879.启21:2.“我约翰又看见圣城新耶路撒冷由神那里从天而降”表在前教会终结时，主要建立新教会，新教会和新天堂要在教义和生活的神性真理上相联。此处之所以提到约翰本人的名字，说“我约翰”，是因为他作为一名使徒，表示对主之爱的良善，因而表示生活的良善，故他比其他门徒更受庞爱，在晚餐上挨近主的怀里（约翰福音13:23；21:20）；现在所论述的这个教会同样如此。“耶路撒冷”表示教会，这一点可见于下一节；该教会被称作“城”，并作为一座来描述，乃是出于教义和照教义的生活，因为“城”在灵义上表示教义（194，712节）。该教会被称为“圣”，乃是出于主，因为唯独主是神圣的，还出于其中来自主源于圣言的神性真理，这些神性真理被称为神圣（173，586，666，852节）；它被称为“新”，是因为那坐宝座的说：“我将一切都更新了”（｛21:5）；经上之所以说它“由神那里从天而降”，是因为它由主那里从新基督天堂而降，如本章头一节所述（876节）；事实上，地上的教会是由主通过天堂形成的，以便它们行如一体，并相联。
879. 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. This symbolizes the New Church to be established by the Lord at the end of the previous one, which will be affiliated with the New Heaven and possess Divine truths in its doctrine and in its life.
John mentions himself by name here, saying "I, John," because as an apostle he symbolizes the goodness of love toward the Lord and the attendant goodness of life. Consequently he was more loved than any of the rest of the apostles, and at the Last Supper he reclined on the Lord's breast (John 13:23; 21:20). And this church, which is the subject here, has a similar symbolism.
That Jerusalem symbolizes the church will be seen in the next number. It is called a city and described as a city because of its doctrine and its life in accordance with that doctrine. For a city in the spiritual sense symbolizes doctrine (nos. 194, 712). It is called a holy city owing to the presence of the Lord, who alone is holy, and owing to the Divine truths from the Word that it has in it from the Lord, which are called holy (nos. 173, 586, 666, 852). And it is called new, because He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new" (Revelation 21:5). It is also said to be coming down from God out of heaven because it descends from the Lord through the New Christian Heaven, as said in no. 876 in the exposition of verse 1 in this chapter. For the church on earth is formed by the Lord through heaven, in order that heaven and the church may be in harmony and affiliated.
879. [verse 2] 'And I John saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven' signifies the New Church going to be set up by the Lord at the end of the former one, which [New Church] in companionship with the New Heaven will be in Divine truths as to doctrine and life. The reason why John here mentions himself saying 'I John,' is because by him as an apostle is signified the good of love directed to the Lord, and consequently the good of life; and therefore he was loved more than the rest of the apostles, and at the supper reclined upon the Lord's breast (John 13:23; 21:20); and the Church that is now treated of does likewise. That by 'Jerusalem' is signified the Church will be seen in the following paragraph. This is called 'a city' and described as a city on account of doctrine and of a life in accordance therewith, for 'a city' in the spiritual sense signifies doctrine (194, 712). It is called 'holy' on account of the Lord Who Only is Holy, and on account of the Divine truths that are derived out of the Word from the Lord in those who are called 'holy' (173, 586, 666, 852); and it is called 'new' because the One sitting upon the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new' (verse 5); and it is said to be 'coming down from God out of heaven' because it descends from the Lord by means of the New Heaven of Christians treated of in verse 1 of this chapter (876), for the Church on earth is formed by the Lord by means of heaven so that they may act as one and be associated together.
879. Verse 2. And I John saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, signifies the New Church to be established by the Lord at the end of the former church, which will be consociated with the New Heaven in Divine truths as to doctrine and as to life. The reason why John here names himself, saying, "I John" is because by him as an apostle is signified the good of love to the Lord, and thence the good of life, therefore he was loved more than the other apostles, and at supper lay on the Lord's breast, (John 13:23; 21:20); and in like manner this church which is now treated of. That by "Jerusalem" is signified the church will be seen in the next article; which is called "a city" and described as a city from doctrine and from a life according to it, for "a city" in the spiritual sense signifies doctrine, (194[1-4], 712). It is called "holy" from the Lord, who alone is holy, and from the Divine truths which are in it derived from the Word from the Lord, which are called holy, (173, 586, 666, 852); and it is called "new" because he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new" (verse 5); and it is said, "to come down from God out of heaven," because it descends from the Lord through the New Christian Heaven, treated of in verse 1 of this chapter, (876), for the church on earth is formed through heaven by the Lord, that they may act as one and be consociated.
879. (Vers. 2.) "Et ego Johannes vidi urbem sanctam Hierosolymam Novam descendentem a Deo e Caelo," significat Novam Ecclesiam in fine prioris a Domino instaurandam, quae consociata Novo Caelo in Divinis veris quoad doctrinam et quoad vitam erit. - Quod Johannes se hic nominet, dicens, "Ego Johannes," est quia per illum ut Apostolum significatur Bonum amoris in Dominum, et inde Bonum vitae; quare ille prae reliquis Apostolis amatus fuit, et ad Caenam cubuit ad pectus Domini, (Johannes 13:23; 21:20); et haec Ecclesia, de qua nunc agitur, similiter. Quod per "Hierosolymam" significetur Ecclesia, videbitur in sequente articulo; quae vocatur "urbs" et describitur ut urbs ex doctrina et ex vita secundum illam, "urbs" enim in spirituali Sensu significat doctrinam (194, 712). Vocatur "sancta" ex Domino, Qui Solus est Sanctus, et ex Divinis veris quae ex Verbo sunt a Domino in illa, quae vocantur sancta (173, 586, 666, 852); et vocatur "Nova," quia Sedens super Throno dixit, "Ecce nova omnia facio," (vers. 5); ac dicitur "descendens a Deo e Caelo," quia a Domino per Novum Caelum Christianum, de quo in versu 1 hujus capitis (876), nam Ecclesia in terris formatur per Caelum a Domino, ut unum agant et consocientur.