2009、“你的名不再叫亚伯兰”表示人身或人性，“你的名要叫亚伯拉罕”表示祂要披上神性，这从“名”、“亚伯兰”和之后的“亚伯拉罕”的含义清楚可知。当圣言说“你的名要叫”时，它表示性质或品质，也就是说，一个人的性质或品质将是什么样，这从第一卷的引用清楚可知（144，145，1754节）。由于“名”表示性质或品质，所以一个名字就包含在那人里面整体上的一切。因为天堂不关注任何人的名字；相反，当按名提到任何人，或提到一个名字时，对这个人的性质，也就是属于他、与他有关并在他里面的一切事物的观念就会映入脑海。这就是为何在圣言中，“名”表示性质或品质。为了更清楚地理解这个问题，我们从圣言引用进一步证实性的经文，如摩西五经中的赐福：
愿耶和华赐福给你，保护你。愿耶和华使祂的脸光照你，施怜悯给你；愿耶和华向你仰脸，赐你平安。他们要如此把我的名传给以色列人。（民数记6:24-27）
由此明显可知，“名”和“把耶和华的名传给以色列人”表示什么，即：耶和华赐福、保护、光照、施怜悯、赐平安，这就是耶和华或主的性质或品质。
十诫：
不可妄称耶和华你神的名；因为妄称耶和华名的，耶和华必不以他为无罪。（出埃及记20:7；申命记5:11）
此处“妄称神的名”并非表示祂的名字，而是表示来自祂的一切事物，无论总体还是细节，因而表示属于对祂的敬拜的一切事物，无论总体还是细节，这些事物都不可轻看，更不可被秽物亵渎和玷污。在主祷文：
愿人都尊你的名为圣。愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。（路加福音11:2）
此处“名”也不是指名字，而是指爱和信的一切，因为这些是神的，或主的，并且来自祂。由于这些是神圣的，所以当它们被视为神圣时，主的国就降临，祂的旨意则行在地上，如同行在天上。
“名”表示这些事物，这一点从新旧约圣言中提到“名”的所有经文明显看出来，如以赛亚书：
在那日，你们要说，当称谢耶和华，求告祂的名，将祂所行的传扬在万民中，提说祂的名被尊崇。（以赛亚书12:4）
此处“求告耶和华的名”并“提说祂的名被尊崇”根本不是指使这个名字本身成为敬拜的对象，或认为求告耶和华就是单单叫祂的名字，而是指认识祂的性质或品质，因而认识源于祂的每一个事物。同一先知书：
因此，你们要在乌陵尊崇耶和华，在众海岛尊崇耶和华以色列神的名。（以赛亚书24:15）
此处“在乌陵尊崇耶和华”是指基于爱的神圣事物，或神圣的爱来尊崇祂；“在众海岛荣耀耶和华以色列神的名”是指基于信的神圣事物，或神圣的信来尊崇祂。
又：
耶和华我们的神啊，我们专要倚靠你，提你的名。（以赛亚书26:13）
又：
我要从北方兴起一人，他必到来；他必从日出之地求告我的名。（以赛亚书41:25）
此处“提耶和华的名”和“求告祂的名”表示出于爱之良善和信之真理来敬拜。从北方来的是指那些在教会之外，不知道耶和华名的人；但当他们过着彼此仁爱的生活，崇拜某个神为宇宙的创造者时，就是“求告祂的名”，因为“求告耶和华的名”在于敬拜及其性质或品质，而不在于这个名。主也与外邦人同在（可参看932，1032，1059节）。
同一先知书：
列族必见你的公义，列王必见你的荣耀。你必得新名的称呼，是耶和华亲口所起的。（以赛亚书62:2）
“你必得新名的称呼”表示变成另外一个人，也就是说，被新造或重生，因而成为这种人。弥迦书：
万民各奉己神的名而行，我们却永永远远奉耶和华我们神的名而行。（弥迦书4:5）
“奉己神的名而行”明显表示亵渎的敬拜，而“奉耶和华的名而行”表示真正的敬拜。玛拉基书：
从日出之地到日落之处，我的名在列族中为大；在各处，人必奉我的名烧香，献洁净的供物，因为我的名在列族中为大。（玛拉基书1:11）
此处“名”表示敬拜，而非名字；这种敬拜是耶和华或主的性质或品质，祂愿意人们为了这性质或品质而崇拜祂。
摩西五经：
但耶和华你们的神从各支派中选择一个地方，为在那里立祂的名，使祂的名住在那里；凡我所吩咐你们的，都要奉到那地方。（申命记12:5，11，14；16:2，6，11）
此处“立祂的名”和“使祂的名住在那里”表示敬拜，而非名字，因而表示耶和华或主的性质或品质，我们要为了这性质或品质而敬拜耶和华或主。祂的性质或品质在于爱之良善和信之真理，“耶和华的名住在”那些处于这良善和真理，或说共享这些品质的人里面。耶利米书：
你们可以到示罗我的地方去，就是我起先使我的名居住所在之处。（耶利米书7:12）
此处“名”同样表示敬拜，由此表示关于真信的教义。谁都能清楚看出，耶和华不与仅仅知道并使用祂名的人同住，因为没有对祂的性质或品质的任何概念、知识或信仰，唯独祂的名字只是一个词而已。由此明显可知，“名”表示性质或品质，以及对该性质或品质的认识。
摩西五经：
那时，耶和华将利未支派分别出来，事奉祂，奉祂的名祝福。（申命记10:8）
此处“奉耶和华的名祝福”不是通过这个名字祝福，而是通过前面所说的属于耶和华名的事物或品质祝福。耶利米书：
这是祂的名，人必称祂为耶和华我们的义。（耶利米书23:6）
此处“名”表示公义，也就是这些话所论及的主的性质或品质。以赛亚书：
耶和华从子宫中呼召我；从我母腹里祂就提我的名。（以赛亚书49:1）
这些话也论及主；“就提祂的名”是指关于祂的性质或品质的教导。
“名”表示性质或品质，这在启示录看得更清楚：
在撒狄，你还有几个名字是未曾污秽自己衣服的；他们要穿白衣与我同行，因为他们是配得过的。凡得胜的，必这样穿白衣，我也必不从生命册上涂抹他的名，且要在我父面前和众天使面前认他的名。得胜的，我要将神的名和我神城的名，就是从天上我神那里降下来的新耶路撒冷，并我的新名，都写在他上面。（启示录3:4-5，12）
此处很明显，“名字”不是指名字，而是指性质或品质；“生命册上的名”不是指别的东西；“在我父面前认他的名”、“将神和城的名，并新名，都写在他上面”也表示性质或品质。这同样适用于经上在别处所说的记在生命册和天上的名字（启示录13:8；17:8；路加福音10:20）。
在天堂，人们只通过性质、品质或性格而认识彼此，这种性质、品质或性格在字义上以名字来表述。对此，谁都能从以下事实清楚看出来，即：在世上，无论提到谁的名字，呈现在听者观念中的，是这个人的性质、品质或性格；他凭这种性质、品质或性格而被认识，并有别于其他人。在来世，尤其在天使当中，这些观念会保留下来，而名字则消失。这就是为何“名”在内义上表示性质或品质，或对该性质或品质的认识。又：
骑在白马上的头上戴着许多冠冕。又有写着的名字，除了祂自己没有人知道。祂穿着溅了血的衣服，祂的名称为神的圣言。（启示录19:12-13）
此处经上公开说，“祂的名”就是神的圣言，因而是骑在白马上的那一位的性质或品质。
“耶和华的名”是指认识祂的性质或品质，也就是说，祂是一切爱之良善和一切信之真理，这一点从主的这些话很清楚地看出来：
公义的父啊，我已经认识你了，这些人也知道你差了我来，因为我已让他们认识你的名，还要让他们认识，使你所爱我的爱在他们里面，我也在他们里面。（约翰福音17:25-26）
“神的名”或“主的名”是指关于爱和仁的一切信之教义，由“信祂的名”来表示，这一点从约翰福音中的这些话清楚看出来：
凡接待祂的，就是信祂名的人，祂就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。（约翰福音1:12）
你们奉我的名无论求什么，我必作成。你们若爱我，就必遵守我的诫命。（约翰福音14:13-15）
你们奉我的名，无论向父求什么，祂就赐给你们。我将这些事吩咐你们，是要叫你们彼此相爱。（约翰福音15:16-17）
马太福音：
无论在哪里，有两三个人奉我的名聚会，那里就有我在他们中间。（马太福音18:20）
此处“奉主的名聚会”的人是指那些拥有关于爱和仁的信之教义，因而拥有爱和仁的人。
同一福音书：
你们要为我的名被所有民族恨恶。（马太福音10:22；24:9，10；马可福音13:13）
此处“为我的名”明显表示为祂的教义。
名字本身没有任何用处，完全不重要；重要的是这个名字意味着什么，也就是说，意味着仁和信的一切，这一点从马太福音中的这些话很清楚地看出来：
我们不是奉你的名传道，奉你的名赶鬼，奉你的名行许多异能吗？我就明明地告诉他们说，我从来不认识你们，你们这些作恶的人，离开我去吧！（马太福音7:22-23）
由此清楚可知，那些认为敬拜只在于一个名字的人，如奉耶和华之名的犹太人，奉主名的基督徒，不会因此而比别人更有价值，因为名字并不重要，毫无用处。但当他们的品性合乎主的吩咐时，他们就更有价值了，或说重要的是成为主所吩咐成为的那种人，因为这就是“信祂名”。此外，说只有奉主的名才会有救赎，意思是说，救赎只在于相爱，而不在于其它任何教义；相爱才是信的真正教义；因此，救赎只在于主，因为一切爱和由爱产生的一切信唯独来自祂。
Potts(1905-1910) 2009
