THE

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN,

Translated from the Greek,

AND

ILLUSTRATED BY EXTRACTS

FROM THE

THEOLOGICAL WRITINGS OF THAT EMINENT SERVANT OF THE LORD,

THE

HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG,

TOGETHER WITH

NOTES & OBSERVATIONS OF THE TRANSLATOR ANNEXED TO EACH CHAPTER.

BY THE REV. J. CLOWES, M.A.

RECTOR OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, MANCHESTER, AND FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

" Whoso readeth, let him understand."—Matt. xxiv. 15.

Second Edition.

MANCHESTER:
PRINTED BY HENRY SMITH, ST, ANN'S-SQUARE,

AND SOLD BY

S. HODSON. 112, FLEET-STREET, LONDON; AND BY E. BAYLIS,
ST. ANN'S-STREET, MANCHESTER.

MDCCCXXXVIII.

PREFACE

The general design of the following pages is to illustrate the divine declaration of Jesus Christ to his disciples, where he says, The words that I speak unto you are spirit, and are life, John vi. 63, by pointing out more distinctly what is to be understood by the spirit and life which replenish and constitute the words of the great saviour, and by thus endeavouring to supply the reader with a just idea of the proper discriminate marks and characters of those two grand essentials of divine inspiration and revelation, called Spirit and Life,

In connection with this general design is also a particular one, resulting from the above declaration of the incarnate God, respecting the constituent principles of his most Holy words, and resolving itself into these three several points,—

1st, To demonstrate the sanctity and divinity of the inspired writings, and in what that sanctity and divinity consist, as manifested in the above divine declaration, The words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life.

2dly, To prove the high authority stamped on the theological writings of the Hon. E. Swedenborg, in consequence of their bearing so faithful and luminous a testimony to that sanctity and divinity so manifested; and

3dly, To exhibit the sublimity, purity, and edifying tendency of that rule of doctrine and of life, which will be found in the extracts from the above theological writings as collected in the following work.

In regard to the first of these points, viz. the demonstration of the sanctity and divinity of the inspired writings, and in what that sanctity and divinity consist, as manifested in the above declaration, the Words that I Speak unto You are Spirit, and are Life, it may be observed, that the divine declaration extends, not only to the words spoken by Jesus Christ in the New Testament, but likewise to what is recorded in the Old, since both Testaments are acknowledged to be alike the word, or speech of the most high, and consequently both must be alike replenished with the same divine principles, called by the great saviour Spirit and Life. The grand question then is, what are these principles, and in what do they consist? What is this Spirit, and what this Life, which constitute the very soul and essence of all the words of God ? But who can give a serious and satisfactory answer to this question, without being forcibly struck with the conviction, that when a divine speaker declares, The words that I speak are spirit and are life, he must of necessity mean by the terms spirit and life a divine spirit and a divine life, since it is impossible to suppose that any other spirit and life, except what is divine, can influence the words of a divine speaker, so as to constitute their essential properties? Who again can give a serious and satisfactory answer to the above question, without being struck as forcibly with another conviction, that the terms spirit and life, when applied by a divine speaker, involve in them distinct divine principles, so that spirit is to be understood as expressive of one divine principle, and life as expressive of another, otherwise the two terms would be a useless tautology, altogether unworthy of a divine speaker? Again, who can give a serious and satisfactory answer to the above question, without discerning, as by a noon-day light, that spirit and life, according to their distinct signification, and as distinctly applied by a divine speaker, must of necessity mean the same things as divine wisdom and divine love, or divine truth and divine good, since the Godhead, we are assured, is both, and may therefore be called the divine union of both in their infinity and eternity? The conclusion then from the above premises is, (and a more important conclusion cannot be conceived by man,) that every part of the revealed Word, both of the Old and New Testament, is filled with the divine wisdom and the divine love, or with the divine truth and divine good, of the most high God, in indissoluble union, this being its very inmost soul and hidden essence, whilst the letter or history is merely its external body and manifested existence.

From the above consideration then may be clearly discovered the sanctity and divinity of the inspired writings, and in what that sanctity and divinity principally consist. For if the divine wisdom and divine love, or the divine truth and divine good, are the very essential spirit and life of those writings, conjoined with them as soul is conjoined with body, or as human thought and affection are conjoined with human speech, then how plain is it to see that God himself, who is the very union itself of divine wisdom and love, or of divine truth and divine good, is one with those writings, and so incorporated in them, (if we may use the expression,) that it is impossible to put them asunder! But if the great and Holy God be thus incorporated in his written Word, so that the letter or history of that Word is only the body, the husk, or shell, of which he himself is the living soul, the vital seed or kernel, then what language can sufficiently express, or what idea fully conceive, the sanctity and divinity of the inspired records? Then how ought we to bow down in humiliation and devout reverence before the sacred volume, as before the Most high God himself, who is present in it! Then how ought we to exclaim with the patriarch of old, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not; this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven! Gen. xxviii. 16, 17. And then too, observing how the letter or history is only as a kind of casket, to contain the jewels and treasures of the divine love and wisdom deposited and concealed within, how cautious ought we to be, either of mistaking the casket for its rich contents, or of fixing our eyes so intently on its beauty and its lustre, as to overlook and become blind to what gives it all its value, viz. the divine presence, will, wisdom, intelligence, and operation of the most high and Holy God!

From the above view then of the sanctity and divinity of the sacred Scriptures, it will be manifest to every considerate mind that they carry along with them their own internal testimony, or a full and satisfactory evidence of their divine original. For as when the sun of this world shineth in his strength, enlightening the eyes of men with his cheering light, and enlivening their bodies with his quickening and reviving heat, no other proof can be wanting either of the sun's existence, or of the properties and qualities by which that grand luminary is distinguished from all other objects, so it is likewise in regard to the revealed word. No other proof can be wanting of its sanctity and divinity, or that it is indeed the living word of the most high, but the blessed effects which it is calculated to produce in every well-disposed mind. For doth the light of the sun, when enlightening the eye of the beholder, convince him most effectually, and beyond the force of any other argument, that it is the sun? In like manner, the light of divine truth, shining forth from that glorious being, who at once hides and manifests his divine countenance in his Holy word, convinces the simple and sincere that it is divine truth, so that no other argument can be wanting to confirm their faith. Doth again the sun's reviving warmth confirm the proof of his existence and astonishing properties, by exciting combined wonder, adoration, and delight in all who are made sensible of the power of his quickening beams? In like manner, and for the same reason, there is a warmth of heavenly love and charity, issuing from the bosom of the father of mercies, and dispensed to his humble and teachable children through the quickening beams of his most Holy word, which brings along with it such an addition and powerful conviction of its sanctity and divinity, that all doubt and uncertainty vanish, whilst wonder, adoration, and joy announce the presence, and prove to a demonstration, the mercy, love, and benevolence of the divine being, whose sacred residence it is, whose instructive language it speaks, and whose manifold divine blessings it is the medium of communicating to his penitent and believing children.

To exhibit then this eternal evidence of the sanctity and divinity of the sacred scriptures, is the first particular object aimed at in the following pages. And since this evidence is principally derived from the numerous extracts selected from the theological writings of the Hon. E. Swedenborg, by which extracts it is made clear to demonstration, that under the letter and history of the inspired volume, there is contained an internal or spiritual sense, which constitutes the very spirit and life of the Holy Book, therefore a second particular object is to demonstrate the high authority stamped on those writings, as resulting from this their sacred and edifying testimony.

To say all that might be said on this subject, would require a volume, which is now become the less necessary, since so many volumes have already been written upon it, all of them carrying with them a fulness of conviction to the serious and well-disposed mind. But there is one feature of note and excellence in the character of the enlightened author under consideration, which perhaps has not heretofore been sufficiently insisted on, and which, as being more immediately connected with his general interpretation of the sacred Scriptures, and especially with his particular comments on the following Gospel, it may not be improper here to advert to, and dwell on. The feature alluded to is the author's grand discovery of the distinction existing between the two eternal principles, which he calls the good and the true, together with the eternal relationship of those principles to each other; their perfect and everlasting union in the divine mind, and also in the divine Word; their conjunction likewise in the heavens, or in the minds of the heavenly inhabitants; their conjunction too in every created subject in the world of nature, together with their proposed conjunction in the minds and lives of men, with a view to render them also capable of heavenly and eternal association and bliss; and lastly, their manifestation in the distinct natures and qualities of the two sexes, from which result the nature, necessity, sanctity and bliss of married life.

