Water into Wine

1. And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2. And both Jesus was called and His disciples to the wedding.

3. And when the wine was lacking, the mother of Jesus says to Him, They have no wine.

4. Jesus says to her, What [is there] to Me and to thee, woman? my hour is not yet come.

5. His mother says to those ministering, whatever He shall say to you, do.

6. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the purification of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece.

7. Jesus says to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the top.

8. And He says to them, Draw out now, and bring to the chief of the feast; and they brought [it].

9. And when the chief of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but those ministering who drew the water knew), the chief of the feast calls the bridegroom,

10. And says to him, Every man first puts out the good wine, and when they have had enough, then the lesser; thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11. This beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

A promise fulfilled

At the end of the previous chapter, Nathanael is described as “a man without deceit” (1:47). Amazed that Jesus knows all about him, Nathanael exclaims, “You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel” (1:49). In response, Jesus promises Nathanael that he will see even greater things. “Did you believe because I saw you under the fig tree?” says Jesus. “You will see greater things than this. You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (1:51). This promise takes place in the spirit of everyone who, like Nathanael, is “without deceit,” recognizes that Jesus is the Son of God, and strives to live according to what Jesus teaches.

Accordingly, the next episode provides deeper insight about how this promise can take place in each of our lives. It begins with the words, “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee” (2:1). A wedding, which celebrates one of the most significant transitions in human life, also represents a corresponding transition in our spiritual life. Just as a marriage begins when a man and a woman come before the Lord promising to be united in a life of love and faithfulness, spiritual life begins with a commitment to unite the truth we know with an effort to live according to it. Up to this point, truth may have been believed, but it was separated from goodness.

Gradually, however, as truth is put into practice, we come to see and feel the goodness of it. This is when the spiritual wedding takes place. What we once compelled ourselves to do, now becomes the desire of our heart. Truth and goodness are united. In other words, as we strive upwards to live according to the truth that we know, God descends into that truth with His goodness bringing about what is called the “heavenly marriage.” This wedding of truth ascending and goodness descending is what Jesus meant when He said to Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

It is also significant that the wedding at Cana takes place “on the third day.” While the phrase “on the third day,” often refers to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, it also refers to the process of spiritual development which can take place in every human being. The three stages of spiritual development are repentance, reformation, and regeneration.

Repentance involves both the acknowledgment of God and the recognition of our sins. In reformation we focus on learning truth from the Word of the Lord so that we might reform our understanding. Then, “on the third day” of our spiritual development, we enter the stage of regeneration. In this stage, we not only learn the truth but also apply it to our lives. In the process, the truth we have learned is united with goodness. In this stage, the Lord is working through our reformed understanding to build a new will within us.

“Whatever He says, do it”

In the original Greek, it is written that Jesus and His disciples were “called” to the wedding. This suggests that if we are to have an internal wedding of truth and goodness, we cannot do it by ourselves. We need to call upon the Lord, inviting Him to be present along with the many principles of truth and goodness represented by His disciples. In addition, it is written that “the mother of Jesus was there” (2:2). Her presence signifies the affection for truth in each of us. It is the desire to understand what is true so that we might do what is good.

At a certain point during the wedding celebration, Jesus’ mother turns to Him and says, “They have run out of wine” (2:3). The affection for truth in each of us, represented by Jesus’ “mother,” is that part of us that thirsts for true wisdom. It is, therefore, the first to notice when truth is lacking. In the language of sacred scripture, we have “run out of wine.” Jesus then replies, “What is that to Me or you, woman? My hour has not yet come” (2:3-4). When Jesus refers to Mary as “woman” rather than mother, He is referring to His divine rather than His human identity. And when He adds the words, “My hour has not yet come,” He is referring to a specific time when He will fully manifest His glory, revealing that He is no longer the son of Mary but the Son of God. Therefore, in calling His mother “woman,” Jesus is responding from His divine nature rather than from His human nature.

