The Gospel in Brief - Leo Tolstoy on Cele 5 Legi ale lui Iisus Hristos

Author's Preface

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This present book is extracted from a larger work, which exists in manuscript, and cannot be published in Russia.

That work consists of four parts, namely: —

1. An account of that course of my personal life, and of my thoughts, which led me to the conviction that in the Christian teaching lies the truth.

2. An investigation of the Christian teaching — first, according to the interpretation of the Greek Church solely; then, according to the interpretation of the Churches generally, and the interpretation of the apostles, councils, and so-called “fathers.” Also, an exposition of the falsity in these interpretations.

Chapter I — The Son of God

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The birth of Jesus Christ was thus:

His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph. But, before they began to live as man and wife, Mary proved with child. But Joseph was a good man, and did not wish to disgrace her; he took her as his wife, and had nothing to do with her until she had borne her first son, and called him Jesus.

And the boy grew and matured, and was intelligent beyond his years.

Chapter II — Life in the Spirit

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It happened once that Jesus, with his disciples, went through a field on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and on the way plucked ears of corn, bruised them in their hands, and ate the grain. But, according to the teaching of the orthodox, God had made an agreement with Moses, that all should observe the Sabbath, and do nothing on that day. According to this teaching of the orthodox, God commanded that he who worked on the Sabbath should be stoned to death. The orthodox saw that the disciples were bruising ears of corn on the Sabbath, and said: “It is not right to do so on the Sabbath. One must not work on the Sabbath, and you are bruising ears of corn. God ordained the Sabbath, and commanded the breaking of it should be punished with death.” Jesus heard this, and said: “If you understand what is the meaning of God’s words, ‘I desire love, and not sacrifice,’ you would not attach blame to that which is not blameworthy. Man is more important than the Sabbath.”

Chapter III — The Source of Life

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After this, John’s disciples came to ask Jesus whether it was he of whom John spoke; whether he was revealing the kingdom of God, and renewing men by the spirit? Jesus answered and said: “Look, listen, — and tell John, whether the kingdom of God has begun, and whether people are being renewed by the spirit. Tell him of what kingdom of God I am preaching. It is said in the prophecies that, when the kingdom of God shall come, all men will be blessed. Well, tell him that my kingdom of God is such that the poor are blessed, and that every one who understands me becomes blessed.”

Chapter IV — God's Kingdom

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And Jesus went among the towns and villages, and taught all men the happiness of fulfilling the Father’s will. Jesus was sorry for men, that they perish without knowing wherein is the true life, and are driven about and suffer, without knowing why, like sheep left without a shepherd.

Once a crowd of people gathered to Jesus, to hear his teaching; and he went up on a hill and sat down. His disciples surrounded him.

Chapter V — The True Life

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And Jesus rejoiced at the strength of the spirit, and said:

“I acknowledge the spirit of the Father, the source of everything in heaven and earth, Who has revealed that which was hidden from the wise and learned, to the simple, solely through their acknowledging themselves Sons of the Father.

“All take care for fleshly happiness, and have put themselves to a load which they cannot draw; they have put a yoke upon themselves which was not made for them.

Chapter VI — The False Life

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And there came once to Jesus his mother and brothers, who could in no way get to see him, because there was a great crowd around him. And a man saw them, and went up to Jesus, and said: “Your family, your mother and brothers, are standing without, and wish to see you.”

And Jesus said: “My mother and my brothers are they who have understood the will of the Father, and fulfil it.”

Chapter VII — I and the Father Are One

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After this the Jews tried to condemn Jesus to death, and Jesus went away into Galilee, and lived with his relations.

The Jewish feast of tabernacles was come. And the brothers of Jesus got ready to go to the feast, and invited him to go with them. They did not believe in his teaching, and said to him:

“Now, you say that the Jewish service of God is wrong, that you know the real service of God by deeds. If you really think that no one but yourself knows the true service of God, then come with us to the feast. Many people will be there, and you can declare before them all that the teaching of Moses is wrong. If all believe you, then it will be clear to your disciples also, that you are right. Why make a secret of it? You say that our service is wrong, that you know the true service of God; well then, show it to all.”

