L 8. At the present day many persons believe that when it is said of the Lord that He fulfilled the law, the meaning is that He fulfilled all the commandments of the decalogue, and thus became righteousness, and also justified the men of this world through this matter of faith. This however is not the meaning. The meaning is that the Lord fulfilled all things written concerning Himself in the Law and the Prophets, that is, in universal Holy Scripture, because this treats solely of Him, as has been said in the foregoing article. The reason why many have believed differently, is that they have not searched the Scriptures and seen what is there meant by "the Law." The Law there means, in a restricted sense, the ten commandments of the decalogue; in a wider sense, all things written by Moses in the five books; and in the widest sense, all things of the Word. It is well known that By the Law in a restricted sense are meant the ten commandments of the decalogue.

L 9. That by the Law in a wider sense are meant all things written by Moses in his five books, is evident from the following passages. In Luke:--

In John:--

In Matthew:--

In Luke:--

In Matthew:--

In these passages, "Moses and the Prophets," and "the Law and the Prophets," mean all things that have been written in the books of Moses and in the books of the prophets. That "the Law" specifically means all things that have been written by Moses, is further evident from the following passages. In Luke:--

In John:--

From these passages it appears that where such things are spoken of as are written in the books of Moses, they are sometimes called "the Law," and sometimes "Moses." (So also in Matt. 8:4; Mark 10:2-4; 12:19; Luke 20:28, 37; John 3:14; 7:19, 51; 8:17; 19:7.) Many things that were commanded also, are called by Moses "the Law," as: Concerning the burnt-offerings (Lev. 6:9; 7:37). Concerning the sacrifices (Lev. 6:25; 7:1-11). Concerning the meat-offering (Lev. 6:14). Concerning leprosy (Lev. 14:2). Concerning jealousy (Num. 5:29, 30). Concerning the Naziriteship (Num. 6:13, 21). And Moses himself calls his books "the Law:"-- Moses wrote this Law, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; and he said to them, Take the Book of this Law, and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah (Deut. 31:9, 11, 26). It was placed at the side, because within the ark were the tables of stone, which in a restricted sense are the Law. Afterwards the books of Moses are called "The Book of the Law":--

L 10. That by "the Law," in the widest sense, are meant all things of the Word, is evident from these passages:--

(This is written in Ps. 82:6.)

(This is written in Ps. 89:29; 110:4; and in Dan. 7:11, 14.) That the word might be fulfilled that is written in their Law, They hated Me without a cause (John 15:25) (This is written in Ps. 35:19.)

(Here "the Law" means all Holy Scripture.)

L 11. That the statement that the Lord fulfilled all things of the Law means that He fulfilled all things of the Word, is evident from passages where it is said that the Scripture was fulfilled by Him, and that all things were consummated: as from the following:--

Besides other places, where passages are adduced from the Prophets, without its being at the same time said that the Law, or the Scripture, was fulfilled. That all the Word has been written about the Lord, and that He came into the world to fulfill it, He also taught His disciples before His departure, in these words:--

That in the world the Lord fulfilled all things of the Word, even to the veriest singulars of it, is evident from these His own words:--

From these passages it may now be clearly seen that by its being said that the Lord fulfilled all things of the law is not meant that He fulfilled all the commandments of the decalogue, but that He fulfilled all things of the Word.

L 12. It is known in the church that the Lord conquered death, by which is meant hell, and that He afterwards ascended in glory into heaven; but as yet it has not been known that it was by means of combats which are temptations that the Lord conquered death or hell, and at the same time by means of them glorified His Human; and that the passion of the cross was the final combat or temptation by means of which He effected this conquest and this glorification. Of these temptations many things are said in the Prophets and in David; but not so many in the Evangelists. In these, the temptations which He endured from childhood are summarily described by His temptations in the wilderness, followed by those from the devil and the last of them by the things He suffered at Gethsemane and on the cross. (Concerning His temptations in the wilderness, and by the devil, see (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1-13.) By these temptations, however, are meant all His temptations even to the last of them. He revealed no more to His disciples concerning them; for it is said in Isaiah:--

Concerning His temptations at Gethsemane, see (Matt. 26:36-44; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46). And concerning the temptations on the cross, see (Matt. 27:33-50; Mark 15:22-37; Luke 23:33-49; John 19:17-34.) Temptations are nothing else than combats against the hells.