If then it be a fact that the above eternal distinction between the good and the true was never before noted, or at least never before insisted on, by any human writer; if it be a fact also that the distinction, as it is extended and elucidated by the enlightened author of the following Extracts, involves in it lessons of the deepest and most important wisdom, by opening the intellectual mind to the true knowledge of the most high God; by proving, with irresistible and heretofore unknown evidence, the divinity and sanctity of his revealed word; by manifesting the heavenly principles, their distinctness, and yet their conjunction, which constitute the holiness and bliss of angelic life ; by conducting man to a more intimate acquaintance with himself, as created to he the receiver of those principles conjointly, thus as gifted with a will for the reception of heavenly good, and with an understanding for the reception of heavenly truth ; by thus further instructing him in the full measure of his religious duties, all which have relation to the formation of those principles, and to their perfect conjunction in his mind and life; by exhibiting a clearer view of the wonderful works of the great creator in this lower world, in which even every grain of sand is stamped with the divine marks and characters of the conjunction of the above divine principles; and lastly, by demonstrating the divine origin and sanctity of married life, the partners of which stand, each of them, in a distinct relationship to those principles, and thus in the blessed capacity of being fully united with each other according to such Holy relationship; — if all this, it is contended, be true, (and who but a stranger to our enlightened author can dispute the truth?) then what further argument can be wanted in favour of the high authority by which his pen was directed, and thus of that divine and merciful providence which gifted him with the extraordinary powers, first, of discovering the above wonderful distinction, so as to discern and comprehend it clearly in his own mind, and secondly, of unfolding, for the edification of others, all its most interesting and edifying results, applications, uses, and benefits?

Doth the reader still doubt and dispute the above authority? Then, in the spirit of humble and devout prayer to the father of mercies, and with a mind divested of all worldly and selfish prejudices, let him peruse attentively and seriously the extracts from the theological writings of the enlightened author, which are contained in this volume. Let him in this spirit view their testimony, first, as a spiritual telegraph, announcing blessed tidings from afar respecting the divine mind and the angelic kingdom, or (to change the allusion) as a grand panorama, in which may be seen all the wonders and beauties of creating, preserving, redeeming, and regenerating wisdom and love. Let him next examine it as a mental kaleidoscope, in which the apparent incoherencies, Contradictions, and scattered senses of the letter of the Sacred Scriptures, are presented to the delighted eye in all the symmetry, order and harmony of the most affecting and beautiful arrangement. Let him lastly regard it as a golden wedding ring, intended for the finger of the Bride, the lamb's Wife, as a symbol of her eternal and happy conjunction in life and love with her divine husband, and not only so, but as a representative figure of the conjunction of his divine love and divine wisdom in all the subjects of creation, whether great or small. Let him then ask himself the following questions, and answer them, in the sanctuary of conscience. Is it possible for any mortal of himself, to invent and fabricate such wonderful instruments? For can any mortal, of himself, remove the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations? (Isaiah xxv. 7.) Can any mortal, of himself, be found worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof, (Rev. v. 2.) so as to present it to the view of his fellow-mortals, in its transfiguration glory, full of light, full of power, and of consolation? Can any mortal, of himself, thus enable the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, and the dead to rise? (Matt. xi. 5.) Let then the above impossibilities decide the question of authority in the present case, by conducting the reader to its divine source, until all doubt, all dispute, all uncertainty on the occasion, be lost in the animating confession of the Holy one of old, this is the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will be glad and rejoice in it, (Psalm cxviii. 23. 24.)

But should any fluctuation still remain in the reader's mind concerning the testimony in question, it is humbly hoped that it will be entirely appeased by a view of the sublimity, purity, and edifying tendency of that rule of doctrine and of life, which will be found in the following extracts, and which is the third point of consideration intended to be insisted on in the present publication.

This rule of doctrine and of life results from the distinction between the two principles of the good and the true above adverted to, and is in continual connection with it, As a rule of doctrine therefore it teaches, first and principally, that the Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, in his glorified or divine humanity, is the supreme and only God, since when this saviour saith, My words are spirit, and are life ; and again, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, (John xiv. 6.) he must of necessity be understood to mean that he is the supreme good and supreme truth in indissoluble union. For that he is the supreme truth, is evident from his own words, and that he is also the supreme good, is equally evident from his calling his words Life, and himself the Life, inasmuch as the life, on this occasion, as applied by the incarnate, God, must of course involve in it all that is good, merciful, compassionate and benevolent in the divine mind. But if Jesus Christ be indeed the supreme good and supreme truth in indissoluble union, then it must follow as a sure and indisputable conclusion, that he is the great and only God, otherwise it must be maintained that two divine Beings exist, who are each of them the supreme good and supreme truth, which is the same thing as to insist that there are two independent Gods ; for what is God, but the supreme good and supreme truth?

Having thus then established this essential point of Christian doctrine, and this by an evidence as manifold as it is incontrovertible, which no sophistry of man can elude, because grounded in and confirmed by the sure testimony of the inspired oracles throughout, the enlightened author of the Extracts next proceeds to shew, from the same distinction between the good and the true, what that rule of life is, which is obligatory on all Christians, as being alone conducive to purification, regeneration, and final salvation. Nothing can exceed the simplicity and consistency of this rule, except its admirable adaptation to the Being for whose use it is intended. For what shall we say is this being, and what is his proper quality and character? Is he is not born into evil and error of every kind, loving himself and the world more than God and his neighbour, and calling nothing good or true but what tends to confirm him in such polluted love? How then is such a being to be reformed, purified, and finally saved? In other words, how is such a being to be made a lover of God and of his neighbour? How, (saith the enlightened author of the Extracts) but by first receiving heavenly truth from the Word of God in his understanding, and by next suffering the light of this truth to conduct him to the purity of heavenly good in his will, that so he also, like his divine Lord, may attain, in his measure, the conjunction of those two divine principles in his mind and life, and may thus become a living image and likeness of his great creator, as by creation he was intended to be?

Behold here then the short, but sure and infallible rule of life, pointed out in the following extracts, as the direct path to holiness and to bliss! Man, it is there insisted on, can never become either Holy or happy, but by conjunction of life and love with the adorable fountain of life and love, the Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. But conjunction of life and love with Jesus Christ implies, first, that man knows what is good and true ; and secondly, that he loves it; and thirdly, that from knowledge and love conjoined he performs, or practises it. It is necessary then that every man, who is desirous of attaining that blessed conjunction, should in the first place read diligently the Word of God, until his understanding be enlightened by the light of the Eternal Truth, and in the next place should suffer that truth to enter into his will or love, where it changes its name, and becomes the Supreme Good. But with this blessed view it is essentially necessary that he should suffer the truth to make manifest his natural evils, and when they are manifested, that he should enter manfully into the combat against them, otherwise the truth remaineth alone and unproductive, not being conjoined with its good, inasmuch as good cannot enter, until evil be first removed. It is further necessary that he should acknowledge, humbly and gratefully, that all truth and good are from Jesus Christ alone, and given to man for the blessed purpose of effecting eternal conjunction with that Great and Holy God. And lastly it is necessary, that he should give full and free operation to those heavenly principles, by fulfilling all the duties of his station in life, according to their just and reasonable acquirements. Thus it will be seen, that man's justification and salvation are not of himself but of the Great Saviour, because they are not of faith alone, nor of charity alone, nor of good works alone, but of all united, and not of all united, unless they are also united with Jesus Christ, by the humble and grateful acknowledgment, that all faith, which is of truth, and all charity which is of good, and all good works which, are the operation of faith and charity united, are from him alone, whilst man is merely a receiver of his Divine Spirit and Life, or of his Divine Truth and Good, and co-operates with him in the formation and fruitfulness of those heavenly principles, by ceasing to do evil, and learning to do good. Thus too it will be further seen how groundless, and therefore how dangerous, is the modern doctrine of salvation by faith alone, which is the same thing as salvation by knowledge alone without the life of knowledge, or by light in the understanding whilst the will, or love, remains unchanged, and consequently defiled with every uncleanness and abomination.

Having thus then pointed out the design of the following pages both generally and particularly, it only remains for the translator to make a few remarks on his new translation of the Gospel from the original Greek, and also on the internal sense as it is given in a series.

And first, in regard to the translation, the translator thinks it proper here to repeat what he some years ago observed concerning his translation of the Gospel according to Matthew, viz. "that he has endeavoured to make it as literal as possible, consistent with the different idioms of the two languages, and therefore the English reader will not be surprised at finding some deviations in this respect from the common version, especially where a regard to the internal sense made it necessary to adhere closely to the letter of the original. Nevertheless, the translator must still lament the imperfection of his translation, arising in some cases from the want of English terms to express the Greek ones, and in other cases from the undefined and indistinct sense of the English terms, which on that account are inadequate to express the distinct ideas suggested in the original Greek."

Secondly, as to the internal sense in a series, the translator perhaps is bound to make some apology for obtruding it on the public attention, especially as he has been informed, that a few respectable individuals of the New Church regarded such obtrusion as presumptuous, when it first made its appearance in the publication of the Gospel according to Matthew. The translator has not forgotten this charge, nor been unaffected by it, insomuch that he had nearly made up his mind never to incur it again, in any future translation of any of the other Gospels. This purpose however has been over-ruled by the opinion of several judicious friends, and particularly of the printing society in Manchester, whose sentiments were requested on the subject and who were unanimous in their wishes that the internal sense might be given in a series in the present volume, since it was their full conviction that many readers had derived very essential benefit from a similar series in the Gospel according to Matthew. The translator therefore has only to add on the occasion, that in giving the internal sense in the present translation, he has thought it his duty to be guided by the enlightened author of the Extracts, so far as his particular views were immediately discoverable, and in every other case to be directed by his general mode of interpreting the sacred Scriptures. Trusting therefore that he shall no longer be charged with presumption for doing what appears to him a duty, it now only remains for him to offer up his most devout prayers to the God of the church, that he will be pleased to give his divine blessing to every part of the following publication, that so it may tend to the building of the walls of his New Jerusalem, and adding to the number of its blessed inhabitants, by announcing that the Lord Jesus Christ, in his divine humanity, is the true bridegroom and husband of the church, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, and that blessed are all they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. xxii. 13, 14.— AMEN.

Advertisement to the Second Edition.

this edition has been carefully revised, and many additional Extracts have been inserted.

Manchester, February 1838.

EXPLANATION

Of abbreviated titles of the Works of Emanuel Swedenborg, from which the Extracts are made in the following Exposition :—

A. C.

Arcana Coelestia.

Ap. Exp. or A. E.

Apocalypse Explained.

Ap. Rev. or A. R.

Apocalypse Revealed.

T. C. R.

True Christian Religion.

H. H.

Treatise concerning Heaven and Hell.

N. J. H. or Heav. Doct.

Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem.

D. L. W.

Angelic Wisdom concerning Divine Love and Wisdom.

D. P.

Angelic Wisdom concerning Divine Providence.

L. J.

Last Judgment, or Babylon Destroyed.

D. L.

Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord

S. S.

Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture.

Doct. Life.

Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem.

D. F.

Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Faith.

C. L.

Delights of Wisdom concerning Conjugial Love, &c.

Inf.

Treatise concerning Influx.

John Chapter 1

Chapter 1	THE INTERNAL SENSE.
IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word. The same was in the beginning with god,	THAT the lord, as to his Divine Human [principle], which is divine truth, existed from eternity, in undivided union with the divine good, which is jehovah, verses 1, 2.
All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.	That by divine truth from the lord was effected the all of creation, both natural and spiritual, thus the production of the all of outward nature, and likewise the regeneration of man, and the establishment of the church, vs 3.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.	That divine truth is always in union with divine love, and by virtue of that union is the source of all wisdom, intelligence, and rationality, amongst mankind, vs 4.
And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.	But that mankind had so immersed themselves in external and natural things, and thus in false principles, that they no longer acknowledged divine truth, vs 5.
There was a man sent from god, whose name was John. He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but that he might bear witness of the light. [That] was the true light, which enlightens every man that comes into the world.	That divine truth has its appointed representatives here on earth, amongst those who are principled in charity and faith, whose office it is to testify concerning the lord's Divine Humanity, and thus to lead mankind to acknowledge and receive it, as the only source of all wisdom, intelligence, and rationality, vs 6, 7, 8, 9.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of god, to them who believe in his name. Who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of god.	That the lord, by his divine truth, or the Word, was present with the Jewish church, but that he was not in general known and acknowledged, yet that all, who did know and acknowledge him, were made regenerate, and thus delivered from the guilt of doing violence to charity, and of profaning truth, being cleansed from all the principles of evil and error, vs 10, 11, 12, 13.
And the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled amongst us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the father, full of grace and truth.	That the lord, by assuming the human nature, and thus becoming a man, made himself divine truth in ultimates, as he had before been divine truth in first principles, and thus gained fuller access to man, by imparting a fuller measure of his divine love and wisdom, vs 14.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that comes after me, was before me, because he was prior to me. And of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by jesus christ.	Therefore all, who are principled in charity and faith, acknowledge from the heart, that the lord in his Divine Humanity is the eternal god, and that all good and truth are from him, and that he came into the world to open those interior things of his Word, for the benefit of mankind, vs 15, 16, 17.
No one has seen god at any time; the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the father, he has brought him forth to view.	They acknowledge also, that no right apprehension can be had of the invisible jehovah, but by or through the visible humanity, which he assumed and glorified for that purpose, vs 18.
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who are you? And he confessed, and denied not, and confessed, I am not the christ. And they asked him, What then? Art you Elias? And he says, I am not. Art you the Prophet? And he answered, No. Then they said to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them who went us: What say you of yourself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the lord, as said Esaias the prophet.	Thus they testify concerning themselves, to those of the perverted church who are inquisitive about them, that they possess no truth or good of themselves, but only from the Word, and that from the Word all in the vastated church are admonished to prepare themselves to receive the lord in his divine humanity, vs 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.
And they who were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him, Why baptizest you then, if you are not the christ, nor Elias, nor the Prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one in the midst of you, whom you know not.	They testify further, that they can teach only external truth, but that the truth itself is the lord as to his Divine Humanity, who is yet unacknowledged, although he is the very central life of all truths, vs 24, 25, 26.
He it is who, coming after me, was before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.	And has thus pre-eminence over all, since the lowest order of internal truth is above the highest of what is external, vs 27.
These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. On the morrow John sees jesus coming to him, and says, Behold the Lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world!	Such is the testimony of external truth, derived from the letter of the Word, which testimony presently conducts to a view of internal truth as it is in connection with the lord's Divine Humanity, by virtue of which internal truth confession is made that the lord in his Divine Humanity is the purest innocence, and that human disorder can never be removed, only so far as that innocence is implanted in human minds, vs 28, 29.
He it is of whom I said, After me comes a man, who was before me; for he was prior to me. And I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel, on which account I am come baptizing with water.	Confession is further made from internal truth, that the lord, in his Divine Humanity, is the eternal god, and that all good and truth are from him, and that he is to be made known to the church by the teaching of external truth from the Word, vs 30, 31.
And John bare witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, On whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, he it is who baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I saw and bare witness, that he is the Son of god.	Which truth testifies, that all the good and truth of faith, thus all purification and regeneration, are from the Divine Humanity of the lord, and that consequently all internal truth is from the same source, vs 32, 33, 34, 35.
Again on the morrow, John stood and two of his disciples. And looking upon jesus as he walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of god ! And the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed jesus.	That they who are principled in charity, and in the faith of charity, have their spiritual sight opened to behold and to confess the lord in his Divine Humanity, whom therefore they immediately acknowledge and obey as the only god, vs 35, 36, 37.
But jesus turning, and seeing them following, says to them, What seek you? They said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master) where abide you ? He says to them, Come and see. They came and saw where he abode, and remained with him that day, and it was about the tenth hour.	And being led by an internal dictate in their own minds to explore and examine the end of all truth, or knowledge, they are led further to inquire after the good of love and charity, to which all truth and knowledge point, and thus attain conjunction with the lord in that good, vs 38, 39.
Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard from John, and followed him. He first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him, We have found the Messiah,—which is, being interpreted, the christ. And he led him to jesus, and jesus looking on him, said, You are Simon the son of Jona: You shall be called Cephas, which is, bring interpreted, a stone, (or Peter.)	That they who are principled in the good of charity instruct those who are principled in the good of faith, concerning the lord in his Divine Humanity, and thus conduct them to the incarnate god, by whom they are taught that they, who are principled in truth derived from good, ought to attach themselves to divine truth, or to truth proceeding from, and in conjunction with, the lord's Divine Humanity, vs 40, 41, 42.
On the morrow, jesus willed to go forth into Galilee, and he finds Philip, and says to him, Follow me. But Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip finds Nathaniel, and says to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.	That they of the church, who are principled in intelligence, are next instructed to acknowledge all intelligence to be derived from the lord's Divine Humanity, and that when they are so instructed, they again instruct those who are principled in charity and its faith, that the lord is manifested in his Divine Humanity, as was predicted, vs 43, 44, 45.
And Nathaniel said to him, Can any good thing be from Nazareth? Philip says to him, Come and see. jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and says of him, Behold, truly an Israelite, in whom is no guile. Nathaniel says to him, Whence know you me? jesus answered, and said to him, Before that Philip called you, when you were under the fig-tree, I saw you. Nathaniel answered, and says to him, Rabbi, You are the Son of god, you are the King of Israel!	Which instruction is received with doubt, until conviction is worked of the divine wisdom of that humanity, by the distinction which it makes between spiritual good and natural good, and by setting the former above the latter, vs 46, 47, 48, 49.
jesus answered, and said to him, Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig-tree, believe you? You shall see greater things than these. And he says to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, now on you shall see heaven open, and the angels of god ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.	That this distinction, however, does not produce a conviction equal to that which arises in the course of regeneration, when the internal man is opened to see the several orders of truth in their connection with their divine source, by virtue of which man's ascent to god is first effected, and afterwards the descent of god to man, vs 50, 51.

