The New Man: An Interpretation of Some Parables and Miracles of Christ

by Maurice Nicoll

Book Overview

2019 Reprint of 1951 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition software. "ALL sacred writings contain an outer and an inner meaning. Behind the literal... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140034129
• ISBN13: 9780140034127
• Release Date: February 1972
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.0" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

Symbolic foundation of mystical christianity

Having attended study groups discussing Emmet Foxs' "Sermon on the Mount", I was pointed towards Dr. Nicoll's work "The New Man". As a student of esoteric literature, I was further enlightened by possible explanations of the meanings behind bible parables. Dr. Nicoll also had a long association with Ouspensky and the Fourth Way school, and his manner of writing is considerably more digestible, and therefor helpful, than much of the literature written by Ouspensky himself regarding Fourth Way work. I would also recommend Nicoll's "The Mark", and "Living Time" for anyone who finds "The New Man" to be of personal assistance in understanding fundamental mystical concepts drawn from christian writing.

The Gospel of Inner Evolution

Christianity is born again as a wisdom tradition, thanks to Nicoll's perspective on the Gospel parables. This small book is an excellent guide for those who are integrating the charism of Christianity as a source of personal evolution in an age when religion is employed to divide us against ourselves and others. Highly recommended!

A Doorway to Depth in the New Testament

If you are a fundamentalist or an extremely conservative Christian, then maybe you should just stop reading this review right now; you're probably not going to like this book. On the other hand, maybe you're reading this because it's time to go a little deeper. If you are the kind of Christian, or any other seeker, that believes there is much more than literal meaning to the messages of the New Testament, then you'll find this book a wonderful starting place. If you're already well down that path, then you will surely find things here that not only resonate with your own thoughts and experiences, but can also brings insights to a finer point and challenge you to go further. Dr. Maurice Nicoll provides a profound view of the depths that we might plumb in the parables and messages of Jesus. Nicoll's concern is not with the historical or theological views of Jesus, but rather how his life and teachings can show us the way to fulfill our potentials as spiritual beings. In the front of my copy (Fifth Impression), Nicoll clearly states his purpose in "A Note on the Author": "The intention is to indicate that all teaching such as contained in the Gospels, and many other older and newer teachings, in the short period of known history, is about transcending the violence which characterizes mankind's present level of being. It affirms the possibility of a development of another level of being surmounting violence." Nicoll's poignant interpretations are significantly shaped by his impressive background in medical, psychological and philosophical studies; he was a student of Freud, Jung, Gurdjieff and Ouspensky. He believes that the central idea of the Gospels is the movement toward rebirth, which is to awaken as a person with a deeper understanding of self and others. Nicoll calls this movement "inner evolution", and stresses that it must be engaged by the whole person - thoughts, feelings and actions. The key to using the Gospels for this kind of work is to view the various characters and elements as symbolic of aspects or dynamics of the soul. For example, he takes up the symbolism of the Pharisee, not as a member of an historical group, or even a way of characterizing others in one's life, but as "...the Pharisee in oneself, to the insincere person in oneself, who, of course, cannot receive any real and genuine psychological teaching without turning it into an occasion for merit, praise and award." Table of Contents I The Language of Parable II The Idea of Temptation in the Gospels III The Marriage at Cana IV The Idea of Good being above Truth - The Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda - The Good Samaritan - The Labourers ini the Vinyard V The Idea of Righteousness VI The Idea of Wisdom VII Simon Peter VIII The Idea of Prayer - Introduction - The Necessity of Persistance in Prayer - The Necessity of Sincerity in Prayer - Response ot Prayer - request in Prayer IX The Sermon on the Mount X Faith XI The Kingdom of Heaven XII Judas Iscariot A

it was one of those books...

....that turned over a new leaf in my thinking. From my then very unclear sense of the meaning of religion, reading "The New Man" was a truly galvanizing experience. It speaks not of faith in the usual out-of-reach sense nor the hoped reward of Heaven beyond one's death. It speaks of knowing, during one's life.Dr. Nicoll illuminates the beautifully subtle teaching of Christ as a way to complete one's inner evolution - to become literally a "new" man or woman, pretty much discarding the old false self. To as he says "overcome one's own inner violence" and change inwardly seems a deceptively major task, but a hopeful one.This is a book that will open ideas for certain readers.

Excellent for serious students of personal integration.

The new man describes clearly the process of personal integration as Jesus taught in the gospels. It is an excellent guide on the difficult path to completion. It gives the student an understanding of some of the inner experience that take place as one evolves spriitually. It describes the tempation, the bewilderment, and confusion that is experienced as part of the process. Those hungering for light will find this book and invaluable guide in understanding they are not crazy, but just experiencing what is necessary as one evolve to wholeness, to peace of mind, to completion within self