Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

These words of the angel were truly good tidings of great joy for all people. Although neither the shepherds nor anyone else in the world really understood the importance of what was begun that night, the angels did, and they had been unceasingly awaiting this event for centuries. They knew why there was cause for great rejoicing. The promised Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind, had finally been born. The unbounded joy of the heavens was seen by the shepherds. Suddenly with the angel who had spoken to them there was a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:14)

Why were the angels so joyful? We can hear the excitement in the voice of the angel that spoke to the shepherds. And we can imagine the shiver of wonder that must have filled the shepherds as they heard the resounding sound of the angelic multitudes praising God. What was the source of the angels' joy? What did the birth of the Lord on earth mean to them?

The angels had known that the Lord would be born on earth ever since the first hint of evil had appeared in mankind. At the moment that the first of the Lord's people began to turn away from innocently following Him the angels could foresee in a general way what would happen. With the human mind working the way that it did and does, the angels could foresee that the power of evil, once begun, would gradually increase. (cf. Arcana Coelestia 4687:2) With horror they recognized that eventually the human race would turn so far away from the Lord that it would no longer know anything true nor be able to do anything good. They recognized that the human race would turn completely from the Lord's life and His blessings, and they knew that when a complete separation took place, no human being would ever choose a heavenly life and would be condemned to the anger, discontent and destructiveness of an evil life.

Yet at the time of the first hint of evil, the Lord immediately foretold in prophecy that He would be born as a Savior to ensure that all people would always have a real choice between a heavenly life and a hellish one. By prophecies given to people on earth, both they and the angels knew that the Lord would make His advent. The angels understood that He would come as the Word made flesh, as a light to the world. He would let His infinite soul slowly fill a natural body. He would allow a mind to form within the workings of a natural brain - one precisely like yours and mine. He would learn the stories and laws of the Old Testament just like a child today can learn them. Then He would do something that no finite mortal could. He would slowly reveal to that natural mind and to the universal spiritual world the infinite life within revealed truth. He took words and ideas of truth that could exist within a human mind and showed their hidden glory. This revelation was an essential part of His mission on earth. It was an essential part of the process that the Writings of the New Church call “the glorification.” The Lord showed the infinite wisdom and the infinite love that had been hidden by the darkness of evil and the obscurity of limited human thought. The Lord Jesus Christ gave a power to revealed truth that is the salvation of all who seek to follow it - to all who follow revealed truth while seeking to serve their fellow human beings. The Lord became the Word made flesh so that we might behold His glory, so that we might have the light that will give us life.

All this lay in the distant future when the Lord's birth was first prophesied. Yet the prophecies themselves had great power. Yes, they were reassuring words, but they were something more. Faith in the promise of these prophecies accomplished something extremely powerful in itself. Faith in the Lord who was to come, brought about a loving relationship between human beings and God. (Arcana Coelestia 2034) This faith gave life and blessings to countless people. It sustained many in the human race till the Lord's birth actually occurred.

Over and over again, the Lord renewed the promise of His coming. But much time passed, and the promise of the Messiah was nearly forgotten. A few held onto their hope and waited, looking daily for the Lord to come. Wise men far distant from Judea watched the night sky looking for the sign that the Messiah had been born, and when they saw the star of wonder, they journeyed to bring gifts to the young infant. An old man in Jerusalem also waited for the Savior. When Simeon saw the infant Jesus and held Him in his arms. From a contented heart he spoke the remarkable words, "Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people: A light to give light to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32)

Simeon certainly understood something of the meaning of the Lord's birth. Yet almost no one else in the world did. But the angels knew what the advent meant. The prophecies of the Lord's coming had been essential for the angels too. We are taught that if the process of the Lord's glorification had not been shown to the angels through the internal sense of the Word and also in the rites of the Jewish Church, the Lord would have been obliged to come into the world immediately after the fall of the first church from the golden age of mankind. (Arcana Coelestia 2523:1) For the angels the Old Testament served as a detailed prophecy of even the smallest aspects of the Jesus' life. From the Old Testament the angels knew the actual thoughts and perceptions of His whole life in the world.

