Final Destinies: Qualifications for Receiving an Eschatological Inheritance

Kinzer explores the topic of individual 'salvation,' mining the biblical texts for guidance and challenging some of the most common prevailing viewpoints and verbiage. Examining the traditions of Peter and James, Paul, and John, Kinzer finds several distinctives regarding what one must do to be 'saved.' First, the Apostolic Writings (New Testament) are unequivocal in warning against presumption about insiders and outsiders with regard to the kingdom of God. Second, salvation has much more to do with faith as a life of obedience than faith as affirmation of propositional truth. Third, especially according to the Johannine tradition, eternal life starts now, it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death. Finally, each person is accountable for the light they have seen and the truth that has been unveiled to them. Kinzer defines salvation as a life of obedience to the Torah as definitely interpreted by Yeshua, and final judgment as God's just and merciful assessment of each person's deeds in consideration of their circumstances and limitations.

The Present Reality of Eternal Life: A Comparative Analysis of Johannine Realized Eschatology and the Teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of eternal life as a present, experiential reality rather than a post-mortem state. Drawing upon the "realized eschatology" of the Johannine tradition in the New Testament and the modern teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1923–2011), the founder of Sahaja Yoga, this study argues that both Jesus Christ and Shri Mataji emphatically insist that eternal life begins now—it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death. Through a detailed analysis of key Johannine scriptural passages, the theological scholarship of C. H. Dodd, Rudolf Bultmann, Raymond Brown, and Jörg Frey, and the direct teachings of Shri Mataji on Self-Realization and the Kundalini awakening, this paper demonstrates a profound convergence between these two traditions. Both describe a transformative spiritual event—being "born of the Spirit" in John's Gospel and receiving Self-Realization in Sahaja Yoga—that grants immediate entry into the Kingdom of God within, transcending the fear of physical death and inaugurating eternal life in the present moment. The paper concludes that this shared insistence on the present availability of eternal life constitutes a universal spiritual truth of the highest significance.

Keywords: Realized Eschatology, Eternal Life, Gospel of John, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Sahaja Yoga, Self-Realization, Kundalini, Born Again, Paraclete, Kingdom of God

1. Introduction: The Question of When Eternal Life Begins

The concept of eternal life stands at the very heart of religious aspiration. For centuries, the dominant understanding within much of Christianity has framed salvation in futurist terms—as an escape from earthly suffering into a heavenly realm that commences only after physical death. As John G. Stackhouse Jr. has observed, evangelicals far and wide need their horizons expanded, noting that students have repeatedly "betrayed an understanding of salvation that amounted to a sort of spiritual individualism that is little better than Gnosticism." [1] Stackhouse argues that "salvation is not about 'Christians going to heaven,'" but about "God redeeming the whole earth," and that "salvation is not only about what is to come but also about what is ours to enjoy and foster here and now." [2]

This paper takes as its foundational thesis a statement by the Messianic Jewish scholar Mark S. Kinzer, who, in his analysis of the three apostolic traditions of the New Testament, identifies a distinctive and emphatic claim within the Johannine writings:

[3]

This assertion is not a marginal observation; it is a defining characteristic of the Fourth Gospel's theology. The present paper will demonstrate that this Johannine insistence on the present reality of eternal life finds a powerful modern parallel and fulfillment in the teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, who dedicated her life to making this very experience available to all of humanity through the spiritual awakening she called Self-Realization. Both Jesus, as presented in the Johannine tradition, and Shri Mataji insist with the utmost emphasis that eternal life starts now, it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death.

The paper is structured as follows. Section 2 provides a detailed examination of the Johannine scriptural evidence for present eternal life, grounded in the theological scholarship on "realized eschatology." Section 3 presents the broader soteriological context from the tradition of Peter and James, as analyzed by Kinzer, which challenges presumption and emphasizes deeds of mercy. Section 4 explores the teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi on Self-Realization as the entry into present eternal life. Section 5 conducts a systematic comparative analysis of the two traditions, identifying their profound convergences. Section 6 offers concluding reflections on the significance of this shared message.

2. "The Hour Is Coming and Now Is": Realized Eschatology in the Gospel of John

2.1. The Scholarly Framework: Dodd, Bultmann, and Beyond

The distinctive eschatological perspective of the Fourth Gospel has been the subject of intense scholarly analysis since the early twentieth century. The British New Testament scholar C. H. Dodd coined the term "realized eschatology" to describe the Johannine view that the eschatological events traditionally anticipated for the end of history—judgment, resurrection, and the bestowal of eternal life—have already been actualized in the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. [4] For Dodd, "in the Fourth Gospel, the primary gift of Jesus is the gift of eternal life," and this gift is presented as a present possession, not merely a future hope. [5] The future has, in a decisive sense, already arrived.

Rudolf Bultmann took this analysis further, maintaining that present eschatology is the "genuine form" of eschatology in John, and that the futuristic eschatological elements found in the Gospel (such as references to a future resurrection "on the last day") were later additions by an ecclesiastical redactor who sought to harmonize John's radical present-tense theology with the more conventional futurist eschatology of the wider church. [6] While Bultmann's redaction theory remains debated, his identification of the dominant present-tense orientation of Johannine eschatology is widely accepted.

Raymond Brown, in his magisterial commentary on the Gospel of John, offered a more nuanced position, arguing that "the whole Christian period can be called eschatological, since God's kingdom has already been partially realized," while also acknowledging a future consummation. [7] Nevertheless, Brown recognized the overwhelming emphasis on the present in John's theology. More recently, Jörg Frey has stated the matter with clarity: "The Johannine view is, instead, that judgement and the gift of eternal life do not happen in the distant future but now." [8] Paul J. Creevey, in a 2024 study, further demonstrated that John's realized eschatology is linked to the Wisdom tradition, where eternal life was the quality of life that divine Sophia offered the righteous, "considering their experience of Jesus' resurrection being now, rather than in the future (Jn 4:23; 5:25)." [9]

2.2. The Scriptural Evidence: Eternal Life in the Present Tense

The Gospel of John is saturated with declarations that eternal life is a present possession. The consistent use of the Greek present tense verb echei ("has") is theologically deliberate and cannot be dismissed as a stylistic preference. It constitutes the very core of the Johannine message. The following table presents the key passages:

Passage	Text (NRSV)	Key Verb Tense
John 3:36	"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life."	Present: echei
John 5:24	"Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life."	Present: echei; Perfect: metabebēken
John 6:47	"Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life."	Present: echei
John 6:54	"Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life."	Present: echei
John 10:10	"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."	Present subjunctive: echōsin
John 17:3	"And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."	Present: estin
1 John 3:14	"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love one another."	Perfect: metabebēkamen
1 John 5:11–12	"God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life."	Present: echei
1 John 5:13	"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life."	Present: echete

The cumulative force of these passages is overwhelming. John 5:24 is perhaps the single most emphatic statement in all of Scripture regarding the present reality of eternal life. Jesus does not say the believer "will have" eternal life at some future date; he declares that the believer has it, right now, as a current and settled possession. Moreover, the believer "has passed" (metabebēken, a perfect tense indicating a completed action with ongoing results) from death to life. The transition is already accomplished. The eschatological judgment has already been rendered in the believer's favor. As Dodd argued, the "hour is coming and now is" (John 5:25) signals that the eschatological future has broken into the present. [10]

2.3. The Mechanism: Being "Born of the Spirit"

The entry into this present eternal life is not through intellectual assent or ritual observance but through a profound spiritual transformation. In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus declares:

The Greek word anōthen carries a deliberate double meaning: "again" and "from above." This ambiguity is theologically productive, suggesting that the second birth is both a new beginning and a divine descent of spiritual power. This is not a metaphorical rebirth; it is an ontological transformation. One must be "born of the Spirit" (pneuma) to enter the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God, which Jesus locates "within you" (Luke 17:21) [12], is accessible only through this spiritual birth, and this birth grants immediate entry into eternal life.

2.4. The Definition: Eternal Life as Knowing God

Perhaps the most profound Johannine definition of eternal life is found in John 17:3: "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." [13] Here, eternal life is not defined as endless temporal duration but as a quality of relationship—an experiential, intimate knowledge (ginōskōsin) of the divine. This knowledge is not abstract theological information; it is the direct, personal encounter with the living God. It is a state of consciousness, a mode of being, that begins the moment one enters into this relationship. Eternal life, in the Johannine understanding, is therefore not a reward to be collected at the gates of death but a transformation of consciousness that begins in the present.

3. The Broader Apostolic Context: Kinzer's Analysis of Final Destinies

Kinzer's identification of the Johannine emphasis on present eternal life emerges from a broader analysis of three distinct apostolic traditions within the New Testament regarding "final destinies"—the qualifications for inheriting life in the world to come. [14] Understanding this broader context enriches the significance of the Johannine claim.

3.1. The Tradition of Peter and James: Warning Against Presumption

The tradition of Peter and James, as reflected in the Synoptic Gospels and the General Letters, emphasizes several themes that challenge conventional assumptions about salvation. First, this tradition issues a stern warning against presumption—the misplaced confidence that one's religious identity or affiliation guarantees a favorable final destiny. John the Immerser's words are emblematic: "Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham" (Luke 3:8). [15] Similarly, Jesus warns his own disciples that confessing him as "Lord" and performing mighty deeds in his name will be insufficient if they do not "do the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21–23). [16]

Second, this tradition insists that the final judgment will involve a just and merciful assessment of everyone's deeds, with particular emphasis on acts of mercy and forgiveness. The parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31–46) is the climax of Jesus's public mission in Matthew's Gospel, and it presents a vision of final judgment based entirely on how individuals treated the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned—regardless of whether they consciously knew Jesus. [17] As Kinzer summarizes, the tradition of Peter and James "challenges the presumption of Jews and Yeshua-believers regarding final destinies, and insists that the final judgment will involve a just and merciful assessment of everyone's deeds." [18]

3.2. The Tradition of Paul: Faith and Transformation

The Pauline tradition, while emphasizing justification by faith, also contains elements of realized eschatology. Paul speaks of believers as those who have already been "raised with Christ" (Colossians 3:1) and who are "a new creation" in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). However, it is in the Johannine tradition that this present-tense emphasis reaches its fullest and most emphatic expression.

3.3. The Johannine Distinctiveness

What sets the Johannine tradition apart from the traditions of Peter/James and Paul is the unrelenting, systematic emphasis on the present possession of eternal life. While the other traditions contain elements of realized eschatology, the Fourth Gospel makes it the dominant and defining feature of its soteriology. Salvation in John is not primarily about a future event but about a present reality. As Kinzer states, "especially according to the Johannine tradition, eternal life starts now, it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death." [3] This is not one theme among many in John; it is the theological center of gravity around which the entire Gospel revolves.

4. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi: Self-Realization as the Entry into Present Eternal Life

4.1. The Teaching: You Must Be Born Again

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1923–2011), born in Chindwara, India, founded Sahaja Yoga in 1970 after what she described as the opening of the Sahasrara (crown chakra) on May 5, 1970—an event she understood as the opening of the Kingdom of God within for all of humanity. [19] Her central teaching was that every human being possesses a dormant spiritual energy, the Kundalini, residing in the sacrum bone at the base of the spine. When this energy is awakened, it rises through the subtle energy centers (chakras) and pierces the Sahasrara at the crown of the head, resulting in Self-Realization—the actual experience of being "born again" or "born of the Spirit." [20]

Shri Mataji explicitly connected her teaching to the words of Jesus in John 3:3–8. She stated: "In all the religions and scriptures is written that there is higher life, there is eternal life, there is Kingdom of God where you have to enter, that you are to be born again." [21] For Shri Mataji, the phrase "born again" was not a label to be claimed by those who profess a particular faith; it was a description of an actual spiritual event—the Kundalini awakening—that produces verifiable results. "Actual baptism (kundalini awakening) is when this Holy Ghost (Mother Kundalini) rises and you start really feeling the cool breeze (Ruach) on top of your head," she explained. [22] The reference to Ruach, the Hebrew word for "Spirit" or "wind," directly echoes Jesus's words to Nicodemus: "The wind (pneuma) blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). [23]

