THE LIGHT UNDER A BUSHEL. WHY JESUS SPOKE IN PARABLES. 1.

Theme: the light under a bushel, why Jesus spoke in parables. Source: the Gospel according to Spiritism, XXIV: 1-7.

1. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all
that are in the house (Matthew, 5: 15). 2. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick that they which enter in may see the light For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad (Luke, 8: 16 & 17). 3. And the disciples came and said unto Him, Why speaketh thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand,' and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them (Matthew, 13: 10-15).

4. It appears strange to hear Jesus say that the light should not be covered up when He constantly hid the meaning of His words under the veil of allegories, which are not understood by everyone. However, He explains this when He says to His disciples: "I speak to them in parables because they are not ready to understand certain things. They see, they listen, but do not understand. So it would have been useless to have told them everything at this time. Nevertheless, I have told you, because it has been given to you to understand these mysteries." So He treated the people as you would children whose ideas had not yet developed. In this manner we come to comprehend the real meaning of the words: "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house." This sentence does not mean that we should reveal all things, without due consideration as to the convenience of this revelation. All teaching should be proportional according to the intelligence of those to be taught, because there are certain people for whom a too brilliant light would only blind, without enlightening them in any way. The same thing happens to mankind in general, as can happen to an individual. The generations have their infancy, their youth and their maturity. Each thing must come at the right moment; the seed when sown out of season will not germinate. But what prudence holds back momentarily, soon or later will be discovered because when the correct degree of development has been reached Man seeks for himself the living light as he feels obscurity weighing upon him. God having given him intelligence to understand and be guided amongst the things of the Earth and of Heaven, Man then seeks to rationalize his faith. It is at this point that he must not put the candle under the bushel, seeing that without the light of reason faith becomes weak (See chapter 19, item 7). 5. If providence then in its wise precaution only reveals the truth gradually, it is obvious that these truths are disclosed in proportion as humanity shows itself sufficiently mature to receive them. Providence holds them in reserve and not under a bushel. However as Man enters into possession of them he almost always hides them from the masses, with the intention of dominating the people. These are the ones who truly place the light under a bushel. This is why every religion has its mysteries whose examination is prohibited. But as these religions begin to become outdated, so science and intelligence have advanced and broken through the veil of mystery. Having become adult, the masses could then penetrate to the bottom of these matters and so remove from their faith that which was contrary to their observations.

Absolute mysteries cannot exist and Jesus was right when He said that there was no secret that would not come to be known. Everything which is hidden will be discovered one day, and what man still does not comprehend will be revealed in succession, in more advanced worlds, when he reaches purification. Here on Earth Man still finds himself as in a thick fog. 6. We ask ourselves what advantage can be gained from the multitude of parables whose meaning remains impenetrable? It must be noted that Jesus only expressed Himself in parables in areas which were rather abstract in the doctrine. But having declared charity to one's neighbour and humility as the basic conditions for salvation, everything He said in this respect is completely clear, explicit and without any ambiguities. This is as it should be, this being a rule of conduct, a rule that everyone had to comprehend in order to be able to observe it. This was the essential point for the ignorant masses to whom He said only: "This is what you need to do in order to reach Heaven." On other matters He only disclosed His thoughts to His disciples. This was because they were more advanced, both morally and intellectually, so that Jesus could initiate them in the knowledge of more abstract truths. This is also why He said: to those who already have, even more shall be given (See chapter 18, item 15). Nevertheless, even with the apostles He was not precise on many points, the complete understanding in these areas being reserved for later times. It was these parts which caused so many diverse interpretations until science on the one hand and Spiritism on the other hand revealed the new laws of Nature, so making the real meaning perceptible. 7. Today Spiritism projects its light over an immense number of obscure points. But it does not do this without due consideration. When the Spirits give their teachings they conduct themselves with admirable prudence. They consider gradually, one by one, the various known parts of the Doctrine, leaving the other parts to be revealed only when it will be opportune to bring them forth from obscurity. If they had presented the complete Doctrine right from the first moment fewer people would have shown themselves disposed to accept it, and those who were not prepared would have become frightened by it, so that the dissemination would have suffered as a consequence. So then if the Spirits have still not told everything outright, it is not because there are mysteries within the doctrine which only the privileged few may penetrate, nor is it because they have hidden the candle under the bushel, but because each piece of knowledge must come at the most opportune moment. They give time for each idea to mature and spread before presenting another, and for events to prepare the way for the acceptance of new ideas.

