Chapter Three

John Prepares the Way for Jesus

1. And in the fifteenth year of the governing of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip being tetrarch of Iturea and of the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

2. In [the time] of the chief priests Annas and Caiaphas, the saying of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3. And he came into all the countryside of Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,

4. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of [one] crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.

5. Every valley shall be filled full, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth;

6. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

7. Then he said to the crowds that went out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers, who has shown you to flee from the anger to come?

8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say in yourselves, “We have Abraham for [our] father”; for I say to you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

9. And also the axe is already laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree not making good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.”

10. And the crowds asked him, saying, “What then shall we do?”

11. And answering, he says to them, “He that has two tunics, let him share with him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise.”

12. And the publicans also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13. And he said to them, “Exact no more than that which you have been instructed.”

14. And the soldiers also asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do violence to no one, neither accuse [any] falsely, and be content with your wages.”

15. And as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether or not he were the Christ,

16. John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but there comes One stronger than I, the strap of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose; He shall baptize you with [the] Holy Spirit and fire;

17. Whose fan [is] in His hand, and He will purge His floor, and will gather His wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

18. And exhorting in many other things indeed, he announced the gospel to the people.

19. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

20. Added yet this to all, that he shut up John in prison.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, religion had lost its true meaning. It no longer served to connect people to God or to one another. Instead of a true understanding of God’s loving nature, it pictured Him as angry and vengeful—a tyrant who would punish all those who did not obey every last letter of the law handed down by Moses. In brief, God was seen as an absolute dictator who did good to those who favored Him, and did evil to those who opposed Him. ¹

This idea of God, which is reflected in many passages in the Hebrew Bible, is a sad but accurate picture of the human attributes which people of that time projected upon God. While it provides a true picture of the human condition during that era, we now know that it is a wholly inaccurate picture of God. And yet, this idea of God had so captured the human imagination at that time, that there was no way of dispelling it. No amount of revelation, or thunder from heaven, or angelic intervention could pierce the darkness. God Himself had come to earth and clothed Himself in human flesh so that people could gradually be led out of their false ideas and into a true idea of God. He came to show that the nature of Divine Love is not selective, and that it condemns no one. Rather it is a pure love for the whole human race—a genuine love for the neighbor. ²

Unfortunately, at the time of Jesus’ birth, the letter of the Word was not used to uplift and inspire. Instead, religious leaders used it to instill fear and to keep people in spiritual bondage. The religious leaders set themselves up as human intermediaries between God’s supposed wrath and the wicked state of humanity. These corrupt religious leaders, capitalizing on the fear and ignorance of the people, devised numerous ways that people could purchase their salvation and, thereby, avoid the wrath of God.

An important aspect of this corrupt system was that all transactions had to go through the religious leaders who offered prayers on behalf of the people, made burnt offerings, performed ceremonial washings, and encouraged the people to make generous contributions to the temple treasury. In addition, the religious leaders established man-made traditions and elaborate rituals that became more important than the commandments of God. In all of this, they lost sight of God’s abundant love and mercy. In many ways, the state of religion in those days could be described as a barren and dry wilderness. ³

It was at this time that John, the son of Zacharias, had grown wise enough and strong enough to proclaim the truth. He came as prophesied long ago by Isaiah: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low; and the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways made smooth. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Isaiah 3:4-6).

The coming of John the Baptist represents a turning point in the life of every human being. It marks that moment when the letter of the Word rings true, and touches something at the very core of our being. It is as though a voice has cried out in the barren wilderness of our lives—the voice of truth. It is like a fountain of fresh water springing up in a dry, parched wasteland. This is the Word of God springing to life in us, with strong literal teachings that bring about a revolution in our way of thinking. The literal teachings of the Word begin to have a profound effect on us. They wake us up, like a dip in a cold stream, and they speak to us directly about the need to change our lives.

It is John the Baptist, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, telling us in no uncertain terms that we must repent and bear fruit. “Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance…. Every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire’” (Luke 3:7-9).

John the Baptist, then, represents the direct and plain statements in the letter of the Word. These are the teachings that tell us, first and foremost, to repent. They tell us to put away selfishness so that we may serve the neighbor justly and generously. Again and again, the people came to John saying, “What shall we do?” And each time John gave them straightforward answers about the external conduct of their lives. To the people He said, “If you have two tunics, give to him who has none. And if anyone is without food, he should be fed.” To the tax collectors, He said, “Collect no more than what is appointed to you.” And to the soldiers He said, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely. And be content with your wages” (Luke 3:11-14).

