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Matthew 11

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1 και G2532 CONJ εγενετο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3S οτε G3753 ADV ετελεσεν G5055 G5656 V-AAI-3S ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM διατασσων G1299 G5723 V-PAP-NSM τοις G3588 T-DPM δωδεκα G1427 A-NUI μαθηταις G3101 N-DPM αυτου G846 P-GSM μετεβη G3327 G5627 V-2AAI-3S εκειθεν G1564 ADV του G3588 T-GSM διδασκειν G1321 G5721 V-PAN και G2532 CONJ κηρυσσειν G2784 G5721 V-PAN εν G1722 P EP ταις G3588 T-DPF πολεσιν G4172 N-DPF αυτων G846 P-GPM

2 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ ιωαννης G2491 N-NSM ακουσας G191 G5660 V-AAP-NSM εν G1722 P EP τω G3588 T-DSN δεσμωτηριω G1201 N-DSN τα G3588 T-APN εργα G2041 N-APN του G3588 T-GSM χριστου G5547 N-GSM πεμψας G3992 G5660 V-AAP-NSM δυο G1417 A-NUI των G3588 T-GPM μαθητων G3101 N-GPM αυτου G846 P-GSM

3 ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτω G846 P-DSM συ G4771 P-2NS ει G1488 G5748 V-PXI-2S ο G3588 T-NSM ερχομενος G2064 G5740 V-PNP-NSM η G2228 P T ετερον G2087 A-ASM προσδοκωμεν G4328 G5719 V-PAI-1P

4 και G2532 CONJ αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτοις G846 P-DPM πορευθεντες G4198 G5679 V-AOP-NPM απαγγειλατε G518 G5657 V-AAM-2P ιωαννη G2491 N-DSM α G3739 -APN ακουετε G191 G5719 V-PAI-2P και G2532 CONJ βλεπετε G991 G5719 V-PAI-2P

5 τυφλοι G5185 A-NPM αναβλεπουσιν G308 G5719 V-PAI-3P και G2532 CONJ χωλοι G5560 A-NPM περιπατουσιν G4043 G5719 V-PAI-3P λεπροι G3015 A-NPM καθαριζονται G2511 G5743 V-PPI-3P και G2532 CONJ κωφοι G2974 A-NPM ακουουσιν G191 G5719 V-PAI-3P νεκροι G3498 A-NPM εγειρονται G1453 G5743 V-PPI-3P και G2532 CONJ πτωχοι G4434 A-NPM ευαγγελιζονται G2097 G5743 V-PPI-3P

6 και G2532 CONJ μακαριος G3107 A-NSM εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S ος G3739 -NSM εαν G1437 COND μη G3361 P T-N σκανδαλισθη G4624 G5686 V-APS-3S εν G1722 P EP εμοι G1698 P-1DS

7 τουτων G5130 D-GPM δε G1161 CONJ πορευομενων G4198 G5740 V-PNP-GPM ηρξατο G756 G5662 V-ADI-3S ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM λεγειν G3004 G5721 V-PAN τοις G3588 T-DPM οχλοις G3793 N-DPM περι G4012 P EP ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM τι G5101 I-ASN εξηλθετε G1831 G5627 V-2AAI-2P εις G1519 P EP την G3588 T-ASF ερημον G2048 A-ASF θεασασθαι G2300 G5664 V-ADN καλαμον G2563 N-ASM υπο G5259 P EP ανεμου G417 N-GSM σαλευομενον G4531 G5746 V-PPP-ASM

8 αλλα G235 CONJ τι G5101 I-ASN εξηλθετε G1831 G5627 V-2AAI-2P ιδειν G1492 G5629 V-2AAN ανθρωπον G444 N-ASM εν G1722 P EP μαλακοις G3120 A-DPN ιματιοις G2440 N-DPN ημφιεσμενον G294 G5772 V- PP-ASM ιδου G2400 G5628 V-2AAM-2S οι G3588 T-NPM τα G3588 T-APN μαλακα G3120 A-APN φορουντες G5409 G5723 V-PAP-NPM εν G1722 P EP τοις G3588 T-DPM οικοις G3624 N-DPM των G3588 T-GPM βασιλειων G934 N-GPM εισιν G1526 G5748 V-PXI-3P

9 αλλα G235 CONJ τι G5101 I-ASN εξηλθετε G1831 G5627 V-2AAI-2P ιδειν G1492 G5629 V-2AAN προφητην G4396 N-ASM ναι G3483 P T λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP και G2532 CONJ περισσοτερον G4053 A-NSN-C προφητου G4396 N-GSM

10 ουτος G3778 D-NSM γαρ G1063 CONJ εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S περι G4012 P EP ου G3739 -GSM γεγραπται G1125 G5769 V- PI-3S ιδου G2400 G5628 V-2AAM-2S εγω G1473 P-1NS αποστελλω G649 G5719 V-PAI-1S τον G3588 T-ASM αγγελον G32 N-ASM μου G3450 P-1GS προ G4253 P EP προσωπου G4383 N-GSN σου G4675 P-2GS ος G3739 -NSM κατασκευασει G2680 G5692 V-FAI-3S την G3588 T-ASF οδον G3598 N-ASF σου G4675 P-2GS εμπροσθεν G1715 P EP σου G4675 P-2GS

11 αμην G281 HEB λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP ουκ G3756 P T-N εγηγερται G1453 G5769 V- PI-3S εν G1722 P EP γεννητοις G1084 A-DPM γυναικων G1135 N-GPF μειζων G3187 A-NSM-C ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM του G3588 T-GSM βαπτιστου G910 N-GSM ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ μικροτερος G3398 A-NSM-C εν G1722 P EP τη G3588 T-DSF βασιλεια G932 N-DSF των G3588 T-GPM ουρανων G3772 N-GPM μειζων G3187 A-NSM-C αυτου G846 P-GSM εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S

12 απο G575 P EP δε G1161 CONJ των G3588 T-GPF ημερων G2250 N-GPF ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM του G3588 T-GSM βαπτιστου G910 N-GSM εως G2193 CONJ αρτι G737 ADV η G3588 T-NSF βασιλεια G932 N-NSF των G3588 T-GPM ουρανων G3772 N-GPM βιαζεται G971 G5743 V-PPI-3S και G2532 CONJ βιασται G973 N-NPM αρπαζουσιν G726 G5719 V-PAI-3P αυτην G846 P-ASF

13 παντες G3956 A-NPM γαρ G1063 CONJ οι G3588 T-NPM προφηται G4396 N-NPM και G2532 CONJ ο G3588 T-NSM νομος G3551 N-NSM εως G2193 CONJ ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM προεφητευσαν G4395 G5656 V-AAI-3P

14 και G2532 CONJ ει G1487 COND θελετε G2309 G5719 V-PAI-2P δεξασθαι G1209 G5664 V-ADN αυτος G846 P-NSM εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S ηλιας G2243 N-NSM ο G3588 T-NSM μελλων G3195 G5723 V-PAP-NSM ερχεσθαι G2064 G5738 V-PNN

15 ο G3588 T-NSM εχων G2192 G5723 V-PAP-NSM ωτα G3775 N-APN ακουειν G191 G5721 V-PAN ακουετω G191 G5720 V-PAM-3S

16 τινι G5101 I-DSN δε G1161 CONJ ομοιωσω G3666 G5692 V-FAI-1S την G3588 T-ASF γενεαν G1074 N-ASF ταυτην G3778 D-ASF ομοια G3664 A-NPN εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S παιδιοις G3813 N-DPN εν G1722 P EP αγοραις G58 N-DPF καθημενοις G2521 G5740 V-PNP-DPM και G2532 CONJ προσφωνουσιν G4377 G5723 V-PAP-DPM τοις G3588 T-DPM εταιροις G2083 N-DPM αυτων G846 P-GPN

17 και G2532 CONJ λεγουσιν G3004 G5723 V-PAP-DPM ηυλησαμεν G832 G5656 V-AAI-1P υμιν G5213 P-2DP και G2532 CONJ ουκ G3756 P T-N ωρχησασθε G3738 G5662 V-ADI-2P εθρηνησαμεν G2354 G5656 V-AAI-1P υμιν G5213 P-2DP και G2532 CONJ ουκ G3756 P T-N εκοψασθε G2875 G5668 V-AMI-2P

