From Swedenborg's Works

 

El Cielo y el Infierno #2

Study this Passage

  
/ 603  
  

Capítulo 1 (EL CIELO): El Dios del Cielo es el Señor

2. Lo primero será saber quien es el Dios del cielo, puesto que de ello dependen las demás cosas. En el cielo entero sólo el Señor es reconocido por Dios del cielo y ningún otro. Allí dicen, como Él mismo enseñó:

Que Él es uno con el Padre; que el Padre es en Él y Él en el Padre; que quien ve a Él, ve al Padre y que todo lo Santo procede de Él (Juan 10:30, 38; 14:9-11; 16:13-15).

He hablado varias veces con los ángeles sobre este particular, y siempre han dicho, que en el cielo no se puede partir lo Divino en tres, porque saben y sienten que la Divinidad es única, y que es única en el Señor. También han dicho, que los de la iglesia que llegan del mundo, teniendo la idea de tres Divinidades (Divinas Personas), no pueden ser admitidos en el cielo, puesto que su pensamiento pasa continuamente de uno a otro, y allí no es permitido pensar tres y decir uno; porque cada uno en el cielo habla por el pensamiento, siendo así que allí el hablar es pensar, o sea el pensar es hablar, por lo cual los que en el mundo han dividido la Divinidad en tres, formándose separada idea de cada uno, y no habiéndolos reunido y concentrado en el Señor, no pueden ser recibidos, porque en el cielo tiene lugar una comunicación de todo pensamiento; por lo cual si allí entrase alguien que pensara tres y dijera uno, sería en seguida descubierto y rechazado. Pero hay que saber que todos aquellos que no han separado la verdad del bien, o sea la fe del amor, al ser instruidos en la otra vida, reciben el celestial concepto del Señor de que Él es el Dios del universo. Otra cosa sucede con los que han separado la fe de la vida, es decir, los que no han vivido conforme a los preceptos de la verdadera fe.

  
/ 603  
  

Swedenborg en Español website and Swedenborg Library, Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.

The Bible

 

Juan 14:9-11

Study

      

9 Jesús le dice: ¿Tanto tiempo hace que estoy con vosotros, y no me has conocido, Felipe? El que me ha visto, ha visto (también) al Padre; ¿cómo, pues, dices tú: Muéstranos el Padre?

10 ¿No crees que yo soy en el Padre, y el Padre en mí? Las palabras que yo os hablo, no las hablo de mí mismo; mas el Padre que permanece en mí, él hace las obras.

11 Creedme que yo soy en el Padre, y el Padre en mí; de otra manera, creedme por las mismas obras.

      

From Swedenborg's Works

 

The Last Judgement #57

Study this Passage

  
/ 74  
  

57. I spoke with some of those people about the keys given to Peter, asking whether they believed the Lord's power over heaven and hell was transferred to him. Since this is a fundamental point in their religious system, they strongly insisted on it, saying that there was no doubt at all about it, since it is plainly stated. When I asked whether they knew that the details of the Word contain a spiritual sense, and that this is how the Word is understood in heaven, they started by saying that they did not. But later they said that they would enquire, and on doing so they were taught that the details of the Word contain a spiritual sense, which is as different from the literal sense as what is spiritual is from what is natural. Moreover, they were taught that none of the names used in the Word has that meaning in heaven, but there something spiritual is understood instead. Finally they were informed that instead of Peter there is meant in the Word the church's truth of faith coming from the good of charity. Rock, which is mentioned along with Peter, has a similar meaning, for we read:

You are Peter and upon this rock 1 I will build my church. Matthew 16:18.

This does not mean that any power was given to Peter, but to truth arising from good; for all power in the heavens belongs to truth arising from good, or to good acting by means of truth, and because all good and truth come from the Lord, and nothing is from man, all power belongs to the Lord.

On hearing this they were indignant and wanted to know whether that was the spiritual sense of the words. So they were given the Word as it is in heaven, which contains the spiritual but not the natural sense, since it is for angels, and they are spiritual. On the existence of such a Word in heaven see HEAVEN AND HELL 259-261. When they read this they saw plainly that there was no mention of Peter in it, but in his place truth from good coming from the Lord. 1 On seeing this they angrily rejected the Word, and would almost have torn it in pieces with their teeth, if it had not been instantly snatched away. Thus they were convinced, although against their will, that that power belongs to the Lord alone; far less does it belong to any human being, because it is Divine.

Footnotes:

1. The Lord's twelve disciples represented the church in all respects concerning truth and good or faith and love, in the same way as the twelve tribes of Israel (2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397). Peter, James and John represented faith, charity and the good deeds of charity (3750). Peter stands for faith (4738, 6000, 6073, 6344, 10087, 10580). Peter being given the keys of the kingdom of the heavens means that all power belongs to truth coming from good, or faith coming from charity which is from the Lord; and so that all power belongs to the Lord (6344). A key is the power of opening and closing (9410). Good has all power by means of truths, in other words, truths have all power from good which is from the Lord (3091, 3563, 6344, 6423, 6948, 8200, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643, 10019, 10182). Rock in the Word means the Lord as regards Divine truth (8581, 10580). All personal and place names in the Word mean things and states (768, 1888, 4310, 4442, 10329). These names do not pass into heaven, but are turned into things they mean; neither can the names be spoken in heaven (1876, 5225, 6516, 10216, 10282). It can be shown by examples how elegant the internal sense of the Word is, where it consists of nothing but names (1224, 1264, 1888).

1. [In Greek Petros and petra.]

  
/ 74  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.