102. There is a belief that the Lord in his human manifestation not only was but still is the Son of Mary. This is a blunder, though, on the part of the Christian world. It is true that he was the Son of Mary; it is not true that he still is. As the Lord carried out the acts of redemption, he put off the human nature from his mother and put on a human nature from his Father. This is how it came about that the Lord's human nature is divine and that in him God is human and a human is God. The fact that he put off the human nature from his mother and put on a divine nature from his father - a divine human nature - can be seen from his never referring to Mary as his mother, as the following passages show: "The mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine. ' Jesus said to her, 'What do I have to do with you, woman? My hour has not yet come'" (John 2:4). Elsewhere it says, "Jesus on the cross saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing next to her. He said to his mother, 'Woman, behold your son. ' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother'" (John 19:26-27). On one occasion he did not acknowledge her: "There was a message for Jesus from people who said, 'Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you. ' Jesus said in reply, 'My mother and my brothers are these people who are hearing the Word of God and doing it'" (Luke 8:20-21; Matthew 12:46-49; Mark 3:31-35). So the Lord called her "woman," not "mother," and gave her to John to be his mother. In other passages she is called his mother, but not by the Lord himself.

[2] Another piece of supporting evidence is that the Lord did not acknowledge himself to be the son of David. In the Gospels we read,

Jesus asked the Pharisees, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They say, "David's. " He said to them, "Why then does David in the spirit call him his Lord when he says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a footstool for your feet?"' If David calls him Lord, how is he his son?" And no one could answer him a word. (Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44; Psalms 110:1)

[3] Here I will add something previously unknown. On one occasion I was given an opportunity to talk to Mother Mary. She happened past, and I saw her in heaven over my head in white clothing apparently made of silk. Then, stopping for a while, she said that she had been the Lord's mother in the sense that he was born from her, but by the time he became God he had put off everything human that came from her. Therefore she adores him as her God and does not want anyone to see him as her son, because everything in him is divine.

From the points above another truth now becomes manifest: Jehovah is as human in what is first as he is in what is last, as the following passages indicate: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8, 11). When John saw the Son of Humankind in the middle of seven lampstands, he fell at his feet as if dead; but the Son of Humankind laid his right hand on John and said, "I am the First and the Last" (Revelation 1:13, 17; 21:6). "Behold, I am coming quickly to give to all according to their work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last" (Revelation 22:12-13). And in Isaiah, "Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, Jehovah Sabaoth: I am the First and the Last" (Isaiah 44:6; 48:12).

641. "For their works follow them." This symbolically means, according as they have loved and believed and so have done and spoken.

The works that follow them symbolize everything that remains in a person after death.

People know that the outward acts that people see take their essence, soul and life from internal origins that people do not see, but which are seen by the Lord and by angels. Both of these, outward acts and internal origins, taken together are works - good works if the internal origins are impelled by love and faith, and if people do their outward acts and speak in accordance with them, but evil works if the internal origins are not impelled by love and faith, and if people do their outward acts and speak in accordance with these. If they do outward acts and speak only seemingly in accord with love and faith, those works and words are either hypocritical or merit-seeking.

Ten people may do the same works in outward appearance, but still the works are not alike, because the internal origins which produce the outward actions are not alike.

[2] Who does not see that there is an internal self and an external one, and that these two operate in concert? For who does not see that the intellect and will constitute a person's internal self, and his speech and action his external self? Indeed, who can speak or act apart from his intellect and will? And because everyone sees this, everyone can also see that works consist of the external manifestation and internal origin together. Moreover, because the external manifestation takes its essence, soul and life from its internal origin, as already said, it follows that the external manifestation is of the same character as its internal origin, consequently that the works that follow people are such as they have loved and believed and so have done and spoken.

That good works embody charity and faith may be seen in nos. 73, 76, 94, 141 above. And that a person's inner being or internal self does not consist in understanding without willing, but in willing and so understanding, consequently that it does not consist in believing without loving, but in loving and so believing, and that doing accordingly is a person's outward aspect or external self, may be seen in no. 625 above.

[3] It can be seen from this that the works that follow them means, symbolically, according as they have loved and believed and so have done and spoken.

Works have a similar symbolic meaning in the following passages:

...in the day of... judgment... God... will render to each one according to his works. (Romans 2:5-6)

...we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body..., whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

...the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father..., and then He will reward each according to his works. (Matthew 16:27)

They shall come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:29)

(They) were judged according to... the things which were written in the books..., each one according to his works. (Revelation 20:12-13)

Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Revelation 22:12)

I will give to each one of you according to his works. (Revelation 2:23)

I know your works... (Revelation 2:1-2, 4-5, 8-9, 13, 19, 26; 3:1-3, 7-8, 14-16)

I will repay them according to their work and according to the doing of their hands. (Jeremiah 25:14)

Jehovah... is dealing with us according to our ways and according to our works... (Zechariah 1:6)

And in many other places.