EXPOSITION;

BEING EXTRACTS

From the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.

CHAPTER I.

VERSES 1-3. In the beginning, &c.-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. A. C. 16.

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

That the Lord, that is, the Word or Divine Truth, by which all things were made that were made, and by which the world was created (John i. 3), was the Divine Wisdom, which, with the Divine Love, constitutes the Divine Essence, and thus one and the same God, is a natural consequence, for Divine Wisdom is also Divine Truth, since all things pertaining to wisdom are truths, and wisdom produces nothing but truths; thus altogether according to Jer. x. 12; li. 15. The same is also understood by that passage in Psalm xxxiii. 6; the Spirit or breath of the Lord's mouth also is wisdom, and the Word there mentioned is the Divine Love and Divine Wisdom together; for it is said, " And the Word was God." John i. 1. N. Q. 4.

All the esse of heaven and the world proceeds from the Lord, for the Divine Proceeding is what created and formed all things in heaven and in the world, and this is called the Word in John i. 1-3; and the Word there mentioned is the Divine Proceeding which is called Divine Truth, from which all things were made and created. A. E. 639. See also Exposition, verse 10.

God in this passage signifies Divine Love, and the Word signifies Divine Truth or Divine Wisdom; for which reason the Word is called Light; and by light, when spoken of God, is signified Divine Wisdom. T. C. R. 76.

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 earth; hence it is said, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth 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. A. C. 2894.

Without a Revelation from the Divine (Being), 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 thence prevail continually, and suggest such things as are diametrically contrary to the Divine (Being); 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 (Being), 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 (Being) has revealed, is, with us, the Word.

The Word, forasmuch as it is a Revelation from the Divine (Being), 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. N.J.H.D. 249-254.

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; thus 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 truths, 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 or honourable, 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 of all things; their forms also have 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. A. C. 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 begin

ning 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. A. C. 9315.

That the Word is the beginning of the work of God, is not yet known in the church, because these words in John are not understood, "In the beginning was the Word," &c. He who understands these words 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 by the Word is understood the very Divine Truth Itself; 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. A. R. 200.

From these words 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;" and 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,

thou Father, with Thyself, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was," xvii. 5; where "with Thyself" denotes in thyself; 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 as the Word is the Lord, because it is Divine Truth, it is evident why it is said, "And the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled amongst us, and we saw His glory" also why it is said, "Whilst ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the sons of the light: I am come a light into the world; he who believeth in Me, doth 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. D. 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