19. (Verse 4) John. That this signifies the Lord as to doctrine, is evident from the representation of John, as being the good of love, of which above, n. 8. Because he represents the good of love, he also, in the highest sense, represents the Lord, since all the good of love is from the Lord, men, spirits and angels being only recipients; and those who are recipients, are said to signify that which is from the Lord. The case is similar with many other persons in the Word, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist, Peter, and the rest of the apostles, each of whom signifies some good or truth of heaven and of the church, but still all of them, in the highest sense, signify the Lord. As, for instance, David, in the internal sense signifies Divine truth in the spiritual kingdom, which is called the Lord's royalty; therefore, in the highest sense, he signifies the Lord as to that truth and as to His royalty; for this reason it is said of David in the Word, that he is to come and reign over the sons of Israel (Ezekiel 37:24, 25; Hosea 3:5). Similarly, Elijah and Elisha, who, because in the internal sense they signify the Word, therefore, in the highest sense, they signify the Lord from whom is the Word. (That Elijah and Elisha signify the Word, and thus the Lord as to the Word, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5247; the case is the same with John the Baptist, who is therefore called Elijah, n. 7643, 9372. That Peter signifies faith, and thence the Lord as to faith, because faith is from the Lord, may be seen above, n. 9.) It is therefore evident why John signifies the Lord. The reason he signifies the Lord as to doctrine is, because it is said, "John to the seven churches," and by the seven churches, in the internal sense, are meant all who are in truths from good, or in faith from charity; for these are they who constitute the church; and it is doctrine that teaches those things. For this reason the Lord, as He is the Word, is also the doctrine of the church, for all doctrine is from the Word. (That the Lord is the doctrine of the church, because all the truth which pertains to doctrine is from the Word, thus from the Lord, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2531, 2859, 3712.)

2531. 'Therefore I did not allow you to touch her' means that the rational was not consulted at all. This is clear from the meaning of 'allowing to touch' as consulting - as is also the meaning of 'coming near her', verse 4 above, in 2519 - and from the meaning of 'Sarah as a sister', to whom the pronoun 'her' refers here, as the rational, dealt with in 1495, 2508

[2] So that more may be known about the nature of the doctrine of faith, that it is spiritual from a celestial origin, it should be recognized that such doctrine is Divine truth from Divine good, and so is wholly Divine. That which is Divine is beyond comprehension since it surpasses all understanding, even that of angels. Nevertheless this Divine, which in itself is beyond comprehension, is able to flow in by way of the Lord's Divine Human into man's rational. And when it flows into his rational, the way it is received there is determined by the truths that are there. Thus it is received in varying ways, differently from one person to another. To the extent therefore that the truths residing with a person are more genuine, the Divine flowing in is also received more perfectly, and the understanding part of his mind is enlightened.

[3] Present within the Word of the Lord there are truths themselves, but in its literal sense there are truths which have been adapted to the mental grasp of those whose worship is external, while in its internal sense there are truths adapted to those who are internal people, that is, who as regards doctrine and at the same time as regards life are like angels. Their rational is as a result enlightened to such an extent that this enlightenment is compared to the brightness of the stars and of the sun, in Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43. This shows how important it is to know and receive interior truths. People can indeed know these truths, but none can possibly receive them except those who are governed by love to the Lord or by faith in Him. For as the Lord is Divine Good, so He is Divine Truth, and therefore doctrine itself, for everything included in the doctrine of true faith has regard to the Lord. It also has regard to the heavenly kingdom and the Church, and to the things that constitute the heavenly kingdom and the Church. But all these are His and are the intermediate ends by means of which the final end, that is, the Lord, is regarded.

[4] That the Lord is doctrine itself as regards truth and good, thus that it is He alone who is regarded in doctrine, He Himself teaches in John,

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6-7.

Here 'the way' means doctrine, 'the truth' everything that constitutes doctrine, 'the life' good itself which is the life of truth. And that love to Him or faith in Him is that which receives, He also teaches in John,

His own did not receive him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:11-13.

'The born of God' are those in whom love and, from this, faith are present.