| webmaster | | Posted: Saturday, August 18 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: John the Baptist |
| Strange rumors reached the ears of the people of Jerusalem and the surrounding country. It was reported that a new prophet had appeared in the valley of the lower Jordan, and in the wilderness of Northern Judea, preaching startling doctrines. His teachings resembled those of the prophets of old, and his cry of "Repent! Repent ye! for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," awakened strange memories of the ancient teachers of the race, and caused the common people to gaze wonderingly at each other, and the ruling classes to frown and look serious, when the name of the new prophet was mentioned.
The man whom the common people called a prophet, and whom the exalted ones styled an impostor, was known as John the Baptist, and dwelt in the wilderness away from the accustomed haunts of men. He was clad in the rude garments of the roaming ascetics, his rough robe of camel's skin being held around his form by a coarse girdle of leather. His diet was frugal and elemental, consisting of the edible locust of the region, together with the wild honey stored by the bees of the wilderness.
In appearance John, whom men called "the Baptist," was tall, wiry, and rugged. His skin was tanned a dark brown by the winds and sun which beat upon it unheeded. His long black hair hung loosely around his shoulders, and was tossed like the mane of a lion when he spoke. His beard was rough and untrimmed. His eyes gleamed like glowing coals, and seemed to burn into the very soul of his hearers. His was the face of the religious enthusiastic with a Message for the world.
This wild prophet was most strenuous, and his teachings were couched in the most vigorous words. There was no tact, policy, or persuasion in his message. He hurled his verbal thunderbolts right into his crowd, the very force and earnestness emanating from him serving to charge his words with a vitality and magnetism which dashed itself into the crowd like a spark of electricity, knocking men from off their feet, and driving the Truth into them as if by a charge of a powerful explosive. He told them that the spiritual grain was to be gathered into the garners, while the chaff was to be consumed as if by a fiery furnace; that the axe was to be laid to the root of the trees which brought not forth good fruit. Verily, the "Day of Jehovah," long promised by the prophets, was near to hand to his hearers and followers.
John soon gathered to himself a following, the people flocking to him from all parts of the country, even from Galilee. His followers began to talk among themselves, asking whether indeed this man were not the long promised Master--the Messiah for whom all Israel had waited for centuries. This talk coming to the ears of the prophet, caused him to answer the question in his discourses, saying: "There cometh one mightier than I, after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose; he that cometh after me is mightier than I." And thus it became gradually known to his following, and the strangers attending his meetings, that this John the Baptist, mighty preacher though he be, was but the herald of one much greater than he, who should follow--that he was the forerunner of the Master, according to the Oriental imagery which pictured the forerunner of the great dignitaries, running ahead of the chariot of his master, crying aloud to all people gathered on the road that they must make way for the approaching great man, shouting constantly, "Make ye a way! make ye a way for the Lord!" And accordingly there was a new wave of excitement among John's following, which spread rapidly to the surrounding country, at this promise of the coming of the Lord--the Master--perhaps even the Messiah of the Jews. And many more came unto John, and with him waited for the Coming of the Master.
This John the Baptist was born in the hill country of Judea, nearly thirty years before he appeared as a prophet. His father was of the priestly order, or temple caste, who had reached an advanced age, and who lived with his aged wife in retirement, away from the noise and confusion of the world, waiting the gradual approach of that which cometh to all men alike. Then there came to them a child of their old age, unexpected and unhoped for--coming as a mark of especial favor from God--a son, to whom they gave the name of _Johanan_, which in the Hebrew tongue means "Jehovah is gracious."
