A BOOK “REVIEW”: THE MIND OF JESUS by William Barclay

https://sharefaith.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/a-book-review-the-mind-of-jesus-by-william-barclay-2/

YOU too (with a bit of faith) can have  the mind of Christ!..

“A bit, some of the same Spirit, the Divine Spark that made the world is in YOU… but first it has to be activated.”  from https://sharefaith.wordpress.com/comments-the-same-spirit-the-divine-spark-that-made-the-world-is-in-you-but-first-it-has-to-be-activated/

A BOOK “REVIEW”: THE MIND OF JESUS by William Barclay

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxslrCi5v2WzXy1HRXpmZXVULTQ/view?usp=sharing

A BOOK “REVIEW”: THE MIND OF JESUS by William Barclay

Tags: Jesus, Jesus Christ, Books,, The Mind of Jesus, William Barclay, Christianity, Faith, Spiritual

Growth

Submitter’s Note:

I’m currently studying the fascinating (at least it is to me!) book ‘The Mind of Jesus’ by William

Barclay (published by SCM Press Ltd, Bloomsbury St, London (first published 1960)

*Here are my brief notes that I’m sharing “in a spirit of good will and n some small way of preserving

the life work and most revealing writings of William Barclay in the digital age”. (I’ve put my own

thoughts, possible areas of disagreement and my queries in brackets – questions and topics for

further discussion… possibly). This book of William Barclay is written from a quite “religious

perspective”; so hope these notes are not too “heavy heavy” for you. Anyway hopefully, it’ll get you

thinking about the person and life of Jesus. So enjoy… and grow along the last “unexplored frontier

of the human mind”… as well as the spiritual journey…

BACK COVER

In this book William Barclay, formerly a lecturer in New Testament at the University of Glasgow,

Scotland, interprets the Gospels with as much psychological insight as is possible. The historical

background is described so as to illuminate the whole story, and both the words and the works of

Jesus are presented with a fresh comprehensiveness, always bearing in mind the questions which

modern readers ask.

As one reviewer has commented, ‘he brings to his task the experience of the tried preacher, as well

as the learning of the scholar’. For years Dr Barclay has cherished the ambition to write this life of

Jesus.

#

CHAPTER 1 THE GREAT DISCOVERY

Jesus felt the need to rediscover Jewish religion. He had a unique realisation of God as his Father;

and he had a unique realization that it was his life’s work to bring men to God, and to bring God to

men, in a way that neither priest nor rabbi could ever do. He knew why he had come into the world.

(ie he had a great sense of purpose and a strong feeling of destiny)

2 WAITING FOR THE CALL

Eighteen years is a long time to wait, but the silent years were not wasted years, for they were years

of preparation for the task no one else in the world could do. Throughout the years Jesus was

learning all the time,

To Jesus the name ‘father’ (‘Abba’ in Aramaic) was the most natural and the most precious name for

God. The Son of God, when he came into this world, prepared himself to save the world.

3 THE HOUR STRIKES

In the baptism we see the self-identification of Jesus with men and the self-dedication of Jesus to the

purposes of God. In that moment of the baptism there was kindled in the heart of Jesus a flame of

sacrificial love, which nothing in time or in eternity could ever extinguish.

4 CHOOSING HIS WAY

One of the most sacred in the whole Gospel narrative. The tempter put forth every effort he could,

yet Jesus overcame them all. The tempter began by seeking to make Jesus doubt his own call from

God, but Jesus was so sure of God, and of his own relationship to God, that his attack failed.

Temptations to the selfish use of power, material benefits, to seek quick results by sensational

means, the temptation to win popularity by compromise and more than anything else, the

temptation to distrust himself and to doubt his call.

5 A change of life must overcome a change of heart. Paul’s commission was to turn men from

darkness to light (Acts 26:18)

Repentance means the reversal of life to face God. A man cannot take any of the steps of

repentance without the help of Jesus Christ (??)

6 THE KINGDOM OF GOD

In the Gospels the use of the two phrases the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven mean

exactly the same. Kingdom of God is not territory, it’s the sovereignty, the lordship, the reign of God.

‘ Make the Kingdom the object of all your endeavour.’

life

In the Lords prayer

‘ Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’

The Kingdom is a personal issue between God and man. Any person who accepts the will of God is

within the Kingdom. Through him the Kingdom had come and was to come. (???)

In Jesus the Kingdom was embodied. He alone of all who had ever lived, perfectly and completely

fulfilled the will of God. The very essence of his life’s obedience to the will of God.

To do the will of God and be in the Kingdom of God are one and the same thing.

7

8

A Christ who still does things

There s little use in a Jesus who did things almost two thousand years ago, but who has ceased to do

them now. What we need is a Christ who still does things….today!

What Each ONE of Us Can Learn From the Character and Life of Jesus

Article Title: What Each ONE of Us Can Learn From the Character and Life of Jesus
Submitted by Craig Lock
Key Words: Christianity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, faith, inspiration, empowerment
Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4and http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com and http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 (Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!)

Publishing Guidelines:

These writings (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print.

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”
*
WHAT CAN EACH ONE OF US LEARN FROM THE CHARACTER AND LIFE OF JESUS
Here are some traits/points/characteristics on the “person”, that was/is Jesus that I’ve collected, as I’ve studied his life. No matter whether you believe or not (and no matter how “secularly” you may think), I hope these qualities may be helpful. Perhaps even inspirational to you too…
in your work and in your life.

The unique character (and spirit) of Jesus:

Jesus’s:
* Compassion for his fellow man (and especially those in difficulty, facing hardships)
* Supreme Love for humanity
* Kindness and compassion
* Selflessness (and unselfishness)
* Strength (he was definitely not weak, nor timid, as many people believe, through teaching ‘turning the other cheek’ to mistreatment)
* Honesty (was totally honest, truthful with people, yet kind)
* Sincerity (absolute integrity)
* Spirit of FORGIVENESS

“When you forgive (another person or country), you empty your mind of negative thoughts (perhaps even thoughts as strong as hate). Then the infinite Spirit of God makes a fresh space in our hearts to allow new positive feelings to take their place.. to pour into our hearts. The ‘freed’ person then moves forward with a new spirit…which takes root in people’s minds, hearts, spirits and even in the deepest recesses of their souls.”
craig

* Firmness (when required – as in overturning the tables at the money-changers in the temple)
NB

* Faith (Trust in God): Jesus often prayed to God, the Father asking Him for help to accomplish what he couldn’t do on his own (something each one of us can apply in our own ‘little’ lives, as one of us have access to the Ultimate Source, when things get too tough for us to handle on our own)
* Security in his beliefs and himself, no matter what others thought.
* Optimism (he was the greatest “Possibility Thinker” who ever lived!)
* Reasonableness
* Lack of judgement: Jesus accepted people as they were and chose to be, yet continually encouraged others to be all they could BECOME.
* Charisma (and poise)
* Originality (his creativity)
* Mastery of communication – (the “KISS” principle – getting his message across in a simple, yet creative way through telling parables).
* Enthusiasm
* Passion (for God, “the Father”, fellow man and especially the truth).
* Breadth and clarity of vision (which gives power). Jesus Christ had a vision of God and a ‘grand vision of man’ which set the nation and the world on fire.
* Honesty (absolute): “You shall know the truth…and the truth shall set you free.”
* Virtuousness: he was the only man, who ever lived who was without sin.
*
He:
* Liked having fun (had a good sense of humour – not like so many “goody goody two shoes straight churchies” – NO JUDGING now, craig!)
* Treated all people equally and with the dignity they deserved (women, as well as men), no matter how lowly a person’s station in life
* Was attractive and ‘manly’ – a very good-looking, masculine man!
* Developed good habits, like rising early
and set aside time for prayer, contemplation and meditation
* Rested and removed himself from situations, when he got exhausted.
* Thought the highest thoughts – always expecting the best in others.
* Tested his own limits (as a human being living on earth), but believed in the “seemingly impossible”. “

What with man was impossible , but THROUGH God, The Father ALL things are possible.”

#
He was:
* Never a ‘bore’
* Always true to himself and his highest values (ie. living a life of absolute integrity)
* A great encourager (supporter) of people
* A “free spirit”, his “own man”
* Self-reliant for his own motivation…
yet he enlisted the co-operation of others to achieve worthy common goals
* Honourable and fair to everyone
* Respectful to the humanity in every person he met.
* The greatest “Possibility Thinker” who ever lived: Jesus expected miracles to happen … and they did!
He had:
* Good time management skills to fit in what he accomplished
(pushing himself to exhaustion at times, so took time out to rest as needed)
* Infinite Wisdom and Insight
* A great sense of Purpose – he knew what his life was all about
* A sense of Chivalry
* Generosity towards his fellow men and women (more time spent on others than giving away money, of which he had little, like us writers!)
* An attitude of Gratitude and joy (gladness)
* A strong will – great will power
* Humility
* Patience (endless). ‘Time to work on that one now, Craig!’
* Courage (= Heroism)
* Indignation (he got very angry at times with injustice – not towards him, but others)
* Reverence (for God and others, treating the lowest with dignity)
* Definiteness of purpose
* Holiness (Divinity)
* Greatness

and finally, he possessed
* God’s (His Father’s) Supreme Grace.

“You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.”
– Oliver Goldsmith

No matter what each one of us may or may not know and believe about the person of Jesus Christ, who lived 2000 years ago, each one of us has the power to CHOOSE to aspire to His supreme values…. and in that sense He is still with us.

Shared by craig (“Information and Inspiration Distributor, Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder”)

PS:

“True success is just being the person you really want to be.”

“The task ahead of you can always be overcome by the power within you…and the often seemingly difficult or even “impassible”) path ahead of you is never as steep with the great spirit that lies within you.”

“Success to others may be apparent in what you DO; but significance, meaning and purpose lies, then reveals itself in what you ARE and BECOME down the ‘river of life’ – how and the spirit with which you face, then overcome the daily obstacles, the frequent trials and tribulations along the often rocky path-way of life’s magical and mysterious
journey. Light your path brightly.”
-craig

“Let the light of your BEING shine brightly; so revealing Who You Really Are. Be a Bringer of the Light, which emanates from our soul, God, our Creator, the Source, the Essence of Life (and Ground of our very Being).
Therefore, it can do more than illuminate your own path.YOUR spirit will help makes the lives of others easier by illuminating others paths. For this light is our humanity, the spirit of God, truth, wisdom, beauty and especially love…and it lies within each one of us. Through your actions and your being, let your light, YOUR spirit truly shine brightly on the world, like the radiance emitted by a candle at midnight.”
– Craig Lock (adapted from Neale Donald Walsh in ‘Conversations with God Book 3′).

