The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore - Deepak Chopra

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Product Details

ISBN:9780307338310

Title: The Third Jesus

Subtitle: The Christ We Cannot Ignore

Author: Chopra, Deepak

Publisher: Harmony

Spirituality - General

Jesus christ

Christian Theology - Christology

Copyright: 2008

Publication February 2008

Binding: Hardcover

Language: English

Pages: 241

Dimensions: 9.50x6.54x1.12 in. 1.19 lbs.

 

Who is Jesus Christ?

 

In The Third Jesus, bestselling author and spiritual leader Deepak

Chopra provides an answer to this question that is both a challenge

to current systems of belief and a fresh perspective on what Jesus

can teach us all, regardless of our religious background. There is

not one Jesus, Chopra writes, but three.

 

First, there is the historical Jesus, the man who lived more than two

thousand years ago and whose teachings are the foundation of

Christian theology and thought. Next there is Jesus the Son of God,

who has come to embody an institutional religion with specific dogma,

a priesthood, and devout believers. And finally, there is the third

Jesus, the cosmic Christ, the spiritual guide whose teaching embraces

all humanity, not just the church built in his name. He speaks to the

individual who wants to find God as a personal experience, to attain

what some might call grace, or God-consciousness, or enlightenment.

 

When we take Jesus literally, we are faced with the impossible. How

can we truly “love thy neighbor as thyself”? But when we see the

exhortations of Jesus as invitations to join him on a higher

spiritual plane, his words suddenly make sense.

 

Ultimately, Chopra argues, Christianity needs to overcome its

tendency to be exclusionary and refocus on being a religion of

personal insight and spiritual growth. In this way Jesus can be seen

for the universal teacher he truly is–someone whose teachings of

compassion, tolerance, and understanding can embrace and be embraced

by all of us.

 

Review

" In this book, Deepak Chopra proposes a Copernican revolution in our

understanding of Christianity by replacing the theological version of

the holy trinity with the triptych of Jesus as possessing a human, an

institutional and a mystical dimension. By emphasizing the mystical

dimension and identifying Jesus as a spiritual revolutionary, he

invites Christianity to perform yet another miracle in his name- that

of transforming the world once again. "

—Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor of Comparative Religion, Faculty of

Religious Studies, McGill University

 

" The hardest thing to see is what is hidden in plain sight. After 20

centuries of doctrine and dogma we have nearly lost sight of the

Jesus who was a wandering teacher of mystical truths. In his

imaginative reconstruction of the inner meaning of the gospels,

Deepak Chopra reminds us of The Third Jesus, the enlightened master

of God-consciousness. It will disturb the minds of the orthodox, and

delight the spirits of mystics and progressive Christians. "

—Sam Keen, Philosopher and Author, Sightings: Extraordinary

Encounters with Ordinary Birds

 

" An insightful and clarifying glimpse into the life of one of the

most radical spiritual teachers the world has known. Chopra gives us

the gift of knowing that we may walk in the enlightened footsteps of

our brother, Jesus the Christ. "

—Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder Agape International Spiritual

Center and author of Inspirations of the Heart, 40 Day Mind Fast Soul

Feast, A Manifesto of Peace

 

" In The Third Jesus Deepak Chopra unfolds for us the spirit of Jesus

and with a reverence that is at once simple and profound makes his

spirit accessible to us in our everyday lives. "

—Father Paul Keenan, Host, " As You Think, " The Catholic

Channel/Sirius 159

 

" Distinguishing between the historical Jesus and the Christ of

Theology and Philosophy developed over 17 centuries Dr. Chopra

captures an intriguing vision of a " Third Jesus, " who, while living

on Earth, developed a deep relationship with God. Deepak calls

this " God-consciousness. " Dr. Chopra brilliantly uses the sayings of

Jesus to demonstrate how his basic mission and ethic of love grew out

of his God-consciousness. Through Jesus' own words and spiritual

exercises Deepak beautifully elucidates a beginning, middle and unity

pathway for growing in deep God-consciousness to anchor our life on

earth and our life after death. "

