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200. And I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. That this signifies that they will be in Divine good and thence in Divine truth, is evident from the signification of I will confess his name, as being that they may be according to the quality of the state of their life; for by confessing, when by the Lord, is meant to grant that they may be; for what the Lord says, or confesses, concerning a man or an angel who is in the good of love and faith, He grants and provides, because all the good of love and faith is from Him. This is why to say, in the Word, when said of the Lord, signifies to instruct, to enlighten and provide (see Arcana Coelestia 5361, 6946, 6951, 7019, 8095, 10234, 10290). That by name is meant the quality of the state of the life, may be seen above, n. 148. It is also evident from the signification of Father, when said by the Lord, as denoting the Divine good which is in Him and from Him, which will be treated of in what follows and from the signification of angels, as denoting Divine truth, which is also from the Lord (concerning which see above, n. 130). It is therefore evident that by I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels, is signified that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth.
[2] The reason why by Father, when it is said by the Lord, is meant the Divine good which is in the Lord and from the Lord is, that the Lord called the Divine which was in Him from conception, which was the esse of His life, His Father, to which Divine He united His Human when He was in the world.
That the Lord called this His Father is quite evident from the fact that He taught that He himself was one with the Father; as in John,
"I and my Father are one" (10:30).
Again:
"Believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father (10:38).
Again:
"He that seeth me seeth him that sent me" (12:45).
Again:
"If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also; and from henceforth ye have known him, and have seen him. Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus saith, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me" (John 14:6-17).
Again:
"If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also" (8:19).
Again:
"I am not alone, because the Father is with me" (16:32).
[3] Because the Lord is one with the Father, therefore He also declares
That all things of the Father are His, and His things are the Father's (John 17:10);
That all things that the Father hath are His (John 16:15);
That the Father hath given all things into the hand of the Son (John 3:35; 13:3);
Because all things are delivered to Him by the Father, no one knoweth the Son but the Father, nor any the Father except the Son (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22); also, that no one hath seen the Father except the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18; 6:46); the Word was with God, and God was the Word, "and the Word was made flesh" (John 1:1, 2, 14).
From this latter passage it is also clear that they are one; for it is said, that the Word was with God, and God was the Word. It is plain, too, that the Human of the Lord was God; for it is said, and the Word was made flesh. Since then, all things of the Father are also the Lord's, and since He and the Father are one, therefore the Lord, when He ascended into heaven, said to His disciples,
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18);
by which He taught that they should approach Him alone, because He alone can do all things; as He also said to them before,
"Without me ye call do nothing" (John 15:5).
Hence it is evident how the following words are to be understood:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6);
that is, that the Father is approached when the Lord is approached.
[4] Amongst many other reasons why the Lord so often spoke of the Father as another was this, that by Father, in the internal or spiritual sense, is meant the Divine good, and by Son, the Divine truth, each in the Lord and from the Lord; for the Word is written by correspondences, and is thus both for men and angels. The Father therefore is mentioned in order that the Divine good of the Lord may be perceived by the angels, who are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and the Son of God and the Son of man are mentioned, in order that the Divine truth in like manner may be perceived (as is evident from what has been shown in Arcana Coelestia, namely, that Father in the Word signifies good, n. Matthew 10:32).
"Everyone who shall have confessed me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8).
[5] Because Father signifies the Divine good, and angels Divine truth, therefore also the Lord says,
"When the Son of man shall come in his own glory, that of the Father and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26; Matthew 16:27).
Here the Lord calls His own glory, the glory of the Father and of the angels, for He says, in His own glory, that of the Father and of the holy angels; but in another place He says, in the glory of the Father with the angels; and in another place, in His own glory with the angels; as in Mark:
"When he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (8:38).
And in Matthew:
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him" (25:31).
To what has been said above it must be added by way of appendix, that if it be assumed as doctrine, and acknowledged, that the Lord is one with the Father, and that His Human is Divine from the Divine in Himself, light will be seen in every particular of the Word; for what is assumed as doctrine, and acknowledged from doctrine, is in light when the Word is read. The Lord also, from whom all light proceeds and who has all power, enlightens those who are in this acknowledgment. But, on the other hand, if it be assumed and acknowledged as doctrine that the Divine of the Father is something else than the Divine of the Lord, nothing will be seen in light in the Word, because the man who is in that doctrine turns himself from one Divine to another and from the Divine of the Lord, which he may see, which is effected by thought and faith, to a Divine which he cannot see; for the Lord says:
"Ye have never heard the voice of the Father, nor seen his form" (John 5:37; and also chap 1. 18);
and to believe in and love a Divine which cannot be thought of under any form is impossible.
