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Isaiah 26:19

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19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

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Explanation of Isaiah 26

Napsal(a) Rev. John H. Smithson

THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 26

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation shall He establish for walls and bulwarks.

Verse 1. In the Word. the things relating to the spiritual church are compared to a city, which has a wall, bulwarks, gates and bolts; and by the assaults of that city are described the assault of Truth by falsities on which account also a city signifies doctrinals, (see Arcana Coelestia 402, 2268) and a wall the truths of faith which, defend; and in the opposite sense, the falsities which are destroyed. That a wall signifies the truths of faith which defend, is evident from Isaiah 26:1:

"We have a strong city", etc.

Again,

"You shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. (Isaiah 60:18; see also (Jeremiah 20:5; Lamentations 2:8, 9)

That a wall, in the opposite sense, signifies the falsities which are destroyed, see a above, Chapter 25:12, the Exposition. Arcana Coelestia 6419.

In that day shall this song be sung. etc. - As to singing, when mentioned in the Word, see Chapter 12:2, the Exposition.

Verses 1, 2. We have a strong city; salvation shall He establish for walls and bulwarks. Open you the gates, that the just nation keeping fidelities may enter. - A "strong city" here signifies the doctrine of genuine Truth, which falsities cannot destroy; "walls and bulwarks" signify truths for defence; "gates" signify admission, as may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 208; a "just nation keeping fidelities" denotes those who are in goods, and thence in truths. Apocalypse Explained 223.

2. Open you the gates, that the just nation keeping fidelities may enter.

3. [Him] whose mind is staid [on You], You will keep in perfect peace: because he trusts in You.

Verse 2. According to the sense of the letter, it is here understood that they who are "just and faithful" should be admitted into those cities; but according to the internal sense, that such should be admitted into the church. For" gates" signify admission; a "just nation", those who are in good; "keeping fidelities", those who are thence in truths. Apocalypse Explained 208.

4. Trust you in Jehovah for ever: for in Jah Jehovah is the rock of eternity:

Verse 4. Here "Jehovah" and "Rock" are mentioned, because by "Jehovah" is understood the Lord as to Divine Good, and by "Rock" the Lord as to Divine Truth. Apocalypse Explained 411.

In Jah, Jehovah, etc. - As to the specific meaning of "Jah", see above, Chapter 12:2, the Exposition.

The Rock of eternity. - For the signification of "Rock", as applied to the Lord, see above, Chapter 16:1, the Exposition.

5. For He has humbled those that dwell on high; the lofty city, He has brought her down: He has brought her down to the ground; He has levelled her with the dust.

Verse 5. For He has humbled those that dwell on high, etc.

- See Chapter 2:12-17; 14:13, the Exposition. To "bring down to the ground and to level with the dust", denotes a state of condemnation, [or an entire separation from heaven.] Arcana Coelestia 258.

"Dust" denotes what is damned; and the reason is, because [in the spiritual world] the places where evil spirits are, appear as earth, and indeed as uncultivated and dry ground, under which are certain hells. That earth is what is called "damned earth", and the "dust" there signifies what is damned.

Occasionally it has been given me to see, that the evil spirits there shook off the dust from their feet when they were desirous to damn anyone. Hence then it is, that by "dust" is signified what is damned; and by "shaking off dust", damnation. It was in consequence of this signification that the disciples were commanded by the Lord to "shake off the dust from their feet", if they were not received. Arcana Coelestia 7418.

6. The foot shall trample upon her; the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the needy.

7. The way of the just is uprightness: the path of the just is straight; You make it level.

Verse 6. Your are called "poor" who have not the Word, and thus know nothing concerning the Lord, and yet desire to be instructed. Arcana Coelestia 9209.

[Their "trampling upon the lofty city", signifies that such as are in simple good, and desire to be instructed in truths, will rise above false doctrines which originate in self-intelligence.]

8. Yea, as to the way of Your judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited for You; to Your name, and to the remembrance of You is the desire of our soul.

Verse 8. In many passages in the Word it is said, "For the sake of the name of Jehovah", "for 'the sake of the name of the Lord", "for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ", "that the name of God should be sanctified", and such like. They who do not think beyond the sense of the letter, are of opinion that name alone is understood, whereas name is not understood, but all that by which the Lord is worshipped, all which has relation to love and faith; hence by the "name" of the Lord, in the Word, are understood all things of love and of faith by which He is worshipped, but in this case the acknowledgement of the Lord, and of the knowledges of truth which respect Him, because this is said to those who only study knowledges. The reason why by the "name" of Jehovah, or of the Lord, is not understood the name itself, but all things of love and faith, originates in the spiritual world. In that world the names used on earth are not pronounced, but the names of the persons spoken of are formed from the idea of all things which are known concerning them, which things are summed up into one expression. Such is the pronunciation of names in the spiritual world; whence it is, that names in that world, as well as all other things, are spiritual; nor are the names of the Lord and of Jesus Christ pronounced there as on earth, but instead of these names, a "name" is formed from the idea of all things which are known and believed concerning Him, which idea is from all things of love and of faith in Him. The reason is, because these things in the complex are the Lord with them; for the Lord is with everyone in the goods of love and of faith which are from Him; this being the case, the quality of every one is there immediately known, as to his love and faith in the Lord, only from pronouncing in a spiritual expression, or a spiritual name the Lord or Jesus Christ. Hence also it is, that they who are not in any love or in any faith towards Him, cannot name Him, that is, form any spiritual "name" concerning Him. From these considerations it is now manifest whence it is that by the "name" of Jehovah, of the Lord, or of Jesus Christ, in the Word, is not understood the name, but all of love and of faith by which He is worshipped. Lest, therefore, the opinion should prevail which obtains among many, that the name alone of Jesus Christ, without love and faith in Him, thus without knowledges by which love and faith exist, contributes somewhat to salvation, I am desirous to adduce a few passages from the Word, where it is said "For the sake of His name", and "in His name", from which they who think more deeply may see that name alone is not understood, as in the following:

"Jesus said, You shall be hated by all for My name's sake." (Matthew 7:22; 24:9, 10) "'Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) "As many as received Him, to them He gave power, that they might be the sons of God, believing on His name", (John 1:12) "When Jesus was in Jerusalem, many believed on His name", (John 2:23). Apocalypse Explained 102.

9. With my soul have I desired You in the night; yea, with my spirit within me in the morn have I sought You: for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn justice.

10. Though mercy be shown to the wicked, he will not learn justice: in the land of uprightness he will act perversely, and will not regard the majesty of Jehovah.

11. O Jehovah, Your hand is lifted up, but they will not see: they shall see, and be ashamed at the envy of the people; yea, the fire of Thine, adversaries shall devour them,

Verse 9. By "night" is signified a state when there is no light of Truth, (see above, Chapter 15:1, the Exposition), and by "morning" a state in which there is the light of Truth. This state is from love, but that, when there is not yet love; wherefore by "the soul which desired Jehovah in the night" is signified a life which is not yet in the light of Truth; and by "my spirit within me have I sought Jehovah in the morn", a life which is in the light of Truth. Hence it follows "When Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn justice", by which is signified that the church from the Lord is in Truths, and by truths in Good; the "earth" signifies the church as to Truths, and the "world" the church as to Good; for "judgment", in the Word, is said of Truth, and "justice" of Good; and also "inhabitants" signify the men of the church who are in the goods of doctrine, and thence of life. That "judgment", in the Word, is said of Truth, and "justice" of Good, see Arcana Coelestia 2235, 9857; and that to "inhabit" signifies to live, and hence "inhabitants" those who are in the good of doctrine, and thence of life, see Apocalypse Explained 133, 479, 662. Apocalypse Explained 741.

"Soul", in this passage, stands for the affection of Truth and "spirit" for the affection of Good. Arcana Coelestia 2930.

Verse 11. They shall see, and be ashamed at the envy [or hatred] of the people; yea, the fire of Thine adversaries shall devour them.

The destruction of the evil, who are here understood by the "people" and by "adversaries", is described by "fire" and by "hatred" [or envy]. Apocalypse Explained 504.