CONSIDERATIONS:

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Let us realize that in the evolution of man nor everyone is ready to receive much quantity of spiritual light, hence Jesus to have been careful in giving to know to the disciples something that only they at the time could understand, to others was given them in parables, not for them to be outside of the studies, but because too much light at once would only prejudice them, and so has always been, Jesus carefully awaited for the spiritual maturing, so that he could be able to give continuation to the mans spiritual progress and evolution, henceforth having explained that he had much to tell us, but that we could not understand them, however that he would send the Comforter who would teach us what Jesus could not teach us in then days, considering that man only little by little advances in his spiritual progress because that progress accompanies his intelligence and capacity of comprehension. And so say the Spirits: Its because each thing has to come at the right time. The Spirits Doctrine teaches us that God has created us simple and ignorant,2. giving us the free arbitration,3., and all the time necessary for our progress, creating laws to protect us and laws to aid us to have evolution and have progress, hence the law of causes and effects,4. the law of reincarnation as many times as necessary,5. law of love,6. which was not understood up to Jesus coming explaining and practicing it. The law of love which of course we are still scratching in difficulties to practice it, we are still in the condition of love mixed with selfishness, as we give love holding the best to our selves, rarely our love being totally spontaneous; we are still much inferior in love that is demanded from us, not as Jesus portrayed what love was, thence, we are still much afar to be perfect in love and through love. The Gospel of our Lord is still not bring understood, in that which one does understand that one is not much advanced in moral progress which is demanded from all of us, as one regards that Jesus said: Go to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel,7. it is the Gospel which brings us comprehension and that gives us faith in the future and aids us to our own transformation to the good and ways of the Lord in the obeying of His laws, therewith His laws are the staff that comforts us, they are the light which guides us to the house of the Lord, to the salvation harbor, the aim of our destination. We are much to the level of the Young lad who came to Jesus and Jesus asked him if he kept the commandments, to the what he replied, Yes, as since a child, having Jesus added give your belongings to the

poor and do follow me, hence the young lad went his way. So is still with many of us, we do not have condition of following Jesus 100%, We do live confused on the top of the wall between materiality and spirituality. Spiritism tells us that nature does not give jumps,8. that only little by little we evolve, each one advances on his own pass, however slowly, only after some evolution is when starts somewhat as if jumping, which is the case of: the more one has more shall be given.9. An example we have of university students who after through efforts have success in gaining a course, hence a diploma and with those acknowledgements some other studies attached to the diploma, with easy will learn them and all the studies complete themselves as jumps, and the student gains two or three diplomas in a third of the time which would have gained his first one, and thenceforth it is only to allow life to take its own ways. As regards to the kingdom of God, Jesus said: seek first the kingdom of God and all things shall be added unto you.10. It is because we are spirits and the source of all emotions, impulses and inspirations are derived from our spirits, the spiritual source is the one which moves everything, if we aim rightly in the spiritual life everything else adjusts to our life, hence let us leave firstly of all our spiritual life running in the will of God, as In him we live and have our being.11. A tree has its roots in the earth and lives from the earth and in the earth; God is Spirit, and the Supreme Intelligence.12. And man is a spirit, hence the spirit of man lives of the Spirit and in the Spirit of God, hence of if getting afar from his nature he suffers the consequences in accordingly to his deviation until being readjusted to his spiritual roots, of which one can seek explanation in a repentance, conscientiousness and in the Know thyself,13. Jesus explained our problem in the parable of the prodigal son, when he reason himself and said I will return to my fathers house,14. our life in spiritual apprenticeship is slow and gradual, normally the intelligence develops firstly afterwards the moral one does. We do fall down and get up constantly, however one ought not to give up of our life walk strolling away, hence in short of knowledge of everything and all reasons of our situations it is demanded from us faith, faith in God who patiently accompanies our progress and evolution, faith in the future in the surprises which god the Father has for His children, His creation, because: it did not occur to the heart of man the things which He has kept for those who trust Him and love Him, 15. for them who keep hope in He Whom will make all things anew, because there will be no more crying, nor more tears, nor afflictions, nor illnesses, nor miseries, nor death, nor overstrainings, nor needings, and whats more: our doubts if there is god or not, will not be any more of our concern, be it in doubts, ignorances or in whatever prejudices us now. Yes, the future as it is revealed to us by prophets or deduced through the natural laws of evolution and progress may take some time in coming, but nevertheless it is in the decrees of God and in His willingness the happiness for all His children, the ultimate uppermost of our ascension in our evolution and progress it is to become a Pure Spirit, however that, in every stage of ascension it has always its degree of happiness being the happiness related to the spiritual degree in which a person may have reached; let us then be satisfied and contented in whatever be the situation we might be in.
[4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [5] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. [6] And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. [7] He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.(Revelation, XXI: 4-7.)