Translation

Chapter I.

1. IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word.

2. The same was in the beginning with god,

3. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5. And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.

6. There was a man sent from god, whose name was John.

7. He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

8. He was not the light, but that he might bear witness of the light.

9. [That] was the true light, which enlightens every man that comes into the world.

10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11. He came to his own, and his own received him not.

12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of god, to them who believe in his name.

13. Who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of god.

14. And the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled amongst us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the father, full of grace and truth.

15. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that comes after me, was before me, because he was prior to me.

16. And of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.

17. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by jesus christ.

18. No one has seen god at any time; the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the father, he has brought him forth to view.

19. And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who are you?

20. And he confessed, and denied not, and confessed, I am not the christ.

21. And they asked him, What then? Art you Elias? And he says, I am not. Art you the Prophet? And he answered, No.

22.Then they said to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them who went us: What say you of yourself?

23. He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the lord, as said Esaias the prophet.

24. And they who were sent were of the Pharisees.

25. And they asked him, and said to him, Why baptizest you then, if you are not the christ, nor Elias, nor the Prophet?

26. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one in the midst of you, whom you know not.

27. He it is who, coming after me, was before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28. These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29. On the morrow John sees jesus coming to him, and says, Behold the Lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world!

30. He it is of whom I said, After me comes a man, who was before me; for he was prior to me.

31. And I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel, on which account I am come baptizing with water.

32. And John bare witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it abode upon him.

33. And I knew him not, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, On whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, he it is who baptizeth with the Holy Spirit.

34. And I saw and bare witness, that he is the Son of god.

35. Again on the morrow, John stood and two of his disciples.

36. And looking upon jesus as he walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of god !

37. And the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed jesus.

38. But jesus turning, and seeing them following, says to them, What seek you? They said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master) where abide you ?

39. He says to them, Come and see. They came and saw where he abode, and remained with him that day, and it was about the tenth hour.

40. Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard from John, and followed him.

41. He first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him, We have found the Messiah,—which is, being interpreted, the christ.

42. And he led him to jesus, and jesus looking on him, said, You are Simon the son of Jona: You shall be called Cephas, which is, bring interpreted, a stone, (or Peter.)

43. On the morrow, jesus willed to go forth into Galilee, and he finds Philip, and says to him, Follow me.

44. But Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.

45. Philip finds Nathaniel, and says to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.

46. And Nathaniel said to him, Can any good thing be from Nazareth? Philip says to him, Come and see.

47. jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and says of him, Behold, truly an Israelite, in whom is no guile.

48. Nathaniel says to him, Whence know you me? jesus answered, and said to him, Before that Philip called you, when you were under the fig-tree, I saw you.

49. Nathaniel answered, and says to him, Rabbi, You are the Son of god, you are the King of Israel!

50. jesus answered, and said to him, Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig-tree, believe you? You shall see greater things than these.

51. And he says to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, now on you shall see heaven open, and the angels of god ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.

Exposition

without a revelation from the Divine, man cannot know any thing concerning eternal life, nor even any thing concerning god, and still less any thing concerning love to, and faith in him: for man is born into mere ignorance, and must therefore learn every thing from worldly things, from which he must form his understanding: for he is hereditarily born into every evil which proceeds from the love of self and of the world; the delights from there prevail continually, and suggest such things as are diametrically contrary to the Divine: hence it is that man knows nothing concerning eternal life; wherefore there must necessarily be a revelation to communicate such knowledge.

That the evils of the love of self and of the world induce such ignorance concerning the things which relate to eternal life, appears manifestly from many within the church, who, although they know from revelation that there is a god, that there is a heaven and a hell, that there is eternal life, and that that life is to be acquired by means of the good of love and faith, still lapse into denial concerning those subjects, as well the learned as the unlearned. Hence it is further evident how great ignorance would prevail, if there were no revelation.

Since therefore man lives after death, and then lives to eternity, and a life awaits him according to his love and faith, it: follows that the Divine, out of love towards the human race, has revealed such things as may lead to that life, and conduce to man's salvation. What the Divine has revealed, is with us the Word.

The Word, for as much as it is a revelation from the Divine, is divine in all and every particular part; for what is from the Divine cannot be otherwise. What is from the Divine descends through the heavens even to man, wherefore in the heavens it is accommodated to the wisdom of the angels who are there, and on earth it is accommodated to the apprehension of the men who are there: wherefore in the Word there is an internal sense, which is spiritual, for the angels, and an external sense, which is natural, for men: hence it is that the conjunction of heaven with man, is effected by means of the Word.

No others understand the genuine sense of the Word but they who are enlightened; and they only are enlightened who are in love to, and faith in, the lord ; for their interiors are elevated by the lord into the light of heaven.

The Word in the letter cannot be understood, but by means of doctrine drawn from the Word by one who is enlightened; for the literal sense thereof is accommodated to the apprehension even of simple men, wherefore doctrine drawn from the Word must serve them for a lamp. NJHD 249—254.

Verse 1. In the beginning. The beginning is called the most ancient time; by the prophets throughout, the day of antiquity, and also the day of eternity. The beginning also involves the first time, when man is regenerating, for on this occasion he is born anew and receives life; regeneration itself is hence called the new creation of man. AC 16.

Every state before man is instructed, is a commencement [initium] and when he begins to be instructed, it is a beginning [principium.] AC 1560.

Verses 1—14. In the beginning was the Word, &c. Few know what is here meant by the Word; that the lord is meant, is manifest from singular the expressions here used: But the internal sense teaches, that the lord as to the Divine Human is meant by the Word; for it is said, "that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we saw his glory:" And inasmuch as the Divine Human is meant by the Word, every truth is also meant which is concerning him, and from him, in his kingdom in the heavens, and in his church on the earths; hence it is said, that "in him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shines in darkness:" and since truth is meant by the Word, by the Word is meant all revelation, thus likewise the Word itself, or Holy Scripture. AC 2894.

Divine truth is called the Word, and the Word is the lord, by reason that the lord was divine truth itself when he was in the world, and afterwards, when he was glorified, he was made divine good, in which case all divine truth proceeds from him; this divine truth is light to the angels, which light also it is that enlightens our internal sight, which is the understanding; this sight, inasmuch as it does not see natural things but spiritual, has for its objects truth, in the understanding spiritual truths, which are called the truths of faith, but in the natural principle it has for its objects truths of civil life, which relate to what is just, and likewise truths of moral life, which relate to what is honest, and lastly natural truths, which are conclusions from the objects of the external senses, especially of the sight. From these considerations it may be seen, in what order truths follow each other, and that all and singular of them derive their origin from divine truths, which are the internal principles [or beginnings] of all things, their forms also hence derived their origin, for they were created to receive and contain: Hence it may be manifest what is meant by all things being created by the Word, for divine truth is the veriest essential [principle] and is the only substantial [principle] by which are all things. AC 8861.

