Origins
Christ's disciples have been considered by some to be the first Christian mystics. They were called disciples because, as with mystics of other religions (such as the stoics and sramanic traditions), they followed a discipline prescribed by their teacher—in this case Jesus himself. Jesus' disciples lived their lives in accordance with Jesus' doctrine of the Kingdom. This doctrine was explained in terms of parables and similes concerning the manner in which a human being should live their life in order to achieve spiritual perfection and inherit eternal life with God. Jesus referred to himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life, described himself as the bread of heaven and as the true vine (both of which suggest types of union with Christ), and, in his "farewell discourse", prayed that the disciples may be one with each other and with him just as he was one with the Father. Asked by a disciple how he would reveal himself to them and not to the world, Jesus answers: "If a man loves me, he will keep my Word, and my Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make our home with him." (Jn 14,23)" This describes a mystical way of life, not just a limited mystical experience. Other scriptural texts testify to mystical experiences, if not actual mystical union: the apostle Paul mentions the mystical experience of a person who was caught up into the Third Heaven, and John the Revelator describes a vision he had of the end times.
In subsequent centuries, especially as Christian apologetics began to use Greek philosophy to explain Christian ideas, Neoplatonism became an influence on Christian mystical thought and practice via such authors as Augustine of Hippo and Origen.
Read more about this topic: Christian Mystics
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