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130. (Verse 12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write. That this signifies for remembrance to those within the church who are in temptations, is evident from the signification of writing, as being for remembrance (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 8620); from the signification of angel, as being a recipient of Divine truth, and, in the highest sense, the Divine truth itself proceeding from the Lord (concerning which more will be said in what follows); and from the signification of the church in Pergamos, as being those within the church who are in temptations. That such are meant by the church in Pergamos, is evident from the things written to that church, which follow; for from no other source can it be known what is signified by each of the seven churches. For, as was before shown, by the churches here mentioned are not meant churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, but all those who belong to the Lord's church, and by each church something which constitutes the church with man. And because the primary things of the church are the knowledges of truth and good and the affection of spiritual truth, therefore the subject first treated of are those things, written to the angel of the church of Ephesus and Smyrna; concerning the knowledges of truth and good to the angel of the church of Ephesus, and concerning the spiritual affection of truth to the angel of the church of Smyrna. And because no one can be infilled with the knowledges of truth and good as to life, and persevere in the spiritual affection of truth, unless he undergoes temptations, therefore the subject now treated of in what is written to the angel of the church in Pergamos is those temptations.
[2] It is therefore clear in what order the things taught under the names of the seven churches follow. The reason why it is said, "To the angel of the church, write," and not to the church is, that by angel is signified the Divine truth which constitutes the church; for Divine truth teaches how man is to live that he may become a church. That by angel in the Word, in the spiritual sense, is not meant any angel, but, in the highest sense, the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and, in a relative sense, he who receives it, is evident from this consideration, that all the angels are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord, and that no angel is of himself an angel; also, that in proportion as he receives Divine truth, in the same proportion he is an angel. For angels know and perceive better than men, that all the good of love and truth of faith are not from themselves, but from the Lord; and, because the good of love and truth of faith constitute their wisdom and intelligence, and these the whole angel, therefore they know and acknowledge that they are only recipients of the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and thus that they are angels in that, degree in which they receive it. This is why they are desirous that the term angels should be understood spiritually, that is, impersonally, and be interpreted as meaning Divine truths.
By Divine truth is meant also Divine good, because they proceed unitedly from the Lord (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 13, 140).
[3] Now because Divine truth proceeding from the Lord constitutes an angel, therefore, in the highest sense, in the Word, by angel is meant the Lord Himself, as in Isaiah:
"The angel of the faces of Jehovah liberated them; on account of his love, and his indulgence, he redeemed them; and he bore, and carried them all the days of eternity" (Isaiah 63:9).
And in Moses:
"The angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless them (Genesis 48:16).
In the same:
"Behold, I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way; beware of his faces, and obey his voice, for my name is in the midst of him" (Exodus 23:20-23).
[4] Because the Lord as to Divine truth is called an angel, therefore also Divine truths are meant, in the spiritual sense, by angels, as in the following passages:
"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend. In the consummation of the age the angels shall go forth, and sever the wicked from among the just" (Heaven and Hell 230-233). Similarly by the angels of God seen ascending and descending upon the Son of man is meant, that Divine truths were in Him and from Him.
[5] By angels also in other places are meant Divine truths proceeding from the Lord, consequently the Lord as to Divine truths, as where it is said, that
to the seven angels were given seven trumpets, and that the angels sounded the trumpets (Apoc. 8:2, 6-8, 10, 12, 13; 9:1, 13, 14).
It is said, that to the angels were given trumpets, and that they sounded them, because trumpets and the sound of them signify Divine truth to be revealed (see above, n. Apoc. 12:7, 9);
by the angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel (Apoc. 14:6);
by the seven angels pouring out the seven vials (Apoc. 16:1-4, 8, 10, 12);
by the twelve angels at the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem (Apoc. 21:12).
[6] That this is the case will also be seen in what follows. That by angels are meant Divine truths from the Lord, is quite clear in David:
Jehovah "maketh his angels winds, and his ministers a flaming fire" (96, 97, 9229, 9281; and, moreover, n. 1119, 3886, 3887, 3889, 3892, 3893. That flaming fire denotes Divine love, and thence Divine good see in the work, Heaven and Hell 133-140, 566, 567, 568; and above, n. 68.)
