Master Jesus is the theosophical concept of Jesus in Theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings.
Position in the Hierarchy of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom The Master Jesus is one of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom in Theosophy and is one of the Ascended Masters (also collectively called the Great White Brotherhood; with white being in reference to the light) in the Ascended Master Teachings, a group of religions based on Theosophy. The Master Jesus is regarded by Theosophists, was regarded by Alice Bailey, and was later regarded by students of the "Ascended Master Teachings" as the Master of the Sixth Ray.
It is believed by Ascended Master Teachings organizations that the Master Jesus was "Chohan of the Sixth Ray" until December 31, 1959, when, according to Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Lady Master Nada fully took on that Office in the Spiritual Hierarchy. According to Prophet, Jesus became World Teacher, along with Kuthumi, on January 1, 1956, succeeding Maitreya, who took the Office of "Planetary Buddha" and "Cosmic Christ".Luk, A.D.K. The Law of Life: Book II Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications 1989; pages 267-272Prophet, Mark L. and Elizabeth Clare Lords of the Seven Rays Livingston, Montana: Summit University Press 1986 page 225 This belief is not accepted by adherents of traditional Theosophy and the followers of Alice A. Bailey and Benjamin Creme; they believe that the Master Jesus is still the Chohan of the Sixth Ray and that Maitreya is still the World Teacher.
Previous incarnations
According to Elizabeth Clare Prophet, the Prophet of the Church Universal and Triumphant, the largest Ascended Master Teachings religion, the Master Jesus incarnated twice as the Emperor of Atlantis, once in 33,050 BC and again in 15,000 BC.Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Pages 142-143 He did this in order to aid the white magicians in the war of the white magicians and the black magicians that was going on in Atlantis at that time.
According to Alice A. Bailey, the Master Jesus was previously incarnated as Joshua, the Hebrew military leader in the 13th century BC, and Joshua the High Priest in the sixth century BC.Bailey, Alice A. Initiation, Human and Solar New York: 1922--Lucis Publishing Page 56
According to the Ascended Master Teachings,I AM Ascended Master Dictation List Saint Germain Press Inc., 1995, Listing of Ascended Masters by The I AM ActivitySchroeder, Werner Ascended Masters and Their Retreats Ascended Master Teaching Foundation 2004, Listing of those who are believed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity and The Bridge to FreedomLuk, A.D.K.. Law of Life - Book II. Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications 1989, Listing of Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity and The Bridge to FreedomBooth, Annice The Masters and Their Retreats Summit Lighthouse Library June 2003, Listing of those who are believed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, and The Summit LighthouseShearer, Monroe & Carolyn I AM Adorations, Affirmations & Rhythmic Decrees Acropolis Sophia Books and Works 1998, Listing of Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, The Summit Lighthouse, and The Temple of The Presence Jesus was also incarnated as Joseph of the coat of many colors in the 17th century BC/16th century BC (approximately between 1650 BC and 1550 BC), as well as King David (who lived until around 970 BC), and Elisha in the 9th century BC.Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Page 143
Family and birth It is believed in the Ascended Master Teachings that Jesus’ father Saint Joseph was one of the incarnations of St. Germain, and that his mother Mary, upon her Assumption became either a devaLeadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path Adyar, Madras, India:1925 The Theosophical Publishing House Page 253 or an archangel and is now the twin flame (celestial wife) of the Archangel Raphael.Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Mary, Mother of Jesus—Pages 211-217
According to the Ascended Master Teachings, each of the Magi who came to visit the baby Jesus was an incarnation of one of the ascended masters: Caspar, who gave the gift of gold to Jesus, was an incarnation of Djwal Khul;Prophet, Mark L. and Elizabeth Clare Lords of the Seven Rays Livingston, Montana, U.S.A.:1986 - Summit University Press - Page 33 Balthasar, who gave the gift of frankincense to Jesus, was an incarnation of Kuthumi;Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Page 171 and Melchior, who gave the gift of myrrh to Jesus, was an incarnation of Morya.Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Page 88
Activities between the ages of twelve and thirty According to the Ascended Master Teachings, to prepare for his ministry, Jesus first studied at the Brotherhood of Luxor (a mystery school in Egypt), and then went to India to study under the Great Divine Director, Maitreya, and Lord Himalaya, the Manu of the Fourth Root Race (Atlantean).Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Page 144
Ministry The followers of Benjamin Creme and Alice A. Bailey believe in the Nestorian/Gnostic Christology, promulgated by C.W. Leadbeater, which asserts that the powerful being known as the Maitreya overshadowed the Master Jesus during the Ministry of Jesus, such that there were two beings in one body. Maitreya was the Christ and the Master Jesus was Jesus of Nazareth; the combination of the two beings functioned as Jesus Christ.Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path Adyar, Madras, India: 1925--Theosophical Publishing House Page 278Creme, Benjamin Maitreya's Mission--Volume III Amsterdam:1997 Share International Foundation Page 64 Those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings believe in the existence of the Maitreya; however, they believe that although he encouraged the mission of Jesus, he did not actually overshadow Jesus.Prophet, Mark Studies of the Human Aura Colorado Springs, Colorado: 1975 - Summit University Press (Claimed to have been dictated from Kuthumi) Page 17
Crucifixion Theosophists and those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings alike believe that the Master Jesus underwent the fourth level of initiation (the crucifixion) at his crucifixion in Jerusalem. According to Alice A. Bailey, for most people at the fourth initiation the crucifixion is symbolic as a severe life test of renunciation, but for Jesus it was literal.Bailey, Alice A. Initiation, Human and Solar New York: 1922 Lucis Publishing Co. Page 89
Activities between the resurrection and the ascension Traditional theosophists believe that the Master Jesus and Maitreya souls' separated from each other just after the Ascension (which for Jesus was only to the fourth and not the fifth level of initiation) and do not believe that the Master Jesus went to Kashmir; they believe he went directly to Shamballa to be with the Lord of the World, Sanat Kumara, for a time, until he then incarnated again soon after as Apollonius of Tyana.Creme, Benjamin Maitreya's Mission--Volume III Amsterdam:1997 Share International Foundation Page 152
It is believed in the Ascended Master Teachings that when Jesus ascended on the 3rd day after the resurrection, he levitated from Judaea to Kashmir.