It is to be noted that John the Baptist, who represents the literal truth of the Word, tells people what to do. The baptism that he offers is a baptism in simple obedience—obedience to the literal teachings of the Word. But this is to be followed by an even greater baptism. As John says, “I indeed baptize you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire”.

The baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire is the greater baptism. But what does this mean? What does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? And what does it mean to be baptized with fire?

Beyond Water Baptism

16. John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but there comes One stronger than I, the strap of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose; He shall baptize you with [the] Holy Spirit and fire;

17. Whose fan [is] in His hand, and He will purge His floor, and will gather His wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

18. And exhorting in many other things indeed, he announced the gospel to the people.

19. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

20. Added yet this to all, that he shut up John in prison.

In essence, our “baptism with water” is our introduction to the most basic truths of religion. We learn that there is a God, that there is a heaven and a hell, and that we must obey the Ten Commandments. We learn that we should share, that we should not steal, that we should not bear false witness, and that we should be content with what we have. In this regard, a baptism with “water” represents our introduction to the basic, fundamental truths—the truths that teach us how to live in the world.

But this is only a beginning. The baptism with the Holy Spirit and the baptism with fire, take us beyond the introductory truths of water baptism. They refer to the coming of Jesus Christ into our lives with His “Holy Spirit” (the ability to understand higher truth) and with “Holy Fire” (the power to live according to that higher truth).  Just as John the Baptist comes into our lives with literal truths that begin our spiritual development—truths that tell us what to do,  Jesus comes into our lives with deeper insights into those truths, and the power to live according to those insights. Beyond learning what to do, which is represented by our water baptism, we also need to learn how to be, which is represented by the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire.

In the course of our spiritual development, there comes a time when our attitudes take precedence over our actions. We reach a point when we realize that although the actions of our body are important, the intentions of our heart are even more important. In other words, we begin to understand that before our external actions can be truly good, our internal motives must be purified of selfish ambition. It’s not just about actions and words; it’s also about thoughts and feelings. As it is written in sacred scripture, “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:4). ⁴

The baptism of John, then, introduces us to the literal truths of the Word. These introductory truths are our baptism by “water”; they tell us what to do. But the baptism of Jesus takes us deeper. It is a baptism that enlightens our mind with higher truth. In sacred scripture, this is called “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Then comes the final baptism. Jesus not only enlightens our minds with higher truth, but also fills our heart with heavenly love. This is our “baptism of fire.” ⁵

Dealing with the useless “chaff”

John adds that when Jesus comes to baptize us “with the Holy Spirit and with fire,” He will use His winnowing fan to “thoroughly purge His threshing floor” (Luke 3:17). This is an image of how farmers separate the good and useful wheat from the chaff. In order to do this, the farmer uses a winnowing fork to toss the grain up into the air, allowing the wind to blow the lighter chaff to the side while the heavier wheat falls straight to the floor. Once this is done, the farmer gathers the good wheat into his barn, and burns the useless chaff.

Taken literally, this is a frightening prospect. It sounds as though God intends to eternally punish sinners in the unquenchable fires of hell. As it is written, when Jesus comes, “He will gather His wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:17). There is, however, another way of reading this passage. It can also be read as an eternal promise that God will come into our lives with the Holy Spirit of truth and the Holy Fire of love to blow away and burn up all that is evil and false within us.

Every false thought and negative emotion—the useless “chaff” of our lives—will be winnowed away and burned up in the unquenchable, endless fire of God’s love. ⁶

Interpreting the passage in this way is consistent with the teaching that God, who is pure love, punishes no one. Rather, everyone experiences the consequences that are associated with the way of life that is freely chosen. People who choose to “burn with anger” about a perceived offense, or harbor a “fiery hatred” for people they despise are already experiencing the unquenchable fire of hell. As Jesus said in a previous gospel, anyone who calls his brother a fool “is in danger of hellfire” (Matthew 5:22).

With this in mind, we can take another look at John’s declaration that although he would baptize with water, Jesus would be coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. In essence, John is saying, “I can baptize you with water, but it will do you no good unless you also allow the Lord to change your mind with His Holy Spirit and change your heart with the fire of His love.”

