Since the Word is Divine truth, and this goes forth from the Lord's
Divine Esse (being), as light from the sun, it follows that the Lord is
the Word because He is Divine truth. The Lord is the Word, because He
is Divine truth, and this goes forth His Divine Esse (being), which is
Divine love, because the Divine love was in Him when in the world as a
soul is in its body; and as Divine truth goes forth from Divine love as
light goes forth from the sun, as has been said, so the Lord's Human in
the world was Divine truth going forth from the Divine love that was in
Him. That the Divine itself, which is called "Jehovah" and the
"Father," and which is the Divine love, was in the Lord from conception,
is evident in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In Matthew from these
words:
When Mary the mother of Jesus had been betrothed to Joseph, "before they
came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." And the
angle said to Joseph in a dream, "Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit" . . .
This came to pass that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet: . . . "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and
shall bring forth a son." And Joseph "knew her not until she had
brought forth her firstborn son; and he called His name Jesus" (i.
18-25).
And in Luke from these words:
The angel said to Mary, "Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and
bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus; He shall be great, and
shall be called the Son of the Most High." . . . Then Mary said unto the
angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" The angel answered
her, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most
High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the Holy Thing that shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (i. 30-35).
It was because He was conceived of Jehovah that He is so frequently
called in the Word "the Son of God," and Jehovah is called His "Father."
Jehovah in respect to His Esse (being) is Divine love, and in respect to
His Existere (outgo) He is Divine good united to Divine truth.
From this it can be seen what is meant by:
The Word that was with God and that was God, and also was the light that
enlighteneth every man (John i. 1-10), namely, that it was Divine truth
going forth from the Lord, thus the Lord in respect to His Existere
(outgo). That the Lord in respect to His Existere was Divine truth, and
that this was His Divine Human, because this came forth from His Divine
Esse as a body from its soul, these words in John clearly certify:
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory
as of the only begotten of the Father (i. 14).
"The Word" is the Divine truth, which also is "glory"; "flesh" means the
Divine Human; "the only begotten of the Father" means the springing
forth or going forth from the Divine Esse in Him. (A.E., n. 1069.)
But as the world does not know how the words in John (i. 1, 2, 14) that
the Lord is the Word, are to be understood, this shall be further
explained. It is known in the church that God is good itself and truth
itself, and thus that all the good that an angel has and that a man has
is from God, and likewise all truth. Now since the Lord is God He is
also Divine good and Divine truth; and this is what is meant by "the
Word, that was with God, and was God," and also was "the light that
enlighteneth every man," and that also "became flesh," that is, Man in
the world.
That when the Lord was in the world He was the Divine truth, which is
the Word, He Himself teaches in many passages where He calls Himself
"the Light," also where He calls Himself "the Way, the Truth, and the
Life"; and where He says that "the Spirit of truth" goes forth from Him.
"The Spirit of truth" is the Divine truth. When the Lord was
transfigured He represented the Word, "His face that shone as the sun"
represented its Divine good; and His garments, which were "bright as the
light" and "white as snow," represented its Divine truth. "Moses and
Elijah," who then talked with the Lord, also signified the Word, "Moses"
the historical Word and "Elijah" the prophetic Word. Moreover, all
things of the Lord's passion represented the kind of violence that the
Jewish nation offered to the Word. Again, the Lord from Divine truth,
which He is, is called "God," "King," and "Angel," and is meant by "the
rock in Horeb," and "the rock" where Peter is spoken of. All this makes
clear that the Lord is the Word, because He is Divine truth. The Word
in the letter, which is with us, is the Divine truths in outmosts.
(A.E., n. 1070.)
As it cannot but transcend the comprehension that the Lord in relation
to His Human in the world was the Word, that is, Divine truth; according
to these words in John,
"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father" (i. 14), it shall be
explained, as far as possible, to the comprehension. It can be said of
every regenerate man that he is his own truth and his own good, since
the thought which belongs to his understanding is from truths, and the
affection which belongs to his will is from goods. Whether you say,
therefore, that a man is his own understanding and his own will, or that
a man is his own truth and his own good, it amounts to the same thing.
The body is mere obedience; for it speaks that which man thinks from the
understanding, and does that which he wills from affection. Thus these
things and the body mutually correspond and make one, like an effect and
its effecting cause; and these taken together constitute the human.
As it can be said of the regenerate man that he is his own truth and his
own good, so it can be said of the Lord as Man, that He is truth itself
or Divine truth, and good itself or Divine good. All this makes evident
the truth that the Lord in relation to His Human in the world was Divine
truth, that is the Word; and that everything that He then said was
Divine truth, which is the Word; and that since the time when he went to
the Father, that is, became one with the Father, the Divine truth going
forth from Him is the Spirit of truth, which goes out and goes forth
from Him, and at the same time from the Father in Him. (A.E., n. 1071.)