18 ηλθεν G2064 G5627 V-2AAI-3S γαρ G1063 CONJ ιωαννης G2491 N-NSM μητε G3383 CONJ εσθιων G2068 G5723 V-PAP-NSM μητε G3383 CONJ πινων G4095 G5723 V-PAP-NSM και G2532 CONJ λεγουσιν G3004 G5719 V-PAI-3P δαιμονιον G1140 N-ASN εχει G2192 G5719 V-PAI-3S

19 ηλθεν G2064 G5627 V-2AAI-3S ο G3588 T-NSM υιος G5207 N-NSM του G3588 T-GSM ανθρωπου G444 N-GSM εσθιων G2068 G5723 V-PAP-NSM και G2532 CONJ πινων G4095 G5723 V-PAP-NSM και G2532 CONJ λεγουσιν G3004 G5719 V-PAI-3P ιδου G2400 G5628 V-2AAM-2S ανθρωπος G444 N-NSM φαγος G5314 N-NSM και G2532 CONJ οινοποτης G3630 N-NSM τελωνων G5057 N-GPM φιλος G5384 A-NSM και G2532 CONJ αμαρτωλων G268 A-GPM και G2532 CONJ εδικαιωθη G1344 G5681 V-API-3S η G3588 T-NSF σοφια G4678 N-NSF απο G575 P EP των G3588 T-GPN τεκνων G5043 N-GPN αυτης G846 P-GSF

20 τοτε G5119 ADV ηρξατο G756 G5662 V-ADI-3S ονειδιζειν G3679 G5721 V-PAN τας G3588 T-APF πολεις G4172 N-APF εν G1722 P EP αις G3739 -DPF εγενοντο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3P αι G3588 T-NPF πλεισται G4118 A-NPF δυναμεις G1411 N-NPF αυτου G846 P-GSM οτι G3754 CONJ ου G3756 P T-N μετενοησαν G3340 G5656 V-AAI-3P

21 ουαι G3759 INJ σοι G4671 P-2DS χοραζιν G5523 N-P I ουαι G3759 INJ σοι G4671 P-2DS βηθσαιδα G966 N-P I οτι G3754 CONJ ει G1487 COND εν G1722 P EP τυρω G5184 N-DSF και G2532 CONJ σιδωνι G4605 N-DSF εγενοντο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3P αι G3588 T-NPF δυναμεις G1411 N-NPF αι G3588 T-NPF γενομεναι G1096 G5637 V-2ADP-NPF εν G1722 P EP υμιν G5213 P-2DP παλαι G3819 ADV αν G302 P T εν G1722 P EP σακκω G4526 N-DSM και G2532 CONJ σποδω G4700 N-DSM μετενοησαν G3340 G5656 V-AAI-3P

22 πλην G4133 ADV λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP τυρω G5184 N-DSF και G2532 CONJ σιδωνι G4605 N-DSF ανεκτοτερον G414 A-NSN-C εσται G2071 G5704 V-FXI-3S εν G1722 P EP ημερα G2250 N-DSF κρισεως G2920 N-GSF η G2228 P T υμιν G5213 P-2DP

23 και G2532 CONJ συ G4771 P-2NS καπερναουμ G2584 N-P I η G3588 T-NSF εως G2193 CONJ του G3588 T-GSM ουρανου G3772 N-GSM υψωθεισα G5312 G5685 V-APP-NSF εως G2193 CONJ αδου G86 N-GSM καταβιβασθηση G2601 G5701 V-FPI-2S οτι G3754 CONJ ει G1487 COND εν G1722 P EP σοδομοις G4670 N-DPN εγενοντο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3P αι G3588 T-NPF δυναμεις G1411 N-NPF αι G3588 T-NPF γενομεναι G1096 G5637 V-2ADP-NPF εν G1722 P EP σοι G4671 P-2DS εμειναν G3306 G5656 V-AAI-3P αν G302 P T μεχρι G3360 ADV της G3588 T-GSF σημερον G4594 ADV

24 πλην G4133 ADV λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP οτι G3754 CONJ γη G1093 N-DSF σοδομων G4670 N-GPN ανεκτοτερον G414 A-NSN-C εσται G2071 G5704 V-FXI-3S εν G1722 P EP ημερα G2250 N-DSF κρισεως G2920 N-GSF η G2228 P T σοι G4671 P-2DS

25 εν G1722 P EP εκεινω G1565 D-DSM τω G3588 T-DSM καιρω G2540 N-DSM αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S εξομολογουμαι G1843 G5731 V-PMI-1S σοι G4671 P-2DS πατερ G3962 N-VSM κυριε G2962 N-VSM του G3588 T-GSM ουρανου G3772 N-GSM και G2532 CONJ της G3588 T-GSF γης G1093 N-GSF οτι G3754 CONJ απεκρυψας G613 G5656 V-AAI-2S ταυτα G5023 D-APN απο G575 P EP σοφων G4680 A-GPM και G2532 CONJ συνετων G4908 A-GPM και G2532 CONJ απεκαλυψας G601 G5656 V-AAI-2S αυτα G846 P-APN νηπιοις G3516 A-DPM

26 ναι G3483 P T ο G3588 T-NSM πατηρ G3962 N-NSM οτι G3754 CONJ ουτως G3779 ADV εγενετο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3S ευδοκια G2107 N-NSF εμπροσθεν G1715 P EP σου G4675 P-2GS

27 παντα G3956 A-NPN μοι G3427 P-1DS παρεδοθη G3860 G5681 V-API-3S υπο G5259 P EP του G3588 T-GSM πατρος G3962 N-GSM μου G3450 P-1GS και G2532 CONJ ουδεις G3762 A-NSM επιγινωσκει G1921 G5719 V-PAI-3S τον G3588 T-ASM υιον G5207 N-ASM ει G1487 COND μη G3361 P T-N ο G3588 T-NSM πατηρ G3962 N-NSM ουδε G3761 ADV τον G3588 T-ASM πατερα G3962 N-ASM τις G5100 X-NSM επιγινωσκει G1921 G5719 V-PAI-3S ει G1487 COND μη G3361 P T-N ο G3588 T-NSM υιος G5207 N-NSM και G2532 CONJ ω G3739 -DSM εαν G1437 COND βουληται G1014 G5741 V-PNS-3S ο G3588 T-NSM υιος G5207 N-NSM αποκαλυψαι G601 G5658 V-AAN

28 δευτε G1205 G5773 V-XXM-2P προς G4314 P EP με G3165 P-1AS παντες G3956 A-NPM οι G3588 T-NPM κοπιωντες G2872 G5723 V-PAP-NPM και G2532 CONJ πεφορτισμενοι G5412 G5772 V- PP-NPM καγω G2504 P-1NS-C αναπαυσω G373 G5692 V-FAI-1S υμας G5209 P-2AP

29 αρατε G142 G5657 V-AAM-2P τον G3588 T-ASM ζυγον G2218 N-ASM μου G3450 P-1GS εφ G1909 P EP υμας G5209 P-2AP και G2532 CONJ μαθετε G3129 G5628 V-2AAM-2P απ G575 P EP εμου G1700 P-1GS οτι G3754 CONJ πραος G4235 N-NSM ειμι G1510 G5748 V-PXI-1S και G2532 CONJ ταπεινος G5011 A-NSM τη G3588 T-DSF καρδια G2588 N-DSF και G2532 CONJ ευρησετε G2147 G5692 V-FAI-2P αναπαυσιν G372 N-ASF ταις G3588 T-DPF ψυχαις G5590 N-DPF υμων G5216 P-2GP

30 ο G3588 T-NSM γαρ G1063 CONJ ζυγος G2218 N-NSM μου G3450 P-1GS χρηστος G5543 A-NSM και G2532 CONJ το G3588 T-NSN φορτιον G5413 N-NSN μου G3450 P-1GS ελαφρον G1645 A-NSN εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Matthew 11

Написано Ray and Star Silverman
Saint John the Baptist in Prison Sends His Disciples to Question Jesus

Chapter 11.

