What the Writings Testify
What the Writings Testify
CHAPTER 9
Every Divine revelation is the Word of the Lord
"In John we read: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
God was the Word' ...Few know what is here meant by 'the Word': That it is the Lord is
evident from the particulars involved. And the internal sense teaches that the Lord as to
the Divine Human is meant by the Word, for it is said that the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. And because the Divine Human is meant, therefore
by 'the Word' is understood all Divine truth which is concerning Him and from Him in his
kingdom in the heavens and in His church on earth. Hence it is said that in Him was life,
and the life was the light of men, and the light appeared in the darkness. And because
truth is meant, therefore by the Word is meant every Revelation, thus also the Word itself
or the Holy Scripture."
- Arcana Coelestia 2894
"Divine doctrine is Divine truth, and all Divine truth is the Word of the Lord
(Divinum Verum est omne Verbum Domini). The Divine doctrine itself is the Word in the
supreme sense, in which it treats of the Lord alone; thence the Divine Doctrine is the
Word in the internal sense, in which it treats of the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and
the earths; Divine doctrine is also the Word in the literal sense, in which it treats of
the things which are in the world and on the earth ...For it is known that the Lord is the
Word, that is, all Divine truth..."
-Arcana Coelestia 3712
"As regards the Word, the case is this: In the most ancient time, when there was a
celestial church, there was not a Word, for the men of that church had the Word inscribed
upon their hearts. For the Lord taught them immediately through heaven what was good and
thence what was true, and He gave them both to perceive from love and charity and to know
from revelation. To them the Lord was the Word itself. After this church another succeeded
which was not celestial, but spiritual. This, in the beginning, had no other Word than
what had been collected from (ab) the most ancient [people]. This was representative of
the Lord as well as significative of His kingdom; thus to them the internal sense was the
Word itself. That they also had a written Word, historical as well as prophetical, which
is no longer extant, and that in it similarly there was an internal sense.... may be seen
above, n. 2686..."
- Arcana Coelestia 3432
And the Lord is Doctrine itself, that is, the Word, not only as to the supreme sense
there, but also as to the internal sense, yea, even as to the literal sense ..."
- Arcana Coelestia 3393
"...All Divine truth in general is called 'the Word', and the Lord Himself, from
Whom is all Divine truth, is the Word in a supreme sense..."
- Arcana Coelestia 5075
In regard to 'this word' (Gen. 41:28), a thing (res) is called 'a word' in the original
tongue; thence also a Divine revelation is called the Word, and even, in the supreme
sense, the Lord. And by the Word, when it is predicated of the Lord and also of a
revelation from (ab) Him, in the proximate sense is meant the Divine truth from which all
things that are things (res) have their existence..."
- Arcana Coelestia 5272
"'And God spake all these words, saying,' that this means Divine truths for those
in heaven and on earth, appears from the signification of 'the words which God spake,' as
meaning Divine truths, for the things which God speaks are nothing but truths. Hence also
the Divine truth is called the Word, and the Word is the Lord..."
- Arcana Coelestia 8861
The Divine truth is the Lord Himself in heaven. For what proceeds from Him is He
Himself; from the Divine nothing else can proceed than the Divine, and the Divine is
one..."
- Arcana Coelestia 10646
"Because the Lord is the Word, He is also Doctrine. For there is no other Doctrine
which is itself Divine ...
- Arcana Coelestia 2533:3
"From love toward the human race the Lord has made such revelations as will ...
conduce to man's salvation. What the Divine has revealed, is with us the Word."
- Arcana Coelestia 10320
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