The prophecy sustained hope with the angels. It held in check their fears when they foresaw the growing power of evil. Their deep apprehension was not just a general concern for a matter of principle or for the battle of evil against good in an abstract form. They were concerned for the salvation of each individual soul. They could see that the possibility of anyone getting to heaven was greatly endangered.

The angels are keenly aware of the state of the church with the human race. We provide a foundation for them. When the church within the hearts and minds of people in this world is weak and ignorant, the foundation is threatened. We are told of the sadness of angels when the people of the church are misled by false ideas and motivated by evil. Yes, the heavens are dependent on the people who make up the church on earth. If that quality of the church with human beings should completely fail, the heavens presently associated with us would have to be transferred to rest on other earths, and life would cease on this earth.

However, the concern of the angels was not for their own welfare. Their concern was for the happiness of others. They seek above all else to bring happiness to others. We read that "to save a soul from hell, the angels would regard death as nothing, indeed if it were possible, they would undergo hell for that soul." (Arcana Coelestia 2077:2) The angels suffered with and for those who wandered in spiritual darkness. They mourned over the sadness that filled the lives of so many. They waited and could do little to make life better for all who suffered. They waited, praying, hoping. They knew that the darkness and suffering would end when Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer, came in glory. So it was that when the Lord was born, the angels rejoiced. They rejoiced the night of the first Christmas so long ago. And with joy they brought the news to a small group of shepherds who were in the fields that night watching over their flocks.

Yet they knew that the Lord's birth was only the beginning. Jesus would grow from infancy to adult life. He would undergo continual battles against the mind-numbing power of evil. His battles would continue to the final trial of the cross. The completion of His work would come as He rose from the tomb on the first Easter. He rose not merely as Jesus, but as the infinite God, Jesus Christ our Lord appearing in flesh and blood.

On the first Christmas, the angels knew that much had to occur before mankind was truly free to chose a life different from the misery and spiritual emptiness of hell. But after centuries of waiting, hoping and praying for this event, it had now begun. In the words of the angel, the birth of the Lord was indeed good news of great joy for all people.

The Lord’s birth and life did not mean that evil loves and false ideas became powerless. The Lord re-established the freedom to choose good loves and true ideas and many have and will choose them, but not all. Our hearts can be saddened and sometimes discouraged or angered by the evil that we can see large and small. There is a memorable experience taking place in the life after death that Swedenborg relates which dealt with a time of discouragement of his own (Conjugial Love 81). He had been reflecting on the terrible state of marriage with so many and was grieved in spirit. As he walked and talked sadly with an angel about these things there was suddenly a dazzling burst of light that lit up the whole sky and he heard the sound of a mighty angelic choir echoing across the sky. The angel explained the different songs of celebration they were hearing related to the Lord’s advent such as:

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of Jehovah...." ...Behold, the Lord Jehovih comes in strength.... He will feed His flock like a shepherd. (Isaiah 40:3, 10-11)

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given..., whose name shall be...Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

And there were also quotations about the Lord’s second coming. Swedenborg relates, “When I heard these things and understood their meaning, as a result my heart leapt, and I went home filled with joy” (Conjugial Love 81:5).

As we well know this also did not mean that there would soon be an end to sorrow and trouble in marriages. But it did mean there was hope and a future. If we stare too much at the sorrow and trouble this can grow to be all we see and the Lord’s role will diminish into a relatively small abstraction. In this state of mind there is no rejoicing, little hope and little energy to do what we can. It is not what the Lord and His angels would wish for us.

When we consider the Lord's birth, we too can be joyful. If the Lord had not come, we would not be alive today. If the Lord had not bowed the heavens and come down, nothing could save us from the natural patterns of thought and choice that bring us and others pain and hurt, that bring the reality of hell to us. It is valuable for us to come to an acknowledgement of the destructiveness within these natural patterns of thought and choice.

But something of the true spirit of Christmas is shown in the joy of the angels. Their joy was not because they directly benefited by the advent. The nature of angelic love is to feel another's joy as its own. The joy of the angels was for all mankind. In their joy they recognized the significance of the advent for the lives of so many people.

