Explaining the Inner Meaning of Mark 1

Verses 3, 4. That the Jewish Church was in a state of vastation at that time, so that there remained in it no longer any good or any truth, and in this state was instructed from the Word to shun all evils as sins against God, and to believe in the Lord's Divine Human principle, since otherwise the evil of sin can never be removed.

Verse 5. That this instruction was received by the humble and the penitent, who were thus admitted into the Church, being made sensible that of themselves they are nothing but evil.

Verse 6. The ultimates of the Word, which are natural, are figuratively described.

Verses 7, 8. Which ultimates testify that they can only effect external purification, whereas the Word itself, by and through its internal sense, is effective of internal purification, which is regeneration, by Divine Truth and Good.

Verse 9. That the LORD as to His Human essence, submits to be initiated into the external truths of the Word, because He thus became the Word in its ultimates, as He was the Word in its first principles, and because also He glorified His Humanity, or made it Divine, as He regenerates man, and makes him spiritual.

Verses 10, 11. Yet ascending rapidly out of external truths. He enters into the interior truths and goods of the Word, even to the Divine Truth and Good in Himself.

Verses 12, 13. And is thus admitted, as to His Humanity, into temptations, which are nothing else but the assaults of infernal spirits, seeking to destroy what is true by what is false, and what is good by what is evil.

Verse 13, latter part. But these assaults are succeeded by victory, attended with divine peace and consolation.

Verses 14, 15. Whence a greater measure of Divine power was communicated to the LORD'S Humanity to announce the descent and nearness of Divine Truth and Good, calling man to forsake all evil as sin against God, and to believe in the manifestation of GOD in the flesh.

Verses 16-20. Which annunciation was first received by those who were in the investigation of scientific and rational truth, and who were thus led to the pursuit and acquirement of spiritual and celestial truth.

Verses 18-20. Renouncing the cravings of self-love, and adoring the LORD as the Divine source of all that is good and wise and blessed.

Verses 21, 22. Who teaches Truth from the Divine Good of the Divine Love, in which all Truth originates, and not from any end of worldly reputation and gain.

Verses 23-27. And who by that truth cleanses man from his natural evils, and thus casteth out the infernal spirits who are in connection with those evils, and who yet are principled in heavenly knowledge, but not in the life of such knowledge.

Verses 27, 28. So that inquiry is hence excited respecting the LORD'S Humanity, which thus proves its Divinity by the subjugation of the powers of darkness, and by the brightness of the Divine Truth which it teaches.

Verses 29-32. And also by its omnipotence in delivering the affection of truth in the Church from the infestation of the love of evil.

Verses 32-35. And in likewise liberating those who were infested with evil and false persuasions, and who, in consequence of such liberation, became receptive of Truth and Good.

Verses 35-40. But the Humanity of the LORD can of itself do nothing but through union with its Divinity, and therefore it is occasionally let into temptation, that by the labour of combat it may attain a fuller union, and thus a greater measure of power to impart instruction, and to deliver mankind from infernal influence.

Verses 40-43. And especially to check the profanation of truth in all those who, through prayer and humiliation, and the acknowledgement of the LORD'S DIVINITY, sought to be cleansed from their sins.

Verses 43, 44. To whom instruction is given, that truth, when rescued from profanation, ought to open itself to the reception of the heavenly good of love and charity, by acknowledging that it thence derives its life and quality.

Verse 45. In which case truth acquires a greater power of making itself known, yet not in connection with its Divine Good, which is still in a state of persecution.

200. And I will confess his name before My father and before His angels, signifies that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "I will confess his name," as being that things are to be in agreement with the quality of their state of life; for "I will confess," when said by the Lord, means to grant that things may be; for what the Lord says or confesses respecting a man or angel who is in the good of love and faith, He grants and provides, since all the good of love and of faith is from Him. Therefore in the Word, "to speak," when predicated of the Lord, signifies to instruct, to illustrate, and to provide (See Arcana Coelestia 5361, 6946, 6951, 7019, 8095, 10234, 10290). That "name" means the quality of the state of life, see above n. 148. This is evident also from the signification of "Father," when it is said by the Lord, as being the Divine good, which is in the Lord and from Him (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "angels," as being Divine truth, which is also from the Lord (of which above, n. 130. From this it is clear that "I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels," signifies that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth.

[2] "Father," when it is said by the Lord, means the Divine good, which is in the Lord and from the Lord, because the Divine, which was in the Lord from conception, and which was the Esse of His life, to which Divine He united His Human when He was in the world; this He called "His Father." That the Divine that was in Him from conception was what the Lord called "Father," can be clearly seen from His teaching that He is one with the Father. As in John:

I and the Father are one (John 10:30).