The Word is divine truth, which has been revealed to men, and because this could not have been revealed except by jehovah as a man, that is, except by jehovah in a human form, thus by the lord, therefore it is said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word;" in the church it is a known thing that by the Word is meant the lord, because this is expressly said, "The Word was made flesh," &c. AC 9315.

He who understands the above words, "In the beginning was the Word," &c. as to their interior sense, and at the same time compares them with what is written in the doctrine of the new jerusalem concerning the sacred scripture, and also with some things contained in the doctrine of the new jerusalem concerning the lord, may see that thereby is understood the very divine truth itself in the Word which had before been in this world, also which is in the Word which we have at this day, but not the Word viewed in the expressions and letters of languages, but viewed in its essence and life, which essence and life from the inmost principle are in the senses of its expressions and letters; in consequence of this essential life, the Word vivifies the affections of the will of man, who reads it under a holy influence, and from the light of that life enlightens the thoughts of his understanding, wherefore it is said, "in the Word was life, and the life was the light of men;" this the Word does, because the Word is from the lord, and treats concerning the lord, and thus is the lord : every thought, speech and writing, derives its essence and life from him who thinks, speaks, and writes, the whole man with his quality being in those things but in the Word is the lord alone. AR 200.

From these words, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god," &c. it is evident, that the lord is from eternity god, and that he is that lord, who was born in the world, for it is said, the Word was with God, and God was the Word; also that without him was not any thing made which was made; and afterwards that the Word was made flesh, and they saw him. That the lord is called the Word is little understood in the church; but he is called the Word, because the Word signifies divine truth or divine wisdom, and the lord is divine truth itself or divine wisdom itself, wherefore also it is called light. Inasmuch as divine love and divine wisdom make one, and in the lord have been one from eternity, therefore also it is said, in him was life, and the life was the light of men; life is divine love, and light is divine wisdom. This one is what is meant by "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word;" with God denotes in god, for wisdom is in love, and love in wisdom; in like manner in another passage in John, "Glorify me, you father, with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was," John 17:5; where with yourself denotes in yourself; wherefore also it is said, and God was the Word; and in another place, that the lord is in the Father, and the Father in him; also that the Father and he are one. Now whereas the Word is the divine wisdom of the divine love, it follows that it is jehovah himself, thus the lord, by whom all things were made which are made, for from the divine love by the divine wisdom all things were created.

That it is the same Word, which was manifested by Moses and the prophets, and by the evangelists, which is here specifically understood, may manifestly appear from this consideration, that it is the divine truth itself, from which the angels have all wisdom, and men spiritual intelligence; for it is this same Word which is with men in the world, and also with the angels in the heavens; but in the world with men it is natural, whereas in the heavens it is spiritual. And inasmuch as it is the divine truth, it is also the divine proceeding, and this not only is from the lord, but also is the lord himself. Inasmuch as it is the lord himself, therefore all and singular the things of the Word are written concerning him alone; from Isaiah even to Malachi, there is not a single expression which does not treat of the lord, or in the opposite sense, of what is contrary to the lord. That this is the case, no one has heretofore seen, but still every one may see it, if he only knows it, and whilst he reads, thinks it, and moreover knows, that in the Word there is not only a natural sense, but also a spiritual sense, and that in this latter sense by the names of persons and of places is signified somewhat of the lord, and hence somewhat of heaven and the church from him, or something opposite. Inasmuch as all and singular the things of the Word are concerning the lord, and the Word is the lord, because it is divine truth, it is evident why it is said, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us, and we saw his glory:" Also why it is said, "Whilst you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be the sons of the light: I am come a light into the world; he who believes in me, does not abide in darkness;" light is divine truth, thus the Word. On this account every one, even at this day who goes to the Lord alone, whilst he reads the Word, and prays to him, is enlightened in it. LORD 1, 2.

In the original tongue, words denote things; and the reason is, because words in the internal sense signify truths of doctrine, wherefore all divine truth in general is called the Word, and the lord himself is so called in the supreme sense, because all divine truth is from him; a further reason is, because nothing which exists in the universe is any thing, that is, is a thing, unless it be from the divine good by divine truth, as is evident from John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word; all things were made by him," &c. AC 5075.

Such power has divine truth, which proceeds from divine good, that by it were created all things in the universe; the Word signifies that truth in John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word; all things were made by him;" hence it is that miracles were done by Moses, for Moses represents divine truth. It is believed by the generality that the Word or divine truth is only speech from jehovah, and a command to do so and so, and nothing more; whereas it is the very essential principle from which and by which are all things. AC 7678.

The Word was made flesh, &c. That by fulfilling all things of the Word, the lord was made divine truth or the Word even in ultimates, is meant by these expressions in John, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth;" to be made flesh is to be made the Word in ultimates. What his quality was as the Word in ultimates, he showed to his disciples when he was transfigured, Matt 17:2, and following verses; Mark 9:2, and following verses; Luke 9:28, and following verses; and it is there said, that Moses and Elias were seen in glory; by Moses and Elias is meant the Word. The lord is also described as the Word in ultimates by John in the Apocalypse, Rev 1:13-16; where all parts of that description of him signify the ultimates of divine truth or of the Word. The lord had heretofore indeed been the Word, but in first principles; for it is said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word: the same was in the beginning with god ;" but when the Word was made flesh, then the lord was made the Word also in ultimates: from this circumstance it is, that he is called the First and the Last, Rev 1:8, 11, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:12, 13. By this circumstance of the lord being made the Word in ultimates, the state of the church was altogether changed; for all the churches, which were before his coming, were representative churches, which could not see divine truth except in the shade; but after the coming of the lord into the world, a church was established by him, which saw divine truth in the light: the difference is such as between evening and morning; the state of the church before his coming is also called evening, and the state of the church after his coming is called morning. The lord, before his coming into the world, was indeed present with the men of the church, but mediately by [or through] heaven, but after his coming into the world he is present with the men of the church immediately: for in the world he put on also the Divine Natural [principle] in which he is present with men: the glorification of the lord is the glorification of his Human [principle] which he assumed in the world; and the glorified Human [principle] of the lord is the Divine Natural [principle.] How the lord is the Word, is understood by few, for they think that the lord can indeed enlighten and teach man by the Word, and yet that he cannot hence be called the Word: but let them know, that every man is his own love, and thence his own good and his own truth, man not being a man from any other source, and nothing else belonging to him being man. From this consideration that man is his own good and his own truth, angels and spirits are also men; for every good and truth proceeding from the Lord is in its form a man; but the lord is divine good itself and divine truth itself; thus he is the Man himself, from whom every man is a man. That every divine good and divine truth is in its form a man, may be seen in the work concerning heaven and hell, HH 460. Doct. concerning the Sacred Scripture, HH 98, 99, 100. See also True Christian Religion, TCR 261, 262, 263, 777. See also AE 850.

When man is conceived anew, he then first begins to know that his goods are not goods; and when he comes more to the light, he begins to know further, that the lord is good itself and truth itself. That the lord is good itself, or life, and truth itself, or light, and thus that there is no good and truth but from the lord, is also taught in John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word; in him was life, and the life was the light of men; he was the true light, which enlightens every man that comes into the world." AC 20.

That the lord is the Word, he teaches in John in these words, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with god, and god was the Word: and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us." Inasmuch as this passage has been understood in no other way than to mean, that god taught man by the Word; therefore it has been explained by an expression of elevation, which involves that the lord is not the Word itself: the reason is, because it was not known, that by the Word is meant the divine truth of the divine good, or, what is the same thing, the divine wisdom of the divine love; that these principles are the lord himself, was shown in the treatise concerning the divine love and the divine wisdom, and that they are the Word, in the doctrine of the new jerusalem concerning the sacred scripture, SS 1 to 86. In what manner the lord is the divine truth of the divine good, shall here also be briefly shown: every man is not a man from his face and body, but from the good of his love, and from the truths of his wisdom; and whereas man is a man from these principles, every man likewise is his own truth and his own good, or his own love and his own wisdom, and without these he is not a man: but the lord is good itself and truth itself, or, what is the same thing, love itself and wisdom itself; and these are the Word, which in the beginning was with god, and which was god, and which was made flesh. Divine Providence, DP 172.

When the lord was in the world, and glorified his Human [principle] he first made it divine truth, and by degrees divine good of the divine love; and afterwards from the divine good of the divine love, he is operative in heaven and in the world, and gives them life, which is effected by the divine truth proceeding from the divine good of the divine love of his Divine Human [principle] for from it the heavens have existed, and from it they perpetually exist, that is, subsist. Such things are involved also in these words in John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word. All things were made by him," &c.; the Word is divine truth; the first state is described by the expressions, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word;" the second state is described, by all things being made by him. AC 10076.

That god is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, by the wisdom of his love, is also meant by these words in John, "In the beginning was the Word," &c. to verse 14; by the Word is there meant the divine truth, or what amounts to the same, the divine wisdom, wherefore also it is called life and light, and life and light are nothing else than wisdom. TCR 50.

Scarcely any one knows at this day that there is any power in truth, for it is supposed that it is only a word spoken by some one who is in power, which on that account must be done, consequently the truth is only as breathing from the mouth, and as sound in the ear; when yet truth and good are the principles of all things in both worlds, the spiritual and the natural, by which principles the universe was created, and by which the universe is preserved; and likewise by which man was made; wherefore those two principles are all in all. That the universe was created by divine truth is plainly said in John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god ; all things were made by him; and in David, "By the Word of jehovah were the heavens made," Psalm 33:6; by the Word in both cases is meant the divine truth. Inasmuch as the universe was created by divine truth, therefore also the universe is preserved by it; for as subsistence is perpetual existence, so preservation is perpetual creation. The reason why man was made by the divine truth is, because all things of man have reference to understanding and will, and the understanding is the receptacle of divine truth, and the will of divine good; consequently the human mind, which consists of those two principles, is nothing else but a form of divine truth and divine good spiritually and naturally organized. From these considerations, it may now be manifest for what cause god as the Word came into the world, and was made Man, namely that this was for the sake of redemption; for on this occasion god by the Human [principle] which was divine truth, put on all power, and cast down, subdued, and reduced under his obedience the hells, which had grown up even to the heavens where angels were, and this not by an oral word, but by the Divine Word, which is divine truth; and afterwards he fixed a great gulf between the hells and the heavens, which none from hell can pass over. From these considerations, it may be manifest that the power of divine truth is ineffable; and since the Word, which is in the Christian church, is the continent of divine truth in its three degrees, it is evident that this is what is understood in John 1:3, 10. TCR 224. See also the "Treatise on Heaven and Hell," HH 137.

That creation in the Word signifies the reformation and establishment of the church, which is effected by the divine truth proceeding from the lord, is evident from the words in John 1:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 14. By the Word is there understood the lord as to divine truth; that all things were created by it, is understood by all things being made by him, and without him was not any thing made which was made, and by the world being made by him; inasmuch as by the Word is meant the lord as to divine truth, therefore it is said, in him was life, and the life was the light of men, that was the true light; light signifies divine truth, and life all intelligence and wisdom from the divine truth, for this constitutes the essential life of man, and also according to it is life eternal; the presence of the lord with every one with his divine truth, from which is life and light, is understood "by the light shining in darkness, and enlightening every man that comes into the world; but that they, who are in the falses of evil, do not perceive, thus do not receive it, is meant by the darkness not comprehending, and by the world not knowing him, darkness signifying the falses of evil. That it is the lord as to the Divine Human [principle], who is here understood by the Word, is very evident; for it is said, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we saw his glory;" glory also signifies divine truth. Hence also it is evident that to make or to create, in the above passage, signifies to make man new or to reform; for in the above passage, in like manner as in the book of creation, mention is immediately made of light, by which is signified the divine truth proceeding, whereby all are reformed. AE 294.

"In him was life," &c, The divine sphere which proceeds from the lord, and which is called divine truth, is universal, and, as was said, fills the universal heaven, and constitutes the all of life therein; it appears there before the eyes as light, which not only illuminates the sight, but also the mind; it is the same sphere likewise which constitutes the understanding belonging to man: this is meant by these words in John, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men; this was the true light, which illuminates every man that comes into the world, and the world was made by him;" the subject treated of in this passage is concerning divine truth, which is called the Word, and that divine truth or the Word is the lord himself. This light, which is divine truth proceeding from the lord, was described amongst the ancients by radiant circles of a golden colour around the head and body of god represented as a man; for the ancients perceived god no otherwise than under a human form. When man is in good, and from good in truths, then he is elevated into that divine light, and more interiorly according to the quality and quantity of good. AC 9407.

By life in the above passage is meant the divine love of the lord, and by light his divine wisdom. See the "Divine Love and Wisdom," DLW 38. See also AE 151.

Verse 5. And the light shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. The light in this passage is divine truth; and whereas men, from being internal men, were become so external or natural, that they no longer acknowledged divine truth, thus neither the lord, therefore it is said, that the darkness did not comprehend the light, and that the world did not acknowledge him. AE 151.

Darkness in the above passage denotes falsities within the church: falsities out of the church are also called darkness, but such as may be illuminated, concerning which it is thus written in Matthew, "The people sitting in darkness have seen a great light, and to them who have sat in the region and shadow of death, light has arisen," Matt 4:16, where darkness denotes the falses of ignorance, such as is the darkness of the Gentiles; and in John, "This is the judgement, that light is come into the world, but men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil," John 3:19, where light denotes truths, and darkness falses; and where light denotes the lord, because from him is all truth, and darkness denotes the hells, because thence comes all that is false. AC 1839.

Verse 6. There was a man sent from god, whose name was John. In the Word there are several who represent the lord as to truth divine, or as to the Word; but the principal amongst them are Moses, Elias, Elisha, and John the Baptist; that John the Baptist has this representation, is manifest from this consideration, that he is "the Elias who was to come." He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things involve and signify, which are said concerning him in the New Testament. We will here quote and explain some passages which are written concerning John the Baptist, as in Matthew, "After that the messengers of John departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, what went you out into the wilderness to see, a reed shaken by the wind? but what went you out to see, a man clothed in soft clothing? behold they who wear soft things are in kings' houses: but what went you out to see, a prophet? yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet; this is he of whom it is written, behold I send my messenger before your face who shall prepare your way before you; verily I say to you, there has not arisen, among them that are born of women, a greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to receive [it] this is Elias which was for to come: he that has ears to hear let him hear," Matt 11:7-15, and Luke 7:24-28: how these things are to be understood, no one can know, unless he knows that John represented the lord as to the Word, and unless he knows on this occasion from the internal sense, what is signified by the wilderness in which he was; also what by a reed shaken with the wind, and likewise by soft clothing in the houses of kings; and next what is signified by his being more than a prophet, and by none amongst those that are born of women being greater than he, and yet the least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he; and lastly by his being Elias: for all these things without a deeper sense, are mere sounds grounded in some kind of comparison, and not grounded in any thing of any weight: but it is altogether otherwise when by John is meant the lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively; in this case by the wilderness of Judea, in which John was, is signified the state in which the Word was at that time, when the lord came into the world, namely that it was in the wilderness, that is, in such obscurity, that the lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was any thing known concerning his heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied concerning him, and concerning his kingdom, that it was to endure for ever: that a wilderness denotes such obscurity, see AC 2708; the Word therefore is compared to a reed shaken by the wind, when it is explained at pleasure, for a reed in the internal sense is truth in the ultimate, such as the Word is in the letter: that the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, before the view of men is as somewhat rude and obscure, but in the internal sense is soft and shining, is signified by their not seeing a man clothed in soft clothing, behold they who wear soft things are in kings' houses; that such things are signified by these words, is evident from the signification of of clothing or garments, as denoting truths, see AC 2132, 2576; and that on this account the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths derived from good belonging to them, AC 5248; also from the signification of the houses of kings, as denoting the abodes where the angels are, and in the universal sense the heavens, for they are called houses from good, AC 2233, 2234, and kings from truth, AC 1672; therefore the angels are called the sons of the kingdom, the sons of a king, and also kings, from the reception of truth from the lord. That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by what went you out to see, a prophet, yea I say to you and more than a prophet, and that there has not arisen amongst those that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist, for a prophet in the internal sense is doctrine, AC 2534, 7269, and they that are born, or the sons of women, are truths, AC 489, 491, 533.

