The Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles

The Lord left his apostles with instructions and with great gifts. The instructions are listed in several distinct places, but the the gifts are more scattered, both in the four gospels and in the book of Acts later, being given as the apostles needed them.

First, about the apostles... just to clarify, here I'm referring to "the disciples" as including anyone who has followed along to hear the Lord, and "the apostles" to mean the twelve men that the Lord recruited specifically, as listed in Matthew 10, Mark 3, and Luke 6.

Who were the apostles? From the lists in Matthew and Mark, which are the same, we have: Simon (Peter), James and John the sons of Zebedee, Andrew (Peter’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew (the publican), Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, (as is Matthew, so they are brothers, too), Thaddeus, (also known as Libbeus), Simon the Canaanite (also called Simon the Zealot), and Judas Iscariot. Bartholomew is almost undoubtedly another name for Nathaniel, see John 1. The list in Luke includes another Judas, "Judas the brother of James" and doesn’t have Thaddeus.

The stories of how they were individually chosen differ, especially in the gospel of John, but that these twelve were appointed by the Lord is clear. A point of interest is that - other than Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot they are all from towns around the sea of Galilee - and perhaps those two are as well. These twelve have their names inscribed on the twelve foundations of the walls of the holy city New Jerusalem, in Revelation 21:14 in which there are also the twelve gates. These men were chosen to represent all the different states of the natural human being that can be receptive of the Lord. They are from Galilee because Galilee represents that natural state of the human mind. The number twelve in the Word represents all possible states of mankind.

What is indicated here is that all people, everywhere, can be saved or regenerated if they repent and turn to the Lord in their lives. No one is "outside" of His reach. We are born natural, everyone is, but we are so formed that our minds can be raised to what is higher, called spiritual for our conceptions of Divine truth, or Celestial for our perceptions of Divine good. But we all start in a natural state and can only move upward by listening to the Lord’s teachings in His Word, and following Him as those Apostles did.

Not all of our natural states are states of good; they can be selfish, domineering, and cruel. But the Lord said that He came "not to save the just but to call sinners to repentance". Perhaps this is why Simon the Canaanite and Judas were two that He called. Simon is little known, but in some places in the Word, "Canaan signifies an external worship without a true internal worship". (See Arcana Coelestia 1060). Can the Lord work with that - with external worship that's internally barren? Yes, as a starting point. And, even Judas, who betrayed the Lord so terribly, we are told, repented of his betrayal of the Lord. (Matthew 27:3-5)

The Lord's Instructions to the Apostles

The two most comprehensive sets of instructions are in Luke 10:1-17 where seventy Disciples are sent out two by two, apparently to a specified list of cities that Jesus intends to visit, and then in Matthew 20:1-19 where the chosen twelve Apostles are sent out to all Israel. Later, as recorded in different epistles, the Apostles go out further, through a wide region.

The basic instructions were to preach that the kingdom of heaven is near, that all should be led to repent of their sins, and that all who wish should be baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles should not take any money or extra clothing along, and they were to depend entirely on the Lord’s providence with no doubt that they shall be welcomed, fed, and sheltered. If they were welcomed, they should stay and preach the good news about the risen Lord and His teachings, and if they were not, they should shake from their feet the dust of that place and go on to a place where they were welcome. See Matthew 10, 28, Mark 13, 16, Luke 9, 10:24.

There are several assurances for the twelve. The Lord has told them to stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit is sent to strengthen them, and in John 20 where the ten are gathered it is said that He breathed on them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit". Also, in his long talk with them in John 14, 15, 16) He assures them that his crucifixion and death are necessary to his mission and they should even rejoice that it is coming. He shows them from scripture that it has all been prophesied from long ago, (see Mark 4:34) and that what seems to them a tragedy, is truly His glorification and the end of the work He came to do. They, His twelve, are in the same steam of providence and will be protected. "Don’t be anxious," He tells them, "I will put into your mouths what you are to say, I will bring into your memories the incidents to tell to the people".

Here is a listing of the chapters and verses in John where such things are said: John 14:1-3, 10, 16-18, 26-28, 15:11, 16, 26-27, 16:7, 13-15, 22, 26-27, 33. Or simply read the three chapters and pick out your favorites.

A marvelous gift is mentioned in Matthew 10:13, "But blessed are your eyes for they see and blessed are your ears, for they hear…".

