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The New Man
Argues that the purpose of Jesus Christ's parables and miracles was to teach people how to reach a higher level of spiritual development
153 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 1950
64 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Maurice Nicoll
218 books51 followersMaurice Nicoll (19 July 1884 – 30 August 1953) was a British psychiatrist, author and noted Fourth Way teacher. He is best known for his Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, a multi-volume collection of talks he gave to his study groups.
Nicoll was born at the Manse in Kelso, Scotland, the son of William Robertson Nicoll, a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He studied science at Cambridge before going on to St. Bartholomew's Hospital and then to Vienna, Berlin, and Zurich where he became a colleague of Carl Gustav Jung. Jung's psychological revelations and his own work with Jung during this period left a lasting influence on Nicoll as a young man.
After his Army Medical Service in the 1914 War, in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia, he returned to England to become a psychiatrist. In 1921 he met Petr Demianovich Ouspensky, a student of G. I. Gurdjieff and he also became a pupil of Gurdjieff in the following year. In 1923 when Gurdjieff closed down his Institute, Nicoll joined P.D. Ouspensky's group. In 1931 he followed Ouspensky's advice and started his own study groups in England. This was done through a program of work devoted to passing on the ideas that Nicoll had gathered and passed them on through his talks given weekly to his own study groups.
Many of these talks were recorded verbatim and documented in a six-volume series of texts compiled in his books Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky.
Nicoll also authored books and stories about his experiences in the Middle East using the pseudonym Martin Swayne.
Though Nicoll advocated the theories of the Fourth Way he also maintained interests in essential Christian teachings, in Neoplatonism and in dream interpretation until the end of his life.
Nicoll was born at the Manse in Kelso, Scotland, the son of William Robertson Nicoll, a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He studied science at Cambridge before going on to St. Bartholomew's Hospital and then to Vienna, Berlin, and Zurich where he became a colleague of Carl Gustav Jung. Jung's psychological revelations and his own work with Jung during this period left a lasting influence on Nicoll as a young man.
After his Army Medical Service in the 1914 War, in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia, he returned to England to become a psychiatrist. In 1921 he met Petr Demianovich Ouspensky, a student of G. I. Gurdjieff and he also became a pupil of Gurdjieff in the following year. In 1923 when Gurdjieff closed down his Institute, Nicoll joined P.D. Ouspensky's group. In 1931 he followed Ouspensky's advice and started his own study groups in England. This was done through a program of work devoted to passing on the ideas that Nicoll had gathered and passed them on through his talks given weekly to his own study groups.
Many of these talks were recorded verbatim and documented in a six-volume series of texts compiled in his books Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky.
Nicoll also authored books and stories about his experiences in the Middle East using the pseudonym Martin Swayne.
Though Nicoll advocated the theories of the Fourth Way he also maintained interests in essential Christian teachings, in Neoplatonism and in dream interpretation until the end of his life.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 26, 2024
Our personalities are much vaster - and deeper - than we know. But that depth shows only their power to enslave us.
Christ said to be free we must break through them.
That is Nicoll's message, and it is an important one. And this is an excellent book… as far as it goes.
But it falls short. Nicoll is captivated by his captor - the subconscious self. He's an intellectual Narcissist. Looking for an esoteric escape!
Nicoll, like his teachers, was a bit of a rebel…
His scepticism - come by through “gleanings from old leaves” - has helped to spawn a ghastly relativistic ferment in modern society: the Woke attitude, as well as the way of alternative religion. Caveat lector!
Nicoll, like T.S. Eliot’s “young man carbuncular,” has been assured by his mystic-wannabe teachers of certain certainties - the ‘virtues’ of subterranean skullduggery in finding amorphous “certain” answers.
Heaven help us. There's no firm foundation in radical alternative theology.
The answers, of course, are mere vapours. And maybe, just maybe, the real problem is we can’t always THINK clearly!
If we can’t think clearly we don’t know the world well. Perhaps that's because we don’t know our SELVES clearly. As I say, our selves are our illusory captors.
To know ourself clearly, we must see the way in which our mind, with its endless conditioning and our own endless excuses to ourselves - through which we always give into every new whim - tricks us into thinking our self is solid.
Thrillers get you going by getting you into Gnostic moods (we want to Know what this hidden ugly scariness is) and dig deeper. Thrillers show us our self is never as solid as it seems.
Why are we wannabe unconscious winners - or losers? Dig deeper, as Nicoll does. You'll SEE your conviction before God.