L 13. That the Lord fully conquered the hells by the passion of the cross, He Himself teaches in John:--

The Lord said this when the passion of the cross was at hand. The prince of this world is judged (John 16:11).

In Luke:--

The "world," the "prince of the world," "Satan," and "the devil," mean hell. That by the passion of the cross the Lord also fully glorified His Human, He teaches in John:--

In Luke:--

These things are said of the Passion. Glorification is the unition of the Divine and the Human; and therefore it is said, "and God will glorify Him in Himself."

L 14. That the Lord came into the world to reduce into order all things in heaven, and derivatively on earth; that this was effected by means of combats against the hells, which were then infesting every man that came into the world and that went out of the world; and that He thereby became righteousness, and saved men, who otherwise could not have been saved, is foretold in many passages in the Prophets, of which only a few shall be adduced.

[2] In Isaiah:--

These things are said of the Lord’s combats against the hells. The "apparel" in which He was "glorious," and which was "red," means the Word, to which violence had been done by the Jewish people. The actual combat against the hells, and the victory over them, are described by its being said that He "trod them in His anger, and trampled them in His wrath." That He fought alone, and from His own power, is described by, "of the people there was not a man with Me, Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me, I brought down their victory to the earth." That He thereby effected salvation and redemption, is described by, "therefore He was their Saviour; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them." That this was the reason for His advent, is described by, "the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come."

[3] In Isaiah again:--

These words also treat of the Lord‘s combats against the hells while He was in the world. That He fought against them from His own power, is meant by, "He saw that there was not anyone, therefore His own arm brought salvation unto Him." That thereby He became righteousness, is meant by, "His righteousness, it upheld Him, whence He put on righteousness as a coat of mail." That He thus effected redemption, is meant by, "then came the Redeemer to Zion."

[4] In Jeremiah:--

The Lord’s combat with the hells, and His victory over them, are described by its being said that they are dismayed, and that their strong ones being beaten down are fled apace, and looked not back. Their "strong ones," and "enemies," are the hells, for all there feel hatred against the Lord. His advent into the world for this purpose is meant by, "that day is to the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth a day of vengeance, that He may take vengeance of His enemies."

[5] In Jeremiah:--

In Joel:--

In Zephaniah:--

In Zechariah:--

These passages also treat of the Lord’s combats. "That day" means His advent. The Mount of Olives that was before the faces of Jerusalem, was where the Lord was wont to tarry. (Mark 13:3; 14:26; Luke 21:37; 22:39; John 8:1)

[6] In David:--

The "cords" and "snares of death" that encompassed and forestalled, signify temptations, which, being from hell, are called also "the cords of hell." These and all other things in this whole Psalm treats of the Lord‘s combats and victories; and therefore it is added, "Thou wilt make me the head of the nations a people that have not known shall serve me" (Ps. 18:43).

[7] In David, again:--

These words also treat of combat with the hells, and of their subjugation; for this whole Psalm treats of the Lord, that is to say, of His combats, His glorification, and the salvation of the faithful by Him. In David:--

This Psalm likewise treats of the Lord, and of the like things.

[8] In David:--

That these words are said of the Lord, is evident from His own words in (Matt. 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42). To "sit at the right hand," signifies omnipotence; the "enemies" signify the bells "kings," those there who are in falsities of evil. To "make them His footstool," " smite them in the day of anger," and "fill with dead bodies," signifies to destroy their power; and to "smite the head over much land," signifies to destroy all.

[9] As the Lord alone conquered the hells, without the aid of any angel, He is called HERO, and a MAN OF WARS (Isa. 42:13);

and in many places, JEHOVAH ZEBAOTH, that is, Jehovah of the Armies of War. His advent is also called THE DAY OF JEHOVAH terrible, cruel, of indignation, of wrath, of anger, of vengeance, of destruction, of war, of the sounding of the trumpet, of tumult, as may be seen from the passages quoted above, in (n. 4).

[10] As the Last Judgment executed by the Lord when He was in the world was effected by means of combats with the hells, and by their subjugation, this coming Judgment is treated of in many passages. As in David:--

And so in many other passages. These are from the prophetical parts of the Word.