On another level, Jesus is saying that He cannot perform miracles within us unless we also do our part. His “hour” comes as soon as we take the first step. This first step begins when Jesus’ mother turns to the servants and says to them, “Whatever He says, do it” (2:5). These five words contain a timeless message. As it was stated in the first chapter of this gospel, Jesus is “the Word made flesh” (1:14). To do whatever Jesus says is to do whatever the Word teaches. Each of us begins our spiritual journey in simple obedience. Eventually, faithful obedience turns into loving obedience, and finally into a life of loving to do what the Word teaches. This is when we become fully human. But at this point in the episode, we are not there yet. At this point, which is an initial state, our task is simply to do what Jesus teaches. Therefore, Mary says to the servants, “Whatever He says, do it.” ¹

“Fill the waterpots with water”

It is at this point in the divine narrative that we learn more about the wedding venue. As it is written, “And there were set there six waterpots of stone for the Jewish rites of purification, containing twenty to thirty gallons apiece” (2:6). In biblical times, it was customary to wash one’s hands and feet before entering someone’s home or attending a celebration. This historical ritual of purification represented the eternal need for spiritual purification, that is, the removal of evil desires and false thoughts. In the context of eternity, the large stone vessels, each able to contain up to twenty to thirty gallons of water, signify the foundational truths of the Word, the most general truths that serve as divine containers for more specific truths. These are the truths that are “set in stone.” They are the immoveable, timeless truths that cannot be shaken. They are the Ten Commandments given through Moses at Mount Sinai, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the two Great Commandments, and every truth that leads us to spiritual purification.

These perennial truths, when taken into the human mind, serve as rugged stone vessels that are able to contain more specific truths, just as stone pots contain water. When we understand that the stone water pots signify the human mind filled with foundational truths, and water signifies cleansing truth from the Word of the Lord, we are prepared to see the significance of Jesus’ first command. He says, “Fill the waterpots with water” (2:7). Accordingly, the servants fill the waterpots to the brim. This represents the way each of us should keep our minds “filled to the brim” with teachings from the Lord’s Word. ²

“Draw some out and take it to the master of the feast”

While it is wonderful to have our minds filled to the brim with truth from the Word of the Lord, this is not the end of the process. Therefore, Jesus’ next command is, “Draw some out and take it to master of the feast” (2:8). In the literal narrative, the master of the feast is the person who rules over the feast, making sure that all arrangements are in place and that the guests are supplied with plenty of food and wine. In the highest sense, however, this wedding corresponds to the heavenly marriage of goodness and truth to which we are all invited, a wedding where there is plenty of spiritual food and where the wine never runs out. The “ruler” at this wedding, or to use the language of the divine narrative, “the master of the feast,” is the Lord Himself.

With this in mind, the words “take it to the master of the feast” take on greater significance. They remind us that every time we draw out some truth from the Word, striving to put it to use, we must first ask for the Lord’s blessing on our efforts. Otherwise, we might tend to believe that the true thoughts we think and the good things we do are self-generated. This is why it is necessary to take it to “the Master of the Feast”—the Lord Himself—asking for His blessing. As it written in the Hebrew scriptures, “May the favor of the Lord our God be upon us to confirm the work of our hands” (Psalms 90:17).

Whenever we do this, the Lord’s love and guidance flows into the truth that we know and the efforts that we make to put that truth into our lives. As Jesus said to Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened” (1:51). We see new applications that we would not have seen before, we feel a surge of renewed energy that we did not think we had, and we experience a change of heart. It is at this point in our lives that we realize that something truly miraculous has happened. The water of our natural lives has been transformed into the wine of spiritual life. ³

“You have saved the good wine until now”

In the literal narrative, the servants did exactly what Jesus said. They drew out the water and took it to the master of the feast. When he tastes the water, he discovers that it is not water at all, but rather a most exquisite wine. Not knowing where the wine came from, or how the water in the stone pots had been turned into wine, he assumes that the bridegroom has saved the best wine for last. So, he summons the bridegroom and says to him, “Everyone sets out the good wine first, and then sets out the inferior wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the good wine until now” (2:10).

