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พระธรรม第29章

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1 "ต่อไปนี้เป็นการซึ่งเจ้าควรกระทำเพื่อชำระตัวเขาทั้งหลายให้บริสุทธิ์ เพื่อเขาจะปรนนิบัติเราในตำแหน่งปุโรหิต คือจงเอาวัวหนุ่มตัวหนึ่งและแกะตัวผู้สองตัวซึ่งปราศจากตำหนิ

2 ขนมปังไร้เชื้อ ขนมไร้เชื้อคลุกน้ำมันและขนมแผ่นบางไร้เชื้อทาน้ำมัน ขนมเหล่านี้จงทำด้วยยอดแป้งข้าวสาลี

3 แล้วจงใส่ขนมปังต่างๆเหล่านั้นไว้ในกระบุงเดียวกัน จงนำมาในกระบุงพร้อมกับวัวตัวผู้ และลูกแกะตัวผู้สองตัว

4 จงนำอาโรนและบุตรชายทั้งหลายของเขามาที่ประตูพลับพลาแห่งชุมนุม แล้วจงชำระตัวเขาทั้งหลายด้วยน้ำ

5 จงสวมเครื่องยศให้อาโรน คือเสื้อในกับเสื้อเอโฟด กับเอโฟดและทับทรวง และเอารัดประคดที่ทอด้วยฝีมือประณีต สำหรับใช้กับเอโฟดนั้นคาดเอวไว้

6 จงสวมมาลาที่ศีรษะของอาโรน และจงสวมมงกุฎบริสุทธิ์ทับมาลา

7 จงเอาน้ำมันเจิมเทลงบนศีรษะของเขา และเจิมตั้งเขาไว้

8 จงนำบุตรชายทั้งหลายของเขามาและสวมเสื้อให้

9 แล้วจงเอารัดประคดคาดเอวเขาไว้ ทั้งตัวอาโรนเองและบุตรชายของเขา และคาดมาลาให้เขา แล้วเขาก็จะรับตำแหน่งเป็นปุโรหิตตามกฎเกณฑ์เนืองนิตย์ ดังนี้แหละ เจ้าจงสถาปนาอาโรนและบุตรชายทั้งหลายของเขาไว้

10 เจ้าจงนำวัวตัวผู้มาที่หน้าพลับพลาแห่งชุมนุม ให้อาโรนกับบุตรชายของเขาเอามือวางลงบนหัววัวตัวผู้

11 แล้วจงฆ่าวัวตัวผู้นั้นต่อพระพักตร์พระเยโฮวาห์ที่ประตูพลับพลาแห่งชุมนุม

12 จงเอานิ้วมือจุ่มเลือดวัวตัวผู้นั้น ทาไว้ที่เชิงงอนริมแท่นบ้าง ส่วนเลือดที่เหลือทั้งหมดจงเทไว้ที่เชิงแท่นบูชา

13 เจ้าจงเอาไขมันทั้งหมดที่หุ้มเครื่องใน พังผืดที่ติดอยู่กับตับและไตทั้งสองกับไขมันที่ติดไตนั้นมาเผาบนแท่น

14 แต่เนื้อกับหนัง และมูลของวัวตัวผู้นั้นจงเผาไฟเสียข้างนอกค่าย ทั้งนี้เป็นเครื่องบูชาไถ่บาป

15 เจ้าจงนำแกะผู้ตัวหนึ่งมาให้อาโรนกับบุตรชายเขาเอามือของตนวางบนหัวแกะตัวผู้นั้น

16 แล้วจงฆ่าแกะตัวนั้นเสีย เอาเลือดพรมรอบๆแท่น

17 จงชำแหละแกะตัวนั้นออกเป็นท่อนๆและเครื่องในกับขาจงล้างน้ำวางไว้กับเนื้อและหัว

18 แล้วจงเผาแกะตัวนั้นทั้งตัวบนแท่นบูชา เป็นเครื่องเผาบูชาถวายแด่พระเยโฮวาห์ เป็นกลิ่นพอพระทัย เป็นเครื่องบูชาด้วยไฟถวายแด่พระเยโฮวาห์