[11] In its historical parts like things are represented by the wars of the sons of Israel with various nations; for everything that is written in the Word, whether in prophecy or history, is written about the Lord; and this is why the Word is Divine. Many arcana of the Lord‘s glorification are contained in the rituals of the Israelitish Church, as for example in its burnt-offerings and sacrifices, in its sabbaths and feasts, and in the priesthood of Aaron and the Levites; as they are also in all those other things in Moses which are called laws, judgments, and statutes; and this is what is meant by the Lord’s words to His disciples:--

and by His saying to the Jews that Moses "wrote of Him" (John 5:46).

[12] From all this it is evident that the Lord came into the world to subjugate the hells, and to glorify His Human; and that the passion of the cross was the final combat, by which He fully conquered the hells, and fully glorified His Human. But more will be seen on this subject in the following small work on The Holy Scripture, where are collected together all the passages from the prophetical Word that treat of the Lord‘s combats with the hells and His victories over them; or, what is the same, that treat of the Last Judgment executed by Him when He was in the world; and also those which treat of His passion, and of the glorification of His Human, which are so numerous that if quoted they would fill pages.

L 15. Some persons within the church believe that by the passion of the cross the Lord took away sins, and made satisfaction to the Father, and so effected Redemption; and some, that He transferred to Himself, bore, and cast into the depths of the sea (that is, into hell), the sins of those who have faith in Him. They confirm themselves in these notions by the words of John concerning Jesus:--

and by the Lord’s words in Isaiah:--

Both these passages speak of the Lord‘s temptations and passion; and by His taking away sins and diseases, and by the iniquities of all being made to fall on Him, is meant the like as by His bearing sorrows and iniquities.

[2] Therefore it shall first be stated what is meant by bearing iniquities, and afterwards what by taking them away. To bear iniquities means to endure grievous temptations; and also to suffer the Jews to treat Him as they had treated the Word, which they did because He was the Word. For the church as it then existed among the Jews was utterly devastated, and it was devastated by their having perverted all things of the Word, so that there was not any truth remaining; and therefore they did not acknowledge the Lord. This was meant and signified by all things of the Lord’s passion. The prophets were treated in a similar way, because they represented the Lord in respect to the Word, and derivatively in respect to the church, and the Lord was the Prophet.

[3] That the Lord was the Prophet is evident from the following passages:--

That the prophets underwent similar treatment, is evident from the things which follow.

[4] In order that he might represent the state of the church, the prophet Isaiah was commanded

In order that he might represent the state of the church, the prophet Jeremiah was commanded

The same prophet represented the state of the church by

[5] In order that he might represent the state of the church, the prophet Ezekiel was commanded

In order that he might represent the state of the church, the same prophet was commanded

[6] In order that he might represent the state of the church, the prophet Hosea was commanded

And again he was commanded

[7] In order that he might represent the state of the church, the prophet Ezekiel was commanded

The prophets represented other things besides; as, for instance, Zedekiah, by

And another prophet, by being

[8] In general, the prophets represented the Word in its ultimate sense, which is the sense of the letter, by a garment of hair (Zech. 13:4); and therefore Elijah

and in like manner John the Baptist,

From these things it is evident that the prophets represented the state of the church, and also the Word; for he who represents the one represents the other, because the church is from the Word, and is according to the reception of it in life and faith. Therefore prophets, wherever mentioned in both Testaments, signify the doctrine of the church from the Word; and by the Lord, as the Grand Prophet, is signified the church itself, and the Word itself.

L 16. The state of the church from the Word thus represented in the Prophets, is what is meant by bearing the iniquities and sins of the people. That such is the case is evident from the things said of Isaiah the prophet:--

Of the prophet Ezekiel:--

[2] That this was for them to bear iniquities, is plainly evident in Ezekiel, where that prophet is commanded to lie three hundred and ninety, and forty, days, upon his left side and upon his right, against Jerusalem, and to eat a barley cake made with cow’s dung: As we read:--

[3] That by his having thus borne the iniquities of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, the prophet did not take them away, and thus expiate them, but only represented and showed them, is evident from what there follows:--

[4] So when the same prophet showed himself, and said,

The meaning is therefore the same where it is said of the Lord:--

where, in this whole chapter, the Lord‘s passion is treated of.

[5] That the Lord Himself, as the Grand Prophet, represented the state of the church in respect to the Word, is evident from all things of His passion; as that He was betrayed by Judas; that He was taken and condemned by the chief priests and elders; that they buffeted Him; that they smote Him on the head with a reed; that they put on Him a crown of thorns; that they divided His garments, and cast lots for His under vesture; that they crucified Him; that they gave Him vinegar to drink; that they pierced His side; that He was buried; and that He rose again the third day.

