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Mark Chapter 3

    THE WORD.

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. and He entered again into the Synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand.

that the truth of the church, which had been separated from its good, is restored to conjunction, through the union of the lord's Divinity with His Humanity. (Verses 1—6.)

  1. And they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, that they might accuse Him.
  2. And He says to the man who had the withered hand, Stand up in the midst.
  3. And He says to them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life or to kill? But they were silent.
  4. And looking round about them with anger, being grieved at the hardness of their hearts, He says to the man, Stretch forth your hand! And he stretched it forth; and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Which restoration, being effected on the Sabbath day, is thought to be contrary to the sanctity of the Sabbath by those in the representative church, who are not aware that the conjunction of good and truth is the very essence of that sanctity. (Verses 2—6.)

  1. And the Pharisees went forth immediately and took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
  2. And Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea; and much multitude followed Him from Galilee, and from Judea;
  3. And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Zidon, much multitude, having heard how many things He did, came to Him.
  4. And He said to His disciples that a boat should wait on Him, because of the multitude, lest they should crowd Him.
  5. For He had healed many, insomuch that they pressed upon Him for to touch Him, as many as had plagues.
  6. And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried out, saying, You are the Son of God.

 

 

That the lord initiates His Humanity into the scientifics of the church, and His Omnipotence in the removal of evils and falses manifests itself in every direction, so that people of all descriptions seek communication with Him, and the infernals themselves confess His Divine Power. (Verses 6— 12.)

  1. And He earnestly charged them, that they should not make Him manifest.

Yet He refuses to accept infernal testimony. (Verse 12)

  1. And He goes up into a mountain, and calls to Him whom He willed, and they came to Him.
  2. And He ordained twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach,
  3. And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.

And entering, from His Divine Love, into reciprocal conjunction with those who are principled in the goods and truths of His church, He commits to them the testimony of His Divinity, and gives them power over all infernal evils and falses. (Verses 13—16.)

  1. And Simon He surnamed Peter;
  2. And James the [son] of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, and He surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
  3. And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the [son] of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
  4. And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him: and they went into an house.

The distinct qualities of these goods and truths are enumerated, from which it appears, that truth grounded in good is the first principle of the church, and that this is succeeded by truth grounded in celestial good. (Verses 16—20.)

  1. And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

For no good can be appropriated to man until truths are duly arranged in him, and they cannot be arranged except from good. (Verse 20.)

  1. And when His kins folk heard of it, they came forth to lay hold of Him, for they said, He is beside Himself.

But this arrangement of truths from good is regarded by the natural man as unnecessary and inconsistent. (Verse 21.)

  1. And the Scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He has Beelzebub, and in the Prince of the devils He casteth out devils.

And the consequent removal of evils and falses is imputed by those of the perverse church to infernal agency. (Verse 22.)

  1. And calling them [to Him], He said to them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
  2. And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
  3. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
  4. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.

When nevertheless it is an eternal truth, that infernal falses have no power, and that neither truths, nor goods, nor falses, can endure, except there be unanimity. (Verses 23-27)

  1. No one can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house.

Consequently, unless Divine Power be communicated for the subjugation of infernal falses, it is impossible that evils with their cravings can be subdued; whereas if the dominion of infernal falses be put down, in this case the dominion of evil and its cravings cannot long endure. (Verse 27.)

  1. Verily I say to you, All sins shall be remitted to the sons of men, and blasphemies, wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme;
  2. But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never remission, but is exposed to eternal damnation:
  3. Because they said, He has an unclean spirit.

Whosoever therefore denies the power of the Divine Truth proceeding from the lord's divine humanity, that is, the Word, and adulterates its essential goods, and falsifies its essential truths, must of necessity separate himself from all conjunction with the lord and His kingdom. (Verses 28, 29, 30.)

  1. Then came His brethren and mother, and, standing without, sent to Him, calling Him.
  2. And the multitude sat about Him; and they said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Thy brethren without seek You.
  3. And He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brethren?
  4. And looking round on those who sat about Him, He saith, Behold My mother and My brethren!
  5. For whoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.

For in heaven all are consociated according to spiritual relationships, which are of the good of love and of faith, and hence by "brethren" are signified all who are in the good of charity from the lord ; by "sisters" those who are in truths derived from that good; and by "mother" is signified the church grounded therein. (Verse 31, to the end of the chapter.)