19 เจ้าจงนำแกะตัวผู้อีกตัวหนึ่งมา แล้วให้อาโรนกับบุตรชายเขาเอามือของตนวางบนหัวแกะผู้ตัวนั้น

20 แล้วท่านจงฆ่าแกะตัวนั้นเสีย เอาเลือดส่วนหนึ่งเจิมที่ปลายใบหูข้างขวาของอาโรน และที่ปลายใบหูข้างขวาของบุตรชายของเขาทุกคน และที่หัวแม่มือข้างขวา และที่หัวแม่เท้าข้างขวาของเขาบ้าง แล้วจงเอาเลือดที่เหลือพรมรอบๆแท่นบูชา

21 จงเอาเลือดส่วนหนึ่งที่อยู่บนแท่นและน้ำมันเจิมนั้นพรมอาโรนและเครื่องยศของเขา จงพรมบุตรชายทั้งหลายของเขา และเครื่องยศของบุตรชายเหล่านั้นด้วย อาโรนและเครื่องยศของเขาจะบริสุทธิ์รวมทั้งบุตรชายของเขาและเครื่องยศของเขาด้วย

22 เจ้าจงเอาไขมันแกะตัวผู้และหางที่เป็นไขมัน กับไขมันที่ติดเครื่องใน และพังผืดที่ติดอยู่กับตับ กับไตทั้งสองและไขมันที่ติดอยู่กับไต กับโคนขาข้างขวาด้วย เพราะเป็นแกะใช้สำหรับการสถาปนา

23 กับขนมปังก้อนหนึ่งและขนมปังคลุกน้ำมันแผ่นหนึ่ง และขนมปังบางแผ่นหนึ่งจากกระบุงขนมปังไร้เชื้อ ซึ่งอยู่ต่อพระพักตร์พระเยโฮวาห์

24 แล้วจงวางสิ่งเหล่านั้นไว้ในมือของอาโรน และในมือบุตรชายของเขา ให้แกว่งไปแกว่งมาเป็นเครื่องบูชาแกว่งถวายต่อพระพักตร์พระเยโฮวาห์

25 แล้วจงรับสิ่งเหล่านี้จากมือของเขานำไปเผาบนแท่นบูชาเป็นเครื่องเผาบูชา เป็นกลิ่นที่พอพระทัยต่อพระพักตร์พระเยโฮวาห์ เป็นเครื่องบูชาด้วยไฟถวายแด่พระเยโฮวาห์

26 จงเอาเนื้อที่อกแกะตัวผู้ซึ่งเป็นแกะสถาปนาอาโรน แล้วให้แกว่งไปแกว่งมาเป็นเครื่องบูชาแกว่งถวายต่อพระพักตร์พระเยโฮวาห์ และนั่นจะเป็นส่วนของเจ้า

27 และจงเอาเนื้อที่อกแกะตัวผู้ซึ่งเป็นเครื่องบูชาแกว่งนั้นไว้ และเนื้อโคนขาอันเป็นส่วนยกให้แก่ปุโรหิตซึ่งแกว่งไปแกว่งมา และซึ่งเป็นของถวายจากแกะใช้สำหรับการสถาปนา ด้วยเป็นส่วนของอาโรนและบุตรชายเขา

28 นั่นแหละเป็นส่วนซึ่งอาโรนและบุตรชายเขาจะได้รับจากชนชาติอิสราเอลเป็นกฎเกณฑ์เนืองนิตย์ เพราะเป็นส่วนที่ยกให้แก่ปุโรหิต และชนชาติอิสราเอลจะยกให้จากเครื่องสันติบูชา เป็นเครื่องบูชาของเขาถวายแด่พระเยโฮวาห์

29 เครื่องยศบริสุทธิ์ของอาโรนจะเป็นของบุตรชายของเขาต่อๆไป ให้เขาสวมเมื่อเขารับการเจิม และได้รับการสถาปนาไว้ในตำแหน่ง

30 จงให้บุตรชายซึ่งจะเป็นปุโรหิตแทนเขานั้นสวมเครื่องยศเหล่านั้นครบเจ็ดวัน ขณะที่เขามายังพลับพลาแห่งชุมนุมเพื่อปรนนิบัติในที่บริสุทธิ์