2009. Thy name shall no more be called Abram, and thy name shall be Abraham. That "thy name shall no more be called Abram," signifies that He will put off the human; and that "thy name shall be Abraham," signifies that He will put on the Divine, is evident from the signification of "name;" also from the signification of "Abram;" and, afterwards, of "Abraham." The expression "this shall be thy name," when used in the Word, signifies the quality, that is, that the person will be of such a quality, as is evident from what has been adduced in Part First (n. 144, 145, 1754). And as the "name" signifies the quality, the name comprehends in one complex whatever is in the man. For in heaven no attention is paid to anyone's name; but when anyone is named, or when the word name is spoken, there is presented the idea of the person's quality, that is, of all things that are his, that are connected with him, and that are in him; hence in the Word "name" signifies quality. That this may be evident to the understanding we may adduce from the Word a number of additional confirmatory passages. As in the Benediction in Moses:
Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee; Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee and have compassion on thee; Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee and give thee peace. So shall they put My name upon the sons of Israel (Num. 6:24-27). From this it is evident what is denoted by "name," and by "putting the name" of Jehovah upon the sons of Israel, namely, that Jehovah blesses, guards, enlightens, is pitiful, gives peace; and thus that Jehovah or the Lord is such. [2] In the Decalogue:
Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who taketh His name in vain (Exod. 20:7; Deut. 5:11);
where to "take the name of God in vain" does not signify the name, but all things in general and particular that are from Him, and therefore all things in general and particular that belong to the worship of Him, none of which are to be despised, still less blasphemed and contaminated with what is filthy. In the Lord's Prayer:
Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come Thy will be done, as in heaven so also in the earth (Luke 11:2);
where also by "name" is not meant the name, but all things of love and faith; for these are God's or the Lord's, and are from Him; and as these are holy, the Lord's kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as in the heavens when they are held to be so. [3] That "name" signifies such things is evident from all the passages in the Word of the Old and of the New Testament where "name" is mentioned. As in Isaiah:
In that day shall ye say, Confess to Jehovah, call upon His name, make known His works among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted (Isa. 12:4);
where to "call upon the name of Jehovah," and to "make mention that His name is exalted," does not at all mean to place worship in the name, or to believe that Jehovah is invoked by using His name, but by knowing His quality, and thus by means of all things in general and particular that are from Him. In the same:
Therefore honor ye Jehovah in the Urim the name of Jehovah the God of Israel in the isles of the sea (Isa. 24:15);
where to "honor Jehovah in the Urim," is to honor Him from the holy things of love; and to "honor the name of Jehovah the God of Israel in the isles of the sea," is to honor Him from the holy things of faith. [4] In the same:
O Jehovah our God, only in Thee will we make mention of Thy name (Isa. 26:13). I will raise up one from the north, and he shall come; from the rising of the sun, he shall call upon My name (Isa. 41:25);
where to "make mention of the name of Jehovah," and to "call upon His name," means to worship from the goods of love and the truths of faith. They who are from the north are they who are outside the church and ignorant of the name of Jehovah, who nevertheless "call upon His name" when they live in mutual charity and adore as the Deity the Creator of the universe; for the "calling upon Jehovah" consists in worship and the quality of it, and not in the name. (That the Lord is present with the Gentiles also may be seen above, n. 932, 1032, 1059.) [5] In the same:
The nations shall see* thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory and thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of Jehovah shall name (Isa. 62:2);
where "thou shalt be called by a new name," denotes to become another person, that is, to be created anew or regenerated, and thus to be such. In Micah:
All the peoples will walk everyone in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and to eternity (Micah 4:5);
to "walk in the name of his god," plainly denotes profane worship; and to "walk in the name of Jehovah," true worship. In Malachi:
From the rising of the sun and even to its going down, My name shall be great among the nations; and in every place incense is offered unto My name, and a clean offering for My name shall be great among the nations (Mal. 1:11);
where by "name" is not signified the name, but the worship; which is the quality of Jehovah or the Lord, by reason of which He wills to be adored. [6] In Moses:
The place which Jehovah your God shall choose out of all the tribes to put His name there, and to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you (Deut. 12:5, 11, 14; 16:2, 6, 11);
where also by "putting His name," and "making His name dwell there," is not signified the name, but the worship, and thus the quality of Jehovah or the Lord by reason of which He is to be worshiped. His quality is the good of love and the truth of faith; and "the name of Jehovah dwells" with those who are in these. In Jeremiah:
Go ye unto My place which was in Shiloh, where I caused My name to dwell in the beginning (Jer. 7:12);
where in like manner "name" denotes worship, and thereby the doctrine of true faith. Everyone can see that Jehovah does not dwell with him who merely knows and speaks His name, for the name alone, without any idea, knowledge, or faith concerning His quality is a mere word. Hence it is evident that the "name" is the quality, and the knowledge of the quality. [7] In Moses:
At that time Jehovah separated the tribe of Levi, to minister unto Him, and to bless in His name (Deut. 10:8);
where to "bless in the name" of Jehovah is not to do so through the name, but by means of the things which appertain to the name of Jehovah, spoken of above. In Jeremiah:
This is His name whereby they shall call Him, Jehovah our righteousness (Jer. 23:6);
where the "name" denotes righteousness, which is the quality of the Lord, of whom these words are said. In Isaiah:
Jehovah hath called Me from the womb, from the bowels of My mother hath He made mention of** My name (Isa. 49:1);
also said of the Lord; to "make mention of His name," is to instruct in respect to His quality. [8] That "name" signifies quality, is still more clearly evident in John, in Revelation:
Thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father and before the angels. He that overcometh, I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God, and My new name (Rev. 3:4, 5, 12); where that the "name" is not the name, but the quality, is plainly evident; the "name in the book of life" is nothing else; and the quality is also meant by "confessing his name before the Father," and by "writing upon him the name of God, and of the city, and the new name;" and the same is true of the names which are said elsewhere to be written in the book of life, and in heaven (Rev. 13:8, 17:8; Luke 10:20). [9] In heaven it is solely by the quality that anyone is known from another; and in the sense of the letter this is expressed by the name, as everyone can see from the consideration that on earth whoever is named is presented in the listener's idea in accordance with his quality, and it is by this idea that he is known and distinguished from others. In the other life the ideas remain, but the names perish; and this is still more the case among the angels. Hence it is that in the internal sense the "name" is the quality, or to know the quality. Again:
Upon the head of Him who sat upon the white horse were many diadems; and He hath a name written which no one knoweth but He Himself. He was clothed in a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Rev. 19:12, 13);
