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LUKE

Luke Chapter 1

    Chapter 1

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. FORASMUCH as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a relation respecting those things which have been fulfilled in us;
  2. Even as they delivered them to us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the Word;
  3. It seemed good to me also, having traced all things exactly from their rise, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus,
  4. That you mightest know the certainty [or security] of the words in which you have been instructed.
  5. THERE was in the days of Herod the king of Judea a certain priest named Zacharias, of the daily ministry of Abia, and his wife [woman] was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elizabeth.

THAT revelation of the eternal word made flesh is imparted to all who are in the love of truth for it's own sake, verse 1 to 5.

  1. But they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Which revelation teaches that, previous to the lord's appearing. His representative as to the Word must teach the doctrine of repentance and faith in Him, the origin of which doctrine is described, vs 5 to 26.

  1. And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both far advanced in their days.

As being born from celestial good and truth, vs 5, 6, 7.

  1. But it came to pass that whilst he exercised the priest's office in his daily service before God,
  2. According to the custom of the priest's office, it was his turn to burn incense, entering into the temple of the Lord.
  3. And all the multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of burning incense.
  4. But there was seen by him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
  5. And Zacharias was disturbed at the sight, and fear fell upon him.
  6. But the angel said to him, fear not Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife [woman] Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall; call his name John.
  7. And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
  8. For he shall be great before the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb.
  9. And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
  10. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and in the prudence of the just to make ready the disobedient a people prepared for the Lord.

And announced by the most high, as being instrumental in promoting purification from evils and falses, and thus preparing mankind for the reception of good and of truth, vs 8 to 18.

  1. And Zacharias said to the angel, whereby shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife [woman] is far advanced in her days?
  2. And the angel answering said to him, I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speak to you, and to declare to you these glad tidings.
  3. And behold, you shall be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because you believe not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
  4. And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wondered that he tarried so long in the temple.
  5. But when he came out he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he beckoned to them, and remained silent.
  6. And it came to pass that when the days of his Ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

Nevertheless this doctrine is not admitted without doubt respecting it, the effect of which doubt is manifested in the inability to make confession of the Lord, and to preach faith in Him, vs 18 to 24.

  1. But after those days his wife [woman] Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
  2. Thus has the Lord done to me in the days wherein He looked on [me] to take away my reproach amongst men.

Notwithstanding however this doubt, the doctrine of repentance and faith gains confirmation, though as yet it is seen only obscurely, vs 23, 24, 25.

  1. But in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
  2. To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the name of the virgin was Mary [Mariam].
  3. And the angel coming in to her said. Hail [you that are] highly graced! The Lord is with you; blessed are you amongst women.

It is at the same time announced from heaven, that jehovah will come into the world, and that the Humanity, which He will assume, is the Son of god,by virtue of the Divinity from whom it came forth, vs 26 to 34.

  1. But she seeing was troubled at his word, and considered with herself what kind of salutation this was.
  2. And the angel said to her, fear not Mary; for you have found favour with God,
  3. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and shall bring forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus.
  4. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His Father David.
  5. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob into ages, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.

Which annunciation causes trouble and surprise, until information is given, that to that Humanity will be transferred the All of Divinity, so that in it Divinity and Humanity will be one, and in that one-ness will have rule over all things of heaven and the church, vs 29 to 34.

  1. But Mary said to the angel, how shall this thing be, since I know not a man?
  2. And the angel answering said to her, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you; therefore also the Holy thing that shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.

Since the Humanity is born from the Divine Good and Divine Truth, which is Jehovah, vs 34 to 36.

  1. And behold, your cousin Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her who was called barren.
  2. For with God not any saying shall be impossible.
  3. But Mary said, behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to your saying. And the angel departed from her.

And preparation is made for its reception, through the doctrine of repentance and faith, which was to be taught in the church, vs 36 to 38.

  1. But Mary arising in those days went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
  2. And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.
  3. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
  4. And she exclaimed with a great voice and said, blessed [are] you among Women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb.
  5. And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
  6. For lo, as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for gladness.
  7. And blessed is she that has believed that there shall be a performance of those things which were spoken to her from the Lord.
  8. And Mary said, my soul does magnify the Lord;

That on this occasion, the internal affection of good and of truth in the church is conjoined with the external, so that the productions of the latter become vivified, and the latter affection itself is made holy by virtue of it's exaltation of the former, vs 39 to 46.