31 จงต้มเนื้อแกะตัวผู้สำหรับการสถาปนาในที่บริสุทธิ์

32 แล้วให้อาโรนกับบุตรชายของเขากินเนื้อแกะตัวผู้นั้น และขนมปังซึ่งอยู่ในกระบุงที่ประตูพลับพลาแห่งชุมนุม

33 ให้เขากินของซึ่งนำมาบูชาลบมลทิน เพื่อจะสถาปนาและชำระเขาเหล่านั้นให้บริสุทธิ์ แต่คนภายนอกอย่าให้รับประทาน เพราะเป็นของบริสุทธิ์

34 และถ้าแม้เนื้อที่ใช้ในพิธีสถาปนา และขนมปังนั้นยังเหลืออยู่จนรุ่งเช้าบ้าง ก็ให้เผาส่วนที่เหลือนั้นด้วยไฟเสีย อย่าให้รับประทานเพราะเป็นของบริสุทธิ์

35 ดังนั้นแหละ เจ้าจงกระทำให้แก่อาโรน และบุตรชายเขาตามคำที่เราได้บัญชาเจ้าไว้ จงทำพิธีสถาปนาเขาให้ครบเจ็ดวัน

36 จงนำวัวผู้ตัวหนึ่งมาถวายทุกๆวัน เป็นเครื่องบูชาไถ่บาป เพื่อทำการลบมลทินและจงชำระแท่นบูชา ด้วยทำการลบมลทินของแท่นนั้น จงเจิมแท่นนั้นเพื่อจะชำระให้บริสุทธิ์

37 จงทำการลบมลทินแท่นนั้นครบเจ็ดวัน และชำระแท่นนั้นให้บริสุทธิ์ แล้วแท่นนั้นจะบริสุทธิ์ที่สุด สิ่งหนึ่งสิ่งใดที่ถูกต้องแท่นนั้นก็จะบริสุทธิ์ด้วย

38 ต่อไปนี้เป็นสิ่งซึ่งเจ้าต้องถวายบนแท่นนั้นทุกวันเสมอไป คือลูกแกะสองตัว อายุหนึ่งขวบ

39 จงนำลูกแกะตัวหนึ่งมาบูชาเวลาเช้า และนำลูกแกะอีกตัวหนึ่งมาบูชาเวลาเย็น

40 พร้อมกับลูกแกะตัวที่หนึ่งนั้น จงถวายยอดแป้งหนึ่งในสิบเอฟาห์คลุกกับน้ำมันที่คั้นไว้นั้นหนึ่งในสี่ฮิน และน้ำองุ่นหนึ่งในสี่ฮินคู่กัน เป็นเครื่องดื่มบูชา

41 จงถวายลูกแกะอีกตัวหนึ่งนั้นในเวลาเย็น ถวายธัญญบูชาและเครื่องดื่มบูชาคู่กันด้วย เหมือนอย่างในเวลาเช้า ให้เป็นกลิ่นพอพระทัย เป็นเครื่องบูชาด้วยไฟถวายแด่พระเยโฮวาห์

42 นี่จะเป็นเครื่องเผาบูชาเนืองนิตย์ตลอดชั่วอายุของเจ้า ที่ประตูพลับพลาแห่งชุมนุมเฉพาะพระพักตร์พระเยโฮวาห์ ที่ที่เราจะพบเจ้าทั้งหลายและสนทนากับเจ้าที่นั่น

43 ที่นั่นเราจะพบกับชนชาติอิสราเอล และพลับพลานั้นจะรับการชำระให้บริสุทธิ์ด้วยสง่าราศีของเรา

44 เราจะชำระพลับพลาแห่งชุมนุมและแท่นบูชาไว้เป็นที่บริสุทธิ์ และเราจะชำระอาโรนและบุตรชายเขาให้บริสุทธิ์ด้วย เพื่อเขาจะปรนนิบัติเราในตำแหน่งปุโรหิต

45 เราจะสถิตอยู่ท่ามกลางชนชาติอิสราเอล และจะเป็นพระเจ้าของเขา

46 เขาจะรู้ว่าเราคือพระเยโฮวาห์พระเจ้าของเขา ผู้ได้นำเขาออกจากแผ่นดินอียิปต์ เพื่อเราจะสถิตอยู่ท่ามกลางเขาทั้งกลาย เราคือพระเยโฮวาห์พระเจ้าของเขา"

