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John Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. AFTER these things, jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; but thus did he manifest [himself.]
  2. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the [sons] of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.

THAT after his resurrection, the lord manifested himself in common or general principles to those who were principled in good and truth, vs 1, 2.

  1. Simon Peter says to them, I go to catch fish. They say to him, We also come with you. They went out, and went up into a ship immediately, and in that night they caught nothing.

And this at a time, when they were teaching the knowledges of truth and good for the reformation of mankind, but whereas they taught from themselves, and not from the lord, therefore their teaching was fruitless, vs 3.

  1. But when the morning was now come, jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was jesus.
  2. Then jesus says to them, Children, have you any meat? They answered him, No.
  3. But he said to them, Cast the net to the right part of the ship, and you shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes,

On which account they are gifted with interior light, yet faint, from the lord, instructing them that they ought to do all things from the good of love and charity, and that thus natural men might be converted to the truth, vs 4, 5, 6.

  1. Then that disciple whom jesus loved says to Peter, It is the lord. Simon Peter then, hearing that it was the lord, girded on his coat, for he was naked, and cast himself into the sea.
  2. But the other disciples came in a little boat, for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits, dragging the net of fishes.

Which instruction is perceived to be from the lord by those who are principled in the good of life, and also by those who are in the good of faith, therefore these latter are more and more confirmed in truth, though as yet it was in common or general principles, whilst the former, by the truth of doctrine, seek to lead natural men to the good of life, vs 7, 8.

  1. As soon then as they came to land, they saw a fire of coals laid, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
  2. jesus says to them, Bring of the fish which you have now caught.
  3. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three; and though there were so many, the net was not rent.

Therefore they are made sensible of the divine presence in the truth of good, and in the good of love, and obeying the divine command, they acknowledge the fruitfulness and multiplication of good and truth, in all their fullness in the church, and in their coherence, to be of the lord, vs 9, 10, 11.

  1. jesus says to them, Come and dine; but no one of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? knowing that it was jesus.
  2. jesus then comes, and takes the bread, and gives to them, and the fish in like manner.
  3. This third [time] now jesus was manifested to his disciples, being risen from the dead.

Yet it is granted them of the divine mercy to appropriate to themselves that fruitfulness and multiplication, by incorporating into their own minds and lives both good and truth from the lord, whereby all doubt is removed concerning the divine presence, and they are fully convinced of the glorification of the lord's Humanity, vs 12, 13, 14.

  1. When then they had dined, jesus says to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, love you me more than these? He says to him, Yea, lord ; you know that I love you. He says to him, Feed my lambs.
  2. He says to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, love you me? He says to him, Yea, lord ; you know that I love you. He says to him, Take charge of my sheep.
  3. He says to him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, love you me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Love you me? And he said to him, lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. jesus says to him, Feed my sheep.

On which occasion exploration is made concerning the conjunction of truth and good in the church, and divine admonition given, that it is the office of truth, or of those who are principled in truth, to instruct all who are in innocence, likewise all who are in the good of charity, and lastly, all who are in the good of faith, vs 15, 16, 17.

  1. Verily, verily, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself, and walked whither you would; but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and carry you whither you would not.
  2. But this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify god. And saying this, he says to him, Follow me.

Divine warning is also given at the same time concerning the separation of truth, or faith, from good, or charity, teaching that the faith of the church in its rise is in the good of innocence, but when it is in its setting, it would no longer be in that good, nor in the good of charity, but would be led by evils and falses, vs 18, 19.

  1. But Peter turning, sees the disciple whom jesus loved following, who also lay on his breast at supper, and said, lord, who is it that betrays you?
  2. Peter seeing him, says to jesus, lord, but what [shall] this [man do?]
  3. jesus says to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you? Follow you me.
  4. Then went forth this saying among the brethren, that that disciple should not die; yet jesus said not to him that he should not die, but, if I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you?