We can form some idea of their joy if we think of what the Lord's coming means to all those whom we love. When we watch loved ones and others we know learn and grow, it is not always easy. Perhaps we worry that they are making bad choices and that we cannot prevent it without taking away their essential freedom. It is then that we need to remember the Lord's coming. Because the Lord was born into the world, He is able to be very near to teach and lead our loved ones with His infinite wisdom and infinite love. He has come for them to lead them to receive as much of the joy of heaven as they possibly can. We can perhaps realize with joy that things may not be as hopeless as they sometimes seem. A knowledge of the Lord’s role can actually increase the energy and focus we have to wisely help those around us. We can be encouraged by the thought that an infinite and loving God is near and also working unceasingly with all human beings. And as we see their joy when they do what is good and right, we can feel something of this joy as our own and give thanks to the Lord.

The sense of another's joy is magnified many times with the angels. This is the joy with which the angels celebrated the birth of the Lord. They were rejoicing at the Lord's expression of His love and mercy to all of us. If we can enter into this joy of the angels, we will sense something of the true joy of Christmas. When this joy fills our hearts, we may echo the words of the angelic chorus, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

(Ссылки: Luke 2:10)

409. And every bondman, and every freeman. That this signifies the natural man and the spiritual man, is plain from the signification of bondservant, as denoting the natural man, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of a freeman, as denoting the spiritual man. The reason why the spiritual man is meant by a freeman, and the natural man by a bondservant, is, that the spiritual man is led by the Lord out of heaven, and to be led by the Lord is freedom, and the natural man obeys and serves it, for it executes what the spiritual man wills and thinks. Bondservant is mentioned in many passages in the Word, and he who does not know that by bondservant therein is meant what is subservient to, and effective of, those things that the spiritual man wills and thinks, may suppose that by a bondservant there is meant one who is in servitude, thus according to the common acceptation of bondservant; but that it is subserving and effecting which is meant, will be evident from the passages in the Word which shall presently be adduced. When servant is mentioned in the Word in this sense, then the natural man, which is meant, is no otherwise a servant than the body is the servant to its soul. And because subserving and effecting are meant by a servant, therefore also servant is not only said of the natural man respectively to the spiritual, but also of men who perform service for others, and of angels who execute God's commands, indeed of the Lord Himself, as to His Divine Human when He was in the world; it is also used of truths from good, because good acts and effects by means of truths, and because truths perform the service to good which [good] wills, and which it loves, and so forth. Moreover, servant is said of the natural man from obedience and effect, although with the regenerate the natural man is equally free and spiritual, since they act as one, like principal and instrumental; but nevertheless the natural man, with respect to the spiritual, is called a servant, because, as stated, the natural man serves the spiritual for effecting. But with those in whom the spiritual man is closed and only the natural man open, the whole man is a servant in a general sense, although, as to appearance, he is as it were free. For the outer natural man is subservient to the evils and falsities which the inner wills and thinks, for thus he is led by hell, and to be led by hell is to be altogether a servant; and such a man also becomes altogether a servant and vile slave in hell after death, for after death, the delights of every one's life are changed into corresponding [things], and the delights of evil into bondage and hideous things (as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 485-490). In this sense also servant is mentioned in the Word; but here it shall principally be shown, that by servant therein is meant what subserves and effects, and this in every respect.

[2] That by servant is meant what subserves and effects, is plainly evident from this consideration, that the Lord as to His Divine Human is called servant and minister, as in the following passages.

In Isaiah

"Behold my servant, on whom I recline; mine elect, in whom my soul is well pleased; I have put my spirit upon him; [he shall bring forth judgment to the nations]. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf as my angel that I send? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the servant of Jehovah?" (42:1, 19).

