Prophecy and Fulfillment

Even a casual reading of the four Gospels leaves a definite impression that Christ Jesus deemed of great importance the Scriptural prophecies relating to the long-foretold Messiah. Early in his ministry, according to Luke, he read in the synagogue certain prophetic words written by Isaiah, and then he declared to his incredulous listeners (Luke 4:21), “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” In fulfilling his mission the Master verified the words of the prophet, for he preached the gospel to the poor; he healed those who were brokenhearted and those who were broken in body; he brought sight to the blind, and he set at liberty those who were bruised, and also those who had been enslaved by sin and by the condemnation of custom.

It is related that in the Master’s walk to Emmaus with two of his disciples shortly after his resurrection, material sense had so clouded the thought of the saddened disciples that they failed to recognize Jesus. Then he, beginning with Moses and continuing with all the prophets, explained to them the Scriptures which related to the Messiah. Evidently the recognition of the fulfillment of Scriptural prophecy was regarded by Christ Jesus as highly important, because thereby the hand of God in the affairs of men might be more clearly seen. Evidently this impressed the disciples later, for the writers of the Gospels make many references to the fulfillment of prophecies in the experiences of the Master.

Furthermore, Christ Jesus was himself a prophet, and he was so rated by many who heard his gracious words and observed his God-empowered works. Of paramount significance among the Master’s prophecies is that one recorded by John in the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth chapters of his Gospel, wherein the coming of the Comforter is promised and prophesied. Jesus, in foretelling his own personal disappearance, declared that this was expedient in order that the impersonal Christ, Truth, might come to humanity as the Comforter.

Those who through Christian Science have felt the healing touch of divine Love and law, and who have humbly studied its textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” and other writings by Mary Baker Eddy, are convinced that divine Science is the Comforter of promise. According to Christ Jesus’ prophecy Christian Science brought to remembrance all the things he taught, such as his promise (John 14:12): “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

Through its Christianly scientific teaching and practice Christian Science testifies of Christ Jesus, even as he said the Comforter would do, by defining Jesus and the Christ and by explaining his teachings so simply and practically that they can be and are verified in the healing of sickness, sin, and sorrow. Jesus also told the disciples that he had many things to tell them, which, however, they were not ready to receive; and then he again prophesied of the Comforter as the guide into all truth. Christian Science with its clear and convincing revelation and statement about God and His perfect spiritual creation, including individual man, certainly constitutes the fulfillment of this prophecy. The healings which follow the study and application of Christian Science serve to verify the promises and prophecies of Christ Jesus most persuasively and satisfactorily.

Further evidence along this line is found in the Scriptural prophecies about the woman thought or expression of the Father-Mother God, notably in the twelfth chapter of Revelation. The Apocalypse may be said to be a revealing series of prophecies wherein symbolism is employed. Hence there was no actual or personal woman of the Apocalypse. Evidently, however, the Revelator was led to show that, as the Christ, Truth, had been presented by the man Jesus, who taught the fatherhood of God, so the motherhood of God should be presented by a woman. At the time of Jesus the world was not ready to hear of and accept the concept of God as Mother as well as Father, although the first chapter of Genesis clearly implies that spiritual fact, and the life and teachings of our great Master definitely support it.

This leads us to see that not only did the discovery of Christian Science constitute the fulfillment of Christ Jesus’ prophecy about the Comforter, but the Discoverer of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, has her place in Scriptural prophecy in that she, in her spiritual thought and work, typifies the woman of whom the Revelator spoke. That this was evident to Mrs. Eddy is indicated in the chapter on The Apocalypse where she writes (Science and Health, p. 565): “The impersonation of the spiritual idea had a brief history in the earthly life of our Master; but ‘of his kingdom there shall be no end,’ for Christ, God’s idea, will eventually rule all nations and peoples — imperatively, absolutely, finally — with divine Science. This immaculate idea, represented first by man and, according to the Revelator, last by woman, will baptize with fire; and the fiery baptism will burn up the chaff of error with the fervent heat of Truth and Love, melting and purifying even the gold of human character.”

In the first century the opponents of Christianity sought to hinder its acceptance by belittling and misrepresenting Christ Jesus. He was referred to as uneducated, as a glutton and a winebibber, and a friend and associate of publicans and sinners. The answer of healing works which the Master furnished proved to be unanswerable. Likewise, the opponents of the Science of Christianity strove and still try to stay its progress by misrepresenting and maligning its Discoverer and Founder. However, the healing works which follow the application of Christian Science to human problems serve as an irrefutable argument today, even as they did with Christ Jesus.

It will be of interest to the great host of beneficiaries of Christian Science to learn that this subject had been considered by our Leader. Early issues of The Christian Science Journal when she was its Editor and later when she watched and supervised its contents, carry definite statements which indicate that Mrs. Eddy’s place in Scriptural prophecy was apprehended and appreciated by her and her faithful followers.

In April, 1938, The Christian Science Board of Directors, after fully considering this important subject, appointed a committee of six to ascertain what Mrs. Eddy considered herself to be in the light of Scriptural prophecies. The committee was composed of editors and former editors of The Christian Science Journal, Sentinel, and Heralds. In addition to all our Leader’s published writings, the committee was furnished from the archives of The Mother Church important pertinent statements by Mrs. Eddy, which, however, she had decided should not be published. After carefully and prayerfully considering the subject the committee unanimously arrived at certain conclusions which were submitted to the Directors. The publication of the main part of these conclusions in the Christian Science Sentinel of June 5, 1943, was authorized by the Board of Directors of The Mother Church. The essence of this committee’s report is that Mrs. Eddy, having chosen God above all else and being spiritually prepared for her mission, was chosen of God to reveal the Comforter to the world; that she regarded the twelfth chapter of Revelation as pointing to her as the one who fulfilled prophecy by giving the full and final revelation of Truth; that she represents or symbolizes the spiritual idea of God typified by the woman referred to in the Apocalypse.

In concluding their report to the Directors the committee said, “We feel that what Mrs. Eddy warned against will require to be watched; namely, deification, an error which played havoc with our Master’s true status in prophetic history.” Our Leader writes (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 308), “The Scriptures and Christian Science reveal ‘the way,’ and personal revelators will take their proper place in history, but will not be deified.”

An understanding and appreciation of Mrs. Eddy’s place in Scriptural prophecy are necessarily correlative with an acceptance of the fact that divine Science, discovered, declared, and demonstrated by Mary Baker Eddy, is the Comforter promised by Christ Jesus. As we are thoroughly persuaded by divine Mind on these important points, we are impressed with the necessity of humbly and consistently supporting our Leader’s demonstration of organized church activity. And our faith in God is strengthened, our confidence in Christian Science treatment is confirmed, and our trust in God’s protection of His Cause, Christian Science, is fortified.