This miracle shows what can happen within every human being when the truths of the literal sense of the Word are transformed into spiritual truths. This is when the Word of God reveals its deeper meaning to us, and we see the goodness within the truth. This episode, then, teaches us that when we fill our mind to the brim with truth from the Lord’s Word, draw some out for spiritual cleansing, and take it to the Lord for His blessing, the water of natural life will be turned into the wine of spiritual life. As it is written in the closing words of this episode, “You have kept the good wine until now.” ⁴

The beginning of signs

After the turning of water into wine, it is written that “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him” (2:11). It is important to note that the Gospel According to John consistently uses the Greek word σημεῖον [say-mi'-on] which means “sign” instead of the Greek word δύναμις [doo'-nam-is] which means “miracle” or “miraculous power.” In this regard, a sign is not the same as a miracle. While a miracle can amaze and dazzle us momentarily, a sign points to a deeper truth about Jesus and about our inner lives. Signs testify to what the Lord can do not only in the outer world, but also in our inner life.

To put it briefly, miracles may astonish us, but signs teach us. Signs, as the term itself suggests, signify a deeper spiritual reality. Miracles, then, have a certain external power. They can get our attention. But if we are good at heart, we allow these miracles to become signs that point us toward deeper realities. They can teach us about our inner world, cause us to examine ourselves, and lead us to deeper understanding. We begin to see signs that the Lord is working within us. ⁵

A practical application

While external miracles can serve to get our attention, the Lord wants us to believe in Him because He performs inner miracles—changes in our inner life. It’s as if the Lord is saying to each of us, “I want you to believe in Me because you have heard my teachings, lived according to them, asked for My blessing, and, as a result, you have seen your life being transformed.” With this in mind, notice those times when you have good thoughts about the Lord and about the neighbor. Notice those times when thoughts about doing kind things or performing useful services arise in you, and you act on them. Notice those times when you feel genuine empathy for others, especially those who suffer physically and spiritually, and you do something to help. Notice, especially, those times when you have conquered in temptation because the Lord has been fighting for you, and within you. These are all precious moments when Jesus is turning the water of natural life into the wine of spiritual life. This is how the Lord manifests His glory in you. And, like the early disciples, you may find yourself believing in Him ever more deeply, even as good wine becomes finer and finer over the years. ⁶

Cleansing the Temple

12. After this He came down into Capernaum, He, and His mother, and His brothers, and His disciples; and there they remained not many days.

13. And the Passover of the Jews was near; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14. And found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the coin merchants, sitting.

15. And having made a whip out of cords, He cast them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and spilled out the coin of the moneychangers, and overturned the tables.

16. And to those selling doves, He said, Take these away from here! Make not My Fathers house a house of merchandise.

17. And His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thy house has eaten me up.

18. Then answered the Jews and said to Him, What sign dost Thou show us that Thou doest these things?

19. Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20. Then the Jews said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou raise it up in three days?

21. But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

22. When therefore He was risen from [the] dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

After attending the wedding ceremony in Cana of Galilee, Jesus goes down to Capernaum for a few days and then up to Jerusalem and into the temple to celebrate the Passover. The temple in Jerusalem is the place where people went to read, study, and discuss the Word. It is where sacrifices were practiced and rituals took place, all in an effort to worship the Lord. Over time, however, the temple leaders allowed merchants to sell animals for sacrificial rituals, turning the temple into a house of merchandise rather than a house of prayer. Worship was no longer a time for holy sacrifices but rather a time for business transactions. As it is written, “In the temple, Jesus found the people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables” (2:13).

Seeing this, Jesus makes a whip of cords, drives the animals out of the temple along with the merchants, and overturns the tables of the moneychangers. Addressing those who are selling doves, He says, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise” (2:16).

