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How can we determine whether Scripture is to be interpreted literally or figuratively? In most cases, this can be decided by analyzing certain words in context.
A literal interpretation means that a reference to a person or thing means exactly what it says.
A figurative interpretation means that a reference symbolizes someone or something else.
What if it’s difficult to determine whether something is meant to be taken literally or figuratively? I would suggest three things:
●First, use common sense.
●Second, compare Scripture with Scripture, i.e., finding other passages which speak about the same subject in order to see if there’s any clue as to the correct implication.
●And third, pray to God the Father in the name of Son that by means of the Holy Spirit, He’ll guide us in finding the correct understanding.
SOME EXAMPLES OF SCRIPTURE THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN LITERALLY.
Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Just because someone says something, which was meant to be taken literally, doesn’t mean that those who are listening will agree with the declaration. For example, in the verse mentioned above from the gospel of John,the Jews didn’t believe what Jesus said about His life preceding that of Abraham’s when He declared that before Abraham was, I am. However, this doesn’t nullify the truth of what He said.
SOME EXAMPLES OF SCRIPTURES THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN FIGURATIVELY.
Genesis 41:25-26 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
The seven good kine are symbolic of seven years. Likewise, the seven good ears are symbolic of seven years.
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Jesus is symbolic of being like a true vine.
Matthew 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Whosoever does God’s will is symbolic of being the brother, sister, or mother of Jesus.
Now that we’ve looked at some clear examples of Scriptures that could be interpreted literally or figuratively, let’s see if you can answer the following question.
Are the following examples to be interpreted figuratively or literally?
LITERAL OR FIGURATIVE VIEW?
Let’s begin by opening our Bibles to the book of Exodus.
Keep an eye on where the words this is, that is, or it is being used and whether what they refer to should be taken literally.
Suggested Reading: Exodus 12:1-12
Four hundred thirty years of Jewish captivity in Egypt were coming to a close. God told the people to sacrifice a lamb, apply its blood to the doorposts of their homes, and then eat it. That same night an angel of the Lord would pass by, and the houses marked with the animals’ blood were spared the death of the firstborn son and animal. Likewise, those houses without evidence of blood experienced the death of the firstborn son and animal. This event, called the 12th plague, caused Pharaoh to finally change his mind and allow God’s people to leave their bondage in Egypt.
Moses, the one whom God chose to lead God’s people out from Egypt to a distant land of promise, along with Aaron, his brother, who would soon become the first high priest of divine service, were told by Jehovah to continue observing this event, being newly designated as the Feast of Passover, on the tenth day of the same month in each successive year when both a sacrificial lamb and unleavened bread were to be eaten. This observance was to be continued during the time of Jesus’ incarnation on the earth. And by the way, when the Jews, who observed the Passover, would make a proclamation over the unleavened bread, they would say these words, "This is the bread of affliction our ancestors ate when they came from Egypt."4 Are you ready to answer a question related to the unleavened bread? Well, here it is.
Should the statement about the unleavened bread that would be eaten in the future when observing the Passover being the bread of affliction that their ancestors ate when they came from Egypt be taken literally or figuratively?
Common sense would say that the unleavened bread they were about to eat is symbolic, i.e., it’s to be viewed as a representation of the bread of affliction their ancestors ate when they were in Egypt.
Exodus 12:1, 3, 11 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.
As we continue to read about this story, there’s another figure of speech that appears which needs to be interpreted as being literal of figurative. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and said that the lamb was to be eaten in haste: it is the Lord’s Passover. The word haste has two meanings. First, it pertains to devouring the lamb due to the circumstances. It can also mean to be properly dressed and ready to travel. As far as stating that the lamb to be eaten is the Lord’s Passover, do you think this expression should be taken as literal or figurative? What do you think?
I think you’d agree that common sense would say no; the lamb is figurative, i.e., it’s a representation of the Lord passing over the houses of the Israelites. It should also be noted that when we see the words it is, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the reference should be taken literally. Agree? By the way, this could also extend to whenever the remarks this is, or that is being used.
Another observation for us to consider is whether you’ve ever noticed that some churches recite particular words at certain times during their worship service, and I wonder if this practice was derived from the one mentioned here. For example, when the Passover lambs were slain, either in the temple or in a person’s home, it was believed that Psalms 113-118, the psalms of praise also known as the Hallel, were chanted. After eating the lamb and taking the 5th cup of wine (one above the amount allotted for the feast), [called] the Great Hallel, Psalm 136, would be read. After each verse, the response would be, "For His [lovingkindness] is everlasting."5
From here, let’s proceed to the book of Mark. Here’s the question to consider.
Should we physically harm ourselves, so that our members would be unable to inflict harm to someone?
Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched
The word offend could mean to cause someone to sin. Common sense would say that the word hand refers to a part of the body that is an instrument of an inward inclination. Would you say that the literal hand is causing a problem or that which provides the motive for the hand to do evil things, i.e., the depraved heart? Should we take what this verse is saying literally and sever the hand or symbolically in regard to addressing what is causing these inward inclinations, i.e., the thoughts of one’s heart?
The example that we’ll look at next is the one that has caused much contention as to whether the elements of the bread and wine are to be taken literally or figuratively. This is found in the book of John.
John 6:53-54 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
With these thoughts in mind, let’s take another look at the verses from the gospel of John that pertain to Jesus’ response to the Jews when He said that He was the bread that came down from heaven and that whosoever ate of His flesh and drank of His blood will receive eternal life. What do you think? Was Jesus speaking literally or figuratively concerning eating His flesh and drinking His blood? I’m sure that depending on how the church you attend has expressed its views on such will determine your response.
Isn’t this the way most of us would operate? Leadership says this, and that ends all discussion. When I was a young believer, I’d respond similarly. Hopefully, after we’ve been in the Christian faith for a number of years, we’ll begin to question some of the pulpit’s doctrinal pronouncements and study whether the teachings are grounded in the full counsel of the Word.
From here, the book of John will provide another comparison. And here is the question to ponder.
When Jesus stood and declared loudly that whosoever believed in Him would have rivers of
living water flowing out of their belly, was this to be taken literally or figuratively?
Suggested Reading: John 7:2-53
37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jesus attended the Feast of Tabernacles (Weeks), which lasted for eight days and was celebrated immediately after the harvest of corn, wine, and oil, near the end of September and the beginning of October. The name of the feast came from the time when their ancestors lived in the wilderness in booths (tents), according to Leviticus 23:43. To commemorate this, tents were erected around the temple, public places, courts, gardens, and on the flat roofs of houses.
When the feast began, all of the people would cut down branches from palm trees, willow, myrtle and tie them together. Then, they’d carry these arrangements with them when they entered the synagogue and pray.
On the 7th day of the feast, they’d walk around the altar seven times, singing Hosanna.
On the 8th day, a priest would draw water from the pool at Siloam, place it in a golden vessel that contained wine, and then pour it out over the morning sacrifice as the people sang.
On the final day of this feast, Jesus stood and declared loudly that whosoever believed in Him would have rivers of living water flowing out of their belly. If He said this was to be taken literally, it would have caused a stir. The listeners probably would have thought that He was mentally ill. What would have been your response?
If we read on, what Jesus was actually referring to was, the person of the Holy Spirit who would be received by anyone who repented and believed in Him following His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. This reality took place on the day of Pentecost (the Feast of Harvest, the day of first fruits, or the day of Shavuot). Therefore, the expression rivers of living water are figurative and refer to the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
We have one more correspondence to look at. The book of Luke is where this is found. The question we’ll consider is this.
Can some earthy object turn into something human?
Luke 22:19-20 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Was Jesus saying that the bread would turn into His literal body and the cup His literal blood, or was what He said to be taken figuratively in that the bread was symbolic of His body (sufferings on the cross) and the wine symbolic of His blood (death on the cross) that signified the new testament (covenant) of a new kingdom that was to be ushered in, on the day of Pentecost, that would be resident within each person when they responded to the gospel of Christ thus receiving the indwelling Holy Spirit?
Hopefully, we’ll continue to present various reasons, pros, and cons, that will support either the literal or figurative interpretation of Scripture with respect to the elements of communion.
Did you know that some churches might use another unfamiliar approach to determine whether or not the elements of the bread and wine are to be taken literally or figuratively? How is that? by using Old Testament Scriptures. Huh? Whaaaat? I’m sure you’re thinking, this is ridiculous. How could verses from the Old Testament give any insight about this discussion since communion is something that was first mentioned in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Hopefully, you’ve calmed down enough to find out.
Before you turn the page, I’ve provided something for you to help you calm down. No, it’s not an exlax bar. It’s a brief article on this idea of determining whether a passage of Scripture is to be taken literally or figuratively.
LITERAL OR FIGURATIVE?
Speaking about the written Word of God, Jesus Christ said, “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). When it comes to spiritual things beyond the realm of man’s five senses, the Word of God is the only credible witness. In stark contrast to the vague, groundless theories and speculations originating in the minds of men, God, the Author of life, presents clear, straightforward answers to man’s most pressing questions. [Thus,] we must diligently look into God’s Word, the literature of eternity, and let Him speak for Himself about the deep issues of life, such as evil, [sin,] and suffering.
The Bible is the standard of all literature, and God the Author of all authors. As literature, the Word of God contains a rich variety of linguistic thoughts, [expressions,] and usages. Like any author, God has the right to use language as He deems appropriate to His purposes. E.W. Bullinger, an eminent British Bible scholar (1837-1913), identified the use of more than 200 figures of speech in the Bible. These figures greatly enrich its literary [value but more importantly,] are vital to our understanding and application of God’s manual for living.
Each reader of God’s Word is entrusted with a certain degree of personal responsibility. Those who endeavor to study, understand and interpret the Bible must become very sensitive to the literary devices it [employs] because its study is not merely for cultural amusement. Our very lives, both temporal and eternal, depend on an accurate understanding of God’s words, which are the very “words of life.”
One’s concept of the Bible determines the attitude with which he approaches it. If you think of it as an impersonal “rulebook,” [you’ll] tend to consult it only in regard to [“infractions”] rather than be motivated to study it with the intent of establishing a personal relationship with its Author. If you think [it’s] only a history book, you may read it with a little more than a detached curiosity.
Some have simplistically attempted to reduce it to a strictly literal document, thus trapping themselves in a maze of contradictions they are forced to ignore or deny. Others have so divorced the words of Scripture from the normal linguistic constraints of grammar, semantics, [syntax,] and logic that the Author’s original intent is lost in a fog of personal speculation.
When God makes statements of [fact] or uses language in the way [it’s] normally used, we should surely take note. When He departs from customary usage of words, syntax, [grammar,] and statements true to fact, we must take double note, for such departures serve to communicate truth better [than literal] statements of fact. How can we tell when a biblical statement is literal or figurative? E.W. Bullinger asks and answers this most pertinent question:
It may be asked, “How are we to know then, when words are to be taken in their simple, original form (i.e., literally), and when they are to be taken in some other and peculiar form (i.e., as a Figure)? The answer is that, whenever and wherever [it’s] possible, the words of Scripture are to be understood literally, but when a statement appears to be contrary to our experience, or to known fact, or revealed [truth,] or seems to be at variance with the general teaching of the Scriptures, then we may reasonably expect that some figure is employed [Emphasis ours]. And as [it’s] employed only to call our attention to some specially designed emphasis, [we’re] at once bound to diligently examine the figure for the purpose of discovering and learning the truth that is thus emphasized.6
One can easily see how [critical knowledge] of figures of speech is to understanding God’s written communication to man. Without such knowledge, the honest reader comes face to face with overwhelming contradictions that, if not resolved, cannot but undermine his confidence that the Scriptures are truly “God-breathed.” [It’s] our contention that Scripture being the Word of God presupposes its inherent accuracy and consistency. [Thus,] we must explore the figurative language pertinent to the subject of evil, [sin,] and suffering.
As the only credible witness of eternal and spiritual verities, the Bible gives testimony in a variety of ways — some literal, some figurative. Taking literal statements figuratively and figurative statements literally is a root cause of major doctrinal [errors] in the orthodox Christian Church. This has too often resulted in the Word of God being twisted, [distorted,] and misrepresented. If “God IS love” (1 John 4:8), then He cannot do anything that is not loving, and any verses that seem to indicate that He does cannot be taken literally. As [you’ll] see, understanding the figurative language in God’s Word is vital when it comes to reconciling the truth that God is love with the problem of evil, [sin,] and suffering.7
Endnotes
4IVP Bible Background Commentary Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005, 25 March 2009˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.
5The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005, 26 March 2009˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.
6E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids MI, 1978), page xv.
7“LITERAL OR FIGURATIVE,” Spirit & Truth 13 January 2023
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The Great Expectation
At this crucial point of transition between the world-cycles of the Piscean and the Aquarian Age, and with all the suffering and pain that humanity is experiencing--the various injustices that tyrants are afflicting the innocent masses, not to mention the descent of negative karma in its myriad of forms as described in Revelations as the "seven last plagues," it is understandable that humanity cry-out for a Saviour to save it from a sensed future destruction. The way greed, separatism, racialism, egoism, corruption, conflict, fanaticism, terrorism, and ignorance are being expressed in politics, religion, business and corporate institutions, and social life, it seems that there can only be one possible outcome in the immediate future and that is the total destruction of the human race, or at least the kind of human civilization that we have come to know. The decadence of morality, the ignorance of the purpose and goal of life, the degeneration of cultural values, the exploitation of natural resources and human beings, ecological imbalances, and the misuse and abuse of technology, all of these have brought mankind to the brink of possible extinction; or to the imaginable return to a primitive condition as a result of a natural or a man-made holocaust--as scientific predictions foretell. It is the same story of Atlantis all over again. The potential destruction of human civilization lies at the end of every evolutionary phase of the world. It is the darkness just before the dawn.
The Vishnu Purana prophesied what would occur at the end of the Kali Yuga, our present world-cycle, or the "Jaman Edan (Insane Age)" of the Indonesian King, Jayabaya, who lived centuries ago:
"Thus in the Kali Yuga shall decay constantly proceed until the human race approaches annihilation. When the close of the Kali Age shall be nigh, a portion of that divine being who exists in his own spiritual nature, Kalki Avatara, shall descend upon earth, endowed with the eight superhuman faculties. He will establish righteousness upon earth . . . "
And again:
"There will be temporal monarchs, reigning over the earth, kings of churlish spirit, violent temper and addicted to constant falsehood and cruelty. They will inflict death on women and children and they will seize upon the property of their subjects. Their lives will be short, their desires insatiable. People of various countries will intermingle. Wealth will decrease, until the world will be wholly demoralized. Thus in the Kali Age, will decay continue. Then at the end of the Kali Yuga, the Kalki Avatar will descend upon earth. He will establish righteousness."
Whether the destruction of civilization would actually occur rests fully on the shoulders of each and every habitant of this planet. We have the choice of progressing or regressing, evolving or devolving; the choice of obeying or violating Cosmic law and harmony. In order to survive this millennium and to ameliorate our future and the future of our children, our children's children, it is expedient that we improve the quality of our morality, our consciousness, our awareness, our mentality; in fact, our holistic being. Humans, in general, feel weak in dealing with social and political problems and so are on the look-out for some charismatic figure who would solve its problems; and yet, within Man lies uncovered tremendous wisdom, power, and love that could establish goodwill among men, brotherhood, unity, peace, and cooperation. One of our basic problems is that we mistakenly believe that our religion, path, doctrine, teaching, perspective, party, group, etc., to be the only Truth and wish to impose it upon others. Does not Light have various colors? Does not the beauty of a diamond shine because of its many facets?
