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Biblical Principles for the Investigation of Truth (2:2) In the following chapters, we will test Baha'u'llah's claim to be the Return of Christ using the standard of the Bible. The Bible demonstrates that everything depends upon our approach. A purely literal interpretation of the Word of God led the people of Jesus's day away from Him. Such an outward interpretation, which ignored the deeper spiritual truths, led to the opposition, the persecution, and ultimately the crucifixion of Jesus. He and the apostles constantly drew attention to the inner significance contained in the Words of God. We must, therefore, recognize that the Word of God has both an outer and inner meaning. (2:3) We can see this principle operating in the prophecies of the Old Testament: John the Baptist was the return of Elijah (mal 4:5), The Messiah's Name was to be Immanuel (isa 7:14), the Messiah was to have a throne (Isa. 9:7), was to be a ruler in Israel (Mic. 5:2), etc. These prophecies, and almost all others, were fulfilled according to their figurative, not literal meaning. (2:5) see From the New Testament we learn that we must be born again (John 3:3), that the dead should bury their dead (Matt. 8:22), and that we will be baptized with fire (Matt. 3:11)-all clearly statements with a spiritual significance. (2:6) see Jesus God? Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (2:8) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1co 2:13-14) (2:9) see So, there is a natural way and a spiritual way to discern the Word of God. (2:10) The Bible also explains the twofold nature of Jesus Christ. Outwardly, Jesus was a mortal and subject to human conditions such as poverty, hunger, and weakness. He walked, He slept, He hungered as any man. This is how the religious leaders, and most of the people of His time, saw Him. Yet inwardly, He was-and is-Divine and All-Powerful. He was born of a woman, yet in reality He came from Heaven. His human qualities concealed from many people His divine qualities. (2:11) He was God: (2:12) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (col 2:9) (2:13) see And He was not God: (2:14) I can of mine own self do nothing: ..because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (joh 5:30) (2:15) see My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (mrk 15:34) (2:16) see But of that day and that hour knoweth no man,.. neither the Son, but the Father. (mrk 13:32) (2:17) see These words can be understood spiritually through the concept that Jesus is the image of God, explained in the Bible as follows: (2:18) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2co 4:4) (2:19) see God can be likened to a spiritual "sun," and Jesus to a perfect mirror reflecting the light of that "sun." If you look at a mirror and say "I see the sun," you speak the truth. And if you look at the mirror and say "I see the image of the sun," you also speak the truth. In the same way, if you look at Jesus and say "I see God," you speak the truth. And if you look at Jesus and say "I see the image of God," you also speak the truth. (2:20) Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. (joh 12:44) (2:21) see For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. (joh 12:49) (2:22) see So, the answer to the question "Is Jesus God or not God," repeatedly stated in the Bible, is "He is both." (2:23) Understanding the twofold nature of both the Word of God and of Christ is the only way to effectively decipher the prophecies of the Old Testament referring to Christ's First Coming. (2:24) Regarding the Second Coming, these same principles apply.
(2:25)
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