As we have pointed out, the temple signifies the human mind. While it should be a house of prayer, a holy place where we learn truth and act on it, our minds are sometimes occupied by selfish and worldly concerns, symbolized by the moneychangers. To the extent that we dwell on these lower, more external things, forgetting to praise and honor God, our mind becomes “a house of merchandise,” a place of business rather than a house of God. ⁷

The picture of Jesus driving out the animals with a whip of cords and overturning the tables of the moneychangers is a powerful one. This is another side of the omniscient Jesus who welcomed Nathanael as a disciple. It is also another side of the omnipotent Jesus who transformed water into wine. This time we see a very zealous Jesus who is greatly concerned about what is happening in the temple. Noticing this, His disciples remember the words of Psalms 69. As it written, “Zeal for Your House has eaten Me up” (2:16; Psalms 69:9). In that same psalm, David goes on to say, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord better than an ox or a bull” (Psalms 69:30-31).

David’s words are prophetic. They point to a time when God will be worshipped in song, thanksgiving, praise, and, most importantly, through a life of useful service—not through the sacrifice of innocent animals. Jesus’ zealous action, therefore, is a powerful indication that the time of animal sacrifice is over, and that a new era is beginning. Shocked and confused by Jesus’ behavior, the people say, “What sign are you going to show us to prove Your authority to do these things” (2:18). In response, Jesus says to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (2:19).

The people, as yet, do not understand. They think Jesus is referring to the physical temple which took forty-six years to build. They can’t understand how Jesus could rebuild that temple in three days. They do not understand that Jesus is “speaking of the temple of His body” (2:21). In the literal sense, this is a reference to His resurrection “on the third day” after His crucifixion. It is written, therefore, that “when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the scriptures and the word which Jesus had said” (2:22).

More deeply, when Jesus says that He will “raise up the temple in three days,” He is not only speaking about His resurrection after three days. He is also speaking about the establishment of a “new temple” or a “new church” in each of us—a temple that will take “three days” to establish. The phrase, “three days,” as we have mentioned, refers to the three essential stages of our spiritual development. This is the process of repentance, reformation, and regeneration. It is a process that takes place within each of us as we turn to the Lord, learn truth from His Word, and begin a new life. This wondrous process begins when we decide to cooperate with the Lord in driving out the evils of our lower nature so that the He might enter the temple of our minds and dwell in the sanctuary of our hearts. ⁸

A practical application

One of the main activities of temple worship was animal sacrifice. More specifically, it involved the sacrifice of several different kinds of animals such as lambs, doves, rams, goats, bulls, and oxen. Every sacrificed animal represented a specific evil or a falsity that needed to be given up so that the person making the sacrifice could be purified from that sin. Of course, we realize that the sacrifice of an animal can never take away human sin. True sacrifice has nothing to do with the slaughter of innocent animals. In fact, the word “sacrifice” comes from two Latin words that mean “to make holy” [sacre = holy + facere = to make]. Therefore, we make a sacrifice whenever we give up selfish desires, false beliefs, and ego concerns. You can start today by clearing the temple of whatever prevents the Lord from being fully present in your life. Just as Jesus used a whip to drive out the oxen, you will need to use powerful truths to drive out the stubborn attitudes and persistent desires of your lower/animal nature. This would be a true and holy sacrifice, the kind we are called to make in the temple of our inner spirit.

Saving Faith

23. And when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, at the festival, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He did.

24. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all [men],

25. And needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

The next episode begins with the words, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did” (2:23). This describes an initial, but shallow, stage of faith. As it is written, “many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.” Faith that is based on miracles may be useful in the beginning of our spiritual development, but it is not genuine faith or what is called “saving faith.” In the initial stages of faith, we are like innocent children who believe because we hear how God created the world, parted the Red Sea, saved Jonah from the belly of a whale, and rescued Daniel from the mouth of the lions.

