Lao Tzu and The Bible A Meeting Transcending Time and Space Yuan Zhiming Translated by Chen Shangyu To LOVE in Heaven and on Earth 3 4 CONTENTS Preface 17 Author‘s Preface 23 Translator‘s Note 27 INTRODUCTION: THE MAJESTY OF ANCIENT TAO 29 I. The Waning Years of the Spring and Autumn Period: Lao Tzu, Confucius, and Mo Tzu Lamenting the Lost Tao 29 II. The Great Tao in Practice: Emperor Succession, Ritual Ceremonies, Government Affair, Life Values, And Etymology 33 III. Salvation at the End of the Century: Lao Tzu Proclaiming Tao 41 IV. Tao Speaks: The Original Tao, the Holy One, and Spiritual Fulfillment 43 V. Decoding Lao Tzu: Missing Tao in Concealment of Tao, Gaining Tao in Practicing Tao 47 VI. Lao Tzu and I Met in Christ 50 PART ONE: THE SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF TAO 53 I. The ―AM‖ 53 5 Section A. As Tao Is 53 1. The Meaning of ―Tao As It Is‖ 53 2. The Original Meaning of Jehovah 55 3. About ―Yi, Xi, Wei‖ 56 4. The One Who Stands Alone 59 5. Aristotle‘s Prime Mover 60 Section B. The Infinite Tao: One 61 1. Tao as One: The Originator, the Unifier, and the Sole Being 61 2. One is Infinity: A Paradoxical Parable in Geometry 62 3. The Infinite Tao: Omnipresent, All-encompassing, and Omnipotent 63 4. The Mysteries of Attaining the One 65 5. ―Spirits‖ and ―Gods‖ in Lao Tzu 66 Section C. The Eternal Tao: Chang 68 1. Eternity in Tao: His Being and His Name Existing Forever 68 2. Knowing Eternity: Light and Forgiveness 69 3. ―Inherit Eternity‖— Life beyond Death, Life without Calamities 70 Additional Remarks: Self-existence, Limitlessness, and Eternity 71 1. The Meaning of Self-existence, Limitlessness, and Eternity 71 6 2. Paradox: Self-existent, Limitless, Eternal God— An Object of Investigation 72 3. The Return of the Wanderers 74 II. About the Creator 76 Section A. Tao: The Creator 76 1. Name: Father and Mother 2. The Process: Birth and Creation 78 3. Analysis: ―One, Two, Three‖ 81 4. The Origin: Have and Have Not 83 Section B. Tao: Nurturing Grace 85 1. Omnipotent, Loving Care 85 2. Interconnections: Straw Dogs, Mud, and the Potter 86 3. In the Vast Net of Heaven, Nothing Slips Through 91 Section C. Tao: The Hidden Nature 93 1. Tao (God) of Heaven: Establishes Name, Accomplishes Work, Then Steps Back 93 2. Tao(God) Created Free Human Beings 95 3. There Is No Freedom Outside of Tao (God) 98 III. The One Who Transcends 101 Section A. Tao Transcends All Images 101 1. Imageless and Ineffable 101 2. The Imageless Image 103 3. Spirit and Matter 105 Section B. Tao Transcends 7 Human Wisdom 107 1. Lao Tzu‘s Humility 107 2. From Ordinary Wisdom Arises Falsehood 110 3. Destroying the Wisdom of the Wise, Frustrating the Intelligence of the Intelligent 112 Section C. Tao Transcends Dialectics 114 1. Relativity in the Human World 114 2. The Limitation of Human Beings 117 3. Tao‘s Ontological Transcendence: The Absolute One 119 IV. About Life 124 Section A. The True Tao Has Life 124 1. The Life Running through Tao 124 2. Morality and Personality 127 3. The Inability To See the Life of Tao 130 Section B. The Great Tao Gives Life 132 1. Giving Birth: Mother‘s Grace 132 2. Feeding on Mother: Gaining Life from Tao 134 3. Bellows: Creation vs. Evolution 136 Section C. Return to the Life of Tao 140 1. Human Life Residing in Tao 140 2. The Loss of True Life 142 3. Return to Life 143 8 V. About the Revealer 148 Section A. Lao Tzu‘s Revelations 148 1. What Is Revelation? 148 2. Lao Tzu: A Work of Sacred Revelation 149 Section B. Tao Is the Tao of Revelation 152 1. The Revelation of Tao in Words 152 2. The Great Tao‘s Speechless Revelation 155 3. Revelation to Receivers of Tao 157 4. Lao Tzu Proverbs on Tao, Who Enlightens 158 Section C. The Revealer as Trinity 161 1. The Origin of the Trinity 161 2. ―Name, Substance and Form‖ United as One 163 3. Lao Tzu‘s Discussion on ―Name, Substance and Form‖ 166 VI. About the Righteous One 170 Section A. Tao Is Completely Holy 170 1. Direct Descriptions of Self- centeredness and Selflessness 170 2. The Parable of Light 172 3. Comparison to the World 173 Section B. Tao Is Incomparable Love 175 1. Universal Love 175 2. The Love of Heart and Soul 176 3. The Most Precious Treasure 178 Section C. Tao Is Absolutely Righteous 179 1. The Highest Ruler, Lawmaker, and Executor 179 2. Trust, Justice, and Peace 180 3. Justice and Judgment 184 9 VII. About the Savior 188 Section A. Human Downfall: Sin and Death 188 1. Sin on Display 189 2. The Origin of Sin 190 