In my upcoming book, The Dawn of Devotion: A Sacrifice for Devotional Evolution, the reader is brought face to face, in a philosophical way, with the main character of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The book’s task is to present the reader with what popular theology, through various religious theories, hides: that the Jesus character is not meant to be taken as a literal person or figure, but as an allegory educating on what an intelligent devotional conversation looks like.
The allegory that the Jesus character represents is one ultimately decoding the Bible’s terminology for profound revelations about accessing and maintaining high devotional consciousness. The context and the language of the Bible matters. When looking at how the authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write, it is clear that their tone is not one of reality, but is rather one of allegory, and if reading their work correctly, the idea of how to carry personal belief, as it is intended to be understood through their main character, will manifest.
In exploring spirituality within the Jesus narrative, certain verses stand out for their profound complexity and rich symbolism. An issue that The Dawn of Devotion tackles is the issue of the Jesus character as “I Am,” where Jesus declares, in John 8:58, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." This statement, at first glance, appears quite mysterious, inviting deeper contemplation and interpretation within its spiritual context.
The Bible teaches that spiritual truths are not always evident on the surface but require discernment through spiritual understanding. Jesus's statement about Abraham transcends mere chronological existence; it points to a deeper spiritual rationale beyond traditional theological constraints. However, the response of the Jews to Jesus's declaration reveals their inability to grasp its ideal spiritual significance.
Their insistence on interpreting Jesus's words literally blinded them to his message. The Jesus character said what he said because his devotional character aligned with the character at the core of the scriptures. In no way was he saying that he literally shared a timeless existence with their Deity. The context of his language distinguished between two philosophical approaches: one can either maintain a religion by continual faith in circumcision, as is exemplified by Abraham, or one can maintain an experience that existed before the Abraham experience, which is an experience harping back to creation, being one that is wholly dedicated to the development and organization of mind.
What is covered in esoteric lore is a foundational philosophical testimony of one’s experience with the words of the scriptures. Both “Abraham” and “I AM” represent two devotional experiences. Abraham represents an experience where the body is bogged down by religious routine, and by exercising “faith” in those routines. The “I AM” experience is one where the belief is becoming intelligent from exercising retained wisdom from the scriptures. I explain the subject of what “I Am” represents, and in mindful detail, on my YouTube Channel.
It is because the conscience of his belief meshed with the words of the scriptures that his mind shared in the limitless scope of their science. The Bible does not promote the religious theory of “eternal life.” The Bible teaches that the words of the scriptures add a long life to our devotional understanding (Proverbs 3:1,2). It is our mind, as we are presently alive, that is to receive the benefit of never “dying”; not the being within the human or anything that is believed to be connected to it. A naturally limited theological mind hindered the Jews from comprehending what he was saying.
Deciphering scriptural language is essential for unlocking its deeper meanings. The Dawn of Devotion tells the story of how language transforms Jesus into an instrument created to define a mindful devotional experience. His dialogue with the Jews revolves around doctrinal understanding rather than a literal or esoteric interpretation. Abraham figuratively represents the symbol of a constraining religious experience yet to be fully realized. This conveys a message of the importance of faith and obedience within physical religious rituals, which is, to the mind at the core of the Bible, very unsound and irrational.
True circumcision, as is taught through the Jesus character, is inward and mental, demanding faith in learned principles rather than adherence to outward practices. Abraham's obedience to God's voice serves as a model for spiritual growth and transformation, leading to alignment with every commandment for spiritual renewal, yet to constrain that obedience to a religious routine sort of cancels out the experiment by faith. Why? Because the concept of faith doesn’t exist within the philosophy of the religious law (Gal. 3:12).
“I AM” is a philosophical devotional experience that the man Jesus knew and practiced. This man figuratively represents an experience where devotional growth occurs not through the stimulation of the body, but through a mindful experience. When our belief can also safely exist without religious routine, theory, and law, we too will be able to say that before our denominational theory was, or before our religious opinion was, we have become doers of “I AM” to possess a health devotional character and discipline.
Understanding the significance of the statement, "Before Abraham was, I am," requires a spiritual perspective that transcends popular theological limitations. This is not a statement having historical or esoteric precedence, but rather a profound declaration of the authority of “experience” above “religion,” inviting observers to look deeper into the Bible’s philosophical nature and embrace a deeper connection with the living Mind inspiring them.
I have also covered what it means to awaken the body of our belief and to navigate the Bible’s philosophy for growth on my Youtube channel.