Neville Goddard on Mark 13:21

Executive Summary

Neville Goddard interprets the scripture Mark 13:21 as a direct and emphatic warning against looking for Christ as a person outside of oneself. He observes that people habitually search for an external savior, whether in political leaders or other figures, but insists this is a complete misdirection. The verse, in his view, commands the individual to cease looking for Christ in another and to instead turn inward, for Christ can only be found by awakening within one's own consciousness.

Key Concepts

• Christ is not an external person or a savior who will appear in the world.
• The biblical verse “Look, here is Christ! or Look, there he is! do not believe it” is a command to reject all claims of an external Christ.
• People mistakenly look for saviors in powerful figures like Hitler or Stalin, but this is a futile search.
• Christ is a presence that is “buried in you.”
• The true “coming” of Christ is an internal event—an awakening within the individual.

Detailed Explanation

Neville Goddard’s interpretation of Mark 13:21 is a firm rejection of the idea of an external Christ. He teaches that this scripture serves as a crucial instruction: do not believe anyone who points to another person and identifies them as the Christ. This warning applies to any attempt to find a savior in the world, whether in prominent world leaders or any other being. The search for an external savior is a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of Christ.

According to Neville, the true location of Christ is not in the world but within the individual. He describes Christ as being “buried in you,” waiting to be discovered. The only way to find Christ is to find him within yourself, as the inner way that leads to God. You will never successfully find him by looking for him in another person, no matter who they are.

The “coming” of Christ is therefore not a physical event or the arrival of a person on the world stage. It is an internal experience of awakening. Christ comes only when he awakens within you. Even if a person has experienced this complete awakening within themselves, they are not the Christ for others to follow. Each individual must have this experience for themselves, as there is no “outside christ.”

Important Quotes

“If anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.”

— Christ Unveiled

You will never find him in another. In no being in this world will you find him. You either find him in yourself as the Way that leads you to God, or you will not find him.

— Christ Unveiled

There is no outside christ. Christ is buried in you, and when he comes, he can only come by awakening in you.

— Experiencing Scripture

Related Concepts

This teaching directly relates to the centrality of one's own consciousness. By stating that Christ is “buried in you” and must be found “in yourself,” Neville places the divine potential squarely within the individual's own being, or I AM. The “awakening” of Christ is an event that occurs within consciousness, shifting the focus from external worship or seeking to internal discovery and experience.

Common Misunderstandings

The primary misunderstanding corrected by this teaching is the belief that Christ is an external person who will physically appear in the world as a savior. Neville directly refutes this by using the examples of people looking to figures like Hitler or Stalin. He clarifies that scripture warns against this error, insisting that the search for Christ must be directed inward, not outward toward any other person.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this teaching is to cease looking for a savior or redemptive power outside of yourself. Instead of waiting for a person or external event to save you or the world, you are instructed to turn your attention inward. The work is to discover and awaken the Christ within your own consciousness, as this is the only place he can truly be found.

Frequently Asked Questions

According to Neville, who or what is Christ?

Christ is not an external person but a presence buried within you. He is the Way to God that you must find and awaken within yourself.

What does Neville say to do if someone claims another person is Christ?

He fully endorses the scriptural command to “not believe it,” stating that you will never find Christ in another being.

Where does Neville teach that we should look for Christ?

You must look for Christ exclusively within yourself. The search for an external Christ in the world is futile.