where that the "name" is the Word of God, and thus is the quality of Him who sat upon the white horse, is said in plain words. [10] That the "name of Jehovah" is to know His quality, namely, that He is all the good of love and all the truth of faith, is clearly evident from these words of the Lord:
O righteous Father I have known Thee, and these also have known that Thou hast sent Me for I have made known unto them Thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:25, 26). [11] And that the "name of God" or of the Lord is all the doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, which is signified by "believing in His name," is evident from these words in the same gospel:
As many as received Him, to them gave He the power [potestas] to be sons of God, to them that believe in His name (John 1:12). If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:13-15). Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He giveth you. These things I command you, that ye love one another (John 15:16, 17). In Matthew:
Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (John 18:20). By those who are "gathered together in the name of the Lord," are here signified those who are in the doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, and thus who are in love and charity. Again Ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake (Matt. 10:22 24:9, 10; Mark 13:10);
where "for My names sake" plainly means for the sake of His doctrine. [12] That the name itself effects nothing, but that everything is effected by that which the name involves, namely, everything of charity and faith, is clearly evident from these words in Matthew:
Have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? But then will I profess unto them, I never dew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:22, 23);
from which it is evident that they who place worship in a name, as did the Jews in the name of Jehovah, and as do Christians in the name of the Lord, are not on that account the more worthy, because the name avails nothing; but that which does avail is that they be of such a character as the Lord has commanded; for this is to "believe in His name;" and further, that its being said that there is no salvation in any other name than the Lord's, means that there is none in any other doctrine, that is, in no other than mutual love, which is the true doctrine of faith, and thus in no other than the Lord, because all love and the derivative faith are from Him alone. * Viderunt; probably a misprint for videbunt, as we find it read in the True Christian Religion, n. 782. [Rotch ed.] ** Et memorare fecit Nomen meum; but elsewhere, meminit Nominis mei; as n. 3305.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2009
2009. That 'no longer will your name be called Abram' means that He will cast off the human, and that 'your name will be Abraham' means that He will put on the Divine, is clear from the meaning of 'name', also from the meaning of 'Abram', and after that of 'Abraham'. When the phrase 'your name will be' is used in the Word it means the nature of, that is, what a person's nature is going to be like, as is clear from what has been brought forward in Volume One, in 144, 145, 1754. And since 'names means the nature of, a name includes everything in its entirety within that person, for in heaven no attention is paid to someone's name, but when anyone is referred to by name, or when a name is used, a mental picture of his nature comes up, that is, of all that is his, with him and in him. This is why 'name' in the Word means the nature of. To make this matter clearer to the understanding let further confirmatory quotations from the Word be introduced, such as in the Blessing in Moses,
Jehovah bless you and keep you; Jehovah make His facea shine upon you and be merciful to you; Jehovah lift up His facea upon you and give you peace.
