Monday, September 01, 2014

Vision of Christ

Nowhere (that I know of) does Blake write of the physical resurrection of Jesus. He witnessed no corporeal Jesus; he didn't value the idea of a corporeal Jesus. If you want to know Blake's Jesus, you have to rise to the Eternal Jesus (generally known as the Christ).

Jesus is there, beyond the Sea of Time and Space. We are creatures of time and space (but not that alone!). Jesus also was a creature (briefly), but he was also before time and after time, and beyond space; he is Eternal. We may rise to the Eternal at any moment, as many moments as possible if that's what we want.

John 8:
"58] Jesus said unto them, Verily,verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

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Like Paul had said, Blake longed to be delivered from the flesh:

Philippians.1

  1. [23] For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
  2. [24] Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
    [25] And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all
Blake knew that to remain in the flesh was "more needful for" Catherine, and for a few young friends, (and for us!)

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In plate 3 of Jerusalem, which is in prose Blake wrote his primary opinion of just who and what Jesus is:

"The Spirit of Jesus is continual forgiveness of Sin" (Erdman 145).

The Conventional Church had historical 'evidence' (from the earliest records that Jesus had undergone a physical resurrection; it became the focal point of C.C professions of faith. but Blake cared nothing for history or for the Conventional theology per se. (For that matter many Christian groups from N.T. days to the present have discounted a physical resurrection.)

Blake directly addressed Conventional Religion with these words from The Everlasting Gospel:

"The Vision of Christ that thou dost see
Is my Visions Greatest Enemy
.....
Thine loves the same world that mine hates
Thy Heaven doors are my Hell Gates
.........
Both read the Bible day and night
But thou readst black where I read white." (Erdman 524)

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