4.2. The Insistence: You Have Got Eternal Life

Shri Mataji's insistence that eternal life is a present reality for the Self-Realized individual is as emphatic and unequivocal as the Johannine declarations. She did not speak of eternal life as a future reward or a post-mortem state. She spoke of it as a present fact, a transformation that has already occurred:

This statement mirrors the Johannine formula with remarkable precision. Where Jesus says, "whoever believes has eternal life" (John 6:47), Shri Mataji says, "you have got eternal life." The verb tense is the same: present and possessive. The eternal life is not promised for the future; it is declared as a current state of being.

She further elaborated on the implications of this present possession:

This teaching directly parallels the Johannine declaration that the believer "has passed from death to life" (John 5:24). For Shri Mataji, as for John, the transition from mortality to eternal life is a completed event. The Self-Realized person has already crossed the threshold. Physical death, when it comes, is merely the shedding of the physical body; the spirit, which is the true Self, is eternal and free. The very name of the first Sahaja Yoga organization, "The Life Eternal Trust," established by Shri Mataji in Mumbai on March 8, 1972, enshrines this teaching at the institutional level. [26]

4.3. The Kingdom of God Within

Shri Mataji's teaching on the Kingdom of God within provides another critical point of convergence with the Johannine tradition. Jesus declared, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!' For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20–21). [27] Shri Mataji taught that the Sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head is the gateway to this inner Kingdom. When the Kundalini rises and pierces the Sahasrara, the individual enters the Kingdom of God within—not as a metaphor, but as a tangible, experiential reality. [28]

She declared: "I have come on this Earth, not only for salvation of human beings, not only for their emancipation, but for granting them the Kingdom of Heaven, the joy, the bliss, that your Father wants to bestow upon you." [29] This statement frames her mission in terms directly drawn from the Johannine promise: the bestowal of the Kingdom is a present act, not a future one. The Father "wants to bestow" it upon humanity now, and Shri Mataji understood her role as the agent of that bestowal.

5. Comparative Analysis: The Convergence of Two Traditions

The convergences between the Johannine tradition and the teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi are not superficial parallels but deep structural correspondences that point to a shared understanding of the nature of spiritual transformation and eternal life. The following analysis systematizes these convergences.

5.1. Eternal Life as Present Possession

Both traditions insist, with the utmost emphasis, that eternal life starts now. The Johannine Jesus uses the present tense echei ("has") repeatedly and deliberately. Shri Mataji uses equally direct language: "you have got eternal life." Neither tradition frames eternal life as a reward to be received after death. Both frame it as a state of being that is entered into through a specific spiritual event and that persists from that moment onward, rendering physical death spiritually irrelevant.

5.2. The Mechanism of Spiritual Rebirth

Both traditions identify a specific mechanism for entering eternal life: a spiritual rebirth. In John 3:3–8, Jesus describes this as being "born from above" or "born of the Spirit." In Sahaja Yoga, Shri Mataji describes this as the awakening of the Kundalini, which she explicitly identifies with the Holy Spirit (Pneuma, Ruach). [22] Both traditions insist that this is not a metaphorical or intellectual event but an actual, experiential transformation that produces verifiable effects—the "wind" of the Spirit in John 3:8, and the "cool breeze" (Chaitanya) in Sahaja Yoga.

5.3. The Transcendence of Death

Both traditions declare that the one who has been spiritually reborn has already transcended death. John 5:24 states that the believer "has passed from death to life." First John 3:14 confirms: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love one another." Shri Mataji declares: "death does not exist for you—It is finished... your spirit is free." [25] In both cases, the language is that of a completed transition. Death is not something that awaits the believer in the future; it is something that has already been overcome in the present.

5.4. The Paraclete and the Fulfillment of the Johannine Promise

The Gospel of John contains a unique set of promises regarding the Paraclete (Paraklētos), the "Spirit of Truth," whom Jesus promises to send after his departure (John 14:16–17, 14:26, 15:26–27, 16:7–15). [30] The Paraclete is described as "another" Comforter of the same kind as Jesus, who will "teach you all things," "remind you of everything I have said to you," "testify on my behalf," "prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment," and "guide you into all the truth." [31]

Shri Mataji identified herself as the incarnation of this Paraclete, the Holy Spirit in human form. [32] Her work of granting en-masse Self-Realization—enabling individuals across the globe to experience the Kundalini awakening and enter into the present reality of eternal life—can be understood as the fulfillment of the Johannine Paraclete promise. The Paraclete was to "guide into all truth," and Shri Mataji's teachings reveal the inner, esoteric truth of the spiritual traditions of the world, demonstrating their underlying unity. The Paraclete was to "teach all things," and Shri Mataji provided detailed knowledge of the subtle system of chakras and nadis, enabling individuals to understand and manage their own spiritual development. The Paraclete was to make the things of Christ known, and Shri Mataji's work makes the promise of Jesus—"you must be born again"—an experiential reality for millions.

