Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 1:9
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AR 32. Verse 9. I John, who also am your brother and companion, signifies those who are in the good of charity, and thence in the truths of faith. It was said in (n. 5), that the apostle John represented those who are in the good of charity; and those who are in the good of charity are also in the truths of faith, because charity is the soul and life of faith; hence it is, that John calls himself the brother and companion of those in the church to whom he writes, for he wrote to the seven churches. By "brother," in the spiritual sense of the Word, is meant one who is in the good of charity; and by "companion" one who is thence in the truths of faith; for all are, as it were, in consanguinity by charity, but in affinity by faith; for charity conjoins; not so faith, except it be from charity. When faith is from charity, then charity conjoins, and faith consociates; and since they make one, therefore the Lord commanded that all should be "brethren," for he says:--

One is your Teacher, Christ, but all ye are brethren (Matt. 23:8).

The Lord, also, calls those "brethren" who are in the good of charity, or in the good of life; for He said:--

My mother and my brethren are these, who hear the Word of God, and do it (Luke 8:21; Matt. 12:49; Mark 3:33-35).

By "mother," is meant the church, and by "brethren," those who are in charity; and because the good of charity is a "brother," therefore the Lord calls those who are in it "brethren," also in (Matt. 25:40), and so also disciples (Matt. 28:10; John 20:17). But we do not read that the disciples called the Lord brother, because "brother" is the good which is from the Lord; this is comparatively as it is with a king, prince and magnate, who call their relatives and neighbors brethren, but yet the latter do not in their turn call them so; for the Lord says:--

One is your Teacher, Christ, but all ye are brethren (Matt. 23:8);

also:--

Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say rightly, for so I am (John 13:13).

The sons of Israel called all those brethren who were from their father Jacob; and in a more extensive sense, those also who were from Esau; but such as were not from them they called companions. But because the Word, in its spiritual sense, treats only of those who are in the Lord‘s church, therefore in that sense, by "brethren," are meant those who are in the good of charity from the Lord, and by "companions," those who are in the truths of faith; as in the following passages:--

Thus shall ye say everyone to his companion, and everyone to his brother, What hath Jehovah answered? (Jer. 23:35).

Ye have not proclaimed liberty everyone to his brother, and everyone to his companion (Jer. 34:17).

Let no one press his companion, nor his brother (Deut. 15:1, 2).

For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say (Ps. 122:8).

Everyone helpeth his companion, and saith to his brother, Strengthen thyself (Isa. 41:6).

And in the opposite sense

Take ye heed everyone of his companion, and trust not in any brother; for every brother will supplant, and every companion slandereth (Jer. 9:4).

I will mingle Egypt with Egypt, that one may fight against his brother, and against his companion (Isa. 19:2);

and in other places. These are adduced, that it may be known why John calls himself "brother and companion;" and that by "brother" in the Word, is meant one who is in charity or in good, and, by "companion" one who is in faith or in truth. But because charity is from faith, therefore none are called "companions" by the Lord, but "brethren" or "neighbor;" everyone also is a neighbor according to the quality of good (Luke 10:36, 37).

AR 33. In affliction and in the kingdom and patient expectation of Jesus Christ, signifies which in the church are infested by evils and falsities, but which will be removed by the Lord when He comes. By "affliction" is meant the state of the church when there are no longer any goods of charity and truths of faith, but in place of them evils and falsities; by "the kingdom," is meant the church; and, by "patient expectation of Jesus Christ," is meant the Lord‘s coming; therefore these words, "In affliction and in the kingdom and patient expectation of Jesus Christ," when collated into one sense, signify when the goods and truths of the church are infested by evils and falsities, but which will be removed by the Lord when he comes. That by "affliction" is meant the state of the church when it is infested by evils and falsities, is evident from the following:--

In the consummation of the age, they shall deliver you up into affliction, and shall kill you. There shall be great affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the world, nor shall be. After the affliction of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (Matt. 24:9, 21, 29; Mark 13:19, 24).

That "the kingdom" signifies the church, will be seen in what follows.

AR 34. I was in the island called Patmos, signifies a state and place in which he could be enlightened. The reason that the Revelation was made to John in Patmos, was, because it was an island in Greece, not far from the land of Canaan, and between Asia and Europe; and by "islands" are signified the Gentiles more remote from the worship of God, but yet which are about to draw near to it, because they can be enlightened. The same is signified by Greece; but the church itself is signified by "the land of Canaan"; by "Asia," those of the church who are in the light of truth from the Word; and, by "Europe," those to whom the Word is about to come; thence it is, that by "the island of Patmos," is signified a state and place in which he could be enlightened. That by "islands" in the Word are signified the nations which are more remote from the worship of God, but which yet will draw near to it, is evident from these passages:--

Honor Jehovah in the Urim, the name of the God of Israel in the Islands of the sea (Isa. 24:15).

He shall not extinguish nor break until He set judgment in the earth, and let the islands hope in His law. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, the islands and the inhabitants thereof shall give glory unto Jehovah; and proclaim His praise in the islands (Isa. 13:4, 10, 12).

Attend O Islands unto Me; and ye peoples from afar (Isa. 49:1).

The islands shall hope in Me, and on Mine arm shall they trust (Isa. 51:5).

The islands shall trust in Me, and the ships of Tarshish (Isa. 60:9).

Hear the Words of Jehovah, O ye nations, and proclaim it in the Islands from afar (Jer. 31:10).

And that they should adore Jehovah everyone in his place, all the Islands of the nations (Zeph. 2:11);

and elsewhere. That the same is signified by "Greece," is not so evident from the Word, because Greece is mentioned only in (Daniel 8:21; 10:20; 11:2; John 12:20; Mark 7:26). That by "the land of Canaan" is meant the Lord’s church, which is thence called "the Holy Land," and "the heavenly Canaan," is evident from many passages in the Word; that by "Asia" are meant those in the church who are in the light of truth from the Word, may be seen in (n. 11); and that by "Europe," those to whom the Word is about to come, is evident.

AR 35. For the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, signifies that the Divine truth from the Word may be received from the heart and so in the light, and that the Lord‘s Human might be acknowledged to be Divine; this was explained in (n. 6).

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info