Baha’i Sabbath: Qawl 19, 172 B.E. (12/11/2015)

Consider the past, so that thou mayest become informed of the mysteries which shall be disclosed in the future. When the disciples were calling in the name of Christ, the Jews scoffed, scorned and laughed at them. They were saying, “They (i.e., the disciples) are taken with madness, and madness is made an art.” They even beat them with whips, threw stones at them, prevented the people from approaching them, and were saying, “This man (Christ) is naught but a sorcerer, blasphemeth God and is possess of a devil.”
Then observe how that persecution and scorn were changed to glory, honor and reverence. Ultimately, they (the Jews) honored their sublime stations and acknowledged their loftiness, which was exalted, promoted and glorified in the center of the horizons until it reached the degree of exaggeration in deeds. They made for them likenesses and pictures, decorated with jewels shining in the eyes; they placed these likenesses or pictures in the temples, churches and monasteries built on the tops of the mountains, and worshipped them with respect, glory, majesty and reverence. This is the condition of the neglectful ones who are deprived of the Truth (the Manifestations of God) at the day of their existence among them. After the ascension of their (the prophets’) spirits unto the Center of Purity and Piety, then the negligent ones repent and return, making likenesses and pictures according to their own ideas, which do not bear resemblance, and worship the same. This is the station of the ignorant ones who are as animals, following every croaker and shaken by every wind. “Forsake them to play in their shallow waters.”

Abdu’l-Baha’, Tablets, pp. 175-176

 

Thou hast written that thou lovest the Bible. Undoubtedly, the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful should know the value of the Bible, for they are the ones who have discovered its real significances and have become cognizant of the hidden mystery of the Holy Book.

Abdu’l-Baha’, Tablets, pg. 218

 

O thou who hast confessed and believed in the Words of God!
Thank God, for He hath uncovered the veil from before thine eye, and that thou hast witnessed the great signs of the greatest glad-tidings which have been revealed in the Gospel, Bible and the Psalms; and wert confirmed that verily those glad-tidings have been allusions to the appearance of the Kingdom of God during this time, and that the horizons shall brighten through the light of the effulgence in this age, which is the age of the lights and the century of thy God, the Powerful, the Almighty!

Abdu’l-Baha’, Tablets, pg. 475

 

Consider attentively and with assiduity in the New Testament, as well as the Bible, and thou shalt find new significances, very clear of this great Manifestation.
I declare by the just God that thou wilt see therein a revelation of the Holy Spirit which will aid thee in the good understanding of the Truth and the mysteries and significances of the Books of God, the All-powerful and the Eternal.
Then as to what thou hast asked me for pious people who died before they heard the Voice of this Manifestation. Listen: Those who have mounted to God before hearing the Voice, if they followed the rules of conduct as laid down by Jesus and always walked in the straight path, they have obtained this Dazzling Light after their rising to the Kingdom of God. I pray God to lift the veil for thee and to corroborate by the spirit of experience, so that all may be evident to thee, by the Holy Spirit of God.

Abdu’l-Baha’, Tablets, pp. 477-478

 

As to the manifestation of the Greatest Name (Baha’o’llah): This was the Divine Manifestation which appeared upon the earthly world. This is He whom God promised in all His Books and Scriptures, such as the Bible, the gospels and the Koran. All of these Books indicate this fact, and the least doubt cannot possibly occur to the minds concerning this clear fact, as is recorded in detail in the heavenly Books, especially in the brilliant and holy Tablets. But notwithstanding this fact, if there is anyone who hesitates therein, do not dispute with him, nay rather prove this to him with all joy and fragrance, lest he may be obstinately compelled to rebellion.

Abdu’l-Baha’, Tablets, pp. 613-614

 

Verily, the people are veiled from comprehending the meanings of the Gospel, the Bible and the Koran and know not the interpretation of the scriptures of God, except those whose eyes are opened by the outpouring of the Spirit of God. Thou shalt behold men-servants and maid-servants of Baha’ in those far-distant lands and wide countries, speaking the secrets of the Gospel and the mysteries of the Bible and the allusions of the Koran and the explanation of the Words of the Merciful One. Those are the servants to whomsoever God hath assigned His mercy which overfloweth the existence.

Abdu’l-Baha’, Tablets, pg. 685

 

O thou seeker after Truth!
The question of the Trinity, since the time of His Holiness Christ until now, is the belief of the Christians, and to the present time all the learned among them are perplexed and confounded. All have confessed that the question is beyond the grasp of reason, for three cannot become one, nor one three. To unite these is impossible; it is either one or three. If we say the Essence of Divinity is divided, even in some aspects, division is one of the necessities of the contingent world and of generation, but the Ancient is holy (i.e., whole and indivisible). If we say that the Trinity was originally one and was later divided, change and transformation will be necessarily applied to the Essence of Oneness, and change and transformation are necessities of the contingent world and not of the Essence of Divinity. If we say this number is Ancient, three Ancients become necessary, and among the three some are distinguished which are also Ancients. In this wise five Ancients are the result, and among the five are those who are distinguished and thus nine Ancients become necessary, and so on ad infinitium.
Thus considered, Trinity is made a necessity, although the falsity of Trinity is evident. Furthermore, the signs of oneness are evident and plain in all existence. If thou shouldst gather all existent beings, thou wouldst be unable to find two alike in all states and qualities; of necessity there is a difference. Thus the signs of oneness are manifest and evident in all things. How much more is the Creator of all things!
But there are, in the Gospels, clear expressions indicative of Trinity; among them: “The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father.” As Christians did not understand the meaning of this expression, their thoughts were scattered.
The reality of this question is as follows: Divine Oneness is proven and He revealeth Himself in the Holy Essences. The sun is one sun but manifesteth itself in different mirrors. If thou lookest into the mirror and seest the manifestation of the sun, thou wilt say, the sun is in the mirror and this sun manifest in the mirror is the same sun of the heavens; although two suns, yet in reality they are one. The sun hath not descended from its high and lofty station, it hath not taken up its abode in this mirror, but hath manifested itself therein.
The Christ reality was like unto a pure mirror and the Sun of Reality shone upon it from the Holy Horizon. Therefore, it became evident that the sun is one with regard to reality but manifesting itself in all mirrors.
This question was explained in full for Miss …, who translated it upon paper. Thou wilt soon learn thereof. This difficult question in its entirety was elucidated, explained and proven. 1.

1. Incorporated in the book entitled “Some Answered Questions,” compiled by Miss L. C. Barney and published in 1908, and available here: THE ORIGINAL PRESERVED TEXT IN ENGLISH Some Answered Questions

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