Chapter VIII — Life Is Not Temporal

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Jesus said: “He who is not ready for all fleshly sufferings and bereavements, has not understood me. He who shall obtain all that is best for the fleshly life, shall destroy the true life; he who shall destroy his fleshly life in fulfilling my teaching, shall receive the true life.”

And in answer to these words, Peter said to him: “See, we have listened to you, have thrown off all cares and property, and have followed you. What reward shall we have for this?”

Chapter IX — Temptations

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Once, children were brought to Jesus. His disciples began to drive the children away. Jesus saw this being done, and was grieved, and said:

“You drive the children away without reason. They are better than any, because children all live after the Father’s will. They are, indeed, already in the kingdom of heaven. You should not drive them away, but learn from them; because, in order to live in the Father’s will, you must live as children live. Children do not abuse one another, do not bear ill-will to people, do not commit adultery, do not swear by anything, do not resist evil, do not go to law with anyone, acknowledge no difference between their own people and foreigners. Therefore are they better than grown people, and are in the kingdom of heaven. If you do not refrain from all the temptations of the flesh, and become as children, you will not be in the kingdom of heaven.

Chapter X — The Warfare with Temptation

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After this, the orthodox chief priests began to do all they could to lay traps for Jesus, in some way or other to destroy him. They gathered in council, and began to consider. They said: “This man must somehow or other be put an end to. He so proves his teaching that, if he be left alone, all will believe in him, and cast off our belief. Already half of the people believe in him. But if the Jews believe in his teaching, that all men are sons of one Father, and brothers, and that there is nothing in our Hebrew people different from other peoples, then the Romans will completely overwhelm us, and the Hebrew kingdom will be no more.”

Chapter XI — The Farewell Discourse

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And Peter said to Jesus: “Whither are you going?”

Jesus answered: “You will not have the strength now to go whither I am going; but afterwards you will go the same way.”

And Peter said: “Why do you think that I have not the strength now to follow whither you go? I will give up my life for you.”

And Jesus said: “You say that you will give up your life for me, and yet even before cock-crow you shall deny me thrice.” And Jesus said to the disciples: “Be not troubled and be not afraid, but believe in the true God of life, and in my teaching.”

Chapter XII — The Victory of the Spirit over the Flesh

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After this, Jesus said: “Now arise, and let us go; already he is coming who will betray me.”

And he had hardly said this, when suddenly Judas, one of the twelve disciples, appeared, and with him a great throng of people with sticks and swords. Judas said to them: “I will bring you where he and his followers are, and so that you may know him among them all, he whom I shall first kiss, that is he.” And he straightway went up to Jesus, and said: “Hail, teacher!” and kissed him.

The Understanding of Life

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The proclamation of Christ has replaced the belief in an external God by the understanding of life

The Gospel is the revelation of this truth, that the first source of everything is the understanding of life itself. This being so, the Gospel puts in the place of what men call “God” a right understanding of life. Without this understanding there is no life; men only live in so far as they understand life.

A Summary — The Understanding of Life Is to Do Good

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The announcement of blessedness made by Jesus Christ is an announcement of understanding of life

The understanding of life is this: The source of life is perfect goodness, and therefore human life is perfectly good in its nature. To understand the source of life, it is necessary to believe that our spirit, the life in man, came from this source. The man, formerly not living, is summoned into life by this, his origin. This source of life appoints blessedness for man, because its own being is blessedness.

A Recapitulation

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Chapter I

The Son of God

Man, the son of God, is powerless in the flesh, and free in the spirit

(“Our Father”)

Jesus in his childhood called God his Father. There arose in Judaea, at this time, a prophet named John. John preached the coming of God upon earth. He said that when men should change their lives, when they should treat one another as equals, when they should cease to injure one another, and, instead of so doing, serve one another, then God would appear upon earth, and His kingdom would be established on earth. Jesus, having heard this declaration, withdrew from among men and went into the wild places, to meditate upon the meaning of human life, and upon his relations to that infinite source of all being, called God. And Jesus accepted as his Father, that infinite source of being whom John had called God.