Authority in the Temple Within

Neville's Inner Vision

Think of the temple as your own inner sanctuary, where every thought and feeling gathers. The chief priests and elders are not distant men; they are the stubborn habits of your mind that mistrust the I AM and demand outward credentials. Jesus is not a man merely; he represents the state of consciousness that knows itself as the I AM. When they demand, 'By what authority doest thou these things?' you hear your own disbelief asking for proof from the world. Jesus answers by posing a question of his own: he will reveal authority only if they first reveal the source of their own. In Neville's terms, you cannot claim authority from without until you acknowledge the state that already is; authority is not given—it is recognized. The moment you acknowledge that you ARE the I AM, all outward scriptures and officials bow to your inner certainty. The weakness you sense in the priests corresponds to your own tiny sense of self that doubts its divine rise. Let the mind practice this, and you will find you walk with authority wherever you go.