   


Many thanks to Philip Pope for the permission to use his 2003 translation of the English King James Version Bible into Thai. Here's a link to the mission's website: www.thaipope.org

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Arcana Coelestia#10067

学习本章节

  
/10837  
  

10067. 'And sprinkle it over Aaron and over his garments' means a reciprocal uniting of Divine Good and Divine Truth within the Lord's Divine Human in the higher heavens. This is clear from the representation of 'Aaron' as the Lord in respect of Divine Good, dealt with in 9806, which is the Lord's Divine Good in the celestial kingdom, dealt with in 9946, or what amounts to the same thing, in the higher heavens; from the meaning of Aaron's 'garments' as a representative sign of the Lord's spiritual kingdom lying adjacent to His celestial kingdom, dealt with in 9814; and from the meaning of 'sprinkling over them' as uniting. For what was sprinkled or poured out over someone represented a uniting, as also previously with the blood sprinkled over the altar round about, 10064.

[2] The reason why the Lord's Divine Human in the heavens is what is meant is that the subject here and in what comes immediately after is the Lord's Divine [Being] in the heavens and His union with the angels there, so that the subject is the second state of the glorification of the Lord's Human, see 10057. So it is that here 'Aaron' represents the Lord in respect of Divine Good in the celestial kingdom and 'his garments' Divine Truth in the spiritual kingdom lying adjacent to the celestial kingdom; thus the Lord in respect of both in the higher heavens is represented. The reason why the Divine Human is what this Divine Good and Divine Truth come from is that nothing Divine is acknowledged and worshipped in the heavens other than the Lord's Divine Human; for the Divine [Being] which the Lord called His Father was the Divinity within Himself. The truth that in the heavens nothing Divine is acknowledged and worshipped other than the Lord's Divine Human becomes clear from the Lord's words recorded many times in the Gospels, such as the following,

All things have been delivered to Me by the Father. Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22.

The Father has given all things into the hand of the Son. John 3:34-35.

The Father has given the Son power over all flesh. John 17:2.

Without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5.

Father, all Mine are Yours, and all Yours are Mine. John 17:10.

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Matthew 28:18.

Jesus said to Peter, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:19.

[3] The truth of all this is also evident from the consideration that no one can be joined through faith and love to the Divine [Being] Himself without the Divine Human; for it is impossible to form in the mind any idea of the Divine [Being] Himself, called the Father, because He is incomprehensible, and that of which it is impossible to have any mental picture forms no part of a person's belief nor thus of what he loves. Yet the most important of all the elements of worship is believing in God and loving Him above all else. That the Divine [Being] Himself, or the Father, is incomprehensible is also the Lord's teaching, in John,

Nobody has ever seen God; the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known. John 1:18.

In the same gospel,

You have never heard the Father's voice nor seen His shape. John 5:37.

[4] And that the Divine [Being] Himself, or the Father, is comprehensible within the Lord through His Divine Human is likewise His teaching, in John,

He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. John 12:45.

In the same gospel,

If you know Me you know My Father also, and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. He who sees Me sees the Father. John 14:6-11.

And in Matthew,

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him. Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22.

The reason why it is also said that no one knows the Son except the Father is that 'the Son' is used to mean Divine Truth and 'the Father' Divine Good, each being within the Lord; and one cannot be known except from the other. That is why the Lord first says that all things have been delivered to Him by the Father, and afterwards that the Father is known to him to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him. For the meaning of 'the Son' as Divine Truth and of 'the Father' as Divine Good, each of which are the Lord's, see 2803, 2813, 3704, 7499, 8328, 8897, 9807.

From all this it is now evident that the Divine [Being] in the heavens is the Lord's Divine Human.