Herod’s desire

If, however, we freely choose to turn away from this sacred fire, we plunge ourselves into the hellish cravings associated with selfish ambition and the infernal desires associated with materialistic gain. Selfish pleasures, which are the opposite of heavenly delights, are never enough. Like all addictive drives, they are insatiable hungers that cannot be filled, incessant longings that cannot be satisfied, yearnings and “unquenchable fires” that cannot be extinguished. In brief, they are described in sacred scripture as “hellfire”—limitless desires that can never be appeased. ⁷

This was especially true of Herod, a corrupt ruler whose evil practices were well-known. Most notably, Herod burned with the lustful desire to take his brother’s wife. So great was Herod’s adulterous desire that he divorced his wife and unlawfully married his sister-in-law, the wife of his half-brother, Phillip. Earlier, when John the Baptist rebuked Herod for taking his brother’s wife, Herod refused to listen. Now, as John warns about the unquenchable fire that is about to come, Herod takes it personally. Believing that John the Baptist has now gone too far, Herod is determined to imprison him.

The literal story of Herod’s desire to imprison John the Baptist contains an eternal truth: that which is evil and false within us despises and fears what is good and true. Just as Herod refuses to listen to John the Baptist, there is something in each of us that will not listen to the voice of God, even if it is as simple and direct as, “Honor your father and your mother,” “You shall not murder,” “You not commit adultery,” “You shall not steal,” or “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This is the part of us that says, “No one can tell me what to do.” “I don’t want to hear what the Word of God has to say.” “I don’t care about the Ten Commandments.” Or, as it is written in the language of sacred scripture, “Herod shut up John in prison” (Luke 3:20).

A practical application

There are times when losses, hurts, or disappointments might arise in our mind. Perhaps it is a memory of a time when we were treated unfairly, or a time when someone let us down, or a time when we didn’t get what we wanted. Every time we think about the incident, it “burns us up” all over again. In sacred scripture this is called “an unquenchable fire.” But we can also ask the Lord to help us transform the experience into something that could be useful to us and to others. Otherwise, it is useless “chaff.” As an example, a memory of how it felt to be overlooked or ignored can help us be more aware of others. And the memory of a time when someone cheated us can be a wake-up call reminding us of how important it is to be honest in all our dealings. In this way, the fire of a burning resentment can be replaced by a fire that will not burn us up, but rather one that will lift us up. It all depends on which fire we allow to be ignited within us. As John the Baptist puts it, “He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Jesus Prays at His Baptism

21. And it came to pass when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus, having been baptized, was praying, that heaven was opened,

22. And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily appearance like a dove upon Him, and there was a voice from heaven, saying, “Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.”

Herod was indeed planning to shut up John in prison, but this would not take place until sometime after John had the opportunity to baptize Jesus. As it is written, “It came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, heaven was opened”. Although this episode is also reported in Matthew and Mark, the Gospel of Luke is the only one which mentions that Jesus prayed during His baptism. This emphasis upon prayer in Luke is consistent with the premise that a major theme of this gospel is the reformation of the understanding—the part of the mind that is focused on learning truth, having faith, and communing with God in prayer.

It should also be noted that this episode includes the beautiful words, “heaven was opened,” suggesting that revelation took place as Jesus prayed, a revelation which found expression in the divine utterance: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).

This episode speaks to each of us of the importance of prayer in our lives. These are the times when we turn inward in search of the Father, listening for guidance, instruction, comfort, inspiration, and revelation. This process of turning inward in search of that which is deeply spiritual is essential. Without it, our efforts to serve others will be based on the weak and crumbling foundation of our own self-hood. We should never let our egos interfere with the great work the Lord wants to do through us. In prayer, we quiet the inner chatter, we enter the stillness, we speak to God and listen for the divine response. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

“The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20).

To silence “the earth” is to temporarily put aside the cares of the external world while resting in God. In brief, it is the endeavor to silence the voice of the ego long enough to hear the voice of God. This is at the heart of a contemplative life. ⁸

Before beginning any vital work, the first step is to begin with prayer. Jesus’ baptism in Luke captures this idea beautifully. Jesus was about to begin His public ministry. But before the heavens could be opened to Him, before the revelation and the inspiration could come, Jesus needed to take that first crucial step. He needed to pray: “And while He prayed, heaven was opened.” It was only then that He was ready to begin His public ministry. As it is written, “Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age”.

