Verses 1-10. That the Gentiles, who are out of the Church, are accepted of the Lord, and have conjunction with Him in charity and the good of life.

Verses 3-4. Because, notwithstanding their deficiency in the knowledges of truth from the Word, they are desirous to know the truth, and by that desire are elevated into the truths and goods of the external Church.

Verses 5-6. And are thus acknowledged by the Lord, and declared to be the members of His Church and kingdom, which declaration they receive with joy.

Verse 7. Still it appears contrary to order, that the Divine Truth should be imparted to those who are in disorder of life.

Verses 8-9. Until it is seen, that the Gentiles, who are out of the Church, are principled in charity, and that by charity they are capable of being saved, and thus of being received within the Church.

Verse 10. Since the Lord operates charity, faith, freewill, repentance and regeneration with every one, inasmuch as He wills the salvation of all.

Verses 11-13. For the Lord is willing to communicate to all the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them.

Verse 14. And this, notwithstanding the force of hereditary and actual evil on the part of man, which is opposed to the Divine Love and Wisdom.

Verse 15. Every one therefore, sooner or later, must give an account of his application of those knowledges.

Verses 16-21. On which occasion it becomes manifest, that some procure, to themselves much intelligence and wisdom, and others procure some, and others none.

Verses 20-27. And that they who procure none are deprived of the truths which they possessed in the memory only, and not in the life.

Verse 21. Since they think harshly of the Divine mercy, and accuse it of expecting more from man than he has the ability to perform.

Verses 22-23. Whereas this their idea of the Divine mercy ought to have led them to exert themselves the more in procuring charity and the good of life.

Verses 24-26. And inasmuch as they have not made the use of the knowledges which they possessed, therefore those knowledges are taken away from them, since it is an eternal law, that they who are in the good of charity shall sooner or later be enriched with truths, whereas they who are in falsities derived from evil in the other life are deprived of all truths.

Verse 27. At the same time they are deprived of all spiritual life.

Verses 28-30. That the Lord from His Divine love, and by His Divine truth, explores the principles of the natural man as to truth, requiring them to be separated from all that is evil and false, and to receive influx of life from Himself.

Verse 31. And if the persuasions of the natural man oppose, they are to be overcome by teaching the necessity of such an influx to restore order.

Verses 32-34. Which necessity is accordingly taught, and is acknowledged by the natural man.

Verses 35-36. So that truths in every complex are submitted to the Lord.

Verses 37-38. And all, who are principled in what is good and true, exalt the Divine Human principle of the Lord, and His Divine operation, as the source of every blessing.

Verses 39-40. Which doctrine is taught, not only in the spiritual and internal sense of the Word, but also in its natural and literal sense.

Verses 41-42. The rejection therefore of this doctrine by the Jewish nation excites the tenderness of the Lord's love, that, if possible, they might receive it, but reception is now become impossible.

Verses 43-44. Inasmuch as through rejection of the Lord at his advent, they were immersed in evils and falsities of every kind, so that the representatives of a Church no longer existed amongst them.

Verses 45-46. For they made gain of holy things, and thus defiled all worship by perversion of what is holy.

Verses 47-48. And when the Lord would have instructed them in the things concerning himself and his kingdom, they opposed all his love and wisdom, yet not without caution, since there were still some remains of the affection of truth in the lower principles.

2235. That 'righteousness' means in regard to good, and 'judgement' to truth, becomes clear from the meaning of 'righteousness' and from the meaning of 'judgement'. Righteousness and judgement are mentioned together many times in the Word, but what they mean in the internal sense has not yet been known. In the proximate sense 'righteousness' has reference to that which is righteous, and 'judgement' to that which is upright. That which is righteous occurs when something is judged from good, and according to conscience, but that which is upright when it is judged from law, and so from the righteous demands of the law, thus also according to conscience since the law gives conscience its standards. In the internal sense however, 'righteousness' is that which stems from good, and 'judgement' that which stems from truth. Good is everything that belongs to love and charity, truth everything that belongs to faith derived from love and charity. Truth derives its essence from good, and is called truth derived from good, just as faith is derived from love, and so also judgement from righteousness.

[2] That such is the meaning of 'righteousness and judgement' is clear from the following places in the Word: In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Do judgement and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe to him who builds his house in unrighteousness, and his upper rooms not in judgement! Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgement and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15.