[5] Next it must be stated what was represented by the blood of the second lamb being sprinkled over the altar round about, and by some of the blood and some of the anointing oil being sprinkled over Aaron and over his garments. From what has been stated and shown above in 10064-10067 it is evident that the uniting of Divine Truth to Divine Good and of Divine Good to Divine Truth within the Lord's Divine Human were meant. But the arcanum that lies hidden within this has not yet been disclosed. The arcanum is that the uniting of Divine Good and Divine Truth, thus of the Divine [Being] Himself, called the Father, and Divine Truth or the Son, was reciprocal. The uniting of Divine Truth to Divine Good is meant by the sprinkling of the blood over the altar, 10064. These when they have been united are meant by the blood on the altar, some of which was to be taken, 10065, and by the anointing oil, which means Divine Good, 10066. Consequently the reciprocal uniting of Divine Truth and Divine Good within the Lord's Divine Human is meant by the sprinkling of that blood together with the anointing oil over Aaron and over his garments, as shown earlier on in this paragraph 10067.

[6] That the uniting was reciprocal is absolutely clear from the Lord's words in the following places: In John,

I and the Father 1 are one. Even though 2 you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father. John 10:30, 38.

In the same gospel,

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. John 14:6-11.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You. All Mine are Yours, and all Yours are Mine. John 17:1, 10.

In the same gospel,

Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. And God will glorify Him in Himself. John 13:31-32.

From these places it becomes clear that the Divine Good of Divine Love, which is the Father, has been united to Divine Truth, which is the Son, in a reciprocal manner within the Lord, and that consequently His Human is Divine Good. The like is also meant when the Lord says that He came from the Father, and has come into the world, and is going to the Father, John 16:27-29; that all things which are the Father's are His, John 16:15; and that the Father and He are one, John 10:30.

[7] But a better way to understand these matters may lie in considering the reciprocal joining together of goodness and truth with a person who is being regenerated by the Lord, for, as has been stated previously, the Lord regenerates people just as He glorified His Human, 10057. When the Lord regenerates a person He instills truth that will become the truth of faith in the understanding part of the person's mind and good that will become the good of love in the will part of it. There He joins the two together, and when they have been joined together the truth of faith derives its life from the good of love, and the good of love receives the specific quality of its life from the truth of faith. This joining together is accomplished in a reciprocal or mutual manner by good; it is called the heavenly marriage and constitutes heaven with the person. The Lord dwells in this heaven as that which is His, for all the good of love springs from Him, as does all the joining of truth to good. The Lord cannot dwell in anything that is the person's own, because that is evil.

[8] This mutual joining together is what is meant by the Lord's words in John,

On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. John 14:20.

And in the same gospel,

All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them ... that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You, and they may be one in Us. John 17:10, 21-22.

A mutual joining together is described in these words, yet they should not be taken to mean that a person joins himself to the Lord. Rather the Lord joins to Himself the person who abandons evils; for the abandonment of evils is left to the person's own responsibility, and when he abandons them the reciprocal joining together of the truth belonging to faith and the good belonging to love is effected by the Lord, and not at all by that person. For as is well known in the Church, a person left to himself cannot do anything good, and so left to himself cannot receive any truth in his good. This too the Lord affirms in John,

Abide in Me, and I in you. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you cannot do anything. John 15:4-5.

[9] Light may be cast on this mutual joining together by a person's understanding and will when joined together. His understanding is composed of truths and his will is composed of forms of good; the truths belong to the faith present in him and the forms of good to the love there. The person takes in the truths by hearing about them with his ears or reading about them with his eyes and stores them away in his memory. Those truths have to do either with circumstances involving public duties or with those involving private conduct; and they are called known facts. The person's love, which belongs to his will, employs the understanding to look at the facts stored away there and to choose from them those that are in accord with that love. It then draws and joins to itself those that are chosen, and uses them day by day to strengthen itself. The truths made living in this manner by love constitute the understanding part of the person's mind, while the actual forms of good belonging to his love constitute the will part of it. Those forms of the good of love are also like a fire burning there, while the truths which have been made living by the love and reside in the parts round about are like the light radiated from that fire. Gradually as the truths are kindled by that fire the desire is kindled in them for a mutual or reciprocal joining together. This leads to a mutual joining together that is everlasting.

[10] From all this it is clear that the good belonging to love is what effects the joining together and not the truth belonging to faith, except insofar as it has any of the good of love within it. Whether you say love or good it amounts to the same thing, for all good comes from love, and whatever comes from love is called good. Also whether you say love or the will, this too amounts to the same thing, for what a person loves, that he wills.