Teachings like these remind us of how important it is to precede action with contemplation, and precede public service with private devotion. While ministry and service are noble ends, they must be filled with the wisdom of spiritual purpose. Behind every successful, worthwhile action is a life grounded in contemplation and prayer. ⁹

The Ascending Genealogy

23. And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years [of age], being, it was supposed, the son of Joseph, of Eli,

24. Of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Janna, of Joseph,

25. Of Mattathias, of Amos, of Naum, of Esli, of Nagga,

26. Of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semei, of Joseph, of Juda,

27. Of Joanna, of Rhesa, of Zerubbabel, of Salathiel, of Neri,

28. Of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmodam, of Er,

29. Of Jose, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi,

30. Of Simeon, of Juda, of Joseph, of Jonan, of Eliakim,

31. Of Melea, of Menan, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David,

32. Of Jesse, of Obed, of Boaz, of Salmon, of Naasson,

33. Of Aminadab, of Aram, of Esrom, of Perez, of Judah,

34. Of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Thara, of Nachor,

35. Of Saruch, of Ragau, of Phalec, of Heber, of Sala,

36. Of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Shem, of Noah, of Lamech,

37. Of Mathusala, of Enoch, of Jared, of Maleleel, of Cainan,

38. Of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, of God.

The episode of Jesus’ baptism is followed by an account of His genealogy. The genealogy of Jesus was first recorded in the opening chapter of Matthew, verses 1-17. According to that genealogical record, Jesus’ lineage is given in a descending order, down from Abraham to David (fourteen generations), down from David to the captivity in Babylon (fourteen generations), and down from the captivity in Babylon to the birth of Christ (fourteen generations). This is a genealogy of descent. It begins with Abraham and descends through names like Isaac, Jacob, David, and Solomon all the way down to Joseph, and finally down to the humble birth of the baby Jesus, born in a stable in Bethlehem.

However, in the genealogy that is given in Luke, everything begins with Jesus whose next immediate ancestor is Joseph, followed in ascending order by names like David, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham all the way up to Noah, Methuselah, Adam, and, finally, at the summit of this ascending order, God.

What might be the spiritual reason for a descending order in Matthew and an ascending order in Luke?

The reason lies in an understanding of the internal sense, and in the special focus of each gospel. In Matthew, a major theme is the gradual revelation of Jesus’ identity, first as the human son of David, the son of Abraham, but not yet as the divine son of God. Therefore, Matthew begins with an account of the way in which God clothed Himself in accommodation to humanity’s state of reception as He descended through the heavens and was born on the earth. In other words, He came down. He descended to our level to meet us where we are, to live and dwell among us. Thus, the genealogy of Jesus, as given in Matthew, is a genealogy of descent.

In Luke, however, our focus is different. Here we are focusing upon our ascent. This gospel is not so much about the way the Lord comes down to us, but rather about the way we strive to ascend to God. This is why the Gospel of Luke opens with Zacharias burning incense in the temple.

It was believed that the smoke of the incense ascended towards God in the same way that our prayers ascend toward heaven. As it is written in the psalms, “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2). ¹⁰

So, the ascending genealogy in Luke represents one of the major themes of this gospel—the reformation of our understanding. It is about lifting our minds upward to God as we strive to understand Him and His Word at their loftiest conception.

The Gospel According to Luke guides us in our efforts to make that ascent. Through prayerfully reading and meditating on the Word with the uses of life in mind, our understanding is gradually raised above the promptings of our unregenerate will. The fact that we can do this—that is, live by the higher truths of God’s Word rather than the selfish desires of our lower nature—is, indeed, a miracle. ¹¹

And so, Jesus’ genealogy, as given in Luke, takes us ever upwards. It begins with Jesus who was born “of Joseph,” then ascends through many generations, including, in ascending order, names such as “David of Jesse,” “Isaac of Abraham,” “Shem of Noah,” and, finally, at the summit of this ascending genealogy, “Adam of God” (Luke 3:23-38).

This, then, is an account of Jesus royal genealogy, tracing His divine origin all the way up to His beginning in God. Having descended to earth and taken on the human condition with all its weakness and frailty, with all its tendencies to self-love and selfishness, He would now begin the struggle to put off what was merely human and become one with the divine within Him.