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
– Hebrews 12.1
“I press towards the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 3:14

About the Submitter
Craig likes (no loves) to share information and insights to encourage others to be all they are capable of being.
He believes that whilst we should celebrate our differences, what we share is way more important than what divides us. In his writings Craig strives to break down social, cultural, religious and economic barriers.

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 and http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com and http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

“Together, one mind, one life at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, empower, uplift, encourage … and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials. Change YOUR world and you help change THE world… for the better”

“Let us reach for the world that ought to be, that spark of the divine, that still stirs within each one of us.”
– the words of Barack Obama in accepting his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway

Lord (God), expand my spirit and reveal to the world your living spirit of faith, hope and especially love .

craig

:THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

PPS

“Don’t tell people so much about Jesus; but rather SHOW his Spirit (Infinite) working through your life”

– my good friend, L (“The Prayer-Warrior and Prophet”)

A BOOK “REVIEW”: THE MIND OF JESUS by William Barclay

Magnificent East Coast sunrise by Ngaio Keelan in the “scenic and tranquil little haven” that is New Zealand (or ‘Godzone’, as it is often affectionately known)

Credit: www.ngatipics.com

Article Title: A “Book Review“: ‘The Mind of Jesus by William Barclay
Submitted by Craig Lock
Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 and www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html
Key words/tags: Jesus, Jesus Christ, William Barclay, books, spirituality, spiritual growth, enlightenment, inspiration, empowerment, self help, self realisation (enough there for now, craig)

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.com  

www.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com

www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com  http://religiousunity.wordpress.com

www.peacepursuit.wordpress.com http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)

Other Articles by the submitter are available at:http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management (how boring now, craig!)

Publishing Guidelines:
I’m sharing these these thoughts, these writings by Dr Deepak Chopra with the world in a ‘spirit of enlightenment‘, as in sharing I “learn and grow” myself… at least “spiritually”).So this article (as with all my articles) may be published, electronically or in print (with acknowledgment to the author, thanks).

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”

#

A BOOK “REVIEW”: THE MIND OF JESUS by William Barclay

(from The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007E2WXW0)

Tags: 

Jesus, Jesus Christ, William Barclay, books, spirituality, spiritual growth, enlightenment, inspiration, empowerment, self help, self realisation (enough there for now, craig)

Submitter’s Note:

In my research for my latest Amazon book The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ, I’m currently studying the fascinating (at least it is to me!) book ‘The Mind of Jesus’ by William Barclay  (published by  SCM Press Ltd, Bloomsbury St, London (first published 1960)

*Here are my brief notes that I’m sharing “in a spirit of good will and n some small way of preserving the life work and most revealing writings of William Barclay in the digital age”. (I’ve put my own thoughts, possible areas of disagreement and my queries in brackets – questions and topics for further discussion… possibly).  This book of William Barclay is written from a quite “religious perspective”; so hope these notes are not too “heavy heavy” for you.  Anyway hopefully, it’ll get you thinking about the person and life of Jesus.  So enjoy… and grow along the last “unexplored frontier of the human mind”… as well as the spiritual journey…

BACK COVER

CHAPTER 1 THE GREAT DISCOVERY

Jesus felt the need to rediscover Jewish religion. He had a unique realisation of God as his Father; and he had a unique realization that it was his life’s work to bring men to God, and to bring God to men, in a way that neither priest nor rabbi could ever do. He knewwhy he had come into the world.

(ie he had a great sense of purpose and a strong feeling of destiny)

2 WAITING FOR THE CALL

Eighteen years is a long time to wait, but the silent years were not wasted years, for they were years of preparation for the task no one else in the world could do. Throughout the years Jesus was learning all the time,

To Jesus the name ‘father’ (‘Abba’ in Aramaic) was the most natural and the most precious name for God. The Son of God, when he came into this world, prepared himself to save the world.

3 THE HOUR STRIKES

In the baptism we see the self-identification of Jesus with men and the self-dedication of Jesus to the purposes of God. In that moment of the baptism there was kindled in the heart of Jesus a flame of sacrificial love, which nothing in time or in eternity could ever extinguish.

4 CHOOSING HIS WAY

One of the most sacred in the whole Gospel narrative. The tempter put forth every effort he could, yet Jesus overcame them all. The tempter began by seeking to make Jesus doubt his own call from God, but Jesus was so sure of God, and of his own relationship to God, that his attack failed.

Temptations to the selfish use of power, material benefits, to seek quick results by sensational means, the temptation to win popularity by compromise and more than anything else, the temptation to distrust himself and to doubt his call.

5 A change of life must overcome a change of heart. Paul’s commission was to turn men from darkness to light (Acts 26:18)

Repentance means the reversal of life to face God. A man cannot take any of the steps of repentance without the help of Jesus Christ (??)