[11] It should be recognized that the things which have to do with circumstances involving public duties and private conduct, spoken of just above, join themselves together in the external man, whereas those which have to do with spiritual circumstances, spoken of previously, join themselves together in the internal man, and after that in the external man by way of the internal. For those that have to do with spiritual circumstances, namely those which are truths of faith and forms of the good of love to the Lord, and have regard to eternal life, link up with the heavens and open up the internal man. The extent to which this is opened, and the essential nature of that opening, is determined by the truths of faith - how many are received, and in what way they are received, within the good of love to the Lord and towards the neighbour, these loves being derived from the Lord. From this it is evident that thought remains on a merely external level in the case of those who fail to absorb the things which have to do with spiritual circumstances, and that it rises no higher than the level of the senses in the case of those who refuse to believe in their existence, however intelligent these people seem to be in what they say.

脚注:

1. The Latin means The Father and I but the Greek means I and the Father, which Swedenborg has in most other places where he quotes this verse.

2. Reading si utique (even though) for si itaque (if therefore)

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

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Arcana Coelestia#3704

学习本章节

  
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3704. 'And the God of Isaac' means the Lord's Divine Human. This is clear from the representation of 'Isaac' as the Lord's Divine Rational; and since it is in the Rational that the Human has its beginnings, 2194, and so is that from which and through which the Human has its being, 'the God of Isaac' therefore means here the Lord's Divine Human. Since every single thing in heaven, every single thing with man, and indeed every single thing in the whole natural order has reference to good and truth the Lord's Divine too is therefore distinguished into Divine Good and Divine Truth - the Lord's Divine Good being called 'the Father', and His Divine Truth 'the Son'. Yet the Lord's Divine is nothing else than Good, indeed it is Good itself; but Divine Truth is the Lord's Divine Good as it presents itself visually in heaven, that is, to angels. In this it is like the sun. Essentially the sun is nothing else than fire; but the light which one sees coming from it is not in the sun but flowing from it. For the Lord as regards Divine Good is represented by the sun, and also in the next life He is the Sun for the whole of heaven, see 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2495, 3636, 3643, and the Lord as regards Divine Truth is represented by the light, and also in the next life He is the Light for the whole of heaven, 1053, 1521, 1529, 1530, 2776, 3138, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3643.

[2] So essentially the Lord is nothing else than Divine Good, and this applies to both essentials - to the Divine itself and to the Divine Human. Divine Truth however does not exist within Divine Good but flows from it, for as stated above, Divine Truth is the Divine Good presenting itself visually in heaven. Now because Divine Good presents itself as Divine Truth, therefore the Lord's Divine is distinguished, to enable man to grasp it mentally, into Divine Good and Divine Truth, Divine Good being called in the Word 'the Father' and Divine Truth 'the Son'. This is the arcanum that lies behind the Lord Himself on so many occasions speaking of His Father as though He were separate from and so to speak One other than Himself, and yet at other times speaking of His being one with Himself. The fact that in the internal sense 'father' means good, and in the highest sense the Lord as regards Divine Good, has been shown just above in 3703, and the fact that 'son' means truth while 'the Son of God' and 'the Son of Man' mean the Lord as regards Divine Truth, in 1729, 1733, 2159, 2803, 2813. The matter is also clear from all those places where the Lord uses the name Father and calls Himself the Son.

[3] Not only in the Old Testament Word is the Lord called Jehovah - see 1343, 1736, 2921 - but He is also referred to there as 'Father', as is clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

To us a Boy is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

From this it is quite evident that 'the Boy born to us and me Son given to us' is the Lord, and so it is He who is called 'the Father of Eternity'. In Jeremiah,

I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be my firstborn. Jeremiah 31:9.

This refers to the Lord, who, being the God of Israel and me Holy One of Israel, see 3305, is here 'a Father to Israel'. In Malachi,

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Malachi 2:10.

'Creating' here in the internal sense stands for regenerating, as it also does elsewhere in the Word, see 16, 88, 472. And since me Lord alone is Regenerator and Redeemer it is He who is here called 'Father' and 'God', as also in Isaiah,

You are our Father, for Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O Jehovah, are our Father, our Redeemer; from eternity is Your name. Isaiah 63:16.