Beneath this fear and trepidation of a prospect of total annihilation that besets mankind, a ray of hope lives on in the hearts of humanity for the advent of an authoritative spiritual figure to guide mankind away from its follies and to initiate and implement certain changes in a positive and constructive direction leading toward a Golden Age, or an utopian civilization where the rights and freedom of every individual, group, race, creed, and nation are respected and honored; where all suffering and pain are eradicated; where every tear is wiped away by the hand of God; where the streams overflow with milk and honey; where justice, righteousness, and goodwill toward all beings rule in the hearts of every man, woman, and child. The above quotation from the Vishnu Purana mentions this Saviour, the Kalki Avatar, and what he will establish is the long awaited Kingdom of Heaven made manifest on earth--the New Jerusalem, a kingdom that every pious Christian, and almost every being hope to one day be a part of. The Kalki Purana also mentions this Saviour, and his response to the cries of humanity:
"At your request I shall take birth in the abode of Shamballa. I shall again place the two rulers, Maru and Devapi, on earth. I shall create Satya-Yuga and restore the Dharma to its former condition and after destroying the serpent Kali, I shall return to my own abode."
Even Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita declares his appearance at various intervals in the world of form:
"Whenever sacred duty decay and chaos prevails, then, I create myself, Arjuna. To protect men of virtue and destroy men who do evil, to set the standard of sacred duty, I appear in age after age." (Chap. 4, 6-7)
What sort of a person is this Saviour? What are his or her characteristics? What will the Savior's main objective be? How will the Savior function? What cosmic principle would he embody or emphasize in his teachings? What aspect of God would he promulgate? Will he display "supernatural" signs or miracles? Where and when will the Savior appear or re-appear? Is it true that this Saviour is one of the ancient prophets or spiritual leaders come again? Is this Saviour a myth or is he real? Is the Savior an impersonal principle within the higher consciousness of man? How may we recognize the Saviour? What will this Saviour really save us from? And what is Salvation? Who are the two rulers, Maru and Devapi mentioned above? Are they one and the same as the saviors expected by Indonesians--Ratu Adil and Satria Piningit?
Before continuing with our main theme, perhaps we should deal briefly with the subject of salvation. Salvation goes by many names: moksha, enlightenment, perfection, Self-realization, etc. Humanity's biggest enemy is Ignorance, and all world saviours since the beginning of time have sought to awaken humanity from its spiritual slumber. Ignorance is mental darkness, whereas knowledge is light. Salvation is the act of kindling and nourishing a spiritual flame within the heart and soul that it may once again shine brightly and recognize, merge, and unite with its Source. We must emerge out of the limited point of view that there is a "chosen people" who will be saved by a representative of the Supreme Being. The chosen people are those who choose to be saved, and not chosen by some Intelligence. Messiahs and spiritual teachers of the past have outlined a way for us to follow that leads to salvation, but we allow our primitive natures to take control instead. The newly-awakened soul yearns for salvation for various reasons. Below we quote from one of the monthly periodical of the Self-Realization Fellowship the various reasons why we should desire Salvation:
Why Do We Desire to Attain Salvation?
Because we realize that this life of ours is unreal, uncertain and painful.
Because we realize that all worldly pleasure is momentary and mingled with pain.
Because we realize that the senses are never satisfied with indulgence.
Because we will then be greater than the greatest earthly monarch.
Because we will then possess the things really worth having and desire for none else.
Because we will then transcend Maya or delusion.
Because we will then be freed from this life of birth, death and perpetual misery.
Because it is only then that we will realize and attain our real Self.
Because we will then be on the path from which there is no returning.
Because it is only then that we can be of constant service to humanity.
Because we will then have no desires to possess as there will exist nothing else other than ourselves.
Because we will then live eternally in a state of perfect knowledge and everlasting bliss.
Because we will then attain the highest ever attainable.
Because we will then be with God.
Because we will then ourselves be one with God.
