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paralleling ASFG 1 lesson on “THE CROSS AND THE CROWN”
BIBLE READING: John 3:1-18
ASFG Lesson 10: The Cross and the Crown
(page 79)
In His midnight conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:1–8), Jesus revealed how He fulfilled the entire Law — not by abolishing it, but by embodying its spiritual essence. Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel and learned in the Scriptures, came seeking truth, yet he struggled to understand what Jesus meant by being “born again.” Jesus’ response implied that Nicodemus should have already known this truth. His training had given him knowledge of the letter of the Law, but not its spirit. He knew the commandments and the rituals, but not the inner transformation they pointed toward.
Jesus came to show that spiritual rebirth is the true fulfillment of the Law — the awakening of divine understanding within. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). To comprehend divine truth, one must first experience the spirit behind it, rather than depend only on material logic or tradition. Just as Nicodemus’ reasoning failed him when faced with the mystery of new birth, we too fail to understand Christ’s teachings when we seek only material explanations rather than spiritual insight.
The Need for Spiritual Interpretation
The lesson from Cayce’s commentary reminds us that spiritual understanding must precede material comprehension. Like Nicodemus, many of us look for literal explanations — proof, logic, or physical evidence — before we accept divine truth. Yet Jesus’ teachings are spiritual first; their outer meaning unfolds only after the inner meaning is grasped. As Cayce’s text notes, “It is first necessary that there be the seeking for an understanding before it can be given.” The door to revelation opens from within.
This parallels the parable of Dives and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), where Dives wanted to warn his brothers after death, but was told that if they would not heed Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded by one risen from the dead. Understanding is not forced upon the unwilling; it grows in the heart that sincerely seeks.
The Cross as the Fulfillment of the Law
In the ASFG Lesson, the Cross represents both understanding and overcoming. Jesus’ reference to Moses lifting up the serpent (John 3:14) symbolized His own crucifixion — but not merely as an act of suffering. The serpent has always represented the mind, and in being “lifted up,” Jesus showed that the ego (self-centered mind) must be crucified and transformed.
Thus, the Cross is the symbol of mind overcome by Spirit, of personal will surrendered to divine will. This act fulfills the Law, for in love and obedience to the Creator, the soul transcends limitation. Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32) — meaning that by living the Cross, by embodying divine love and humility, He becomes the Way that leads all souls upward.
Karma, Willingness, and Joyful Service
Jesus did not come unwillingly or as a victim of fate; He chose to enter the world to experience all conditions of human life so that He might show us how to rise above them. Cayce’s lesson emphasizes that He joyfully met His karma, not under compulsion but through understanding and love. This contrasts with how most people meet their trials — as burdens rather than opportunities. When we understand why we meet certain challenges — that they are means of growth and purification — then suffering loses its sting and becomes a path to wisdom.
The Humility of Divine Wisdom
Finally, the lesson reminds us that divine understanding is always accompanied by humility. “He did not come to save the worldly-wise,” but those humble enough to learn — “the lowliest of God’s creatures.” True greatness lies not in power, intellect, or material success, but in service and compassion. As Jesus said, “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11).
Summary: The Spiritual Fulfillment of the Law
Nicodemus symbolizes the intellect seeking truth but bound by literalism.
Jesus embodies the spirit of the Law, showing that rebirth comes through Spirit, not ceremony.
The Cross signifies the lifting up of the self — the mind surrendered to divine purpose.
Karma becomes grace when met with understanding and willingness.
Humility and love are the crowning virtues — the “Crown” that follows the “Cross.”
In essence, Jesus fulfilled the Law not by abolishing its form but by revealing its heart: “Love the Lord thy God… and thy neighbor as thyself.” To live this truth is to be born again — to lift up the mind as He did, until the Cross becomes the Crown.
JOHN 3:14-15
What did Jesus mean when He said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up"? He was referring to the Cross, and what it would stand for. There IS magic in looking upon the Cross, but there is even greater power from LIVING the Cross. Later Jesus said, "IF I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me," that is, by the very power of having lived the Cross and having become the Way, the Truth and the Light. The serpent has always been the symbol of the mind. Then Jesus became as the mind, crucified on the Cross, that is, the ego. [From Edgar Cayce Bible Class Notes]
This passage, drawn from Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:14–15), expresses a deep spiritual truth about transformation, surrender, and the awakening of divine consciousness within us. Let’s unpack it step by step:
1. The Serpent in the Wilderness: Healing Through Faith
In the Old Testament (Numbers 21:8–9), when the Israelites were bitten by serpents in the desert, God instructed Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole. Whoever looked upon it in faith was healed.
This act symbolized the lifting of the mind—turning attention away from fear and death toward divine truth. The serpent represented both the cause (the human mind’s disobedience) and the means of healing (awareness and faith).
When Jesus said,
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,”
He revealed that He Himself would become that healing symbol. His crucifixion—the lifting up of the Son of Man—would become a source of spiritual renewal for all who “look upon” Him in faith.
2. The Cross as Inner Transformation
Jesus was not only foretelling His physical crucifixion but showing what the Cross stands for spiritually. The Cross symbolizes the meeting point of human and divine, the surrender of the lower (ego) to the higher (Spirit).
“There is magic in looking upon the Cross, but greater power in living the Cross.”
To look upon the Cross means to believe, to contemplate its meaning.
To live the Cross means to take up one’s own cross daily—to master the self, overcome ego, and live in harmony with God’s will.
Thus, Jesus didn’t merely die upon the Cross—He embodied it. Through His life, He lived the union of divine and human will, fulfilling the Law through love and obedience.
3. “If I Be Lifted Up, I Will Draw All Men Unto Me”
This later statement (John 12:32) expands the meaning: when Christ is “lifted up”—not only on the Cross, but also in consciousness—He becomes the magnetic center of divine attraction.
By overcoming the self and embodying divine love, He draws all souls upward into unity with God. His “lifting up” thus represents the elevation of consciousness, the awakening of Spirit within humanity.
4. The Serpent as the Mind: Crucifixion of the Ego
In mystic symbolism, the serpent represents the mind—the power of reasoning, desire, and self-awareness. When undisciplined, the mind can deceive and destroy; when purified, it becomes a channel for divine wisdom.
When the passage says,
“Jesus became as the mind, crucified on the Cross—that is, the ego,”
it means that Jesus willingly took upon Himself the condition of human consciousness (the limited, self-centered ego) and redeemed it by submitting it to the divine. The crucifixion thus becomes the moment when the human mind is lifted, purified, and transformed into divine understanding.
5. The Inner Meaning for Us
Each soul is called to follow this same pattern:
To lift up the serpent within—that is, to discipline the mind and transform ego into spiritual awareness.
To live the Cross, choosing love, service, and humility over pride and selfishness.
To let Christ be lifted up in our hearts, so that His light may draw us and others toward God.
In this way, the “magic” of looking upon the Cross becomes the power of embodying it.
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