Two thoughts: The earliest Christians were called “followers of the Way,” and there are echoes of this in the gospels, which talk of Jesus being “in the way,” usually referring to his path to Jerusalem (for a good example, see Mark 10:32. The gospels are partially organized around this idea, of the Way Jesus led up during the last week of His life from Bethany to His Passion in Jerusalem being especially important. This is the path of Holy Week. It’s a culmination. And it’s also symbolic for Christians, who are to take the literal Way Jesus trod and apply it to their lives in a spiritual and ritual sense. “Take up your cross and follow Me.”
It’s the path that leads up and through the suffering of life and ends in the rending of the veil, a personal knowing of God through Christ.
We know God when we partake of the things He has shown us—the way, the truth, and the life.
The second thing that stood out to me is this emphasis on creation through naming. The ancient Hebrews understood something very like that. Things were not fully created until they were separated, organized, and named. This is the fundamental principle of the Genesis account. And Adam was invited to partake in creation through naming. In the NT, then, we become reborn when we take upon us the name of Christ. We are recreated and brought to a new order, separated from the world.
Eric, I liked what you wrote about taking up our cross. The cross is a symbol of death: as Paul taught, we lay down our life for Christ's sake and take it back up again in His name. "Look, all things have become new!". In my own translation of the Tao, I've been playing with the idea that King Benjamin puts forth in his sermon from the Book of Mormon. Living on Earth, being separated from God, we are "no-thing"; in other words, we are "un-named" (like you pointed out) we exist in a state of partial "creation" or "completion". By taking Christ's name upon us, we initiate a process that eventually culminates in the completion of our creation. Our carnality is gradually replaced by Saint-hood. The Greek word for "Saint", Hagios, has connotations of sharing in Divine Nature; more than just being separate from the world, we become united with heaven.
If you recall, from King Benjamin's speech, his audience was full of good people who kept the Law of Moses. And yet, he still refers to his people (and mankind) as "less than the dust of the earth" and "unprofitable servants". I don't think this was a comment on our own worth as human beings but rather a lesson that no amount of obedience for obedience's sake constitutes the Path that returns us to God. Because when we keep God's commandments "he doth immediately bless you...therefore, of what have ye to boast?" Maybe this is why "the Way that can be Followed is not the Eternal Way". Something more than obedience is required. As Christ taught, He is the Gate. He is also the Good Shepherd that leads us to Fertile Valleys. He gathers us in like a Hen gathers her chicks. His arms are outstretched still.
Only in embracing the Savior, taking up our cross, sharing in His death and resurrection, putting our old self to death and taking up new life by receiving His Divine Name, do we find the Path to Eternal Life, the True Way of Heaven.
Ethan, this is wonderful! Can't wait to share with you what I've written once I get out of being bogged down by my research, haha. I'm still in the middle of working through the translation process. I've decided to take on what I'm calling a 'living translation' of the text. Instead of a literal translation, I'm using blocks of text to express the spirit of the passage.
Two thoughts: The earliest Christians were called “followers of the Way,” and there are echoes of this in the gospels, which talk of Jesus being “in the way,” usually referring to his path to Jerusalem (for a good example, see Mark 10:32. The gospels are partially organized around this idea, of the Way Jesus led up during the last week of His life from Bethany to His Passion in Jerusalem being especially important. This is the path of Holy Week. It’s a culmination. And it’s also symbolic for Christians, who are to take the literal Way Jesus trod and apply it to their lives in a spiritual and ritual sense. “Take up your cross and follow Me.”
It’s the path that leads up and through the suffering of life and ends in the rending of the veil, a personal knowing of God through Christ.
We know God when we partake of the things He has shown us—the way, the truth, and the life.
The second thing that stood out to me is this emphasis on creation through naming. The ancient Hebrews understood something very like that. Things were not fully created until they were separated, organized, and named. This is the fundamental principle of the Genesis account. And Adam was invited to partake in creation through naming. In the NT, then, we become reborn when we take upon us the name of Christ. We are recreated and brought to a new order, separated from the world.
Eric, I liked what you wrote about taking up our cross. The cross is a symbol of death: as Paul taught, we lay down our life for Christ's sake and take it back up again in His name. "Look, all things have become new!". In my own translation of the Tao, I've been playing with the idea that King Benjamin puts forth in his sermon from the Book of Mormon. Living on Earth, being separated from God, we are "no-thing"; in other words, we are "un-named" (like you pointed out) we exist in a state of partial "creation" or "completion". By taking Christ's name upon us, we initiate a process that eventually culminates in the completion of our creation. Our carnality is gradually replaced by Saint-hood. The Greek word for "Saint", Hagios, has connotations of sharing in Divine Nature; more than just being separate from the world, we become united with heaven.
If you recall, from King Benjamin's speech, his audience was full of good people who kept the Law of Moses. And yet, he still refers to his people (and mankind) as "less than the dust of the earth" and "unprofitable servants". I don't think this was a comment on our own worth as human beings but rather a lesson that no amount of obedience for obedience's sake constitutes the Path that returns us to God. Because when we keep God's commandments "he doth immediately bless you...therefore, of what have ye to boast?" Maybe this is why "the Way that can be Followed is not the Eternal Way". Something more than obedience is required. As Christ taught, He is the Gate. He is also the Good Shepherd that leads us to Fertile Valleys. He gathers us in like a Hen gathers her chicks. His arms are outstretched still.
Only in embracing the Savior, taking up our cross, sharing in His death and resurrection, putting our old self to death and taking up new life by receiving His Divine Name, do we find the Path to Eternal Life, the True Way of Heaven.
Well said.
@Joshua Miller, here is a little something I wrote a couple years ago in line with your project!
Ethan, this is wonderful! Can't wait to share with you what I've written once I get out of being bogged down by my research, haha. I'm still in the middle of working through the translation process. I've decided to take on what I'm calling a 'living translation' of the text. Instead of a literal translation, I'm using blocks of text to express the spirit of the passage.
That sounds great! Extremely interested to read it!