In the book of Acts, the Lord vividly shows the apostles that when they speak in their Galileen dialect every listener will hear their words as his own language in his ears; not gibberish, but Arabic to the Arabs, Greek to the Greeks, and Latin to the Romans.

When Peter starts to preach to a gathering of sympathetic Jews he speaks clearly and unafraid, saying that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God and that people should worship Him openly and repent of how they might have felt earlier. Peter’s talk in Acts 3 and 4 is a bold and powerful one. No more hiding behind locked doors.

The early history of the Christian church shows just how well all this worked out. You know what? The Apostles preached to the peoples in the Near East 2000 years ago, and their preaching is just as relevant today as it was then: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Being at hand has nothing to do with the date or the state of political history in the world, it has to do with the inside of your mind. The Lord is just as close to you now as He was then, and He never turns away, though we might turn away from him. Remember that He said "behold I stand at the door and knock and if anyone hears and opens the door He will come right in." This hasn’t changed nor will it ever change, but He leaves us in freedom to ignore His knocking, if that is what we want. We have to make the choice, but He is always ready if we choose to open the door.

630. And the court which is without the temple cast out, and measure it not.- That this signifies that the external of the Word, and therefore of the church and of worship, is not to be explored, is evident from the signification of the court, which denotes the external of the Word, and therefore of the church and worship. The court has this signification because the temple signifies heaven and the church as to Divine Truth, as shown above, and consequently the court, which was without the temple, or before the front of the temple, signifies the first or ultimate heaven. For the temple, considered in itself, signifies the higher heavens. The adytum (or oracle), where the ark of the covenant was, signified the inmost or third heaven, and the temple without the adytum, the middle or second heaven, and therefore the court signified the ultimate or first heaven. And that which signifies heaven, signifies also the church, for the church is the Lord's heaven on earth, and that which signifies the church, signifies also the Word, and also worship, for the Word is the Divine Truth, from which heaven and the church exist, and worship is according to Divine Truth, which is the Word. For this reason the court signifies the external or ultimate of heaven and of the church, and also the external or ultimate of the Word and of worship.

[2] The Word and worship resemble heaven and the church; for in the Word there are three distinct senses, just as there are three heavens. The inmost sense, which is called the celestial sense, is for the inmost or third heaven; the middle sense, which is called the spiritual sense, is for the middle or second heaven; and the ultimate sense, which is called the celestial and spiritual-natural sense, is for the ultimate or first heaven. These three senses, in addition to the natural, which is for the world, are in the Word and in every detail of it. And because the three heavens possess the Word, and each heaven is in its own sense of the Word, and their heaven and also their worship exist in consequence, it therefore follows that that which signifies heaven signifies also the Word and worship. Now it is from this fact that the court signifies the external of the Word, and therefore the external of the church and of worship.

[3] Moreover, it must be noted that there were two courts to the temple, one without the temple, and the other within; the court without the temple signifies the very entrance into heaven and the church, where those are who are being introduced into heaven, and the court within the temple represents the ultimate heaven. It is similar with the church as it is both with the Word and with worship; for the court without the temple signifies the external of the Word, that is, the Word such as it is in the natural sense, which is for the world, by means of which man is introduced into its spiritual sense, in which are the angels of heaven. But the signification of each court, the inner and the outer, will be shown in what follows; the reason also why it is said here that the court without the temple should be cast out and not measured, will be shown in the following article, where the signification of its being given to the nations will be explained.

[4] From what has been said the signification of court and courts in the Word can now be seen in some degree in the following passages.

In Moses:

"Thou shalt make the court of the habitation at the corner of the south towards the south, hangings for the court," twenty pillars, twenty bases, the hooks of the pillars and the fillets of silver; the gate of the court with the veil; the length thereof shall be one hundred cubits from the south to the north, and the breadth thereof fifty from the east to the west (Exodus 27:9-18).

This court was the court of the tent of meeting, which similarly represented and signified the ultimate or first heaven. For the tent of meeting represented heaven; its inmost, where the ark was, over which was the propitiatory, represented the inmost or third heaven. The law in the ark represented the Lord Himself as to Divine Truth or the Word; and the tent without the veil, where the table for the loaves, the altar of incense, and the lampstand were, represented the middle or second heaven; while the court represented the ultimate or first heaven. That the three heavens were represented by that tent may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485); but what is specifically signified by the court, and by all things pertaining to it, may be seen (n. 9741-9775).

[5] Because the court represented the ultimate heaven, and consequently also the external of the church, of the Word, and of worship, therefore the residue of the meat-offerings and of the sacrifices for sin were eaten by Aaron and his sons in the court (Leviticus 6:16, 26). By eating those sanctified things in the court was signified to appropriate to themselves the goods of the church, signified by the meat-offerings and sacrifices; and all appropriation of holy things is effected by means of ultimates, for there can be no appropriation of interior and holy things except by means of ultimates.

[6] Moreover, concerning the courts of the temple it is thus written in the First Book of Kings:

Solomon made "a court before the front of the temple of the house," and "afterwards he built the inner court, three rows of hewn stones, and a row of hewn cedar" (6:3, 36).

The temple similarly represented heaven and the church. The adytum (or oracle) where the ark was, represented the inmost or third heaven, also the church with those who are in inmost things, which is called the celestial church. The temple without the adytum (or oracle) represented the middle or second heaven, also the church with those who are in the middle, which is called the internal-spiritual church. The inner court represented the ultimate or first heaven, also the church with those who are in ultimates, which is called the internal-natural church; but the outer court represented the entrance into heaven.

[7] And because the temple, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord as to His Divine Human, and also as to Divine Truth, therefore it also signifies the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, consequently the Word, for this is the Divine Truth in the church. That the Divine Human of the Lord is signified by the temple, is evident from the Lord's words, where He saith,

"Destroy this temple, but in three days I will raise it up; and He spake of the temple of His body" (John 2:18-23).

That the temple signifies the church, is evident from these words of the Lord, that

"there should not be left of the temple one stone upon another which should not be thrown down" (Matthew 24:1, 2; Luke 21:5-7).

These words mean that all Divine Truth, consequently every thing of the church, would perish; for the end of the church, called the consummation of the age, is there treated of.

[8] That there were two courts built, an inner and an outer, with little chambers, porticoes or colonnades, and many other things, is evident from the description of them in Ezekiel:

The angel "brought me to the outer court, where behold were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about, thirty chambers upon the pavement," which he measured as to the length and the breadth, and he also measured the bed chambers, and the porticoes, and the gate, every thing as to length and breadth (40:17-22, 31, 34, and following verses; chap. 42:1-14).

And concerning the inner court in the same prophet; he measured the inner court, the gates thereof towards the north, the east, and the south; the porticoes, the steps with the ascents, the bed-chambers, the chambers of the singers, the upper lintels (40:23-31, 44, and the following verses).

And in Jeremiah:

"In the chamber of Gemariah the scribe, in the upper court, at the door of the gate of the new house" (36:10).

In the prophet Ezekiel, from chap. 40 to chap. 48, a new city, a new temple, and a new earth are treated of, which signify the new church which was to be established by the Lord. The chambers, bed-chambers, porticoes, and the rest, signify such things as pertain to the church, its doctrine and worship; and their dimensions signify the quality of these, as shown in the article above. But it does not belong to this place to explain the signification of the details, except to say that the courts signify the external things of heaven and of the church, and thence the externals of the Word and of worship. And this is evident from this fact alone, that the temple in general signifies heaven and the church, therefore the three divisions of the temple, or the courts, the temple itself, and the adytum (or oracle), signify the three heavens, according to their degrees. The nature and quality of the three heavens, according to their degrees, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 29-40).

[9] That heaven and the church are signified by the temple and the court, may appear more fully from these words in Ezekiel:

"The spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court" of the temple, "when behold the glory of Jehovah filled the house; and I heard one speaking unto me out of the house," saying, "Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel for ever" (43:4-7).

That these courts signify the ultimate heaven, or the external of the church, is evident from its being said, that he was brought into the court, and thence saw the house filled with the glory of Jehovah, the glory of Jehovah denoting the Divine Truth, which makes heaven and the church; also because that house was the place of the throne of Jehovah, and the place of the soles of His feet, where He will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel for ever. That the throne of Jehovah means heaven, may be seen above (n. 253, 297, 343, 460, 462, 477, 482); and that the place of the soles of the feet of Jehovah means the church, may also be seen above (n. 606). The sons of Israel mean all who are of the church of the Lord; therefore to dwell with them for ever, signifies the continual presence of the Lord with them.

[10] In the same:

"The glory of Jehovah lifted up itself from above the cherub over the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with a cloud, and the cloud filled the inner court, and the court was full of the shining of the glory of Jehovah; and the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court" (10:4, 3, 5).

The cherubim seen by the prophet represented the Lord as to Providence and protection that He may not be approached except by means of the good of love; consequently the cherubim signify the higher heavens, specifically the inmost heaven, for that protection (tutela) is there, as may be seen above (n. 277, 313, 322, 362, 370, 462). By the house which was filled with the cloud is therefore signified heaven and the church. The inner court, which the cloud also filled, signifies the ultimate heaven, and the outer court, as far as the part where the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard, signifies the entrance into heaven, which specifically is in the natural world, and afterwards in the world of spirits; for man enters into heaven through the church in the world, and afterwards through the world of spirits. What the world of spirits is, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 421-431), and following paragraphs. But the cloud, and the shining of the glory of Jehovah, signify the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord.

[11] From these things the signification of courts in the following passages is evident; as in David:

"Blessed is he whom thou choosest, and causest to approach; he shall inhabit thy courts; we shall be satisfied with the good of thy house, with the holy [place] of thy temple" (Psalm 65:4).

These words signify that those who are in charity, or in spiritual affection, shall live in heaven, and be in intelligence and wisdom there from Divine Truth and Divine Good. The elect, or he whom thou choosest, signifies those who are in love towards the neighbour or in charity. By causing to approach is signified spiritual affection or love, for so far as man is in that love or in that affection, so far is he with the Lord, since every one approaches Him according to that love. By inhabiting the courts is signified to live in heaven, to inhabit denoting to live, and the courts denoting heaven. To be satisfied with the good of the house signifies to be in wisdom from Divine Good; and to be satisfied with the holy [place] of the temple is signified to be in intelligence from Divine Truth, and from both to partake of heavenly joy. The house of God signifies heaven and the church as to Divine Good, and the temple, heaven and the church as to Divine Truth, while holy has reference to spiritual good, which is truth.

[12] Again:

"A day in thy courts is better than thousands, I have chosen to stand at the gate in the house of my God" (Psalm 84:10).

The courts here signify the first or ultimate heaven, by means of which there is entrance into the higher heavens, therefore it is added, I have chosen to stand at the door in the house of my God.

Again:

"Give unto Jehovah the glory of His name, bring an offering, and come into His courts" (Psalm 96:8).

Again:

"Praise ye the name of Jehovah, praise, O ye servants of Jehovah, who stand in the house of Jehovah, in the courts of the house of our God" (Psalm 135:1, 2).

Again:

"How amiable are thy habitations, O Jehovah Zebaoth, my soul hath desired, yea, it hath been consumed for the courts of Jehovah" (Psalm 84:1, 2).

Again:

"Enter ye his gates in confession, his courts in praise, confess ye to him, bless his name" (Psalm 100:4).

Again:

"I will pay my vows to Jehovah before all his people, in the courts of the house of Jehovah, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem" (Psalm 116:14, 18, 19).

Again:

"The just shall flourish as the palm, he shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon, they that are planted in the house of Jehovah shall spring up in the courts of our God" (Psalm 92:12, 13).

That the courts mentioned in these passages mean heaven, specifically the ultimate heaven, and the church, is evident without explanation.

[13] Similarly in the following passages; as in Isaiah:

"They shall gather" the corn and the new wine, "they shall eat and shall praise Jehovah, and they who shall gather it together shall drink in the courts of my holiness" (62:9).

By collecting the corn and the new wine (mustum) is signified instruction in the goods and truths of doctrine and of the church. By they shall eat and shall praise Jehovah is signified appropriation and the worship of the Lord. By they who gather it together shall drink in the courts of my holiness is signified the fruition of Divine Truth, and thence of felicity in the heavens.

[14] Again in Joel:

"Between the court and the altar let the priests weep, the ministers of Jehovah, and let them say, Spare thy people, Jehovah" (2:17).

Weeping between the court and the altar signifies lamentation over the vastation of Divine Truth and Divine Good in the church; for the court, like the temple, signifies the church as to Divine Truth, and the altar, the church as to Divine Good, therefore between the court and the altar signifies the marriage of truth and good, which makes heaven and the church; and by weeping is signified lamentation over the vastation thereof. Courts signify the ultimates of heaven, and also the externals of the church, of the Word, and of worship, elsewhere in the Word; as in Isaiah (1:12); Zech. (3:7).