On which account they reject the LORD in His humanity, although in His humanity He was essential purity, and ought to be believed in as essential truth, v. 45, 46. 1 For every one, who is principled in divine truth, lives in obedience to divine truth, and if any are disobedient, it is because they are not principled in divine truth, v. 47. That the perverted church reject this instruction, as proceeding from ignorance of the Word, and from infernal agency, therefore they are further taught, that the LORD's humanity is not under infernal controul, but under divine government, and is therefore rejected, v. 48, 49. And that it doth not exalt itself, but is exalted, and instructed by the essential divinity, and therefore whosoever liveth according to the LORD's precepts is delivered from damnation, v. 50, 51. But this instruction is also rejected by the perverted church, through mis-interpretation, and regarded as a further proof of infernal agency, and as exalting the LORD's humanity in an undue measure; therefore they are again taught, that if the humanity exalted itself, it's exaltation is no exaltation, but that it is exalted by the SuPREME DIVINITY, who is regarded in the church as the supreme teacher of truth, v. 52, 53, 54. Who yet is unknown in the church, and known only to the assumed humanity; therefore the humanity must testify to such knowledge, because it is the truth; thus it testifies that both in understanding and in will it is one with the SuPREME DIVINITY, v. 55. And was accordingly seen in the representative church under a human form, exciting the affections both of truth and good, v. 56. And notwithstanding appearances to the contrary, arising from it's being born in time, is yet the ETERNAL JEHOVAH, V. 57, 58. That this instruction is opposed by the false persuasions originating in the natural mind, which darken the truth in such a manner, that it is no longer seen, and therefore is unnoticed, though it is the central life of all men, v. 59. VERSE 1. But Jesus went to the mount of olives. By the mount of olives, when it is predicated of the Lord, is signified the divine love, and it was on account of this signification that He was accustomed to make His abode on that mountain, and then discoursed with His disciples concerning His coming, and the consummation of the age, that is, concerning the last judgment; and He likewise went thence to Jerusalem, and suffered; and by this was signified, that He did all things from divine love, inasmuch as the mount of olives signified that love; for whatsoever the Lord did in the world, this was representative, and whatsoever He spake was significative. Ap. Ex. 405. See also n. 638. Verses 2 to 11. But the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in adultery, &c. By the Lord, on this occasion, writing on the earth, the like is signified as in those words of Jeremiah, They who recede from me shall be written in the earth, chap. xvii. 13, viz. that they were equally damned on account of adultery, wherefore He said, He that is without sin amongst you, let him first cast the stone at her; by the Lord writing twice on the earth in the temple was signified their damnation on account of adulteries in the spiritual sense, for the scribes and Pharisees were those who adulterated the goods and falsified the truths of the Word, thus of the church, and adulteries in the spiritual sense are adulterations of good and falsifications of truth; wherefore also that nation is called by the Lord an adulterous and sinful nation, Mark viii. 38. Ap. Ex. 222. See also n. 304. Verse 12. Then again Jesus spake to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness. Light is frequently mentioned in the Word, and by it in the internal sense is signified truth which is derived from good; but in the supreme internal sense by light is signified the Lord himself, because He is good and truth itself: There is likewise actually light in heaven, but infinitely brighter than light in the earth; this light also illuminates the understanding of man, especially of a regenerate man, but it is not apperceived by man so long as he is in the life of the body, by reason of the light of the world which then rules: That the Lord is light, that is, good and truth itself, thus that from Him is all intelligence and wisdom, consequently salvation, may be manifest from several passages in the Word, also from this, 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. A. C. 3195. Light in the above passage denotes the Lord, from whom is all good and truth; darkness denotes falses, which are dispersed by the Lord alone. A. C. 1889. I am the light of the world, signifies that He is the divine truth itself; he that followeth me, signifies be who acknowledges the divine [Beiug] himself, and doeth his precepts; shall not walk in darkness, signifies that he shall not be in falses; but shall have the light of life, signifies that he shall be in divine truths, which teach man eternal life, and lead to heaven : That in this passage by following the Lord is not meant to follow Him, but to acknowledge His divinity, and to obey Him, is evident. Ap. Ex. 864. Verse 15. Ye judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. That the Lord imputeth good to every man, and doth not impute evil to any one, consequently that He doth not judge any one to hell, but elevates all, so far as they follow, to heaven, is manifest from these His own words, Jesus said, I judge no one; for by judgment in this passage and in other passages in the Word, is meant judgment to hell, which is damnation, whereas concerning salvation judgment is not predicated, but resurrection to life. T. C. R. 652. See also A. C. 8685. Verse 18. I am [one] that bear witness of myself, and the Father who sent me beareth witness of me. As to what concerns the signification of bearing witness, or testimony, a distinction is made in the Word between laws, statutes, judgments, precepts, testimonies, words, commands, truths, covenants, as may be manifest from very many passages, especially from David in Psalm cxix. where all those terms are named, and testimonies, verses 2, 14, 31, 46, 59, 88, 91, 111, 124, 128, 144, 163, in like manner in other places, from which it may be manifest that testimony is the divine truth, which testifies concerning the Lord, thus that it is the Word, for the Word in the supreme sense treats of the Lord alone, and hence in the internal sense testifies concerning Him, that is, teaches Him, and the truths which are of faith and the goods which are of love, which are from Him. In this sense it is written, I am who testify concerning myself, and the Father who sent me testifieth concerning me, John viii. 18. Again, Search the Scriptures, for they are they which testify of me, chap. v. 39. Again, The Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, He shall testify of me, chap. xv. 26, 27; from which passages it is manifest, that the divine truth is called a testimony from it's testifying concerning the Lord; this truth is the Word, for the Word in the supreme sense, as was said above, treats of the Lord alone, hence the Word is divine, and hence it's holy [principle]. A. C. 9503. Verse 19. If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also. These words relate to the union of good with truth, and of truth with good, or, what is the same thing, of the divine essence of the Lord with the human, and of the human with the divine, wherefore He saith in another place, The words which I speak to you I speak not from myself, the Father who is in me doeth the works, John xiv. 10. Hence it is manifest, that He was not another [being] from the Father, although He spake of the Father as of another, and this on account of the reciprocal unition, which was to take place, and which did take place; for He openly and frequently saith, that He is one with the Father. A. C. 2004. Verse 21. Ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins. They, - who either pervert, or extinguish, or reject in themselves the good which is of love and the truth which is of faith, have not life in themselves; for life, which is from the divine [Being or principle], consists in willing what is good, and believing what is true; but they, who do not will what is good, but what is evil, or believe not what is true, but what is false, have a principle contrary to life; this principle contrary to life is hell, and is called death, and persons of this description are called dead. That the life of love and of faith is called life, and likewise eternal life, and that they, who have it in themselves, are called living men; and that what is contrary to life is called death, and likewise death eternal, and that persons of this description are called dead men, is manifest from several passages in the Word, and amongst others from John, chap. viii. 21, 24, 51. A. C. 7494. Verse 24. If ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins. Inasmuch as the acknowledgment of the Lord is the first of all things relating to spiritual life, and the most essential principle of the church, and since without it no one can receive from heaven any thing of the truth of faith and of the good, of love, therefore the Lord also frequently saith, that he who be |