Driving the Money Changers Out of the Temple - Part 4

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Driving the Money Changers Out of the Temple - Part 4

 

(p.234) Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many

believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not

commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any

should testify of man: for he knew what was in man (John 2:23-25).

 

Jesus was little impressed by the growing popular acclaim accorded him as a

result of his miracles. He knew that in the fickle emotionalism of the masses

there was scant durable response capable of upholding his teachings or adding

one whit to his divine credentials. He therefore did not count on man's

testimony as a criterion of success. The preaching of his gospel was impelled

solely by God's infinite force.

 

Fame is at best a fair-weather friend whose loyalty easily chills at an

unfavorable change in the winds of public opinion. The best of one's intentions,

if lacking in the stability of wisdom, is woefully subject to the mutating

distortions of erroneous judgment.

 

A master well knows, without prejudice, the nature of man. He can instantly

ascertain the salient features of any person's consciousness just by looking at

him. (p.235) Jesus did not rely on people's reputation in the community, or on

the image presented by their appearance or demeanor, in order to know their

character and innermost thoughts; he " knew all men " through the soul's wisdom

faculty of intuition.

 

How masters read

character through

the soul's faculty

of intuition

 

Knowledge of a person's character may be sought through various means. The

different schools of psychology are able to identify specific personality types

and their prominent traits. Other methods of appraising character have been

advanced at various times--such as phrenology (study of the structure of the

head), physiognomy (deducing a person's nature through analysis of facial and

bodily features), and pathognomy (the study of man's feelings and emotions

through the outward signs of his facial expressions and bodily movements, and

through study of his emotional reactions to diverse incidents in his life). But

these various methods are liable to bring about wrong conclusions. Socrates'

physical unattractiveness caused some people to think him evil, yet he was an

advanced soul. Conversely, sometimes an appealingly beautiful and fair-spoken

man or woman is at heart a treacherous human being. It is not the appearance or

outer demeanor or renown that is the true index of a person's nature, but what

he is within.

 

A master responds not to the words of people but to their thoughts, not to any

psychological inference but to actual perception of their inner self.

Intellectual analysis or the deductions of reason are dependent upon data

furnished by the fallible sensory instruments. Intuition is direct knowledge of

truth, independent of unreliable sensory data and the intellections of the lower

mind. Intuitive perception is deeper than telepathy: Even with telepathic

awareness of another person's thoughts and feelings, it is possible to misjudge

them. A master, however, knows people through apperception of their

consciousness, by being one with their life.

 

Perceiving the limited spiritual capacity of the newly converted throngs in

Jerusalem, Jesus did not entrust himself to them, nor speak the full measure of

his realization to their nonunderstanding minds. [1] His unconditional love and

blessings embraced all equally, even while he sought from among the masses

genuinely sincere seekers, such as Nicodemus in the verses that follow.

 

The Second Coming of Christ (The Resurrection of the Christ Within

You) Volume 1, Discourse 12, pg. 234-235

Paramahansa Yogananda

Printed in the United States of America 1434-J881

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

ISBN-10:0-87612-557-7

 

Notes:

 

[1] " And great multitudes were gathered together unto him....And he spake many

things unto them in parables....And the disciples came, and said unto him, 'Why

speakest thou unto them in parables?' He answered and said unto them, 'Because

it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them

it is not given' " (Matthew 13:2-3, 10-11; see Discourse 37).