LETTER OF ARISTEDES
Letter of Aristedes
Response to Dr. Kruger About Letter of Aristedes
Dr. Kruger writes: Aristides, a converted Athenian philosopher, wrote an apology to emperor Hadrian around 125 A.D. Dr. Michael Kruger came to the following conclusions based up the letter from the Athenian Philosopher of the 3rd century. The following are the Doctors statements, followed by my response. These responses are purely my opinion based on many years of research, meditation, and listening to the Divine voice of guidance, Wisdom, and Truth within.
Here are his numbered comments concerning his findings when studying the writings of Aristedes followed by my response.
1. The divinity of Jesus: “God came down from heaven…” In the mind of Aristides, Jesus is not an angel, or a semi-divine being, but the very God of heaven itself.
RESPONSE: First, we must define God. Source, first cause. The void from which all boundless and unlimited potentiality emanates. Everything that is made, is made of God stuff since that's all there was "in the beginning, the earth (matter) was formless (potential manifestation) and void." Now we get to Jesus. Statistically, proving a negative is an impossibility, therefore we already know that we cannot prove his physical existence beyond the shadow of a doubt or in a court of evidential law, and we also know we cannot ever prove his non-existence.
The message of this Jesus was that "the Kingdom of Heaven/God is within you." We do not come INTO this world, we come OUT of it. As a leaf from a branch, a branch, from a trunk, and a trunk from the roots. As above, so below. If Jesus were the ONLY God made flesh, he could not have have come to the conclusion as he said that "you will do greater things than I."
God is all there is, and all there is ... is God. The very source of life and energy cannot withdraw from the entirety of the universe to inhabit one solitary man. An "angel" is a messenger from the great within. A divine message. The word itself comes from the Greek "angelos" meaning "messenger." The winged creatures of pure white robes are mythical higher energy pure light elements (angles) having been anthropomorphized into physically visible supernatural beings.
2. The incarnation: “clothed himself with flesh.” In very vivid language, the author affirms that Jesus is God enfleshed; he took upon himself a real human body (contra the Docetists).
RESPONSE: The Divine God/Source was made manifest in mankind as the begotten sons and daughters of God. The Divine Spark, Christ Consciousness cannot operate in a physical world of matter without a body. Humanity - collectively, IS God ... clothed in flesh.
3. The virgin birth: “from a Hebrew virgin.” This doctrine flows naturally from the prior two. If Jesus is God, and he took on human flesh, then his conception would be distinctive from other human beings.
RESPONSE: First, the literal translation would've have been Almah in Hebrew and Parthena is Greek both meaning "young maiden" and not necessarily a virgin. However, esoterically virgin means more. Humanity was impregnated with the Divine Essence of God within, having never before entered a physical world of matter (mater means mother in Latin). This was also based on celestial astrotheology where the virgin (Virgo) carries a chaff of wheat (Bethel-hem; House of Bread). This has nothing to do with sex and its virginity. This is spiritual and involve no sex, therefore the representation of the virgin. This same theme was used for numerous Godmen prior to Jesus. This is the Divine Christ, inplanted within each and every human being that must be found, the ego must die on the cross, and the Divine must resurrect within each of us. The dissipation of illusion and the illumination of Truth.
4. The authority of the Gospels: “taught in the gospel…and you also if you read therein, may perceive the power which belongs to it.” Notice for Aristides, there are books called a “gospel” which you can “read” to learn more about the person of Jesus. Moreover, these gospels contain a certain “power” which the reader can discern.
RESPONSE: We do not know who the original writers of the synoptic gospels were ... but we do know they are all based on a document called "Q" for Quelle in German. This is the book of Mark, where Matthew and Luke were also derivatives. The power is not in the letter of the law, but in the Spirit. It's the Truths hidden in the myths that reach an apocalypse within (revelation, uncovering). Allegorical and metaphorical teachings were made literal and historical by the Roman Church to unite it's Empire under Constantine at the Council of Nicea in 325CE. The principle of god within man was made flesh at the council through the creation of one they named Iesous Christos ... Jesus Christ.
5. The authority of the apostles: “and he had twelve disciples.” Aristides recognizes that Jesus had an authority structure through the twelve that was necessary “so that the purpose of his incarnation might in time be accomplished.”
RESPONSE: There were no Apostles ... literally. Each of the 12 houses of the Zodiac revolve around the Sun of God and were anthropomorphized into 12 distinct personality types representing each of us. Paul, was a Gnostic Christian and taught the ancient Egyptian, Persian, and Greek Mysteries. Paul knew no human Jesus. His was Gnostic and Kabbalistic.
6. His death on the cross: “pierced by the Jews.” This is a clear reference to Jesus’ crucifixion under Pontius Pilate at the request of the Jewish leadership.
RESPONSE: Again, celestial cross from the heavens. The "X" of Constantine in battle, and the intersection of Spirit and Matter. The natural man (ego) must be crucified before the Divine Man (Christ) can resurrect. All these stories are myth, and part of the Inner Mysteries transmuting humanity into Divinity. Far too much to explain here. It would take pages. A JEW is NOT a Hebrew. A JEW is a IEW, IAO ... an illuminated one of God. Again, pages to explain. See my blog.
7. His resurrection: “after three days he rose.” Jesus did not stay in the grave but was raised from the dead.
RESPONSE: The 3 days are representative of the Sun standing still in the horizon every year between December 22-25. Then it resurrects and begins it's northward trek towards life, a new harvest of crops in the spring, and the cycle repeats every year. These were the 3 days in the belly of the earth and the three days before resurrection.
8. His ascension: “ascended into heaven.” Jesus returned to his former heavenly home, in a position of power and glory.
Our story ... not his-story. We resurrect the Christ within and eventually reunite with our Father God/Source in the unseen afterlife right here ... bringing heaven on earth. Father God (Spirit), reunited with Mother Earth (Matter), and The Begotten Child.
Just a thought ...
~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.