A Psycho-Spiritual View on the Message of Jesus in the Gospels explores elements of mysticism
in the words of Jesus. Four fields are analyzed with the help of two key concepts of mysticism:
presence of the divine and transformation of the self. Analyses semantic and otherwise reveal
alternative understandings on each of the four fields. Psuchê appears as 'self'
('mind-and-heart') rather than as 'life ' for example in the Good Shepherd passage (dedicating
one's self) or in the saving and losing logia in Mark 8.35 par calling for transformation.
Pneuma in the Gospels appears both in a definite form and indefinitely: next to the Holy Spirit
there is holy spirit active and present implying that baptism literally is immersing in holy
spirit. Repentance (metanoia) is alternatively to be understood as transformation of the self
and is not necessarily connected to 'sin.' Finally the Kingdom of God in line with theologian
Adolf von Harnack is found to be present (it has approached êggiken) and is a reality inside
(entos) the human being a mustêrion apart from its references to the eschaton or to a
paradisiacal new world. Parables teach about the Kingdom as a spiritual entity in and around
the human being: presence of the divine closely connected with transformation of the self.
These findings open up to a psycho-spiritual understanding of the message (euaggelion) of
Jesus.