—Rev. Edward J. Ruetz, retired Catholic priest of the Diocese of Fort

Wayne/South Bend in Indiana

 

" Dr. Deepak Chopra's analyses and interpretations of the sayings of

Jesus, in the form of " Comment, " breathe renewed life into those

sayings. Chopra's work brings the teachings of Jesus into sharp focus

with a marvelous, modern touch of insight from the vantage of both

Eastern and Western thought. With the thought of Jesus's model in

hand, Chopra provides the reader with a spiritual path of exercises --

a remarkably renewed practice in search of a higher reality, helping

to cause a connection between reader and God. The views Chopra

imparts are definitely worth the effort to undertake this

enlightening journey of reading and practice. "

—Ben Christensen, Ph.D., Prof. Emeritus Dean of the San Diego School

of Christian Studies First United Methodist Church of San Diego, CA

 

" Jesus has now long since escaped the confines of church,

Christianity and even 'religions.' Chopra's book thoughtfully

presents a Jesus who is paradoxically both closer to the original and

more available to post-modern people than the stained glass version.

The book is bound to provoke both admiration and condemnation which,

come to think of it, the maverick Galilean rabbi also did. "

—Harvey Cox, author, When Jesus Came to Harvard, Hollis Professor of

Divinity at Harvard

 

" Chopra's book The Third Jesus reminds me of the theological work of

one of history's greatest humanitarians and the 1952 Nobel Peace

Prize Laureate, Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Schweitzer wrote extensively

about Jesus and challenged much of the prevailing theology regarding

Jesus' life and ideas. Chopra is Schweitzer's equal in bringing to

light a fresh and profound way to experience the teachings of Jesus. "

—David T. Ives, Executive Director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute

at Quinnipiac University

 

" In this book a man shaped by the religions of the East introduces

the West to a Jesus we have either lost or have never known. That is

itself a stunning concept, but Deepak Chopra is a stunning man. He

explores what he calls the 'Christ Consciousness,' which can be

identified neither with the Jesus of history nor with the Jesus of

the creeds, the doctrines and the dogmas of the ecclesiastical

institution. This 'Third Jesus' can be seen only when we move into a

new human awareness that will carry us beyond tribe, prejudice and

even beyond our religious systems. As a Christian, I welcome his

insights into my Jesus and his provocative call to me to enter

the 'Christ Consciousness' and thus to become more deeply and

completely human. "

—John Shelby Spong, Retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of

Newark, Author, Jesus for the Non-Religious

 

" In this intriguing study of the sayings of Jesus, Deepak Chopra

gently releases this highly evolved spiritual teacher, light of the

world and son of God from the limitations of dogmatic theology. With

profound wisdom and clarity Deepak offers the amazing suggestion that

the same God-consciousness embodied in the human Jesus is present in

all of us individually and collectively. In a spirit of humble

knowingness Deepak encourages us to look deep into the mirror of our

collective souls and ponder the question Jesus continues to ask " Who

do YOU say that I AM ? "

—Sister Judian Breitenbach, Catholic order of the Poor Handmaids of

Jesus Christ, Founder of the Sari Asher Namaste' Center in LaPorte,

Indiana

 

" The book makes God accessible to those who find God distant,

troublesome, or both. Chopra rescues Jesus from the confusion of the

ever multiplying schools of Biblical criticism. The book shows us how

to investigate, in a new way, Jesus--the mysterious man with divine

awareness. Chopra resolves contradictions in Jesus' sayings, sharpens

our understanding of Jesus' teachings, and guides us in the

application of Jesus' teachings. Jesus comes into focus. We gain new

expectations of what the spiritual life looks like. The book calls

even to those who have lost any sense of God. By following the book's

practical applications, they, too, may find the universe meaningful

instead of indifferent. This is a book to read, re-read, and

incorporate into one's life. "

—Bonnie Bobzien, MD, Member of board of directors of San Diego School

of Christian Studies

 

" Literate, mainstream Christians will welcome Chopra's championing

before the world, the meaning of their commitment to action,

practice, 'ortho-praxis,' following the only absolutely unambiguous

demands of Jesus on his followers recorded in the New Testament:

serving the poor, loving neighbor and even enemies. It is the most

effective response to the Dawkins' crowd who never even mention the

Bishop Robinsons, Martin King, Dietrich Bonhoeffers, Mother Teresas

who by their actions, have shown their faith in this Jesus Christ. "

—Rustum Roy, Evan Pugh Professor of the Solid State Emeritus,

Professor of Science Technology and Society Emeritus, The

Pennsylvania State University

 

" 'God created man and woman in His image,'a biblical poet reminds us.