In the same:

Believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father (John 10:38).

In the same:

He that beholdeth Me beholdeth Him that sent Me (John 12:45).

In the same:

If ye had known Me ye would have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye have known Him, and have seen Him. Philip said unto Him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus saith, Am I so long time with you, and thou dost not know Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The Father that abideth in Me doeth the works. Believe Me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:7-11).

In the same:

If ye had known Me ye would have known My Father also (John 8:19).

In the same:

I am not alone, became the Father is with Me (John 16:32).

[3] Because the Lord is one with the Father He also declares:

That all things of the Father are His, and His are the Father's (John 17:10);

That all things whatsoever that the Father hath are His (John 16:15);

That the Father hath given all things into the hands of the Son (John 3:35; 13:3);

And that all things have been delivered unto Him by the Father; that no one knoweth the Son save the Father, neither doth any one know the Father save the Son (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22).

That no one hath seen the Father except the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18; 6:46).

That the Word was with God, and God was the Word, and the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14).

From this last passage also it is clear that they are one, for it is said, "The Word was with God, and God was the Word." It is plain, too, that the Human of the Lord is also God, for it is said, "And the Word became flesh." Because all things of the Father are also the Lord's, and because He and the Father are one, the Lord when He ascended into heaven said to His disciples:

All power hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18);

by which He taught that men should approach Him alone, because He alone can do all things; as He also said to them before:

Without Me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

This makes clear how these words are to be understood:

I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father but through Me (John 14:6);

namely, that the Father is approached when the Lord is approached.

[4] The Lord so often spoke of the Father as another than Himself, for this, among many reasons, that by "Father," in the internal or spiritual sense, is meant the Divine good, and by "Son," the Divine truth, each in the Lord and from the Lord; for the Word is written by correspondences, and is thus as well for men as for angels. The "Father" therefore is mentioned, that the Lord's Divine good may be perceived by the angels who are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and "Son of God" and "Son of man" are mentioned, that the Divine truth may be perceived (as can be seen from what has been shown in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that "Father" in the Word signifies good, n. 3703, 5902, 6050, 7833, 7834; that "father" signifies the church in respect to good, thus the good of the church, and "mother" the church in respect to truth, thus the truth of the church, n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 5581, 8897. That the Divine good that was in Him from conception, and which was the Esse of life, from which was His Human, the Lord called "Father," n. 2803, 3704, 7499, 8328, 8897; that the Lord is acknowledged as the Father in heaven because they are one, n. 15, 1729, 3690; that the Lord is also called "Father" in the Word, n. 2005; that the Lord also is a Father to those who are being regenerated, since they are receiving new life from Him, and His life, n. 2293, 3690, 6492; that the "Son of God," and the "Son of man," are the Lord in respect to the Divine Human and the proceeding Divine truth, see above, n. 63, 151, 166). Since, then, all who come into heaven must be in good as well as in truth (for no one can be in the one unless he is at the same time in the other, since good is the esse of truth, and truth is the existere of good); and since "the Father" signifies the Divine good, and "angels" the Divine truth, both from the Lord, therefore it is said, "I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." So, too, in the Evangelists:

Everyone who shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father who is in the heavens (Matthew 10:32).

Everyone who shall have confessed Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God (Luke 12:8).

[5] Since "Father" signifies Divine good, and "angels" Divine truth, the Lord also says:

When the Son of man shall come in His glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels (Luke 9:26; Matthew 16:27).

Here the Lord calls His glory "the glory of the Father and of the angels," for He says, "in His glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels;" but in another place, "in the glory of the Father with the angels;" and elsewhere, "in His glory with the angels." As in Mark:

When He shall come in the glory of His Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38).

And in Matthew:

When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him (Matthew 25:31).

It should be added further that if it is accepted as a doctrine and acknowledged, that the Lord is one with the Father, and that His Human is Divine from the Divine in Himself, light will be seen in every particular of the Word; for that which is assumed as doctrine and acknowledged from doctrine is in light when the Word is read; moreover, the Lord, from whom is all light and who has all power, will enlighten those who acknowledge this. But on the other hand, if it is assumed and acknowledged as a doctrine that the Divine of the Father is another Divine than the Lord's, nothing will be seen in light in the Word; since the man who is in that doctrine turns himself from one Divine to the other, and away from the Divine of the Lord which he can see (which is done by thought and faith), to a Divine that he cannot see; for the Lord says:

Ye have neither heard the Father's voice at any time, nor seen His form (John 5:37; also John 1:18);

and to believe in a Divine and love a Divine that cannot be thought of under any form is impossible.