Section 1

The Bible

1John 1:29 Behold

29Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Click to open the research content

2Mark 1:14 Jesus, 15, 34 (to ;)

14Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

34And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils;

3John 10:24, 25, 27–30

24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

Click to open the research content

25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

30I and my Father are one.

Science and Health with Key to the Scripturesby Mary Baker Eddy

1361:16–18

As a drop of water is one with the ocean, a ray of light one with the sun, even so God and man, Father and son, are one in being.

218:1–9

Divine
oneness

Atonement is the exemplification of man’s unity with God, whereby man reflects divine Truth, Life, and Love. Jesus of Nazareth taught and demonstrated man’s oneness with the Father, and for this we owe him endless homage. His mission was both individual and collective. He did life’s work aright not only in justice to himself, but in mercy to mortals, — to show them how to do theirs, but not to do it for them nor to relieve them of a single responsibility.

326:10–14

Christ’s
demonstration

The Christ was the Spirit which Jesus implied in his own statements: “I am the way, the truth, and the life;” “I and my Father are one.” This Christ, or divinity of the man Jesus, was his divine nature, the godliness which animated him.

4136:5

He claimed no intelligence, action, nor life separate from God. Despite the persecution this brought upon him, he used his divine power to save men both bodily and spiritually.

5202:3

The scientific unity which exists between God and man must be wrought out in life-practice, and God’s will must be universally done.

Section 2

The Bible

4Psalms 111:1 (to 1^st .), 9

1Praise ye the Lord.

Click to open the Bibles content

9He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

5John 3:17

17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Click to open the research content Click to open the Bibles content

6Matthew 9:10–13

10And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

7II Corinthians 5:17 if, 18

17if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Click to open the Bibles content

18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Science and Health

619:6

Jesus aided in reconciling man to God by giving man a truer sense of Love, the divine Principle of Jesus’ teachings, and this truer sense of Love redeems man from the law of matter, sin, and death by the law of Spirit, — the law of divine Love.

7259:6

In divine Science, man is the true image of God. The divine nature was best expressed in Christ Jesus, who threw upon mortals the truer reflection of God and lifted their lives higher than their poor thought-models would allow, — thoughts which presented man as fallen, sick, sinning, and dying. The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea, — perfect God and perfect man, — as the basis of thought and demonstration.

8242:1–3

Through repentance, spiritual baptism, and regeneration, mortals put off their material beliefs and false individuality.

919:17–24

Efficacious
repentance

Every pang of repentance and suffering, every effort for reform, every good thought and deed, will help us to understand Jesus’ atonement for sin and aid its efficacy; but if the sinner continues to pray and repent, sin and be sorry, he has little part in the atonement, — in the at-one-ment with God, — for he lacks the practical repentance, which reforms the heart and enables man to do the will of wisdom.

1024:11–15

Radical
changes

He to whom “the arm of the Lord” is revealed will believe our report, and rise into newness of life with regeneration. This is having part in the atonement; this is the understanding, in which Jesus suffered and triumphed.

Section 3

The Bible

8Matthew 16:21

21From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Click to open the research content

9Mark 14:32, 34–37 My, 41 behold, 43

32And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

34My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

35And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

37And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

41behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

43And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

10Luke 22:49–51

49When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

Click to open the research content

50And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

51And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Science and Health

1120:14

Perfect
example

Jesus bore our infirmities; he knew the error of mortal belief, and “with his stripes [the rejection of error] we are healed.” “Despised and rejected of men,” returning blessing for cursing, he taught mortals the opposite of themselves, even the nature of God; and when error felt the power of Truth, the scourge and the cross awaited the great Teacher. Yet he swerved not, well knowing that to obey the divine order and trust God, saves retracing and traversing anew the path from sin to holiness.

1233:18

The holy
struggle

When the human element in him struggled with the divine, our great Teacher said: “Not my will, but Thine, be done!” — that is, Let not the flesh, but the Spirit, be represented in me. This is the new understanding of spiritual Love. It gives all for Christ, or Truth. It blesses its enemies, heals the sick, casts out error, raises the dead from trespasses and sins, and preaches the gospel to the poor, the meek in heart.

1352:19–23

The “man of sorrows” best understood the nothingness of material life and intelligence and the mighty actuality of all-inclusive God, good. These were the two cardinal points of Mind-healing, or Christian Science, which armed him with Love.

1423:1–5

Justice and
substitution

Wisdom and Love may require many sacrifices of self to save us from sin. One sacrifice, however great, is insufficient to pay the debt of sin. The atonement requires constant self-immolation on the sinner’s part.

