TWO PREACHERS

TWO PREACHERS OF NON-SUFFERING ENTRANCE

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed^ Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me." Matt. 4:8-9

“From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You. But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Matt. 16:21-23

Two preachers attempted to tempt Him from the pain and suffering entrance method into the Kingdom. Both Satan in the temptation, and Peter in Matt. 16:21-23. He had already consented to die by being baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist. He turns His back from the suggestion that He omit the Cross, thus turning His back on the short and easy path of entrance into the Kingdom.

The offer of the Kingdoms of the Earth by Satan must have been horrible to Him, and still more the price that Satan asked. Satan has the right to offer what is his. The Kingdoms of the Earth are founded on force and maintained with deceit. They are Satan's own country, they are his Paradise regained. Satan sleeps every night on the pillows of the powerful. They pay material tribute to him, and give him daily offerings in thought and deed. But Jesus could have taken away their Kingdoms from the Kings without bending knee to the Adversary. He had only to offer men bread without work. If like a juggling charlatan He had opened a public theater of popular miracles, the multitude would have acclaimed Him. Had He wished to seem the Messiah for whom the Jews had been longing during their dreary slavery, He could have corrupted them with plenty and with marvels, He could have made of every land a country of grace and enchantment and He could have occupied at once every seat of the procurators of Satan.

But Jesus does not wish to be the restorer of the fallen kingdom, the conqueror of hostile empire(s). Authority is of little importance to Him and glory still less. The Kingdom which He announces and prepares has nothing in common with the Kingdom(s) of the Earth. His Kingdom is destined rather to bring to naught the Kingdom(s) of the Earth. The Kingdom of Heaven is in us, united and singular. Any day when a soul has turned to righteousness the Kingdom of Heaven is enlarged because it has acquired a new citizen, snatched from the Kingdom of Earth. When everyone is good and righteous, when all love their brothers as fathers love their sons, when even enemies love one another (if there still are enemies), when no one thinks of amassing treasure, and instead of taking away from others, every one gives bread to the hungry and clothing to those who are cold, where on that day will be the Kingdom of the Earth? Where will be the need for soldiers when no one wishes to enlarge his own land by stealing that of his neighbor? What need neither will there be for Kings when everyone has his law in his conscience and when there are no armies to command nor judges to select? What need will there be for money and for tribute when everyone is sure of his living and satisfied with it, and there are no wages to be paid to soldiers and servants? When everyone's soul is transformed, those so-called foundations of life which are named Society, Country and Justice will vanish like the hallucinations of a long night. This will be the outcome of the 1000 year reign of Christ. The word of Christ needs neither money nor armies. And if it really becomes the universal life of the conscience, everything that binds and blinds men, necessary unjust power, the criminal glory of battles, will fall like morning mists before sunlight and wind. The Kingdom of Heaven within is One and it will take the place of the Kingdom(s) of Earth, which are many. The liberated spirit will scarcely remember despotic flesh. Men will no longer be divided into Kings and subjects, masters and slaves, rich and poor, the arrogantly virtuous, the humble sinners, free and prisoners. The sun of God will shine on all, the citizens of the Kingdom will be one family of fathers and brothers and the gates of Paradise will be open again to the sons of Adam become as gods.