200. And I will confess his name before My father and before His angels, signifies that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "I will confess his name," as being that things are to be in agreement with the quality of their state of life; for "I will confess," when said by the Lord, means to grant that things may be; for what the Lord says or confesses respecting a man or angel who is in the good of love and faith, He grants and provides, since all the good of love and of faith is from Him. Therefore in the Word, "to speak," when predicated of the Lord, signifies to instruct, to illustrate, and to provide (See Arcana Coelestia 5361, 6946, 6951, 7019, 8095, 10234, 10290). That "name" means the quality of the state of life, see above n. 148. This is evident also from the signification of "Father," when it is said by the Lord, as being the Divine good, which is in the Lord and from Him (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "angels," as being Divine truth, which is also from the Lord (of which above, n. 130. From this it is clear that "I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels," signifies that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth.
[2] "Father," when it is said by the Lord, means the Divine good, which is in the Lord and from the Lord, because the Divine, which was in the Lord from conception, and which was the Esse of His life, to which Divine He united His Human when He was in the world; this He called "His Father." That the Divine that was in Him from conception was what the Lord called "Father," can be clearly seen from His teaching that He is one with the Father. As in John:
I and the Father are one (John 10:30).
In the same:
Believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father (John 10:38).
In the same:
He that beholdeth Me beholdeth Him that sent Me (John 12:45).
In the same:
If ye had known Me ye would have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye have known Him, and have seen Him. Philip said unto Him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus saith, Am I so long time with you, and thou dost not know Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The Father that abideth in Me doeth the works. Believe Me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:7-11).
In the same:
If ye had known Me ye would have known My Father also (John 8:19).
In the same:
I am not alone, became the Father is with Me (John 16:32).
[3] Because the Lord is one with the Father He also declares:
That all things of the Father are His, and His are the Father's (John 17:10);
That all things whatsoever that the Father hath are His (John 16:15);
That the Father hath given all things into the hands of the Son (John 3:35; 13:3);
And that all things have been delivered unto Him by the Father; that no one knoweth the Son save the Father, neither doth any one know the Father save the Son (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22).
That no one hath seen the Father except the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18; 6:46).
That the Word was with God, and God was the Word, and the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14).
From this last passage also it is clear that they are one, for it is said, "The Word was with God, and God was the Word." It is plain, too, that the Human of the Lord is also God, for it is said, "And the Word became flesh." Because all things of the Father are also the Lord's, and because He and the Father are one, the Lord when He ascended into heaven said to His disciples:
All power hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18);
by which He taught that men should approach Him alone, because He alone can do all things; as He also said to them before:
Without Me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).
This makes clear how these words are to be understood:
I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father but through Me (John 14:6);
namely, that the Father is approached when the Lord is approached.
[4] The Lord so often spoke of the Father as another than Himself, for this, among many reasons, that by "Father," in the internal or spiritual sense, is meant the Divine good, and by "Son," the Divine truth, each in the Lord and from the Lord; for the Word is written by correspondences, and is thus as well for men as for angels. The "Father" therefore is mentioned, that the Lord's Divine good may be perceived by the angels who are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and "Son of God" and "Son of man" are mentioned, that the Divine truth may be perceived (as can be seen from what has been shown in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that "Father" in the Word signifies good, n. Matthew 10:32).
Everyone who shall have confessed Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God (Luke 12:8).
[5] Since "Father" signifies Divine good, and "angels" Divine truth, the Lord also says:
When the Son of man shall come in His glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels (Luke 9:26; Matthew 16:27).
Here the Lord calls His glory "the glory of the Father and of the angels," for He says, "in His glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels;" but in another place, "in the glory of the Father with the angels;" and elsewhere, "in His glory with the angels." As in Mark:
When He shall come in the glory of His Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38).
And in Matthew:
When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him (Matthew 25:31).
It should be added further that if it is accepted as a doctrine and acknowledged, that the Lord is one with the Father, and that His Human is Divine from the Divine in Himself, light will be seen in every particular of the Word; for that which is assumed as doctrine and acknowledged from doctrine is in light when the Word is read; moreover, the Lord, from whom is all light and who has all power, will enlighten those who acknowledge this. But on the other hand, if it is assumed and acknowledged as a doctrine that the Divine of the Father is another Divine than the Lord's, nothing will be seen in light in the Word; since the man who is in that doctrine turns himself from one Divine to the other, and away from the Divine of the Lord which he can see (which is done by thought and faith), to a Divine that he cannot see; for the Lord says:
Ye have neither heard the Father's voice at any time, nor seen His form (John 5:37; also John 1:18);
and to believe in a Divine and love a Divine that cannot be thought of under any form is impossible.
