2
καὶ προσεύξατο πρὸς κύριον καὶ εἶπεν ὦ κύριε οὐχ οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἔτι ὄντος μου ἐν τῇ γῇ μου διὰ τοῦτο προέφθασα τοῦ φυγεῖν εἰς θαρσις διότι ἔγνων ὅτι σὺ ἐλεήμων καὶ οἰκτίρμων μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ μετανοῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς κακίαις
Jonah 4:2
True Christian Religion #226
226. (i) THE WORD IS NOT TO BE UNDERSTOOD WITHOUT DOCTRINE.
This is because the Word in its literal sense is composed of nothing but correspondences, in order that it should simultaneously hold spiritual and celestial meanings; and every single word is a container and support for these. That is why in the literal sense the Divine truths are rarely uncovered, but are clothed. They are then called appearances of truth, and in many cases are made suitable to be understood by the simple, who do not lift their gaze above what is in front of their eyes. Some appear to be contradictions, when in fact there is no contradiction, if the Word is looked at by its own spiritual light. Moreover in some passages of the Prophets there are collections of place-names and personal names, from which no sort of sense can be extracted. Seeing that the Word is like this in its literal sense, it can easily be established that it could not be understood without doctrine.
The Word is not to be understood without doctrine. Doctrine is to be drawn from the literal sense of the Word. But Divine truth, on which doctrine is based, is not visible to any but those who are enlightened by the Lord.
[2] But let us take examples to illustrate this. It is said that Jehovah regrets (Exodus 32:12, 14; Jonah 3:9; 4:2); and also that Jehovah does not regret (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29). These statements cannot be reconciled without doctrine. It is said that Jehovah visits the wickedness of the fathers upon the sons, to the third or fourth generation (Numbers 14:18); and also that a father shall not die on account of his son, nor a son on account of his father, but each in his own sin (Deuteronomy 24:16). Doctrine can show that these statements do not conflict, but are in harmony.
[3] Jesus says:
Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find. To him that knocks, the door shall be opened, Matthew 7:7-8; 21:21-22.
Without doctrine one might believe that each will receive what he asks for; but we know from doctrine that whatever a person asks from the Lord, that is granted. For this too is what the Lord teaches:
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you will, and it will be done for you, John 15:7.
[4] The Lord says:
Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God, Luke 6:20.
Without doctrine one might think that heaven was for the poor and not the rich; but doctrine instructs us that the poor in spirit are meant, for the Lord says:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens, Matthew 5:3.
[5] The Lord says further:
Do not judge, so that you are not judged; with whatever judgment you judge, so will you be judged, Matthew 7:1-2; Luke 6:37.
Without doctrine anyone could be induced to assert that we must not judge wicked people to be wicked; but doctrine tells us we may judge, so long as we do so justly. For the Lord says:
Give just judgments, John 7:24.
[6] Jesus says:
Do not have yourselves called teacher, for you have one teacher, Christ. Do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one father in the heavens. And do not have yourselves called master, for you have one master, Christ, Matthew 23:8-10.
Without doctrine this would mean that we are not to call anyone teacher, father or master; but doctrine tells us that we may do so in the natural sense, but not in the spiritual.
[7] Jesus said to the disciples:
When the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you too will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Matthew 19:28.
One might infer from these words that the Lord's disciples too are to act as judges, though in fact they can judge no one. Doctrine therefore will reveal the mystery by the fact that the Lord alone, who is omniscient, and knows the hearts of all, can and will be judge. His twelve disciples mean the church in respect of all its truths and all its kinds of good, which are given to it by the Lord by means of the Word. Doctrine infers from this that it is the truths and kinds of good which will judge everyone, as the Lord said in John (John 3:17-18; 12:47-48). There are many more passages like this in the Word, which show plainly that the Word cannot be understood without doctrine.
Matthew 20
1
"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2
When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3
He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4
To them he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went their way.
5
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
6
About the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?'
7
"They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' "He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.'
8
When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.'
9
"When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.
10
When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.
11
When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,
12
saying, 'These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!'
13
"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius?
14
Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.
15
Isn't it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?'
16
So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."
17
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,
18
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
19
and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up."
20
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
21
He said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom."
22
But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to him, "We are able."
23
He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
24
When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25
But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
26
It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
27
Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,
28
even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
29
As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30
Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!"
31
The multitude rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they cried out even more, "Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!"
32
Jesus stood still, and called them, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"
33
They told him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."
34
Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him.