But still the good of charity would remain with those who are of the lord, even to the end of the church, and when there is a new church, and not with those who are in truth separate from good, vs 20, 21, 22, 23.

  1. This is the disciple that testifies of these things, and writes these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
  2. But there are also many other things which jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that, even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. AMEN.

For they, who are principled in the good of charity, bear faithful witness to the truth, being convinced of the truth by its light in their own minds, yet they cannot unfold the whole of the divine operation, because the church is not in a state to receive it, vs 24, 25.

Translation

1. AFTER these things, jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; but thus did he manifest [himself.]

2. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the [sons] of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.

3. Simon Peter says to them, I go to catch fish. They say to him, We also come with you. They went out, and went up into a ship immediately, and in that night they caught nothing.

4. But when the morning was now come, jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was jesus.

5. Then jesus says to them, Children, have you any meat? They answered him, No.

6. But he said to them, Cast the net to the right part of the ship, and you shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes,

7. Then that disciple whom jesus loved says to Peter, It is the lord. Simon Peter then, hearing that it was the lord, girded on his coat, for he was naked, and cast himself into the sea.

8. But the other disciples came in a little boat, for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits, dragging the net of fishes.

9. As soon then as they came to land, they saw a fire of coals laid, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

10. jesus says to them, Bring of the fish which you have now caught.

11. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three; and though there were so many, the net was not rent.

12. jesus says to them, Come and dine; but no one of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? knowing that it was jesus.

13. jesus then comes, and takes the bread, and gives to them, and the fish in like manner.

14. This third [time] now jesus was manifested to his disciples, being risen from the dead.

15. When then they had dined, jesus says to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, love you me more than these? He says to him, Yea, lord ; you know that I love you. He says to him, Feed my lambs.

16. He says to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, love you me? He says to him, Yea, lord ; you know that I love you. He says to him, Take charge of my sheep.

17. He says to him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, love you me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Love you me? And he said to him, lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. jesus says to him, Feed my sheep.

18. Verily, verily, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself, and walked whither you would; but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and carry you whither you would not.

19. But this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify god. And saying this, he says to him, Follow me.

20. But Peter turning, sees the disciple whom jesus loved following, who also lay on his breast at supper, and said, lord, who is it that betrays you?

21. Peter seeing him, says to jesus, lord, but what [shall] this [man do?]

22. jesus says to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you? Follow you me.

23. Then went forth this saying among the brethren, that that disciple should not die; yet jesus said not to him that he should not die, but, if I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you?

24. This is the disciple that testifies of these things, and writes these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

25. But there are also many other things which jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that, even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. AMEN.

Exposition

Verses 2 to 13. The reason why the lord manifested himself to the disciples when they were fishing, was, because to fish signified to teach the knowledges of truth and good, and thus to reform; his commanding them to cast the net on the right side of the ship signifies, that they should do all things from the good of love and charity, for the right hand signifies that good which was to be a principle of action, since knowledges so far live, and are so far multiplied, as they are derived from good; they said also that they had laboured all the night and had taken nothing, by which was signified that nothing comes from self or the proprium, but all things from the lord ; the like was also signified by the fire on which the fish was placed, and by the bread, for by bread was signified the lord, and the good of love from him, and by the fish on the fire the knowledge of truth from good, by the fish the knowledge of truth, by the fire good. At that time there were not any spiritual men, because the church was altogether vastated, but all were natural men, whose reformation was represented by that fishing, and likewise by the fish on the fire. He who believes that the fish on the fire, and the bread, which were given to the disciples to eat, were not significative of any thing higher, is very much deceived, for singular the things which the lord did, and which he spoke, were significative of divine-celestial things, which are opened only by the spiritual sense. AE 513.

He who knows that fishes denote those who are in general [or common] truths, and in faith separate from charity, may see the reason why the lord chose fishers for his disciples, and why after his resurrection he gave to the disciples a fish and bread to eat, for the Gentiles, whom they converted, were principled only in general [or common] truths, and were more in a natural principle than a spiritual one, AR 405.

Verse 6. But he says to them, Cast the net to the right part of the ship, and you shall find. Those things which are on the right side of man correspond to good, from which truths are derived, and those on the left correspond to the truths which are productive of good. He who is unacquainted with this arcanum, cannot know what was signified by the lord saying to the disciples when they were fishing, that they should cast the net on the right part of the ship, by which was represented, that to act and teach from god is to conclude innumerable things which are of truth, but not vice versa. AC 10061.

In heaven the right eye denotes the good of vision, and the left its truth, also the right ear denotes the good of hearing, and the left its truth, likewise the right hand denotes the good of the power of man, and the left its truth; in like manner in other similar cases; and since right and left have such signification, therefore the lord said If your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and if your right hand offend you, cut-it off; by which he meant, if good becomes evil that it ought to be cast out, he also said to the disciples, that they should cast the net on the right part of the ship, and that when they did this, they took a great multitude of fishes, by which he understood, that they should teach the good of charity, and that thus they should collect men. CL 316.

Inasmuch as by fishing in the Word is signified the instruction and conversion of men, who are in external or natural good, in which good were several at that time amongst the Gentiles, for by fishes are signified those things which are of the natural man, and by a ship is signified doctrine from the Word, therefore by its right part is signified the good of life; hence it may be manifest what is signified by the lord saying, that they should cast the net on the right part of the ship, namely that they should teach the good of life; that they would thus convert the Gentiles to the church, is signified by their finding abundance, so that they were not able to draw the net by reason of the multitude of fishes; every one may see that the lord would not have so spoken, unless the right part had been significative. AE 600.

Verse 9.; As soon as they came to land, they saw a fire of coals laid, and fish laid thereon and bread. By what is roasted is signified what is imbued with love, consequently what is good. A distinction is made in the Word between what is roasted and what is boiled, and by what is roasted is signified what is good, because prepared by fire, and by what is boiled is meant what is true, because prepared by water. From these considerations it is evident, what is meant in the spiritual sense by the masted fish, in Luke 24:42, 43; also what by the fish, laid on the fire, when the lord was seen by his disciples after his resurrection, John 21:9. 13; for by fish is signified the truth of the natural principle, but by fire good, thus by the fish lying on the fire the truth of spiritual good in the natural principle: he who does not believe in any internal sense of the Word, cannot believe otherwise than that nothing mysterious is involved in the fish on the fire, when the lord appeared to the disciples, and in it being given to them by the lord to eat. AC 7852.

Verses 15, 16. Jesus being manifested to Peter, said, Simon, son of Jonas, love you me more than these? He says to him, Yea, Lord, you know that I love you; he says to him, Feed my lambs. He says to him again, Simon, son of Jonas, love you me? He says to him, Yea, Lord, you know that I love you; he says to him, Feed my sheep. By Peter here, as in other passages, is signified faith, and whereas faith is not faith unless it be grounded in charity towards the neighbour, and thus in love to the lord, neither is charity and love any thing unless grounded in innocence, hence it is that the lord first asks Peter whether he loves him, that is, whether love be in faith, and afterwards says, feed my lambs, that is, those who are in innocence; and then says after the same question, feed my sheep, that is, those who are in charity. AC 3994.

Lambs in the above passage denote those who are in innocence; sheep in the first place denote those who are in good derived from good; sheep in the third place denote those who are in good derived from truth. AC 4169.

Inasmuch as lambs denote those who are in innocence, therefore the lord said to Peter, first, feed my lambs, and afterwards feed my sheep, and again feed my sheep, where lambs denote those who are in the good of love to the lord, for these are in the good of innocence above others; but sheep denote those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, and who are in the good of faith. AC 10132.

Verses 15 to 21. What is contained in these verses, cannot be known to any one except by the internal sense, which teaches, that the twelve disciples of the lord represented all things of faith and love in the complex, like the twelve tribes of Israel, and that Peter represented faith, James charity, and John works, or the goods of charity. Inasmuch as faith without charity does not love the lord, and still can teach such things as relate to faith and love, and to the lord, therefore the lord thrice said to Peter, Love you me, and feed my lambs, and feed my sheep; and therefore the lord says, "When you were young, you girded yourself, and walked whither you would; but when you shall be old, you shall stretch out your hands, and another shall gird you, and lead you whither you would not;" by which words is signified that the faith of the church in its rise is in the good of innocence as an infant, but when it is in its setting, which is at the end of the church, it would then no longer be in that good, nor in the good of charity; and that in such case evil and the false would lead, which things are signified by when you shall be old, you shall stretch out your hands, and another shall gird you, and lead you whither you would not; thus from being free to become servile; to gird, denotes to know and apperceive truths in light from good, AC 9952; to walk, is to live according to them, AC 8417, 8420; hence to gird himself, and to walk whither he will, is to act from freedom, and to act from freedom is to act from the affection of truth derived from good, and to be led of the lord ; whereas to be girded by another, and to be led whither he would not, is to be a servant, and to be a servant is to act from evil, thus to be led of hell, AC 9096, 9586, 9589, 9590, 9591; that the lambs of which the lord first speaks, denote those who are in the good of innocence, see AC 3974; that the sheep, of which the lord speaks in the second and third place, denote those who are in the good of charity, and thence in faith, AC 4169, 4809; and that three denote a whole period from beginning to end, AC 2788, 4495, 7715, 9198, therefore since he spoke to Peter concerning the church from its rise to its setting, he three times said, love you me. But that John followed the lord, signified that they, who are principled in the goods of charity, follow the lord, and are loved by the lord, neither do they recede; whereas they, who are in faith separate from charity, not only do not follow the lord, but also are indignant on the occasion, as in this case Peter; not to mention several other arcana, which are contained in the above words. AC 10087.

Inasmuch as they, who are principled in truths derived from the good of love to the lord, or in doctrine grounded in them, were represented by Peter, and since they are the persons who are to instruct others, therefore the lord said to him, when he replied that he loved him, that he should feed his lambs and sheep, from which considerations it is very evident that Peter represented truth derived from the good of love to the lord, wherefore also he was now called Simon, [son of] Jonas; for by Simon of Jonas is signified faith grounded in charity, by Simon hearing and obedience, and by Jonas a dove, by which is signified charity: that they who are principled in the doctrine grounded in love to the lord are to instruct those who were of the lord's church, is understood by the lord's question, love you me; and afterwards by the words, feed my lambs and my sheep; not that Peter only was to instruct, but all those who were represented by Peter, namely those, as was said, who are principled in love to the lord, and are thence from the lord in truths: Peter being three times interrogated, signified a full time from the beginning of the church to its end, for three have this signification; wherefore when he was questioned a third time, it is said that Peter was sorrowful; and whereas the third interrogation signified the end of the church, therefore now follow these words of the lord to Peter, "Verily, verily, I say to you, when you were young you girded yourself, and walked whither you would, but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and carry you whither you would not. And when he had said this, he said to him, Follow me; but Peter turning, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also lay on his breast at supper. Peter seeing him, says to jesus, lord, but what [shall] this [man do?] jesus says to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you? Follow you me. Then went forth this saying among the brethren, that that disciple should not die; yet jesus said not to him that he should not die, but, if I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you?" What the above words signify, cannot be known to any one, unless he knows that by Peter is signified faith grounded in charity, and likewise faith without charity; faith grounded in charity at the church's commencement, and faith without charity at the end of the church; thus that by Peter, when he was young, is signified the faith of the commencing church, and by it when he became old, the faith of the closing church, and that by girding and walking is signified to learn truths, and to live according to them; hence it is evident that by saying to him, when you were young, you girded yourself, and walked whither you would, is signified that the church in its beginning will be instructed in truths which are derived from good, and by them will be led of the lord, and that by the words, when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and lead you whither you would not, is signified that the church, in its end, will not know truths but falses, which are of faith without charity, and will be led by them; to gird himself, signifies to be instructed in truths, the same as being clothed, because garments signify truths clothing good, and to walk, signifies to live according to them; hence to gird himself, and to walk whither he would, signifies to look around freely, and to see truths, and to do them; but to stretch out the hands, signifies not to be in that freedom, for the hands signify the power of truth from its understanding and perception, and to stretch out the hands, signifies not to have that power, hence neither the freedom of thinking and of seeing truth; another shall gird you, and lead you whither you would not, signifies that those things are to be acknowledged as truths which another dictates, and himself does not see, as is the case at this day with the tenet concerning faith alone. This faith is now understood by Peter, wherefore it is said, that Peter being turned, saw the disciple whom jesus loved, following, and that he said concerning him, But what [shall] this [man do?] also that jesus said to Peter, What [is that] to you? By the disciple following jesus, are signified goods of life, which are good works, and that these were not to perish at the end of life, is described by following in the above passage. From these considerations it may be manifest, that by Peter is also signified faith separate from charity, as likewise when Peter three times denied the Lord; likewise when the lord, turning from Peter, said to him, "Get you behind me, Satan, you are a scandal to me, because you savour not the things which be of god, but those which be of men;" and when the lord said to him, "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat." All these passages are adduced to the intent that it may be known, that by Peter in the evangelists, in the representative sense, is signified truth derived from good which is from the lord, also faith grounded in charity; and likewise in the opposite sense truth separate from good, which in itself is false, also faith separate from charity, which in itself is not faith. AE 820.

That by Peter in, the above passage is signified truth without good, or faith separate from good works, such as faith will be at the end of the church, see above, AE 820; and whereas by John are signified the good things of charity, which are called good works, and these appertain to those who constitute the lord's church, therefore John, not Peter, followed the lord, and it was said by the lord to Peter, on his asking, But what [shall] this [man do] if I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you? do you follow me; by which is meant, that still the good of charity was to remain with those who were of the lord, even to the end of the church, and when there is a new church, and not with those who are in faith separate from that good, which is signified by those words to Peter, What [is that] to you? AE 821. See also AC 6073.

Inasmuch as John represented the good of life, and Peter the truth of faith, therefore John lay at the Lord's breast, and followed Jesus, but not Peter, John 21:18-23; the lord also said concerning John, that he should remain till he came, verses 22, 23, thus to the present day, which is the lord's advent; wherefore also the good of life is now taught from the lord for those, who shall be of his new church, which is the New Jerusalem. AR 16.

Verse 24. This is the disciple which testifies of these things, &c. See Extract at verse 35, chap. xix.

translator's notes and observations.

Verse 15. Jesus says to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, love you me more than these? It is remarkable that in thrice repeating the question to Simon Peter, Love you me, the lord applies the term, agapao, and in thrice answering the question, Simon Peter applies the term philo, which denotes the affection of friendship, more than of love, such being the affection by which all are influenced who are in the good of truth represented by Simon Peter.

Verse 16. He says to him, Take charge of my sheep. What is here rendered, Take charge of, is expressed by the term feed in the common version of the New Testament; but in the original Greek the term here used is poimaine, which properly signifies to watch over, or take charge of, as a shepherd watches over, or takes charge of, his sheep; whereas, to feed is expressed by the Greek bosko, as it occurs at verse 15, and again at verse 17. It is of importance therefore that the distinction between the two terms should be noted, because the internal sense is affected by it.

Verse 17. And he said to him, Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you. It is observable; that in the original Greek two distinct terms are here applied In express you know, the first being derived from the verb, eido, and the second from the verb ginosko, thus marking two distinct degrees of knowledge.

HENRY SMITH, PRINTER.