'Judgement' stands for the things connected with truth, 'righteousness' for those connected with good. In Ezekiel,

If the wicked man turns away from his sin and does judgement and righteousness, all his sins which he has committed will not be remembered; he has done judgement and righteousness; he will surely live. When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does judgement and righteousness he will live because of these. Ezekiel 33:14, 16, 19.

Here similarly 'judgement' stands for the truth of faith, and 'righteousness' for the good of charity.

[3] In Amos,

Let judgement flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Amos 5:24.

Here the meaning is similar. In Isaiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Keep judgement and do righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to reveal itself. Isaiah 56:1.

In the same prophet,

To peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it in judgement and righteousness, from now and even for evermore. Isaiah 9:7.

Here 'judgement and righteousness' stands for the existence with them of the truths of faith, and of the goods of charity. In the same prophet,

Jehovah is exalted, for He dwells on high. He has filled Zion with judgement and righteousness. Isaiah 33:5.

'Judgement' stands for faith, 'righteousness' for love, 'Zion' for the Church. 'Judgement' is mentioned first because love comes through faith; but when 'righteousness' is mentioned first it is for the reason that faith is derived from love, as in Hosea,

I will betroth you to Me for ever, and I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and judgement, and in mercy and in compassion, ¹ and I will betroth you to Me in faith, and you will know Jehovah. Hosea 2:19-20.

Here 'righteousness' is mentioned first, as also is 'mercy', which are the attributes of love, while 'judgement' is mentioned second, as also is 'compassion', which are the attributes of faith that is derived from love. And both are called 'faith' or faithfulness.

[4] In David,

O Jehovah, Your mercy is in the heavens; Your truth reaches up to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgements like the great deep. Psalms 36:5-6.

Here both 'mercy' and 'righteousness' are in a similar way the attributes of love, while 'truth' and 'judgements' are those of faith. In the same author,

Let truth spring out of the ground, and let righteousness look down from heaven. Jehovah will indeed give what is good, and our land will give its increase. Psalms 85:11-12.

Here 'truth', which constitutes faith, stands for judgement, and 'righteousness' for love or mercy. In Zechariah,

I will lead them and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be My people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Zechariah 8:8.

From this place also it is evident that 'judgement' is truth and 'righteousness' good, since 'truth' is mentioned here in place of judgement. Similarly in David,

He who walks blameless and performs righteousness and speaks the truth. Psalms 15:2.

[5] Because faith is grounded in charity, that is, because truth is grounded in good, truths rooted in good are in various places called 'the judgements of righteousness', so that 'judgements' has virtually the same meaning as commandments, as in Isaiah,

Let them seek Me day by day and desire the knowledge of My ways, as though a nation that does righteousness and does not forsake the judgement of their God. Let them ask of Me the judgements of righteousness, let them desire the approach of God. Isaiah 58:2.

That 'commandments' means virtually the same may be seen in David,

Seven times in the day I have praised You for Your judgements of righteousness. All Your commandments are righteousness. Psalms 119:164, 172.

It is said in particular of the Lord that He performs 'judgement and righteousness' when He creates man anew, as in Jeremiah,

Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah who performs mercy, judgement and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I am well pleased. Jeremiah 9:24.

Here mercy, which is an attribute of love, is described as 'judgement and righteousness'. In the same prophet,

I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will rule as king, and act intelligently, and execute judgement and righteousness in the land. Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15.

[6] Hence the following in John,

If I go away I will send the Paraclete to you. And when He comes He will convince the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I go away to the Father, and you will see Me no more; in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11.

'Sin' here stands for all faithlessness. 'He will convince in regard to righteousness' means in regard to everything that is contrary to good, when yet the Lord united the Human to the Divine to save the world, meant by 'I go away to the Father and you will see Me no more'. 'In regard to judgement' means in regard to everything that is contrary to the truth, when yet evils were cast down into their own hells so that they could not do harm any more, meant by 'the prince of this world is judged'. In general 'He will convince in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement' means in regard to all faithlessness contrary to good and truth, and so means that no charity and faith exist. For in ancient times righteousness and judgement were used, in reference to the Lord, to mean all mercy and grace, but in reference to man all charity and faith.

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