[6] That He was betrayed by Judas, signified that He was betrayed by the Jewish nation, among whom at that time was the Word, for Judas represented that nation. That He was taken and condemned by the chief priests and elders, signified that He was so treated by the whole Jewish Church. That they scourged Him, spat in His face, buffeted Him, and smote Him on the head with a reed, signified that they had done the like to the Word in respect to its Divine truths, all of which treat of the Lord. That they put on Him a crown of thorns, signified that they had falsified and adulterated those truths. That they divided His garments, and cast lots for His under-vesture, signified that they had dispersed all the truths of the Word, but not its spiritual sense, which His under-vesture signified. That they crucified Him, signified that they had destroyed and profaned the whole Word. That they offered Him vinegar to drink, signified that everything had become falsified and false; and therefore He did not drink it, and then said, It is finished. That they pierced His side, signified that they had completely extinguished all the truth of the Word, and all its good. That He was buried, signified the rejection of the residue of the maternal human. That He rose again the third day, signified His glorification.

[7] Similar things are signified by these things as foretold in the Prophets and in David. And it was for the same reason that, after He had been scourged and brought out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe put on Him by the soldiers, He said, Behold the Man! (John 19:1, 5). This He said because by "man (hominem)" is signified the church; for by "Son of man" is signified the truth of the church, thus the Word. It is evident then from these things, that to bear iniquities means to represent and effigy in one’s self sins against the Divine truths of the Word. That the Lord endured and suffered such things as the Son of man, and not as the Son of God, will be seen in what follows; for "the Son of man" signifies the Lord in respect to the Word.

L 17. Something shall now be said of what is meant by taking away sins. To take away sins means the same as to redeem man, and to save him; for the Lord came into the world to render salvation possible to man. Without His advent no mortal could have been reformed and regenerated, and so saved. But this became possible after the Lord had deprived the devil (that is, hell) of all his power; and had glorified His Human, that is, had united it to the Divine of His Father. If these things had not been done, no man would have been capable of permanently receiving any Divine truth, still less any Divine good; for the devil, whose power was previously the stronger, would have plucked it out of his heart.

[2] From what has been said it is evident that the Lord did not take away sins by the passion of the cross; but that He takes them away, that is, removes them, in those who believe in Him by living according to His commandments; as He also teaches in Matthew:--

[3] Who cannot see from reason alone, provided he is in some enlightenment, that sins cannot be taken away from a man except by actual repentance, which consists in his seeing his sins, imploring the Lord‘s help, and desisting from them? To see, believe, and teach otherwise, is not from the Word, nor from sound reason, but from cupidity and a depraved will, which are proper to man, and from this comes the debasement of his intelligence.

L 18. It is believed in the church that the Lord was sent by the Father to make an atonement for the human race, and that this was effected by His fulfilling the law, and by the passion of the cross; and that in this way He took away condemnation, and made satisfaction; and that without this expiation, satisfaction, and propitiation, the human race would have perished in eternal death, and this on account of justice which by some is called vengeful justice. It is true that without the Lord‘s advent all in the world would have perished; but how it is to be understood that the Lord fulfilled all things of the law, and why He suffered the cross, may be seen above, in chapters 2 and 3, which show that it was not on account of any vengeful justice, because this is not a Divine attribute. Divine attributes are justice, love, mercy, and good; and God is justice itself, love itself, mercy itself, and good itself; and where these are, there is not anything of vengeance, and therefore no vengeful justice.

[2] As the fulfilling of the law, and the passion of the cross, have hitherto been understood by many to mean that by these two things the Lord made satisfaction for mankind, and took away the condemnation that had been foreseen or appointed, there has followed from the connection, and also from the principle that man is saved by mere faith that it is so, the dogma of the imputation of the Lord’s merit by our receiving, as for satisfaction, these two things that belong to His merit. But this dogma is refuted by what has been said about the fulfilling of the law by the Lord, and about His passion of the cross. At the same time we can see that the imputation of merit is a phrase destitute of meaning, unless there is meant by it the remission of sins after repentance. For nothing of the Lord can be imputed to man; but salvation can be awarded him by the Lord after he has performed repentance, that is, after he has seen and acknowledged his sins, and has then desisted from them, and this from the Lord. Then is salvation awarded him: not that he is saved by his own merit or righteousness, but by the Lord, who alone has fought and conquered the hells, and who alone still fights for man, and conquers the hells for him.

[3] These things are the Lord‘s merit and righteousness, and they never can be imputed to man; for if they were, the Lord’s merit and righteousness would be imputed to man as if they were his; and this is never done, nor can be done. If imputation were possible, an impenitent and wicked man could impute the Lord‘s merit to himself, and so think himself justified, and yet this would be to defile what is holy with things profane, and to profane the Lord’s name; for it would be to keep the thought fixed on the Lord, and the will in hell, and yet the will is the whole man. There is a faith of God, and a faith of man; those have the faith of God who perform repentance; and those the faith of man who do not perform repentance, and yet think of imputation; and the faith of God is a living faith, and the faith of man is a dead faith.

[4] That the Lord Himself, and His disciples, preached repentance and the remission of sins, is evident from the following passages:--

By "baptism" is meant spiritual washing, which is a washing from sins, and is called regeneration.

[5] Repentance and the remission of sins are thus described by the Lord in John:--

By "His own," are meant those who were then of the church, where was the Word; by "the sons of God," and "those who believe in His name," are meant those who believe in the Lord, and who believe the Word; by "bloods," are meant falsifications of the Word, and confirmations of falsity thereby; "the will of the flesh," is man‘s Own pertaining to the will, which in itself is evil; "the will of man," is man’s Own pertaining to the understanding, which in itself is falsity; those "born of God," are those who have been regenerated by the Lord. From these things it is evident that those are saved who are in the good of love and in the truths of faith from the Lord, and not those who are in what is their own.

L 19. In the church, the Son of God is supposed to be the second Person of the Godhead, distinct from the Person of the Father, whence comes the belief about the Son of God born from eternity. As this belief has been universally received, and as it relates to God, no one has had any opportunity or permission to think about it from any understanding; not even as to what it is to be born from eternity; for anyone who thinks about it from the understanding must needs say to himself, This transcends my understanding; but still I say it because others say it, and I believe it because others believe it. Be it known, then, that there is no Son from eternity; but that the Lord is from eternity. When it is known what the Lord is, and what the Son, it will be possible, and not before, to think with understanding of the Triune God.

[2] That the Lord‘s Human, conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the virgin Mary, is the Son of God, is plainly evident from the following passages. In Luke:--

It is here said, "thou shalt conceive and bear a Son; He shall be great, and shall be called THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH;" and further, "that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called THE SON OF GOD;" from which it is evident that the Human conceived of God, and born of the virgin Mary, is what is called "the Son of God."

[3] In Isaiah:--

That the Son born of the virgin, and conceived of God, is He who is called "God-with-us," thus is He who is the Son of God, is evident. That this is the case is confirmed also by (Matt. 1:22, 23).

[4] In Isaiah:--

The burden is the same here; for it is said, "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given," who is not a Son from eternity, but a Son born in the world, as is also evident from the words of the prophet in the next verse, which are similar to those of the angel Gabriel to Mary in (Luke 1:32, 33).

[5] In David:--

Neither here is there meant a Son from eternity, but a Son born in the world; for it is a prophecy concerning the Lord who was to come; and therefore it is called "a statute concerning which Jehovah has made an announcement" to David. "This day," is not from eternity, but is in time.

[6] In David:--

This whole Psalm treats of the Lord who was to come, and therefore He is meant by Him who "shall call Jehovah His Father," and who shall be the "Firstborn," thus who is the Son of God.

[7] And so in other places, where He is called A rod out of the stem of Jesse (Isa. 11:1); An Offshoot of David (Jer. 23:5); The seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15); The Only-begotten (John 1:18); A Priest to eternity, and the Lord (Ps. 110:4, 5).

[8] In the Jewish Church there was understood by the Son of God the Messiah whom they had expected, and of whom they knew that He was to be born at Bethlehem. That by the Son of God they understood the Messiah, is evident from the following passages. In John:--

In the same Evangelist:--

In Matthew:--

In John:--

"Christ" is a Greek word, and means "the Anointed," as also does "Messiah" in the Hebrew language; and therefore John says:--

And in another place:--

[9] It has been shown in the first chapter that the Law and the Prophets, that is, the whole Word of the Old Testament, is concerning the Lord, and therefore by the Son of God who was to come, nothing else can be meant than the Human which the Lord assumed in the world. From this it follows that the Human was what was meant, when Jesus, at His baptism, was called by Jehovah, in a voice from heaven, His Son:--

For it was His Human that was baptized. And when He was transfigured:--

L 20. As by "the Son of God" is meant the Lord as to the Human which He assumed in the world, which is the Divine Human, it is evident what is meant by the Lord‘s so frequently saying that He was sent by the Father into the world, and that He came forth from the Father. By His being sent by the Father into the world, is meant that He was conceived from Jehovah the Father. That nothing else is meant by being sent, and sent by the Father, is evident from all the passages where it is said that He did the will of the Father and His works, which were that He conquered the hells, glorified His Human, taught the Word, and set up a new church, which could not have been done except by means of a Human conceived from Jehovah and born of a virgin, that is, unless God had been made Man. Examine the passages where "sent" occurs, and you will see. As, for instance, (Matt. 10:40; 15:24; Mark 9:37; Luke 4:43; 9:48; 10:16; John 3:17, 34; 4:34; 5:23, 24, 36-38; 6:29, 39, 40, 44, 57; 7:16, 18, 28, 29; 8:16, 18, 29, 42; 9:4; 11:42; 12:44, 45, 49; 13:20; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5; 17:3, 8, 21, 23, 25; 20:21). Also the passages where the Lord calls Jehovah "Father."

L 21. At the present day many think of the Lord no otherwise than as of a common man like themselves, because they think solely of His Human, and not at the same time of His Divine, when yet His Divine and His Human cannot be separated. For the Lord is God and Man, and God and Man in the Lord are not two, but one Person, yes, altogether one, just as soul and body are one man, according to the doctrine received in the whole Christian world which was formulated by Councils, and is called the doctrine of the Athanasian Creed. Therefore, lest anyone should in future separate in his thought the Divine and the Human in the Lord, I pray him to read the passages from Luke quoted above, and also the following in Matthew:--

From these words, and from those written in Luke concerning the Lord’s nativity, and from others adduced above, it is evident that the "Son of God" is Jesus conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the virgin Mary, of whom all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

L 22. He who knows what in the Lord is called "the Son of God," and what in Him is called "the Son of man," is able to see many of the secret things of the Word; for at one time the Lord calls Himself "the Son," at another "the Son of God," and at another "the Son of man," everywhere according to the subject that is being treated of. When His Divinity, His oneness with the Father, His Divine power, faith in Him, life from Him, are being treated of, He calls Himself "the Son," and "the Son of God." As, for instance, in (John 5:17-26). But where His passion, Judgment, His advent, and, in general, redemption, salvation, reformation, and regeneration, are treated of, He calls Himself "the Son of man;" the reason of which is that He is then meant in respect to the Word. In the Word of the Old Testament, the Lord is designated by various names, being there named Jehovah, Jah, Lord, God, the Lord Jehovih, Jehovah Zebaoth, the God of Israel, the Holy One of Israel, the Mighty One of Jacob, Shaddai, the Rock, and also Creator, Former, Saviour, Redeemer, everywhere according to the subject that is being treated of. And the same in the Word of the New Testament, where He is named Jesus, Christ, the Lord, God, the Son of God, the Son of man, the Prophet, the Lamb, with other names, also everywhere according to the subject there treated of.

L 23. Having stated on what grounds the Lord is called "the Son of God," we will now state those on which He is called "the Son of man." The Lord is called "the Son of man" where the subject treated of is His passion, Judgment, His advent, and, in general, redemption, salvation, reformation, and regeneration. The reason is that "the Son of man" is the Lord in respect to the Word; and as the Word He suffered, judges, came into the world, redeems, saves, reforms, and regenerates That such is the case is evident from what now follows.

L 24. That the Lord is called "the Son of man" when His passion is treated of, is evident from these passages:--

And so in other places where He foretells His passion, as in (Matt. 20:18, 19; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22.)

The reason the Lord then called Himself "the Son of man," is that He suffered Himself to be treated in the same way as they had treated the Word, as has been shown above very fully.

L 25. That the Lord is called "the Son of man" when the Judgment is treated of, is evident from these passages:--

The reason why the Lord calls Himself "the Son of man" when the Judgment is treated of, is that all judgment is effected according to the Divine truth which is in the Word. That this judges everyone, is said by the Lord Himself in John:--

(That the Lord judges no one to hell, and casts no one into hell, but that an evil spirit casts himself in, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, (HH n. 545-550, 574.) By "the name" of Jehovah, of the Lord, of the Son of God, is meant the Divine truth, and therefore also the Word, which is from Him, and about Him, and therefore is Himself.

L 26. That the Lord is called "the Son of man" when His advent is treated of, is evident from these passages:--

"The consummation of the age," means the last time of the church; His "coming in the clouds of heaven with glory," means the opening of the Word, and the making manifest that the Word has been written about Him alone. In Daniel:--

In the Revelation:--

This also is said of the Son of man, as is evident from verse 13. I saw and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man (Revelation 14:14).

[2] That by "the Son of God" the Lord meant one thing in Himself, and by "the Son of man" another, is evident from His reply to the chief priest:--

Here He first confessed that He was the Son of God, and afterwards said that they should see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven, by which is meant that after the passion of the cross He would possess the Divine power of opening the Word and setting up the church anew, which could not be effected before, because He had not then conquered hell and glorified His Human. What is signified by sitting upon the clouds of heaven, and coming in glory, has been set forth in the work on Heaven and Hell, (HH n. 1.)

L 27. That the Lord is called "the Son of man" when Redemption, Salvation, Reformation, and Regeneration are treated of, is evident from these passages:--

Redemption and salvation are here treated of, and as the Lord effects these by means of the Word, He here calls Himself "the Son of man." The Lord says, That the Son of man has power (potestas) to forgive sins (Mark 2:10; Luke 5:24) (that is, to save). And also, That He is the Lord of the Sabbath, because He is the Son of man (Matt. 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5) (i.e. because He is the Word, which He is Himself then teaching). He says, further, in John:--

By "meat" is meant all truth and good of doctrine from the Word, thus from the Lord; and this is also meant there by the manna, and by the bread which came down from heaven; and also by the following in the same chapter:--

"Flesh," or "bread," is the good of love from the Word; "blood," or "wine," is the good of faith from the Word, both from the Lord.

[2] The like is signified by "the Son of man" in other passages where He is mentioned, as in the following:--

By this is meant that the Word would have no place among the Jews, as also the Lord said in (John 8:37) and also that they had it not abiding in them, because they had not acknowledged Him (John 5:38). In the Revelation also "the Son of man" means the Lord in respect to the Word:--

Here, in various ways, the Lord is represented as the Word, and He is therefore called "the Son of man." In David:--

"The man of Thy right hand," also means the Lord in respect to the Word; and so does "the Son of man." He is called "the man of the right hand," because the Lord has power from the Divine truth, which also the Word is, and He had Divine power when He had fulfilled the whole Word: and therefore He had said That they should see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the Father, with power (Mark 14:62).

L 28. That "the Son of man" signifies the Lord in respect to the Word, was the reason why the prophets also were called sons of man. The reason why the prophets were called sons of man, was that they represented the Lord in respect to the Word, and consequently signified the doctrine of the church from the Word. In heaven nothing else is understood by "prophets" as mentioned in the Word; for the spiritual signification of "prophet," as well as of "son of man," is the doctrine of the church from the Word; and, when predicated of the Lord, "prophet" means the Word itself. That the prophet Daniel is called "son of man" may be seen in (Dan. 8:17). That the prophet Ezekiel is called "son of man" may be seen in (Ezek. 2:1, 3, 6, 8; 3:1, 3, 4, 10, 17, 25; 4:1, 16; 5:1; 6:2; 7:2; 8:5, 6, 8, 12, 15; 11:2, 4, 15; 12:2, 3, 9, 18, 22, 27; 13:2, 17; 14:3, 13; 15:2; 16:2; 17:2; 20:3, 4, 27, 46; 21:2, 6, 9, 12, 14, 19, 28; 22:18, 24; 23:2, 36; 24:2, 16, 25; 25:2; 26:2; 27:2; 28:2, 12, 21; 29:2, 18; 30:2, 21; 31:2; 32:2, 18; 33:2, 7, 10, 12, 24, 30; 34:2; 35:2; 36:1, 17; 37:3, 9, 11, 16; 38:2, 14; 39:1, 17; 40:4; 43:7, 10, 18; 44:5). From what has been said it is now evident that the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is called "the Son of God," and in respect to the Word, "the Son of man."