5.5. Systematic Comparison

The following table summarizes the key convergences:

Dimension	Johannine Tradition (Gospel & Letters of John)	Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (Sahaja Yoga)
Core Thesis	"Eternal life starts now, it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death." [3]	"There is nothing like death for you because you have got eternal life." [24]
Mechanism of Entry	Being "born again" / "born of the Spirit" (John 3:3–8)	Self-Realization: the awakening of the Kundalini [20]
Agent of Transformation	The Holy Spirit (Pneuma), the Paraclete (John 14:16–17)	The Kundalini / Holy Spirit / Adi Shakti [22]
Present Tense of Possession	"Whoever believes has eternal life" (John 6:47)	"You have got eternal life" [24]
Transcendence of Death	"Has passed from death to life" (John 5:24)	"Death does not exist for you—It is finished" [25]
Location of the Kingdom	"The Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21)	The Sahasrara chakra; the Kingdom of God within [28]
Definition of Eternal Life	Knowing God and Jesus Christ (John 17:3)	Connection to the all-pervading divine power through the Spirit [22]
Verifiable Experience	"The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it" (John 3:8)	The cool breeze (Chaitanya) felt on the hands and above the head [22]
Universal Availability	"God so loved the world" (John 3:16)	En-masse Self-Realization offered freely to all [19]

6. Conclusion: The Gates of Eternal Life Are Open Now

The evidence presented in this paper demonstrates that the insistence on the present reality of eternal life is not a peripheral theological curiosity but a central and emphatic teaching shared by the Johannine tradition of the New Testament and the modern teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. Both Jesus Christ, as presented in the Fourth Gospel, and Shri Mataji declare with unmistakable clarity that eternal life starts now, it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death.

The Johannine tradition, as illuminated by the scholarship of Dodd, Bultmann, Brown, Frey, and Creevey, presents a "realized eschatology" in which the eschatological gifts of judgment, resurrection, and eternal life have already been actualized. The believer who has been "born of the Spirit" already "has" eternal life and "has passed from death to life." This is not a future promise contingent upon physical death; it is a present reality contingent upon spiritual rebirth.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, through her founding of Sahaja Yoga and her work of granting en-masse Self-Realization, offered a practical, experiential pathway to this same present eternal life. She taught that the Kundalini awakening is the actual mechanism of the "second birth" spoken of by Jesus, and that those who receive this awakening enter into the Kingdom of God within, transcending the fear and finality of physical death. Her declaration—"you have got eternal life"—echoes across the centuries to meet the Johannine Jesus's declaration: "whoever believes has eternal life."

The convergence of these two traditions, separated by two millennia yet united in their core message, constitutes a powerful testimony to the universality and urgency of this spiritual truth. Eternal life is not a distant hope. It is not a reward to be collected at the end of a long life. It is a present reality, available now, through the transformative power of the Spirit. The Kingdom of God is within, and its gates stand open. As Shri Mataji urged, "You must know your position as eternal beings." [25] As Jesus declared, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). [33] The invitation is not for the future. It is for today.

References

[1] Stackhouse, John G., Jr., ed. (2002). What Does It Mean To Be Saved? Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, pp. 9–10.
[2] Stackhouse (2002), p. 10.
[3] Kinzer, Mark S. (2011). "Final Destinies: Qualifications for Receiving an Eschatological Inheritance." In Israel's Messiah and the People of God. Wipf & Stock Pub., pp. 126–135.
[4] Dodd, C. H. (1935). The Parables of the Kingdom. London: Nisbet. See also Dodd, C. H. (1953). The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel. Cambridge University Press.
[5] Von Wahlde, U. C. (2013). "C. H. Dodd, the Historical Jesus, and Realized Eschatology." In Engaging with C. H. Dodd on the Gospel of John: Sixty Years of Tradition and Interpretation. Cambridge University Press.
[6] Bultmann, Rudolf (1955). Theology of the New Testament, Vol. 2. New York: Scribner's. See also Arnett, W. M. (1963). "Rudolf Bultmann's Existentialist Interpretation of the New Testament." The Asbury Journal, 18(1).
[7] Brown, Raymond E. (1961). "The Johannine Sacramentary Reconsidered." Theological Studies, 23. See also Brown, R. E. (1966–1970). The Gospel According to John. Anchor Bible Commentary. 2 vols. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
[8] Frey, Jörg (2021). "Eschatology in the Gospel of John and in the Johannine Epistles." In Eschatology in Antiquity. Taylor & Francis.
[9] Creevey, Paul J. (2024). "John's realised eschatology as an expression of the wisdom of God." In die Skriflig, 58(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v58i1.3096
[10] The New Revised Standard Version Bible (1989). John 5:25. National Council of Churches of Christ.
[11] NRSV. John 3:3, 5–6.
[12] NRSV. Luke 17:21.
[13] NRSV. John 17:3.
[14] Kinzer (2011), pp. 126–135.
[15] NRSV. Luke 3:8.
[16] NRSV. Matthew 7:21–23.
[17] Davies, W. D. and Dale C. Allison (1997). A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on The Gospel According to Saint Matthew. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 3:418.
[18] Kinzer (2011), p. 135.
[19] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. "The Kingdom of God Is Within Also." adishakti.org.
[20] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. "Self Realization is Baptism." Discover Sahaja Yoga.
[21] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. "Words & Quotes." sahajayogaonline.com.
[22] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. "Experience Pneuma of Self-Realization (Being 'Born Again' Of Spirit )." adishakti.org.
[23] NRSV. John 3:8.
[24] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. "Death does not exist for you — It is finished... your spirit is free." adishakti.org.
[25] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1995, May 7). "To Achieve Complete Freedom." Cabella, Italy. Quoted in adishakti.org.
[26] The Life Eternal Trust, Mumbai. "Sahaja Yoga." Retrieved from https://www.thelifeeternaltrust.org/sahaja-yoga-2/. See also Sahaja Yoga, Mumbai
[27] NRSV. Luke 17:20–21.
[28] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. "Every Religion Has Said You Must Have Your Self-Realization." adishakti.org.
[29] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1979, December 2). Quoted in adishakti.org.
[30] NRSV. John 14:16–17, 14:26, 15:26–27, 16:7–15.
[31] Stevick, Daniel B. (2011). Jesus and His Own: A Commentary on John 13–17. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, p. 292.
[32] "The Paraclete and Pentecost – Johannine Eschatology & Shri Mataji's Fulfillment." adishakti.org. Retrieved from https://adishakti.org/AI/Paraclete-Papers/The-Paraclete-and-Pentecost.htm
[33] NRSV. John 10:10.

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"Third, especially according to the Johannine tradition, eternal life starts now, it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death.”