[7] That an angel signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, is quite clear from these words in the Apocalypse:
"He measured the wall" of the New Jerusalem "an hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel" (Arcana Coelestia 6419; that the number one hundred and forty-four signifies all things of truth in the aggregate, n. 7973; that measure signifies the quality of a thing as to truth and good, n. 3104, 9603, 10262. These things may also be seen explained as to the internal sense in the small work, The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n. 1.)
[8] Because by angels in the Word are meant Divine truths, therefore men through whom Divine truths are made known are sometimes called angels, as in Malachi:
"The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth, because he is the angel of Jehovah" (2:7).
He is said to be the angel of Jehovah, because he teaches Divine truth; not that he is the angel of Jehovah, but the Divine truth which he teaches is. It is also known in the church that no one has Divine truth from himself. Lips, in the above passage, also signify the doctrine of truth, and law the Divine truth itself. (That lips signify the doctrine of truth may be seen, Luke 7:27).
[9] The reason why John is called an angel is, because by him, in the spiritual sense, is signified the Word, which is Divine truth, just as by Elias. (See Arcana Coelestia 7643, 9372; and that what is signified, the same is meant, by a person in the Word, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3670, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806, 9229.)
[10] It is said, that by angels in the Word, in the spiritual sense, are meant Divine truths proceeding from the Lord, because these constitute angels, and when angels utter them, they do not speak from themselves but from the Lord. That this is the case, the angels not only know but also perceive. A man who believes that nothing of faith is from himself, but from God, also knows this, but he does not perceive it. That nothing of faith is from man, but all from God, is the same thing as if it were said, that nothing of truth which has life is from man, but from God; for truth has relation to faith, and faith to truth.
130. Verse 12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write, signifies for remembrance to those within the church who are in temptations. This is evident from the signification of "writing," as being for remembrance (See Arcana Coelestia 8620); and from the signification of "angel," as being a recipient of Divine truth, and in the highest sense Divine truth itself proceeding from the Lord (of which more in what follows); and from the signification of the "church in Pergamum," as being those within the church who are in temptations.
That these are meant by the "church in Pergamum" is clear from the things written to that church, which follow. From no other source can it be known what is signified by each of the seven churches. For as was shown before, what is meant is not any church in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, or Laodicea, but all who are of the Lord's church, and by each of these churches something that constitutes the church with man is meant. And as the first things of the church are the knowledges of truth and good, and the affections of spiritual truth, these are first treated of, namely, in what is written to the angel of the Ephesian church and of the Smyrnean church; of the knowledges of truth and good to the angel of the Ephesian church, and of the spiritual affection of truth to the angel of the Smyrnean church. And as no one can be imbued with the knowledges of truth and good in respect to life, and be steadfast in the spiritual affection of truth, unless he undergoes temptations, so temptations are now treated of in what is written to the angel of the church in Pergamum. From this it appears in what order the things follow that are taught under the names of the seven churches.
[2] It is said "To the angel of the church, write," and not, To the church, because by "angel" is signified Divine truth, which makes the church; for Divine truth teaches how man is to live that he may become a church. That "angel" in the Word, in its spiritual sense, does not mean any angel, but in the highest sense, Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and in a respective sense, he that receives it, can be seen from this, that all the angels are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord, and no angel is of himself an angel; but he is so far an angel as he receives Divine truth; for angels more than men know and perceive that all the good of love and all the truth of faith are from the Lord, not from themselves, and as the good of love and the truth of faith constitute their wisdom and intelligence, and as these constitute the whole angel, they know and say that they are merely recipients of the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and thus are angels in the degree in which they receive it. On this account they desire that the term "angel" should be understood spiritually, that is, in a sense abstracted from persons, and as meaning Divine truths. By Divine truth is meant at the same time Divine good, because these proceed from the Lord united (See in the work on Heaven and Hell, n.
[133-140] 1.
[3] And as Divine truth proceeding from the Lord constitutes the angel, by "angel" in the Word in the highest sense is meant the Lord Himself, as in Isaiah:
The angel of the faces of Jehovah delivered them, in His love and His pity He redeemed them, and took them up, and carried them all the days of eternity (Isaiah 63:9).
In Moses:
The angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless them (Genesis 48:16).
In the same:
I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way; take ye heed of His faces, for my name is in the midst of Him (Exodus 23:20-23).
[4] As the Lord in respect to Divine truth is called an "angel," so also Divine truths are meant by "angels" in the spiritual sense, as in the following passages:
The Son of man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that cause stumbling. In the consummation of the age the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked out of the midst of the just (Heaven and Hell 230-233). That "ye shall see the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man," means the like, namely, that Divine truths should be in Him and from Him.
