The Bible

 

John 1:12

Study

       

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Commentary

 

Explanation of John 1:12

By Brian David

Christ washing the feet of the apostles.

In the Bible, someone’s name represents all of their qualities, their character and attributes as a whole. So people who "believe on the Lord’s name" are not just accepting that He is who He is; they are seeing Him as God, believing in what He taught and adopting it into their lives. And since Jesus represents the divine truth, or the deepest expression of the Lord’s love, it means that we today can become "sons of God" if we open ourselves to the Lord’s love and all it teaches us, and practice that love toward others.

And what is a "son of God"? It does not mean that we will be what Jesus was, but it does mean that we will be what the Lord hopes for us to be. The case is this: When we are born of our parents, we inherit a spectrum of spiritual weaknesses and challenges, places where we are subject to temptation. But if we open ourselves to the Lord and follow His teachings, we can eventually be "born" again, with the evil desires stripped away so that we can live in peacful, loving joy to etenity. This is what is meant here by "sons of God" – if we receive the Lord and follow him we can become angels, dwelling in eternal happiness.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 1608 [2], 2531 [4], 8409 [3], 9241, 9454; Teachings about the Lord 18 [5]; The Apocalypse Explained 151 [5], 745 [4])

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Scriptural Confirmations #14

  
/ 101  
  

14. 12. The Word was with God, and God was the Word; and all things were made by Him. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men; He was the true Light which lighteth every man: and the Word became flesh (John 1:1-14).

This was He who was before me, for He was prior to me. Of His fullness we have all received (John 1:15-16, 27, 30).

No one hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son of God, who is in the bosom of the Father, hath made Him manifest (John 1:18).

Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose (John 1:27).

The Son of man which is in the heavens (John 3:13-14). Light has come into the world. He who does evils hates the light (John 3:19-20).

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom. Spoken concerning Christ (John 3:29).

He came from heaven and is therefore above all (John 3:31). Spoken concerning Christ.

The Father gave not the Spirit by measure unto Him; the Father gave all things into His hands (John 3:34-35).

Jesus says that He is equal to the Father; in various places (John 5:18-23). That He quickeneth, and that He hath life in Himself, etc. (John 5:21, 26-27).

The bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33). He is the bread of life (John 6:35, 50-51).

Not that any one has seen the Father, save He who is with the Father, He hath seen the Father (John 6:46).

Jesus said I am the light of the world; he that followeth Me shall have the light of life (John 8:12; 9:5, 39; 12:35-36, 46).

Jesus said, Before Abraham was, I am (John 8:56, 58). He came into the world that the blind might see, and that they which see might become blind (John 9:39).

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

The Father and He are one (John 10:30).

He is in the Father and the Father in Him (John 14:10-11; 10:38; Philippians 1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:3).

That ye may believe that the Father is in Me and I in the Father (John 10:38; 14:10-11).

He that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me (John 13:20).

Jesus said, Believe in God, believe also in Me (John 14:1).

Jesus is the way to the Father (John 14:4-6).

He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).

Jesus said, He that seeth and knoweth Me, seeth and knoweth the Father (John 14:7-9).

If ye shall ask of the Father in My name, I will do it (John 14:13-14).

Jesus said, Because I live, ye shall live (John 14:19). He and the Father will make their abode with them (John 14:21, 23).

God and Christ [mentioned] together; that I and the Father will come to him (John 14:23). I and the Father are one (John 10:30).

He that hateth Me hateth My Father (John 15:23-24). All things that the Father hath are Mine (John 16:15). Jesus goes away to the Father (John 16:5-7, 16-17, 29), which is to be united to Him.

They should pray in His name, I say not that I will pray the Father for you; the Father Himself loveth you because ye have loved Me (John 16:26-28). He often says, In His name.

I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I leave the world and go to the Father (John 16:28-31). Jesus said, the Father had given Him power over all flesh (John 17:2).

Jesus will give to them eternal life (John 17:2) also, the Son from the Father.

God and Jesus Christ [mentioned] together, namely that they both know each other (John 17:3).

Father glorify Thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify Thee. Now therefore do Thou, O Father, glorify Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was (John 17:1, 5).

N. B. Arcanum. By "to glorify" is meant to unite the Divine Truth with the Divine Good in the Human. The Lord in the Father from eternity was the Divine Good and thence the Divine Truth, wherefore when He descended He was the Divine Truth from the Divine Good; a reciprocal union, or that of the Divine Truth with the Divine Good, was effected by the Lord in the Human while He was in the world: and it was accomplished successively, especially by redemption and by the fact that He did the will of the Father, and then fully by the last temptation, which was that of the cross, for temptation unites. Then was accomplished the reciprocal union of the Divine Truth with the Divine Good, thus the Father and Son are one, thus one Person like soul and body. All Mine are Thine and Thine are Mine, but I am glorified in them (John 17:10).

I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified in the truth (John 17:19).

That they may be one in Jesus as the Father is in Him (John 17:21-23).

Thomas said, my Lord and my God (John 20:28).

  
/ 101  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.