In this initial stage, we accept the Word as literally true, without question. Even a statement like “many believed in His name” is taken at face value, meaning that the mere belief in the Lord’s name can bring about salvation. In this regard, when a child is taught to “call upon the name of Jesus,” it can be understood to mean that the name “Jesus” must be used frequently, that the name “Jesus” has the power to frighten away bad spirits, and that the recitation of the name “Jesus” has the power to unlock the doors of heaven. There are numerous teachings from the literal sense of the Word that tend to support this interpretation. As Paul says in his letter to the Romans, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

As faith develops, we move from a simple child-like belief in the name “Jesus” to a more mature belief in what it means to call upon the name of the Lord. We begin to understand that to “believe in His name,” means to believe in the qualities that are signified by a name. This includes every divine quality that is available to us. For example, when we pray for the quality called “patience,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. When we pray for the quality called “forgiveness,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. When we pray for the quality called “tranquility,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. These qualities are always present, available for the asking, and should never be taken in vain. And when we strive to live according to these qualities, practicing patience, forgiveness, and peace, these qualities can become a part of our character. This is what it means to “believe in His name.” ⁹

Similarly, as our faith deepens, we begin to see that every biblical event, even every word, has a deeper meaning that relates to our spiritual development. Just as the word “name” has deeper meaning, so too, do the stories. We begin to understand that the days of creation are not just about the physical creation of the universe, but rather about the successive states of our internal growth; we begin to see that the miraculous parting of the Red Sea is not just about the Lord leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, but rather about how the Lord leads us through seemingly impossible situations. We begin to realize that Jonah being saved from the whale or Daniel being delivered from the lions are not just stories about how the Lord saves faithful people from physical danger, but, more deeply, how the Lord, through His Word, is continually saving us from being swallowed up by falsity or eaten up by resentment. ¹⁰

As our understanding deepens through application of truth to our life, so, too, does our faith. We begin to see that these stories are not just about people who lived long ago. They are also stories about the wonders that the Lord can work within us when we live according to His teachings. ¹¹

Doing our part

As we have pointed out, true faith arises when we first do our part. It begins by turning to the Lord, repenting of our sins, allowing the Lord to reform our understanding through the truths of His Word, and then doing the good things that the Word teaches. In the language of sacred scripture, and in the divinely ordered sequence of episodes in this chapter, this means that we must first “fill the waterpots to the brim,” then “cleanse the inner temple,” and finally, live a life of charity towards others. When this happens, a faith based on external miracles becomes a faith based on personal transformation. We believe, not because of the external miracles that we have seen or heard about. Rather, we believe because we have been willing to be led by the Lord, have striven to put His truth into our lives, and, as a result, have seen miraculous changes within ourselves. This is called “saving faith.” And we can only experience it when we have done our part. ¹²

The testimony of man vs the testimony of God

In the verse that follows, it is written that Jesus “did not commit himself to them because He knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man because He knew what was in man” (2:24-25). The “testimony of man” is inconsistent, and fickle. As long as everything is going well, and our physical needs are being met, we have no complaints. We trust in God and believe that we are honoring His name.

But when things do not go according to our plans, when our ambitious desires seem to be thwarted, and our prayers for material prosperity are not being answered, our faith wavers. The same people who initially believed in Jesus because of the miraculous signs eventually turned on Him when He failed to provide the material prosperity they were seeking. They wanted an earthly king, not a heavenly one. They believed in His miracles, but did not believe in Him. They believed in His “name,” but not in living according to the qualities signified by His name.

It is written, therefore, that Jesus “did not entrust Himself to them because He knew all men” (2:24). Just as Jesus knew the heart of Nathanael, He knows the hearts of all men. He knows how unreliable and inconsistent people can be, how people can honor Him one moment and despise Him the next. It is for this reason that Jesus “did not entrust Himself to them.” This case is similar with each of us. If we truly desire a relationship with God, we must be trustworthy. Whatever happens, whether it appears to be according to our wishes or against them—for better or for worse—we must remain constant in our faith, trusting that the Lord is leading us to a good end. ¹³

Whenever we do this, living in the assurance that God will never leave us or abandon us, we will be able to provide a true testimony. Rather than being a “testimony of man,” about how the Lord has satisfied our worldly ambitions, it will be a “testimony of God.” This is a humbler testimony about how God has delivered us from the evil of our lower nature, inspired us with His truth, and empowered us to do good in His name.

