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15
words to Nathanaol :
" Vexily, I saw thee undei the fig-
tree," and Nathanael’s reply ;
" Rabbi, Thou art the
Son of God!"
The vine and the fig-tree were Egyptian eymbols of
our Lord and our Lady. The two trees are repeatedly
referred to in the " Book of the Dead," the manual used
at the great initiation.
The vine corresponded to the King’s Chamber in the
Great Pyramid, and referred to initiation into the great
mysteries. The fig-tree corresponded to the Queen’s
Chamber, and referred to initiation into the lesser
mysteries.
Nobody knew the name of the neophyte save the high
hierophant. When Jesus said to Nathanael, " I saw
thee under the fig-tree," he revealed to him His identity
as grand master of the order to which they both belonged.
Nathanael instantly replied, " Thou iart the iSon lof
God," because this was the title by whdch the Grand
Master was invariably addressed. His reply was as
natural .as if in our days a subject replied to his sove-
reign, "Yes, your Majesty.’’
It is extremely improbable that the piouB Nathanael
would have given the sacred title "Son of God" to a
stranger, simply because he had given a vulgar demon-
stration of clairvoyance, a faculty very usual in those
days.
The spiritual interpretation that I have just given
also explains the cursing of the fig-tree which did not
carry fruit
—
s, story which has puzzled many Christians.
Gentle Jesus would never have reproved a physioaj. tree
for not carrying fruit out of season. He could never
have ’been guilty of such folly and would never have
misused his superhuman power in order ito vent his anger
at not finding physical nourishment where he hoped to
do so. But a member of the Essene community who
tailed to produce the "immortal fruit" of which Philo
epoke was doomed to be cut off and wither.
In the parable of the fruitless fig-tree it is also stated
that the owner sought fruit " these three years, and
found none." Neophytes were only initiated into the
lesser mysteries after three years’ novitiate. If they
did not carry fruit during these years of probation they
were cut off from the community and doomed to wither
spiritually.
In anothpr parable Jesus said that the Kingdom of
Grod would be nigh at hand when the fig-tree should
shoot forth. That statement is supremely true. The
second coming of Christ takes place when He is re-born
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