The Earth And The Earthly Are Limited

Here is a humble submission by, perhaps the greatest Physicist of all time, Isaac Newton (1643-1727), “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Who are these giants that he is referring to? Of course, his father, mother, teachers, leaders, and so on. If so, how do we reconcile this with the gospel passage, Matthew 23: 08-12, where Jesus tells his followers call no one on the earth, as you father, mother, teacher, or master?

let go, set out, start, go beyond, quotes

This is a warning against the pride of the Pharisees, the teachers of the Law, and the like. They occupy seats as though they are the ultimate, the last, and the final. Jesus says be aware. Within that context Jesus tells us “consider no one on the earth, as your final father, mother, teacher, or master? They were great shoulders to stand on and see beyond; but what you have seen is greater than where you had stood to see it. At some point we must let go where we stand and leave for what we see. While standing on the earth, if we don't see anything farther than the earth and the earthly, our life on earth is a waste. The earth is a place to stand and see beyond.

A Zen seeker and disciple, after long years of reading, being guided by parents, teachers and his master etc. finally attained enlightenment. He got up and gathered all his books and burned them; left his earthly parents and home; and said goodbye to his earthly master; and went ahead in his path of enlightenment.

Be aware that earthly is limited

At some point we must desire what we saw and let go where we stood. Where we stood is less important than what we saw. Yes, it is important and a great gift of God that we are born of flesh on the earth; that we have our earthly parents; that we have our earthly teachers and masters; that we have our earthly heroes and role models but it is more important and a greater gift of God that we are born again (see again) of Spirit; having God as our father and mother; having God as our teacher and master; having God as our hero and role model.

Do not limit our subjects to ourselves

Every teacher must make his students see beyond, and introduce him or her to greater teachers. Those of us who are teachers must have the humility to tell our students that I am not the ultimate or the final. Those of us who are parents must tell our children that there is a father and mother in heaven of whom we are only the earthly expressions. Those of us who are masters and heroes must not limit others to ourselves. Couldn’t it be this humility that Jesus is talking about?

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