JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
I deliberately did not include a photo with this article. I want the reader to focus on the words contained in this article.
I’ve written and spoken on this subject several times since I met the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in person in 1956.
I started at the beginning of this article with a word of caution.
›Let us be very attentive, due to the nature of this subject, which can easily be misunderstood, despite how clearly I hope I’m blessed to express it 100% here in this writing, which was the basis of a short talk in Phoenix, Arizona.
This is due, in part, to what such a subject may bring up in each of us; especially in relation to the rapidly changing times/events in which we all live, with which we struggle to understand and properly relate to.
All have, are or will be involved in thoughts, feelings and acts of betrayal, to one degree or another, as a victim, a perpetrator or as a witness. Some of us have been one, two or have experienced being all three, at different times in our lives.
In many instances we have misperceived the motives, the acts or the appearance of others–in a given circumstance–as betrayal.
This is especially true in paradoxical instances. Therefore, we often have spoken and acted on the basis of our misperceptions with unfavorable consequences following.
In many cases, and only after enough time passes and in the light of new circumstances, and a further development in ourselves, do we learn that certain perceptions we thought were correct, we in fact learn were partly or totally incorrect.
The Holy Quran speaks to this that at a certain time Allah will remove whatever remains of ill feeling in the believers from their hearts as if it never was!
There are at least two places, I know of, in the Holy Quran, which teach of this coming state of the condition of the believers in the true God.
What does this tell us? Explain. And then show how this rightly leads into the subject: “Betrayal & Its Antidote.”
What is betrayal? What gives rise to it? Why am I bringing this up, especially in the light of the overwhelming victory of the Million Man March–years ago and more?
Why does God permit or allow betrayal? How does He factor this into His plan of salvation? How does this particular evil actively contribute to the accomplishment, the final result, or the process by which the new world, which is called in the scriptures, the kingdom of God, is established on this earth?
Finally, what is the antidote, cure, remedy for that set of evils which gives rise to betrayals?
In the King James Bible, the word “betray” occurs 18 times; once in the Old Testament, from a Hebrew word and 17 times in the New Testament, from a Greek word. Each of the 17 times the word betray appears in the New Testament, it appears in the four gospels.
Three of these seventeen times the word betray refers in general to certain people. The other 14 times refers to an individual; to one person.
Matthew 1+4=5; Mark 1+3=4; Luke 0+2=2; John 1+5=6=/3+14=17 times
It “betray” comes up as one of the conditions, which make for this end of the world. Not that such had not gone on before, but due to the special circumstances–brought on by the presence of God Himself–it becomes among those special factors which the people living at this most crucial of all times must study and understand and benefit from.
Of the last week: Matthew 8 of 28= 28.57%; Mark 6 of 16=37.5%; Luke 6 of 24=25%; John 10 of 21=47.6%.
Total: 30 of 89=33.7%.
AND 7 of the 21 of John=33.33%!!! (What was that writer so concerned with…? Does the Holy Quran relate to this?)
Judas, by name, appears 21 times in the NT; 2 in Acts, but the other 19 times are in the 4 gospels.
Mt (4); Mk (3); Lk (4); John (2+6=8) (6 in Jn 13-19, the 7 chapters, some scholars call these chapters, the holy of holies of the scriptures, because the writer takes us into the depths of his view of what appeared as Jesus/God’s greatest defeat to show that it was in fact the greatest of divine victories.
(Judas-19 does this mean: under His ultimate control and does this signify the end of hypocrisy?)
Our emphasis today is on our not becoming of the betrayers.
Of the last week, which includes what scholars call Jesus’ passion, which only refers to his extreme suffering, I once wrote:
“The last week and day of Jesus’ life takes more space in the Bible (the part called Gospels) than all of his life up to that point. There is little mentioned of his actual birth. Next to nothing is written of the first thirty years of his life. There is brief notice given of an incident when he was twelve. Nothing else. Little is mentioned of the first year of his ministry. More is given of his second year. Still more is given of the third year plus.
