Gospel of Matthew Metaphysical Interpretation References
For Use With Thursday Matthew Studies Podcasts.
Introduction to the Esoteric Interpretation of Matthew
Consciousness: is the accretion- (growth or increase) of knowing resulting in its own experiences over many lifetimes of incarnations.
Four Levels of Existence:
Active-the physical being who looks like a human.
Formative- having feelings loving, angry, jealous, vengeful, merciful, etc.
Creative - a non-physical being that is pure knowing - these are the patterns we see in nature, for example. Winter, spring, summer, fall. Rocks are rocks, animals are animals, people are people. Each is designed according to a kind of intelligence, a divine pattern.
Spiritual-pure being, life force, life will, the intent for existence
Spiritual -Fire
Creative -Air
Formative-Water
Active-Earth
The Trinity:
Conscious, Unconscious, and Superconscious also known as Idea,Image and Manifestation are all aspects of ONE totality called GOD CONSCIOUSNESS -GOD-MIND
Man, and Mankind:
"Man" is the Sanskrit word meaning "Mind."
You have probably heard the term mantra. This is a combination of two Sanskrit words (man+tra)— meaning mind and tool.
A mantra is the tool for managing the mind, or man.
When we speak of Man, the Mind-Being, we are referring to consciousness.
Mankind is the vehicle through which man experiences life.
MAN IS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
Figure 1— Tree of Life—Sephiroth—
The circles are the fruit of the Trees mentioned in the Bible. When well-tended the Tree bear’s fruit. These fruit, when utilized properly, nourish and develop Consciousness.
In Kabbalah, the "Sephiroth" or "Tree of Life" is a symbolic diagram representing the different aspects of God's creative energy as it manifests in the universe, essentially acting as a map of how divine potential flows into creation, with each "Sephirah" (a node on the tree) representing a specific attribute like wisdom, compassion, or power; it's a way to understand the spiritual structure of reality and how humans can connect to it through spiritual practices.
Ten Sefirot:
The tree has ten main "Sefirot" which are like spheres or points on the diagram, each representing a divine attribute.
The Tree of Life symbolizes how God's energy "emanates" or flows out to create the universe.
Spiritual Path:
Kabbalists study the Tree of Life to understand their own spiritual potential and how to ascend to higher levels of consciousness.
Figure 2— Virtues and Vices
This is a simplified list of the principles. virtues, vices, positive qualities and negative qualities that each Sephirah represents.
Mankind has a physical body that has a blueprint, a pattern, for its proper development. A model of perfection, so to speak. So does consciousness. Just as the physical body allows us to be active in the physical world. consciousness has a means of activity as well. That is what the Sephirothic principles provide - the model of perfection and the means of expression. As above, so below. Our feet give us movement through walking the Sephirothic principles give us movement through energy (power). Our hands give us the ability to create on the physical level, the Sephirothic principles are the way consciousness creates on all levels
We describe feet as having toes, arches, bones and muscles. More important, we also describe them by what they dee provide a foundation to stand on and the ability to move about in the world. The same is true with the Sephirothic principles. They represent what consciousness and God are made of. It is in this way that we are created in the image and likeness of God.
The Sephirothic principles are the DNA, the hands and feet and arms and legs, etc., for consciousness. We can only understand them by the power they produce, which is why these principles are also called powers. They are defined by the results of their expression as either a virtue or a vice. All are related to our ability to live life because God is life. Diagnosis and discrimination are life-related, for example.
The Sephiroth themselves are neutral. They are an energetic power within each of us that is available at all times for our use. We get to choose how to utilize it. Applied properly, the power of a Sephirah results in a virtue or positive quality and the light of greater awareness. When applied inappropriately, the power results in a vice or negative quality and the darkness of unawareness.
Every time you express these principles in your life, what we call self- expression, you are programming your consciousness. In every moment of every day, in every experience, choice, word, and action, you are adding to the knowing in your consciousness. Virtues result in growth in wisdom. inner strength and self-certainty, whereas vices result in fear, pain, stagnation or regression.
Imagine what the world would be like if everyone expressed only virtues and positive qualities. It would be a much different place than the one we live in now. All the teachers who came in to help humanity, including the Avatar Jesus Christ, were attempting to help us develop the principles of the Tree of Life, to help us become spiritual adults. The opportunity to learn and grow from self-expression through creation into manifestation is why we are alive in the vehicle we call mankind.
Another thing to note on the Tree are the three pillars. These are also mentioned in the bible. The middle pillar is the straight gate found in Matthew 7:13 and the narrow way in Matthew 7:14, for example. The narrow door is mentioned in Luke 13:23. The outer pillars represent force and form, the dualities we experience in physical existence. The middle pillar is called the Pillar of Consciousness and will be important to remember as we proceed with the translations.
One of the most important reasons for understanding the Tree of Life, beyond what it means for our own growth, is that it is also relates to the activity described in the four gospels. See Figure 3.
Figure 3—Tree of Life Gospels
All of the places listed in Figure 3 are symbolic and such are clues to the depth of meaning of Biblical Texts.
THE GOSPELS AND JESUS' LIFE
As stated previously, the gospels relate to everyday existence and when you understand them in light of where we are now, collectively in consciousness, they take on tremendous meaning. When placed on the Thee of Life, you can begin to see that they follow a divine plan.
Even the story of Jesus' life shows this plan, as seen in Figure 3. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means "house of bread" and represents physical existence. Jerusalem, meaning "foundation of peace." is where most of His teaching was done. Notice that Jerusalem is on the Sephirah Yesod. Yesod represents the unconscious, which is where our collective consciousness is at this point in time. But Jesus' home-and ultimately our home is Nazareth. He went there a lot when He left Jerusalem. Nazareth means consecrated. It It represents our potential to be consecrated, meaning devoted to the expression of spiritual adulthood. This is where we are meant to be.
Figure 4— Map of Palestine in the time of Jesus
Looking at the map in Figure 4, we can see where the activities described in the gospels were occurring. It is important to realize that by following the journey of Jesus' life you are also following your own spiritual growth process. This map is within all of us, showing levels of consciousness and its journey, much like the Tree of Life.
The term New Testament means "new covenant." This implies that Jesus' life and work brought forth a new connection with higher vibratory frequencies, a new contract with God, so to speak.
The names of people, places and things are very important. They give clues to esoteric meanings. When you translate them, they provide a whole new perspective.
For example, have you ever wondered why there are so many Marys in the gospels? Why nearly every woman is named Mary? Or Martha, which is a derivative of Mary? There is a reason for that. You will see as we go along the importance of the translations and the clues they provide for mystical interpretation.
The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew Joshua. Jesus is the Greek translation, meaning "savior" or "deliverance." It is important to note that there are many references in the Gospel of Matthew to the Hebrew prophesies that Jesus fulfills. References to the Old Testament prophets were meant to convince the Jewish people of the truth of Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophesies they held dear. They had to be convinced or they would not have believed His message. And of course, He did fulfill the prophesies.
This concludes the preliminary groundwork for understanding the esoteric interpretation of the gospels. Let us now discover what Matthew has to tell us.
Note: the biblical text quoted in these lessons comes from the Revised Standard Version.
Matthew: 11 Woe to the Unrepentant
Johns Inquiry 11: 1-6
1. And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples
3 and said to him, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:
5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
6 And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.”
Jesus Testifies about John the Baptist
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind?
8 Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment. Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings’ houses.
9 Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
17 ‘We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’;
19 the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” [
Woes to Unrepentant Cities
20 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
21 “Woe to you, Chora′zin! woe to you, Beth-sa′ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
23 And you, Caper′na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24 But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Jesus Thanks His Father
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes.
26 yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”