L 29. The Doctrine of the Church that is received in the whole Christian world is that Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man, who, although He is God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; one, by the taking of the manhood into God; one altogether, by unity of person; for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ. These words are taken from the doctrine of the Athanasian Creed, which has been received in the whole Christian world; and they are what is essential in it concerning the unition of the Divine and the Human in the Lord. What is said further in that Creed about the Lord will be explained in its own chapter. From these words it is quite evident that it is in accordance with the faith of the Christian Church that the Divine and the Human in the Lord are not two, but one, as the soul and body are one man, and that the Divine in Him assumed the Human.

[2] From this it follows that the Divine cannot be separated from the Human, nor the Human from the Divine, for this would be like separating the soul from the body. That this is so must be admitted by everyone who reads what is cited above (n. 9, 21) from two of the evangelists namely, (Luke 1:26-35; Matt. 1:18-25) concerning the Lord‘s birth; from which it is manifest that Jesus was conceived of Jehovah God, and born of the virgin Mary; so that the Divine was in Him, and was His soul. As therefore His soul was the very Divine of the Father, it follows that His body, or Human, must also have become Divine for where the one is Divine, the other must be so too. In this way and in no other are the Father and the Son one, and the Father in the Son and the Son in the Father, and all things of the Son the Father’s, and all things of the Father the Son‘s, as the Lord Himself teaches in His Word.

[3] But how this unition was effected, shall be shown in the following order:--

1. The Lord from eternity is Jehovah.

2. The Lord from eternity, or Jehovah, assumed the Human to save men.

3. He made Divine the Human from the Divine in Himself.

4. He made Divine the Human by means of temptations admitted into Himself.

5. The full unition of the Divine and the Human in Him was effected by means of the passion of the cross, which was the last temptation.

6. By successive steps He put off the human taken from the mother, and put on a Human from the Divine within Him, which is the Divine Human, and is the Son of God.

7. That thus God became Man, as in first principles, so also in ultimates.

L 30. i. That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah, is known from the Word; for the Lord said to the Jews, Verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am (John 8:58). And He says in another place, Glorify Thou Me, O Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was (John 17:5). By this is meant the Lord from eternity, and not a Son from eternity; for "the Son" is His Human that was conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the virgin Mary, in time, as has been shown above.

[2] That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah Himself, is evident from many passages in the Word, of which at present there shall be adduced only these few:--

From these words it is evident that Jehovah God Himself was awaited. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of JEHOVAH, make plain in the solitude a path for OUR GOD. The glory of JEHOVAH shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Beheld, THE LORD JEHOVAH shall come in strength (Isa. 40:3, 5, 10; Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4). Here, too, the Lord is called Jehovah, who should come.

[3] I Jehovah will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations. I Jehovah, this is My name and My glory will I not give to another (Isa. 42:6-8). "A covenant to the people," and "a light of the nations," is the Lord as to the Human; and as this is from Jehovah, and has become one with Jehovah, it is said, I Jehovah, this is My name, and My glory will I give to another, that is, not to another than Himself. To give glory, means to glorify, or to unite to Himself.

[4] THE LORD whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple (Mal. 3:1). By the "temple" is meant the temple of His body (John 2:19, 21). THE DAY-SPRING FROM ON HIGH hath visited us (Luke 1:78). "The day-spring from on high" also is Jehovah, or the Lord from eternity. From what has been said it is evident that by the Lord from eternity is meant His Divine a Quo, which in the Word is "Jehovah." But from the passages to be quoted below, it will be evident that by Lord, and also by Jehovah, after His Human was glorified, is meant the Divine and the Human together, as a one; and that by the Son, alone, is meant the Divine Human.

L 31. ii. That the Lord from eternity, or Jehovah, assumed the Human to save men, has been confirmed from the Word in preceding chapters; and that man could not have been saved in any other way, will be shown elsewhere. That He assumed a Human, is evident from the passages in the Word where it is said that He went forth from the Father, descended from heaven, and was sent into the world. As from these:--

(That to be "sent by the Father into the world" means to assume a Human, may be seen above, at n. 20.)

L 32. iii. That the Lord made His Human Divine from the Divine in Himself, is evident from many passages of the Word, of which those shall be here adduced which confirm:

--1. That this was done by successive steps:--

[2]

--2. That the Divine operated through the Human, as the soul does through the body:--

[3]

--3. That the Divine and Human operated unanimously:--

[4]

--4. That the Divine was united to the Human, and the Human to the Divine:--