Reared in the home of his parents--the house of a priest--John saturated himself with all the Inner Teachings reserved for the few, and withheld from the masses. The Secrets of the Kaballah, that system of Hebrew Occultism and Mysticism in which the higher priests of Judea were well versed, were disclosed to him, and occult tradition has it that he was initiated into the Inner Circle of the Hebrew Mystics, composed of only priests of a certain grade, and their sons. John became an Occultist and a Mystic. When the boy reached the age of puberty, he departed from the home of his parents, and went into the wilderness, "looking to the East, from whence cometh all Light." In other words, he became an Ascetic, living in the wilderness, just as in India even to-day youths of the Brahmin or priestly class sometimes forsake their homes, renouncing their luxurious life, and fly to the jungle, where they wander about for years as ascetics, wearing a single garment, subsisting on the most elementary food, and developing their spiritual consciousness. John remained a recluse until he reached the age of about thirty years, when he emerged from the wilderness to preach the "Coming of the Lord," in obedience to the movings of the Spirit. Let us see where he was, and what he did, during the fifteen years of his life in the wilderness and hidden places of Judea.
The traditions of the Essenes, preserved among Occultists, state that while John was an ascetic he imbibed the teachings of that strange
Occult Brotherhood known as the Essenes, and after having served his apprenticeship, was accepted into the order as an Initiate, and
attained their higher degrees reserved only for those of developed spirituality and power. It is said that even when he was a mere boy he
claimed and proved his right to be fully initiated into the Mysteries of the Order, and was believed to have been a reincarnation of one of the old Hebrew prophets.
THE ESSENES.
The Essenes were an ancient Hebrew Occult Brotherhood, which had been in existence many hundred years before John's time. They had their
headquarters on the Eastern shores of the Dead Sea, although their influence extended over all of Palestine, and their ascetic brothers
were to be found in every wilderness. The requirements of the Order were very strict, and its rites and ceremonies were of the highest
mystical and occult degree. The Neophyte was required to serve a preliminary apprenticeship of one year before being admitted to even
partial recognition as a member and brother. A further apprenticeship of two more years was required before he was admitted to full
membership, and extended the right hand of fellowship. Additional time was required for further advancement, and even time alone did not
entitle the member to certain high degrees, the requirements being that actual knowledge, power and attainment must first be manifested.
As in all true Occult Orders the candidate must "work out his own salvation," neither money nor influence having any weight.
Absolute obedience to the Rules of the Order; absolute poverty of material possessions; absolute sexual continence--these were the
conditions of membership to be observed by both Neophyte and Initiate, as well as High-degree Master. Understanding this, one may imagine the
disgust inspired in John by the amorous solicitations of Salome, which caused him to lose his life rather than to break the vows of his
Order, as is so startlingly pictured in the stage productions of modern times.
One of the ceremonies of the Essenes was that of Baptism (literally, "dipping in water") which was administered to Candidates, with
appropriate solemnity and rites. The mystic significance of the ceremony which is understood by all members of Occult Orders, even
unto this day, was a part of the ritual originated by the Essenes, and the rite itself was a distinctive feature of their Order. The
performance of this rite by John the Baptist, in his ministry, and its subsequent acceptance by the Christian Church as a distinctive
ceremonial, of which the "sprinkling of infants" of to-day is a reminder and substitute, forms a clear connecting link between the
Essenes and Modern Christianity, and impresses the stamp of Mysticism and Occultism firmly upon the latter, as little as the general public
may wish to admit it in their ignorant misunderstanding and materialistic tendencies.
The Essenes believed in, and taught the doctrine of Reincarnation; the Immanence of God; and many other Occult Truths, the traces of which
appear constantly in the Christian Teachings, as we shall see as we progress with these lessons. Through its Exalted Brother, John the
Baptist, the Order passed on its teaching to the early Christian Church, thus grafting itself permanently upon a new religious growth,
newly appearing on the scene. And the transplanted branches are still there!