So shall they put My name upon the sons of Israel. Num 6:24-27.
From this it is evident what 'name' and 'putting Jehovah's name upon the sons of Israel' means, namely that Jehovah blesses, keeps, enlightens, is merciful, and gives peace, and that such is Jehovah's or the Lord's nature.
[2] In the Ten Commandments,
You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who has taken His name in vain. Exod. 20:7; Deut 5:11.
Here taking God's name in vain does not mean His name but every single thing deriving from Him, and so every single thing belonging to the worship of Him, which must not be treated with disdain, still less be blasphemed and defiled by what is filthy. In the Lord's Prayer,
Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in heaven so on earth. Luke 11:2.
Nor in this instance is 'name' used to mean name but all things that belong to love and faith, for these are God's, or the Lord's, and derive from Him. Since the latter are holy, the Lord's kingdom comes, and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven, when they are upheld as being holy.
[3] That 'name' means such things is clear from all the places in the Old Testament Word and in the New where the word 'name' is used, as in Isaiah,
You will say on that day, Confess Jehovah, call on His name, make His deeds known among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. Isa 12:4.
Here 'calling on the name of Jehovah' and 'making mention that it is exalted' does not in any way mean making the name itself an object of worship, or believing that Jehovah is called on by the mere uttering of His name, but by knowing His nature, and so every single thing that derives from Him. In the same prophet,
Therefore in the Urim give honour to Jehovah, in the isles of the sea to the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. Isa 24:15.
Here 'in the Urim give honour to Jehovah' means worship based on the holy things of love, 'in the isles of the sea to the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel' worship based on the holy things of faith.
[4] In the same prophet,
Jehovah our God, in You alone will we make mention of Your name. Isa 26:13.
And in the same prophet,
I will stir up one from the north, and he will come, from the rising of the sun he will call on My name. Isa 41:25.
Here 'making mention of' and 'calling on the name of Jehovah' is worshipping from the goods of love and the truths of faith. Those 'from the north' are people outside the Church who do not know the name of Jehovah but who do nevertheless call on His name when they are leading charitable lives one with another and venerate some deity as the Creator of the universe, for it is the worship and what constitutes it, not the name, that calling on Jehovah entails. That the Lord is also present with gentiles, see 932, 1032, 1059.
[5] In the same prophet,
The nations will see your righteousness and all the kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of Jehovah will announce. Isa 62:2.
Here 'you will be called by a new name' stands for becoming a different person, that is to say, as a result of being created anew or regenerated, and so stands for becoming such. In Micah,
All the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and eternally. Micah 4:5.
'Walking in the name of its god' clearly stands for worship that is profane, while 'walking in the name of Jehovah' stands for true worship. In Malachi,
From the rising of the sun and even to its setting, great is My name among the nations; and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure minchah, for great is My name among the nations. Mal 1:11.
Here 'name' is not used to mean the name but the worship; and this worship is the essential nature of Jehovah or the Lord, from which He wills to be adored.
[6] In Moses,
The place which Jehovah your God chooses out of all the tribes to put His name there, and to make His name dwell there, to that place shall you bring all that I am commanding you. Deut 12:5, 11, 14; 16:2, 6, 11.
Here also 'putting His name' and 'making His name dwell there' do not mean the name but the worship, and so Jehovah's or the Lord's essential nature from which He is to be worshipped. His nature consists in the good of love and the truth of faith, it being with those who are governed by such good and truth that Jehovah's name dwells. In Jeremiah,
Go to My place which is in Shiloh where I made My name dwell at first. Jer 7:12.
Here similarly 'name' stands for worship, and so for doctrine concerning true faith. It may become clear to anyone that Jehovah does not dwell with somebody who merely knows and utters His name, for without any conception and recognition of His essential nature, and without any belief in it, the name by itself is a mere verbal expression. From this it is evident that the word 'name' means the nature of, and the knowledge of that nature.
[7] In Moses,
At that time Jehovah set apart the tribe of Levi to serve Him and to bless in His name. Deut 10:8.
Here 'blessing in the name of Jehovah' is doing so not by means of the name but by means of those qualities associated with the name of Jehovah which have been referred to above. In Jeremiah,
This is His name which they will call Him, Jehovah our righteousness. Jer 23:6.
Here 'name' stands for the righteousness which is the essential nature of the Lord, to whom these words refer. In Isaiah,
Jehovah called Me from the womb, from My mother's bodyb He made mention of My name. Isa 49:1.
These words too refer to the Lord. 'Making mention of His name' is informing about His essential nature.