15569:11–14

He that touches the hem of Christ’s robe and masters his mortal beliefs, animality, and hate, rejoices in the proof of healing, — in a sweet and certain sense that God is Love.

Section 4

The Bible

11Matthew 27:1, 2, 22

1When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

2And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

22Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

12Luke 23:24, 32–34 (to 1^st .), 46 (to :)

24And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

Click to open the research content

32And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

46And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:

13Matthew 27:57–60

57When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:

Click to open the research content

58He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

Science and Health

1640:17–19

Was it just for Jesus to suffer? No; but it was inevitable, for not otherwise could he show us the way and the power of Truth.

1724:27–28

The efficacy of the crucifixion lay in the practical affection and goodness it demonstrated for mankind.

1854:10–17

Inspiration
of sacrifice

That he might liberally pour his dear-bought treasures into empty or sin-filled human storehouses, was the inspiration of Jesus’ intense human sacrifice. In witness of his divine commission, he presented the proof that Life, Truth, and Love heal the sick and the sinning, and triumph over death through Mind, not matter. This was the highest proof he could have offered of divine Love.

1923:5

That God’s wrath should be vented upon His beloved Son, is divinely unnatural. Such a theory is man-made. The atonement is a hard problem in theology, but its scientific explanation is, that suffering is an error of sinful sense which Truth destroys, and that eventually both sin and suffering will fall at the feet of everlasting Love.

20497:13

We acknowledge Jesus’ atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man’s unity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.

21254:27–31

The cross
and crown

If you launch your bark upon the ever-agitated but healthful waters of truth, you will encounter storms. Your good will be evil spoken of. This is the cross. Take it up and bear it, for through it you win and wear the crown.

Section 5

The Bible

14Psalms 30:1, 5 weeping

1I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

Click to open the Bibles content

5weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

15Mark 16:1, 2, 4–6 (to ;), 9, 14, 15, 19, 20 (to 1^st .)

1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen;

9Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

14Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.

Science and Health

2242:15–21

Death
outdone

The resurrection of the great demonstrator of God’s power was the proof of his final triumph over body and matter, and gave full evidence of divine Science, — evidence so important to mortals. The belief that man has existence or mind separate from God is a dying error. This error Jesus met with divine Science and proved its nothingness.

2344:28

Obstacles
overcome

His disciples believed Jesus to be dead while he was hidden in the sepulchre, whereas he was alive, demonstrating within the narrow tomb the power of Spirit to overrule mortal, material sense. There were rock-ribbed walls in the way, and a great stone must be rolled from the cave’s mouth; but Jesus vanquished every material obstacle, overcame every law of matter, and stepped forth from his gloomy resting-place, crowned with the glory of a sublime success, an everlasting victory.

2451:15–21

He knew that matter had no life and that real Life is God; therefore he could no more be separated from his spiritual Life than God could be extinguished.

His consummate example was for the salvation of us all, but only through doing the works which he did and taught others to do.

2534:18–21, 23

Fellowship
with Christ

Through all the disciples experienced, they became more spiritual and understood better what the Master had taught. His resurrection was also their resurrection.

They needed this quickening, for soon their dear Master would rise again in the spiritual realm of reality, and ascend far above their apprehension. As the reward for his faithfulness, he would disappear to material sense in that change which has since been called the ascension.

2641:6

Like our Master, we must depart from material sense into the spiritual sense of being.

2745:16

The stone
rolled away

Glory be to God, and peace to the struggling hearts! Christ hath rolled away the stone from the door of human hope and faith, and through the revelation and demonstration of life in God, hath elevated them to possible at-one-ment with the spiritual idea of man and his divine Principle, Love.

Section 6

The Bible

16Ephesians 5:1, 2

1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Click to open the Bibles content

2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

17Romans 5:11 we

11we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Click to open the Bibles content

Science and Health

28286:9–11

The Master said, “No man cometh unto the Father [the divine Principle of being] but by me,” Christ, Life, Truth, Love; for Christ says, “I am the way.”

2921:1–5, 9

Moral
victory

If Truth is overcoming error in your daily walk and conversation, you can finally say, “I have fought a good fight . . . I have kept the faith,” because you are a better man. This is having our part in the at-one-ment with Truth and Love.

If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striving to enter in. He constantly turns away from material sense, and looks towards the imperishable things of Spirit. If honest, he will be in earnest from the start, and gain a little each day in the right direction, till at last he finishes his course with joy.