We are going to include here questions that came through our lessons, as well as interesting topics that might come up in class. We have researched to be able to answer these queries. It’s important to be honest when we don’t know the right answer to a question. The best thing to do is to research and bring the answer back to the next class.

  How many times has Jesus reincarnated?

         Jesus was incarnate in Earth only one time. He is a superior spirit; the governor of the Earth. He has been following and helping those who reincarnate here since the formation of the planet. Jesus is a spirit that, as all spirits, was created by God simple and ignorant. He reincarnated several times in other planets, in order to reach perfection.

         His arrival in Earth was so significant that the time (calendar) is now split between before and after his incarnation. His message trespasses times; Jesus is “the most perfect type that God has offered to man as his guide and model.” (The Spirits' Book by Allan Kardec, question 625)

  Was Mary, Jesus’ mom, a virgin when Jesus was born? Was Jesus the son of the Holy Spirit?

         Jesus was conceived as every baby is: through the sexual relation between a man and a woman. Jesus was the son of Mary and Joseph. Mary and Joseph had a sexual relationship and Mary got pregnant. The baby (Jesus) grew up in her belly and was born through natural birth (there was no caesarean at that time).

         (...) There was a perispiritual approximation between Jesus and Mary in the spiritual plane at first. This helped prepare the physical conception that later proceeded in a natural way. This is what we call the action of the "Holy Spirit" that enabled the angel to be able to announce to Mary she would become a mother and the degrees of elevation of that spirit who she would receive as her son. The physical conception happened in a natural way, between Mary and Joseph.

         Extracted from the book Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho (Terezinha Oliveira – Editora EME), chapter Jesus, O Cristo de Deus - I.

         Suggested sources for research: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho (Terezinha Oliveira – Editora EME), chapter Jesus, O Cristo de Deus - I; Paz na Terra (Richard Simonetti - Editora CEAC), capítulo A Virgindade de Maria; Genesis, by Allan Kardec, Chap. XIV, item 36 and the following ones; Chap. XV, item 2 and 64 to 67.

  Why did Jesus drink wine, if alcoholic drinks harm our physical body?

         Jesus talked through parables. He used symbols as well as situations from their every day live in the stories such as fish, fishing, wine, vines and brides. When he talked about sharing the bread, he meant he would share the life and the teachings with the apostles and his followers. When he referred to wine, this represented the blood shed because he knew people would not understand his message and would condemn him to death.

         Therefore, he could have referred to wine but not drank it, since the people at that time did not know how damaging alcoholic drinks are for our health (the people lacked knowledge at that time – ex: they didn’t know we have to eat fruit and vegetable, exercise, etc).

         Some facts are not very clear or even have been forgotten as time passed by. The facts are not important; Jesus’ teachings are what really matters.

         When Jesus quenched people’s thirst, this probably was not done with wine, as wine makes you feel even thirstier. Jesus quenched people’s thirst with his message of love; his magnetism (being at Jesus’ presence is unexplainable).

         Only one of the apostles referred to the passage of turning water into wine. Some believe it may be a parable, and when they say:

         "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wines after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." It means that the "good wine kept until now" are the teachings of Jesus (greater than the previously received ones, through Moses that would symbolically be the wine of lower quality); because the humanity of that time was not prepared to receive the best quality wine.

         Source: Genesis by Allan Kardec, Chapter XV, The Miracles of the Gospel, items 47 and 48.

  What do the words Master, disciple and apostle mean?

         Master is the one who can teach others, because has more wisdom.

         Disciple is the one who learns with the Master; who aims to act in accordance to what was learned.

         Apostle is the one who disseminates an idea or teaching. It comes from the Greek word “sent”.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Os seguidores de Jesus.

  How did Jesus look like?

         The disciples have not described Jesus physically. The historical references do not contain any data on the description of Jesus’ body. Lucas was the only one who described in his Gospel that Jesus began to preach when he was 30 years old. Senator Publius Lentulus reports in a letter to the Emperor Tiberius Cesar that Jesus was a handsome man with expressive eyes, light brown long hair. He had a long face and a beard. Jesus’ physical appearance is not important. He could have been blonde, brunette, with long hair; but what matters the most is his teachings.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Jesus, o Cristo de Deus - II

         If you would like to read the contact of the letter from Publius Lentulus to the Emperor Tiberius Cezar click here

  Where and when was Jesus born?

         Jesus' parents lived in Nazareth. As there was a census, each family should enlist in his father's home town. Joseph's family was from Bethlehem.

         Jesus was born between 8 years before and four years after the year zero - based on the year that saw the census; as well as the emergence of phenomena that could lead to the star that announced Jesus’ birth.

         Jesus was not born in December, because between December and February is very cold. There are no shepherds in the fields. In the place where Jesus was born the temperature is two degrees below zero at this time of the year.

         The Master was probably born in September or October; not on 25th December. This date was fixed by Pope Pius I, in the year 360 AD to replace pagan festivals that took place in December.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Jesus, o Cristo de Deus - II

  Which language did Jesus speak?

         Jesus spoke in Aramaic (spoken by all people of Palestine) or Hebrew.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Jesus, o Cristo de Deus - II

  Did Jesus know how to read and write? Where did he study?

         He could read and write because John wrote a passage in which “Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger."

         He didn’t do any special studies; he learned to read and write at home because there were no schools around that time as they exist today. He is an evolved Spirit; his spiritual achievements are love and wisdom.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Jesus, o Cristo de Deus - II

  How was Jesus called?

         Jesus = Jehovah is salvation. Jesus was a fairly common name back then.

         Christ = anointed one – the one who has the authority (in Greek); the same as the Messiah (in Hebrew).

         Rabi = doctor or master in spiritual things. He was called Rabi by the disciples, apostles and the people who recognized Jesus had a spiritual authority to teach.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Jesus, o Cristo de Deus - II

  Who were the apostles? How were they called?

         They were twelve in number: Andrew (son of Jonas), Bartholomew (aka Nathaniel), Philip, John (son of Zebedee), Judas Iscariot, Matthew (Levi, son of Alphaeus), Simon Peter (son of Jonas), Simon (the Zealot or the Canaanite), Thaddeus (Judas), James (son of Zebedee, called the Greater to have more prominence in the gospel accounts), James (son of Alphaeus, called Minor to distinguish it from the other) and Thomas.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Os seguidores de Jesus.

  How do spiritists consider Jesus?

         As his guide and model – Jesus is the type of the moral perfection to which man may attain upon this earth, as explained at The Spirits' Book, Question 625.

  What is the meaning of the word Christian?

         This was a term used to identify the followers of Christ. It appeared in Antioch in 43 AC. It was used in a negative (pejorative) way, by Jesus’ enemies. In its origin, this was a derogatory nickname, a way to mock those who had faith in Jesus Christ.

         Source: Estudos Espíritas do Evangelho, de Therezinha Oliveira, Editora EME, capítulos Os seguidores de Jesus.

         Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies.

         

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