Reincarnation and Karma in the Bible.

Tony O’Clery.

John The Baptist is Elias?

Matthew, 11:13- 14; 16:13. Jesus asked his disciples Whom do men say that I, the son of man, am, (Matt. 16:13) and the disciples answer Some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets. : For all prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear let him hear. (Matt. 11:13-14)

. This is repeated in  Matt. 17:12: "But I say unto you that Elias is come already and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the son of man suffer of them. The disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. "

Karma.

 The disciples ask Jesus: Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2-3) How could a man sin before he was born, unless the sin was committed in a previous life? The apostles are not asking what kind of sin ended in blindness, but *who* sinned, taking for granted that the act of sinning itself caused this dire result. Sinning itself is a concept for no offence can be made against another concept i.e. ‘God’. Sin is better described as not making or rather losing ground spiritually. It is all about the progress made by one human entity , sometimes gaining sometimes losing. So ultimately the so called sin is against oneself. One always meets oneself karmically. This in my opinion is because there is only energy and action in the Universe. ‘God’ is the energy and the action is action and reaction. There is no ‘Personal God’ doing or managing anything, it is our own karma that we meet and that which we mistake for an intervening ‘God’.

 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor as he hath done, so shall it be done to him. Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. (Lev. 24:19-20. cf, Ex:21:24, Deut. 19:21.

In Luke concerning the Galileans whose blood Pilate has shed.  (Luke 13:1) In his commentary, Jesus says: Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you nay; but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:2-3). This indicates karma applying to all, and it was just their time.

Law of Karma.

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”. (Matt: V:18.)

“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail”, (Luke: XVI:17).

So it is obvious from these references alone that the early Christians, who were more than likely Essenes, believed in Reincarnation and Karma. The word resurrection can be substituted for reincarnation in most texts. Many of the obvious references to rebirth were expunged after the Council of Nicea, mainly by the wife of the Emperor Constantine for her own reasons.

However it is well known that the Essenes believed in rebirth and had feast days different from the local followers of Judaism. They even had their own temple at Mt Carmel and Qumran for due to animal sacrifice, and the sale of animals, they regarded the Temple of Jerusalem as unclean.