But to return from our digression: Almost every religion is on the edge of expectancy. Every religion expects its saviour to arrive on earth's platform to perform his (or her) miracle to reward its followers. Some individuals with fanatic leanings, with a fundamentalistic and an extreme outlook, would also hope for the Saviour's glorification of their religion and its believers, and the destruction of the other religions together with their followers. Such fanatics speak of the freedom of religion--mainly theirs. Should we probe into their hearts, we find that it makes no difference to them should the other religions be suppressed or its followers persecuted. We inquire, could such separatism and sectarianism be tolerated by an enlightened spiritual being? Are not all beings one and the same in the eyes of God? Do not all religions have a single source? In the eyes of any enlightened, intelligent person, SARA1 is absurd and makes no sense. No spiritual being would appear to strengthen the human ego or cause separatism among the sparks of God indwelling in human breasts.
The ways of God are not the ways of men; men look at the form aspect and create disunity, God looks at the spirit within the form and sees only one humanity--all "fragmented" parts of Himself. We, therefore, affirm that it is impossible for God to destroy that which is a part of Himself, for the many forms that exist in the relative worlds are but illusions; in reality, there is only the Absolute, the divine God-Presence, God-Essence and God-Consciousness. All are One. The Quran affirms that God dwells in all men, thus it would seem if we were to attack others in any way, we would in truth be attacking a manifestation of God; if we were to snuff-out the life out of a man, we would be snuffing-out God's representative:
"And certainly We created Man, and We know what his mind suggests to him, and We are nearer to him than his life-vein." (Quran Qaf 50:16)
God being nearer to man than his "life-vein" indicates that God is the very life within us! Religionists and fundamentalists--beware (be-aware)! Acts of terrorism and "jihads" or "holy wars" are the very doctrines violating Truth. The Prophet Mohammad (Peace be unto Him), declares that the real "jihad" takes place in one's being--a war against one's lower self, ignorance and spiritual blindness . . .
Could it be that this mysterious Saviour (no matter in what form) will arrive shortly not on behalf of any religion or creed but for the sake of the whole human race? We respond with a definite "yes" and maintain that should a divine messenger of God, or a Saviour should appear, he or she would not establish any existing religion as the sole religion for humanity or that he would formulate any new religion. We stress that it is not religion that he would teach, but true spirituality, which we understand to be the essence and the living spirit of all the various religions of the world. True spirituality is Truth, naked and unappareled, free from all man-made dogmas that simply cause confusion; and it is this Truth that the Saviour will embody and proclaim, aside from the latest revelation of the Spirit. The representatives or disciples of the Saviour, Ratu Adil (the "Queen of Justice"), and Satria Piningit ("the Hidden Knight") would likewise emulate the Saviour and promulgate this spiritual ideology. The Saviour, Ratu Adil, and Satria Piningit will represent the three aspects of divinity : love/wisdom, will/power, and intelligence/activity, respectively.
We know that Christianity is waiting for the Christ, that Islam is anticipating Imam Mahdi, that Buddhism expects Maitreya Buddha, that Hinduism awaits Kalki Avatar, and that the Jews are looking for their Messiah. Could these unidentified persons or seemingly known personalities be one and the same? The disciples and initiates of lofty spiritual beings know that this is indeed the case and that the Saviour holds the planetary title within the spiritual government of the world (of which we will explain shortly) as the Cosmic Christ. He formerly held the post of World-Teacher. However, whether the Cosmic Christ or the present World-Teachers will actually appear in person or influence the world directly through the heart of humanity or indirectly through their disciples or all of these, is another matter altogether.
We have often emphasized the necessity of manifesting the Saviour, or the qualities of the Saviour in our own hearts and souls, and acting on behalf of the Saviour, or more specifically, expounding his teachings in world affairs. This is something that every spiritual aspirant should do regardless whether the Saviour would personally and physically appear or not. Though a Saviour may be found without in the external, mundane world, the real Saviour lies within the depth of the soul. Though a Saviour may exist without, let us not waste time by waiting senselessly and irrationally. As Paul said:
". . . behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Corinthians 6:2
and,
". . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philipians 2:12
The danger in seeking external saviours lies in the propensity of men to idolize them, and to set up a cult surrounding their personalities. As soon as one is attached to the Saviour, or Teacher, one loses both the Teacher and the Teaching. Should one focus more on the Teaching, one gains them both. Humanity makes a big mistake by glorifying its spiritual teachers instead of living the precepts and teachings that they convey.