Deepak Chopra has returned the compliment. He joins other incisive

minds who have reflected on Jesus as 'the true light who enlightens

every person' (John 1:9). Jefferson, for example, revered Jesus

as 'the first of human Sages.'He looked like Jefferson–dignified,

brainy and humorless. Assertive, rabble-rousing Malcolm X told

Playboy magazine in 1963 'Christ was a black man.' Was it

coincidental that his ebony Jesus bristled at the status quo as he

flashed revolutionary rhetoric? Chopra engagingly describes Jesus as

looking much like Deepak. Jesus enlightens us, creating a

helpful 'path to God-consciousness.' Jesus can't be contained within

stultifying Christian creeds and arid Church traditions that deify

him. Yes, he is divine, for Chopra in the sense that he divines a way

to Cosmic Consciousness. Here's energy within that settles us down,

excites our passions we look up to capture them and points us back to

Jesus, the savant who makes us conscious of the good, the true and

the beautiful. "

—The Reverend Dr. Jack R. Van Ens, Creative Growth Ministries,

Christian dramatist and commentator for the Vail Daily

 

" The message of Jesus was clear, simple and direct. But within a

generation of his passion it was compromised in order to accommodate

the widely conflicting views among those who claimed to follow him.

In Deepak Chopra's new book you will find much thought- provoking

material related to this compromise which will elucidate many

sensitive issues that have perplexed believers for centuries. In

contrast to a message originally intended to inspire people to the

wonders of a world reborn in God, the emphasis nowadays makes it

almost impossible to think of Jesus or even Christianity itself

except in terms of the suffering savior who died to appease God's

anger against us. The terrible toll this emphasis has exacted on the

message is sensitively treated in a most compelling way in this very

valuable new work. "

—Miceal Ledwith, L.Ph., L.D., D.D., LL.D, Former President and

Professor of Theology, Maynooth University, Served as a Member of the

Vatican's International Theological Commission for seventeen years

under Pope John Paul II

 

 

Enlighten Yourself, June 3, 2008

By RenHoekk (Philly, PA)

 

I was raised a Christian and still attend a Christian church on

occasion. But if anyone who truly wants to understand and believe in

Jesus they must first ask themselves why the Holy Bible leaves out

the 13 years of Jesus' life. You simply can not leave out half of his

life if you are going to chronicle the life and teachings of the

Savior of the world. It simply states he went to the East to study.

As if it was unimportant somehow. If you want to know about the 13

missing years I suggest " Googling " +Jesus +Issa or +Jesus +Isha

(There are two spellings). I hope it would not be too disturbing for

Christians to find out that Jesus went to the East to study Buddhism

and Hinduism. That's probably why the " Bible Writers " left that part

out. After all if Jesus studied and practiced Buddhism and Hindu Yoga

why shouldn't we all.

 

The " Son of God " was not the man Jesus but the " Christ Consciousness "

that he was endowed with. He was " one " with the Christ Consciousness

so when Jesus spoke he was also speaking as Christ. So when he would

say things like " I am The Light, The Way, and The Truth. " it was

Christ speaking not just Jesus. We can all tap into the Christ

Consciousness but not to the degree of Jesus, and that is Chopra's

point. Others have made full contact with the Christ Consciousness

and have gone by the names Buddha and Krishna, and others.

 

I find it troublesome that so many people who call themselves

Christians believe that theirs is the " one correct " religion and that

everybody else has got it all wrong somehow. While Buddhist and Hindu

practitioners are open and accepting of all religions as long as they

are based on love and compassion. More than one reviewer has tried to

make the argument that Chopra has no business writing a book on Jesus

because he does not practice Christianity. I'm sure Mr. Chopra would

argue he does practice Christianity, just in a different way.

