by Diem Seven

Created on: July 02, 2008

To deny the existence of symbolism or it usefulness in illuminating teachings is not only foolish, but is also the same as denying the way Jesus used symbolism during His ministry. The Bible's teachings rely heavily on the use of symbols to convey messages that would be otherwise too difficult to grasp. The use of symbolism holds a double purpose and that is to confound those who aren't meant to understand.

In Mark 4, Jesus delivers one of the most famous parables, the Parable of the Sower. Following his dissertation, the disciples asked Him about the parable and Jesus reponded, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'" - Mark 4:12 Here, Jesus is quoting the prophet Isaiah (6:9-10). Here, Jesus tells His disciples that there are secrets and that they are revealed through parables and within the parables, symbols.

The Cross is a powerful symbol but only because of what happened upon it. The esoteric teachings of Judaism, which Jesus would have been familiar with since He was a Jewish Rabbi, speak of ten aspects of God called Sephirah that constitute what is known as the Tree of Life, or the Image of God. These are symbols, archetypes that allude to something greater than their mere description and are associated with various concepts that may be understood by people; concepts that would remain hidden except for accessing them through symbolism. These ten archetypes are reflected on the human body and the points where these Sephirah reside on the human body are also the same points where Jesus suffered His wounds on the Cross.

Each of these ten Sephirah is also associated with one of the Ten Commandments, the Law. It is the Law that reveals sin and condemns the world to death. Though Jesus obeyed the Law and its embodiment within Him, He was wounded for our transgressions against the Law of God, pouring out the Blood needed to heal the damage we do to ourselves and others. From His wounds spring the salve that heals the embodiment of the Law within us. Thus, we are not abolished, but fulfilled.

The Cross was a picture, a symbol that the Image of God had been hung on a tree and murdered, suffering a cursed death. This was so that the religious leaders, those schooled in the esotericism of Judaism, would recognize the event. And they do see, but never perceive. They do hear, but never understand.

Nor do many who profess Jesus as Lord.

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