That the Word in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by the least in the kingdom of the heavens being greater than he; for the Word perceived in heaven is of such wisdom, that it transcends all human apprehension: that the prophesies concerning the lord and concerning his kingdom, and the representatives of the lord and of his kingdom ceased, when the lord came into the world, is signified by all the prophets and the law, prophesying until John: that the Word was represented by John as by Elias, is signified by his being Elias who was to come; also by these words in Matthew, "The disciples asked Jesus, why do the scribes say, that Elias must first come? He answering said, Elias indeed shall first come, and restore all things; I say to you, that Elias has already come, and they did not acknowledge him, but did to him whatever they willed: so likewise shall the Son of Man suffer of them: and they understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptist," Matt 17:10, 13; that Elias came, and they did not acknowledge him, but did to him whatever they willed, signifies that the Word indeed taught them that the lord was to come, but that still they were not willing to comprehend, interpreting it in favour of self dominion, and thereby extinguishing the Divine principle which was in it: that they were about to do the like with Truth Divine itself, is signified by likewise so shall the Son of Man suffer of them; that the Son of Man is the lord as to truth Divine, see AC 2803, 2813, 3704. From these considerations it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy concerning John in Malachi, "Behold, I send to you Elias the prophet, before the great and terrible day of jehovah comes," Mal 4:5.

The Word is also described in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form which appears before man in the world, by the clothing and by the food of John the Baptist, as in Matthew, "John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea had clothing of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey," Matt 3:1, 3, 4: in like manner as Elias in the second book of Kings, where it is written, "that he was a hairy man, and girded about the loins with a girdle of leather," 1, 8; by clothing or a garment, when concerning the Word, is signified Truth Divine therein in the ultimate form; by the hairs of a camel are signified scientific truths such as are there before man in the world; by a leathern girdle is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all interior things; by food is signified spiritual nourishment derived from the knowledges of truth and good from the Word; by locusts are signified ultimate or most common truths; and by wild honey their pleasantness: the reason why such things are signified by clothing and food, is grounded in representatives in the other life; where all appear clothed according to truths derived from good, and where food also is represented according to the desire of knowing and growing wise; from this ground it is that clothing or a garment denotes truth, see the quotations above; and that food or meat denotes spiritual nourishment, AC 3114, 4459; that a girdle denotes a bond, gathering together and containing interior things, see AC 9341; that leather denotes what is external, see AC 3540, thus a leathern girdle denotes an external bond; that hairs denote ultimate or most common truths, AC 3301, 5569 to 5573; that a camel denotes the scientific principle in general, AC 3048, 3071; that a locust denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, AC 3301; and that honey denotes its pleasantness, AC 5620; it is called wild honey [mel agreste, or honey of the field] because by a field is signified the church, AC 2971, 3317. He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot in any wise know why Elias and John were so clothed; that those things signified something peculiar to those prophets, every one may think, who thinks well of the Word. Inasmuch as John the Baptist represented the lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke concerning the lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was not Elias, nor a prophet, and that he was not worthy to loose the latchet of the lord's shoe; from which words it is evident that John, when he spoke concerning the lord himself, who was Truth Divine itself or the Word, said that he was not any thing, inasmuch as the shade disappears when the light itself appears, or the representative disappears when the effigy itself appears; that representatives had respect to holy things and to the lord himself, and not at all to the person who represented, see AC 665, 1097, 1361. He who does not know that representatives vanish away like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and a prophet. AC 9372.

Verses 7, 8. He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, &c. Light signifies the divine truth; wherefore the lord is called the true light which illuminates every man, and to bear witness concerning the light signifies the acknowledgement of his Divine Human [principle] from which divine truth proceeds. This witness is in divine truth universally as may be manifest from this consideration, that the angels of the interior heaven cannot think otherwise of the Divine [Being] than under a human form, thus of the Divine Human [principle], by reason that the Divine Human [principle] of the lord fills the universal heaven, and forms it, and the thoughts of the angels are directed and now according to the form of heaven. Hence it is that the testimony [or witness] of jesus christ signifies the acknowledgement of the divinity of the lord in his Humanity. AE 27.

Verse 9. That was the true light, which enlightens every man that comes into the world. The divine truth, which is from the lord, continually flows in with man, and makes his intellectual principle; and if you are disposed to believe it, man, without the continual influx of truth divine proceeding from the lord, cannot perceive and understand any thing at all: for the divine truth proceeding from the lord is the light which illuminates the mind of man, and makes the internal sight, which is the understanding; and whereas that light continually flows in, therefore it adapts every one to receive; but they who receive, are they who are in the good of life; and they who do not receive, are they who are in evil of life; nevertheless these latter, as well as the former, are in the faculty of perceiving and understanding, and likewise in the faculty of receiving, so far as they desist from evils. This is what is meant by these words in John, "That was the true light, which enlightens every man that comes into the world: he was in the world, and the world was made by him: but the world knew him not." The subject treated of in this passage is concerning the Word, which is the divine truth proceeding from the lord. That every man in the world, who is of sound reason, is in the faculty of understanding truth divine, and hence in the faculty of receiving, so far as he desists from evils, has been given me to know by much experience; for all both evil and good, as many as are in the other life, are capable of understanding what is true and what is false, also what is good and what is evil, but they who are evil, although they understand what is true and good, are still not willing to understand; for the will is repugnant, and in the will is evil; wherefore when they are left to themselves, they still relapse into the falses of their own evil, and hold in aversion what is true and good, which they understood: hence it was made evident, that the divine truth proceeding from the lord continually flows in into human minds, and adapts them to receive, and that it is so far received as man desists from the evils which are of self-love and the love of the world. AC 9399; see also AC 10196.

Verse 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, &c. None can form a just idea concerning the creation of the universe, unless the understanding be brought into a state of perception by certain universal knowledges first premised, such as the following:

That there are two worlds, a spiritual world for angels and spirits, and a natural world for men.
That in each world there is a sun, and that the sun of the spiritual world is pure love from jehovah god, who is in the midst of it; and that from that sun proceed heat and light, the heat thence proceeding being in its essence love, and the light thence proceeding being in its essence wisdom; and these two affect the will and understanding of man, the heat his will, and the light his understanding: but that the sun of the natural world is pure fire, and therefore that the heat and light thence proceeding are dead, and that they serve as clothing and aids to spiritual heat and light, by which they may be conveyed to man.
Further, that the heat and light proceeding from the sun of the spiritual world, and consequently whatever exists by their means in that world, are substantial, and are called spiritual; and that the heat and light proceeding from the sun of the natural world, and consequently whatever exists therein by their means, are material, and are called natural.
That in each world there are three degrees, which are called degrees of altitude, and consequently three regions, according to which the three angelic heavens are arranged; and that there is a similar arrangement in human minds, which thus correspond with the three angelic heavens; and that other things in each world have a like arrangement.
That there is a correspondence between the things that exist in the spiritual world, and those that exist in the natural world.
That there is an order, in and according to which all and every thing in both worlds was created.
That unless a just idea on these subjects be first obtained, the human mind may, by mere ignorance, be easily betrayed into an idea of the creation of the universe by nature, and allow nature to be created by god only in compliance with the authority of the church; but because it knows not how this was effected, if it enters upon a deeper investigation of the subject, it falls into naturalism, which denies the being of a god. TCR 75.

The angelic idea concerning the universe created from the lord is as follows, that god is the centre, and that he is a man, and that unless god was a man, creation would not have been possible, and that the lord from eternity is that god. Concerning creation they said, that the lord from eternity, or god by his divine proceeding (principle), created the universe, and all things therein, and since the divine proceeding (principle) is also life itself, that all things were created from life and by life; and that the proximate divine proceeding (principle) is what appears before the angels as a sun; that this sun before their eyes appears fiery and flaming; and that the divine proceeding (principle) is divine love and divine wisdom, of which such is the appearance afar off; they added, that that divine proceeding (principle) is what the ancients effigied by golden or lucid pure circles around the head of god, and which modern painters still retain from the ancient idea. They said that from that sun as a great centre, proceed circles, one after another, and one from another, even to the last, where their end is, subsisting in rest; and that those circles, of which one is from another, and one after another, appearing as extended into what is broad and into what is long, are spiritual atmospheres, which the light and heat from their sun fill, and by which they propagate themselves to the ultimate circle; and that in the last, by means of those atmospheres, and afterwards by means of the natural atmospheres which are from the sun of the world, was effected the creation of the earth, and on it of all things which are for use, which creation is afterwards continued by generations from seeds, in wombs or in eggs. Those angels who knew that the universe so created was a continuous work from the Creator even to ultimates, and that, as being a continuous work, it depended upon, and was actuated and governed as one work linked together by, the lord, who is a common centre, said, that the first proceeding (principle) was continued even to ultimates by discrete degrees, altogether as an end by causes into effects; or as something producing and its products in a continued series, and that the continuation was not only in, but also around, from the first (principle), and thence from every prior (principle) into every posterior one even to the postreme, and that thus the first (principle), and from it the posterior (principles) co-exist in their order in the postreme or last. From this continuity, as a one, they have an idea concerning the lord, that he is all in all, that he is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, that he is infinite and eternal; and also an idea what the order is, according to which the lord, by his divine love and his divine wisdom, arranges, provides, and governs all things.

