98. The Lord Came into the World to Fulfill Everything in the Word and So to Become Divine Truth or the Word Even on the Outermost Level

ON the Lord’s having come into the world to fulfill everything in the Word, see Teachings on the Lord 8-11. As for his having become divine truth or the Word even on the outermost level by this means, that is the meaning of the following statement in John:

And the Word became flesh and lived among us; and we saw his glory, glory like that of the only-begotten child of the Father. He was full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

To become flesh is to become the Word even on the outermost level. The disciples were shown his nature as the Word on the outermost level when he was transfigured (Matthew 17:2 and following; Mark 9:2 and following; Luke 9:28 and following). It says there that Moses and Elijah were seen in glory; Moses and Elijah mean the Word (see §48 above).

The Lord as the Word on the outermost level is also described in the first chapter of the Revelation of John, verses 13-16, where all the elements of his description mean the outermost forms of divine truth or the Word.

The Lord had of course been the Word before, but on the inmost level, for it says,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2)

When the Word became flesh, though, then the Lord became the Word on the outermost level as well. That is why he is called the First and the Last (Revelation 1:8, 11, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13).

57. 'The plant yielding seed' is every truth that looks towards a use. 'The tree in which there is fruit' is the good that accompanies faith. 'Fruit' is what the Lord gives to the celestial man, while 'seed', the source of the fruit, is what He gives to the spiritual man. This is why it is said that 'the tree producing seed will be for you for food'. That celestial food is called 'fruit from a tree' is clear from the next chapter where the subject is the celestial man. Here let just that be mentioned which the Lord spoke through Ezekiel,

Beside the river there is rising up upon its bank, on this side and on that, every tree for food. Its leaf will not fall nor its fruit fail. It is re-born monthly, for its waters flow out from the Sanctuary, and its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for medicine. Ezekiel 47:12.

'Waters from the Sanctuary' means the life and mercy of the Lord, who is the Sanctuary; 'fruit' means wisdom, which is food for them; 'leaf' is intelligence, which is given them for a use, which is called 'medicine'. Spiritual food however is called 'a plant', as stated through David,

[Jehovah is] my Shepherd, I shall not want; He makes me ¹ lie down in green pastures. ² Psalms 23:1-2.

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