by Bruce Johnson
One of the most basic principles of the Ancient Wisdom is that there are two opposing forces expressing themselves on all levels of the physical universe. One is centrifugal and is linked to light, evolution and spirit. The other antagonistic force is centripetal, relating to darkness, involution and matter. Jesus, who was initiated in the highest mysteries of ancient Egypt, would be fully aware of this duality throughout nature. His life demonstrates a continual resistance to evil from birth to death.
Those close to Jesus in his early life also resisted evil. The wise men resisted evil when they refused to reveal the location of Jesus to Herod, knowing his vile intentions. Joseph, Mary, and the angel that warned them resisted evil by moving Jesus to Egypt so Herod couldn’t harm him. Leaving Egypt after Herod’s death, Joseph was warned in a dream not to return to Judea because of the danger with the son of Herod ruling. The angels and sages protecting Jesus, as well as his parents, all resisted the forces of evil.
The Book of Matthew is filled with numerous examples of Jesus rejecting evil in its various aspects. Chapter 4 describes the temptation of Jesus. If Jesus truly said not to resist evil, as is ascribed to him in Matthew 5:39, he should have cooperated with the tempting Satan and agreed to his suggestions instead of repulsing him away like he so vigorously did. Chapter 4 shows Jesus repelling discord by teaching truth and through healing all types of mental, spiritual, and physical diseases and sicknesses.
Matthew 5:39 contains the interpolated sentence where Jesus is made to say-“But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” The consequences of individuals and groups rigorously practicing this teaching in the dead-letter literal form it’s given would be disastrous to humanity. Think about what type of world it would be like with everyone passive toward evil, and billions of humans participating in every type of wickedness with no one rebuking or resisting them. The life of Jesus shows him actively opposing the forces of evil, and not passive toward them in any way.
Throughout the Book of Matthew Jesus resists evil in many ways including defending the good, rebuking hypocritical Pharisees, healing lepers, paralytics, the blind and mute, driving out demons from the possessed, raising the dead, teaching wisdom through parables, and finally his greatest rebuke of all, overcoming the forces of death through manifesting spiritual immortality. The Books of Mark, Luke and John contain many examples of Jesus rejecting evil like he did in Matthew. Luke 14:26 holds a shocking interpolation attributed to Jesus that is completely evil in its literal interpretation. It reads-“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life- he cannot be my disciple.” This is clearly a false teaching in every way.
The Book of Matthew in today’s Bible was translated twice by St. Jerome with great difficulty from the original Gospel of Matthew. The first and genuine Gospel of Matthew was the possession of the Nazarenes, from whom Jerome received permission to translate it. Unlike Jerome’s version, it contained a hidden “secret doctrine” that Jesus knew of and taught his disciples.
Bruce Johnson has over 30 years of study in the fields of Ancient Wisdom and occultism. He has taught classes on a wide range of topics, from Atlantis to mediums to Zoroaster. He is also a spiritualist minister, with a background in spiritual astrology. He lives in Colorado with his wife and their cat.
