Meaning of certain phrases in the Bible

Words spoken by Abdu’l-Baha to some pilgrims who had just returned from a trip to the place of sacrifice of Elijah:

The altar of sacrifice is the living heart of man, and not a few pieces of dead stones. The fire that came down from heaven was no other than the fire of the love of God descending from the heaven of the divine will; the bullocks are human and carnal desires and appetites which are entirely burned away by this ideal fire, leaving the spiritual altar cleansed and pure, and then celestial qualifications and attributes will take the place of former blameworthy qualities. The killing of the priests of Baal means that the enemies of truth were so filled with wrath against the triumph of the cause of righteousness that they perished by their own defeat. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, His secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 4, May 17, 1916)

“The greatest proof of Baha’u’llah”: - “He was always manifest and evident under all conditions and circumstances”

The greatest proof of Baha’u’llah — may my life be a ransom to Him — consists in the fact that He was always manifest and evident under all conditions and circumstances. He was never concealed nor was He disguised for one day. In Persia, in Bagdad, in Constantinople, in Adrianople and in the Most Great prison, Baha’u’llah ever withstood the persecutions of the enemies and kept His own ground in the face of all the world. He never attempted to protect or shield Himself for one second. Before all nations and all religions He proclaimed His Cause and declared His teachings. The foes were resisting the spread of the cause with the greatest hostility and His blessed breast was the target for an hundred thousand arrows. It is revealed in the Visiting Tablet:

“I bear witness that the eye of creation hath never gazed upon one wronged like Thee. Thou wast immersed all the days of Thy life beneath an ocean of tribulations. At one time Thou wast in chains and fetters; at another Thou wast threatened by the sword of Thine enemies.”

Continually He was threatened with the darts and javelins of the adversaries. He cried out:

“We have burned away the veil and the shroud and are enkindled with the fire of love. Like the candle We are set aglow and like the Beloved We are ever present in the gathering of the lovers.”

It is well-nigh beyond belief that notwithstanding all these dangers, Baha’u’llah was protected. The condition was like that of a deer: although surrounded by a hundred thousand hounds, attacking it from every side, yet protected by an invisible power. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, His secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 4, May 17, 1916)

An example of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s compassion and generosity

Upon returning from that place, the Master saw a number of other poor people, to whom He showed great kindness and good cheer. He then related an anecdote from the days when He lived in ‘Akká:

“A number of souls, destitute and famished, approached me and begged me to give them something to sustain them. I directed their attention to a grocers stall, on which every kind of food imaginable had been laid out, and said to them, ‘Throw yourselves upon this stall. Whatever is there, seize it, eat it, and take it with you. The responsibility for your actions will rest with me.’ Upon hearing these words, these impoverished, desperately hungry souls immediately ransacked the stall and began to plunder its wares.

“However much the shopkeeper loudly objected, 'You are stealing my goods!’, these impoverished people paid him no heed whatsoever. They even ate dry, uncooked rice, and took all sorts of merchandise with them.”

Later ‘Abdu’l-Baha compensated the grocer.

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 27 December 1912, London, England, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

To help oneself to “enter into a state of reflection and transcendence”

Following this, the Master commented on the spaciousness and pleasantness of the park:

“It is indeed uncrowded and peaceful here. The weather is lovely, and the grass is verdant and beautiful. To walk in such places causes one to feel more spiritual, and grants tranquillity to one's heart. This is especially the case when one is alone, and may enter into a state of reflection and transcendence.” 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 27 December 1912, London, England, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

“Children must first be trained in divine virtues and encouraged to improve their characters.”

Children must first be trained in divine virtues and encouraged to improve their characters. When this has taken place, every effort must be made to teach them sciences, crafts, and other excellences - for if godly training and a goodly character are absent, the acquisition of sciences and crafts alone are inadequate. In such a state, there would be nothing to safeguard the child’s character against corruption, or to protect him from the harmful influence of self and desire. On the contrary, such a void would generate idle thoughts, and strengthen the compelling power of personal interests. Such an outcome can be avoided only when this secular education is imparted in conjunction with the conferment of godly training and the cultivation of a goodly character. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 27 December 1912, London, England, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

The “elasticity” of the “Revelation of Baha’u’llah"

Were not the Revelation of Baha’u’llah one adaptable to the entire world and its diverse nations, it could not be a unique and universal Revelation, but its elasticity adapts itself to all conditions, and its spirit is one that moulds itself into every vehicle and need for the accomplishment of the divine plan of unity.

But when some follow merely the hard and fixed letter of the law, they deprive it (the Revelation) of its elastic quality—the spirit—and endeavor to convert it into a hard instrument of inflexible qualities. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Utterances of Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Dr. Edward Getsinger in answer to his questions asked during his pilgrimage in 1915; Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 6, June 24, 1915)

“The darkness of this gloomy night shall pass away. Again the Sun of Reality will dawn from the horizon of the hearts.” – words attributed to ‘Abdu’l-Baha

The darkness of this gloomy night shall pass away. Again the Sun of Reality will dawn from the horizon of the hearts. Have patience—wait, but do not sit idle; work while you are waiting; smile while you are wearied with monotony; be firm while everything around you is being shaken; be joyous while the ugly face of despair grins at you; speak aloud while the malevolent forces of the nether world try to crush your mind; be valiant and courageous while men all around you are cringing with fear and cowardice. Do not yield to the overwhelming power of tyranny and despotism. Serve the cause of democracy and freedom. Continue your journey to the end. The bright day is coming. The nucleus of the new race is forming. The harbinger of the new ideals of international justice is appearing. The trees of hope will become verdant; the copper of scorn and derision will be transmuted into the gold of honor and praise; the arid desert of ignorance will be transformed into the luxuriant garden of knowledge, the threatening clouds shall be dispelled and the stars of faith and charity will again twinkle in the clear heaven of human consciousness. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, recorded by Ahmad Sohrab, one of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's secretaries and translators from 1912 to 1919; received by Alfred E. Lunt in a letter from the Holy Land; Star of the West, volume 9, no. 13, November 4, 1918)

Occasions when during prayer and meditation one’s heart becomes touched by the memory of a departed soul

Someone present asked how it was that in prayer and meditation the heart often turns with instinctive appeal to some friend who has passed into the next life.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá answered: 

“It is a law of God’s creation that the weak should lean upon the strong. Those to whom you turn may be the mediators of God’s power to you, even as when on earth. But it is the One Holy Spirit that strengthens all men.” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘’Abdu’l-Baha in London’)

“Envy closes the door of Bounty, and jealousy prevents one from ever attaining to the Kingdom of Abha.”

When God calls a soul to a high station, it is because that soul has capacity for that station as a gift of God, and because that soul has supplicated to be taken into His service. No envies, jealousies, calumnies, slanders, plots, nor schemes, will ever move God to remove a soul from its intended place, for by the grace of God, such actions on the part of the people are the test of the servant, testing his strength, forbearance, endurance and sincerity under adversity. At the same time those who show forth envies, jealousies, etc., toward a servant, are depriving themselves of their own stations, and not another of his, for they prove by their own acts that they are not only unworthy of being called to any station awaiting them, but also prove that they cannot withstand the very first test—that of rejoicing over the success of their neighbor, at which God rejoices. Only by such a sincere joy can the gift of God descend unto a pure heart.

Envy closes the door of Bounty, and jealousy prevents one from ever attaining to the Kingdom of Abha.

Those that have departed: - “In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you!”

“In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you! When you do not know it, and are in a receptive attitude, they are able to make suggestions to you, if you are in difficulty. This sometimes happens in sleep. but there is no phenomenal intercourse! That which seems like phenomenal intercourse has another explanation.”

The questioner exclaimed; “But I have heard a voice!”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “Yes, that is possible; we hear voices clearly in dreams. It is not with the physical ear that you heard; the spirit of those that have passed on are freed from sense-life, and do not use physical means. It is not possible to put these great matters into human words; the language of man is the language of children, and man’s explanation often leads astray.” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘’Abdu’l-Baha in London’)

How to view death

A friend asked: “How should one look forward to death?”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá answered: “How does one look forward to the goal of any journey? With hope and with expectation. It is even so with the end of this earthly journey. In the next world, man will find himself freed from many of the disabilities under which he now suffers. Those who have passed on through death, have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours; their work, the work of the Kingdom, is ours; but it is sanctified from what we call ‘time and place.’ Time with us is measured by the sun. When there is no more sunrise, and no more sunset, that kind of time does not exist for man. Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation.” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘’Abdu’l-Baha in London’)

Attributes of those “in real authority”; “none are appointed to any authority to do anything but to serve the Cause as true servants of the friends”

The ones in real authority are known by their humility and self-sacrifice and show no attitude of superiority over the friends.

Some time ago a tablet was written stating that none are appointed to any authority to do anything but to serve the Cause as true servants of the friends—and for this no tablet is necessary; such service when true and unselfish, requires no announcement, nor following, nor written document.

Let the servant be known by his deeds, by his life!

To be approved of God alone should be one's aim. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Utterances of Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Dr. Edward Getsinger in answer to his questions asked during his pilgrimage in 1915; Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 6, June 24, 1915)

“Holding to the letter of the law is many times an indication of a desire for leadership.”