Final Destinies: Qualifications for Receiving an Eschatological Inheritance

Kinzer explores the topic of individual 'salvation,' mining the biblical texts for guidance and challenging some of the most common prevailing viewpoints and verbiage. Examining the traditions of Peter and James, Paul, and John, Kinzer finds several distinctives regarding what one must do to be 'saved.' First, the Apostolic Writings (New Testament) are unequivocal in warning against presumption about insiders and outsiders with regard to the kingdom of God. Second, salvation has much more to do with faith as a life of obedience than faith as affirmation of propositional truth. Third, especially according to the Johannine tradition, eternal life starts now, it is a reality we live in, not a state we enter upon death. Finally, each person is accountable for the light they have seen and the truth that has been unveiled to them. Kinzer defines salvation as a life of obedience to the Torah as definitely interpreted by Yeshua, and final judgment as God's just and merciful assessment of each person's deeds in consideration of their circumstances and limitations.

In his gracious but penetrating response to the essays in this volume, Oxford professor John Webster wonders whether it is particularly North American evangelicals who need to be reminded that the Bible presents salvation as offering more than getting souls to heaven. My experience of teaching soteriology for several years at Regent College - an international graduate school of Christian studies whose students come from thirty-five countries on every continent except Antarctica - leads me to think that evangelicals far and wide also need their horizons expanded. Over and over, students have betrayed an understanding of salvation that amounted to a sort of spiritual individualism that is little better than Gnosticism. *

In fact, we could make an important start simply by teaching that salvation is not about 'Christians going to heaven.' Salvation is about God redeeming the whole earth... .Salvation is about heading for the New Jerusalem, not heaven: a garden city on earth, not the very abode of God and certainly not a bunch of pink clouds in the sky...And salvation is not only about what is to come but also about what is ours to enjoy and foster here and now.[1]

According to Stackhouse and his colleagues, evangelicals too often view salvation in negative terms (what we are saved from), and as forensic, individualistic, private and pietistic, and spiritualized. In contrast, the authors argue that salvation should be viewed primarily as positive, transformative, communal, relational, cosmic, and embodied.[2]

Even if salvation is far more than "souls going to heaven," we cannot divorce soteriology from eschatology, nor should we minimize the significance of identifying the criteria by which individuals qualify for the final installment of the eschatological gift. Let us formulate our question in a manner that avoids soteriological ambiguity or confusion: What qualifications must individual human beings possess to inherit life in the world to come? Underlying this general question is a more specific one: Do we have grounds for hope that some who do not explicitly acknowledge Yeshua before death will be among those who inherit life in the world to come?[3] within the Messianic Jewish movement the driving concern is even more specific: Do we have grounds for hope that some Jewish people who do not explicitly acknowledge Yeshua in this life will be among the redeemed in the world to come?

I call this the question of final destinies. In my view, the good news proclaimed and lived by the apostles is primarily concerned with final destiny (in the singular): the eschatological consummation of covenant history and the created order in Messiah Yeshua by God's Spirit. However, that singular destiny is manifold and diverse, and encompasses the destinies of unique individuals. It is these eschatological destinies that will occupy my attention in this article.

A thorough and compelling response to this question of final destinies would include at least four elements: (1) a study of the explicit biblical teaching on the topic, which would focus on the Apostolic Writings (since reward and judgment in the world to come is not a major theme in Tanakh); (2) a consideration of broader theological issues that have a bearing on the question;[4] (3) an examination of the practical implications of the available responses;[5] (4) a summary of the various responses to the question that have been offered through the centuries, and the reception they have received in the community of faith.[6]

I will pursue here only the first of these inquiries: a study of what the Apostolic Writings have to say about final destinies. Even on this point I will need to limit myself to the first two sub-questions: (1) What qualifications must individual human beings possess to inherit life in the world to come? (2) Do we have grounds for hope that some who do not explicitly acknowledge Yeshua before death will be among those who inherit life in the world to come? Our answers to these sub-questions will have implications for the third sub-question (i.e., the case of Jewish people who lack explicit Yeshua-faith), but we will not examine this as a topic in its own right.[7]

Within the Apostolic Writings I find three distinct ways of approaching this topic. They correspond roughly to three spheres of apostolic influence and activity: (1) the apostolic tradition of Peter and James (as reflected especially in the Synoptic Gospels and the General Letters); (2) the apostolic tradition of Paul (as displayed in the letters which bear his name); and (3) the apostolic tradition of John (as embodied in the Gospel and Letters of John).[8] I will begin with the tradition of Peter and James, and then take up the traditions of Paul and of John.[9]

The Tradition of Peter and James

One of the primary themes in this tradition's approach to final destinies is the warning against presumption. The tradition that derives from Peter and James has much to say on the topic of final destinies - the reward and punishment of individuals in the world to come. It is usually overshadowed by the traditions of Paul and John, and read only in the light of their distinctive terminologies and emphases. This is unfortunate, and constitutes an oversight that we as Messianic Jews (to whom this tradition is especially addressed) are especially well-suited to overcome. When studied on its own terms and taken seriously in its own right, the tradition of Peter and James challenges many popular assumptions and raises important questions.

One of the primary themes in this tradition's approach to final destinies is the warning against presumption: the misplaced confidence that we will be rewarded at the end, while others (who do not possess our qualifications) will be punished. The threatening words of John the Immerser, with which the story of Yeshua's mission begins, are typical:

John said to the crowds that came out to be immersed by him, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:7-9; see Matthew 3:7-10)[10]

Descent from Abraham - a Jewish genealogy - will not provide automatic entry into the final banquet. Similarly, Gentile descent will not ensure automatic exclusion:

I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:11-12)

In Matthew's version of this saying, it is evident that those who "come from east and west" are Gentiles, since the words are uttered in response to the faithfulness of a Gentile centurion (Matthew 8:5-10). Accordingly, the "heirs of the kingdom" are Jews. Like the warning of John the Immerser, this teaching serves as an admonition against presumption based on Jewish identity.[11] Of course, it does not imply that all the "heirs of the kingdom" will be excluded, but instead contrasts the final destinies of many Gentiles with that of many Jews in order to challenge the comfortable assurance and exclusivism of the people of the covenant.