 

I have a much closer relationship with Christ and God through regular

meditation than I ever did going to weekly church services. I no

longer follow the Christian doctrines because for me I believe Jesus

came here to teach us how to live with one another and how to find

God and be with him in our daily lives. Not just to die for my sins.

And I do not believe that we are separated from Christ and God (They

are " Up " in Heaven and we are " Down " here on Earth). I believe like

Jesus taught that the " Kingdom of Heaven is Within " and that we are

all endowed with a part of God's Light and God's Love within us and

we just need to look inside and find it and nurture it. And that is

the point of view that this book takes. It tries to explain, from

maybe a different point of view, what Jesus was trying to teach us.

How any one could have a problem with that is beyond me.

 

 

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A beautiful learning experience , February 22, 2008

By Annie B. Bond (Rhinebeck, NY USA)

 

For someone like me who grew up without any religious background at

all, I find The Third Jesus to be an inspiring blueprint for how to

become an evolved person! The book has given me a way that is

comfortable and undemanding to begin to learn about Jesus's spiritual

lessons in their own right, independent of church dogma. What may be

the long-lasting legacy of this book, in fact, is how profoundly it

shifts the focus from who Deepak calls the second Jesus, the one

developed for Christians, to Jesus as a spiritual teacher, a teacher

who can help you evolve your consciousness. The gift of Jesus's

lessons are offered, regardless of one's religious affiliation. I

especially love the exercises, which take Jesus's teachings, such

as " As you sow, so shall you reap, " one by one, and offer a way to

understand them from your own inner, spiritual perspective.

 

 

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I am among you, April 7, 2008

By Nadia Azumi

 

I have read this book and found it fascinating.It could be possible

that what Mr.Chopra wrote is true,and yet we will never know for sure

the truth about Jesus.

It is an inspiring book and very easy to read.

In my personal opinion I think that Jesus is indeed inside of us and

we have to reach a certain level of consciousness to understand.

It has meditation and analytical examples for us to meditate and try

to see the light so to speak.

I have had several experiences in my personal life that leads me to

believe that things happen the way Mr.Chopra has written.Although

hard for me to understand at the time,I seem to understand it better

know after reading the book.You can reach the level of consciousness

that Mr.Chopra suggests by following his meditation sequences.It does

open your eyes,to who we could really be,what we could really

accomplish and what we could really become.

 

 

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Chopra addresses Christians for the first time, March 9, 2008

By Santa Fe listener

 

You could say that this book is aimed at the silent majority of

Christians, those believers who cannot stomach how their faith has

headed since the rise of right-wing fundamentalism. With quiet

sincerity Chopra wants to " reddem the redeemer, " in the hopes that

Jesus, after all these years, can still serve as a guide to the

Kingdom of God. In this case, the Kingdom is within -- Chopra has

connected with Christianity's long tradition of inward, mystical, and

meditative worship. Thus he brings Jesus into an overall world

tradition that embraces Eastern approaches like Buddhism while for

the first time giving us texts from the New Testament to support his

argument.

 

I won't say that everyone will agree with Chopra's approach.

Unanimity isn't possible in such a contentious field. But it's a

welcome event when a major spiritual teacher turns his mind for the

first time to Christianity, which after all is the mainstream belief

system in this country. HIs new book should appeal to his many fans

as well as to those who have wrongly pigeon-holed Chopra as strictly

an Indian or New Age phenomenon.

 

 

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" The Third Jesus " - An Insightful Experience, March 21, 2008

By Delores Hemphill

 

For much of my life early rigid beliefs were accepted because it was

the thing to do. However, I silently questioned the validity of the

do's and don'ts. As result I pushed them down into the cellar of my

mind and got on with life.

 

Fifty years later the senior years were looming on the horizon. I was

at a crossroad - what do " I " believe? I had attended various churches

through the years and it seemed to me there was still a continuation

of rigid beliefs but to a lesser degree.