[5] Moreover, in other places also "angels" mean Divine truths from the Lord, consequently the Lord in respect to Divine truths, as:
To the seven angels were given seven trumpets, and the angels sounded on the trumpets (Revelation 8:2, 6-8, 10, 12, 13; 9:1, 13, 14).
It is said that to the angels were given trumpets, and that they sounded thereon, because "trumpets" and their "sound" signify Divine truth to be revealed (See above, n. Revelation 12:7, 9);
By the angel flying in the mid-heaven, having the eternal
gospel (Revelation 14:6);
By the seven angels pouring out the seven bowls (Rev. 16:1-4, 8, 10, 12);
By the twelve angels upon the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12).
That this is so will also be seen in what follows.
[6] That by "angels" are meant Divine truths which are from the Lord is clearly manifest in David:
Jehovah maketh His angels winds, and His ministers a flaming fire (96, 97, 9229, 9281 also n. 1119, 3886, 3887, 3889, 3892, 3893; that "flaming fire" is Divine love, and therefore Divine good, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 133-140, 566-568; and above, n. 68).
[7] That "angel" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is clearly manifest from these words in Revelation:
He measured the wall of the New Jerusalem, a hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, which is that of an angel (Arcana Coelestia 6419; that the number "one hundred and forty-four" signifies all things of truth in the complex, n. 7973; that "measure" signifies the quality of a thing in respect to truth and good, n. 3104, 9603, 10262. These things may also be found explained as to the spiritual sense, in The small work on The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 1.)
[8] Because by "angels" in the Word Divine truths are signified, therefore the men through whom Divine truths are made known are sometimes called "angels" in the Word, as in Malachi:
The priest's lips ought to guard knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth, because he is the angel of Jehovah (Arcana Coelestia 1286, 1288; and that "law" signifies Divine truth itself, see n. 3382, 7463)
[9] From this it is that John the Baptist also is called an angel:
Jesus said, This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee (Arcana Coelestia 7643, 9372, and what is signified; this is what is meant by the persons mentioned in the Word, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3670, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806, 9229).
[10] It is said that by "angels" in the Word, in its spiritual sense, Divine truths proceeding from the Lord are meant, because these constitute the angels; when angels utter these truths, they speak not from themselves, but from the Lord. The angels not only know that this is so, but they also perceive it. The man who believes that nothing of faith is from himself, but that all faith is from God, also knows this, indeed, but he does not perceive it. That nothing of faith is from man, but all faith is from God, is the same as saying that nothing of truth that has life is from man, but all truth is from God, for truth is of faith and faith is of truth.
130. (Vers. 12.) "Et Angelo in Pergamo Ecclesiae scribe." - Quod significet ad recordationem illis intra Ecclesiam qui in tentationibus sunt, constat ex significatione "scribere", quod sit ad recordationem (de qua n. 8620); ex significatione "angeli", quod sit recipiens Divini Veri, et in sensu supremo ipsum Divinum Verum procedens a Domino (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "Ecclesiae in Pergamo", quod sint illi intra ecclesiam qui in tentationibus sunt; quod ii sint qui intelliguntur per "Ecclesiam in Pergamo", patet a scriptis ad illam, quae sequuntur; aliunde non sciri potest quid per unamquamvis ecclesiam ex septem significatur. Nam, ut prius ostensum est, non intelligitur aliqua ecclesia in Epheso, in Smyrna, in Pergamo, Thyatira, Sarde, Philadelphia et Laodicea, sed omnes qui ab ecclesia Domini sunt; et per unamquamvis aliquid quod facit ecclesiam apud hominem. Et quia prima ecclesiae sunt cognitiones veri et boni, et affectio veri spiritualis, ideo de illis primum actum est, nempe in scriptis ad Angelum Ephesinae et Smyrnensis Ecclesiae, de cognitionibus veri et boni ad Angelum Ephesinae Ecclesiae, et de affectione veri spirituali ad Angelum Smyrnensis Ecclesiae: et quia nemo potest imbui cognitionibus veri et boni quoad vitam ac persistere in affectione veri spirituali, nisi subeat tentationes, ideo nunc de illis agitur in scriptis ad Angelum Ecclesiae in Pergamo. Inde apparet quo ordine sequuntur illa quae sub nominibus septem ecclesiarum docentur.
[2] Quod dicatur "Ad Angelum Ecclesiae scribe", et non Ad Ecclesiam, est quia per "Angelum" significatur Divinum Verum, quod facit ecclesiam; Divinum enim Verum docet quomodo homo victurus est ut fiat ecclesia. Quod per "angelum" in Verbo in sensu ejus spirituali non intelligatur aliquis angelus, sed in supremo sensu Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, et in sensu respectivo is qui recipit illud, constare potest ex eo quod omnes angeli sint recipientes Divini Veri a Domino; et quod nullus angelus sit ex se angelus, et quod tantum angelus sit quantum illud recipit: nam angeli prae hominibus sciunt et percipiunt quod omne bonum amoris et verum fidei non sit ab ipsis sed a Domino; et quia bonum amoris et verum fidei faciunt sapientiam et intelligentiam eorum, et hae totum angelum, ideo norunt et dicunt se modo esse recipientes Divini procedentis a Domino, et sic in eo gradu esse angelos in quo id recipiunt; inde est quod velint ut "angeli" intelligantur spiritualiter, quod est abstracte a personis, nempe Divina Vera. Per Divinum Verum intelligitur simul Divinum Bonum, quoniam unita procedunt a Domino (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 13, 140).
[3] Nunc quia Divinum Verum procedens a Domino facit angelum, ideo in supremo sensu in Verbo per "Angelum" intelligitur Ipse Dominus:
- Ut apud Esaiam,
"Angelus facierum Jehovae liberavit eos, ob amorem suum et indulgentiam suam Hic redemit eos et assumpsit eos, et portavit eos omnibus diebus aeternitatis" (63:9);
apud Mosen,
"Angelus qui redemit me ab omni malo, benedicat" illis (Genesis 48:16);
apud eundem,
"Ego mitto Angelum coram te, ad custodiendum te in via;... caveto tibia faciebus Ipsius, quia nomen meum in medio Illius" (Exodus 23:20-23).
[4] Quia Dominus quoad Divinum Verum vocatur "Angelus", ideo etiam Divina vera in sensu spirituali intelliguntur per "angelos", ut in sequentibus locis:
"Mittet Filius hominis angelos suos, qui colligent e regno suo omnia offendicula, ... in consummatione saeculi exibunt angeli et separabunt malos e medio justorum" (Matthaeus 13:41, 49);
In consummatione saeculi Filius hominis "mittet angelos suos cum tubae voce magna, et congregabit electos e quatuor ventis" (Matth. 24 [24:3,] 31);
"Quando venerit Filius hominis in gloria sua, et omnes sancti angelicum Ipso, tunc sedebit super throno gloriae suae" (Matthaeus 25:31);
Dixit Jesus, "Exhinc videbitis caelum se aperiens, et angelos Dei ascendentes et descendentes super Filium hominis" (Johannes 1:52 [B.A. 51]).
In his locis in sensu spirituali per "angelos" intelliguntur Divina vera, et non angeli; ut in locis antecedentibus, quod in consummatione saeculi "angeli collecturi sint omnia offendicula", "separaturi malos e medio justorum", quod "collecturi electos cum tubae voce magnae quatuor ventis", et quod "Filius hominis cum angelis sessurus super throno gloriae": ibi non intelligitur quod angeli id una cum Domino facturi sint, sed quod solus Dominus per Divina sua vera; quoniam angeli nihil potentiae ex se habent, sed omnis potentia est Domino per Divinum suum Verum (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 230-233). Simile intelligitur per quod "visuri angelos Dei ascendentes et descendentes super Filium hominis"; nempe quod Divina vera in Ipso et ab Ipso essent.
[5] Per "angelos" etiam alibi intelliguntur Divina vera quae a Domino, proinde Dominus quoad Divina vera: ut,
Quod septem angelis datae sint septem tubae, et quod angeli illi tubis clanxerint (Apocalypsis 8:2, 6-8, 10, 12, 13; 9:1, 13, 14);
dicitur quod datae sint angelis tubae, et quod illis clanxerint, quia per "tubas" et illarum "clangorem" significatur Divinum Verum revelandum (videatur supra, n. 55). Similia etiam intelliguntur
Per angelos pugnantes contra draconem (Apocalypsis 12:7, 9);
Per angelum volantem in medio caeli habentem Evangelium aeternum (Apocalypsis 14:6);
Per septem angelos effundentes septem phialas (Apocalypsis 16:1-4, 8, 10, 12);
Per duodecim angelos super duodecim portis Novae Hierosolymae (Apocalypsis 21:12);
quod ita sit, videbitur etiam in sequentibus.
[6] Quod per "angelos" intelligantur Divina vera quae sunt a Domino, patet manifeste apud Davidem:
Jehovah "facit angelos suos ventos, et ministros suos ignem flammantem" (Psalm. 104:4 1
);
per quae significatur Divinum Verum et Divinum Bonum; nam "ventus" Jehovae in Verbo significat Divinum Verum, et "ignis" Ipsius Divinum Bonum. (Ut constare potest ex illis quae in Arcanis Caelestibus ostensa sunt, ut quod "ventus narium" Jehovae sit Divinum Verum, n. 8286:
quod "quatuor venti" sint omnia veri et boni, n. 3708, 9642, 9668:
quod inde "respirare" in Verbo significet statum vitae fidei, n. 9281: ex quibus patet quid significatur per quod Jehovah "inspiraverit" in nares Adami, Genesis 2:7;
per quod Dominus "inspiraverit" in discipulos, Johannes 20:22:
per quod dicatur "Ventus quo vult spirat, et vocem ejus audis, et non scis unde venit", Johannes 3:8,
de quibus videatur n. 96, 97, 9229, 9281; et insuper n. 1119, 3886, 3887, 3889, 3829, 3893:
quod "ignis flammans" sit Divinus Amor et inde Divinum Bonum, in opere De Caelo et Inferno 133-140, 566-568; et supra, n. 68.)
[7] Quod "angelus" significet Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, patet manifeste ex his in Apocalypsi,
"Mensus est murum" Novae Hierosolymae, "centum quadraginta quatuor cubitorum, mensura hominis, quae est angeli" (21:17):
quod murus Hierosolymae non sit "mensura angeli", quisque videre potest; sed quod sint omnia vera tutantia, quae per "angelum" ibi intelliguntur, patet a significatione "muri Hierosolymae", et a significatione numeri "centum quadraginta quatuor."
Quod "murus" significet omnia vera tutantia, videatur n. 6419:
quod numerus "centum quadraginta quatuor" significet Omnia veri in complexu, n. 7973:
quod "mensura" significet quale rei quoad verum et bonum, n. 3104, 9603, 10262; videantur etiam illa quoad sensum spiritualem explicata in opusculo De Nova Hierosolyma et ejus Doctrina Caelesti 1.)
[8] Quia per "angelos" in Verbo significantur Divina Vera, ideo homines ex quibus Divina vera aliquoties in Verbo dicuntur "angeli": ut apud Malachiam,
"Labia sacerdotis custodire debent scientiam, et legem quaerent ex ore illius, quia angelus Jehovae (Zebaoth) ille" (2:7):
is "angelus Jehovae" dicitur ex eo, quod doceat Divinum Verum; non quod is sit angelus Jehovae, sed Divinum Verum quod docet. Notum etiam in ecclesia est quod nemini sit Divinum Verum ex se: "labia" etiam ibi significant doctrinam veri, et "lex" ipsum Divinum Verum.
(Quod "labia" significent doctrinam veri, videatur n. 1286, 1288; et quod "lex" ipsum Divinum Verum, n. 3382, 2
7463.)
[9] Inde quoque est quod Johannes Baptista dicatur "angelus:"
"Jesus dixit, Hic est de quo scriptum est, Ecce mitto angelum meum ante faciem tuam, qui praeparabit viam tuam ante Te" (Luca 7:27);
causa quod is dictus sit "angelus" est quia per illum in sensu spirituali significatur Verbum, quod est Divinum Verum, similiter ac Elias. (Videatur n. 3
7643, 9372. Et quod significatur, hoc per personam in Verbo intelligitur, videatur n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3670, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806, 9229.)
[10] Dicitur quod per "angelos" in Verbo in sensu ejus spirituali intelligantur Divina vera a Domino procedentia, quoniam haec faciunt angelos; et dum loquuntur illa, non ex se loquuntur sed ex Domino: quod ita sit non modo sciunt sed etiam percipiunt angeli; homo qui credit quod nihil fidei sit a se sed a Deo, id quoque scit, sed non percipit. Quod nihil fidei sit ab homine, sed omne a Deo, est quod nihil veri, quod vitam habet, sit ab homine sed a Deo; nam verum est fidei, et fides est veri.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.