Yeshua's admonition against presumption extends beyond the claims of Jewish identity. He issues the same warning to his own disciples, and makes clear that their confession of faith in him as Lord, their public association with him, and even their mighty deeds done in his name will be insufficient to ensure their final destiny:

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.' (Matthew 7:21-23)

This is an extremely significant text. It is not addressed to casual hearers of Yeshua, but to those who speak and act publicly in his name - and do so effectively! It is addressed to leaders of the Yeshua-movement - to us! Like the "heirs of the kingdom" in general, we must guard against the presumption that our participation in and apparently fruitful leadership of the community of the (renewed) covenant ensures our final destiny.[12]

Just as hopeful passages regarding the final destiny of Gentiles stand side by side with stern rebukes of Jewish presumption, so the tradition of Peter and James includes hopeful passages regarding non-Yeshua-followers that contrast with the above warning to his disciples. Of special significance is the parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46). As Davies and Allison note, the Gospel of Matthew highlights the importance of this "Word-picture of the Last Judgment" by placing it at the conclusion of Yeshua's fifth and final discourse.[13] It is thus the climax of Yeshua's public mission. The beginning of the "Word-picture" describes the scene:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. (Matthew 25:31-33).

Whoever "All the nations" may be, they certainly include multitudes that were not part of the Yeshua-believing community during their lifetime. This is confirmed by the fact that they do not recognize Yeshua as the one they helped (25:37) or failed to help (25:44). Yet, many among them inherit the life of the world to come.

The "Word-picture" of the sheep and the goats deals with people who have not consciously known Yeshua during their lifetimes. In another saying Yeshua even opens up the possibility of a happy ending for those who have opposed him:

Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.[14] (Matthew 12:31-32; see Luke 12:10)

Some Pharisees had asserted that Yeshua expelled demons by means of demonic power (i.e., magic). Yeshua sees this as an act of "speaking against the Holy Spirit," that is, attributing deeds that are manifestly good (and thus the work of God) to an evil source. It is to call good evil. According to Yeshua, this constitutes a basic rejection of God. In contrast, merely to speak against Yeshua is a less serious offense. It can be forgiven - that is, some of those who do it may inherit the life of the world to come.[15]

If being a Jew or a public follower of Yeshua is insufficient for inheriting the life of the world to come, and if being a Gentile or one outside the Yeshua-believing community does not exclude one from that life, what are the qualifications for a happy final destiny? The teaching of the tradition of Peter and James shows remarkable consistency in answering this question. Yeshua's words in Matthew 7:21 are emblematic of this answer: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” What counts are actions (i.e., words and deeds) that conform to the divine will. Sometimes this tradition places particular emphasis on the action component:

For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. (Matthew 16:27)

I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37)

If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. (1 Peter 1:17)

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judgedaccording to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12-13)

Sometimes the tradition emphasizes that the deeds required are those that conform to the will of God as expressed in the commandments (mitzvot) of the Torah, i.e., righteous deeds:

Then someone came to him and said, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?' And he said to him, 'Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the mitzvot.' (Matthew 19:16-17)

'For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.' (Matthew 5:20)

The most important commandments that lead to life are those that summon us to love God and neighbor:

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Yeshua. 'Rabbi,' he said, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' He said to him: 'What is written in the Torah? What do you read there?' He answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.' And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.' (Luke 10:25-28)

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)

You do well if you really fulfill the Torah of the Kingdom according to the scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'. ...So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the Torah of liberty. (James 2:8, 12)

The love that fulfills the Torah is not a sentiment, but an action done in the context of a relationship - a relationship with God, and a relationship with other people.

We may specify further the character of the love of neighbor commanded by Yeshua that serves as a key criterion for the inheritance of life. In so doing, we come to the heart of the teaching of Peter and James regarding final destinies. From what has been said thus far, one might think that the tradition of Peter and James presents an unattainable ideal of perfectionism that fails to take account of human sinfulness and our constant need for divine mercy. In reality, these texts demonstrate a vivid awareness of our dependence on God's mercy, expressed concretely in the forgiveness of sins. But the way we avail ourselves of this mercy is by showing mercy ourselves:

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. . . .For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:12-15)

Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. (Matthew 7:1-2)

For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13)[16]

Yeshua also conveys this central teaching through the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35). A king forgives an enormous debt owed him by one of his ministers, but that same minister fails to forgive a tiny debt owed him by one of his slaves. The parable concludes in this way:

Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart. (Matthew 18:32-35)

All of the above texts provide classic examples of the traditional rabbinic principle of "measure for measure" (middah keneged middah). According to this principle, God will treat us in the same way we have treated others. Yeshua takes up this principle, but he applies it to only one feature of our conduct: if we want God to be generous and merciful toward us, we must be generous and merciful to others. This reflects Yeshua's sense that all human beings are in desperate need for mercy. Strict justice will not produce a good result for anyone. This does not lead him to emphasize faith rather than deeds, but instead to emphasize one aspect of how we act toward others - our generosity and readiness to forgive.[17]

According to the tradition of Peter and James, Yeshua also teaches that the final judgment which determines final destinies takes account of the unique circumstances, challenges, and opportunities of each individual. The judge assesses not only what the individual has done, but also the relationship between what they have done and what they were given. This aspect of the final judgment is especially prominent in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), placed immediately before the parable of the sheep and goats. A master entrusts property to three servants: the first servant receives five talents, the second receives two talents, and the third receives one.[18] The first servant goes into business, and produces an additional five talents for his master. The second servant does the same, and likewise doubles the initial investment. The response of the master in both cases is the same: "Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master" (25:21, 23). The third servant returns the deposit without addition, and is rebuked for it. If he had produced one additional talent - thus doubling the master's initial investment - he would have received the same commendation as the other two servants. Thus, the master's pleasure is dependent not simply on what each servant produces, but on what they have done with what they were given.