There’s truly no rest for us faithless eternal seekers, unless we SEE THROUGH our private head games.
Head games are the ego's way to control us.
Yet Christ said we can be free. Free in an ethical Void.
Alas - Nicoll, because he’s always confused by his own head games, in the end may as well lie down and feign death, like a proximate-Hollow Man... He's missing the point.
For if we never take an Intellectually Awake - not Woke - universal moral stand on life and stick to it we guide our own inner fools’ way to dusty death.
And the way to be free is by walking the straight and narrow path, wide awake throughout our entire life.
Not in esoteric mysticism.
Christ said to be free we must break through them.
That is Nicoll's message, and it is an important one. And this is an excellent book… as far as it goes.
But it falls short. Nicoll is captivated by his captor - the subconscious self. He's an intellectual Narcissist. Looking for an esoteric escape!
Nicoll, like his teachers, was a bit of a rebel…
His scepticism - come by through “gleanings from old leaves” - has helped to spawn a ghastly relativistic ferment in modern society: the Woke attitude, as well as the way of alternative religion. Caveat lector!
Nicoll, like T.S. Eliot’s “young man carbuncular,” has been assured by his mystic-wannabe teachers of certain certainties - the ‘virtues’ of subterranean skullduggery in finding amorphous “certain” answers.
Heaven help us. There's no firm foundation in radical alternative theology.
The answers, of course, are mere vapours. And maybe, just maybe, the real problem is we can’t always THINK clearly!
If we can’t think clearly we don’t know the world well. Perhaps that's because we don’t know our SELVES clearly. As I say, our selves are our illusory captors.
To know ourself clearly, we must see the way in which our mind, with its endless conditioning and our own endless excuses to ourselves - through which we always give into every new whim - tricks us into thinking our self is solid.
Thrillers get you going by getting you into Gnostic moods (we want to Know what this hidden ugly scariness is) and dig deeper. Thrillers show us our self is never as solid as it seems.
Why are we wannabe unconscious winners - or losers? Dig deeper, as Nicoll does. You'll SEE your conviction before God.
There’s truly no rest for us faithless eternal seekers, unless we SEE THROUGH our private head games.
Head games are the ego's way to control us.
Yet Christ said we can be free. Free in an ethical Void.
Alas - Nicoll, because he’s always confused by his own head games, in the end may as well lie down and feign death, like a proximate-Hollow Man... He's missing the point.
For if we never take an Intellectually Awake - not Woke - universal moral stand on life and stick to it we guide our own inner fools’ way to dusty death.
And the way to be free is by walking the straight and narrow path, wide awake throughout our entire life.
Not in esoteric mysticism.
June 21, 2013
this is one of the most profound books I have ever read. His interpretation of the parables of Jesus shed new meaning on them for me
I used this in group discussions and as references on the parables
I used this in group discussions and as references on the parables
December 8, 2016
Commentaries and understandings about Biblical stories.
June 9, 2023
Nicoll, a student of both Jung and Gurdjieff, claims to take a psychological approach to interpreting the New Testament. Most would probably label it esoteric rather than psychological. There are a number of intriguing observations, although Nicoll's style and excess verbiage can be a barrier. He sometimes comes up with a fairly standard interpretation, e.g. the letter of the law (which Nicoll calls Truth) vs. compassion and mercy (called Good), although by a different and circuitous route. Nicoll usually calls the Law of the Pentateuch "Truth," whereas I would go with a more Gurdjieffian interpretation of a failed experiment in living consciously. While there is much that needs to be read symbolically or allegorically in the NT, Nicoll tends to go overboard. Sometimes a cigar is indeed only a cigar.
March 8, 2024
За разлику од представљања Библије и Јеванђеља као историјско-географске догађаје, које је наравно погрешно, Никол Библију и Јеванђеља представља као психолошку драму која се одвија унутар човека која је наравно - тачна! Целокупна Библија је опис одвијања психолошке драме у човеку чији је просветљени ум односно (Ра)зум у правом смислу те речи, програм Вере, и заповести Стварања у сталном сукобу са чулима и спољашњим светом, и само услед губитка Вере и заборава на Себе, човек потпада под утицај сопствене творевине постајући јој слуга...Сјајно написано и веома просветљујуће и што је најбитније нимало не вуче на дегутантни New Age.