12. O Jehovah. You will ordain peace for us: for all our works You have wrought in us.

Verse 12. Inasmuch as peace is from Jehovah, that is, from the Lord, and in doing good from Him, therefore it is said:

"Jehovah will ordain peace for us, for You have wrought all our works in us." Apocalypse Explained 365.

13. O Jehovah, our God! other lords besides You, have had dominion over us: by You only will we celebrate Your name.

Verse 13. To "celebrate" and to "call upon the name of Jehovah", is to worship Him from the goods of Love, and from the truths of Faith. Arcana Coelestia 2009.

["Other lords" are various kinds of evils, such as those represented by the Babylonians, which have the dominion over man when he is not in love to the Lord and his neighbour, or when he does not in his life celebrate the Lord's name,]

14. They are dead, they shall not live; the Rephaim shall not arise: therefore have You visited and. destroyed them, and made all remembrance of them to perish.

Verse 14. The Rephaim stand for the posterity of the most ancient church, which was before the flood, who were also called "Nephelim" and "Enakim." (See Arcana Coelestia 567, 581, 1673) "You have visited and, destroyed or extinguished the Rephaim", means the last time of that church, and also their being cast into hell; concerning which, see Arcana Coelestia 1265-1272. Arcana Coelestia 6588.

The Rephaim shall not arise, etc.

- As to the "Rephaim", see above, Chapter 14:9; 17:5, notes.

15. You have added to the nation, O Jehovah; You have added to the nation; You art glorified: You have far removed all the extremities of the earth.

Verse 15. The "nation" to which Jehovah has added, signifies, those who are in the good of love, whom He has addicted to Himself; the "extremities of the earth" which He has removed, signify falsities and evils which infest the church, from which He has purified them. Apocalypse Explained 304.

16. O Jehovah, in distress have they sought You; they poured out supplication when Your chastisement was upon them.

17. As a woman that is pregnant, when her delivery approaches, is in pain and cries out in her pangs; thus have we been before You, O Jehovah.

18. We have been pregnant; we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind: we have not wrought deliverance for the land; neither have, the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19. Your dead shall live; My dead body; they shall arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust! for your dew is as the dew of herbs; and the earth shall cast forth the Rephaim.

Verses 16-19. These things are said of the last times of the church, when falsities and evils so far increase, that men cannot be reformed and regenerated; this state is understood by the "chastisement of Jehovah" upon them. That then the perception and acquisition of any degree of Truth is effected with difficulty, is signified by "a pregnant woman, who draws near to her delivery, crying out in her pangs." That in the place of truths they imbibe vanities, in which there are no truths, is signified by "We have been pregnant; we have been in pain; we have, as it 'were, brought forth wind"; "wind" denoting such vanities. That no uses of life are from them, is signified by "We have not wrought deliverance for the land." That still, when the Lord should come, they should be taught and regenerated by truths from Him, is signified by "Your dead shall live", and by the things which follow. Apocalypse Explained 721.

Verse 19. [We have given the exact rendering of this verse from the Hebrew, without any interpolation in italics, as in the Bible version. The passage does not teach as demonstrated in the note, that the dead bodies of men will rise again; but by these words is meant that at the Lord's coming, all, though dead as to the real principles of the church, in whom there are any "remains" of Goodness and Truth, will be raised up at the time of Judgment. They are called Your dead, that, is the Lord's dead, because they are amongst the dead of a consummated church, in which, nevertheless, there is always a remnant that can be saved; and they are called the Lord's dead body, (for the pronouns "Your", and "My" evidently relate to the Lord), To indicate, that a consummated church is, as it were, a "dead body"; (Matthew 24:28) and it is called "My dead body", to intimate that though the church, which is called "the Body of Christ, is dead or consummated, there are, nevertheless, some amongst them who have "remains" of Goodness, which can be restored, when instructed in Truths to spiritual life. These "remains" are meant by "they shall arise", which being in the plural involves those of the consummated church, or of the "dead body", who can thus be saved.