This principle of relative accountability is likewise reflected in another saying of Yeshua dealing with masters and slaves:

That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. (Luke 12:47-48a)

The slave who did not know what was expected of him is still held accountable, presumably because he should have known! His ignorance is culpable. Nevertheless, his punishment is light in comparison to the slave who knew what his master wanted, and did not do it. The principle of justice illustrated by this example is then stated explicitly:

From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded (Luke 12:48b).

Yeshua here teaches that the final judgment will take account of what each of us knew and did not know, of the resources each of us had or lacked. The perfect justice of God will be administered in light of God's all-seeing eye.

The tradition of Peter and James calls for faith in Yeshua as God's elect servant, and insists that the afflicted are healed when they trust in him (e.g., Mark 2:5; 5:34, 36; 6:5-6; 10:52; Matthew 8:10, 13; 15:28). [19] Nevertheless, this tradition nowhere presents explicit faith in Yeshua (or lack of such faith) as a criterion of judgment in the last day.[20] What then is Yeshua's role in the determination of final destinies? In order to understand the perspective of the tradition of Peter and James on this question, we must attend to the eschatological expectations displayed in this tradition.

John the Immerser had proclaimed an imminent judgment on Israel as part of the birth pangs of the Messianic age (Matthew 3:1-12). Yeshua came to renew Israel's covenant (Luke 22:20) and to restore the twelve tribes (Matthew 19:28), but first he had to take upon himself the judgment that belonged to Israel so that Israel and the nations might receive divine forgiveness (Matthew 20:28; 26:28). As his death involves the bearing of Israel's judgment, so his resurrection anticipates and secures Israel's ultimate eschatological resurrection (Matthew 27:52-53).

Yeshua's redemptive work thus focuses first on Israel's - and the world's - final destiny. The destinies of individuals receive their particular meaning only within the framework of that singular but multifarious national and cosmic destiny. The mission of Yeshua thus has a direct bearing on the life and destiny of every individual. But does the tradition of Peter and James provide any further insight into what this entails?

This tradition tells us three additional things about Yeshua and the final destinies of individuals that are of great importance. First, Yeshua himself will be the judge who determines each destiny (Matthew 7:22-23; 10:33; 16:27; 25:31-33). His teaching and his example, which provide God's definitive interpretation of the essential requirements of the Torah, will serve as the standard of judgment,[21] and his atoning sacrifice will make available God's forgiveness. But every individual will also encounter him face to face to receive his personal verdict on their lives.

Second, those who hear his call to discipleship and leave all to follow him, and remain faithful to the end, will inherit the life of the world to come (Matthew 19:21, 29; Mark 8:35). Following Yeshua is the perfect observance of the Torah (Matthew 19:16-21), and thus qualifies one for that inheritance. Those who live in a manner that acknowledges before the world their relationship to Yeshua, will have that relationship acknowledged by Yeshua the judge before the Father (Matthew 10:32). Even those who hear that call at the end of their lives, and respond sincerely, will be with Yeshua in Paradise (Luke 23:39-43). However, if one becomes a disciple and then, in a situation of stress, denies knowing Yeshua (like Peter in Matthew 26:69-75) and fails to repent (unlike Peter), then Yeshua the judge will deny that person before the Father (Matthew 10:33). This accords with the principle of accountability, "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.” (Luke 12:48b)

Finally, as noted above, some who were not conscious and explicit followers of Yeshua will be welcomed at the end by Yeshua the judge with the words "Come, you that are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34) But, according to this crucial "Word-picture of the Last Judgment," these heirs of the kingdom actually had a history of responding faithfully to the personal call of Yeshua, and were inheriting the kingdom because of that response. That call had come through Yeshua's family members - the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned. (Matthew 25:35-36, 40) Apparently, what Yeshua had said of the apostles also applies to the needy: "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” (Matthew 10:40)[22] Thus, even those who are never conscious of Yeshua's presence or call (Matthew 25:37-38, 44), which comes to all people, are judged by how they respond to that call.

In summary, the apostolic tradition of Peter and James challenges the presumption of Jews and Yeshua-believers regarding final destinies, and insists that the final judgment will involve a just and merciful assessment of everyone's deeds. While the judgment will take account of the particular circumstances, gifts, and limitations of each individual, it will also scrutinize the deeds of all according to the Torah as definitively interpreted by Yeshua. That definitive interpretation places special emphasis on the requirement that we show mercy to others, giving and forgiving. Yeshua himself will be the judge, and his assessment of our deeds will also reveal how we related to him during our lives - explicitly or implicitly.

Mark S. Kinzer, Israel's Messiah and the People of God
Wipf & Stock Pub (January 7, 2011) pp. 126-35

Notes
* ©Mark S. Kinzer 2007, Prepared for, and delivered at the Boro Park Symposium October 2007.
[1] John G. Stackhouse, Jr. (editor), What Does It Mean To Be Saved? (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002), 9-10.
[2] Most Messianic Jews would also consider salvation as dealing prominently with nations, and in particular with the nation of Israel.
[3] The distinction between implicit and explicit faith goes back to the middle ages. For its use by Thomas Aquinas, see Matthew Levering, Christ's Fulfillment of Torah and Temple (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2002), 23-24, 92-93.
[4] Relevant theological issues include the meaning and significance of God's attributes of mercy and justice and the relationship between them; the divinity of Yeshua and his mediatorial role in creation, revelation, and redemption; the validity of the traditional doctrine of "original sin," and its implications for a free human response to God's gracious initiative; the implications of the paradigmatic cases of infant mortality and those with severe mental limitations; and the nature of Israel's enduring covenant and the ecclesiological bond between the Jewish people and the Christian Church.
[5] Practical implications include how the embrace of the various responses affect the following: motivation for outreach; the power and attractiveness of our presentation of the good news; our relationships with those who are outside the Yeshua-faith community (especially our fellow Jews); our attitudes towards the Jewish people through history and the Jewish religious tradition; and the formation of personal character that bears the image of Yeshua.
[6] For an excellent recent volume that covers much of this ground, written by an evangelical theologian with a missionary background, see Terrance L. Tiessen, Who Can Be Saved? (Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 2004).
[7] Given the passionate concerns about this topic within the Messianic Jewish movement, it is unfortunate that I am unable to address this question explicitly in the present paper. However, in my view the question of non-Messianic Jews and the world to come must be examined in the broader context provided by the studies undertaken here and in my book, Postmissionary Messianic Judaism (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2005).
[8] Some texts (i.e., Acts, Hebrews, and Revelation) demonstrate an overlap of traditions. On the present topic, Revelation shares the perspective of the tradition of Peter and James. Acts and Hebrews are also closest to this tradition, though they likewise have elements in common with the tradition of Paul.
[9] My focus in this paper on biblical "traditions" has a twofold purpose: (1) to facilitate the discerning of family resemblances among various strands of teaching in the Apostolic Writings, so as to enable an exegetical treatment that takes account of similarities and differences in language, conceptuality, and focus; and (2) to underline the fact that books whose authors are not themselves apostles (e.g., Mark, Luke) rely upon authoritative apostolic testimony. I am certainly not aiming to ascribe authority to underlying "traditions" apart from the canonical text, and context in which they are embodied and transmitted. I am also not asserting any grand claims regarding the composition of the individual books. My purpose is in large part heuristic.
[10] All biblical citations are based on the NRSV, with my own modifications.
[11] The parallel in Luke has a different context, which leads to a different meaning. There the warning is issued to those who heard and saw Yeshua personally, among whom he lived and worked: "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'" (Luke 13:26). Those "thrust out" of the presence of the Patriarchs are not "The heirs of the kingdom," as in Matthew, but "you yourselves" (i.e., those who knew Yeshua; Luke 11:28). In this context, those who "come from east and west, and north and south" are not necessarily Gentiles, but those from outside the land of Israel, who could not have known Yeshua personally.
[12] This is a common theme in the tradition of Peter and James. See, for example, 2 Peter 2:21; Hebrews 2:1-3; 10:26-31. 12:25-26.
[13] W. D. Davies and Dale C. Allison, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1997) 3:418.
[14] Some exegetes imply that this text may refer only to the period of Yeshua's earthly mission, when he operated "Incognito" (R. T. France, The Gospel According to Matthew [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985], 210). However, would the community have preserved such a saying if it had no application to their lives? Such a reductionist explanation derives more from a preconceived doctrinal position that seeks to evade the force of the text than from serious theological exegesis.
[15] On the basis of this text, Athol Dickson asks the following questions regarding the final destinies of Jewish people who do not believe in Yeshua: "Is it possible for people of this age who were taught since birth to 'speak against the Son of Man' to be forgiven for doing exactly as they have been trained to do?...Will a gracious God consider their situation, look into their hearts to see if they truly love him, and forgive 'their words spoken against the Son of Man?' " (The Gospel according to Moses [Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2003] 253). C. S. Lewis concluded from this text that "honest rejection of Christ, however mistaken, will be forgiven and healed.” (God in the Dock [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970] 111).
[16] Texts on tzedakah show the same principle at work (e.g., Luke 6:38; 16:9-13, 19-31; 19:8-90).
[17] See Gabriele Boccaccini, Middle Judaism (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991), 217-20. Boccaccini exaggerates the difference between the Yeshua tradition and Rabbinic thought on this topic, but his exposition of the teaching of the Yeshua tradition on forgiveness is superb.
[18] A talent was worth more than fifteen years' wages of a laborer.
[19] In keeping with the usage of the synoptic gospels, Acts 4:9 employs the verb "Be saved" (sosotai) to refer to bodily healing. It also attributes this healing to the "name" of Yeshua and to "The faith of his name" (3:16). This is the context for Peter's claim, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Obviously, "salvation" has wider meaning here than just physical healing. However, it must include such manifestations of saving power. Given this fact, John Taylor's interpretation of the text has merit:
He was saying that Jesus of Nazareth is the source of every act of healing and salvation that has ever happened. He knew perfectly well that vast numbers of people had been healed without any knowledge of Jesus, yet he made the astounding claim that Jesus was the hidden author of all healing. He was the totally unique savior because he was totally universal.(cited by Tiessen, 85)
[20] Of the two possible exceptions, Revelation 21:8 and Mark 16:16, the apistois who are cast into the lake burning with fire are not "The unbelievers" (KJV, NASB, NIV) but "The faithless" (RSV, NRSV, NEB, ESV), "The unfaithful" (CEV), or "The untrustworthy.” (Stern) JB properly paraphrases as "those who break their word," while TEV has "The traitors.” This reading is supported by Revelation's universal use of the positive form of the adjective (pistos) to mean "faithful" rather than "Believing" (1:5; 2:10; 2:13; 3:14; 17:14; 19:11; 21:5; 21:6). The other possible exception to this generalization (Mark 16:16) will be treated later, for reasons to be explained at that point.
[21] Wolfhart Pannenberg notes that the Beatitudes allot the inheritance of the kingdom to categories of people whose character reflects the teaching and example of Yeshua, regardless of whether they have ever heard of him: "The message of Jesus is the norm by which God judges even in the case of those who never meet Jesus personally... . [A]ll to whom the Beatitudes apply will have a share in the coming salvation whether or not they ever heard of Jesus in this life. For factually they have a share in Jesus and his message, as the day of judgment will make manifest.” (Systematic Theology, Volume 3 [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998], 615).
[22] Exegetes disagree over the identity of Yeshua's "family members" in Matthew 25. Some see them as disciples of Yeshua, either apostles or other suffering members of the community (see, for example Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999], 604-6). Others, such as Davies and Allison, see them as the needy in general. While I incline to the latter view, it is significant, regardless, that (1) the sheep and goats are those outside the covenant community, and (2) they did not know that they were encountering Yeshua when they cared for his "family members.”