In this issue we continue the study of the book Posthumous Works, published after Allan Kardec disembodied and containing texts written by him. The present work is based on the translation made by Dr. Guillon Ribeiro, published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation.
Questions for discussion
97. What was the opinion of the Apostles about Christ and His nature?
98. Did Paul mention this matter in his letters?
99. Which are the books of the Old Testament that foretell the coming of Jesus?
Answers to the proposed questions
97. What was the opinion of the Apostles about Christ and His nature?
The texts copied below show what the Apostles thought about Christ:
"O, Israelites, listen to what I tell you: You know that Jesus of Nazareth was a man that God made famous among you due to the wonders, prodigies, and the miracles that were done in His name among you. However, you crucified Him and made Him die by the hands of the evils, having handed Him through an express order of God’s will and of His foreknowledge. But God resurrected Him, putting an end to the pains of Hell, and it was impossible for Him to be held there. David said in His name: I always have the Lord present before me, because He is at my right hand, so that I should not feel unsettled. This is why my heart is gay, and my tongue sings songs of joy, and my flesh will rest in hope, because you will not let my soul in Hell and will never allow your Saint to suffer corruption. You made me know the path of life, and will fill me with the joy of seeing your face". (Apostles' Acts, Chapter II, v. 22 to 28. St. Peter’s Preaching).
"Moses said to our fathers: ... The Lord your God will rise among you a prophet like me; listen to him in all that he tells you. The one who does not listen to this prophet will be destroyed from among the people. It was because of you firstly that God sent His son and sent Him to bless you, so that each would return from his evil life”. (Apostles' Acts, Chapter III, v. 22, 23, 26. St. Peter’s Preaching).
"We declare to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that it is in name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, and that God raised from the dead; it was for Him that this man is now healed as you see before you". (Apostles' Acts, Chapter IV, v. 10. St. Peter’s Preaching).
"Peter and the other Apostles answered: You must first obey God rather than men. The God of our Fathers raised Jesus, and you made Him die by hanging Him on a cross. It was Him, who God raised to His right hand, as the Prince and Savior, to give Israel the grace of repentance and forgiveness of sins”. (Apostles' Acts, Chapter V, v. 29, 30, 31. The Apostles’ Answers to the High Priest).
"But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, and looking up to Heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus, who was standing at the right hand of God, and he said: I see the skies opened, and the Son of Man, who is standing at the right hand of God. Then, shouting and covering their ears, they jumped over him. And having dragged him outside the city walls, they stoned him to death: and the witnesses laid down his garments at the feet of a young man named Saul (later Saint Paul). Thus they stoned Stephen and he invoked Jesus, and said: Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit". (Apostles' Acts, Chapter VII, v. 55 to 58. Stephen's Martyrdom).
These quotes clearly testify to the character that the Apostles attributed to Jesus. The unique idea that is highlighted is its subordination to God, the constant supremacy of God, with nothing there that may reveal a thought of any assimilation of nature and power. For them, Jesus was a prophet man, chosen and blessed by God. It was therefore among the Apostles that the belief in the divinity of Jesus was born. (Posthumous Works - Study on the Nature of Christ).
98. Did Paul mention this matter in his letters?
Yes, here is what Paul of Tarsus wrote about Jesus:
"Paul, a server of Jesus Christ, Apostle of a divine vocation, chosen and destined to preach the Gospel of God, which he had promised before, by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His son, who was born to him, according to the flesh, blood and David's race, who was predestined to be the son of God, in a sovereign power according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, with respect, I said to Jesus Christ our Lord, for whom we have received the grace of apostleship, to obey at the same time, all nations by virtue of His name, in the row of which you are also to be called by Jesus Christ, you who are in Rome, who are beloved of God, and called to be Holy; may God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord, give you grace and peace". (Romans, Chapter I, v. 1 to 7).
"Therefore, being justified by faith, let us have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Because, when we were in the languor of sin, why did Jesus Christ die for the ungodly like us, in the time designated by God? Jesus Christ did not fail to die for us in the time designated by God. Thus, being now justified by His blood, we will be even more freed by Him from the wrath of God. And not only were we reconciled, but we were glorified in God for Jesus Christ, our Lord, through which we obtained this reconciliation. If due to the sin of one only so many died, God’s mercy and gift is shed, with stronger reason, abundantly on many by the grace of one only man, who is Jesus Christ". (Romans, Chapter V, v. 1, 6, 9, 11, 15, 17).
"If you confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved". (Romans, Chapter X, v. 9).
"Next will come the accomplishment of all things, when he will have given his Kingdom to his God, his Father, and will have destroyed all empire, all domination, all power, because Jesus Christ must reign until his Father has put all enemies under his feet. And death will be the last enemy to be destroyed, because the Scriptures said that God put all of them under his feet and submitted all to him; there is no doubt that it is necessary to exclude the one who submitted all things. When therefore all things are submitted to the Son, when the Son is, himself, submitted to the one, who will have submitted all things, so that God may be all in all". (1st Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter XV, v. 24-28).
"So you my holy brethren, who have part in the heavenly calling, consider Jesus, who is the Apostle and the Pontiff of the religion we profess, who is faithful to the one, who established him in this position, like Moses, who was faithful to him in all his house; because he was deemed worthy of a glory far greater than Moses, than the one who built the house, and more worthy than the house itself, because there is no house that has not been built by someone But, the one who is the architect and the creator of all things is God ". (Hebrews, Chapter III, v. 1 to 4). (Posthumous Works - Study on the Nature of Christ).
99. Which are the books of the Old Testament that foretell the coming of Jesus?
The predictions are contained in several books and in them the distinction between God and his future Messenger is characterized in the most formal manner. God calls him His Server, therefore, a subordinate; in His words, there is nothing that implies the idea of equal power, nor consubstantiality between the two people. Was God mistaken and the men coming three centuries after Jesus Christ did they see him more righteous than Him? This seems to be his intention.
Here are the texts:
"I see him, but not now; I see him but not near; a star comes from Jacob, and a scepter arises from Israel and pierces the heads of Moab, and will destroy all the children of Seth" (Numbers, XXIV, v. 17).
"I will raise a prophet among them, like you from among their brethren, and will put my words in his mouth, and he will say what I have commanded him. And it will occur that, who does not listen to the words that he says in my name, will have to account for this before me". (Deuteronomy XVIII, v. 18, 19).
"Therefore, it will occur - when the days have gone by to take you there with your parents - whom I will set up thy seed after thee, one of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom, and he will build me a house and I will assert his throne forever. I will be his father and he shall be my son, and will not turn away my mercy from him, as I did from the one, who came before you, and I will set him in my house and in my Kingdom forever, and his throne shall be stated forever". (I Paralipomenon, XVII, v. 11-14).
"It is because the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold: … A virgin shall be with child, and she will give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel ". (Isaiah, VII, v. 14).
"Because the child is born, we were given the Son, and the power was put over his shoulder, and he was called Admirable, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Almighty, the Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace”. (Isaiah, IX, v. 5)
"Here is my Server, I will support him, he is the one I chose, my soul put on him my affection; I put my Spirit upon him. He will be righteous among the nations. He will never withdraw, nor will rush, until justice is established on Earth, and the beings will obey his law". (Isaiah, XLII, v. 1 and 4).
"He shall enjoy the work of his soul, and he will be fulfilled by this; and my righteous Server will justify many by the knowledge that they have about him and he himself will take his iniquities". (Isaiah, LIII, v. 11).
"Rejoice greatly, Oh daughter of Zion; throw cries of joy, daughter of Jerusalem Behold: your king will come to you, righteous and a humble savior, and riding on a donkey, and the foal of a donkey. And I shall forbid the war cars of Ephraim and the horses from Jerusalem, and the war arch will also be banned and your king will speak about peace to the nations: and his dominion shall go from one sea to the other and from the river to the end of the Earth". (Zechariah IX, v. 9, 10).
"And he (Christ) will remain, and will rule the Eternal strength, and the glory of the Eternal name, his God. And they will make peace, and now will be glorified to the end of the Earth, and it will be he who will make peace (Micah, v, v. 4) (Posthumous Works - Study on the Nature of Christ)...
