818. Verse 12. And all the authority of the first beast he exerciseth before him; and he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose stroke of death was healed.

12. "And all the authority of the first beast he exerciseth before him," signifies the connection of the reasonings from the natural man with the sense of the letter of the Word, by which the religion of faith separate is strengthened n. 819; "and he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast," signifies in consequence of which those in the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom in heart acknowledge the agreement n. 821; "whose stroke of death was healed," signifies and thus the discordance was removed by devised conjunctions of works with faith n. 822.

821. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, signifies in consequence of which those in the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom acknowledge the agreement in heart. This is evident from the signification of "the earth and them that dwell therein," as being those of the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom; for "the earth" signifies the church that is in truths or that is in falsities, here, that which is in falsities; and "them that dwell therein" signify the goods or the evils of the church, here the evils; therefore as applied to the persons upon it, "the earth and them that dwell therein" signify those in the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom. (That "the earth" signifies the church in respect to truths and in respect to falsities see above, n. 304, 413, 417, 697, 741, 752; and that "those that dwell" signify the good in the church, and also the evil, and in an abstract sense goods or evils, see above, n. 479) The above is evident also from the signification of "worshiping," as being to acknowledge as certain, to acknowledge in heart, and to believe (See above, n. 790, 805); also from the signification of "the first beast," as being reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from the life (See above, n. 774), here the agreement of reasonings with the sense of the letter of the Word, because this "beast" signifies confirmations therefrom (See also above, n. 815). From this it is clear that the words "the beast coming up out of the earth maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast" signifies that those in the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom acknowledge the agreement in heart.

[2] In the preceding article it was shown that "Peter" signified truth and faith in both senses, namely, truth from good and truth without good; so also faith from charity and faith without charity. Something shall now be said about the apostle John, as signifying the works of charity. It has been said above that the twelve apostles, like the twelve tribes of Israel, represented the church in the whole complex, or all things of truth and good, or all things of faith and charity; likewise that Peter, James, and John, signified faith, charity, and the works of charity, in their order; from which it follows that when they were together they represented these as one. It is said as one, because without charity there is no faith that is faith; and without works there is no charity that is charity.

[3] Because these three apostles had this signification they followed the Lord more than the others, as can be seen in Mark, where it is said:

Jesus suffered no man to follow Him save Peter, James, and John the brother of James (Mark 5:37).

For this reason Peter was the first to be called by the Lord through Andrew, "Andrew" signifying the obedience of faith; and afterwards James and John were called; and to these two the Lord gave a new name. Likewise He took Peter, James, and John up into the mountain when He was transfigured; He also spoke with these three about the consummation of the age, and about His coming; they were also with the Lord in Gethsemane. That the Lord called James and John after He had called Peter is shown in the Gospels:

Jesus going on from thence saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. And straightway leaving the boat and their father, they followed Him (Matthew 4:21, 22; Mark 1:19, 20).

[4] That the Lord gave a new name to James and John is evident in Mark:

Jesus called James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, and them He surnamed Boanerges, which is, sons of thunder (Mark 3:17).

"Sons of thunder" signify truths from celestial good. This is the signification of "thunders" in the Word, because in the spiritual world thunders are also heard, and these are produced by truths that are from celestial good when these are descending from the higher heavens into the lower. The light itself of truth from good is then seen as lightning, the good itself is heard as thunder, and the truths themselves therefrom as variations of sound. This is why lightnings, thunders, and voices, are mentioned here and there in the Word with this signification. Good is there heard as thunder, because good, which is of man's affection or love and is also of his will, is not spoken, but only sounds; while truth, which is of man's understanding and of his thought therefrom, articulates that sound into words. Celestial good is the same thing as the good of love in will and in act; before this it is not celestial good; and celestial good is what produces truths by means of thought and speech therefrom. From this it is clear why James and John were called "sons of thunder." (What "lightnings, thunders, and voices," signify in the Word may be seen above, n. 273, 702, 704)

[5] That the Lord took Peter, James and John up into a mountain when He was transfigured appears in Mark (Mark 9:2 Luke (Luke 9:28). These were taken because only those who are in truths from celestial good are able to see the Lord in His glory; and no others can be enlightened and can perceive the Word in enlightenment. For when the Lord was transfigured before them He represented Divine truth, which is the Word; and this is why Moses and Elijah were seen speaking with Him, "Moses and Elijah" signifying the Word. (But on this see above, n. 594. That the Lord talked with Peter, James, and John, about the consummation of the age and about His coming is evident in Mark (Mark 13:3); and that these three were with the Lord in Gethsemane is evident in Matthew (Matthew 26:37 and in Mark (Mark 14:33).

[6] As John represented the church in respect to good works, and good works contain all things of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, John was more loved by the Lord than the others, as is evident:

From his reclining in the Lord's bosom, and his gliding on His breast when he spake with Him (John 13:23, 25).

The "bosom" and the "breast" signify in the Word spiritual love, which is love in act; and "the Lord's bosom and breast" Divine love itself; therefore those in heaven who are in spiritual love are in the province of the breast.

[7] So, too, John took the Lord's mother to his own house, and abode with her; which is described thus in John:

Jesus from the cross saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by; He saith to His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then He saith to the disciple, Behold thy mother! Therefore from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home (John 19:26, 27).

This signified that the church is where there is charity in act, or where there are good works; for the Lord's "mother" and "woman" signify the church, and "John" signifies charity in act, which is good works. (That "mother" signifies the church may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 289), and n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897; and that "woman" has a similar signification see above n. 555, 707, 721, 730.

[8] That the Lord's church is in those who are in charity in act, or in good works, and not with those who are in faith separated from these, is signified also by what is related about Peter and John, namely:

Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom the Lord loved following, which also leaned upon His breast at supper. Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, but what about this one? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me (John 21:20-22).

It may be seen above (n. 820), where also the preceding words are explained, that "Peter" here signifies truth without good, or faith separated from good works, such as the faith will be at the end of the church; and as "John" signifies the goods of charity, which are called good works, and these are with those who constitute the Lord's church; therefore it was not Peter but John who followed the Lord, and to Peter who had asked, "But what about this one?" the Lord replied, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me," which means that the good of charity will continue with those who are the Lord's, even to the end of the church and when there is the New Church, but not with those who are in faith separated from that good; and this is what is signified by these words to Peter, "what is that to thee?"