[4] In the same prophet,

I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your girdle, and will commit your dominion into his hand, so that he may be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; and he will open and none will shut, and he will shut and none will open. And I will fasten him like a peg in a sure place, so that he may be the throne of his father's glory, and on him they may hang all the glory of his father's house, of sons and grandsons, every small vessel - from the vessels of bowls even to all the vessels of stringed instruments. Isaiah 22:21-24.

From this it is quite evident that it is the Lord who in the internal sense here is represented and meant, and who is called 'a father to me inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah'. For He is the one 'on whose shoulder the key of the house of David is placed, who opens and none shuts, and who shuts and none opens' - see the Preface to Chapter 22. And to Him belongs 'the throne of His Father's glory', and on Him all holy things are based and from Him they are derived. Those holy things are here called 'vessels' celestial ones being called 'vessels of bowls', and spiritual ones 'vessels of stringed instruments'.

[5] Since kings and priests represented the Lord - 'kings' through their kingship representing the Lord as regards Divine Truth, and 'priests' the Lord as regards Divine Good, 3670 - priests were therefore called 'fathers', as may be seen in the Book of Judges,

Micah said to the Levite, Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest. Judges 17:10.

The children of Dan spoke to the same man in a similar way,

Keep quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Judges 18:19.

Even kings called them the same, in the second Book of Kings,

The king of Israel said to Elisha, My father, shall I smite them? He said, You shall not smite them. 2 Kings 6:21-22.

And King Joash's words to Elisha when the latter was dying,

King Joash wept before him and said, My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its riders! 2 Kings 13:14.

Kings called a priest 'father' because 'kings' represented the Lord as regards Divine Truth, 'priests' as regards Divine Good, and also because truth in relationship to good is as son to father, for truth stems from good.

[6] This matter is very well known in the next life, and for this reason those in heaven call no one other than the Lord 'Father', and by 'Father' mentioned in the Gospels they perceive no one other than Him, see 15, 1729. All young children there, when being introduced to the good that flows from love and to the truth partnering that love, are taught to acknowledge the Lord alone as Father. And newcomers to heaven also are taught with utmost care that God is one; and if they have been from within the Church they are taught that the whole of the Trinity resides in the Lord - for almost everybody from the Christian world possesses the idea of three Gods, even though with the lips they used to declare that there is only one God. For once the idea of three has entered in, and each one of these is called God and is also distinguished from the other so far as attributes and functions are concerned, and are even worshipped individually, it is no longer humanly possible to think of one God. Consequently there is in the heart a worship of three Gods but on the lips that of only one.

[7] The truth that the whole of the Trinity resides in the Lord is well known in the Christian world, and yet among Christians in the next life little thought takes place regarding the Lord. Indeed His Humanity is to many people a stumbling-block, for they distinguish the Human from the Divine and do not believe that it is Divine. A person will declare himself to be righteous and so made pure and almost sanctified; but to the idea that the Lord has been glorified, that is, His Human has been made Divine, they do not give any thought. But in fact He was conceived from Jehovah Himself, and in any case nobody can be made righteous, let alone be sanctified, except from the Divine, and especially from the Lord's Divine Human, which is represented and meant in the Holy Supper, where it is explicitly stated that the bread is His body and the wine His blood.

[8] The truth that the Lord is one with the Father and that He has existed from eternity, rules over all, and so is Divine Good itself and Divine Truth itself, is quite clear from the Word:

The Lord is One with the Father In John,

Nobody has ever seen God; the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, [He has made Him known.] John 1:18.

In the same gospel,

The Jews sought to kill Jesus because He had called God His Father, making Himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything by Himself except what He will have seen the Father doing, for that which He does the Son also does likewise. For as the Father raises the dead and quickens them, so also does the Son quicken whom He will. For the Father does not judge anyone, but has given all judgement to the Son, so that all may honour the Son even as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him. As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. The Father who sent Me has Himself borne witness to Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His shape. Search the Scriptures; it is they that bear witness to Me. John 5:18-39.

'The Father' is used here, as has been stated, to mean the Divine Good and 'the Son' the Divine Truth, both being within the Lord. From Divine Good, which is 'the Father', nothing but what is Divine is able to proceed or come forth, and that which proceeds or comes forth is Divine Truth, which is 'the Son'.

[9] In the same gospel,

Everyone who has heard from the Father and has learned comes to Me. No one has seen the Father except Him who is with the Father, He has seen the Father. John 6:44-48.

In the same gospel,

They said to Him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me you would know My Father also. John 8:18-19.

In the same gospel,

I and the Father are one. Even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. John 10:30, 38.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, He who believes in Me believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me; and he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as light into the world in order that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness. John 12:44-46.

'The Father sent Him' means in the internal sense that He proceeds from the Father. This is so in this and other places where the Lord says that the Father sent Him. 'Light' means Divine Truth, see above.

[10] In the same gospel,

I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. If you know Me you know My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus said, Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. So why do you say, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak from Myself, the Father who dwells in Me, He does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Whatever you ask in My name I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:6-11, 13.

In the same gospel,

He who has My commandments and does them, he it is who loves Me; but he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. If anyone loves Me he will keep My word, and My father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:21, 23.

[11] Those governed by Divine Truth are meant by the ones who 'have His commandments and do them', while those governed by Divine Good are meant by the ones who 'love Him'. This is why it is said that 'he will be loved by the Father', and 'We will come to him and make Our home with him', that is to say, Divine Good and Divine Truth will come and dwell in him. It is also the reason why the following is said in the same chapter,

On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me. John 14:20.

And elsewhere in the same gospel,

Holy Father, keep them in Your name, that they may be one as We are one. John 17:11.

From these places it is clear that the Lord talks of the Father by virtue of the Divine Good that is His, and of the Son by virtue of the Divine Truth which springs from the Divine Good. And so they are not two but one. The Lord spoke in this fashion however in order that the Word might be received both on earth and in heaven, and also because prior to His glorification the Lord was Divine truth that sprang from Divine Good, but once He had been glorified He was as to both Essences Divine Good itself in which all Divine Good and Divine Truth have their origin.

[12] The Lord has existed from Eternity

This becomes clear from the fact that it was the Lord who spoke through the prophets, and that both for this reason and the fact that Divine Truth came from Him He was called the Word, which is spoken of in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father. John 1:1-4, 14.

'The Word' stands for all truth in heaven and on earth which comes from the Divine.

[13] His existence from eternity is explicitly taught by Him elsewhere in John,

John said, This was He who though coming after me was before me, for He was before me. Among you stands one whom you do not know. He it is who is to come after me, who was before me. John 1:15, 26-27, 30.

In the same gospel,

What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? John 6:62.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, Truly, truly, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I am. John 8:58.

In the same gospel,

He knew that He had come from God and was going to God. John 13:3.

In the same gospel,

The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again I am leaving the world and am going to the Father. John 16:27-28.

In the same gospel,

I have glorified You on earth; I have accomplished the work which You gave Me to do. Now therefore, Father, glorify Me in Your Own Self with the glory I had with You before the world was, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:4-5, 24.

In Isaiah,

To us a Boy is born, to us a Son is given; and His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

[14] The Lord rules over All

This is clear in Matthew,

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father. Matthew 11:27.

In the same gospel, Jesus said to the disciples, All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Matthew 28:18.

In John,

The Father has given all things into the hand of the Son. He who believes in the Son has eternal life. John 3:35-36.

The Father does not judge anyone, but has given all judgement to the Son. John 5:22.

In the same gospel,

Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands. John 13:3.

In the same gospel, All that the Father has is Mine. John 16:15.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him power over all flesh. John 17:1-2.

In the same gospel,

All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, for I am coming to You. John 17:10-11.

In Luke,

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father. Luke 10:22.

[15] From all these places it is clear that it is Divine Good which is called 'the Father' and Divine Truth 'the Son', and that the Lord governs every single thing in all creation from Divine Good by means of Divine Truth. This being so, manifestly so from the Word, it is astounding that people in the Christian world know and teach that the whole of the Trinity resides in the Lord, and yet they do not, as those in heaven do, acknowledge and adore the Lord alone, and so one God. The truth that the Holy Spirit, who also is worshipped as God distinct and separate from Father and Son, is the holiness of the spirit - or the holiness that proceeds from the Lord through spirits or angels, that is, from His Divine Good through the Divine Truth - will in the Lord's Divine mercy be made plain elsewhere.

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