Exposition

Chapter III.

verse 1. Synagogue.—See above, Exposition, chap. 1:21.

Verses 2, 4.—The reason why healings and cures were effected on the Sabbath days, see above, Exposition, chap. 1:21.

Verse 5. Being grieved at the hardness of their hearts.— "Hardness" is predicated of the confirmed state of what is false derived from evil. AC 6359.

That "hardness" denotes the obduracy and obstinacy of those who are principled in the falses of evil, see AC 7272, 7305.

As to "hardness of heart," or aversion from the Lord and the divine things of His kingdom, I will here briefly explain how the case is. All those who are in externals separate from an internal principle, avert themselves from the Lord, or from the Divine Being, for they look outwards and downwards, and not inwards and upwards; for man looks inwards or upwards, when the internal is open, thus when it is in heaven; but he looks outwards or downwards, when his internal is closed and only the external open, for this latter is in the world; wherefore when the external is separated from the internal, man cannot be elevated upwards. For that principle, into which heaven should operate, is not present, because it is closed; hence it is that all things of heaven and of the church are to them thick darkness; wherefore also they are not believed by them, but are denied in heart, by some also with the mouth. When heaven operates with man, as is the case when the internal is open, it withdraws him from the loves of self and of the world, and from the falses therein originating; for when the internal is elevated, the external is also elevated, since the latter is then kept in a similar direction of its views with the former, because it is in subordination; but when the internal cannot be elevated, because it is closed, then the external looks in no other direction than to itself and the world, for the loves of self and of the world reign. This also is called looking downwards, because to hell, for those loves reign there, and the man who is in them is in consort with those who dwell there, although he is ignorant of it; as to his interiors also he actually averts himself from the Lord, for he turns the back to Him, and the face to hell. This cannot be seen in man, whilst he lives in the body; but whereas his thought and will produce this effect, it is his spirit which thus turns itself, for the spirit is what thinks and wills in man. That this is the case, is manifestly apparent in the other life, where spirits turn themselves according to their loves; they who love the Lord and the neighbour, look continually to the Lord, yea, what is wonderful, they have Him before the face in every turning of their body; for in the spiritual world, there are not quarters, as in the natural world, but the quarter is there determined by the love of every one, which turns him. But they who love themselves and the world above all things, turn away the face from the Lord, and turn themselves to hell, and every one to those there who are in a similar love with himself, and this also in every turning of their body; hence it may be manifest what is meant by averting themselves from the Divine Being; also what is properly signified by averting themselves in the Word, as in Isaiah,—" They avert themselves backwards, confiding in a graven thing;" (Is 42:17.) and in David,—"The heart has averted itself backwards;" (Psalm 44:18.) and in Jeremiah,—" Their prevarications are multiplied, and their aversions are made strong." (Jer 5:6.) Again,—" They avert themselves, that they do not return; this people have averted themselves; Jerusalem perpetuates things averted, they refuse to return." (Jer 8:4, 5.) Again,—" They have averted themselves, they have let themselves down into the deep to dwell;" (Jer 49:8.) and in many other passages. AC 10420.

Verses 7, 9. He withdrew with His disciples to the sea, and entered into a boat or ship.—This was done, because by the "sea," and by the "lake of Genesareth," when spoken of the Lord, are signified the knowledges of Truth and Good in the aggregate, and by a "ship," doctrine; hence by "teaching from a ship," was signified that He taught from doctrine. AE 514.

Judea and Jerusalem.—See above, Exposition, chap. 1:5.

Verse 8. Tyre and Sidon.—Tyre and Sidon were the ultimate borders of Philistia, and were near the sea, and therefore by "Tyre" are signified interior knowledges, and by "Sidon" exterior knowledges, and this of things spiritual, as also appears from the Word. AC 1201.

Verses 10, 11. He healed as many as had plagues, and unclean spirits, when they saw Him, &c.—By "plagues" and "evil spirits" are understood obsessions and calamitous states inflicted on men, in such case by evil spirits, all which, nevertheless, signified correspondent spiritual states; for all the healings of diseases effected by the Lord, signified spiritual healings, hence the Lord's miracles were divine. AE 584.

Verses 13, 14, 16. And He goes up into a mountain, and calls to Him whom He willed, and they came to Him; and He ordained twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach. And Simon He surnamed Peter.—The reason why the Lord so often went up into a mountain, and especially to the Mount of Olives, was, because "mountains," amongst the most ancient people, signified the Lord, because it was their practice to worship Him on mountains. For as much as mountains are the highest parts of the earth, hence "mountains" also signified things celestial, which they also called the highest things, consequently love and charity, thus the good things of love and charity which are celestial. AC 795, 2708.

In the Word of the Evangelists, by the Apostle Peter is understood truth grounded in good, which is from the Lord, and likewise in the opposite sense truth separate from good. And whereas truth is of faith and good is of charity, by him also is understood faith grounded in charity, and likewise faith separate from charity; for the twelve apostles, like the twelve tribes of Israel, represented the church as to all things belonging to it, thus as to truths and goods, for all things of the church have reference to those two principles as to faith and love; for truths are of faith, and goods are of love. In general, Peter, James, and John, represented faith, charity, and the works of charity; wherefore those three followed the Lord more than the rest, and therefore it is said of them in Mark,— "He did not permit any one to follow Him, except Peter, James, and John." (Mark 5:37.) And whereas truth grounded in good which is from the Lord, is the first principle of the church, therefore Peter was first called by Andrew his brother, afterwards James and John, as is manifest in Matthew:—"Jesus walking at the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers; and He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men: and immediately leaving their nets, they followed Him." (Matt 4:18, 19, 20.) And in John,— "Andrew found his brother Simon, and says to him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ; he leads him therefore to Jesus; and Jesus, beholding him, says to him, You are Simon the son of Jonah: you shall be called Cephas, which, being interpreted, is Peter." (John 1:41, 42, 43.) And in Mark,—"Jesus going up into a mountain, calls to Him whom He willed, first Simon, whom He surnamed Peter; afterwards James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James." (Mark 3:13, 16,17.) The reason why Peter was the first of the apostles, was, because truth grounded in good is the first principle of the church; for man acquires no knowledge from the world concerning heaven and hell, nor concerning a life after death, nor even concerning God; his natural lumen teaches nothing but what enters by the eyes; thus nothing but what relates to the world and himself; his life likewise is thence derived, and so long as man is solely in those principles, he is in hell: it is therefore necessary for the purpose of his being brought out thence, and introduced into heaven, that he learn truths which may not only teach that there is a God, that there is a heaven and a hell, and that there is a life after death, but may also teach the way to heaven. Hence it may be manifest that truth is the first principle by which the church is implanted in man; this truth however must be grounded in good, since truth without good is merely the knowledge that a thing is so, and knowledge alone has no effect but to make man capable of becoming a church; but he does not become a church until he lives according to knowledges, in which case truth is conjoined to good, and man is introduced into the church. Truths also teach how man ought to live; and when on such occasion he is affected with truths, for the sake of truths, as is the case when he loves to live according to them, he is then led of the Lord, and conjunction with heaven is granted to him, and he becomes spiritual, and after death an angel of heaven. It is nevertheless to be noted, that truths do not produce these effects, but good by truths, and good is from the Lord. Inasmuch as truth grounded in good, which is from the Lord, is the first principle of the church, therefore Peter was first called, and was the first of the apostles; he was also named by the Lord, Cephas, which is a rock [Petra], but that it might be the name of a person, it is pronounced Peter [Petrus]. By "rock," in the supreme sense, is signified the Lord as to Divine Truth, or Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, hence in the respective sense by "rock" is signified truth grounded in good which is from the Lord, and the like by Peter. AE 820.

Verse 17. And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and He surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder.—By "sons of thunder" are signified truths grounded in celestial good. The reason why those truths are signified by "thunders"in the Word, is, because in the spiritual world are also heard thunders, which exist from truths grounded in celestial good, whilst they descend from the superior heavens into the inferior; the light of truth grounded in good, on such occasions, appears as lightning, the good itself as thunder, and the truths themselves thence derived as variations of sound. Hence it is that in the Word throughout, mention is made of "lightnings," of "thunders," and "voices," by which those things are signified. The reason why good is there heard as thunder, is, because good, which is of the affection or love of man, also which is of his will, does not speak, but only utters a sound, whereas truth, which is of the understanding, and thence of the thought of man, articulates that sound by expression of words; celestial good is the same thing with the good of love in the will and in the act, nor is it celestial good until this is the case, and this is what produces truths by thought and the speech thence derived. From these considerations it is evident from what ground it is that James and John were called "sons of thunder." AE 821.

Verses 24, 25, 27. And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand; and if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. No one can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his goods,—" House," in the internal sense, is the natural mind, for the natural mind, as also the rational mind, is like a house, in which the husband is good, the wife is truth, the daughters and sons are affections of good and of truth, also the goods and truths which are derived from them as parents; the maid-servants and men-servants are pleasures and scientifics, which minister and confirm. That the natural mind and the rational mind of man is called a "house," is evident from the following passage in Luke:—" When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he wanders through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, I will return to my house whence I came forth; and when he comes, he finds it swept and garnished: then goes he, and takes seven other spirits worse than the first, and entering in they dwell there." (Luke 11:24, 25, 26.) In this passage "house" denotes the natural mind, which is called an "empty house and swept," when there are in it no goods and truths, which are husband and wife, nor the affections of good and of truth, which are daughters and sons, nor such things as confirm, which are maid-servants and men-servants. Man himself is the house, because the natural mind and the rational make the man, and without them, that is, without goods and truths, and their affections, and the ministry of these affections, he is not a man but a brute. The mind of man is also meant by a house in these words, in the same Evangelist,—" Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house against a house falls." (Luke 11:17.) And in Mark,—" If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand; and if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. No one can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house." (Mark 3:24, 25, 27.) By "kingdom" in this passage is signified truth, AC 1672, 2547, 4601; and by "house" good, AC 2233, 2234, 3710, 4982. AC 5023.

Verses 28, 29. Verily I say to you, All sins shall be remitted to men, and blasphemies with which soever they shall blaspheme; but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit has never remission, but is exposed to eternal judgement.—What is signified by "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," and by a "word against the Son of Man," has not yet been known in the church, and this by reason of its not having been known what is properly meant by the Holy Spirit, and what properly by the Son of Man. By the "Holy Spirit" is meant the Lord as to Divine Truth, such as it is in the heavens, thus the Word such as it is in the spiritual sense, for this is Divine Truth in heaven; and by the "Son of Man" is meant Divine Truth such as it is in the earths, thus the Word such as it is in the natural sense, for this is the Divine Truth in the earths. When it is known what is signified by the "Holy Spirit," and what by the "Son of Man," it is known also what is signified by "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," and what by a "word against the Son of Man;" it may also be known why the sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be remitted, and why a word against the Son of Man can be remitted. For "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" consist in denying the Word, also in adulterating its essential goods, and falsifying its essential truths; but a "word against the Son of Man" consists in interpreting the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, according to appearances. The reason why a denial of the Word is a sin which cannot be remitted in this age, nor in that which is to come, or to eternity, and why it exposes to eternal judgement, is, because they who deny the Word, deny a God, deny the Lord, deny a heaven and a hell, and deny the church and all things belonging to it; and they who deny those things are Atheists, who, although they say with their lips that the creation of the universe is the work of some Highest Being, Deity, or God, yet in heart they ascribe it to Nature; such persons, inasmuch as by denial they have loosened every bond of connection with the Lord, must of necessity be separated from heaven, and conjoined to hell. The reason why the adulteration of the essential goods of the Word, and the falsification of its essential truths, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which also cannot be remitted, is, because by the Holy Spirit is meant the Lord, as to Divine Truth, such as it is in the heavens, thus the Word such as it is in the spiritual sense, as was said above. For in the spiritual sense are genuine goods and genuine truths, but in the natural sense are the same goods and truths as it were clothed, and not naked except here and there, wherefore these are called apparent goods and truths; these are what are adulterated and falsified, and they are said to be adulterated and falsified when they are explained contrary to genuine goods and truths, for in such case heaven removes itself, and man is put to pieces from it, by reason that genuine goods and truths, as was said above, constitute the spiritual sense of the Word, in which the angels of heaven are principled. As for example:—If the Lord and His Divinity be denied, as was done by the Pharisees, who said that the Lord worked miracles from Beelzebub, and had an unclean spirit, this is to commit sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, because it is against the Word. Hence also it is that Socinians and Arians, who, although they do not deny the Lord, still deny His Divinity, are out of heaven, and cannot be received by any angelic society. To take another example. They who exclude the good of love and the works of charity from the means of salvation, and assume faith exclusively as the only means, and confirm themselves in this idea, not only bv doctrine, but also by life, saying in their hearts,—" Goods do not save me, neither do evils condemn me, because I have faith;" these also blaspheme the Holy Spirit, for they falsify the genuine goods and truths of the Word, and this in a thousand passages, where love and charity, deeds and works, are named. Moreover, as was said above, in all and singular things of the Word, there is a marriage of good and truth, thus of charity and faith, wherefore when good or charity is taken away, that marriage perishes, and adultery is committed in its place; hence it is, that neither are such persons received into heaven. The reason also is, because in the place of heavenly love they have earthly love, and in the place of good works they have evil works, inasmuch as they proceed from earthly love, which, separate from heavenly love, is infernal love. But it is otherwise with those who indeed believe from the doctrine of the church, and from teachers, that faith is the only means of salvation, or who know, and do not interiorly affirm or deny, and still live well, under the guidance of the Word, that is, because it is commanded by the Lord in the Word: these do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit, for they do not adulterate the goods of the Word, nor falsify its truths, wherefore they have conjunction with the angels of heaven; Few of them also know that faith is any thing else than to believe the Word; the doctrine of justification by faith alone without the works of the law they do not comprehend, because it transcends their understanding. These two examples are adduced to the intent that it may be known what is meant by "sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit," and that sin against the Holy Spirit consists in denying the Divine Truth, thus the Word, and that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists in adulterating the essential Goods of the Word, and in falsifying

its essential Truths. The reason why a "word against the Son of Man" signifies to interpret the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, according to appearances, is, Because by the "Son of Man" is meant the Lord, as to Divine Truth, such as it is in the earths, thus such as it is in the natural sense; and the reason why this "word" is remitted to man, is, Because most things in the natural sense, or in the sense of the letter of the Word, are goods and truths clothed, and only some naked, as in its spiritual sense; and goods and truths clothed are called appearances of truth. For the Word in the ultimates is as a man clad in clothing, who yet as to the face and hands is naked, and where the Word is thus naked, there its goods and truths appear naked as in heaven, thus such as they are in the spiritual sense; wherefore it can never come to pass but that the doctrine of genuine good and genuine truth, derived from the sense of the letter of the Word, may be seen by those who are enlightened of the Lord, and be confirmed by those who are not enlightened. The reason why the Word is such in the sense of the letter, is, that it may be a basis for the spiritual sense; hereby also it is accommodated to the apprehension of the simple, who can only perceive those things which are so said, and when they perceive, can believe and do them. And whereas Divine Truths, in the sense of the letter of the Word, are most of them appearances of truth, and the simple in faith and heart cannot be elevated above those appearances, hence it is not sin and blasphemy to interpret the Word according to appearances, if so be principles are not formed from them, and these confirmed even to the destruction of Divine Truth in its genuine sense. AE 778.

By "saying a word against the Holy Spirit" is meant to speak well and to think ill, and to do well and to will ill, respecting those things which relate to the Lord, His kingdom and church, and also which relate to the Word, for thereby a false principle lies concealed inwardly in the truths which are spoken, and in the goods which are done, which false principle is hidden poison, whence they are called an offspring of vipers. In the other life it is allowed to an evil spirit to speak what is evil and false, but not what is good and true, inasmuch as all in that life are compelled to speak from the heart, and not to divide the mind; they who do otherwise are separated from the rest, and are immersed deep in hells, from which they can never come forth. That such are they who are meant by "saying a word against the Holy Spirit," is manifest from the Lord's words on the occasion,—" Either make the tree good and the fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and the fruit corrupt; how can you speak what is good when you are evil?" (Matt 12:33, 34.) The "Holy Spirit" is the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Holy, Divine Principle Itself, which is thus principally and materially blasphemed. The reason why it will not be remitted to them is, because hypocrisy or deceit about holy Divine things infects the interiors of man, and destroys the all of spiritual life belonging to him. AC 9013. See also, AC 882, 9264, 9818. Also, DP 98, 231. Also, TCR 299.

" Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" is blasphemy against the Lord's Divinity, and "blasphemy against the Son of Man" is something against the Word, by giving a wrong interpretation of its meaning; for the "Son of Man" is the Lord as to the Word, as was shown above. D. Lord. 50.

Verses 31—35. Then came His brethren and mother, and, standing without, sent to Him. And looking round on those who sat about Him, He says, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.—That a "servant" denotes the Humanity belonging to the Lord, before it was made Divine, may be manifest from several passages in the Prophets; the reason is, as has been occasionally observed above, that the Humanity belonging to the Lord was nothing else but a servant, before He put it off and made it Divine. For the Humanity belonging to Him was from the mother, thus an infirm Humanity, having with it an hereditary principle thence derived, which He conquered by temptation-combats, and altogether expelled, insomuch that there remained nothing of the infirm and hereditary principle derived from the mother; yea, at length, nothing at all from the mother, so that He totally put off the maternal principle, in such a manner as to be no longer her son. To this purpose He Himself also says in Mark,—" They said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Your brethren, standing without, seek You; and He answered them, saying, Who is My mother or My brethren? And looking round about on them who sat near Him, He said, Behold My mother and My brethren; for whoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and My mother." (Mark 3:32-35; Matt 12:46-49; Luke 8:20, 21.) And when He put off this Humanity, He put on a Divine Humanity, from which He called Himself the Son of Man, as on several occasions in the Word of the New Testament, also the Son of God; and by the "Son of Man" was signified the essential Truth, and by the "Son of God" the essential Good, which His Human Essence had when made Divine. The former state was that of the Lord's humiliation, but the latter of His glorification, concerning which, see above, AC 1999. In the former state, namely, of humiliation, when as yet He had an infirm Humanity belonging to Him, He adored Jehovah as one distinct from Himself, regarding Himself as a servant, for the Humanity respectively is nothing but a servant. AC 2159.

It is to be noted that the Lord successively and continually, even to the last moment of life, when He was glorified, separated from Himself, and put off what was merely Human, namely, what He derived from the mother, until at length He was no longer her son, but the Son of God, not only as to conception, but also as to nativity, and thus One with the Father; and Himself Jehovah. That He separated from Himself, and put off all the Humanity which He had from the mother, so that He was no longer her son, is manifest from the Lord's words in Matthew,—"A certain person said, Behold, Your mother and Your brethren stand without, seeking to speak with You; but Jesus answering, said, Who is My mother, and who My brethren? And stretching forth His hands over His disciples, He said, Behold My mother and My brethren! for whoever shall do the will of My Father who is in the heavens, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother." AC 4649.

My brethren,—The reason why the Lord calls those His "brethren" who do the will of His Father, is, because in heaven no other affinities are given but such as are spiritual, thus no other fraternities; for in heaven they do not become brethren by virtue of any natural nativity, and they too, who have been brethren in the world, do not there know each other, but every one knows another from the good of love; they who are most conjoined in that good, are as brethren, and the rest, according to conjunction by good, are as relations and also as friends. Hence it is that by "brother," in the Word, is signified the good of love. That in heaven all are consociated according to spiritual relationships, which are of the good of love and of faith, and that they know each other as relations, see the "Treatise on Heaven and Hell," 205, and AC 685, 917, 2739, 3815, 4121. That hence by "brethren" in the Word are meant those who are conjoined by good, see AC 2360, 3303, 3803, 10490. AE 46.

By the "disciples," over whom the Lord stretched forth His hand, are signified all who are of His church; by His "brethren" are signified those who are in the good of charity from Him; by "sisters" those who are in truths derived from that good; and by "mother" is signified the church consisting of such. AE 746. See also AC 685, 917, 2739, 3815. NJHD 9.

Verse 35. Whosoever shall do the will of God, &c.—By "doing the will of God," is understood to do His precepts, or to live according to them from the affection of love or charity. The "will of the Lord" is, in the Old Testament, called His good pleasure, and in like manner signifies the Divine Love; and to "do His good pleasure," or "His will," signifies to love God and our neighbour, thus to live according to the Lord's precepts. AE 295.

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