Neville Goddard Lectures: “The Marks of Jesus”

22 Jun Neville Goddard Lectures: “The Marks of Jesus”

4/13/65

Tonight’s subject is “The Marks of Jesus.” Next Friday we will take “Inner Talking.” But this week because Christendom speaks of it as Holy Week, I thought I would take this subject tonight, “The Marks of Jesus.” Paul said, “Henceforth let no one trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of Jesus.” Paul had attained to an assured “I know,” no longer to walk by pure faith but by experience.

Paul experienced in his body the entire drama of Jesus Christ. You can say of him he is Jesus Christ, and you can say it of everyone who bears the marks of Jesus. And everyone will bear the marks of Jesus. So he was very critical about just what we’re doing today after 2,000 years…we’re now celebrating a holy week and holy days. This coming Thursday will be Maundy Thursday where the pope will wash feet of a few, and others will simply do the same thing. Many ministers will do it. Then comes Sunday, which is Easter. And were you in New York City on Easter, if the day permits, but even in the most inclement weather in the world, you will see hundreds of thousands of people parading their finery, coming out of their churches, one dressed more expensively than the other; then others, advertising all kinds of things. At the same time all the pickpockets in the world are out. That’s the holy day. And all the cops disguised as detectives, all people in civilian clothes, to protect these who are simply displaying their finery. But every pickpocket in the East you’ll find them right there on Fifth Avenue this coming Sunday that is the holy day.

So Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, made the statement, “You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I have labored over you in vain” (4:10). For he knew if you started one day as a holy day, set it apart, you wouldn’t stop there, you’ll go on to a second day and a third, and finally you’ll make it a week. Then you’re going to have a month. Then you’re going to have a holy season, then a holy year. A few years ago we had what was called a Marion Year that was a holy year, something apart. Just as much misfortune befell humanity, as much stealing, and horrors of the world in that holy year. So, Paul knew what man would do if he started to make something outside of himself holy.

So tonight, we speak of the marks of Jesus, and Paul claimed he bore them in his body. One translation has it, “He bore them on his body.” But the preposition in or on both are correct. But I would say “in” I prefer. As he said: “When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me, then I conferred not with flesh and blood. For the gospel that I preach was not given to me by a man, nor was I taught it by a man, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:15; 1:11). So the whole story unfolded in Paul and he could actually say “I know!” I’m not speculating, I know! I’ve experienced this mystery.

So here, we will take for this coming Friday, which I will not touch on Good Friday, the story of, speaking on an entirely different subject, “Inner Talking.” But, this coming Friday it will be three hours. I recall a few years ago, I went to the bank between the hours of twelve to three in Beverly Hills. I go there once a week and twice a week, and I knew the guard well; so when I got in there at one he said to me, “Why aren’t you in church?” And he meant it! He was serious about it…he was being a very holy, holy person. Coming to a bank…yet the employee too, and every one in the bank, they were clothed for one purpose only, for a showcase. For a bank has but one purpose in this world: to make money. When the sun is shining they loan you an umbrella and call for it when it starts to rain. And they all do it, all over the world, that’s the policy of a bank; they’re only for one purpose, to make money. And so, he is giving me a lecture, “Why aren’t you in church?” And he, representing as a guard at the bank, didn’t know a thing, not the slightest thing about the crucifixion.