Apocalypse Explained #63
63. Verse 13. And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, signifies the Lord, from whom is the All of heaven and of the church. This is evident from the signification of "in the midst," as being in the inmost (See Arcana Coelestia., n. 1074, 2940, 2973); and as all things proceed from the inmost, as light proceeds from the center to the circumferences, so "in the midst" signifies from whom; also from the signification of "the seven lampstands," as being the new heaven and the new church (of which just above, n. 62; and from the signification of "the Son of man," as being the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and also in respect to Divine truth, because Divine truth proceeds from His Divine Human. From this it can be seen why the Lord appeared "in the midst of seven lampstands," namely, because from Him the All of heaven and the church proceeds; for it is the good of love and of faith that makes heaven and the church, and that this good is from the Divine is known in the Christian world, and as it is from the Divine, it is from the Lord, for the Lord is the God of heaven, and the Divine of the Lord makes heaven (See the work on Heaven and Hell (Heaven and Hell 2-6, 7-12 that this is His Divine Human, 78-86).
[2] That the Son of man is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and also in respect to Divine truth, because Divine truth proceeds from His Divine Human, is evident from those passages in the Word where the Son of man is mentioned. Thus in John:
The multitude said to Jesus, How sayest Thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man? Jesus answered thee, Yet a little while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light, lest darkness overtake you. While ye have the light believe in the light, that ye may be sons of light (John 12:34-36).
From these words it is clear that "the Son of man" and "Light" have a like signification; for when the people asked, Who is the Son of man? the Lord answered that He was the Light in which they should believe. (That "light" is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine Human, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 49; thus also the Son of man. )
[3] In Luke:
Blessed are ye when men shall hate you for the Son of man's sake (Luke 6:22).
"For the Son of man's sake" is for the sake of Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord. Divine truth is the All of faith in and of love to the Lord. Because the evil deny these things, and those who deny also hate them, while the good acknowledge them, therefore it is said that the good are blessed.
[4] In the same:
The days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but ye shall not see it. Then they shall say to you, Lo here, or Lo there. Go not away, nor pursue after (Luke 17:22-23).
"To desire [to see] one of the days of the Son of man," is to desire Divine truth, which is genuine truth, as to something thereof; the end of the church is here meant, when there will no longer be any faith, because there will be no charity, at which time all Divine truth will perish; and because Divine truth is signified by "the Son of man," it is said, "Then shall they say, Lo here, or Lo there; pursue not after."
[5] In the same:
When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith upon the earth? (Luke 18:8);
which means that when Divine truth shall be revealed out of heaven it will not be believed. Here also, "the Son of man" is the Lord in respect to Divine truth; the coming of the Lord is the revelation of Divine truth at the end of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 3900, 4060).
[6] In Matthew:
As the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth lament, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and glory (Matthew 24:27, 30).
That by "the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven" is here signified the revelation of Divine truth at the end of the church, see above n. 36.
[7] In the same:
I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 26:64).
And in Luke:
From henceforth shall the Son of man be seated at the right hand of the power of God (Luke 22:69).
"The Son of man" is the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and in respect to Divine truth proceeding from Him; "to sit at the right hand of power" means that He has omnipotence; its being said that they were now about to see this means that Divine truth was in its omnipotence when the Lord in the world had conquered the hells and reduced to order all things there and in the heavens, and that thus those who received Him in faith and love could be saved (See Arcana Coelestia 9715. That to "sit at the right hand" means omnipotence, see Arcana Coelestia 3387, 4592, 4933, 7518, 8281, 9193; that all the power of good is by means of truth, n. 6344, 6423, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643. That Divine power itself is by means of Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine Human, see n. 6948; that the "clouds" in which the Son of man is to come are the Word in the letter, which is Divine truth in the ultimate of order, see the preface to chapter 18 of Genesis, n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8443, 8781; and that "glory" is Divine truth itself, such as it is in the internal sense of the Word, see n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 9429).
[8] From this it can now be seen what is signified by these words in Revelation:
I saw, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown (Revelation 14:14).
