Explaining the Inner Meaning of John 2

Verses 2:1, 2. That in the fullness of time the church was established amongst the Gentiles, through the affection of good, and a desire thus kindled to attain conjunction with the divine good in the Lord's Divine Humanity, and with all the holy truths thence derived.

Verse 2:3. That on this occasion it is perceived by the affection of good, that there is no longer any interior truth in the church, and application is accordingly made to the divine truth for the restoration of such truth.

Verse 2:4. But this application is not immediately granted, because the church was not yet in a state to receive interior truth.

Verse 2:5. Therefore, in order to induce such a state, it is dictated by the affection of good to all the lower principles of the natural mind, to submit themselves to the control and government of the divine truth, in the Lord's Divine Humanity.

Verses 2:6, 7. And at the same time it is required of the divine truth, that those things of the word, which are representative of divine things, should be regarded as containing in them all the divine and spiritual truths of heaven and the church.

Verse 2:8. And that instruction should be given from the Word, according to this idea of its contents, to all those who are principled in the knowledges of truth.

Verses 2:9, 10. But when they, who were so principled, perceived internal truth in external, they perceived at the same time that every church commences from truths derived from good, but closes in truths not of good, on which occasion genuine truth is again opened by the Lord.

Verse 2:11. Which opening of genuine truth is of the divine operation, to the intent that mankind, being enlightened by the spiritual or internal sense of the Holy Word, may be led to acknowledge the Lord in his Divine Humanity.

Verse 2:12. That after this opening of genuine truth, the church is brought into a state of consolation and refreshment.

Verses 2:13, 14, 15, 16. That the Lord initiated his Human [principle] into representative worship and the doctrine of the church, and at the same time purified that worship by teaching, that all natural, spiritual, and celestial affections, together with the knowledges of what is good and true, were not to be confounded with divine things, but to be seen and kept distinct from the divine source from which they flowed.

Verse 2:17. Thus teaching in agreement with the Word, from the ardency of his divine love.

Verses 2:18, 19, 20, 21. That the glorification of the Lord's Humanity is the grand confirming testimony of the truth of all that he said and did, and thus of his being the divine truth itself, which is God.

Verse 2:22. Because this glorification is treated of in the Word throughout, and from it the Word derives its sanctity, and inspires man with a principle of heavenly faith.

Verses 2:23, 24, 25. That a miraculous faith prevailed in the church, or a faith grounded in the evidence of miracles more than in the affection of good and truth, which faith therefore is not receptive of good and truth from the Lord, who scrutinizes by his divine truth all the qualities and characters of man's faith.

When the Bible speaks of "Jehovah," it is representing love itself, the inmost love that is the essence of the Lord. That divine love is one, whole and complete in itself, and Jehovah also is one, a name applied only to the Lord. The divine love expresses itself in the form of wisdom. Love, then, is the essence of God -- His inmost. Wisdom -- the loving understanding of how to put love into action -- is slightly more external, giving love a way to express itself. Wisdom, however, is expressed in a great variety of thoughts and ideas, what the Writings collectively call divine truth. There are also many imaginary gods, and sometimes angels and people can be called gods (the Lord said Moses would be as a god to Aaron). So when the Bible calls the Lord "God," it is in most cases referring to divine truth. In other cases, "God" has reference to what is called the divine human. The case there is this: As human beings, we cannot engage the Lord directly as divine love. It is too powerful and too pure. Instead, we have to approach Him by understanding Him through divine truth. Divine truth, then, is the Lord in human form, a form we can approach and understand. Thus "God" is also used in reference to this human aspect, because it is an expression of truth.