The "dead" in the first clause of the verse, are those who, although in falsities, can have them dispersed, and receive Truths", which is to "live"; and those of the "dead body who shall arise, are such as have been in the evils of false principles or doctrines, but not in evil intentions, and who are, therefore, reclaimable by vastations. (See above, Chapter 24:22, the Exposition.) A fulfilment of this divine prophecy may be seen at the Lord's resurrection, when He arose with his whole natural Body complete, but which was then "no longer material but Divine-Substantial." (Doctrine of the Lord 35, ) "having rejected by burial the residue of the Human from the mother", (Doctrine of the Lord 16, at the end), and consequently everything that was material, infirm, and finite. In this Glorious Body "He ascended far above all heavens, that He might fill all things."

The Lord clearly points out the difference between His own resurrection in a Divine-Natural Body, and the resurrection of all other men in a spiritual body only, when He says, "Behold My hands and My feet, , that it is. I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit [who is a man, risen from, the dead] has not flesh and bones [that is, a natural body] as you see Me have." (Luke 24:39)

Those, then, who think that because the Lord arose as to His natural Body, therefore, all others will also arise as to their natural bodies, are much mistaken, and do not think according to the Truth. All others arise like Lazarus and the Rich Man in the Parable, immediately after death, in their spiritual bodies; and not, as is commonly supposed, at some future period, in their natural bodies. Now, as a consequence of the Lord's resurrection, "many bodies of the saints who slept arose, and came out of the graves, and went into the holy CIty. (Matthew 27:52, 53).

This was an event which took place not in the natural world, but in the world of spirits; and the "graves" out of which they came were the places of vastation in the lower earth of that world; for the places where such spirits are detained until they are finally delivered from vastations appear, from correspondences, like pits, graves, and prisons. (See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 24:22.)

Their coming forth out of these places by the power of the Lord's resurrection, would appear in that world like coming forth out of graves, - as from a state of spiritual death to a life of righteousness in heaven. These were "the spirits to whom the Lord went after His crucifixion to preach", (1 Peter 3:19), and who, by the power of His Resurrection, through the full glorification of His Humanity, were raised up by Him from these places of vastation, and received up into heaven. See Apocalypse Explained 659, 89; Arcana Coelestia 2915, 8018, 9229; also Apocalypse Revealed 845.]

Your dead shall live, etc.

- Here the resurrection of the dead is treated of, namely; of those who arise in the life of the body, and at the same time concerning those who arise after the life of the body; for it is a law that he who, in the life of the body, arises [to spiritual life], will also arise after the life of the body [to spiritual or heavenly life]. The resurrection, like the kingdom of God Messiah; begins in man whilst he lives in the body, for he is [then] prepared for life, and he enters into it whilst he lives in the world; the death of the body is only a continuation of the heavenly life. (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 70.)

The earth shall cast forth the Rephaim [or giants]. - What is meant by being "cast out of the sepulchre", see above, Chapter 14:10; 20, the Exposition.

20. Come, O My people; enter into your chambers, and shut your doors after you: hide yourself for a little while, for a moment, until the indignation be overpast.

Verse 20. It was a customary form of speech amongst the ancients to talk of "entering into a bedchamber", and also of "shutting the door" on the occasion, when they meant to do anything which should not appear. This form of speech was derived from significatives in the ancient church, for by "house", in the spiritual sense, they understood a man, (Arcana Coelestia 3128); by the "closets" and the "bedchambers" they understood the interiors of man; hence to "come or enter into the bedchamber" was significative; therefore mention is made of it in the Word throughout, as in Isaiah:

"Come, O My people! enter into your chambers, and shut your doors after you", etc.

That to "enter into the chambers", in this passage, does hot denote entering into chambers, is very manifest, but to keep themselves in secret and in themselves.

And in Ezekiel:

"He said unto me, Have you seen, O son of man what the elders of the House of Israel are doing in the darkness, a man [vir] in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, Jehovah doth not see us." (Ezekiel 8:12)

To "do in darkness, a man in the chambers of his imagery"; denotes inwardly in themselves in the thoughts; the interiors of their thought and affection were represented to the prophet by chambers, and were called "the chambers of imagery."

