Greco-Christian stream·The Imitation of Christ·Book III — On Inward Consolation·Chapter LVI. That We Ought To Deny Ourselves, And To Imitate Christ By Means Of The Cross
LVI. Self-denial; imitating Christ by means of the Cross
The chapter that gives the whole book its title in summary. To imitate Christ — Imitatio Christi — is to follow Him by way of the Cross. Self-denial and cross-bearing as the inseparable two terms of the disciple's path.
Source context
- Theme
- self-denial and cross-bearing as the necessary path of Christ-imitation
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Pauline theologyPaul's doctrine of dying to the lower self in order that Christ lives in the disciple (Galatians 2:20) maps structurally onto the chapter's insistence that the ego must be renounced before Christ-imitation becomes possible.
- Rhineland mysticism (Meister Eckhart / Tauler)The Gelassenheit teaching — radical self-abandonment as precondition for union with the divine ground — exhibits cross-tradition congruence with this chapter's equation of self-denial and cross-bearing with interior transformation.
- Sufism (fana doctrine)The Sufi concept of fana, self-annihilation as the gate to divine presence, presents cross-tradition congruence with the chapter's claim that the self must be negated before authentic spiritual imitation can proceed.
Chapter LVI. That We Ought To Deny Ourselves, And To Imitate Christ By Means Of The Cross
THAT WE OUGHT TO DENY OURSELVES, AND TO IMITATE CHRIST BY MEANS OF THE CROSS
My Son, so far as thou art able to go out of thyself so far shalt thou be able to enter into Me. As to desire no outward thing worketh internal peace, so the forsaking of self inwardly joineth unto God. I will that thou learn perfect self-denial, living in My will without contradiction or complaint. Follow Me: I am the way, the truth, and the life.(1) Without the way thou canst not go, without the truth thou canst not know, without the life thou canst not live. I am the Way which thou oughtest to follow; the Truth which thou oughtest to believe; the Life which thou oughtest to hope for. I am the Way unchangeable; the Truth infallible; the Life everlasting. I am the Way altogether straight, the Truth supreme, the true Life, the blessed Life, the uncreated Life. If thou remain in My way thou shalt know the Truth, and the truth shall make thee free,(2) and thou shalt lay hold on eternal life.
2"If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.(3) If thou wilt know the truth, believe in Me. If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast. If thou wilt be My disciple, deny thyself. If thou wouldst possess the blessed life, despise the life which now is. If thou wilt be exalted in heaven, humble thyself in the world. If thou wilt reign with Me, bear the cross with Me; for only the servants of the cross find the way of blessedness and of true light."
3O Lord Jesu, forasmuch as Thy life was straitened and despised by the world, grant unto me to imitate Thee in despising the world, for the servant is not greater than his lord, nor the disciple above his master.(4) Let Thy servant be exercised in Thy life, because there is my salvation and true holiness. Whatsoever I read or hear besides it, it refresheth me not, nor giveth me delight.
4"My son, because thou knowest these things and hast read them all, blessed shalt thou be if thou doest them. He who hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him,(5) and I will make him to sit down with Me in My Father's Kingdom."
5O Lord Jesu, as Thou hast said and promised, even so let it be unto me, and grant me to prove worthy. I have received the cross at Thy hand; I have carried it, and will carry it even unto death, as Thou hast laid it upon me. Truly the life of a truly devoted servant is a cross, but it leadeth to paradise. I have begun; I may not return back nor leave it.
6Come, my brothers, let us together go forward. Jesus shall be with us. For Jesus' sake have we taken up this cross, for Jesus' sake let us persevere in the cross. He will be our helper, who was our Captain and Forerunner. Behold our King entereth in before us, and He will fight for us. Let us follow bravely, let no man fear terrors; let us be prepared to die bravely in battle, and let us not so stain our honour,(6) as to fly from the cross.
(1) John xiv. 6. (2) John viii. 32. (3) Matthew xix. 17, 21. (4) Matthew x. 24. (5) John xiv. 21. (6) 1 Mac. ix. 10.