5952. About the Greeks and the Mohammedans
About the Lord
Many from Greece were with me. They live with Mohammedans. They complained that the Mohammedans frequently tell them that they worship three gods, but they reply that they worship the one God and that the three are one. But still the Mohammedans continued to say that there are three that they worship since they name three and think three. But still they reply that they worship one God. When asked which God of the three, they reply that they worship all together. The Mohammedans do not pull back from this attack until they reply that they are only the names of the one God, and then they are satisfied.
After this some Mohammedans from there were with me, and they asked about the three names of the one God. I then told how the case is, namely, that Christians have taken this from the literal sense of the Word where three are named when nevertheless they are the names of the one God. They say that they too have the Word but read it little. They believe that our Lord is the Greatest Prophet. But I said that He was born from God, and that this is clearly said in Matthew and Luke. They said they had not known this at all and that they had believed him to be the son of Joseph. After this I told them why the Lord came into the world - not to reconcile the human race to the Father but to make what is Human Divine and thus hold the heavens in order even down to the lowest things and also the human race, which the Divine otherwise no longer would have been able to reach. And hearing these things they became silent and many were satisfied. נI said also that a Prophet in the Word symbolizes the action of teaching truths and truth's doctrine, and where it treats of the Lord, the Divine Truth Itself. נThey asked why Christians are not informed from the Word that there are not three gods but one. I said that they stick in the literal sense of the Word and that they cannot be enlightened because they think that faith alone saves no matter how they live, and as a result they cannot be joined with heaven and be enlightened from there. The Mohammedans also saw this to be so, saying that they live according to the precepts of their religion and that these are their laws and that not to live according to Divine laws, but only have for regard civil law separately, is foolish.
5952. THE GREEKS AND THE MOHAMMEDANS. - THE LORD.
There were with me many from Greece, who dwell with the Mohammedans. They complained about the Mohammedans, that they often tell them that they worship three gods, but they reply that they worship one God, and that the three are one; but yet they persist that there are three whom they worship, since they name three and think of three: but they still reply that they worship one God. When they ask which God of the three, they reply that they worship all together. The Mohammedans do not desist from this infesting until they reply that they are merely names of the one God; then they become silent.
Afterwards, there were with me Mohammedans from that part; and they inquired concerning the three names of the one God. I thereupon stated how the case is, namely, that Christians have derived this from the sense of the letter of the Word, where three are mentioned, when, nevertheless, they are the names of the one God. They said that they also had the Word, but read it very little. They believe that our Lord is the Greatest Prophet; but I said that He was born of God, and that this is clearly asserted in Matthew and Luke. They said they were totally ignorant of this, and that they have believed Him to be the son of Joseph. I afterwards related why the Lord came into the world - not in order to reconcile the human race to the Father, but to make the Human Divine, and thus to keep the heavens in order even to the last, and also the human race, to which, but for this, the Divine could no longer reach. On hearing these things they were silent, and many acquiesced. I also stated, that, in the Word, Prophet signifies one who teaches truths, and also the doctrine of truth, and, where it relates to the Lord, Divine Truth Itself. They asked why Christians are not taught from the Word, that there are not three gods but only one. I said that they remain in the sense of the letter of the Word, and cannot be enlightened because they imagine that faith alone saves, howsoever they live; and that, therefore, they cannot be conjoined with heaven and enlightened thence. This, also, the Mohammedans perceived to be the case, saying that they live according to the precepts of their religion, and that these are the laws themselves; and that not to lead a life according to the Divine laws, but merely to regard the civil laws, separately, is foolish.
5952. De Graecis et Mahumedanis
De Domino
Erant apud me plures ex Graecia, qui habitant cum Mahumedanis, questi sunt de Mahumedanis, quod dicant ad illos frequenter quod colant tres deos, sed illi respondent quod colant unum Deum, et quod tres sint unum, sed usque persistunt quod sint tres quos colunt, quoniam nominant tres et cogitant tres, sed usque respondent quod colant unum Deum, cum quaerunt quem Deum ex tribus, respondent quod omnes simul; Mahumedani non recedunt ab hac infestatione, priusquam respondent, quod modo sint nomina unius Dei, tunc acquiescunt.
- Postea erant apud me Mahumedani inde, et interrogaverunt de tribus nominibus unius Dei, tunc dicebam quomodo se res habet, quod nempe Christiani hoc ceperint ex sensu literae Verbi, ubi tres nominantur, cum tamen sunt nomina unius Dei: dicebant quod etiam habeant Verbum, sed parum id legant, credunt quod Dominus noster sit Maximus Propheta, sed dixi quod a Deo natus sit, et quod hoc in Matthaeo et Luca clare dictum, dicebant quod hoc prorsus nesciverint, et quod crediderint esse Josephi filium; postea narravi cur Dominus in mundum venit, non ut reconciliaret genus humanum Patri, sed ut Humanum Divinum faceret, et sic teneret coelos in ordine usque ad ultima, et genus humanum, ad quod alioquin Divinum non amplius potuit pertingere; his auditis tacebant, et multi acquiescebant. - Dicebam etiam quod Propheta in Verbo significet docentem vera et doctrinam veri, et ubi de Domino Ipsum Divinum Verum. - Quaerebant cur non Christiani erudiantur ex Verbo, quod non tres dii sunt sed unus, dicebam quod maneant in sensu literae Verbi, et quod illustrari nequeant, quia putant quod sola fides salvet, utcunque vivunt, et sic quod non conjungi possint coelo et inde illustrari; quod etiam Mahumedani perceperint ita esse, dicentes quod illi vivant secundum religionis suae praecepta, et quod ea ipsis leges sint; et quod non vitam agere secundum leges Divinas, sed solum spectare leges civiles separatim, hoc fatuum sit.