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Let us have as a back up to this study from Allan Kardecs book Genesis chapter I, items numbers, 25 to 30:
25. The whole doctrine of Christ is founded upon the character he attributes to divinity. With an impartial God, perfectly just, good, and merciful, he has been able to make of the love of God and charity towards ones neighbor the express conditions of salvation, and to say. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Upon this belief alone he has been able to base the principle of the equality of men before God, ands of university fraternity. Yet, would it be possible to love this God of Moses? No, one could but fear him. This revelation of the true attributes of divinity, joined to that of the immortality of the soul and mans future life, deeply modified the mutual relations of men, imposed upon them new obligations, caused them to view the present life under another light. It effected a marked change for the better in the manners and social relations of humanity. It is incontestably, in its consequences, the most important point in the relation of Christ, of which one

can never fully appreciate the importance. Sad to say, it is the point least commented upon, - the one which has been misconstrued in a greater degree than all the other teachings. 26. However, Christ adds, All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Consoler, the Holly spirit, whom the Father will send in my name. will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Consoler to be with you forever (John, 14: 16, 25 and 26). If Christ did not impart all the truth which he was capable of giving, he thought it better to leave some truths in shadow until men should be capable of comprehending them. From his own acknowledgement, his teachings were then incomplete. Since he announces the coming of the spirit who should add unto them, he prophesied that they would deviate from his teachings; in a word, that they would deteriorate from that which he had done for them, but everything he declared should be reestablished. Now, one establishes only that which has been defective. 27. Why did he call the new Messiah, the Consoler? This significant name, without ambiguity, is a revelation in itself. It predicted that men would have need of consolation, implying that there was an insufficiency of consolation in the new belief being formed. Scarcely ever has Christ been so clear and explicit as in these last words, which have gained the particular attention of but few people, perhaps because teachers have failed to place them in the right light to deepen their prophetic sense. 28. If Christ has not been able to develop his teachings in a complete manner, it is because men were so ignorant, and they could acquire knowledge only with time, he talked of things which appeared to them visionary and unreal in their undeveloped state. In order to complete his mission, it was only necessary to explain and develop truths already given. It was necessary to add new truth; for the germ of all was found in his words, the key was needed which should unlock their meaning. 29. But who dares to attempt to change the meaning of the Holy Scriptures? Who has the right? Who possesses the necessary light, if not the theologians? Who will dare to undertake it? Science first, which asks permission of no one to make known the laws of nature. It crushes under its feet the most beloved errors and prejudices. What man has this right? In this age of intellectual emancipation and of liberty of conscience of the right of examination belongs to the entire world, and the scriptures are no more the holy ark upon which one fears to lay a finger in the expectation of being crushed thereby. We need not contest the Theologians of the Middle Ages, and particularly the Fathers of the Church, who were brilliant in regards to special necessary knowledge. They were not, however, strong enough to condemn as heresy the movement of the earth and belief in the antipodes; but, from all known periods of the worlds formation till the present time, they have known the anathema at every new revelation. Men have not been able to explain the scriptures by the exclusive aid of that knowledge which they, mixed with false or uncertain ideas, possessed concerning the laws of nature, revealed later by science. That is the reason why theologians themselves have really mistaken the sense of certain words and facts in the Gospel. Determined, at any price, to find the continuation of a preconceived thought, they remained always in the same circle, without changing their point of view, in such manner that they saw only that which they wished to see. Wise theologians as they were, they could not comprehend facts depending upon laws of which they knew nothing. But who could judge between the diverse and contradictory interpretations given outside of theology? As new facts and laws are revealed, we will be enlightened in the logic and good sense and use these as distinguish utopia systems from those based in reality. Now science has revealed certain laws; Spiritism brings others to light. Collectively they are indispensable to the correct understanding of the sacred texts of all religions, - those of Confucius and Buddha equally with those of Christianity. As to theology, it cannot know how to judiciously plead an exception for the contradictions of science, since it is not always in accord with itself. 30. Spiritism, taking its starting point at the words of Christ, as Christ has taken his from Moses, is a direct consequence of his doctrine. To the vague ideas of the future life it adds a revelation of the existence of the invisible world which surrounds us and occupies all space; thus defining the belief, by giving it body, consistence, and a reality to the idea. It defines the connection between the soul and the body, and raises the veil which conceals from men the mysteries of life and death. By Spiritism man knows whence he comes, where he goes, why he is upon the Earth, why he suffers temporarily, and can see, above all, the justice of God. He learns that souls progress unceasingly through a serious progressive existences until they shall have attained to that degree of perfection in which God only reigns. He learns that all souls, having the same starting point, are created equal, with the same opportunity to progress in virtue of their own free will, that all are of the same essence, and that there is between them only a difference of accomplished progress; that all have the same destiny. And will attain the same end more or less promptly according to their labor and desire to progress.