  1. And my spirit has been glad in God my Saviour;
  2. For He has looked upon the lowliness of His handmaiden; for behold from now on all generations shall call me blessed.
  3. For He that is mighty has done for me great things, and Holy is His name.
  4. And His mercy is to generations of generations to them that fear Him.

The former affection, at the same time, exalts the Divine Good and Divine Truth above all things, under a devout sense of the Divine mercy, which attends to the lowest concerns of man, and is ever operative in good to those who desire good, vs 47 to 51.

  1. He has made strength in His arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
  2. He has put down the mighty from thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
  3. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty,
  4. He has accepted His Child Israel, to remember mercy.

And which assumed a Humanity, that through it the hells might be subdued, and a new church might be established, to which divine good might be imparted, and in which, truth separate from good might be rejected, vs 51,52,53, 54.

  1. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for the age.

As had been predicted, vs 55.

  1. But Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
  2. But to Elizabeth was fulfilled the time of her delivery, and she brought forth a son;
  3. And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.

That for this purpose the doctrine of repentance and faith in the incarnate god is taught in the church, to the great joy of those who receive it, vs 56 to 59.

  1. And it came to pass on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
  2. And his mother answering said, not [so] but he shall be called John.
  3. And they said to her, there is no one of your kindred who is called by this name.
  4. But they made signs to his father how he would have him called.
  5. And asking for a writing-table, he wrote, saying, John is his name; and they wondered all.

The quality of which doctrine is described, as being grounded in the Divine love and mercy, vs 59 to 64.

  1. But his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spoke blessing God.
  2. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all these sayings were talked of in all the hill country of Judea.
  3. And all that beard laid them up in their hearts, saying, what kind of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.
  4. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

So that they, who acknowledge this quality, are enabled to make confession of the lord,and to preach faith in Him, exciting devout adoration in all who hear them, vs 64, 65,66.

  1. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and worked redemption for His people;
  2. And has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David His Child.
  3. As he spoke by the mouth of the holy ones from an age. His Prophets,
  4. Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
  5. To do mercy with our fathers, and to remember His holy Covenant;

Because they teach from Divine truth, that jehovah assumed a Humanity, for the purpose of effecting redemption and salvation, by conjoining Himself with His church, vs 68 to 73.

  1. The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
  2. That he would grant to us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
  3. In holiness and justice before him, all the days of our life.

And that His church, being thus purified from evils and falses, might be reciprocally conjoined with Him, through the reception of His love and wisdom, vs 73 to 76.

  1. And you Child shall be called the Prophet of the Highest, for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways;
  2. To give knowledge of salvation to His people in the remission of their sins.
  3. Through the bowels of mercy of our God, in which the Day-spring from on high has visited us;
  4. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Therefore the doctrine of repentance and faith in the incarnate god is of Divine origin, being intended to prepare man for the reception of the Divine mercy, through the removal of all opposing principles, and through the communication of the light of Divine truth, by virtue of which the church would be delivered from the falses of evil, vs 76 to 80.

  1. But the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing to Israel

Which doctrine is more and more confirmed, though for a time it is received by few, vs 80.

Chapter I. Extracts from the Theological Writings

OF

THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

VERSE 11. The angel of the Lord was seen by Zacharias standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Inasmuch as by the right [hand or side], when predicated of angels and of men, is meant the wisdom and intelligence which they derive from Divine Good by Divine Truth, proceeding from the Lord, therefore the angel of the Lord was seen by Zacharias standing at the right [side] of the altar of incense. AE 298.

Verses 15, 41,44. It is said of John the Baptist, that he was filled with the Holy Spirit in the mother's womb, and that the embryo exulted in the womb at the salutation of Mary, but by this was signified that he was about to represent the Lord as to the Word, like Elias, for in the Word, which is Divine Truth, there is throughout a marriage of Divine Good and Divine Truth, and Divine Good united to Divine Truth is the Divine [principle] proceeding from the Lord, which is called the Holy Spirit: The exultation in the womb at the salutation of Mary represented the joy resulting from the love of the conjunction of Good and of Truth, thus the joy of heavenly conjugial love, which is in singular the things of the Word. AE 710.

Verse 17. He shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn, the hearts of the fathers to the sons. John the Baptist being sent before to prepare a people for the reception of the Lord, was by baptism, for baptism represented and signified purification from evils and falses, and likewise regeneration by the word from the Lord, and unless this representation had preceded, the Lord could not have manifested Himself, taught, and tarried in Judea and in Jerusalem, because the Lord was the God of heaven and the God of earth under a human form, who could not dwell together with a nation which was in mere falses as to doctrine, and in mere evils as to life; wherefore unless a representative of purification from evils and falses by baptism had prepared that nation for the reception of the Lord, the nation would have perished by diseases of every kind at the presence of the Divine [Being] Himself; that this is the case, is very well known in the spiritual world, for in that world all, who are in falses and evils, are dreadfully tormented, and spiritually die, at the Lord's presence. The reason why the baptism of John could produce that effect was, because the Jewish Church was a representative Church, and all conjunction of heaven with them was by representatives, as may likewise be manifest from the washings enjoined in that Church, as that all who were made unclean should wash themselves and their garments, and hence they were reckoned as clean; in like manner that the Priests and Levites should wash themselves, before they entered the Tent of Assembly, and on the same occasion the Temple, to perform holy duties; in like manner that Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy by washing in Jordan; the washing itself and the baptism did not indeed purify them from falses and evils, but only represented and thence signified purification from them, which yet was accepted in heaven, as if themselves, were purified; thus heaven was -conjoined with the people of that Church by the baptism of John, and when heaven was so conjoined with them, the Lord, who was the God of heaven, could there manifest Himself, teach, and abide. AE 724.

Verse 17. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons. That in this passage by fathers and sons are not meant fathers and sons, is evident, but that the Goods and Truths of the Church are meant, which the Lord was about to restore. AC 3703.

Verse 19. The angel answering said to Zachariah, I am Gabriel that stand before God. To stand, in this passage, like walking and sitting in the Word, signifies to be and. to live; and to stand signifies the like as to consist and subsist. AE 414. To stand before God signifies to be in Divine Truth, consequently to be present with the Lord. AE 639.

Verges 24. 25. Inasmuch as mother signified the Church, and sons and daughters its truths and goods, and whereas in the ancient Churches, and afterwards in the Jewish Church, all things were representative and thence significative, therefore it was a disgrace and ignominy for women to be barren, on which account Rachael was angry with Jacob because she did not bear children, and said, when she brought forth Joseph, God has taken away my reproach. Gen 30:1, 23. For the same reason, after that Elizabeth had conceived, she said, Thus has the Lord done to me in the days wherein He looked on me, to take away my reproach amongst men. AE 721.

Verses 26 to 35. No other opinion is held by the Church, than that the Son of God is a separate Person of the Godhead, perfectly distinct from that of the Father; which has given rise to the notion, that the Son of God was born from eternity. But so completely is the mind fettered, and so little is it disposed to exercise any freedom of thought upon a tenet which is universally received, and which relates to God, that it scarcely permits itself to reflect upon it; no, nor even upon the meaning of the expression, burn from eternity. And indeed were any one intellectually to reflect upon it, all that he could say would be, "It transcends. my powers of comprehension, "but still I affirm and believe it, because others do the "same." Let it however be well noted, that the Lord' is from eternity and not the Son. When an accurate knowledge of the Lord and of the Son is obtained, then, and not before, can we think intellectually of the Triune God. That the human [principle] of the Lord, conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the Virgin Mary, is the Son of God, is very manifest from the following passages, as in Luke, The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin, 'betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, etc. and said to her, you shall conceive in your womb, and shall bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. But Mary said to the angel, how shall this thing be, since I know not a man? And the angel answering said to her, THE holy spirit SHALL COME UPON THEE, AND THE power of the highest shall overshadow you; therefore also the Holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the son of god. It is here said, you shall conceive and bring forth a Son, He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest ; and again, the Holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the son of god, whence it is evident that the human [principle], conceived of God, and born of the Virgin Mary, is what is called the son of god. So in Isaiah, "The Lord Himself gives a sign, behold a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son, and shall call His name, god with us," Is 7:14. That a Son born of a Virgin and conceived of God is He who shall be called God with us, thus who is the Son of God, is evident. So again in the same prophet. "A boy is is born to us, a son is given to us; upon whose shoulder is the government; and He shall call His name Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero, the father of eternity, the Prince of Peace," Is ix.5, 6; where the same thing is asserted, for it is said, a Boy is born to us, a Son is given to us, who is not a Son from eternity, but a Son born in the world, which is also evident from the words of the prophet at verse 6, and from the words of.the angel Gabriel to Mary, Luke 1:32, 33, which are of like import. So in David, "I will announce concerning the statute, Jehovah has said, you are My son, today have I begotten You. Kiss you the son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way," Psalm 2:7, 12. In which passage is not meant a Son from eternity, but a Son born in time, for it is a prophesy concerning the Lord who was about to come, wherefore it is called a statute, concerning which Jehovah announced to David; today does not denote from eternity, but in time. Doc. Lord. 19.

Verse 32. He shall be called the Son of the Highest. To be called the Son of the Highest denotes To Be, since in the internal sense of the Word, the expression to call, without the mention of a name, signifies to be of such a qualify, as in Isaiah, "Hear you this O house of Israel, called by the name of Israel, and they came forth from the waters of Judah, and are called from the city of holiness, and rely upon the God of Israel," Is 48:1, 2, where to be called from the city of holiness denotes to be of such a quality. AC 3421.

Verse 32. The Lord God shall give to Him the throne of his Father David. In the Word frequent mention is made of a throne, where Divine Truth is treated of, and the judgement derived from it, and by a throne, in the internal sense, is there signified what is of the Divine Regal Principle, and by him that sits on it the Lord Himself as a king or as a judge; hut the signification of a throne, like the signification of several other things, is respective according to the subject treated of; for when the Divine [principle] itself and the Divine Human of the Lord is meant by him who sits on the throne, then the Divine Truth, which proceeds from Him, is meant by the throne; but when the Divine Truth, which proceeds from the Lord, is meant by Him that sits on the throne, then the universal heaven, which the Divine Truth fills, is meant by the throne; but when the Lord as to Divine Truth in the superior heavens is meant by Him that sits on the throne, then the Divine Truth, which is in the lowest heaven, and which is likewise in the Church, is meant by the throne; thus the significations of a throne are respective according to the subject treated of. The reason why by a throne is signified what is of Divine Truth is, because by a king in the Word is signified Truth, and likewise by a kingdom. But what is specifically meant, by a throne in the Word is made evident from the series of the things treated of, as in Matthew, "I say to you, you shall not swear at all, neither by heaven, because it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, because it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king," Matt. vs 34, 35; and in another passage in the same Evangelist, "He who shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by Him who sits on it," Matt 23:22; in these passages it is expressly said, that heaven is the throne of God; by the earth, which is called a footstool, is signified that which is beneath heaven, thus the Church. So in Luke, "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give to Him "the Throne of His father David," Luke 1:32, in which passage the throne of David does not mean the kingdom which David had, or an earthly kingdom, but a kingdom in heaven, as must be obvious to every one; wherefore by David is not signified David, but the Divine Royalty of the Lord, and by throne is signified the Divine Truth which proceeds from Him, and which makes the Lord's kingdom. AC 5313.

By the Throne of David in the Word is signified the Divine Truth, inasmuch as by David in the prophetic Word is not meant David, but the Lord as to royalty, which is the Divine Truth in the spiritual heaven, which heaven is the second heaven. AE 253.

Verse 33. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob far ever, &c. That by Jacob in the internal sense, is signified the doctrine of natural truth, or, what is the same thing, those who are in that doctrine, of whatever nation they may be, may be manifest from the following passage, "The Lord God will give to Him the Throne of His Father David, so that He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end." That in this passage by the house of Jacob was not meant the Jewish nation or people, is obvious to every one, for the kingdom of the Lord was not over that people, but over all in the universe, who are principled in faith in Him, and from faith in charity; hence it is manifest that by Jacob, named by the angel, was not meant the people of Jacob, consequently neither in other passages was the same meant by the seed of Jacob, by the sons of Jacob, by the land of Jacob, by the inheritance of Jacob, by the king of Jacob, by the God of Jacob, which expressions so often occur in the Word of the Old Testament. The like is true concerning Israel. AC 3305. By the house of Jacob is meant the Church of the Lord; that the Jewish nation is not meant, is evident. AE 328.

Verse 35. And the angel answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you, etc. Who cannot see from these words, that the Lord was conceived of God the Father, and who cannot hence know that God the Father, who is Jehovah, took upon Him a human [principle] in the world, and consequently that the human [principle] is the human [principle] of God the Father, and thus that God, the Father and He are one, as soul and body are one? Can any one therefore go to the soul of man, and thence descend to his body? Is not his human principle to be approached, and in such case is not his soul approached? I am aware that some will think, how can Jehovah the Father, who is the Creator of the universe descend and assume a human [principle]; but let them think also, how can a Son from eternity, who is equal to the Father, and likewise the Creator of the universe, do this? Is it not the same thing? It is said the Father and the Son from eternity, but there is not any Sun from eternity, fur by Son is meant the Divine Human [principle], which is called the Son sent into the world, Luke 1:34, 35. AR 743.

That Jehovah Himself descended, and assumed a human "[principle], is very manifest from what the angel said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you, whence the Holy thing which is born of you, shall be called the son of god," for by the Holy Spirit is meant the Divine [principle] which proceeds from Jehovah God. Who does not know that every offspring has its soul and life from the Father, and that the body is from the soul? what then can be said more expressly, than that the Lord had soul and life from Jehovah God, and since Divinity cannot be divided, that the essential Divinity of the Father was His soul and life? On this account "the Lord so often called Jehovah God His Father, and Jehovah God called Him His Son: What then can be more ridiculous than to be told that the soul of our Lord was from Mary the mother, as both the Roman Catholics and the Reformed at this day dream, not yet being awakened by the Word? TCR 82.

That although God descended as Divine Truth, He nevertheless did not separate Divine Good, is manifest from the conception, concerning which it is written, that the power [or the virtue] of the Highest overshadowed Mary, and by the power [or virtue] of the Highest is meant the Divine Good; the same thing is manifest from the passages where the Lord Himself says, that the Father is in Him, and He in the Father; that all things of the Father are His; and that the Father and He are one, not to mention several other passages, in which by Father is meant the Divine Good. TCR 88.

That God Himself, who from Eternity is One, came into the world, is very evident from the nativity of the Lord the Saviour, in that He was conceived of the power [or virtue] of the Highest by the Holy Spirit, and that hence His Human [principle] was born of the Virgin Mary, whence it follows that His soul was the essential Divine [principle], which is called the Father, for God is indivisible, and that the human [principle] thence born is the human [principle] of God the Father, which is called the Son of God. From these considerations it again follows, that when the Lord God the Saviour is approached, God the Father is also approached; wherefore when Philip asks the Lord to show him the Father, the Lord replies, "He that sees me, sees the Father: how then say you show us the Father? Believe you not that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me," John 14:6-11. TCR 538.

Verse 53. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. That hunger signifies a scarcity of knowledges, is manifest from the Word, as in Isaiah, "They do not look into the work of Jehovah, and they do not see the doing of His hands, therefore my people shall be exiled for want of knowledge, and their glory shall be men of famine, and their multitude dry with thirst," Is 5:13, where men of famine denote scarcity of heavenly knowledges; a multitude dry with thirst denotes scarcity of spiritual knowledges. The like is signified by filling the hungry with good things, denoting celestial good things and their knowledges. That hunger denotes a scarcity of knowledges, is expressly said in Amos, "Behold the days are coming, when I will send hunger into the earth, not hunger for bread, and not thirst for waters, but for hearing the Word of Jehovah," Amos 8:11, 12. AC 1460.

The rich he has sent empty away. The rich denote those who know several things, for riches in the spiritual sense are scientifics, doctrinals, the knowledges of good and of truth; they are called empty, who know those things, and do not practise them, for truths to them are not truths, because they are without good. That empty denotes where there is nothing true, because there is nothing good, is manifest from the Word, as in Jeremiah, "The great ones sent the lesser ones for waters, they came to the pits, and did not find waters; they returned with empty vessels, they were affected with shame and ignominy, and covered their head," Jer 14:3; see also Jer 2:24. AC 4744. see also AC 10227.

The hungry denote those who desire knowledges, of this quality were the Gentiles, who received the Lord and doctrine from Him; but the rich are those who have knowledges, because they have the Word, such were the Jews, but who still were not willing to know the truths thence derived, wherefore neither did they receive the Lord and doctrine from Him; these latter are the rich who were sent away empty, but the former are the hungry, who were filled with good things. AE 237. see also AE 386.

Verse 54. He has accepted his child Israel to remember mercy. It is said in the Word concerning Jehovah, that is, the Lord, that He remembers, and that He does not remember, and thereby is signified what is there done from mercy, whether it be preservation or deliverance; in like manner as that He sees, hears, knows, and that He does not see, does not hear, and does not know, by which expressions also are signified exertions of mercy and no exertions of mercy; the reason why it is so expressed is from similitude with man, and from appearance; for when man averts himself from the Lord, as is the case when he does evil, at such times, inasmuch as the Lord is behind him, it appears to him as if the Lord does not see him, does not hear and know him, nor remember him, when yet the cause is with man, and hence from appearance it is so expressed in the Word; but the contrary is the case when man turns himself to the Lord, as is the case when he does well, see the passages cited, AC 9306: Every one may know, that recollection or remembrance cannot be predicated of the Lord, since things past and future in Him are eternal, that is, present from eternity to eternity. That to remember, when predicated of the Lord, is to be merciful, and thus to preserve or liberate from a principle oŁ mercy, is manifest from the following passages, "Jehovah has made known His salvation, He has revealed His justice before the eyes of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His truth to the house of Israel," Psalm 98:2. Again, "Jehovah has remembered us in our humility, because His mercy is for ever," Psalm 136:23. So in Luke, "God has accepted His servant Israel, that He may remember His mercy," etc. AC 9849.

Verse 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, fur he has visited and worked redemption for his people. Zacharias spoke these words, when, being filled with the spirit, he prophesied concerning the Lord, and by blessing God, and by the Lord God of Israel being blessed, is signified glorification and giving of thanks, because he delivers and vindicates from hell those who receive Him, wherefore also it is said, because He has visited and worked redemption for his people; by redemption is signified deliverance from hell, and by his people are signified those who are in truths derived from good, thus who receive. AE 340.

The last time of an old Church, and the first of a new, is in the Word called visitation, and is predicated both of the Church in general, and of those who are within the Church in particular; it is predicated also concerning the New Church which is born, and concerning the old Church which expires; in particular concerning the man of the Church, who is saved, also who is damned. That these things in the Word are signified by visitation, and by the day of visitation, may be manifest from the following passages, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He has visited, and worked deliverance for His people: Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death," Luke 1:68, 78, 79; these words contain a prophetic declaration concerning the Lord who was born, to be visited in this passage denotes the raising up of a New Church, and the illustration on this occasion of those who were in ignorance of the truth and good of faith, thus concerning their deliverance; wherefore it is said. He has visited and worked deliverance for His people, to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. AC 6588. see also AC 2242.

Verses 69, 71. And has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David His Child, salvation from, our enemies. These words contain a prophecy of Zacharias concerning the Lord and His coming; a horn of salvation in the house of David signifies the omnipotence of saving by Divine truth derived from Divine good; horn is that omnipotence; the house of David is the Church of the Lord; the enemies from which He would save are the falses of evil, for these are the enemies from which the Lord saves those who receive Him; that there were no other enemies from which the Lord saved those who are meant by His people, is a known thing. AE 316.

Verses 72, 73. To remember His Holy Covenant. See extract at verse 54, on remembering mercy. The oath which he swore to Abraham our Father. Jehovah God or the Lord never swears, for it is not suitable for God Himself or Divine Truth, to swear; but when God or the Divine Truth wills to have any thing confirmed before men, then that confirmation, descending into a natural sphere, falls into an oath, or into the form of an oath usual in the world; hence it is evident, that although the Lord never swears, still in the sense of the letter, which is the natural sense, it is said that He swears; this therefore is signified by swearing, when predicated of Jehovah Or the Lord. AE 608.

Verse 76. And you Child shall be called the Prophet of the Highest, for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. Frequent mention is made of a prophet in the Word, and in the sense of the letter it signifies those to whom revelation is made, also abstractedly the revelation itself, but in the internal sense it signifies one who teaches, also abstractedly doctrine itself, and whereas the Lord, as was said, is doctrine itself, or the Word which teaches. He is called a prophet, as in Moses, "A prophet will Jehovah your God raise up out of the midst of you out of your brethren, like me, Him shall you obey," Deut 18:15,18; it is said like me, because the Lord was represented by Moses, alike as by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and several others. Whereas the Lord in the supreme sense is a Prophet, and the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, Rev 19:10, hence it is that Prophet, in the internal sense of the Word, signifies one who teaches, also abstractedly doctrine, as may appear manifest from the above passage in Luke, in which Zacharias speaks Of John the Baptist his son; yet that he was not a prophet, but one who prepared the way by teaching and evangelizing concerning the Lord's coming, he himself declares in these words, "They asked him what are you? Art you Elias? But he said I am not. Art you a prophet? He answered no; wherefore they said, who are you? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord," John 1:21,22,23. AC 2534.

Verse 78. Through the bowels of Mercy of our God, in which the Day-spring from on high has visited us. That the Lord from Eternity is Jehovah, is a thing known from the Word; for the Lord said to the Jews, "Verily I say to you, before Abraham was, I am," John 8:58; and in another place, "Glorify Me O Father with the Glory which I had with You before the world was," John 17:5, by which words is meant the Lord from eternity, and not the Son from eternity, for the Son is His Human [principle] conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the Virgin Mary in time, as was shown above. That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah Himself, is manifest from many passages in the Word, from which these few shall be at present adduced, "It shall be said in that day, this is our god, Whom we have expected, that he may deliver us; jehovah whom we have expected, let us exult and rejoice in His Salvation," 25:9, from which words it is evident, that Jehovah God Himself was expected. Again, "The voice of Him that cries in the wilderness, prepare you the way of jehovah; make smooth in the desert a path for our god ; the Glory of jehovah shall be revealed; and all flesh shall see it together. Behold the lord jehovah comes in might," Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10; in this passage also the Lord is called Jehovah, Who was to come. Again," I am Jehovah, I will' give You for a Covenant to the people, for a light of the Gentiles: I am jehovah, THIS IS MY NAME; AND MY GLORY WILL I not give to another," Isaiah 42:6, 7; 8; a Covenant to the people, and a light of the Gentiles, is the Lord as to the Human [principle], and whereas this [principle] is from Jehovah, and was made one with Jehovah, it is said, I am Jehovah this is my name, and My Glory I will not give to another, that is, to no other than to Himself; to give Glory is to Glorify or to unite to Himself. Again, "the lord Whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His Temple, Mal. iii l, where by Temple is meant the Temple of His Body, as in John 2:19, 21. Again, "The day-spring from on high has visited us," where the Day-spring from on high also is Jehovah, or the Lord, from eternity. From these passages it is evident, that by the Lord from eternity is meant His Divine [principle] from which He was conceived, which in the Word is Jehovah. Doc. Lord. 30.

Verse 79. To give light to them that sit in darkness, By darkness in the Word are signified the falses of evil, and also the falses not of evil, such as were the falses of religion amongst the well disposed Gentiles, which falses they had in consequence of being ignorant of the truth: That these latter falses are also called darkness, is manifest from the following passages; "The, people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, on them has the light shined," Isaiah 9:1; and in Luke, "The Day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" In these passages darkness signify the falses of ignorance, such as prevailed and still prevail amongst the well-disposed Gentiles; these falses are altogether distinct from the falses of evil, for these latter conceal evil in themselves, because they are from evil, whereas the former have good stored up in them, since they regard good as an end; wherefore they, who are in those falses, are capable of being instructed in truths, and likewise when they are instructed they receive truths in the heart, by reason that the good, which is in their falses, loves truth and likewise conjoins itself to truth when it is heard; but it is otherwise with the falses of evil, for these are averse from, and reject all truth, merely because it is truth, and thus does not agree with evil. AE 526.

Verse 79. To direct our feet into the way of peace. These words were spoken concerning the Lord who was about to come into the world, and concerning the illustration of those at that time, who were out of the Church, and in ignorance of Divine Truth, because they had not the Word; the Lord is meant by the Day-spring from on high, and they who are out of the Church are meant by those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; and their illustration in Divine Truths by reception of the Lord and conjunction with him, whence they have heaven and eternal happiness, is meant by the way of peace; by directing our feet into that way is signified instruction. AE 365.

Verse 80. The Child grew and became strong in spirit. That spirit in the spiritual sense signifies Truth, and the life of man derived from it, which is intelligence, is very manifest from the following passages, "The hour comes, and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth," John 4:23. And in Luke," John grew and became strong in Spirit." AE 183.

And was in the Deserts. Desert in the Word signifies what is little inhabited and cultivated, and it signifies what is altogether uninhabited and uncultivated, thus it is used in a two-fold sense. When it signifies what is altogether uninhabited and uncultivated, it is again predicated in a two-fold, namely of those who are afterwards reformed, and of those who cannot be reformed. Hence also it is evident what is signified by John being in the Deserts till the day of his appearing to Israel; and by his preaching in the Desert of Judea, Matt 3:1 and following verses, and by Baptizing in the Desert, Mark 1:4, for thereby he represented the state of the Church. AC 2708.

Chapter I, Translator's Notes and Observations

VERSE 17. And in the prudence of the just to make ready the disobedient, a people prepared for the Lord, In the common version of the New Testament this passage is thus rendered, And the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord; but it is to be observed that what is here expressed by to the wisdom, in the original properly means in the prudence, and which therefore cannot possibly apply to the disobedient, but to John the Baptist, implying that he was not only to go before the lord God in the spirit and power of Ellas, or in the truth and good of the Holy Word, but also in the prudence of the just, or in a right application of that truth and good to the disobedient Jews. Accordingly it is written, that in the spirit and power of Elias, he was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons, in other words, to unite goods with truths in the Church, and then follows the result of this union in producing the prudence of the just, by virtue of which the disobedient might be worked upon, so as to become a people prepared for the lord, in other words to be regenerated.

Verse 45. And blessed is she that has believed that there shall he a performance, etc. In the common version of the New Testament, this passage is rendered, blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance, etc. but in the margin is inserted, or that believe that there etc. which appears to be the true rendering of the passage.

Verse 47. And my spirit has been glad in God my Saviour. In the common version of the New Testament this passage is rendered, my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour, but the original Greek term rendered has rejoiced signifies to be glad, and is distinguished from to rejoice. The distinction of meaning in the two terms can only be known from the internal sense, which teaches, that joy and rejoicing have respect to the principle of heavenly good and blessedness thence resulting, whereas gladness and being glad have reference to the principle of heavenly truth and it's blessedness. Hence the two terms joy and gladness are so frequently conjoined in the Word of the Old Testament, to denote the fullness of bliss arising from the joint reception of the good and the true: And hence too it is written in the Apocalypse, Let us be glad and rejoice, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, [Rev 19:7.], where a distinction is manifestly made between being glad and rejoicing, though the two terms do not stand in their right order, since the passage, in agreement with the original Greek, ought to have been rendered, let us rejoice and be glad.

Verse 51. He has made strength in his arm. In the common version of the New Testament this passage is rendered, he has shelved strength with his arm, but the original Greek literally means, He has made [or done] strength in his arm, nor is there any idea expressed of showing strength. It is to be asked, what is to be understood by making strength in his arm? It may be replied, that by his arm is meant his Humanity, as may be seen in the prophets throughout, particularly in the prophet Isaiah, wherever mention is made of the arm of Jehovah; and by making strength in His arm is further meant, that by assuming Humanity He acquired to Himself omnipotence over the hells, and thus the power of saving both angels and men.

Verse 75. In holiness and justice before Him, etc. In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered justice, is expressed by the term righteousness, but the original Greek literally means justice, or that heavenly principle which leads man to give every one his due, and thus marks a duty at once important and intelligible to every capacity; whereas the term righteousness suggests no definite idea, and consequently is a less edifying and instructive term, as not sufficiently marking any definite duty.

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