This would be the upward ascent, but it would not be an easy one. At every turn, He would be tempted to succumb to the promptings of the flesh and the allurements of the world. It would be a fierce battle, but Jesus was ready. Having been introduced to the literal truths of the Word (the “baptism of water”), and having received the Holy Spirit while He prayed, Jesus was well-prepared for the battle. For Jesus, it would be the beginning of His “baptism of fire.” It is the battle that we all must undergo.

The truth we learn cannot just remain in our memories; it must also be tested in the trials of life.

For Jesus, this begins in the very next episode.

Footnotes:

3969. 'And she said, God has taken away my reproach. And she called his name Joseph, saying, May Jehovah add to me another son' in the highest sense means the Lord as regards the Divine Spiritual, in the internal sense the spiritual kingdom or the good of faith, and in the external sense salvation, also fruitfulness and multiplication. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' in the Word, dealt with below, also from the meaning of 'God has taken away my reproach', as well as 'May Jehovah add to me another son', for the name Joseph was derived from the verbs 'to gather up' and 'to add'. 'God has taken away my reproach' means that Rachel was now no longer barren, and so no longer 'dead', as she spoke of herself to Jacob in verse 1 above; see 3908. For 'Rachel' represents the affection for interior truth, that is, the interior man as regards truth, 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819. The interior man is so to speak dead as regards truth and good if the exterior or natural man does not correspond to it as regards goods and truths, see 3493, 3620, 3623. They must be so joined each to the other that they are not two but together form one man.

[2] But the two cannot become joined together until the natural or external man has been prepared, that is, until it has received and acknowledged the general truths which have been meant by Jacob's ten sons by Leah and the servant-girls, and until the good of the natural man has been joined to the truths in that man, which joining together was meant by Jacob's last son by Leah, namely Zebulun, who was so called from the expression 'dwelling together', 3960, 3961. After this joining together has taken place the interior man and the exterior man enter into the heavenly marriage spoken of in 3952. The reason they do not enter it until then is a very deep arcanum, for it is the good of the interior man which in that case joins itself to the good of the exterior man, and through that exterior good to the truth in the exterior man. At the same time the good of the interior man joins itself through the affection for truth in that interior man to the good of the exterior man and also to the truth there, and so joins itself directly and indirectly. concerning this direct and indirect linking together, see 3314, 3573, 3616. Since the interior man is only then joined to the exterior, and until this joining together has taken place the interior man is seemingly non-existent and so seemingly dead, as stated above, the phrase 'God has taken away my reproach' is therefore used. This then is what is meant by 'the reproach' which God is said to have 'gathered up', that is, to have taken away, meaning to have released her from it.

[3] But the words which follow - 'May Jehovah add to me another son', from which Joseph received his name - mean a second arcanum, which is this: 'Joseph' represents the Lord's spiritual kingdom and so the spiritual man, for that kingdom exists within every spiritual man. There are two things which constitute the spiritual man - charity and faith, or what amounts to the same, good and truth. Charity from which faith, or good from which truth springs, is the thing that Joseph represents. And faith which has charity within it, or truth which has good within it, is the thing that the second son means - that Benjamin represents, dealt with at Genesis 35:16-18. So Joseph means the celestial-spiritual man, and Benjamin the spiritual-celestial. The nature of the difference between them may be seen from what has been said fairly often already about good from which truth springs and truth that has good within it. This then is what is meant by Rachel's second utterance 'May Jehovah add to me another son'. But these arcana cannot be seen except by those who are governed by charity from which faith springs, for interiorly those people are dwelling in the light of heaven, which light also includes intelligence within it. But those arcana cannot be seen by those who are dwelling solely in the light of the world, for that light does not include intelligence except insofar as it holds the light of heaven within itself. To angels who dwell in the light of heaven these arcana belong among the most ordinary things they know.

[4] From these considerations one may now see that the words 'God has taken away my reproach' and 'May Jehovah add to me another son' in the highest sense mean the Lord as regards the Divine Spiritual, and in the internal sense the Lord's spiritual kingdom or the good of faith, for such good is the spiritual as this exists in that kingdom. But the reason why those words in the external sense mean salvation, also fruitfulness and multiplication, is that these come as the product of that good, 3971. But what the Lord's spiritual kingdom is may become clear from what has been stated and shown many times already about that kingdom, that is to say, it consists of those who are governed by charity and from charity by faith. This kingdom is distinct and separate from the Lord's celestial kingdom, for the celestial kingdom consists of those who are governed by love to the Lord and from that love by charity. The latter constitute the third or inmost heaven, whereas the spiritual constitute the second or interior heaven.

[5] The reason why the name God is used first, in 'God has taken away my reproach', then Jehovah, in 'May Jehovah add to me another son', is that God has regard to the ascent from truth up to good but Jehovah to the descent from good down to truth. The spiritual man is governed by the good of faith, that is, by the good from which truth springs; but prior to his becoming spiritual he is governed by the truth of faith, that is, by truth that has good within it. For the name God is used when truth is the subject, but Jehovah when good is the subject, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921.

[6] The fact that 'Joseph' represents the Lord's spiritual kingdom, or the spiritual man, and so represents the good of faith, becomes clear also from those places in the Word where his name is mentioned, as in the prophecy of Jacob, who by then was Israel,

The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one beside a spring; O daughters, he trails over the wall; and the archers will exasperate him and shoot at him and hate him. And he will sit in the strength of his bow, and the arms of his hands will be made strong by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. By the God of your father, and he will assist you; and with Shaddai, and he will bless you with the blessings of heaven from above, with the blessings of the deep lying beneath, with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father will prevail over the blessings of my ancestors, even to the desire of the everlasting hills. They will be upon the head of Joseph and upon the crown of the head of the Nazirite among his brothers. Genesis 49:22-26.

These prophetic utterances in the highest sense contain a description of the Lord's Divine Spiritual, in the internal sense a description of His spiritual kingdom. What each detail entails will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed in the explanation of that chapter.

[7] Similarly in the prophecy of Moses,

For Joseph he said, Blessed by Jehovah is his land, of the precious things of heaven, of the dew, of the deep also lying beneath, and of the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and of the precious things of the produce of the months, and of the precious things of the mountains of the east, and of the precious things of the everlasting hills, and of the precious things of the earth and of its fullness; and the good pleasure of Him dwelling in the bramble bush. They will come upon the head of Joseph and upon the crown of the head of the Nazirite among his brothers. Deuteronomy 33:13-17.

[8] Because 'Israel' represents the Lord's spiritual Church, 3305, 3654,

Jacob, who by then was Israel, said to Joseph,

Your two sons who were born to you in the land of Egypt, before I came to you in Egypt, will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be as Reuben and Simeon. May the angel who has redeemed me from every evil bless the boys, that in them my name may be called, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and may they increase into a multitude in the midst of the earth. Genesis 48:5, 16.

There are two things which constitute the spiritual Church - the understanding and the will, the understanding being represented by 'Ephraim' and the will by 'Manasseh'. From this one can see why Joseph's two sons were adopted by Jacob, by then Israel, and acknowledged as his own. Ephraim is also mentioned often in the Word, especially the prophetical part, in which places that name means the ability which the spiritual Church possesses to understand what is true and what is good.

[9] In Ezekiel,

Jehovah said, Son of man, take a stick and write on it, For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions. And take another stick and write on it, For Joseph - the stick of Ephraim and of the whole house of Israel, his companions and join them together, one to the other into one stick for you, that both may be one in your ¹ hand. Thus said the Lord Jehovih, I, behold, I am taking the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will add them to the stick of Judah, and make them into one stick, and they will be one in My hand. And I will make them into one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king to them all, and they will no longer be two nations, nor will they ever be divided into two nations again. Ezekiel 37:16-17, 19, 22.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom, to the celestial and to the spiritual - 'Judah' being the celestial kingdom, 3654, 3881, 3921 (end), and 'Joseph' the spiritual. It is also said that those kingdoms will not be two but one - they were actually made one by the Lord's Coming into the world.

[10] By the Lord's Coming the spiritual were saved, see 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834. It is those who are spiritual that the Lord is speaking about in John,

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:16.

This is what is meant by 'the two sticks', the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph, which will be joined into one, and will be one in the Lord's hand, like one nation, even as they are one in the Lord's kingdom. For celestial angels constitute the third heaven, which is the inmost heaven, but spiritual angels the second, which is the interior heaven, and in that kingdom they are one because one flows into the other, namely the celestial heaven into the spiritual. The spiritual kingdom is so to speak the groundwork on which the celestial is based, and in this way the two are made firm and stable. For the Divine celestial within the third or inmost heaven is love to the Lord, the celestial-spiritual in that heaven being charity. The latter, namely charity, is the chief thing in the second or interior heaven where spiritual angels are. This shows the nature of influx and also how things are made firm and stable by means of influx. 'Wood' means good, both the good which belongs to love to the Lord and the good which belongs to charity towards the neighbour, 2784, 2812, 3720. For this reason the command was given to write Judah and Joseph on the two sticks which were to be made one.