The Persecutions Begin

1. And it came to pass when Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He passed on thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

2. And John, hearing in the prison the works of the Christ [and] sending two of his disciples,

3. Says to Him, “Art Thou He that comest, or should we expect another?”

4. And Jesus answering said to them, “Go, report to John what you hear and see:

5. The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel announced to them.

6. And happy is [he], whoever shall not be offended in Me.”

7. And as they went, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John: “What did you come out into the wilderness to observe? A reed shaken by the wind?

8. But what did you come out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses.

9. But what did you come out to see? A prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

10. For this is [he] about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall make ready Thy way before Thee.’

11. Amen I say to you, There has not arisen among those that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist; but the least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he.

12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens presses, and they who press seize upon it.

13. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,

14. And if you will to accept [it], he is Elijah who was going to come.

15. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

16. But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like little boys sitting in the markets, and summoning their fellows,

17. And saying, ‘We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have lamented to you, and you have not wailed.’

18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

19. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a man, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!’ And wisdom has been justified by her children.”

20. Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His [works of] power were done, because they did not repent.

21. “Woe to thee, Chorazin! Woe to thee, Bethsaida! Because if the [works of] power had been done in Tyre and Sidon that were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you.

23. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted up to heaven, shalt be thrust down even to hell; for if the [works of] power which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained even to this day.

24. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”

In the previous episode the disciples were organized, instructed, and sent forth. Because each disciple represents a spiritual principle that is central to our spiritual life, it is necessary that the “disciples in us” (core spiritual principles) be well-organized. 1 This pictures the way our good affections and true thoughts — though initially scattered — are organized, put into shape, and readied for action. It is a spiritual law, however, that every forward step in our spiritual development will be met by an equal and opposing assault. In this way, the Lord maintains a continuous state of equilibrium, thereby protecting and preserving our spiritual freedom. 2

This is precisely what is represented in the next episode when we discover that John the Baptist has been imprisoned. The counter-attacks have begun. Because John the Baptist followed Jesus, and publicly proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, he was persecuted and put in prison.

This however, is merely the external story. More interiorly, the counter-attacks take place within each of us — in our minds. When we are persecuted, when we feel discouraged and upset, we begin to doubt whether following the Lord is the right thing to do. We doubt His divinity. We doubt the authority of His words. We doubt that the kingdom of heaven is really at hand.

Even John the Baptist, one of Jesus’ staunchest supporters, is beginning to have his doubts. Although he is confined in prison, John is able to send a message to Jesus saying, “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (11:3). Jesus does not respond directly. Instead He tells John’s messengers to go back and report what has been happening: “The blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (11:5). 3

It’s important to keep in mind that John the Baptist represents the literal teachings of the Word. 4 In John’s day, the Word of God had been twisted and profaned until it became useless for anything more than confirming whatever the religious establishment wanted the people to believe. The clear literal teachings were deemed less significant than the rigorous traditions taught and enforced by the reigning religious leaders. All this is represented by John’s being in prison, and this is what Jesus is referring to when He says, “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force” (11:12).

The human race was rapidly descending into the darkest night it would ever know, as indicated by the epidemic of demonic possession. Even though Jesus was doing mighty works, many still refused to believe. A Day of Judgment seemed to be drawing near. And so He warned them: “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted in heaven, will be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day” (11:23). Jesus had indeed done mighty works such that even the evil people of Sodom might have repented and believed. God had come into the world through Jesus Christ, but some had grown so accustomed to the darkness that they rejected the light — even when it was in their very midst.

Jesus continues to warn them of the impending doom and destruction. “But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you” (11:24). Those who refuse to believe, and who reject the light, represent those parts of us that are unwilling to change, even when there is enough light to do so.

“My yoke is easy”

25. At that time Jesus answering said, “I profess Thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, because Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and hast revealed them to infants.

26. Yes, Father; for so it was [for] good pleasure before Thee.

27. All things are delivered up to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; neither knows anyone the Father, except the Son, and [he] to whomever the Son intends to reveal [Him].

28. Come to Me, all [ye] who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

29. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.

30. For My yoke [is] easy, and My burden is light.”

In the midst of these dire warnings, Jesus continues to provide hope and comfort. As this episode closes, He speaks with the tenderness and compassion of the Father within Him: “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (11:27). In other words, all things come forth from Divine love (the Father). Because of the increasing darkness in the world, people are no longer aware that this kind of love even exists. But Jesus is now bringing it forth to view, and will manifest it to others — to those whom “the Son wills to reveal Him.”