These words [are spoken] of the Lord, who is treated of in the whole of that chapter, and the Lord is there called a Servant as to Divine Human, because He served His Father by doing His will, as He frequently declares, by which is meant that He reduced to order all things in the spiritual world, and at the same time taught men the way to heaven. It is, therefore, the Divine Human which is meant by, "My servant on whom I recline, and by, mine elect, in whom my soul is well pleased." It is called a servant from the Divine truth, by means of which it accomplished [those things], and Elect from Divine good. That He had Divine truth by means of which He effected [all things], is meant by, "I have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the nations." The spirit of Jehovah is the Divine truth, and to bring forth judgment to the nations denotes to instruct. The reason why He is called blind and deaf, is, that the Lord is as if He did not see and perceive the sins of men, for He leads men gently, bending and not breaking them, thus withdrawing them from evils, and leading them to good; therefore neither does He chastise and punish, as if He saw and perceived. This is meant by, "who is blind, but my servant? or deaf as my angel?" He is called blind and hence a servant from the Divine truth, and deaf and hence an angel from the Divine good; for blindness has reference to the understanding and the perception thence, and deafness to perception and the will thence; therefore here that He is as if He did not see, although He possesses the Divine truth from which He understands all things, and as if He did not will according to what He perceives, although He has the Divine good, from which He is able [to effect] all things.

[3] In the same:

"He shall see of the labour of his soul, he shall be satisfied; by his knowledge my just servant shall justify many; therefore he hath borne their iniquities" (53:11).

These things are also spoken concerning the Lord, who is manifestly treated of in the whole chapter, and indeed concerning His Divine Human. His combats with the hells and His subjugation of them are signified by the labour of His soul, and by, "He hath borne their iniquities," by bearing their iniquities is not meant that He transferred them unto Himself, but that He admitted into Himself the evils which are from the hells, that He might subdue them; this therefore is meant by bearing iniquities. The consequent salvation of those who are in spiritual faith, which is [the faith] of charity, is meant by, "by his knowledge my just servant hath justified many"; knowledge signifying Divine truth, and Divine wisdom and intelligence thence; and many signifying all those who receive; for many, in the Word, is said of truths, but great of good, hence many denote all those who are in truths from good from the Lord. It is said that He hath justified them, because to justify signifies to save from the Divine good, whence also He is called just; because [the Lord] performed and carried out those things from His Divine Human, He is called the Servant of Jehovah; hence it is clear that Jehovah calls His Divine Human His servant, from its subserving and effecting.

[4] In the same:

Behold my servant shall act prudently, he shall be extolled and exalted, and shall be greatly praised" (52:13).

These also [are spoken of] the Lord, whose Divine Human is called a servant, for the same reason as was mentioned just above; the glorification of His Human is meant by, He shall be extolled, exalted, and shall be greatly praised.

In the same:

"Ye are my witnesses, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me" (43:10).

By servant, here, is also meant the Lord as to His Divine Human. That the Lord Himself calls Himself a minister from His serving, is evident in the Evangelists:

"Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be first, let him be your servant, even as the Son of Man came not that he might be ministered unto, but that he might minister" (Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-44; Luke 22:27).

This may be seen explained in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 218.

And in Luke:

"Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord coming shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and he drawing near will minister unto them" (12:37).

[5] Because by David in the Word is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, and Divine truth serves, therefore David, where the Lord also is meant by him, is everywhere called a servant; as in Ezekiel:

"I Jehovah will be their God, and my servant David a prince in the midst of them" (34:24).

In the same:

"David my servant shall be king over them, that they may have one shepherd" (37:24).

These things were spoken of David, after his time, who never could be raised again to be a prince in the midst of them, and a king over them.

In Isaiah:

"I will protect this city to keep it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake" (37:35).

In David:

"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish continually for ever"; I have found David my servant; with the oil of my holiness have I anointed him" (Psalms 89:3, 4, 20).

The whole of this Psalm treats of the Lord, who is here meant by David. In the same:

"He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes giving suck, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance; he fed them in the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands" (Psalms 78:70-72; besides elsewhere).

That the Lord as to Divine truth is meant by David in the Word, may be seen above, n. 205; and also in those passages. The Lord is also called a servant in the Word where He is meant by Israel, as in Isaiah:

"Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; but I have given thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth" (49:3, 6).