[8] That 'name' means the nature of is plainer still in John's Revelation,
You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who conquers will be clad in white garments and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My father and before the angels. He who conquers I will write on him the name of God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. Rev 3:4, 5, 12.
Here it is quite clear that name does not mean the name but the essential nature of him who conquers. 'The name in the book of life' is nothing else. Nor is 'confessing his name before My Father', and 'writing on him the name of God and of the city, and a new name'. The same applies elsewhere to the names which are said to have been written in the book of life and in heaven, Rev 13:8; 17:8; Luke 10:20.
[9] In heaven one person is always recognized from another by his nature or character, which is expressed in the sense of the letter as 'the name', as may also become clear to anyone from the fact that on earth the mention of anybody's name presents to another a mental picture of his nature or character by which he is known and distinguished from anyone else. In the next life those mental pictures survive but names perish. More especially is this so with angels. This is why in the internal sense 'name' means the essential nature of, or the knowledge of that nature. In the same book,
On the head of Him who sat on the white horse were many jewels. He has a name written which no one knows but He Himself. He was clad in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Rev 19:12, 13.
Here it is stated openly that His 'name' is The Word of God, thus the essential nature of Him who sat on the white horse.
[10] The fact that the name of Jehovah means the knowledge of His nature, that is to say, it means every good of love and every truth of faith, is quite clear from these words spoken by the Lord,
Righteous Father, I have known You, and these too have known that You have sent Me, for I made known to them Your name, and I will make it known that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them. John 17:25, 26.
[11] And that the name of God or of the Lord means the whole doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, which is meant by 'believing in His name', is clear from these words in the same gospel,
As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name. John 1:12.
If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:13-15.
Whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give it to you. These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:16, 17.
In Matthew,
Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Matt 18:20.
Here 'being gathered together in the Lord's name' means those who possess the doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, and so who are governed by love and charity.
[12] In the same gospel,
You will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. Matt 10:22; 24:9, 10; Mark 13:13.
Here 'for My name's sake' clearly stands for doctrine's sake. The fact that a name itself is of no avail, only that which the name embodies, that is to say, everything constituting charity and faith, is quite clear from the following in Matthew,
Did we not prophesy through Your name, and cast out demons through Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name? And then I will confess to them, I do not know you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. Matt 7:22, 23.
From this it is clear that people who make worship consist in a name, as Jews do in the name of Jehovah and Christians in the name of the Lord, are not on that account worthier than any others, for the name is of no avail. But they are worthier when their characters conform to what He has commanded; and this is the meaning of 'believing in His name'. And when they say that there is salvation in no other name than the Lord's they mean in no other doctrine, that is, in none other than mutual love, which is the true doctrine of faith, and so in none other than the Lord since all love comes from Him alone, and all faith from that love.
Latin(1748-1756) 2009
2009. Quod `non vocabitur amplius nomine tuo Abram' significet quod exuet humanum, et quod `erit nomen tuum Abraham' significet quod induet Divinum, constat a significatione `nominis,' tum a significatione `Abrami,' et dein `Abrahami': in Verbo cum dicitur quo `nomen tuum erit,' significat quoque, seu quod talis erit, ut constat a illis quae in Parte Prima allata sunt n. 144, 145, 1754; et quia `nomen' significat quale, nomen comprehendit in uno complexu quicquid est in ipso, nam ad nomen alicujus nihil attenditur in caelo, {1} sed cum quis nominatur aut cum nomen dicitur, obvenit idea qualis, seu omnium quae ejus, apud illum, et in illo; inde `nomen' in Verbo significat quale; ut hoc ad intellectum constare possit, licet (c)ex Verbo plura confirmantia adhuc adducere: sicut in Benedictione apud Mosen,Benedicat tibi Jehovah, et custodiat te; lucere faciat Jehovah facies Suas super te, et misereatur tui; elevet Jehovah facies Suas ad te, et ponat tibi pacem: ita {2} ponent nomen Meum super filios Israelis, Num. vi 24-27:
inde quid nomen `sit' et `ponere nomen Jehovae super filios Israelis,' patet, quod nempe sit quod Jehovah benedicat, custodiat, illuminet, misereatur, det pacem; ita quod Jehovah seu Dominus talis sit. [2] In Decalogo, Non feres nomen `Jehovae' Dei tui in vanum, quia non habebit insontem Jehovah eum, qui tulerit nomen Ipsius in vanum, Exod. xx 7; Deut. v 11;
ubi ferre nomen Dei in vanum, non significat nomen sed omnia et singula quae ab Ipso {3}, ita omnia et singula quae sunt cultus Ipsius, quae non sunt contemnenda, minus blasphemanda et spurcis contaminanda: in Oratione Domini, Sanctificetur nomen Tuum; veniat regnum Tuum; fiat voluntas Tua, sicut in caelo etiam in terra, Luc. xi 2;
ibi nec per `nomen' intelligitur nomen, sed omnia quae sunt amoris et fidei, nam illa sunt Dei seu Domini, et illa sunt ab Ipso; haec quia sancta sunt, cum sancta habentur, venit regnum Domini, et fit voluntas Ipsius in terris sicut in caelis. [3] Quod `nomen' significet talia, constat ab omnibus locis in Verbo Veteris et Novi Testamenti ubicumque nomen dicitur; ut apud Esaiam, Dicetis [in] die illo, Confitemini Jehovae, invocate nomen Ipsius, nota facite in populis opera Ipsius, commemorate quod exaltatum sit nomen Ipsius, xii 4;
ubi `invocare nomen Jehovae,' et `commemorare quod exaltatum sit' nusquam est ponere {4} aliquem cultum in {5} nomine, et credere quod invocetur Jehovah per nomen Ipsius, sed per nosse qualis est, ita per omnia et singula quae ab Ipso: apud eundem, Propterea in Urim honorate Jehovam; in insulis maris nomen Jehovae Dei Israelis, xxiv 15;
ubi `in Urim honorare Jehovam' est ex sanctis amoris, `in insulis maris nomen Jehovae,' Dei Israelis' est ex sanctis fidei: apud eundem, [4] Jehovah Deus noster,... tantum in te commemorabimus nomen Tuum, xxvi 13:
et apud eundem, Excitabo a {6} septentrione, et veniet ab ortu solis, invocabit nomen Meum, xli 25;
ubi `commemorare et invocare nomen Jehovae' est colere ex bonis amoris et veris fidei; `qui a septentrione' sunt qui extra Ecclesiam et in ignorantia de nomine Jehovae, qui usque invocant nomen Ipsius, quando in charitate mutua vivunt, et adorant numen (t)universi Creatorem, nam in cultu et ejus qualitate, non in nomine consistit invocatio Jehovae; (m)quod Dominus etiam praesens sit apud gentes, videatur n. 932, 1032, 1059(n): [5] apud eundem, (x)Videbunt gentes justitiam tuam, et omnes reges gloria tuam; et vocabitur tibi nomen novum, quod os Jehovae enuntiabit, lxii 2;
ubi `vocabitur tibi nomen novum' pro quod alius, nempe e novo creatus seu regeneratus, ita quod talis: apud Micham, Omnes populi (t)quisque ambulabunt' in nomine dei sui; et nos ambulabimus in nomine Jehovae Dei nostri in saeculum, et in aeternum, iv 5;
`ambulare in nomine dei sui' manifeste pro cultu profano; et `ambulare in nomine Jehovae' pro cultu vero: apud Malachiam, Ab ortu solis, et usque ad occasum ejus, magnum nomen Meum inter gentes, et in omni loco suffitus oblatus nomini Meo, minha munda, nam magnum nomen Meum inter gentes, i 11;
ubi non per `nomen' significatur nomen sed cultus, qui est quale Jehovae seu Domini, ex quo adorari vult: [6] apud Mosen, Locum quem elegerit Jehovah Deus vester ex omnibus tribubus, ad ponendum nomen Suum ibi,... et ad habitare faciendum nomen Suum ibi, eo adducetis omne, quod Ego praecipiens vobis, Deut. xii 5, 11, 14; xvi 2, 6, 11;
ubi etiam per `ponere nomen Suum,' et `habitare facere nomen Suum ibi' non significatur nomen sed cultus, ita quale Jehovae seu Domini, ex quo colendus; quale Ipsius est bonum amoris et verum fidei; apud eos qui in illis sunt `habitat nomen Jehovae': apud Jeremiam, Ite ad locum Meum, qui in Shilunte, quo habitare feci nomen Meum in principio {7}, vii 12;