Genuine testimony, then, is about the wonderful ways that God is working within us as we strive to live according to His teachings. The result of this kind of inner work is truly “of God” and not “of man.” It is about the gradual but wondrous changes that takes place within us as we persevere in keeping the commandments. ¹⁴

A practical application

As you continue to keep the commandments, trusting in God to give you the power to do so, notice the way God’s qualities begin to arise within you as if they are your own. For example, notice how you are becoming more patient, even in trying circumstances. Notice how you can remain peaceful, even when you are in the midst of an emotional storm. Notice how your confidence in the Lord remains firm, even when your plans are upset, and the outcomes you desire are not achieved. Notice how quickly you can recover from an emotional upset, apologize for your part, and, without defensiveness, resolve to be better next time. Pay attention to these quiet miracles that point to the significant changes that are taking place within you. Add your own examples to the list of how the Lord is giving you the power to break old patterns and start new practices. ¹⁵

फुटनोट:

962. The second account:

Since the Lord has granted me to see marvels that exist in the heavens and beneath the heavens, I am obliged by command to relate something I saw:

I saw a magnificent palace and at its center a large chapel. In the middle of the chapel there was a table of gold on which lay the Word, with two angels standing beside it.

Placed around the table were three rows of chairs. The chairs in the first row were covered with a purple-colored silk cloth, the chairs in the second row with a blue-colored silk cloth, and the chairs in the third row with a white cloth.

Hanging high up over the table from the ceiling I saw a canopy glistening with precious stones, whose radiance shone like that of a rainbow when the sky grows calm after a rain.

Suddenly then I saw, sitting on the chairs, as many of the clergy as there were seats, all attired in the vestments of their priestly office.

On one side there was a vestry where an angel custodian stood, and in it lay a beautiful array of shining vestments.

[2] It was a council convened by the Lord, and I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Deliberate!"

However, they said, "About what?"

They were told, "About the Lord and the Holy Spirit."

But when they began to consider these, they found themselves without enlightenment and therefore prayed for it. And light then shone down from heaven, which illumined first the backs of their heads, next their temples, and finally their faces. With that they began, and as they were commanded, they considered first the Lord.

The first question proposed and discussed was who assumed the humanity in the virgin Mary.

One of the angels standing beside the table on which lay the Word read to them the following verses in Luke:

(The angel said to Mary,) "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest?." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said..., "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore... that Holy One who is to be born (from you) will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:31-32, 34-35)

The angel also read the verses found in Matthew 1:20-25, and with emphasis what is said there in verse 25. ¹

He read in addition more verses from the Gospels, where in respect to His humanity the Lord is called the Son of God, and where from the perspective of His humanity He calls Jehovah His Father. And from the Prophets as well, where it is foretold that Jehovah Himself would come into the world, including among others the following two passages in Isaiah:

It will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God... This is Jehovah; we have waited for Him; we will exult and rejoice in His salvation." (Isaiah 25:9)

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of Jehovah; make straight in the desert a highway for our God... (For) the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together... Behold, the Lord Jehovih shall come with might... He will feed His flock like a shepherd. (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10-11)

[3] The angel said moreover, "Since Jehovah Himself came into the world and assumed human form and by it saved and redeemed men, therefore in the Prophets He is called a Savior and Redeemer." And He read to them then the following passages:

Surely God is in you, and there is no other (God).... Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior! (Isaiah 45:14-15)

Am I not Jehovah? And there is no other God besides Me. There is no just God and Savior besides Me. (Isaiah 45:21-22)

...I am Jehovah, and besides Me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:11)

I am Jehovah your God..., and you shall acknowledge no God but Me; there is also no Savior besides Me. (Hosea 13:4)

...that all flesh may know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior and your Redeemer... (Isaiah 49:26, cf. 60:16)

As for our Redeemer, Jehovah Zebaoth is His name... (Isaiah 47:4)

Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah Zebaoth is His name. (Jeremiah 50:34)

...O Jehovah, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)

Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am Jehovah your God...." (Isaiah 48:17, cf. 43:14; 49:7; 54:8)

You, Jehovah, are our Father; our Redeemer from Eternity is Your name. (Isaiah 63:16)

Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer...: "I am Jehovah, who makes all things, ...all alone, ...by Myself." (Isaiah 44:24)

Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah Zebaoth: "I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6)

Jehovah Zebaoth is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He shall be called God of the whole earth. (Isaiah 54:5)

Behold, the days are coming... when I will raise to David a righteous Branch, who shall reign a King... And this is His name...: JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 23:5-6, cf. 33:15-16)

In that day... Jehovah shall become King over all the earth. In that day there shall be one Jehovah and His name one. (Zechariah 14:8-9)

[4] Having been convinced by all these passages, the clergymen sitting on the chairs unanimously said that Jehovah Himself assumed human form in order to save and redeem men.

But at that a voice was heard from a group of Roman Catholics who had hidden themselves in a corner of the chapel, saying, "How can Jehovah, the Father, become a man? Is He not the Creator of the universe?"

Then one of the clergymen sitting on the chairs in the second row turned and said, "Who assumed human form then?"

And from the corner the Roman Catholic responded, "The Son from eternity."

But he received the reply, "Is not the Son from eternity, according to your belief, also the Creator of the universe? And what is a Son or God born from eternity? How can the Divine essence, which is a single entity and indivisible, be divided, and one part of it descend and take on human form, and not at the same time the whole of it?"

[5] A second discussion regarding the Lord considered whether God the Father and the Lord were not thus one, as soul and body are one. The clergymen said that it followed as a consequence, because the father is the origin of the soul. And then one of those who were sitting on the chairs in the third row recited the following from the statement of faith called the Athanasian Creed:

But although (our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God) is God and man, nevertheless there are not two Christs but one...; indeed, being completely one... by the unity of His person. For as the soul and the body are one person, so God and man are one Christ.

The clergyman reciting this said that this is the accepted faith throughout the Christian world, accepted also by Roman Catholics. And they all said then, "What need is there of more? God the Father and the Lord are one, as soul and body are one."

Then they said, "This being the case, we see that the Lord's humanity is Divine, because it is Jehovah's humanity. And we see that one must turn to the Lord in His Divine humanity, this being the only way that one can approach the Divine called the Father."

[6] The angel confirmed this conclusion of theirs with still more passages from the Word, which included the following in Isaiah:

...unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given... whose name (is) Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Also in Isaiah:

...You are our Father; ...Abraham was ignorant of us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, Jehovah, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. (Isaiah 63:16)

And in John:

Jesus... said, "He who believes in Me, believes... in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me." (John 12:44-45)

Philip said to (Jesus), ."..show us the Father...." Jesus says to him, ."..He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how then can you say, 'Show us the Father'... Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? ...Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me...." (John 14:8-11)

And finally the following:

Jesus said..., "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

When they heard these passages, the clergymen all said with one heart and mouth that the Lord's humanity is Divine, and that one must turn to Him in order to go to the Father, since Jehovah God, who is the Lord from eternity, by means of that humanity introduced Himself into the world and made Himself visible to the eyes of men and accessible. In like manner He made Himself visible and so accessible in human form to people in ancient times, but did so then by means of an angel.

[7] Following this they next took up a deliberation regarding the Holy Spirit. And they began by determining the idea many of them had of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, namely of God the Father sitting on high, so to speak, having the Son at His right hand, and the two sending out the Holy Spirit to enlighten and instruct mankind.

But then a voice was heard from heaven, saying, "We cannot abide that mental image! Who does not know that Jehovah God is omnipresent? Anyone who knows and acknowledges this must also acknowledge that it is He who enlightens and instructs, and that there is no intermediate God, distinct from Him, and still less distinct from two others, as one person is from another. Rid yourselves, therefore, of your earlier idea, which is an idle one, and accept this one, which is the right one, and you will see the matter clearly."

[8] However, a voice was again heard then from the group of Roman Catholics who had hidden themselves in a corner of the chapel, saying, "What then is the Holy Spirit, which is mentioned in the Word by the Gospels and Paul, by which so many of the learned in the clergy say they are led, especially in our clergy? Who today in the Christian world denies the reality of the Holy Spirit and its operation?"

At that one of the clergymen sitting on the chairs in the second row turned and said, "The Holy Spirit is the Divinity emanating from the Lord Jehovah. You say that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person and a distinct God, yet what is a person that originates and emanates from a person but an operation that originates and emanates? One person cannot originate or emanate from another one by means of another, but an operation can. Or what is a God that originates and emanates from God but a Divinity that originates and emanates? One God cannot originate and emanate from another one by means of another, but a Divinity can. Is not the Divine essence one and indivisible? And because the Divine essence or Divine being is God, is not God one and indivisible?"

[9] Hearing this, the clergymen sitting on the chairs unanimously concluded that the Holy Spirit is not a distinct person or a distinct God, but that it is the holy Divinity originating and emanating from the one and only omnipresent God, who is the Lord.

At that the angels standing beside the golden table on which lay the Word said, "Good! You do not read anywhere in the Old Testament that the prophets were inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word, but that they were inspired by the Lord Jehovah. And where the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the New Testament, it means the emanating Divinity, which is the Divinity that enlightens, instructs, vivifies, reforms and regenerates."

[10] After this the clergymen took up a second discussion of the Holy Spirit, asking from whom the Divinity called the Holy Spirit emanated, whether it did so from the Divine called the Father, or from the Divine human called the Son. And as they were discussing this, a light shone from heaven which enabled them to see that the holy Divinity meant by the Holy Spirit emanates from the Divinity in the Lord by means of His glorified humanity, which is His Divine humanity, comparatively as every activity in the case of a person emanates from the soul by means of the body.

This conclusion one of the angels standing beside the table confirmed from the Word by the following verses:

...He whom (the Father) has sent speaks the words of God, ...God does not give (Him) the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. (John 3:34-35)

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse... The Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might... (Isaiah 11:1-2)

Also verses saying that Jehovah put His spirit upon Him, and that the spirit of Jehovah was in Him (Isaiah 42:1; 59:19-20; 61:1, Luke 4:18).

When the (Holy Spirit) comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father... (John 15:26)

He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (John 16:14-15)

...if I depart, I will send (the Counselor) to you. (John 16:7)

The Counselor is the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

...the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39)

After His glorification Jesus breathed on His disciples and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22).

[11] Since the Lord's Divine operation and His Divine omnipresence are meant by the Holy Spirit, therefore when He spoke to His disciples about the Holy Spirit whom God the Father would send, He also said:

I will not leave you orphans... I am going away and coming back to you. (John 14:18, 28)

And:

At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. (John 14:20)

And just before He departed from the world He said:

Lo, I am with you always, even to the culmination of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

After he read these verses to them, the angel said, "From these and many other passages in the Word, it is apparent that the Divinity called the Holy Spirit emanates from the Divinity in the Lord by means of His Divine humanity."

At that the clergymen sitting on the chairs said, "It is the Divine truth."

[12] Lastly the clergymen formed this declaration, that "from the

deliberations in this council we have clearly seen and so acknowledge as a sacred truth that there is a trinity in our Lord Jesus Christ, namely, an originating Divine called the Father, a Divine humanity that is the Son, and an emanating Divinity that is the Holy Spirit. Thus there is in the church but one God."

[13] After these proceedings in that grand council were concluded, the clergymen stood up, and the angel custodian came from the vestry, bringing for each of those sitting on the chairs shining vestments, which were interwoven here and there with gold threads. And the angel said, "Take these wedding garments."

Then the clergymen were conveyed gloriously into the New Christian Heaven, the heaven with which the Lord's church on earth, the New Jerusalem, will be conjoined.

Revelation 22:21

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Amen.

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