The Rudolf Steiner Archive

27. Esoteric Christianity

[ 1 ] External science, or so-called exoteric science, leaves a person essentially as he is. Esoteric knowledge, however, transforms him, making him a different person. The nature of these esoteric schools has changed with the appearance of Christ Jesus on Earth.

[ 2 ] A statement of the utmost importance should be cited here: “Blessed are those who believe even though they have not seen.” (John 20:29) This statement signifies the complete transformation of the entire system of initiation—from the schools of wisdom of the past to those of the era following the Mystery of Golgotha. Esoteric Christianity knows that in Jesus of Nazareth dwelt a higher than the highest human individuality: God. This fact unsettles people. Since the Mystery of Golgotha, what matters for human beings is the personality of Christ Jesus and their personal relationship to him. Since the appearance of Christ Jesus on earth, it has been possible to be initiated through faith, without seeing, not merely in the innermost depths of the Mystery Temple, but out in the world. This is a new power that Christ Jesus brought into the world. The conversion of Saul into Paul—that is, his initiation—could not have taken place in the world in this way before the appearance of Christ Jesus. Dr. Steiner now discusses the fourfold perspective that a person can adopt toward religion and toward the four Gospels.

1. The first viewpoint is that of the naive believer,
2. the second is that of the intelligent person.
3. The third is that of the symbolist,
4. and the fourth is that of the person who takes the Bible literally again.

[ 3 ] The “I” is the unpronounceable name of God, the God within the human soul; that is where God begins to speak.