Although it appears that only some will be chosen to receive this love, the invitation is given to everyone. No longer speaking in terms of a separation between Father and Son, Jesus now speaks most tenderly, like a loving father speaking to tired children. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,” He says, “and I will give you rest” (11:28). It is to be noted that Jesus does not say, “The Father will give you rest.” Instead, He says, “I will give you rest.” This is a beautiful message of comfort, a promise that in Jesus we shall not only find physical rest, but, more importantly, spiritual rest — that is, rest for our souls: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (11:30).

As Jesus reveals His oneness with the divinity within Him, there is a growing softness and tenderness in His words. More and more, we see the Divine love of the Father manifested in the Divine wisdom of the Son, and we begin to sense that in some way they are One. In Jesus we do not see the stern, angry, punitive idea of a God who is to be feared. Instead, we see a God who can be loved, a compassionate, forgiving Father who says to each of us, “Come unto Me . . . and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and my burden light” (11:30).

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1. Apocalypse Explained 411: “All the Lord’s disciples together represented the church; and each one of them some central principle of the church; ‘Peter’ represents the truth of the church [faith], ‘James’ it’s good, and ‘John’ good in act, that is, works; the rest of the disciples represent the truths and goods that are derived from these central principles.”

2. Apocalypse Explained 349[2]: “A person is kept in the freedom of choosing, that is, of receiving good and truth from the Lord or of receiving evil and falsity from hell. This is done for the sake of a person’s reformation. Being kept between heaven and hell, and thence in spiritual equilibrium, is freedom.”

3. Arcana Coelestia 9209[4] “Those called ‘blind’ are in ignorance of truth ; ‘lame,’ those who are in good, but on account of their ignorance of truth, not in genuine good; ‘leprous,’ those who are unclean and yet long to be made clean; ‘deaf,’ those who are not in the faith of truth, because not in the perception of it; and ‘poor,’ those who have not the Word, and thus know nothing of the Lord, and yet long to be instructed. Consequently, it is said that ‘to these the gospel shall be preached.’”

4. See footnote at Matthew 3:1 which explains the representation of John the Baptist.

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Apocalypse Explained # 349

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349. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped Him that liveth unto the ages of the ages, signifies the humiliation and acknowledgment from the heart of all who are in truths from good, that the Lord alone lives, and that from Him alone is eternal life. This is evident from the signification of "four and twenty elders," as being all who are in truths from good (of which above, n. 270; from the signification of falling down and worshiping, as being humiliation and acknowledgment from the heart that every good and truth that has life in itself is from the Lord (of which see above, n. 290-291); and from the signification of "Him that liveth," as being, when said of the Lord, that He alone lives, and that from Him is eternal life (of which also above, n. 82, 84, 186, 289, 291).

[2] Since it is at this day believed in the world that the life that each one has was given and implanted, and is thus one's own, and does not flow in continuously, I desire to say something respecting it. The opinion that life is in man in such a way as to be his own is merely an appearance that springs from the perpetual presence of the Lord, and from His Divine love, in that He wills to be conjoined to man, to be in him, and to impart to him His life, for such is the Divine love; and because this is perpetual and continuous man supposes that life is in him as his own; yet it is known that there is not a good or a truth in man, but that they come from above, thus that they flow in. It is the same with love and faith; for everything of man's love is from good, and everything of his faith is from truth; for what a man loves is good to him, and what he believes is truth to him. This makes clear in the first place that no good and no truth, so neither love nor faith, is in man, but that they flow in from the Lord. Life itself is in good and truth, and nowhere else. The receptacle of the good of love with man is the will, and the receptacle of the truth of faith with him is the understanding; and to will good does not belong to man, nor to believe truth. These are the two faculties in which is the whole life of man; outside of these there is no life. This also makes clear that the life of these faculties, and accordingly the life of the whole man, is not in man but flows in. It is also by influx that evil and falsity, or the will and love of evil and the understanding and faith of falsity, are with man; but this influx is from hell. For man is kept in the freedom of choosing, that is, of receiving good and truth from the Lord or of receiving evil and falsity from hell, and man is kept in this for the sake of reformation, for he is kept between heaven and hell, and thence in spiritual equilibrium, which is freedom. Neither is this freedom itself in the man, but it is together with the life that flows in. (On Man's Freedom and its origin, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 293, 537, 540-541, 546, 589-596, 597-603; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 141-147.)

