Jesus' Purpose

Jesus purpose was to establish the Kingdom of God. His vision, his mission, was to heal and reorganize society, to create a new civilization based upon, guided by, and ruled according to the highest ideals humans have ever known - Love, Truth, Peace, Wisdom, Creativity, Humility, Compassion, Unity, Mercy, Forgiveness. These ideals can be, and should be realized as the actual attributes of God. There are more, of course, but these are some of the most important to remember.


I think it is interesting that these ideals are also some of the finest ideals of the Hippie movement. Sometimes one wonders.


But, then, as now, one can forge a comfortable life for oneself at the expense of others by controlling or by manipulating desire, wealth, power, identity, fear, the promise of escape, etc. It is often true that those who accept this as the only possible reality mistake people like Jesus, Hippies, Liberals, idealists and others who are willing to consider alternatives, as a threat to their “way of life.” Then, as now, many of those who benefit most from a less-than-healthy civilization were just as willing to do whatever it takes to insure the continuation of society as it is. Some will lie, cheat, steal, kill, destroy, unleash considerable hatred, suffering and violence, do whatever it takes to defend their wealth, fame, power, identity, etc.

Like any good member of any tribe, society, state, nation, civilization, etc., Jesus realized that the essence of the Kingdom was not its wealth, power, resources, structures or organizations. He knew that the Kingdom was made up of each and every individual person who lives in it and the quality of their relationships with one another. Jesus was willing to do whatever it takes to raise the consciousness, to inspire everyone who would help create, sustain and be welcomed into this new civilization. He wanted everyone (ideally, everyone would have a home in this society) to relate to one another through Love, Truth, Peace, Wisdom, Creativity, Humility, Compassion, Unity, Mercy, Forgiveness, etc.

So, he went to Jerusalem, the capitol and most populated city in the land, to spend the week of Passover talking in the Temple. Passover in the Temple was a big event. In the sense of the number of people, open to his vision, to whom one could speak, Passover in the Temple was a big social event, the religious equivalent of such modern media events as the State of the Union Address, the Superbowl, the Oscars, Woodstock. In Jerusalem he would speak for five days to as many people as he could ever possibly hope to inspire at one time. Jesus knew that he risked having to face considerable hatred, suffering and violence. But he had the vision, he had to do whatever it takes to inspire everyone who would participate in this new civilization. Yes it was risky, but humanity, then and now, deserves an enlightened civilization and he had the vision, he had to do it. Not to do so would be a public statement that it could not be done. It would be a public statement that it was not worth the risk to establish a new civilization. So he did it.

So the religious and political powers, believing that Jesus was a threat to their “way of life,” had him arrested, at night, in secrecy so that his followers would not interfere with their plans. They put him through a trial, where they believed they were giving him the opportunity to renounce, or explain, his mission. He refused to renounce the Kingdom of God. He knew that it was too late to explain, but, in a fair turn, he gave them the opportunity to accept his authority, to establish a revolutionary new civilization. They declined. They would not hear it. They turned him over to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Under Pilate’s command, Jesus was beaten beyond recognition, nearly to death. Then he was paraded through the streets like a criminal to the site of his execution. And as he hung there, having suffering betrayal, rejection, intolerance, injustice, malicious ignorance and indifference, hatred, violence, and certain death by means of one of the slowest, most painful means of execution ever devised, he still adhered to the highest Consciousness. He still maintained his belief in the Kingdom of God, a new civilization based upon, and ruled according to, the highest ideals humans have ever known - Love, Truth, Peace, Wisdom, Creativity, Humility, Compassion, Unity, Mercy, Forgiveness.

Imagine what this world would be like if this vision, this new, ideal civilization, is ever realized.