The Resurrection of the Christ Within You - Intro Part 3

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The Resurrection of the Christ Within You - Intro Part 3

 

(xxvi) A scripture is mute [unspoken] testimony of spiritual truth; a divine

personage is veritably a living scripture. Like tiny seeds that produce mighty

trees, scriptural truths reveal their power and wisdom-yielding qualities in the

most inspiringly useful way when manifested in the lives of God-realized souls.

 

That the eternal verities were embodied in Jesus was declared by him when he

said of his Christ Consciousness, " I am the way, the truth, and the life. " At

once divine and human, Jesus lived among God's children as a nurturing " big

brother, " beloved of the Father of all, sent on earth to redeem his

desire-deluded brothers and sisters by urging them to become like him. In the

Gospel record of his life we find his path to the kingdom of God taught not only

by precept [by principles given] but by example.

 

The veracity of the Biblical stories of Jesus is regarded skeptically by many

in the modern age. (xxvii) Scoffing at supernormal capacities that challenge

common prejudices about what is humanly possible, some staunchly deny that the

God-man of the Gospels ever lived. Others concede a measure of historicity to

Jesus, but depict him only as a charismatic ethical or spiritual teacher. But to

the New Testament account of the Christ of Galilee I humbly add my own

testimony. From personal experience I know the reality of his life and miracles,

for I have seen him many, many times, and communed with him, and received his

direct confirmation about these matters.

 

He has come to me often as the baby Jesus and as the young Christ. I have

seen him as he was before his crucifixion, his face very sad; and I have seen

him in the glorious form in which he appeared after his resurrection.

 

Jesus did not have a light complexion with blue eyes and blond hair as many

Western painters have depicted him. His eyes were dark brown, and he had the

olive-colored skin of his Asiatic heritage. His nose was a little flattened at

the tip. His moustache, sparse beard, and long hair were black. His face and

body were beautifully formed. Of all the pictures I have seen of him in the

West, the rendering by Hofmann comes closest to showing the accurate features of

the incarnate Jesus.*

 

Notes:

 

* Heinrich Hofmann (1824-1911).

This artist created many paintings and drawings depicting the life of Jesus.

The painting of Jesus used on Self-Realization Fellowship altars (see page xii)

is derived from one of them. (Publisher's Note)

 

The Second Coming of Christ (The Resurrection of the Christ Within You) Volume

I, Introduction-Part 3, pg. xxvi-vii

Paramahansa Yogananda

Printed in the United States of America 1434-J881

ISBN-13:978-0-87612-557-1

ISBN-10:0-87612-557-7