He learns that there are no disinherited ones, no lost souls, neither one more favored than another; that God has not created some favored ones who are excused from the work which is imposed upon others to facilitate their progression; that there are no creatures perpetually condemned to un happiness and suffering; that those designed under the name of demons are spirits yet undeveloped and imperfect, who do wrong in the world of spirits as they did here upon Earth, but who will advance and improve their condition; but the angels are not beings distinct from the rest of creation, but spirits who have attained that height through the same earthly sufferings and temptations as others undergone, that thus there are not varied creations of different classes among intelligent humanity, but that all creation springs from upon the great law of unity which rules the universe, and that all beings gravitate towards a common end, which is perfection , without one being favored at the expense of the others, all holding the thread of their destiny in their own hands.

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The Spirits Doctrine is very clarifying and comforting on bringing comprehension of who we are and explaining our future will be in conformity with the progress we may obtain, that the present as it is lived brings consequences for the future of our immortal soul, therefore we are responsible for ourselves, being: to each one according to his works,16. Each one has his own merits and not merits at someone elses expense, the father will not pay for his sons sins nor the son for his fathers sins. 17. Thus as the Gospels the Spirits Doctrine advises to love our neighbor, to have tolerance, to forgive, not to keep hate, nor revulsion, nor revenge, not to give false testimony, not to envy nor wishing what is of someones else, not to steal, to accept ones situation before God with respect without being upset with God if He is blessing others and that one might have the impression that He does not love him, to know to accept ones testings, to carry ones cross, knowing that God to whom He loves He give trials, because after the trials god blesses with a much greater doubly or triplicated blessing being a person dignified and deserving of the blessings of the Lord.
[3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. [5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. [6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. [7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. [8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. [9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. [10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mathew, V: 3-10)

Well, may God bless us, as ever in the past, present and the evermore future?

1)- Study given at the Centro Espirita, Joana dArc., S. J de Meriti, RJ. On 06/ 11/ 2012.
2- God created us simple & ignorant- (The Spirits Book, Q. 115-121) 3-Giving us Free arbitration (The Spirits Book, Q. 843. 4- Law of causes and effects. (The Gospel according to Spiritism, V: 4-10. 5-. Law of reincarnation, as many times as necessary (The Spirits Book, Q. 166-171. 6-. Law of love John, VII: 16-29. 7- To go to the whole world proclaiming the Gospel Matthew, IV: 16-23. X: 5-20. - X: 26-28. Mark, XIII: 10. 8- Nature does not jump (The Spirits Book, Q. 120. 9- To whom that has much, more shall be given Matthew, XXV: 29. 10- Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice and everything shall be added Matthew, VI: 33. 11. In Him we live and have our being Acts, XVII: 28 12- God is Spirit & Supreme Intelligence John, IV: 24. The Spirits Book, I chapter, Q1. 13- Know thyself Philosophy. 14- Reason to himself and said I will return to my fathers house Luke, XV: 11; 21-32. 15- It has not occurred to the heart of man the things that God has reserved I Corinthians, II: 9. 16-To each one according to his works Matthew, XVI: 27. Mark, XIII: 34. 17-, The father does not pay for the sins of his son nor the son pays for the sins of his father Deuteronomy, XXIV: 16.