movee. In Luke 20:27–40, the Sadducees approach Jesus with a curious question. A woman, they say, was married to seven brothers. Each one died without leaving her a child. So they ask:
“In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?”
To them, it was a challenge—meant to mock the idea of life beyond death. But Jesus replies with a spiritual truth that transcends the literal:
“They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world… neither marry, nor are given in marriage… for they are equal unto the angels.”
Neville Goddard, known for interpreting Scripture as symbolic instruction for inner transformation, invites us to look deeper. To him, this is not about earthly marriage, but about the relationship between the subconscious mind and the states of consciousness we attempt to occupy.
The Woman as the Soul
In Neville’s teaching, the woman symbolises the soul—or more precisely, the subconscious mind. This inner realm is fertile and creative. It is the medium through which imagination brings forth reality.
The woman’s multiple marriages represent her union with various states of consciousness—each one symbolised by a brother. Each union is an attempt to produce life, or manifestation, yet none succeed. The woman is left childless and widowed, again and again.
The Seven Brothers as Dead States of Mind
The number seven often implies completion or fullness. In this context, it symbolises a complete cycle of fruitless beliefs—states of consciousness that appear promising but ultimately fail to bring forth anything living.
These “brothers” are all attempts to live from external assumptions—belief systems disconnected from the deeper truth of the I AM. They come and go, but the soul remains unfulfilled.
Neville would say we “marry” a new idea, a new practice, or a new identity, but if it’s not rooted in inner knowing, it dies. It fails to impress the subconscious in a way that gives birth to life.
Resurrection as Awakening
The Sadducees ask: “Whose wife will she be?”—as if one of these barren beliefs should have a rightful claim. But Jesus responds that in the resurrection, there is no marriage.
Neville teaches that resurrection is not about the afterlife, but about a radical shift in state of consciousness. It is the moment you awaken to the truth that your imagination is God.
When you rise into this awareness, you become one of the “children of the resurrection.” You no longer seek fulfilment through external belief. You no longer wait for a state to claim you.
You claim yourself.
The Creative Power Within
In this symbolism:
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The woman is your creative subconscious.
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The brothers are false identities and fruitless beliefs.
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The resurrection is your awakening to the truth of “I AM”.
You no longer live as the soul waiting to be claimed. You become the director, the chooser, the creator.
You impress upon the subconscious with authority and knowing—not doubt or desperation. From this inner marriage between belief and imagination, all things are born.
"They Will Be Accounted Worthy"
To be "accounted worthy" in Neville’s interpretation is not about external merit but about a shift in consciousness. It means aligning with a higher state of awareness, one that transcends external conditions or concepts. Jesus' teaching, in Neville's view, indicates that those who awaken to their true creative power through imagination, and who claim their authority within, are “worthy” of the new world, the world of resurrection—a new state of consciousness.
This awakening is about recognising that your creative power is within you, and the key to accessing it is aligning your inner beliefs with this truth. When Jesus says those “accounted worthy” will neither marry nor be given in marriage, he is speaking symbolically of the soul no longer seeking fulfilment from external sources. Instead, it is through the power of your imagination that all manifestations are birthed.
The Power of the Angelic State
Neville often interpreted the angels in the Bible as symbols of states of consciousness—higher, purified states that represent your full potential when you claim the truth of your being. When Jesus says those who are “equal unto the angels” in the resurrection, he is pointing to this transformation: the transition from the limited, external identification with the old self to the new, divine consciousness where you know yourself as the creator.
The reference to the angels signifies this elevated, awakened state—where the individual has transcended the limitations of earthly forms and identities, embodying their true, divine nature. It’s not about becoming something other than human, but about fully realising the potential within.
The Practical Message
This story asks us:
How many beliefs have you “married” that had no life in them?
How many states have you entered that left you barren, longing, or defeated?
The message of Neville’s teaching is this:
Stop seeking outwardly.
Stop uniting yourself with passing identities.
Awaken.
Claim the truth: “I AM the resurrection and the life.”
From that awareness, the soul is no longer barren.
It brings forth life—abundantly.
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