8
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
Explanation of John 1:8
By Brian David
The "he" here – John the Baptist – represents the external, literal meaning of the Bible. It is a powerful thing, but that power comes from what’s inside it: the internal ideas that express the Lord’s perfect love and leadership. These ideas – called "divine truth" in the Writings – are represented by the "light," and were embodied in the physical form of Jesus.
The purpose of the Bible’s literal stories, then, is not to teach us directly. We are not supposed to read them and try to extrapolate modern interpretations of ancient rules, or even to seek literal applications of Jesus’s own statements. The stories are there to contain and confirm the perfect loving truth within, which is a direct expression of the Lord. That’s what we should be seeking, learning, embracing and following.
Arcana Coelestia #8548
8548. EXODUS CHAPTER 17.
TEACHINGS ABOUT CHARITY
Anyone who does not receive spiritual life, that is, who is not born anew from the Lord, cannot enter heaven, as the Lord teaches in John,
Truly, truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3.
