Reading between the lines in the 5th section [Matt. 15] of this week’s Bible lesson on Sacrament*, there is this story: At the time of the feast, Pilate says to the Pharisees and to the mobs of people screaming for Jesus' crucifixion, "I traditionally release to you one person who is condemned to death. Shall I release Jesus to you?” Jesus’ only crime was to uphold God’s law in contradiction to the man-made Pharisaical laws.
However, there had been an "insurrection" and one of those men involved in the insurrection, Barnabas, committed murder and so was condemned to die. So the mobs cried, "No! Release Barnabas! Crucify Jesus!"
Oxford dictionary defines "insurrection" as, “The act of rising against authority or government; rebellion; revolt, uprising."
Noah Webster's Dictionary of 1828 defines it as, "A rising against civil or political authority; the open and active opposition of a number of persons to the execution of law in a city or state. It is equivalent to sedition, except that sedition expresses a less extensive rising of citizens. It differs from rebellion, for the latter expresses a revolt, or an attempt to overthrow the government, to establish a different one or to place the country under another jurisdiction"
Insurrection and rebellion describe exactly what is going on in our country right now under the false label of righteousness and justice! The carnal mind mesmerized the angry mob into punishing the innocent and advocating for the guilty. It justifies murder of many innocent people because one person died.
This raises the question: Is this how Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy taught us to overcome evil?
Christ Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer and the feet of those who were going to deny and abandon him--washed away the dust of a material view of man [Gen. 2-3; see also, John 13]. Then he began introducing them to the "Gen. 1 MAN”—divine Love's spiritual, pure idea— through his own submission to crucifixion and resurrection in order to remove the sins of the world, rather than attempting to crucify others for their sins.
When Jesus was arrested, Peter pulled out a sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest who was coming to arrest him—using violence to punish injustice! Jesus' response was to heal his enemy's ear! Jesus said, "All that take the sword shall perish by the sword." [Matt. 26, John 18].
"On which side are we fighting?" Mrs. Eddy asks. [SH 216:3; Mis. 177:1-20].
I am beginning to see more and more clearly what she meant when she said, "I am asked, “What are your politics?” I have none, in reality, other than to help support a righteous government; to love God supremely, and my neighbor as myself." [My 276:23].
She wrote:
"No mortal mind has the might or right or wisdom to create or to destroy. All is under the control of the one Mind, even God." [SH 544:14–17]
"Evil is sometimes a man's highest conception of right, until his grasp on good grows stronger." [SH 327:9–10].
"We must realize the ability of mental might to offset human misconceptions and to replace them with the life which is spiritual, not material." [SH 428:19].
"Human hate has no legitimate mandate and no kingdom. Love is enthroned." [SH 454:9].
Our lesson on Sacrament ends with the most powerful answer to the question, “Which side are we supporting? What did Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy teach us by their own lives?”:
"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.” (SH 33:18)
This is what we, as Christian Scientists, must be demonstrating!
Christine Driessen