【Review】While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.(John2:23-25)
○Zeal for your house will consume me.
After being baptized by John at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, Jesus went back to Galilee and stayed for a few days. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts, he made a whip out of cords, and drove all the merchants from the temple area.
His disciples seem to have been stunned by the violent behavior of Jesus who was driving out the sheep and cattle for sacrifice and overturning tables of the money changers. Citing a passage, "(David's) Zeal for your house (the house of God) will consume me (David)", from Psalm(Psalm 69:9), the Gospel of John implies that disciples noticed, albeit vaguely, that Jesus' zeal for the house of God would consume Jesus, in other words, his fate of the crucifixion was stated at that time.(John2:17)
However it was after the death of Jesus, and not at this time, that his disciples realized that the crucifixion had been chosen by Jesus himself as the way to reveal the essence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that is, the spiritual rebirth through sublating one's flesh, to the world, according to the Gospel of John chapter 2, verse 22.
○People believe in his name
Witnesses of the violence in the temple courts were not only his disciples. People, who saw Jesus acting violently on the day of the most important festival for the Jews, recognized that Jesus was performing miraculous signs and believed in his name according to the Gospel.(John 2:23) The population of Jerusalem doubled during the Passover Feast because the Jews flocked to Jerusalem not only from all over Israel but also from abroad. These people did not believe in his flesh but in his name, the spirit of truth.
○Secret of the baptism of the Holy Spirit
However Jesus would not entrust himself to them, says the Gospel. Because he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.(John2:23-25)
This exactly is the secret of the baptism of the Holy Spirit that the Gospel of John tells us. Though a man of flesh and blood is covered with sins and blind passions, he has had the Holy Spirit since the creation of the world. Jesus knew it without man's testimony. Thus he did not need to entrust his Holy Spirit to men.
It may be mentioned here that the New International Version of the Gospel is using the past tense of "will" and says, "But Jesus would not entrust himself to them". Therefore we know exactly that Jesus not only did not entrust himself to them but also would not entrust himself to them forever. However the King James version simply says, "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them."
○He does not give to us as the world gives.
What is "baptizing with The Holy Spirit"? Jesus did explain in Chapter 14 of The Gospel of John as follows:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) The words, 'I do not give to you as the world gives.' provide the key to solve the question "what is 'baptizing with the Holy Spirit'?".
Then, how does he give it to us? Jesus in The Gospel of John preached as follows:
"When he, The Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said The Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (John 16:13-15) Because, "In the beginning was the Word (Logos)." (John 1:1) All things had been condensed into the Logos and Father and Son had been also one at the immemorial.
The original text of Q Source that the author of The Gospel of John referred to here should be the following description of verse 88 of The Gospel of Thomas.
Jesus said, "The messengers and the prophets will come to you and give you what belongs to you. You, in turn, give them what you have, and say to yourselves, 'When will they come and take what belongs to them?'" (Thomas 88)
The Gospel of John describes Jesus’ role as Messiah in a roundabout way. In contrast, The Gospel of Thomas' expression is very concise. That is to say, what the Spirit of truth will give to us has belonged to us from the beginning. Therefore when we are baptized also depends on ourselves, or when we are prepared. In other words, when we have discovered that we have been one with God from the beginning, we will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.(The Origin of Christianity [02] No Dependence on Words or Letters)
○Flower Sermon
Once in ancient times, clouds were gathering at Mount Grdhrakuta to listen to the preaching of Buddha. However he did not speak a word and just held up a golden lotus flower, twirled it, and showed it to the assemblage. At this, they all remained silent. Only his best pupil Kashyapa broke into a smile. Buddha said: "I have the fundamental truth which could not be expressed in words and letters. Now I entrust Mahakashyapa with this."
Wumen Huikai(1182-1260), who wrote “Wumenguan”, an analects of Koan (Koans are subjects which Zen masters give their students in the meditation hall) during the Sung Dynasty in China, commented, "If at that time, all those attending had smiled or Kashyapa had not smiled how would Buddha do and how would the fundamental truth have been transmitted? "
[Reference]
○Sermon, From the Mumonkan (Gateless Barrier):
CASE 6: Buddha Holds Up a Flower
Once in ancient times, when the World-Honored One was at Mount Grdhrakuta, he held up a flower, twirled it, and showed it to the assemblage. At this, they all remained silent. Only the venerable Kashyapa broke into a smile. The World-Honored One said: "I have the eye treasury of the true Dharma, the marvelous mind of nirvana, the true form of no-form, the subtle gate of the Dharma. It does not depend on letters, being specially transmitted outside all teachings. Now I entrust Mahakashyapa with this."
○Mumon's Commentary:
The golden-faced Gautama insolently suppressed noble people and made them lowly. He sells dog's flesh under the label of sheep's head. I thought there should be something of particular merit in it. If at that time, however, all those attending had smiled, how would the eye treasury of the true Dharma have been transmitted? Or if Kashyapa had not smiled, how would he have been entrusted with it? If you say that the eye treasury of the true Dharma can be transmitted, then that is as if the golden-faced old man is swindling country people at the town gate. If you sayit cannot be transmitted, then why did Buddha say he entrusted only Kashyapa with it?
○Verse:
In handling a flower,
The tail of the snake already manifested itself.
Kashyapa breaks into a smile,
Nobody on earth or in heaven knows what to do.
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