 

Reading Chopra's " The Third Jesus " was a breath of fresh air - a

personal renewal for me. In reading and pondering his analyses,

interpretations of the sayings, and the life and personality of

Jesus - I found myself in agreement. As my spiritual journey

continues, this insightful book will draw me back to it time and time

again to challenge me to continue to open wider my heart and soul to

live the life Jesus wants for me.

 

 

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Turn separation into unity, March 12, 2008

By Jerry Katz " Nonduality.com " (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)

 

Theme:

 

In a video promoting this book, Deepak Chopra says, " I don't know who

I am, " implying that his viewpoint is from God-consciousness rather

than egoic, person-centered consciousness.

 

According to Chopra, the meaning of the New Testament is that Jesus

and God are not separate, and is confessed biblically as " The Father

and I are one. " This is the meaning of God-consciousness. Chopra says

that anyone is entitled to that realization.

 

The theme of this book is separation and how to achieve unity by

knowing Jesus as God-consciousness. The theme is supported by scores

of quotations from the New Testament and the Gospel of Thomas, along

with Chopra's explanations of them in terms of God-consciousness.

 

Practice:

 

Chopra claims that the feeling of separation from God means a mistake

has been made in how we live and see ourselves. Chopra provides

fifteen steps to God-consciousness in order to correct that mistake

and bring us to unity or non-separation.

 

The chapters on practice are excellent. Not surprisingly, Jesus is

secondary and what is primary is Chopra's universal teaching of God-

consciousness or enlightenment. It could be said that this whole book

is more about following Deepak Chopra rather than Jesus Christ. I

have no problem with that, as Chopra is a proven and effective world

teacher.

 

Chopra exposes his Eastern roots when he urges the reader to start a

satsang group. Satsang refers to a gathering of people devoted to the

teaching of Truth or God-consciousness. Typically, satsang centers

around a rarely found God-conscious or Self-realized sage/teacher.

Chopra is calling for anyone at all to start satsang.

 

Transformation:

 

This inner journey is not casual. It is intense. Chopra

writes, " Because he is so absolute, Jesus doesn't offer a path of

devotion that consists of daily prayer and piety to God. He wants

total, unswerving devotion: You shall love the Lord your God with all

your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. "

 

Yet, realistically, people tend to unfold through practices of

devotion, service, and contemplation. These are fine as long as they

do not become an avoidance of inner transformation, Chopra notes.

 

Transformation is an extreme turning, as this confession by Chopra

reveals: " It's impossible to quantify if you are on a spiritual path

or how far along it you may be. But progress is always marked by

transformation. The path isn't about feeling better. It's not about

knowing who you are, or ending your suffering, or finding peace, or

healing you deepest wounds. It's about a transformation so profound

that illusion is traded for reality. Jesus survives to this day as a

force in the world because he embodied that truth completely. "

 

Final notes:

 

Our goal then, Chopra says, is not to imitate Jesus but to abide in

him, to become one with him. We do that giving our life entirely to

the process of turning separation into unity

 

Social commentary regarding Christianity and gay rights, abortion,

and women's right, finish the book, but who is listening? The

fundamentalist Christian has long discarded this book.

 

The index is very good, with 20% of it devoted to scriptural

references. The term " separation " , which is used a dozen or more

times in the book and which arguably is the main theme, is not found

anywhere in the index. In the future, Dr. Chopra might suggest

specific terms for inclusion in the index or even become involved in

selecting or getting to know the index writer.

 

 

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Chopra and Jesus, June 18, 2008

By P. Fine " healing minister " (Volcano, CA)

 

Finally after covering every possible subject related to God and the

spiritual path, Chopra finally takes on his relationship with Jesus.

This is a wonderfully written account of his own struggle with the

Jesus he encountered in school as a youth, then following his own

cultural spiritual path as an adult, and eventually spiraling around

to encounter Jesus in a whole new way. For those who are looking to

find a new look at Jesus rather than the picture portrayed by the

historical church, Chopra provides some insight. This is well worth

the read for " worn-out " Christians as well as those of other faiths

who intuitively are drawn to the wisdom of Jesus, but can't relate to

the tainted version presented by some factions of the Christian

faith. This book was so refreshing to me that I bought a copy for a

friend's birthday as I didn't want to pass on my own copy. Its a

keeper.

