The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus- A Christian Response

The Aquarian Gospel Of Jesus- A Christian response.

Introduction
Every year during lent some book or movie or theory is put forward which tries to portray Christianity as a false religion. And inevitable the attack is on the person of Jesus Christ. Some years back it was the Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, which suggested that the church suppressed Jesus’ real story and that He had a family of his own. A central character in modern times discovers she is a direct descendant of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, who fled to what, is now France after the crucifixion.
The Lost Gospel of Judas, based on a manuscript found in the Egyptian desert in 1970 and claims Jesus enlisted a beloved and heroic Judas to betray him as part of a divine plan.
Titanic director James Cameron’s film about the lost tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem suggests that graves containing the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene were discovered in 1980
And the list can go on. This year is no different; a movie called “The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus” is set to be realized next year. This movie claims that Jesus was an ordinary man who became ‘The Christ’ latter on. Let’s take a look at what this theory is all about and does it hold any water.

1. What is the Aquarian Gospel?
The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ claims to be the true story of the life of Jesus, including “the ‘lost’ eighteen years silent in the New Testament.”

Major Points
The “Aquarian Gospel’ makes the following claims, among others:

• Jesus was distinct from Christ or “The Christ.” By making himself, through effort and prayer, a fit vessel, Jesus enabled The Christ to dwell in him.
• Jesus was conceived by a human father.
• Jesus came to earth to show the way back to God via his lifestyle and teachings. He is the example we must model our own lives after, if we seek salvation.

Ø Source

The script for the movie, “The Aquarian Gospel,” is inspired by

¨ Levi Dowling’s book “ The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ” [1911]
¨ Nicholas Notovich’s “ The unknown life of Jesus Christ” [1894]

2. The Life of saint Issa.

¨Notovitch claimed that, at the monastery of Himis, he learned of the "Life of Saint Issa, Best of the Sons of Men."
¨Notovich persuaded the lama to read the scroll to him, and had it translated from Tibetan by an interpreter.
¨From the scroll, Notovich learned that “ Jesus had wandered to India and to Tibet as a young man before he began his work in Palestine”
¨The scroll proceeds to explain how, after briefly visiting with Jains, Jesus (young Issa) studied for six years among the Brahmins at Juggernaut, Rajagriha, Benares and other Indian (so called) holy cities.
¨Got into trouble with the Brahamins.
¨Jesus / Issa, then flees, to the Buddhists, and spends six years among them, learning and mastering their religious texts.
¨Then, at the age of 29, he returned to Israel and began to preach all that he had learned.
¨According to Notovich’s “scroll” by the end of Jesus’ three year ministry, Pilate who had become insecure by Jesus popularity had him falsely accused and killed, although the Jewish priests had tried to save him.
¨Following this some merchants in Palestine allegedly traveled to India, came upon some people who had known Issa / Jesus as a casual student of Sanskrit and Pali during his youth in India, and filled them in on Issa’s demise at the hands of Pilate.
¨And as the story concludes, Life of saint Issa was written on a scroll by author(s) unknown…three or four years later.


3. The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi Dowling

¨ The title page of the “gospel” bears the words : Transcribed from the book of God’s Remembrances known as the Akashic Records
¨ Unlike Notovich whose conclusions were based on an alleged objective ancient document, Levi’s book is based on an occult form of subjective illumination.
¨ Jesus supposedly became interested in studying in the east after Joseph (Jesus’ father) hosted Prince Ravanna from India.
¨ Prince Ravanna offered to take Jesus to the East where he could learn the wisdom of the Brahmins.
¨ Jesus was accepted as a pupil in the temple Jagannath; and here he learned the Vedas.
¨ Levi proceeds to chronicle a visit to Tibet, where Jesus allegedly met
Meng-ste, the greatest sage of the East.
¨ He went back to Palestine where he had a ministry of three years and then was killed.

4. Reaction by Secular Scholar’s

i) F. Max Muller published a refutation of Notovich in ‘The Nineteenth Century’
¨ An old document like the one Notovitch allegedly found would have been included in the Kandjur and Tandjur (Catalogues in which all Tibetan literature is supposed to be listed.)
¨ How is it that the Jewish merchants happened to meet the very people among the millions of Indians who had known Jesus / Issa as a simple student in India
¨ Muller cites a woman who had visited the monastery of Himis and made inquiries about Notovitch. According to a letter she wrote (dated June 29, 1894), "there is not a single word of truth in the whole story! There has been no Russian here....There is no life of Christ there at all!"
¨ Muller questioned the great liberty Notovitch took in editing and arranging the alleged verses. Muller said this is something no reputable scholar would have done.

ii) J Archibald Douglas interviewed the chief lama and asked him about Notovitch.
¨ When asked the lama very categorically stated that he had never heard of Notovitch. [This lama had been the chief lama for 15 years which means he would have been the chief lama during Notovitch’s alleged visit.]
¨ When asked if he was aware of any book in the monastery, regarding the life of Jesus, his answer was again a no.
¨ This interview was written down and witnessed by the lama, Douglas and the interpreter and on June 3rd 1895, was stamped with the official seal of the lama.

5. Reactions by Christian Scholars.

¨The accounts of Jesus going to East have serious contradictions.
Each of the accounts differ, for example, regarding the beginning of Jesus’ trek. The life of Saint Issa portrays Jesus departing secretly from His parent’s house with some merchants on their way to India so he could perfect himself by studying the laws of the great Buddha. Levi’s Aquarian gospel depicts Prince Ravanna from India asking Jesus’ parents if he can escort Jesus to India where he can learn India wisdom
¨All of the “Jesus goes East” accounts contain historical inaccuracies.
Levi’s Aquarian Gospel said Herod Antipas was ruler in Jerusalem. Antipas, however, never ruled in Jerusalem but in Galilee. Levi also makes a reference to Jesus visiting Meng-ste (probably the great sage of China). However Levi didn’t realize that Meng-ste died in289 B.C
¨Jesus never taught from the Vedas.
If Jesus spent most of life learning from the Vedas and other Hindu scripture how is it that He never made any reference to them. On the contrary the only source He drew from was the Old Testament.

6. New Testament evidence
¨Jesus was well known as a carpenter [Mark 6:3]
People in and around displayed familiarity with Jesus, as if they have had regular contact with Him for a prolonged time.
¨ [Luke 4:16, 22]
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up…”
¨People were amazed at His authority of the Scripture. [Luke 4:32]
Since people knew Jesus as a carpenter, they were amazed at His authority of the scripture. If Jesus had been away learning, then it would be expected of Him to display His learning.

7. Our response to controversies
¨ Expect: The Bible warns us of people who will try to deceive us, and shake our faith. The best defense is to be prepared for such attacks. [ Matthew 24:11]
¨ Exploit: We also use controversies as a contact point to reach out to people. Movies, books and documentaries that attack the Christian faith often make people curious about the truth. And we can use that for our advantage [ I Peter 3:15]
¨ Explain: As Christians it is our responsibility to explain the truth of the Gospel to those who do not understand. If people have false ideas, then we need to correct them and bring them in line with the Biblical world view [ Jude 22]

Conclusion
The Movie ‘The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus’ is set to be realized next year. Like the Da Vince code this movie will also raise a lot of questions. As those who are called to defend the faith are we ready to clear the misconceptions and bring people to a better understanding of who Jesus is?

- Rev. Paras Tayade