6 THE KINGDOM OF GOD

In the Gospels the use of the two phrases the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven mean exactly the same. Kingdom of God is not territory, it’s the sovereignty, the lordship, the reign of God. ‘ Make the Kingdom the object of all your endeavour.’

life

In the Lords prayer

‘ Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’

The Kingdom is a personal issue between God and man. Any person who accepts the will of God is within the Kingdom.Through him the Kingdom had come and was to come. (???)

In Jesus the Kingdom was embodied. He alone of all who had ever lived, perfectly and completely fulfilled the will of God. The very essence of his life’s obedience to the will of God.

To do the will of God and be in the Kingdom of God are one and the same thing.

7

8

A Christ who still does things

There s little use in a Jesus who did things almost two thousand years ago, but who has ceased to do them now. What we need is a Christ who still does things….today!

Death of sin and he liberates them to life eternal. There’s little relevance in a Jesus who stilled a storm in the Sea of Galilee nine-teen hundred years ago, and who stills no storms today, there  is every relevance in a Christ who stills the storms which rise within the hearts of men today, and in whose presence every storm becomes a calm within the heart.

10- THE MASTER TEACHER

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt 23:12, Luke 18:14)

“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions .” (Luke 12:15)

“No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.”  (Luke 9:62)

“Whoever would save his life would lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matt 16:25)

“What will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?”  (Matt16:26)

12 What Jesus said about God

To the ancient Greeks the gods were detached from the world. A self-revealing God, based on love. There s a difference between knowing a person and knowing about a person. Jesus Christ s God coming to us, because we cannot go to him’. Jesus came with the good news that God s not a God who hides himself, that God is not a God whom only the philosophers may know, that God s the God who at all costs desires to be known, and who in the most costly way has revealed himself to all men. God is involved with, identified with the human situation. In Jesus the God, who was far off has indeed been brought near.

Jesus brought into the world the idea of a selfless God, a God to whom men were so dear that he bore their sins and sorrows on his heart and gave himself for them.

The God of Jesus is love – and love is always selfless, when it is true love.

Countless thinkers have called God by various names: Supreme God, First Cause, Creative Energy, the Life Force. And all these descriptions of God have one characteristic in common – they are impersonal.  Jesus always spoke and taught of a God who is aperson. (?? Will have to ponder and do a bit of study on that one)

There is the extra-ordinary rarity that Jesus uses the name ‘Father’, as well as his extra-ordinary intimacy with ‘Abba’, his  father (Mark 14:36). (My comment: He had a unique relationship with God, the Father; yet we ‘ordinary’ people can also choose to have a “very special and intimate direct relationship” with the Ground of all Being, God, the Ultimate Source. It’s like being in “a partnership and co-creating in/with “another dimension , that one chooses through the outworking of ones faith”. A feeling, a presence – perhaps not continual, but as in the words of the “late, great” racing driver, Ayrton Senna:  “I am able to experience God’s presence on earth.”

12 WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT MAN AND SIN

All sin is against God

According to Jewish thought  the Holy Spirit had two supreme functions:

1 to bring God’s truth to men and women (from outside)

2 to enable people to recognise God’s truth when they were confronted by it (from the inside)

Jesus sternly condemned self-righteousness, as well as the sin of hypocrisy

“It’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,”

(Gal 2:20)

13 WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT HIMSELF

Jesus regarded himself (primarily) as a preacher. Early in his ministry he said to his disciples : “Let us go unto the next towns, that  may preach there also, for that is why  I came out.” (Mark 1:38) To preach was the primary object for which he came into the world (at least it was in his early years???)

It s clear that Jesus regarded himself as having come to men with truth such as the world had never heard before. He was the teacher par excellence.

So then he regarded himself  as the preacher, the herald of god, the prophet, the one with the secret confidence of god, the teacher, the one who could bring men wisdom from heaven to meet the problems of earth, as  teacher.

Jesus regarded himself as the Divine Physician who had come to enable men to be healed  of the universal human disease of sin. He came to be the Divine Physician who has the cure for sin.

(discuss)

The Son of man came, not to be served, but to serve

(Matt 20:20-28), Mark 10:35-45)

He came not for his own sake, but for the sake of men, he came not to dominate like a conqueror, but to serve like a servant.

He came to be a seeker of the lost.

He came to be a Fulfiller of all that was best in the past.

Here’s Jesus’ claim that in him there are fulfilled the highest hopes and dreams of the past

He came as the Savour of men – In his own words the Divine Physician come to cure men from the universal human disease of sin.

The great Fulfiller of all the hopes and dreams and visions, which have lodged within the hearts of men (and women, of course).

He had very high standards – and uncompromising demands

* Jesus came with the demand for implicit obedience

* He came with the claim for complete loyalty

* As an agent of judgment (?? He didn’t directly claim to judge, I think!)

If anyone makes a claim (or claims) like that, he’s ether a deluded megalomaniac or the Son of God; he s ether mad or divine. Sowhich was Jesus?

14 THE SELF CHOSEN TITLE OF JESUS

By  taking and using the term Son of Man expressed his own certainty that as the Suffering servant he must accept the Cross, and that as the Messianic King he must enter into glory.

15 THE MEN AGANST JESUS (The Law)

RELIGION AND LEGALISM

The scribes and Pharisees.