 

 

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Not for rigid/frigid Christian mindsets, March 27, 2008

By D. Rekenthaler " Myth Scripter " (Fairfax, VA United States)

 

This book is another gentle reminder that Jesus, while perhaps the

first modern human to achieve " Christ consciousness, " was also " the

son of man, " meaning he was " human " like the rest of us and was here

to show us The Way (or what those in the East would call The Tao). I

don't believe that Jesus was interested in creating yet another world

religion - a religion that, courtesy its manmade contrivances,

continues to suffer one schism after another - but instead to remind

us of our true nature beyond body and mind. We are indeed all ONE,

meaning each of us is part of God, each of us has the same Christ

consciousness within awaiting our remembrance, and to cede that

knowledge, that territory to another - even Jesus - is the ultimate

failure. Jesus reminded us that any of us can do what he did and

more, thus those who imagine Jesus as the sole incarnation of God are

surrendering their own relationship to God. But then, this is how

most humans choose to live: by surrendering their lives to their

spouses, their bosses, their political and religious leaders, and so

on. Better to let others think for me, seems to be the reasoning.

Jesus was counseling just the opposite: think and BE for yourselves

because in that BEing is God Itself.

 

 

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An inspiring and, yes, provocative invitation to rethink Jesus,

March 9, 2008 By G. Brown

 

I hope most readers have the good sense to ignore the bilious one-

star reviewers, none of whom seem to have actually read Deepak

Chopra's fascinating rethink of Jesus. To truly appreciate this work,

you must set aside all preconceptions. Chopra is not condemning faith

and not asking anyone who is alreayd committed to Christianity to

abandon their beliefs. He is trying to offer solace and inspiration

to the millions of believers who have become distressed by the

current crisis caused by fundamentalism but also by the fact that we

all live in an overwhelmingly secular society.

 

The alternative mapped out in The Third Jesus is to consider that

Jesus was primarily a teacher of higher consciousness. This view is

non-traditional, to say the least, but Chopra offers many passages

from the New Testament to support his contention that Jesus wanted

everyone to rise to the same level of God realization that he was in.

Even if that isn't historically correct, Christianity has made room

for new interpretations over the centuries, and Chopra's fits our

age, when people want to follow a spiritual path without being

constrained by old dogmas and authorities.

 

I think any open-minded seeker will find much to enjoy in this book,

which as usual is written with genuine integrity and sympathy for

everyone who wants a fulfilled spiritual life.

 

 

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The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra, April 5, 2008

By Michael J. Vincent " Book Mike " (Beaumont, TX)

 

This book will give great insight to the one who is on a spiritual

journey and truly wants to understand and live the message Jesus

taught.

 

Deepak Chopra has a way with explaining the teachings of Jesus as

they were intended and backs it up with many valid resources. Even if

you totally disagree with Chopra, the book will certainly provide

spiritual challenges that will have you thinking from another

perspective. Isn't this exactly what Jesus was doing in his own time

on this earth? Many people from his (Jesus's) own faith rejected him

and his teachings because they were too rigid in their own beliefs,

and made no room for further enlightenment. We are continually called

to grow in spirit, faith, knowledge, and most of all, compassionate

love towards one another. It is when we live according to the message

Jesus declared, that we deepen our kinship with God. No one who calls

themself a Christian can deny that we must be open to the spirit of

God when it is speaking to us. This is truly a remarkable book.

 

 

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Understanding my spiritual depth, April 7, 2008

By Lydia M. Huerta (Los Angeles, CA, USA)

 

Deepak Chopra has hit it on the spiritual button for me. I always

worried about how our different religions manipulated the bible for

self gain and how they made Jesus, our other prophets and God fit in

their self-centered plans. I love Jesus, the man, the spiritual

leader and how hard he tried to bring us into God's love, which was

already in us, but not recognized.

 

The awareness of our soul and how love flows through us would make

this world so much better.