December 26, 2025
"El Nuevo Hombre" de Maurice Nicoll ofrece una perspectiva renovadora sobre las enseñanzas bíblicas, sugiriendo que los Evangelios no deben leerse como historia antigua, sino como una guía psicológica profunda para la transformación personal. El autor explica que las parábolas y los milagros contienen un lenguaje simbólico destinado a despertar nuestra conciencia, mostrándonos que el "Reino de los Cielos" no es un lugar futuro, sino un estado interior de mayor comprensión que podemos alcanzar hoy mismo. Es una lectura esencial para quien busca una espiritualidad práctica, invitando al lector a dejar de vivir de forma mecánica para trabajar sobre sí mismo y desarrollar su verdadero potencial humano.
December 27, 2023
Very similar to his other book “The Mark”, Nicoll goes through the gospels and other biblical excerpts and interprets them through a psychological/Fourth Way perspective. He starts with the premise that the gospels are not historical accounts but are parables to transmit psychological information. Jesus represents the fully conscious and enlightened man, with the Kingdom of God representing higher consciousness. While I’m not in agreement with him theologically, he uses the Bible as a jumping off point for some very interesting psychological points. Nicoll is probably one of my favorite authors of all time for his clarity and insight. One excerpt below:
“All that Christ taught was about attaining a higher level, called rebirth. His teaching was about evolution—about the evolution possible and awaiting Man. It was not a teaching merely about remaining the same man and becoming a slightly better man, but about becoming a New Man born of "water and spirit" —that is, of faith and its truth—and living according to the spirit of it—i. e. willing it. For if another level exists in every man, the attainment of it can only be through studying the knowledge reaching Man from it and living it. All the sayings and parables in the Gospels are knowledge
about this higher level, this higher possible degree of Man. This is their explanation. This knowledge is not like knowledge gained through visible life and the senses which is easily verified. It must be understood by the mind. This is faith.”
“All that Christ taught was about attaining a higher level, called rebirth. His teaching was about evolution—about the evolution possible and awaiting Man. It was not a teaching merely about remaining the same man and becoming a slightly better man, but about becoming a New Man born of "water and spirit" —that is, of faith and its truth—and living according to the spirit of it—i. e. willing it. For if another level exists in every man, the attainment of it can only be through studying the knowledge reaching Man from it and living it. All the sayings and parables in the Gospels are knowledge
about this higher level, this higher possible degree of Man. This is their explanation. This knowledge is not like knowledge gained through visible life and the senses which is easily verified. It must be understood by the mind. This is faith.”
March 28, 2019
Penetrating and profound
I found this to be one of the best books I’ve ever read dealing with the parables of Christ and the kingdom of heaven. He comes from angles rarely taken. This work fits nicely inside the Christian contemplative tradition.
I found this to be one of the best books I’ve ever read dealing with the parables of Christ and the kingdom of heaven. He comes from angles rarely taken. This work fits nicely inside the Christian contemplative tradition.
October 15, 2019
A Must Read
My rating is derived from the pleasure experienced from reading this publication. I liked the book's content pretty much in its entirety. Recommend it highly to all interested in learning about the work.
My rating is derived from the pleasure experienced from reading this publication. I liked the book's content pretty much in its entirety. Recommend it highly to all interested in learning about the work.
Read
February 1, 2012excellent book for understanding the correspondent meaning of symbols in biblical narrative; one of the best "keys" to the teachings of the Christ.
January 6, 2013
It took me two starts to get through it but, once I did, it was very informative and made a lot of sense. Well worth the read.
November 22, 2014
Excellent interpretation of Christ's parables; but be ready for much repetition, and writing as such is not top. But really good ideas there.
August 6, 2018
This book gives a new perspective to the well known parables and symbols used by Christ throughout the New Testament.
May 10, 2021
An excellent presentation of some parables from the New Testament. Nicoll gives a deep explanation of the teachings given by Christ.
April 10, 2024
This is a book to be read with an open mind, without prejudice but open to understanding.
The Catholic religion always asked me to follow rituals and prayers, but without an understanding of their meaning for the journey.
Instead, this book does a much more sensitive psychological investigation, shedding light on the parables and their not literal, but internal meanings. By integrating psychological insights with biblical teachings, my understanding of the ethics of human life has deepened. This is a great book to start with.
The Catholic religion always asked me to follow rituals and prayers, but without an understanding of their meaning for the journey.
Instead, this book does a much more sensitive psychological investigation, shedding light on the parables and their not literal, but internal meanings. By integrating psychological insights with biblical teachings, my understanding of the ethics of human life has deepened. This is a great book to start with.
April 9, 2025
SO GOOD. So much clarity found
August 15, 2025
Not so earth shattering.
March 6, 2014
lent by DC
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews