812.启19:7.“我们要欢喜快乐，将荣耀归给祂！因为羔羊的婚期到了”表灵魂和内心的欢喜，因而对主的赞颂，因为今后主与教会的完满婚姻可以实现了。“欢喜快乐”表示灵魂和内心的欢喜。灵魂的欢喜是理解或认知的欢喜，或出于信之真理的欢喜；内心的欢喜是是意愿的欢喜，或出于爱之良善的欢喜。这二者都被提及是由于圣言每个细节中的真理与良善的婚姻，如前所述（373，689节）。“将荣耀归给祂”表示承认并称谢一切真理皆来自主（629节）；也承认主是天地之神（693节）；在此之所以表示荣耀，是因为这涉及这二者。“因为羔羊的婚期到了”表示因为今后主与教会的完满婚姻可以实现了。所表示的是这一点，故经上说“羔羊”；“羔羊”是指主的神性人（269，291节）。
当主的人性被承认为神性时，主与教会的完满婚姻才会实现，这几乎是显而易见的，无需解释；因为在改革宗基督教界，众所周知，教会之所以为教会，是由于主与教会的婚姻；事实上，主被称为葡萄园的主；教会是葡萄园；主还被为新郎和丈夫，而教会被称为新妇或新娘和妻子。主被称为新郎，教会被称为新妇或新娘（参看797节）。显然，当主的人性被承认为神性时，就会有主与教会的完满婚姻；因为那时，父神和祂被承认为一，如同灵魂与身体为一。当承认这一点时，父就不再为了子的缘故被靠近；那时，主自己被靠近，父神通过祂被靠近；因为父在主里面，如同灵魂在身体里面，如前所述。在主的人性被承认为神性之前，主与教会的确有婚姻；但这婚姻只在那些靠近主，思想祂的神性之人里面，根本不在那些思想祂的人性是不是神性的人里面。在信仰和内心上简单者会这么做；而鲜有学识渊博者这样做。此外，一个妻子不可能有三个丈夫，一个身体也不可能有三个灵魂；因此，除非承认一位神，三位一体在这一位神里面，并且这神就是主，否则没有婚姻。
从这时候起，这种婚姻才能实现，因为在巴比伦人像非利士人，就是那些信奉唯信的人一样，通过最后审判在灵界被分离出去之前，这种婚姻不可能完全实现的；由于前面论述了他们的分离，故此处才说“今后”。教会与主存在一个婚姻，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
耶稣说，新郎和婚礼之子同在的时候，他们岂能哀恸呢？（马太福音9:15；马可福音2:19）；
天国好比一个人，就是一个王为他儿子办婚筵，就打发仆人去，请人来赴婚筵。（马太福音22:1-14）
天国好比十个童女出去迎接新郎；五个预备好的，同新郎进入婚筵。（马太福音25:1-12）
此处主说的是祂自己，这一点从接下来第13节明显可知，在那里祂说：
你们要警醒，因为人子来的那日子、那时辰，你们不知道。（马太福音 25:13）
在另一处说：
你们腰里要束上带，蜡烛也要发光，自己好像仆人等候主人从婚筵上回来。（路加福音12:35，36）
812. 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come." This symbolizes the angels' joy of soul and heart and consequent glorification of the Lord, that from now on a full marriage of the Lord with the church is possible.
To be glad and rejoice symbolizes a joy of soul and heart. Joy of the soul is a joy of the intellect or joy in response to truths of faith, and joy of the heart is a joy of the will or joy springing from goods of love. Both of these are mentioned because of the marriage of truth and goodness in every particular of the Word, as explained in nos. 373 and 689 above. To give Him glory means, symbolically, to acknowledge and confess that all truth is from the Lord (no. 629), and to acknowledge that the Lord is God of heaven and earth (no. 693). Here it therefore symbolizes to glorify, because this involves both acknowledgments.
"For the marriage of the Lamb has come" means, symbolically, that from now on a full marriage of the Lord and the church is possible. For this to be symbolized, the Lord is therefore called the Lamb, and by the Lamb is meant the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity (nos. 269, 291).
[2] It is when the Lord's humanity is acknowledged to be Divine that a full marriage of the Lord and the church is possible, and this can be seen almost without explanation. For in the Christian world of the Protestant Reformed, people know that the church is a church because of the marriage of the Lord with it, inasmuch as the Lord is called the Lord of the vineyard, 1and the vineyard is the church. Moreover, the Lord is also called the bridegroom and husband, and the church is called the bride and wife. That the Lord is called the bridegroom and the church the bride may be seen in no. 797 above.
That there is a full marriage of the Lord and the church when His humanity is acknowledged to be Divine is plain. For then God the Father and the Lord are acknowledged to be one, like soul and body. And when this is acknowledged, people do not turn to the Father for the sake of the Son, but they turn then to the Lord Himself, and through Him to God the Father, because the Father is present in Him like a soul in its body, as we have said.
Before people acknowledge the Lord's humanity to be Divine, there is indeed a marriage of the Lord with the church, but only in those who turn to the Lord and think of His Divinity, and not at all of whether His humanity is Divine or not. This is what the simple in faith and heart do, but rarely the learned and erudite.
Besides, one wife cannot have three husbands, nor can one body have three souls. Consequently, unless people acknowledge one God in whom is the Trinity, and that that God is the Lord, no marriage is possible.
[3] We say that this marriage is possible from now on, because it was not possible fully until after the adherents of the Roman Catholic religion were separated in the spiritual world by the Last Judgment, and the adherents of the Protestant Reformed faith too, who are those who professed faith alone. It is because the separation of these is described in the preceding chapters that we say from now on.
That there is a wedding of the church with the Lord can be seen from the following:
Jesus said..., "The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them." (Matthew 9:15, cf. Mark 2:19)
The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to (invite people) to the wedding. (Matthew 22:1-14)
The kingdom of heaven (is like) ten virgins who... went out to meet the bridegroom..., five of (whom)...were ready and went in with (the bridegroom) to the wedding. (Matthew 25:1-12)
That the Lord meant Himself here is apparent from the verse that follows next, in which He says,
Watch..., for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man will come. (Matthew 25:13)
And elsewhere:
Let your loins be girded and your lamps lit, and you yourselves be like people who are waiting for their lord, when he will return from the wedding... (Luke 12:35-36)
Footnotes:
1. Matthew 20:8
812. [verse 7] 'Let us rejoice and exult and give glory to Him, for the Lamb's wedding has come' signifies joy of soul and heart, and the consequent glorification of the Lord that henceforth there may be effected a full marriage of Himself with the Church. By 'to rejoice and exult' is signified joy of soul and heart. Joy of soul is a joy of the understanding or by reason of the truths of faith, and joy of heart is a joy of the will or by reason of the goods of love. The two are mentioned on account of the marriage of truth and good in the details of the Word, treated of above (373, 689). By 'to give glory to Him' is signified to acknowledge and confess that all truth is from the Lord (629), also to acknowledge that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth (693). Here, therefore, to glorify is signified, because this involves both of these. By' for the Lamb's wedding has come' is signified because henceforth there may be a full marriage of the Lord and the Church. So that this may be signified it is said 'the Lamb,' and by 'the Lamb' is understood the Lord as to the Divine Human (269, 291).
[2] That when the Lord's Human is acknowledged to be Divine a full marriage of the Lord and His Church is effected can be established almost without an exposition, for it is known in Reformed Christendom that the Church is a Church by virtue of the Lord's marriage with her, for the Lord is called the Lord of the vineyard and the Church is the vineyard. Moreover the Lord is called the Bridegroom and Husband and the Church is called the bride and wife. That the Lord is termed 'the Bridegroom' and the Church 'the bride' may be seen above (797). That there will be a full marriage of the Lord and the Church at the time when His Human is acknowledged to be Divine is plain, for then God the Father and Himself are acknowledged to be one as soul and body. When this is acknowledged the Father is not approached for the sake of the Son, but then the Lord Himself is approached and through Him God the Father because, as has been said, the Father is in Him in the same manner as the soul is in the body. Before the Lord's Human is acknowledged to be Divine there is indeed a marriage of the Lord with the Church, but only with those who approach the Lord and think of His Divine and do not think at all whether His Human is Divine or not. The simple in faith and heart do this, but rarely the learned and erudite. Moreover there cannot he three husbands for one wife nor three souls for one body, and therefore unless the One God is acknowledged in Whom is the Trinity, and unless it is acknowledged that that God is the Lord, there can be no marriage.
