The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ

Jesus crosses Persia. Teaches and heals in many places. Three magian priests meet him as he nears Persepolis. Kaspar, and two other Persian masters, meet him in Persepolis. The seven masters sit in silence seven days.

Four-and-twenty years of age was Jesus when he entered Persia on his homeward way.

2 In many a hamlet, town and neighborhood he paused a while and taught and healed.

3 The priests and ruling classes did not welcome him, because he censured them for cruelty to those of low estate.

4 The common people followed him in throngs.

5 At times the chiefs made bold to try to hinder him, forbidding him to teach or heal the sick. But he regarded not their angry threats; he taught, and healed the sick.

6 In time he reached Persepolis, the city where the kings of Persia were entombed; the city of the learned magi, Hor, and Lun, and Mer, the three wise men,

7 Who, two-and-twenty years before, had seen the star of promise rise above Jerusalem, and who had journeyed to the West to find the new-born king;

8 And were the first to honor Jesus as the master of the age, and gave him gifts of gold, gum-thus and myrrh.

9 These magi knew, by ways that masters always know, when Jesus neared Persepolis; and then they girt themselves, and went to meet him on the way.

10 And when they met, a light much brighter than the light of day, surrounded them, and men who saw the four stand in the way declared they were transfigured; seeming more like gods than men.

11 Now, Hor and Lun were aged men, and Jesus placed them on his beast to ride into Persepolis; while he and Mer led on the way.

12 And when they reached the magi’s home they all rejoiced. And Jesus told the thrilling story of his life, and Hor and Lun and Mer spoke not; they only looked to heaven, and in their hearts praised God.

13 Three wise men from the North were in Persepolis; and they were Kaspar, Zara and Melzone; and Kaspar was the wisest master of the magian land. These three were at the home of Hor and Lun and Mer when Jesus came.

14 For seven days these seven men spoke not; they sat in silence in the council hall in close communion with the Silent Brotherhood.

15 They sought for light, for revelation and for power. The laws and precepts of the coming age required all the wisdom of the masters of the world.

CHAPTER 39

Jesus attends a feast in Persepolis. Speaks to the people, reviewing the magian philosophy. Explains the origin of evil. Spends the night in prayer.

A feast in honor of the magian God was being held, and many men were gathered in Persepolis.

2 And on the great day of the feast the ruling magian master said, Within these sacred walls is liberty; whoever wills to speak may speak.

3 And Jesus standing in the midst of all the people, said, My brothers, sisters, children of our Father-God:

4 Most blest are you among the sons of men today, because you have such just conceptions of the Holy One and man.

5 Your purity in worship and in life is pleasing unto God; and to your master, Zarathustra, praise is due.

6 Well say you all, There is one God from whose great being there came forth the seven Spirits that created heaven and earth; and manifest unto the sons of men are these great Spirits in the sun, and moon, and stars.

7 But in your sacred books we read that two among these seven are of superior strength; that one of these created all the good; the other one created all that evil is.

8 I pray you, honored masters, tell me how that evil can be born of that which is all good?

9 A magus rose and said, If you will answer me, your problem will be solved.

10 We all do recognize the fact that evil is. Whatever is, must have a cause. If God, the One, made not this evil, then, where is the God who did?

11 And Jesus said, Whatever God, the One, has made is good, and like the great first Cause, the seven Spirits all are good, and everything that comes from their creative hands is good,

12 Now, all created things have colors, tones and forms their own; but certain tones, though good and pure themselves, when mixed, produce inharmonies, discordant tones.

13 And certain things, though good and pure, when mixed, produce discordant things, yea, poisonous things, that men call evil things.

14 So evil is the inharmonious blending of the colors, tones, or forms of good.

15 Now, man is not all-wise, and yet has will his own. He has the power, and he uses it, to mix God’s good things in a multitude of ways, and every day he makes discordant sounds, and evil things.

16 And every tone and form, be it of good, or ill, becomes a living thing, a demon, sprite, or spirit of a good or vicious kind.

17 Man makes his devil thus; and then becomes afraid of him and flees; his devil is emboldened, follows him away and casts him into torturing fires.

18 The devil and the burning fires are both the works of man, and none can put the fires out and dissipate the evil one, but man who made them both.

19 Then Jesus stood aside, and not a magus answered him.

20 And he departed from the throng and went into a secret place to pray.

CHAPTER 40

Jesus teaches the magians. Explains the Silence and how to enter it. Kaspar extols the wisdom of Jesus. Jesus teaches in the groves of Cyrus.

Now, in the early morning Jesus came again to teach and heal. A light not comprehended shown about, as though some mighty spirit overshadowed him.

2 A magus noted this and asked him privately to tell from whence his wisdom came, and what the meaning of the light.

3 And Jesus said, There is a Silence where the soul may meet its God, and there the fount of wisdom is, and all who enter are immersed in light, and filled with wisdom, love and power.

4 The magus said, Tell me about this Silence and this light, that I may go and there abide.

5 And Jesus said, The Silence is not circumscribed; is not a place closed in with wall, or rocky steeps, nor guarded by the sword of man.

6 Men carry with them all the time the secret place where they may meet their God.

7 It matters not where men abide, on mountain top, in deepest vale, in marts of trade, or in the quiet home; they may at once, at any time, fling wide the door, and find the Silence, find the house of God; it is within the soul.

8 One may not be so much disturbed by noise of business, and the words and thoughts of men if he goes all alone into the valley or the mountain pass.

9 And when life’s heavy load is pressing hard, it is far better to go out and seek a quiet place to pray and meditate.

10 The Silence is the kingdom of the soul which is not seen by human eyes.