The Pharisees believed in angels and spirits; the Sadducees did not. The Pharisees believed in the freedom of the will and in individual choice; the Sadducees did not. But there was one basic difference between the P’s and S’s . The scribal or oral law was to the P’s the greatest and the most sacred thing in the world; whilst the S’s rejected the whole of it. The S’s did not accept the mass of rules and regulations on which the P’s founded religion and life.

The scribes worked out all the rules and regulations and it was the Pharisees who devoted their whole lives to the keeping of them. This they believed was what God desired and to keep these rules and regulations was to serve God

Then there were the priests and the high priest.

To the scribes and Pharisees the attitude of Jesus to sinful men and women was shocking and incomprehensible. If Jesus was right, then the priests were wrong.

To the Pharisees he was an inveterate, deliberate and blasphemous Sabbath-breaker.  Jesus in their presence deliberately broke the law through healing  on the Sabbath day (see Matt 12: 10-14, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11, Luke 13:11-17, Luke 14:1-6 , John 9)) All on  the Sabbath day!

Jesus’ point of view was quite simple. He believed that human need takes precedence over any ritual rule or regulation. It was Jesus’ conviction that no human being must suffer for an hour longer than was necessary to keep the ritual law. .

16 THE RECOGNITON OF JESUS BY MEN

Jesus saw ahead (foresaw) the certainty of the cross.

Jesus Christ is still gloriously and triumphantly alive. The old faiths dead; the old kingdoms fell; but the Kingdom of the homeless Galilean still stands and still enlarges its borders throughout the world.

So then, it was here that Jesus asked his all-important question. He began by asking what people were commonly saying about him.

Some said he was one of the Prophets. Then Jesus asked the crucial question.’ You, he said, ‘who do you say that I am?’  And it was then that Peter made his great discovery and affirmed his faith that Jesus was none other than the Messiah and nothing less than the Son of God

Peter had just made the great discovery that Jesus was the Messiah.

No sooner had Peter made his great discovery than Jesus made to him a great series of promises. These promises have been the subject of much and embittered controversy, and we must seek to find the mind of Jesus in them.

1 There s the promise to Peter:  “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.”

Peter’s initial faith is the spark which kindled the flame and fire of faith which was ultimately to burn in the world-wide Church. Peter was the first man to discover and publicly to confess who Jesus was; and therefore, Peter was the first member of the Church of Christ, and therefore, on him the Church is founded. He was the first to experience and to confess the Church’s faith in Jesus. Nothing can take from Peter the honour of being the first stone in the edifice of the new people of God. Peter was to be the man who opened the door to the Kingdom, and indeed he did.

Peter had just made the great discovery that Jesus was the Messiah, and the one thing of which the mind of Peter was totally incapable was to connect Messiahship with suffering and death. Rather than ‘the voice of love’.

17 THE RECOGNITION OF JESUS BY GOD

What Jesus was seeking? He had to be very sure that the way which he was taking was the way which God wished him to take (??). When Jesus withdrew to pray, when he went up to the mountain top, such action was never for him escape, it was alwayspreparation. The experience of the glory of God did not prompt Jesus to remain withdrawn on the mountain top; but sent him to walk with an even more certain tread the way that led to Calvary

On the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus  received the assurance that, however much he differed from the popular and orthodox view of the Messiah, it was his view which was the real fulfilment of all that the law and the prophets foretold. On the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus received the approval of God, before he went on to his cross and his crown.

William Barclay (and shared by craigL

(“information and inspiration distributor, incorrigible encourager and people-builder”)

And each ONE of us can choose to have the mind, the mindset …in a word the consciousness of Christ… to achieve what may appear impossible things in youir own life!

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” – Romans 12:2

“Spirit controls your mind.” Romans 8:6

“Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus.” – Phillippians 2:5

“But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 2:16

“Hope sees the invisible, feels the  intangible and achieves the impossible.”

from  The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007E2WXW0

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at:  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://goo.gl/vTpjkand www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html and http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock

‘The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ’ is already available athttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B007E2WXW0

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.”

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.sharefaith.wordpress.com

www.buildbridgesofunity.wordpress.comwww.buildbridgesofunderstanding.wordpress.com

www.breakdownwalls.wordpress.com  http://religiousunity.wordpress.com

www.peacepursuit.wordpress.com http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com + so many others I can’t keep track (obsessive or WHAT!)

““Change YOUR world and you help change THE world…for the better

“Together, one mind, one heart, one life at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, empower, uplift, encourage … and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials.”

What we learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light

****************

“God is a mystery, the ‘mystery of life’, a Creative Presence, Who/That allows me to be who I really want to be and become.”

“God, the Essence of Life, is the great mystery in the vast unknown; yet He(??) is understandable.”

“God, The Essence of Life, the Ground of All Being, is leading us to the light.

 

 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

“But we have the mind of Christ

“Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus.”

– 2 Timothy 1:7

“Having pursued the goals, the dreams set before us and run the race with persistence and endurance, after giving it all. Then one day standing on the summit of life, breathing in the pure sweet oxygen of achievement, totally satisfied in running the greatest race, the race of life one that ANYONE can run and win.”

craig 11/11/11

“As we live and move and have our being, so from this vision, we can create heaven in our own lives… and perhaps even heaven on earth.”

– craig (as inspired by Ephesians 2:14, as well as the words of Felicia Searcy)

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.”

– Og Mandino

“Get your next ‘fix’ from Jesus. It costs you nothing…except for his life!”

– my good friend, Lindsay  ‘The Prophet’

“Jesus is the human face of God”

“Jesus is my rock and guiding light”

A BOOK “REVIEW”: THE MIND OF JESUS by William Barclay

Article Title: A “Book Review“: ‘The Mind of Jesus by William Barclay
Submitted by Craig Lock
Web sites:

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

http://goo.gl/vTpjk (and/or http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock)

https://www.createspace.com/pub/simplesitesearch.search.do?sitesearch_query=%22craig+lock%22&sitesearch_type=STORE (paperbacks)

and http://www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books

Key words/tags: Jesus, Jesus Christ, William Barclay, books, spirituality, spiritual growth, enlightenment, inspiration, empowerment, self help, self realisation (enough there for now, craig)
The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at https://craigsblogs.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/craigs-list-of-blogs-updated-sept-2011/and www.sharefaith.wordpress.com 
Other Articles by the submitter are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management (how boring now, craig!)

Publishing Guidelines:
I’m sharing these these thoughts, these writings by Dr Deepak Chopra with the world in a ‘spirit of enlightenment‘, as in sharing I “learn and grow” myself… at least “spiritually”).So this article (as with all my articles) may be published, electronically or in print (with acknowledgment to the author, thanks).

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”

#

A BOOK “REVIEW”: THE MIND OF JESUS by William Barclay

(from The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007E2WXW0)

Tags:

Jesus, Jesus Christ, William Barclay, books, spirituality, spiritual growth, enlightenment, inspiration, empowerment, self help, self realisation (enough there for now, craig)

Submitter’s Note:

In my research for my latest Amazon book The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ, I’m currently studying the fascinating (at least it is to me!) book ‘The Mind of Jesus’ by William Barclay  (published by  SCM Press Ltd, Bloomsbury St, London (first published 1960)

*Here are my brief notes that I’m sharing “in a spirit of good will and n some small way of preserving the life work and most revealing writings of William Barclay in the digital age”. (I’ve put my own thoughts, possible areas of disagreement and my queries in brackets – questions and topics for further discussion… possibly).  This book of William Barclay is written from a quite “religious perspective”; so hope these notes are not too “heavy heavy” for you.  Anyway hopefully, it’ll get you thinking about the person and life of Jesus.  So enjoy… and grow along the last “unexplored frontier of the human mind”… as well as the spiritual journey…

BACK COVER

CHAPTER 1 THE GREAT DISCOVERY

Jesus felt the need to rediscover Jewish religion. He had a unique realisation of God as his Father; and he had a unique realization that it was his life’s work to bring men to God, and to bring God to men, in a way that neither priest nor rabbi could ever do. He knew why he had come into the world.

(ie he had a great sense of purpose and a strong feeling of destiny)

2 WAITING FOR THE CALL

Eighteen years is a long time to wait, but the silent years were not wasted years, for they were years of preparation for the task no one else in the world could do. Throughout the years Jesus was learning all the time,

To Jesus the name ‘father’ (‘Abba’ in Aramaic) was the most natural and the most precious name for God. The Son of God, when he came into this world, prepared himself to save the world.

3 THE HOUR STRIKES

In the baptism we see the self-identification of Jesus with men and the self-dedication of Jesus to the purposes of God. In that moment of the baptism there was kindled in the heart of Jesus a flame of sacrificial love, which nothing in time or in eternity could ever extinguish.

4 CHOOSING HIS WAY

One of the most sacred in the whole Gospel narrative. The tempter put forth every effort he could, yet Jesus overcame them all. The tempter began by seeking to make Jesus doubt his own call from God, but Jesus was so sure of God, and of his own relationship to God, that his attack failed.

Temptations to the selfish use of power, material benefits, to seek quick results by sensational means, the temptation to win popularity by compromise and more than anything else, the temptation to distrust himself and to doubt his call.

5 A change of life must overcome a change of heart. Paul’s commission was to turn men from darkness to light (Acts 26:18)

Repentance means the reversal of life to face God. A man cannot take any of the steps of repentance without the help of Jesus Christ (??)

6 THE KINGDOM OF GOD

In the Gospels the use of the two phrases the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven mean exactly the same. Kingdom of God is not territory, it’s the sovereignty, the lordship, the reign of God. ‘ Make the Kingdom the object of all your endeavour.’

life

In the Lords prayer

‘ Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’

The Kingdom is a personal issue between God and man. Any person who accepts the will of God is within the Kingdom. Through him the Kingdom had come and was to come. (???)

In Jesus the Kingdom was embodied. He alone of all who had ever lived, perfectly and completely fulfilled the will of God. The very essence of his life’s obedience to the will of God.

To do the will of God and be in the Kingdom of God are one and the same thing.

7

8

A Christ who still does things

There s little use in a Jesus who did things almost two thousand years ago, but who has ceased to do them now. What we need is a Christ who still does things….today!

Death of sin and he liberates them to life eternal. There’s little relevance in a Jesus who stilled a storm in the Sea of Galilee nine-teen hundred years ago, and who stills no storms today, there  is every relevance in a Christ who stills the storms which rise within the hearts of men today, and in whose presence every storm becomes a calm within the heart.

10- THE MASTER TEACHER

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt 23:12, Luke 18:14)

“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions .” (Luke 12:15)

“No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.”  (Luke 9:62)

“Whoever would save his life would lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matt 16:25)

“What will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?”  (Matt16:26)

12 What Jesus said about God

To the ancient Greeks the gods were detached from the world. A self-revealing God, based on love. There s a difference between knowing a person and knowing about a person. Jesus Christ s God coming to us, because we cannot go to him’. Jesus came with the good news that God s not a God who hides himself, that God is not a God whom only the philosophers may know, that God s the God who at all costs desires to be known, and who in the most costly way has revealed himself to all men. God is involved with, identified with the human situation. In Jesus the God, who was far off has indeed been brought near.

Jesus brought into the world the idea of a selfless God, a God to whom men were so dear that he bore their sins and sorrows on his heart and gave himself for them.

The God of Jesus is love – and love is always selfless, when it is true love.

Countless thinkers have called God by various names: Supreme God, First Cause, Creative Energy, the Life Force. And all these descriptions of God have one characteristic in common – they are impersonal.  Jesus always spoke and taught of a God who is a person. (?? Will have to ponder and do a bit of study on that one)

There is the extra-ordinary rarity that Jesus uses the name ‘Father’, as well as his extra-ordinary intimacy with ‘Abba’, his  father (Mark 14:36). (My comment: He had a unique relationship with God, the Father; yet we ‘ordinary’ people can also choose to have a “very special and intimate direct relationship” with the Ground of all Being, God, the Ultimate Source. It’s like being in “a partnership and co-creating in/with “another dimension , that one chooses through the outworking of ones faith”. A feeling, a presence – perhaps not continual, but as in the words of the “late, great” racing driver, Ayrton Senna:  “I am able to experience God’s presence on earth.”

12 WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT MAN AND SIN

All sin is against God

According to Jewish thought  the Holy Spirit had two supreme functions:

1 to bring God’s truth to men and women (from outside)

2 to enable people to recognise God’s truth when they were confronted by it (from the inside)

Jesus sternly condemned self-righteousness, as well as the sin of hypocrisy

“It’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,”

(Gal 2:20)

13 WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT HIMSELF

Jesus regarded himself (primarily) as a preacher. Early in his ministry he said to his disciples : “Let us go unto the next towns, that  may preach there also, for that is why  I came out.” (Mark 1:38) To preach was the primary object for which he came into the world (at least it was in his early years???)

It s clear that Jesus regarded himself as having come to men with truth such as the world had never heard before. He was the teacher par excellence.

So then he regarded himself  as the preacher, the herald of god, the prophet, the one with the secret confidence of god, the teacher, the one who could bring men wisdom from heaven to meet the problems of earth, as  teacher.

Jesus regarded himself as the Divine Physician who had come to enable men to be healed  of the universal human disease of sin. He came to be the Divine Physician who has the cure for sin.

(discuss)

The Son of man came, not to be served, but to serve

(Matt 20:20-28), Mark 10:35-45)

He came not for his own sake, but for the sake of men, he came not to dominate like a conqueror, but to serve like a servant.

He came to be a seeker of the lost.

He came to be a Fulfiller of all that was best in the past.

Here’s Jesus’ claim that in him there are fulfilled the highest hopes and dreams of the past

He came as the Savour of men – In his own words the Divine Physician come to cure men from the universal human disease of sin.

The great Fulfiller of all the hopes and dreams and visions, which have lodged within the hearts of men (and women, of course).

He had very high standards – and uncompromising demands

* Jesus came with the demand for implicit obedience

* He came with the claim for complete loyalty

* As an agent of judgment (?? He didn’t directly claim to judge, I think!)

If anyone makes a claim (or claims) like that, he’s ether a deluded megalomaniac or the Son of God; he s ether mad or divine. So which was Jesus?

14 THE SELF CHOSEN TITLE OF JESUS

By  taking and using the term Son of Man expressed his own certainty that as the Suffering servant he must accept the Cross, and that as the Messianic King he must enter into glory.

15 THE MEN AGANST JESUS (The Law)

RELIGION AND LEGALISM

The scribes and Pharisees.

The Pharisees believed in angels and spirits; the Sadducees did not. The Pharisees believed in the freedom of the will and in individual choice; the Sadducees did not. But there was one basic difference between the P’s and S’s . The scribal or oral law was to the P’s the greatest and the most sacred thing in the world; whilst the S’s rejected the whole of it. The S’s did not accept the mass of rules and regulations on which the P’s founded religion and life.

The scribes worked out all the rules and regulations and it was the Pharisees who devoted their whole lives to the keeping of them. This they believed was what God desired and to keep these rules and regulations was to serve God

Then there were the priests and the high priest.

To the scribes and Pharisees the attitude of Jesus to sinful men and women was shocking and incomprehensible. If Jesus was right, then the priests were wrong.

To the Pharisees he was an inveterate, deliberate and blasphemous Sabbath-breaker.  Jesus in their presence deliberately broke the law through healing  on the Sabbath day (see Matt 12: 10-14, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11, Luke 13:11-17, Luke 14:1-6 , John 9)) All on  the Sabbath day!

Jesus’ point of view was quite simple. He believed that human need takes precedence over any ritual rule or regulation. It was Jesus’ conviction that no human being must suffer for an hour longer than was necessary to keep the ritual law. .

16 THE RECOGNITON OF JESUS BY MEN

Jesus saw ahead (foresaw) the certainty of the cross.

Jesus Christ is still gloriously and triumphantly alive. The old faiths dead; the old kingdoms fell; but the Kingdom of the homeless Galilean still stands and still enlarges its borders throughout the world.

So then, it was here that Jesus asked his all-important question. He began by asking what people were commonly saying about him.

Some said he was one of the Prophets. Then Jesus asked the crucial question.’ You, he said, ‘who do you say that I am?’  And it was then that Peter made his great discovery and affirmed his faith that Jesus was none other than the Messiah and nothing less than the Son of God

Peter had just made the great discovery that Jesus was the Messiah.

No sooner had Peter made his great discovery than Jesus made to him a great series of promises. These promises have been the subject of much and embittered controversy, and we must seek to find the mind of Jesus in them.

1 There s the promise to Peter:  “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.”

Peter’s initial faith is the spark which kindled the flame and fire of faith which was ultimately to burn in the world-wide Church. Peter was the first man to discover and publicly to confess who Jesus was; and therefore, Peter was the first member of the Church of Christ, and therefore, on him the Church is founded. He was the first to experience and to confess the Church’s faith in Jesus. Nothing can take from Peter the honour of being the first stone in the edifice of the new people of God. Peter was to be the man who opened the door to the Kingdom, and indeed he did.

Peter had just made the great discovery that Jesus was the Messiah, and the one thing of which the mind of Peter was totally incapable was to connect Messiahship with suffering and death. Rather than ‘the voice of love’.

17 THE RECOGNITION OF JESUS BY GOD

What Jesus was seeking? He had to be very sure that the way which he was taking was the way which God wished him to take (??). When Jesus withdrew to pray, when he went up to the mountain top, such action was never for him escape, it was always preparation. The experience of the glory of God did not prompt Jesus to remain withdrawn on the mountain top; but sent him to walk with an even more certain tread the way that led to Calvary

On the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus  received the assurance that, however much he differed from the popular and orthodox view of the Messiah, it was his view which was the real fulfilment of all that the law and the prophets foretold. On the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus received the approval of God, before he went on to his cross and his crown.

William Barclay (and shared by craig L

(“information and inspiration distributor, incorrigible encourager and people-builder”)

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
– 2 Phillipians 5

Also see Ephesians 1:127 and
1 Corinthians 2:14

And each ONE of us can choose to have the mind, the mindset …in a word the consciousness of Christ… to achieve what may appear impossible things in your own life!

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” – Romans 12:2

“Spirit controls your mind.” Romans 8:6

“Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus.” – Phillippians 2:5

“But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 2:16

“Hope sees the invisible, feels the  intangible and achieves the impossible.”

from  The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007E2WXW0

The various books* that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

http://goo.gl/vTpjk (and/or http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock)

https://www.createspace.com/pub/simplesitesearch.search.do?sitesearch_query=%22craig+lock%22&sitesearch_type=STORE (paperbacks)

and http://www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books

‘The Spirit of a True Champion: A Look into the Mind of Jesus Christ’ is already available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007E2WXW0

Craig’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at https://craigsblogs.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/craigs-list-of-blogs-updated-sept-2011/ and http://www.sharefaith.wordpress.com 

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.”

““Change YOUR world and you help change THE world…for the better

“Together, one mind, one heart, one life at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, empower, uplift, encourage … and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials.”

What we learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light

****************

“God is a mystery, the ‘mystery of life’, a Creative Presence, Who/That allows me to be who I really want to be and become.”

“God, the Essence of Life, is the great mystery in the vast unknown; yet He(??) is understandable.”

“God, The Essence of Life, the Ground of All Being, is leading us to the light.

 

 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

“But we have the mind of Christ

“Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus.”

– 2 Timothy 1:7

“Having pursued the goals, the dreams set before us and run the race with persistence and endurance, after giving it all. Then one day standing on the summit of life, breathing in the pure sweet oxygen of achievement, totally satisfied in running the greatest race, the race of life one that ANYONE can run and win.”

craig 11/11/11

“As we live and move and have our being, so from this vision, we can create heaven in our own lives… and perhaps even heaven on earth.”

– craig (as inspired by Ephesians 2:14, as well as the words of Felicia Searcy)

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.”

– Og Mandino

“Get your next ‘fix’ from Jesus. It costs you nothing…except for his life!”

– my good friend, Lindsay  ‘The Prophet’

“Jesus is the human face of God”

“Jesus is my rock and guiding light”

Pauls Letters to the Corinthians: The Mind of Christ

PAULS LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS

1 Corinthians 2 (written 2000 years ago!)

¹ And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.^{[a] 2} For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³ I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. ⁴ My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵ so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ However, as it is written:

   “What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”^[b]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^{[c] 14} The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”^[d]

But we have the mind of Christ.

   “What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”^[b]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

From http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2&version=NIV