Without conscious contact with Pure Now Silence, expanded awareness, the conscious mind remains individual, without the cosmic, all-encompassing dimension, remains intellectual only, thereby, prisoner of the lower-self.
“You cannot go where I am going” John: 8-21
The reason why ‘contact’ with Now Silence is so vital, is that, the love emanating from lower self is not one and the same standard as divine love, which, as we said, is Unconditional Christ love. Therefore, in setting out towards gaining Unconditional love, it’s necessary that we enter fully into its actual experience. And, as said, we cannot give ourselves, or express Unconditional Divine love through a lower state, such as the carnal mind, we must learn — acclimatize the brain — then to transcend this lower nature by an inner-crucifying process, as related in John 8-21: “You (lower ego) cannot go, (in ego’s present state) where I (transcendental Christ nature) am going”.
The place where Jesus is going, as mentioned here in John 8:21, is in regard to the Higher Self — Jesus is transcending into the eternity of Christ within. The “you”, referred to by Jesus, represents the lower ego, which in its entirety comprises the 12 cranial nerves or, the 12 non spiritually awakened apostles. These 12 apostles or 12 tribes of Israel, are within each of us. They represent the lower personality, the aspects of our natural-man soul which are in need of integration into a spiritually functioning realm. In other words, the son of man, or, the lower-self, before becoming the Sod of God, Higher Self, must undergo inner crucifixion, leading to healing and renewal of vital nerve channel mechanisms. This in turn opens the links unto the Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Teacher, or Revelatory dynamic into our mind, which in turn brings about direct Christ awareness, or Divine Presence.
This integratory, transcendence imperative is mentioned also in Matthew 17:1-13 “Transfiguration on the Mount (transformation of lower nature into higher consciousness)”; meaning, Transfiguration of Peter, (ego) James, (mental mechanisms), and John, (human love)”.
Silence meditation is pivotal regards these last two scriptures. For, it’s during the mediational Now silence practice that our individual identity (the lower ego and all its associated false persona activity) ceases, become crucified. Our consciousness gradually becoming transformed, infused of Pure Silence, Joy, Rapture, which equates to Divine Good Samaritan nature. It’s this inner ‘contact’ with Pure Silence which establishes to reflect the Immutable Presence of God within consciousness; Eternity, which now permeates every muscle, nerve and cell of the body.
Many Births – what is this?
Each meditational encounter connects with Pure Silence, Higher Self, and, on coming out of meditation, the mind returns to its individuality, which is lost during the practice period. Such returning – after dying to lower-self — signifies a new birth. New birth, spiritually speaking, means, a New or Spiritually changed person within consciousness. Transcendental Silence transforms lower ego mind – son of man — into Christ Standard functioning. Thus, on our individual journey, of consciously finding our Higher Self, we must lose, or die to, the lower-self nature by means of inner Silence.‘Many births’ therefore, means, many meditational journeys into eternal Now silence, via mental stillness – where lower ego false personality dies — then re-emerging with a new spiritual personality, in the process thus rooting the consciousness in eternal Christ-nature.
Post Meditation Activity
Finally, in making Eternity Presence the permanent state of consciousness, then, post meditation engagement in some gentle mental or physical activity, is necessary. Post meditation activity is essential, in that, it establishes capacity for intuitive-based feelings to become ‘set-up’ on the nervous system. It cultures, not only the nervous system into withstanding the on-flow of blissful happiness and deep peace, the Rapture, but also awakens the five ordinary senses of perception into Heightened functionality; becoming re-orientated away from their habitual patterns of unconscious behavior and attraction. Also, post meditation activity helps bring about that vital resolute intellect, the unwavering mind rooting itself in one-pointedness – Matthew 6:22 “if thine eye be single”. Thereby, stability of thought, stability of thinking, stability of spirit- hearing, spirit-seeing, resulting in right thinking and spirit-based decision making. Thus bringing into action a spontaneity of Good Samaritan expression in our daily life.
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Wow Raymond. Thanks for this powerful contribution to the blog! I especially enjoyed your breakdown (in italics) of the esoteric meaning. The left brain / right brain – lower self / higher self was skillfully presented here. New students of esoteric interpretation often have trouble seeing how psychological the Bible really is. Not the psychologically of western philosophy, but as I like to see it, Eastern philosophy, which reveals the nature of man on the soul level better than Freud ever could, although he definitely has some aspects of the conscious and subconscious correct. But without a firm grasp of the two natures of man, which are the foundation to understanding of all scripture, one cannot see nor grasp the spiritual significance. And in addition you provided the practical application of how to live through the higher nature. You have effectively summed up the human experience in this one post through the journey of karma and the conscious outcome if we choose it.
Your definitions of esoteric concepts are spot on, from Jericho to the Lion mentioned in Isaiah. I’m curious. What was your own path in unveiling the symbols for yourself? Have you consulted ancient literature, or what it an internal revelation, or both. Both paths are valid, because when intuition kicks in the path is the same end result, but I am genuinely curious. Great job!
Blessings.
Josh, thank you so much for this really interesting comment. Also, thanks for your overall enthusiasm expressed in it.
Your question about did I consult ancient literature or was it internal revelation, well, the answer is both, plus the help of other enlightened souls mirroring our own instinctive feelings.
After starting a specific meditation practice over forty years ago, this practice was carried on simultaneously with reading and of gaining understanding of the interpretation of the Bhagavad-Gita and other supporting literature in this genre. Here I found amazing similarities of the message contained in both the Bible and the Bhagavad-Gita, but simply expressed through different wording and concepts: both referring to states of psychological and spiritual development within the person.
