The White Parts of the Bible
Ordinary language is not enough for the true messenger of God. That is why David and Deborah used song, accompanying the words with music. That is why the first Christians used to dance, according to gnostic sources. That is why the church has always expressed its message in sculpture and painting and ceremonial.
Many assert their belief in the Bible as the Word of God. But if you examine them more closely, you will find out that they do not really believe it. The Bible consists of white sheets of paper (in the early days, of parchment), with black letters inscribed on them. Nearly all Christians believe the black letters to be God's Word. But the white pages do not have a place in their creed. Yet these are of enormous importance.
Luke says that at the age of twelve, Jesus was in the temple and all the teachers were astonished at His answers (2:46-47). You will seek for these answers in vain in the black letters of the Bible. They are on the white pages.
Mary chose "the good part." She sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His words (Luke 10:38-42). This may be interesting, but I would rather like to know what was the word to which she listened. This is reported in the Bible, but not in the black letters. You must learn to read the white pages. There you will also find the solution to the mystery of what Jesus did between the ages of twelve and thirty.
The Bible is a message from God, and speaks through its silences, not only through its words. Music is beautiful not only in its notes, but also in its pauses.
Try to understand the silences of God's messengers. The truer the messenger, the more mysterious his silences. He often speaks a great many words to cover the silence about the deepest things. You have to go beyond his words to find the truth which he means to convey. Discover the mystery beyond the words of the messenger, and you will know the message from God.
[RW, SISC, (c)1969]
Many assert their belief in the Bible as the Word of God. But if you examine them more closely, you will find out that they do not really believe it. The Bible consists of white sheets of paper (in the early days, of parchment), with black letters inscribed on them. Nearly all Christians believe the black letters to be God's Word. But the white pages do not have a place in their creed. Yet these are of enormous importance.
Luke says that at the age of twelve, Jesus was in the temple and all the teachers were astonished at His answers (2:46-47). You will seek for these answers in vain in the black letters of the Bible. They are on the white pages.
Mary chose "the good part." She sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His words (Luke 10:38-42). This may be interesting, but I would rather like to know what was the word to which she listened. This is reported in the Bible, but not in the black letters. You must learn to read the white pages. There you will also find the solution to the mystery of what Jesus did between the ages of twelve and thirty.
The Bible is a message from God, and speaks through its silences, not only through its words. Music is beautiful not only in its notes, but also in its pauses.
Try to understand the silences of God's messengers. The truer the messenger, the more mysterious his silences. He often speaks a great many words to cover the silence about the deepest things. You have to go beyond his words to find the truth which he means to convey. Discover the mystery beyond the words of the messenger, and you will know the message from God.
[RW, SISC, (c)1969]
posted by CS at 1:50 PM
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