[3] The reason that that marriage is effected 'from henceforth' is because it could not be fully effected until after the Babylonians were separated in the spiritual world by means of the last judgment, as also the Philistines, who are those who make profession of faith alone; and because in the preceding chapter it has treated of their separation, it is said 'from henceforth.' That the Church's wedding is with the Lord can be established from these passages:
Jesus said, The sons of the wedding cannot mourn so long as the Bridegroom is with them. Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19.
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man, a king, who made a wedding for his son, and sent out servants and gave invitations to the wedding. Matthew 22:1-14.
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto ten virgins who went out to meet the Bridegroom, of whom five made ready went in with the Bride groom to the wedding. Matthew 25:1-12.
That here the Lord meant Himself is plain from the subsequent verse 13 where He said:
Watch, for you do not know the day and the hour when the Son of Man is going to come; and elsewhere:
Let your loins be girded and your lights shining, and [be] like those waiting for their Lord when He is about to return from the wedding, Luke 12:[35,] 36.
812. Verse 7. Let us rejoice and exult, and give the glory to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, signifies joy of soul and heart, and thence the glorification of the Lord, that henceforth there may be a full marriage of Him with the church. By "rejoice and exult" is signified joy of soul and heart. Joy of soul is joy of the understanding, or from the truth of faith; and joy of heart is joy of the will, or from the goods of love. The two are mentioned on account of the marriage of truth and good in each thing of the Word, spoken of above, (373, 689). By "giving glory to Him" is signified to acknowledge and confess that all truth is from the Lord, (629[1-2]); so to acknowledge that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, (693); here therefore is signified to glorify, because this involves both. By "for the marriage of the Lamb is come," is signified because henceforth there is the full marriage of the Lord and the church. That this may be signified, it is therefore said "the Lamb;" and by "the Lamb" is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, (269, 291).
[2] It may be evident almost without explanation, that when the Lord's Human is acknowledged to be Divine, there is effected a full marriage of the Lord and the church; for it is known in the Reformed Christian world, that the church is a church from the marriage of the Lord with her; for the Lord is called the Lord of the vineyard, and the church is the vineyard; and the Lord is also called the Bridegroom and Husband, and the church is called the Bride and Wife. That the Lord is called the Bridegroom, and the church the Bride, may be seen, (797). That there is then the full marriage of the Lord and the church, when His Human is acknowledged to be Divine, is manifest; for then God the Father and He are acknowledged to be one, as the soul and the body. When this is acknowledged, the Father is not approached for the sake of the Son; but then the Lord Himself is approached, and God the Father through Him; because the Father is in Him, as the soul is in the body, as was said. Before the Lord's Human is acknowledged to be Divine, there is indeed a marriage of the Lord with the church; but only with those who approach the Lord, and think of His Divine, and not at all whether His Human is Divine or not. The simple in faith and in heart do this; but rarely the learned and erudite. Moreover also there cannot be given three husbands to one wife, nor three souls to one body; and therefore, unless one God is acknowledged, in whom is the Trinity, and that that God is the Lord, there is no marriage.
[3] That from this time that marriage may take place, because it could not fully take place until after the Babylonians were separated in the spiritual world by the Last Judgment; as also the Philistines, who are they that profess faith alone; and because their separation is treated of in what goes before, it is said "from henceforth." That there is a marriage of the church with the Lord may be evident from these passages:
Jesus said, The children of the marriage cannot mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them, (Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19).
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man a king, who made a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants, and invited to the marriage, (Matthew 22:1-14).
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto ten virgins, who went forth to meet the bridegroom; of whom five, being ready, went in with the bridegroom to the marriage, (Matthew 25:1-12).
That here the Lord meant Himself is manifest from verse 13 following, where He said:
Watch, for ye know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of man will come, (Matthew 25:13).