And in Moses:

"Abroad the sword shall bereave, and from the chambers terror, both the youth and the virgin, the suckling with the man of old age." (Deuteronomy 32:25)

The "sword" denotes vastation of truth, and the punishment of the false, Arcana Coelestia 2799; "terror from the chambers" denotes the interiors of man; that "chambers"; in this passage, do not mean merely chambers, is also evident.

So in David:

"Who waters the mountains from His chambers", (Psalm 104:13)

To "water the mountains", in the spiritual sense, is to bless those who are principled in love to the Lord and in love towards the neighbour: that "mountain" denotes the celestial principle of love, see Arcana Coelestia 795, 1430, 4210; hence "from His chambers" denotes from the interiors of heaven.

So in Luke:

"Whatsoever things you have said in darkness, shall be heard in light; and what you have spoken into the ear in chambers, shall be preached on the tops of houses"; (Luke 12:3)

where "chambers" also denote the interiors of man, that is, what he had thought, what he had intended, and what he had attempted.

And in Matthew:

"When you prayest, enter into your chamber, and shut your door; and pray in secret." (Matthew 6:6)

To "enter into the chamber, and pray", denotes not apparently; for this was said from what is representative. Arcana Coelestia 5694. See also 7353.

Shut your doors after you, etc.

To "shut the door after you, until the indignation be overpast", signifies to have no communication with evils, which are denoted by "indignation" or anger, as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3614, 5034, and in many other places. Arcana Coelestia 8989. See also Chapter 9:12, 17, 21, the Exposition.

21. For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth from His place to visit, for his iniquity, the inhabitant of the earth: and the earth shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain.

Verse 21. Speaking of the day of visitation or of judgment, when the iniquities of all shall be discovered, which is understood by "Then the earth. shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain." The "earth" signifies the church, in this case, the evil therein; "bloods" denote evils which have destroyed the goods thereof; and the "slain" denote falsities which have destroyed the truths thereof. Whether it be said that the "slain" signify falsities, or those who are in falsities, it amounts to the same, inasmuch as they are in falsities, and falsities in them; and the falsities in them are what destroy. Apocalypse Explained 315.

The earth shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain.

- By the "bloods" which the earth shall disclose, are signified all the falsities and evils which have destroyed the truths and goods of the church; the "earth denoting the church where those things are; by the "slain" are signified those who perish by them. That the "slain" signify those who have perished by falsities and evils, may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 315. Apocalypse Explained 329.

Temptation is here treated of, which appears like "indignation"; for the Lord, in temptation, visits the iniquity of a man, that it may be taken away, for all [evils] are then manifested, and they come forth [to the perception of man], which is here expressed by "disclosing or revealing bloods", and by " not concealing the slain." (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 71.)

---

Isaiah Chapter 26

1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation shall He establish for walls and bulwarks.

2. Open you the gates, that the just nation keeping fidelities may enter.

3. [Him] whose mind is staid [on You], You will keep in perfect peace: because he trusts in You.

4. Trust you in Jehovah for ever: for in Jah Jehovah is the rock of eternity:

5. For He has humbled those that dwell on high; the lofty city, He has brought her down: He has brought her down to the ground; He has levelled her with the dust.

6. The foot shall trample upon her; the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the needy.

7. The way of the just is uprightness: the path of the just is straight; You make it level.

8. Yea, as to the way of Your judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited for You; to Your name, and to the remembrance of You is the desire of our soul.

9. With my soul have I desired You in the night; yea, with my spirit within me in the morn have I sought You: for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn justice.

10. Though mercy be shown to the wicked, he will not learn justice: in the land of uprightness he will act perversely, and will not regard the majesty of Jehovah.

11. O Jehovah, Your hand is lifted up, but they will not see: they shall see, and be ashamed at the envy of the people; yea, the fire of Thine, adversaries shall devour them,

12. O Jehovah. You will ordain peace for us: for all our works You have wrought in us.

13. O Jehovah, our God! other lords besides You, have had dominion over us: by You only will we celebrate Your name.

14. They are dead, they shall not live; the Rephaim shall not arise: therefore have You visited and. destroyed them, and made all remembrance of them to perish.

15. You have added to the nation, O Jehovah; You have added to the nation; You art glorified: You have far removed all the extremities of the earth.