That the Lord, in the highest sense, is meant by Israel, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 4826; and that the Stone of Israel denotes the Lord as to Divine truth, n. 6426, there.

[6] Because the Lord as to Divine truth from its serving, is, in the Word, called a servant, therefore they are called servants there who are in Divine truth from the Lord, and thereby serve others, as the prophets in these passages.

In Jeremiah:

"Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets" (25:4).

In Amos:

"He hath revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets" (3:7).

In Daniel:

"He hath set [his laws] before us by the hand of his servants the prophets" (9:10).

Hence also Moses is called,

"The servant of Jehovah" (Mal. 4:4).

And also Isaiah in his prophecy (20:3, 52:13). For by the prophets is signified the doctrine of Divine truth, thus the Divine truth as to doctrine (see n. 2534, 7269). Hence also David frequently calls himself the servant of Jehovah; as in the following passages:

"I delight in thy statutes; I do not forget thy word. Thy servant meditates in thy statutes. Thou hast done good with thy servant, O Jehovah, according to thy word. Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. I am thy servant, instruct me, that I may know thy testimonies. Make thy faces to shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant" (Psalms 119:16, 23, 65, 124, 125, 135, 176).

In the same:

"Guard my soul; for I am holy; save thy servant, for I trust in Thee. Rejoice the soul of thy servant; for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. Give strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid" (Psalms 86:2, 4, 16; besides elsewhere, as Psalms 27:9; 31:16; 35:27; 116:16; Luke 1:69).

Because the Lord as to Divine truth is meant by David in the passages adduced above, and because by David is thence meant the Divine truth, the same as by the prophets, therefore, by servant also in these passages, is meant, in the spiritual sense, what is subservient. He who does not know the spiritual sense of the Word may suppose that not only David, but also others who are spoken of in the Word, called themselves servants, because all are the servants of God, whereas when servants are mentioned in the Word, what is subservient and efficient is meant thereby in the spiritual sense. It is also for this reason that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is called "the servant of Jehovah" (Jeremiah 25:9; 43:10). But specifically by servant and servants, in the Word, are meant those who receive the Divine truth and who teach it, because the Divine truth serves, and Divine good acts by its means. Hence it is that servants and chosen are everywhere mentioned together; servants [denoting] those who receive the Divine truth and teach it, and the chosen those who receive the Divine good and lead [thereto]; as in Isaiah:

"I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains; that my chosen may possess it, and my servants may dwell there" (65:9).

In the same:

"Thou, Israel, art my servant, and Jacob whom I have chosen " (41:8).

In the same:

"Hear, O Jacob, my servant; Israel, whom I have chosen. Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, and thou Jeshurun, Whom I have chosen" (44:1, 2).

That they are called the chosen who are in the life of charity, may be seen, n. 3755 at the end, 3900.

[7] Now since servants in the Word are spoken of from subserving and effecting, consequently, those who serve and effect, hence it is that the natural man is called a servant, for this serves the spiritual to carry out what it wills; and hence also the spiritual man is called a free man, and also a master. This also is meant by servant and master in Luke:

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will esteem the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (16:13).

This is not to be understood of servants in the world, because they can serve two masters, and yet not hate and despise one [of them]; but of servants in the spiritual sense, who are those that desire to love the Lord and themselves equally, also heaven and the world in the same manner. They are like those who wish to look with one eye upwards, and with the other downwards, or with one eye to heaven, and with the other to hell, and so to hang between both; when yet there will be more of one love than of the other; and where this is the case, that which opposes, when it does oppose, will be hated and despised; for the love of self and of the world is opposed to love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour. Hence it is, that those who are in heavenly love would be willing rather to die, and be deprived of honours and wealth in the world, than be withdrawn from the Lord and heaven by their means; for they consider the latter to be everything, because it is eternal, but the former respectively nothing, because it ends with life in the world. On the contrary, however, those who love themselves and the world above all things hold the Lord and heaven in no esteem, indeed they even deny them, and when they see them in opposition to them, they hate; this clearly appears to be the case with all such in the other life. With those who love the Lord and heaven above all things, the internal or spiritual man is opened, and the external or natural man serves it; the latter then is a servant because it serves, and the former is a master because it wills; but with those who love themselves and the world above all things, the internal or spiritual man is closed, and the external or natural man open, and when the latter is open, and the former closed, [a man] then loves one master, that is, himself and the world, and hates the other, namely, the Lord and heaven. I can also testify to the same from experience; for all who have lived for themselves and the world, and not, as they ought, for God and heaven, in the other life, hate the Lord, and persecute those who are His, however they may have spoken in the world, of heaven, and also of the Lord; from which it is evident how impossible it is to serve two masters. That those words of the Lord are to be understood spiritually, is evident from the words of the Lord Himself, for He says, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

[8] In Matthew:

"The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord" (10:24, 25).

By this, in its universal sense, is meant, that man shall not compare himself to the Lord, and that it is sufficient for him that all that he has, he has from the Lord, and then the disciple is as his Master, and the servant as the Lord, for then the Lord is in him, and causes him to will good, and to think truth; he is called a disciple from good, and a servant from truth. It is the same in a particular sense, namely, with every man who is led by the Lord; the external or natural man with him is a disciple and servant, and the internal and spiritual man is a master and lord. When the external or natural man serves the internal or spiritual by obeying and doing, then it is also as its master and lord, for they act as one, as it is said of the principal and instrumental cause, that they act as one cause. This particular sense coincides with the universal in this, that when the spiritual and natural man act as one, then the Lord Himself acts, for the spiritual man does nothing of itself, but what it does it does solely from the Lord; for in proportion as the spiritual man is opened (for it is opened into heaven), in the same proportion [a man] does not act from himself but from the Lord; this spiritual man is the spiritual man in its proper sense.

[9] In John:

"Ye shall know the truth; the truth maketh you free. The Jews answered, We are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man; how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. The servant abideth not in the house for ever; the son abideth ever. If the son therefore maketh you free, ye shall be free indeed" (8:32-36).

By these words is meant, that to be free is to be led by the Lord, and to be a servant is to be led by hell. By the truth which maketh free is meant the Divine truth which is from the Lord, for he who receives this in doctrine and in life, is free, because he becomes spiritual, and is led by the Lord; wherefore it is also said, that the son abideth in the house for ever; if the son therefore maketh you free, ye shall be free indeed. By the son is meant the Lord, and also truth, as may be seen above, n. 63, 151, 166; and to abide in the house denotes [to abide] in heaven. That to be led by hell is to be a servant, is taught by these words, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." Sin is hell, because from hell.

[10] That to receive the Divine truth from the Lord in doctrine and in life is to be free, the Lord also teaches in John:

"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. I no longer call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth; I rather call you friends: for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and appointed you, and ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (15:14-16).

By friends are here meant the free, because friends are here opposed to servants. That they are not servants, but friends or freemen, who receive the Divine truth in doctrine and life from the Lord, is taught by these words, "if ye do whatsoever I command you. I no longer call you servants, but friends"; also by these words, "all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit"; to command, and to make known, has reference to doctrine, and to bear fruit has reference to life. That these are from the Lord is thus taught, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and appointed you." Almost the same was represented by the Hebrew servants, who were dismissed in freedom in the seventh year, and in the year of Jubilee (who are treated of in Exodus 21:2, 3; Leviticus 25:39-41; Deuteronomy 15:12 et seq.; Jeremiah 34:9 et seq.; but concerning these see the Arcana Coelestia 8973-9005). From what has been so far adduced, it is evident that those are called servants in the Word who serve and execute, and that hence the natural man is meant by a servant, because this serves its spiritual man to carry out what it wills and thinks; also that those are called free, who act from the love of truth and good, thus who act from the Lord, from whom [comes] the love of truth and good. Moreover, by servants in the Word are also meant those who are led by self and the world, and thence by evils and falsities, consequently, who [are led] by the natural man, and not at the same time by the spiritual. But concerning these servants, the Lord willing, it shall be explained elsewhere.