Here in Indonesia we designate our Saviours as Ratu Adil, meaning "Queen of Justice" and Satria Piningit, or "Hidden Knight." Their advent had long been prophesied by Prabu (King) Jayabaya--who lived in the twelfth century--and by other mystics of the Kraton in the following centuries. How are they related to the Cosmic Christ, or are they likewise one and the same? We will attempt to answer these questions in this present work, however, we would caution the reader to realize that the contents of this paper are of our own interpretation and understanding of metaphysics and occultism as a whole, as correlated with the meager information that we possess regarding Ratu Adil and Satria Piningit, and therefore, that it should not be considered as the absolute truth or the final word eventhough we were inspired and directed to write it by superior intelligences. Information concerning the identities of Ratu Adil and Satria Piningit dawned upon us without even our having to seek it. It amazes us that the solution was before our very eyes without realizing it. We will, however, leave it to your own hearts, intuition and reason to appraise the things that we will reveal.
In this paper we will not belabor on how the socio-consciousness of humanity gave rise for the need of saviors, rather we will simply base our revelation on the occult fact that the principles or archetypes of these saviors exists on the higher spiritual levels of life within the Cosmic Mind of God and only need to determine how they will manifest in the world of form, whether through an individual(s), through a group-consciousness, or through an awakening within the heart of humanity of the characteristics that these archetypal saviors represent.
We know that most people, especially paranormals, scholars, and the followers of Kejawen, have already certain fixed notions and preconceived the nature and characteristics of Ratu Adil and Satria Piningit. For instance, they say (based upon ancient prophecies) that these beings possess certain physical and psychological traits, possess certain pusakas (sacred objects), etc. They might be right so far as it goes, but from our viewpoint, certain things should not be taken too literally; and so, if we were to present a different view-point, it might be rejected in toto without any due personal consideration and reflection by those who have already crystallized their minds. This is certainly a hurdle towards one's approach to truth. Preconceptions and assumptions when held strictly without any flexibility results in fanaticism and separatism. These conditions are not to be condoned for they just add violence to social expressions and prolong the state of human misery. We appeal to men and women everywhere to be open-minded. Why do we make such an appeal? For God, or any enlightened, spiritual being for that matter, usually do not conform to human expectations and beliefs, and hardly care for human opinions; and human notions and preconceptions adamantly held, may prevent us from accepting truth reflecting in its many facets.
To illustrate this, let us consider the advent of the Master Jesus two thousand years ago. Before his birth and emergence from society to carry-out his ministry, the Jews expected a militant Messiah-figure that would free them from Roman imperialism and colonization, and establish a new Jerusalem. It turned out that Jesus, the avatar sent to humanity, had ideas and ways not conforming to their concepts and notions of a Messiah and the things that he was supposed to do. The Jews, therefore, rejected the Master Jesus and still await their Messiah to this very day. In a sense, however, they might be right. Jesus may not be the Messiah of the Jews. Who knows, perhaps they will find fulfillment in the so-called parousia, the "second-coming." There have indeed been many claims to Messiahship after Jesus, such as Menahem, son of Judah; and Simon bar Kozeba--both political and military leaders. Nevertheless, none were completely accepted as the Messiah by the whole Jewish community.
What occurred two thousand years ago could well happen nowadays. We expect the Saviour, Ratu Adil, or Satria Piningit to conform to our expectations, and yet, when and if they should appear in a guise unknown to us and with teachings directly conflicting with our pet-beliefs, we would reject them altogether. The possibility is there.
[Note: This paper contains images which may be seen as originally published at our website]
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