16. O Jehovah, in distress have they sought You; they poured out supplication when Your chastisement was upon them.

17. As a woman that is pregnant, when her delivery approaches, is in pain and cries out in her pangs; thus have we been before You, O Jehovah.

18. We have been pregnant; we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind: we have not wrought deliverance for the land; neither have, the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19. Your dead shall live; My dead body; they shall arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust! for your dew is as the dew of herbs; and the earth shall cast forth the Rephaim.

20. Come, O My people; enter into your chambers, and shut your doors after you: hide yourself for a little while, for a moment, until the indignation be overpast.

21. For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth from His place to visit, for his iniquity, the inhabitant of the earth: and the earth shall disclose her bloods, and shall no longer cover her slain.

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Doctrine of the Lord # 35

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35. The Lord gradually put off the humanity taken on from the mother and put on a humanity from the Divine in Him, a humanity which is a Divine humanity and the Son of God. People know that the Lord had a Divine component and a human one — a Divine one from His Father Jehovah, and a human one from the virgin Mary. Consequently He was God and man, and so had a Divine essence and a human nature — a Divine essence from the Father, and a human nature from the mother . And because of that He was equal to the Father in respect to His Divinity, but less than the Father in respect to His humanity. People also know that He did not convert the human nature from the mother into Divine essence; neither did He commingle it with that essence, as the doctrine of faith named after Athanasius teaches. For human nature cannot be converted into Divine essence or be commingled with it.

[2] And yet, according to that same doctrine, the Divine took on a humanity, which is to say that He united Himself to it, like a soul to its body, even to the point that they were not two, but one person. It follows from this that He put off the humanity from the mother, which in itself was like the humanity of any other person, and thus material, and put on a humanity from the Father, which in itself is the same as the Divine itself, and thus essential, as a result of which the humanity, too, became Divine.

That is why the Prophets in the Word call the Lord Jehovah and God even in respect to His humanity, and that the Gospels in the Word call Him Lord, God, the Messiah or Christ, and the Son of God, in whom we are to believe, and by whom we can be saved.

[3] Now because the Lord initially had a humanity from the mother, which He gradually put off, therefore, when He was in the world, He had two states, one called His state of submission or kenosis, and one called His state of glorification or of union with the Divine called the Father. His state was one of submission whenever and as long as He was in a human state from the mother, and His state was one of glorification whenever and as long as He was in a human state from the Father.

In His state of submission He prayed to the Father as though praying to another than Himself, while in His state of glorification He spoke with the Father as though speaking with Himself. In the latter state He said that the Father was in Him and He in the Father, and that He and the Father were one. On the other hand, in His state of submission He underwent temptations or trials, suffered the cross, and prayed to the Father not to forsake Him. For the Divine cannot be tempted or tested, and still less suffer the cross.

It is now apparent from this that temptations or trials and continual victories in them — including the suffering of the cross, which was the last of the trials — were the means by which He completely overcame the hells and completely glorified His humanity, as we showed earlier.

[4] That the Lord put off His humanity from the mother and put on a humanity from the Divine in Him called the Father is apparent as well from the fact that whenever the Lord spoke with His own mouth to His mother, He did not call her mother, but woman. We find in the Gospels only three times that He spoke with His own mouth to His mother or about her, and we read then that twice He called her woman, and once that He did not acknowledge her as His mother.

Twice we read in John that He called her woman:

...the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “What is that to you and Me, woman? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:3-4)

Again in John:

Jesus, therefore, seeing (from the cross) His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27)

And once we read in Luke that He did not acknowledge her:

It was reported to Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside and wish to see You.” (Jesus) answering said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:20-21, cf. Matthew 12:46-49, Mark 3:31-35)

In other places Mary is called His mother, but not by His mouth.

[5] This, too, is confirmed by the fact that He did not acknowledge Himself to be the son of David. For we read in the Gospels:

...Jesus asked (the Pharisees), saying, “What do you think regarding the Christ? Whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How then does David in the spirit call Him Lord, saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right, till I make Your enemies Your footstool?” ’ If David calls Him Lord, then how is He his Son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word.... (Matthew 22:41-46, cf. Psalms 110:1, Mark 12:35-37, Luke 20:41-44)

It is apparent from this that in respect to His glorified humanity the Lord was neither the son of Mary nor the son of David.

