24
Er antwortete aber und sprach: Ich bin nicht gesandt, denn nur zu den verlornen Schafen von dem Hause Israel.
Matthaeus 15:24
Apocalypse Explained # 254
254. As I also have overcome, and sit with My Father in His throne, signifies comparatively as Divine good is united to Divine truth in heaven. This is evident from the signification of "overcoming," as being in reference to the Lord Himself, to unite Divine good to Divine truth. Because this was effected through temptations and victories, it is said, "as I also have overcome." (That the Lord united Divine good to Divine truth through temptations admitted into His Human, and then through continued victories, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 201, 293, 302.) "To sit with My Father in His throne" signifies Divine good united to Divine truth in heaven, because "Father," when said by the Lord, means the Divine good that was in Him from conception, and "Son" the Divine truth, both in heaven, "throne" meaning heaven (See above). This Divine of the Lord in the heavens is called Divine truth, but it is Divine good united to Divine truth. (That this is so, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 13, 133, 139-140.)
[2] There is a comparison made between the men of the church and the Lord Himself, in His saying, "He that overcometh I will give to him to sit with Me in My throne, as I also have overcome and sit with My Father in His throne," because the Lord's life in the world was an example according to which the men of the church are to live, as the Lord Himself teaches in John:
I have given unto you an example that ye also should do as I have done to you. If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them (John 13:15, 13:17).
So in other places the Lord compares Himself with others; for example, in John:
Jesus said, Even as the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you; abide ye in My love, as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love (John 15:9-10).
In the same:
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. As Thou didst send Me into the world, even so sent I them into the world (John 17:16, 17:18).
In the same:
As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you (John 20:21).
In the same:
The glory which Thou hast given Me I have given unto them; that they may be one even as We are one, I in them, Thou in Me. Father, those whom Thou hast given Me, I will that where I am they also may be with Me, that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me. I have made known unto them Thy name, and will make it known that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:22-24, 17:26).
The Lord spoke of His conjunction with men in the same way as He spoke of His conjunction with the Father, that is, the conjunction of His Human with the Divine that was in Him, for the reason that the Lord is not conjoined with what is man's own [proprio], but with His own that is with man. The Lord removes what is man's own [proprium], and gives of His own, and dwells in that. That this is so is known in the church, as is clear from the customary prayer and exhortation to those who come to the sacrament of the Supper, in which are these words:
If with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive that holy sacrament (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink His blood), then we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; and we are one with Christ, and Christ with us. (See also John 6:56. But these things may be better understood from what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell 11-12.) From this it follows that as the Divine of the Lord received by angels and by men makes heaven and the church with them, they are one with the Lord, as He and the Father are one.
[3] That the meaning of these words of the Lord, that "He sitteth with His Father in His throne," may be more clearly seen, it must be known that "God's throne" is heaven (as was shown in the preceding article), and that heaven is heaven from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, and this Divine is called Divine truth, but is Divine good united to Divine truth (as was said above). The Lord Himself is not in heaven, but is above the heavens, and is seen by those who are in the heavens as a sun. He is seen as a sun because He is Divine love, and Divine love is seen by the angels as solar fire; this is why "sacred fire" in the Word signifies love Divine. From the Lord as a sun light and heat proceed: the light that proceeds, since it is spiritual light, is Divine truth; and the heat, since it is spiritual heat, is Divine good. This, namely, the Divine good, is what is meant by "the Father in the heavens." (That the Lord is the Sun of Heaven, and that the light and heat therefrom are Divine truth united to Divine good, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 116-125, 126-140; and that Heaven is Heaven from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, n 7-12.) From this what is meant in the Word by "the Father in the heavens" and by "Heavenly Father" can be seen. Thus in Matthew:
Do good to your enemies, that ye may be sons of your Father who is in the heavens (Matthew 5:44, 45).
In the same:
Ye shall be perfect, as your Father in the heavens is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
In the same:
Ye who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children; how much more shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to them who ask Him (Matthew 7:11).
In the same:
He that doeth the will of the Father who is in the heavens shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 7:21).
In the same:
Every plant which the heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up (Matthew 15:13).
Also in other places (as in Matthew 5:16; 6:1, 6, 8; 12:50; 16:17, 18:14, 19, 35; Mark 11:25, 26; Luke 11:13).
[4] That "Father" means the Divine good can be seen also from this passage in Matthew:
Despise not one of these little ones; for their angels do always behold the face of My Father who is in the heavens (Matthew 18:10);
that "they behold the face of the Father who is in the heavens" signifies that they receive Divine good from the Lord; that they do not see His face is evident from the Lord's words in John:
That no one hath ever seen the Father (John 1:18; 5:37; 6:46).
The same can be seen from this passage in Matthew:
Call no man your Father on the earth, for one is your Father who is in the heavens (Matthew 23:9).
It is plain that no one is forbidden to call his father on the earth "father," nor is this here forbidden by the Lord; but this was said because "Father" means the Divine good, and:
No one is good except the one God (Matthew 19:17).
(The Lord spoke thus because "Father" in the Word of both Testaments means in the spiritual sense good, see Arcana Coelestia 3703[1-23], 5902, 6050, 7833, 7834; and also heaven and the church in respect to good, n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 5581, 8897; and "Father," when said by the Lord, means the Divine good of His Divine love, n. 2803, 3704, 7499, 8328, 8897)
Matthew 18
1
In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
2
Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them,
3
and said, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
4
Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
5
Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
6
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.
7
"Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but Woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
8
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.
9
If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.
10
See that you don't despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11
For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
12
"What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
13
If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
14
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15
"If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
16
But if he doesn't listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
18
Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
19
Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them."
21
Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?"
22
Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
23
Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.
24
When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25
But because he couldn't pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26
The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!'
27
The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28
"But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
29
"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!'
30
He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.
31
So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.
32
Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.
33
Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?'
34
His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.
35
So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."