200. "Et confitebor nomen ejus coram Patre meo, et coram angelis Ejus." - Quod significet quod in Divino Bono et inde in Divino Vero erunt, constat ex significatione "confiteri nomen", quod sit ut sint secundum quale status vitae eorum; per "confiteri" enim, cum a Domino, intelligitur dare ut sint, nam Dominus quod dicit seu confitetur de homine aut angelo, qui in bono amoris et fidei est, dat et providet, quoniam omne bonum amoris et fidei est ab Ipso; inde est quod "dicere" in Verbo, ubi de Domino, significet instruere, illustrare et providere (videatur n. 5361, 6946, 6951, 7019, 8095, 10234, 10290 1
): quod per "nomen" intelligatur quale status vitae, videatur supra (n. 148): ex significatione "Patris", cum a Domino id dicitur, quod sit Divinum Bonum quod in Ipso et ab Ipso (de qua sequitur): et ex significatione "angelorum", quod sit Divinum Verum, quod etiam a Domino (de qua supra, n. 130). Inde patet quod per "confitebor nomen ejus coram Patre meo, et coram angelis Ejus", significetur quod in Divino Bono et in Divino Vero erunt.
[2] Quod per "Patrem", cum a Domino id dicitur, intelligatur Divinum Bonum quod in Domino et a Domino, est quia Dominus "Patrem" suum vocavit Divinum quod in Ipso a conceptione fuit, quod fuit Esse vitae Ipsius, cui Divino univit Humanum suum cum fuit in mundo. Quod Dominus Divinum, quod fuit in Ipso ex conceptione, vocaverit "Patrem", constat manifeste ex eo, quod docuerit Se unum esse cum Patre:
– Ut apud Johannem,
"Ego et Pater unum sumus" (10:30);
apud eundem,
"Credite quod Pater in Me, et Ego in Patre" (10:38);
apud eundem,
"Qui videt Me, videt Ipsum qui misit Me" (12:45);
apud eundem,
"Si cognovistis Me, et Patrem meum cognovistis, et abhinc cognovistis Ipsum, et vidistis Ipsum. Dixit Philippus, Domine monstra nobis Patrem.... : dicit Jesus, Tantum tempus vobiscum sum, et non nosti Me, Philippe? Qui vidit Me vidit Patrem; quomodo tu ergo dicis, Monstra nobis Patrem? Nonne credis quod Ego in Patre et Pater in Me?.... .Pater qui in Me manet, facit opera; credite Mihi quod Ego in Patre et Pater in Me" (14:6-17);
apud eundem,
Si Me nossetis, etiam Patrem meum nossetis" (8:19);
apud eundem,
"Non sum solus, quia Pater Mecum est" (16:32).
[3] Quoniam Dominus est unum cum Patre, ideo etiam dicit,
Quod omnia Patris sua sint, et sua Patris (Johannes 17:10);
Quod omnia quaecunque Pater habet, sua sint (Johannes 16:15);
Quod Pater omnia dederit in manum Filii (Johannes 3:35; 13:3);
Quia omnia tradita sunt Ipsi a Patre, quod nemo cognoscat Filium nisi Pater, nec Patrem nisi Filius (Matthaeus 11:27; Luca 10:22);
Et quod nemo viderit Patrem, nisi Filius qui in sinu Patris est (Joh. (?) 18; cap. 6:46);
Quod Verbum fuerit apud Deum, et Deus fuerit Verbum:.... "et Verbum Caro factum est" (Johannes 1:1, 2, 14).
Ex hoc etiam patet quod unum sint, nam dicitur, "Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum"; tum quod Humanum Domini etiam sit Deus nam dicitur, "Et Verbum Caro factum est." Quoniam omnia Patris etiam Domini sunt, et quoniam unum sunt, ideo Dominus, cum ascendit in caelum, dixit discipulis,
"Data est Mihi omnis potestas in caelo et in terra" (Matthaeus 28:18),
per quod docuit quod Ipsum solum adirent, quia Ipse solus omnia potest; ut quoque dixit prius ad illos,
"Sine Me non potestis facere quicquam" (Johannes 15:5).
Inde constat quomodo intelligitur hoc,
"Ego sum via, veritas et vita; nemo venit ad Patrem nisi per Me" (Johannes 14:6);
nempe quod Pater adeatur cum Dominus.
[4] Quod Dominus toties nominaverit Patrem, sicut alium, erat inter plures causas etiam haec, quia per "Patrem" in sensu interno seu spirituali intelligitur Divinum Bonum, et per "Filium" Divinum Verum, utrumque in Domino et a Domino; Verbum enim conscriptum est per correspondentias, ita tam pro hominibus quam pro angelis; ideo "Pater" dicitur, ut Divinum Bonum Domini ab angelis qui in sensu spirituali Verbi sunt, percipiatur; ac ideo "Filius Dei" et "Filius hominis" dicitur, ut Divinum Verum. (Ut constare potest ex his, quae in Arcanis Caelestibus ostensa sunt, nempe, Quod "Pater" in Verbo significet bonum, n. 3703, 5902, 6050, 7833, 7834.
Quod "Pater" significet ecclesiam quoad bonum, ita bonum ecclesiae, et "mater" ecclesiam quoad verum, ita verum ecclesiae, n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 2
5581, 8897. Quod Dominus appellaverit Divinum Bonum quod in Se a conceptione, et quod erat Esse vitae a quo Humanum suum, "Patrem", n. 2803, 3704, 7499, 8328, 8897. Quod Dominus pro Patre agnoscatur in caelo, quia unum sunt, n. 15, 1729, 3690. Quod etiam Dominus dicatur "Pater" in Verbo, n. 2005. Quod etiam Dominus sit Pater illis qui regenerantur, quoniam novam vitam ab Ipso, ac vitam Ipsius, accipiunt, n. 2293, 3690, 6492.
Quod "Filius Dei" et "Filius hominis" sit Dominus quoad Divinum Humanum et quoad procedens Divinum Verum, videatur supra, n. 63, 151, 166.) Nunc quia omnes qui in caelum venturi sunt, in utroque tam bono quam vero debent esse (nemo enim in uno potest esse nisi simul in altero, nam bonum est esse veri, et verum est existere boni), et quia "Pater" significat Divinum Bonum ac "angeli" significant Divinum Verum, utrumque a Domino, ideo dicitur, "Confitebor nomen ejus coram Patre et coram angelis Ejus." Similiter apud Evangelistas,
"Omnis qui confitebitur Me coram hominibus, confitebor Ego coram Patre meo qui est in caelis" (Matthaeus 10:32);
"Omnis qui confessus fuerit Me coram hominibus, etiam Filius hominis confitebitur illum coram angelis Dei" (Luca 12:8).
[5] Quia "Pater" significat Divinum Bonum et "angeli" Divinum Verum, ideo etiam Dominus dicit,
"Quando Filius hominis Venerit in gloria sua, Patris et sanctorum angelorum" (Luca 9:26; Matthaeus 16:27);
hic Dominus vocat gloriam suam "gloriam Patris et angelorum", nam dicit "in gloria sua, Patris et sanctorum angelorum": alibi vero, in "gloria Patris cum angelis", et alibi "in gloria sua cum angelis"; ut apud Marcum,
"Cum venerit in gloria Patris sui cum angelis sanctis" (8:38);
et apud Matthaeum,
"Quando venerit in gloria sua, et omnes sancti angeli cum Ipso" (25:31).
Appendicis loco hic addendum est, quod si assumatur pro doctrina et agnoscatur quod Dominus sit unus cum Patre, et quod Humanum Ipsius sit Divinum ex Divino in Ipso, videbitur lux in singulis Verbi; nam quod pro doctrina assumitur et ex doctrina agnoscitur hoc in luce est cum legitur Verbum; Dominus etiam, a quo omnis lux et cui omnis potestas, illustrabit illos: at vicissim, si pro doctrina assumitur et agnoscitur quod Divinum Patris sit aliud a Divino Domini, videbitur nihil in luce in Verbo; quoniam homo, qui in ea doctrina est, se vertit ab uno Divino ad alterum, et a Divino Domini quod videre potest, quod fit cogitatione et fide, ad Divinum quod non videre potest; nam Dominus dicit,
"Non vocem Patris audivistis unquam, neque speciem Ipsius vidistis" (Johannes 5:37; et quoque cap. 1:18);
et credere in Divinum, et amare Divinum, de quo sub aliqua specie non cogitari potest, est impossibile.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.