Posted by Harrach on May 2, 2004, at 10:30:45
In reply to Re: Anyone here had a 'body full of light' ? » Harrach, posted by simus on May 1, 2004, at 2:37:49
> > Jesus said on the Mount that 'if your eye is single, your whole body shall be full of light' (Matt6:22). Luke (11:36) adds, 'if then your whole body is full of light, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light'.
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> Harrach,
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> Jesus often spoke in parables when He was teaching the multitudes. This is the case in the verses you cited. Later He would usually pull His disciples aside and explain what the parable representations meant.
>I take it that neither you nor I were on the Mount and had Jesus' words firsthand. There are religious scholars who believe that the sermon
was a combined wisdom of the early Christian community. Indeed if you read through the symbolism of the sacred mountain, you'll find that unlike Moses who was meeting with God alone on Horeb/Sinai which was forbidden to all other living creatures, Jesus brought in a multitude of the poor in spirit who yearned to see what he saw, and to be what he was. They were with him to face God. He did not speak to them in parables.
> The body referred to is the body of Christ.
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> "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." 1 Cor 12:27
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> The "light" is Jesus Himself, as told in the Gospel or the "Good News" of Jesus Christ, the means of our salvation.
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> "Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life." John 8:12
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> The eye refers to our means of perception. A single eye is a focused perspective. Satan had blinded the unbelievers to the light of the "good news" of the Gospel.
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> "For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God." 2 Cor 4:4
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> But the truth of the Gospel is that that through Jesus, the Gentiles (unbelievers) can become part of the body of Christ.
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> "This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 3:6
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> Therefore, the verses you cited mean that if the focus of the church as a whole and the members individually keep our focus on Jesus Christ and His Gospel, we will not walk in error, but in truth and unity and in Christ Himself.You see, I don't have a problem with this. But, there are a lot of people out there - some of them not Christian - who actually experience during an acstasy the sensations that are described as 'illumination', or a 'body full of light'. Those are the ones I wanted to engage.
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> I am not a great Bible scholar (probably should have started with this disclaimer - LOL), but I pray that helps you a little.
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> Be blessed.Neither am I, and I thank you.
poster:Harrach
thread:341110
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20040408/msgs/342442.html