Day of Pentecost In either case, whether he went directly to Shamballa or to Kashmir when he ascended, presumably he teleported to a location above Judaea briefly ten days later on the 50th day after his resurrection in order to observe from afar the events of the Day of Pentecost (or possibly he observed these events by remote viewing). In both traditional Theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings it is believed that these events were coordinated by the Maha Chohan, who, it is asserted by both C.W. Leadbeater and Elizabeth Clare Prophet, is the representative of the Holy Ghost on Earth.Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path Adyar, Madras, India:1925 The Theosophical Publishing House Page 255Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark (as compiled by Annice Booth) The Masters and Their Retreats Corwin Springs, Montana:2003 Summit University Press Page 200
Activities after the day of Pentecost In the Ascended Master Teachings, it is believed that the Master Jesus lived in Kashmir until he was 81, and then, assuming he had been born in 6 BC, in AD 75, he ascended to Shamballa to be with the Lord of the World, Sanat Kumara.
Controversy regarding incarnation as Apollonius of Tyana
Helena Blavatsky, a founder of the Theosophical Society, wrote in 1877: "Apollonius, a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth, was, like him, an enthusiastic founder of a new spiritual school. Perhaps less metaphysical and more practical than Jesus, less tender and perfect in his nature, he nevertheless inculcated the same quintessence of spirituality, and the same high moral truths."Helena P. Blavatsky: Isis Unveiled, vol. 2, New York 1877 (reprinted 1999), p. 341. Some Theosophists such as C.W. Leadbeater and the teachers of Neo-Theosophy, Alice A. Bailey and Benjamin Creme, have written that the Master Jesus was also incarnated as Apollonius of Tyana after his incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth. It is believed that he attained the fifth level of initiation (the resurrection) when he became an Ascended Master at the end of his life as Apollonius of Tyana. However, if Apollonius was a contemporary of Jesus as Blavatsky wrote, Jesus could not have reincarnated as him. Benjamin Creme gets around this by claiming that Jesus lived from 24 BC to AD 9 Creme, Benjamin Maitreya's Mission Vol. I London:1986--Share International Foundation Page 382 (instead of the usual dates given of Jesus' lifetime as being c. 6 BC to c. AD 30 or AD 33). This means that Jesus could have incarnated as Apollonius of Tyana, since according to Creme, Apollonius lived from AD 16 to c. AD 97.Creme, Benjamin Maitreya's Mission Vol. I London:1986--Share International Foundation Page 373 However, one of the possible chronologies of Apollonius of Tyana's life sometimes cited give his life span as being from AD 40 to AD 120,For the chronology of AD 40--AD 120 see Maria Dzielska: Apollonius of Tyana in Legend and History, Rome 1986, p. 30-38. thus making it possible that, even if the usual dates of Jesus' lifetime are accepted (c. 6 BC to c. AD 30 or AD 33), he still could have incarnated as Apollonius of Tyana. However, other modern scholarship, more often cited, gives the dates of Appolonius' life span as c. AD 15 to c. AD 100, thus making it problematic, realistically speaking, that Jesus could have incarnated as him.For the chronology of AD 15--AD 100 see Maria Dzielska: Apollonius of Tyana in Legend and History, Rome 1986, pp. 30–38.
Jesus' incarnation as Apollonius of Tyana is accepted by the followers of traditional Theosophy, of Alice A. Bailey, and of Benjamin Creme, but not by those who are adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings, who believe that the incarnation as Jesus was his last embodiment on Earth.
Incarnation as Ramanuja