3. The Payment of Sin 194 Section B. The Hopelessness of Self-Salvation: Wisdom and Morality 196 1. The Geocentric Theory of Human Values 196 2. Cunning Wisdom 198 3. Powerless Morality 200 Section C. The Meaning of Salvation: Return and Eternity 202 Explanation 1: Pause 202 Explanation 2: Reverse 203 Explanation 3: Revise and Return 203 Explanation 4: Tranquil 205 Explanation 5: Lasting 205 Section D. The Great Tao of Salvation 206 1. Tao‘s Salvation: Treasure and Mediator 206 2. Tao‘s Incarnation: Teacher and Resource 209 3. To Be Saved in Tao: Infant and Mother 213 PART TWO: THE INCARNATION OF TAO —ABOUT THE HOLY ONE I. The Holy Name 217 Section A. The Holy One Is Not Just 10 a Name, but True Substance 218 Section B. The Holy One Is Not Commonly Referred to as Saint, but as the Incarnate Tao 219 Section C. The Holy One Is Not a Receiver but a Revealer of Tao 221 Section D. The Holy One Is Not an Oracle of Antiquity and Is Not Limited by either Time or Space 222 Section E. Logical Argumentation Does Not Produce the Holy One; the Great Tao Reveals Him 224 Section F. The Only One Prophesied by Isaiah: Jesus Christ 226 Section G. The Holiness of Jesus: ―I Do Not Belong to This World‖ 228 II. Duties 230 Section A. Prophet 230 1. The Holy One Has Special Knowledge 230 2. Inheriting Light and Eternity, the Holy One Is the Teacher of the Unkind 231 3. The Holy One Teaches without Speaking 232 Section B. Priest 233 1. Instrument: The Great Priest — the Instrument to Heaven for All People 234 2. ―Mediator‖: The One Who Mediates for Sinners 235 3. Priestly ―Body‖: Sacrificed 11 for Human Sins, Living beyond Itself, Bearing the World upon Itself 237 Section C. King 237 1. The King and the Lord Who Suffered and Is Disgraced 238 2. The Ruler Who Knows His Glory but Bears Disgrace 239 3. The Master Who Hides Treasure 240 4. The Lord of All Kings Who Treats Human Beings as Children and Straw Dogs 241 III. The Original Image 243 Section A. Direct Revelation: The One Who Manifests 244 Section B. Indirect Revelation 246 Section C. Self-revelation: Accomplishment without Effort 249 IV. The Mission of the Holy One 254 Section A. Omnipotent, Universal Salvation 254 Section B. The Intention of Salvation: Bringing Human Beings back from Their Transgressions 258 Section C. The Method of Salvation: United with Tao as the Instrument to Heaven 260 Section D. The Focus of Salvation: People‘s Hearts 262 12 V. Humility 265 Section A. Lao Tzu‘s Description: The Holy One—Knowing His Glory, Bearing Disgrace, and Dwelling in Loathsome Places 265 Section B. Isaiah‘s Prophecy: Despised, Oppressed, Enduring Sorrow and Suffering 268 Section C. Jesus: Poor, Uneducated, the Son of a Carpenter 270 Section D. ―Tao Works in Reverse‖ and ―What Is Highly Valued among Men Is Detestable in God‘s Sight‖ 273 VI. Sacrifice 278 Section A. Sacrifice and Resurrection 278 Section B. Sacrifice and the World 279 Section C. Sacrifice and Becoming the King 280 VII. The Accomplishments of the Holy One 283 Section A. The Holy World: Neither Beautiful, Nor Argumentative, Nor Extensive 283 Section B. The Holy Undertaking: Abundant without Accumulating, Plentiful While Giving 286 Section C. The Holy Love: Benefits without 13 Harming, Accomplishes without Contending 289 PART THREE: THE WAY OF TAO— SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION 293 I. The Principles of Following Tao 296 Principle One: Working in Reverse —Returning to the Root 300 a. Tao Works in Reverse 300 b. Do Not Follow the Ways of this World 301 c. Return to Rest 302 Principle Two: Following Tao in Humility 302 a. Pursuing Learning Brings Conceit; Following Tao Leads to Humility 302 b. Humble to the Utmost and Effort Free, Yet Accomplishing Everything 303 c. Live the Paradox: To Lose Only to Gain and to Gain Only to Lose 304 Principle Three: Residing in Tranquility 305 a. Quieting Down 305 b. Remaining Quiet 305 c. Entering into Tranquility 306 Principle Four: Dwelling in the Eternal Tao 307 a. Receiving Eternal Inheritance 307 b. Going beyond Humanism to the Essence of God 308 c. Receiving Grace 309 14 II. Choosing between Two Worlds 311 A. Philosophical Views 311 B. Scientific Understandings 313 C. The Universal Meaning of Logos 315 D. Focusing Our Eyes on Jesus 316 III. Lesson One: Discarding 320 A. The Meaning of Discarding 320 B. The Holy One Jesus – Rejected 321 C. The Fall of Our Human Ancestors 324 D. Pursuit of Tao and the World 326 E. The Pursuit of Tao and Virtues 327 F.