It was asked, whence then is hell? They said, from the freedom of man, without which man would not be man; that man, from that freedom broke continuity in himself, which being broken separation was effected, and the continuity, which from creation was in him, became as a chain, or a linked work, which falls to pieces through the breaking and plucking to pieces of the links above, and afterwards hangs from small threads. Separation or breach was effected, and is effected by denial of god. DLW 127.

Verse 11. He came to his own, &c. By his own are meant those who were at that time of the church, where the Word was. Doc. of the lord, 18.

By his own who did not receive, are meant those who were of the church where the Word was, by which the lord could be known to them, wherefore they who were of the Jewish church are here meant by his own. AE 745.

Verses 12 to 14. But as many as received him, to them gave he power, &c. That faith, whether it be called confidence, or trust, has no effect with the evil, the lord himself teaches in these words in John, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of god, believing in his name; who were born not of bloods, nor of "the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of god ;" where the born of bloods denote those who do violence to charity, also who profane truth; the born of the will of the flesh, denote those who are in evils derived from the love of self and of the world; the born of the will of man, denote those who are in the persuasions of what is false, for man [vir] signifies truth, and in the opposite sense what is false; the born of god, denote those who are regenerated by the lord, and are thence in good; these latter are they who receive the lord, and these latter are they who believe in his name, and these.are they to whom he gives power to become the sons of god, but not to the former; from which considerations it is evident how little faith alone contributes to salvation. AC 5826. See also AE 745, 802, and Doc. of Life, 17.

The will of the flesh denotes the voluntary proprium, the will of man denotes the intellectual proprium, the sons of God denote the regenerate, and they who are regenerated are all vivified from the lord's proprium, which is the flesh and body of the lord, and is divine good itself. AC 8409.

Inasmuch as the principle of what is false, which results from the intellectual proprium of man, in the internal sense is blood, and the principle of evil, which is from his voluntary proprium, is flesh, therefore the lord thus speaks of the man about to be regenerated, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of god, believing in his name, who were born not of bloods, nor of. the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of god ;" hence it is that by flesh in general is meant every man. AC 3813. See also AC 9454, 10283; see also Doc. of the lord, 18.

To them that believe on his name. That the lord gave to these the power to become the sons of God, signifies that he has given heaven to those who have received from him divine truths in soul and heart, or in faith and life: by believing in his name is signified to receive the lord in faith and life; for by the name of the lord is signified all by which he is worshiped. AE 745. See also AC 6674, where it is further shown what is meant by asking the father in the name of the lord, that it means to ask the lord himself, inasmuch as there is no admission to the divine good, which is the father, except by the Divine Human [principle] of the lord, as is likewise known in the churches; wherefore to ask the lord himself is according to the truths of faith, and whatever is asked according to those truths, is given; from which considerations it is evident that the lord, as to the Divine Human [principle] is the name of jehovah.

Born of God, are they who are principled in love, and thence in faith. AC 2531.

That divine truth proceeds from the Divine Human [principle] of the lord, but not from the Divine itself, is an arcanum hitherto not discovered; the case herein is this, before the lord came into the world, the Divine [principle] itself flowed-in into the universal heaven, and because heaven at that time consisted for the most part of the celestial, that is, of those who were in the good of love by that influx, by the Divine Omnipotence, was produced the light which is in the heavens, and thence wisdom and intelligence; but after the human race had removed themselves from the good of love and charity, then that light could no longer be produced by [or through] heaven, consequently no wisdom and intelligence could be produced, which might penetrate even to the human race; wherefore the necessity of salvation required that the lord should come into the world, and make the Human [principle] in himself divine, to the intent that he himself, as to the Divine Human [principle] might become divine light, and thereby might illuminate the universal heaven, and the universal world: he had been the light itself from eternity, for that light is from the Divine [principle] itself by [or through] heaven; and the Divine [principle] itself was what assumed the Human, and made this Divine, and when this was made Divine, then from it he could not only illuminate the celestial heaven itself, but also the spiritual heaven, and likewise the human race, which has received and receives divine truth in good, that is, in love to him, and in charity towards the neighbour, as is evident in John, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of god, believing in his name, who were born not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of god." From what has been now said, it may be manifest what is signified by these words in John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and god was the Word; the same was in the beginning with god : all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made which was made: in him was life, and the light was the life of men: this was the true light, which illuminates every man that comes into the world." In this passage the Word signifies divine truth: but that the lord as to each essence is divine good, yet that divine truth proceeds from him, see AC 3704; for divine good cannot be received by man, not even by an angel, but divine truth can be received, yet of a quality according to that of a man who receives, in which truth divine good can dwell, with a difference according to reception. AC 4180. See also AC 1608, where it is shown that the will of the flesh and will of man are what disjoin, but that love and the faith thence derived are what conjoin; wherefore they, who are principled in love and the faith thence derived, are they who are born of God; and because they are born of God, they are called sons of God, and are his seed, to whom appertains the heavenly kingdom.

They are called sons of God, and said to be born of God, who are not in the proprium of their own will, and thence not in the proprium of their own understanding, that is, who are not in evil, and thence in the false, and that these are they who believe in the lord, he himself teaches in John 1:12, 13. The conclusion is, that with man there is not a grain of truth given more than good is given, thus not a grain of faith more than life is given: there is given indeed the thought that it is so in the understanding, but not the acknowledgement which is faith, unless there be given consent in the will. Thus faith and life keep pace together. Doc. of Life, 51, 52.

In heaven no other nativity or birth is understood than what is called regeneration, which is effected by the truth of faith and the good of charity; by this nativity from sons of men they become sons of the lord, or those who are said to be born of God, John 1:13. According to the varieties of good derived from truth, and of truth derived from good in that nativity, are fraternities or consanguinities and affinities in heaven; for in heaven there are perpetual varieties, but the varieties are arranged by the lord so as to have reference to families, in which are brothers, sisters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandsons, grand-daughters, and so forth; nevertheless in general all are arranged into such a form, that together they make one; like the varieties in the human body, where no member is absolutely like another, nor one part in any member; still however all those various parts are arranged into such a form, that they act as one, and each concurs nearly or remotely to the action of the other. AC 5598.

Verse 14. And the Word was made flesh. That the lord in the world fulfilled all things of the Word, and that by so doing he was made divine truth, or the Word even in ultimates, is understood by these words in John, And the Word was made flesh, &c. where, to be made flesh denotes to be made the Word in ultimates. What the quality of the lord was as to the Word in ultimates, he showed to his disciples when he was transfigured, Matt 17:2, and following verses; and it is there said, that Moses and Elias were seen in glory; for by Moses is meant the Word, which was written by him, and in general the historical Word, and by Elias the prophetical Word. The lord, as the Word in ultimates, was also represented before John in the Apocalypse, Rev 1:13-16, where all things of the description of him signify the ultimates of divine truth or of the Word. The lord indeed had before been the Word, or divine truth, but in first principles, for it is said, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and god was the word; but when the Word was made flesh, then the lord was made the Word also in ultimates; it is from this circumstance that he is called the First and the Last,

A. C.	Arcana Coelestia.
Ap. Exp. or A. E.	Apocalypse Explained.
Ap. Rev. or A. R.	Apocalypse Revealed.
T. C. R.	True Christian Religion.
H. H.	Treatise concerning Heaven and Hell.
N. J. H. or Heav. Doct.	Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem.
D. L. W.	Angelic Wisdom concerning Divine Love and Wisdom.
D. P.	Angelic Wisdom concerning Divine Providence.
L. J.	Last Judgment, or Babylon Destroyed.
D. L.	Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord
S. S.	Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture.
Doct. Life.	Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem.
D. F.	Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Faith.
C. L.	Delights of Wisdom concerning Conjugial Love, &c.
Inf.	Treatise concerning Influx.