Jesus and Duality

Question:

The verses where Jesus accuses the Pharisees of being sons of the devil seem to suggest that Jesus holds dualistic beliefs.

Comment:

I’m not clear on what passage you’re referring to, but the question of Jesus and duality is one that arises frequently through all the gospels. From his time in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry to his final days, he frequently refers to Satan or “the devil,” and he has a clear sense of just what he means by the term. “He is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44). “The devil,” then, is that fear-based negative voice that consistently tells us lies—tells us that we are limited human beings, tells us that we are separate from God, tells us that we must make choices based on greed, need and fear.   All of us experience this negative voice. Jesus certainly did. “Get thee behind me, Satan!” he responds during his temptations in the wilderness. He recognizes that this negative, fear-based energy is an integral part of human experience. But it is a lie! It is only an illusion. It is not a power opposite to God; it has no reality in Truth. Its only source of power is our belief in it—and our ignorance of our true identity as expressions of God. So no, Jesus is not being dualistic when he recognizes the power of negative thinking. He is saying to the Pharisees that at least some of their “religious” choices are, in fact, rooted in “the devil”—in false, illusive negative beliefs in God as an activity of judgment and punishment rather than an energy of infinite love. We can’t just deny the power of “the devil”; we must recognize its insistent voice so that we can carefully, lovingly choose to dissolve it, moving past the illusion of duality to the truth of spiritual unity.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed