129. Because the Lord in the heavens is divine truth and divine truth there is light, the Lord is called "light" in the Word, as is the truth that comes from him. Note the following passages:

Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5)

Jesus said, For a little while longer the light is with you; walk while you have the light, to prevent the darkness from overtaking you. While you have light, believe in the light, so that you may be children of light. I have come as a light into the world, so that anyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness. (John 12:35-36, 40 [46])

Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness more than light. (John 3:19)

John said of the Lord, his is the true light that enlightens everyone. (John 1:4, 9)

The people that sit in darkness will see a great light, and for those who were sitting in the shadow of death, a light has risen. (Matthew 4:16)

I will make you a covenant of the people, a light of the nations. (Isaiah 42:6)

I have established you as the light of the nations, so that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)

The nations that have been saved will walk toward his light. (Revelation 21:24)

Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me. (Psalms 43:3)

In these and other passages, the Lord is called "light" by reason of the divine truth that comes from him, and that truth itself is called "light" as well. Because the Lord as the sun is light in the heavens, when he was transfigured before Peter, James, and John

His face shone like the sun and his garments as light, sparkling and white as snow, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. (Mark 9:3, Matthew 17:2)

The reason the Lord's garments looked as they did was that they were images of the divine truth that comes from him in the heavens. Garments in the Word mean truths as well, ¹ so it says in David, "Jehovah, you clothe yourself with light as a garment" (Psalms 104:2).

脚注:

1201. That 'Sidon' means the exterior cognitions of spiritual things is clear from the fact that he is called 'Canaan's firstborn', for in the internal sense the firstborn of every Church is faith, see 352, 367. Here however, where faith does not exist because internal things are missing they are no more than exterior cognitions of spiritual things taking the place of faith, thus cognitions such as those with the Jews which are cognitions not only of the ceremonies of external worship but also of many other things belonging to that worship, such as matters of doctrine. That 'Sidon' has this meaning is also evident from the fact that Tyre and Sidon were the furthest limits of Philistia, and were in fact by the sea. 'Tyre' therefore meant interior cognitions, and 'Sidon' those which were exterior, and yet cognitions of spiritual things. This is also clear from the Word: in Jeremiah,

On the day that is coming to lay waste all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains, for Jehovah is laying waste the Philistines, the remnants of the island of Caphtor. Jeremiah 47:4.

Here 'the Philistines' stands for knowledge of the cognitions of faith and charity, 'Tyre' for interior cognitions, and 'Sidon' for cognitions of spiritual things.

[2] In Joel,

What are you to Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the borders of Philistia? You have taken My silver and gold, and My good and desirable treasures you have carried into your temples. Joel 3:4-5.

Here 'Tyre' and 'Sidon' clearly stand for cognitions and are called 'the borders of Philistia', for 'gold and silver' and 'good and desirable treasures' are cognitions. In Ezekiel,

The princes of the north, all of them, and every Sidonian, who have gone down with the slain ¹ into the pit. He was made to lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with those slain' by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude. Ezekiel 32:30, 32.

Here 'the Sidonian' stands for exterior cognitions, which when devoid of things that are internal are nothing else than facts, and it is for this reason that he is mentioned along with Pharaoh, or Egypt, who means facts. In Zechariah,

Hamath also will border on it, Tyre and Sidon, for it is exceedingly wise. Zechariah 9:2.

This refers to Damascus. 'Tyre and Sidon' stands for cognitions.

[3] In Ezekiel,

The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your wise men, O Tyre, were in you, they were your pilots. Ezekiel 27:8.

Here 'Tyre' stands for interior cognitions, and therefore her wise men are called 'pilots', while 'Sidon' stands for exterior cognitions and her inhabitants are therefore called 'rowers', for such is the relationship of interior cognitions to exterior. In Isaiah,

The inhabitants of the island are silent, O merchant of Sidon passing over the sea; they have replenished you. But on the great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the river, was her revenue, and was the merchandise of nations. Blush, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea saying, I have not gone into labour, nor have I given birth, nor reared young men, nor brought up virgins. Isaiah 23:2-5.

Here 'Sidon' stands for exterior cognitions which, because they have nothing internal within them are called 'the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the river, her revenue, the merchandise of the nations', and also 'the sea, the stronghold of the sea', and 'one that does not go into labour and give birth'. What these expressions may mean could never be discerned in the literal sense, but their meaning is perfectly plain in the internal sense, as with everything else in the Prophets. Since 'Sidon' means exterior cognitions it is also referred to as the region surrounding Israel, which is the spiritual Church, Ezekiel 28:24, 26, for exterior cognitions are like a surrounding region.

脚注: