that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Gospel of John 17:20
Consider the quote above from Jesus, then consider the transitive property of mathematics: if A = B and B = C, then A = C.
So if Jesus is one with God, and the disciples are one with Jesus, then the disciples are (or could be) one with God.
Thus, Jesus is praying that the disciples can be one with God as he is. Keeping in mind my basic premise that Jesus was imbibed with the Holy Spirit (aka had a mystical experience) at the time of his baptism, he is here seen hoping that the same thing will happen for the disciples when he is gone.
There are many such clues in early Christian literature that support this understanding of life of Jesus. It takes stepping away from the dogma that has been promulgated for 2000 years to see the true gospel (aka, good news).
Is it time to start believing Jesus instead of believing in him?
Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leonardo_da_Vinci_(1452-1519)-_The_Last_Supper(1495-1498).jpg Attribution: Leonardo da Vinci [Public domain]
Jesus words are too radical and subversive for most organized religions. It is written many times that Jesus tells us that his words are His father’s words. No other new testament writer claims this yet everything is treated as equal by the professionals. I have realized that if you base your religion on Jesus words, then Paul’s writings fall in place. However if you treat them with equal authority you run into problems. If like many denominations Paul’s words are your foundation, then Jesus’s words lose their meaning and power. Sadly the more I read Jesus’s words the more off base the western church appears.