137. Even in the days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr who was slain among you, signifies in that time and state in which all are hated who openly acknowledge the Divine Human of the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "day," as being time and state (on which see Arcana Coelestia 23,488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 10656); consequently "in the days in which" signifies in that time and state; also from the signification of "Antipas My faithful martyr," as being those who openly acknowledge the Divine Human of the Lord (of which more in what follows); also from the signification of "being slain," as being to be hated. "To be slain," is to be hated, because he who hates is unceasingly slaying; he cherishes in his thought nothing else and purposes nothing else than to slay, and he would also slay if the laws did not prevent. This lies concealed in hatred; he, therefore, who hates the neighbor, when in the other life external bonds are removed from him, is continually breathing the murder of some one. This has been testified to me by much experience.

[2] "Antipas the faithful martyr" signifies those who are hated because of their acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine Human, for the reason that at that time one Antipas was slain on that account; by "Antipas," therefore, all who are hated on that account are meant; just as by "Lazarus," who lay at the rich man's gate and longed to be fed with the crumbs that fell from his table, are meant all whom the Lord loves because they long for truths from spiritual affection (See above, n. 118). That the Lord loved a certain one named Lazarus, whom also He raised from the dead, is manifest in John (chap. 11:3, 5, 36) and that he reclined with the Lord at table, (chap. 12), on which account he was called "Lazarus," by the Lord, who longed to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, whereby is signified a longing for truths from spiritual affection (as shown above, n. 118). As "Lazarus" was so named on that account, so was "Antipas" because he was made a martyr for the name of the Lord, that is, for the acknowledgment of His Divine Human.

[3] That such as he are hated by all who do not think of the Lord's Divine and of His Human at the same time, cannot be known from those who are in the world; but it can be known from the same in the other life, where they all burn with such hatred against those who approach the Lord alone as cannot be described in a few words; they desire nothing more eagerly than to murder them. The reason is, that all who are in the hells are against the Lord, and all who are in the heavens are with the Lord; and those who are of the church and who do not acknowledge the Lord's Divine in His Human act as one with the hells, and it is from the hells that they have such hatred. They have frequently been told that they are doing wrong, since they know from the Word:

That the Lord has all power in the heavens and on earth (Matthew 28:18);

thus that He is the God of heaven and earth; likewise:

That He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one cometh unto the Father but by Him (John 14:6);

Also that he who seeth the Lord seeth the Father, because He is in the Father, and the Father in Him (John 14:7-11);

And that no one hath seen the Father's shape, nor heard His voice, and that it is the Lord alone, who is in His bosom, and who is one with Him (John 1:18; 5:37). (Besides many other places.)

When they hear these truths they turn away, for they cannot deny them; but they are offended, and breathe forth the murder of all who openly acknowledge the Lord, as was just said, because hatred is inrooted in them (See above, n. 114).

[4] That they will hate all such for the Lord's sake, He has predicted in several passages; as in Matthew:

In the consummation of the age, they shall deliver you up unto affliction, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all [the nations] for My name's sake (Matthew 24:9-10).

In John:

Jesus said, If the world hateth you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. All these things will they do unto you for My name's sake (John 15:18-25).

(See besides the passages cited above from the Word, n. 122.) These things have been said that it may be known that by "Antipas My faithful martyr, who was slain among you," those are meant who are hated because they openly acknowledge the Lord's Divine Human.