[6] What His glorified humanity was like He showed to Peter, James and John when He was transfigured before them:

His face shone like the sun, and His garments were [as white] as the light.... And then a voice from out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matthew 17:1-8, cf. Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36)

The Lord also appeared to John “as the sun shining in its power” (Revelation 1:16).

[7] That the Lord’s humanity was glorified is clear from what we are told in the Gospels about His glorification. For example, in the following:

In John:

The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.... (He said,) “Father, glorify Your name.” A voice...came from heaven, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” (John 12:23, 28)

Because the Lord was glorified gradually, therefore the text says, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

Again in John:

...after (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.... ...God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.” (John 13:31-32)

Again:

Jesus...said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You....” (John 17:1, 5)

And in Luke:

Ought not the Christ to have suffered this and to enter into His glory? (Luke 24:26)

This He said in regard to His humanity.

[8] The Lord said, “God is glorified in Him, ” “God will also glorify Him in Himself, ” and “Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may also glorify You.” The Lord said these things because the union was a reciprocal one of the Divine with the human and of the human with the Divine. That is why He also said, “I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:10-11), and “all mine are yours, and (all) yours are mine” (John 17:10). The result was a complete union.

The case is the same with every union. It is not complete unless it is a reciprocal one. Such is the nature also of the union of the Lord with a person and of a person with the Lord, as He teaches in John:

In that day you will know that...you are in Me, and I in you. (John 14:20)

And elsewhere:

Abide in Me, and I in you.... He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. (John 15:4-5)

[9] Since the Lord glorified His humanity, that is, made it Divine, therefore after death He rose on the third day with His whole body. This does not happen in the case of any other person; for a person rises only in respect to his spirit, and not in respect to his body.

That people might know and no one doubt that the Lord rose with His whole body, He not only said so through the angels who were at the sepulchre, but He also showed Himself in His human body to His disciples, saying to them, when they believed they were seeing a spirit,

See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. (Luke 24:39-40, cf. John 20:20).

And furthermore:

(Jesus) said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and reach out your hand here and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Then Thomas...said..., “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28)

[10] To confirm yet again that He was not a spirit but a man, the Lord said to His disciples,

“Have you any food here?” So they gave Him part of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence. (Luke 24:41-43)

Since His body was now no longer a material one but an essential, Divine one, therefore He came to His disciples through closed doors (John 20:19, 26). And after they saw Him, He vanished out of their sight (Luke 24:31).

It was in such a state that the Lord was then taken up and sat at the right of God. For we are told in Luke:

It came to pass, as (Jesus) was blessing (His disciples), that He departed from them and was taken up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)

And in Mark:

...after (He) had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven, and sat at the right of God. (Mark 16:19)

Sitting at the right of God symbolizes Divine omnipotence.

[11] Since the Lord rose into heaven and sat at the right of God, symbolizing Divine omnipotence, with His Divinity and humanity united into one, it follows that His human substance or essence was like His Divine substance or essence.

If a person were to think otherwise, it would be as though he thought that the Lord’s Divinity was taken up into heaven and sat at the right of God, but not at the same time His humanity, which is contrary to Scripture. It is also contrary to Christian doctrine, which teaches that in Christ God and man are like soul and body, and to separate them would be contrary to sound reason.

This union of Father and Son, or of the Divine with the human, is what is meant also in the following:

I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. (John 16:28)

... I go away... and... go to Him who sent Me. (John 16:5, 7:33, cf. 16:16, 17:11, 13, 20:17)

If then you see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? (John 6:62)

No one has ascended into heaven but He who came down from heaven.... (John 3:13)

Everyone who is saved ascends into heaven, though not by his own power, but the Lord’s. The Lord alone ascended into heaven on His own.

  
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Published by the General Church of the New Jerusalem, 1100 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, U.S.A. A translation of Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino, by Emanuel Swedenborg, 1688-1772. Translated from the Original Latin by N. Bruce Rogers. ISBN 9780945003687, Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954074.