[3] Those also who are in hell live by the Influx of Life from the Lord, for good and truth in like manner flow into them; but the good they turn into evil, and the truth into falsity; and this takes place because they have inverted their interior recipient forms by a life of evil, and all influx is varied according to the forms. It is the same as when man's thought and will act upon members distorted from birth, or upon injured organs of sensation; and as when the light of heaven flows into objects that vary in their colors, and as when the heat of heaven flows into the same, which vary in their odors according to their interior receptive forms. But it should be known that the life itself is not changed and varied, but the life produces an appearance of the recipient form by which and from which the life is transmitted; much as by the same light different persons appear in a mirror each such as he is.

[4] Moreover, all the senses of man, namely, sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, are none of them in man, but are excited and produced from influx; in man there are only the organic recipient forms, in these there is no sense until what is adapted thereto from without flows in. The like is true of the internal organs of sensation which belong to thought and affection and receive influx from the spiritual world, as of the external organs of sensation which receive influx from the natural world. That there is one only fountain of life, and that all life is therefrom and flows in continually, is well known in heaven, and is never called in question by any angel in the higher heavens, for these perceive the influx itself. That all lives are streams, as it were, from the only and perennial fountain of life, has been testified to me also from much experience, and seen in the spiritual world with those who believed that they lived from themselves, and were not willing to believe that they lived from the Lord. When influx into the thought was in some part withheld from these, they lay as if deprived of life, but as soon as the influx reached them, they as it were revived from death; and then the same confessed that the life in them is not theirs, but continually flows into them, and that men, spirits, and angels are only forms receptive of life.

[5] That this is so the wise there conclude from this: that nothing can exist and subsist from itself but only from what is prior to itself, so neither can what is prior exist and subsist from itself but only in successive order from a First; and thus life itself, regarded in itself, is only from Him who alone is Life in Himself. From this, moreover, they know, and from a spiritual idea they also perceive, that every thing, that it may be anything, must be in connection with a First, and that it is, according as it is in this connection.

From this it is clear how foolishly those think who derive the origin of life from nature, and believe that man learns to think by an influx of interior nature and its order, and not from God, who is the very Esse of life, and from whom is all the order of both worlds, the spiritual as well as the natural, in accordance with which life flows in, life eternal with those who can be disposed to receive life according to Divine order, but the opposite life, which is called spiritual death, with those who cannot be so disposed, thus who live contrary to Divine order. The Divine good that proceeds from the Lord is that from which order comes, and the Divine truths are the laws of order (as may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 279).

[6] Everyone should guard against the belief that the Divine life with anyone, even with the evil and in hell, is changed; for, as was said above, the life itself is not changed or varied, but the life produces an appearance of the recipient form, through which and from which the life is transmitted; much as everyone appears in a mirror such as he is through the light, the light remaining unchanged, and simply presenting the form to the sight; and just as the same life presents itself to be perceived according to the form of the bodily organ, thus after one manner in the eye, after another manner in the hearing, and otherwise in the smell, taste, and touch. The belief that life is varied and changed is from an appearance, which is a fallacy like the fallacy from the appearance that influx is physical, when yet influx is spiritual. (But on this subject see further in Heaven and Hell 9; to which may be added what is cited from Arcana Coelestia, respecting the Influx of Life, inDoctrine of the New Jerusalem 277, 278; and on the Influx of Life with animals, in Arcana Coelestia 5850, 6211; and in Heaven and Hell 39, 108, 110, 435, 567; likewise in Last Judgment 25.)

