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John 16

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1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Doctrine of the Lord #51

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51. Whenever the term spirit is applied to the Lord, it means in particular the life of His wisdom, which is Divine truth:

...I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go away, I will send Him to you. (John 16:7)

...when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; ...He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears He will speak. (John 16:13)

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)

I will ask the Father to give you another Counselor..., the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.... ...you will see Me. (John 14:16-19, cf. 14:26, 28)

...when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth..., He will testify of Me. (John 15:26)

...Jesus...cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.” This He said concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; ...the Holy Spirit did not yet exist, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)

(Jesus) breathed on (His disciples) and said..., “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)

[2] By the Counselor, the Spirit of truth, and the Holy Spirit, the Lord meant Himself, and this is apparent from the Lord’s saying that the world did not yet know the Counselor or Spirit of truth; for people did not as yet know the Lord. Moreover, when He said that He would send Him, He added, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you, “ and “you will see Me” (John 14:16-19, 26, 28). At another time, too, He said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). And when Thomas said, “We do not know where You are going, ” Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth” (John 14:5-6).

[3] Because the Spirit of truth, or Holy Spirit, is the same as the Lord, who is truth itself, therefore we are also told, “The Holy Spirit did not yet exist, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:39). For after the Lord’s glorification or complete union with the Father, which was achieved by His suffering of the cross, the Lord was then Divine wisdom itself and Divine truth itself, thus the Holy Spirit.

The Lord breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit, ” because respiration in heaven is dependent wholly on the Lord. For angels breathe and their hearts beat just as in the case of people. Their respiration accords with their reception of Divine wisdom from the Lord, and the beating of their hearts or pulse accords with their reception of Divine love from the Lord. The reality of this will be seen in its own place.

[4] That the Holy Spirit is Divine truth received from the Lord is still more apparent from the following passages:

When they deliver you to the synagogues..., do not worry about...what you will say. ...the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should say. (Luke 12:11-12, cf. 21:14, Mark 13:11, 12)

...said Jehovah, “...My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth....” (Isaiah 59:21)

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse.... He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the spirit [i.e., breath ] of His lips He shall slay the impious. Truth shall be the girdle of His loins.... (Isaiah 11:1, 4-5)

...with His mouth He commanded, and His Spirit gathered them. (Isaiah 34:16)

...those who worship (God) must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and...life. (John 6:63)

(John said,) “I...baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me...will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11, cf. Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16)

To baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire means to regenerate by means of the Divine truth that is a property of faith and the Divine goodness that is a property of love.

When (Jesus) was baptized..., the heavens were opened..., and He saw the (Holy) Spirit...descending like a dove.... (Matthew 3:16, cf. Mark 1:10, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:32-33)

The dove represents purification and regeneration by means of Divine truth.

[5] Since the Holy Spirit, when applied to the Lord, means His Divine life, thus Himself, and in particular the life of His wisdom, which we call Divine truth, therefore the spirit spoken of by the Prophets — which is also called the Holy Spirit — means Divine truth received from the Lord. Such is the case in the following passages:

...the Spirit said to the churches.... (Revelation 2:7, 11, 29, 3:1, 3, 6, 13, 22)

...(the) seven lamps of fire burning before the throne...are the seven spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)

...in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing..., having...seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)

The lamps of fire and the Lord’s eyes symbolize Divine truths, and the number seven symbolizes holiness.

...said the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors....” (Revelation 14:13)

The spirit and the bride say, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17)

They made their hearts adamant, so as not to hear the law or the words which Jehovah...sent by His Spirit through the...prophets. (Zechariah 7:12)

The spirit of Elijah came over Elisha. (2 Kings 2:15)

(John went) before...in the spirit and power of Elijah.... (Luke 1:17)

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (and prophesied). (Luke 1:41-45)

Zacharias...was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.... (Luke 1:67)

...David...said by the Holy Spirit: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right....’ ” (Mark 12:36)

...the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

Now because the Holy Spirit in particular means the Lord in relation to Divine wisdom, and so in relation to Divine truth, it is apparent why it is said of the Holy Spirit that it enlightens, teaches, and inspires.

  
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Published by the General Church of the New Jerusalem, 1100 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, U.S.A. A translation of Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino, by Emanuel Swedenborg, 1688-1772. Translated from the Original Latin by N. Bruce Rogers. ISBN 9780945003687, Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954074.