“Then, eight of the twenty-eight chapters of Matthew; six of the sixteen chapters of Mark; nearly six of the twenty-four chapters that make up Luke; nearly ten of the twenty-one chapters that make up the book of John, cover from his last week through what is said to be his rise from the dead and his ascension. But even most of this space is taken up by the events of his last week.
“This makes one think there is some significance in this arrangement.
“What happened the last week and hours of his life?
Black people have been taught that Jesus came into Jerusalem, riding on a colt or an ass; that he was hailed as the king of God’s coming kingdom, the son of David coming in the name of the Lord; his speeches; arguments with his opponents; violently driving the traders from the temple … Judas’ secret agreement to betray Jesus; the last supper; his prayers to the Father; the betrayal; the arrest; brought before the high priest and other officials; before Pilate; Herod; before the mob that cries for his life; some spit on him, beat him, he is mocked, a crown of thorns put on his head, nails through his hands and feet, his agony, the intense darkness … his death on the cross.
They also say he survived death, and rose up to meet God in heaven. Did all of this really happen back then, 2,000 years ago?”
The above 3 paragraphs I wrote years ago, but I’m aware that there are different translation in the English Bible.
At 2:45 AM, early this morning (many years ago) as I was preparing this talk for you, I heard on the Art Bell radio program, (which often deals with “UFOs”) a caller spoke on Minister Farrakhan and said “They really are not listening to him…”.
He said the Minister has and is saying that he is Jesus; that he is the Jesus of the 2nd coming (which Minister Farrakhan does not teach).
Art Bell said he did not know that but often listened to the Minister and was seeking an interview with him and that he was close to getting this. Both spoke of the Minister’s great intellect and brilliant mind and that they liked him.
(Again years ago) I was just at his home a few days ago & he canceled “Meet The Press” etc., & other TV etc. He is extremely tired. But it goes much deeper than his tiredness. He is at the end of a very significant period in his life.
NOW, this poses a problem for most–this Jesus question; but before we get into his relation to the Bible’s Jesus, which of course, involves the Two Who back him, let us ask this: is this the time of the Second Coming?
Let’s look into Matthew 24th chapter; which is given as an answer to three questions posed to Jesus by his followers. Give an overview of that, plus Mark and Luke, then go back to the word BETRAY, which is a major part of the answer Jesus gave about the end of this world–which is now and then to the word OFFEND, which precedes and gives rise for betrayal. Note: Let’s do as Minister Farrakhan urges and look at ourselves!
Matthew 24:10 “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another… .” Study Matthew 24 and look at the fact that “offend” precedes and gives rise to “betray.”
OFFEND: 4624 skandalizo {skan-dal-id’-zo} (“scandalize”)
from 4625;
1) to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which, another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend, 1a) to entice to sin, 1b) to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey, 1b1) to cause to fall away, 1b2) to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority, 1b3) to cause one to judge unfavorably or unjustly of another, 1c) since one who stumbles or whose foot gets entangled feels annoyed, 1c1) to cause one displeasure at a thing, 1c2) to make indignant, 1c3) to be displeased, indignant.
From: 4625 skandalon {skan’-dal-on} (“scandal”)
1) the movable stick or trigger of a trap, a trap stick, 1a) a trap, snare, 1b) any impediment placed in the way and causing one to stumble or fall, (a stumbling block, occasion of stumbling) i.e. a rock, which is a cause of stumbling, 1c) fig. applied to Jesus Christ, whose person and career were so contrary to the expectations of the Jews concerning the Messiah, that they rejected him and by their obstinacy made shipwreck of their salvation.
2) any person or thing by which one is (entrapped) drawn into error or sin.
Note: I’ve underlined the word obstinacy. What does this word mean? What does this tell us about such minds? What can be done to help us out of such mental trait?
I deliberately did not include a photo with this article. I want the reader to focus on the words contained in this article, next article I’ll tell why.
More next issue Allah willing.
›