And in Daniel:
I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the heavens one like unto the Son of man (Daniel 7:13).
Because all judgment is executed according to truth, therefore it is said, that it was given to the Lord:
To execute judgment, because He is the Son of man (John 5:27); and that:
The Son of man shall render unto every man according to his deeds (Matthew 16:27);
and that:
When the Son of man shall come, He shall sit on the throne of His glory, and shall judge (Matthew 25:31).
[9] In Matthew:
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man, the field is the world, the seed are the sons of the kingdom, the tares are the sons of the evil one (Matthew 13:37-38).
"Good seed" is Divine truth; it is therefore said that the Son of man soweth it; "the sons of the kingdom" are Divine truths in heaven and the church; for "son" is truth (See Arcana Coelestia 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623), and, in the contrary sense, falsity, which also is "the son of the evil one."
[10] In the same:
The Son of man hath not where to lay His head (Matthew 8:20);
by which is meant that Divine truth had no place anywhere, that is, with any man at that time. That the Son of man was about to suffer and be put to death (Matthew 17:12, 22-23; 26:2, 24, 45; Mark 8:31; 9:12, 31) signifies that thus they were about to treat Divine truth, consequently the Lord, who was Divine truth itself. This He also teaches in Luke:
But first must the Son of man suffer, and be rejected of this generation (Luke 17:25).
[11] In Jeremiah:
No man [vir] shall dwell there; neither shall a son of man [hominis] sojourn there (Jeremiah 49:18, 33).
And in the same:
In the cities no man [vir] shall dwell, nor shall a son of man [hominis] pass through them (Jeremiah 51:43).
He who does not know the spiritual sense of the Word believes that by "cities" here are meant cities, and that by "man," and "son of man," are meant a man and a son; and that the cities were to be so desolated that no one should be in them, but it is the state of the church in respect to the doctrine of truth that is described by these words; for "cities" are the doctrinals of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 402, 2449, 3216, 492, 4493); and "man" is its very truth conjoined with good (See n. 3134, 7716, 9007); therefore a "son of man" is truth.
[12] As Divine truth proceeding from the Lord was signified by "the Son of man," therefore the prophets by whom it was revealed were called "sons of man" (as Daniel 8:17; and Ezekiel 2:1, 3, 6, 8; 3:1, 3-4, 10, 17, 25; 4:1, 16; 8:5-6, 8, 12, 15; 12:2, 3, 9, 18, 22, 27). As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so "son of man" has a contrary signification, which is the falsity opposite to truth. Thus in Isaiah:
What art thou, that thou art afraid of man, that dies; and of the son of man, who shall be as grass (Isaiah 51:12).
And in David:
Put not your trust in princes, in the son of man, with whom there is no salvation (Psalms 146:3).
"Princes" are primary truths (See Arcana Coelestia 2089, 5044); so, in the contrary sense, primary falsities; and "the son of man" is falsity itself.
Luke 18
1
He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
2
saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who didn't fear God, and didn't respect man.
3
A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Defend me from my adversary!'
4
He wouldn't for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man,
5
yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"
6
The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.
7
Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?
8
I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
9
He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.
10
"Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
11
The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12
I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.'
13
But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
14
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."
15
They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16
Jesus summoned them, saying, "Allow the little children to come to me, and don't hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
17
Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it."
18
A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
19
Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one--God.
20
You know the commandments: 'Don't commit adultery,' 'Don't murder,' 'Don't steal,' 'Don't give false testimony,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"
21
He said, "I have observed all these things from my youth up."
22
When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me."
23
But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.
24
Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!
25
For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."
26
Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"
27
But he said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
28
Peter said, "Look, we have left everything, and followed you."
29
He said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the Kingdom of God's sake,
30
who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life."
31
He took the twelve aside, and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.
32
For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.
33
They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again."
34
They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn't understand the things that were said.
35
It happened, as he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging.
36
Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.
37
They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38
He cried out, "Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!"
39
Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "You son of David, have mercy on me!"
40
Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,
41
"What do you want me to do?" He said, "Lord, that I may see again."
42
Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."
43
Immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.
