Review：The baptism of the Holy Spirit (The Last Word)
"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (John 10:17-18)
The authority of Jesus
Jesus, who had gone up to Jerusalem and had pronounced on the Jews, "You cannot be baptized with
The Holy Spirit (Mahesvara's talisman) to possess eternal life, unless you discard your stinking pride and arrogance as Abraham's descendants," during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, which is celebrated on the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, continued to stay in the city and performed good works, such as healing a blind from birth and reiterated his determination to be crucified, saying, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (John 10:17-18)
Christ for Hebraist
When Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication, some of the Jews, who had been somewhat impressed with these sermons, surrounded him and asked, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." (John 10:24) These Jews look to have been expecting Jesus to play the role of a Messiah, such as Mattathias, a priest from Modi'in, who had revolted against the rule of the Seleucid King of Syria.
Hanukkah, which is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, is an Jewish feast commemorating the cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem polluted by Hellenism when Jews won a decisive victory against the Syrian-Greeks in the Maccabean War of 165 BCE.
However, Jesus, who had determined to take the lead in the tidal wave of the church movement of Hellenists (Overseas Jews who were neither familiar with Hebrew or Aramaic but used Greek as intermediate language among them), answered bluntly, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep." (John 10:25-26)
The enraged Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" They replied, "You blasphemed God. Because you, a mere man, claim to be God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'? If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came, what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? The one, who believes the works I do, may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." (John 10:32-39)
The Last Word
Jesus looks like to have judged that these Jews could not understand the Last Word of him until his crucifixion, even if he preached out of kindness.
The Last Word, in terms of Zen Buddhism, means the word which one, who died once and returned back to life, in other words, who experienced spiritual rebirth, speaks out. According to the dialectic of the Gospel of John, "A man can possess eternal life through accepting testimony of the Son of man and being baptized by him. (John 5:24) But the one who comes from the earth cannot accept the testimony by one from heaven. (John 3:32) Therefore, if you want to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, you can just go back to the word which was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) and certify that God is truthful. (John 3:33)" Thus, 'The Last Word' is entity of 'Baptism of the Holy Spirit.'
DeShan: Bowls In Hand
Zen master DeShan XuanJian (780-865), who is famous as he produced many disciples using a method to beat them up with a stick during the Tang Dynasty in China, one day went to the dining hall with his bowls in his hand. XueFeng YiCun (822-908), who was on duty of cooking, asked him, "Where are you going with your bowls, Old Man? The bell hasn't rung and the drum hasn't sounded." DeShan went back to his room dejectedly.
No nonsense diligent student XueFeng was confused by his teacher's behavior which he had not seen before, and told his sibling disciple YanTou QuanHuo (828-887) about this. In contrast, a playful but genius student Yantou said, "Big and small DeShan (which means DeShan and XueFeng) do not know the last word." XueFeng was more confused and looks to have asked, of all things, DeShan himself about the comment of YanTou.
So DeShan sent for Yantou and asked, "You rated on my lack of enlightenment to XueFeng, didn't you?" YanTou leaned over and whispered something into DeShan's ear. DeShan looks to have been satisfied with YanTou's explanation.
When Deshan sat before the sangha next day, his dharma talk was really different. Yantou rose from his seat, went to the front of the hall and said loudly, "How wonderful! Our Master's Last Word. Now, no one on earth can despise him! (The Gateless Barrier Case 13)
The thousand sages have not transmitted the single word before sound
TianMuShan ZhongFeng MingBen (1263-1323), a Zen Master during the Yuan Dynasty era of China, is warning in his writing, "The one, who preaches that 'The liberation of the flesh while sitting or the entering nirvana while standing is the ultimate expression of enlightenment, that is, 'the Last Word' in Zen Buddhism,' is a kind of the Ninety-six classes of heretics in India." According to him, the words and acts and even inaction are only flexible expedients for guiding people and not absolute or immutable truth.
In this world, all things are in flux and nothing is permanent. A word or an act, is once spoken out or done, it is no longer absolute or immutable, 'Deshan's stick' and 'Linji's shouting' are also only flexible expedients. The Last Word, too, does not exist originally. Thus, the word before sound, which the thousand sages have not transmitted, seems to have to be known by ourselves through going back to the word which was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) and certifying that God is truthful. (John 3:33)
Rehearsal of the Resurrection
After leaving the temple, Jesus went back with his followers across the Jordan River to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. He and his disciples united with the followers of John the Baptist They stayed there (perhaps Aenon in Perea) and waited for the rehearsal of resurrection in Bethany to become ready. After receiving a message from Mary and her sister Martha, saying that their brother Lazarus was critically sick, Jesus purposely postponed his departure a few days and appeared at the funeral venue of Lazarus and resurrected Lazarus from the grave in front of a large number of mourners. This miracle was reported throughout of Israel by the mourners. The high priest Caiaphas immediately called a meeting of the Sanhedrin and proposed to crucify Jesus as the savior of the Jewish nation. Jesus withdrew temporary to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. (John 11:49-54) Six days before the Passover, Jesus again arrived at Bethany and was poured perfume by Mary. The next day, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey as the king of Israel, led the masses and marched through the streets. (John 12:12-15)
＜To be continued＞
What is "Baptism with The Holy Spirit"?
According to the dialectic of the Gospel of John,
【Thesis】"A man can possess eternal life through accepting testimony of the Son of man and being baptized by him." (John 5:24)
【Anti-thesis】But "The one who comes from the earth cannot accept the testimony by one from heaven."(John 3:32)
How then can a man possess eternal life?
【Synthesis】"If you want to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, you can just go back to the word which was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) and certify that God is truthful. (John 3:33)"
When he said, "You are Huichao," Zen Master Fayan thrusted vivid Self in Huichao in front of his eyes. (P.171)
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