Of course, the true history of the real connection between the Essenes and Christianity is to be found only in the traditions of the Essenes
and other ancient Mystic Orders, much of which has never been printed, but which has passed down from teacher to pupil over the centuries
even unto this day, among Occult Fraternities. But in order to show the student that we are not making statements incapable of proof by
evidence available to him, we would refer him to any standard work of reference on the subject. For instance, if he will consult the "New
International Encyclopedia" (Vol. VII, page 217) article on "Essenes," he will read the following words:
"It is an interesting question as to how much Christianity
owes to Essenism. It would seem that there was room for
definite contact between John the Baptist and this
Brotherhood. His time of preparation was spent in the
wilderness near the Dead Sea; his preaching of righteousness
toward God, and justice toward one's fellow men, was in
agreement with Essenism; while his insistence on Baptism was
in accord with the Essenic emphasis on lustrations."
The same article contains the statement that the Essenic Brotherhood taught a certain "view entertained regarding the origin, present
state, and future destiny of the soul, _which was held to be pre-existent, being entrapped in the body as in a prison_," etc. (The above italics are our own.)
John emerged from the wilderness when he had reached the age of about thirty years, and began his ministry work, which extended for several
years until his death at the hands of Herod. He gathered around him a large and enthusiastic following, beginning with the humbler classes
and afterward embracing a number of higher social degree. He formed his more advanced followers into a band of disciples, with prescribed
rules regarding fasting, worship, ceremonial, rites, etc., closely modeled upon those favored by the Essenes. This organization was
continued until the time of John's death, when it merged with the followers of Jesus, and exerted a marked influence upon the early Christian church.
As we have stated, one of his principal requisites enjoined upon all of his followers, was that of "Baptism"--the Essenic rite, from which
he derived his familiar appellation, "The Baptist." But, it must be remembered that to John this rite was a most sacred, mystic, symbolic
ceremony, possessing a deep occult meaning unperceived by many of his converts who submitted themselves to it under the fervor of religious
emotion, and who _naïvely_ regarded it as some magical rite which "washed away sin" from their souls, as the dirt was washed from their
bodies, a belief which seems to be still in favor with the multitude.
John worked diligently at his mission, and the "Baptists" or "Followers of Johanan," as they were called, increased rapidly. His
meetings were events of great moment to thousands who had gathered from all Palestine to see and hear the prophet of the wilderness--the
Essene who had emerged from his retirement. His meetings were often attended with startling occurrences, sudden conversions, visions,
trances, etc., and many developed possession of unusual powers and faculties. But one day there was held a meeting destined to gain
world-wide fame. This was the day when there came to John the Baptist the MASTER, of whose coming John had frequently foretold and promised. JESUS THE CHRIST appeared upon the scene and confronted his Forerunner.
The traditions have it that Jesus came unannounced to, and unrecognized by John and the populace. The Forerunner was in ignorance
of the nature and degree of his guest and applicant for Baptism. Although the two were cousins, they had not met since childhood, and
John did not at first recognize Jesus. The traditions of the Mystic Orders further state that Jesus then gave to John the various signs of
the Occult Fraternities to which they both belonged, working from the common signs up until Jesus passed on to degrees to which John had not
attained, although he was an eminent high-degree Essene. Whereupon John saw that the man before him was no common applicant for Baptism,
but was, instead, a highest-degree Mystic Adept, and Occult Master--his superior in rank and unfoldment. John, perceiving this,
remonstrated with Jesus, saying that it was not meet and proper, nor in accordance with the customs of the Brotherhoods, for the inferior
to Baptize the superior. Of this event the New Testament takes note in these words: "But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized
of thee, and comest thou to me?" (_Matt. 3:14._) But Jesus insisted that John perform the rite upon him upon the ground that He wished to
go through the ceremonial in order to set His stamp of approval upon it, and to show that he considered himself as a man among men, come forth to live the life of men.
In both the occult traditions and the New Testament narrative, it is stated that a mystical occurrence ensued at the baptism, "the Spirit
of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him," and a voice from Heaven saying: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
And with these words the mission of John the Baptist, as "Forerunner of the Master," was fulfilled. _The Master_ had appeared to take up his work. |
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