Concerning The Word (series) Pt. 5

Selection from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 2, 14)

But as the world does not know how the words [here] in John 1:1, 2, 14 that the Lord is the Word, are to be understood, this shall be further explained.

It is known in the church that God is good itself and truth itself, and thus that all the good that an angel has and that a man has is from God, and likewise all truth. Now since the Lord is God, He is also the Divine good and the Divine truth; and this is what is meant by "the Word, that was with God, and was God," and also was "the light that enlighteneth every man," and that also "became flesh," that is, Man in the world. That when the Lord was in the world He was the Divine truth, which is the Word, He Himself teaches in many passages where He calls Himself "the Light," also where He calls Himself "the Way, the Truth, and the Life;" and where He says that "the Spirit of truth" proceeds from Him. "The Spirit of truth" is the Divine truth. When the Lord was transfigured He represented the Word, "His face that shone as the sun" represented its Divine good; and "His garments, which were bright as the light" and "white as snow," represented its Divine truth. "Moses and Elijah," who then talked with the Lord, also signified the Word, "Moses" the historical Word, and "Elijah" the prophetic Word. Moreover, all things of the Lord's passion represented the kind of violence that the Jewish nation offered to the Word. Again, the Lord from Divine truth, which He is, is called "God," "King," and "Angel," and is meant by "the rock in Horeb," and "the rock" where Peter is spoken of. All this makes clear that the Lord is the Word, because He is the Divine truth. The Word in the letter, which is with us, is the Divine truth in ultimates.

(to be continued)
(Apocalypse Explained 1070:2)

Concerning The Word (series) Pt. 4

Selection from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

Since the Word is the Divine truth, and this proceeds from the Lord's Divine Being [Esse] as light proceeds from the sun, it follows as a consequence that the Lord is the Word because He is the Divine truth. The Lord is the Word, because He is the Divine truth, and this proceeds from His Divine Being [Esse], which is the Divine love, because the Divine love was in Him when He was in the world as the soul is in its body; and as the Divine truth proceeds from the Divine love as light proceeds from the sun, as has been said, therefore the Lord's Human in the world was the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine love that was in Him. That the Divine Itself, which is called "Jehovah" and the "Father," and which is the Divine love, was in the Lord from conception, is evident in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

In Matthew from these words:

When Mary the mother of Jesus had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And the angel said to Joseph in a dream, Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit. This came to pass that it might be fulfilled which was said of the Lord by the prophet, Behold the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. And Joseph knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn son; and he called His name Jesus (Matt. 1:18-25).

And in Luke from these words:

The angel said to Mary, Behold thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus; He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. But Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? The angel answered her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the Holy One that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:30-35).

It was because He was conceived of Jehovah that He is so frequently called in the Word "the Son of God," and Jehovah is called His "Father." Jehovah as to His Being [Esse] is the Divine love, and as to His Existing [Existere] He is the Divine good united to the Divine truth.

From this it can be seen what is meant by:

The Word that was with God and that was God, and also was the light that enlighteneth every man (John 1:1-10),

namely, that it was the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Lord as to His Existing [Existere]. That the Lord as to His Existing [Existere] was Divine truth, and that this was His Divine Human, because this existed from His Divine Being [Esse] as the body from its soul, these words in John clearly certify:

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father (John 1:14).

"The Word" is the Divine truth, which also is "glory;" "flesh" means the Divine Human, "the only-begotten of the Father" means that which exists or proceeds from the Divine Esse in Him.

(to be continued)
(Apocalypse Explained 1069:2, 3)

Concerning The Word (series) Pt. 3

Selection from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

That the Word is the Divine truth itself, which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men, can be apperceived or seen only by a man enlightened. For to a worldly man, whose mind has not been raised above the sensual sphere, the Word in the sense of the letter appears so simple that scarcely anything could be more simple; and yet the Divine truth, such as it is in the heavens, and from which angels have their wisdom, lies concealed in it as in its sanctuary. For the Word in the letter is like the adytum, the midst of a temple covered with a veil, within which lie deposited arcana of heavenly wisdom such as no ear hath heard. For in the Word and in every particular of it there is a spiritual sense, and in that a Divine celestial sense, which regarded in itself is the Divine truth itself, which is in the heavens and which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men. The Divine truth in the heavens is light proceeding from the Lord as a Sun, which is the Divine love. And as the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is the light of heaven, so it is the Divine wisdom. This illuminates both the minds and the eyes of angels, and also enlightens the minds of men, but not their eyes, and enables them to understand truth and also to perceive good when man reads the Word from the Lord and not from self; for he is then in consort with angels, and interiorly has a perception like the spiritual perception of angels; and that spiritual perception which the man-angel has flows into his natural perception, which is his own while in the world, and enlightens it. Consequently, the man who reads the Word from the affection of truth has enlightenment through heaven from the Lord.

(to be continued)
(Apocalypse Explained 1067:3)