The Four Leading Doctrines of the New Church

the Lord, wherefore it is said, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men:”—Life is Divine Love, and Light is Divine Wisdom. This oneness is what is meant by these words: “In the beginning—the Word was with God, and God was the Word:”—with God, means to be in him; for wisdom is in love, and love in wisdom. So also in another place in John: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee, before the world was” (chap. xvii. 5). With thy own self, means, in thyself: wherefore it is also said, and God was the Word: and elsewhere, that the Lord is in the Father, and the Father in him, as well as, that the Father and he are one. Now as the Word is the Divine Wisdom of the Divine Love, it follows, that it is Jehovah himself, thus the Lord, by whom all things were made that are made, for all things were created from the Divine Love by the Divine Wisdom.

2. That the Word which is here specifically meant is the same that was manifested by Moses, and the Prophets, and by the Evangelists, may evidently appear from this consideration; that this is Divine Truth Itself, from which is derived all the wisdom that exists with angels, and all spiritual intelligence with men. For angels have in the heavens the very same Word that men have in the world, save only that with men it is natural, whereas, in the heavens it is spiritual. And since the Word is Divine Truth, it is also the Divine Proceeding, and this is not only from the Lord but is also the Lord Himself. As this Word is thus the Lord Himself, each and all [things] of the Word are written in reference to him alone: from Isaiah even to Malachi, there is nothing given which is not concerning the Lord, or, in the opposite sense, contrary to the Lord. That this is the case, has not heretofore been seen by any one; but yet every one may see it, provided he is apprised of it, and thinks of it whilst he is reading; and is informed further, that in the word there is not only a natural but also a spiritual sense; and that in this sense, by the names of persons and of places, is signified something of the Lord, and thence something of heaven and the church from him, or something opposite thereto. Now as each and all things of the Word have reference to the Lord; and as the Word, because it is Divine Truth, is the Lord; it clearly appears why it is said, “and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory;” and also why it is said, “While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” Light is the Divine Truth,—thus the Word: wherefore every one, even at the present day, who, when reading the Word, approaches the Lord alone, and prays to him, is enlightened by it.