[7] These things have been said to make known that there is one only life, and that whatever things live, live from that life. It shall now be shown that the Lord is that Life itself, or that He alone lives, since this is what is signified by "Him that liveth unto the ages of the ages." That there is one only Divine, and that is not to be divided into three persons according to the faith of Athanasius, can be seen from what has been several times said above, and especially from what will be said particularly on this subject at the end of this work. And as the Lord's Divine, which is the one only Divine, took on a Human, and made that also Divine, therefore both of these are the Life from which all live. That this is so may be known from the words of the Lord Himself, in the following passages. In John:

As the Father raiseth the dead and maketh them live, so also the Son maketh whom He will to live. As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:21, 26).

"Father" here means the Lord's Divine Itself, which took on the Human, for this Divine was in Him from conception, and because He was conceived from this, He called it, and no other, "Father." The "Son" means the Lord's Divine Human; that this, in like manner, is life itself, the Lord teaches in express words, saying, "as the Father maketh to live, the Son also maketh whom He will to live;" and "as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." "To have life in Himself" is to be Life itself; the others are not life, but they have life from that Life.

[8] In the same:

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one cometh unto the Father but through Me (John 14:6).

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," was said of the Lord's Human; for He also says, "no one comes unto the Father but through Me," His "Father" being the Divine in Him, which was His own Divine. This makes clear that the Lord also, in respect to His Human, is Life, consequently that His Human also in like manner is Divine.

[9] In the same:

Jesus said, I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth in Me, though he die yet shall he live. Everyone that liveth and believeth in Me shall not die forever (John 11:25-26).

This, too, the Lord said of His Human; and as He is Life Itself, and all have life from Him, and those who believe in Him have life eternal, therefore He says that He is "the Resurrection and the Life," and "he that believeth in Me shall not die forever;" "to believe in the Lord" signifies to be conjoined to Him in love and faith, and "not to die" signifies not to die spiritually, that is, not to be damned, for the life of the damned is called "death."

[10] In the same:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt in us (John 1:1, 4, 14).

It is known that "the Word" means the Lord; His Human is evidently the Word, for it is said, "the Word became flesh, and dwelt in us;" and that His Human was equally Divine with the Divine Itself that took on the Human is evident from this, that a distinction is made between them, and that each is called God, for it is said, "the Word was with God, and God was the Word," and "in Him was life." That all live from Him is meant by "the life was the light of men;" "the light of men" is the life of their thought and understanding; for the Divine Proceeding, which is specially meant by "the Word," appears in heaven as the light which enables angels not only to see, but also to think and understand, and according to its reception to be wise (See Heaven and Hell 126-140). This light proceeding from the Lord is life itself, which not only enlightens the understanding, as the sun of the world does the eye, but also vivifies it according to reception; and when this light is received in the life, it is called "the light of life" in the same:

Jesus said, I am the light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).

[11] He is also called "the bread of life" in the same:

The bread of God is he that cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world. I am the Bread of life (John 6:33, 35, 47-48, 51).

"The Bread of God" and "the Bread of life" is that from which all have life. Since the life that is called intelligence and wisdom is from the Lord, it follows also that life in general is from Him; for the particular things of life, which make its perfection and which are insinuated into man according to reception, all belong to the general life. This life is perfected to the extent that the evils into which man is born are removed from it.

[12] That those who are conjoined to the Lord by means of love and faith receive eternal life, that is, the life of heaven, which is salvation, is evident from the following passages. In John:

I am the Vine, and ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye cannot do anything. If a man abide not in Me he is cast forth, and as a branch he withereth (John 15:5-6).

In the same:

Everyone who believeth in Me hath eternal life (John 3:14-16).

In the same:

He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the anger of God abideth on him (John 3:36).

In the same:

Whoever believeth on the Son hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:40, 47-48, 54).

In the same:

The sheep follow Me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall not perish forever (John 10:27-28).

And in the same:

Search the Scriptures, they bear witness of Me: but ye will not come unto Me, that ye may have life (John 5:39-40).

"To believe in God" and "to believe the things that are from God" are mentioned in the Word; and "to believe in God" is the faith that saves, but "to believe the things that are from God" is an historical faith, which without the former does not save, and therefore is not true faith; for "to believe in God" is to know, to will, and to do; but "to believe the things that are from God" is to know, and this is possible without willing and doing. Those who are truly Christians know, will, and do; but those who are not truly Christians only know; but the latter are called by the Lord "foolish," and the former "prudent" (Matthew 7:24, 26).

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

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