ibi similiter pro cultu, ita pro doctrina verae fidei; quod non habitet Jehovah apud eum qui solam nomen Ipsius novit et nominat, cuivis constare potest, nam solum nomen absque idea qualis, cognitione qualis, et fide qualis, est mera vox; inde patet {8} quod nomen sit quale, et nosse qualis est: [7] apud Mosen, In tempore illo separavit Jehovah tribum Levi,... administrandum Ipsi, et ad benedicendum in nomine Ipsius, Deut. x 8;
ubi `benedicere in nomine Jehovae' `est non' per nomen sed per illa quae sunt nominis Jehovae, de quibus supra: apud Jeremiam, Hoc nomen Ipsius, quod vocabunt Ipsum, Jehovah justitia nostra, xxiii 6;
ibi `nomen' pro justitia quae est quale Domini, de Quo agitur: apud Esaiam, Jehovah ab utero vocavit Me, a visceribus matris meae (x)memorare fecit nomen Meum, xlix 1;
ubi etiam de Domino; `memorare nomen Ipsius' est instruere qualis est. [8] Quod per `nomen' significetur quale, adhuc manifestius patet apud Johannem in Apocalypsi, Habes pauca nomina in Sardis, qui non polluerunt vestimenta sua, et ambulabunt Mecum in albis, quia digni sunt. Qui vicerit, hic induetur vestimentis albis, et non delebo nomen ejus e libro vitae; et confitebor nomen ejus coram Patre Meo, et coram angelis.... Qui vicerit... scribam super illum nomen Dei, et nomen civitatis Dei Mei, Novae Hierosolymae, quae descendit e caelo a Deo Meo, et nomen Meum novum, iii 4, 5, 12;
ubi quod `nomen' non sit nomen, sed quod sit quale ejus, manifeste constat; `nomen in libro vitae' non aliud est; pariter `confiteri nomen ejus coram Patre'; et `scribere super illum nomen Dei et civitatis, ac nomen novum': similiter alibi nomina quae scripta dicuntur in libro vitae, (o)et in caelo,' Apoc. xiii 8; xvii 8; `Luc. x 20': [9] in caelo nusquam est nisi quale ex quo cognoscitur unus ab altero, quod in sensu litterae exprimitur per `nomen'; ut cuique quoque constare potest ex eo quod unusquisque in terra nominatus sistatur in idea alterius qualis est, per quam noscitur et distinguitur ab alio; in altera vita ideae manent sed nomina pereunt; et adhuc magis apud angelos; inde est quod `nomen' sit quale seu nosse qualis est, in sensu interno: apud eundem, Super capite Illius, Qui sedit super equo albo, diademata multa, habens nomen scriptum, quod nemo scit, nisi Ipse, indutus erat vestimento tincto sanguine, et vocatur nomen Ipsius Verbum Dei, Apoc. xix 12, 13;
hic quod `nomen' sit Verbum Dei, ita quale Ipsius Qui sedit super equo albo, apertis verbis dicitur. [10] Quod nomen Jehovae sit nosse qualis est, nempe quod sit omne bonum amoris et omne verum fidei, (c)ex his Domini verbis clare {9} constat, Pater juste,... Ego Te novi, etiamque hi cognoverunt quod Tu Me miseris, nam notum feci illis nomen Tuum, et notum faciam, ut amor quo amasti Me, in illis sit et Ego in illic Joh. xvii 25, 26. [11] Et quod `nomen Dei' seu Domini sit omnis doctrina fidei de amore e charitate, quae significatur per `credere in nomen Ipsius,' ex his apud eundem evangelistam, Quotquot receperunt, dedit illis potestatem ut filii Dei essent, credentibus in nomen Ipsius {10}, i 12:
Si quid petieritis in nomine Meo, Ego faciam; si amatis Me mandata Mea servate, xiv 13-15:
Quodcumque petieritis Patrem in nomine Meo, det vobis; haec praecipio vobis ut ametis vos invicem, xv 16, 17:
apud Matthaeum, Ubi duo aut aes congregati in nomine Meo, ibi sum in medio eorum, xviii 20;
[12] ubi `congregati in nomine Domini' significant illos qui in doctrina fidei de amore et charitate, ita qui in amore et charitate: apud eundem, Eritis odio habiti ab omnibus gentibus propter nomen Meum, x 22; xxiv 9, 10; Marc. xiii (x)13;
ubi `propter nomen Meum' manifeste propter doctrinam. Quod ipsum nomen nihil faciat sed illud quod nomen involvit, nempe omne charitati et fidei, constat clare ab his apud Matthaeum, Nonne per nomen Tuum prophetavimus; et per nomen Tuum daemonia ejecimus; et in nomine Tuo virtutes multas fecimus Sed tunc confitebor illis, Non novi vos, discedite a Me operante iniquitatem, vii 22, 23;
inde constat quod qui ponunt cultum in nomine, ut Judaei in nomine Jehovae, et Christiani in nomine Domini, non ideo sint [aliis] digniores; quia nomen nihil facit; sed quod tales sint quales Ipse mandavit, quo est `credere in nomen Ipsius'; et quod dicunt non in alio nomine quam (o)in Domini esse salutem, est quod non in alia doctrina, hoc est, quod non in alio quam in amore mutuo, qui est vera doctrina fidei, ita non in alio quam in Domino, quia ab Ipso Solo omnis amor, et inde fides {11}. @1 i proinde nec in sensu interno.$ @2 et.$ @3 sunt Ipsius Dei.$ @4 ponere after cultum.$ @5 i ipso.$ @6 e I.$ @7 Sch has olim. A d olim, i ita in principio.$ @8 constat.$ @9 i etiam.$ @10 ejus.$ @11 omnis.$