Once accepted that scriptures were not real events that happened at some point in time, that the scriptures were allegorical, then, for me, defining symbolism’s and particular ancient sentences was more about consciousness development and left/right brain integration and the ability of applying such to given passages of scriptures. For, as you say, Josh, the Bible is more about human psychology — the human condition — than about historical events.
Blessings
Man, Raymond, this is really good!!!!! Especially ” Moving Beyond… ” section.
You’ve got a book in there somewhere!!!
I was told that the hermeneutics behind the word Torah, point to the Torah being a “way or path”
Not ” The Law”
Peace
Louis, thank you kindly for this comment. Delighted at your relating to ‘Moving beyond beliefs systems’.
Yes, as i understand it, the word ‘way’ or ‘path’ is referring to the inner spiritual means/way — a path in consciousness of coming upon our own inner Christ nature and its outward expression.
Blessings
The outer Church of Peter vs the inner Church of John 🙂
I was surprised at the root of the word “Torah because (in my view) it displays that, yet again, sadly, the ancient Jews ( like virtually all other humans ) devolved into legalism really quickly….weeks? If the root of Torah was “The Law” that would be an honest representation of the thing, but its not, again, its “path or way”
We all know “sin” is actually ‘missing the mark’…not “breaking the law” but nobody was taught that as a child. It was the 1990’s Evangelicals that talked about the hermenutics (sp) behind the word “sin”
But the thing for me is it’s exactly the same with all the major religions.
I guess the ultimate would be actual civic law (theocracy) and of course war.
Buddha same deal. Legalism was such a concern like centuries ago that followers would say that ‘you stink of legalism’
Rant off.
Great stuff Raymond.
Thanks Louis for the extra comment.
Blessings
Hello Raymond:
Second paragraph, please replace “surly” with “surely”. Big difference! (smile!)
My petty suggestion aside, your post is terrific and fortuitous in that it addresses questions that I was asking a day earlier. Thank you for your erudition, discernment, and givingness.
Agreed Judith 🙂
Hello, Judith.
Thank you very much for your generous comment. Really good to read that the article’s content was on something that you were actively seeking insight on!
Smiles indeed on the typo, and the difference between the words. Well spotted and thank you for that.
Blessings
Hello Raymond, I really enjoyed this article. Just last week I was exploring the difference between The Good Samaritan and Christ. Thank you so much for the link to your book which I will be reading very soon.
Ken
Hi Ken. Really happy to read that you were actually exploring the subject of the Good Samaritan and Christ only last week. Delighted you enjoyed reading the article, Thank you for this nice comment.
Blessings
Couldn’t think of a better way to kick of the year
than a post that challenges me to dig deeper and deeper
Been reading your blogs for a bit Raymond.
Just saying thanks to you, Josh and other contributors.
I’m looking forward to greater spiritual growth and sharing with as many as I can.
Hello Ray,
Thanks for the nice comment, and great to hear that you’re finding the posts here on SOS of benefit. Yes, there’s nothing more fulfilling, that of coming into newer depths of spiritual awareness, than through conscious endeavor.
Blessings
Thank you Raymond for writing such an inspirational piece.
I would like to add a few things which I feel will strengthen your analysis. A logical person does not need laws such as; do not kill, do not steal etc. These are basic values we all share and we have earthly establishments that deal with committing such crimes. Scripture clearly says that the law is spiritual and therefore can only be applied spiritually, so the nature of this neighbour has a spiritual intent and here I would like to add that there are two words used in the original Greek text. The one used in the story of the good Samaritan is ‘pleision’ not ‘geitonas’.
The word ‘geitonas suggest more of a locality such as a neighbourhood, the neighbour within this locality and it is used only six times in the entire scriptures; Exo 3:22, Jer 30:4, Luke 14;12, 15:6, 15:9 and John 9:8. The word ‘pleision’ however, is on a more personal level, right next to someone and is used every other time in scripture.
My point being that this word signifies the one next to you, your neighbour, the Christ within, not just any other human being.
Also the word for transfiguration is ‘metamorphosis” in the original Greek text which translates as metamorphosis. A literal translation, ‘meta’ which means ‘after’ and ‘morphosis’ which means taking form. The word morphosis is also used to suggest someone educated. The whole story of the mount of transfiguration is about the spiritual metamorphosis of the soul, from the lower realms, the cocoon, transforming into a butterfly, the higher realms. This story line has more to give in the sense that 2 gospel writers say it was around the sixth day when they ascended into the mountain and Luke tells us it was on the eighth. These are not contradictions but in fact point to the tabernacle in the wilderness and its measurements in order to give more insight and depth.
Thank you again for yours and also Joshua’s insight. Always a pleasure to read all the articles.
‘
Kris, thank you kindly for the extra information which I found really interesting. I love the butterfly analogy. And, strangely, I was actually pondering this concept in mind when writing the article. I remember some years ago watching time exposure footage of the butterfly process: from larvae to caterpillar to butterfly. Talk about miracles! Absolutely astonishing!
I fully agree with your points about the ‘thou shall nots’: that these terms are inner referring. And, like so many scriptures, the literal versions, that we were taught in religion classes, bear no resemblance to esoteric understanding and the metamorphic process of inner spiritual [butterfly] awakening.
Blessings
Just wanted to say thank you for such insightful readings and teachings.
Always lifting my heart
Hi Robert,
Good to hear from you, and thank you so much for this nice comment. Really happy you’re finding the articles here on SOS uplifting.
Blessings