FROM THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS
by Ernest Holmes
The Two Sons
"In presenting the parable of the Prodigal Son to his listeners, Jesus began by saying that the Father (which is the Universal Spirit) had two sons, meaning that, as the son of God, man has the right of self-choice. This carries with it the possibility of an apparent duality (but, of course, not a real one) and the possibility of experiencing good and evil. Moses referred to the same thing when he said that he had set a blessing and a curse before the Children of Israel, and they must choose whom they would serve. The two sons referred to in this story, allegorically denote the two states of consciousness necessary to real individuality. Man is a conscious, self-knowing mind, equipped with volition and choice; he is an individual and can do as he chooses.
God Does Not Argue (Luke 15:11-32)
"A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided upon them his living."
When the younger son asked for his portion of good, God did not argue with him; did not try to dissuade him; did not suggest that he was using bad judgment. God never argues. To argue is to suppose an opposite and God has no opposite. We argue to arrive at a correct conclusion. God is already the correct conclusion of all things, therefore, He does not need to argue. Plotinus tells us that Nature never argues, that It contemplates Itself; that Its contemplation creates a form, through which It may become expressed. Undoubtedly, this is the whole meaning and process of Creation.
"And he divided unto them his living." There was no argument. God did not tell the son that it would be far better for him to remain at home. He did not say that he might come to want and suffer, perhaps starve. He did not tell him anything: "He divided unto them his living." The Universe gives us what we ask; experience alone will teach us what is best to have. "He divided unto them his living." No clearer statement of individuality could possibly be inferred than this. The son received exactly what he asked for; no more, and certainly no less. The cup of his acceptance was filled from the universal horn of plenty; he could do with it as he chose.
The Far Country
"And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living."
When the son had received his share of goods, he went into a "far country." We are all in this "far country," for it symbolizes the descent of the soul, or the outer rim of spiritual existence. It is omnipresent, we cannot escape the Divine Presence, so this "far country" means a state of consciousness which has separated itself from the eternal good. The "true meaning," I believe, of the "far country" would be a conscious separation from God, an isolated state, one in which there appears to be no remembrance of God as an actual, living, and ever-present Reality; one where man feels himself to be separated and entirely apart from the Eternal good.
This "far country" has a real a meaning today as it had in the hills of Galilee, nearly two thousand years ago, for all of us have come from heaven and nearly all feel the isolation of this seeming apartness from the Eternal Good. Indeed, the whole endeavor of mankind is to return to the Father's House.
Why We Are in Want
"And there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want."
When one separates himself from the Divine Fire, he becomes an isolated spark. We are strong only when united with Life. As soon as our consciousness is detached from spiritual wholeness, we can no longer draw from that inexhaustible reservoir of eternal existence, so we become exhausted - there is nothing to fall back upon.
Life is one perfect Wholeness. The Universe is a Unit. God is One. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MAN TO FEEL SEPARATED FROM THE SPIRIT WITHOUT FEELING LOST AND IN WANT. This is why Jesus said he could nothing of himself, but could work only as the currents of divinity ran through his personal mentality. That subtle something which runs through all things and which we call "the Thing Itself," that energy without which nothing can be energized, that Life without which nothing can live, that Power without which nothing can move, and that Spirit without which nothing can be - IS GOD. It is only as we live in conscious union with the Spirit, and consciously let It work through us that we really live.
The Fallen Man
So, the prodigal son "began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine."
The symbolism here is most interesting, for it perfectly depicts the state of humanity while in the "far country." The "citizen" referred to means the attempt, on the part of man, to find some cause outside of Spirit. Man seeks to league himself with material forces alone, not realizing that there can be nothing outside the Unity. Most of us seek the cause in the effect and unknowingly put the cart before the horse, not realizing that the flower is already in the seed, and that effects must follow causes. There can be no true alliance apart from life and no good apart from a unity with the Whole. "And he sent him into his fields to feed swine." Jesus was a Jew. The Jews did not consider the meat of the swine lawful to eat; consequently he used this term to show how completely the prodigal son had fallen from his high estate - he must even be compelled to feed the despised swine. This demonstrated that his state of being was so low that it would be impossible for it to be any worse. It had reached the outer rim of reality."
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