And in another place:
Let your loins be girded and your candles shining, and ye like to them that wait for their Lord, when He is about to return from the marriage, (Luke 12:35-36).
812. (Vers. 7.) "Gaudeamus et exultemus et demus gloriam Ipsi, quia venerunt nuptiae Agni," significat gaudium animae et cordis, et inde glorificationem Domini, quod a nunc fiat plenum conjugium Ipsius cum Ecclesia.
- Per "gaudere et exultare" significatur gaudium animae et cordis; gaudium animae est gaudium intellectus seu ex veris fidei, et gaudium cordis est gaudium voluntatis seu ex bonis amoris; duo illa dicuntur propter conjugium veri et boni in singulis Verbi, de quo supra (373, 689) 1;
per "dare gloriam Ipsi" significatur agnoscere et confiteri quod omne verum sit a Domino (629);
tum agnoscere, quod Dominus sit Deus Caeli et Terrae (693);
hic itaque significatur glorificare, quia hoc involvit utrumque illud:
per "quia venerunt nuptiae Agni" significatur quia a nunc fit plenum conjugium Domini et Ecclesiae; ut hoc significetur, ideo dicitur "Agnus," et per "Agnum" intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Humanum (269, 291).
Quod cum Humanum Domini agnoscitur Divinum, fiat plenum conjugium Domini et Ecclesiae, constare potest paene absque explicatione; nam notum est in orbe Christiano Reformato quod Ecclesia sit Ecclesia ex conjugio Domini cum illa, Dominus enim vocatur Dominus Vineae, et Ecclesia est Vinea; et quoque Dominus vocatur Sponsus et Maritus, et Ecclesia vocatur Sponsa et Uxor; quod Dominus dicatur Sponsus, et Ecclesia Sponsa, videatur supra (797); quod tunc plenum conjugium Domini et Ecclesiae sit, quando Humanum Ipsius agnoscitur Divinum, patet; nam tunc Deus Pater et Ipse agnoscuntur unum ut Anima et Corpus; quod cum agnoscitur, non aditur Pater propter Filium, sed tunc aditur Ipse Dominus, et per Ipsum Deus Pater, quia Pater in Ipso est quemadmodum Anima in Corpore, ut dictum est. Antequam Humanum Domini agnoscitur Divinum, est quidem conjugium Domini cum Ecclesia, sed solum apud illos qui adeunt Dominum, et cogitant de Divino Ipsius, et non aliquid num Humanum Ipsius sit Divinum vel non: ita faciunt simplices fide et corde, et raro docti et eruditi. Et praeterea non possunt dari tres Mariti unius Uxoris, nec tres animae unius corporis; quare nisi agnoscitur Deus Unus in Quo Trinitas, et quod Ille Deus sit Dominus, non datur conjugium. Quod a nunc fiat illud conjugium, est quia non prius fieri potuit plene, quam postquam in mundo spirituali per Ultimum Judicium separati sunt Babylonici, ut et Philisthaei, qui sunt qui solam Fidem profitentur; et quia in praecedentibus actum est de separatione illorum, dicitur a nunc. Quod nuptiae Ecclesiae sint cum Domino, constare potest ex his:
"Jesus dixit, Non possunt filii Nuptiarum lugere, quamdiu cum illis est Sponsus," (Matthaeus 9:15; Marcus 2:19);
"Simile est Regnum Caelorum homini Regi, qui fecit Nuptias filio suo et emisit servos et invitavit ad Nuptias," (Matth. 22:1-14);
"Simile est Regnum Caelorum decem Virginibus, quae exiverunt in occursum Sponsi;" ex quibus quinque paratae "ingressae sunt cum Sponso in Nuptias," (Matth. 25:1-12);
quod Dominus Se hic intellexerit, patet a versu subsequente 2ubi dixit,
"Vigilate, quia non novistis diem et horam, qua Filius Hominis venturus est," (Matth. 25:13);
et alibi:
"Sunto lumbi vestri cincti, et candelae vestrae lucentes, et similes exspectantibus Dominum suum, quando reversurus est a Nuptiis," (Luc. 12:35) 3.
Footnotes:
1. 373 pro "106"
2. subsequente pro "subsequente 13"
3. 35 pro 36