9167. To see whether he hath put his hand to his companion’s work, or whether its lord hath taken it. That this signifies conjunction under good, is evident from the signification of “to see whether he hath put his hand to his companion’s work,” when this is said of truth and good exterior and interior, as being to see whether these have entered into good (see above, n. 9155), and thus whether they have been conjoined under good (what conjunction under good is, see n. 9154); and from the signification of “lord,” as being good (n. 9154). Thus “to see whether its lord hath taken it” denotes to see whether good has made them its own by conjunction. That “the lord” denotes good is because with a spiritual man good is in the first place, and truth in the second; and that which is in the first place is the lord.

[2] Moreover, all the truths with a man are arranged in accordance with the quality of the good, just as a house is arranged by its lord. From this it is that by “Lord” in the Word is meant the Lord as to Divine good, and by “God,” “King,” and “Master,” the Lord as to Divine truth; as in Moses:

Jehovah your God, He is God of gods, and Lord of lords (Deuteronomy 10:17).

The Lamb shall overcome them, for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings (Revelation 17:14).

He hath upon His garment and upon His thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

(That the Lord is called “God” in respect to Divine truth, see n. 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 4402, 7268, 8988; and that He is also called “King” in respect to Divine truth, n. 2015, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5068, 6148.) From this it is evident that the Lord is called “Lord” in respect to Divine good, for where truth is spoken of in the Word, good is also spoken of (n. 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2618, 2712, 2803, 3004, 4138, 5138, 5502, 6343, 8339).

In John:

Ye call Me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am. I, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet (John 13:13-14);

here also the Lord is called “Lord” from Divine good, and “Master” from Divine truth.

In Malachi:

The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Angel of the covenant whom ye desire (Malachi 3:1);

speaking of the coming of the Lord, and He is called “Lord” from Divine good, and “Angel” from Divine truth (n. 1925, 2821, 3039, 4085, 4295, 6280).

[3] From this it is that in the Old Testament He is so often called “the Lord Jehovih,” and this when supplication is made, by which is meant “Good Jehovah” (n. 1793, 2921); and that in the New Testament He is called “Lord” instead of “Jehovah” (n. 2921). From all this it can also be known what is meant by these words in Matthew:

No man can serve two lords; for either he will hate the one, and love the other (Matthew 6:24);

“two lords” denote good and evil, for a man must be either in good or in evil; he cannot be in both together. He can be in many truths, provided they have been set in order under one good; for good makes heaven with man, but evil makes hell, and a man must be either in heaven or in hell, and cannot be in both, nor between the two. From this then it is evident what is meant in the Word by “Lord.”