[11] In Zechariah,

I will make the house of Judah powerful, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will restore them, ² for I have had compassion on them, and they will be as though I had not forsaken them, for I am Jehovah their God and I will answer them. Zechariah 10:6.

This too refers to the two kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual, 'Judah' being the celestial kingdom and 'Joseph' the spiritual. Also referred to is the salvation of the spiritual.

[12] In Amos,

Thus said Jehovah to the house of Israel, Seek Me and you will live. Seek Jehovah and you will live, lest like fire He invades the house of Joseph and it devours and there is nobody quenching it. Hate evil, and desire good, and establish judgement in the gate; it may be that Jehovah God Zebaoth will have compassion on the remnant of Joseph. Amos 5:4, 6, 15.

Here also those who are spiritual are meant by 'Joseph'. 'The house of Israel' means the spiritual Church, 3305, 3654, 'Joseph' the good of that Church. Hence the statement 'Jehovah said to the house of Israel, Seek Me and you will live, lest like fire He invades the house of Joseph'.

[13] In David,

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock. You who are seated on the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up Your might and come to save us. Psalms 80:1-2.

Here similarly 'Joseph' means the spiritual man, 'Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh' being three essentials of that Church.

[14] In the same author,

Raise a song, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the lyre; blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the festival, on our feast day. For it is a statute for Israel, a judgement to the God of Jacob. [As] a testimony for Joseph He appointed it, when He went out against the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not know. Psalms 81:2-5.

From each individual word or term used here it is evident that 'Joseph' means the spiritual Church or spiritual man. For there are in the Word terms which present spiritual realities and terms which present celestial ones, and these terms occur consistently throughout the Word. In this quotation terms that present spiritual realities are used - 'a song', 'the timbrel', 'the harp with the lyre', and 'blowing the trumpet at the new moon, at the festival, on a feast day'. From this also it is evident that the subject is the spiritual Church meant by 'Joseph'.

[15] In Ezekiel,

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, This is the boundary by which you will inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel, the portions for Joseph. Ezekiel 47:13.

This refers to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and therefore the phrase 'the portions for Joseph' is used. The Lord's Divine spiritual is that which is also called His kingship, for the Lord's kingship is Divine Truth, but His priesthood Divine Good, 2015, 3009, 3670. The Lord's kingship itself is that which 'Joseph' represents, in that he was made king in the land of Egypt. That representation will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with when that chapter is reached.

[16] As regards the Lord's Divine spiritual, or Divine Truth, which is represented in the highest sense by 'Joseph', it does not exist within the Lord but flows from the Lord; for the Lord is nothing else than Divine Good. But Divine Truth proceeds from Divine Good. To use a comparison, it is like the sun and the light of the sun. Light does not exist within the sun but proceeds from the sun. Or it is like fire. Light does not exist in fire but proceeds from it. And in the Word Divine Good itself is compared to the sun and also to fire, and is actually called sun and fire. The Lord's celestial kingdom receives its life from the good which proceeds from the Lord, but the spiritual kingdom receives its life from the truth derived from that good. For this reason in the next life the Lord is seen as the Sun by those who are celestial, but as the Moon by those who are spiritual, see 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 3636, 3643. For both warmth and light proceed from the sun. Its warmth is comparable to the good of love, which is also called celestial and spiritual warmth, its light to the truth flowing from it, which is also referred to as spiritual light, see 3636, 3643. But the celestial warmth and the spiritual light which proceed from the Lord as the Sun in the next life, include within them the good of love and the truth of faith, and so include wisdom and intelligence, 1521-1523, 1542, 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3339, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862. For things which proceed from the Lord are living.

[17] From this one may see what the Divine Spiritual is; in what the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom have their origins; and also that the spiritual kingdom is the good of faith, which good is charity, flowing in from the Lord directly, and also indirectly through the celestial kingdom. In the Word the Divine Spiritual which proceeds from the Lord is called the Spirit of truth, and is holy truth. The Divine Spiritual does not belong to any spirit but is the Lord's, who imparts it through a spirit sent by Him, as becomes clear from the Lord's own words in John,

When He the Spirit of truth comes He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak. He will also declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will receive from what is Mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-14.

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