Holding to the letter of the law is many times an indication of a desire for leadership. One who assumes to be the enforcer of the law shows an intellectual understanding of the Cause, but that spiritual guidance in them is not yet established.

The alphabet of things is for children, that they may in time use their reasoning powers. "Following the spirit" is a guidance by and through the heart, the prompter of the spirit. The Pharisees were extremely orthodox, holding strictly to the law. They were the cause of the condemnation and ultimate crucifixion of Jesus. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Utterances of Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Dr. Edward Getsinger in answer to his questions during his pilgrimage in 1915; Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 6, June 24, 1915)

“No obstacle should be placed before any soul which might prevent it from finding the truth.”

No obstacle should be placed before any soul which might prevent it from finding the truth. Baha'u'llah revealed His directions, teachings, and laws, so that souls might know God, and not that any utterance might become an obstacle in their way. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Utterances of Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Dr. Edward Getsinger in answer to his questions during his pilgrimage in 1915; Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 6, June 24, 1915)

Reincarnation: “What is truly meant by ‘return’ is the reappearance of past attributes in future creatures”

The Master then gave an explication on the subject of reincarnation:

This reincarnation in which people have traditionally believed is contrary to what has been revealed in the Books of God. What is truly meant by ‘return’ is the reappearance of past attributes in future creatures, and the similarity of the perfections possessed by successive generations to the characters and qualities of their precursors. It is like when we say that this flower is the same flower of last year; the meaning is that the same colour and fragrance of the previous flower are now manifest in this one. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 26 December 1912, London, England, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

“Existence itself consists of perpetual permanence.”

Existence itself consists of perpetual permanence. Show me something that does not exist perpetually! Ultimately, all things come to occupy different degrees of existence and undergo a transformation in their forms. Consider even this flower; it shall never be totally effaced from the earth. In the end, its present form shall be altered; it will not simply fade into nothingness. Neither does existence end in obliteration, nor can complete nonexistence ever come into existence in this world. Nonexistence is darkness, while existence is light. When light comes, darkness is driven out. It is not the case that darkness shall ever become light. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 26 December 1912, London, England, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

What is Satan?

It was then asked: ‘What is Satan?’ The Master responded:

One’s insistent self. Were you to leave a child to persist in his natural state, he would develop a character that is reprehensible and fiendish… [The] corrupt inclinations all stem from human nature, and the force which compels him to indulge those inclinations is the struggle for survival. The divine Manifestations have come to save humankind from the darkness of their natural state, for humanity shall not acquire knowledge without the presence of a teacher. By what means have people come to know that honesty is good? Through education and training, of course; otherwise, a person’s natural inclination is to lie… Indeed, there is a restraining force - that is, an internal inhibitor - latent within people, but this force can only begin to exert its influence through the acquisition of education and the cultivation of godliness. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 25 December 1912, London, England, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

What to do if physically attacked?

At this point, one of the attendees inquired: ‘How, then, are we to defend ourselves?’ [if attacked physically] To this, the Master replied:

Indeed, reward and punishment constitute the basis of order in this world. For instance, were a person to come here and attempt to strike you - or even murder you - it would be unseemly for me to sit and remain silent. In such a situation, I must certainly rise up to defend you. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, 25 December 1912, London, England, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani, His secretary and chronicler during His travels in the West; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’, vol. 2: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Europe 1912-1913)

Apostles weren’t given permission to have “the body of His Holiness Jesus Christ put in the Jews’ cemetery”. They “bought a piece of land and interred Him”

In their own day the people beat them [disciples of Christ], put them in prison, ridiculed them, exiled them from their own cities and finally martyred them. They even did not give permission that they might be buried in their own cemeteries. They were not willing to have the body of His Holiness Jesus Christ put in the Jews’ cemetery. The Apostles went and bought a piece of land and interred Him. Then the Jews took their refuse there. Later men came and built a great church over it This was built by the mother of one of the Caesars, after three hundred years. Even up to this time in certain parts it is known as the Church of Refuse. This is really the Tomb of Christ. It was the place where all the refuse of the city was gathered in the day of Christ. For three hundred years it continued in this manner. You can go now and see what wonderful change there is, see what a wonderful church is built, how many jewels and precious stones are collected there. The statue of Christ is bejeweled with all kinds of precious stones, so are the statues of Mary and others. How different the attitude of the people in the days of Manifestations. They persecute, deride and ridicule them, put a crown of thorns upon their heads, beat them in the street, spit in their faces and finally crucify them. But later on they worship their images, kiss the ground upon which they walked, or the stone upon which they sat. This is the attitude of the people. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha to some believers in Philadelphia, June 8-10, 1912; Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 6, June 24, 1914)